Misty knew she was in trouble as soon as she entered the bar. Cal, the manager, stood behind the desk with his arms crossed and his gaze locked on hers the instant she walked in, which could only be because he had been staring at the door since fifteen minutes ago, when her shift had started.

His eyes narrowed when she met them. "My office, Misty." Then he turned and walked out into the room at the back.

"Someone's in trouble", Jackson said as she passed the bar. She scowled at him and he gave her an encouraging smile. "I tried to talk him down for you, but he's real pissed at you."

"Yeah, thanks Jackson", she said before going through the back door to face the wrath of her boss. She knew she had it coming. It wasn't her first time being late, far from. She had worked here nearly two years at a stretch now – not counting the year she spent here as a teenager in need of money for food before she settled down in the woods – and it was the longest she had kept a job ever since she started working. She didn't mind the place, but she hated the concept of working. After spending her whole life shaping the day to her will, it seemed almost impossible to 'conform to civilization' as Fiona often expressed it, while she rolled her eyes at Misty.

She found Cal looking torn as he stepped uneasily back and forth.

"Just spit it out," she said.

"See that right there is what I'm talkin' 'bout", Cal said and pointed at her. "You actin' like I'm not the boss of you. I'm not tryna play macho here, but I am the boss of you and I'm gettin' 'bout fed up with your attitude and your lack of respect for my rules. Now, you owe me somethin' here. I put up with you when you worked here as a teenager, because you were a kid alone in the world and you didn't know any better." He sighed and finally stood still. "And I've been lookin' the other way, 'cause you've got a kid on your own now and God knows I know how beat that makes ya, but my charity quota is runnin' out, doll. The customers like you, but this ain't gonna cut it in the long run. Lose the attitude, get your crap together and show up on time, okay?"

Misty hadn't realized she had bared her teeth. She stifled the aggressive expression and nodded.

"Don't make me regret givin' you another chance."

"Okay."

His expression softened. He might display a temper, one that came with a rumor strong enough to fend off aggressive customers, but his rebukes were always short. Same with the temper bursts. Misty's wasn't as short-lived and his beginning calm didn't soothe her.

"Good. Now back to work. If you're lucky you might just get to tie that hair up before the second wave hits."

Misty said nothing more, but went to work instead. She did her best not to appear too angry while serving all the drunks of New Orleans, but facades were something Cordelia had mastered, not her. If it wasn't for Jackson she might have scared all the payers away and then she would definitely get the kick. With Jackson at the counter, she loosened up just enough to make it through the night. He put her to ease somehow. Apart from the alcohol intake, Jackson represented something Misty felt a serious lack of: Freedom. He might only have the coins he rolled over the counter every other night, but no one ever told him where to be. No one expected him to excel at anything. No one would be disappointed if he failed.

"You can call my cab now, Misty."

"You live two blocks away, Jackson."

"Oh right." His voice slurred just a little. His black hair fell into his eyes and he shook his head like a wet dog to get it out. Misty couldn't help laughing at him.

"You need a hand to get home?"

He shook his head again, less enthusiastically this time. "Na, two blocks I can manage. See you around, kiddo. Say hi to your woman for me."

Misty packed up and watched him leave, made sure he walked straight enough to get home. But Jackson was always secure on his feet, no matter how many beers he emptied, it seemed. He was nothing like Fiona used to be; he never got mean that way, only happier. Maybe he didn't drink to forget, like Cordelia had once told Misty Fiona did.

She didn't go directly to the house. It was the very early hours of morning and the sun would be peeking over the horizon soon. She loved watching that from the swamp so she went there for a couple of hours, trying to reconnect with her former life.

The sky was bleaching towards light blue, when she finally walked up the isle to the mansion. She locked herself in, went through the silent house like a ghost and walked straight to her and Cordelia's room. She stood there for a moment, undressed and ready for bed, and gazed at Cordelia in her light sleep. The house was never home, but this was. The sight of her. It had been almost four years since that day in the swamp where they got their second chance. That reunion had tipped and turned everything about Misty's life, to a point where she barely recognized it, except for the feeling of warmth, when she watched Cordelia. The need to be close to her, to feel her milky skin against Misty's own and listen to her breathe in peace, knowing that at least she was happy now. After four years Misty was finally sure she had mended that tear she had left in Cordelia's heart as a teenager and in moments like this, she forgave herself for making the tear in the first place.

Cordelia moved, groaned lightly and opened her eyes.

"Hey." Her voice was thick and sleepy, yet still soothing.

Misty sighed and crawled into bed with her. She snuck an arm around Cordelia's waist and scooted close. Legs entangled.

"Hey."

Cordelia's eyes became searching, worried. A hand came up and brushed the hair out of Misty's face. Misty took the hand in her own.

"What's wrong?"

"Just a rough night."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Misty tried to shake her head against the pillow. "Nothin' to say. I just hate it. Workin'."

Cordelia smiled her sad smile. "I know, love. I'm sorry to make you do it."

"Let's just sleep. You gotta be up soon."

"You sure?"

Misty inched closer and caught Cordelia's lips. A heartfelt response like the one she got always soothed her more than any word could. She pulled Cordelia closer, deepened the kiss a little. Loved that her heart still picked up a pace whenever she made Cordelia sigh like that. She was ready to sneak her hand inside Cordelia's nightgown, when Cordelia broke the kiss. Misty's heart fell with disappointment, but she didn't object. Apology shone in Cordelia's eyes but Misty shook her head at it. There was no need.

Cordelia closed her eyes and Misty took a few seconds to look at her, to feel her in her arms and clean the slate for the day. Then she closed her eyes as well.

O0O

Fiona stared at the toddler. He sat on the floor in the living room building little cities with colorful wooden bricks. In a minute he would swing his tiny arms and knock the whole city down like some blonde baby Godzilla, laughing while doing it. Children are insane, Fiona had never doubted that. It is a different kind of crazy, but it's there. She only had to remember Misty at the age of five to be certain. Cordelia was different yet. She was quiet even as a toddler. That was where she and her son sometimes differed.

The little boy knocked down the first building, squealed joyfully and looked up at her. He was a beautiful boy, fair haired just like the women of the family and big blue eyes that shared a bit of that special feature her daughter had. He was the spitting image of her and it sometimes made Fiona feel like she was choking. Whether it was happiness or some darker emotion, she was never quite sure.

Cage laughed and knocked over the next brick. Then he looked up as if he offered her to take part in the joyful destruction. Fiona continued to stare at him with exasperation.

"Why would your mom leave you with me? Has she learned nothing?"

"When mommy home? When mama home?" He asked in his own simplified child language. More and more words came to him at this time. Cordelia didn't want him in public institutions, so he didn't have many kids his age to talk to and develop, something Fiona often reminded her, but there was no discussing the matter, apparently.

"In a couple of hours." He continued to look at her, as he had no grasp on the concept of time and only waited for an answer his child brain could wrap itself around. "They're coming soon, darling. Don't you worry your pretty little head."

"Pretty?"

"Yes, pretty." Fiona sighed. It had been too long since she had taken care of a small child. She didn't do it much when she was supposed to anyway and she couldn't fathom what had possessed her daughter to let her babysit this time. Maybe she figured that after three years Fiona could be alone with her grandson. So much for trust.

A cheerful knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Cage looked up with lights in his eyes.

"Mommy?"

"No, it's not her." Fiona got up to open the door, left Cage in the living room. Cordelia wouldn't get off work for a couple of hours and even though Misty had her early day today, she wouldn't be home now either. They would come home at about the same time, have dinner and that was when Fiona would kindly be asked to ship herself off to Cometh's, so they could be alone at least once a week. Fiona usually left before they got the chance to kick her out. She didn't need to be told that she wasn't wanted.

Outside the door stood Zoe, a young girl who used to be some teacher's assistant of Cordelia's. She was quite the help during Cordelia's early pregnancy, when she was supposed to be working but didn't, being too busy putting her broken mind back together. For this reason, Fiona found it hard to be overly rude to the girl.

"Oh hi Mrs. Goode. Um, I was wondering if Cordelia is working today?"

"She is. Can I take a message?" Apparently, this was what she had been reduced to. A part time lawyer and a secretary for a primary school teaching daughter.

"Oh I was just wondering if she could maybe write me a letter of recommendation. I'm trying to get a job at the school."

"So college is over I take it?"

She shook her head with a smile. "Not quite yet, but we had early exams, so I'm home now." Zoe stopped talking as Cage came waddling out into the hallway, most likely checking to see if Fiona had been lying to him. Zoe beamed at him and crouched down. "Hey little guy, look how much you're grown!"

Cage took a hesitant step towards her and Fiona could almost see the cogwheels work behind his eyes, trying to figure out why where he knew the girl from. The long months away had erased her from his memory time and again. But at last he smiled as if he had almost worked it out.

Zoe reached out a hand and took his chubby little one with two of her fingers. "You're such a handsome little fellow, aren't you?" He waved at her and Zoe snickered.

"Would you like to come in and wait before your voice contract all the babies in the neighborhood?" Fiona asked. The babying in the doorway was getting a little too much.

Zoe gave her an insecure smile. "Thank you."

Fiona watched Zoe play with the toddler for a good hour without pause. She didn't know how to participate. She didn't know how to talk to a child, the Lord knew she was aware of that. And the fact that she still had no grasp on it the second time around only enhanced the ache of the first failure and made her want to drink. She hadn't been drinking since Misty started healing her, not really. She knew the little witch would stop helping the second she broke her promise. And the few time she had slipped stayed between her and Cometh. That was his promise.

She ached for a drink now, but somehow watching Cage smile and laugh and wave his arms around soothed her urges. It distracted her enough to escape the spiraling addict's mindset. She ignored Zoe's nervous glances and kept her eyes on the child, as if his mere presence held some sort of healing property. Maybe he was a child of Misty in some absurd fairytale way. Cordelia sure seemed to think so.

Another half hour went and the door opened.

"Mommy?" Cage's eyes lit right up and he abandoned the game he and Zoe had been in the middle of to run with his waddling, insecure steps towards his mom. Fiona heard Cordelia greet him in the hallway, her voice warm with love. It sounded so full it, as if she could barely contain it. As if it was almost too much. Fiona had thought this for a while.

She came in minutes later, holding the child on her hip. It became her, motherhood. She shone in a way Fiona knew she herself never had. Cordelia would be a much better mother. That was why Fiona never worried for Cage, when she worried about Cordelia.

"Zoe? Hi, what are you doing here? I thought you were away at college?" Cordelia asked. A smile shone through her features as Cage hugged his little arms around her neck.

"When mama home?" Cage asked, stealing her focus.

"Soon, love. She'll be right there."

Zoe had stood up, but stayed by the middle of the room, patiently awaiting her audience. She looked at Cordelia and the baby with a teenager's admiration. When Cordelia finally looked back at her, she stammered and then said: "It's over for now, early exam. I just came by to see if you could help me with a job at your school in. Mrs., um, your mom invited me in so I just kept Cage company for a while, hope that's okay. He's such a sweet boy. Anyway a word from you would really help."

"Of course it's okay, you know you're always welcome here, Zoe. And I'd love to help you. You may think too much of my position with the board though, but I'll do what I can." Zoe nodded eagerly and didn't seem to catch the shadow in Cordelia's voice. She couldn't possibly know Cordelia's current reputation at the school after being away for three years.

"I'm sure you could do plenty", Zoe said, confirming all of Fiona's suspicions.

"You're sweet. Can I offer you something to drink?"

"A cup of tea would be great, but I can just get it myself." Cordelia declined, saying that she shouldn't be served in her own house and Fiona couldn't help the scoff. Zoe eyed her, but Cordelia didn't respond at all.

Fiona didn't participate in the conversation, but merely followed it from a distance. She didn't feel good today. She would have to pull Misty aside soon to attend to her demanding, sickened liver. Once a month didn't seem to be enough anymore.

Just then the front door opened again, as if she was called to by thought alone like the mythological creature she was. Cage squealed again and got up when Cordelia did. Misty came into the living room by the time Cage latched himself onto her leg. She smiled and ruffled his hair.

"Hey baby boy."

"Hey mama!"

She grinned and rose to greet the second part of her family. These hellos were barely whispered before Misty pulled Cordelia in for a kiss. Misty had never given a damn about who watched her and somewhere along the way she had infected Cordelia with that carelessness. It was all fine, Fiona supposed, except it was somewhat tiring to watch them every day act as if they had been apart for far more than nine goddamn hours.

"Do you want me to become a mother-in-law nightmare, Misty? I assure you I have plenty of practice."

They finally broke the kiss and Cordelia shot her a disapproving look. It was mad, but tainted with the impression that Cordelia had given up on trying to correct her.

"I'm sure you do", Misty said. Her voice sounded irritated, but not as harsh as it used to be. Even she had learned to pick her battles. She had released Cordelia from her embrace, but a hand kept contact.

Zoe stared at them with that teenage adoration back in her eyes. She had done this so often and all the pheromones were getting the better of Fiona's nerves.

"I think Zoe here is ready to join that fan club of yours, your nurse established three years ago."

"Who, Emily?" Cordelia asked, ignoring the rest of Fiona's words along with the blush in Zoe's face.

"She called about your upcoming check-up by the way."

"Thanks for the message."

"I-I should get going anyway", Zoe interrupted. She looked flustered and awkward now. "I'll come by one of the days about the letter, if you wanted to-"

"Of course I will write it", Cordelia helped. "I can give you a call when I'm done. Say Zoe…" Cordelia and Misty exchanged looks for a second, making it look like they were up to something. The look reminded Fiona of when they were kids and sat by the dinner table non-verbally planning to sneak out to the greenhouse later. "Are you still with your boyfriend?"

"Kyle? Yeah I am."

"We thought, or we wondered, if you would like to bring him along next time you come by? It would be nice for Cage to get more familiar with men and you've spoken so well of him."

The anxiety in Zoe's face vanished and she lit up with surprise. "Oh sure! Yeah of course. I mean I'll ask him, but I'm sure he won't mind."

"You don't think all the nice, handsome ones hide things in their saxophone cases?" Fiona snapped, finally catching on.

"Not now, mother", Cordelia snapped back and went on to thank Zoe instead. She ushered her to the door, perhaps afraid Fiona would unveil more secrets. Misty stayed back with Cage around her ankles and shot Fiona a look. Then she rolled her eyes. Maybe she had become family after all.

O0O

The sun of an early spring shone down on them as they walked through the swamp. Cage sat on Misty's shoulders, from where he had the complete overview. He pointed at everything, trying to name things and asking what the rest where. Misty kept telling him with endless patience. It was nice to have someone as fascinated by the swamp as she was herself. And at that age, no one had been there to tell her what things were.

Cordelia walked beside them. She had finally stopped worrying about the prospect of Cage falling off Misty's shoulders and she kept their pace with a look of absolute peace on her face. She didn't look like this often. Sometimes Misty thought if the shadows were creeping in on her again, but on days like this it couldn't be farther from her mind. She wanted to reach out and take Cordelia's hand, but she was busy holding Cage in place. His toddler weight wasn't much on her shoulders and she could walk like this the whole distance from the edge to her shack without getting sore. She was used to it by now. Still, he wasn't good at keeping still up there.

"What's that?" The little boy asked and pointed.

"That's another tree, pup." She didn't know the name of the kinds of trees, only differed them by looks, but Cage didn't need more. He accepted and pointed to the next thing.

"Mommy look! A tree."

Cordelia smiled. "That's right, love." She would sometimes chime in with the real names, being the biology teacher she was. But not today. Now she looked at Misty. "He never gets tired of this game, does he?"

"Na", Misty agreed with a laugh. "But neither do I, so that's alright."

"Child." Cordelia shook her head, but her voice was as warm as the sun coming down through the green crown of leaves. A breeze sifted through the trees and brushed passed them, pulled at the edges of Misty's dress and teased her hair into her face. It took her sight, tickled her face and stuck on her lips when she tried to blow it away. Her hands were tied around tiny boy calves and were of no use to her.

"Cage, can you get the hair outta my face?"

"Okay mama." Tiny chubby fingers crawled into her face and lifted the hair away. His weight shifted as he did so and Misty had to move her hands to keep him in place. She sensed Cordelia tighten up beside her, as she did so, and imagined the awkward position he must be in right now.

"Don't worry, Delia, I got him."

She sighed. "You think I worry too much, don't you?"

Misty gave her a look, when her vision cleared. "I think you worry like a mama should. But you don't gotta, not with me. You know that."

"I know."

A comfortable silence came upon them, in which Misty could take in nature, the way she always did when visiting. Recharging her battery, soothing her wild soul the way city life would never be able to. The songs of birds above offered her a sweet lullaby and the ground warmed her bare feet. The sweet aura of Cordelia's presence were a part of this feeling of home, same with Cage's now. They had been engulfed by the sensation of being home and they only added to the comfort.

The clearing came up head. Light divided the subtle shade they walked in, welcomed them home. To Misty they did anyway. It would always just be visiting for Cordelia and Cage, she knew that. And she accepted it, so long as it was still home to her.

They stepped out in the open and there was a taste in the air. Misty couldn't place it, so she didn't say anything as they walked towards her shack. The door to her shack was open, which was nothing new. No one ever came out here, so Misty's privacy was neither enhanced nor deprived by the swing of her front door. That wasn't it. She couldn't spot Nick, which she bet made Cordelia feel much better. But it made Misty cautious.

There was a calling in the distance, a voice perhaps, shrill with fear. For a second Misty wasn't sure if it was the wind playing tricks on her or not, but then she heard it again.

"Do you hear that?" She asked, turned to Cordelia. She looked confused for a moment, then the sound seemed to reach her ears as well. She nodded slowly, warily.

Misty looked around. That thing in the air bit at her. It darkened the sky, it drew out the warmth, so very subtly she didn't notice it at first. She looked down towards the river. Her heart picked up speed, just enough for her to know she wasn't imagining it.

"Delia, take Cage. Stay here."

"What is it, Misty?" She sounded nervous, but confused still, when she took the boy from Misty and cradled him in her embrace. She didn't have the same grasp on nature, she couldn't read it. She could only read Misty.

"Not sure, but stay back." With that she walked closer to the path, leading to the river. The voice in the wind became a little louder for just a moment. It sounded like a cry. A woman's cry perhaps, but too unclear to tell.

She found Nick on the way there, a little over halfway down. There was blood on his nose. They saw each other, but he did not move. She could feel the predator in him today. He had hunted with the rest of the pack for whatever had bled on his nose. He wasn't a friend for chat today. She accepted that and went on, more wary than before. As she looked down on the ground, she saw tracks of feet scattered all over the muddy path. The gators had been up here. That was what felt so different. They so rarely did that, but it always left destruction.

The alligators were agitated. They walked around each other, some snapped at another and ripping sounds filled the air. And there was the taste again. Misty felt it in her body too now and knew that it was the taste of death. She knew the long devoured bodies of Delphine and her half-brother were down here, their bones digging into the mud and she cringed at the thought. Something else had joined the pile of bones today. Something that wasn't supposed to be here, because a natural kill of nature wouldn't gnaw at her this way.

She moved by the trees, ready to climb one if necessary. Most of the gators were retrieving to the water now, but a few hung back, further up the path than most days. The last one was only a few feet from her now, pushing something around with its nose. Misty pulled herself up on a low hanging branch to getter a better view of just what had upset nature today.

Her stomach turned and a sound of sick surprise went through her clenched teeth. She hopped down and hissed at the alligator, hoping that she could fool it, prevent it from noticing how hard her heart pounded. The surprise attack worked, sent the creature waddling down towards the rest of the pack and Misty moved quick before it changed its mind.

For a second as she neared she hoped her eyes had fooled her, that the sight wasn't real. But it was and her stomach turned again. She recognized him, even two limbs short, torso ripped open and with half his face gone. It was that little boy, energetically running around the woods. It was Marie Laveau's son.

She knew he was dead even before she picked him up, but she couldn't leave him there. The cry in the wind must be Laveau. She would want her child. Misty pulled the mangled body into her arms and ran back up the path before the gators decided to take offense at her stealing their prey. There was still warmth in the boy's body, blood still ran out of him and it tightened in Misty's chest. He was heavier than Cage, but still of boy structure and that notion made nausea crawl to the very top of Misty's throat. If only they had been five minutes earlier, she could have saved him. Now he was torn apart and that was beyond her powers. She knew that. Even if she got his heart started, the damage was too severe; there were parts missing from inside his little body too. He would never breathe right again.

She could hear them calling now, Marie and Cordelia. She barely had time to lay the boy down and make one last hopeless examination, before they both came running up to her. Instead she wrapped the remaining clothes around his body to keep it closed as the footsteps fast approached. She heard them and panic struck her at the thought of Cordelia seeing the bloodied, mangled body of the dead child.

"Misty!" She called and Misty looked up at her, didn't even see Marie Laveau at first.

"Stop there!" She yelled and Cordelia instantly halted, shock all over her face at the harshness of Misty's voice. But it was too late already. Her eyes skipped down and she whimpered, a hand flew to her mouth and she turned to cover Cage from the sight.

"Damian!" Laveau screamed and only now did Misty look at her. Her beautiful face was twisted in fear and changing, as Misty watched it, to emotions far graver and more devastating, when she too looked at the boy.

"I'm so sorry-" Misty didn't get to say more before Laveau screamed in wordless agony and ripped the child up from the ground. She fell back on the ground, clutching the dead boy to her chest, sobbing. His stomach opened beneath the hasty wrap and Marie wailed at the sight. Misty stood frozen for a moment, trapped in the pain of a mother's loss, that she felt she shouldn't be there to share. Yet she couldn't leave. The air cramped with Laveau's pain and even out in the open it was difficult to breathe. Misty looked up at Cordelia, whose gaze were fixated on the scene, tears streaming down her cheeks and fear flashing in her eyes. Cage looked up at his mother with a confused look, feeling the fear but having no tools to understand it.

Misty walked to her, placed a hand on Cordelia's arm.

"Go back to the shack. Wait for me there. Go now."

At first Cordelia didn't move, she only kept staring at the crying mother and Misty could almost see her switching their positions, imagining the same thing happening to Cage. Misty pushed at her and finally she looked up, nodded and started walking towards the shack.

Misty stood back and looked at Laveau. She didn't cry, but she felt the tears like a lump in her throat, stuck in there, too large to move either way. She couldn't help but wonder what had possessed the gators to attack like that. She couldn't remember them ever behaving that way, not in the summer at least.

"I'm so sorry, Marie. I wish I'd gotten there faster."

The crying stopped. The crouching woman heaved for a clean breath and quieted.

"You", she then said. Misty walked around her slowly to catch her face. The darkness in the tone had made her alert. "You let them do this."

"No, I-"

"You let them do this! I know about you and those gators. They are your servants, you used to live with them. And you let them eat my child!"

"I don't control 'em! One is my friend but the rest, we tolerate each other. I don't tell 'em what to do."

"You let them kill my Damian! My poor little boy..." She looked up from the boy and stared at Misty with a look that was ravenous and half-mad. "Mark my words, witch, I will have my revenge."

Misty measured her gaze for a moment, not sure how to take the threat. The pain in Laveau's voice ached in her throat and she decided to say nothing. Laveau no longer payed any attention to her, but had reduced to sobbing and rocking back and forth with the child in her arms. Misty retreated then, left her alone after making sure the gators were far away.

Cordelia looked up as soon as she opened the door to the shack. Cage sat on the floor and looked quietly from one to the other. He registered everything, that little boy, but he was far too young to decipher what anything meant yet. His confusion hadn't faded yet and neither had Cordelia's crying. She got up and hurried over to hug her arms around Misty's neck. Misty shushed her gently, hummed a tune until the trembling stopped, and rubbed a hand over her back.

"What happened, mama?"

"A little boy got hurt, Cage. But it's over now."

Cordelia sniffled and stepped away. Her hand made a move towards her temple, but instead she closed her eyes, drew a heavy sigh and opened them again, looking more collected.

"You okay, darlin'?"

She nodded. "Is he?"

Misty shook her head subtly, gave an answer Cage wouldn't pick up on. She never lied to Cage, even if the truth scared him, but she understood that shielding him was important. He was too young to know how disturbing the world was sometimes.

Cordelia closed her eyes again for a moment, as if to shield herself from the whole world, something she had never been able to do. "I should have listened to you, stayed away, but then she came running. I was just scared for you. But you couldn't… do anything?"

Misty shook her head. "I can't regrow limps."

"God", Cordelia whispered. "Can we please go home?"

Misty didn't argue, only nodded her head and led the way. Outside in the clearing, they could still hear Marie Laveau crying.

O0O

He came to her that night. She would have gladly turned him away at the door, sent him back to the dark of hell where he came from, so she could stay here forever, in this chair with what remained of her beautiful little Damian. One of his eyes hung loose in the bruised socket and couldn't quite shut, but the other was untouched and gently closed now, as if he was sleeping in her arms, like he used to as a baby. She would gladly sit here in this chair and mourn him for the rest of the year. But you don't turn Papa Legba away at the door. He doesn't use doors.

Molded by shadow as he was, he emerged from them, and she suddenly found him in her bedroom. He took a seat at the table by the far end wall. He even tipped his high, black top hat at her, but Marie didn't look at him. She had wished for more years than she could count for him to visit her again. After Delphine had murdered half her staff she thought it some more, wished for it more than ever, so she could personally see an end to that poor excuse for a human being. And now, when he was finally here, all she wanted was to be able to tell him to leave.

"I told you the ritual would be done when you lost your dearest possession. Now we can move forward."

"I don't want your gift", Marie whispered, eyes kept on her son. She worried that if she looked up, Damian might not be there when she lowered her gaze again. "I don't want it no more. Just give me back my Damian. My poor baby."

He tsk'ed. "The deal was made, the signature struck with blood. I don't do refunds."

"I want my child." She dared looking up as she said this with more insistence than before. As if it made a difference.

He smiled a taunting smile. Yellow teeth popped out between the crack of his grey lips. "Children ain't in the cards for you. Your boy is with me now."

"Give him back!" She screamed. She got up, ready to lunge at him, when Damian fell from her grasp. She immediately regretted her action, whimpered and crouched down to pick him up.

"The body you can keep."

She picked up her glass from the night stand and threw it at his head. It broke into a thousand pieces as it collided with the end wall. Papa Legba was already gone.

"Marie?" Her sister's voice reached in through the door.

"Leave", she hissed and sat down on the floor with her boy. She knew his body was empty now. Exchanged for a gift she wanted years ago, the consequences of which she had barely given thought to. Now she could only desperately wish that she had. She looked at his golden skin, pale in death now and thought that she would never be able to think of a revenge destructive enough to cover this loss. But she sure as hell would die trying.