The next thing we see is Kai standing outside Julia's apartment building. He took a breath, preparing for whatever mood she might be in after working on the spell and feeling depressed about Quentin. But the moment he entered the building and stepped inside, he heard a faint footstep and before he could even blink, he vamped into motion.
There, standing awkwardly in front of Julia's door, was Pete… in a cheap, dry cleaned suit.
Without hesitation, Kai grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall with a dull thud.
"Well hello," he said with a small laugh. "We meet again."
Pete started to struggle, his mouth trying to form words.
Kai tilted his head, smiling. "What did I say would happen the last time we met? Hmm? Something about what would happen if Marina took things too far with Julia?"
Pete choked and gurgled, clawing at Kai's arm.
"Oh… sorry," Kai added mockingly. "Forgot you can't really talk when you're being choked."
He eased up just a little enough to let Pete wheeze, "I came here… to check on her…"
"Awwwn," Kai replied, faux touched. "What a humanitarian."
Then his expression darkened slightly. "Or… were you just here to sniff around someone desperate enough for you to take advantage of?" He leaned closer, a cruel smirk dancing on his lips. "Come on, admit it. Just between us girls… you were actually here for a lick, weren't you?"
Pete paled visibly.
"Unless, of course," Kai continued, voice still playful, "Marina sent you to find out what you can about me."
There it was a flicker in Pete's eyes.
Kai's smile sharpened. "And how is she, by the way? The hallucinations started yet? Random outbursts? Sudden paranoia? I really thought the hex had some charm and would have done some damage by now, but then again she is tenacious and resourceful isn't she?."
Pete twisted, trying to escape. "You're a psychopath!"
Kai scoffed. "Oh, the irony. You see, I could have been a psychopath. Maybe even a sociopath. But if I were, believe me you'd already be dead and in the most painful way possible. Probably see if you can live without a spleen which I'm sure you can or maybe survive without your lungs."
His grip tightened again. "But anyways back to Marina."
Pete avoided his gaze. That alone told Kai enough. "Unless," Kai mused, "she's somehow found a workaround for the hex…"
That thought made his eyes narrow.
Pete's hand began to form a subtle gesture magic.
Kai caught it instantly. "Ah ah ah."
He grabbed Pete's hand and began siphoning the magic directly, before snapping one of his fingers.
Pete let out a scream of pain just as Julia's door flung open.
She stood there, stunned. "What the fuck is going on here… oh my God Kai what the fuck are you doing?!"
Kai glanced at her then bashed Pete's head against the wall. The man crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
"Well, taking out the trash it would seem".
Kai stared at Julia for a second, then glanced down at Pete's unconscious body lying flat on the floor. He tilted his head casually, then looked back at her.
"Excuse me, will you?" he said, flashing a crooked smile as he handed her his bag.
Before she could even respond, Kai grabbed Pete by the leg and began dragging him across the room.
Julia blinked. "Wha—what the hell, Kai?! People are going to see you!"
Kai looked over his shoulder with a smirk. "Are they?" he said slyly, and then muttered, "Invisique."
Instantly, both Kai and Pete vanished from view.
Julia stared at the now-empty space, her eyes wide. After a beat, she exhaled with a small smile. "He's definitely gonna have to teach me that."
---
A short while later, Kai returned. Julia was seated on the couch, arms crossed, waiting.
"What did you do to him?" she asked, suspiciously.
Kai shrugged with faux innocence. "Oh, nothing too dramatic. Just tossed him into a dumpster. Don't worry, I made sure it wasn't recycling day." He added with a chuckle, "I was tempted to put an invisibility spell on him too… but nah, that would've been too cruel. Imagine the rats never knowing what they're chewing on."
Julia gave him a look somewhere between amused and horrified.
His eyes wandered briefly and landed on a piece of paper sitting on the couch. She noticed.
"All healed up," Julia said, raising her now unblemished hand.
Kai nodded slightly. "Huh. Of course. You've learned it."
He dropped himself onto the couch beside her, pulling a piece of paper and pen from his coat. He began scribbling quickly.
Julia leaned closer. "What's that?"
"Just a little something to keep the riffraff out," he muttered. Then he held it up and showed her. Written in Latin-esque scrawl:Vis Porta.
"It's a doorway Sealing Spell," he said. "Locks and seals a room's entrance. Anyone not keyed into it? Can't even jiggle the handle."
Julia's eyes lit up as she took the paper from him. She read it, then looked up at him with a smile.
"You really know how to gift a lady," she teased.
Kai smirked. "Glad you like it. Should keep the rats out of your apartment. Human or otherwise meaning anyone with an affinity for magic."
"Thank you," she said, her tone warmer now.
There was a moment. That pause where the world seems to shrink.
Julia stepped closer into his personal space, still holding the spell paper. Her eyes locked with his, then flicked down to his lips, then back to his eyes. Her breath caught slightly, just as his did.
But then her phone rang.
The tension shattered.
She glanced down. "I, uh... I've gotta take this."
Kai cleared his throat, blinking like he was waking from a trance. "Yeah. Sure. Sure."
She moved a few steps away, raising the phone to her ear.
Kai slumped slightly on the couch, muttering under his breath.
"Fuck."
——————
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