Shimmer |✓|

//I N T E R L U D E//

"Are you sure we had to do this?" Adelle stood with Ethan in the pouring rain, gazing forlornly at the unconscious Human duct-taped in her trunk. It was really too bad Ethan had to punch his lights out. Collin Helsing was nice. He'd be cute again once the swelling went down.

"You heard the Incubus--Collin saw too much. We're lucky Tidus can do his thing and fill his mind with bullshit, otherwise, your date would have gone home tonight remembering how his friend took him hostage. Trust me, he's better off here, outside the castle. If he wakes up early, least we know where he is."

Adelle closed the trunk with a final sigh, then trudged after Ethan, on to the shelter of the castle. Ti's creepy old servant accepted their jackets, and they brushed the residual moisture from their hair and clothes. The blood smears beneath their feet were still fresh, mixing with the rain water and turning pink, the same color as Naomi's devastating new magic.

The blood-water rippled. Reflected in it's surface, Adelle saw the clear image of Mimi's face when she had plunged the syringe in Naomi's arm.

Adelle stepped back, and swallowed. "Unconscious and still kicking my ass. She really hates us doesn't she?"

"Hey..." For the first time in weeks Ethan touched her, rubbing her arm with sympathy he had never before shown. "She might not appreciate it now, but she'll forgive us later. This isn't Mimi, it's the magic. And if anyone is strong enough to get through this, it's her. She'll be okay."

"Yeah. No thanks to us." Adelle pushed her damp hair from her face, then folded her arms across her chest. "Because you and I, we were hurting her before tonight. Look, I'm glad you told me that you've been seeing each other again. I just wish..." She exhaled, shaking her head back and forth, her copper locks falling back into place.

"Addy, Naomi gave you the green light, remember? She told you she didn't care if we saw each other."

"Oh, c'mon. We both know she was lying. She just didn't want to hurt us the way we were hurting her--because she's better. We made her worse. We never should have hooked up, E--I knew from the start it wouldn't work, but I wanted it to. I've always been invisible to you--"

"Addy..." His mouth was open but Ethan couldn't find the words. Not the right ones, anyway.

"It's okay. Because now I get it--I understand why you went back to her. It's... Naomi. And you nearly died for her, E--that's... epic. If Chandler hadn't given back your Chi we wouldn't be having this... stellar conversation." Adelle bit her lip, glancing off to the side. "She nearly killed you, but it didn't matter. She was still the first person you asked for when you woke up. Either you're insane... or you're in love. But these days what's the difference, right?"

Stuffing his hands in his pockets Ethan flashed a hint of a smile that didn't exit. "Right. Look, Addy. I take full blame for what happened between you and me. I could've ruined your friendship with Naomi, and I definitely ruined ours. I'm an asshole--"

"That, we agree on." Addy tilted her head to the side, offering that same mischievous grin that had caught his attention in the first place. "Listen, do me a favor. Look out for me--but look out for yourself too. You can't go dying on us, the Garou needs the Alpha. Especially since Naomi's gone and joined the Council. When the pack finds out she's pledged her allegiance to the Revenant, they'll freak. I can't imagine what Charles will do when he finds out--"

"If he finds out. No one's heard from him in days."

"Well, hey--one crisis at a time, right? Lucas can take over while he's gone--that gives us more time to deal with Catherine...." Adelle cast a dark and sober glance down the hall, towards the drawing room. "And Chandler."