I sit on Ailins desk, flicking through a case file she'd left out on her desk. There wasn't anything too interesting in it. An unauthorised sacrifice of a dark fae by a coven of not so nice witches was bound to raise a few eyebrows, and start a feud between the neighbouring species. Most of the witches were claiming she had been a willing participant, though considering they kidnapped her post-new-moon meditation did not help their case. Dark Fae were always a bit weaker and air-headed after all that internal self-searching, so she would have been an easy target.

"That's private," Ailin growled as she came into the room.

"It doesn't say what they were doing in order to sacrifice her."

"Does it need to?"

"Probably not, but maybe it was for a good reason? Like, a spell to end world hunger or destroy all pollution." I shrug.

"Or maybe it was a backhanded deal with the witches that were greatly rewarded for removing a disgraced fae sister in retaliation to her having an affair with her High Priestess boy toy of the month?" I look at Ailin, and then back at the file that did not have that included. "I haven't finished the report. That's why it's' on my desk and marked as confidential."

I slowly nod, thinking it over and kind of impressed. It was not the answer I was expecting.

"Speaking of dick." Ailin groaned, hiding her face in her hands as she sat down.

"You have no filter, at all, do you?"

I smile. "I meant, Richard. My therapist."

"Oh no. What's the problem now? You asked me to help you, and I did." She frowned. "Please tell me you haven't already made him quit."

"I merely came to say thank you. Apparently becoming a borderline alcoholic who rebelled as a way to seek validation from my peers in place of the relationship I didn't have with my parents or brother when I was fifteen isn't ideal and I see that now." Her frown only deepens, and I can tell she has no idea where this is going. "I mean, I had my suspicions before, but it's always nice to hear it from someone else."

"Anyone could have told you that, in fact, I know many have told you that."

"Maybe, but I only listen to a few people so it wouldn't have really mattered and," I pause, unable to hide how funny I think I am, "what can I say. I listen to Dick."

She nearly smiles.

"Is there an actual purpose for this visit, or are you merely distracting me while you decide to forge my signature on other documents?" Back to business already.

"I had my reasons." I weakly defend.

"Don't you always?" She sits back in her chair, folding her arms over her chest as she waits for my explanation. "Well?"

"She hit on me."

"I'm aware, I got your note when she appeared in the holding cell."

"Let me finish." I get up, lingering by the bookcase. I pick up the vase, looking over the ancient pattern as I hear Ailin suck in a breath. Must be valuable. "And she said I was her target because someone, like me, a power, was looking for me there last week. He was an idiot and let her get a kiss in so she wanted more of the good stuff."

Ailin sat up. "Do you know who it was?"

"No." I sigh, putting the vase down before turning back to her. "All I got was a picture of his back. He's a big dude, dreadlocks. Bad taste in fashion. Eric doesn't remember him and we have no surveillance of the place either. Cain's doing something with Hermes to check for any recent travellers, but he may have already been here and even if he did just make his way to this world, there's no law against it now. I mean, portals aren't accessible to just anyone unless they have their own way to move around, and ours are private. Only Kara and our friends have easy access to them."

"I'm sure you'll be able to handle it." Ailin smiled.

"Oh yeah, of course. Just another day." I force a smile, wanting to tell her about Blueberry but I keep him secret. "Also, just out of curiosity, Portia hasn't been by recently has she?"

"No. Not since before you got back." Her smile vanished. "Why?"

"No reason. They've gone quiet, and after their dramatics at the wedding I'm not sure what they might do next."

"Maybe they got the message?" She sounds too hopeful for Ailin. "Or are planning something worse."

There we go.

"That's what I'm thinking. Could you do something for me? It's a bit sneaky, but if she or any of them do appear, can you just leave your laptop on and hit record? Please?"

It was a risk, and I wouldn't have gone down this path if I was able to trust that Portia and Co weren't plotting. Even if they weren't, there was a lot at stake now and more than just the relationship status I used on facebook.

"Elise, that's-" She stopped. "If I see them, I will."

"Why aren't I needing to convince you with more than just a please?"

Ailin hesitated before tapping away on her laptop and a second later, motioned for me to come over. The footage of her in her office could easily resemble right now, only the time and date state and me hovering behind her ruined that.

"What is-" I stop as Portia appears.

"Just watch."

The pair chat, and then Ailin goes stiff. Portia is clearly still chatting away before the screen goes fuzzy and then back to how it was originally. Portia disappears.

"The usual cameras and security are void of this time. I had my people set this feed up, it's well protected and if no one knows about it, it also can't be tampered with. The downside is, no sound." Ailin sighs. "She did something to me. If she does it again, I want to know about it."

I don't mention the device I just dropped into her vase for that very reason.

"Hopefully it's all just talk. Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"You had enough going on. Now seems like the right time." She sits a little taller and closes the video. "Now, I have a report to finish, so if you don't mind Hunter, please remove yourself from my office."

"Love you too, Ailin. Till next time!" I go out the door this time and wander through the building.

V isn't in his office, and it seems like most of this level is empty. There's a class in the gym, a meeting in the lower boardroom. A bunch of kids rush past on some kind of excursion and passing the cafeteria I consider checking for donuts. The normality of being here seems almost surreal and joining the line, I glance towards the screen in the main seating area which is full of news from around the world. The bottom news strip gives updates on supernatural activities and bad guys that have just been caught. This is new. Normally you'd have to log in to the network for this kind of thing, it's never just so publicly out there.

Looking around, no one seemed to pay any attention to it either.

I've just paid for my coffee and donut when a rather tall guy goes past the glass wall in the main reception area of the building. His height isn't what gets my attention, though it did help. His mane of black dreadlocks does.

"Shit." I look at the food in my hands and then back to the guy who is leaving the building. "Damn it."

I go into the car park, casually sit myself down on the bench seat near the main walkway and sip my coffee. Thankfully he was coming this way, and I focused on my donut while keeping him in sight. His steps slow before he stops completely, while I happily chew on my treat. I take another drink, before placing it on the empty space beside me and force myself to swallow as he continues coming my way.

My powers react, I'm tense and ready to respond to whatever happens next; even if that's him simply stopping and sitting down beside me. I look over at him as he looks down at me. There's some resemblance to Paytah which oddly puts me at ease, but I don't relax, not even for a second. His eyes have lines around the edges, the flat nose suits the squareness of his face and he keeps his lips pressed tightly.

"I believe you've been looking for me?" I smile and take another bite of my donut. "Well, here I am."

He hesitates. I can see the confusion in his dark eyes as they narrow in on the pink icing and sugary mess I'm making as I eat.

"I'm not sharing, go get your own," I warn.

It's a nice afternoon to be outside. The sun is out after days of rain, but it's not exactly warm. With winter approaching, I doubt it would be any time soon in these parts. This guy doesn't seem to know what to say, as he just stares in a slightly creepy, regretting him being so close, kind of way.

"I'm Elise, obviously and you are?" He blinks, still staring as I wait for a response, an answer, anything. "Right. Well, this is fun. Not much of a talker are you?"

Or launcher of fireballs.

"You are aware I've been searching for you?" Dreadlock guy finds this hard to believe.

Must be because he's been keeping such a low profile like just walking through the Council offices as if he belongs in there. Great job team.

"I had a feeling." I turn to look at him better. "If you plan on kidnapping, torturing or killing me, we will have a problem. I haven't finished my coffee yet."

I try to get a read on him, work out what he is. Barbie was right, there was something powerish about him, but not like any I've been around. As weird as he was being, I wasn't getting any of the attack and kill vibes I was expecting either, so I sat and waited.

"I don't want to hurt you." He says slowly.

"But? I feel like there's always a but, when someone says that."

"I am not of this realm." Obviously. "I have heard the tales of the God Killer, and all she has done for those of my world."

"Oh, you think I'm her, The God Killer?" He nods. "Sorry, you've got it wrong. She's now Queen and lives-"

"It is not her I seek."

"You haven't actually said who you are." I remind him.

"My name is Lycaon. Like you and your people, mine consider me a god." He looked away, staring out at the car park. "I am not like your kind. I am not even the power my people think I am."

I looked at him more closely, working out pretty quick the people he spoke of had to be Paytahs. The resemblance was too uncanny. What power he did have hid any signs of his werewolf side, only he definitely wasn't like me or the others. Lycaon was weaker than even a part-power like Hercules. I was curious about him, and if that was part of his plan it was working.

"If you need help, I can take you to the God Killer." I hesitated. "Are your people okay?"

I hadn't checked in with Paytah since the Zane fiasco, and guilt hit me hard. What if news the war was over hadn't made it their realm or if killing that fire guy wasn't enough to keep them safe.

"They are well, thanks to you." He smiled to reveal jagged teeth, more canine than human.

"Her. Thanks to her." I push, but the look on his face tells me he isn't buying any of it. "So if they're okay, why are you here looking for the God Killer?"

"I have been high up in the oldest mountains where my kind go to sleep. To live forever weighs heavy on the soul, and at times you must rest. It has been perhaps too long since I have risen, and when my people have needed me, I have not been there. You have." Lycaon took a deep breath. "There has been much to learn, adjusting to this new era has been exhausting."

"I feel that way every day. Coffee?" I offer him my cup which he declines.

"Nagual the first has been with me in my slumber. He rose as I did, the adjusting is taking longer for him which is why he did not come. We felt it was important to find you, so I came alone."

"The adjusting?"

"We hibernate in our animal forms. When we emerge we must adjust to being back in this skin, and allow ourselves to absorb the new energy of the land. It helps us to assimilate into our worlds despite whatever changes may have occurred." He patiently explained.

"Right. That sounds like a lot to process, so let's just leave that one there." I don't even try to wrap my head around it. "I still don't get what this has to do with you coming to visit me. I mean, find the God Killer."

"While we were in the mountains, the wind told us its secrets and the earth shared its wisdom. We were also not alone. There are three, and while the goddess of wisdom and strategy once altered their minds, they are now awakened, released and have returned to their former state."

"Three? The Fates? They were up there?"

"No. I do not speak of the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone. These are much worse." He growls. "They were once called The Erinyes, I do not think that has changed, though they are forgotten as many things are with the right amount of time."

"Have you met the Fates lately, I doubt anything is as bad as-"

"Heed my warning, child. Your name was on their tongues!" Lycaon stood, glaring down at me as his bulk blocked out the sun leaving me in his shadow. "Before we knew who or what the God Killer was, we knew no good could come from their freedom. Our magic is not like your kind. They are weak now, but they will grow stronger and escape their new cage soon."

Despite how he was trying to hide his fear I could see it. The subtle trembling in his voice, the frustration, that way he never quite stops watching his back. His heart was racing, the pulse point in his neck more visible just like the vein in his forehead. Whatever had been up on that mountain had terrified him, and I knew for Lycaon to come straight to me with this warning was big.

"I appreciate what you've done, but really, you don't have anything to worry about. I have powerful friends, we-"

He growled, throwing his head back as he clenched his hands into fists at his side.

"It will not matter. You need to prepare yourself. They are coming." Lycaon snarled. "My people see you as one of their own. You saved them, helped them. I have done all I can to attempt to return that debt. If you are no longer the God Killer, if they find her first they will know. It is your blood that tainted their hands. There is no stopping them, and if I found you so easily, they will as-"

Lycaon froze, his eyes bulging as his hands were thrown up to his throat. A strangling, gasping sound left him as a mixture of spit and blood, bubbled from the edges of his mouth.

"What the hell?" I jumped up, clueless as to how to help him. "Lycaon, what's happening?"

Of course he couldn't answer, and as I looked frantically around, I braced myself for apparently the inescapable attack heading my way, but it was not these three things that appeared out of thin air.

Cain, Hermes and Kara stormed over. Hermes hung slightly behind the other two, as Kara already had her sword out, and looking at Cain, well I wish I hadn't. I thought I knew all of his moods; that I had seen him in every way possible, but this left me wanting to crawl underneath the bench and hide.

Pure, raw, unfiltered rage left him with a murderous scowl on his face. His dark mood filled the short distance between us like it was its own living, breathing entity and it was all focused on Lycaon. The werewolf didn't stand a chance.

"Elise, get back!" Kara's shrill scream snapped me out of my trance as Ailin joined the three of them.

"Let him go, now!" I shouted in response, running to Cain. "You're going to kill him!"

Cain didn't even blink, and glancing back, Lycaon fell to his knees before he was on the floor. Lycaon's body twitched slightly, his chest heaving as the bloody foam sprayed out onto the concrete path.

"Stop!" I demanded.

"Are you okay?" Kara asked, looking me over.

"I'm fine. Cain, stop!" I screamed now and with a couple of blinks, he finally focussed on me. "Listen to me! He isn't a threat."

I felt his power pull back ever so slightly and nearly cried with relief, going back to the werewolf that had curled up onto all fours and spat out more blood. His breathing was raspy and shallow, and I dropped down beside him to rub his back.

"I'm sorry. Are you okay, well, you know, not dead?" I ask him, earning a slight nod in response as he starts coughing again. "Meet my powerful friends I was telling you about."

"We thought he was attacking you?" Kara answered weakly, putting the sword away.

"No!" I thought about it for a second. "I guess I get why you'd think that, but no. You've got it all wrong. Besides, I can defend myself."

"I'll just leave you all to it." Hermes disappears.

"I believe you have this under control." Ailin makes a fast exit too.

"Well, I didn't know if you-" Kara stops. "felt okay, like yourself. You know, with the way things are?"

I roll my eyes as Lycaons groans, slowly rising back to two feet. He keeps a hand on his neck, and looks at the two of them warily.

"Here, have some water." I held a bottle in my hand which he took. "So, this is Lycaon. Lycaon, meet Kara, and Cain."

While Cain still looks like he may snap at any second, a flicker of recognition appears at the name.

"As in Lycaon, the cursed king and first of the skinwalkers?" There's a hint of curiosity there as he studies the hulk of a man beside me, under about twenty layers of pure hatred.

And people say I need to work on my first impressions.

"Cursed yes, but I was not the first," Lycaon growls.

"I thought it was just a bedtime story," Kara adds unhelpfully. "Wow."

"Right, well, tell me all about it later. Lycaon came to warn me about The Yeti? What do you two know about them?"

Kara tilted her head slightly. "Aren't Yeti those BigFoot creatures?"

"Erinyes. The Erinyes." Lycaons corrected.

"No idea?" She glances at Cain who seems to be thinking this over.

"I've not heard of them either." He reluctantly admits.

"They are old, here long before the time of this world whenever the other realms were still being created. Here, you call them Titans, others call them the Elders. We call them the Firsts." Lycaon drank the water, his voice raspy as he still struggled to calm his breathing. "The Erinyes were formed by them, hateful creatures full of vengeance. You need to prepare yourself. They are coming!"

"Wait, are you talking about the Furies?" Kara asks. "Three sisters, that only bring misery and destruction to wrongdoers?"

"Sounds like them. I am unfamiliar with that name though."

"Wow." Kara pales and sits on the bench.

"Let me guess, another fairytale come to life?" I help steady Lycaons as he sways unsteadily before sitting him beside Kara. Cain seems a little less murderous, and maybe slightly unsure now - not afraid, but not thrilled either. "You know them too?"

"I can't remember the stories, but as a child, Furies were the monsters under the bed." He looked at Lycaon. "Why are they coming?"

"Someone woke them. The Time Keeper, Cronus, set them to slumber forever ago. His children aided him with the mission and our world was chosen as none would ever find them there."

My stomach sunk, and Cain's eyes went dark. "Cronus?"

"This was before his firstborn turned on him, banishing the Firsts and-"

"We know the stories." I interrupted.

"They became a common enemy, no one was safe from the wrath of The Erinyes. Mortal or God. For a short time, there was unity within all the worlds. It was the only way to stop them." Lycaon continued.

"Why didn't they kill them?"

"They couldn't. So long as Cronus lives, they will too. To kill them would be to kill him, as it was by his will they were created, Fate declared him to be cursed as punishment."

"Cronus is dead." Cain got out through gritted teeth. His jaw was so tense I thought he might actually shatter the bone. "And now they will die."

Lycaon's turns to be surprised as he looked at Cain his mouth actually opened, and then he looked at me.

"Surely not! The Firstborn, he rules in his sires' place since he banished-"

"Zeus is dead too," I added, shivering as clouds moved to cover the sun and everything went dark like another bad omen. "It was a whole thing a couple of years ago. Let's just leave it at that, okay?"

"How? When? I-I-" He stuttered, his eyes widening as I made sure to put myself between him and Cain.

Bringing up bad memories wasn't doing anything to improve Cain's mood. The birds went quiet in the nearby trees, the cars seemed to disappear from the busy street on the other side of the carpark and I wasn't sure just how much of a natural occurrence the impending storm over us was. As I touched him, he felt like stone. Every inch of him was tense, so tightly wound I didn't want to know what would happen if he suddenly let go. I put my hand up to his face, a gentle push against his cheek to make him look at me.

"They're gone and the Fury Erinyes things can be stopped. We got this, okay?"

"Yeah, I mean, you two took them down, and with the others coming to help, this will be easy," Kara adds, not sounding as certain about it as I think she had planned on being.

"You two actually, killed, Cronus and his Firstborn?" I think I saw the exact moment Lycaon's mind was completely blown by this news.

"She's tougher than she looks," Kara answers him.

Drop by drop, the rain came back and a distant rumble of thunder had me looking up to the darkened sky. It had been so nice out here barely minutes ago and look how quickly it had changed.

Story of my life.

"We should seek shelter," Lycaon says softly, his whole body straight and cautious as he looks around.

"Come back to the bar. I think after this, we could all use a drink." I see her look of sympathy as Kara catches my eye, which only makes me glare at her.

"Give us a minute," Cain growls.

She nods, and the pair of them vanish. Cain and I do too, only we end up back at the apartment. In an instant I'm being crushed in his hold to the point it's almost painful - definitely uncomfortable. The pressure eases before I can even protest as if he realises what he's doing. He doesn't stop, his mouth claiming mine; hot and demanding. His attack is so swift, and intense I can barely process half of what is happening as I'm pushed back against the wall.

I grab onto him, one hand on Cain's shoulder, the other holding his shirt like a safety line. I'm drowning in him and I don't even care. I forget about this afternoon, about this morning's therapy session, about Lycaon's warning - everything until it's just me, and him.

"I need-" His teeth bite into my shoulder after my jacket is forced down. I roll with the movement, and press into him for enough space to get rid of it completely as he groans at the extra closeness. "Elise."

He says my name like a prayer.

"Yes." I can barely make a sound, but he hears and now there's no holding back.

The apartment has seen better days. It's a mess, and in the middle of it all, we're lazily stretched out on the sofa. The coffee table was broken, the curtains were only half up, and torn clothing litters the floor. That had never happened before, and I wouldn't be disappointed if it happened again. Beneath me, Cain's breathing is deep and slow. I glance up wondering if he was asleep, yet find him staring back at me. The darkness was still there, but it was quieter now. I could see it in his eyes; there was still tension in his touch. I try not to smile at the bruise I left on his chest, the shape of my nails left over his arm. I'd hate to see what his back looked like.

"I've only ever felt this way about you once before." He says slowly before letting out a big sigh.

"And what feeling might that be?" I wiggle slightly higher, yet he moves too and I'm now trapped between him and the back of the sofa.

I feel his body tense and shiver as he stretches, before moving again so he's hovering above me. Pulling him closer, he eases down against me and propping himself up slightly, I only want more as he kisses a pathway from my neck down to my belly button. He rests his head there, his fingers running over the scars.

"Completely, fucking, terrified that I'm going to lose you."

"Lycaon wasn't that scary. If I thought he was an actual threat, I wouldn't have approached him." I defended.

"I know. I mean, I wasn't happy about what we walked in on, but I know what you're capable of. There isn't many that I'd consider a threat for either of us, I just panicked for a minute as never mind. The second I got hold of him, I felt how little power he had."

"Then what is the problem?"

"He started talking." He looked back up at me. "You can't face the Furies."

"But-"

"No. El, you can't. Think about this. We know nothing about them. Any other time I'd be happy to show up together and make sure they know who the fuck they are dealing with. Not now." Cain closed his eyes. "You know I would never stop you or tell you what you can and can't do, but things are different."

"Blueberry."

"Blueberry."

He sighed, kissing my stomach before starting to sit up. Internally I was melting and there was a lump in the back of my throat that only appeared anytime he used my nickname for the little boy growing inside. I grabbed Cain, holding him close as I wasn't ready for this to end just yet.

"It's not simple anymore and I'm not prepared to lose either of you. I can't." Cain mumbled into my hair as laid back down.

"And you won't," I promise. "But since when has it ever been simple for us ?"

"Good point."

It was easy to feel sorry for The Furies because if they did come as Lycaon claimed, I had a feeling we hadn't yet seen what Cain was capable of. Then again if they were to threaten us, and Blueberry, I didn't know what I would be able to do either.

"Now might be time to visit a fairy godmother," I think out loud. "But which one?"

His body stilled above me, the feel of his breath gone from my neck as dropped beside me, letting out a groan of pure frustration. Cain kept his eyes closed, before hiding his face in hands and groaning again.

"That's an odd term to apply to a Cursed Serpent Woman, The Fates or even the Witch of the Underworld." He finally answered a minute later.

At least he knew who I was talking about.

"I like my version better. Let's face it, they've all helped and looked out for me in some way. Very Fairy Godmotherish. Maybe The Fates aren't our enemy after all and this threat will bring peace to all again?"

He goes quiet again before giving a tiny nod. "Let's see what else Lycaon has to say before you decide which is the lesser evil. I can sense Kara hovering, she can't get through the new wards."

"We've taken longer than a minute."

"She's a good friend." He sighs. "Let's hope she's a God Killer too as that is who we will need to face the Furies."