Jonathan did not stop running until he was in the alley just below their house. He did not feel a hint of exhaustion, even though the journey took a whole two seconds. Anya was staring blankly at the wall and Jonathan panicked for a moment, fearing if he had forgotten to absorb the G-forces into himself while carrying her. And then she turned around.

“What the hell, Warner? How did you do all of that? What are you? Are you a vampire too?” Anya exclaimed. “There had better be a fantastic explanation for this!”

“I…” Jonathan’s mind spun, trying to come up with yet another lie to cover everything up. It stopped after a while; she deserved to know the truth.

Anya was silent throughout his recount of the recent events, and that left him wondering if she actually believed him or had simply tuned out from listening to such an outrageous story. Fortunately, the inspector was experienced enough to tell when he was lying.

“So… you suspect the gem you stole from Harred’s place somehow merged with you, which is why you have these powers now?” Anya’s voice was surprisingly calm.

“Yes,” Jonathan replied. “The auctioneer died because of this gem, and I’m willing to bet whoever killed him will be coming for me soon too. We’re dealing with supernatural beings now, and that’s out of your jurisdiction. Perhaps I should just move out to keep you safe-”

Anya cut him off with a tight hug.

“I can’t believe I lost you that night,” she said in a thin voice. “I’m such a useless cop and a worthless friend. You were killed, and I didn’t even know-”

“I’m still here, alright?” Jonathan tried to sound as bright as he could while he patted her awkwardly. “I got a second chance at life, and I don’t intend to squander it. Chin up, buddy. Let’s move forward.”

“R-right. We'll face this together, alright?” Anya wiped away her tears. “Oh, there’s another thing I want to tell you. I’ve seen Michael O’Cornell at a black market auction; he won the bid for the Lily Noir. I didn’t tell you because…”

She looked away.

“Because it’s not good for a cop to be seen there. I didn’t want to risk losing my credits and…” She paused for a moment as her shoulders sagged. “I’m sorry for not being truthful, Jon. You were right about me being a hypocrite.”

“No, you’re not. You’re human, Anya.” Jonathan said kindly. “Who am I to judge you when I’m participating in this system as well?”

“Anyway, I think we should pay a visit to Harred.” Anya changed the subject abruptly. “The Lily Noir is clearly the key to all of this, and we could start by visiting someone who used to possess it.”

“Good call, officer.” Jonathan gave her a mock salute.

“Shall we head home first?”

----------------------------------------

Speak of the She-Devil…

“Hullo!” a cheery voice greeted the pair walking back to their apartment. “Cute little pooch you own there, Warner. Never took you for a pet lover.”

“He’s not my pet; he’s just a friend I met on the streets,” Jonathan muttered as Oscar greeted them, wagging its tail excitedly. “What are you doing here, Lucy?”

“Who is that?” Anya asked, her voice full of suspicion.

“Greetings! Lucy Carpenter, at your service. Pleased to meet you.” Lucy curtseyed. “You must be Mistress Warner.”

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“What?” Anya’s face turned bright red. “N-no, I’m not!”

“Oh, how embarrassing of me.” Lucy giggled and covered her mouth with her hand. “I take it Jonathan’s your brother then?”

“Beg your pardon?!”

“Enough, Lucy. We’re just roommates.” Jonathan sighed exasperatedly.

“But…” Lucy frowned. “But you two are not of the same gender…”

“Terribly sorry, but who exactly are you?” Anya placed her hands on her hips. “And what are you doing outside of my house?”

“I’ve come to pay my colleague a visit; I’ve a favour to ask of him.” Lucy regained her composure quickly. “Won’t you invite me in?”

“It’s alright, Anya.” Jonathan turned to his friend, who was still giving Lucy hostile glares. “She’s a colleague from my- uhm… personal security agency. Come on in, Lucy.”

Anya was still scowling as Lucy walked into the apartment, marvelling at its interior design. The policewoman went off to take a shower while Lucy and Jonathan sat in the living room. Lucy relaxed against the couch, still admiring the house.

“Back in my days, you had to be royalty to live in such a big place.” Lucy sipped her tea serenely and patted Jonathan’s head. “Well done, you snagged a princess.”

“We’re just friends,” Jonathan insisted, brushing her hand off.

“She doesn’t think that way. Isn’t it obvious?” Lucy replied. “Mayhaps you’ll understand when you get older. Anyway, are you free tonight? I’ve got a place to bring you to.”

“Is this regarding Duncan? How is he?”

“He’s alright for now and thankfully, none the wiser to our schemes.” Lucy’s face fell. “But we must hurry. Duncan used to take his elixir twice per year, and he has to take it twice a month now. He’s piling on more lives than his body can take, and I fear he will be destroyed when it finally breaks down.”

“No time to waste then.” Jonathan set his cup down. “Are we going to find that catholic bloke now?”

“Not yet. We’re going to need some protection charms,” Lucy said. “And I know just the place to get them.”

“Oh, you’re still here.” Anya walked into the living room with a bath towel still wrapped around her head. “Are you going somewhere, Jon? Don’t forget about the prison visit tomorrow.”

“Not to worry, love.” Lucy flashed a polite smile at her. “We’re just taking a leisurely jaunt to church. I’ll have your lad back before the crack of dawn.”

Jonathan was practically dragged out of the house by his companion as she eagerly grabbed his hand. Dark particles began to crawl up his wrist, and he groaned in anticipation of the uncomfortable sensation about to seize him again.

He found himself near the edge of a cliff this time, and the first thing he noticed was how loud the waves were rolling against the rocks beneath him. Jonathan looked around and spotted Lucy muttering to herself near an oddly shaped rock.

“Where are we?” he yelled, struggling to hear himself over the crashing waves.

“Scotland, dearie.” Lucy stopped muttering with a satisfied look on her face and pressed her thumb on his forehead. Jonathan immediately felt a chill- No, multiple chilling lines running across his whole body.

“What did you do to me?” he asked.

“I marked you as my familiar so that you will be granted access too.”

“Access to where?”

Lucy tapped a glowing finger on multiple points of the rock and whispered something under her breath. Her eyes snapped open as she placed a palm on it. The ground rumbled as the rock changed its shape and flattened itself onto the ground, resembling an unusually high doorsill. The air above it seemed to shift and shimmer, making the view beyond it appear slightly translucent.

Lucy stepped over the doorsill and disappeared from sight. Jonathan followed her in, feeling something wash over him as he found himself in yet another different place. His eyes widened as he spun slowly in a circle to take in the sights. His companion walked up to him.

The lady vampire was now dressed in a flowy black cape that covered her from neck down, having apparently changed outfits the moment she crossed over the doorsill. She gave the gawking man a fanged smile and patted him on the shoulder.

“Welcome Jonathan, to the Scottish Witch Market.”