The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Sixteen

Morpheus lifted a finger to his lips. Apparently Sleep's command to watch, overpowered Psyche's willingness to shield Athen from the annoyance of being watched by part-Angels. This also made Morpheus think that, sometimes, when Athen seemed to include them and give them duties in the house, it might as much be a means to keep them occupied and out of his business.

Psyche was hanging all over Athen as Shade spoke to him.

As they separated, Morpheus focused another of the mirrors on Faye and Min, who had been locked, sleeping, into caskets in the basement.

Absinthe was not shy about watching what Athen and Psyche did when they got upstairs to the cutesy, pink room he'd designed for her. Morpheus had a suspicion that given their same ability to scrying, Sin and Laudy often watched The Athen Show when he wasn't with them. It made him cringe when he realized that was also, sometimes, the Julien Show as well. And not that Morpheus wasn't a big fan of the latter, but he tended to skip certain parts, given he already knew what sex with Julien looked like from first person experience. He just wanted to get back to it being his turn so badly.

"He's getting glum, again," Laudy said.

Morpheus assumed he must have sighed or that Laudanum just wasn't polite about using telepathy. He didn't care, honestly. Morpheus usually confessed all his feelings to Absinthe or Laudanum, anyway.

He forgot about his feelings, when River touched a tiny, clawed hand to his ear. "Boss!" Morpheus saw the shifting light in the looking glass through which he scried at Faye.

"Don't call me that," Morpheus said, focus momentarily divided as River climbed onto his head.

Two of the maids went into the store room in which Faye and Min were enclosed, bringing tools to force open the caskets.

"Super telepathy," Morpheus whispered. Faye rose from her coffin, and quickly sank her fangs into the maid's neck.

"That's definitely against the rules," Laudanum noted.

"She's dying!" Morpheus groaned, he pulled out his small mirror to call his mother.

"You know Opium is going to say our job is to watch, not interfere," Absinthe said.

Morpheus hesitated, compact in hand. Absinthe was right, but Morpheus knew Mother was as well. This part was always hard, but it was Humans who had the gifts of free will, and dominion over the Earth. At three quarters Angel, Morpheus had only half the right Laudy or Sin had to enforce his will. He had half-again their ability to bend things to his will.

It came with a questionable amount of responsibility to use his power righteously.

Vampyres were spawn of the Nephillim. Nephillim were inhabited by souls of fallen Angels, but Vampyres were creatures of Earth, however immortal. They were simply one more natural predator that Angels allowed to persist.

"I need to call her, anyway. She'll want to know." If she were watching from the other side and he didn't tell her, as asked, well, that wouldn't be honoring his parents wishes very well. When her face appeared in the mirror, he told her, "Faye's just killed a maid."

"What's happened? Do Athen and Shade know?"

Morpheus glanced to the mirrors. "Athen's a bit tied-up, and Shade's asleep. Faye's...she and Min are running to the garage."

"Did she take anything?"

The question caught Morpheus off guard, but then he recalled the previous discussions about Metro's prophesy. "No. Nothing like a book. Went right for a vehicle. It's a black pick-up."