Gator Boyfriend 3 (complete)

    Marv’s apartment is surprisingly small, considering how big he is I figured he would have been somewhere else. He lets me in, showing me his friend’s room. The poor guy looked like he had the life drained from him. Rever let me see some of the case files, but everything was still vague, even for the police. 

    “You have no idea where we went the night before?” I ask Marv, knowing he’s been asked this question over a dozen times already.

    “I really don’t. He told me he would message me later, to see if I wanted to join him, but he never messaged me back,” Marv sighs, shoulders slouching and posture caving into himself. 

    He looks exhausted. Granted, he slept on the floor of the office last night, too afraid to come back here. He’s gotten himself a change of clothes, but it’s not much different than what he had on the day before. A flannel that won’t quite button around him and a tight white shirt underneath that shows the contours of his chest and stomach. The way he looked reminded me of a calendar at the salon my aunt went to. Naughty men of downtown or something like that. It was the first time I’d ever seen a penis so...anyways.

    I check his nightstand, rummaging through it. As I’m sifting through old batteries and a stash of candy bars I see a small bit of ribbon in the back. I tug it and the bottom of the drawer falls out at my feet along with a few other things.

    There’s a business card and some papers as well as a burner phone.

    “What is that?” Marv walks up behind me as I stoop to pick it up.

    “Our first real lead,” I tell him. I flash him the business card. “Looks like we have to pay a visit to the Goblin Market.”

    The card is matte black with gold lettering. It features the logo of a very prominent lawyer who specifically works in the magic underground of the Goblin Market, Lazarus Bean.

    Marv scowls taking the card from me as I look through the papers. “Why would he want to go there?” He asks, turning the card over. “There’s no reason for it.”

    “He had his reasons,” I murmur. “For one, Lazarus is a fairy, so almost everything he does is underhanded or a trick. Looks like your friend fell for one.” I glance up at Marv who is staring at me confused. “It’s a Circle contract,” I tell him. “In other words, your friend stepped into Lazarus’ circle and got himself spirited away.” I look back down at the papers. “He was working for Lazarus, or well, paying him off with favors.”

    “Then did Lazarus do this to all these people?” Marv growls, crumpling up the card in his hand.

    “Lazarus is dirty,” I say, touching his hand to make him release the business card. “But he isn’t a murderer. I’ve dealt with him more times than I care to. And even if I wouldn’t trust him with my life, he wouldn’t be the one to take it, and not in such a gruesome fashion. He’s more...stylish than that.”

    I then sigh. “Besides, I doubt he’d leave a mass grave like I found.”

    “You keep mentioning this mass grave,” Marv snarls. “It sounds more like a sacrifice.”

    I look up at him. “What do you mean?”

    “Where I grew up, there were a lot of pagan religions and practices. One of them had been thrown out from my hometown because they practiced ritual sacrifices of their members. After they were thrown out, they performed a mass ritual.”

    I furrow my brow. “How many did they sacrifice?” I turn towards him, taking my amulet between my fingers.

    “Everyone,” he replies. “They were attempting to put a curse on everyone in the bayou. They did it in a spot in the swamp, everyone was too afraid to go near it, so they were left there until the swamp took them.”

    I swallow back a nervous lump in my throat. “Did the curse work?”

    “I used to be a little blonde girl,” Marv replies.

    I stare up at him as my jaw goes slack. Marv then grins at me. 

    “No,” he laughs. “It didn’t work,” he is trying his best to hold back his laughter to spare me. “Mama Tomi protected us with her magic. She’s the most powerful Queen in the bayou. She also used to make beignets I’d go blind for.”

    “If it was a ritual sacrifice to summon something, then what?” I whisper, shaking my head.

    “That toxic magic was unlike anything I had ever sensed before, and I’ve felt pure evil at its core when I was young. Mama Tomi taught us, dumbass kids, a lesson.” He grunts and looks out the window. “Perhaps it was that they summoned.”

    I look at the slightly crumpled business card in my hand. “Well, for starters, Lazarus Bean is out only lead.”

    Marv and I leave the apartment, heading downtown and into a narrow alleyway that Marv barely fit into. At the dead end, I placed my amulet on the wall. As the glyphs shimmered, the bricks folded into themselves, revealing a gateway. We walked through, stepping into the Goblin Market. 

    A black cat saunters up to us, gazing up at me with bright yellow eyes. “Magnus,” she replies with a purr.

    “Jemima,” I murmur back to her as she starts to weave herself between Marv’s ankles. 

    “I see you brought the crocodile with you,” she sighs. “That’s a good show of faith.” She walks back out in front of me. “State your business.”

    “Why must we explain ourselves to a cat?” Marv’s impatience is rising from him like a sweltering heat.

    “Jemima isn’t a cat,” I warn him.

    “And dare not say that again,” Jemima snarls. 

    I look back at the black cat, seeing a ridge of fur rising along her back. “She’s one of the Beacons,” I tell him. “And she’d sooner kill you than ask you your business.” I flash Jemima Lazarus Bean’s business card. 

    “I’ve come to talk to him,” I reply. “There’s been a string of murders on the other side, one of them leads back to him.”

    “Lazarus is a cheat but he ain’t no killer,” Jemima says, rising up on her hind legs and taking the card. She sniffs it and recoils. “What is that?” She tosses the card on the ground.

    “Whatever killed those people,” I pick the card out a puddle.

    Jemima steps out of the way. “Get out of here then,” her face is still a grimace, and she rubs at her nose furiously.

    Marv turns and looks back at her before following close beside me. “What’s a Beacon?” He asks.

    “You didn’t have any of those in the Bayou?” I smirk up at him. “She’s like a Hellhound, only worse,” I explain. “Jemima guards the gates because she got tired of torturing the damned. Now she prefers to torment the innocent.”

    “So, like a regular cat?” Marv murmurs.

    I shake my head and tut at him. “Don’t say that within earshot. But yes.”

    The Goblin Market is a strange mixing pot of different magic and creatures. Each building there is different from the last. You’ll see an all-glass tower right next to a series of red brick houses built in a circle. There’s a grove of trees right smack in the center of it and on the far end there’s a house made out of gingerbread. Marv follows close behind me, and he keeps his head down.

    For such a big guy, I’m stunned by how meek he seems. I reach out, patting his arm. “We’re almost there,” I tell him.

    We reach a building covered in kudzu that has started to overtake the surrounding area and pour into the street. We walk up the stairs to the door, and I let us in.

    The floor is made of mirrors, which is one reason I stopped wearing skirts. I never knew when I would have to deal with Lazarus. We walk up to the front desk where a girl with cotton candy hair looks at us and her lip curls.

    “You again,” she squeaks.

    “Hi Gumdrop,” I say to her. “I really need to speak with Lazarus.”

    Gumdrop hisses at me, showing off her rows of rock candy teeth.

    I smile at her brightly, tilting my head to the side. “My friend here loves sweets, you know?” I point back at Marv. “And he can eat a lot of it, don’t you know?”

    Gumdrop stares, her hair wilting as he looks at Marv. “The crocodile,” she whispers then clears her throat. She taps the phone and an exasperated scoff issues from it.

    “Mr. Lazarus, the Magnus is here,” Gumdrop’s voice seems higher when she talks to him.

    Lazarus chuckles. “Oh good. I was getting bored. Send her in Gumdrop.”

    Gumdrop sets the phone down and stands up. She walks us over to the elevator, pressing in a code and then the door open. Marv and I step inside, and it’s a tight fit. As the doors close, I’m shoved into Marv’s stomach. My face is smashed against him, and my hand rests against his thigh.

    “Sorry!” We both gasp in unison.

    I try to peel myself back, but the elevator swishes sideways, knocking Marv into me. It then shoots upwards, making us fall backward. My legs are splayed over his thigh, and his hand is on my breast.

    As the elevator stops, the door opens, and we tumble out onto the floor.

    “My, my,” Lazarus murmurs. “What a nice sight. I do so love seeing you on your back, Magnus.”

    I scramble to my feet, looking up at the tall, spindly figure that Lazarus casts. “Cute trick,” I growl at him, smoothing out my coat.

    “I like to think so,” Lazarus smirks. His features are sharp and point like an icicle, and his skin is shimmering sky blue. His long white hair is slicked back and tied into a fishtail braid. 

    Marv rises up as Lazarus watches him, his dark eyes going wider as he gazes at Marv. “I see, you brought the crocodile.” He grins. “They say you should never smile at a crocodile.”

    Marv curls his lip over his teeth at Lazarus.

    “What brings you here Magnus?” Lazarus then quips at me, fanning out his fingers. “What feigned slight have I done this time.”

    I hold out the papers from Marv’s friend. “This man is dead,” I tell him. “And you’re connected to him. Not only that, to three other murders similar to his.”

    Lazarus takes the papers. “What a shame,” he sighs. “He was a good assistant.”

    “Cut the crap,” I snarl at him.

    Lazarus glances up at me from the papers, a shimmer glazing over his eyes. “Do I need to teach you a lesson in manners again, Magnus?” Behind him, shadows rise out of the mirrors, standing behind him like dark pillars of mist.

    “This man is dead, killed by a form of magic I’ve never come across before.” I touch the amulet around my neck, feeling the glow from it ripple through my fingers. “Him and three others.”

    Lazarus raises four fingers. “Four actually,” he smiles. “There was another found just this morning. Old Lady Tabitha.”

    I try not to let my shock show. “How do you know that?”

    Lazarus waves his hands out. “I’m Lazarus Bean.” He then glares at me. “I don’t much like being insinuated in this mess either.”

    “You are connected to two victims now, Lazarus,” I state. “This isn’t exactly looking good for you at all right now.”

    Marv puts his hand on my shoulder. “Want me to deal with him?”

    Lazarus smirks and whistles. “Wouldn't that be fun?” The two shadowy pillars lunge forward towards me. Marv steps in front of me, grabbing one of the cornerstones and tossing it back at Lazarus, but it just shifts through him.

“But I just fixed my office from the last time I tussled with Magnus.” He snaps his fingers, and the pillars disappear back into the mirror floor. “I don’t want trouble,” he says. “Least of all from more like you,” he cuts his eyes at me. 

“Then tell us how this man is connected to you,” I insist. “What were you having him do? Where was he the night he died.”

Lazarus scoffs, tilting his head to the side. “He was a frequent abuser of the Goblin Market. One of those mortals who knew too much for their own good,” he replies. “Got himself in trouble with the Trolls. I offered my services,” he smirks. “Too bad he wasn’t that smart.”

I scoff, tapping my foot.

Lazarus sneers at my foot then looks back into my eyes. “He couldn’t afford my legal fees, so I made him my gopher. I don’t have much use for mortals addicted to Chrysanthemum.” 

Chrysanthemum was a drug with origins from the Fairy Courts. It was a sort of nectar or beverage for fairy kind, but for humans, when shot up, was a powerful narcotic. Many mortals had fallen victim to it. Even my grandfather had a fondness for it.

“What job was he on the night he died then?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.

“He was tending to Lady Tabitha for me,” Lazarus replies.

Marv huffs. “Who is she?”

Lazarus chuckles. “It’s so nice to see someone so innocent,” he replies. “I take it you know Mama Tomi?” He asks. “That awful old woman from your nasty little bayou?”

I hold my arm out, keeping Marv from lunging forward. 

Lazarus giggles. “Lady Tabitha is a powerful magic user. Older than she deserves to be and as senile as she needs.” He tilts his head to the side. “Your little friend found her completely drained of all her magic. He was such a basket case when he came to me I sent him home. I didn’t realize he had died in the meantime.”

“He found Lady Tabitha dead?” I gasp.

Lazarus nods. “I sent some of my men to take care of the mess, but they returned not long after. They said they couldn’t enter the mansion because of the smell.”

“The toxic magic,” Marv snarls.

“Is she still in Jasmine Manor?” I ask.

Lazarus rolls his eyes. “Of course not! I left an anonymous tip with the police. I’m sure they’ve taken care of her by now,” he scoffs.

I glance up at Marv and then back to Lazarus. 

“Are we done?” He scoffs. 

“No,” Marv snarls. “If we don’t get the answers we want, I’ll be back to take that smile of yours,” he jabs a finger in his face.

Lazarus scoffs but as he tucks his arms behind his back I can tell he’s shaken. “Get out. I won’t invite you back in next time.”

“Are there stairs we can take this time?” Marv asks.

Lazarus rolls his eyes, waving his hand a door opens right into the lobby we came in through. He then grins when he sees Marv’s stunned expression.

“Have a day,” Lazarus sniffs.

We walk out and back into the streets of the Goblin Market.

“Whatever this magic is, it’s much worse than I expected if it could take down Lady Tabitha,” I grumble under my breath.

“What?” Marv asks.

“Sorry,” I sigh. “I’m used to just talking to myself.”

“It’s ok,” Marv says, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Can you tell me more about this Lady Tabitha then? He said she was like Mama Tomi.”

“Lady Tabitha was one of the most powerful witches I had ever met. She rivaled my grandfather at times. She was mortal though, and she slipped into dementia. She’s since kept herself locked away in her home, Jasmine Manor. Even if she was losing her mind, her magic protected her and kept her safe. The fact that it was stolen from her isn’t a good sign.”

I look up at Marv, studying the way the muscles in his neck flexed as he swallows. “Mama Tomi,” I start, “what would happen if her magic was taken?”

Marvs shakes his head and scoffs. “It wouldn’t,” he glares down at me. “She’s too powerful.”

“That’s Lady Tabitha,” I say. “She’s too powerful. So how did this happen? What was strong enough to kill her and take everything? Once again, what would happen if Mama Tomi’s magic was taken from her?”

“Bedlam,” Marv’s eyes dart around. He looks away from me, staring at nothing in the distance. “There would be an uprising. Things held down, evil kept at bay-” he shudders and closes his eyes. “I would hate to think about such a fate.”

I put my hand on his arm and gently squeeze. “That’s what’s going to happen here,” I tell him. “We have to find out where Lady Tabitha’s magic went and who took it or the Goblin Market could flood into the city.”

Marv looks at my hand on his arm and then into my eyes. “Where do we need to go?” He asks.

“Let's see what’s been done as Jasmine Manor,” I tell him. “Then we’ll decide what steps need to be taken from there.

Jasmine Manor is at the far end of the downtown, nestled into a grove of weeping willows that have uprooted the ground and made it into a field of roots. The roots cut through the driveway and have grown up through the fountain at the front gates, choking it off and spilling out where water once did. 

To my shock, there is no one there. No sign of cops or anything. As Marv and I walk through the front gates, there is an overwhelming and crushing sense of dread that falls onto me like a ton of bricks.

“I feel sick,” Marv snarls.

“So do I,” I wheeze. “But we need to go further.” I walk ahead, heading towards the front door.

Suddenly, Marv grabs my hand and squeezes it tight. “Wait,” he gasps.

I turn and look back at him. “What’s wrong?” I ask.

Marv is looking up towards the sky. He points, and I follow his gaze. Perched upon the roof and looking down at us like some gnarled and crooked gargoyle is Lady Tabitha.

“What the fuck?” I gasp, stepping back and into Marv.

Lady Tabitha grins wickedly at us, her eyes sockets are empty and completely black. A thick, black liquid oozes from every hole on her face. As she opens her mouth, more spills out, and she screams and wretches, plunging down from the roof towards us. 

I scream, and Marv grabs me, pulling us away as Lady Tabitha lands on the ground in front of us. Her body is contorted and strange, bending at odd angles and cracking with each movement. I hold my hand out before Marv and I, shielding us as she vomits that black goo at us.

“What is this?” Marv snarls.

Lady Tabitha then chuckles and wipes her mouth. “Oh my, excuse,” she speaks with a smooth voice. She stands erect, standing much taller than she was known for. She smiles at us, “won’t you come inside, young Magnus?”

I stare in disbelief, taking in a deep breath and clinging to Marv. “Who are you?”

She waves her hand out. “Why don’t you come inside and find out?” She lunges backward as if being pulled by strings and disappears into the now open doors of Jasmine Manor. 

I stare up at Marv, meeting his golden eyes. I clutch his hand tight. “Her voice,” I whisper to him.

He squeezes my hand back, leaning down to hear me. “What’s wrong?”

I glance back towards the open doors. “That wasn’t her voice.”

“It’s ok to be scared,” Marv speaks with a hushed voice to me. “I am.”

I nod. “Thanks, Marv. Remind me to give you a raise after this.” I keep a hold of his hand, walking up the stairs and into Jasmine Manor.

I feel sick with the scent of the toxic magic. My stomach feels heavy, and my throat feels choked off. Keeping a firm grip on Marv’s hand is the only thing keeping me strong at this moment.

“Welcome, young Magnus, crocodile,” a voice says. “I’m glad you came.”

I look up the stairs, seeing a familiar figure standing there. Lady Tabitha’s corpse hovers over her. I stare in shock, both of them are Lady Tabitha.

“How are you dear?” The new Lady Tabitha asks. She’s young and gorgeous, very much like how my grandfather used to describe her. 

“What’s going on?” I ask. “Who are you?”

Lady Tabitha grins. “Exactly who you think I am,” she descends the stairs. “I am the supreme Lady Tabitha.”

I glance at the corpse hovering like a shadow over her shoulders, and I point to it. “Then who is that?”

Lady Tabitha looks back at it and chuckles. “My shell,” she says. “You see, my magic was working hard trying to return my mind to me. It found a way to return me to my old self.”

“The mass grave,” Marv whispers.

“It seems my magic worked through others,” Lady Tabitha chuckles, sounding almost innocent. “It found suitable hosts and used them to increase its power.”

“The toxic magic,” I whisper under my breath.

“Toxic?” Lady Tabitha giggles. “Is that anyone to talk about your grandfather?”

I’m not sure how to describe how I felt in that moment. I felt angry to the point I was suffocated by it. My head was full of cotton and white blur. My stomach was cold and hollow. Everything inside me, for a moment, was completely numb and on fire at the same time. 

“Andy,” Marv growls into my ear. 

“What’d you say?” I spit out at lady Tabitha.

She giggles and steps forward. “What do you think my magic summoned?” She asks. “It didn’t just call for anything.”

The corpse of Lady Tabitha lurched forward, shambling towards us, mouth agape and vomiting more of the toxic magic. The black ooze started to take shape, dozens of hands rose up, stretching out and reaching for us.

I form a shell around Marv, and I as the hands start growing all over it.

“Say hello to your grandfather, young Magnus, he’s missed you very much,” Lady Tabitha purrs.

I scream, watching as the hands start to rip my magic to shreds, breaking through and reaching towards my face.

Marv roars, covering me and lashing out at the hands. He grabs them, ripping them out of the ground and tossing them away. Marv lunges forward with me still in his arms, charging at the corpse of Lady Tabitha. He claws at her face, ripping it open and the black goo shoots from her neck like a geyser. 

Marv covers me, shrouding me as it spews out, clinging to the ceiling and growing out until it is entirely black.

I shudder and look up, seeing a figure dripping down from the ceiling. It screams and howls in pain. Mouth wide open and agape, I recognize the voice of the anguished screams. I step away from Marv’s grasp and stare up at it.

“Grandpa?” I whisper.

Lady Tabitha cackles. “Ages ago, I went to your grandfather asking for help. My mind was slipping, and my body was starting to age. I was terrified, I needed help. I ask him for one simple favor, and he turned me down. He attacked me for asking for help!” She scoffs and then grins wickedly. “So I sealed him away. I knew that one day I would need his help again. My magic knew what to do when the time was right.”

I shake my head, staring up into the eyeless mass that was my grandfather. “How could you?” I whisper as my heart breaks. 

My grandfather wails, stretching his arms out to me. “Annnnddrrrooommeeeedaaaaaaaa,” his voice wails in agony. 

Tears stream down my face. “Please no,” I whimper. I stretch my hand out towards him, touching my fingertips to his.

“Andy!” Marv roars, and he knocks me back.

I fall to the ground, looking up to see Lady Tabitha with her hand around Marv’s throat. His fist is through her chest. That’s when I realize her form now is corporeal, her magic holding her soul in place. 

“Oooouuuuttttt,” my grandfather wheezes. “Gooooooo!”

I look up at him then back at Marv and Lady Tabitha as they struggle. She strikes him, sending him flying back into the wall and she lunges back at me. She grabs my throat, and as I gasp, she pries my mouth open. The black ooze starts to flow into my mouth, and I choke and sputter, gagging on it as it begins to fill my body.

Lady Tabitha cackles. “You were the perfect vessel then, you’re even stronger now!”

I claw at her, trying to wrench her hands away, but I couldn’t get a grip on her. I’m gagging and crying. 

“He wouldn’t let me have you,” she sneers in my face. 

    I grab her, wrapping my fists around her throat. She looks shocked, and her expression goes blank. I use what magic I can summon from myself, pumping it into her and watching as he head starts to swell and fill like a balloon. Her eyes spread apart and her mouth spreads open, starting to rip. She wrenches away from me, and I fall against the stairs.

    I vomit, spewing the black ooze. I reach into my mouth, clawing it out and pulling it from my body. I cough and gag, trembling as I try to stay up.

    Marv puts his arm around me. “I’ve got you.”

    I glare forward, seeing Lady Tabitha regaining herself. The black ooze swirls around of her, and she screams, lunging back forward at me. Marv holds himself before me, and Lady Tabitha bounces off of him.

    “What the hell?” I whisper.

    Lady Tabitha lunches again but Marv knocks her back with a swat. 

    I place my hand on Marv’s back, feeling a dominant force inside him. I press my magic into him, combining it with the latent powers he hosts. I’m not sure what it is, perhaps it is all of the beignets that Mama Tomi fed him, maybe he was born with this power. Whatever it is, Marv is a powerful conduit for magic. The perfect Familiar. 

    My magic fills him, flowing through him and making his powerful swell. He snarls, glancing back at me with a curious expression. I give him a gentle push, and he steps forward, running forward and grabbing Lady Tabitha. He wrestles her down to the ground, ripping her magic open. She screams, fighting against him as I walk forward.

    Inside her magic, there is the core, a gem like object that I take from her chest as Marv holds her down. I hold it up, offering it to my grandfather. He takes it, swallowing it and there is a massive burst of light.

    I‘m knocked backward by the force, Marv landing on top of me. Lady Tabitha’s screamings echoes all around, turning into a high pitched ringing that eventually fades. 

    “You ok, Andy?” A familiar voice asks. “This lad looks awfully heavy.”

    I look up, staring into the deep green eyes of my grandfather. He grins at me, helping Marv up and I jump into his arms. 

    “Is it really you?” I cry.

    He chuckles, petting my hair. “Almost,” he says. He looks at my face, wiping away my tears. He looks so young and handsome. “You did a good job there,” he says. “You too,” he looks up at marv who is staring down confused at us. “You’ve got an amazing Familiar there.”

    I sniffle and try to keep myself from breaking down into outright sobbing. “Are you back?” I ask. “Are you going to stay?”

    “I think so,” he replies. “Not quite sure what happened to me, but I think Lady Tabitha’s magic is mine now.” He then grimaces. “Gross.”

    I laugh and throw my arms around him. “I missed you so much!”

    He smiles. “I missed you too, Andy.”

    We leave Jasmine Manor, watching as the willow trees take it over, dragging it down into the ground until all the remains is the weather vein sticking out of the ground.

    “Good riddance,” my grandfather scoffs as we walk away.

    That evening, I wake up in the middle of the night and sit up from the sofa. My grandfather is sleeping in my room until we figure out what to do. I get up, walking into the kitchen and finding Marv sitting there with coffee.

    “Can’t sleep?” He asks.

    “Anymore of that?” I ask, and he nods. I pour myself a cup and sit down beside Marv at the table. 

    “Are you ok?” Marv reaches out, putting his hand over mine.

    “Maybe,” I say with a shrug. “I’m not too sure.”

    He squeezes my hand, rubbing his thumb in my palm. “Do you need anything?”

    I smile at him. “What about you?” I ask. “How do you feel?”

    “Strange,” he whispers. “I’ve never felt something like that before.” His golden eyes look deep into mine. “I felt whole when your magic was with me,” he says. “It felt right.”

    “That’s what being a Familiar is,” I look down at his hand holding mine. “We protect one another.”

    He lifts my hand, kissing my knuckles. “Do I still get that raise?”

    I grin and laugh. “Yeah,” I press my knuckles against his cheek. “Might as well.” I lean over the table, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. I then press my forehead to his. “It feels strange.”

    “It’s new,” Marb whispers. “I feel the same way too.”

    I kiss him again and then pull away and gulp down my coffee. “Well then, let’s get used to one another, partner.”

    Marv arches a brow and grins. “Is my name going to be put on the sign too?”

    I grin. “Maybe.”