Victoria hadn't slept in almost two years, and she wasn't about to start now. After she'd showered and combed her hair, she'd changed into a black tank-top, a red leather jacket, different than her gear, and a pair of leather pants. Then she thrust some extra seraph blades in her belt, grabbed her stele, and climbed out the window.

The streets of Newark were safe surrounded by the mundanes. It was almost like the lights and the noise kept the demons away. Victoria passed a couple of Downworlders on their way to the same place as her, some even knew her, throwing her a wave and a "hey" as she passed. The Downworlder Club, known as the Complex, was hidden in an empty apartment complex and thus where it got its name. The glass door, which looked into an empty apartment complex, even to Victoria's voyance rune, had a sign hanging from it that read "Keep Out!" but someone had crossed out the "Out!" and replaced it with "High!" which Victoria didn't think made any sense but she would never understand mundanes. She threw the door open and stepped into the flashing lights.

Almost immediately, she was engulfed by a sea of werewolves, ifrits, and the occasional warlock. Tonight was an odd night as opposed to an even one. So werewolves were using the booths lining the walls of the club to get it on with each other. On even nights, the werewolves would be replaced by vampires who'd feed on willing mundanes, or sometimes get freaky too. Victoria didn't really care either way. She was here to dance, and to find Fane Voss. He wasn't the High Warlock of Newark, Victoria didn't think there was a High Warlock of Newark, because even as New Jersey's most populated city, no one really cared about it. Even most of the werewolves were from out of state, only staying here on a journey somewhere else.

The music was loud enough to keep Victoria from falling asleep while she searched for Fane. She applied a wakefulness rune and searched while she danced, trying to keep her body moving before she could collapse. Fane, however, seemed to be taking his sweet time getting to the club. She reminded herself to start coming to him a day earlier before she ran out of potion.

Finally, she spotted him. He was a normal enough looking warlock until he mentioned his webbed feet, and you saw his snake eyes. Sometimes she swore he was tinted yellow, but she'd asked him once and he'd waved away the thought. She'd pushed her way through the crowd to him and grabbed him by the shoulder before he could wander off, "Why hello my dear!" He said cheerfully. Victoria always felt like he should've had a British accent, but his accent was entirely American, "I was wondering when I'd see you again."

"Well, here I am," She said, half-chuckling, "and I'm kinda in a rush."

He pursed his lips, "You know the terms of our deal," He said, "you give me what I want, I give you what you want."

"I know," Victoria grumbled, and led him towards the back rooms.

"Are you done staring at me?" Zachary asked. Theo had been standing in the hallway, covered in dried tentacle slime and ichor, staring at the other boy. He was at war with himself. Part of him, and a large part too, wanted to leap into Zachary's arms and kiss him like there was no tomorrow, and the other, slightly larger part wanted to run Zachary through with his sword.

Instead what happened was a furious, "What are you doing here?"

Zachary grinned, "Well I told you I'd be back for you,"

"Did you come for your sword?"

"Your sword, Hyacinthus," Zachary replied, "it's your sword, and no. It really does look better on you than it ever did me." Theo wanted to argue that Zachary had never even used it, except during the Dark War, and he hadn't even swung it, but Theo was more than relieved that Zachary hadn't come for the sword.

Theo shook his head, "I don't have time for this," He said, "I'm going to shower and then—"

"Then you're going to give me a proper welcome? Maybe even a kiss?"

"Don't hold your breath," Theo said coldly, "if anything, I'll be back to give you a forced vasectomy." And with that, he stormed off into his room. His fury didn't vanish when he shut his bedroom door, and it didn't vanish when he locked it, or when he stripped off his gear, or even when he got in the actual shower. He stayed under the steaming hot water for a lot longer than he usually would, reaching the point where he finally just sat down in the shower with his knees pulled up to his chest and rested his head on his arms. It wasn't until the water got ice cold that Theo finally got out.

And that was probably worse because then he started thinking, Zachary obviously would've had to have spoken with Theo's father. This rose several problems. Firstly, Theo's dad did not know about the company Theo liked to keep. Secondly, Zachary was in no way discreet about his and Theo's past. And thirdly, Zachary was obviously staying for some amount of time.

Theo barely realized he was storming into the room Zachary had been in until after he flung the door open and caught Zachary in the middle of changing. His chest was more scarred than it was the last time Theo had seen it, but still as well defined. Now Zachary was old enough to grow chest hair, and a thin layer covered the area. Zachary had also grown a bit taller, though he and Theo were still about four inches apart. Zachary's jeans were laying on the bed, and the other thing barring Theo from looking at Zachary full-frontal nude was his underwear.

Theo's hand slapped against his eyes, "I-I'm sorry."

Zachary laughed, "It's nothing you haven't seen before," he said, "And you're not much more decent y'know." Theo then remembered that he was in a towel, and one of the shorter ones at that. Theo's face went through several shades of red before settling on a cherry tomato color. He hoped his hand was big enough to cover both his eyes and most of his blush.

Theo ignored this and continued with his original plan, "What did you say to my dad?"

"Thomas seems pretty cool," Zachary said casually, and then added, "You can open your eyes now." Theo peeked out from between his fingers. Zachary was fully clothed now, so Theo pulled his hand away from his eyes, "As for what I told him," Zachary continued, taking a seat on the bed, "I said that I was here to help out. Don't worry I didn't tell him about you and me."

Theo only slightly relaxed, "And what do you mean you're 'helping out?'"

"I mean exactly that." Zachary said, "I'm surprised your dad didn't say anything to you about me being here."

Theo had thought the same thing, but didn't say anything out loud, "You shouldn't be here."

"Fine," Zachary said, "I'll leave."

Then Theo's heart took over, "No! Stay. Just… you stay in your corner and I'll stay in mine."

Zachary fell backward on the bed, "What do you want from me Hyacinthus!?"

"Stop calling me that," Theo snapped. Zachary sat back up and looked at him like Theo had slapped him across the face. Theo instantly felt bad.

"Fine," Zachary's face was hard now, "Get out. It's been a long day and I need to sleep."

Theo had a lot more he wanted to say, but Zachary crossed the room and flicked the light switch. Theo turned around and walked out of the room.

The back rooms were used for private dances and were barred off from the club, even the music barely reached this part, and even then it was really only the vibration. This always bummed Victoria out. Fane led her through the velvet red curtains towards his private room at the back. She caught several glances as she passed werewolves, she knew what they all thought of her, she didn't care. Once in Fane's private room, and empty space with a loveseat and a few mirrors on the wall, Fane put his hand to the back wall and it slid open, revealing a staircase that led into darkness. With a wave of his hand, neon green balls of light appeared one after another down the length of the staircase.

"Come along my dear," He said, descending the staircase. Victoria followed after him, running her hand along the stone-cold wall as she went. The foot of the stairs opened into a big room that was obviously a laboratory, Victoria had known that upon her first visit. Counters topped with test tubes, beakers, magical ingredients, books among other things lined the walls, and covered the floor. In the center of the room was a large medical table with straps on the sides to hold people in. Victoria found her spot on the red stool beside one of the counters while Fane collected his things from across the laboratory. He returned with a syringe in his hand, and several empty vials, "You'll feel a pinch—"

"And then it'll be over, I know. You've been telling me the same thing for two years." Victoria said, and peeled off her jacket. She folded it in her lap and set her right arm against the table, "Just get it over with."

Fane made a little "hmph" and prepared the syringe, "Fine, clench your fist dear… there we go." And he pressed the tip of the needle to the inside of her elbow.

Theo couldn't sleep now. He tossed and he turned, and he covered his face with all his pillows, and he tried sleeping with the blankets off, and then on, and then off again. He tried laying on the floor, opening his window, leaving the lights off, everything he could think of, but of course. He couldn't sleep. He was exhausted though, and his eyes kept dipping, yet every time he tried to close his eyes, Zachary was waiting behind them.

"Hey there Hyacinthus,"

And it infuriated Theo. It infuriated him that Zachary had the nerve to show his face after all that he'd done, that he had the nerve to show up and start using pet names like everything was fine between them. And it infuriated him even more that Zachary was staying at the Institute, in the room right next to his. Finally, he got up, grabbed a witchlight stone from his dresser, upon touching it, it flared to life with light, and he headed into the hallway.

The Newark Institute library was relatively small. Just one large oak table in the middle with various lamps and books that hadn't been put back, and grand bookcases lining the walls. Theo turned on the light and threw the witchlight in his hand into his pocket. On the far wall was a grand stained window that looked out over of one the busy streets of Newark. Theo crossed the room to the section on Demons and pulled out a couple books that looked promising. He started flipping through them, searching the pictures for the demons they'd fought tonight. A couple caught his eye, but none of them looked quite right. Some had the tentacles, but not the bodies, and others had the beady eyes, but not the weird octopus-shape to them. Finally, after searching through five different books, he gave up. He grabbed a spare piece of paper from the table and scribbled a note on it:

You up? I'm in the library.

He put the tip of his stele to the paper and drew the rune for a Fire Message. The paper blazed up and burned away to rematerialize wherever the receiver was. It wasn't long before Erelah popped into the library, her hair hanging down to her shoulders. Her black Marks stood out on her arms, uncovered by her tank top. Theo could see the parabatai rune, the rune symbolizing their bond, on her shoulder. Theo's was on his side. She came over and took a seat, "What's up?"

Theo sighed. He wanted to tell her about Zachary, about the sword, and everything he and Zachary had done in Idris, and the last time they saw each other. Instead, he said, "I'm just… stressed about the demons."

She pulled one of the books from his pile and flipped it open, "I know, hopefully, Maryse Lightwood will have an answer for us in the morning, and either way, I've always got your back. Entreat me not to leave thee, and all that."

Theo smiled.

Erelah smiled back, "Grab more books," she said, pushing herself out of her chair, "I'll get tea."

Theo nodded, "On it." Things were too easy with Erelah, and shortly after she returned with tea, Theo almost completely forgot about Zachary.