Life’s a Witch and then you Die: Part 2 of ?
Title: Life’s a Witch and then you Die
Author: AdventureLucky7
Fandom: The Hollows
Pairing: Rachel/Ivy (Seriously I will get there, it’s just going to take a bit…)
Rating: Mature, for language so far
Disclaimer: The Hollows characters and universe belong to Kim Harrison, I am just borrowing them for the story.
Summary: What happens when Rynn Cormel forces Rachel to find answers, and she discovers answers to questions she wasn’t even asking? Rachel/Ivy, Ivy/Rachel, Ravy
It was almost show time, and I briefly considered if getting drunk would be worth the migraine in the morning and the death glares from Ivy over dinner. Survey says, probably not. Looking out the kitchen window I took a deep breath and began to sooth myself with a mental rundown of my nearly finished to-do list.
Pizza sauce: Finished this morning, flavors still blending.
Pizza dough: Complete, waiting for dinner guests.
Toppings: Sliced and diced and ready to go
Salad: Ready for tossing
Dessert: Butterscotch pudding cake, cooling in fridge
Plan to save Ivy’s soul: pending
Damn. Do I really consider making lists a soothing activity? Ivy is seriously starting to rub off on me.
The doorbell rang, I put on my apron, and sent a prayer to whomever was listening. A blur of motion caught my attention, and I assumed Ivy was going to answer the door.
It was time to play hostess to the undead.
Rynn and Ivy entered through the kitchen door; Ivy was on his arm whispering in his ear. I nodded to Rynn in greeting and turned to focus on the pizza dough. While I was wondering how long Ivy was going to ogle Rynn, I took the already risen dough from the bowl in front of me. Some people stretch the dough to get the round shape, but I learned from the best, Kisten had taught me to toss pizza.
It only took a few minutes but I had the dough in two, small, floppy circles. This is the part that separates the pizza amateurs from the masters I grinned to myself. Showoff the voice inside my head chuckled. Maybe I was, but this was my kitchen. When I decided to feed people/pixies/vampires/whatever, I did it with class.
I centered my feet a little ways away from the counter and began to toss, losing myself in the enjoyment of the movement. Pizza throwing looks more complicated than it really is; it’s all in the twist of your hands and torso. Bis whistled from somewhere behind me. Normally Bis would be outside guarding the church but I had promised to let him see me toss. My smile getting bigger I decided to show off a little more Kisten’s tutelage. I had spent a few dates in the kitchen learning to toss dough, having fun and covering myself in flour. It felt right being able to remember happy moments.
Taking a breath I whistled to back to Bis to let him know I was about to really start the fun. Spinning the dough faster and faster I flipped it across the back of my shoulders and let it roll down my left arm into my hand. Without hesitating I flipped it over my right shoulder and caught it with my right hand. Bringing it back to the front I turned around and began to spin it vertically in front of my body. Once it was horizontal again I threw it into the air several times, each time a few feet higher until it was at least four to six feet in the air. I repeated each of these moves a few more times in a different pattern. When the dough was ready I flipped it onto the cornmeal dusted pizza paddle.
My attention was jerked to Rynn and Ivy when Rynn started clapping enthusiastically. I gave him my performer’s smile and took a grand bow as if I were on stage. When I glanced at Ivy I saw her eyes were the size of dinner plates, and her mouth slightly open. This night was starting off great; I can’t help it if I take delight in surprising my roommate.
I took considerably less time tossing the second pizza crust and in about ten minutes both were in the oven baking merrily away. Removing the apron, I grabbed a glass of water and sat down at the kitchen table away from both Rynn and Ivy. Pizza tossing was fun, but it did make me break into a sweat. No reason to tempt fate, yet.
Rynn was smiling broadly, “Rachel I had absolutely no idea that you were able to do that. Amazing! How did I know that eating dinner with you would be a treat?”
Laughing easily I said, “Well the first fifty or so times I tried it the pizza ended up on the ceiling, the floor, or whomever was standing closest.” Damn. That vampire is undead and I shouldn’t be pulled in by his charms. I just couldn’t help it; Rynn had the natural knack for making a person feel at ease.
A glance at the ceiling told me Bis had headed back outside and I made a mental note to save him some pizza. Do gargoyles eat pizza?
My attention went back to the table when Ivy started tossing the salad and dividing it on to plates. “Showoff” she muttered, but she was smiling when she handed me my salad. Biting into a tomato I gave her a smug, lopsided grin. What can I say? I have skills woman. Dirty snickered the internal voice and I started coughing on the tomato. Eyes watering I waved Ivy off, where in the turn had that come from?
Ivy and Rynn looked at me with concern, “Wrong pipe.” I said and we continued small talk while I tried not to make a fool out of myself again. When was Rynn going to get to the point of this dinner meeting: main course or dessert? I was kind of hedging towards after dessert coffee, which seemed like a polite time.
“So Rachel, I have had this conversation already with Ivy. I want your point of view from the night in the tunnels.” Rynn dropped into my musings suddenly, and I mentally winced. This is why I am not a betting witch, my luck sucks.
“I imagine I don’t have much to add that Ivy hasn’t already told you.” I said, but seeing Ivy’s frown, I rushed to add, “but I imagine a difference in point of view might be interesting.”
Rynn smiled at the non-verbal exchange, and leaned back in his chair with his fingertips steepled. Unclenching my jaw at the fact that Rynn was silently laughing at us, I walked him through exactly what happened the night in the tunnels. I wasn’t sure what I could add, but when I finished Rynn looked thoughtful, Ivy looked like she wanted to run.
After a few moments, Rynn leaned forward, “I have never heard of such a thing happening to a vampire. What do you think it means?” Right, like I am the vampire expert Rynn. I forced myself not to roll my eyes, Ivy would hit me upside the head with the nearest spell pot.
Instead I admitted softly, “I don’t know.” Rynn frowned at that, which launched me into my next train of thought, “Rynn, I am actually glad you came over dinner,” lie, lie, lie I thought, “because I need information on vampires. I need to separate what is normal, and what makes Ivy and me different.”
At that Rynn relaxed, and smiled, “The vampire dating guide not enough information for you Rachel?” My face turned white one moment, and then I felt the tips of my ears start to burn, the blush extending to my face. Clearing my throat, and ignoring the blush, I looked at Rynn and stated firmly, “Not that kind of information Rynn. I need to better understand auras, and bindings. Are there any examples of witches and vampires you could tell me about? The more I can separate out as normal, the better I will understand what is going on.”
“Why bindings?” Ivy asked jerking my attention away from Rynn. Ivy had barely spoken all night, and now she wants to help? Yes, why bindings? My internal voice asked laughing at me.
Sighing, I answered, “Bindings involve merging of auras and/or souls from what I understand. I just don’t know how similar it is to what happens to our auras.”
“What does your demon say?” Rynn asked. Dodging the question as best I could, “I have consulted every demon text I can get my hands on, and there isn’t enough detail to be useful.”
The oven dinged, the pizza was ready, and the first round was over. No auras pulled, no fangs shown, so far, so good.
I pulled out the pizza and busied myself with pouring wine while it cooled. Cutting the pies into slices I served Ivy, Rynn, and myself. I helped myself to a big bite, a damn fine piece of pizza if I do say so myself.
“You avoided my question.” Rynn stated calmly but his voice has lost a little of its warmth. I swallowed the bite I was working on, and wiped my mouth.
“I still have a demon mark on my wrist, the one on my foot was just removed a few weeks ago when conditions of an agreement Al and I made were completed.” I looked at Ivy who was staring at her pizza, and I whispered, “I will add more demon marks to my body if that’s the only way. Dealing with demons comes with a high price though, and if I make the wrong deal, if I slip just a little, I lose my soul and Ivy’s in the process.” Ivy looked up at me, making eye contact, and I finished, “I keep my promises, and I swore to you Rynn that I would find a way.”
Ivy jerked at that and opened her mouth, “Rach-“
At that moment though I felt a pull on the ley line in the garden and I waved my hand at Ivy cutting her off and looking wildly in every direction. Something was wrong, who was tapping my line? At the smell of Brimston, I yelled, “Rhombus!” circling myself and the vampires.
There was a popping sound, like a giant suction cup letting loose. Smoke and the smell of Brimstone wafted in every direction making it impossible to see. When the smoke cleared I froze. On the floor of my kitchen was an unconscious, bleeding Al.