I cursed Pi again as I stepped across the hall to the dorm's bathroom; time spent in The Other Place, my name for the spirit world, was not restful sleep, and I had a test in my Aztec Civ class today. Throwing on a black turtleneck and a pair of jeans was about all I had time for before flying down the stairs, books in hand.

Turning a blind corner I almost ran into two men coming up. "Sorry," I mumbled, head down, and tried to step past them. The musclebound fellow on the left moved to block me, however, and I looked up into challenging blue eyes. I recognized his face, and a quick glance to the right showed me his other half, a forbidding mestizo who I was sure carried quite an arsenal under his enveloping trenchcoat.

I saw them first on the other plane; I had assumed they had wandered there unintentionally while dreaming. A week later, however, I had run into them in a seedy bar my friend had forced me to come to (underage drinking was not usually my thing). When they approached me I learned they had actually been glamoured by some silver sidhe in the middle of the New Mexican desert, of all places. Once one fey approaches you, you can see them all, provided you had the ability to see them at all.

It was now obvious I shouldn't have given them my name, after they learned I was a student here at the University of Arizona. "You!" I managed to exclaim as all this ran through my mind.

"We want answers," the blonde asserted toughly, shifting his weight as I attempted to pass again.

"Answers?" I responded innocently, though I knew what he meant. They wanted to know what they were seeing; why angels and devils sometimes appeared on almost every street corner and why they often stumbled into a strange grey world while dreaming. I had once been in search of the same answers, though I doubt I had been this... forceful in obtaining them.

"I'm late to class," I said, attempting to push by the silent one on the right. Instead of simply barring the way, his arm came up around my shoulders, spinning my back up against him.

“This is important,” he said into my ear.

I had been dealing with capricious demons long enough to know not showing fear to those that expected it went a long way. I swallowed my rising panic and tried to sound as no-nonsense as possible. “I have a test, boys. Maybe we could meet after noon at the coffee shop on the corner.”

The edgy men shared a glance, and the blonde nodded his assent. “Twelve o’clock,” the mestizo affirmed, then callously released me.

I bolted down the stairs.

I have found no great truths in the spirit world, no awe-inspiring deities or answers to eternal questions. There have only been small-minded, petty beings with unsettling supernatural powers. Affairs of the fey, though no more earth-shattering than our own, tend to override the concerns of mundane human life, however.

I didn’t do very well on my test. Those frantic men shouldn’t have bothered me so much, but they did. I even fondled the switchblade in my pocket as I hurried to the coffee shop. Hopefully I could get there before them and have that strategic advantage.

I had no such luck. The duo were already seated in the back corner, and judging by the empty dishes on the table, they must have come here right after I left them. The dark one had his booted feet up on the table, and his piercing gaze speared me as soon as I walked in. He made a slight motion and the blonde quickly stood and walked up to escort me to the table. His left hand clamped on my upper arm as if I would turn and run. They hadn’t been this forceful in the bar; what had happened to them since?

“How was your test?” the mestizo asked when we were seated, dropping his feet to the floor and leaning forward intently.

It was a relief to hear him trying to make me feel comfortable, though his companion was still like a wolf with its hackles up, and seemed to be regretting releasing my arm.

I ignored the question. “I never caught your names,” I said instead.

“I’m Jake, and he’s Fernandez,” the blonde replied quickly. A little too quickly, perhaps; I figured they were aliases.

“And you already know I’m Julia. Let me order some coffee and I’ll be glad to answer any questions I can.” I had decided on the no-nonsense approach to dealing with these thugs.

Fernandez signaled a waiter and ordered me a cappuccino. I hoped he knew he was paying.

Jake was still surveying the room, alert to every movement. I wondered if he ever relaxed. “You guys didn’t seem this anxious before,” I began. “What’s got you so nervous?”

“She’s taunting us,” was Fernandez’s noncommittal reply. He too watched the room, though not as obviously.

“She. You mean that sidhe you told me about in the bar?”

“Yeah. That silver bitch started stealing our equipment and almost fucked up our last job,” Jake exploded.

Fernandez came in quickly. “When we spoke to you last, we were only mildly curious. We had quite an… interesting time with the – sidhe, did you say? – in the desert, but assumed it was an isolated experience. Even when we started seeing other spirits, that wasn’t a problem. But she started coming back. She never said anything to us, but we’d see her across the room, or in the back seat of passing cars. Always laughing. And things would go missing.” He exchanged a glance with Jake. “She screwed up our last job big time.”

“Almost fucking killed us,” Jake interjected, eyes burning with injured pride.

“What kind of jobs do you guys do?” I asked, possibly on to something. Daoine Sidhe are fond of mocking mortals like this, especially in dangerous, battle-related situations…

The men exchanged glances again. “Mostly bodyguarding,” Jake said innocently, eyes still on Fernandez, then looking to me with the most guileless face I’d ever seen. Obviously they didn’t want to tell me, but made sure I knew they were lying. Whatever it was, it must have been highly illegal. Perfect.

“It sounds like you’re dealing with a Daoine Sidhe. Back in the day, they existed only in Ireland, but most have moved on in search of new sport. But a visit to the library could have told you that. What do you want me for?”

Jake stared levelly at me, utterly serious with a hint of a threat if I didn’t comply. “We want you to get rid of her.”

Before I could speak, Fernandez elaborated. “We saw you waste those demons in the dreamworld. We know you know how to take these things out.”

He was referring to the lesser efreets Pi had me practicing my wards on. The spirit wasn’t stupid enough to teach me how to kill the fey, but and effective ward causes an irritating demon to wink out of existence for a while. It probably did look like I was “wasting” them, to and uninitiated observer.

“First of all, a sidhe is a lot more formidable than those efreets,” I began. “Smarter and more powerful. And besides, I can’t kill anything. Wards can just keep them away from you.”

Again, glances were exchanged. These men had obviously been working together for quite a while. “Good enough,” Jake acquiesced. “What do we have to do?”

I really did try to think, but Pi had never taught me anything as strong as what would be needed. I had seen what the sidhe did to people, and I was glad I had always escaped their notice.

“Truthfully, I don’t know yet,” I said to the thugs, looking Fernandez straight in the eyes. He seemed to be the levelheaded one.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jake move threateningly toward me. “But you can find out, right?” he menaced, teeth clenched.

Fernandez raised a hand. “No need to frighten her, Jake,” he said amiably. “Julia seems like a very nice girl. I have a feeling she wants to help us, out of the goodness of her heart.”

Their mangled good cop – bad cop routine was not lost on me. “I’ll do my best,” I said, a little shakily, “but it may take a little while to contact… my mentor. And I’m not sure if he’ll tell me what to do either. He’s a little… difficult.”

“Difficult can be managed,” Fernandez said casually. They both had slipped into their “tough guy” facades.

I actually barked a laugh at their arrogance. “I don’t think you can intimidate a demi-god,” I chuckled, exaggerating Pi’s power a bit to emphasize my point.

“You’re learning this shit from a demi-god?” Jake exclaimed, snaking his foot out to spin my chair to face him.

One thing you should know about me; I can’t lie. The option doesn’t even usually occur to me. Obviously unsuitable for the type of company I was beginning to keep. “He claims to be the Polynesian spirit of madness. If that was really the case, I don’t know why he’d be hanging around here, but he won’t leave me alone. He teaches me things when he feels like it. Usually when I ask for something specific… it never turns out well.”

Jake grabbed my hand, leaning forward until the scent of his cologne hit me like a wave. “This is important,” he whispered fervently. “I wanna bag that bitch. Cut her open. Nobody screws us like that.”

I refused to be cowed. “I’m telling you I don’t know how I’ll get the information you need.”

Jake paused, then leaned in a little closer, almost as if he would kiss me. My errant thoughts noticed he was not at all unattractive. “I would be very grateful if you would do this for me,” he breathed, lips only millimeters from my cheek. He had relaxed his death-grip on my hand, slightly, and his thumb was now stroking the back of it.

I hadn’t expected him to attempt to sway me with sex appeal; the words “I’ll do my best” escaped my lips before I could think of anything more assertive to retort with.

“Good girl,” he said right into my ear, lips doing a lot more than just brushing it. I felt a little thrill in spite of my defeat.

Fernandez’s smirk burned my pride, however. “Well, now that that’s settled… I believe you need a way to contact us, once you’ve obtained the information we need. It’s very important that we be able to… deal with this sidhe.”

“No problem,” I said helplessly as Jake handed me a business card with a pager number on it. He winked as he gave it to me, really overdoing the fake charm.

I had never actually sought Pi out, I had a feeling the deed would not be easily accomplished. I walked shakily from the coffee shop and tried to resume my normal schedule.

For the first time in a while, I welcomed awakening on the Other plane, knowing Pi had jerked me there in my sleep. I could have gone voluntarily at any time, of course, leaving my body behind and taking that consciousness leap, but I doubted I would find Pi that way. Most fey don’t care to stay in their faded, grey homeworld, choosing instead to materialize in ours and have their way with us. It’s a very good thing there aren’t that many of them.

This time I found myself in an abandoned hall of cold grey marble. I raised myself up off a long, cool slab to find I was dressed only in a thin white gown. It reminded me of the sacrificial victims in old movies and creeped me out. I had forgotten that despite any plans I might have for Pi, Pi always had plans for me.

I slid to my feet warily, wishing Pi had given me some shoes. The fey could manipulate a lot of the material in this world, and Pi had taught me a little of that skill. I concentrated, and got small silk slippers. All attempts to change the dress failed, however. At least I got a blade in my hand; that made me feel a hell of a lot better. I peered through the forest of fluted columns as I slinked catlike down the middle aisle.

“This is how the sacrifices used to come to me,” a disembodied voice rang over me. “The incantations of the priests would send their minds to my plane, where I could hunt them as I pleased. The taking of their hearts was only for show.”

He was describing sacrifice typical only of Mesoamerica. “I thought you were a Polynesian spirit?” I called to him, still looking furtively around me.

“The spirit of madness, mind you,” he replied laughingly. “I’m probably doing this just to confuse you.”

“Probably?” I called to the air.

The only reply was maniacal laughter.

“I don’t have time for this,” I called, brandishing my weapon around me with a foolish hope to intimidate him.

“You don’t have time. I’m the most important thing in your pitiful life. Your one brush with greatness. And you should know by now how it angers us if you don’t play our games.”

I didn’t fear Pi’s wrath. “I have a request this time, Pi. Show yourself.”

“You always have a request,” he sulked. “I want to play.”

I rolled my eyes and let loose a frustrated sigh. “Fine, bring on the games,” I acquiesced, sheathing my blade and closing my eyes.

I felt him materialize behind me. “I haven’t had a real sacrifice in centuries,” he whispered in my ear, lightly rubbing his hands up my bare arms. Why was everyone being so damned erotic lately? His hands closed over my shoulders and he pulled me into him. “I used to chase those cowering victims; how delicious their terror was. But you don’t fear me like that,” he mock-lamented, moving his hands down to encircle my waist. “You do, however, seem cowed by this,” he purred, actually pushing his pelvis against me. I tried to pull away but the spirit was massively strong. He snickered and murmured into my ear, “That’s it, struggle. Try and resist me.” I hadn’t realized Pi was such a sick fuck, and the only way to make him stop was to ruin his fun.

I mustered all my strength and stood up poker-straight. I turned my head and fixed him with my most disdainful, condescending glare. I hoped I was making him feel foolish, because the fear was beginning to coil in my stomach. Being raped in spirit sucked as bad as being raped in the body.

He returned my gaze with his laughing smirk for a few endless seconds, then laid a passionate kiss on my unmoving lips. “You win,” he said bemusedly, and began walking away. The dream began to fade.

“Wait!” I called out, not forgetting why I let myself be subjected to that. “Now, my question,” I commanded, grabbing his hand to make sure he didn’t get away.

“You won’t even let me pout for my loss?” the disappointed spirit queried. “Fine!” he exclaimed, crossing his arms like a spoiled child. “Ask away.”

I took a deep breath. “How can I ward a sidhe?”

All the laughter drained from Pi’s face. “You’re having problems with a sidhe? The power in those things… you have no idea how glad we are they’re benevolent.”

“Not me,” I reassured, “some… friends of mine.”

“You have friends, Julia?” Pi mocked, one eyebrow raised.

“Sure,” I chortled. I was becoming rather aware lately of my inability to make close friends. It was just difficult for me to pretend I cared about them.

“And they came to you for help. Have you been talking about me?” he preened, but with a dangerous edge.

“No, they saw me here,” I said dryly, looking around at Pi’s dismal home plane. “And assumed I knew what the hell was going on in your world.”

“And a sidhe’s playing with them?”

I nodded. “They want to kill her, but I told them you would never teach me how to do that.”

“Girl, I don’t know how to do that,” Pi said bemusedly, appearing lost in thought.

“So will you teach me the ward or not?” I asked, growing impatient. Did I mention I hated the Other Place?

Pi continued to look off into the distance for another moment, then turned back to me. “No.” The rage grew on my face. “It’s not time for me to teach you that yet.”

“You just don’t want to cross a sidhe,” I accused.

His face went dark. “I fear no pampered fairy,” he growled.

I was adamant. “I played your silly game. Now grant my request.”

He actually stuck his lower lip out. “There’s some iron deposits just outside the Lakota reservation in the Black Hills. Use it to make protective fetishes for them.”

“She’s been stealing from them too. Will this protect their equipment as well?”

Pi smirked. “They’ll have to ward it all too.”

Jake and Fernandez were not going to like having to take all these protective measures. But it was all Pi was giving me. And if I had to go all the way to South Dakota, they were coming with me.

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