Old Magick

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“Pickles? Again?” Morrigan huffed loudly and slumped back in the chair at her desk, staring at the opened wrapper of her bagel. She seemed to glare at it for another long moment, then simply swept it off her desk and into the bin next to it. “How hard is it to understand no goddamn pickles...” She murmured, blowing a strand of her dark hair out of her eyes. Though she had been speaking out loud, there was no one else in the room with her. No one alive at least. It was just her and several cadavers down here in the icy basement morgue. It should have been a little unsettling to be in here alone, but she didn’t mind. It was sort of the family business. Her father had been a coroner, and her mother was an Apothecary like all the women in her bloodline before her. The only downside to the job was how little conversation she did actually get. Morrigan wasn’t an unsociable person, despite what her career of chalice may have people believing.

But Morrigan didn’t scream. Her nails bit into her palms were her captor pinned her wrists down, but she didn’t give him the scream he so craved. There were no gods here, only her. Her skin was growing cold, clammy like a corpse as the power she didn’t know she had built. A moment later the dark god above her would feel his outer extremities lose feeling as necrosis set in.

Nyx’s face was as unreadable as ever, though Persephone’s words had hit their mark. “That makes three of us then.” She sneered, leaving her sister alone with the unconscious black cat.

The cyclops knew it ended here. If Morrigan didn't destroy him, Nyx would when she found out he'd finally taken what he had been wanting from the beginning. 
Despite the fact that his body was dying he didn't stop. He didn't let her free even as he finished inside her and breathed his last. The magick faded and at last Morrigan could see him for what he truly was. But there was little time to do anything about it, the castle was beginning to crumble around her.

Tabby picked up the cat and took him to a nearby vet. She was now seated in a dark office, keeping Loki warm until the doctor came in to see them. The nurse hadn't been very encouraging on his state.

Morrigan finally sobbed. She kicked the heavy Titan away from her and pulled the tattered remains of the nightgown around her. She could feel the castle crumbling, and the darkest part of her didn’t care. She was filthy and unclean after what he had finally done to her, and she doubted anyone would even believe her. At last she screamed, the sound so like a lost soul floating in the river her family were guardians of.

“Well now, who do we have here?” The doctor was a tall woman with golden blonde hair and warm honey coloured eyes. She had sun kissed skin and a smile that would instantly put anyone at ease. “My name is Dr Artemis, but you should really just call me Diana.” She assured the other woman as she gestured her to bring Loki into her office. “Now, what happened to this poor guy?”

Alister grabbed his chest. Whatever was wrong was tearing apart his insides. He didn't know what was wrong but suddenly he was desperate to solve it. "Morrigan..." He breathed. "Where are you?"

Tabby couldn't stop herself from telling the woman about the teenagers and then yelling at Loki and then losing him. She sobbed as she told the woman of the people at the shelter who abused him.

Morrigan’s own clothes had been ruined when she arrived here, and had no choice but to wear one of the dresses in the wardrobe, no doubt intended for whoever was the real Queen of this world. She made her way to the river Styx, staring into it and wondering if her Aunt had been a willing party in this. Had Sharron sold her to the Titan? Had that even really been Sharron? Those questions were the last of her worries as the underworld continued to crumble.

The woman was quick to offer Tabby a gentle hug and breathe that everything was gong to be okay. “He’s a tough little guy. Some food, water and lots of love and he will be yours again.”

The river ran red with blood though the reason for it. The agonized roars of pain began again only this time they had grown. Behind it came a heavy laugh that rumbled through the dark clouds.

"He's not mine." Tabby answered with a wet sniff. "He belongs to himself. He just hangs out with me sometimes because I'm warm."

Morrigan closed her eyes as she crouched by the river. She wishes this was the one from her dream, that she wasn’t all alone here and the man she always saw was coming to make her smile again. The booming laughter was like a shockwave to her ears to the point where it was bordering on painful.

“Plenty of warm places, and people, it he chose you.” Diana told Tabby with a gentle smile, reaching out and gentle stroking the limp cat. “I’m going to need to give him some fluids, which I’m afraid means shaving his paw and using several needles, will you be okay holding him?”

"You shouldn't be here..." The girl from the coffee shop was crawling out of the river, little more than bones and sinew. "Hades cannot save us. All is lost." A
Around her the souls that still floated in the river began to echo the cry. "All is lost."
"Nyx!" Hades screamed her name. It didn't matter that she would never hear him or care. His beloved's name was the only relief he had. 
"Give up. No matter how hard you fight us, we will rule all. You can't stop it." The heavy voice chuckled from somewhere in the darkness beyond. 

"Always." Tabby whispered in his ear. "I love him." She said suddenly, as if this woman needed to hear this. "He's my world."

Morrigan fell backwards from the river edge when the girl crawled out of it. Even to her, someone who spent much time here with her father, this was beginning to get a little too much. “Nyx... The collar!” She suddenly gasped. If she found whatever it was Hades had been talking about, she hoped she could help him.

Diana smiled, nothing the little cat’s heartbeat grew a little stronger when Tabby confessed her love. “And what a wonderful world he is to have.” She breathed, gently beginning to prep his arm for the IV drip.

"Morrigan!" This time it was her name that shook the sky in the underworld. 
Sharron stepped off the river's edge, frowning at her niece. "You should be home if you did not find what you were looking for here." She hissed. She opened a portal and shoved Morrigan through, back to her own apartment.

Tabby sat beside Loki, for what seemed like hours. She was exhausted physically and mentally and she had yet to try and fix the wound that was oozing blood down the back of her shirt. She refused to let herself doze. Not until she knew he was all right.

More of an slide along the hardwood floor of her living room and slammed against the bookcase, ending several old books tumbling down on her. The young woman simply lay there, curled in a protective ball as she sobbed all over again.

“I could fix that in only a few minutes, you know.” Diana commented without actually glancing up from the paperwork she was completing for Loki’s treatments.

It was no more than an hour later and her phone was ringing. She wouldn't realize it but a week had passed in the underworld since anyone had heard from her. 

"Im ok. After what I did to him I don't deserve to be fixed." Tabby whispered. "So many people are mad at me." She whispered, taking in a heavy sigh. She thought she was speaking loud enough only for Loki to hear.

Morrigan lifted her head and wiped at her puffy eyes when she heard the vibration of her phone nearby. “What?” She whispered without looking who was calling. She didn’t even entertain the thought that someone may be worried about her.

“Only in your head...” Loki breathed, though his green eyes were still closed. He didn’t even think she would understand him.

"Morri..." Alister sounded uncertain when he heard the tone to her voice. She'd been sleeping. Had she been on a trip and had just gotten home a few hours ago? "I...I didn't mean to wake you. You're supposed to be at work. There's been another..." He was stuttering. This wasn't like him at all. There was someone else to call. They both knew it. "Sorry... I'll call Amos."

"There you are." Tabby pressed a relieved kiss to the top of his head. "I wish you were human." She breathed.

Fat tears welled up in Morrigan’s eyes when Alister spoke like nothing had happened. She had been so ready to believe she needed him, to tell him everything that had been done to her, but those few words... they had brought a wall rising up between them. “Amos doesn’t know shit. What do you want?” She asked coolly.

Loki just barely opened his bright green eyes. “Human is over rated...” He breathed, though he shared her wish. “You’re bleeding... I can smell it.”

"There's been another murder. The man has been...dead awhile it seems. The council wants you to take a look. They feel there's been a threat. You'll see what I mean when you get here." Alister said softly. "If it means anything...I'm glad you're back."

"It's just a scratch." Tabby told him, a year dripping on his head. "I missed you. Tell me you forgive me..."

Morrigan was sat up now, her back leaning against the bookcase as she buried her fingers in her dark hair. “Back? You mean after you left me?” She snorted. “Whatever. Have one of your guys bring the body to my morgue.” That was the subtle way of saying she didn’t want him near her.

“For what? Closing the window so I couldn’t get back home?” Loki asked with a tiny chuckle.

"I can't bring the body anywhere. It's too decomposed." Alister's tone was razor sharp. "I'll leave it for Beatrice to show you and return when she summons me. You clearly don't need me." He snapped. "Not everyone can go on vacation."

"It was closed for an hour." Tabby clucked. "You're usually romancing the girls far longer than that."

Morrigan’s jaw was painfully tight. It was right there on the tip of her tongue to scream what the cyclops has done to her. But she wouldn’t. She would never allow herself to be that weak again. Least of all to the man who abandoned her to that fate in the first place. “You’re right, I don’t need you. I never did.” She shot back. “All you were good for, I can get from a hundred different places!” It wasn’t true, but she wanted him to hurt just like she did. How long had she been gone? Clearly he hadn’t gone looking for her...

“Not girls, just girl.” Loki assured Tabitha quietly. “Even if the best I can get is a belly rub and chin scratches.” He added, jumping into her lap from where the vet had laid him on the table. He still had the IV in his little arm, a bright red bandage holding it in place.

Morrigan got what she wanted. Alister hung up on her. Her words had dug themselves like a dagger into him. He turned to the woman he'd pledged his service to and nodded. "She's coming. This will all be solved. The coven will be safe." 
Beatrice smiled to herself. It wasn't as hard as she'd  thought to get her hands on the Lion. All she'd had to do was tell a simple lie and show a simple magic illusion to Alister and it was all sealed. He was hers.

"Dr. Diana gave you an IV. Be careful." Tabby breathed. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better though." She told him. "Guess what? This weird man gave me a spell to make you human. He said that it was your true form and once I did it, it would chance our lives." She scratched his ear where he liked it. "He was also preaching on the street corner that the Titans were coming." She laughed softly.

The moment he hung up, Morrigan tossed her phone at the opposite wall in a fit of frustration, shattering the screen easily. Once she was done with her tantrum she changed from the regal dress she wore, and back into her normal clothing. She had a job to do, to hell with Alister. At least, that was what she kept telling herself, no matter how badly she simply wishes to touch him again.

Loki tenses slightly, worried what this would mean. Bypassing a curse from Nyx... he feared it would bring her wrath down on Tabitha. “Are you sure it’s wise to trust the magick of someone preaching about make believe?”

As things had been in the past, the scene was locked down. But this time it was not police there. In the month Morrigan had been gone Alister had built his own force to protect the coven's interests. They had over taken the Hunter's Guild and ripped them apart. 
This group was far more competent at their jobs. Morrigan had no trouble getting past them. They simply nodded at her, even though Amos was already there.

Tabitha chewed on her lip and sighed softly. "All I'm worried about is that you're going to leave me. I know you're human, Loki. That guy on the roof. That was you. I think you were just trying to be nice." She scratched behind his ear as she sighed softly. "Did some witch curse you because she couldn't have you? You should have told me. I can fix cursed, sweetie. And...I can get a new cat. Don't worry about me. I'm not worth dying for."

Morrigan was disturbed by what she was seeing. It stank of Coven interference, and gave her an uneasy feeling in her stomach. “What the he’ll is he doing here?” She demanded the moment her gaze fell upon Amos. “I told him I would handle this!”

Loki’s head shot up, surprised Tabitha had figured it all out without him breaking the spell preventing him for speaking it about. “If nice was all I was doing, I would have taken you to dinner.” He pointed out quietly, wondering if she was disappointed with his human form.

Alister waved a hand in her direction. "At least he shows up when called." He growled. He looked different than the last time she'd seen him. His steel colored eyes were darker, filled with something strange and almost broken. His hair was longer and unkempt. He'd grown a thin beard to match it. 
The man in question, a short awkward fellow, gave her a wave. Then he turned back to the skeletal body lying in the floor of the living room and kept dissecting it.

Tabitha's fingers shook as she kept petting him. "You're far too lovely for me." She breathed. "You never told me your real name. I just gave you what the diary said your name was."

Morrigan hardly faired much better. Her once vibrant lavender eyes were now haunted by a darkness she felt she would never shake and her smile was gone. No longer was she the happy go lucky, life and soul of any party, she seemed truly broken. “Why the fuck are you letting him dissect my evidence!” She roared as she stormed across the crime scene. “It will take me days to fix whatever that fool has done!”

“I like the sound of Loki on your lips.” The ebony cat confessed, trying not to get too excited about being forever human while in the presence of Tabitha.

Morrigan would find the creature who had once pretended to be Hades lying on the floor. 
Amos stepped back, holding up his hands. "Things were so smooth with you gone." He hissed at her, though he still smiled. "You should have stayed in the bed of that Hunter." 

"But what's your human name?" She asked gently. "If you tell me yours I'll tell you mine." She breathed in his ear, laughing softly.

Morrigan was struggling to control her breathing when she saw the body that was on the floor. The comment from Amos caught her off guard and she scowled at him. “This is smooth? The coven creating their own army and leaving an incompetent fool in charge of the dead?”

“Tabby is perfect to me.” Loki replied gently. “Another name would make you seem like a whole other person, don’t you think?”

"Who else was going to do it? You were off in the bed of a known witch Hunter. There was alot of work to be done. Witches everywhere are showing up dead. "
Alister raised a hand as if to silence him and turned back to Morrigan. "Amos has worked out fine. However, he doesn't have experience in the arcane. Which is why I called you in. I was hoping you could depict a message for me."

"Sometimes I wish I was." Tabby admitted, nearly jumping out of her chair when the door opened and the vet entered the room again.

If Alister hadn’t stepped in, Amos would have found himself on the receiving end of a small but powerful fist. That didn’t, however, mean the larger man was spared her wrath. “So that’s it? You replace me until you realise you backed the lame horse?” She sneered. “And You get to be mr big shot, but I’m labelled witch hunters whore? Talk about dointlnfuxking standards!”

“Oh, don’t stop on my account.” Diana chuckled. “I could hear him from out there, he’s quite a chatty kitty, huh?” She asked, dashing down and tickling under his chin. “I’m surprised he has perked yo so quickly.”

"I never said anything about you being a whore." Alister said thinly. "You're getting upset for no reason." 
Behind him Amos stood with his arms crossed over his chest, giving her a smug look.

Tabby laughed, forgetting that no one else could hear Loki's voice. "You know what they say. Nine lives and all that. I think he's only on number four." She kissed him on his pink nose. "I love you, this life and the next." She breathed, knowing these words would begin the spell. It would take the rest of the day but when he was free, it would be worth it.