Dark Moon - Michael Langdon

Part 24 - Night Stalker

"Do you have an appointment?" the receptionist at Red Meadows Asylum lazily asks.

"No, we do not," Michael responds, clearly annoyed.  She's been sitting at her desk while typing on her computer and ignoring us for the last few minutes.

Madison grabs my arm.  "Why don't we just Concilium this bitch?" she whispers.

"Fine," I roll my eyes, then turn to Michael.  "Just be discreet."

He nods, having heard our conversation.  "Very well," he whispers.

Michael turns to the receptionist.  After a few seconds, she speaks up.  "Okay.  You may go see Dr. Chambers."

"Thank you," Michael replies smugly as we walk through the door to the offices.  We walk to the end of the hallway then stop at Donna's door.

"Shit," I mutter.  "I can't sense her presence."

Michael furrows his brow and slams the door open.  The room is a mess and the window is broken.  A fight obviously happened in here.  "Fuck," Michael sighs.  "We're too late."

"There's no body," Mallory shakes her head.  "She could still be alive."

"Why would he keep her alive?" Madison scoffs.

As I recall our experience at Devil's Night, a certain detail dawns upon me.  "Shit," I mutter.  "He's bringing her to the Cortez as a sacrifice.  It's common courtesy among the serial killers of the Hotel Cortez to bring a sacrifice to their annual dinners."

"Great, so now we have to go to that shithole that Queenie got killed in?" Madison scoffs.

I nod.  "Madison, call Cordelia and tell her everything now.  As soon as you're done, we need to transmutate to the Cortez."

"Okay, fine," she sighs.  She steps out into the hallway and leaves the rest of us in the office.

"Are you sure we're safe to go to the Cortez?" Mallory asks.

I shake my head.  "It's not safe for witches.  It drains your powers because it's a hell mouth.  It doesn't affect me and Michael, but it will affect you and Madison."

"Why are we going then?"

"We have to stop Ramirez.  He's about to kill this innocent woman, and he's going to kill many more innocent people if we let him step outside that hotel."

"So, what's your plan?" she asks.

"Easy," I shrug.  "We transmutate there, save Donna, find out why Satan needs Ramirez, then destroy Ramirez's soul."

"Easier said than done," Michael mutters.

I roll my eyes endearingly. "I don't want to hear it.  You've been destroying souls since you were five."

"I still am five," he retorts.

"Yeah?  So am I."

Mallory chuckles.  "It's so weird to think that you guys are so young.  You both look like you're 18."

"Technically my physical appearance is 17.  When I turn 6, I'll be at 18, at which point I'll stop aging."

She nods.  "And Michael works the same way, right?"

He nods.  "I stop aging at the appearance of 18 as well."

Madison bursts back into the office.  "Cordelia said to go, but if either Esmeray or Michael gets injured at any point that we need to leave.  She said that my powers and Mallory's powers will be drained by the hotel so we won't be as strong."