Realistic or Modern The Witching Hours [Closed]

[Lucyfer]

“We’ll head back to your room. You can lay down while I bandage you,” Asher consoled, moving one arm off of Jasleen, while stepping alongside her with the other arm still around her, hand on her waist. He could guide her out, and towards the elevator, that way.

At least it was just down one floor, and then they could get back into her room.

“Are you sure you won’t need anything else?” he asked, “food, or drink, or…I don’t know…,” he didn’t know what fixed magically induced injuries. He knew food, rest, and covering wounds helped normal ones. He was pretty sure they wouldn’t be going to a hospital for this.

The realization that likely only Emmett would be taken to a hospital if anything happened unnerved him some. Ever since turning to a werewolf, he had a mistrust of hospitals discovering what he was in some blood test, so he hadn’t gone in a while.

He should figure that out.

But right now, he had to worry about Jasleen, and the likelihood the hospitals had people in it that would hurt her because of this damn coven nonsense – and how to keep her out of one.

~***~

Pia rolled her eyes at the statement, while Edwin audibly snorted, “You thought a bound witch was going to be useful?” he meant to loop Pia in, but caught the roll of her eyes. Okay, she hadn’t thought that. He folded his arms, “I suppose I do not get to insure these hunters are bound to any terms, do I?”

“No, Edwin,” Pia said.

Edwin sighed. He hated the thought of more hunters. “Fine. I’m not giving my own hunters any restrictions towards them, then, should they decide to pursue any extracurricular hunting here.” He wouldn’t argue against hunters. He’d rather people besides his own die, after all.

“If the covens don’t want to go directly to war – I only need this fixed or recreated,” Pia held up the stake, “the magic is powerful enough to bind Corydon. I just have to get it into his heart again,” as if it were that easy. “By the time it’s a problem again…I’m sure the coven that made it will be long gone.”

 

[awkwardradish]

Jasleen was hyper aware of Asher’s hand on her waist as he led her out the elevator. For once, she didn’t try to push him away. She allowed him to help her.

Her head was reeling as the elevator began to move down to their floor. “I’m okay, really.” She assured him. “I just overdid it.”

By a long shot, but Jasleen was content to downplay just how close to death she had been.

The elevator doors opened, and Jasleen allowed Asher to help her into her room. Oliver was sitting in the window sill, and he meowed, hopping down to come greet them, then he scuttled along by Jasleen’s feet worriedly when he realized she was injured.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.” She finally said.

She’d been their best shot at finding Corydon, and she blew it.

~***~

“No.” Emmett answered Edwin at the same time as Pia. If he had it his way, none of them would even correspond with Edwin.

“Astor hunters don’t hunt innocents.” He said simply. And it was true- they weren’t allowed to hunt Supernaturals unless they were guilty of evil doings. Killing people. Causing chaos.

Innocent until proven guilty, and all that.

He looked to the stake in Pia’s hand, then back up to her. It still felt like a long shot, but he’d try.

“I’ll talk to them. If not, maybe we can plead our case with this Margaret person. I mean, there’s no way this entire coven can be supporting a lunatic. They’re scared of him, and we can do something to remedy that.” He pointed out.

Could they turn his coven against him? Probably not.

 

[Lucyfer]

“Mmm,” Jasleen wasn’t lying in that she overdid it, but she was certainly lying that she was okay. Asher wasn’t going to argue with her, though. It would only lead her to become angry, and stress her, and that wasn’t going to help anyone. If she wanted to play delusional, she could play delusional.

Right now, it wasn’t doing any harm.

“You were able to help narrow down where Corydon was. That’s something. It sounds like there are some people Edwin has that can move in daylight,” the elevator stopped, and he kept his arm around her to lead her towards her own room, “it may be you did exactly enough,” although considering that he hadn’t been killed last time, he wondered if that was enough.

Edwin’s people would have to track Corydon wherever he moved. One was likely to be seen, eventually.

“The others will do their job now,” he said, making it clear everything wasn’t riding on her ability – or non-abilities, given she was bound.

As they got into her room, he would help her towards the bed, before going to the room phone, “I’ll call down for some bandages – but if you want me to ask for anything else, let me know,” they had picked up food at the gas station, but he was willing to call and ask for anything else. The selection hadn’t been…much.

~***~

“And cops don’t racially profile,” Edwin said, crossing his arms over his chest at the comment that the Astors didn’t kill innocents. Most, likely, didn’t. But he knew the sort of people attracted to jobs like this. Innocents were harmed in the line of business. Some by accident, but some intentionally.

Pia wouldn’t add on how she was definitely harmed in the line of Astor business, as an innocent. Edwin didn’t need the ammunition. “Shouldn’t you be talking to yours?”

Edwin sighed, “Fine. If more is needed of me, you know how to get ahold of me,” he moved towards the door to leave them, aware he didn’t really have much more to contribute, as Emmett considered the stake.

It seemed he thought there might be hope in the ones here, “I think it’d be safer to kill him, than trust the power of just one or two witches,” she drew the stake back, “this was a group effort,” when Frederick had ostracized the majority of the coven in his pursuit of individual power, and not honoring the whole.

He’d do the same again, Pia had no doubts – but he’d be better at masking it this time. He’d use Landon as a scapegoat for any accusations, no doubt.

If killing him was the only way, then she’d do it. She was just really hoping for an alternative.

 

[awkwardradish]

Jasleen seemed resigned to her fate. Normally, she’d be a lot more stubborn about accepting help, but she’d grown to trust Asher.

And she really couldn’t walk.

She let out a soft sigh as she laid back onto the bed, holding her injured arm out to make sure that she didn’t get blood on the sheets.

Oliver crawled onto her chest.

“No, I’m okay…” She hesitated a moment, then added, “Thank you, though.”

She realized that throughout the course of their interactions so far, she’d never shown him gratitude.

She made a mental note to change that.

~***~

Emmett watched Edwin leave. For some reason, the comment about hunters killing innocents bothered him.

He made a mental note to look into that.

For now, he turned his attention back to Pia and the stake. He mulled over her words.

“Killing him will be difficult.” He stated the obvious.

“Let’s see what Margaret has to offer. If she has pull in this coven, she could convince others to join her cause. Our cause.”

Unlikely, but one could hope.

“And if not, I’ll call in reinforcements. Killing him will be plan B.”

Or C. Or D.

Would they even make it that far?

 

[Lucyfer]

“You’re welcome,” Asher said, before taking the phone up, and dialing down to the front desk, “Hello, this is Asher, I’m in room 3808,” he confirmed, “I need some gauze bandage wrapping, some antibiotic ointment, and ah…maybe some pain pills.” This was the kind of thing that would have caused questions at any other hotel.

The Quartz staff had no questions, and promised it would be up in the next few minutes, “Thank you,” Asher said, hanging up, and smiling a little as he saw Oliver resting on Jasleen, trying to give her some comfort. “Just a few minutes,” he confirmed for her, though he waited anxiously on his feet for it.

Eventually, there was a knock, and he went to the door and had the items given over. With a few words of gratitude, he returned to where Jasleen was laying down, “Okay, I’m going to clean the area around the wound, first,” he said, “it may sting, but I need to see what it looks like,” he had a few alcoholic pads; he hadn’t thought to ask for them, but was glad those had been brought.

He pressed one to her arm, as his free hand reached to hold her hand. He would begin to wipe away the blood. He was as gentle as he could be, but there still had to be a firm pressure.

~***~

Pia snorted at the comment, “Killing him is easier than this,” she walked away from him, to finally set the stake down on a table in the room, “he may have some of our weaknesses nullified, but he’s not immortal.” And even then, they weren’t sure he had any nullified.

Her agreement with Ishara hadn’t nullified any weaknesses, though it had made her substantially stronger.

“You may want to consider investing in good earplugs, or a noise cancelling headset, though,” things that hadn’t been around the first time she faced him. It could be useful, though. He couldn’t command if he couldn’t be heard. It wouldn’t be his only trick, but right now, she couldn’t predict what those were.

It was likely he had all the same gifts she had when Ishara empowered her. It stemmed from those she killed, after all. But she wasn’t sure if the connection shifted when she bound Ishara to Corydon.

She’d hoped to never find out. “I take it you plan to go with them to visit Margaret, then?” Pia wasn’t planning on it. She’d either join the hunt for Corydon, or see if she could connect with Landon, or others in the coven.

 

[awkwardradish]

The pain from cleaning the wound was nothing compared to when it had been branded onto her, but panic still shot through her veins at the familiarity of the situation. Her heartbeat sped, and without even realizing she was doing so, she clung to Asher’s hand with her own, an anchor in her swirl of panic.

Oliver dutifully stayed with her, watching Asher for any signs of mistreatment.

As Asher cleaned off the wound, he would realize it looked different. Somehow… distorted. Small pieces of it were missing. The pieces of it that were there, however, were now red and irritated.

All this because she’d decided to take her cat to the vet.

Was this her fate? Forever being haunted by Salem?

A sudden bubble of laughter rose from her throat. She laughed like that for a moment, staring up at the ceiling. “I just wanted to take my cat to the vet.” Her voice wobbled when she said it, but she laughed again at the absurdity of the situation.

~***~

Emmett considered the noise cancelling headphones. It’d be difficult to fight without a sense of sound, but if it was either that, or be controlled, what other choice did they have?

He pulled out his phone to text Tarrence. All he included was a list of names and items.

That was all Tarrence needed. He’d fill him in later.

He looked up from his phone at Pia’s next question. “I hoped to.” He admitted. “But I can see you have no intention of wasting time on that endeavor. It’d be stupid for you to go off alone, so I guess I’m sticking with you.”

His voice left no room for argument.

Sure, he and Pia had a hesitant truce due to common enemies, but he still didn’t quite trust her.

Not for the same reasons as Edwin, but she was too emotionally involved. She couldn’t see things objectively.

He could.

“What’s your plan, then?”

 

[Lucyfer]

Asher wasn't really sure what to make of the changes. Magical injuries weren't his forte, and his attention was taken by her laughter. He knew it wasn't truly joyful, but he added, “Imagine if you hadn't and those people caught you alone in your apartment,” he said, to remind her of some of the good in that decision.

They would have come for her regardless.

This way, she wasn't alone.

“I'll wrap the wound, but you might want to give it a look,” he squeezed her hand before letting go, both so he could grab the bandages and allow her to freely move it into her sight. “It looks a lot different than I was expecting after cleaning it up,” he noted as he began to unfurl the gauze to wrap.

He'd let her take it in, though, before silently extending his hand to take the wounded arm back.

~***~

Pia shifted her weight to one hip as Emmett denied going with them if she wasn't. “You are free to go with them,” she didn't have a plan. She just…had to move. She knew she wasn't needed at the conversation. Her presence might even make it more dangerous for Margaret.

“I plan to try and connect with Landon. Edwin may not run in close circles, but there are phone numbers. When it became a decent hour,” 5 am was not decent, “I was going to start calling. When night came, I was going to see Landon, someone else, or go hunt Corydon.”

She preferred the latter but she knew others were on that. “Last time I was able to terrifying him into speechlessness,” she sighed, “it likely won't work again, but…Edwin can't face him. And the other hunters? I don't trust them alone. Not without body cameras so we can see if they're under his spell when they report in.” Her weight shifted again, uncomfortable with how truly fucked this situation felt.

She had a chance to still fuck with his own power by clogging his emotions, but she knew it wasn't going to be a solo act.

She could just take the attention off anyone else.

 

[awkwardradish]

Asher was right. She would have been dragged back to Salem bound and probably in a trunk if Asher hadn’t been with her. If everything hadn’t worked out to way it did.

She felt grateful for him, but she wasn’t sure how to voice that.

She frowned a little at Asher’s words, immediately looking down to her wound. Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, then shock.

That was not how it was supposed to look.

She stared at her arm for a moment, before she carefully offered it back out to Asher.

“It’s never done that before.”

~***~

Emmett mused over her words. He hadn’t considered that Pia could use her own charm- charisma, as Trystan had called it- to mess with Corydon’s emotions.

It was a good plan, but he likely wouldn’t allow that to happen twice.

Emmett shook his head. “We shouldn’t be venturing off alone, especially with somebody who can compel so easily.” He pointed out. “That will just leave room for betrayal.”

He wouldn’t leave loose ends like that.

“Tarrence is already sending over an order of noise cancelling headphones. It will be an adjustment to get ourselves used to fighting without one of our senses, but it’s better than being compelled.”

He thought some more. “I think we should try to find Landon, though.” He said honestly. “He might be more willing to talk to us without Jasleen, and if I’m being honest, I don’t want to dangle her in front of him.”

He didn’t know Jasleen from Adam, but he couldn’t stand a man who abused women for fun.

It made him even more eager to kill Landon.

 

[Lucyfer]

Asher wasn’t surprised to learn this was new. He was pretty sure Jasleen hadn’t nearly killed herself using her magic in a bound state before. He nodded as he accepted the arm back, “We’ll want to check it again later today to see how it changes, so we can keep tabs on it,” he said, as he gently began to wrap it up, hiding it beneath the bandages.

“For now, you should rest. It sounds like…most of our activity will be at night,” not all. They’d be going to meet Margaret at six, so they’d be up a bit before dark, and on their way to her.

It did mean they needed to keep their schedule adjusted for the later hours, though. Staying up too long would risk them being at night, and they couldn’t afford that with people like Corydon out there. And, possibly, Frederick, if they failed to resolve the situation before he was restored.

Asher hoped they would.

“I think we’ll want to be up at 4?” he guessed, “so we can get in a breakfast and then get on our way to see Margaret?” he wasn’t sure how long Jasleen took to get ready, or eat, for that matter, but he wasn’t going to insist on not eating or sleeping.

They had to take care of themselves.

~***~

‘There is this thing called stores….’ Pia held her tongue on commenting that she was pretty sure they could have just bought noise canceling headphones at a store nearby. She couldn’t – too close to day – but it was an easy trip. The convenience of having things shipped wasn’t lost on her, and admittedly, she enjoyed it often.

A part of her just wanted to play at being ‘old’ and not in with the modern conveniences.

“I think I have made it clear I have no intention of using Jasleen in that way,” so he hardly needed to state it. She wasn’t going to change her mind if Emmett wanted to use Jasleen in that fashion, “I’m not sure how easy arranging a meeting will be, but I have all day,” and she’d have plenty of people to call until she got to him – or he learned she was reaching out.

Either way, they’d talk. It was just a question of how.

She always preferred in person for many reasons, though the main one being that subtle influence she could exert. Phone and other methods just didn’t work for that. It certainly made her wonder if it worked for Corydon – she rather hoped technology fucked with his power, not that she intended to find out.

“You should rest for the night.” He needed to sleep, after all. “Or call in those hunters if you haven’t already.” He’d apparently already reached out to his friend about a couple of things.