Magdalena reached for Jack's face, letting her long sharp talon-like black nails lightly graze over his cheek.  Her wicked grin spreading into a larger and more menacing one as told him bittersweet.  "You poor unfortunate soul. You played right into my hands".  Mark tried to step forward, but stopped when the Seeker's shadow nicked his throat with the golden dagger.  Jack reluctantly relaxed against the floor.  The shell creatures venom was sinking in now.  His body was going numb.  He felt perfectly relaxed.  Even though he knew he shouldn't be.  His heart should have been racing and he should feel terrified, but his body wasn't responding.  He felt as aware as ever though.  Staring out the corner of his eye to Mark, a single tear fell from his eye.  The Seeker walked past his vision to stand by Mark, saying coolly to Magdalena.  "So, what do we do with him"? 

Mark turned cold eyes on the Seeker, clenching his fists as he growled out in a dark voice.  "You better kill me, before I get my chance to kill YOU".  Magdalena chuckled at Mark response, wavering her hand dismissively at the Seeker.  "Do what you wish with him. He's of no use to me now".  Jack's vision blurred for a second as more tears fell from his eyes.  He couldn't even say anything.  He could just watch as the Seeker puffed thick white smoke from his vapor into Mark's face.  Mark closed his eyes, clearly trying not to breath it in.  When the Seeker leaned in to whisper something in his ear.  Jack watched Mark open his eyes to reveal bright purple eyes.  The Seeker rested an arm on Mark's shoulder, turning to flash a smile down at Jack as he puffed more smoke from his vapor. 

Jack could suddenly taste a thick copper taste in his mouth and felt his body jerk uncontrollably as if he was having a seizure.  Magdalena put a hand on him to keep him firmly on the floor, telling the Jack calmly as her large faded eyes fluttered in pleasure.  "I can feel it. Your soul. Stop resisting. Your will to live isn't as strong as my desire to obtain it"!  Jack's body started so slow down and he could almost feel his body start to give in.  When the door to the hotel room was kicked open.  Magdalena winced in pain, covering her eyes from the bright light outside as a familiar voice bellowed out in a dark threatening voice.  "GET AWAY FROM HIM, MAGS"!  Magdalena slowly rose up to her feet, hissing back through her teeth.  "Well, if it isn't the little Sea-Bitch! About time you came here to protect your King's son"! 

The Sea-Witch walked into the room, her hand gesturing just outside as she answered simply.  "I've been busy discovering holes in your old fish tale, Mags. Besides that... I didn't come alone".  Jack's eyes widened as a woman stepped out into the light.  He couldn't believe his eyes.  He had only seen her statues back home in Atlantis.  The woman glared at Magdalena and Magdalena looked beyond pissed.  Turning to the Seeker, Magdalena screamed out at him sternly.  "YOU DIDN'T KILL HER"!  Jack expected the Seeker to look calm and collected.  Maybe even a bit smug.  Instead, he looked almost hurt.  Ashamed, even.  His aunt turned her eyes on the Seeker, telling him in a dark voice.  "Why am I not surprised to see you here, James. Hurting me wasn't enough"?  Jack's eyes darted between them quickly.  He pretty much knew how his aunt would know Magdalena... but the Seeker?  How did she know his name? 

The Seeker quickly looked away from his aunt to snap back at Magdalena.  "Our deal! Give me my wish NOW"!  Magdalena pointed a mistrusting finger at the Seeker, sneering through her teeth.  "You still love her. You lied to me! You told me you killed her"!  The Seeker moved closer to Magdalena, snapping back.  "GRANT IT! YOU PROMISED"!  Slowly the pieces sank in for Jack.  The old tale was about his aunt.  She fell in love with a human... Only the human wasn't who she thought he was.  Her human was a Seeker.  This Seeker.  Jack's aunt rushed toward a window and throw back the curtain to let in more sunlight.  Magdalena screamed, retreating back toward the bathroom.  The Sea-Witch jumped over him to quickly follow after her, while his aunt moved closer toward the Seeker. 

His aunt glared at the Seeker, telling him snippily.  "I told you to leave my family alone"!  The Seeker stood very still, following her movements with his eyes as he very calmly told her in a soft voice.  "I'm doing this for us. You love me. Just as I still love you".  His aunt shook her head, telling him seriously.  "I loved you when you had a heart. You betrayed me for HER"!  The Seeker turned to face her, yelling back.  "I DIDN'T! I played her in order to get what I wanted! With the wish she would grant me, I could get rid of our real problem. Your brother. What is one nephew in cost of our happiness"?  His aunt's expression softened as she answered.  "You don't understand. I don't love you anymore. You betrayed me. You let her hurt me. That's not love, James. No matter your intentions".  The Seeker stepped closer to her, snapping back.  "You wanted a life with me! I didn't betray you! I had Magdalena make you human so that we could be together"! 

His aunt moved closer to touch his arms as she looked him in the eyes to tell him bluntly.  "What you did was isolate me from everything that I have ever known. You took my life away and when she told you to finish me off... you sent me out on my own to survive. All to pursue this useless power that she can't give you! She wanted you for herself and wanted me out of the picture. And instead of listening to me... You listened to her. My brother maybe stubborn, but he has always looked after family. While you just want to destroy them for what YOU want"!  The Seeker stared at her with tender eyes, his voice cracking as he uttered out weakly.  "No... Everything I have done has been for us. You don't understand. I can fix all of this when I get what I want. You'll see".  Jack turned his eyes from them to Mark.  Mark was wavering in place and his purple eyes were fading away to his brown ones. 

Jack couldn't take his eyes off Mark.  The Seeker was too distracted.  Too emotionally distressed.  He was losing his hold on Mark and wasn't even thinking about him.  The shadowy illusion faded away from Mark's side, dropping the golden dagger onto the bed soundlessly.  As the last of the purple faded away from Mark's eyes, Mark quickly took in the scene.  The Seeker had his back to Mark.  Jack saw Mark's eyes look around until he saw the dagger.  Jack held his breath.  Mark picked up the dagger, silently moving up behind the Seeker.  His aunt had to of seen Mark coming, because she placed her hands on the Seeker's face.  She stared into his eyes, telling him sweetly.  "She's corrupted you, James... and I blame myself. I will always blame myself for letting us come to this". 

The Seeker took a deep breath, whispering to her in a more confident voice.  "Let me help you forget then. We can get a fresh start. I can help you understand".  The Seeker's eyes began to turn purple and Jack wanted to scream out to Mark.  It was now or never.  His aunt closed her eyes as tears started to leak down her cheeks.  With a quick thrust, Mark stabbed the Seeker in the back.  The Seeker's eyes instantly cut off from their purple color and he stared into the eyes of Jack's aunt, before falling to the ground.  Mark stood by his dead body, saying sourly.  "I told you to kill me when you had the chance".  Jack watched his aunt kneel down over the Seeker to remove the dagger with wide eyes.  Holding up to Mark, she asked him surprised.  "Where did you get this from"?!  Mark gestured simply to the Seeker, mumbling out.  "He gave it to Jack". 

Mark quickly dropped to his kneels beside Jack, asking her hopefully.  "Can I have that back? I'm going to pry this fucking shell off".  Jack's aunt shook her head in response, telling him in a whirl.  "No! You can't do that! It will kill him"!  Mark gestured to Jack, snapping back.  "It's killing him already"!  Jack's aunt pulled down the front of her shirt a bit to reveal a massive scar that looked like a patch of burned flesh.  When Mark looked at it confused, she rushed out.  "That is why I am here. Magdalena isn't killing him. She's taking the magical part of him. She's draining away his magic and making him human. If you try to pry it off then the creature will panic and kill him. You need to-".  Whatever she was going to say was interrupted by the hotel door slamming shut and the curtains pulling back to block out the light.  There was a sudden blast of steam from the bathroom, followed by the Sea-Witch being hurled into the room. 

The Sea-Witch tried to pick herself up off the floor, but she looked weak and exhausted.  Magdalena strutted out into the doorway then as the hot steam leaked from the bathroom.  Magdalena glared at them all, before snapping out in a dark watery voice.  "You want to feel my wraith? FINE! I'll start with him"!  Jack could only watch in horror as Magdalena raised a hand in Mark's direction.  From her hand a dark purplish beam shot from her palm toward Mark's chest.  To Be Continued...