Some weeks later, Mac slipped through the darkened school, consulting one of the wall maps before finally finding the library. Cori sat at the study table, pouring over some old manuscripts, hoping to find information on what may be coming next involving the Master.
Silently, Mac slipped inside, striding over the floor.
Coricopat muttered under his breath, shutting yet another volume and reaching for another, seeing movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked up, startled.
"Don't worry, I'm not here to eat," Mac said, smirking slightly.
The librarian considered the vampire before him, "Mac, I take it? Grids mentioned you don't feed on humans anymore."
"Not for a long time anyway," he replied with a shrug.
"If you're here looking for her, she's gone home." He picked up another volume, frowning at the cover, he was sure he'd been through that one three times already.
"I wasn't," he said. "Looking for her I mean. I don't think I should be around her."
Cori looked him over, but kept his opinions to himself, "Well, what can I do for you then?"
"Well, you've been researching the Master, right?" Mac asked, looking over the books strewn everywhere.
"The Vampire King. Yes, I'm trying to learn all I can about him, but I can't find much, I'm afraid," Cori replied, rubbing his eyes again.
Mac nodded. "Well, something's coming, and I bet you he's at the heart of it. You've read all the Slayer lore there is, right?"
"I've studied all the extant volumes, of course. But the most important books of Slayer prophecy have been lost. The Tiberius Manifesto, the Pergamum Codex, etc."
"The Codex," Mac said, catching onto that last name.
"It was reputed to contain the most complete prophecies about the Slayer's role in the End Times. But the book was lost in the 15th century."
"I think the word you're looking for is misplaced," Mac told him. "I've just heard news of the Codex up for auction in LA."
Cori's brows rose, "In L.A.? Really?"
"You'd be amazed at what shows up in LA," Mac replied. "I can get it for you. I know some of the circles there"
"That would be extremely helpful." He motioned to the books on the table, "My own volumes have been useless in this regard."
There was a pause. "How is she?" the vampire asked softly.
"Griddlebone? She's...holding up."
"Did something happen, or just holding up in the Slayer sense?" Mac asked softly.
"There was an incident with the Nightmare Realm...for all of us a short while ago."
"Nightmares?" Macavity blinked. "So, they started coming real?"
"Precisely."
He bit the inside of his lip. "What were hers?" he couldn't help but ask.
"Something regarding her father, a forgotten test...A..." He shook his head, "She didn't really say."
Mac blinked at him. "You sure?"
Cori looked down, tracing the title of one of the books, "We didn't talk much about the ones the others didn't witness. But..." He drew a deep breath, "My guess is one dealt with the Master, and I know I found her as…" another hesitation, "as a vampire."
For a moment Mac didn't respond, before he nodded. "That must have been... quite the day."
Cori nodded, "It was. Things returned to their normal state again, but..."
"But you still have the memories," he said softly, own memories swirling in his mind. He had hundreds of years of them after all, and many were cruel more than enjoyable.
"We do. Very rarely after an occurrence like that do the memories leave."
"But at least this time you're all okay," Mac said, shifting.
"Indeed." Cori hesitated for a long moment, "If...if you ever think you're up to it, I'm sure she wouldn't mind seeing you."
He blinked. "You sure? It seems like a better idea to stay away."
"I can't say with complete certainty, but I believe so. I'm not privy to her private thoughts, but she seems to miss you."
The vampire stared at him for a long moment. "I'll go get that Codex for you," he said finally, turning to go.
Cori watched him, murmuring, "Thank you."
So very serious about this being an interlude before we move into the endgame of this particular year. Hope you enjoy and all that jazz.