Ecstasy

Chapter 19
The wind rushed around her as she stood staring out at the bright red glow from of the other side of the campus, it’s distant warmth just chilling her even more. It was what she had created to diverge the attention from herself a little although it was all just a way of taking his attention away from his growing strength just long enough to see if she could turn him before it was too late. However she’d taken countless lives to get it she was no better than them and their practices.

“Do you know who you are?” She whispered softly still staring out at the mayhem as he walked silently up to her side also watching the scene unfold.

“Yes, I’m me. Do you know who you are?” He questioned back a little to cocky for saying not two minutes ago he was crying like a baby.

“Yesknowknow myself far to well.” Her voice trailed off as she turned to face him staring into his eyes as he smiled back at her questioningly. It was impossible for her to kill him and she’d come to far to go back on her attempt now all those weeks she’d watched him grow but still become less and less aware of what he was. Any reasonable person would realize what he was and used it to his advantage but he hadn’t done anything, it was all just a little suspicious. “I know what you feel, what you see and why it’s all to do with.” T.” There was a silence as he walked away from her a little and strolled casually over to one of the art pieces and sat down on it facing her. She didn’t even both to turn around to see what his facial expressions were, instead she kept her eyes firmly on the carnage in front of her as a reminder of all those lives she’d killed over her years as an Escort.

“Alright, tell me why. Explain to me why all this shit goes on?” His voice was cold behind her and she couldn’t make out what it meant but she pressed on anyway.

“I’m an escort, a go between that links the mortal world with the spirits, I watch and observe men who have the blood of warlocks and judge their strength, so that my counterparts may kill them before they grow to powerful and we can not defeat them. We are a dying breed, only a select few us survive today but we press on with our mission. We were their slaves and now not many of us remain because of what the warlocks used to do to us, they used us for their pleasures then slaughtered our offspring and our race. Passengers we call you all now, because we always escort our passengers back to the spirit world from which they came. You are a passenger, another one of them which must die if we are to survive, you have powers beyond your imagination that you have not yet realized. For my people to survive I give you an ultimatum, you join with us as an equal or I kill you here.” She turned around slowly and stared deathly at the young man sitting down on the sculpture. He smiled at her and laughed a little. She all but swallowed her tongue this wasn’t right, she stepped up her guard letting the pulsating talent she was known for flow through her veins like water, her fingertips tingling with sensation ready to defend herself if he wasn’t what he seemed.

“You had beautiful blue eyes when I met you and now they’ve turned an even more beautiful emerald green.” He laughed as she backed away from him a little as he stood up, her hand bursting into a blue flame that licked at the air like it was alive. She was just as head strong as he’d hoped she’d be, she was different to her own people she had a mind of her own and was not afraid to use it. “Wow that’s pretty.” He whispered as he began to walk forward towards her watching as she continued to play with ball of talent flaming at her fingertips.was was feeding off her fear as every time he came closer the talent grew stronger and more fierce. “Mine’s better though.” He let his own natural talent flow into his body as he flicked his fingers only to send a pulsating red flame down his arm to his hand, where he played with it like it was a child’s ball. In that very moment she felt her heart fall away, he knew he’d been playing her for a fool using her to his advantage and now she’d become the hunted. His eyes had turned a deep burgundy colour and seemed to twitch with delight as he tossed and the ball of flames from one hand to the other.

“You know don’t you?” She whispered her hand now physically shaking at the thought of what she’d now gotten herself into. Life was now coming to an abrupt end, oh why had she been so stupid. He was far to powerful for her to even consider trying to defend herself and if she ran he’d catch her in an instant then it really would be over.

“Oh I’ve know for a long time.” He smiled and let the red flame die in his hands as she swallowed hard, her eyes now filled with tr. “r. “Come on put it away and let me tell you a story now. I’m not going to hurt you.” She shivered as she gingerly let the flame die in her hands, it was no use in trying anything she was powerless against him.

“What can you have to say that would possibly be of concern to me. You will kill us all, when all we were doing was defending our freedom. If we let the passengers live they would have grown into powerful enemies ones of which we couldn’t have defeated and once again we would have been driven to slavery. My people have been defending themselves for centuries why all of a sudden have you arrived, why haven’t you acted yet?” She questioned him cautiously trying her hardest not to loose her temper and in the process loose her life. He smiled and walked over to her side staring out at the flames of her destruction.

“Your people are already dead, they have been since you learnt of my existence.” In an instant she felt her heart fall away she’d been living alone for all that time and she’d not even picked up on the fact that her own kind had been slaughtered right in front of her eyes. He sighed as she turned away quickly for him tears threatening to fall, as she thought of things she’d been doing on her own.

“But how, Steve was my doing they told me to watch him I was his escort, I saw them collect him the two of them together?” Her voice hecomecome shaky as she thought back to her last passenger’s death and the fact that she’d specifically seen both women escort him to his death.

“Yes Steve was an arsehole just a mere mortal though I’m afraid nothing in the blood what so ever. Just my way of scheming to get you to believe that your people were still in power so that I could watch and observe you myself. Craig was my original spy he was sent by me to keep an eye on you and make sure you were developing as well as I’d hoped but you had to ruin that didn’t you. You twisted it so that he sided with you and in the process the people in the house became your protectors a safe guard making it harder for me to find and seek you out but I’d found you long ago. It was just a shame that you had to kill his girlfriend first so you could have sole rights to his attention. You then used your knowledge of the spirit world to make them all believe that the place was haunted and then used their vulnerability to make sure they saw you as their leader so that they wouldn’t suddenly turn against you when things got suspicious. So when I finally realized that Craig had become a mere mortal again I decided that it was time for me to take my own action and come and watch you myself.” She swallowed hard all this time he’d known and not taken any action instead playing along with her fiasco deceiving her into thinking he was clueless when really he was their leader and knew that they could be brought down.

“Why me what have I got that my people had not?” He smiled at her softly gazing over her beautiful features in the pale moonlight. She shifted uncomfortably as he ran his hand gently over her skin, his warm tingling sensation still heavy in his fingers as it traced down her own cold tingling sensation. They were opposites something she had not realized until now, where his blood ran heated through his body her own ran chillingly cold.

“Beauty among many things, unlike your people you were born beautiful not given the illusion of beauty just so you could lure my subjects into certain death. Then there’s the method of your talent, you are different to them. They were like me warm and played on the warm emotions within themselves but you thrive of cold emotions, like hatred and depression. You intrigued me that is why I spared your life for I believe you I toI together could rule supreme.” She swallowed hard and closed her eyes as he moved behind her and moved her long hair off her neck, before softly kissing her slender neck. “You’re different as well because I know that you felt for everyone of the men you led to their death. That’s what I liked about you although you were doing their dirty work for them you secretly prayed that we would rain supreme again so that you didn’t have to kill again. That’s what tonight was all about an attempt to get me to soften so that you and I could change the future. May I just say you did a brilliant job of the party, although a little hastily done but the talent was divine, even I had been distracted for a moment or two.” She smiled a little quite proud of her achievements of the night although the regret at having to kill all those mortals would last for a long time.

“So what now? I am powerless against you and without my people I am nothing. There is now no reason for me to live on, why don’t you just do away with me now and wipe us out completely, no sense in risking a revolt again.” Her voice was passive, she just didn’t care anymore she had nothing left she was so a.
.

“I don’t want to for that would defeat the purpose in the first place of saving you all this time. It’s my time for an ultimatum, you become my partner and we achieve what many have tired, harmony between both sides or I kill you and we live happily ever after ruling the world alone which would be a terrible waste of talent, especially talent as rare as yours.” He smiled softly brushing a stray piece of hair away from her face and smiling down into her once again blue eyes, the fire with in her dampened by the choices of her fate. There was a silent pause the sirens of the emergency services echoing in the background of their thoughts. “I will leave you for a while to think.” She watched as he kissed her softly on the forehead before turning to head back down the stairs. It was all to much and she sighed heavily tears rolling down her cheeks. He’d given her the ultimatum that she was going to give to him but she knew she’d never have been able to carry out killing him.

“No wait.” He paused and turned around at the sound of her voice calling after him on the wind. “They told me over and over again to kill you, I knew I had to but I couldn’t. Something stopped me every time, it was just impossible. I wished that you didn’t know who you were so I could just turn you back to being mortal like I did Craig but you kept astounding me. So I had to try tonight and get you on my side but now seems I must go to yours. I give no hesitation in saying that I’ve never fallen in love with a passenger before but as you became more a part of me than any of my passengers before it became harder to detach myself from you. So that in the end if I killed you now I’d kill myself in the process because I wouldn’t be able to detach myself from you.” Her voice trailed off to nothing as the tears began to fall again she was such a failure to her people and now she’d committed the ultimate sin she’d confessed her love to a passenger. He smiled softly at her before walking quickly over to her and hugging her tightly his own talent fading as hers had done. They were just like before when neither of them knew what deceit had brought them together and why. He loved her dearly and he too knew that he could not condemn her to death she was special she cared for them like she’d cared for her own people and just maybe they’d be the new generation of talent. She smiled a little, feeling the warmth against her skin as his own talent continued to pulse still through his veins.

“I love you Alex.” He whispered so softly to her as he dragged his finger across her cheek and down to her moist lips. Alex sighed heavily before gently kissing his finger and running her hand up to his shoulder as they gazed at one another in ore.

“I love you too Anthony.” Alex’s voice drifted into the wind as Anthony smiled lightly and lowered his lips to gently touch her own, before pulling her in for a passionate kiss. Anthony smiled as he deepened the kiss tasting everything he’d worked for over his life time all the lies he’d made up to get her to trust him enough so that she’d eventually confess to him her secret. She was extremely special and the two of them now together could do great things for the world in which they resided in.

“Yeah I’m sure I saw them go up here, I agree with you totally Anthony is not to be trusted.” Anthony and Alex broke away from one another as a voice was heard coming up the stairs towards the rooftop. Anthony smiled and laughed a little as a familiar voice tried to sound as convincing as possible.

“Who’s that?” Alex inquired nervously, Anthony had realized that Alex had grown more nervous and edgy now with the fact that she had to defend herself on her own.
“Shhh, it’s only a niggling little irritant that I’ve got to get rid of before we go down stairs to face the mortals.” Alex was silenced quickly as Anthony drew her in for another passionate kiss totally ignoring the two figures that had appeared at the top of the stairs.

“Bastard I knew you weren’t to be trusted.” Anthony broke away from Alex reluctantly watching as she glanced around to see Dawson standing next to Craig who looked mighty pissed off at seeing Alex and Anthony together.

“For god sake shut him up Dawson.” Dawson smiled wickedly as he turned on Anthony’s command and side kicked Craig in the stomach causing him to stagger backwards a few steps grasping his stomach in pain as he doubled over.

“But he’s Mortal I slept with him for that very reason to drain his powers.” Alex protested at seeing Craig groaning in agony as Dawson delivered another bone crunching kick to Craig’s side. Anthony shook his head in repute as he wrapped his hands around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder comfortingly as he gently kissed her neck, watching in delight as Dawson continued to deliver blows to Craig’s body.

“Yes I know about that but all you succeeded in doing was just silencing him. He didn’t report back to me on your progress after you’d slept with him because he knew that if he did I might take his chance of getting another fuck away. He’s still got his talent he’s just to chicken to use it because he knows how god damn powerful you and I are compared to him. So he played along with your game making you believe you’d taken them. Unfortunately it’s just a myth that if you sleep with us you can drain us just something to keep your spirits up and because non-of your people ever slept with any of ours you just didn’t know the truth. Craig over there played on that myth and used it to his advantage like the selfish pick he is.” Alex swallowed hard as Dawson gave another blow to Craig’s chest, sending him falling to the ground trying to gasp for breath. “That’s enough.” Anthony breathed as Dawson smiled and walked over to them leaving Craig still trying to breath as he ribs caved in on his lungs after Dawson’s beating.

“Dawson’s one of us.” Anthony commented as he leant across and kissed Dawson lightly on the lips as a reward for beating Craig.

“Then why did you two fight it out in the kitchen pretending to swap partners with Josh and Alan.” Alex inquired confused all of a sudden at why it was necessary for them to pretend to have a fight with one another and sleep with Alan and Josh. Anthony smiled and kissed Dawson softly on the lips again before smiling down at Alex wrapped tightly in his arms.

“Just bored I guess. We needed a change from each other and we might as well make the mortals actually believe we were a dysfunctional gay couple so we could try doing someone else. Fun for us, reality for the mortals. Plus I had to have an excuse to become more friendly with you, while ever I was a partner with Dawson people would question my relationship with you so I had to essentially dump him. The gay couple thing served to get us into your group unquestioned but then we had to make it work for us.” Alex nodded understandingly they certainly were believable for a dysfunctional couple even she’d been fooled by it.

“So what are we going to do with Craig, Anty?” Dawson inquired as he glanced back over to where Craig was only just standing to his feet after Dawson’s precise footwork. Anthony shrugged his shoulders kissing Alex lightly on the neck before placing his hands gently in hers as he played with the various rings on her fingers.

“Don’t know I guess I should just put him out of his misery and let the talent do the work for me.” Anthony sighed heavily smiling at Craig’s persistence to try and stand up right even though he couldn’t breath now. Alex watched, as Craig looked at them deathly before raising his hand the effect immediate as it burst into a red flame. Anthony tutted at the sight of Craig’s new found strength his talent running on his anger but was fading rapidly like his life. “Stand out of the way I don’t want to see you hurt.” Anthony whispered to Alex softly as he relinquished his grip around her waist watching as she walked over to the top of the stairs with Dawson at her side as protection. Alex swallowed hard, she’d never seen Talent being used to kill someone, she’d always just been an escort and only used talent to defend herself not staying around long enough to watch it’s effects on the victim of it.

“You’re a shit head Anthony, you’re nothing without her and you know it. She’s a hell of a lot stronger than you and so you just have to have her on your side. You are weak like the rest of us.” Craig managed to mumble in between gasping for breath. Alex swallowed hard as Craig threw the red ball of flames in Anthony’s direction, but Anthony was far to quick he sprung backwards head over heels dodging the ball perfectly. Then he laughed as the ball of flames flickered out not even scorching the concrete of the roof. Craig was weak after the beating and his talent was proof of his body failing him and shutting down.

“No I’m not weak just selective about whom I choose to show my strength of talent to. So consider yourself lucky because I’m going to show it to you right now.” Anthony’s voice was cold as his eyes turned the deep burgundy colour again as his hand came alight with the same red fire ball that Craig had possessed except that Anthony’s was far more bright and intense. Alex hide a little in Dawson’s side and swallowed hard as she saw the shear terror engulf Craig’s face as Anthony let the talent go watching in delight as it seemed to dance through the air finding it’s way perfectly to Craig’s body. Anthony took his hand back down to his side and cooled himself off a little as he watched the bright red flame engulf Craig’s body, his blood curdling screams chilling anyone with in hearing distance to the very bone. It was like a web that surrounded him burning deep into his skin as he struggled in vain to get out of it screaming for his life. Alex took a ragged breath in and began to shake a little at the very sigh Cra Craig’s facial features being contorted and burnt as he fought helplessly for his life. The web grew tighter around Craig’s body and after a few minutes the screaming stopped and Craig’s lifeless body fell to the ground the talent still engulfing his skin and eating into the flesh.

“You okay?” Dawson whispered as Alex held onto him tightly her eyes fixated on Craig’s glowing body the blood beginning to dry on the concrete with the intense heat that was being given off by the talent. There was a thick smell of burnt flesh in the air as the last of the talent finally died leaving only the dry blood and scorch marks on the concrete as well as the skeletal remains of Craig stripped bare of flesh totally leaving the snow white bones, which consequently bore the cross net work of scorch marks that the talents web had created. Alex shivered as the wind picked up a little blowing the stench of burnt flesh the other way, away from them. It had been horrific even for her who possessed the talent to actually do that to a person, it was a painful way to die. Anthony shook his head at Craig’s still smoldering corps before walking over to where Alex was cuddling Dawson and shaking a little still staring at the corps and humming to herself.

“Shhh, come here.” Anthony whispered comfortingly as she all but fell into his arms holding onto him tightly and shivering in the cold. “It’s over gone and forgotten now we have to face the mortals down stairs. Leave the lying up to me and Dawson just go along with everything alright.” Alex nodded obediently at Anthony’s soft soothing voice before he leaned down and gave her a sensuous kiss taking his time as he explored her mouth with his tongue. They broke away silently and Alex watched as Anthony smiled at her running his hand down her cheek softly before taking hold of her hand and leading her down the stairs, with Dawson in close pursuit. She couldn’t believe she was conversing with the enemy but the enemy was no longer he was a friend and an equal just like she’d always wanted it to be. Alex sighed as they came down the stairs and into the main foyer. All she could see were Jake, Jason, Alan and Josh all sitting down in the cafeteria their eyes transfixed on the TV screen, watching the horrors that were unfolding at the house where the party was at.

“So they’ve got it on the news already?” Anthony broke the silence as the three of them walked gingerly into the cafeteria. All four men turned around a little stunned at hearing the voice before all of them relaxed at seeing it was only Anthony, Alex and Dawson.

“Yeah they’ve interrupted the game to give live coverage, the fire’s still going they can’t seem to put it out.” Anthony smiled gingerly across at Alex who lowered her head in disgrace. If she’d used talent then it wouldn’t be able to be put out until it had consumed everything it was created to do by the person it came from.

“Must be a shocker it’s probably being fueled by the old timber.” Dawson winked across at Anthony who nodded glad that Dawson was backing him up on this subject. Anthony sighed as he walked Alex over to the large set of benches that the guys had pulled together to create little enclosed beds for themselves to sit and sleep on comfortably.

“Do you want a drink?” Anthony inquired as he sat Alex down next to Alan before leaning across and giving Alan a quick kiss on the lips just to make sure the men were non the wiser to what was going on around them.

“Yes please, just of water though.” Alex’s voice was barely audible above the news reporters screaming over the commotion going on behind her in the background of the shot. Anthony smiled and disappeared over behind the counter pulling out a bottle of water for himself and Alex.

“Anyone else want one while I’m here?” Anthony inquired as Dawson gestured for Anthony to throw him a bottled water.
“Yes please.” Jake called back as Anthony grabbed an arm full of bottles of water out of the fridge and placed them all down on the table in front of the benches that they had created for themselves. “Hey and where did you and Alex get off to, you were gone nearly an hour. How long does it take to hang a piss?” Jake inquired as he watched Anthony pick up a bottle of water for himself and Alex before proceeding over to sit next to her.

“Yeah couldn’t seem to stop myself must have been all bee beer I drank at the party and we had a look around the gallery for a bit, checking out the paintings that we wouldn’t usually see due to the volume of people.” They all laughed a little at Anthony’s joke before Jake went back to watching the TV quite happy with Anthony’s reply to his question. Anthony relaxed into the chair sipping from his water bottle as he glanced across to Dawson who smiled happily before drinking his own bottle of water.

“Hey has anyone seen Craig, he went looking for you two but he hasn’t come back.” Josh inquired as he stood up and walked over to Dawson kissing him softly on the lips before they both snuggled down in each other’s arms on the bench.

“Yeah I meant to tell you that, I saw him climbing out the window in the office. When I tried to approach him he held out a pocketknife at me and said that if I came any closer he’d kill me. I think he’s gone a bit fruit loopy, so I just let him go. He’s a danger if he stays with us like that he’s better off out in the world and if he tells anyone they’re not going to believe him anyway.” Dawson answered Josh’s question quite quickly and precisely. Alex glanced across at Anthony who nodded in agreement of Dawson’s lie trying as best to calm the shocked and worried faces on the four men who were in the dark.

“True, I mean he was convinced I wasn’t to be trusted but why would I screw you all over. I’ve got nothing to gain?” The whole group nodded in agreement of Anthony’s comment. Alex relaxed a little as everyone went back to their own conversations and watching the TV, not even bothering about Craig. Which led Anthony to believe that maybe Craig wasn’t as well liked as he made out to be. Once everyone had settled back down to listening to the TV or sleeping what ever they wanted to do Anthony sighed heavily glancing down at Alex at his side. She was perfect in every way and now she was his, finally after all those years of watching her she’d finally come to him willingly. She was lying on her side on the soft padded bench her head on Anthony’s lap as she tried desperately to relax herself. It was hard though she was so totally in love with Anthony and all she wanted to do was hold him close but in such a situation it was impossible. They had to continue the lie to the mortals so that nothing was to become suspicious.

“Anthony can I talk to you in private please.” Anthony turned to face Alan slightly confused as he whispered softly to him. Alex looked up at him sadly as he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

“I’ll be back.” Anthony whispered to Alex who lifted her head to allow him to get up and follow Alan towards the exit of the cafeteria. Alex glanced across at where Dawson was making out with Josh in one of the annexes around the side of the room. He looked pretty involved for saying it was all supposed to be a set up, but she guessed he was just having fun like they’d said before. She smiled as he lifted his head a little opening his eyes momentarily as Josh went down on him to watch Anthony and Alan walk out of the room. Anthony nodded at Dawson acknowledging his concern but putting his mind at ease that it wasn’t anything important that Dawson had to make himself a part of. Alex closed her eyes and smiled a little after Dawson blew her a kiss before rolling his head back in ecstasy. That’s all they were both doing was having a little fun in the process of serious business.

Once outside of the cafeteria and out of view from the glass doors that surrounded the café Alan stopped and turned to face Anthony. Anthony couldn’t make out what the expression was on Alan’s face so he just sat down on an art deco bench in the foyer.

“Look what’s going on with you and Alex, I’ve never seen her so soft in all my knowing her?” Alan inquired gingerly as Anthony smiled and shook his head at finally understanding that it was jealousy that was written on Alan’s face.

“We’re becoming good friends that’s what’s going on, her and I have a lot in common.” Anthony passed it off as nothing as Alan nodded and looked to the ground ashamed about something.

“Does that mean your sleeping with her?” Alan inquired coldly as he glanced up to see Anthony’s facial expression to that little comment.

“No but even if I was it wouldn’t change my relationship with you.” Anthony defended himself as Alan sighed and sat down next to Anthony after kissing him softly on the lips.

“Yeah I’m sorry I just want us to be more than just friends.” Alan breathed as he cuddled into Anthony side. Anthony smiled he knew what that comment meant and was well aware of what he wouldn’t mind doing with Alan even though he and Alex were now together but that was a different relationship totally.

“So you want sex?” Anthony inquired flatly smiling down at Alan wickedly. Alan swallowed hard the words just seemed to roll of Anthony’s tongue like they were nothing. It wasn’t in the character of Anthony to just come out with things like that and Alan was a little cautious, he realized that something must have been said or done with Alex when they went to the toilet. This was a different side of Anthony’s personality that Alan had not yet seen into and it was kind of thrilling. “Well it was a simple question, do you want to get down and dirty or not?” Alan raised an eyebrow at Anthony wickedly as Anthony re asked his original question in a little more depth.

“What here?” Alan whispered back, glancing behind him at the lights streaming through the glass doors of the cafeteria into the main foyer where they were sitting. He could just make out Dawson’s hand pressed firmly against the window further down the wall of the cafeteria. It was suddenly joined by another hand that interwove its fingers with Dawson’s dragging it down the glass to disappear behind the metal. Alan knew all to well whose hand it was and it sent a little jealous streak through his body as he turned back to Anthony sharply. Anthony raised an eyebrow at him questioningly noting the same little scene that Alan had watched.

“Not here if you don’t want to, we’ll find somewhere it’s a big place.” Anthony whispered as he ran his hand gently up Alan’s thigh, stopping just below his crutch. He had to keep this going because they mustn’t know about Alex and himself or the talent or it could jeopardize everything that they’d built up over the centuries. Alex wasn’t going to run because she had nothing left to run to all her people were dead, she only had Anthony left. Anyway Anthony was going to take advantage of being here with Alan before having to go back to work, looking after his own people after he’d saved the lives of Alex’s so called mortal friends. Not that she’d treated them as friends, basiy usy using and manipulating them so she could have their protection why she killed his people.

“Alright, where shall we go?” Alan inquired as he pulled himself closer to Anthony before gently kissing his lips in acceptance. Anthony smiled widely as flicked his tongue over Alan’s own moist lips, he knew exactly where to go.

“Follow me.” Anthony breathed as he took hold of Alan’s hand both of them all but running and giggling silently to themselves at the thought of things to come.

Tbc..........