marysuevirus | The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death (Reply)

Title: The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death
Chapter Seventy Nine: Heaven and Hell
Fandom: Anita Blake universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic sex and violence, language, anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of LKH. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. the Sues are the sole property of their originators, Ginevra, Dazzledfirestar, Nanaea, SilverFoxChan and ladydeathfaerie. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from Dazzledfirestar.

Author's Notes: so much plot. we're drowning in it. all the damn plot. some of it not even planned!

The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death - Index Link

"Aedan? Are you awake?" He knew she wasn't, could tell by the slow and steady rhythm of her breathing. Which was why he was standing by the door and nowhere near the bed. He'd heard stories of how violent she could be when woken up and he didn't want to be on the receiving end of any possible physical harm. In fact, he wouldn't have disturbed her for anything if it hadn't been important. Though he hadn't been privy to the whole story, he'd heard enough about what had happened the night before to know that she needed her sleep.

But it was important. Super important.

"Mmm?" was the groggy response. He heard the sheets rustle as she shifted on the bed. A moment later, her breathing slowed again. She'd drifted back off. Damn. This was not his idea of a good time, but he wasn't sure what else he should do.

"Aedan. Please wake up," he said, putting more urgency in his voice. By rights, he didn't have to go to Aedan. He could go to Edward. Death was still at the Circus, healing up from his kidnappers' idea of a good time, before heading back to New Mexico and his life there. It was likely he was using that as a bit of an excuse to stay, so he could wait for Aedan to emerge from her room and ensure she was no worse the wear for their misadventures. But he wasn't about to risk his life with Death. Aedan might pull a gun, but Death would shoot before asking questions. If he bothered asking any at all. At least, with Aedan, he had a chance of not dying .

The sheets rustled again as she stirred. He swore he felt her anger slap the air before she even spoke. "I'm awake. And you'd better have a goddamn good excuse for waking me up or I swear to the gods that I will shoot you where you stand."

"I'm sorry, Aedan. I didn't want to wake you but I didn't know what else to do," he said quietly, letting a touch of his anxiety leak into his voice.

There was silence a moment, then more noises from the bed. "Nathaniel?" she asked, sounding more awake. A second after that, the light switched on and the soft glow of the bedside lamp chased away some of the shadows. Aedan was sitting up in bed, wearing a worn t-shirt he'd seen her in before. And she looked like hell. But she was awake and alert, tension evident in the way she held herself. It lingered at the corners of her eyes and in her hands where they gripped the edge of the blankets. "What's going on?"

"Its Rhia. She's missing," he told her. The tension inched up a few notches and she slid out of bed.

"Are you sure?" she asked, already heading for the dresser to find clothes.

"Yes. No. I don't know," he told her, suddenly uncertain about waking her. She paused in pulling out fresh underwear and shot him a look. He stepped into the room and pushed the door closed behind him, unwilling to share this with just anyone. He heaved a sigh and tried to calm himself. But there was a voice at the back of his head that told him his instincts were right on the money. "I'm sorry. I don't know what to think."

"Tell me what you know," she instructed. There was anger in her voice and he wasn't sure if it was directed at him or directed elsewhere.

"She got a call about two hours ago. She didn't seem happy about it when she first answered. But then her demeanor changed. When she hung up, she grabbed her bag and said she had to go. I offered to go with her, but she brushed me off. Something about that didn't feel right." He paused and considered his words, then pushed on. "As if sensing that I was going to ask her about it, she gave me a smile and told me it was something to do with Christophe and that I'd be bored. She said they were going to talk shop."

Aedan considered him a moment. "She was lying?" she asked softly.

Nathaniel nodded. "Big time. And I think she honestly didn't realize that I'd catch her lie."

"Or maybe she planned on you catching her lie," Aedan commented, mostly to herself, and dug into a pile of clothes that were laid neatly in a chair. She came away with her cell in hand and she stared at him while the slim device dialed a number. She'd obviously put it on speaker, because the high-pitched beeping tones that represented numbers echoed around the room.

The other line rang twice before it was picked up. "Aedan," Christophe's voice filled the room. Even across the electronic connection, Nathaniel could hear the worry and concern. "It is good you have called. The loa are in a tizzy."

"What are they saying?" she asked, setting the phone down on a flat surface while she started to pull on clothes.

"Rhiannon is in danger. She needs our help."

"Let me guess? Cassadore?" The ice in Aedan's voice made Nathaniel want to shiver.

"Yes."

"Are we meeting up somewhere or do you just want me to head over to Cassadore's and kill the fuck out of him?" Aedan was in jeans and a t-shirt, and she was already working on her shoulder holster.

"We will meet up first. After your last encounter with him, I suspect he may have changed his wards to block your entry. He fears you, girl. He fears the power you carry within you." Christophe paused a moment. "We will cross his wards together."

"You're certain that's going to work?" she asked softly.

"I will cloak you in my power, child. It will work," Christophe replied, sounding very certain.

"I'm coming with, too. You're not going to go after Rhia without me," Nathaniel said firmly. Aedan rolled her eyes up to look at him and he could see that she was about to tell him no.

"You will do as I say, boy. Or you will remain where you are. You have no clue what you will be dealing with if you come with us," Christophe instructed sternly. Aedan shot a frown at her phone, then dug for shoes and socks.

"I just want Rhia back, safe and sound," Nathaniel assured him.

There was a pause from the other end of the line. That silence was filled with the soft sounds of Aedan pulling on her socks, followed by her shoes. She was just standing up when Christophe gave what sounded like a sigh. "Very well. You may come along."

"He isn't a fighter, Christophe. At least, not one who can go up against Cassadore," Aedan said, her frown telling Nathaniel exactly what she thought of that plan.

"He will not fight Cassadore. He will be there for Rhiannon. She may well need him," Christophe replied. His tone sounded firm, suggesting he wouldn't be swayed on his decision. Aedan turned a glare on the phone, as if she was certain the man on the other end of the call could see her face. Maybe he could, because he spoke only moments after her glare shifted toward the small, slim rectangle. "It is a good idea, Aedan. We do not know what Cassadore will do to Rhiannon. She may need Nathaniel's peace."

"I have a good idea what Cassadore wants with Rhia. And if it is what I think it is, we'll see how much blood he can spill before he dies. Because I will carve him up into little pieces." The frigid quality of Aedan's words made the hair on Nathaniel's arms stand on end. She meant it. Every word of it. And she would not hesitate to carry her threat out.

"You will not fight him, Aedan. The loa have told me of your trials the past twenty four hours. You are coming with because I need you to cast a circle for me."

Aedan frowned at the phone. "I'm sorry. I thought I heard you say you wanted me to stand on the side lines. I must have heard you wrong."

"You know you did not, child," Christophe replied, voice deep and firm. It told them he wasn't going to let her argue her way out of it. "You are still tired from the amount of magic you used last night. From the loss of power. To attempt to defeat Cassadore in your state is to invite madness. I will not have you harmed. You will cast a circle to contain Cassadore. Nothing else."

Nathaniel watched as Aedan opened her mouth to argue. But nothing came out. Instead, she closed her mouth and sighed. She stared straight at him as she picked the phone up. "Fine. I'll cast your fucking circle. Stand back and let you do the heavy lifting. But if he hurts her before we make it to his place, all bets are off. I will tear him apart with my bare hands. And you will not stop me. Where are we meeting?"

"There is a small Jamaican café a few blocks away from Cassadore's home. We will meet there," Christophe instructed. Aedan's finger was hovering over the button to disconnect the call when the man's voice flowed over the line one last time. "Do not think to defy me, Aedan. I promise you will not like the consequences."

She said nothing, simply disconnected the call and pressed a few buttons. Then the phone disappeared into her back pocket and she shot a look at Nathaniel. "You have exactly two minutes to get ready. It will take me that long to make it up to my car. If you're not there, you're going to be left behind."

Nathaniel stared at her. Even with her anger still fresh and rushing through her veins, he thought it was entirely possible that Aedan would have troubles remaining on her feet for any length of time. He wasn't sure how she expected to be able to be of any use. But he couldn't tell her to stay behind now. He was the one who had gone to her for help. He'd just have to do what he could to keep her upright until they could get Rhia home. "I'm ready to go. And I'm driving. You look like shit."

It was a testament to how done in she was that she said nothing to that, only scooped up a few more items and headed for the door. "Fine. Let's go."

~*~

They met Christophe at the café he'd mentioned, then headed over to Cassadore's place. Nathaniel had taken the keys from Aedan, forcing her to ride in the passenger seat of her own car. No one got out of their cars. Christophe simply looked at them through the glass of the windows, then pulled out of his parking spot. Nathaniel followed after him, trailing behind him as they traveled the short distance from the café to Cassadore's home. Even before the residence came into view, Nathaniel could feel the wards. Apparently Aedan could, too. "Fuck."

"Why would he take Rhia?" Nathaniel asked. He saw Aedan glance at him out of the corner of his eye as she considered answering him.

"I have ideas. But let's make sure he's not doing anything bad before I tell you. I don't want to take even those few seconds if it means any harm can come to her," Aedan told him before climbing from the car. He sighed and turned off the engine, then tugged the keys from the ignition and followed her out onto the street. Christophe was just joining them.

"You look like hell, child," the man told Aedan after giving her a good once over.

"I do what I can," Aedan replied. Nathaniel watched as she reached under her coat in order to release the strap that held her weapon in place. He thought the fact that she didn't pull it was kind of fascinating.

"Are you sure you are up to this?" Christophe asked, concern leaking into his tone.

"No. But when has that ever stopped me?" When Christophe leveled an almost paternal glare at her, she merely tipped her head toward the house across the street. "We're wasting time. I'm good for casting a circle. I don't know why you want me to cast one. I figured you'd be able to do that. But I can cast a circle."

"I will need my magic in order to stop Cassadore," Christophe told her, hand tightening on his staff. Nathaniel turned to look at the house, wondering why they were still standing there. "Your magic is different than mine. Cassadore may be able to break a circle I cast. He will not be able to do so with your magic."

Aedan only gave him a look, then turned to Nathaniel. He didn't like that her eyes softened because it told him she expected horrible things. "Whatever you do, stay behind Christophe and I. Don't get involved unless we tell you to. Cassadore is... dangerous. Insane and powerful. I know you're capable of taking care of yourself, but I would feel horrible if anything happened to you on my watch. Please."

He'd like to say it was the please that did him in, but Nathaniel knew better than others that he was not a fighter. He'd been prepared to agree with her from the moment she started speaking. He merely wanted Rhia back. And he wanted her back safe. So he'd do whatever he had to in order to ensure that happened. "I'll stay behind you the whole time," he promised.

Aedan nodded, then turned to Christophe. "So how are we doing this?"

The man was silent a moment, staring at the house just up the street a bit with eyes that were vacant. Nathaniel felt something brush his skin, something warm and welcoming. Then Christophe blinked and simply returned to them. "They are in the back of the house. The loa say that she is fine."

"For now," Aedan added, making Nathaniel's heart pound in his chest just a bit. He took a breath to steady himself, to slow his heart back to normal. Panicking now would not do anyone any good, least of all Rhia. "I know you want me to put him in the circle, but that will be hard if he's close to Rhia. And seeing as I expect you plan on doing whatever it is you're going to be doing with him in the circle, I do not want Rhia near that. It'll kill her."

"I can attempt to draw him away," Christophe began. His voice made it sound like he didn't believe it would work. As if Cassadore had his prize and would be loathe to give it up.

"Too risky. There's a chance it won't work," Aedan shook her head. "I'll cast a double circle. One for Rhia, one for Cassadore."

Christophe regarded her with wide eyes, as if he didn't want to believe her. Nathaniel could honestly say he'd never heard anyone doing anything of the like. But he was the first to admit that he didn't know much about magic and witch craft. So it was possible that it could be done. It was also just as likely that it wasn't possible.

For a moment, Nathaniel thought Christophe would try to argue with Aedan. It was clear to see he didn't think she could do as she'd said. But he swallowed down whatever words he had to say and gave a single nod of his head. Then he reached out toward them with one hand. "I need both of you to take my hand."

Nathaniel watched Aedan put a hand on Christophe's, then followed suit. That same warmth that he'd felt earlier touched him again, this time doing more than simply brushing against his skin. It climbed over his skin, crept up until it covered every part of him. For a couple of heart beats, it felt like he was suffocating under the blanket of power. And then it was simply gone. Nathaniel could feel it sinking into his skin, working its way deep until it was in his bones. "Now, we are ready." Christophe gave them both a look. "You will both do as I tell you, or there will be the devil to pay."

He didn't wait for a response, taking it on faith that both Nathaniel and Aedan agreed to his terms. Instead, Christophe turned and headed for Cassadore's home. Aedan went next and Nathaniel fell into step behind them. No one said anything as they crossed the road and closed the distance between where they'd left the cars and the edge of Cassadore's property. The closer they got, the more Nathaniel felt as if he wanted to turn back.

"Jesus fuck, how much juice has he put into his wards? They didn't feel like this last time I was here?" Aedan asked. It sounded to Nathaniel like she had jaw clenched down tightly.

"He is protecting himself against you, Aedan," Christophe remarked calmly. If the power and the weight of the wards affected him, he was doing a damn fine job of keeping it from them.

"You mentioned he was afraid of me. I can't imagine why," Aedan replied. Nathaniel realized she meant it. Christophe turned and offered her an enigmatic smile that was obviously supposed to explain it to her. Aedan heaved a sigh and shook her head. "Fine. Keep your secrets. I don't care."

Christophe's smile broadened, then fell away as they stepped up to the edge of the property. "Let me go first. Speak with him. See if I cannot make him see logic. If that fails, then you will cast your circle."

"No," Nathaniel said, heat in his voice. "Rhia wants nothing to do with Cassadore. The things that happened with Aedan made her mad. If she's here, its because he lied to her to get her here. Which means he plans on doing things she won't like. We are not waiting until you fail. We go in and we get her out of there. Now."

"I understand how you feel, boy, but--"

Aedan shook her head at Christophe. "I know he's your friend. But he tried to get me killed. And now he's probably doing some not very nice things to my friend. We are not waiting. We go in now. We confront him together. Or I will go in myself and you will not like what happens."

"Aedan," Christophe began. She frowned and drew her gun, turning toward the house with intent. Christophe reached out and took hold of her arm, eyes blazing with emotion. "Foolish girl! Do you not know what it is you go in there to face? He is a creature you should fear. He will kill you if you try to shoot him."

"I know precisely what he is. And I will kill him. Just like I killed a two thousand year old vampire last night. I have a few tricks up my sleeve that you don't know about. I can handle him."

Christophe stared at her a moment, then frowned and shook his head. "Bah. Foolish children, both of you." But he motioned toward the house with his head and started forward. Aedan and Nathaniel trailed after him, steps as silent as the grave.

The wards were harder to pass than they had been the last time Nathaniel had been there, but they weren't impossible. They dragged and scraped against Nathaniel's skin as he crossed them, making him feel a sense of impending doom. He shook it off, kept his mind focused on finding Rhia and getting her the hell out of there before Cassadore could do something horrible to her. For a moment, part of him wished that Aedan had told him what she thought was happening inside that house. It would have been better than his mind conjuring up image after image of what might be going on. But he knew she'd done it to keep him from doing something stupid, which meant she felt it was awful. Knowing that didn't make it any better for him, though.

They paused a moment before trying the door, as if waiting for some sign that they hadn't been discovered yet. Seconds ticked by before Christophe reached down to take the knob in his hand. Nathaniel expected it to be locked, but the knob turned easily in the other man's hand. He opened the door slowly, making sure that there were no sounds to announce their presence, and stepped inside. Aedan went after him, gun still bare in her hands. She had it pointed down, both hands wrapped around the grip. Nathaniel was willing to bet the safety was still on. He wasn't worried about that because he'd seen how quickly that could change for himself. Careful of where he put his feet, Nathaniel followed them inside and very quietly closed the door.

It felt like it was painfully slow going as they crept through the house, each foot placed just so in order to avoid making noise. Christophe led the way, one hand curled tightly around his staff as if he planned on using it as a cudgel. The thought did not instill faith in Nathaniel. He found he felt more at ease with Aedan's gun, still pointed at the ground as it was. The interior of the house was quiet. Stifling. Nathaniel didn't like the way it made him feel, as if the entire building was holding its breath. As it if waited to see what would happen next. It was a sense of anticipation he could do without.

They were just nearing the back of the house when he heard a soft moan. He'd heard it before, from Rhia herself. It was the kind of moan she gave when she was caught up in a dream of visions. Those moans never meant anything good. The leopard inside snarled and demanded he release it, demanded it be allowed to defend their mate. Nathaniel had to clamp down on the sudden rush of power under his skin as the leopard tried to force him to shift.

That moan must have acted as some kind of signal, because Christophe just suddenly burst through the door before them with Aedan hot on his heels. Nathaniel came through the opening and stopped dead in his tracks, eyes gone wide as he took in the scene before him.

They were in some sort of ritual room. It was the only name he could put to the four walls around them. All manner of religious symbols decorated the walls, as did glistening sigils that looked to have been painted on the walls only recently. They were bright red and, for a single terrifying moment, Nathaniel thought they were painted in blood. But the smell of fresh paint hit his nose and proved him wrong.

Candles gave the room light, settled upon nearly every flat surface available. Thin, long tapers and short, fat pillars in shades of green. Grass green and pine green and mint green and jade green and a dozen other hues created a veritable jungle of candles. Incense burned from several braziers, something floral and fairly strong. It was just to the point of cloying. Hidden speakers pumped out odd music that was rhythmic and hypnotic.

All of the furniture had been pushed to the walls, clearing up floor space to allow for a low bed with a thick mattress. Black lines ran circles around the bed, three of them. The bed was in the center of the inner circle, while the other two were filled with more sigils and symbols painted in green. The bedding was in green, a combination of silks and velvets, and there was a mound of plush pillows piled at the head. Cassadore stood beside the bed, stripped down to a loin cloth, with some kind of wooden rod in his hand. It was bound with strips of leather, feathers and beads hanging from some of the ends. There was a hollow bulb at the top filled with something that rattled when he shook it. He was staring at Christophe with a look of absolute hatred, lips pulled back in a snarl.

And Rhia... She was bound to the bed, naked and oiled up like some kind of offering. There were a couple of pillows under her hips and her legs had been spread open lewdly. Cassadore had painted more of those sigils on her skin. Even from where he stood, Nathaniel could tell that Rhia had been drugged.

"Christophe, you are not welcome here," Cassadore intoned, voice low and deep. His milky eyes shifted to Aedan and Nathaniel and the snarl grew. "And you bring the necromancer with you. You defile my home with this filth."

"Looks like you've been doing plenty of defiling all on your own," Aedan replied, eyes and voice hard. Her fingers tightened on the grip of her gun.

"I should have killed you in the hospital, necromancer. I never should have left it to that fool and the demon."

"Hind sight," Aedan said. "Christophe?"

Christophe said nothing. He simply nodded and slammed the end of his staff into the wooden floor. Even before the deep echo of wood hitting faded, he was chanting to himself softly. Aedan knelt, gun still in hand, and put two fingers against the floor. She said nothing. But Nathaniel felt her power as it filled her, as she pushed it down into the ground beneath the house. He marveled at it because he couldn't recall ever feeling it before. And it felt so cold. And so angry. And so hungry.

"What do you think you can do against me, necromancer?" Cassadore asked. "You cannot kill me. You are an abomination upon the world."

"The only abomination here is you, Cassadore," she returned. There was nothing in her voice. "You've been Oracle for three hundred years. That poor soul has been stuck with you inside of them for three centuries. Its time you let go."

"And you are going to force me out?" Cassadore asked before breaking off into laughter.

"Oh, no," Aedan said. A moment later, she gave a smile. "Christophe is. I'm just here to imprison your ass." With the last word, Nathaniel felt her power spiral up from the ground toward the sky. And he saw, actually physically saw, the walls of the circle snap into place. No. Not circle. Circles. She'd raised two circles, just as she'd told Cassadore.

"But kill me, Christophe, and my death will kill Rhiannon. Is that what you want?" Cassadore asked, sly grin splitting his face.

"Oh, I think Rhiannon will be safe enough," Christophe replied. "Aedan has seen to it."

With those words, Cassadore turned to the bed, only to find himself trapped between the walls of the inner and outer circle. When he reached out a hand to touch the circle around Rhia, Nathaniel saw smoke rise up from where his palm touched the surface. He jerked his hand back and turned to glare at Aedan, eyes darkening into black mirrors. "Wretched bitch! I will destroy you first!"

Cassadore slammed a fist against the outer circle, making his flesh burn. Nathaniel saw gold flash against it, felt the power as Cassadore tried to crack his prison with it. Aedan stared at him a moment, then let one corner of her mouth turn up. "My, my. Someone's not happy. All that power and no where to put it. Maybe I can help?"

"No, child. Leave him to me," Christophe warned, pausing in his chanting long enough to deliver the words. He didn't bother to open his eyes.

"Spoil sport. I just wanted a taste," she returned, managing to sound petulant. Her words saw Cassadore's eyes narrow on her.

"A taste of what, necromancer?"

"You. Idiot."

"How would you do that when I am behind this wall?" Cassadore asked. Christophe opened his eyes to look at Aedan,

"Do you think the circle can stop me?" Aedan laughed. "You are the worst seer I've ever encountered. You aren't an Oracle. You're a lying sack of shit. Come on, Christophe. Just a taste? Let him know that I can fuck him up without laying a hand on him."

Christophe considered it a moment, then sighed and gave a nod. "But only a taste, child. I am ready to start."

"Rock on," Aedan shot back before smiling at Cassadore. Nathaniel watched her face a moment, saw it the second she opened herself up and reached metaphysically for Cassadore's power. He let his attention shift to the man caught inside her circle and watched. Waited. And was not disappointed when Cassadore's eyes flew open in surprise and dismay.

"Abomination! How dare you feed on me!" he snarled, once more slamming his fist against the wall of the circle. As if that was enough to stop Aedan from taking power from him. Bright light flashed again when he attempted to use his power to break the circle. "I will see you in Hell!"

The venom in his words saw her drawing back, and the smile she sent him was frightening. "Not for a long, long time. Bitch. Thanks for the taste. I have to say, vampires taste better. Fuck him up, Christophe."

The chanting began again. This time, it was louder. And it was accompanied by the scent of blood. Nathaniel tore his gaze from Cassadore to find that Christophe had produced a bottle from inside his coat. And it was filled with blood. Blood that he was using like ink to paint glowing runes on the glimmering walls of the circle. The bloody characters hung in mid-air, and each newly painted one saw Cassadore shrinking back from the circle's wall. "Christophe. My friend. What are you doing?"

Christophe stopped his chant to stare at Cassadore. "Ridding the world of the plague you bring to it. You have spent far too much time here, Cassadore. I was willing to let it go before. But you have crossed a line. Rhiannon does not belong to you. And you are so blinded by fear that you would harm another living soul to get that which you want. I will not allow you to continue on as you have. I should have ended your charade when we first met. I was a fool then. I am older and wiser now."

Cassadore's fist slammed up against the wall again, and Nathaniel thought he heard the distinctive sound of glass cracking. Aedan glared at him, then knelt down and once more pressed her fingers to the floor. Nathaniel felt the power surge from her, down into the ground before coming back up to reinforce the walls that contained the man. "You thought you were smart, moving into a house located on a convergence of ley lines. Bet you never thought all that raw power would be turned against you."

"Release me, human. Or suffer my wrath!" Cassadore's voice deepened even further, into something that shouldn't have been coming from a human throat. "You think you can contain the divine? You think you can sip from the well of the divine? Arrogant mortal. When I escape this prison, I will take great pleasure in torturing you."

"Fuck off and die," Aedan replied, then looked at Christophe. "Finish him. Or I'm going to see how much of his power I can suck out of him before it kills one of us."

Christophe said nothing, simply returned to his chanting. His voice was louder than before, rising up over the crackling of the circle's walls. His finger continued to trace runes against the solid magic. Each time he finished one, it blazed with light before dimming down to brilliant crimson. After a few minutes, Christophe set the bottle of blood aside and pressed his finger against one of the runes. Cassadore screamed in rage and pain while white light filled the circle around him. Christophe ground his finger into the rune, taking up a new chant that sounded like the same five or six words looped.

The light inside the circle grew so bright that Nathaniel had to throw his arm up over his eyes to block it. The screaming was loud, something that should never come from the mouth of a human being. It sounded like a chorus of voices screaming in agony. Christophe's voice continued with its chant, his pitch never rising or falling. It felt to Nathaniel that it went on forever. And as soon as he had that thought, the screaming stopped. The light died. And a limp form tumbled to the ground inside the circle.

"Release the circle, Aedan," Christophe ordered. He sounded tired. Nathaniel wondered if he'd used more of his power than he'd planned on. A glance showed him that the other man was leaning heavily on his staff. Aedan dragged her fingers across the floor, tracing some kind of mark against the wood, and the circles fell. Nathaniel was the first one at Rhia's side, hands working on releasing the bonds that held her in place. He ignored the way the lingering magic made the hair on his body stand on end.

"Rhia? Rhia, honey? Can you hear me?" he asked, stroking his fingers down the curve of her cheek softly. Her eyelids fluttered, opening a second later so that she could focus large eyes on his face.

"Nathaniel? Issat you?" she slurred, trying to reach for him with one hand. She had no real control over the limb, though, and her arm ended up thumping back down against the mattress. Nathaniel went to work on the other wrist.

"Its me, Rhia. You're safe now. Aedan and Christophe and I have got you. You're safe."

"I didn't want to hurt her," a faint, masculine voice said. The owner sounded as if he was in pain. Anger washed through Nathaniel all over again and it took everything in him not to turn that anger on the man. "He... It made me do it. I tried to fight..."

"We know," Christophe said softly. There was sorrow in his voice. It made Nathaniel wonder just how difficult this had been for him. "Do not speak. Simply rest and regain your strength."

The rope holding Rhia's other wrist came free. Nathaniel laid her arm by her side and went to work on her legs. The sooner he got her untied, the sooner her could cover her. And get her out of there. He didn't want her lingering in this place any longer than necessary.

"No. You need to know. You need to understand..." the man said, voice stronger than before.

"I know what he was doing. He was trying to find a way to stay here." Aedan snapped. Nathaniel heard something in her voice that he didn't like. Almost as if she'd been expecting this. The idea that she knew that Cassadore was capable of something like this, and that she'd done nothing about it, filled him with more rage.

"I'm dying," the man said. His tone was so frank. So emotionless.

"He couldn't stop it?" There was confusion in Christophe's voice.

"It did stop it. For years. But it could only hold it back for so long. Its been a battle for years. Decades. Maybe even longer," the man told them. "We finally went to a doctor about it a few months back. Cancer. Its aggressive and its growing. Its been on this planet so long that it can no longer use its heavenly powers to protect my body. It was desperate. Its been trying to find a new vessel for years." Nathaniel looked up at that, wondering just what they were talking about.

Aedan was silent a moment, stare pensive as it focused on the wall behind Christophe. "That's why the known Oracles between your birth and now died," she finally whispered. Then her gaze shifted back to the man's face. "The books say they were all men. But the books are wrong. There were women, too, weren't there?"

"Yes," the man nodded. Nathaniel caught the look on Christophe's face and realized this wasn't something he'd known.

"Aedan? What's going on?" Nathaniel asked, despite the fact that he knew he shouldn't. Learning more would only make him angrier. He could tell. But there was that old adage about curiosity and cats. Looked like he was going to prove it true. "What are you talking about?"

"This is Cassadore. The world's Oracle. Born over three hundred years ago," Aedan said, one hand motioning to the man now sitting on the floor. He was curled in on himself, and Nathaniel was sure he looked worse than he had when they'd entered the room. "And host to an opportunistic angel for most of his life. Though calling that thing a demon is just as applicable."

"What are you talking about, girl?" Christophe asked, voice filled with a touch of annoyance.

"Cassadore was the world's Seer in the seventeen hundreds. He's been alive for the past three hundred years because he's been host to an angel. I suspect that Cassadore had cancer when the angel took up residence. And it tried to find a way to inhabit another Oracle. Because all of the Oracles born between Cassadore and Rhia died. History says they were all men. But history is wrong. They were women and men. I believe the angel tried to possess the men and they either denied it or fought it off. Doing so earned them a permanent case of death. The women who were born of Cassandra's line were likely subjected to what it planned to do to Rhia here today. Rape them. Get them pregnant. Use the child as its new vessel. Only... I don't know? They didn't survive the rape. Or they killed themselves. Or they died in childbirth. And so Cassadore has been forced to carry this single entity for a very long time."

"It wanted to get Rhia pregnant?" Nathaniel asked, trying to understand the reasoning behind that action.

"My guess. I'm not a clairvoyant. So I can't say it for certain. It seems likely." Aedan frowned and shook her head. "I should have dealt with him after the demon. But I didn't think he'd go after Rhia. Not after she had words with him about everything that happened."

"It wouldn't have worked. There's no way that that thing could have gotten Rhia pregnant," Nathaniel insisted. This drew Aedan's attention his way and she stared at him with an expression that told him she wanted to know how he knew such a thing. He glanced at Rhia, who was watching him with eyes that were a little clearer than before. He offered her a soft smile. "She's already pregnant. I'm just surprised she hasn't figured it out yet."

"Nathaniel?" Rhia's eyes went wide. Her voice sounded stronger and there was very little slur to his name. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I am, Rhia. I've smelled the changes to your biology for a while now. I was waiting for you to tell me. I didn't realize you didn't know. I'd have said something earlier if I knew."

"I... " Rhia began, only to trail off. The look of stunned surprise on her face pretty much said it all.

"Why didn't it know?" Nathaniel asked, shifting his focus from Rhia to Christophe and Aedan. He was surprised that the thing wouldn't have been able to pull that kind of information from where ever it was that seers got such things.

"It never looked," Cassadore admitted. His voice sounded softer now, more pained. And, if Nathaniel wasn't mistaken, he looked worse now than just moments ago. A discrete sniff told Nathaniel that the man was wasting with sickness. Apparently the cancer was in the advanced stages. "It was so confident that it could accomplish its ends that it never bothered to check. And I may have held some things back from it. The visions were still mine. I'm only sorry that it resulted in this."

The man's words trailed off on a painful cough that shook his thinning frame. He turned dark eyes filled with sadness Nathaniel's way. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could have stopped it. And now I can't make it right with Rhiannon. I'm dying."

"I know," Nathaniel nodded.

"How long has the cancer been this bad?" Christophe asked quietly.

"Too long. It kept most of it from me. But there were aspects to it that it couldn't hold back," Cassadore told them. The silence in the room was oppressive with its thick layer of polite grief. Cassadore's hand reached up and took hold of Christophe's wrist, a tenuous hold as the man wasted away before their eyes. "Do not grieve for me, Christophe. I've accepted it and I'm ready. I only wish I could have taken the bastard with me."

"He's close, Christophe," Aedan said softly.

"I'm so sorry," the man whispered, eyes already closing. Nathaniel felt like it was happening far too fast. But if Cassadore had been carrying the cancer for the past three hundred years, he imagined that it was making up for lost time. "I wish I could change the events of the past. But I cannot. All I can do is ensure that the course of the future is in the best hands possible."

The man's breath rattled out of his chest as he exhaled his last, and the tension left his body. Christophe reached down and closed those sightless eyes while Aedan carefully settled the man's hands over his belly, folded in peace. There was a heaviness to the room that couldn't be explained away by grief because there was little of that to go around. Nathaniel tried to make sense of it, but the need was shoved aside when Rhia's back arched up off the cot as if in pain. A hand lifted, fingers seeking out something to hold on to. They ended up curled into Nathaniel's shirt, her grip so tight that her knuckles were pure white.

She gasped, a loud sound that was and wasn't filled with pain. Nathaniel worried that something bad was happening. Then he noticed that the heaviness was growing. Pressing down upon them. It grew and pressed until it seemed like it would crush all of them under its weight. And then it was simply gone. He had a moment to think that was a good thing, but Rhia's back arched even further and her mouth opened on a scream that brought the hair Nathaniel's arms up on end again. Her eyes flew open, wide and unseeing as she stared at the ceiling.

And that same milky white he'd last seen in Cassadore's eyes.

The moment seemed to last an eternity, the room frozen. Rhia remained suspended over the cot for a long beat before collapsing down onto the flat surface, limp and still. Fear gripped him as he tried to make his brain move. Make it work. Make it do something.

It was Aedan who reached up and laid a hand against Rhia's wrist. She heaved a sigh and almost slumped against the edge of the cot. "She's alive. Her heart is beating. Maybe a little fast, but its steady and strong."

"What the fuck was that?" Nathaniel demanded, hands stroking the sides of her face in an effort to bring her around. He needed to see her looking at him. Needed to see physically that she was okay.

"Her powers," Christophe told them, voice calm and steady. "She has gained the rest of them. Rhiannon is now The Oracle."

The way Christophe said the last two words told Nathaniel that they were important enough to get capital letters. And that made him uncertain. He didn't know what this shift in power for Rhia would mean for the two of them. He didn't know if it would make her a target. If it did, how would he be able to protect her? How would he be able to protect their child? He knew his place in the pard, know his strengths. He wasn't a fighter.

"Can we go home now?" Rhia asked, voice a little hoarse from screaming. But her eyes were clear. And they were the intriguing shade of hazel, a whiskey brown with flecks of bright green and glowing gold, that captivated him so. The ones he knew and loved. She was already trying to sit up. Nathaniel slid an arm behind her shoulders and helped her. She glanced around the room, letting her gaze touch on everything, until it landed on Christophe and Aedan. Christophe was politely diverting his gaze while Aedan was giving a tired grin. "Goddamn, woman. You look like shit."

"Thanks," Aedan replied, then broke into laughter.

"Nathaniel," Rhia turned to him, offering him a sweet, gentle smile. "Can we go home now? I would really like to go home. Put on some clothes. Eat something. Maybe have a cup of tea. And talk to you about why its bad when you don't share important information with me."

"Of course we can, Rhia. There's nothing I'd rather do," he replied gently. Well, there was one thing. But now wasn't the time. Instead, he made to wrap the sheet around her.

"My clothes are over there in that basket," she told him, pointing toward the basket in question, tucked away in a corner of the room. Nathaniel got up and headed toward it, ready to be gone. "And we can do that later, my love. All you like."

Aedan snorted and shook her head. "Get a room."

~*~*~*~*~

She was huddled around herself in the tub, hot water warming her skin but doing little to warm the coldness inside. Her mind refused to let her move past earlier events and it was taking its toll on her emotional health. Goddess above, she'd been so stupid! How could she not have seen what was going on? How could she have let him lure her in like that?

The question brought the cold realization back that she'd blindly walked into his trap and almost become a victim. Her teeth chattered and fear spiked her heart rate. Tears of shame and rage burned paths down her cheeks. She'd been so fucking helpless. And he'd almost gotten away with it.

"Christophe is in trouble and he needs your help, child." Those words had been the perfect ruse to get her alone. She hated that she'd let him. And she hated that she was unable to process what had happened beyond a certain point. She knew he'd drugged her to make her compliant. It had no doubt been in the tea he'd forced on her. She should have ended him that day right after the demon. But she hadn't. A mistake that had almost cost her. She wasn't sure what she'd have done if the others hadn't shown up to save her.

The thought of what might have been saw her bending her head to her knees and sobbing loudly.

"You aren't at fault, Rhiannon." The voice was totally unexpected, prompting her to lift red, wet eyes toward the door of the bathroom. Constance was standing in the open doorway, a tray in her hands. There was little on her face to read beyond displeasure. It made Rhia wonder why the woman was there if she didn't like her. "What that thing wanted to do to you... What it tried to do? That's all his fault and you shouldn't blame yourself for not seeing it coming or not stopping it."

It took Rhia a moment to realize Constance's anger was directed at Rhia's attacker. Constance stared at her a moment before stepping into the bathroom. She set the tray down on the edge of the tub and took a seat on the closed lid of the toilet. She wasn't showing yet, but she was positively glowing with happiness. "I don't... Please don't take this the wrong way, Constance, but why are you here?"

"Because you were nearly just raped by a man. I thought that maybe it would be easier for you to talk if it was to a woman. Aedan would have offered, but my aunt made her to go to bed after she nearly face planted in her plate of pasta." Constance stopped a moment and shook her head, a little half-smile on her face. "I do not know how that woman runs on so little of anything."

"Sheer stubbornness," Rhia replied. The comment earned her a laugh from her visitor.

"I know we haven't been very close friends, Rhia. And that's mostly my fault. I was jealous of how much Richard seemed to want you. We'd only dated a couple times when Anita died. And he'd never given any indication that he wanted anything more. But I felt something for him from almost the very beginning. It hurt that he didn't seem to return it," Constance admitted. "I'd like to try and change that, if you'll let me. So that's part of why I'm here. The rest of it has to do with my medical training. You might feel better talking to me than anyone else. I've seen my share of trauma."

"I don't know. You don't need the stress of my trauma. You're pregnant," Rhia pointed out.

"And so are you," Constance returned. "That doesn't negate that you need someone to talk to. In fact, it makes it more important. Nathaniel would love to be the one you open up to. But, as I said. He's still a man. Maybe he's never going to do anything like that to you, but that doesn't take away the fact that a man did try. Its sometimes easier to talk to woman. And even better to talk to strangers."

"I just... I should have known. I should have seen it. I should have stopped him."

Constance shook her head. "I've heard that so many times. Rape. Abuse. Any instance where someone else takes the victim's power from them. And that's what you are, Rhia. You're a victim. Maybe it didn't get a chance to do anything. But it tried. And it did so by taking away your ability to fight back. To protect yourself. You shouldn't have done anything. And you shouldn't blame yourself. Because that thing is responsible for everything that happened to you. That thing will be responsible for every moment you question yourself. For every twinge of fear you feel when a man you know and trust looks at you and you suddenly find yourself wondering if they'll hurt you. Every time you wonder if you could have prevented it, that will be that thing's fault."

Constance was silent as she reached over and poured steaming tea into a simple ceramic mug. She then handed it across the distance to Rhia, offering her a gentle smile as she did so. "Nathaniel's worried about you. And the baby. And I think he's afraid."

Rhia frowned at that. Nathaniel was afraid? "Of what?" she asked.

"That what happened will change things between you," Constance told her. Her voice was soft, the look on her face apologetic. "And he has the right to be. We don't know how this will effect your psyche."

"I think he's worried about something he doesn't need to worry about," Rhia replied, taking a sip of the tea. It was hot and mellow and soothing as it slid down her throat. And she was reminded that the tea she'd been given by Cassadore had been sharp and bitter. That thought saw her hands shaking, making the liquid in her mug slosh against the sides. Constance's hand was there to take the mug from her. She set it back down on the tray before reaching out to take hold of Rhia's hands with her own. "I'm sorry. I don't get it. I was fine earlier. Why am I reacting now?"

"You were in shock earlier. And still under the influence of the drugs you were given," Constance told her. "And this is exactly what Nathaniel is worried about. That mug of tea proves that you've got some things to deal with. If you want me to recommend a good therapist, I can do that. If you want to just throw things at me, I can do that, too. But you're going to need to deal with this, Rhia. You need to work through it. Not just for your mental health, but for your physical health. You have to think about that baby. And there's Nathaniel. Because he doesn't deserve any negative treatment you might give him in reaction to things that someone else did."

There was a harshness to Constance's words that stung. Rhia would never do anything to hurt Nathaniel. But that was a different version of her, wasn't it? She was changed now, someone else because of the actions of a selfish individual. Hell, she was something else now. She could feel it. It was there in the way her magic swelled under her skin, as if trying to push its way out. She'd thought, at first, that it was simply a response to the newly gained powers when Cassadore had died. But it hadn't waned. In fact, it had gotten more insistent as the minutes had ticked by. Like something big was coming, but she didn't know what. Or maybe it was simply that the power was more than she was used to. Whatever it was, it was driving her to distraction.

Rhia stared at Constance for a long time, simply studying her face. Tried to see the truth or the lies in her words. Tried to find something that would tell her if she could trust the other woman. She had a feeling that she could tell her woes to Aedan and Aedan would understand them. Perhaps better than anyone else. But, much as she loved Aedan, the other woman was not the type to give helpful advice. She'd want to simply eradicate the source of Rhia's problems from the face of the earth. While the sentiment was nice, it wasn't going to help Rhia work past whatever issues came of this encounter. Could she rely on Constance? Could she trust her?

The question was still ringing in her head when she found herself being hauled up from under the surface of the water, coughing and spluttering as she tried to breathe again. Constance's hands were curled tightly around her arms. There was a wild look in the other woman's eye and worry was etched vividly across her face. "Rhia? Rhia, are you okay? Talk to me. What just happened? One minute, your eyes were hazel. The next, they'd clouded over."

Rhia blinked. Her eyes had clouded over? It could only mean one thing. "Vision," she coughed out, hand searching blindly for the mug of tea Constance had brought her.

"Vision? You mean you had a vision just now? About what?"

Rhia couldn't remember specifics. She couldn't even recall having the vision. But she could recall feelings. A specific feeling. She smiled and stared at Constance over the rim of her mug. "Nothing in particular. But I have the feeling we're going to be really good friends. And I think I'd like that."

~*~*~*~*~

"Why have you brought me to a cemetery?" Jean Claude asked her, amusement lacing each one of his words. She glanced at him quietly, then motioned over her shoulder with her head. Certain he would follow after her, Aedan turned and started across the grounds, the grass brown and brittle under her feet. Winter would be arriving soon. She pulled her coat a little closer, burrowing into the warmth it offered her. Her companion trailed after her on silent feet, clad in a black pea coat that she was sure had seen far too many days. With his dark hair and his dark jeans, he looked like a wraith in the shadowy graveyard. It was kind of fitting.

They finally arrived at their destination after a short walk, a trio of graves set slightly apart from the others, There were a few empty plots between theirs and the closest graves, leaving the little family mostly alone. It made Aedan feel a little melancholy to think of them by themselves. She pushed the maudlin thoughts aside and set her bag down. Set the cage with the chicken down. Started taking out the things she knew she'd need. She felt Jean Claude come up behind her and waited for the question she was sure was coming.

"Katie Harris?" he asked softly. She didn't have to look at him to know he was staring at the headstones.

"I owe her an apology. And I need to let her know that her tip helped me," Aedan told him quietly, already working on casting a circle around the two of them and the little girl's grave. It had been far too easy to grab hold of the chicken and take its head off in order to sprinkle blood around the grave in a rough circle. Not that she really needed to cast a circle to raise Katie from her grave. But it made Aedan feel better to do something so mundane when her life was anything but these days.

"Why do you owe her an apology?" he questioned. She could hear in his voice that he didn't think she owed anyone anything. But she knew better. She was the reason Katie would never grow up. Never go to high school or prom. Never fall in love or get married or have a child of her own. She owed Katie a new life. One she could never give the girl.

"Because she's dead for having the name he gave me," Aedan said, knowing that her companion wouldn't buy it. She fell silent and tuned him out as she made sure the circle was big enough for the three of them. When the last drop of blood fell from the neck of the headless chicken, she fed her power into it, felt it snap into place and the walls rose up to circle them. She was aware of Jean Claude looking around them, as if trying to see her walls. She knew he could feel them, could feel her magic working. But he couldn't really see the walls. "Now be quiet and let me do this. You can talk once I've drawn Katie from her grave and fed her some blood."

"You do not need to do this," he told her softly.

"I do. For me if for no other reason. I need this," she said, then gave him a look. "Now shush. I'm working here."

He stared at her a moment before he inclined his head and took a step back from her. The faint smile on his face told her he found her behavior amusing. She ignored that and turned her attention to the small plot before her. She could feel Katie slumbering under the dirt. Could feel everyone in the cemetery in their graves. They were eager to answer the call of her magic, eager for someone to remember them and talk to them. It was maddening trying to keep them all at bay.

"Katie Harris, rise from your grave. I command you to rise from your grave and come to me. Waken, Katie. Waken and join me," Aedan said softly. The words were corny. She'd always hated the ceremony part. She'd rather have done it without circles and words and blood. But, for this one, she needed the soothing flow of the ritual. She needed things to be as normal as possible, because normal wasn't possible. Not for her. Not anymore.

Her magic slipped down through the soil until it found the smooth surface of the casket. It worked through the lid so that it could wrap around Katie's body and compel her to do as she was bade. Aedan felt the child answer the call, felt her make her way to the surface. It awed and humbled her to see the girl break the surface, as it did with any corpse, and stand before her in her Sunday best. Aedan pulled a pocket knife from her jeans and used it to prick her finger. Blood welled up and she held the digit out toward the girl. "Drink," she said.

Katie shuffled forward to take the offering. Aedan watched silently as Katie sucked the blood from her fingertip, watched as life flooded the little girl's eyes. Katie blinked and stepped back, her gaze lifting to Aedan's face. And a smile, as brilliant as the dawn, spread across the girl's face. "Aedan! You came back!"

Katie launched herself at Aedan, wrapping her arms around Aedan's legs. Aedan swallowed before dropping to her knees and enfolding the girl in her embrace. Her hair, when Aedan put her nose into it, smelled of sunshine. Which made no sense because she should have smelled like embalming fluid and chemicals. But she smelled of fresh baby powder and sunshine. Aedan gathered the scents to her and pressed them into a happy memory, like putting a flower between the pages of a heavy book. Something to hold on to, to take out and look back upon at a later date in order to remember the good times. She eventually pulled back, breaking her hold on the girl. Katie looked at her with big eyes for a moment, then her attention was caught by the man standing behind Aedan.

"He's so pretty!" Katie whispered. Aedan didn't have to look to know that Jean Claude was smiling at the comment.

"Katie, I would like you to meet Jean Claude. Jean Claude, this is Katie Harris. She was very helpful and gave me information that helped me find the people who killed her and her parents," Aedan explained, though it was absolutely unnecessary.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Katie," Jean Claude told the girl.

Katie's gaze cut to Aedan and studied her a moment. "He's the one who made you a princess, isn't he?" she asked. The girl was far too smart for her own good. Aedan nodded, casting a glance toward Jean Claude. He looked bemused, mischief shining in his eyes.

"The last time I saw Katie was the night of the party when Minette was attacked," Aedan explained.

"She came in the most beautiful princess dress and she had a crown on," Katie added.

"Ah. Yes. I remember that evening. She was a very beautiful princess that night," Jean Claude agreed. Aedan had to fight not to blush because she heard the affection in his voice.

'You gave her the princess dress and the crown?" Katie asked him, head tipped back to look up at him.

"I did," he nodded.

"Didja kiss her?" Katie asked.

It was a struggle for Aedan to not bury her face in her hands. And Jean Claude's lips twitched, as if he knew what their conversation was doing to her. As if he was holding onto a smirk. She was going to hit him for making fun of her. She felt his power brush down her spine, a caress that told her he was absolutely not making fun of her. "I did. In fact, I have kissed her many times since that night," he told the girl. Aedan watched as he folded himself down onto the ground, legs crossed before him. He was the picture of lithe, effortless grace. He looked as if he did this all the time. Aedan followed suit and settled down on the ground, glad her coat covered her ass because the ground was kind of cold. Katie settled herself into Aedan's lap, sitting sideways so that she could keep Jean Claude in sight. It gave Aedan a strange sense of longing, a feeling of family she'd never felt with her own kin.

"Are you gonna marry her?" Katie asked, fingers playing with the ends of Aedan's hair absently. The question was asked with the innocence of a child, but it made Aedan go still. She absolutely did not look at Jean Claude as silence filled the space between them. Finally, she heard him draw a breath he didn't need as he prepared to answer the child.

"Perhaps. In time. For now, the relationship between Aedan and I is young. It needs nurturing and care so that it can grow deep and strong." His words were accompanied by a caress of his power again, this time deep inside. Aedan worked at keeping her breathing even.

She watched Katie turn a considering look her way, studying her face intently for several long moments before turning back to Jean Claude. "She needs you to give her a baby. One she can name Katie."

Heat filled Aedan's cheeks and she wondered, for a moment, why she'd thought this was a good idea. Then she watched as Jean Claude's pale hand reached out to nudge Katie's chin a little higher. "I believe you are right, Katie. Aedan looks beautiful with a little girl in her lap. She would be an excellent mother."

The heat in her cheeks spread to the rest of Aedan's body as something spasmed deep inside. Conversation had gotten far too personal in the few moments they'd been there and she wasn't sure how it had happened. So she made an effort to stamp down on the longing with which their words had filled her, forced herself to bring her brain back to the reasons they'd come. Besides, she and Jean Claude had had this discussion before and they both knew there was no way in hell Aedan would ever be a mother. She decided to push thoughts of babies and pregnancy aside with one of her reasons for coming. "You helped me, Katie," Aedan said, pleased that her voice sounded normal.

Jean Claude's hand fell away as the child looked up into her face, eyes wide with surprise and delight. "I did?" she asked.

"You did. The people who hurt you and your parents. You helped me find them and stop them from hurting anyone else." Well. Eventually. She wasn't going to let Katie know that she'd taken far too long to get there. Far too long to stop Paul and Grace in their fucked up quest to cleanse the world of lycanthropes.

Katie was silent with the news, her face solemn as she considered it. Finally, she gave a nod of her head. "I'm glad I could help."

Aedan slid her arms around the girl and hugged her close. "I am so sorry that they hurt you and your mom and your dad. I wish they hadn't. I wish they'd left you alone. But they didn't and that's because of me and I am so, so sorry." She didn't bother to whisper the words. Jean Claude would have heard her anyway. And she was certain he would take her to task when they left because she laid the blame for Katie's death at her own feet. She didn't care. Because it was her fault. At least in part.

"It isn't your fault that they weren't nice," Katie said, one of her hands reaching up to touch Aedan's face. That gentle press of flesh against flesh saw Aedan raising her head so she could look Katie in the eye. There was a world of understanding in those blue eyes. Understanding that seemed far too old for someone so young. "You didn't make them hurt people. You tried to stop them."

Aedan struggled for something to say to that. There must have been some look on her face because Katie sat up straight and put both hands on Aedan's cheeks, much the way an adult would with a child. Or the way a lover would with their partner. "Aedan, I may be a little kid, but I know you can't stop people from doing bad things. Not if that's what they wanna do. You didn't make them do those bad things. It isn't your fault."

So wise for a child. The honest sincerity she heard in those words, that she felt from Katie, tore at her heart. She wrapped her arms tight around Katie's shoulders and hugged her close, burying her face in the girl's hair so that she could once more inhale the fresh scent of sunshine. So that she could hide the fact that she wanted to cry.

"Out of the mouths of babes," Jean Claude murmured.