New York
"This isn't a house. It's a library." Hulio said.
"Correction, it's the Great Library of New York," Katherine said, looking wonderingly up at the old building.
Rina walked up the steps gesturing everyone to join her. "Iriel is paranoid. He would never let a bunch of witches and assorted supernaturals," Rina said, glancing at the twins and Raena and Iris, "Ever enter his home. We arranged this as a meeting place should the worst ever happen." Rina said, as she stepped towards the front doors.
"And has the worst happened?"
I narrowed my eyes at the new voice looking around for the source. Iriel stepped out of the shadows of one of the lion statues that flanked the entrance his arms crossed. He looked darkly at our group, before his eyes landed back at Rina. "What happened?" he said sharply.
"We need your help," Rina said turning to look at Julio and Hulio. Iriel took one look at the two of them before he started to smile.
"The twin dragons have finally emerged." He said his eyes twinkling. He crossed his arms looking at the two of them before slowly looking around at the rest of the group. His eyes stopped at me, and he smiled even wider.
"Dorian Gray. Now that's one face I never thought I'd ever see again." He said smirking an eyebrow raised.
"Don't. You know very well, that your stipulation for witches or warlocks asking you for help, is to get both me and Rina to bring them to you." I said my own eyebrow raised.
"Yeah. Because I didn't think they'd ever get the two of you to work together." Iriel said scowling. "Come on, you don't want to go that way," Iriel said gesturing towards the lion.
Rina frowned glancing at me before she followed Iriel, everyone else followed her, through a secret passageway between the dragon and the building that led into a stone staircase that led to a tunnel down underneath the library. "The great Library may have books from humans but this place is much more interesting. Welcome to the Immortal Library. A collection that's been gathering for years by the many many immortal beings that have come before us." Iriel said opening the double doors.
We all stared in shock at the wall-to-wall shelves that seemed to lead all the way to the ceiling, which seemed to be a night sky. "How did you even find this place?" I said looking around. I'd seen my share of libraries as the years have passed but I had never seen one as elaborate as this. The shelves were in a constant state of flux, moving upwards, downwards, and side to side. "It was actually made by the Egyptian god Thoth."
"The god of knowledge," Rina said her hand was bent upwards as she looked at the higher shelves under the starry sky.
"Immortals have been adding to it ever since," Iriel said, he turned and walked up a raised platform that led into a lounge area, where he turned and collapsed down to a very regal-looking throne-like chair. He raised one leg to rest on the knee of the other, his hands on each armrest, and surveyed the rest of the group. "So I know Rina and Dorian, but who the hell are the rest of you?" Iriel said his eyebrows raised.
The twins exchanged glances, "I'm Julio and this is my brother Hulio." Julio said gesturing at Hulio.
"Iris of the Bermuda triangle," Iris said smiling slightly.
"Raena of the fae," Raena said.
"Irina of the ice, and this is Katherine. Now that we've all met, are you going to help us or not?" Irina asked.
I raised my eyebrows. "Irina's never been one to beat around the bush," Rina said.
"What makes you think I can do anything?" Iriel said.
Rina scowled at Iriel before she climbed up the dais and sat in one of the lounge chairs close to him. "The last time we met. You told me about the love of your life. You told me that you left her, because the life of bloodshed, of forever hunting, no longer appealed to you. She's one of them, isn't she? One of the hunters?" Rina said.
Iriel looked hunted at her words his eyes dark. "Her name is Zenna. And she will never stop hunting. Not even for me. But there might be someone who can stop her." Iriel said.
He glanced at me. "Isadora." I blinked hearing the name.
"Well, that's impossible."
"What's impossible?" Irina asked narrowing her eyes.
"It's not impossible. Just highly impractical." Iriel said.
"And that makes it better?" Irina asked dryly.
"This isn't another one of your exes is it?" Rina asked shrewdly.
"She's not an ex. She's just insane." I said glaring at Iriel, who grinned widely. "Just like Helena," he smirked.
"She's worse than Helena," I complained.
"But, we do know that Isadora isn't crazy she can be led to see reason, and we do know someone who she always listens to," Iriel said.
I scowled. "Now you want me to find Darius and bring him to Isadora which is also impossible. Isadora was a Viking warrior from the first age. She wouldn't be alive right now." I pointed out.
"Except, Zenna and Isadora were kidnapped and taken from their Viking kingdom to Belmora, where they were experimented on. It gave them unique gifts, strength, beauty, and the gift of never aging." Iriel said.
He glanced at Rina. "Zenna traveled the world, looking for fights wherever she could find them. Isadora became a healer, she travels the poorest areas, protecting those who can't protect themselves." Iriel said.
I raised my eyebrows. "Isadora? The savior of people. The words don't even make sense." I said. Rina stood up her arms crossed as she turned to look at me. "Where is Darius and please don't say Vemos."