Disclaimer: belongs to Jim Butcher and Scifi channel.
Rating: PG
Book or TV verse: TV with some bits of bookverse
Warnings: Language
Summary: Morgan hunts dangerous prey
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Coldness. Morgan woke on Dresden's couch, with a ghost's hand inside his chest. The cold made him shiver.
"You need a healer or a doctor, as soon as possible. I don't know how you managed to walk in here." Bob told him.
"Later. Where are Murphy and Carla?" Morgan asked.
"Murph took her, I told her to get the kid a new identity, and hide her where none of us can find her" Dresden said, looming above Morgan from behind the couch. Dresden looked disheveled. Well, that was normal anyway.
Morgan sat up and looked at the chaos around him. The body of the Blackstaff was gone, the blood was gone. He didn't want to know.
He rose shakily to his feet. Grabbing his sword and using it for support again. He briefly wished he had chosen a staff instead of a sword as a conduit for his magic.
"I have to report this to Mai." and was he dreading THAT conversation.
"You can't do that, Morgan, she'll kill you."
"Why Dresden, I didn't know you cared. I'm touched."
"Oh good, dry sarcasm, I guess we're feeling better, Morgan. Morgan? Morgan?"
Morgan had vanished from the apartment.
"I hate it when he does that. " Dresden muttered as he made a start at cleaning the mess.
Morgan left, unseen.
---
He was ushered into Ancient Mai's quarters immediately.
He gave her a slightly edited version of the events leading up to Blackstaff Carter's death. Morgan didn't mention Murphy, or refer to Carla by name. He told Mai of how deeply entrenched in black magic Carter had become. How he sold his services for gain as an assassin. How he killed with black magic, and destroyed civilian witnesses who were little older than children. How he believed Carter had summoned the demon that had invaded both High Council headquarters and a police station.
Ancient Mai did not want to believe him. She shook her head in vehement denial.
"I killed him." he told her. "I had to."
Fury took Ancient Mai in an instant.
"No. No. I do not believe you. Carter would never turn. Never! You killed a Blackstaff of the High Council, using magic, no doubt.
Morgan nodded slightly.
Ancient Mai's mask altered, Morgan saw a brief glimpse a more reptilian face and eyes before Mai regained control and was once again a young beautiful woman – the image she'd been choosing to wear for the past few months.
Anger often made her face slip.
"Give me your sword, Warden" she ordered him coldly.
Morgan complied, He handed his sword to her hilt first. He stood straight and met her gaze evenly as she brought the blade up to touch his neck. He did not take his eyes from her's. There was no risk of a soulgaze. That only happened between a wizard and another human.
She drew back to strike then swung the sword almost faster than he could see. She stopped just before the blade touched the skin of his throat. He didn't flinch, or even tense up.
The fury suddenly fled her.
"So, it's true." her eyes closed. "How could it happen? I've known him all his life. His mother was my close friend" Mai's tone was subdued.
"I'm sorry, Mai"
She frowned at him, concern now on her face. She began shouting for healers moments before he collapsed face first into her. She caught him and picked him up as effortlessly as if he were a small child and carried him to a nearby bench. He felt her strange inhuman magic reaching into him, taking his pain away, beginning the healing process and stealing his consciousness.
"Sleep, Morgan. Close your eyes and rest. You have done well." Ancient Mai said softly.
He obeyed her. He always did.