You're a Wizard

[Jay Carpenter]

At some point, he found his pants, climbed the stairs, and sought a giant glass of water. Maybe Nox was asleep? He didn't care either way. He just grabbed hsi shit and left. Suppose he could honestly tell Jacques he had a good time, and it was totally possible he texted a message relaying that sort of thing to their CEO general dictator Overlord dude. In fact, as he leaned over some kind of sink in what he thought was a kitchen, scrolling through messages from the past few hours, he wondered if it was possible to delete a message already received and read with their powers? Was it possible to go back in time and change things? Wouldn't that be a shitload of chaos, if so.

He scratched his head, found his hair to be mess and himself in general need of a shower. Given that he just downed an entire glass of water in about three gulps, he contemplated pouring another over the top of his head right there in the kitchen. It was dark out, nobody would know. But as that was rather impolite, he opted to just splash water on his face instead. He felt cleaner, but it did nothing to sharpen his mind.

By sometime in the middle of the night, they (and by that, almost entirely Jay) finished the bottle of Macallan. Nox joked it would cost a couple grand, which was entirely possible. Jay would pay him back, of course. He wasn't exactly dead broke. Life in the Legion wasn't the quick route to riches, but when almost all your expenses are covered, there's nothing to do with money except save it or send it home. Mom and dad got a good chunk, but he still meant to fork over the money to replace the bottle before Dorian even knew it was gone. Maybe even go out and buy one for himself.

He stumbled into a chair lined up along the nearby table, and realized as he sat that he'd forgotten to put his shirt back on. At least he wasn't totally disrobed, as what usually happened when he drank. He'd sworn off alcohol at some point in the time between leaving the marines and joining the Legion, and it'd been a good year since he'd drank anything more than a beer. Probably why he was such a pansy and couldn't hold serious liquor anymore. Course, that was just a challenge to rebuild his tolerance, right? Thinking about this power within only made him want to dull the idea. Maybe he could block it completely? But, given that he has to like work and function and stuff, a consistent state of inebrieation was probably a bad idea. Jacques may find the drunken text message funny, but a drunken soldier was likely to get fired like that.

That left one choice. Given that Nox repeatedly told him over the past couple hours that he had to get control. or die. Jay wasn't particularly keen on the idea of dying yet, so control it was.

He pinched his eyes, laid his face on the table, and heard a crash.

"Damnit"
he muttered when he saw the broken shards all over the floor. Right about then would have been a handy time for one of the servants - or staff - or housekeepers - or whatever they were called this day and Age, to show up. But as it was just his lonesome little self, he scraped back the chair, picked his barefeet carefully across the floor, and went in search of a broom or rag or something.

Two hours later, he'd completely forgotten about the mess in the kitchen and instead found himself sprawled passed out on some kind of gaudy sofa. Head pounding, he rolled over, and found another crystal bottle, this one two-thirds empty, crooked in his arms, and his phone in his hand.

Fearing he'd done something stupid like called Jacques and told the frenchman his life story, he looked at the screen history. Briefly noting the 6 AM hour, he gasped a sharp intake of air.

He'd called Natalie.

<dl>
<dt>Mumbled voicemail left for Natalie</dt>
<dd> </dd>
</dl>


"Nat,

Hey. Hows goin? You alright? Really gotta see you today. Killed some cannibal. Monsters. Ever heard of Private Eye? Me neither. Is real good. I mean i've killed lots of evil Nombres, but this was different. Right, not wrong, which is wrong. Felt good. I'm scared. Oh. I'm also a wizard. Dont tell vanders--"

He bolted out of the room before some actual housekeeper, or worse yet, Dorian himself, found him.

[Elyse]

Elyse woke up surprised at both having fallen asleep and at the emptiness of the bed. She hadn't been sleeping well. Not since the nightmares, but it seemed as if her body had given into fatigue. Nox had been out for the concert the night before.

She wondered if something had happened. She pulled out her wallet.

<dl>
<dt>Outgoing Message: To Nox</dt>
<dd> </dd>
</dl>
Hey babe...you didn't come home last night. Are you okay?

[Nox]

His head hurt like a mother... Nox felt Jay climb out of the small bed. He didn't move. He'd been awake for hours, fucking nightmares! He was fucked... both literally and figuratively and his head was spinning in memories...

Memories of last night. The night with Jaden... Fuck! The images all floated in his head and he wanted to just throw things, but he didn't dare move. Maybe he'd go away. It was a dream...

There was a lot of noise upstairs for the hour and Nox knew he should go upstairs before someone found Jay wandering around and called the cops. But he didn't. He need a shower, but there were no clothes here.

Nox pulled on his clothes and walked out of the small room, noting that the door was open and Nova was curled up in Sage's fort of pillows under the stairs. Shit!

Nox didn't have time to deal with it. His wallet beeped and he knew who it was, he ignored it as he went upstairs. Out of the kitchen and into the foyer of the front of the house Nox looked around the house, but he didn't have to look hard because Jay ran straight into him. Nox chuckled, he looked like he was trapped so he side stepped and let Jay past. He didn't exactly want to have a conversation either, but he had to impress upon Jay one last time. "You need to control your gift before it kills you. Talk with your wizard friend. Or call me."
God that sounded so fucking wrong after what had happened. Nox sighed, "If you get violently sick, know it will only get worse."


Nox's wallet beeped again, it was the same message set to repeat until he answered it. He looked at it, mostly to distract him from Jay, but also to let Jay leave if he wanted. He wasn't going to stop him.

Nox sent a text back. 'I slept downstairs.' He was so fucked. He smelled like another man and sex... this was so not going to go well.


Edited by Nox, Apr 25 2017, 12:44 PM.

[Elyse]

Elyse was already heading downstairs when she got a reply. Nox had slept downstairs. Why had he done that. It didn't make any sense. Then again, he had been at a concert. Perhaps he had been drunk or high and passed out.

As she came down she saw him and someone else that she didn't recognize. She was going to say hi and offer water, but the scent hit her hard and fast. Different scents hit her. Nox's musk was familiar and she could smell the other as well. But mixed with it was the smell of sex. Nox's scent mixed with the other's. The feral nature of the scent awoke something within her.

Blood...kill...jaws ripping into flesh...rage...illl

Elyse held her head pushing back the thoughts that threatened to take over.

"I'm not a monster. I'm a human. I'm not a wolf. I'm a woman." she thought.

She shook. The wolf had never hitten her this hard before. It hit hard enough that Elyse couldn't even feel the broken heart at the betrayal.

"Ana!"
she said. Elyse needed a mother figure and Ana would do to calm her down. She couldn't stay near Nox right now.

[Jay Carpenter]

Shirt in hand, he was running back to the stairs where he'd dumped the pile of his belongings. Specifically, he wanted his shoes. Like hell he was going outside in Moscow, even in fucking spring, without shoes on. He was about to throw the shirt over his head when he ran into Nox.

Next morning departures were typically awkward, delicate things. Course, that sort of goodbye with a woman was, at least. With a guy, well, for the most part things should be cool. But Nox had a look on his face that made Jay pause, and consider actually saying something. He liked Nox. He was batshit crazy and a psychopath, but it was all wrapped up in a badass attitude that was rather charming. He was easy to like.

"Yeah yeah,"
he replied to the repeated warning. "Got it. I'm not keen on dying right now."
His head was pounding, and he rubbed his eyes as he looked Nox over again. A smile started to tug at the corners of his mouth, he was still pretty shocked. Usually there were vibes that said when a guy was open to hooking up, but Nox had been a closed book all night.

"I should-"
he started, only to be interrupted by the sounds of footsteps.

He turned to see a young woman that appeared to have just woken standing before them. She had a pretty face, and big, wide eyes. Golden eyes. Her silky brown hair was a little disheveled, in that just having woken up kind of way. Her skin was smooth and soft, and Jay could make out curves underneath the shorts and tank top.

But any smile that began to bloom on his face was quickly stifled by the look she shot Nox. Horrified? But not quite the right word? Overwhelmed, maybe? No. She was looking dead at him. Jay frowned, glancing at his new friend, then back to her. Nox wasn't exactly looking pleased either.

Completely unaware of the danger she posed, he clapped Nox on the shoulder, giving the muscle a squeeze of encouragement. "Good luck with that,"
he shot the girl a smile over his shoulder, just in case it helped diffuse the situation. Probably didn't though. And left them alone.

[Dorian]

It had been a long night. Dorian was avoiding going home. He didn't want to confront Nox. He hadn't wanted to do anything, but he had to. Dorian pulled up outside his own house and a strange man came waltzing out closing the door behind him. He wondered who had a late night guest. Most of the residents were in a relationship, except Sage, but he didn't exactly exude the vibe to bring home a guy in his present state. And definitely not after the concert last night, he looked a little worse for wear.

Dorian opened the door and found Nox standing in the hallway with one hand raking through his hair. He kept looking up the stairs and playing with something in his hand. It took Dorian a little while to see the fire rolling around in his hand. He put his hand on the boy and he jumped. "You look like shit boy."
That was when he noticed Elyse standing on the stairs.

Dorian's hand dropped to his side as he looked back and forth between the two... Dorian wanted to say lovers in his head, but things started to get clear from the fury etched on her face. The amber color of her eyes was fighting with the monster inside. Dorian walked around towards her and put his hands out. "You okay, Elyse? How can I help?"


****

Ana heard her name and just about jumped out of her bed, she barely had time to grab her robe before she bounding down the stairs. That was a plea for help. She found Dorian at the foot of the stairs cautiously approaching Elyse and Nox just standing there. "What in the love of god is going on here."

[Nox]

Nox wanted to smile at Jay's remark but the smile that started made him wary. All this was too much...And then Elyse came down stairs and she yelled for Ana... Then Jay put his hand on his shoulder and Nox felt a rush of emotions and he shut down. What the fuck!

There was nothing but the memories in his head. The first glance at a boy he didn't even know. He didn't even remember him. A couple of men in a dinner, his father's face blocking the view with anger. Sneaking out of the hotel to a club, dancing, men, women everywhere, sex was in the air. A stolen kiss or two before he was back home, his father pissed off again. Music, dancing, clubbing with Aurora. Not caring his father was drunk. Knowing he'd be in trouble. Flirting with a guy. No it was more than flirting. The concert. Nox hadn't even watched the whole thing before he and Jaden had snuck off to his place.

The memories crashed in. A hand on his shoulder made Nox jump and he looked at Dorian with confusion and then back up at Elyse who was freaking out. No, that was wolfing out. Nox turned on his heel and went back into the kitchen. Trigger out of the way, maybe it'd help.

Ana's voice reverberated in his head as he left. Dorian answered her question. "I think Nox just cheated on Elyse with another man."
Nox was almost certain he heard a bitten back snicker at the absurdity of the situation.... But he wasn't wrong. God he wasn't wrong.

[Elyse]

Elyse still fought for control. She was angered, but she was also terrified. It had never happened like this. It had never been so hard to remain in control of herself. She was aware of Dorian. Thankfully he didn't make any quick moves. Nox left and she took a step as if to pursue. The urge to hunt had been greater when the other man had left. Elyse gripped the banister hard to keep herself from moving more.

Dorian had asked something. Something about helping. "Ana..."
she said. "Take me to a different room. Ana - slowly."


It was difficult to get words out. Her arms were shaking. Since Nox left it was easier to fight the beast, but it wasn't quite done.

[Dorian]

Ana stepped around the girl and Dorian watched as they went up the stairs. "Come with me darling." Dorian wasn't sure if he wanted to leave his wife alone with a girl who was wolfkin at the moment. Dorian moved to follow them, but Ana held her hand out. "I got this, Dorian. She's not going to hurt me." She took Elyse by the arms and turned the girl into her and held her close as she moved up the stairs, "Are you darling? Deal with him, Dorian." And Ana disappeared up stairs with Elyse cooing and hugging the girl like she was her own child. Dorian almost regretted not giving her a daughter her own, but that wasn't solely his fault.

Dorian followed Nox into the kitchen where he sat on a bar stool just staring off into space. "Tell me what happened Nox. Did you really mean to get caught? You could have just ended it with her, I'm sure it would have been preferable."

[Elyse]

Elyse felt Ana's arms go around her and she followed. As she got farther out of the scent of Nox and the other man she calmed down considerably. It was then she realized where she was going.

"No...no...not my room. It smells like him. I can't handle that. Anywhere else. Anywhere."


Ana must have understood because they went into another room. It was then the pain started. A deep pain in her chest. She had only felt like this after talking to her mother. The pain of a broken heart.

Elyse fell to the floor and the tears started. "It hurts...so bad. Why...why does it hurt? Why did he do it?"