((In case it's confusing, Djuran refers to anyone he is not friends with/are basically just coworkers on whatever job he's been hired to do, by their last names in his mind. So:

Gideon Reed
Herne de Rossi
Laric Winters))

Red eyes narrowed as spell after spell came up with nothing. Another body, another poisoning, and yet another dead end. The assassin seemed to be one step ahead at every turn. The killer would have to slip up sometime, and he would be there when it happened. As Djuran started to stand from his crouched position, something nearly hidden the in hairline of the newest victim caught his attention.

A birthmark or old scar perhaps. It was a faint smudge just below and slightly behind the left ear of the Incubus. His curiosity piqued, Durjan reached out with one grey-black finger, he tilted the head slightly and frowned. It looked almost like a burn scar or tattoo, but it wavered in his sight. First there then gone, shimmering like a heat wave over the desert.

A slow, cruel smile made it's way across the Djinn's face. Calling a witch-light into being, he positioned it over his shoulder so more light fell across the mark. And then he paused. These spells were not for just anyone to hear or learn. They were ancient, intricate, and carried a heavy price. They were Dark, some of them wickedly so, and Djuran preferred to use them sparingly.

He was a Djinn, a creature more magic than flesh, with a specialization in Soul and Dark magics. But even for him, these spells would demand payment. His red eyes flicked around the room as he considered, and then he looked up at Reed who was waiting patiently out of the way.

"Clear the room. None must disturb me, including you and yours."

Gideon opened his mouth, then seemed to think better of asking. With a sharp whistle and jerk of his purple braided head, Winters and de Rossi herded out the gawkers, workers and other Warriors.

Once the door closed behind the last of them, Djuran put up a sound barrier. He would take no risks on others hearing even the least of these next spells.

He muttered incantations under his breath, each word rolled off his tongue with sinister fluidity, weaving his magic with the precision of a spider spinning its web. The swirling mist of enchantments formed intricate patterns in the air, joined together by whispers of forgotten languages. They seemed to shift and dance in perfect synchronization with the words he whispered and tiny movements of his fingers. His eyes glowed even redder with an almost demonic light and supernatural intensity as he delved into the depths of his power, tapping into the almost boundless reservoir of energy that resided within him. The seeming ease and control hard won over many years.

With a small flourish, he extended his hand, palm facing upward. The witch-light above cast a eerie glow over his features. The light took on a sultry crimson hue, mirroring his intense gaze. With each passing moment, the room grew colder, the very essence of darkness swirling around him like a cloak. A true manifestation of his mastery over the dark magics he had called forth.

The mark glowed faintly, reacting to the surge of magic surrounding it. Djuran focused his will, commanding the mark to reveal its secrets. The incantation he used next was as potent as it was dangerous, tapping into the depths of forbidden knowledge, lost to all but a few.

As he chanted, the mark began to pulsate, faint tendrils of energy swirling around it. Morphing before his eyes, revealing intricate symbols and sigils etched onto the faint mark. Symbols he had last seen on that thin piece of wood in the long forgotten cellar a week ago.

But just as the Djinn was about to discern their meaning, a surge of pain pierced through his consciousness. His vision blurred momentarily, his body trembling with the intensity of the magical recoil. It was a potent reminder that delving into the realm of Dark magic came at a great cost.

He shook his head and blinked his eyes rapidly a moment. He could not, would not stop now. He needed just a little bit more. Sending more power into the spells, he focused on the symbols he had not seen on that piece of wood. Slowly they came into sharper focus, first one then two and three. Just as the third imprinted on his mind, the mark seemed to fight back. A lash of power struck out, obliterating the last of the symbols as well as the mark itself.

Rearing back from the strike, the room spun around him for a moment that could have been seconds or hours. Weariness settled into his bones and he sagged in place a moment, before that cruel smile appeared again. He might not have all the answers, but he now had more pieces. The glimpse of those symbols had been worth it. The price he paid for using the magics had not been paid in full, but he was sure that would be worth it too. As long as they were able to catch the thrice cursed killer, he would call it if not even, then good enough.

With a flick of his wrist, he dropped the sound barrier. Pushing himself to his feet, he swayed ever so slightly. He'd used enough magic in this that he would not need to bleed any off for possibly a few weeks. Walking slowly and carefully towards the nearest door, he left to tell Reed his findings.

Gideon Reed waited just outside the door, his back to the door, with his black and purple wings half open. Arms that had been folded across his chest, dropped as he turned quickly and fluidly towards the now open door.

"What did you find?" he asked, as he stepped forward and half offered an arm for the Djinn to lean on.

Djuran shrugged off the silent offer of help, straightening his spine and taking a deep breath.

"Not enough, but it's more than we had. I pulled three symbols from a mark I found on the body, before the magics back-lashed and erased the rest. I'll need to do some research, see if I can figure out how they go together. As well as how they might tie back to our poisoner."

Reed nodded, expression thoughtful.

"It's progress at least. And something I can finally relay to my Uncle and the other Lords besides the usual nothing."

The Djinn nodded in agreement, eyes flashing momentarily with a trace of the dark magics he had called forth before they faded back to their typical red tone.

"I will let you know if I find out anything useful." With that, he turned into a pillar of smoke, and set off for home. He needed to sleep before he could start researching.