[hr][hr][center][h1][color=#DB7093]Cassiopeia Claire Alistair[/color][/h1] [img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/633f55b9ff0aca290212b46b8d0ed121/b8cc6a6e636c2b90-c6/s400x600/bf1b68327449106c140c3d7b8e888541608a2637.gif[/img][hr][hr] [b][color=#DB7093]Location:[/color][/b] Hindu Temple – Cary, IL [b][color=#DB7093]Skills:[/color][/b] [/center] [hr][hr] Nic is still fussing over me, and I smile softly. I look at him, really look at him, and I can see genuine concern in every part of his body. He’s leaning towards me; his shoulders are tight, and his eyes are searching. I tuck my water bottle away and close the gap between us. The trees conceal us for now, and I place my hands on his arms. His concern is endearing, and although I don’t want him to worry about me, I can see that I won’t be able to convince him otherwise. It is a part of his nature to care for others, and I’m lucky enough to have been pulled into that circle of care. It makes me nervous, and I still want to push Nic away. I'm worried for his own safety, but I don’t think Nic is going to let me go that easily. I find myself not wanting him to let me go. I want to try to make this work. I want to care about someone else again. I want the butterflies in my stomach and the burning, electric feeling across my skin when he touches or looks at me a certain way. I want to fall asleep with the sensation of his lips on mine or hands on me still lingering even hours after we’ve seen each other. I want Nic, which terrifies me because what if he doesn’t want me after he really knows what I can do and how I got my power? Everything comes with a price, and although I was trained to take over as matron and knew what I needed to do, it didn’t make the idea less barbaric. It didn’t make me turning my back on my family less devastating when I lost them all because of it. Still, I want to try with Nic. I squeeze Nic’s arms, smiling at him. [color=#DB7093]”I’m okay. The hour drive home will be a good break for me.”[/color] I huff a laugh when he asks if he needs to carry towels on him. [color=#DB7093]”I don’t make climbing into fountains a habit.”[/color] [hr][hr][center][h1][color=#006400]Caden[/color][/h1] [img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/e9/c0/56/e9c05618462818f5fcddd6b271eebb3e.jpg[/img][hr][hr] [b][color=#006400]Location:[/color][/b] Supernatural District – Chicago, IL [b][color=#006400]Skills:[/color][/b] [/center] [hr][hr] My phone starts to buzz consistently, letting me know I have a phone call. I apologize to the woman I am talking to before I pick up my phone. [color=#006400]”What is it?”[/color] Avery gives me the location of a building to meet him, and I hang up the phone. I cross-reference the building with the woman, and she nods. It’s a building that used to be abandoned, but the community managed to make it livable. It was usually reserved for families and those who needed it more. If this person lived there, it was likely because she was living with someone else or removed that person. I give my informant the rest of the money I promised her before dropping her back off. I speed away to meet back up with Avery. I park across the street from the building and get out. It looks to be in decent shape, but that didn’t mean the conditions on the inside were manageable. After assessing the outside of the building, I pull my phone out again. I smile, shaking my head at the silly selfie Nero took before I watched the video Kiki sent me. I rewatched this a couple more times before responding. [centre][color=#006400][i]The strangest demon you ever did see.[/i][/color][/centre] And it was true. Nero was a paradox. Their having such a bubbly, teenage-like personality did not make sense with the dark demon persona the world had come to know. I found it endearing and charming. I found it irresistible. I take a picture of myself with Avery frowning at the building in the background. I point over my shoulder at Avery with a shrug before I snap the photo and send it to Nero with the caption: ‘Can’t get this one to relax.’ [color=#B0C4DE][i]”Je ne suis pas mannequin,”[/i][/color] he declares. I laugh and put my phone away. [color=#006400]”Maybe you should be. You have the whole brooding thing going for you.”[/color] Avery looks at me, frowning more. [color=#006400]”Keep that up and you’re going to get lines,”[/color] I tease. I walk back to the boot of my car and open up the secret compartment. Still frowning, Avery follows me and looks inside. [color=#B0C4DE]”Do you have any idea what we are dealing with?”[/color] he asks. [color=#006400]”I got it narrowed down to a Siren, Rugaru, or Lamia. From the description and behaviours, I’m thinking Siren or Lamia. Both are women or creatures that can appear as the intended victim’s ideal woman and lure them to their death. Lamia, however, can turn into animal-like creatures and tear into the flesh of its victims, remove their hearts, and drain their blood.”[/color] I pull out a blessed silver knife along with two concoctions of rosemary and salt. I hand one to Avery and pocket the other with the silver knife. [hider=Translations]I am not a model.[/hider] [hr][hr][center][h1][color=#B0C4DE]Avery Zain[/color][/h1] [img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/aa/e2/ae/aae2aeea9d376b2baef92ac42908d884.jpg[/img][hr][hr] [b][color=#B0C4DE]Location:[/color][/b] Supernatural District – Chicago, IL [b][color=#B0C4DE]Skills:[/color][/b] [/center] [hr][hr] I look over the items Caden pulls from his trunk and surmise this is how you kill a Lamia. [color=#B0C4DE]”And if it’s a Siren?”[/color] Caden looks back at the building and shrugs. [color=#006400]”Brute strength, and don’t let it stick its tongue down your throat.”[/color] He closes the trunk, smiling at me, and I shake my head. [color=#B0C4DE]”So simple,”[/color] I mutter to myself.