...To change the things I can

LOCATION the serpents
DATE 28th of October 2021
TIME noon
ATTIRE Link
TOPIC FOR @Cassian &  @Eris Clarke
____________________________________

It had just been a quite easy day, or so it had seemed at the time. Days off were rare, however going for a drive and drop something off at Nigel's because Katelyn had forgotten one of her school books. She knew that Nigel had found a half brother, she just hadn't met him yet, or at least not away from the academy - because of course Daisy kept tabs on who was teaching her daughters. But, when he had mentioned what was going on Southside, including being worried about Victoria - whom Daisy remembered quite well, it was one of Cassian and Dion's closer friends, so she understood why he needed to go. And she wanted to argue with joining him in case he needed help, but even Jack mentioned it wasn't a good idea, too many people would get to much attention. But after a short but very direct speech from Daisy to Cassian on him to be careful, and update within a certain amount of time before she would come with some serious back up - if anything she hated not being able to do anything other than wait. Daisy quickly grabbed his wrist before he left out the door, to stop him for just a brief moment, so she could pull him closer into a kiss. "Don't do something stupid, and come back to me soon okay? I love you," she whispered against his lips kissing them again quickly before letting him go.


It had been almost a day since she had convinced Anthony that Eric needed to get Lauren to the hospital. It was minimal care that her hand had gotten after Pearl had made her mark, but luckily Lauren was a werewolf she had healed in the time, but not in the best way. Eric had somewhat earned a bit of Anthony's trust, giving the only reason why he had gotten to leave was one of the witch members making a spell by using Victoria's blood to bind her to the place - so she couldn't get any funny ideas by leaving. The role she had gotten after Anthony had figured out Jack wasn't dead. Anthony knew it was a matter of time before Jack would come by and get her out, so he often searched around while making new friends around the area, checking out the other gangs with Calliope. Otherwise, the Serpents was open like everything was normal, people swung by, grabbed a drink, the members who had been her for ages and had seen leaders come and go - they had adapted to this situation and some even came to see Jack as the enemy. Anthony had removed the tattoo - he was no longer a serpent in some of their eyes.

So there she was, standing in the bar, pouring up a glass of whisky to herself to get through the day, just waiting for the nightmare to be over. Because honestly, this hell of an endless cicle was driving her insane. But she knew Jack was alive, who else would let it snow in the end of October? She knew he most likely had informed both Lucas and Rafael, but they were smart - they knew they couldn't just go in here without a plan not knowing what was going on. However, something in the air changed, not just one but two familiar scents, she took two glasses more and poured whisky up in them as well.

Cassian couldn’t help but let his mind wander as he stood waiting for Paisley to the words that Daisy had told him before he had taken off to help his friend. He looked at his phone, and for a moment he thought about calling Dion telling him what was going down tonight. But he quicky put it away, letting out a deep sigh. Even if his best friend never would let it down that he had done something as stupid at this without telling him. This wasn’t something Dion should get mixed up with. Not when he had a pregnant wife at home that wouldn’t be able to fend of Serpent thugs if it came down to it. To only reason why he dared himself, was the very fact that he trusted in both Daisy, Maya and even Katelyn’s ability to look out for themselves. Not that he would ever forgive himself if what he was doing would reflect badly on his family. But then again, if worst came to worst, he trusted the safety net around the people he loved and cared about. Cassian sincerely hoped that this wouldn’t come back to hunt him.

Eris wandering down the streets finally came to the alley that Cassian had asked her to show up. She looked up at him, standing there huddling in his big coat, trying to braise himself from the October wind that howled around them. “You know this is a dangerous and stupid plan?” she asked him as she was closed enough “Well, you know I hate calling in favours” A smirk formed on Eris lips as she looked over her shoulder. “And still here we are” she pulled out the two vials from her pocket and handed him one of them “yes, here we are” he conquered and quickly swallowed the drink as he slowly transformed into a slightly shorter male, with short light brown hair and dark eyes. Eris did the same and changed into a woman that looked nothing like her. Very long bright auburn red hair. Almost the same size as him. Cassian felt how he had to fill his lungs with air to just process what they were about to do. “You know she won’t be happy to see me right?” she mused as they walked towards the serpents headquarters. Cassian rose a brow as his eyes shortly looked at her, demanding an explanation without asking so much with words. “Because last time she told me if I hurt Jack again, she would kill me” she explained, almost leaving him behind as he had stopped dead in his track. “You didn’t think that would have been a good idea telling me before we did this?” he a little flabbergasted asked before he picked up his steps and walked inside the doors. Eris pulled her shoulders as she looked around, she didn’t feel Antony’s soul which was a good sign. “Maybe I should tell you that I have history with Antony as well” she mumbled under her breath, making Cassian pinch the bridge of her nose. Well, so did he, but that wasn’t the issue right now. Well, when it came down to it, he didn’t trust anyone more than the woman walking towards the bar. So even with all the extra obstacles he was still sure they would be able to get Vic out.

Cassian sat down in front of Victoria as did Eris, still letting her eyes looking around. Cassian took the glass of whiskey and drowned it “another” he asked, still having his normal voice, giving Victoria a calming and encouraging smile.

Victoria saw the two people sitting down in front, which made her narrow her eyes a little. They could hide their looks behind magical glamour, but the scent she could smell them. Along with his normal voice, making her feel a bit more at ease as she had moved the glasses towards them, and chuckled a bit low as Cassian asked for another, before pouring it up. "It's dangerous to be out here," she spoke with a lower voice, before letting her eyes find him. Her hair and choice of clothing covered up the set of bruises she had collected. Victora looked shortly around, making sure Pearl wasn't around, the siren had done nothing to work in her own favor - and was lucky Victoria hadn't been able to get close enough to show her just how she felt about it. Now, Victoria was anything but violent till pushed back into a corner where she felt powerless. Her eyes turned to Eris, and took a deeper breath in. "What are you doing here?" Victoria scratched the healing wound on her left arm from where the witch had cut her arm for the spell. No Victoria wasn't fond of seeing Eris, she had warned her what would happen if she hurt Jack again, but right now, Victoria wasn't really eager to get into any fight - at least not here.

Half of the crowd was the people she knew and had known most her life, the rest had come along with Anthony. "But I guessed you heard what happened to Frosty," she took her own glass and downed it as well. No one here liked to talk about Jack, half the crowd not blind to throw a punch to remind you that if wasn't the past we lived in, and than remind them of the rules. Which hence the bruises that the fabric of her top mostly covered un her upper arms and shoulders. It was however, only the other half of the crowd who knew Jack could go under many names.

”And you know that I laugh in the face of danger” Cassian said as he took the other glass of whiskey and drowned it. That commented gave him a small groan from Eris that didn’t really care much for his bravado. She didn’t like the fact that Antony was back, there was a reason she hadn’t tread the waters of southside before he had left it behind. The normally blond demon turned her gaze towards the shapeshifter, not blind to how she was scratching her arm while asking her what she was doing here. Just as she opened her mouth to say something back Cassian decided that it was better that he steered the conversation. “She is with me, and I wouldn’t trust anyone else with this kind of job, okay?” he explained in a hushed voice letting his now chocolate brown eyes look towards Victoria giving her a calming smile.

Both of them nodded when she asked about if they had heard what happened to Jack. “Yes, we are here because of that” he said letting his eyes wander the room just like Eris. “So,” he looked back at the shapeshifter “I can help but notice that he has you linked to the place, do you have any idea where he keeps the artifacts for that?” he asked calmly almost as if he asked if she could describe the weather outside.

Victoria took a deeper breath in and breathed out looking at Cassian as he did the talking. Clever enough to know that Victoria didn't really want to hear the sound of Eris' voice. "Okay," she agreed and clicked her tongue a little bit. Cassian mentioned the spell, and she placed the palms of her hands on the desk, just like she did when she spoke to normal costumers that wanted to chat. "I would assume upstairs, he was rather quick to take over - but he has a few guarding it, keeping me or anyone really from going up there," she took a deeper breath in. "It's to make sure Eric gets back, he had to rush Lauren to the hospital," she blinked a little bit looking down at her empty glass, licking her front teeth before looking back up. The last eight days in the basement had been hard, especially with nothing to kill Lauren's pain, not knowing what was going on outside. Well she could blame herself for ending back there, due to not working together with Anthony on his plans or providing him with the information he wanted. "But shouldn't be a problem for you to get up there," her eyes turned to Eris and took a deeper breath in. Was she against letting Eris help? No, not in this case at least, because this was a hell hole and she wanted out. "You know all of the different hiding spots up there," she assumed that Jack had showed her at least the ones they normally used. "Avoid Pearl if you see her, she is only here for her own benefit - not that I assumed you would actually strike a conversation with her," she chuckled a little.

She turned her eyes back to Cassian and took a deeper breath in, then looking around shortly making sure that the new crowd was treating everyone alright. It wasn't her job to make sure they were, and she could do little against if they suddenly started stepping on each others toes. "I don't know how long he will be gone for," she spoke. There was a undertone of fear in her voice, because she didn't know what would happen if Anthony made the choice that Eric wasn't home on time - not that Eric had been given a time to be back, and that was the exact reason why she feared Anthony's return.

A slight smirk formed on Eris lips as Victoria at least told her that is shouldn’t be a problem. No, it wouldn’t. There was numerous of possibilities of her to get up there. Eris was of course a woman of many talents, her silver tongue one of them. But she wanted to make sure that no one knew that there had been anyone in there to take it. Then the blame would be harder to pinpoint. Hopefully it would just be the guards that would take the fall. Her eyes found their way to the stairs direction as Victoria told her that she should avoid Pearl. A small snarl left her; it didn’t even surprise her that she had been the first of the inner circle to turn her back her fallen serpent king. She knew it was survival of the fittest in here, but there was still a moral code that one could follow behind close door and when no probing eyes and ears where nearby. “No, not particularly” Eris said in a Russian accent instead of her normal British. She couldn’t run the chance of someone here recognizing her. It wasn’t the same as with Cassian, he wasn’t as well known around these parts. “I’ll get that vial, the quicker we can get out of here the better” she stood up after emptying her glass “I’ll use the restroom” she announced and walked towards the women’s bathroom. There she used her abilities to chance into her shadow form and glide into the vents that would allow her access to the upstairs. From there it would be easy to find where Antony was hiding his small secrets.

Cassian’s eyes followed Eris as she walked away before she turned to Victoria. “Another” he said with a smile, “But make it virgin” he winked, just so no one would get suspicions that he wasn’t drinking while they waited for his father’s former fiancé to get the job done.

Victoria raised her eyebrows a little instead of a nod, just to be clear that she was understanding what was going on. She turned her eyes to Cassian as Eris left, and took a deeper breath in and pulled up a bigger smile. "Coming right up," she replied, scanning the room with a quick glance. At least she knew the room, the room itself wasn't an issue, she knew every single corner. "So, what is the latest gossip around town, I'm sure you have something juicy," Victoria said making conversation. One of Anthony's members, Jeffery came up beside Cassian, looking slightly annoyed at her and just waved his hand, demanding she knew what he wanted. Lucky for her she did, and handed him a beer which he took, but with the free hand he grabbed her by the wrist. She licked her lips, before pulling her hand back towards herself. "I hope Eric doesn't return, just to see what happens," he chuckled before taking a sip of his beer leaving the desk again. Victoria rolled her eyes and left out a sight. "Half these people are assholes with no sense of personal space, the other half just plain stupid, but every man for himself," she mumbled annoyed and massaged her wrist.

She wanted to get out of here, another night would give them something to play with, and wasn't a toy or there for their entertainment. If Eric didn't return, there would be a show. But she wasn't counting on staying. There was Landon, who had done nothing but help and try to be there for everyone, but the rest was not to be trusted, at least not the same way as they had used to. And she feared if she didn't change the way Anthony wanted, he would just end up killing her. "I miss the sun, just a breeze of fresh air really, anything but these walls," she chuckled a little bit dry and took a deeper breath in, she just hoped Eris worked fast.

Cassian was just about to tell Victoria that their fellow friend had seemed to take a very high liking to a blond banshee. As one of Anthony’s members, or so he would think by the small pull of disgust glided over Victoria as she saw him. It killed Cassian that he couldn’t do anything about the situations right now, but he had to remember himself that playing the long game made sure that Victoria could leave this place behind and get home to Rafael and Jack. Then all of this would be over, and if he felt in the mood, he would make sure that this loaf of a bread would get what was coming to him. “We’ll get you out of here” Cassian said in a low voice, making sure no one would overhear them. But it was hard when you were in a room filled with species that all had greater hearing that he would ever have.


It didn’t take long for the soul demon to stand in the rooms that Jack had used as an extra apartment. She couldn’t even see that things had changed that much, and still it was like the whole room was drastically different. All it took was another person to live in the space to make it seem so different. Eris looked around before walking towards a small cabin that seemed out of place and opened it. Or at least tried to, locked. A wicked smile spread on Eris lips; a lock wasn’t going to stand in her way. Finding her lockpicking tools she started working on the lock. That was when something cold glided down her back, she was still sure that she was alone in the room. It was more like a forewarning, as if her instinct was telling her to hurry up because time was running out. Finally, the small metallic sound of the lock was heard, and she could opened it. It didn’t take long before she found the right vial and grabbed it. Now she just needed to the destroy it. Since she wasn’t sure how the binding worked, she wasn’t about to risk just throwing it on the ground and crush it. She turned into her shadow figure and crawled back into the vents. The faster they could get out, the better.

We’ll get you out of here Victoria nodded slowly and took a deeper breath in. As long as she was linked to the place she didn't risk a think, otherwise she wouldn't have hesitated to throw bricks or stones at someone. Buried the guy alive, see that could be a nice attachment for later. Victoria took a deeper breath in returning her eyes to Cassian, picking up the scent of Eris being close wasn't hard for her, and it did help her have this sense of hope - she would get out of here soon enough. Victoria poured up a new glass and pushed it towards where Eris had been sitting, giving her minor flashbacks to how things had been before all the chaos. There was a chance Anthony would be back soon, and she hated that she felt like there chances slimmed in, also if she knew in her heart that with Cassian and Eris here, they weren't going to let anything happen to her.  She knew that and believed that. Victoria took a sharper breath in. Letting Eris hand the vial to Cassian, because he knew more about magic than they did. She didn't know if he needed more of her blood to reverse the spell, or if he actually needed much more than just the vial.

Getting back to Cassian and Victoria went without a hitch, but she didn’t feel like she could breathe just yet. “Just get this over with quick” the soul demon hissed in her Russian accent, looking over her shoulder making sure that Anthony wasn’t already behind her. Cassian narrowed his eyes, as he could feel Eris discomfort and quickly took the vial and started studying it. It seemed like a fairly simple spell of binding. Not mistaken with how powerful just the simple spells could be. But it also meant that he could break it. Every witch, sorcerer and warlock had their different ways of doing magic. Usually passed on from parents.

He pulled some paper out of his pocket and started writing down an antibinding spell. Eris closed her eyes, and started to let her powers seep over the floor letting small burst of fear inflict Anthony’s goons. Hopefully it would give them more time, should they run out of it and the leader of the serpents would walk through these doors.

“Any way you can work faster?” she asked, but Cassian didn’t respond very focused on the task at hand.

At this point, Victoria knew how to pick up on different ways Eris reacted to things. Wanting to get things done quickly, was not really a good sign, it was a sign of trouble could be ahead if they didn't pick up the speed. And Victoria narrowed her eyes just a little as she moved her eyes from Cassian to Eris who closed her eyes. Using her powers the shapeshifter figured. Waiting was never something Victoria had liked nor not knowing how things were going to settle. Right now she wished she hadn't let Rafael go back to Madrid on his search for Alicia, but then again what good would it have done for him to worry about her. That was unless Jack and Lucas had called him to worry him, she hoped not. Victora realized she was holding her breath as Eris asked Cassian to work faster. Another warning sign, at least in Victoria's eyes. "What is wrong?" She asked a little lower looking at Eris. Then it hit her, by the scent, it was powerful enough to make her eyes glow up in the snow leopard's light green color. Anthony was in the area, not close, yet close enough for her to catch it. "We have five minutes, maybe eight till he is back," she informed taking a longer and sharper breath in. Victoria knew it was a stress factor to Cassian, but she also found it as a thing they needed to know. The less blood that could be spilled the better, and she was out of distractions. Victoria blinked not wanting to let her inner animals give her away, even though all three wanted nothing more than to flee from this place.

Eris looked towards Victoria and gave her a pained smile, what wasn’t wrong with this situation. ”Let’s just say that I have a knack for knowing by now when to get the hell out of dodge, and I might be reckless but Anthony, Anthony isn’t a man that I want to meet again if I have anything to say about it” she whispered, feeling how her chest rose and sank as she tried to calm herself down by breathing in the stale air around them.

“Shit” Eris cursed as Victoria told them what she feared that he was just around the corner. “Cassian” she tried to hurry him along “Shut up and let me do this, stall him if you have too” you could hear how small curse words glided over Eris lips as she turned her attention away from them, and once again let small tangles of black shadows glide from her and attach themselves on people. Feeling how fear started to form in the room feeding her power. Once again her eyes opened this time pitch black as she drew on the simmer of panic forming in the room. “Please don’t let me do this for too long” she almost begged Cassian, that started scribbling down faster. He could feel how coldness glided down his neck, and to be perfectly fair he would also very much prefer Eris not doing this. But what other choice did they have. “Almost there” he whispered, feeling how sweat polled in the back of his neck. Just like Eris, he didn’t really want to see Anthony if it could be avoided.

“There” a small breaking sound was heard from the vial, but at the same time the door into the bar was opened.

Having met Anthony and spent a week in his company, no she didn't blame Eris for not wanting to see him again. But it also made her wonder, how did the two of them know each other - but now was not a time for a history lesson. Stall him, here Victoria knew it was perhaps not her he had meant, but it didn't mean she couldn't do a few things on her own. She closed her eyes trying to let herself connect to the world outside the club, the earth that she missed so much, but enough to make small shakes happen within the room as she sent a a wave of rocks towards the location she pitched Anthony to be in, at least it should give them a few more minutes. It wasn't the first time Victoria had heard Eris ask someone for not letting her use her powers for too long, she recalled the day that they had been attacked here. Victoria was already afraid, but it didn't help the room was filled with a luring fear that crippled down her spine.

Feeling how her heart began to race faster and faster the closer the scent of Anthony came by. She breathed out as Cassian had broken the vial, however as the door opened it was like everything became quite for a moment. A cold dreading moment. Anthony looked around him sensing the crumbling fear taking up the space, oh he recalled just the power that had been able to make anyone feel such fear. It made his men uneasy, which he did not like. He looked to his left towards the bar. "It's not really the atmosphere I want in my pub miss Fogerty," he took a deeper breath in and clicked his tongue a little bit. Then he looked at the two strangers left in the bar. "Opening hours are over, you should leave," Anthony calmly suggested them not taking his eyes of Victoria. But there was something in the air, he couldn't quite put words to it, but it was how these strangers reacted to him. Which was when he made a choice to test the waters, just a little at least. He raised his brow a little sending a wave of burning pain over the shapeshifter, but enough for her to pull back from the bar and lean over and tense up. Now, pain wasn't an unfamiliarity to her, so she turned up towards Anthony, which he only took as a dare and leveled up, sending the shapeshifter screaming to her knees. After all the only thing he wanted was a reaction to prove his theory that these two strangers weren't strangers, or at least one of them.

Eris hands still placed on the bars counter folded together into fists as she felt Anthony’s aura filling up the room. Never underestimate a man that had used his whole life trying to gain the respect and love from a person that couldn’t care less. Never good enough, never strong or powerful enough. But every time you showed potential scraps was thrown to you, and you starvingly just grabbed them without second thought. Starved and deprived from love. What was it with the soul demon and finding lost souls, trying to give them the love that she didn’t even know if she possessed or not? For a time, he had made her forget just how cruel her ex-husband could be towards her. For just a time, she had felt so safe and secure in his presence. How she had lied to herself. That one time where being married to Calvin had saved her, because if she hadn’t, she was pretty sure she would be standing next to Anthony in this moment of time.

Cassian didn’t move a muscle as Anthony told them that opening hours were over and then needed to leave. His eyes were locked on Victoria almost begging her not to say or do anything. But she didn’t have to, the human clearly knew something was up and used his power on her. Cassian stepped up from the seat, even though the scream of pain cut in his heart he remained calm. “That’s enough Anthony” he said with a very calm and collected voice, letting his eyes find his. He knew he couldn’t hide who he truly was from his former friend. And the disguise slowly dispersed leaving the warlock’s true form standing in front of him. Eris jumped over the counter, letting her hands find Victoria’s screaming body. “I got you Vic” she breathed “I’ll get you out of here” taking a deep breath in she let darkness fold around them and teleport them away from the bar. Leaving Cassian alone, with people no longer influenced by her frightening Prescence.


Scarlett made a small scream, as two people suddenly appeared out of the shadows in front of her. Eris hair was slowly turning back to her normal blond as she carried Vic towards the sofa. “Jack?” she called, looking around giving the banshee a soft smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you” she let out a soft exhale and waited for Jack to take over, so she could get back to Cassian and get him out of this mess.

That crocked smile that beamed on Anthony wasn't easy to read, one could find him surprised by it was Cassian out of all people who had appeared here, another could find him annoyed by the fact, if not something else entirely. "Is it though?" Anthony asked giving Cassian his full attention and thereby also letting the pain settle from the shapeshifter, after all he had gotten what he wanted. "I must say, I'm surprised to see you here." He at first didn't care much for the woman who jumped over the counter to get the shapeshifter, as far as could tell, the woman couldn't do much than comfort her friend. But it was as they gone, vanished in a shadow that made him realize just who he was dealing with. "Now you just cost me my greatest win in all of this Cassian, how are we going to settle this," Anthony crossed his arms a little. To Anthony, Victoria was nothing but a trophy that could remind Jack that he had lost the battle. What better trophy than something that held emotional connection to someone? "Oh, I'm sorry you knew her? Both of them," he took a step closer to Cassian. Funny, he had used to see the man like his brother. The better version of himself. But it was a long time ago by now.

The people around them starting to stand up behind Anthony, not fond about the fear they had been put under, and Victoria gone. Something was wrong, even though it was clear some of the crowd was happy she had made it out. Anthony however just waved them away, and gestured Cassian to sit down again. They had to settle this, which was far more dangerous when Anthony wanted to sit down and chat rather than react. This world was an eye for an eye after all. "You off course just stole my bartender," he took a deeper breath in and leaned over to the bar to grab the closest bottle of whisky. "You know better than most that I do not tolerate people getting in my way," he breathed heavily out almost betrayed.


Victora hung onto Eris as they teleported to the room. Jack's apartment in the city, the scream from the other blonde made Victoria turn her head to the side shortly as she was put down on the sofa. Jack turned his head to the mention of his name but also Eris scent was the last he had expected to meet today. "Eris?" He walked closer with Daisy next to him, who looked way more concerned than Jack. Yes, the banshee had followed Jack home in case they would get any news. Jack looked towards Scarlett before hurried over to Victoria to check if everything was alright. "Where is Cassian?" She asked looking at the blonde demon. "He is with Anthony," Victoria sat a bit up in the couch looking towards Daisy. "And I don't assume that is a good thing?" She looked from Victoria towards the demon yet again. "You need an extra hand?"

One of Cassian’s eyes narrowed as he watched how Anthony reacted to the fact that he was standing in the bar. Even more so by the fact that Eris and Victoria disappeared behind them. Not that he was particularly scared by the whole situation as he quickly put on a shield around him making sure no one could mess with his mind nor inflict him pain that wasn’t physical.  The warlock snorted as Anthony claimed that he had just cost him the greatest victory in all of this. “I sincerely doubt that” he commented and didn’t let his stoic look move from his former friend. No, they had been so much more than that. But in the pursuit of power, he had to let him go. Not going to stand and look how he ruined himself for another person.

After inhaling he slowly walked over to the chair that he had left and sat down. “Stealing is quite an accusation, you know I’m not going to let people that I care about being tortured for some power scheme, you should know that better than anyone, as I would have been there for you if it wasn’t for your growing hunger for constant power” watching how Anthony leaned over and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. “And you should know better than using force will only make people retaliate”


Eris slowly shook her head “No” she said very curt “No it isn’t, I have to go back and get him out of there, Anthony is going to demand him repaying for taking Victoria from him” she could feel the panic spread in the back of her head but quickly pushed it away. As Daisy asked if she needed another hand “Cassian would kill me if I took you along” she whispered knowing very well who the beautiful banshee was, he had used much of the dinner with her son gushing over his girlfriend. Even shown pictures “At least now only his father is going to kill me” she said quietly looking down at Victoria then at Jack feeling pain spread in her chest. At least this time, she had been there to help and not run away like last time. Not that it did any difference. “I’ll be back” Eris said before the shadows swallowed her again and teleported her back behind the bar. She looked at Anthony and Cassian sitting where they had been sitting together not long ago. “Hello Anthony” she let out with a soft whisper, letting her deep ocean eyes find his deep brown. Almost so black that they could swallow you whole.

Anthony chuckled a little pouring up in the closest glass, before he placed the bottle down on the counter again to take the glass."So, just because you couldn't try to see things from my perspective, I was a lost cause to you?" He asked calmly as he took a sip of the whisky. "Oh Cassian, you can't make people love you, but you can make them fear you," he pointed out before downing the last in his glass. Anthony knew what he was doing, he had planned this on for years, but what a better time than when there finally was some excitement in town? All the grand families placing their feet in the same region, only chaos was called upon by that. "This is my purpose - and I don't mind playing the villain if that is what you need me to be." Anthony pressed his brows a little bit together, he needed to find out just what sort of payment he wanted from this. Because the people, his people looked up to him, they wanted a show of force, his mother didn't care whose blood was spilled as long as it was red, they all wanted for Anthony to try make an example of Anthony. But Anthony didn't wish to harm Cassian, that was perhaps the biggest dilema.


To say the banshee hated this was an understatement, but she appreciated the honesty from the demon. It was perhaps true, she knew that, just like she would kill anyone who put him in danger. She did not like this at all, but nodded to understanding where it came from. Victoria moved her eyes towards Eris and breathed out. Jack frowned a bit looking shortly behind him towards Eris gaining eye contact with her for a second before she was gone. Then he started tending to Victoria's wounds and bruises. "Cassian can handle himself, he will be fine," Victoria looked up towards Daisy before letting her eyes fall upon Scarlett. She had heard about the banshee before things had happened, "Victoria - happy to see you have kept this one in one piece," she chuckled looking towards Jack again. "I need to get a hold of Eric, or Noa -" Daisy nodded quickly. Remembering Howie's sister was called Noa and Maya had invited the shapeshifter over a few times before. So, she texted Maya to inform her to inform Noa and Eric.


The shadow forming making him turn his head to the side, as she showed back up. "Hello love," Anthony tilted his head a little bit to the side. "I did figure it had to be you." Anthony turned a bit towards her but not fairly enough to move his eyes too far from Cassian. "So you two know each other, damn the world is small," he chuckled delighted to himself and nodded a bit. "I did hear you were in town however, but darling you change name so frequently, it was almost hard to figure out, I hear you did spent quite a lot of time here."

Cassian felt how a smile crept on his lips as Anthony kept on talking about him being the villain in this story. Or playing as he so finally put it himself. Cassian grabbed the bottle and poured himself a drink “How we go around defining good and evil is archaic, but we made our choices and that directed us on different paths, but don’t come around telling me that I didn’t try, you just wanted power more than you wanted me in your life” he let his fingers take ahold of the glass and swirling the liquid around before he moved it to his lips, that was the moment Eris reappeared. He could feel the tension fall from his shoulders, both for knowing that Victoria was safe somewhere, but also the fact that Daisy hadn’t tried to tag along.

Eris didn’t speak or answer the many questions that formed over Anthony’s tongue. Until his last one, or at least the statement about her changing her name. “You of all people should know why I need to keep changing my name” she said matter-of-factly. Cassian quite quickly made sure that a shield around her was made, not that it made the demon feel any less uneasy about standing this close to the man that she like so many others had loved. The man that for a brief second had made her so sure that being with Calvin had been the biggest mistake. Now she knew it was, but back then. She made a small shake with her head to get the thoughts about the past out of her head. “Now love, shall we make this business deal where we all can walk away happy, you should know better than I’m not coming here empty handed, so what was the life of shapeshifter worth to you” she asked, letting her very cool eyes lock on his facial expression. Cassian eyes opened, clearly not understanding what she meant with this business deal. What the hell was Eris up too?

Anthony took a deeper breath in looking at her, chuckling a little bit by her comment about having to change her name. There was a awful lot of history between both Eris and Anthony, but also Anthony and Cassian. He could feel how his pain abilities couldn't pierce though or get underneath either of their skin, making him chuckle a little bit. Of course, he knew Cassian that well after all to know it was his doing. A bright smile lighted up on Anthony's lips as Eris asked about a business deal. How much was Victoria's life worth to Anthony. See it was not that, he didn't value the life for much, but he valued a life based on the people running their way to come and save the person. See that was something you couldn't put a price on, or could you? "A simple favor," he took a few steps closer towards Eris, not letting Cassian interfere, as a matter of fact if he would push him back with his telekinesis if he tired anything but minding his own business. Taking the last few steps up closer towards the demon looking into her hypnotizing blue eyes. He lifted his hand up letting his finger twirl one of he blonde locks as his eyes looked over her face shortly before letting his eyes fall upon hers again. "Maybe worth the favor of helping me get an artifact that I've been looking for - I know it's location, I just need the right team," he let go of her hair again, but still didn't look away from his eyes. "But I prefer not talking business with mr. right and wrong over there, so - what is the shapeshifter's life worth to you?" It wasn't just enough that Victoria wasn't here, he knew more than enough about every single person in the Serpents, one of the reasons he knew more about Eris and Jack's former rollercoaster ride, but he also knew about the families of each member, where they lived, most of their friends and families.

“No” Cassian interrupted as Anthony proposed a simple favor, because nothing was ever simple when it came to the human. And so did Eris know, but she played her cards that she had and gave him an almost charming smile, feeling her heart started beating faster in her chest. None of this was going as she hoped, but if they didn’t strike a deal with him now, it would be the one that they hold dearest that would end up paying the price. And even though it was foolish believing that Anthony wouldn’t hurt her if he got the chance, and him hurting her would hurt Killian because of the link. It was better than Anthony coming after her kids. Or went after Jack and Victoria again. No, this was the better option.

Her jaw started working as he walked closer, something Cassian clearly didn’t like and got up to interfere, only to be pushed back by Anthony’s powers. Eris didn’t faulter and kept her gaze locked with the man standing in front of her. Her head titled as she took in air, feeling how panic made sweat pool in her hands. “Fine” she looked towards Cassian before looking back at Anthony “But only if you promise if I do this for you, you won’t lay a hand on Victoria, Cassian or anyone remotely connected to them, then I’ll make sure you get this artifact” she waited for him to give his answer, and if it was satisfactory, she would look towards Cassian. “Eris, No, no don’t” he begged, but with a twist of her hand she made the shadows swallow him and transferer him to the apartment where Victoria, Jack, Scarlett and Daisy were. “Fuck!” Cassian yelled, letting his fingers glide through his hair, clearly upset about being there without Eris by his side.

The satisfied smile that beamed upon Anthony's lips only grew bigger as she kept dealing with him. "That's my girl," he whispered still not looking away from her, "you got yourself a deal," he added, watching how she lifted her hand up and let the shadows consume Cassian. Then at least, he did not need to some up with an excuse for not harming Cassian. Win win. Anthony looked back to see that he was really gone, before looking back at Eris again. "Still one of my favorite party moves of yours," he confessed with a smaller chuckle before walking towards the bar. "Join me for a drink, will ya? Come on, just like old times," Anthony gestured her. She knew very well the kind of deal she had made with him, she had to know what would happen if she didn't hold up her end. He knew just who to hurt, how and when. "You surprised me, you know that?" He then said looking towards her once again. Anthony knew the people who lived around here, who had worked around here. One should never move to Athena without knowing just at least a handful of the people who could have potential of messing your plans up. He knew Calvin had been settling in Southside, but without Eris? That was interesting.


Suddenly the shadow returned, and everyone was on their seats expecting both Eris and Cassian's return. But it only being Cassian made Victoria hold her breath, where Daisy despite the yelling didn't matter about anything but the relief of seeing the man she loved back within reach again. She walked over towards him, not letting him get away with not having her embrace him. "What happened?" She asked, still hanging onto him put pulled her head from him so she could look up into his eyes. Jack standing up from the couch where he had been chatting with Victoria looked worried towards Cassian awaiting the answer. Where was Eris?

She had to close her eyes when he called her his girl. She was under no circumstances his. And still then she could feel the airs on the back of her neck rise. “Of course it is, it’s very effective” she mused, walking with him towards the bar to get that drink that he wanted her to join him for. Leaving him pleased was the best way of walking away with pain rushing over her. And now without the shield from Cassian, she was a very easy target for him.  She took a glass after he had poured one for her and placed it against her lips, she didn’t get to take a sip before he turned around looking at her, telling her that she surprised him. “And why is that?” she asked, leaning against the counter, placing a hand on the wooden tabletop before taking a long sip from the drink. She closed her eyes, and let the burning sensation settle and warm up her throat while she waited for him to elaborate.


He slowly let his arms fold around his girlfriend as she walked over and embraced him. For a moment he just let her calm him down, refresh her with the energy that she provided whenever she was near. But it didn’t help the storm of emotions that was bobbling through her. What happened. Yes that was the good question. “She made a deal for us” he hissed pulling out of the embrace looking towards Victoria. “making sure that Anthony wouldn'y come after me, you” he looked at Victoria “or any people that was remotely related to us” he exhaled deeply, “Sneaky fox though” he calmed down shaking his head “by making him promise that, she secured not only us, but her own children as well” he mumbled looking towards Daisy trying to see if he could angle this in a better way. It wasn’t only her children, it there were so many connected through him and Victoria that would secure so many of her own loved ones that it would be hard for Anthony to do much damage towards her. "Not that is going to stop him, if she doesn't hold her end of the bargin"

He chuckled a little as he lifted the glass up to take a mouthful. "It's quite simple, you really think I haven't kept tabs on you over the years?" Anthony asked, "but by all means don't flatter yourself love, I've tabs on many people - why do you think a take over like this is so successful?" He elaborated with a prouder smile. "But you never fail to impress me," Anthony looked forwards her, but no he didn't trust her. Anthony knew better than to trust a person who had chosen to leave your side. Again, if you couldn't make people love you - you then at least could make them fear you. "You don't seem surprised to find me here, yet," he reached his hand out grabbing her chin surprisingly gentle to look into her eyes. "I wasn't the one you hoped running into, was I?" He pulled a little smirk, letting his thumb caress over the skin before letting go of her again. Anthony downed his drink, before placing the glass on the counter again. "Oh, and I heard Jack made it? Good for him, I love a nice survivor story."


Daisy didn't care for if it was selfish in this moment just being happy that he was back here, because she was, and she wasn't going to excuse that. However, the banshee pressed her brows together as he said that Eris had made a deal, letting him go as he looked towards Victoria. Victoria pressed her brows together and licked her lips a little. Victoria got up on her feet crossing her arms a little, cursing a little at Eris. Jack took a sharper breath in, didn't like any bits of this at all. Far from. Mostly because Anthony didn't work alone, and depending on how Eris had angled this entire thing, she couldn't know that Anthony had Calliope in his corner. But Jack had also begun his research about regarding Anthony the second he could. "She will hold up the end of the bargain that I wouldn't worry about, but I wouldn't take Anthony's words for anything," Jack broke his silence as he exhaled, he looked shortly towards Scarlett before moving his eyes back to Cassian. "So, we are just going to let her do her thing?"  Victoria pressed her brows further together, not fond of it. Then again, if Eris played her cards right, she could easily master the came that Anthony was playing.

Her silence spoke louder than any words might have been able too. Her eyes calculating watching how his face told her what he was thinking about what was going on. The proud smile, and the underlying of something sorrowful, that she might already have an idea where was coming from. She wasn’t flattering herself by the fact that he had kept taps on her. It only underlined her theory about what she already thought she knew about the man, that she had walked away from. Because she was quite sure her expiration date would come. A time where she wouldn’t be useful, or she would overstep, and he would become furious with her. But walking away? Then she became interesting, then she became a mystery he had to solve, either to hurt her or to gain something from her. And here they were, in a situation where she was quite sure that he wanted both of the things. But it had kept her alive. Her eyes flickered to his hands grabbing her chin before letting them pull back up and gave him what he wanted. Her undivided attention. She couldn’t deny the pull that she had felt all those years ago. But this time, she had found something that was far greater than what Calvin had given her. Which made it so much easier to resist whatever was pulling her towards the man standing in front of her. “So, what you’re saying is that you should be thanking me, for this take over to go so smoothly?” she asked pulling her head away as his thump started gliding over her skin, luckily it seemed like he had wanted to let go all along. A small huff left her, but she also decided not to comment on what he said about Jack.


Cassian looked towards Jack as he stated that Eris would hold up her end of the bargain. “To be completely honest” Cassian started letting out a deep breath “that is what I’m most afraid off, I would never have taken her along had I known” he shook his head a little following Jack’s gaze towards Scarlett that was standing with her hands holding on to the chair in front of her. Once again Cassian’s attention was pulled in another direction, looking towards Victoria as she asked if they were just letting her do her thing. Cassian pressed his lips together. “Look, I know we three have very different views on who Eris is as a person, but I’ve known her almost for all her life, and I can only think of one thing that Anthony would really use Eris for, and that is getting back into the church that once held her captive because of how much of her power seeped into the ground that the whole area is notorious known for its unholy grounds” he swallowed “If there even is an artifact he wants, there is also the possibility that he just wanted her alone” he started padding down his jacket “I need to call some of my siblings” he stated, and pulled out his phone and found Iris number. “I’ll just be a second” he walked past the people and stepped into the kitchen, not that it gave him much privacy but enough for now. Scarlett stepped forwards, and let her hand find Jack’s arm giving it a soft squeeze “Are you okay?” she asked, very aware that even though one could be angry at an old love didn’t mean that feelings were just gone like that. And knowing that his rival now had someone that had once been close, could be a heavy feeling to carry.

Anthony chuckled a little to himself before pouring up another drink, "would you thank me? People around this town will thank me for making it great again," he clicked his tongue satisfied with his own believes. "Now, Cal," he called after Calliope before turning his eyes back to Eris. "I don't believe the two of you have met, Calliope would you care to brief dear Eris on what is going to happen?" He asked his right hand, as he down his drink, letting the sneaky smile glide up on his lips. Now, he didn't per say need Eris, he didn't need the artifact, and if he did, he had other sources as well, it just happened to be easiest to use Eris if he wanted it. At least there were still some sensible people here in this world who could see and understand his vision.


Jack pressed his brows a bit further together as Cassian expressed that it wasn't what he was the most concerned about. The cryobird did not know the warlock that well personally, but he knew that Victoria trusted him with all her heart and soul, which was more than enough for Jack to but his own trust in the warlocks words. Victoria clicked her tongue a little bit, for sure they had different views of Eris, mostly because Victoria felt like it was too easy for the demon to stab them in the back or turn her back at them when she didn't want to talk to them anymore. Even if it could just be the shapeshifter's own insecurities that spoke the loudest. Jack tensed his jaw a little bit. "If this is his plan, he would have known longer than this that she would come," Victoria frowned a bit looking at Cassian. She knew Anthony knew a lot, but not even he could have counted on Eris to show up nor put an actual deal up that quick. Daisy took a deeper breath in and nodded to Cassian as he said he needed to get a hold on some of his siblings, then she turned her eyes towards Victoria. She wanted to help if there was anything she could do, but she didn't even know if there was something she could do.

Jack looked over at Scarlett walked towards him, placing a hand on his arm, forcing him to take a deeper breath in. "I don't know," he licked his lips a little bit and frowned. Just because he had been mad at Eris, it didn't mean he wished for any harm to come to her. He would still much rather watch the world burn before it happened. "Maybe I should just face him again, he wants a show - I can give it too him," Victoria turned her front towards him, clearly upset about those words. "Don't you fucking say that. We already risked almost everything the last week, Pearl fucking ate Lauren's finger Jack. This is not a mess you should try to clean up yourself," she hissed a little bit, still stressed from how she had been treated in his absence. "Yeah, you don't need too banshees to know its a suiside mission to try that." Daisy placed a hand on Victoria's shoulder in hopes of calming the shapeshifter a little bit down. Jack took a sharper breath in, he knew it was a stupid idea, but he was out of good ones.