Much thanks to Riyallyn, Maragaige, Cindy, Redmayne (thanks for the
bribes!!!), Julia, Owlwitch, Fae Rain, too!!! And Sierra Windfire: purple
bunnies and blue birdie peeps for reviewing, and the ideas. I think they're
good ideas...;P. And Eli, on the subject of Loki...be afraid...be very
afraid...thanks for the cell phone. You'll get it back, I promise.
Thanks for all the feedback!!! I love it!!! It makes me happy. And when I
am happy, my muse is happy. I shall make updating a number one priority!!!
Disclaimer: No mine. I'd give up all my Easter candy for it, though. ;P
Archive: Just ask my friends, and ye shall receive. (Well...most likely)
Feedback: ::Eyebrow twitches, but RavenX manages to say nothing::
::Chases the Easter Bunny around the house and into the yard, yelling:: ::notices people are watching and stops::
(A/N): Hehe...well, I guess I shouldn't blame the Easter Bunny for giving my muse too much chocolate. Or for sending most of that chocolate to my hips...arg. LoL. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!
**************************************************************************** *************
Chapter VII **************************************************************************** *************
"IAN!"
Ian was jarred back to reality by the slightly worried voice of Sara Pezzini.
"Yes?"
"It's your turn. Must have been some daydream. She's been yelling at you for a couple of minutes now," laughed Vicki.
"Yeah. Something like that." Ian glanced over to Sara, who was looking at him inquisitively.
"Have any fives?"
"Go fish,"
Ian drew from the pile of cards. And sighed, looking at the smiling face of the queen of hearts. As he looked at the card, the queen on it suddenly winked at him, the bracelet of the Witch appearing quite evident on the Queen's wrist. He felt something enter his body, and Ian glanced to the band on his bare wrist, which had begun to glow.
Tendrils from it were creeping up his hand, over the gloves, towards his ring. He quickly took off the glove on his right hand, put the ring back, and covered it over with the glove. He could still feel the tendrils moving from his wrist under the glove, but at least it would be less noticeable.
"Ian? Are you alright?" Sara and Vicki were looking at him rather concernedly.
"I do not believe so, Lady Sara."
Sara noticed the slight glow from under the table, where Ian was hiding his right wrist.
"Hey Vick, I think we need to get going. It doesn't look like the undead will be causing much trouble."
"Okay Sara. Thanks for uh...saving me from my own autopsy patient..." Vicki's features became puzzled, "What weapon did you use on the last one? Looked like a pretty deep wound..."
"You'll be pretty surprised with what Ian can fit in that coat." Sara interjected quickly.
"I'm sure I would," Vicki said with a grin.
"Lets go, Ian,"
Ian picked up his trench coat and his rabbit, and followed Sara out of the morgue. She stopped out in a dark hallway of the basement, lighted only by the red 'EXIT' sign. Ian put his coat back on; covering all traces of his well defined muscles, and slipped the rabbit back into his pocket.
"What's going on Ian? Are you sure you're still unaffected by this thing?" Sara gestured to the happily growing bracelet.
"I very much hope so,"
"Then what's that on your wrist?"
Sara grabbed his hand before he could pull away, and pulled back the sleeve of his coat. She stared at the band on his wrist, and looked to the Witchblade, which in turn pulled her, unwillingly, into a vision.
********"Hello, Sara,"
She was in a place she usually found herself in dreams, in the mist of the Witchblade. The red moon glowed down from above, but cast none of its colour onto the fog. Before her stood one of the previous wielders, but one that she had never met before.
"Who are you?"
"Always getting right to the point, Sara. Ever just enjoy idle chit-chat?"
"The blade always has an alterative motive for what it does. Getting straight to the point saves time I don't have."
"Usually," the former wielder said, "But not always."
"Who are you?" repeated Sara, having had enough cryptic news for one day.
"I am Morrigan. I was a wielder in the Past Ages, long before the Christians' savior. I was a Pagan wielder."
"But I thought that the blade was connected only to..."
"God?" Morrigan smiled, "That's what the church wished to be believed by the population. The Witchblade does not discriminate based on religion. There are gods, some good, some evil, some..."
"Like me,"
A man walked from the mist and slipped his arm around Morrigan's waist. He looked nearly identical to Nottingham.
"A joy to see you again, mi'sweet,"
"As I you, Loki. Enjoying your stay?" inquired Morrigan.
"Thrilled as always,"
"*You're* Loki?"
"Yes, Wielder. I am Loki, Protector of the Wielder Morrigan, God of Mischief, and eternal servant to the blade," he made a sweeping bow, "It's always been a joy to be invited to visit for the week."
"The week?" Sara asked, in a mix between horror and incredulity.
"Yes. You're a quite stubborn woman, you know,"
"Oh...you can't be serious."
Loki only smiled.
"I find your denial amusing, but it grows tiresome."
"What are you talking about?"
"You'll see, wielder, you'll see..." ********
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sara looked up, suddenly back in the precinct's basement, and met Ian's gaze.
"Are you alright?"
"Not for much longer, based the way they're talking," replied Sara, gesturing to the blade.
Ian got a far off look in his eye upon hearing this.
"Know anything about that, Protector?"
"Know anything about what, my love?" Ian asked, stepping waaaaaaayyyyyyy to close to her.
"Nottingham?" Sara asked, taking a step back.
"Who?" he asked, stepping into her personal space again.
"What's wrong with you?!" Sara demanded, taking another step back.
"What are you talking about, my love?" Ian asked.
"What's with this 'my love' crap? Ian...are you drunk?"
"No," Ian said, advancing on her again.
"You're acting very strange, Nottingham. Very strange. You're aware of this, right?" asked Sara, taking yet another step back, only to realize that she was up against the wall.
"I am not the one acting strange, Cleo."
Sara froze as she processed what Ian had addressed her by.
"Mark? Mark Antony?"
"Yes?"
By this point, Ian was extremely close to Sara, far past invading her personal space, and his arm moved to the wall, blocking her escape. Sara glanced down to the Witchblade, which was glowing brighter than it had all day.
Sara's eyes locked with Ian's as he looked down at her with a gleam in those beautiful caramel eyes. She tried to will her body to more away, but she could not. Later she would blame this muscle malfunction on the Blade, but she knew that the malevolent bracelet had not been the only thing keeping her there.
Ian/Marc Antony's hand moved to her waist, and leaned down, capturing her mouth in a passionate kiss. His taste was so familiar, his mouth so welcoming. Her hand went to the back of Ian's neck, entwining her fingers in his long hair.
"Way to go Pez!"
Sara broke the kiss abruptly, enticing a moan from Ian/Marc. She turned to see Jake, Burgess and one other cop standing near the doorway.
"Rookie, if you breathe a word of this..." Sara growled.
"Who knew it? Pez is actually getting some," the other cop laughed.
"I'm thinking of a finger, Smith, and it sure as hell ain't a thumbs up," Sara hissed. Sara turned to Nottingham, but he once again had that cloudy, far off look in his eyes.
"Wait until Danny gets a load of this," Jake laughed.
"Gets a load of what?"
Danny stepped out of the shadows, (conveniently for the writer, who had to find a way to get Sara and Ian out of the basement and away from Jake; but inconveniently for Jake, who shall soon find the true meaning of pain.) and Jake froze.
"Uh...hiya partner...glad to see you're up and about...and that you have pants..."
Danny only smiled manically, and made a fake start towards Jake, who then ran up the steps. Danny nodded to Sara and continued on, calmly but swiftly pursuing the rookie.
The other two detectives were receiving death glares from Ian, and decided it would be a good idea to leave the immediate area, rather quickly.
Sara watched the two detectives leave and then turned to face Nottingham.
"What the fuck were you thinking?!"
"What the fuck were you thinking?!"
Ian only gave her a confused look.
"I do not know of what you speak, La...Sara," Ian replied, focusing his eyes on the floor.
"You zoned out on me, then started calling me Cleo; and getting way too touchy-feely," said Sara. Though it was one of the more enjoyable things that has happened in the past month... Sara mentally slapped herself.
"Ah," Ian mused.
"Ah?"
"Well, in my vision which regrettably interrupted our card game, Loki hinted towards something like this, and I believe I have figured it out. I am currently fighting off a barrage of voices in my mind. They seem to be the essences, minds of the other Protector. And I believe they are, for short intervals..."
Ian paused, trying to figure out how to word it, "...possessing me, or at least inhabiting my body from time to time. I am at times aware of this. I believe I can try to keep them under control, but..."
Ian fell silent again, and got the clouded look in his eye again.
"Nottingham?" Sara inquired, "Ian? Hello?"
"IAN!"
There was no reply.
*******~******~*********~********~*********~********~********~******~**
A/N: I know, I know. A cliffhanger. Sorry, but it was the best place to end it.
Reason for delayed posting: I'm on break, and recently went to the land of the hippies, and ever since, have been slightly out of it. And really sore. A six mile hike, uphill. ::Ouch::
Please Review. I wish for reviews more than chocolate. Chocolate *and* reviews...well...that'd be just wonderful! (And sunflower seeds. The salted ones.) Maragaige has the right idea! LoL. ::returns to her painkiller induced hibernation in front of the tv:: ::muse pulls her back to the computer and duct tapes her to the chair::
Slan Agat!
-X of the IrishRaven persuasion.
Disclaimer: No mine. I'd give up all my Easter candy for it, though. ;P
Archive: Just ask my friends, and ye shall receive. (Well...most likely)
Feedback: ::Eyebrow twitches, but RavenX manages to say nothing::
::Chases the Easter Bunny around the house and into the yard, yelling:: ::notices people are watching and stops::
(A/N): Hehe...well, I guess I shouldn't blame the Easter Bunny for giving my muse too much chocolate. Or for sending most of that chocolate to my hips...arg. LoL. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!
**************************************************************************** *************
Chapter VII **************************************************************************** *************
"IAN!"
Ian was jarred back to reality by the slightly worried voice of Sara Pezzini.
"Yes?"
"It's your turn. Must have been some daydream. She's been yelling at you for a couple of minutes now," laughed Vicki.
"Yeah. Something like that." Ian glanced over to Sara, who was looking at him inquisitively.
"Have any fives?"
"Go fish,"
Ian drew from the pile of cards. And sighed, looking at the smiling face of the queen of hearts. As he looked at the card, the queen on it suddenly winked at him, the bracelet of the Witch appearing quite evident on the Queen's wrist. He felt something enter his body, and Ian glanced to the band on his bare wrist, which had begun to glow.
Tendrils from it were creeping up his hand, over the gloves, towards his ring. He quickly took off the glove on his right hand, put the ring back, and covered it over with the glove. He could still feel the tendrils moving from his wrist under the glove, but at least it would be less noticeable.
"Ian? Are you alright?" Sara and Vicki were looking at him rather concernedly.
"I do not believe so, Lady Sara."
Sara noticed the slight glow from under the table, where Ian was hiding his right wrist.
"Hey Vick, I think we need to get going. It doesn't look like the undead will be causing much trouble."
"Okay Sara. Thanks for uh...saving me from my own autopsy patient..." Vicki's features became puzzled, "What weapon did you use on the last one? Looked like a pretty deep wound..."
"You'll be pretty surprised with what Ian can fit in that coat." Sara interjected quickly.
"I'm sure I would," Vicki said with a grin.
"Lets go, Ian,"
Ian picked up his trench coat and his rabbit, and followed Sara out of the morgue. She stopped out in a dark hallway of the basement, lighted only by the red 'EXIT' sign. Ian put his coat back on; covering all traces of his well defined muscles, and slipped the rabbit back into his pocket.
"What's going on Ian? Are you sure you're still unaffected by this thing?" Sara gestured to the happily growing bracelet.
"I very much hope so,"
"Then what's that on your wrist?"
Sara grabbed his hand before he could pull away, and pulled back the sleeve of his coat. She stared at the band on his wrist, and looked to the Witchblade, which in turn pulled her, unwillingly, into a vision.
********"Hello, Sara,"
She was in a place she usually found herself in dreams, in the mist of the Witchblade. The red moon glowed down from above, but cast none of its colour onto the fog. Before her stood one of the previous wielders, but one that she had never met before.
"Who are you?"
"Always getting right to the point, Sara. Ever just enjoy idle chit-chat?"
"The blade always has an alterative motive for what it does. Getting straight to the point saves time I don't have."
"Usually," the former wielder said, "But not always."
"Who are you?" repeated Sara, having had enough cryptic news for one day.
"I am Morrigan. I was a wielder in the Past Ages, long before the Christians' savior. I was a Pagan wielder."
"But I thought that the blade was connected only to..."
"God?" Morrigan smiled, "That's what the church wished to be believed by the population. The Witchblade does not discriminate based on religion. There are gods, some good, some evil, some..."
"Like me,"
A man walked from the mist and slipped his arm around Morrigan's waist. He looked nearly identical to Nottingham.
"A joy to see you again, mi'sweet,"
"As I you, Loki. Enjoying your stay?" inquired Morrigan.
"Thrilled as always,"
"*You're* Loki?"
"Yes, Wielder. I am Loki, Protector of the Wielder Morrigan, God of Mischief, and eternal servant to the blade," he made a sweeping bow, "It's always been a joy to be invited to visit for the week."
"The week?" Sara asked, in a mix between horror and incredulity.
"Yes. You're a quite stubborn woman, you know,"
"Oh...you can't be serious."
Loki only smiled.
"I find your denial amusing, but it grows tiresome."
"What are you talking about?"
"You'll see, wielder, you'll see..." ********
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sara looked up, suddenly back in the precinct's basement, and met Ian's gaze.
"Are you alright?"
"Not for much longer, based the way they're talking," replied Sara, gesturing to the blade.
Ian got a far off look in his eye upon hearing this.
"Know anything about that, Protector?"
"Know anything about what, my love?" Ian asked, stepping waaaaaaayyyyyyy to close to her.
"Nottingham?" Sara asked, taking a step back.
"Who?" he asked, stepping into her personal space again.
"What's wrong with you?!" Sara demanded, taking another step back.
"What are you talking about, my love?" Ian asked.
"What's with this 'my love' crap? Ian...are you drunk?"
"No," Ian said, advancing on her again.
"You're acting very strange, Nottingham. Very strange. You're aware of this, right?" asked Sara, taking yet another step back, only to realize that she was up against the wall.
"I am not the one acting strange, Cleo."
Sara froze as she processed what Ian had addressed her by.
"Mark? Mark Antony?"
"Yes?"
By this point, Ian was extremely close to Sara, far past invading her personal space, and his arm moved to the wall, blocking her escape. Sara glanced down to the Witchblade, which was glowing brighter than it had all day.
Sara's eyes locked with Ian's as he looked down at her with a gleam in those beautiful caramel eyes. She tried to will her body to more away, but she could not. Later she would blame this muscle malfunction on the Blade, but she knew that the malevolent bracelet had not been the only thing keeping her there.
Ian/Marc Antony's hand moved to her waist, and leaned down, capturing her mouth in a passionate kiss. His taste was so familiar, his mouth so welcoming. Her hand went to the back of Ian's neck, entwining her fingers in his long hair.
"Way to go Pez!"
Sara broke the kiss abruptly, enticing a moan from Ian/Marc. She turned to see Jake, Burgess and one other cop standing near the doorway.
"Rookie, if you breathe a word of this..." Sara growled.
"Who knew it? Pez is actually getting some," the other cop laughed.
"I'm thinking of a finger, Smith, and it sure as hell ain't a thumbs up," Sara hissed. Sara turned to Nottingham, but he once again had that cloudy, far off look in his eyes.
"Wait until Danny gets a load of this," Jake laughed.
"Gets a load of what?"
Danny stepped out of the shadows, (conveniently for the writer, who had to find a way to get Sara and Ian out of the basement and away from Jake; but inconveniently for Jake, who shall soon find the true meaning of pain.) and Jake froze.
"Uh...hiya partner...glad to see you're up and about...and that you have pants..."
Danny only smiled manically, and made a fake start towards Jake, who then ran up the steps. Danny nodded to Sara and continued on, calmly but swiftly pursuing the rookie.
The other two detectives were receiving death glares from Ian, and decided it would be a good idea to leave the immediate area, rather quickly.
Sara watched the two detectives leave and then turned to face Nottingham.
"What the fuck were you thinking?!"
"What the fuck were you thinking?!"
Ian only gave her a confused look.
"I do not know of what you speak, La...Sara," Ian replied, focusing his eyes on the floor.
"You zoned out on me, then started calling me Cleo; and getting way too touchy-feely," said Sara. Though it was one of the more enjoyable things that has happened in the past month... Sara mentally slapped herself.
"Ah," Ian mused.
"Ah?"
"Well, in my vision which regrettably interrupted our card game, Loki hinted towards something like this, and I believe I have figured it out. I am currently fighting off a barrage of voices in my mind. They seem to be the essences, minds of the other Protector. And I believe they are, for short intervals..."
Ian paused, trying to figure out how to word it, "...possessing me, or at least inhabiting my body from time to time. I am at times aware of this. I believe I can try to keep them under control, but..."
Ian fell silent again, and got the clouded look in his eye again.
"Nottingham?" Sara inquired, "Ian? Hello?"
"IAN!"
There was no reply.
*******~******~*********~********~*********~********~********~******~**
A/N: I know, I know. A cliffhanger. Sorry, but it was the best place to end it.
Reason for delayed posting: I'm on break, and recently went to the land of the hippies, and ever since, have been slightly out of it. And really sore. A six mile hike, uphill. ::Ouch::
Please Review. I wish for reviews more than chocolate. Chocolate *and* reviews...well...that'd be just wonderful! (And sunflower seeds. The salted ones.) Maragaige has the right idea! LoL. ::returns to her painkiller induced hibernation in front of the tv:: ::muse pulls her back to the computer and duct tapes her to the chair::
Slan Agat!
-X of the IrishRaven persuasion.
