It was an old abandoned warehouse outside the city. Nessira stood outside staring at it rolling her eyes as to the cliche nature of this whole arrangement. She could sense multiple people in there and even smell the magic on them. She knew her charm wouldn't work here as whoever this guy was had placed a spell on his so-called guards so she couldn't harm them, at least in the way she usually would but she wasn't sure if it was them or the building.
She pondered for a moment before she decided to head on inside. She wasn't too worried as she did have an invitation and also a backup plan should things go bad but she had left her heart at home knowing t would only get in the way. When she removed it, it didn't destroy her feelings for Patrick, it only made the pain more manageable and let her get on with what she needed to do. Having a heart in her line of work wasn't good for business. If she started to care for every customer she had none of them would be able to feed.
She opened the front door and saw a long corridor that was barely lit. She laughed out loud a little when she saw armed guards along the walls wearing riot gear. They were obviously under this Warlock's control but she couldn't help but see the humor in this whole situation. She walked passed them barely giving them any attention at all as she saw a red door at the end of the hallway. She knew Patrick must be in there with his captor whoever he was. Nessira wasn't sure what to expect but she knew she would make this man pay for what he has done.
The doors opened on their own as she approached them and stepped inside. She was a bit surprised to see the room set up like a large living room with a fireplace lit on the wall. There was an empty chair in front of her with another facing the fireplace. She could see someone sitting in it but his back was facing her.
"Please sit, we have much to discuss."
"Yeah, I just came for my belongings."
"Please, I insist, there is no reason we can't be civil about this." He said turning around to face her.
Nessira laughed again seeing this man with a goatee sitting this in a robe smoking a pipe smiling at her. It took her a minute to compose herself before she said. "I'm sorry, should I call you Mr. Strange, or is it Doctor?"
"I have always found your sense of humor charming."
"You say that like I am supposed to know who the hell you are." Nessira said finally taking a seat across from him crossing her legs and getting comfortable. "Can you at least tell me your name?"
"You can call me Joshua."
"Okay Joshua, the guards are a bit much aren't they?"
"Oh them, they are just there to make sure none of your friends show up."
"I don't have any friends."
"What about Victoria, or Rick, or even Lilith herself, I have them all under an enchantment that makes it impossible for you to harm them."
"Can we get to the point, I don't have all day, who the hell are you?"
"Oh, I didn't think you would remember me, but no matter, as I said we have much to discuss."
"Well let's get on with it, I came here for Patrick and to end you if you have harmed him."
"I'm sure you have, you see I have waited for this moment for a very long time, the last time we met I was just a young lad."
"I see, sorry I don't sleep with underage men."
"Lovely, but no I am not a jealous man who wants revenge for being turned down, this is far more personal."
"Interesting, not very but you have my curiosity at least."
"You see, I am much older than I look, much like you, only age has taken more of a toll on me than you."
"Moisturizer helps."
"Yes, any way you see there is a day I'm sure you remember quite well, I don't because I wasn't there, I had left to go to another village."
"Village?"
"Yes, and when I returned home I found it ablaze along with the rest of the town and my family dead!"
Nessira sat there and listened starting to wonder who this man was and what exactly he was speaking of. She knew it had to have been that day when Sebastian died but it wasn't possible, it couldn't be possible.
"So many lives lost and then who should I see in the center of all this death and violence but you in the arms of your so-called mother crying over a broken heart, the Red Witch of Raven Hill losing her lover and in return destroying all the people who cared about her."
"I think we are done here," Nessira said standing up from her chair.
"I don't think so, you see you and I have some unfinished business." He said standing up out of his chair and walking over to the corner where there was something covered by a sheet that she was pretty sure wasn't there before. "You see you took something from me, and I just want to return the favor." He said pulling off the sheet to reveal Patrick tied up with tape over his mouth. She could see his cheek was swollen from where the tooth was pulled along with a few other bruises on him.
"I am going to slaughter you!" Nessira said as she went to lunge towards him but realized she could only move about three feet in any direction. "What, what is this?"
"You silly girl, beneath that rug is a succubus trap, similar to a demon trap with a few adjustments I made myself, you see after you left town I searched your house or what was left of it and found this." He said pulling out an old magic book she had long ago. "And with this, I learned so much, like how to keep myself alive long enough to exact my revenge. Now don't worry, I sought out other magical creatures and have spent the last 2 centuries learning everything I needed to know."
"I am going to kill you."
"I'm sure you will, and I welcome it, but not before I take from you like you took from me."
--
The guards stood in the hallway ready for whatever would come their way or so they thought. They had a spell on them that protected them from Succubi and Incubi as long as they were in the building however there was something stalking them that no spell had been invented yet to protect them from.
The lights began to flicker a little as one of the guards said: "what going on?"
"It's an old building, what do you expect, don't worry her friends can't hurt us."
"Ahh." A scream was heard down the other end as they turned and saw a gun on the floor and one of their comrades on the floor.
"Go check it out."
"I thought you said they couldn't..."