Niall’s heart dropped when Mac told him there was a situation. His heart dropped even more when a new voice got on the line. I wouldn’t worry your pretty little head about the length of time your girl can hold the ghoul, the new voice said in a sultry tone. I’ll have your information and her head before the sun rises so you’d best let me get to work. S-she’s not...s-she’s my s-sister! He stuttered. But the new voice wasn’t the one that replied. Niall, Enyo’s back, Mac sighed. What!? He exclaimed. When did that happen? When you mentioned that bastard! She snapped. Niall bowed his head in defeat. He’d caused the switch in Iri. He hated that he’d caused it. The last time he’d seen her like that was 7 years ago. *Flashback* Niall! What? He snapped turning around sharply. Everyone knew he hated to be interrupted. Jamie, what is it? He growled. It’s Iri, Jamie panted. Only it’s not. What the hell is that supposed to mean? He snapped. Jamie didn’t answer. He just grabbed his wrist and tugged him from the room. Niall nearly tripped over his feet as his brother pulled him down to the cells. As he was trying puzzle out why Jamie was pulling him down here, Jamie stopped in front of a door. She’s in there, Jamie told him. Why is she in the cells? Niall asked. Because she nearly killed Danny, he replied quietly. That’s hardly a surprise, Niall muttered. Half of the apprentices want to do that on a daily basis. What makes this any different? Because she very nearly succeeded. Niall turned to Jamie in surprise. Everyone at some point wanted to kill their brother Danny, most especially Iri. Most of the time, Iri would leave it at a black eye or busted lip and a thorough tongue lashing. The fact she’d nearly killed him was rather concerning. She’s not herself. Something is terribly wrong. Be careful. Niall nodded and opened the door. Iri? He asked. Someone or something moved along the back wall. Chains rattled as they shifted. Iri? He asked again. I am not this Iri that you speak of. I am Alastor and I do not suffer traitors or backstabbers. Iri moved into the light of the bare bulb above their heads. It may have been her body Niall saw but her eyes were not the silver he was used to seeing. They were dark, so dark any one of them could have mistaken her for a demon. But they weren’t black. No, her eyes were red. Deep, blood red and that was scarier than the voice that wasn’t hers. Alastor, go back to sleep, a second voice growled. Iri was arguing with herself Niall realized. And let that boy live? I think not! I don’t give a damn what you think! The second voice thundered. That boy is the girl’s brother! How do you think she’ll take it if she finds out you killed him and she doesn’t remember being the vessel for you to do it?!? Gods I swear I’m the only smart one among the lot of you! But Enyo... Don’t you but Enyo me, Alastor! Just go back to sleep. No. No? That’s right, no. Why should you have all the fun? Odin’s beard! This body is not ours! Iri/not Iri looked to him. I need you to hit me as hard as you can. WHAT?!? Why? Just hit me! Niall shook his head. I’m no good. I have no upper body strength but Jamie does. He motioned Jamie into the cell. Will he do? I don’t give a damn! I just need someone to beat the ever living shit out of me. I can’t hold Alastor much longer. Wait, you can control him? Jamie asked. Not necessarily. I can prevent him from doing something the girl will regret but I’m still weak from the last time I was out. So hurry up and hit me! And hitting you will help how? Jamie asked. It will provide me with something to focus on so I can continue holding him. Can’t I just knock you out? Not right away. Alastor will likely resurface when the girl wakes and I won’t be able to stop him then. Jamie had nodded his understanding and pushed him back. Niall watched as Jamie delivered punch after punch to Iri’s face and midsection. Enyo, the entity they had been talking to, didn’t raise Iri’s arms to block any of his punches. Blood flowed from her nose and lips but she remained stalwart. It’s time for you to knock me out, she told Jamie between punches. The girl will more than likely be back when she wakes so you’d best prepare a story for how she ended up your punching bag. Jamie nodded once the delivered a swift spinning roundhouse kick to her head. Iri’s head had snapped back violently then hit the floor with a rattle of the chains. Neither he nor Jamie stayed longer than strictly necessary after that. They hadn’t gone back to the cell either. It took 3 days for Iri to wake and by then most of her bruises were fading. She didn’t remember anything other than being furious at Danny for some reason. ******************************************** In all honesty, Niall had forgotten about Enyo and Alastor. But if Enyo was back things weren’t good. At least Enyo had far more control than Alastor. Niall sighed. Best make use of her while she’s out, Mac, he told her. Are you insane! Mac shouted, causing him to pull the phone away from his ear. Jamie looked up at the sound. The only reason she’s like this is because you mentioned him and said gods know what else to her! She ranted. Jamie snickered at him from across the room. There was no way he didn’t hear their sister yelling at him. It doesn’t help that she’s pushing herself so hard to..... her voice dropped, causing him to press the phone back to his ear. To what? He asked. She’s avoiding mom, Danny and Laochlain but mostly Danny and Laochlain. That explained why they hadn’t seen either of them since the incident seven years ago. Though, Niall was certain Mac didn’t know that was the reason why Iri was staying away. If Iri knew about Alastor like she did Enyo, she was probably afraid that Danny could bring him out again and that this time Enyo may not be enough to stop him. I’m sending you Jamie, it sounds like y’all are gonna need ‘em, he sighed finally. We don’t need a babysitter, Niall! Mac snapped. Niall rubbed the spot between his brows in agitation. Besides, we have all the help we need, she continued. I don’t give a flying fuck if you have the Swiss Guard at your disposal, MacKayla! Very few know how to deal with Iri when she’s like this and Enyo..... he cut himself off before he could finish the thought. Mac didn’t know about Alastor and he wasn’t about to tell her. Enyo is unpredictable. There’s no telling what she’ll do once she gets the ghoul to talk. Niall heard voices in the background. Mac? Niall one of the people helping us wants a word with you. Yeah ok. There was rustling that indicated she was passing the phone over to someone. You’re Iri’s brother? The new voice asked. It was definitely male judging by the timbre of it. One of them, yes. You know about Enyo I take it. Of course. Did you know there are others? Niall froze. This couldn’t be good. Don’t tell me Enyo couldn’t control him, he sighed rubbing the spot between his eyes again. Control who? You mean you haven’t met him? Met who? Alastor. No just Enyo. Thank the gods. Why? Alastor is far worse than Enyo. Honestly, we’ve only met those two and if Alastor is bad I can’t imagine what the others are like. How is Alastor worse? He will kill without conscious for the slightest reason. Niall scrubbed his face with the hand not holding the phone to his ear. He remembered Danny’s injuries. The Alchemists who treated him were afraid he wouldn’t regain the use of his left hand and forearm completely. Your sister is unstable, the man sighed. Niall ran his hand through his hair, She wasn’t always like this. I’m sending you our brother Jamie. He knows how to deal with both Enyo and Alastor. What about Mac? She’s not capable of handling Alastor. She can barely handle Enyo as it is. Now get to the point of why you wanted to talk to me. The man on the other line fell silent for a moment. How do we get her to go away? I beg your pardon? How do we get Enyo to let Iri... Enyo will only recede when she wants to. Now put my sister back on the line. The rustling came back on the line as the phone was passed back to Mac. Mac, did Enyo take the ghoul? Yeah why? Don’t let her get too carried away. Yeah sure. Tell Jamie we’ll see him soon. She rattled off an address, which he quickly copied and handed to Jamie as he ended the call. He turned to Jamie. Jamie, he said. Jamie looked down at him. I’m worried Alastor may make an appearance. Yeah that’s what I’m worried about too. But I’m more worried about Iri’s state of mind if something like this can set her off. I think she knows, Niall sighed. Knows? About Enyo, Alastor and the others. I think she’s terrified of all of them. Not Enyo. What makes you say that? Jamie shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. Dunno, he eventually replied. Just a feeling I guess. Niall furrowed his brow. Jamie shrugged again like he wasn’t sure exactly how to explain it. You should probably get going. Jamie nodded absently. Hey, he snapped his fingers in front of his brother’s face. Jamie refocused on him. Be careful. I don’t trust these guys. I’m sure Iri didn’t either but it’s not like she had much of a choice in the matter, Jamie muttered. Niall chuckled,Yeah I suppose you’re right about that. He looked at his watch. Enyo should have the information by the time you get there. Guess I’ll get going then. I’ll let you know when we get her back. Niall nodded. He tossed Jamie the keys to Iri’s Chevelle. Take Sexy. Iri’ll be glad to drive her back instead of that box. You mean the TARDIS? Yeah if that’s what she calls it. Go! Before I shove you out the door! Jamie turned and raised his hand in farewell. Niall couldn’t have known it would be the last time he’d see his brother like that. Nor could he have predicted just how fractured his sister’s mind truly was.