Blood & Magick [Ch 13: Jenn- Juliea is a Sneaky Reporter]-New Verson-

I leaned back in the chair my temple throbbing. We had been at this for hours and we hadn’t gotten anywhere, I had even agreed to let the brat help. Not that it did any good, there was something missing, something we weren’t looking at right. She’s the mage; shouldn’t she just get this stuff? Use some mojo and BAM, lead us to the killer? No, Life isn’t that simple. It’s all lets cause Jennifer hell, lets twist her up and toss her down and see what makes her tick. I closed my eyes.1

This case just didn’t make sense, nothing about it was normal. Our first guess was the church; they have to be doing it. The rest of the population is mages, the ones that are getting killed. I opened my eyes to see Demore’s head against the table; she was groaning and muttering something I couldn’t comprehend. Dylan was pacing back and forth behind her, his eyes closed. And the notes, we have to figure out the notes.2

“I vote Victor.”3

I looked at her, eyebrows raised. Her voice was muffled by the table but her words were clear. I sat up my eyes narrowing. I grabbed my blank notepad, hitting Demore, hard, over the back of the head. She jumped falling out of her chair.4

“WHAT THE HELL!”5

Dylan stopped and looked at them.6

“You know someday, hopefully today, you two are going to have to work together.” Dylan eyed them both.7

“Nope, never going to happen, I’ll give up my magick before that happens.”8

“I’d rather give up my gun.”9

“You two are hopeless.”10

I rolled my eyes, leaning back in my chair once more. Me work with that stupid over emotional brat, heh. That’ll be the day. I closed my eyes once again, tapping my feet against the ground. What are we missi-11

“I still say it’s Victor.”12

“Demore, he’s a fucking Mage!”13

Both Demore and Dylan looked at me. I growled and stood up.14

“That’s the point. What if this is a cover up. What if a Mage is actually doing this? You know, bad ass Mage tries to destroy the world type of thing? Starting with Palmer.”15

“Demore, go home. You must have killed some brain cells with that alcohol.”16

I sat back down rolling my eyes. Demore can rant about this boy all she wants. It doesn’t make sense. Why would a mage kill other mages? And her theory is like reading a fantasy novel. Demore stood up and glared down at me, this startled me a bit.17

“You don’t listen at all do you? Not when it comes to someone else being right. You are self absorbed and so incredibly stupid it amasses me you haven’t fallen off a bridge!”18

I choked on air and stood up, my chair flying back. It seemed to do that a lot if we were in the same room. 19

“So what, a Mage is running around killing its own people, for what? And don’t give me that world domination crap!”20

Demore snorted and rolled her eyes.21

“He wants to get rid of Palmer, because think about it. We Mages hide here, away from the real world, scared for our very lives.” She leaned against the table, facing away from me. “If we didn’t have places like Palmer, do you really think their would be much of us left? Between the witch burnings, church acts, and just plain psychopaths? No, we’d be a dead race. Well, what if some of the Mages are tiered of hiding scared?22

“What if they came up with a plan? A plan that will bring back the olden days, where we lived freely, where we could go where ever we want and not have to worry about being burned on the stake. I’ve thought about what it would be like, to live in a world like that, but the price to achieve that. Thousands of people would die. I wouldn’t take that risk.23

“Maybe they would. Destroy Palmer, put a foot in there door. Scare everyone; use their power to achieve ultimate domination, in a dark world. A world where demons aren’t just bedtime stories, they are people.”24

I stared at Demore, the air in my chest slowly disappearing. The words were harsh, the reality harsher. That’s a scary thought, it’s hard to swallow, like a lump in your throat. It could actually happen, but is that what was really going on here? And the notes, they didn’t make any sense…25

“What about the notes?”26

I turned to look at Dylan, he was holding them. 27

“They mean something.”28

Demore grabbed one from him looking it over. I sighed. So much for her theory, but really. Those notes, they are the things throwing us off. Were they meant to do that, or do they have an underline meaning. 29

“They might as well be backwards for as much sense they will make.”30

Something in Demore’s eyes flickered, a light went off in them as she grabbed the rest, her eyes getting wider. I blinked and stood up, walked over to them, looking over her shoulder. I read them backwards, and groaned. Nope, then what has got Demore all knowing and stuff.31

“There was something someone once told me. A good friend of mine.”32

I noted how she didn’t use Styles name, the wounds were still fresh.33

“There can not be darkness without Light. Nor can there be Light without darkness.” Demore too a deep breath “Therefore darkness is light and light is darkness.”34

“Huh?”35

“The first note it says ‘In the darkness one light rose above the rest, he was deemed pure and made to banish those who fall under Lucifer’s spell’ But, its not saying what it means exactly, its masking it behind a theory!”36

I blinked. She really has lost it hasn’t she?37

“Its saying that, within the light, a darkness rose above the rest.” Demore choked a bit. “She was deemed impure and made to welcome those who walked under Magickless ways.”38

“Wouldn’t the last part be gods spell?”39

“No. The opposite of spell would be a non spell, therefore non Magick. Lucifer was an Angel, therefore it still has to go with god, and this has nothing to do with religion. This person is killing Mages.”40

“Why did you say she?”41

“Well, in the note is says he, their fore the opposite is she.”42

I grabbed the second one, shoving it in her face.43

“Here ‘Darkness is not a sin, but a way of life, a way to Lucifer’s right hand is to indulge in that darkness. I am the light, the purifier, bask in my glow as I rescue there souls’. Light is a sin, a way of death, a way to” she stopped. “I don’t get this part, a way to Lucifer’s right hand, the opposite for this would be God, but I’m sure that’s wrong. Wait, DEATH, like a reaper. She considered herself a reaper type of person. Killing for death itself; the death of Palmer.44

“A way to the Reapers left hand is to indulge in this light. I am the darkness, the pollution, shrivel in my darkness as I destroy there souls.”45

I thrust the next one into her hands.46

“…‘Even those who associate with Mages are damned, may there be mercy on his soul.’ Not even those who associate with non Mages are blessed, may there be no mercy on her soul.” She picked up another. “…’Naughty little Nun, she is carrying a Mage child. She turned her back on the Light, now the Light shall swallow her whole’ Nice little nun, she is carrying a Mage child, that was proven, she turned her back on the darkness, now the darkness shall swallow her whole.”47

I sighed. “She must have been against Mages for a while, and then get with one, this person must have known that.”48

“The last note was telling me…” Demore trailed off. 49

“So, this killer is female, she hates Mages, and loves darkness.” Dylan broke in.50

“Sounds like Shales.”51

“WHAT!”52

“You heard me.” Demore smirked.53

“Gun or no gun I’m kicking your ass!”54

I launched myself at Demore, who fell backwards onto the ground, the wind getting knocked out of her. Dylan had made his way over, trying to break it up. I dug my nails into Demore flesh, drawing blood, as Demore grabbed at my hair. Both of us winced, letting out female battles cried that startled Dylan. I clawed at Demore’s protected face, scratching up Demore’s palm. 55

Dylan grabbed me around the waist pulling us apart, at least attempting too. He got an elbow in the gut and fell back, leaving us girls to there animalistic fight.56

I clawed down Demore’s arm, as Demore bit into my shoulder. 57

“Oh, this is SO front page news!”58

They both stopped, Demore with a fistful of my hair and a mouthful of my shoulder. I was in mid claw of Demore’s cheek, my other hand clenching Demore’s free shoulder. Dylan looked at us both, his eyes wide. Both of us looked up at a bright eyed smiling Juliea.59

“What do you mean front page news?” I seethed, standing up.60

“I mean, that was pure news right there. Cop/ Mage cat fight while trying to find Mage killer!”61

“That’s not going anywhere on any page of ANY news paper!”62

“I will curse you in your sleep.” Demore was fighting to her feet.63

“Have fun now.”64

And before I, or anyone else could stop her, she was out the door. I picked up a chair and threw it at the door, screaming loudly. Demore groaned and picked her chair back up, sitting on it and face planting the desk. 65

“You don’t actually think she’ll run it, do you?” Dylan asked.66

Demore and I looked up at Dylan, then at each other, and groaned twice as loud.67

I sat in the chair, my teeth grinding together. I had never seen Chief Ritlen this mad, ever. Demore’s eyes were wide and she had curled into her chair, half way into the fetal position. A news paper had been slapped down in front of us; it had a picture of two girls, one with blonde hair the other with brunette hair in a bar, pulling out each others hair. The headline was Ballroom Cat Fight, but it wasn’t us, even though our names were mentioned.68

Demore had choked when she saw it, her eyes going wide. She had tried to talk her way out of it; told Ritlen she couldn’t even get into a bar because she was underage. It was true, but Ritlen didn’t listen to reason, only things she could see. Even if it doesn’t remotely look like us, she will believe it so. So now Demore and I are in the dog house. AND SHE TOOK MY GUN! My beautiful, wonderful gun.69

we were both thrown out of the office, the door slammed behind us, a laughing Dylan sitting on my desk. I hit him with the newspaper, Demore with the back of her hand to the back of his head.70

“We were given the day off, take Demore home and get some rest; we have a long day tomorrow.”71

Dylan nodded as Demore followed him out the door.72

I sighed and grabbed her keys. I wonder how far I have to bend that bar tender before he snaps73