Springing the Trap

Sheepishly, Lily digs into her pockets again, pulling out a bronze and a deep indigo egg. "I was going to fence them; they gotta be worth something, an' anythings better then a bunch'a snakes fly'n round the barrow, hiss'n an' bitt'n." Gingerly, she hands them to me, casting a glance down at her wrist before shoving it in her pocket.

"There's your bronze egg." I say sharply. "Now explain. Why do you need it? And make it a good explanation. You've come into my home without leave. You'd best have a good reason, or this home will pay you back in kind."

"First, be it known, the green one called me in in its panic; secondly, I am shadow and anima, the bestial portion of the human psyche, cast off by my former," It pauses, bringing its fingers to its temples as if in thought, murmuring, "Master? Host?..." before continuing in normal tones. "I was cast off some centuries ago. I've slipped in and out of the shadows of the Nightside since my... well since my birth. Point of the matter is, I no longer wish to be independent." It glances around, its eyeless face seeming almost imploring.

I stare at the thing warily. What I really want to do is loose the wards on it. This thing isn't what it says it is; this is no anima. I know anima spirits; I have met them before. This...this is something else. Something other. And it makes my hair stand on end.
"And so you need to bond." I say slowly.

"Yes" It nods simply, "The new born have not yet grown their shadows."

"so you would take an innocent life and twist it into yours?" my voice is low and none to welcoming "doesn't that seem selfish, and wrong to you, go downtown and buy a body"

"It's not that simple. You would treat it as if I intend to overshadow..." It shakes its head. "I need to bond with a newborn. Its life is still it's own, I simply share it."

"No." I say, stepping forward, "You won't." I stare up into its blank excuse for a face. "I know you now, tuatha na Visru." I say, pointing up at it, "I know what you are. Predator. Parasite. You are not welcome. And you can leave. Now."

"I assure you, I mean it no harm." the shadow smiles grimly, thin white on black field, the points of its canines visible just behind the thin film of dark.

"Says the eel to the little fishes." I mock, a growl edging my voice. "Get out, Vishru. You are not welcome. You are not wanted. Leave, or we shall make you."

"I'm not meant to be alone," it growls, looking past Liv and Liam to where the white egg begins to shudder. "A shadow needs a caster, light needs dark."

"And you need to leave... Right now..." I glare at the creature.

"You need to get out." I hiss, baring my teeth. "Find other prey. My kith and I have laid our claim. Out. Now."

"Your claim is irrelevant; we are not perusing the same thing." It seems to grow and the lights fade as it appears to melt into the walls and begins to coat the walls. "I will have a host."

"That may be, but you ARE leaving... Now." I firmly say.
I lower my right hand to rest on my left wrist as I continue to glare at him.

As the thing morphs and expands, I begin the motions that will activate the apartment's wards. But before I'm more than a quarter done, Kiaja steps forward. In my mind's eye she is glowing as bright as the sun, so bright that it hurts to look upon. Through slitted eyes I watch the figure of light step forward, step almost into the darkness.
And then the dark swallows her up.
Kaija's light goes out like a snuffed candle, and she crumples to the floor, leaving the twisting shadow slowly soaking into the wall. Liam rushes to her side, Ignacy pulls out a gun, but my eye is caught by Mathias; his mind has begun to spark as if it contained a thunderstorm.

While the shadow is advancing, I start typing frantically on my wrist, using my thoughts to expand on the typed words.
I look up suddenly as Kaija falls and grimace, then look back down.
"I said goodbye!" I mumble angrily at the creature, then hit one last piece.

A flash of bright light, a bang, and everyone is pulled suddenly towards the creature. Suddenly the suction stops, and the creature is gone.

I make a small smile, then rush over with everyone else to check on Kaija.

For a long moment I stand, staring at Mathias where he kneels. His mind....what he just did isn't what I'd call magic,but its power is terrifying. Slowly, Kaija sits up, shaking her head to clear it.

I glance at Kaija as she gets steadily to her feet. "You all right lass?" She nods, giving me a shaky smile. I smile in return. But my eyes are on Mathias.
After a moment, I catch him in a quiet part of the kitchen. "What was that?" I ask him, cocking my head, "what you just did?"

I shrug.
"Well, he didn't seem to be mortal, or at least we couldn't harm him easily."
I pause, take a breath.
"I just wonder how much he will enjoy his very own exploding star the wormhole sent him to."

I study hiim, my brows raised. "You really are more than you seem, my lad."

"Thank you."
I look pointedly at Liv. "You seem to be more than you appear also..."
I raise an eyebrow at her, remember the changes I'd seen when she had been angry.

I glance down. and grimace. In my anger I forgot my glamours. I sigh, shrugging, leaving my long hands in view. "Everyone is more than they appear in the Nightside, Mathias. Everyone has secrets."

"True enough" I say.
"Do you think we will see that monster again? I don't know anything about them."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." I say firmly. "I'm placing a defense against things like that vishru after this little debacle." I turn. The bronze egg is rocking. The little creature on my shoulder purrs, cuddling my neck. I cuddle it. "Well. Now that we're done with that..." I smile, and scratch the feathery ruff on my little creature's head. It squirms with pleasure."Hope we've got what they eat."