The Power in Addiction [Defiant x Temptationist]

[Temptationist]

Full Name: Miriam Athena Garwin
Stage Name: Dr. Miriam Salem
Nickname: Miri / Tink (childhood)
Status: PhD-MD, physician and geneticist
Family: Reid Garwin (half-brother)

____________________________________________________________​

“We got a new arrival, hun. Wanna see his chart?” Nurse Cavallo poked her head into my office, a clipboard loaded in her arms. She was an older lady, in her 40s – and very Italian. One of those Jersey Shore style Italians, but with a bad Boston accent.

Not even paying attention to her, busy at my desk looking at blood test results on my computer. “Dr. Salem?” She imposed once more. “I think you really gotta see this one.” I raised my hand to shoo her away. I was busy. Despite my wordless reaction, she added, “He's really cute.” Popping herself into the office and leaning on my desk. “A young dude from Ipswich.”

My eyes shot up to her. “From where?”

“Yeah!” She chewed her gum so loud as she exclaimed. “Small town called Ipswich. Ain't that where your brotha from?” Snatching the chart from her, I looked down at it. She continued to talk as she watched me go over the file. “In for heroin. Don't look it, though... He's hot!” I let the chart fall from my grip and slam lightly on the table. Looking up to her with my brows lowered – I had a typically “not impressed” look on my face. She raised her hands up in the air, innocently, and shouted, “Just sayin'! You ain't got no ring on your finger!” Nurse Cavallo, on the other, was happily married for the past 10 years, with a nice big rock on her left hand.

Falling silent for a moment as I looked at his work up, I looked progressively more confused. “Thank you, Camilla...” Standing up, I didn't pull my eyes off the sheet before me. “Can you... uh...” I paused, still reading the file in complete. Finally looking up, I grinned, “Can you prep him, since you're so fond of his dashing good looks, please?”

Nurse Cavallo looked at me with a smile. Snatching back the chart with playful attitude, she shrugged. “Alright, alright. I'll scope him out for you.” I rolled my eyes at her. “But don't take too long now, or ya lose him to me!” She was completely joking. As much as she annoyed the shit of me, I adored that outrageous woman.

* * *​

The facility was set up in two major distinctions – the medical center, and the residency. The medical center was equipped enough to be considered a small hospital, even having more supplies than most clinics and emergency rooms. The residency was the area of the facility that contained the dormitories. These weren't your usually dorms. People who were admitted to my establishment were either extremely wealthy, or from very rich families. Customers and patients who invested in this facility paid for the best. Catered food and dorms that looks like small condos – fully loaded with a living room, a bedroom, bathroom, and a small kitchen. They were extravagantly designed – something you would see downtown New York at a precious price tag.

All patients admitted were first placed in a medical room to be examined first off. Routine blood tests as well as extensive drug tests to find out the extent of their issues and addiction. All patients go through a 2-3 day evaluation, depending on their psychological state. Most of the time, I didn't see the patient until their second day, when the test results were in. This time, I was making an exception. Something about this case threw me – the hometown. Ipswich, a town I was all too familiar with. Not to mention the medical history on the file was near impeccable. And based on Camilla, he didn't look addicted. I had to see for myself.

Turning the corner, I heard Camilla running her big Italian mouth and babbling off. “Oh jeez...” I softly chuckled to myself as her voiced echoed all the way down the hall. She was talking about something to do with decorations.

“Oh, Dr. Salem hates Halloween. She never lets us decorate the halls, or the rooms. Heh heh. She's a strange one. A beauty gal, though, don't get me wrong, now! What a brain on that one, I'll yell ya! So young, too-” Interrupting her ramble by walking in, she jumped slightly and started to laugh. “Ya scared me, dear Lord, comin' outta no where.” She laughed again, but I wasn't laughing. I saw you laying there. My eyes narrowed slightly.

“Mr. Myers... I see you've met Nurse Cavallo.” My voice was stern, almost monotone as I spoke to you. The lack of expression in my face or voice was strictly because I was absolutely smitten by you. And certainly not by your looks, but by your apparent health. She was right... you didn't look like a heroin addict.

Camilla leaned forward as she wiped your forearm down with an alcohol wipe to clean the surface of your arm. “Isn't she a babe?” She gave an obnoxious wink and a fake whisper. I was still standing here, but that didn't seem to matter to her. She had already spent the last few minutes preparing and labeling vials, which would shortly be filled with your blood. By this point, you were already aware of our procedures and protocols.

I rolled my eyes and smiled. “For the record, I don't hate Halloween. I just don't want decorations. This is a medical establishment, not a party supply store.” I gave a weak smirk as I pulled your hanging chart off the foot of the bed. “Heroin.” I announced, sounding very matter-of-the-fact, but also keep a sense of disbelief evident in my voice. “Hard drug.”

Before anyone could get any other word in, Nurse Cavallo flew her tongue in once more. “It brings up bad memories...” She added, totally reverting the conversation back to Halloween.

“Good memories, actually.” Shaking my head lightly, I tried to stay on track. “So, why you'd admit yourself to this facility, aside from your apparent addiction.” Sarcasm, but it was so strong and so good, it sounded genuine.

As Nurse Cavallo prepared the needle, she dove in. “When she was a young girl, just a child, she met this boy in the woods, at a tree-”

Blatantly interrupting her, I gave a playful soft laugh. “Are you really going to bore this poor guy with this story?”

“Stop your fussin'.” She waved her hand as if to shoo ME away now. “She was in love with this boy!”

Placing the clipboard down on the counter against the wall, I burst out laughing. “I was NOT in love with him... I was like, 8 years old! Don't be ridiculous.” Turning to the sink, my back to the both of you, I began to wash my hands, lightly shaking my head. My laugh slowed, almost turning into a soft regret. “That's ridiculous...” I tried to reassure myself as I muttered under my breath.

“It ain't ridiculous if ya still wearin' that friendship bracelet he made for ya over 15 years ago! Mm-hmmm!” Guilty as charged.

My cheeks began to burn and beat red. By this time, my laugh had completely ceased as I looked down at my wet hands. There on my wrist, was the truth. I was wearing that child-like, plastic beaded bracelet. She had ridiculed me, embarrassed me, and now, I had had enough. My head lifted forward, facing the cabinet away from you. My eyes sparked orange before turning black as night.

Suddenly, Nurse Cavallo almost fell over from her stool. She immediately grabbed her head with one hand and used the other to balance herself on your arm. “Woah-” She she said with big eyes and a distinct, stupid expression on her face. “I almost fell ovah right there.” She looked concerned, standing up and letting go of your arm. “Must be that hypoglycemia I've got. When my sugah gets too low, I gotta eat something. Must be the Italian in me!” She joked nervously, turning to look at me.

I had already turned around, eyes normal, as I looked at her with a fake expression of concern. “Take your break now, hun, I can handle him.” Slapping on a pair of latex gloves, I looked over at you and winked, trying to stay cheeky and playful despite my nurse falling suddenly ill. “Go get yourself something to eat. There's brownies in the staff room.” She nodded, clearly startled by the wave of uneasiness as she walked out of the room. She closed the door on her way out, leaving us alone in the room. “That Nurse Cavallo... can't even get a word in.”

 

[Defiant]

Full Name: Chase Collins
Given Name: Chase Goodwin Pope
Alias: Jacob Myers
Status: Patient under care of Dr. Miriam Salem
Family: Biological; Father: Deceased. Mother: Unkown. Siblings: None.
Adoptive Father: Deceased. Mother: Deceased. Siblings: None​

Years had passed since his run in with The Sons of Ipswitch. He still hated them all just as purely as he did up first seeing their smug faces. He could always feel them, especially Caleb. Since his father had willed him his own power, sacrificing his life for his stupid boy, he'd been able to feel the power within Caleb.

But he'd been playing with curses and spells before the others had even thought of their own ascension. He hadn't been ready for it. But he played. And got addicted much too young to the power no human should have. But he wasn't human. He was a warlock. And by playing with the curses and spells he'd figured out how to cover himself. Of course they would feel him when he'd do something big. But they wouldn't be able to differentiate him from any of the others.

It was a shock when one night, he was woken from his sleep to feel another had been willed power. If it was Caleb, there would be no stopping him. Ever. To possess the power of three... there'd be no way for Chase to even hope of surviving that fight. But when the smoke of his sleep cleared, there were two. Two distinct powers, more powerful than the other two.

It didn't take very long for him to figure out who it was. They used. Often. More than he himself ever had. And he knew. It was that blonde fuck. Reid. Reid Garwin. He hadn't had much interaction with the skinny Malfoy wannabe. But his face, the smirk and the annoying way he strutted about had assured Chase he wouldn't get along with the man even if he hadn't been there to steal his friend's powers which would result in Caleb's death. Nor would he have been able to pretend to like him.

But Reid was impulsive where Caleb had been calculating. Reid would be easy to toy with. And had Chase been smarter in his youth, he would have waited instead of going for the eldest. The eldest who was like all those annoying heroes on TV. He had the luck of the Irish and a horseshoe shoved up his ass. Reid, not so much apparently.

After years of feeling the younger man use and use and use some more the power was suddenly... muffled. Like he was here, but not. And he researched. Tried to figure out how it would happen and then he found out about her. Reid's half-sister. She was a doctor who majored in addictions of all things. And of course Reid had one of the worst addictions of all time, power. The one things it was nearly impossible to kick, not when it was so limitless. It was just the damn side-effects.

But with a doctor as a half-sister. He was probably with her. And she was helping him. Somehow. But Chase knew there was a better solution to the blonde's problems. He'd just convince Reid willing his power to Chase would be the best thing for him. It would, after all, rid Reid of the whole addiction problem.

He watched the facility from outside for a few days, snuck inside a few times too. Using just enough power Reid wouldn't feel him but while he could fee Reid so close... the power was still muffled. Like it was dormant. Trapped behind... something. It was strange. He didn't know what it could be but he figured out the best route to get inside.

He'd never been one for drugs. He'd experimented but that wasn't going to get him through the front door. So he worked his magic with a few working girls and got himself in the loop to find a dealer who promised him the greatest high he'd ever know. Heroin. Shit was expensive but money had never really been an issue for any son of Ipswitch.

He used. Often. The high wore off fast. And he never got the itch to use it the way he did his power. The high was pathetic compared to what he was actually capable of. But he had enough track marks and his blood work would definitely show he had the crap in his system. When he came down from it he threw up though. So right before he went in he cooked the last little bit he had, tied off his arm and enjoyed a little bit of a high on the way towards the facility.

***​

The place was what he expected being named after a Garwin. He hadn't paid much attention to details like the furniture and flooring and walls. But now that he was there. He was taking everything thing. The nurses were all sort of surprised when he said he was there to check himself in for heroine addiction. Of course he didn't look like an addict. But he was. On a much higher level than any of these people had experienced.

The paperwork was extensive and he'd used his powers to change the names on all of his accounts. Identity theft would be breeze if he ever felt like it. But money, belongings, life in general was nothing compared to what he really wanted. And right now, Reid was the only one he could get it from. And in order to get to Reid, he'd have to get close to this doctor. He was good at biding his time.

Once the paperwork was done he was taking into a medical room and prepped for an examination. He undressed down to his shorts as a male nurse patted him down and made sure he didn't have anything on him. Or thought he did. He was open minded but he wasn't about to bend over for a nurse to check for a baggy of heroine. So he Jedi mind tricked the man and sent him on his way, the orderly thinking he'd completed his job then the loud Italian nurse was there to finish up.

He simply smiled when she talked, laughed when the story called for it. She seemed nice enough. She was probably one of the more jovial people to work in a facility like this. And he felt proven right when Dr. Salem made her appearance. She was beautiful. No doubt about that. But her voice and her face had the whole strict doctor who doesn't actually like to smile vibe going on.

Chase didn't bother to reply to her comment about the heroin. It would show up once the results from his paperwork came back. And the symptoms from not using... they were beginning to show in physical ways. There'd be no questions he was an addict before the night was out but until then, he'd have to refrain from using at all. Until he could appear to have gone through the withdrawal portion of this.

He would never admit it. But it scared him. The idea of going through days of not using. It made the pit of his stomach feel heavy and cold and like it was twisting in on itself.

The conversation turned and he couldn't help but pay close attention, he believed in coincidence but it was just ridiculous that she could be Tink. The girl he'd met at a tree-house. They never actually told each other their real names. She was dressed as Tinker Bell the first time he saw her. And he was Han Solo. So they just went with that. When they were together it was like... nothing else mattered except whatever they were doing at the time.

And then she was gone. It had been one of the more upsetting times in his life. A hard childhood experience. Of course your first heartbreak always is. When the nurse talked about the bracelet his eyes snapped to the doc's wrist and he just stared for a minute. His face, this whole facade was faltering before it even began. There was no way she was Tink. No way.

The sudden movement of Nurse Cavallo drew his attention away but the idea of Dr. Salem being the only girl, hell the only person, in the world he'd cared about... it left a painful, cold knot in his stomach. The heroin was going through his system and the new facts of this charade made it harder to play his part. He felt panic boiling up when he realized the nurse was leaving and he'd be alone with her.

As soon as the nurse was out the door Chase only nodded at her words then sat up and leaned over to wear the orderly had thrown his gloves and retched.

This was not the plan. He hated it when his plans didn't work. He needed that power. He needed Reid's power if he was ever going to make it past his 40's and have any chance of being able to live a life. And if she was Tink... If Dr. Salem was the little girl from the tree-house and it wasn't just a really weird coincidence in her story and the bracelet happened to look exactly like the one he'd gotten his adoptive mother to help him make for the girl who made him blush when he talked about her at all of 10 years old then she deserved whatever she got if she got in his way.

Reid's power was his. And she was not going to stop him. No matter who she was.

When the vomiting stopped he pushed himself back and flopped onto the examination table. “You're orderly knows me better than any other man can say and you're nurse is an Italian vampire who can come out in the sunlight and has diabetes,” he referred to the cavity search which hadn't actually happened and the vials of blood taken. “What else could you possibly need?” He asked, his voice was rough now from having been sick and his mouth tasted sour from the sick. There was a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead and his eyes were red.

 

[Temptationist]

My eyes followed Nurse Cavallo until she was out the door and out of sight. Walking over casually to the door, I used my foot to tap it closed – not wanting to get my freshly washed hands dirty again. The door gently clicked shut. We were completely alone – no one could hear us now. Not unless they were right next to the door. I shook my head lightly, still thinking of the story she just told. But the smile quickly diminished from my face as I refocused my attention on my job. Despite just washing my hands, I walked a couple feet over to a wall display of different sized gloves. Plucking one from the small kleenex-looking box, I slapped a glove on each hand; swiftly rolling the rubber latex over my wrist, and my bracelet.

“Alright, Mr. Myers, you'll have to pull down your pants and roll over to me, please.” I was totally kidding, but before I could even admit that I was joking, you were already hunched over, hurling into the garbage can that rested beside your bed. I thought I was hilarious, but with men, it was often a touchy joke to make. I smirked lightly, staying quiet as you barfed. “I was only kidding.” I reassured, pretending that the vomiting was directly linked to my anal-search joke. Even though I was full aware it wasn't.

As you began to speak, the first words I had heard out of your mouth were totally and completely bizarre. I cracked up, but quickly realized I was chuckling and stopped. What a strange string of things to say. I knew exactly what you were referring too, but the stab at Nurse Cavallo as a diabetic was rich. “She craves more the carb intake than the sugar-high.” I corrected, “Not so sure about blood, though. I mean, it tastes like Iron, but she's not too big on red meat. So, vampire, ehhhhh...” I hesitated. I thought I was pretty hilarious, but my attempts at humor were often met with confused eyes.

The symptoms of heroin withdrawal were becoming quickly apparent. Although you didn't initially seem sick, you were evidently becoming more ill as time went on. It was progressive, and it was only going to get worse. In order to minimize any of these sickening effects, I sighed and tore off one of the gloves; my right hand. Casually walking over to you, I reached over to a small stainless steel container that Nurse Cavallo had already prepared for me. As I went to hand you the container, I also, at the same time, took a seat down on the same stool by the bed that the nurse had been using. Rolling over to a water jug dispenser, I poured fresh filtered water into a paper cone-shaped cup. Handing it to you, I spoke again. “Take each pill. You'll need it.” I noticed the sweat beginning to form by your hair line. “White pill is Methadone. It will help with the withdrawal. Help with the sickness.” I moved my index finger to point to the other pill. “The orangy-pink pill is Buprenorpine... it will help soothe the craving to use.”

I still had my left hand gloved, and I made sure not to touch anything with that hand by keeping it elevated in the air. Using the stool's convenient wheels, I rolled back over to the latex display and snagged another glove. I re-gloved my right hand and wheeled myself back over to you. Looking at your arms, I noticed some of the puncture points. They were are dense and scabbed as some heavy patients I had seen. At best, you were a new user, who was probably scared of the new loss of control. Still, I had a bad feeling. Something was off about you. When I used my Power on Nurse Cavallo, although slight, I felt a twist in my stomach. I only got the feeling when I was near the Sons of Ipswich; primarily Reid, since I came in contact with him most frequently.

“So... Ipswich. Small town.” I said in a condescending tone. I took your wrist in mine, and continued to sterilize the arm that Camilla had been working on. We had already taken blood before for a drug test, but I needed blood, this time, for my research. “Not many people are from around there... What's your story?” Wrapping a thick elastic band around your bicep, I pulled it tight to get the blood flowing through your veins. One particular vein emerged out of your skin. Without even warning, I pricked the vein with the extraction needle, and began taking blood. Your blood began to seep through the clear tube and into a small glass vial.

 

[Defiant]

A half laugh half scoff escaped him at her response to his comments on her staff.“First off, a woman who looks like you could offer to stick anything anywhere and my reaction would not be to throw up,” he said as his eyes followed her while she moved across the room on her stool. “And second, Italian vampire totally fits that woman. The diabetes was only because of her sugah,” he said, using 'sugah' to show his horrible rendition of the woman's accent.

“You know, when you first come in to meet someone, you should come in like that. The laugh is nice. Whereas when you first came in here I thought you were going to try to attempt murder with a rectal thermometer. Interesting way to go, of course, but not the best,” he said with a shake of his head and propped himself up a little as the wave of dizziness which usually followed vomiting passed.

He took the little cup of water and the pills. “Yay,” he said with absolutely no sound of joy in his tone as he put the pills in his mouth and then followed with the water and downed the pills. Why not get a bit more of a high from the methadone before the real fun began. He bunched up both and tossed them into the garbage.

“Oh, and you mean the apparent withdrawals... right?” He asked, giving her a closed lipped smile, it caused his eyes to wrinkle at the corners. He wasn't bitter though. He found it amusing how quickly she'd turned around. When she first entered the room he really did think this was going to be hard but now, now she was there and laughing and he wasn't so sure. But his judgement was off. Out of every single possibility he'd expected from her, her being the little girl from his past was not one of them.

“Small town,” he agreed, watching the way she handled his arm then smirked. “My story... it's not exactly chipper nor is interesting,” he said and watched as she pushed the needle into his vein and stared as his blood spilled into the vial. “And you? How do you know about Ipswitch? With it being such a small town and all...” he arched a brow, his eyes glinting playfully as he stared up at her.

He turned his head away after a few moments, the lights were too bright and the pain in the front of his forehead was becoming more intense. “Not trying to be a romantic or put the moves on you but can you dim the lights just a little bit. You'll still be pretty in the dark,” he mumbled as he laid his free arm across his eyes.

 

[Temptationist]

“Oh ho, a charmer AND a heroin addict! My, my, you are quite the character, Mr. Myers.” I chuckled lightly to myself. I nearly burst out laughing as you tried to impersonate Nurse Cavallo. “She's obviously not from around here. She's from Jersey, but she met a Montana man who gave her a lot of attention and big, expensive rock.” I was trying to maintain a professional demeanor, but I couldn't beat the smile on my face. It had been a while I had a patient, or anyone, capable of making me really laugh – and this time, the jokes were accurate and genuine; and not as a result of any drugs.

When you brought up my original demeanor, my eyes peered at you. “Oh yeah?” I said with a hint of sarcasm. “I like my patients to fear me; so that they are terrified to betray he program.” I was kidding, of course. As I watched you take the pills, I commented. “Please, try to contain your excitement.” Okay, now I was really being sarcastic.

I continued to take blood – filling up one vial after the other. I was on my sixth vial and focused on that as you continued to speak. My eyes shifted back and forth between you and the blood extraction when you brought up Ipswich. Before I could answer, you mentioned the lights. Light sensitivity was no exactly a symptom of heroin high or withdrawal, but a migraine certainly could produce that. “Of course.” I said. Without needing to get up, I called out. “Activate lights – dim.” Using my voice as a command, the lights slowly dimmed to a more soothing tone. The lights weren't actually voice-activated. I was using that as a means of covering for the use of my Powers.

Taking my last vial, the eighth, I pulled the needle from your arm and applied pressure to the wound with a cotton ball. “You lived!” I said sarcastically, again. Smirking, I slapped on a piece of medical tape to hold the cotton to the fold in your arm. “Ipswich.” I reverted the conversation, “My father and brother are from there.” I said in a very as-a-matter-of-fact tone. “You look about the same age... perhaps you know him.” Pausing, my eyes crept up to stare at you intensely. “Reid.” Clearing my throat as I placed all the viles in their rightful slots, “If not, you most probably know my ex. Caleb Danvers.” Pulling my gloves off, my voice dropped to a seriously and subliminal tone. "They are both the Sons of Ipswich... Sound familiar?"

 

[Defiant]

“I do consider myself very versatile in things which I excel at in life,” he stated, though he wasn't actually a heroin addict he knew it wasn't something to which one would say they excelled at... but Chase Collins was not your average person. He wasn't even your average warlock. Chase watched her as she continued taking blood from his arm. And his gaze was almost calculating. He was curious as to what she would say about the boy from her past. He couldn't convince himself she wasn't the girl he'd known so long ago. He was almost positive she was. The ages, the circumstances and her bracelet... the puzzle just fit too perfectly for this doctor not to be Tink.

“Disappointing someone you respect is scarier than fearing a doctor. Unless you wanna pull some Asylum stuff and do crazy experiments then fear isn't always the best weapon of choice,” he said with a shrug of his shoulder. When he'd been growing up, before things changed, he'd been more scared of being told he was a disappointment rather than a physical punishment. He hadn't been beaten as a child, but no kid liked being dragged over their parents knee to have their rump slapped.

“Okay. I lied. You're the vampire in this place,” he commented when she picked up the eighth vial and continued to more blood. “My god. What do you guys do with all of it? Sell it on some sort of blood transfusion black market?” Of course he knew they couldn't do a transfusion that way or with such little blood. But he had to make sure she remembered him and took notice of him. But then again, it was obvious the Ipswich had caught her attention.

Speak of the devil, she was talking about it already. He dropped his head back, showing little to no interest in the topic of his 'hometown'. “Oh, well it's a small world,” he commented, lolling his head to the side to gaze at her while his head rested on the pillow. He couldn't hold back the scoff when she mentioned Caleb's name. “I went to school with them. You dated Caleb? C'mon doc, I was just starting to like you. Can't pick your family so I can't fault you for ties to Reid but Caleb?” He teased, keeping his gaze on her. “Everybody knows the Sons of Ipswich. And the stupid myth behind them. They fly on broomsticks ya know,” he laughed then winced and pressed his palm against his forehead.

“Honestly, we ran in different crowds. Caleb was a bit too pompous and Reid was just... we didn't get on very well. Pogue and I had a few shared interests,” he shrugged a shoulder. “But just... different crowds.”

He dropped his head and refocused his attention on her face. “Why'd you leave? I don't remember seeing you there or around. I wasn't there for long though,” he offered and pushed himself to sit up since she was finished taking his blood.

 

[Temptationist]

"Oh, I never lived in Ipswich." I corrected. "Reid and I share a father, but not the same mother." I grinned lightly. "My father stayed in Ipswich with Reid and Reid's mother. I was a child born out of wedlock... A bastard, if you will. Except my father wasn't as horrible as his affair - he owned up to it. Continued to care for my mother and I despite the controversy." Smiling, I lined up all the vials in their slots and grabbed a marker from a near by counter. I began to jot down eligible short hand on each one. "I used to spend the summers there. Reid and I were very close." Bowing my head as I turn my head from you, my smile disappeared. "He passed away earlier this year. You know what they say; like father, like son."

The truth is I didn't know why I was divulging so much information to you. I felt like an open book in front of you, and my intuition was never wrong. I felt like I knew you. Like we were connected on s personal level. I felt oddly exposed even though you were a stranger; a heroin addict... a patient. But my gut never lied, and if there was any benefit to posession some of the Power, it was that I had exception instincts and could predict things before they happen simply on just that: a gut feeling.

"You know, there's truth to those tales." Standing up, I moved the vials over to a mini fridge and placed them inside. "The Ipswich family are indeed addicted. But not to magic. To alcohol." Chuckling, "It runs in the family. My father was a lousy drunk near the end. He passed away last year, but he was dead way before he died." Shrugging my shoulders like I was talking about something much less significant, I continued. "What can you do?" I sighed, "Family is family. It's why I started this institution. I'm trying to find a cure for addiction." Tapping on the fridge's door, I looked over to you. "All that blood... It's in the contract. It's for my research."

A young doctor with a big dream - to find a way to illiminate all addicition. In reality, I was trying to find a cure for a specific addiction - the addiction to the Power. My goal was to use the addiction of alcohol and drugs to understand the phsyical drain it has on the body, then apply that research to warlocks and descendants of Ipawich. It was a stretch, but it was working. I was finding ways to treat an addiction to the Power, by using similar drugs to treat hard drugs like heroin and crack.

Changing the subject, I reverted my attention back to Caleb. "Oh yes." I chuckled regrettably. "After the Ipswich terror-" I stopped mid-sentence, coming to a bit of a revelation. "Uhm." I fumbled on my words. "There was a tragedy some years ago..." Looking over to you. "A young man named Chase Collins... he tried to murder Caleb's girlfriend at the time. Their relationship didn't survive the trauma." Walking over to the bed, "Chase Collins. Ever heard of him?"

 

[Defiant]

“A tragedy?” He asked, arching a brow. “The way I heard it nobody got hurt and an old building burned down,” he said and watched her closely, curiously. They'd talked about it to others. That surprised him. It also surprised him Caleb and Sarah hadn't worked out, they'd seem perfectly fine afterwards. But then again, he wasn't exactly perfectly functioning in the mental department, not that he'd admit it. He pursed his lips and shrugged a shoulder. “I don't think much people were too concerned, nobody was hurt, didn't hear much about it,” he said with a light shrug of his shoulder.

Part of him wondered how she would feel knowing he was Chase Collins, the one who'd tried to kill her ex. But people only thought he'd tried to kill Sarah, which was interesting. She'd only been a pawn of course. Everyone had been a pawn for him to get to Caleb. To get to his power. But they thought he'd been after Sarah. Or at least that's how they told it. It was curious as to why they'd lie to someone so close to the family.

The way she spoke, she knew of the power too. Or at least she knee a bit of something. And if her and Reid shard a father, could she have powers as well? He was very curious now. “I didn't actually read the contract,” he admitted after a few minutes and swung his legs over the edge of the table and sat up. His eyes were slitted a bit more than usual because of the headache but he could deal with it. The lights were the worst. Sitting up brought on throbbing but it was bearable compared to lights.

“What kind of research do you do?” He asked, tilting his head to gaze up at her as a small smirk slid onto his face. “I mean, to find a cure for addiction you can't just use blood right? There's got to be some sort of other element there to figure it out,” he commented and kept his eyes locked onto hers. She'd changed a lot over the years but her eyes were the exact same as when they were children.

“I'm sorry about Reid. I didn't hear about that. I have no family so no more ties to Ipswich. Haven't heard much except for times closer to when I was there,” he said and reached over and too her wrist in his hand and lifted it to look over the bracelet. His adoptive mother had helped him make it. “What happened to him? The boy who made you that?” He asked, looking from the bracelet back to her face.

 

[Temptationist]

I found your answer curious, even suspicious. No one got hurt? I thought. Even if that were true, it was still an attempt at multiple people's lives, and a barn doesn't just burn down without anyone noticing. The worst part was that it was a historical piece of Ipswich that burned down. "Many native to the area were fairly devastated that the old Salem barn had burned down. There were plans to restore it." I added, but there was hesitation in my voice. "A young man died that night." Seeing your eyes squint, I had nearly forgotten about the lights in the room. At a snap of my finger, the lights dimmed to half of their luminosity. We were still clear in sight, but the room's aura was more serene. Without acknowledging that I changed the lights with a snap, I continued to speak. "He burned alive,in that barn. Rumour is they he burned so bad they never found his remains." I peaked an eyebrow and looked at you. "That Chase Collins kid... some people think he didn't actually die. That he escaped. Pretty scary, if you ask me."

It was obvious by the sarcastic tone in my voice that I was not only unafraid of anything, but that I also believed he had escaped, and that he was alive. For me, it was easy. Despite being a female, I possessed some of the Power, though just a fraction of it. It was originally believed that the Power was a male dominant genetic trait, passed down from the father to his son. But when I started showing the first signs of Power-emergence, my family dug deeper only to discover; although rare, it was possible for females to acquire the Power. So I did, but I would never ascend. I was Power-sensitive and I could feel the presence of other users. There weren't many left in the world, and as of lately, I was beginning to feel a stronger emergence in Montana of something I was unfamiliar with.

Shrugging the conversation off, I grabbed another pair of latex gloves. This check up was all trivial work for me. It wasn't necessary for me to do it, as usually the nurses did it, but I had a strange feeling about you, and I was stalling; trying to get more information out of you to pin point who exactly you were. "You're right." I admitted, "Most of my research is based off of in-patient care, and how they react to various drugs. I'm a geneticist, so to me the blood is like a textbook to the body. Blood gives me the genetic code of each individual, and with that, I try to find genetic traits that may be linked to addiction, particularly drug use. My goal is to create a drug that will repress the gene, and ultimately lower or even diminish the urge to use." Nodding lightly, I knew it sounded far-fetched to the average person, but in reality, I was making progress.

Slipping one glove on, I was interrupted when you took my wrist in your hand. My stomach sunk as you looked at the bracelet. Something wasn't right. I fell silent for a moment. Clearing my throat, I took a deep breath. "I..." I said, seeming at a loss of words. "I wish I knew." Tearing my wrist away from you, I slapped on another latex glove. Taking a step forward towards you, I leaned very close - our bodies just inches apart. "My mother decided to move, one day. Just pack our bags and leave. No warning, no reason that I could understand..." My voice was softer. Without warning, I brought my gloved hands to your neck and began to press my thumbs firmly against your throat. I was checking for thyroid. "One evening, I just never showed up. I would never see him again."

Suddenly, I felt sick. My stomach knotted, and I felt dizzy, like I was going to throw up. My hands went from confident, to weak, as I let go of your neck and the expression on my face felt. Something about the intimacy of touching your neck made my sensitivity go hay-wire. A wave of uneasiness came over me, but I tried to keep my composure. I stared at you, like I had seen a ghost, with my hands hovering over your shoulders. Lips parted slightly, I wanted to say something, but my throat choked up as I became afraid. You possessed the power. I felt it before, but now I was sure of it. I could feel the Power within you. It was strong, uncontrollable, just like Reid's. Your origin, your addiction. It made all too much sense. That crazy kid from Ipswich never burned. He was right here in front of me. You were Chase Collins.

 

[Defiant]

Her answer about the boy from his childhood surprised him. He hadn't expected her to have had no say in not seeing him again. There was a twinge in his gut as he eyed the bracelet then lifted his gaze back to her face. He wondered why she'd been pulled away. Why would a parent suddenly uproot her child and just leave? “Why do you still wear the bracelet?” He asked. The question was out of his mouth before he could think about what he was actually saying. He didn't care. Well he did. But he didn't want to. He'd murdered his adoptive parents and tried to kill another man, threatening to burn his girlfriend alive, to gain more power. He shouldn't care about a stupid romance from when he was a child.

Chase glanced down at her arms when her hands moved to his neck. “Do you miss him?” He asked, again. His mouth was talking but his brain wasn't exactly on the same page as his vocal cords apparently. Or maybe it was his heart doing the leading in this situation. But that organ was supposed to be more or less just to pump his blood through his veins so attractive doctors can stab him with needles and pull it out.

Her demeanour changed so suddenly but he could feel it. There was a connection between their powers and he felt it as a little buzz. Almost like an electrical charge. It was tiny for him, not having as much of an effect on him as it did on her. His expression shifted smoothly. Going from who he was pretending to be, to who he was so easily it was almost creepy.

“Wow. I did not think women could possess the power. That is... very intriguing. Guess you do learn something new everyday,” he commented and his right index and middle fingers twitched as the door locked and he slid forward, slipping off of the table and lifted his hand to press a few fingers to his head and closed his eyes as he let out a sigh, the headache disappearing. He opened his eyes, smirking as he stood within inches of her, nose only centimetres from hers. “Guess I didn't need to shoot myself full of heroine to get in and try to hide from an addiction,” he said with a light laugh, his eyes looking over her face.

“And the really, really interesting part. Tink. Is the history we already share. That... that was completely unexpected. I will admit it caught me off guard,” he stepped aside, moving past her. “But you can relax. Stop with the whole kid caught with her hand in the cookie jaw look. I ain't gonna hurt you. Cause you can help me,” he spun on his heel so he was facing her again. “And I can help you.”

“I'm dying because I'm addicted to something... No other doctor on this planet can understand except you. And you have no other live patient... correction. Conscious? Is that what you did to Reid? Put him to sleep while you find a cure? Whatever you did. Now you have me. And I don't want to die,” he stated. “You don't want your brother to die. Save me. You save him,” he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall as he watched her closely.

 

[Temptationist]

Why do you still wear the bracelet? Do you miss him?

Those two questions were almost too much to bear. “I... uhm...” I was so completely distracted with the connection I had just made with your power. As the gears began to roll, I froze, unable to come to an appropriate conclusion for my next chain of questions, or actions. I didn't know whether it was smarter to straight up attack you, or a better option to just be naive, and talk to you. All I could think about was all the ways I could end up dead in this scenario – and how I could lose my entire practice to your selfish endeavors. What did you want from me? Why did you come here? Why were you here?

There was too much rushing through my head as your face changed. If I felt it, certainly you felt it to. Without even realizing or intending it, I completely blew my cover as a witch from a bloodline of warlocks from Ipswich. There were many benefits to the Power – this was definitely not one of them. Then your face changed, and I could see it. I was a professional – I could spot even the slightest change in a patients behavior, and I could see it in your eyes. No more Mr. Myers. Collins was emerging.

Swallowing roughly, I was certainly not as confident as my ex-boyfriend, Caleb. And I certainly wasn't as proud and boastful as my brother. In fact, I didn't have any of those qualities as I stood before you. As you rose from the bed, I moved back. I had only one adjective, and that was fright. In that moment, I truly feared for my life, and for the life of my family, and my friends, and all of the workers, volunteers, and patients in my establishment. All this time I had worked to help people, and in the process, I had lured in a monster.

With you just inches from my face, my breath was heavy, hot, and trembling. “What do you want from me?” I was afraid, however my voice did not reflect this. Rather than responding with a shaky voice, I responded with a growl. My hands had lowered to my sides, and my demeanor began to change as you stepped aside and spoke to me.

Your response was bizarre – unlike anything I could have ever imagined. Tink? All the words out of your mouth after that were a blur; a fog. My eyes were hearing them, but they were going in one ear and out the other. My brain jumbled up the words. Tink. Completely ignoring everything including your preposition, the boiling look in my eyes began to grow. “What did you call me?” I growled from the back of my throat, like a lion getting ready to roar.

My eyes began to glow a sparkling orange. I stood no change against your double-power, but riled up in emotion, I was unpredictable. The lights began to surge and flicker as my heart began to race. Without breaking solid eye contact with you, I used my Power to trip the fire alarm. The loud ringing sound of the drill chimed throughout the hallways. My brows narrowed and my sclera's turned to black. “Get out!” With nothing other than pure rage, I ripped off my latex gloves and launched them angrily at you. I tore off the bracelet in the same motion, causing the elastic holding the beads together to snap. The bracelet fell apart before the two of us; the beads pouring to the ground, bouncing, and rolling about. I let them fall like they meant nothing to me. During this high-strung moment, my gaze, locked on you, never faltered. I didn't even blink.

The smoke-detecting fire system triggered the sprinkles to turn on in the hallways. Nurses, patients, and staff all began to flock to the emergency doors immediately, unable to see the standoff in the patient out room.

You were Hans. You were Hans Solo.
This entire time I had romanticized the little boy who stole my heart when I was just 8 years old. And here he was. Hans Solo. Chase Collins. A villain; a monster.
No Prince Charming.

 

[Defiant]

Heavy, trembling breath. Even though she spoke evenly Chase knew she was afraid. And why shouldn't she be. He did have a reputation and it was one which could invoke fear upon people. It was something he may have taken a bit too much pride in. But that's part of what having so much power resulted in. Fear. People with little power feared people with too much power. But was that even possible? To have too much power? To Chase Collins, the answer was an easy, definite no.

Her response to being called Tink was another surprise. He didn't think she'd even care that much. But then again, when he watched the beads fall, each little sound they created when they bounced off the linoleum of the floor caused a weird, sharp tug inside of his chest. His eyes followed them for a moment, watching one roll and hit the side of his boot. He stared at it, the little round plastic bead. He'd cared when he made the bracelet. Before the power took him. He frowned and lifted his gaze to her.

Both hands shot out and his eyes followed suit as everything outside of the room froze, the fire alarm stopped and the people outside slowed until frozen in time. The water from the sprinklers lingered in the air.

Hesitation now. It was clear he was unsure which way to go about this. He could leave. Disappear. But then he wouldn't get the power from Reid. And Reid was here. There was a whisper inside of his conscious as well. He didn't want her to remember him like this either. He clenched his jaw against the thought. Scolded himself mentally; he didn't care what she thought of him. She left. He'd been hurt. It was her turn.

The idea gave that stupid little tug in his chest again.

“Reid's alive. You want to save him from what the power's doing. What it's probably already done to him. Then help me. Caleb's too righteous to use his power. Tyler's too scared and Pogue is a love-sick puppy,” he stated, the words spilling out of his mouth sounding more desperate than he would have liked.

He dropped his arms, but things outside the room still remained frozen.

“The boy who gave you that,” he snapped his fingers and the bracelet was back on her wrist. “Is still alive. In here. Somewhere. My parents didn't know what I was. They didn't know to warn me against this!” He yelled, a wave of power rippled through the air. “Before I knew what it was I was addicted before I even ascended. Do you know what that's like?” He asked, shaking his head, laughing bitterly. “No. Of course not. Because all your life you get told the horror stories. You know you shouldn't do it because there is no way to stop once you start.”

His eyes shifted, the alarm ringing loudly as his spell diminished and people frantic voices filling the hallway and the sprinklers in the room started, drenching the both of them. “Help me and save your brother.”

 

[Temptationist]

It was clear I wasn't one for negotiations. Once you froze the room, I became more frightened, however more determined to get out of this alive. With a hand of my hand, a slew of sharp objects (knives, needles, and tools) surrounded me, and pointed towards you. This certainly wouldn't kill you, but it would buy me enough to time run... at least I hoped it did.

“Reid is no more alive than a struck-animal on the side of the road.” My voice was filled with bitterness. Not towards you, but towards him. There was still anger in me for what Reid had done to himself. But ultimately, I was right. Reid was physically alive, but barely enough to be considered it. He was breathing, but he wasn't living.

As the bracelet reappeared on my wrist, I wouldn't admit it, but I was moved; relieved. My expression softened as I looked down at it; remembering all of the joyous memories it represented. Who was I kidding? I didn't want to fight you. Even if I did, I didn't stand a chance. When you told me you were still in there somewhere, “I know.” I whispered to you; a single tear streamed down my rosy cheek. Still gazing at the bracelet, I gave a disappointment grunt and released the floating sharp objects. They fell all at once, causing a loud clashing sound as they hit the ground.

If you were anything like Caleb had described, you were cold, ruthless, and emotionless. You would kill anyone to get you closer to your goal; and that was Power. Always needing more. If anything, you were like my father; reckless, violent, and un-phased. At worst, you were like Caleb's father; selfish, stuck-up and relentless. I couldn't really decipher which option would be worse. Maybe you were both. I was all too familiar with how addictive the Power could be, and how it would completely consume anyone who uses it. I knew better than most, how the person Power tripping was not real; just a demon that has emerged from a false source of comfort. There was more to this demon – there was a person. I knew that. I saw it in my father, like Caleb saw it in his.

And now, as I stood here, I saw it in you too. Maybe you were right. Somewhere deep beneath all of your Power, there was that little boy I had come to love. There was a man beneath the monster; a man who wanted acceptance no more than he wanted freedom. But I didn't know how to handle it; how to give that to you. When you criticized me, underestimated me, I erupted. “Don't you tell me I don't know!” With the sudden scream, the knives, tools, and needles shot up from the floor and struck the wall to either side of you. Purposely not striking you, they stuck out of the wall and served as a reminder of how unpredictable I was as a Power-user. My Power was unrefined; immature, because I could never ascend to master it. “You think I don't know!?” I growled further. “... What it's like?”

“Do you know...? What it's like to be normal? Because I don't.” My voice calmed slowly, but my eyes still remained black as night. “I struggled. We all did...” I became sad suddenly, thinking about all the years that had been wasted away. “At least someone loved you. My mother couldn't even look at me. She saw me as a monster – told me I was better off dead just like my father-” Suddenly feeling extremely vulnerable and uncomfortable, I shook my head and ran my fingers over the bracelet. “I can't help you. If I had a cure, I would have saved Reid. But I don't. I barely have a theory.”

 

[Defiant]

When the knives and needles and other tools hit the wall behind him didn't flinch. Didn't even blink. He kept a small amount of the power around his body. He didn't know how she was going to react to anything so he had to be cautious. He didn't need to worry about having to heal himself.

“You do not know what it's like to have all this power and you get addicted to it before you even know what it is. You can see it but you don't know what it's like. You don't know how it feels to have something have so much control over you that you become a completely different person,” he stated. He didn't mean it as an insult or to say she hadn't been affected by it. He sighed, dropping his gaze for a moment then shook his head. “I mean first hand. You don't know what it's like. The pull of it. How... how intoxicating and how amazing it all feels,” he exaggerated his words with the use of his arms.

“At one point, yes. I did know what it was like. It was when I was with you. Tink and Han. Two kids who didn't have to worry about anything else other than what adventure we were on that day,” he pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest. “Then after that everything kind of changed. You know, with the whole getting powers then all that jazz that comes from being born to this damned bloodline.”

He hated his power as much as he loved it. It was frightening. How much he had to use it. And how it really did have a hold of him. He didn't want to admit but part of him, a very small part of him. Did crave help. He didn't want to have to worry about looking over 100 years old while he was still only in his 20's or 30's. Who knew how long it would take for him to age.

Reid was done, according to her. He wasn't able to come back from it and he was a few months younger than Chase was. So he'd got it bad. Chase was curious as to how it was possible for Reid to have used that much. It was only a matter of time for before he was in the same boat. And he wasn't going to let that happen.

“You're mother's a fucking cunt,” he stated, his eyes narrowing but his distaste wasn't directed at her. It was directed to her mother. “She was jealous because she was weak and would never be better than what she was when she was putting down her kid,” he clenched his jaw. “You think my parents thought I was still their precious son when they figured out what I could do? That I wasn't just like them?” he shook his head, laughing.

“But you have something! Barely a theory is not anything. And you have Reid. And lots of people here. And now you have me. So use me and create a theory and come up with a cure!” he threw his hands out. “You didn't get here because you're stupid. And you didn't get here using power. So you know science shit about addiction. Use it.”

 

[Temptationist]

My breaths were heavy and quick. Hearing you go on and on, I realized I had no choice here. I couldn't bring myself to even attempt to kill you, and I couldn't just turn away from a problem I was trying to fix. If you were addicted, and if you truly wanted help, who was I to judge and turn you away? I was your best chance at any sort of redemption. This could even mean a matter of life or death. Giving a frustrated exhale, I shouted. “FINE!” With a wave of my hands, the lights stopped to flicker as my eyes returned back to their normal, olive-green state. “Fine!” My voice hushed as I tried to mentally calm myself down. “Fine..”

Trying not to look at you, my eyes fell to anything in the room but you. I ran my hands over my wet face and through my soaked hair. Looking up at the sprinkler, I snapped my finger at it stopped. They all stopped, all throughout the building. This evacuation would set the institution back several days. The flooding alone would put the floor out of business for at least two days. Looking at the water around us, I sighed. When I used, I had little control of what I was doing. I could control it, but it was unpredictable, and the angrier I got, the less I thought before I acted it. Using always resulted in a regret. And right now, as I looked upon the flooded hallways, I regretted losing my temper.

“I'll help you, but only if you listen to me.” Finally looking over to you, I snatched the clipboard from your bedpost. “We do this my way, under my research and direction.” I took the tray with the vials of your blood in the other hand. Walking towards the door, I could hear the ambulances and fire trucks outside. Their lights flashed through the windows in the halls. “Follow me. There's something you need to see.” Leaving the room, I didn't bother to exit the building. I completely ignored the alarm, which still rung, or the police and fire fighters that had all first-responded to the alarm system tripping.

I stormed down the hallway, walking in the total opposite direction of the emergency exits. I walked in black high heels, but I could furiously strut down the hall better than a Victoria's Secret model on a runway. “Try to keep up.” I muttered bitterly under my breath as I took you down several different corridors. Down a flight of stairs, down another corridor, then down a small emergency stairwell; barely big enough to fit two people. The stairwell lead to final underground hallway. The hallway seemed to be where the boiler room and laundry room was. It was a general janitor-maid area, but I didn't stop for any of those facilities. I walked over to the elevator. Swiping my ID card, the elevator doors opened. I took a step inside, and waited for you to enter. I glared at you like you with blank look in my eyes. I didn't know how to feel about you. I didn't know if I hated you; loathed your existence, or if I missed you; and was relieved to see you after all these years. I couldn't make up my mind.

Once you were in the elevator and the doors closed, I reached over to the boxes containing medical mask and latex gloves. I snatched a pair of each and handed you one of each. “Put these on.” I watched you as you put them on, not flinched even the slightest until you had them on your face and hands. After they were on, I followed suit. My eyes moved from you to the elevator's digits. There was another swipe pad beside it. I swiped my card again, this time, placing my right hand over a flat black disc on the wall. The elevator read my hand print, and beeped. I did a 180; turning right around to face the back wall of the elevator, which was one giant mirror. Several seconds later, the mirror back a beeping noise, then clicked. It was actually a door. The door, now unhinged from its lock, popped open slightly. Pulling it further open, I stepped out of the elevator before you.

“Try not to get your panties in a bunch, Collins.” I growled to you as I looked over at Reid – deformed, shriveled, but alive. The room we walked into was white, and completely sterilized. He was hooked up to all sorts of tubes and machines. He was breathing, but he was certainly not conscious. “He's basically brain dead, so he's not willing you any of his Power.” The light in the room made my eyes appear to be glowing green. They locked on yours, narrowing in as I unveiled the real reason you were here. “Joke's on you.” I muttered under my breath as I placed the clipboard and the vials over on the counter. As bitchy as I was being, I was right, and telling the truth. Reid's brain had absolutely no activity. Whatever happened to him, it fried him inside and out.

Reid had aged well beyond desired years; resembling more of an alien than a human being at this point. But his case was extraordinary an no one, not even Caleb or his entire crew knew what happened to him. “I suppose your next question is, what the hell happened to him?” Shifting my gaze over to him, he was completely unrecognizable. “Reid vanished for 3 years.” My eyes stayed fixated on him. “Neither I nor Caleb or anyone knew what had happened to him. I would receive letters, sometimes phone calls, but communication was scarce, and...” I shook my head lightly, “... confusing.” Sighing, “When he showed up at Caleb's doorstep, he couldn't even move. Someone had dropped him off at the stairs, and left him there. We don't know who, we don't know why. We don't know anything really, except for the fact that he lost his mind...” Looking over to you, my eyes softened. I continued to speak through the mask. “My father willed him his power, and Reid went off the deep end. He became so consumed, he lost control of who he was... lost touch with the world around him.” My body moved forward. Reaching out, I took Reid's crusted and wrinkled hand gently in my own. “He was gone..." With my opposite hand, I brought my fingers up to the bracelet, and ran my tips over the plastic beads. "... I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye.”

 

[Defiant]

When she repeated 'fine' he put his hands on his hips and arched a brow. “Alright, no need to get so worked up about it,” he said but the exasperated expression on his face gaze way easily to a cheshire grin and his hands slipped from his hips and came to rest at his sides. He missed having pants then, he liked having his hands in his pockets but he was still in his boxers since the examination.

“Listen to you?” he asked, watching her as she snatched up his clipboard then sighed and nodded his head, falling into step behind her. “Fine. You're way. It's not like I know much about what you need done or anything,” he pointed out and followed her at a quick pace, forgoing his clothes as he walked along the slick hallways in his bare feet.

Chase sighed as they walked and glanced at the alarm, his eyes flashed quickly and the alarms silenced. The sudden silence was almost deafening but it was much better than the high pitched wailing. “Try to keep up,” he mocked her voice and made a face as he followed. He had an odd way of showing appreciation. Even though he really didn't want to get rid of this addiction. At least he didn't think he really did. But he knew where it lead. And it was a scary path.

The floor was cool under his feet as he followed, his eyes drifting from side to side as he tried to figure out where it was she was taking him, though he did have an idea. He wanted to commit the way there to memory.

“How do people carry laundry down that stairwell?” He asked when he saw the laundry room. “It's so inconvenient,” he commented while he continued to follow her. He stepped onto the elevator and glanced at her then held his hands up when he saw the glare she was sending his way. “Seriously. You need to chill out. I'm offering myself up as a guinea pig for you to go mad scientist on. Most psycho doctor would be giddy and wet at the idea,” he grumbled and crossed his arms as he watched the doors slide shut. Locking him in the small space with the woman casting him one hell of a glare.

He tilted his head at the gloves then slid them on. “Bend over an'cough,” he said and snapped the elastic around the wrist then popped the medical mask over his face. “This is all pretty expensive for a hospital isn't it?” He asked, shooting her a quick look. “Oh. Do you work with Ethan Hunt possibly? You could pull off Benji's role. Possibly. You'll need to smile a bit more though, he is lovable. Not intimidating an'scary.”

He turned after she did and looked over the mirror. “What's with the mirror? That's an expensive wall for an elevator. And one which I'm sure only you, and now me, know about it,” he pointed out, his voice muffled by the mask. He followed after her, arching a brow at her words then looked down at his shorts, he slid his fingers under the elastic band and tugged them out a bit from his stomach and peeked down. “Not wearing any of those,” he said an then looked up once more.

He tilted his head as he looked at Reid. “Huh. He looks worse than I thought he would,” he commented, not very taken aback since he'd seen his own father before he'd been willed his power and the man died. He'd looked well over 100 at 40. “He must have gone a lot crazier with his powers than I thought he did. Felt some of it, when we were in the same general area,” he added, glancing at her. He was pretty sure he knew more about Reid's adventures than she did or any other idiot son of Ipswich.

When she told him the joke was on him he said nothing, just lifted his gaze to look at her. “If I was after that, then I'd have my ways of getting it which wouldn't include shooting myself up with heroine,” he pointed out, clenching his jaw. He wouldn't admit he was after that. Because he had to gain her trust. He wanted to know if she could get rid of this addiction. If he could get rid of then addiction then he wouldn't age. And he could be the most powerful of all, while not having to fight off the powerful urge to use as often as he did, to the extent he used it at.

“No. I know what happened to him,” he stated, staring down at Reid. “It's what I don't want to happen to me,” he lifted his eyes to look across the other warlock to the witch. “Why do you keep him like this? It's not exactly something he can come back from. No matter what you do. He's used up his body,” he said, turning away. He was bothered by the state of Reid. More so by the fact it was how he could end up.

 

[Temptationist]

I rolled my eyes. It was all I could do. And even when I wasn't physically rolling my eyes, I was doing so in my mind. As you continued to babble on, I wondered just how long you could actually talk to yourself for. The whole isolation thing was starting to make sense, now. You didn't need company, you had your conceit and your vanity. Finally, as you looked down at your underwear and checked yourself out, I let out a loud frustrated grunt. "Uhg! Don't make me puke." I rolled my eyes yet again. "Do you ever get bored of the sound of your voice? You really are consumed in yourself." I was angry. More so about the time spent apart than I was at the evil you had conjured within that time. I was also angry at how much you had changed, yet at the same time, how much you were the same. "You never did shut up." I muttered under my breath.

I snatched your file right out of your hands. Taking the clipboard you had stolen from the room, I tossed the whole thing in the trashcan in the corner. "Won't be needing that." I said proudly, as I looked up from the garbage. "Your tests are compromised with heroin. From here on out, I need you completely clean... and sober." I looked you up and down; my eyes trailing from your handsome face down to your boxers, and back up. "... And clothed. You need clothes. Oh-" I paused, "And a little less on the sarcasm, a little more on the silence. You may like the sound of your own voice, but frankly, you're not as cute as you were when you were in a Han Solo costume. Sorry, babe." I said sarcastically, grinning to myself and at my own shrewd demeanor and humor as I checked on Reid's vitals.

Sighing, I shook my head. I slowly and lovingly swiped away a strand of white hair that had fallen over Reid's sleeping eyes. "I miss him. Miss the shit out of him and his stupid comments and... and daring stunts." My voice was soft, the sarcasm relinquished from my mouth. I looked down at his arm and held his hand in my own. "Reid was full of life. He was healthy, and young when I last saw him three years ago." Letting go of his hand, I reached over to the side table and pulled the drawer open. Pulling out a big printed out photo of Reid, I extended my arm to hand it to you. Without even so much as looking at you, I urged you to take the frame in your hands. "This was him just three years ago. Just after he inherited my father's Power." The frame held a picture of a dashing Reid Garwin, all dressed up in a suit and tie. He looked older than he actually was, but he looked good; radiant. "Pogue's wedding." Finally tearing my eyes from Reid's withering, fragile state, I looked back to you. "He was a groomsmen. He was controlled; happy. Shortly after, he disappeared." I began to fiddle with the tubes that surrounded him, making sure each one was tight and secure. "He flew off the deep end and nobody knows how or why he got this way..."

"I keep him alive because I can." I turned to look at you, "He's in there, somewhere. And it's impossible for him to have ended up this way. No matter how much he used, he simply could not have withered-" I paused for dramatic effect. "-from this..." I walked over and tapped my index finger on the glass frame. "... to this." I waved my hand over to his bed. "It's impossible." Lightly shaking my head, I took a deep breath. "You barely look 30 years old, and you've used a hell of a lot of it." Taking the frame back in my hand, I shook my head. "No. I will not accept this." My eyes fell to the photo. "Something was wrong with him when he came to me. He not only looked inhuman, but he was poisoned." Turning around, I walked back over to the side table and placed the photograph on it. Propping it up, I made sure it was perfectly straight and symmetrical. "I found so many substances in his blood. Traces of everything from arsenic, to titanium. Look-" Turning my body, I pulled on Reid's wrist and moved his arms off the bed. Holding it in my hand, I pointed to markings all over the fold of his arm trailing down to his wrist. "Cigarette burns, and injection scars." My eyes moved up to you. Still holding his arm, I exhaled. "I think he was tortured."

Carefully placing it back in place, my eyes returned to yours. My face became serious, almost frightened. The look in my eyes was enough to worry anyone. "We're being hunted."

 

[Defiant]

He was amused with how easy it was to get under her skin. “You told me not to get my panties in a bunch. Just had to make sure I wasn't wearing any,” he pointed out as he leaned against the bed she'd placed Reid on. “No. I don't get tired of my own voice. Probably the same way you don't get tired of yours,” he pointed out and crossed his arms over his bare chest as he gazed down at the other warlock.

It was his turn to roll his eyes at her and laughed out loud. “Oh, you poor thing. You're still adorable though,” he smirked and moved his finger to tap her cheek lightly then turned away from the two of them and listened to her talk then snorted when she called him babe. “Babe,” he shook his head and pulled himself up onto a desktop and sat with his legs dangling as he watched her check the vitals and tilted his head as he checked out her expression. “Huh, you're pretty proud of yourself,” he commented as he observed her then leaned back, bracing his arms behind himself.

He gave a nod at her comments of her missing him but decided to not say anything. Anything he wanted to say wouldn't be right to say in front of the sister of dying man. Though he was technically dead. Just breathing and not eating people sort of dead. He smirked at the thought. He wondered if he could turn Reid into a zombie. It would be sort of entertaining. Really entertaining actually. Considering zombies were so in recently it would be going with the trend.

He sighed when she held out the picture for him to take and didn't at first then slid off the desk and walked over to take it from her hand. “Awww,” he commented then walked over and dropped it onto Reid's chest and looked at her. “Good for Pogue. Didn't think him and what's her face would last. She almost left him for me,” he commented and turned again, not too concerned with what she was saying about Reid. He'd heard it all before. He knew how it started and how it ended. “He's Reid. Of course he flew off the deep end. He could barely contain himself from using when I knew him. When you ascend then when you get willed more power, the urge to use just more and more intense. The little bit I did know Reid, I knew he wasn't a control freak,” he stated and shook his head.

“He might still be in there. But he's not going to have much quality of a life if... or when he does wake up,” he stated. “You should have seen my biological father when I found him. They had to feed him through a tube. Because he couldn't chew. You think he could walk or wipe his own ass?” he asked, frowning. “You should let him die. It'd be the more humane thing to do,” he shook his head then frowned as she continued to speak. “Yea. I used a lot of it. But I also saw first hand what can happen and I don't want it to happen so I try to stop. And it sucks.”

He craned his neck to look at what she pointing at then looked to her face and he stared deep into her eyes when she said they were being hunted. He broke into a grin and laughed, dropping his gaze from hers. “Wow. You know Reid probably fucked somebody over. If we're being hunted... why now? Warlocks have been in Ipswich for... generations. Why go after Reid... when he's...” he trailed off and frowned as it actually started to make sense.

“You tell Caleb? Or any of the others?”

 

[Temptationist]

I simply shook my head at your constant arrogance. As you tapped my face, I cocked my head back and moved my cheek to the side, grunting at your action. "Uck." I wasn't disgusted by your finger, or your words, just by your completely and total cockiness. "Nauseating." I whispered to myself; muttering it under my breath. It was one of those things that's supposed to stay in your head, but your feeling so overwhelmed by the emotion that you accidentally say it out loud.

I continued on with my affairs, but did look back at you as you moved towards the counter top. "Ah, yes. Please do contaminate my entire facility, Han. I'm sure Reid would love some asshole with his daily injections." I made you put on gloves and a mask, and somehow that translated to, 'I'm going to plant my butt right here'. "Real considerate." I spat out sarcastically, then suddenly whipped around to face you. "What's it like to be a Narcissist? It must be easy only thinking about your self every day, hmm?" Crossing my arms over myself, I stared at you like I was actually interested in your response; but even the expression on my face was riddled with sarcasm. I was only pretending to care.

Not giving you much room to answer, I tore off my right hand glove and whipped it at you. "Get off." I said firmly, like a mother trying to discipline her child. Shaking my head lightly, I followed you with my eyes as you snatched the frame from my hands and then plopped it onto Reid's chest. I instantly snatched it off of his body with my eyes wide. I looked at you like you had just committed the most heinous of crimes. Despite my gawking at your blatant disrespect of Reid's frail form, I didn't say another word. I just watched you and listened to you as you spoke.

Somewhere between you blaming Reid, and a story about your father, my mind had wandered off. I was still nodding my head as if I was listening, but really, it was going in one ear and out the other. I began to think about all the time we spent apart, and how we turned into such different people. I wanted to believe the sweet boy I adored so much when I was just a child, but looking at you here before me, I couldn't believe it. Yet among this all, I just wanted to kiss you. To throw my arms and legs around you and jump on you; embrace you. Because I had found you.

But also, I wanted to kill you. I really did. You were so utterly infuriating, that I just wanted to punch you. Not even paying attention to your question about Caleb, I spat out of nowhere: "I want to punch you. Straight in the face. No, actually, the balls. I want to punch you straight in the balls, and watch you heave over as your knees buckle and your eyes fill with pain." I said it with a dead-pan face, the true evil of the Power coming out as I stared you down. It was a blunt and dark side of me that not many people saw.

Blinking several times as I realized that came out of my mouth, I looked down and licked my lips nervously. I said that out loud, even though I didn't mean to. But the scariest part was that it was the truth, and I was serious in that moment. Clearing my throat, my eyes met yours and I gave you a giant, fake smile. "I actually said that out loud." I chuckled slightly, trying to compose myself back into a more compassionate, human form. "I apologize. Actually, I don't." Contradiction myself by the minute, I turned around and grabbed a needle, pre-filled with a solution. Completely reverting the conversation back to the subject, I turned back around to face you. "Yes, we're being hunted... For all I care, they can have you." This time, I was lying.

I suddenly stabbed the needle into the side of your arm, and pushed down the dense fluid into your body. "Remind me again why exactly I'm helping you?"

 

[Defiant]

He let her get what she wanted out before going back to her question of him being a narcissist. “Well, it's great,” he said, pursing his lips as though giving his answer serious contemplation. “Yea. Just... great. I mean, I don't have to worry about being considerate. It's not as though I care what you really think about me. Or anybody else for that matter,” he shrugged a shoulder, glancing to the side. “And I don't have to worry about other people, their well-being and all that jazz,” he said, motioning towards Reid to use him as an exception. “But it can also be very rewarding too,” he smirked, gaze meeting hers. “For others too,” he added, motioning to her this time.

“For instance. I want to live a long life and not look 80 when I'm 40. My narcissism is causing me to help you by helping myself,” he grinned. It made complete and total sense in his head and he was kind of proud of that.

“You know, for someone who wants me to be quiet so you don't have to hear my voice you ask a lot of questions,” he arched a brow, gaze staying focused as he watched her with an amused smile on his face. Chase threw his head back and laughed when she talked about punching him. He found it amusing despite her threatening physical pain.

As she blinked he moved around the table, standing by Reid's feet now as he watched her, curious. All traces of humour fled from his face as she said she apologized but then when she contradicted herself seconds later the amusement was back. “Good for you doc! You're alright when you're honest and not trying to be some prissy school-girl,” he commented, grinning as he tilted his head. “Actually... prissy school-girl...” He allowed himself to trail off as he pictured her in some sort of naughty school girl outfit.

“Well, if they can have then you wouldn't be able to get a...” He frowned at her when she stabbed the needle into his arm and furrowed his brows. “That hurt,” he stated and pulled his arm back once she'd pushed the fluid into his body. “You're helping me so you can figure out a cure for the addictiveness of the power. Which in turn helps me. Maybe you should get yourself checked for dementia if you're that forgetful,” he rolled his eyes and swiped his thumb over needle prick to clear the blood and licked it off his thumb.

“Talking about dementia, what were we ta... Oh yea! School girl,” he snapped his fingers and let out a laugh, covering his mouth with four fingers while his thumb rested against the underside of his jaw. He'd changed Miri's outfit from that of a professional to one which was more for the bedroom or a strip joint.

“Oh that's awesome, who knew you were hiding that under those,” he chuckled, tilting his head as his eyes ran over her body slowly, taking in every ounce of skin now exposed, with a smirk before biting his bottom lip and letting out an appreciative sound from the back of his throat.

 

[Temptationist]

Your explanation for narcissism blew my mind. Rather than reassuring me that it was just an insult, in fact, you reassured me that it was a fairly accurate diagnosis. Somewhere in that messed up brain of yours, you had managed to convince yourself that being a selfish narcissist was in the benefit of the general public. As you started on your defense, my face melted from a somewhat amused grin to a drooping look of utter confusion. I looked at you like you were absolutely out of your mind. "Wow." I responded. It was the only word I could gather among all my racing thoughts. "Congratulations. You managed to present the most skewed sense of reasoning I think I've ever seen." Arching an eyebrow, I added, "You really are full of yourself." As if I didn't fully believe it then, I definitely believed it now.

Sneering, I shook my head and tossed the needle onto a tray that I had placed momentarily on Reid's lap. Although I didn't bother telling you, the injection was a combination serum I was using to sedate Reid. Depending on how fast your body processed medication, as well as how it reacted to the other meds, you would feel sleepy fairly quickly, and within moments of that sudden fatigue, you would enter a temporary comatose state.

Turning back to look at you, I crossed my arms as you moaned about school girls. Rolling my eyes slightly, I thought to myself; typical. But before I could blink again, I suddenly felt really, really cold. Looking down, I gasped. I was practically naked! Barely clothed in a skimpy school girl's uniform, complete with plaid and 13-year-old pigtails. Of course, as a doctor, it could only be expected that beneath the big white coat was a slender, fit physique. "Fucking Chase!" I shouted as you snickered. Pulling my arm over my torso as if to cover myself, I quickly abandoned the idea of hiding myself when it was really no use. I didn't want to seem prissy, as much as I tried not to let your teasing get to me. "You're an asshole." I grunted, "And pigtails? Really? That's borderline pedophilia." Ripping the scrunchies from my hair, I tossed them aside.

"Cheesy foreplay dress-up isn't really my style. I've grown up from the costumes and the treehouse, hun." My irises sparking like an ignition to a flame, they flashed to black for a second before returning to their normal green color. Though, instead of changing my own outfit, I changed yours. Rather than giving you a male stripper get up, I dressed you in straight up female lingerie. Starting to crack up, I tried to hold my lips shut but couldn't resist. "Like I scene right out of the Rocky Horror Picture Show." Finally, I bust out laughing. The attire was two sizes two tight, and looked absolutely ridiculous on your masculine physique. "I'm disappointed, I thought for sure it'd look better on you." Sarcastic, I chuckled again.

 

[Defiant]

“Well that's sad,” he said in reply to her comment of growing up from the costumes and treehouse, “Cause you look damn good in that,” he smirked then dropped his head to look down at himself and arched a brow at the attire she'd picked out for him. “Really? I'd say, never thought it to be a picture you'd want to see,” he laughed and spread his legs a bit. “Jesus how to guys who are into this do this, there's zero room for my balls,” he muttered and reached down to try and readjust before he felt a wave of dizziness. He frowned, shaking his head. “Fuck that pinches,” he grunted and changed the underwear rather quickly to relieve the pressure on his testicles and penis. “How is that comfortable?” he frowned then reached back to unclasp the bra portion of the lingerie and dropped it to the floor.

He stumbled but caught himself then laughed and put his hand over the needle mark. He winced, drawing the medication out of his arm before the was a puff of smoke as he evaporated it and then flicked his gaze to her, a dangerous glint to them. “Don't trust you enough to put me out doc. That was either really stupid or... no. It was just stupid really,” he frowned at her then stood and gave his head a shake.

He let out a slow breath, feeling stable again though there was a bit sluggishness in his head which irked him he hadn't felt the drugs filtering through his body till it had reached his head and he couldn't draw all of it out. “Why do you need to knock me out?” He asked, his blue eyes staring intently at her as he stood again in nothing but his shorts.

He clenched his jaw then lifted a hand, simultaneously lifting her into the air. “From now on, anything you stick me with, you're going to tell me what it is,” he stated, his eyes remaining black as he moved towards her, his face menacing and eyes displaying nothing due to the colour. He lowered her, her legs moving behind her so they were face to face but she wasn't standing on her own feet. All the teasing, immature Chase was gone now, replaced by what the power had made him into. “I will risk growing old, becoming fragile and weak before I let you keep me on some table to play with for however long you want to play,” he stated and swung her right side up and released her to stand.

 

[Temptationist]

Watching you extract the injected medication from your arm, I tried to hold back a smirk. Rather than looking surprised, concerned, or even disappointed, it almost look like that's exactly what I wanted you to do. Ideally, it wasn't, but I knew you'd do it. And something within me was satisfied that even after all these years, you were still so very predictable. Arms still crossed, I watched you intensely. The green color in my iris seemingly glowing just a little brighter as I watched you. I started to chuckle lightly as it evaporated. "You think I didn't know you would do that?" I chuckled again, "Why do you think I injected you with so much?"

Sighing, not in distress but more in relief, I shook my head lightly. "My dear Han, if you knew me you'd know I was cunning, and determined in my ways." I gave a flirtatious wink. Though, the tone in my voice had changed. It was less innocent, and far less naive. It sounded calculated, like each word I spat out had been sitting ready in my mind for a long time. "In a large injection, surely, you would fall comatose." I said as a matter of fact. "But all I needed for your body to absorb was a single drop, and it only took your body half a second to do it. Whatever you extracted is just the excess." My grin turned devilish, almost evil. There was a darkness in my eyes that had not been there before. Was it the real me talking, or was this a product of the Power that ran through my veins?

As I was lifted in the air, I didn't panic. In fact, it didn't seem to phase me. Being absorbed into your Power play, I felt it harder to breathe, but it was only natural for someone in my state. It was a result I was well used to, and although uncomfortable, I learned not to fear it. Laughing lightly as you controlled my body, I focused in on your gaze. Referring to the injection, I responded, "All you have to do... is ask." Feeling my feet touch the ground again, I exhaled. Taking another breath, I smirked. "I injected you with a homemade suppressor. It's a sort of fail safe I created for myself to protect myself against the forces of evil that the Power encourages." Taking a step closer to you, I continued, "Although it doesn't make me stronger, it does, however, make you weaker. Well..." I corrected, "... It makes the intensity of your Power weaker, while increasing the sensitivity to the force of the Power used against you. "Meaning, you get weaker, and those who have less Power..." Extending my hand out to you, my sclera's forming to black. What I was inflicting on you now was a sort of tightening pressure within you. I watched as your breaths shortened and your veins began to swell. Grinning, I released you almost immediately, satisfied that the injection had worked. "... they appear stronger."

My eyes returned back to their original state. Now... now I was really proud of myself. "But..." I continued, "There are some side effects..." Closing in the space between us, I got really close to you. The Power already gave users heightened senses, but now, it was as if those senses were on steroids. Not only would you be able to smell me, my perfume, and my natural scent, but you'd be able to smell my pheromones, too. Surely, in my current position, seeing you again as well as you practically naked, my pheromones were particularly strong. "One of those side effects being highly increased arousal." Just leaving inches between us now, I leaned my head to the side, smiling seductively as I ran a single finger up your abdomen.

 

[Defiant]

Chase wasn't a fan of what she did, the way she used her power against him. The injection had worked more than he'd be willing to admit but given how much power he had. He could evaporate it from his system completely. It would take a lot. And it would hurt, he was sure. The first time he'd shot up he'd gotten rid of it, the shit had made him so sick he couldn't stand it. But the evaporating drugs completely from his system, it was painful.

And he was amused at how Miri seemed to be so proud of herself. He stood his ground, allowing her to put such little space between them. When she ran a single finger up his abdomen he lowered his gaze from hers, breaking eye contact for the first time for a while. He looked at her dainty finger against the hard muscle of his abs then lifted his gaze back to her face and let a smirk slide easily onto his face. “Is that so?” He asked with a grin.

His hands were on her hips and he lifted her easily from the ground to sit her onto the table behind him. “Tink's all grown up huh?” He asked, pushing himself between her legs as his hands went to her ass and he pulled her flush against him so only two thin layers of cloth separated them. His right hand released her ass and moved up to grip her long hand and yanked her head back, exposing her long neck.

Leaning forward her pressed his nose against the pulse of her throat and inhaled deeply. “You want me to fuck you huh? Bend you over this desk, shove my cock deep inside of that tight little twat of yours and make you scream for more till you cum all over my dick,” he smirked against her throat and lifted his head, dragging his teeth along her throat then against his jaw as he shoved his hips more firmly against her, there was no way she wouldn't be able to feel the lines of him through his shorts.

“You must think me pretty fucking desperate,” he stated, stepping back as he released her hand and his grasp from her ass and looked at her with a grin. He tsked then his eyes flashed black for a split second and they were both fully dressed. “C'mon doc. You drug me then think I'm just gonna scratch that itch for you?” he grinned, then laughed as he tilted his head to look at her. Chase stepped up to her and reached out to grip her chin surprisingly gentle. “Nice try though, I am very tempted and for the record, you have great tits,” he grinned and pressed a quick kiss to her mouth. “Perhaps you should finish signing me in and we can get this show on the road and you can start you're healing,” he suggested as he turned from her and walked towards the door.

 

[Temptationist]

Feeling your grip around my physique, I was surprisingly calm. As you hauled me over to the table behind you, I seemed only to grin and give you complete control. I surprised myself in that moment. I wasn't afraid of you. I should be, but for some strange reason, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fear you. "Yep..." I said, in a very matter-of-fact tone as I exhaled lightly. My hands rested comfortable on the ledge of the counter; gripping it tighter as you moved in closer. My eyes trailed down to your hips as they pushed themselves between my legs. Feeling a sudden grab on my ass, I jolted slightly; instinctively moving my hands to grasp on your flexing forearms. My eyes looking down, I gave a devilish grin as I looked back up to you. I looked like I was trying to hold back a smile, but really, it was more than that.

Still, I said nothing. I did nothing. Nothing to stop you. The once prudish professional now seemed void of any self-decency as I allowed you to touch me as you pleased. I felt somewhat paralyzed. And not in an alarming way. I felt no need to defend my pride nor my body as you put your hands on me. Perhaps, I kind of liked it. Then, there it was. There was a sharp tug on my hair and my head plunged back. I could feel the sparks in my irises as I felt my body become aroused. Oh, how I hated you. Escaping a breathy exhale, my mouth was opened as your nose sunk into my neck.

Listening to your words, my eyes closed and I took a breath in. Control. I had control. I had a lot of control. Because I didn't have as much of the Power as a normal warlock, I could simply close my eyes and rid myself of any desirable urges the Power probed me to pursue. Suddenly, I snapped myself out of this little enchanted, seductive spell of yours. "That's assuming you can even make me cum." The comment may have been hostile, but my tone was more feisty, and playful. Chuckling lightly, I shook my head. "Chase, have you looked at me? I don't need to beg for my itch to be scratched." My voice seemed deeper, and my eyes were glowing. This wasn't the true, professional me talking. This was me on a high. This was the voice of the Power. There was a very evident physical difference between Miriam using, and Miriam sober.

Feeling my stomach turn as I heard myself say that, I hated myself in that moment. I hated the person I was when I succumbed to the force of the Power. I was gluttonous, sadistic, and nearly narcissistic on it. The many symptoms that come with using the ancient drug. Shaking my head lightly as I brought my head back up straight, I cleared my throat. Closing my eyes once more, I took another breath in. By the time I opened my eyes a second later, they had returned back to their normal, naturally olive-green color.

"Actually..." I said, looking down at the watch that was now back on my wrist. Smiling, I plopped myself down from the counter and followed you to the door. Placing my hand on the sensor, the elevator-style door opened and I stepped in with you. "... I have a date tonight." When it closed again, my outfit changed. Rather than the white-coat uniform I was wearing, I was now in a bright red thin strapped dress. The dress was incredibly simple, but skin-tight to my curves and breasts. Although it wasn't extravagant, my body alone was enough to impress any man. Additional to the cocktail gown, I was also adorned in expensive jewelry and a natural makeup look that made my the green in my eyes more striking. Clearly, I was going out for dinner. And it wasn't with some random Average Joe. This was a man of prestige.

The room locked up by itself, and the door to the other side of the building opened behind us. Glancing briefly at you, I smirked slightly before walking out. The clack of my nude high heels echoing throughout the bleak dull hallways with every step I took.