Shared Student - Isaiah Galloway

[Jezebel Minett]

Catching Jeremy studying her from the corner of her eye, Jezebel turned her head slightly and winked before turning her eyes back to the road.
“You can change the song, if you want.” She offered, as the beginning bars of the new Justin Bieber single floated out of the speakers- something she doubted quite fit his palate. “We’ll be there before it’s over, though.” Ok, so maybe she kind of hoped he wouldn’t. Was it a crime to like Z100? The boy only crossed his arms, slouching further in his seat. He turned his gaze out the window and pouted, and she had to withhold her smirk. Teenage boys could claim they did not pout all they wanted, but they most certainly did.

“I know.” He admitted begrudgingly, seeming to regret his decision to come with her. Jezebel had found the boy sitting in the back of her classroom when she came back to lock it for the night. That was unlike him; Jeremy was decidedly not her most enthusiastic student. But apparently even her class was preferable to Dr. Galloway, the therapist at whom his recently divorced mother seemed unwilling to stop batting her eyelashes.

He would not go, he had insisted. Jezzie had shrugged, dropping into the seat next to him (she acted like she was doing it to be that cool teacher, but really her new heeled ankle boots had been killing her all day. That was fine, she had offered in the dim classroom, but he couldn’t hide in her classroom. She didn’t want to be an accomplice when the doctor called his mother and his mother called the school looking for him. He didn’t believe she’d rat him out. She had assured him that she would, reminding him that she was the coolest teacher but still, decidedly, a teacher.

“No smoking in my car.” She reminded him, nose wrinkling. He was toying with a cigarette from a pack she had not realized he had, and begrudgingly, he slipped it back into his pocket. How she had gotten him there still kind of mystified her; he must have actually wanted to come. Because no matter how good her method of leading students to the overarching theme of a novel was, she could not magically trick a moody teen into thinking he wanted a therapy session. There was no level of reverse psychology or teen empathy skill that could achieve such a miracle. Still, she found herself placing a call to his mother to let the woman know she was dropping him off (parental approval was generally wise when leaving campus with a student).

But, as they pulled up to the home, Jezebel understood the real reason.


“Holy…” she trailed off, mindful of who she was with.

“See,” the boy looked all too smug for his age, “I told you.” He didn’t want to be there; he wanted to prove a point.

“It’s… yeah, ya did.” She stopped across from the door, pulling neatly around the lake and beside the curving stone wall.

“Just wait ‘til you meet this tool, Ms. Minett…” The boy snorted but trailed off as his teacher shook her head.

“Oh, Jer, I can’t come in with you. That’s really not appropriate, and I think you know that.”

“Wha- come on, Ms. M; you’re already all the way out here. And my mom’s being chill, for once.”

“About me dropping you off, sure, but not necessarily about me being involved with your therapy.”

Stubbornly, the boy jutted out his chin. “I’m not going in then.” The two made extended eye contact as the older wondered if she could call his bluff. Instead she sighed.

“Fine. I guess we can tell him I kept you late for an assignment or something. Come on, kid.”

“I’m almost 18-”

“Oh shush.”

And that was how Jezebel found herself flicking a curl behind her shoulder as she rang the bell on a lakeside mansion with one of her students.

In school, they never tell you that this is what becoming a teacher is like.

[Isaiah Galloway]

The sun was already setting behind the tree line, staining the sky blood red and casting long shadows over the land. The home was becoming dark and the only illumination in the studio came from the ongoing fireplace as the fallen angel sat on his chair, leisurely reading a book on the human mind, one of his many books. The east wall was nothing but shelves of books ranging from psychiatry, to religion, to poetry and books that seemed to date back ages. Across from him was an empty chair where his patient was already late. He hated discourtesy, and this was discourtesy. He was not one to deal with kids, but this one in particular was interesting. He knew he hated coming to see him, just as much as a mouse hated walking into a lion's den. The thought amused him, curling his lips into a grin.


Oh that mother of his insisted so much on him treating his child and he had to deal with that woman shamelessly flirting with him. He accepted, only because he knew what that kid was. He was a demon hybrid...one that he was going to kill sooner rather than later. But as of now he was getting his amusement out of treating that child, whose life was upside down. Oh boohoo... demons deserved no happiness. They all needed to be sent back to that hell-hole they came out from, but of course, it wouldn't happen without his own amusement happening first.


And then he heard the noise of a car on his motorway. Giden meowed looking up and then turning to look at his master. "I heard it." He said closing his book and putting it back on his desk before getting up and walking to the entrance. He heard someone knocking on his door. And that is when he smelled it. Gideon hissed at the door and Isaiah grinned. "Oh I smell it too." Smelled like dog. He walked closer to the door and opened it. Looking down at his new guest, a lovely young lady with dark chocolate eyes and thick brunette locks. Isaiah was a handsome man himself, with messy wavy black hair and deep, judging blue eyes. There was almost a regal feel to him, the way he was always impeccably dressed and he looked so resolute and composed.


"Good afternoon Madam. I am Doctor Isaiah Galloway as you may know." Obviously she did because she was bringing that annoying devil of a brat with her. "Hello Jeremy. You are late for your appointment." He didn't know this woman, who was too old and too pretty to be this child's girlfriend and they were most definitely not related. He stepped back and let them in, closing the door behind them. Gideon an impressively large black cat was glaring at the woman from the shadows. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you before? Are you new in the area?" The angel asked. She had a distinctive smell to her, she definitely was not from around and she most definitely was not human.


Isaiah looked up at Jeremy a grinned, it was almost a dangerous grin. "Jeremy if you do not wish to continue your therapy, I would not continue to waste your mother's money or time. But I believe it is in your best interest and it is wisest to carry through with it." He was not stupid, and he had only devoted at least two hundred and eighty years to understand the mind and rationale of living creatures.


But this new creature Jeremy had brought...was one that in his long life had not had the chance to study. A shape-shifter. "I am afraid it is in the policy of patient-doctor confidentiality that I cannot perform therapy with a third party involved, specially without written consent from Jeremy's parents since he is still under age." Isaiah explained, leading them to his opulent living room with a large burning fireplace and leather seats. "Would you care for some tea?" He asked his guests, treating them like so instead of patients...for now.

ooc:: .

outfit:: [x]

[Jezebel Minett]

When the door opened, it revealed a man that was nothing like Jezebel expected. From what Jeremy had told her, she expected a real stuffed shirt.  And while the man before her was certainly not casual in his demeanor, he lacked the archetypal building blocks she was picturing in her mind's eye.  He was handsome, no doubt of it, and she was sure she knew why Jeremy's mother was so enamored with the man.  Jesus, it was hard not to stare, especially when he pinned her with his puzzling gaze. His eyes were  a silvery grey and sharp, cutting into her like knives.

"Good afternoon Madam. I am Doctor Isaiah Galloway as you may know. Hello Jeremy. You are late for your appointment. I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you before? Are you new in the area?"

He spoke with a regal manner, and it was all she could do to keep her eyebrows from shooting up to her hairline when he 'madam'ed her.  That was a new one, especially for Jez.  She got more 'sweeties' than she did 'ma'am's. As for Jeremy, he did not even seem interested  in meeting the older man's eye, and she gently nudged his arm with her own and offered a consolatory smile, one eyebrow raised.  He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms even tighter, if possible.  Man, the kid really did not like this guy.

Offering a wide smile, she nodded to the formal doctor.  "Yes, hi.  I'm Ms. Minett, Jeremy's teacher. I was just giving him a ride over here, since it seems he missed the bus."

Dr. Galloway led the two into his parlor and shut the door behind them, and she found herself sandwiched between him and the unusually large cat the slunk through the shadows. Its piercing eyes studied her form, like a hunter sizing up its prey, and she was uneasy.  That did not seem like the friendliest of house pets.

"Jeremy if you do not wish to continue your therapy, I would not continue to waste your mother's money or time. But I believe it is in your best interest and it is wisest to carry through with it."

The younger boys scoffed in derision and slunk off like that cat, dropping himself unceremoniously in a chair across the open living room near a back window.  A moment later, his headphones were jammed so deeply into his ears, Jezebel thought they might be vibrating his brain. She tore her attention away from the student only when Dr. Galloway addressed her again.

"I am afraid it is in the policy of patient-doctor confidentiality that I cannot perform therapy with a third party involved, specially without written consent from Jeremy's parents since he is still under age."

"Oh of course," she shook her head and blushed lightly, embarrassed he had misread her intentions.  "I didn't mean to intrude.  I really am just his chauffeur- I should really be on my way.  Jeremy just insisted I meet you."

"Would you care for some tea?"

That was unexpected but kind of him.  She offered her own warm smile in return.

"Thank you, but I really don't want to hold up your appointment any more than I already have.  You made it pretty clear he's already quite late." She added cheekily. "But thank you.  You have a lovely home."

He truly did, especially compared to what she managed on her own with a meager teacher's salary. Despite the grandiosity, it was comfortable, and honestly, she would have liked to stay for a while. The fireplace was warm and inviting, and Jezebel wanted nothing more than to take her shoes off and put her aching feet up before it.  Instead she turned to the doctor, wanting just another moment to drink in the curve of his jaw and the sharpness of his eyes.

One did not usually see such handsome men in little old Essex.


OOC: Btw, feel free to have Jeremy do/say things and interact with him to make something happen. Idk if half demons can sense shifters, so I'll leave whether or not he knows too up to you

[Isaiah Galloway]

The young lady seemed to busy taking in the place and the moment to reply to his questioning right away, instead she awkwardly shoved Jeremy forward. That kid was a waste of his time and every particle of oxygen he inhaled into his disgusting hybrid lungs was unwarranted and undeserved. In his eyes of course. What was most interesting to Isaiah was that she had decided to hang out with a half-demon. Shifters did not like hanging out with other supernaturals and she seemed completely unaware of the nature of the kid, and even his own, which led to very interesting thoughts.

Her voice brought him back to the moment. The bus? Isaiah cocked an eye brow and his lips twisted into an amused grin as he watched them walked into his home. Well now that was an interesting lie, either she made it up herself, which was not very good, or Jeremy told her so. "Is that what he told you?" He asked nonchalantly, leading them to the living room. "I am afraid buses don't come to this side of town. But being new, you wouldn't know... right?" He said with a smirk, calling out the lie with such classiness it was almost painful.

Isaiah watched as that brat of a devil sat his ass down and ignored them by shoving his ear buds into his head. Oh, if he only knew he could just extend those wired and shove them into his brain, twisting them until his brain was nothing but jam. Isaiah smirked, turning to look back at the lady who seemed uncomfortable by Gideon's presence. "His name is Gideon, do not mind him. He is harmless." Harmless is Isaiah made him so.

"Please, make yourself at home, Ms. Minnett." Isaiah said offering the shifter-lady a gentle smile and signaling towards the couch. Isaiah watched her cheeks flush with the softest of pinks as she seemed embarrassed by her current position. "You are not intruding."He said with a smile, sitting across her on a black armchair and leaning back. His chauffer? Isaiah smirked. "Such an ungrateful young man does not deserve the attention of a lovely lady like yourself."

Jeremy insisted she met him? Oh? Now he was interested. Isaiah cocked an eyebrow. "Did he? Why if I may ask?" Nah, he did not want her to be on her way, not now, not soon. "I insist you stay for tea. Classes are over, the sun is setting and Jeremy wanted you to meet me, so let's do that. Perhaps that should help him get rid of whatever fictitious ideas he has in that little head of his." He said getting up and walking towards the kitchen, adjacent to the living room and set some water to boil.

Hold his appointment? Isaiah looked up at her and smirked. "You are not. He has clearly no interest in having his regular appointment, I shall not waste his time, or mine. This is his hour slot, and we can do with it whatever he wants. If us two meeting was his intention I am more than happy to oblige." He said pouring three small cups of earl grey tea.

Jeremy glared at Isaiah from the corner of his eyes. He knew there was something off about him but he couldn't put his finger on it. The bastard knew, and saw too much and he did not appreciate anyone messing around with his mind. His pride was hurt. He was a smart-ass and he did not like anyone out-smarting him and Isaiah did that session after session. Yet his mother had some odd fascination for him and it sickened him. Jeremy was a hybrid, yet his father was the full demon, and he never had a good relationship with him thus never learning to tone his instincts and making him a weak hybrid. He could not tell his teacher was a Hybrid. She felt special, that's why he was open towards her, but like with Isaiah, he could not put his finger down on it. He was hoping Jezebel would.

You have a lovely home? Isaiah smirked, putting a couple of pastries on a china plate, the plate on a tray along with the three cups and then walked back to the living room, setting it down on the coffee table. "Thank you." He said looking up at her, offering her the steaming cup of tea as he watched the flames from the fire place reflecting on those deep brown eyes of hers. The fire reflecting on his made his silver eyes look like hot iron.

The angel sat back on his chair and sighed, looking back at Jeremy with a smirk. "So Jeremy, what was your intention of your teacher and I meeting?" The teen boy glared at him. "You are an ass. And I wanted her to see why I wanted to avoid my appointment." Isaiah cocked an eye brow, leaning back on his arm chair. "The way your teacher looked at me made me understand you had been bad-mouthing your therapist. She was on defense like if I was about to seduce her, which leads me to the understanding that you probably discussed your mother infatuation with her. Since you willingly told her about that matter I am not breaching confidentiality. I'll have you know that your mother's attitude has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with herself. Your grudge towards me is unwarranted and useless." Jeremy's face turned red with rage, clenching his hands into fists. "You bewitched her! You... wretched witch..." Maybe that's what he felt was odd about him, maybe he was a witch.

Isaiah sighed, taking a sip out of his tea before setting it down and leaning back on his chair. He turned to look at Jezebel then. "My apologies, I did not think you'd witness an outburst like that." He said calmly, as if unbothered by the fact that he had just been called a witch.

ooc:: .

outfit:: [x]

[/quote]

[Jezebel Minett]

"Is that what he told you? I am afraid buses don't come to this side of town. But being new, you wouldn't know... right?"

At his veiled accusation, she flushed but chose not to answer.  Perhaps it was not her finest lie, but he had also caught her quite off guard.  Instead she allowed him to turn the conversation toward the cat that unsettled her so deeply.  An animal lover, though admittedly more of a dog person, Jezebel rarely had issues of creatures minding her company.  This one, however, clearly did.

"His name is Gideon, do not mind him. He is harmless. Please, make yourself at home, Ms. Minnett. You are not intruding. Such an ungrateful young man does not deserve the attention of a lovely lady like yourself."

At that, she sputtered and her mouth dropped. Ok, and she blushed.  Yeah, it was definitely nice that he was hitting on her, but it could not be ok to speak of one's patient like that.  Maybe it was some weird form of therapy?  She didn't know what they taught in those fancy programs nowadays, but it seemed pretty clear to her that Jeremy had some self-esteem problems.  Berating him seemed like a Sh*tty idea, in her humble opinion.

Before she could find the words to express her indignation, the doctor plowed through, insisting she stay for tea and discuss matters as a group.  Rather than express her opinion, she decided to follow his lead and allow herself to be escorted near Jeremy. This way she could at least get a feel for what the therapist was trying to do, and if not that, maybe she could talk to Jeremy about how she could help him convince his mother to find somebody more... suitable?  'Less of an ass' was what she really meant, but hey, can't say that to the kiddies.

Gently, she motioned to her student to remove his earbuds as the two adult sat down.  She busied herself with putting cream and sugar in her tea as the two spoke, muttering a quiet thanks when the cup was passed to her waiting hands.

They addressed each other with such obvious disdain, it honestly disarmed Jezebel.  She had never seen Jeremy express such utter hatred for anything in his life.  He was a hurt, angry teen, but he wasn't hateful. Dr. Galloway brought out the worst in him, and it seemed the feeling was mutual. Galloway was patronizing and condescending, like he was a cat playing with a mouse he caught, drawing out the suffering with maniacal glee.  Jeremy puffed up, a balloon of angry heat as he threw wild accusations.

No, there was nothing therapeutic about this. This was abuse, and the good doctor seemed utterly unperturbed by it as he leaned back, pinning the issue entirely on his pubescent patient.

"My apologies, I did not think you'd witness an outburst like that."

Her face contorted into a scowl as she repeated his words.

"Your 'apologies?'" She growled ferally, "How dare you? You canNOT mock and degrade my student that way! Who the hell gave you a degree in anything involving people, let alone kids? You're a danger to children- no, to everyone.  I can't imagine how utterly destructive you'd be to someone actually suicidal."  She slammed her cup down virtually untouched and thought she heard it chip or crack.  Good.  Good riddance.  He could pull his head out of his ass, along with some money, and buy a new one.  Jutting out her chin, she composed herself for the sake of the young man in the room. Before giving him a chance to respond, she turned to her charge.

"C'mon Jeremy, I'll give you a ride home."

She glared at Galloway, the handsome face that hid the mind of a demon, daring him to respond.

[Isaiah Galloway]

And he let her talk and get flustered and overly defensive over the teenager boy like any good-hearted woman would. Isaiah sighed, watching her, resting his head on his fist as she ranted. That all he needed, for her to give him validation and the demon would snap. Can't mock and degrade a student? Isaiah cocked an eye brow. This woman was not safe in Essex. This is why she was the teacher and he was a psychiatrist but the difference from Essex to most of the world was that this place had one of the highest concentration of supernatural creatures and she did not have the slightest idea.

Jeremy looked at her and then at Isaiah, the rage in the hybrid demon finally catching on fire. The teenager's eyes turned red and a single horn protruded from the side of his head. "Ah. There you are." Isaiah said, as if he had been expecting it already. Jeremy ran to Jezebel and being bigger than the young woman, he caught her on a chokehold and pressed a switchblade against her neck. Isaiah just saw it all unfold in front of him, and watched as the smallest ribbon of blood began trickling down her delicate neck. Demons had superhuman strength, and hybrids were considerably strong too. And this is why he did not like third parties in his sessions. Now that poor teacher was going to need therapy herself.

"Jeremy, what is your grand idea? Kill your teacher in my house and then what?" Jeremy was furious, unstable. Isaiah was merely seated, staring from where he was sitting. "She is new, the B**ch has no one to claim her body no one will notice! I needed to take her away from the city and what better place than your house. You can just claim a patient killed herself here! I f**king hate you, I'd love to stain your carpet with her blood." Isaiah sighed. "Let the young lady go, Jeremy. Killing her won't ease your instincts." Demons needed blood, and his mother taking care of him had not give her the sustenance he needed. He had lasted this long because he was a hybrid. "f**k you! What do you know about instincts!? f**k you and f**k that Wh*re of a mother I have! Always laying her eyes on freaks like you and my father! And this B**ch... she is a freak too! I can sense it! They all need to die!"

Isaiah stood up, getting P*ssed now. "Just because you are a demon, doesn't make everyone else a demon too. I am surprised it took you a while to show yourself. Last warning, let. her. go. and I may let go of this transgression of yours." Jeremy tensed. "No! I am going to slit her throat open and then I am cutting yours too!" And now he was P*ssed. He was being rude and he could not tolerate it. This woman did not need to be hurt, yet it had been his plan all along.

Why?! Why did he have to ruin this for him!? First he brings this beautiful shape shifter to his home and then he tries to kill her! Ok. This was it. Isaiah's previous calm demeanor shifted and the he frowned, giving him a dangerous glare. "You will not hurt her, or anyone in my house, or anywhere." He hissed, taking control of that knife with just his gaze. "What the ff---" Jeremy said frustrated, trying to move the knife but it was stuck in mid air. "Oh you think you are so clever?!" And then teen caught up in flames, his arm around Jezebel's skin burning her delicate skin. Isaiah acted quick and shoved the teenager back before he could burn her anymore. Jeremy stumbled backwards and busted up in flames. Isaiah pulled Jezebel behind her, taking the blow, but he didn't burn, it was a little advantage he had over demons.

When the flames dissipated, Isaiah noticed the demon-hybrid had ran away and his switch blade was now on the floor. He looked down at his coat, now charred and burnt and his carpet was burnt too! f**king child... Isaiah turned around, kneeling next to her and gently holding the sides of her face. "Let me see..." He said gently, tipping her head back and looking at the burn and the small cut. "Look at me. Are you okay?" He asked her. "I know it hurts... we'll treat it... are you good in here?" He said tapping her forehead softly with his index finger. Isaiah was a gentleman towards ladies, except demons. He could be sweet and nice towards anything except demons. "You didn't know he was a demon did you?" Isaiah asked, walking away from her to dampen a cloth and then came back, kneeling in front of her again, wrapping the cloth gently around her neck. "I don't think you even knew demons walked among us, did you?" He asked, looking into those deep brown eyes of her with his own cold, silver ones.

ooc:: Hopefully this is okay, if you don't like anything I can change it. I just like a lot of thrill in my threads and I thought that shocking her with the reality of Essex could be a great opportunity for them to continue hanging out.

outfit:: [x]

[Jezebel Minett]

OOC: Hey, no problem-it’s as much your thread as it is mine. I’m just going to have her witness what happened and then breakdown deal with what just happened at the end, and we can go from there

IC:

It all happened so fast, Jezebel hardly felt she had time to process it. She was telling off Dr. Galloway, letting him know just what she thought of his utter bull, and he was just sitting there like she was just some silly little girl with no sense of reality. Instead of addressing her (entirely valid, thank you very much) concerns, he said something to Jeremy behind her, and the next thing she knew, she was restrained.

His arm was like solid rock around her throat, his hard form pressed tightly behind her. Her mouth ached to form some sentence (“Jeremy, just what the f**k do you think you’re doing?” came to mind), but the pressure was too great. She found herself struggling for air, failing to gasp any deeper when the sharp steel of a blade pressed against her neck. It burned as she weakly struggled, biting into her skin and leaving small slices. Through the ringing panic that filled her ears, she could make out that the two males were arguing, but terror blocked out any sense of the words. It was as though she was listening through water, too far to make anything out. Her heart pounded in her ears harder than any external sound could penetrate.

Galloway stood, making an effort to free her from Jeremy. That must have spooked him; they must have defensively moved back and reached the fireplace, because he caught on fire. Despite the flames licking him, though, he held fast. She screamed out with as much air as she could muster as they singed her skin, not enough to do serious damage but nearing enough to feel the heat and sting. It lasted only a moment before the doctor stepped in, separating them, and Jezebel was thrown protectively behind him. She landed on her knees, desperately sucking in air and unable to find the sense or the strength to stand, and a hot brightness flared around them, gone as quickly as it came.

Had the room quieted, she wondered? The pounding in her ears remained, and she could not tell what was happening. Someone was saying something, tilting her head back delicately and tapping her forehead with a gentle finger. The words filtered into her mind slowly. She just nodded, not knowing what he said but inferring from the tone it was a question. A nod was all she could muster. The movement cut through the pain in her neck, making her hiss. She finally paid mind to his words as he moved away from her, her head aching.

“You didn’t know he was a demon, did you?”

The question didn’t sink in at first. Though she heard his words, they held no meaning, like a strange foreign language she had never heard before. The settled over her brain like a gauzy film, slowly regaining their meaning as he pushed.

"I don't think you even knew demons walked among us, did you?"

Jezebel blinked her eyes hard, desperately trying to shake her stupor.

“Demons? What are you- what- what in the f**king hell was that?! Jeremy- where’s Jeremy?” Her eyes searched the room, head moving as little as possible to minimize the ache in her neck. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she noted the scorched evidence of what had just occurred. “Oh my god, he caught himself on fire- we have to find him, to get him to a hospital, we have to- why did he attack me? I don’t… I just, I don’t…”

The crying came suddenly. There was no stopping it, and somewhere in the back of her mind, she pitied the one who tried.

[Isaiah Galloway]

And shock came, as expected. What was truly shocking for Isaiah was that she truly had no idea. Why? He wanted to know why. What sort of life has she led that being a supernatural herself has kept her shielded from that world.

Isaiah smirked, amused at her inability to properly articulate her thoughts. And then of course she asked for Jeremy. Must be that maternal instinct that is particularly strong in teachers. "That was a demon." Isaiah finally responded one of her questions after she had stopped talked. He grabbed her elbows and helped her up, making her sit on the sofa and sitting next to her, looking at her carefully. "Half a demon actually." The brat did not deserve full praise, he was just a halfie.
"And he ran away." After ruining his carpet and one of his favorite coats. That stupid kid. He watched her look at the burnt carpet and then back at him. He caught himself in fire? Isaiah smirked, holding back a laugh. This woman was truly in denial! "I am pretty sure he is fine." Isaiah said taking the wet towel off her neck, folding it the opposite way and putting it back around her neck. That's what they do, fire demons, they try to solve everything with fire. But he thought that explaining more supernatural stuff to her was not appropriate at the moment.

And then she started crying, after years of Psychiatry Isaiah has seen more than enough crying and 300 years have not prepared him enough to deal with a woman's tears. "Just breathe... it's ok. You are safe." He said, grabbing the sides of her face and keeping her head up. "Try not to move your head too much, your neck is pretty burnt." He said softly. "We may talk about what just happened if you wish, or we don't have to talk about it at all if you don't want to. We can do whatever you want, I am not your therapist so I will not impose. You can think of me as a friend if you so wish, and talk about it like if I was." He said letting go of her face and cleaning some tears away with his thumb. He was as calm and collected as he had been when they had just arrived, like if seeing a demon catch himself on fire was an everyday occurrence.

"But you should at least let me mend your wound. I am a doctor after all. And unlike other psychiatrists I did practice is the more common medical fields before." He said with a smile. "Would you like some more tea? It will help ease your nerves. Or will alcohol help you cope better? I have a wide repertoire if that's what you chose." He said standing up and walking away to close the front door that Jeremy had left open and then back to the living room where Jezebel was. He took off his burnt coat and threw it in the trashcan of the kitchen before coming back and looking down at the burnt marks in the carpet. He sighed, this was beyond repair he was going to have to get a new one.

He looked up at her and smiled. "Let's try this again, shall we?" He said sitting down across from her on his black arm chair. "My name is Isaiah. I am not an asshole, I am just one hell Psychiatrist." He said with a little smirk. "But I can also be a good friend, if you need one." He said casually. Gideon walked into the living room, the cat was as large as a bobcat. It gracefully leaped on one of the couches, laying down and looking back at his master with a meow. Isaiah smirked looking at the cat and then at the pretty young lady. "And welcome to Essex."

ooc:: ^.^

outfit:: [x]

[Jezebel Minett]

OOC: Omg, that closing line lol I feel like we just wrote the opening scene of the pilot of some tv show hahaha

IC:

She listened to him make nonsensical claims about demons or angels or whatever nonsense he was spewing numbly, yet Jezebel still could not quite digest what had just happened.  Through the sobs that shook her body until her bones seemed to rattle, she was vaguely aware of his firm hand upon her, a gentle guidance as he deposited her upon his couch.  It was lush and smooth and still smelled of smoke, and it enveloped her in an oddly comforting way.  Big, watery eyes found his face, as he adjusted the towel upon her neck.  She did not know when it had been placed there, but she now felt bare and raw without it.

The sensation of his hands, large and warm against the gentle curve of her jaw, centered her, and his gaze found her own.

"Just breathe... it's ok. You are safe."

His voice was smooth and felt thick in her ears, like molasses, and she leaned into his touch ever so slightly.  In a world spinning off his axis, he seemed so utterly centered.

She was lost.

The pad of his thumb was slightly rough as it brushed away her tears, and the warmth of his hands dropped away.  Somewhere in his comfort, her sobbing had lessened to a gentle flow of tears.  The saltwater seared her neck where it dripped down and made contact with the burns, but somehow not crying seemed as though it would hurt more. He offered her tea and alcohol as he shut the door (had they not closed that behind them? Why was it open now?), and her gaze found the shattered tea set, liquid seeping into the black charring that marred the once pristine carpet.  Her eyes seemed to stick there, barely registering his form as he settled back into the chair adjacent to her.

"Let's try this again, shall we? My name is Isaiah. I am not an asshole, I am just one hell Psychiatrist. But I can also be a good friend, if you need one."

Her gaze found his cat as he spoke, its slinking form drawing her gaze with a new sense of wonder (what was his name? so much had happened, it seemed decades since she was told).

"And welcome to Essex."

Jezebel finally turned back to him, brow furrowed and lips just barely parted.  She licked them and searched his eyes.

A final tear made its trail down the rounded slope of her cheek as she spoke.  "Demons aren't real, they can't... they aren't."  She shook her head, anger beginning to seep back into her veins.  "I don't know what kind of bullSh*t you're trying to pull, but it's not funny, ok?  It's not f**king funny!  I'm not- god," she clutched a hand to her head, fisting in her hair (the ends were a little singed, and it probably looked like a rat's nest now, but hell, that was the least of her worries).  "This is must be what a psychotic break feels like."

She lifted her eyes back up to him, feeling every bit the lost little girl that wandered into a new house with a new daddy and no idea what was happening.  "I don't... what's going on?  Please..."

She hoped he was a better friend than he was a psychiatrist.

[Isaiah Galloway]

Isaiah was looking at her carefully. She must still be in shock phasing in and out of reality because she was responding to certain things and forgetting, or ignoring, others. He waited patiently, which wasn't a virtue that came by him often, for her to collect herself. He watched as she frowned and another tear slid down those round cheeks of hers.

Demons aren't real? Isaiah couldn't hold back a grin. "Oh I wish." And he couldn't hold that remark back, even though he had just told himself he would let her arrive at her own conclusions. This woman was in denial and regardless of whatever she thought, he was an outstanding psychiatrist. He has devoted plenty of time to the understanding and analysis of the mind of more than just humans. He was a renown psychiatrist with published books and almost adored in the world of Psychiatry Academia. Of course it has happened under different names, for one Isaiah Galloway could not have lived 300 years, but always under the initials I.A. and usually keeping his first name. Isaiah Galloway as is, has more than a handful of published books and highly praised academic essays under his belt. He loved his profession... it was such a dangerous weapon, the most dangerous in his opinion: the mind.

His intentions were not wrongful when it came to this lady though, he was usually nice towards anything or anyone he considered nice. Shape shifters were typically nice, but shy and secluded in their own ways and he had never been able to analyze one.

Isaiah watched as anger crawled back into her, it was normal, denial usually followed with anger when the individual realized such denial. And then she found an excuse, pinning it on him. Isaiah knew the drill, denial was a common thing to deal with. "Fine then. If we go with what you are saying, and demons don't exist. Then what happened just now?" He said playing around with a curl on his head, waiting for her response. "I am no cheap magician I assure you. No tricks under these sleeves." He said with a smirk, before she could even suggest that.

He was not fond of young ladies speaking such foul words, but he was letting it slide due to her current condition. A psychotic break? Isaiah laughed for the first time, leaving his hair alone and just looking at her. "Oh no no..." He said with a smile, shaking his head. "You are not having a psychotic break down, trust me I've seen my fair share of those. Psychotic break downs tend to not leave evidence." He said with a smirk, pointing at the burnt marks on the carpet. "Unless we both had the exact same one and we are imagining the same burnt mark. I think you are pretty mentally stable. Except of course for your current state of denial." Isaiah was not one to sugar-coat thing.

What's going on? And there it was, finally embracing reality. Isaiah smiled. "Do you want the truth? Or do you want me to tell you what you want to hear?" But he continued before she could answer. "Sadly, I am not one to lie. Which I'll let you decide if it's a good or bad trait by yourself." The fact that he was so straightforward bothered a lot of people. What was honest, was considered rude by many. "Essex is one of the cities with the highest concentration of supernatural activity. Yes, demons are real, as real as you and me, so are angels and everything you've read in books when you were little." Everything? Well he had to think about that one. "Except mermaids, there is no such thing, those are just stories of drunk sailors." He said getting up and finally picking up all the pieces of his teacup, putting it all back in a tray and taking it all to the kitchen.

The angel came back with a glass of cold water, handing it to her. "Here." Since she didn't respond to his offer of more tea or alcohol. He sat by her this time. relaxing back into the couch and looking at her calmly with a smart little smirk. "You can believe me or not. That is entirely up to you." He said with a smile. "Regardless if you do, I would recommend taking an absence from your school teachings, at least until Jeremy gets caught. Which shouldn't take more than a couple of days. I'd hate to see a tragedy happening. You seem like a nice nameless lady." He said calmly, letting her know that she had still not offered her name.

ooc:: ^.^

outfit:: [x]

[Jezebel Minett]

He kept smirking, looking at Jez like she was stupid.

“Oh, I wish.”

She snorted at that, lips twisting bitterly downward as he continued on. Lord, Jezebel thought, the man loved to talk, to mock her pain. The sting of her neck was travelling down her shoulders as they tensed, unable to move through the clenching paralysis of pain. He was studying her like she fascinated him, like she was somehow more interesting than the veritable explosion of crazy that happened only minutes earlier. He seemed to mock her with his soliloquy, insistent of her ignorance and even laughing at her uneasiness. She sunk deeper into the couch, dissuaded from her fight by his ridicule.

His smile offered her no comfort.

“Do you want the truth? Or do you want me to tell you what you want to hear? …Essex is one of the cities with the highest concentration of supernatural activity. Yes, demons are real, as real as you and me, so are angels and everything you've read in books when you were little. Except mermaids, there is no such thing, those are just stories of drunk sailors.”

She wanted to laugh or cry or… Jezebel was not sure, but what energy was left buzzing in her body seemed to leave, a cold heaviness settling into the pit of her stomach. Demons? Angels? Her mind seemed unable to focus on the very possibility. All she could remember was being a young girl, staring emptily at the casket that held her dearly departed great grandmother

In one of the only discussions she ever had with her grandmother, the older woman perched herself delicately beside her in an ornate wooden chair. Emily had wanted to give Amelia a small, quiet gathering, but her parents insisted on paying for the affair, making it richer and more lavish than what the mother-daughter pair were used to. Jezebel felt stifled in her stiff black dress, surrounded by strangers instead of Amelia’s warm laugh.

“How are you doing?” Her grandmother had asked, and she only shrugged. This woman was nearly as much a stranger to her as anyone else there. “Jelly,” Her grandmother tried again, and that made Jezebel turn; she was not aware her grandmother knew her nickname, “It’s… it’s going to be ok. Your Grandmama Amelia,” (who had told her that name?), “she’s in a better place. She’s in heaven, one of God’s angels now.”

“… If anyone would be a good angel,” Jezebel whispered, “it’s grandmamma Amalia.” Her grandmother pulled the child against her, and they stayed that way for a long moment.

Jezebel found herself in that moment, remembering the feeling as Isaiah stood to clean some of the mess. She had never been a very religious person, but she always held the hope from that day with her. She remembered wanting so much for her grandmother’s words to be true, wishing Granmama Amelia was watching over her as an angel. In difficult times, when she was alone, she ignored all the other connotations surrounding the idea and pretended it was true, that Amelia was with her there, looking down and protecting her.

“Here.”

She was shaken from her reverie by a hand and a glass of water before her. She tentatively took it in hand for a ginger sip and held it in both hands, awkwardly clasping it in both hands. She did not look at Isaiah, as he sat beside her, barely able to make out his form in her periphery through the mass of waves. It was only as he spoke that she tucked them behind her ears, exposing his form.

“You can believe me or not. That is entirely up to you. Regardless if you do, I would recommend taking an absence from your school teachings, at least until Jeremy gets caught. Which shouldn't take more than a couple of days. I'd hate to see a tragedy happening. You seem like a nice nameless lady.”

She turned to him gently, eyes find his. “Jezebel… Jezebel Minett.” She found herself telling the doctor. Her eyes searched his handsome face as though seeing him for the first time. His eyes held darkness and secrets, hidden within a devilishly handsome face and behind the messy curls that fell into his face. The proximity was oddly comforting, and for the first time, despite his seeming abruptness and lack of sensitivity, she saw how he might be an effective therapist. She wanted nothing more than to curl into the protective energy he emanated but refrained, too unfamiliar and still distrustful of everything.

“I don’t… I don’t even know where to go from here or what to ask.” She told him, speaking in a halting voice. “I just… I’m so confused. Where do they come from? …where did Jeremy come from? Why did he attack? What do I do now?”

She tried to gently shake her head, frowning. She hoped he had the answers she didn’t, another tear escaping down her cheek.


OOC: So sorry for the delayed response!  Things on my end got really busy the past couple days @_@'

[Isaiah Galloway]

She finally took the water and took a couple of sips out of it, but the woman was still as shocked as she could be. It was quite fascinating to him, that a supernatural was completely unaware of other supernatural in this world, or even the fact that she was one herself. His attention shifted to her neck, it was pretty charred and she'd have to have her head immobilized for a couple of days so the skin would heal and not break every time she slightly moved her head. Hmmm did he have one of those foam neck braces?

And then she gave him her name. Isaiah smiled. "Jezebel... like the Hebrew Princess. It's a pretty name." Eight-hundred years have given Isaiah and extremely cultured background, and despise that he loved reading and information in general. He was giving her time, letting her cope, and waiting for her to ask the questions instead of him pouring the information on her, that couldn't be good, it would send her into a deeper trauma.

Isaiah smiled patiently when she finally admitted not knowing what to do now. "It is normal. You are in shock, I'd be surprised if you did." He said with a little smirk. "Supernaturals don't 'come' from somewhere you know? They are pretty much like humans... Well... not all of them... It's complicated, the point is, they are real and they dwell among us." He sighed. "I am pretty surprised you are stil worried about him even after what he did." He said with a smirk, taking the towel from her neck, folding it over and putting it back on again.

"Jeremy is a half-demon. His mother is not a demon, she is human, that means his dad is a demon. He seemed pretty upset by the fact that his mother fell in love with a demon and made him half of one. What he called a freak. He attacked you because he thinks you are one yourself too." He said calmly. "Like I said, I would recommend staying away from school until you know Jeremy was caught. The supernatural world lives under strict rules, his outburst won't go unpunished, but we don't want him finding you before he is caught, he might want to finish what he started."

Isaiah watched as another tear ran down those round cheeks of hers. He smiled softly. "It's going to be ok. Nothing has really changed Jezebel. The only thing that changed is that now you are aware of it." He said with a smile before standing up and looking down at her. "Follow me, we need to take care of your neck. I don't know how you could explain that to a doctor." He said with a smirk, leading her through his home and to the room where he does his therapy. It was dim, with a large fireplace, lofted book stacks, a desk and different seating areas. He was accommodating towards his patients.

"Please take a seat." He said motioning towards the couches before looking for a first aid kit in his shelves. When he finally found it, he pulled it out and walked towards her, pulling a chair to sit by her.

"So what brought you to Essex." He asked, making small talk while looking for the medicine in the kit. He removed the towel from her neck and ever so gently spread so numbing balm on the charred skin, before covering it with a white gauze. "Try not to move your head too much, the skin is charred so every time you move too much it breaks it, not letting it heal." He said putting the medicine away and handing her a soft-foam neck brace. "I'll leave the use of this up to you. I know some people hate it, but I highly recommend it." He said moving to sit on the chair across from her.

"Are you hungry Ms. Jezebel? I am prolific cheff." He said with a grin. "And I believe you are in no conditions to drive home. You are rather pale from the shock, I think you could use some food in your system." He said, inviting her for dinner in quite the unusual way.

ooc:: ^.^

outfit:: [x]

[Jezebel Minett]

For only the second time since she had arrived in his home, Jezebel allowed a small smile to play on her lips.  Isaiah was being so kind.  She was accustomed to sidelong glances and discomfort at the mention of her name.  Most chose to focus on the more tawdry aspect of it.  Hell, that was even why it was chosen; her mother gave her the option to change it as pubescent young lady, having grown from her ornery childishness.  But Jelly knew no other identity and staked her claim, keeping the name as her own.  Isaiah, however, skirted around the issue, focusing on the earlier roots.  He was treating her so delicately, and though it should have frustrated her, the gentility was calming.

"Jeremy is a half-demon. His mother is not a demon, she is human, that means his dad is a demon. He seemed pretty upset by the fact that his mother fell in love with a demon and made him half of one. What he called a freak. He attacked you because he thinks you are one yourself too. Like I said, I would recommend staying away from school until you know Jeremy was caught. The supernatural world lives under strict rules, his outburst won't go unpunished, but we don't want him finding you before he is caught, he might want to finish what he started."

It was a lot to take in, the existence of demons, the fact that he thought she might somehow be one as well, the existence of an entire parallel supernatural world. She was crying again, and Isaiah noticed before it even registered.  The comforting smile he offered was warm, warming than she would have anticipated earlier, given his coldness.

"It's going to be ok. Nothing has really changed Jezebel. The only thing that changed is that now you are aware of it. Follow me, we need to take care of your neck. I don't know how you could explain that to a doctor."

Jelly blushed lightly at his playful joke and followed him into a dimly lit room.  It was a stark contrast to the open, woodsy feel of the rest of his manor.  If his home was nature, this room was the cavern carved into it, walled with books and bowed arches.  It was perhaps the only place in the entire home without windows. After everything that had happened, the lack of visible escape route made her feel claustrophobic.  She focused on the smooth cadence of the doctor's voice, as he tended to her fragile neck and offered her a neck brace.  If he recommended it, Jezebel decided, then she would wear it... though, perhaps, not in front of him.  Intermingled with his care, he asked questions of her life.

She had never been one to shy away from a chat, and though something in the back of her mind warned her that she had best learn from her mistakes, given her recent violent realization of the supernatural world, she found herself answering his inquiries without concern.

"I'm not sure I could stomach anything, but thank you.  You've been so nice.  I moved here recently, just before the start of the school year, actually.  I was supposed to go to California with my ex, but we broke things off in the spring.  So, I just... decided it was time for a change.  I, uh, think this was a bit more of a change than I was expecting."

She offered a small, self depreciating smile at that, trying to wrap her mind around everything. But that only served to leave her with more questions, so without offering him the chance to analyze her life, she plowed on with her own.

"Why is Essex some supernatural hotbed, of all places?  It's pretty much the middle of nowhere, and it's not super important historically, no matter what the history teachers at my school tell you.  How is it you know about all this anyway?  And why-"

She cut herself off. There was already enough information for him to cover with those two questions, and if there was one thing she learned in her experience teaching, it was that you can't expect to get every answer to every question in one go and understand any of it worth a D*mn.

Anyway, he was right; staying to discuss this seemed like a far better option than driving home.


OOC: lol it seems like Jezebel is having just a touch of whatever the opposite of Florence Nightingale Syndrome is... the opposite of White Knight syndrome?  I dunno what it's called. I was gonna said Stockholm syndrome, but then I was like no, that's very different lol

[Isaiah Galloway]

Isaiah smirked when she called him nice. Oh, if she only knew. "You haven't given me a reason to not be nice." Give him a reason and you'll regret it until the end of our days. Not stomach anything? Isaiah chuckled. "You insult my culinary prowess, my food is so good anyone could stomach it. Not to brag but I am a pretty good cook." He said standing up. "If you don't mind, we could take our talk to the kitchen. It is past dinner time, I find my stomach pains me. I don't understand how ladies eat so little." He said leading her out of his therapy room. He spent quite a bit of time in that room, but right now was not the time. Soon enough she'd find the need to spend hours with him in there, but not yet, soon, but not yet.

The young man led her out of his therapy room and back into the kitchen listening as she talked. Her ex? Well, that was good to know, she was single, that meant he didn't need to deal with a second mind. Having his subjects have partners was always complicated because then they'd be getting input from his side and from their partner side and he'd have to find a way to manipulate what the partner would thing by the way he would communicate with his subject. It was a challenge he'd gladly endeavor on, but he was glad this wasn't the case. Once in the kitchen he set a pot of water to boil and began pouring some flour on the work bar, ready to make his own pasta. "I am sorry to hear things didn't work out with your ex." No he wasn't. He offered her a smile and looked back down at what he was doing, rolling up his sleeves before cracking an egg into the mixture and began kneading it. "If there is something I've learned throughout my life is that everything happens for a reason. You must have an open mind and embrace what life is throwing at you." He looked up at her with a smile. "And never settle for less than what you deserve." He said rolling the dough into a ball, wrapping it in plastic foil and putting it back in the fridge, taking out some fresh herbs and cheese now and staring to pull off fresh leaves of basil.

He chuckled as she mentioned this being too much of a change. "Better more change than little change, right?" He knew exactly what was happening. The poor lady had just been traumatized and she was feeling the need to stick around with the person that was there to save her and walk her through her trauma. Isaiah knew it, and he was going to use it to his advantage.

And then a wave of questions came. Isaiah looked up at her, trying to memorize everything she said. "You don't have to ask all at once." He said with a little chuckle, looking back down at the cheese he was grating. "We have all the time you want. As you see I don't have company very often and I am finding yours quite enjoyable. There isn't a lot of people I can talk to about supernatural occurrences." He put all the cheese and herbs into a pan and put it to the fire, now letting it melt. "You are going to miss out on my fettuccini." He said letting it sit there and now starting to chop some pieces of raw chicken and starting to season it.

The fact that he was working on his meal and answering questions would give her a feeling of a more casual talk, which he was aiming for. "As in why Essex... I think you answered your own question." He said looking up at her. "You are right. Essex is in the middle of nowhere and there is nothing special to it. Things happen in Essex and the rest of the world could care less. Supernaturals are attracted to this kind of places. They don't want to be out of the open, humans would never allow their presence, they'd think of it as a threat and hunt them all down." He said slamming his knife down on the chicken for a dramatic flair and then taking the pieces to the fire, cooking them up. "Supernaturals may be stronger than humans, but they are terribly outnumbered. There is huge strength in numbers." He said letting the chicken sit and chopping some bread and putting some garlic and oil on it. He chuckled at the thought of it, grabbing a clove of garlic. "Believe it or not. Garlic does scare vampires away." He said putting it away and sliding the bread into the oven.

How is it he knows? Well that was an interesting question which answer he was not going to disclose fully, not yet, it wasn't in his best interest. "As a Psychiatrist, you have to protect Patient-Doctor confidentiality, even if you patient tells you he is a vampire, a demon, an angel, a witch, whatever, you name it. I've seen it. I've been here my whole life." He said. Isaiah did not lie, and that was not a lie, but it wasn't all the truth either. He knew about the supernatural because he was one himself. She couldn't tell because she was so disconnected to her own instincts she couldn't detect it on him. Isaiah was an angel, or well... a fallen angel, and a really powerful one. He was a demon slayer, and had more demon heads under his belt than most slayers out there. Why? Because he liked it... and because he was more judgmental than God himself.

He took the pasta out of the fridge and threaded it until it was ready and put it in the water. Soon enough he had a nice plate, restaurant quality chicken fettuccini alfredo, and a smaller portion for her. "I know you said you are not hungry, but I couldn't just cook myself a meal and not give you at least some of it. What kind of manners would that be." He said setting it down at the table and serving himself a cup of wine. "Would you like something to drink other than water?" He asked casually before sitting down. "I won't be offended if you don't eat it, but you should at least try it." He said with a smile, taking his silverware and taking a bite out of his dinner. It was delectably delightful to say the least.

And then a question came to mind, a question that would raise many others and could lead to hours of discussion. He took a sip of wine and looked at her with a grin. "Do you believe in God, Jezebel? Our talk about supernatural creatures could start there..." He said with a grin, taking another sip of his wine and then looking back at her with the intensity of those silver eyes of his.

ooc:: I don't know if you could tell but I was starving while writing my post <.<

outfit:: [x]

[Jezebel Minett]

The pair found themselves in the kitchen now, Jezebel perched quietly atop a stool as she watched her host move fluidly through the room. His hands worked quickly with the ingredients, shaping and slicing as he spoke. He made inane statements first, bland comments about her life and Jimmy (that seemed so long ago now- had his loss really felt that earth shattering? Now she felt as though there was hardly ever an earth on which to stand.). Jelly let him offer his empty platitudes, the kinds of things she would offer her students when she didn’t know what to say. That was a bit of a comfort, somehow, that this man who seemed to know everything could be a little lost too.

Then again, maybe that was even more terrifying.

“Essex is in the middle of nowhere and there is nothing special to it. Things happen in Essex and the rest of the world could care less. Supernaturals are attracted to this kind of places. They don't want to be out of the open, humans would never allow their presence, they'd think of it as a threat and hunt them all down. Supernaturals may be stronger than humans, but they are terribly outnumbered. There is huge strength in numbers.”

At that, Jezebel could not help the shiver that ran down her. It sounded as though he was suggesting war or something close. Humans versus supernaturals… it was an unsettling thought.

As though sensing her discomfort, he quipped, “Believe it or not. Garlic does scare vampires away.”

Oh, Vampires. Great. Of course there were vampires; if there were demons then why wouldn’t there be. Just… fantastic. And has he continued, she could feel her face sink.

“As a Psychiatrist, you have to protect Patient-Doctor confidentiality, even if you patient tells you he is a vampire, a demon, an angel, a witch, whatever, you name it. I've seen it. I've been here my whole life.”

Vampires, demons, angels, witches… what wasn’t real? Was anything false, or had every laughable story she ever heard secretly been lurking in the darkness? She felt nauseous again, the idea of it settling in as her pulse quickened. She hardly noticed him placing the plate before her, insistent she join him in this meal. Something as heavy as alfredo sauce was probably not the best idea for a queasy stomach, but it was in front of her. Almost mechanically, she lifted her fork, twirling it in the sauce. Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard a voice screaming at her, never eat noodles in front of a guy- so not cute. But hell, she probably could not look worse, and was now really the time?

His voice cut through the fog, “ Do you believe in God, Jezebel? Our talk about supernatural creatures could start there…”

She floundered, looking for the words. “I- I mean, maybe? I’m not sure I have an answer to that, not anymore… But if there are angels and demons then… yes? I guess so- there has to be? But if there are angels, what are they doing- why would they be seeing a psychiatrist, shouldn’t they be, like, I dunno, all knowing or something? God, witches and demons and vampires and… is there anything that isn’t out there waiting to kill us all?”

“Oh- and thank you, it’s delightful.” She gestured blandly with her fork, thanking him as an afterthought.