luciazephyr | FIC: other things the road to hell is paved with [12/?]

Usually I love my job. I really do. I've been living in a magical world since I was a pre-teen and you'd think by now I'd be used to it, but it still sometimes takes my breath away that all these things exist, that the world is so inexplicable and unknowable, that it never end. I can't get over that sometimes. How people didn't feel it, how the world hummed with life and, by extension, magic and only a small part of the population had any clue. I sometimes felt strong pity for the oblivious masses, not knowing what they were missing out on.

And then there are days like this, when my girlfriend gets caught in a who's-who of the supernatural elite, my faerie godmother shows up to harass me, and the vampires spit in my wine.

I should have stayed in bed.

Susan patted my back as I yacked up as much of the wine as I could into a plant pot. "Harry, are you all right?"

I spit bile and grimaced at the new, fun taste in my mouth. Ugh. "Did you drink any?"

"No, didn't get the chance."

"See any water around? My mouth tastes... well, like I just threw up a bunch of wine," I said, straightening. As I did, I felt a vague fuzziness that I assumed came from Red Court saliva. I hadn't had the pleasure of experiencing the effects firsthand, so it was a new thing for me. The narcotic was very potent, affecting the victims even through just skin contact. I wasn't sure how bad it was that I swallowed some, but if the effects were already kicking in...

Hell's bells, this was not good. "We have to leave."

"Do it soon," Thomas said from where he stood, watching languidly. "The Red Court is already claiming their prey."

I looked up at the room. Thomas was right, and most of the human guests hadn't had the chance to spit up the poison like I had. Some had just fallen to the floor in a drugged stupor. A few were being led into the shadows by the hungry Reds. It wasn't looking good.

"What about the hospitality laws?" Susan finally sounded properly worried about the situation.

"Recreational poisoning. Everyone gets a sample and some fun times in the shadows. A few might even live through it." I wiped my mouth on my sleeve, disgusted and furious. "The kids with the armbands, they're initiates to the House, I'll bet you. Tomorrow they'll all have their game face."

Thomas frowned. "Game face?"

"Buffy."

"Oh, right." He hit his forehead with his palm, like he should have known that. Maybe he was a fan.

Lea glided by, all Fae grace and disinterest. She trailed her nails through my hair as she passed, sending an eerie placid feeling through me. "You're attracting attention, sweet." Then she vanished into the shadows with a swirl of her dress.

She was right. The Reds who hadn't claimed a guest as prey were circling like vultures, looking at Susan and me like we were prime cuts in the butcher's display case. I wasn't keen on getting vamped or losing my girlfriend to a bat monster with a human face. I caught Susan's hand and headed for the door, giving a nod to Thomas as we passed. I had no idea why he was so friendly, but I could puzzle that out when the threat of imminent vamp-age was gone.

"I don't suppose you had an escape plan in mind when you decided to attend the Monster Mash?" I asked Susan quietly as we headed to the entry hall.

"Leave with the rest of the guests once the party was over?" I gave her an exasperated look over my shoulder. "What? I'm an optimist."

As we got into the foyer, our way was blocked. A few Reds were leaning languidly against the doorway, watching us with hooded expressions. One shifted to prowl towards us, movements slow and sensuous. The others soon followed.

"Hospitality?" Susan asked, voice jumping up a pitch. Her grip on my hand tightened.

"They're going to hospitality us to death if they get close enough," I said, feeling the the pleasant pull in my blood, telling me it'd be so very, very nice just to tip back my head and let the approaching vamp kiss along the length of my jugular. "I'm pretty sure Bianca could frame my drinking that wine as accepting an invitation to fangdom." I started backing up until the back of my foot hit the staircase, a grand monster taking up most of the room. The upper level seemed deserted. "Come on."

Navigating the stairs was harder than I thought. My vision kept doubling and Susan had to catch me when I staggered up the top steps. The narcotic was starting to really screw with my system. I just wanted to lay down and sleep it off...

Susan slapped me across the face, waking me up in an instant. "Ow!"

"Sorry, but I was losing you there." She started to tug me along, taking the lead as we wound down some corridors, putting as much distance between us and the Reds as we could.

I stopped at a door and placed my palm against it, feeling for any traps. None were apparent, so I pushed it open. "Inside, quick."

Susan went in and I followed, shutting the door behind us. She immediately started pushing a massive oak bureau in the way of it. I grabbed the other side and pulled it along, helping. I had no idea how much it would aid us in holding off the vampires, but it was worth a shot.

After we hauled our probably ineffective barrier across the door, I shook out my shield bracelet and tried very hard to fight off the poison in my blood, humming at me to be calm, sleep, rest, all will be well if you just relax.

Susan walked over to me and hooked a finger in my belt loop. "Need another slap?"

"Uh... Not at the moment, but if I'm looking peaky, go for it." I took a deep breath. "I'm going to Listen for them, give me a sec."

I shut my eyes and Listened for what was coming from outside the room. I caught the sound of footsteps, a group of people approaching. Their stride was long and purposeful and coming right towards us. I shuddered and pulled my blasting rod out of my duster, holding it tightly as they got closer. If they wanted to break the hospitality laws, I would be glad to do the same, and a lot more explosively.

Then the damnedest thing happened. The vampires passed our door and kept walking. It surprised me so much, I blinked out of my Listening, then Listened again just to make sure I wasn't mistaken. Then I walked to the door and pressed my ear to it, Listening a third time.

"What? What is it?"

I frowned, confused by what just happened. "They... didn't find us. They didn't even pause, just went on by. Why the hell would they do that?"

Behind me, there was a laugh. "Why indeed, godson?"

Susan and I both jumped, whirling to face Lea. She smiled at me, eyes glittering. "I could hardly let my godson be taken by these creatures, could I?" She came up to me and cupped one of my cheeks in her hand. "I don't want your blood if it's poisoned, by iron or by this Red Court."

The drug in me sang out at her touch and my knees buckled. I leaned back on the bureau, gasping for breath. "Lea, stop it."

"You want to save your lady fair, do you not?" Her thumb pressed against my lower lip, tracing it idly. "Come with me, and I will see to it she has safe passage from this place, back to her home."

"And if I say no thanks, we'll handle it ourselves?"

Lea's smile widened. "Then your pursuers will find you and surely claim or consume you."

I groaned at the realization. "You, you're shielding the room."

"Yes, my sweet."

Susan broke in. "If you stop hiding us, they'll kill Harry. Then you won't be able to have him."

Lea tipped her head back to eye Susan. I took the opportunity to stumble away from Lea and collapse in a chair nearby. The glamour and the drug made for an extremely not good mix in my system, making it hard to keep my eyes focused, my breathing under control.

"The dear child would not sacrifice you to his own obstinance. There is nothing he can do but agree, or I will let the Margravine know exactly where he is," Lea said.

"He's your godson! How can you be so heartless?"

I snorted, drawing both their gazes. "Sorry, sorry. Was funny."

Lea waved a dismissive hand at me before turning back to Susan, but she walked to me as she spoke. "You assume I have no love for him. That is untrue. But he owes me a debt and I must take what is mine." She stroked my hair, like I was a favored pet. "He'll be much happier with me. I will give him peace, keep him safe from those that seek to undo him." She stared down at me. "All this indecision and confusion will be washed away, my sweet."

I shivered at the onslaught of her glamour, swaying into her. My face rested against the silky texture of her dress, cold against my hot skin. It was a balm, soothing the drunken, unpleasant feeling that came from fighting the narcotic.

I heard Susan calling my name, but I didn't care. I was so tired. All the stress that Marcone had forced into my life was gone. If I went with Lea, our contract would be useless. He couldn't chase me to the Nevernever. And Lea would make sure Susan got out all right. My whole purpose here was protecting her. Saying yes to my godmother would make things so much easier on everyone. Well, except Marcone, but he could find another magic consultant.

I opened my eyes blurrily and watched Susan across the room. She had her cell phone out, pressed against her ear. I dimly heard her yelling into it, "It doesn't matter how I got this number, put me through to him! It's an emergency and-- don't put me on hold, you bitch!"

She was pretty when she was angry, I noticed. Then I stopped noticing anything as Lea swirled her fingertip in a lazy spiral against my temple. "Isn't this nice, my sweet? Do you see how I can comfort you? Am I something to fight so adamantly? I only want the best for you. For you be at peace." She tsked, carding my hair. "So much pain for someone so young."

I knew, under all the sanguine calm that I couldn't just say yes to her. I needed to do things, important things. "Lea..."

"Shush, sweet. Unless you'd like to agree to come with me?"

Susan was still in my periphery, still talking on the phone. "Third floor, facing the west. Yes, make it fast, she's doing something to him. I'll try."

"Well?" Lea tipped my head up to look at her, and I saw her as a gentle, loving motherly figure of timeless beauty and affection. God, I wanted that. Just to lay at her feet and sleep...

I heard the tap of Susan's heels as she approached. "Hey, Harry, you're looking peaky," she said, then slapped me across the face.

I was so stunned by the blow, I fell out of my chair and onto the floor with a loud thud. Lea made an enraged sound, whirling on Susan.

But I'd been snapped out of my trance and I climbed to my feet, scrambling to get between them. "Enough, enough! Hospitality still in effect, don't even think about it!" I lifted my shield bracelet and poured some of my will into it, pulling up a half-sphere of force between us. "No deal, Lea. Nice try, though."

She glowered at me. "Reconsider, godson."

"No, that's my final answer, Regis. Get gone." I twirled my blasting rod. "I'll take my chances with the vampires."

"So be it." Lea lifted one pale arm into the air and snapped her fingers. The sound was amplified, her magic pouring into it. It echoed around the room, and surely beyond the walls. The vampires would certainly come running now that they knew where we were. Lea smiled at me and blew me a kiss before vanishing, likely back to the Nevernever.

As soon as she was gone, I turned to Susan, almost toppling over when my vision doubled. No, wait, tripled. Great. "I'm going to get you out of here. Bianca wants me dead after what happened between us two years ago. I'll distract her and you get out in the meantime, okay?"

Susan rolled her eyes. "You are so self-sacrificial, Harry." She walked to the far end of the room and opened the middle window. "Always have to be the hero. Always have to save the girl. Fight the monsters. The whole white knight thing." She tapped her ear and pointed out the window.

I stumbled over to her and leaned on the sill. "What?"

"Listen, Harry."

I took a shuddering breath and drew in my shattered will, doing as I was told. Very dimly, I could hear something, a low rumble or a buzz on the air. "What the hell is that?"

"Helicopter."

"Helicopter?"

"I made a phone call. Figured if anyone was going to get us out alive, it was the guy who paid a ridiculous amount of money for you."

I swiveled my head to look at her. "You didn't." She nodded. "You... you called Marcone?" That didn't make sense. "Where did you even get the number?"

Susan shrugged. "You left your black book on the table. I'm a reporter, you have the phone number for the private line of the crime king of Chicago. Do the math."

"Susan," I whined.

"Saving your life, remember?"

The door chose that moment to emit a deafening cracking noise, like a battering ram slammed into it. There was a scratching noise as well, like something with claws was trying to burrow through.

I steeled myself and leveled my blasting rod at the door. Despite my effort to keep myself steady, my hand shook, the tip of the rod waving in the air. Holding my will was like keeping a grip on a handful of sand. The more I tried, the fuzzier I got.

I didn't know how much longer I could remain conscious. I needed to do something now to at least help slow down the Reds. I pointed to the bureau blocking the door and gasped out, “Fuego.”

The wood burst into flames, crackling merrily. The walls were made of a similarly inflammable material, and slowly they started to smolder as the fire spread. I hoped I wouldn't burn the place down. It was always kind of embarrassing when I did that. My friends never let me forget about my acts of accidental destruction.

I was mentally tallying up how many places I'd partially or wholly burned to the ground when my legs went out from under me. Susan yelled something, but I couldn't quite hear it.

I obeyed my body's insistence and shut my eyes, falling into slumber.

I was getting used to waking up at Marcone's place. Hell, I now seemed to have a regular room, the same neutrally decorated guest bedroom I always ended up in. And, oh, look, more clothes waiting for me at the foot of the bed. This was getting to be routine.

The other side of the bed was mussed, like someone had been sleeping beside me. On the floor was the cloak Susan had worn to the party. So she'd been here. That was a relief.

Hell's bells, she called Marcone. That was just pathetic, needing to be rescued during my rescue. I'd never live that one down.

On the other hand, I felt much better. A little hungover, but no worse for wear. Hungry, though. I got dressed, admired my much more high-end attire in the mirror for a moment, decided I looked good enough to not care about the implications of Marcone's continued insistence on giving me clothes, and went to find my employer and my girlfriend.

I knew the way to the kitchen by now without being told. A few of the goons wandering around gave me respectful nods as I passed them, which I was slowly, slowly getting used to.

There was a stairway down to the ground level, and from the top you could see the kitchen. I lingered on the upper level when I spotted Susan and Marcone sitting at opposite ends of the kitchen island. Marcone was blowing the steam from his latte, watching Susan as she poured through a stack of paperwork. For a brief moment, I thought Marcone was billing her for the rescue or something. What I overheard made it clear I was very wrong.

"There is no way this is legal," Susan said, voice hot and upset as she waved a sheet of paper at Marcone. "This practically makes him your property. It's disgusting."

Marcone sipped his drink slowly, letting her stew in her anger for a moment. "I assure you it is legal. My lawyers were very careful in constructing the contract."

"You coerced him, you son of a--"

"Yes, and why don't you inform the police of your concerns?" Marcone replied dryly. "Tell them that I arranged it so that if Harry didn't sign with me, he'd be murdered by lycanthropes. I'm sure that will go splendidly." He sighed and set down his coffee, giving Susan a weary look. Not actual weariness, mind you, because Marcone didn't reveal weakness to anyone if he could help it, but weariness of her in particular. "Ms. Rodriguez, you should keep in mind that if it were not for me, you would be either dead or a fledgling of Bianca St. Clair's House."

"What, do you want a medal?" She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. I noticed that in contrast to my high retail threads, she was given just a plain tee and some drawstring pants. Was Marcone playing favorites? "Saving us doesn't make what you're doing any less immoral, even by your standards."

"And what do you know of my standards? What do you know of me that isn't a rumor I personally disseminated into the city?" He finished off the last of his drink and stood, moving to the sink to rinse it out. "If this conversation has shown me anything, it is that you have no idea what the relationship between Harry and myself is. Take that up with him, not me."

What? That wasn't fair. I mean, I didn't talk to anyone about the thing between Marcone and me. It wasn't because I didn't trust them, it was... It was my problem. I signed the contract, I had to deal with it. Telling anyone about the things Marcone had me doing, how he treated me, and the way he messed with my thoughts and emotions, that would make it someone else's problem. And it just wasn't.

"You're not turning me against him that easily," Susan snapped. "I've seen the contract now. I could expose what you're doing."

"And then the many readers of the Midwestern Arcane will be aware of the arrangement between Harry and I. At least, if you can summarize the contract in the half-page column you have. Perhaps you could do a series on it." He walked over to her and started gathering up the papers with neat efficiency, stacking them and tucking them into a file folder. "And then I would bring up charges against you for publishing such slander about my business tactics. Then I would make it so you'd never work in journalism again in the lower 48."

Fascinating as this was to witness, I'd had enough of Marcone treating Susan so rudely. I sounded like he was being reserved about it, sure, but I knew better. This was Marcone's version of talking smack about Susan's mother.

"Libel, not slander, scumbag," I said loudly, coming down the stairs.

Susan jumped and twisted in her chair to look at me, but Marcone just smiled. "Harry. I was wondering when you'd stop eavesdropping and join us."

Erk. Dammit, I hated when Marcone did that. I had no response for him, so I just walked up and gave Susan a good morning kiss. I was going for chaste, but Susan responded by grabbing my shoulder, pulling me a little further down, and introducing tongue to the equation, tasting sweet and tangy, like she'd had fruit for breakfast. Something citrus, I guessed.

When we broke apart, she shot Marcone a glare. They looked at each other with open hostility in each of their faces. I had a feeling I was missing something (again? stars...) but couldn't begin to guess what. I just knew Susan and Marcone were never going to be buddies.

Marcone tapped the folder on the island, straightening the papers. "Well, I should return these to my office. Ms. Rodriguez, please help yourself to anything before you go. Harry, if you'd come with me, I believe we should talk."

I shook my head. "If you're kicking Susan out, I'm going with her."

Marcone frowned, instantly displeased about this. "One of my men will drive her home. She'll be quite safe."

"I should just trust you?" Susan asked incredulously.

"I've made my point to you, I would have no reason to cause you harm."

I nodded to Susan. "Seriously, everything is a cost-benefit analysis to him. It's freaky. But I want to see you home anyway. Unless you'd rather...?" Susan put her hand over mind, squeezing. "Right. I'll take her, thanks."

Marcone's lips pressed together into an unhappy white line. "We have things to discuss, Harry."

I met his eyes. "I know. And we will. Just not right now, John."

It was the first name usage that did it, I thought. Marcone inhaled deeply, exhaled through his nose slowly, then nodded once. "At least let one of my men drive you home."

"Sure," I agreed amiably.

"Keep your schedule clear. I'll call on you soon." He stared at me for a moment longer, then walked out of the room.

Susan let out a breath I think she'd been holding a while and sagged back against my chest. She pulled my hand up to cup her cheek, pressing her own hand over mine. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Did you tell him anything?"

"Besides the fact he's an asshole?"

I grinned. "Yeah, besides that. I need to know what he knows."

She nodded. "I told him that we were at a vampire party and needed help. I had to tell him your godmother was trying to screw with your head, but I didn't say anything about... you know." The fact that my godmother was a freaking faerie, I gleaned. "You were out for the extraction, and thanks for passing out right then, by the way."

"Sorry."

"You should be. So I got you hooked up to the rope lift, then I followed. I told Marcone about the venom. He gave you a shot after we got you inside, so I guess that helped you."

"Did you mention the Red Court or anything like that?"

Susan thought about it, visibly recalling anything she might have said. "I... no, I didn't. I'm pretty sure. You don't want him to know, I take it?"

I winced. "I think he's going to demand a few answers when he and I meet up, and I'd prefer to be the one to tell him." I rubbed my face. "Stars and stones, what a mess..." I sighed. "Ready to go?"

"More than," Susan said, standing up. "I feel like the fly in the spider's parlor. I just want to get out of here. I don't see how you can stand him."

I walked her to the garage and made a few hemming and hawing noises, but didn't elaborate. I didn't want to tell her that Marcone was a different person when it was just me and him. Mostly because I was still avoiding thinking about that. Down that road lead to sleepless nights wondering how much of Marcone was genuine and how much was him bullshitting me.

Either way, I had a standing appointment I was not looking forward to.

Chapter Thirteen

Shorter than usual for once, but that's because next chapter?

DA PLOT BEGINS.

omg I just wrote a medium-sized novel and I'm just now getting to the point, what the heeeeeell :weeps:

we can raise cities or raze them, it whispers

and the only difference is the spelling

FIC: other things the road to hell is paved with [12/?]

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