Hellfire

Interval Nine

Lucius breathed in heavily and detached himself from the stiffness of his body, the acid still chewing at his skin, the summer heat, the stink of blood clinging to him. His mind slid into the bat lurking about Doc's room, the light of the day no longer burning him so savagely as he blinked. Doc didn't need to be told Lucius was now there, wordlessly waiting for information. He just knew.

'It's definitely lamia. Greek by the components I've found in the blood, made by a female, maybe two, not too old, but the poison isn't something I've encountered before. That's all I've managed to pinpoint.' Doc told Lucius with set resolve. 'The good news is, I've confirmed her soul is still intact. It's quiet, but it's there. The bad news is, she's stuffed full of this poison.'

Lucius peered at Doc's work through the little eyes of his bat, observing the calculations, the little lab he worked at as he analysed Susan's blood, before he looked to Doc himself. He saw his old friend was struggling. His motions were becoming twitchy, his claws poking free, and his eyes were glowing a violent, wolfish yellow. He hadn't broken yet though. He needed to be human right now.

'I've hunted the lamias who'd likely agree to a Beaumont hiring and found nothing in their minds. Can you tell me anything else?'

'Not a lot. It's nothing like the usual spells I've seen for emotion dampeners, and Sam isn't managing to get Susan to think of who's done this to her, so we're not any closer to finding who has done this; lamia assassin or someone using lamia spells. I at least know the lamia knew what she was doing when she made this. This is a tough spell. An acid made to destroy even the very roots of emotional thought.' Doc said heavily, rubbing his arms and flexing his fingers as he fought his wolf. 'It's strong and it's getting worse.'

Lucius' body flexed. 'Meaning?'

Doc rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at Lucius in such a guarded way he knew he wasn't going to like what he heard next. 'The effects of the poison have worsened since I last took her blood. The sample was full of it. It could be that it thickens once in the blood and propagates, I don't know.' He paused. 'Either way, we have less time than I thought.'

Lucius tensed. 'How long?'

'I'd give three days before Susan reaches the point of no return.'

Lucius closed his eyes as ice clawed in his chest from the dread rising at those words. Every instinct to preserve her and keep her safe burned.

'I'll send her on a small job with Alistair and Oliver.' He said icily. 'Stirring up her flames up might trigger her resistance to the poison.'

Doc agreed with a grunt. 'It might work. The poison is definitely magic based, and, if she'd been mortal, she'd have fallen to it faster. But, if she'd been mortal, we wouldn't have to worry about her exploding when her emotions came back.' Doc muttered and quickly began to pack up his notes, storing the vials of blood in a tiny bag. 'I'll get to Tabitha's and see if Cynthia and I can throw together an antidote, or at least something that'll slow down the process. I've done all I can.'

'I'll leave it to you.' Lucius vowed.

Doc waved his hand and shot out of his room, his heavy boots thudding down the hall. Lucius' mind slipped out that one bat and found another close to Alistair. His nephew was closing his door behind himself, sliding a polo shirt on and ruffling his hair.

'Alistair.'

Alistair looked up sharply, spying the bat swiftly. 'Uncle.' He welcomed, then hesitated with uncertainty. 'How are you?'

'Fine.' Lucius said, ignoring the burns he felt in his body, the aches, the wounds and the sheer dread Susan was slipping through his fingers. 'I have something for you to do.'