Celestial Changes Part 3 *HF*
By Siren
It amazed Daemon that no matter how much work he did, there was always a foot high stack of papers on his desk. The lines were starting to blend together and he was getting tired from the sheer boringness of it all.
I swear sometimes I think someone is sending me things I’ve already dealt with….just to irritate me, he thought as he started to nod off. There’s always something happening!
As if his word were prophetic, one of Omen River’s worm holes began materializing in front of his desk. Damn it! You don’t just pop into the king’s office! He ought to have the courtesy to knock!
A moment later Mysty tumbled through dragging someone with her that he didn’t know. “Damn it Mystikal! What the hell is going on?!”
Then he saw the extent of her injuries as she passed out from overexertion and lack of blood. The girl beside her collapsed, grasping her slashed stomach. Daemon hit the button on his desk and everyone heard him when he yelled.
"Everyone in my office, NOW! Whoever is nearest to medical get some med kits in here! Fucking move it!"
He saw the strange girl lose consciousness just as the first members started entering.
Well this is going to be more damn paperwork, he thought disgustingly.
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The doctor's had done their best, which was considerable. They had put the strange girl back together, quite skillfully they thought. Now though, it was up to her to come back. One waited by her and heaved a sigh of relief as the girl moaned and opened her eyes.
"Ah, you're awake. I'm Dr. Waters. Can you understand me?"
"Yea. Can you stop talking so loud? I feel like I've been hit by a train."
The doctor in front of her smiled a bit, but did lower his voice.
"You came in looking like it too. Would you mind telling me your name?"
Celeste became alarmed. She didn't want them to know who she was, they'd never believe her.
"Siren." she said plainly, giving him the nickname her father had called her because of her looks. She hoped the doctor wouldn't press the matter. Again, he smiled and his eyes seemed to laugh as if he were hiding something. Thankfully, he let it slide.
"Well, I must say, you're not going to feel well for awhile, but you're going to be fine. I’ll have someone come in with something for the pain."
"Thank you." she said.
"I don't suppose you'd tell me how you got those injuries?" he inquired, eyebrows raised as if expecting the story of a lifetime. Celeste did her best to smile.
"I'd rather you not send me to the funny farm...so..no."
"Hmmm...ok. You're prerogative. But you'd be amazed at what I might believe." he said rather mischievously. "Well..Siren," he paused after her name as if expecting something. When he didn't get it he continued, "I'll be seeing you later." He turned and walked away.
Celeste felt almost uneasy about the man. Something just wasn't right. She thought about it for nearly 10 minutes before she was interrupted by a nurse coming in.
"Oh, I see you're awake. That is a good sign. Let me go get the doctor and let him know."
"He was just in ten minutes ago."
"No, I don't think so dear."
"Yea...Dr. Waters. He said he was going to send someone in with something for my pain."
"We don't have a Dr. Waters on out staff." The nurse said, a bit of confusion in her voice. Celeste didn't know what to say, but she knew something was wrong. She hadn't imagined him, so who was he?
"Are you okay dear?" the nurse asked, concerned.
"Yea." she said, "I must have been dreaming or something." The nurse looked skeptical, but said nothing.
"Well, I'll go get the doctor and something for the pain." She padded off in a hurry.
Celeste tried to get up, but there was just too much pain. She wanted to leave before anything else could go wrong, before anyone discovered who she really was. Moments later a doctor and the nurse entered her room. If she could just keep them from becoming suspicious.
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Loki strolled into Mystikal's room, a slight mischievous grin gracing his handsome face. She knew how carried away he could her and hoped that he had followed her warning. Yea..she had been immensely pissed off at first, but it wasn't the girl's fault.
She must be new to her power. She doesn't even seem to know it exists., Mystikal thought, a bit bemused.
"Well?" she asked impatiently.
"Deep subject." he smirked.
"Loki, I'm not in the mood." she growled. Loki looked as if he were going to say something more on that subject, but after a warning glance from Mystikal changed his mind.
"She's being cautious. I think she's a little scared. She told me her name was Siren, though I doubt that."
"It's not."
"If you knew that, then why was I just in there?"
"These drugs they've given me have made it hard to think. However, I remember where it is I’ve seen her." she paused, thinking for a moment, "There was a newscast back around Halloween about a girl in North Carolina. They said she had killed her father in a fire and had decapitated her stepmother."
"And you think it was that girl?"
"Yea, the description they gave matches her completely...right down to those elfish ears of hers."
"It wasn't her."
"Yes, it was"
"No, I mean she's no killer."
"What? Are you physic now?" she asked sardonically.
"No...I'm a killer. Trust me, she's not...there's no way."
"I don't know, she got pretty damn violent when we were in that fight."
"Well that just means she wanted to survive."
"True. I guess I should tell Daemon about this."
"Tell me what?" Daemon strode into the room with all the confidence and air a king should possess.
"Boy, you timing is almost creepy sometimes." Mystikal offered, trying to get even the slightest of smiles. It didn't work. "Our mystery guest at the other end of the infirmary....I've figured out who she is."
Daemon raised his eyebrows, a little impatient for her to continue. "Her name is Celeste. Celeste Alexander, I think." Mystikal went on to tell the story and making sure to add the points that Loki had added earlier.
"Well, how is it that you found her?"
"I was on my was to a concert. I felt her in the park I was walking by. When I approached her, she got scared, probably thought I recognized her, and she shifted....took off into an alley. That's where the fight began...."
"With her?" he interrupted.
"No, no. We were fighting something that was after her." She went on to describe the creatures and events leading up to her sudden appearance in Daemon's office.
"I've never heard of creatures like this." he looked to Loki.
"Nope, they're no friends of mine." he offered.
"Well then. I think it's time I went to the source for some answers. Hell, you come back bloody and exhausted, collapse in my office, and cause other...problems, and I'd like a thorough explanation."
Daemon strode from the room with obvious determination is his step. He meant well, but she knew he would come off sounding far to harsh. Celeste was scared enough as it was. Somehow, Mysty couldn't see him improving the situation.
Siren was relieved when the last doctor left her room. She had never really trusted doctors, they just seemed to make her edgy. Here was no exception. In fact, she had good reason to be fearful. Something was already so terribly wrong. There was a physician who didn't exist and the ones who seemed content to know absolutely nothing about her. They had given her medicine for her pain, which it had taken care of quickly. She sat up in bed just as a gentleman in a real nice black suit walked in. He exuded power and demanded respect. He had a somewhat dark complexion, exotic almost. His black hair was cropped short and his goatee was neatly trimmed. He looked over her with his rich brown eyes and seemed to read her like a book, gleaning as much information as possible.
"Well, I'm pleased to see you awake. My name is Daemon. I am the King here."
Celeste could tell he was being serious, but it didn't make much sense to her. Then again, she had met some power hungry freaks whom would have been quite happy to have been referred to as 'Your Highness.' She smiled inwardly at the thought. Daemon's eyes seemed to darken a bit.
"No...I'm truly a King, not some power hungry sod."
Celeste was startled. "What..I.." She didn't know what to say. She eyed him suspiciously.
Is he...
"And no...I'm not psychic. Your face tells me everything I need to know. At least generally."
"Oh." What else could she say?
"Now..I want to ask you some questions regarding how you came here."
"O.K." she answered slowly, trying to mask her fear from his face. She didn't like his knowing gaze, and she sure as hell didn't like the fact that he could read her like a book with just as little effort. His eyes seemed to glitter with slight amusement. Aw...shit! he's doing it again.
"Well, let's begin with your name."
"My name is Siren." Now he looked agitated.
"Alright, Miss Alexander." He watched absolute fear wash across her face. "I have some questions..I need answers and you're going to tell me the fucking truth, one way or another. Now I know about the crime you're accused of...and personally, I don't give a fuck! I want to know what those things were that attacked a member of my team!"
"I don't know!" she blurted..terrified and confused.
"No more fucking games!"
"I told you..I..."
"Where did they come from?"
"I don't know."
"Why do they want you?"
"I don't know!"
"What can they do?"
"I...they change."
"How?"
"They were those creatures, then one changed into me, then changed back." Boy that sounded insane to her.
"Anything else?"
"I don't know!!" she screamed at him.
"You don't know what they are, where they're from, or even why they're after you?"
"NO!!"
"Well..what the fuck do you know?!"
"I DON"T KNOW!" she screeched as the began to cry uncontrollably. Daemon stood there a moment, watching her. She brought her knees up and buried her face in her hands. She trembled with each sobbing breath. He turned and stalked out of the room, keeping his anger and frustration behind a mask of stone. Only his eyes told the truth of the matter.
Mysty and Loki had been talking about several things, all surrounding the recent events. Both were a bit surprised when Daemon walked in less than ten minutes later. He began to pace and reminded Mysty of a caged panther. She saw the anger and the frustration. It only took her a moment to figure it out.
"You made her cry didn't you?" He glared at her, but said nothing. "Damn it D! What the fuck did you say to her?"
"I'm trying to get some fucking answers and I wanted her to know I meant fucking business!"
"Oh, yes. I'm sure you came off as the proper tyrant didn't you?!"
"Damn it Mystikal! I'm the king and I am not to be addressed in such tones!"
"Oh..spare me the fucking platitudes. The poor girl has lost everything. She doesn't even know that she's a shape shifter. She's scared half to death, but far be it for you to show even a hint of compassion. I wonder if you have any common sense at all. Not intelligence just plain old fucking common sense."
Loki decided it was becoming to hot in the room. He had hoped to slink away unnoticed.
No sense in getting caught in the crossfire, he thought. He didn't get far.
"Loki!" Mystikal yelled, "tell him I'm right!" Both Mysty and Daemon were glaring at him.
"Oh..no. I'm crazy, but I'm not stupid. Not this boychic."
"Traitor." Mysty accused him agitatedly.
"That may be true, but the way I look at it I'm fucked either way. For once, I'm keeping my mouth shut.. Tootles." With that he slipped out the door before another word was said.
Mysty and Daemon just looked at the door for a few moments.
"I had to make sure she was telling the truth. The safety of the court is my first priority."
"I can't condone your methods," she paused. " but I can't fault you with being concerned."
That seemed to be as close to an apology as they were going to get. "So what was the truth?"
"She doesn't know anything about her attackers, except that they shapeshifted into her."
"Well, that would explain the eyewitness account of her killing her family." There was another strained pause in the conversation.
"I'm calling a meeting of all court members tonight. Perhaps someone knows what these things are and how to kill them." He paused, then turned to look at her. "The meeting will be at seven, I expect you to be in attendance."
"Do I have to dress up?" she asked, thinking of how absolutely unbearable some uncomfortable dress was going to be on her back. He didn't answer for a moment, almost as if he were contemplating using that as an effective torture on her.
"No..I'll let that slide tonight. Just don't be late."
She nodded her head and Daemon took his leave of her. There was much to do.
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Siren
Grey Paladin
Insanity Fairy