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"Like what?" Vivian asked.
Nikki shrugged, trying her best to look innocent and unconcerned. "How to pull back toward the abyss to prevent a body death from impact. Cars, falling, doesn't matter. Burns vitality bad, but could keep me from spending time in the dark."
"What the fuck do you think we do?" Karsen asked. "Ghost, phantoms, or specters - doesn't matter. That's how we dissipate."
"Mhm," Nikki agreed. "But I'm a witch. I mean, that's like me thinking it's weird that you don't know how to build a herd of donors."
"Sounds more like a shepherd," another guy taunted. "The little witch just tends her little flock, huh?"
"Name?" Nikki asked him. "I'm Nikki, if you missed that."
"Zion. Phoenix," he replied. "Yeah, I do more than just come back from the dead. I burn things too."
"Nice!" she said. "So I know a few of you heard about the crosses, right?"
Vivian grunted, making it clear she wasn't impressed. "They said it's because they were born before Christianity. Means we're all screwed."
"I can touch the cross," Nikki said. "I mean, I feel it, but it doesn't burn or hurt me. Just feels tingly."
"Lemme guess," Laci said, "you didn't believe in Christianity either?"
"I actually did, until it turned on me," Nikki explained. "Salem witch trials, you know. Got messy. I went from being a pagan to a Christian, and right back to a pagan after I died. And now, here I am practicing some bastardized version of a religion I never followed. I figure that means it's all just something for us to focus on, not any hard or fast rule."
Karsen jerked his chin at her. "So what do you think about having an inquisitor here?"
"That fucker's going to bring the rest," Laci grumbled.
Vivian quickly hushed her, but that was enough to let Nikki know the overall sentiment of this group. "I don't know yet," she said, hoping to get a better idea of whether or not the opinions being thrown out here were shared by the rest of the eidolon. "I mean, he married Dahlia. Wouldn't that mean he's ok?"
"Or he's setting her up," Zion pointed out. "Change her name, get control of it, and then negate one of the strongest here, right? I mean, if she's really as impressive as everyone makes out - since I haven't seen her do anything - then isn't that like taking out the big guns? And he knows that Cain's name is Cain."
"But he can ignore it," Nikki reminded them.
"Does this priest know that?" Karsen asked.
Nikki didn't bother correcting him about Thane's place in the Inquisition. "Cain said that in front of all of us. Dahlia got married to change her name. The hunter already had her real name before that. He called her back from the abyss and told her about this place."
"Fuck them if they think they can take it from us," Laci said. "I think we need to kick the guy out."
"How?" Zion asked. "If Cain's all for him being here, then what can we do? Break their lease?"
"He still bleeds," Vivian pointed out.
"He also fucks," Laci said. "The succubus says he smells amazing."
"I think we should all get a drink from him," Zion said. "If he survives that, he'd run out of here as fast as he can."
"And then you'd have both Cain and Dahlia against you," Nikki pointed out. "I think he's safe to ignore, personally. But I have got to run to the store. Nice to meet you, Zion."
Then she made her retreat, walking calmly towards the parking lot and then turning to the right. She kept going a little more, making her steps lighter and lighter until she paused, straining her ears to hear what they said next, because nothing about that conversation felt right to her. It felt like a split in their community, and she wasn't sure how far some of these people would go for a little more vitality in the hopes of increasing their chances of staying alive.
"She's with them," Vivian finally said. "The black dog too. Not sure where Surya falls, though. The priest scares the shit out of her, but she seems to like Dahlia. I bet we could sway her to our side."
"I know the banshee isn't a fan," Karsen said. "I can ask around and see what everyone else thinks."
"I'll ask the vampires," Zion offered.
"We just need enough of us to push Cain and Dahlia out," Vivian said. "They think we should keep limiting ourselves. The Church isn't even in this state! It's a free feeding ground, and we should hide? No, what we need to do is enjoy the chance to fill up and push our powers. If that witch is right, it means we should be able to learn from each other too. Then I'd like to see the Inquisition try to take us down!"
