Warlock

Private Investigators of Demonic Affairs

Skye's heart nearly collapsed into itself at the sight of Loch staggering through the door. Blood dripped from wounds in his sides, a terrifying gash in his neck, and a long cut along one cheek. The shocking wound was not a cut, however; it was the unnatural burns covering almost his whole chest. He and every Other in the café immediately recognized the aftermath of a High Demon. Loch opened his mouth, speaking only two words before collapsing completely. "No hospital."

He was still alive. Skye pulled himself out of his shock and rushed forward before anyone else could reach the pale warlock. Holding Loch in his arms, he ducked through several doorways until he reached the staircase that led to the apartment above the restaurant. The lycanthrope, more of his personal protector than his brother-in-law's best friend, rushed ahead of him and made a spare bed for the bloody man before Skye reached the second floor.

"Thanks, Jaime."

"I'll get the first aid kit and Lola. She knows how to fix these kinds of... wounds." They both stared at the burn marks for a moment. Skye crossed his fingers and hoped his friend would not question the presence of such wounds on a human victim. He wasn't good at keeping secrets, but there was no way he was spilling Loch's. "Watch over him."

Skye pulled an armchair away from the television and sat next to the bloody warlock. Everyone he fell in love with left him in devastating ways, death included. He hoped Loch would not leave him by the latter method, if at all. When Lola arrived upstairs with the first-aid kit and pushed him aside, the world moved in slow motion. Warlocks couldn't die, right? Loch could only die by his own doing. But last night he had said that he did not want to die. He could not have done this to himself. Only a demon could have done this. What if demons could kill warlocks? There were few recorded cases of demons attacking warlocks, since warlocks generally summoned and ruled over demons. Skye pulled his knees to his chest. He wasn't doing a good job of keeping himself calm.

"Skelly. Skelly. Are you listening to me? I need you to figure out how this happened for when the Keepers stop by. High Demons don't normally attack humans." She was waiting for him to reply.

"Right. Yes. They don't." He was lying to his sister. It was a first, and a terrifying one at that. "I'll look through news reports and see if anyone witnessed whatever happened." He doubted he would find anything, but if Loch had been a human then information on his attack would be in the human news.

Lola's eyes, already narrow, became slits. She knew he was keeping something secret. The question was whether she was going to do anything about it. To his fortune, she turned away and continued to apply a healing potion – naiad specialty – to the burns. If Loch hadn't bothered healing his wounds himself, he must have had witnesses to whatever had happened. Maybe it would be in the news.

Skye began to look through various news website until he saw a report from only a few minutes ago. The blonde human woman began to speak with genuine excitement. "We have a new red alert. Be on the lookout for an albino male, about five foot six, with a cut on his cheek and throat as well as burns on his chest. Call the police as soon as you see him, but do not chase him or frighten him. He is the first survivor of the time-stopping murders, and I believe we have a video clip of the attack from Viola Lutzke." The mysterious killings of the past twenty years had only affected humans in the past, so he would not have to worry about unwanted curiosity. Skye held back his sigh of relief as he continued to watch the video.

As always, Loch's expression in the video was stoic and devoid of emotion. He strode towards the door of the building with the confidence that Skye admired, but without warning he was on his back and bleeding out from numerous wounds. Despite already having seen the aftermath, Skye could not help but gasp and worry for the Loch of the past. To the continued surprise of everyone around him, Loch pushed himself to his feet and fled the building.