Obligatory Credits: This is fan fiction for the Whateley Academy series. It may or may not match the timeline, characters, and continuity, but since it's fan fiction, who cares? To see the canon Whateley Stories, check out Whateley Academy at http://www.crystalhall.org
Pic Credit: Lady Death from Chaos Comics (pic adjusted for the story)

Author's Note: This is fanfiction, obviously. Here is a notice to all the fan-boys and fan-girls out there. I have not read every single Whateley fic and or fanfic out there so I don't know every single little bit of trivia there is to know. If you see a tiny little error that that has absolutely no bearing on the plot, please, restrain yourself from pointing your finger and gasping in abject horror. I think it's fairly close so slowly put your blades away and relax. :)

Portia lay there in her bed, eyes closed, the smile of pleasant dreams gracing her Asian features. I'm guessing she didn't get a lot of sleep last night with me all but laying directly on top of her. Our intimate workout and breakfast pretty much did her in for the morning. I stared at her while I waited for my laptop to warm up.

I was still mind-blown that I had sex with a girl. A small portion of my brain, the gay-guy part, was freaking out, and had been since I woke up.

You are no longer that person, my love.

'No, I'm not, am I.' I'm a whole new person. A girl. A mutant. A Morlock. 'I just wish I could get past this, Sangria.'

Is it a necessity or a desire to rid yourself of your former life and embrace that of which you are now?

'I wish I knew.' After a moment's thought I added, 'If I could just accept everything, what I am now, and start over, I think I could adjust better. I keep harping on what I've lost and it's doing nothing but making me… emo. And considering the white skin and tight fitting black clothes, this is not a good thing.'

Sangria caressed my cheek. When we are better integrated, once you have absorbed the knowledge of my past hosts, I think you will be at peace with your new life.

She had spoken of this with me before. Us melding our minds, I mean, but I ignored it. I mean really, if someone living in your head told you that you would soon know what it was like to live in ancient Greece or perhaps know exactly what it feels like to watch a loved one die from the Black Plague, how would you react?

At this point, I just wanted my past life as a male to just go away. 'Can you maybe speed things up?'

In this instance, I cannot. The human mind, with regeneration powers is physically able to meet transition requirements, psychologically you are not prepared. Your mind would literally snap at the combined knowledge of three millennia worth of hosts. I can force other portions through, such as my ability to read your mind or make use of your senses. You can have full use of your hair if you would like.

I didn't already? 'What do you mean? I thought I was using it already.'

In part this is true. You have physical control if you wish, but you do not have sensory capability as of yet. I daresay that would have made this morning much more enjoyable for your and your mate.

'Sensory capability? You mean I could feel what you were doing to her… and me?'

A warm chuckle rushed through my head. And so much more, my love.

The blackening of the screen on my laptop let me know that I wasn't paying attention and it was about to go into sleep mode. 'Um, remind me later. I need to get this sent off first.'

As you wish.

After connecting with the Whateley network, I pulled up my doctor's email address and let him know about that creepy elf-girl sparking off my weird-o-meter. It felt stupid, and a little like narcing on a fellow classmate, but I truly wanted to know why I was getting these feelings. Sangria was no help. Apparently this power is all mine and none of her former hosts had ever experienced anything close to what I was feeling.

A general search for all things Dunwich on the internet was a fruitless effort. I did find a shop that might be able to outfit Portia more to her liking. They specialized in clothing to fit 'all' types.

The town itself had very little history out of the mundane. It was settled in the late 1700's, factories had come and gone and now its sole claim to fame was the rustic scenery. Yawn.

A widened search turned up several conspiracy websites that didn't show much at all, considering that I couldn't access them since they had been shut down or blocked by the Whateley server. Methinks that I need some professional help in this matter, or unprofessional, as the case may be.

With more than a little tinge of frustration, I moved back to the student website and clicked on Administrative Services and then the Codename Database.

I had my choice of paging through the registered names or performing a Codename Availability function. Guess which one I chose?

*Vindicator is currently in use.*

Dammit! Someone stole my name.

'I don't guess you want to go with Medusa?'

I would prefer not. Anonymity has kept me hidden from Athena for these many years, until such time as I can serve my vengeance upon her.

'You actually think she's still out there somewhere?'

She's very much alive, my love. Every day I feel her presence.

Okaaaay.

*Gorgon is currently in use.*

Sigh.

*Godiva is currently in use*

*Scarlet Bitch is not allowed*

*Pookie is not in use. Would you like to register this name?*

Of course it's not in use.

*Naughty Nurse is not allowed*

*Wondertits is not allowed. Further use of this service will be suspended from IP address 142.158.2.259 if abuse continues.*

*White Chick is not in use. Would you like to register this name?*

I'm gonna kill Void.

May I suggest the designation Gordo bestowed upon you?

'What, Defensor?' I frowned. 'Is this so our names will be in the same language?"

Sangria's slight pause almost made me laugh. It is a strong name. The added aesthetic of language similarities is purely coincidental.

'Uh-huh.'

*Defensor in not in use. Would you like to register this name?*

~O~

I registered the Morlocks as a training team as well, whatever that was. I assumed I'd find that out in one of the classes. The information packet said that everyone needed to attend a meeting with our advisor for class counseling. Again, a new experience for me. The high school I had to drop out of offered the same standard classes that all the rest of the schools in the nation offered. Why I would need an advisor was lost on me.

Expecting to enter into the same old drudgery was on my to do list. At least I'd have Sangria as a tutor. She was actually around when Calculus was invented, and had the inside track on the literature of the world. While she didn't actually meet Shakespeare, she had been there when the plays were being debuted. How's that for expertise?

Looking through the curriculum for the winter session I didn't recognize hardly any of the standard fare. Instead, it concentrated on mutant-specific learning. This school wasn't like anything I'd ever seen before. I guess seeing the advisor was probably a good thing.

Sounds of student occupation filtered in from the hallway and I knew the first of hundreds were arriving.

"Hey beautiful." I glanced over at Portia laying on her bed, staring at me with a gentle smile on her face. I really wish she wouldn't call me that.

"Hey, good nap?"

She nodded cutely which made me feel kind of funny low in my tummy. I let my eyes follow her as Portia got up out of bed and stretched before grimacing at the wrinkles in her blouse. She stripped it off and dropped it on the bed before making her way to the closet and flipped through her clothes.

Her jeans hugged every inch of her legs and butt, I couldn't help but notice. The dark green color of her satin bra, offset her Asian skin, making me think thoughts that were foreign for me. Pictures of our coupling flashed back in my mind. Her scent and the little sounds she made at my ear as we held each other brought conflicting thoughts to mind.

There I was again, fighting my change. My body knew what it wanted; that was obvious from the current hardening of my nipples and the clenching of something down below.

Before I knew it, I was staring at Portia staring at me, now with a very naughty smile. "I've been waiting for you to look at me that way since we met."

Embarrassed, I turned to my laptop and thanked whatever mutant god out there for the inability to go red in the face. "I don't know what you mean."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her approach. "You don't have to hide it anymore, Braith." When she sidled up, pressing her thighs into the arm of the chair, I turned my face to her towering from above. It was either that or confront her satin covered breasts inches from my mouth. "You don't have to hide anything from me."

"I…" My mind was a blank.

One of her hands caressed my jaw, her thumb sliding over my chin and then my lips. "I want this. I want you as my lover, girlfriend, partner, anything you want to call it, and lovers look at each other like that."

After licking my lips I tried to steer the subject away from that topic, just a little. "People are going to be weird around us. You know that right?"

She giggled. "Are you talking about when we don't hide that we're lesbians?"

I nodded. There, I admitted it to myself. I was a lesbian. The thought made me laugh at myself deep inside. Was I doomed to find the same sex attractive all of my life? "Yeah." Portia pulled me to her chest and stroked my hair. "I just came out of the closet to my dad the day that I changed. I was planning on making it official at school the next day."

Smelling the scent she applied between her breasts that morning made me somewhat lightheaded.

"So what makes this any different?"

Truthfully, I had no idea. It was much harder being a guy and outting yourself than it was for a girl. Girls could expect the leers and idiocy from the males of the species when we make it known, but from the females, I had no idea. We're they going to make a big thing about showering together or living in the same cottage? The thing of it was that I wasn't attracted to women, I was attracted to Portia. Maybe it was the whole mutant or Morlock thing, but we had so much in common in that aspect. Not much else, mind you. She was bubbly and sexually assertive, I was no-nonsense with life, and submissive in bed. Sangria just tied us together. I kept forgetting about our third in the relationship.

"Nothing, I guess."

She bent down and brushed her lips over mine. It was just enough to make me want more, to make me actually desire for her to deepen the kiss.

That's when I heard someone try the door knob and finding it locked. A sharp knock sounded thereafter. Portia pulled back with a grin. "Guess it's time to meet the masses."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Get dressed, I'll get the door."

Sangria braced herself against the door while I opened it a crack. Old habits die hard, what can I say? After seeing that there weren't any power suits waiting there to take me in I let the door open further. There was, what appeared to be, a cat-girl standing there looking curiously at me. The ears flicked and her tail swished back and forth. That's probably what gave her away.

"Oh, hi. I thought this room was empty." She held out her hand. "I'm Miyet, your neighbor across the hall."

When I took her hand, I could feel fine little hairs on the back of her hand that could be nothing else but fur. Weird. Well, who am I to talk?

"Defensor. We just moved in yesterday."

"We?"

A fully clothed Portia took her cue and slid in beside me, setting one arm across my shoulders, another around my waist, and her third hand set itself firmly on my butt, giving it a light squeeze. Have you ever had the feeling you were being claimed? With so many hands and arms encircling me there would be no doubt, whatsoever, that I was Portia's girl.

"Hi, like, I'm Portia." She looked down at me. Since she was wearing heels and I was currently in my sock clad feet, it added quite a few inches to her height. "I thought you were calling yourself Vindicator, sweetie."

Well that pretty much cements the lesbian couple vibe that Portia was setting off for our first visitor. I frowned. "It was taken."

Miyet grinned, flashing little pointy cat fangs at us. "There's a team called the Vindicators. They think they're the Avengers."

"Uh-huh. I saw them when I was registering the Morlocks."

A tall athletic looking woman passed behind Miyet, on her way down the hall that sparked something within me that I couldn't exactly pin down. It wasn't unease, more like… tension.

"Who's that?"

The cat-girl turned. "That's Judicator, she's the house Fixer. If you have problems she's supposed to help."

"You recognize her, Braith?" asked Portia as her arms tensed around me.

Miyet went on. "There's a rumor that she's suppose to be the reincarnation of one of the Greek Goddesses. I mean she's pretty decent in Sims, but a reincarnation, please."

"Which one?" I absently asked.

Sangria rose behind me, obviously agitated.

"I'm sorry? What?" responded Miyet.

"Which goddess?"

"Oh… Athena."

~O~

Portia was kind of perturbed at me for slamming the door in Miyet's face and then with my pacing back and forth in our small room. "Would you stop for a second and tell me what's going on, Braith."

My patron was silent but I could feel the anger, the rage building. It was bleeding off to me. I could almost feel the adrenaline pumping in my veins. My heart was pounding against my chest and my hair was all over the place.

"Sangria knows her, Portia. She's no reincarnation, she's an Avatar just like me, and her spirit is Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, strategy, and justice…"

Sangria blasted through my mind and my voice at the same time. "JUSTICE, HA! The jealous bitch wouldn't know justice if I pounded her to death with the scales that are the embodiment of the ideal! Ah, there's an idea. Death by irony!"

"You need to calm down, Braith."

I whipped my head around. "It's not me. Sangria is off the rails pissed right now."

"Magic User, how are you at binding spells? I don't want to expend all of my energy holding her down while I pierce every square inch of her body to suck the life out of her. Can you do this for me?"

Portia backed away, holding her many hands up. "Whoa, like, slow down there. She hasn't done anything to me."

"She is my immortal enemy and you are my host's mate. You would not… Pfft. Of course you wouldn't. Mortals these days have no sense of devotion to one's mate. You are here only for what my host can do for you in terms of sexual energy for your castings."

Portia's eyes widened in fear, followed by my own. "What?" I froze on the spot. "Do you not see, my love? The bliss she was exhibiting this morning after our coupling? Sexual energy is to her what adrenaline and endorphins are to mortals. It powers her magic. Lust is well and good; that is what got her the meeting with Circe. She is a vast pool brimming with power and you are the fountain that allowed her to be filled. Why do you think I wanted you to mate? But all she wants is the ability to use your body to increase her potential without payment in kind. So much for young love."

'Shut up for a minute, Sangria!' I braced myself before I asked my question. "Is this true? Is that all I am to you?"

Portia's eyes leaked panicked tears. "She's twisted it, Braith. It's just a plus."

My eyes narrowed. "So it's true then. I'm your battery charger?!"

She shook her head. "NO! Give me a chance to explain."

I lashed out at her with my hair, pushing her to the bed. "Did you enjoy seducing me? Were you laughing inside your head in triumph when we fucked this morning?" I lifted one of the braided lengths of hair and was about to bring it down on top of her when I saw her cringe back and hold her many hands out to fend me off.

The next thing I knew, all of my hair dropped back down, and I turned around. Sangria grabbed my boots and lifted me off the ground before slipping them on and zipping them up. Portia lay there crying and I was back to feeling the way I did in December. Broken and dead, betrayed by those that I thought cared for me.

Come, my love, let us dispense with the fallen Olympian and be on our way.

'Shut up, Sangria. You're on my shit list too. You knew about Portia, but you didn't say anything. We're not killing anyone.'

But…

'I'm nobody's puppet. You want to leave and go find another Avatar to do your dirty work then fine, piss off!'

Perhaps after you've calmed down…

'One more word from you and I'm going to Carson to see if I can get you forcibly removed from my head. Do you understand?!"

Yes.

'Fine, now leave me alone!'

I grabbed my coat and threw it on before opening the door to find a dozen girls crowded around listening intently. My eyes narrowed at them and I brought my hair up in a bloody colored halo around my body. "Move or I will move you."

~O~

The forest north of Whitman was the only place I felt safe, away from the campus where the grounds were teeming with students. I found the largest tree in the area and hoisted myself up as high as I could, to an appropriate nest of branches, before curling into a ball and letting hot tears fall down my cheeks.

By this point, I was no stranger to betrayal. Such was the life of a mutant. I should have learned my lesson by now. Let no one into your heart. In the end they will break it. Mom and Dad when they died, Jeremy when he dumped me, Tammy when she turned me in to the MCO, and now Portia, not to mention the manipulative spirit that invaded my head without so much as a by your leave.

She was there in the back of my mind, watching, always watching. Waiting for the chance to extract her vengeance on the goddess that cursed her to a living hell thousands of years ago. Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not a murderer. Would I kill to protect myself or others under my care. Hell yes. But I was not going to go out and torture someone like Sangria wanted just so she could feel better about what was done to her.

Now I was truly alone, and virtually powerless. If I went to Carson, I'd give up everything that made me a mutant. Sangria provided almost all of my powers, except that stupid weird-o-meter. I'd step one foot out of the front gates and the MCO would be all over me. Dead or incarcerated for the murder of twenty people. That was one of my options. The other was to let her take control and just fade into the background. Let her have free reign to do what ever the hell it is she wanted. At least I would be beyond caring at that point.

What else?

I could take full control, forcing her to my will. That's what being a Level 3 Avatar was all about, control. I could take the classes and learn exactly how to subjugate her.

'Do you hear that, Sangria? Would you like it if I took all of your choices away from you. How about if I made best friends with Athena? Maybe become her lover? How would you feel being manipulated into that?'

Wisely, she didn't answer.

'I thought so. See, it's not so nice being all Machiavellian with someone you are suppose to care about. I thought we were friends. I thought that you were supposed to protect me, not use me to get what you want. Maybe it's just better for everyone involved if you were removed.'

No, my love, please.

'You don't get to call me that anymore, Sangria. People who love each other don't use them.'

I felt a profound sense of regret emanating from my patron. You are right. What I did was unforgivable. At first I only sought to protect you…

'I don't want to hear it.'

How can I make amends, my lo… Braith.

Thinking about that for a moment I set about some ground rules. 'You stay out of my love life. That is for me to decide. If I pick wrong then it's my own fault.'

As you wish.

"Fine. Quit screwing around and do whatever it is you need to do to finish this integration. I want everything that you can give me."

I told you before, I cannot introduce you to the memories of my past hosts, at this point, without breaking your mind…

I was becoming accustom to interrupting her. 'You said you could let me have senses through my hair, do that. And also tell me what else you are hiding from me. I'm sick of the games, Sangria. Either shit or get off the pot.'

As you wish, Braith. Prepare yourself, this will be excruciatingly painful.

~O~

Take a stiletto, the knife not the shoe, and let it sit in a white-hot fire for about a year, pour in some wood grain alcohol, a pound of salt, maybe a lemon wedge or two and then shove it into your brain, then you can begin to feel what I felt at that moment.

I think I scared the crap out of any wildlife within a few hundred yards with the accompanying scream before I passed out. When I awoke, it was to the feeling of being wrapped up in a ball from head to toe in the insulating warmth of my hair.

Concern and intense love washed across me like they were my own feelings, but I instinctually knew they were not. They were Sangria's and they were nothing like I'd experienced over the last month. Whatever she had done, intensified what I had felt from her.

I have done as you wished, Braith. I have given you all there is to give without permanently damaging your mind.

Without thinking about it, I knew what she told me was true. It was like I was a part of her now instead of the other way around.

The sense of security and warmth along the outside of my hair let me know that we weren't in the forest anymore, and before I could even ask, I knew that we were in a bed at the campus hospital.

Security showed up soon after your scream alerted others that you were injured. I allowed them to transfer us to this bed, as a precaution, and insured that they did not bother you as you recovered.

Again true.

I cannot lie or mislead you any longer, Braith. You may now read my thoughts as easily as I can read yours.

Something was itching me, something affixed to my hair.

There are several monitors the doctors here have attached that measure blood pressure, heart rate, and various other vital statistics. They thought, wisely I may add, that your life was in danger. I assured them that your regenerative abilities would see to your health.

'How long have I…'

Three days. Oh, this was going to be annoying, having her answering every thought that I had before I finished asking it. It is currently four-thirty-seven, Tuesday afternoon.

I was fairly surprised. It took three days to heal? I thought I was able to do that at super-speed now.

I did as you ordered and shat. In doing so I had to invade several portions of your brain and make adjustments at the genetic level and beyond. It took two and a half days to make alterations to your body and allow your abilities to heal the changes before making even more adjustments. I tried to warn you about the consequences of forcing the integration.

'Don't be an ass, Sangria. I'm just surprised is all.'

Still angry I see.

I sighed. 'I'll tell you what. I'm going to hunt down Athena and see if she wants to hook up. After we have sex, you tell me how long it might be before you forgive me.'

My actions, while immoral, were in the best interests of your physical wellbeing. I will not apologize for not wanting you to come to harm. The magic user, once properly trained, will be an ideal mate. I sought only to take advantage of her desires for your use as you see fit.

'Her desires? I thought she was using me?'

Regret from Sangria bounced around along with my confusion. I may have acted rashly when I sought to play upon her guilt in an attempt to avenge myself on Athena.

'So, you're telling me that she didn't use me?'

She has spent all allowable hours here in your room, watching you and talking to you. Elizabeth had to threaten her visitation privileges if she did not go to class and eat.

Shame replaced Sangria's regret.

The magic user does, in fact, attain power from your sexual union. That part I did not lie about. However, I may have embellished as to her motivations in that regard.

'May have embellished? I swear, Sangria, if you weren't in my head right now, I'd slap you.'

She chose to stay silent for a moment. Someone approaches.

'I know. I can feel them.' Which was a strange sensation.

There are several dozen receptors in your hair that act like, to use a term you are familiar with, a radar. It is how I see beyond walls and doors. It is not exact, but using these, I can sense movement within approximately twenty foot radius, and within a few feet the image becomes much more clear. Practice with these receptors will allow you limited awareness beyond your five senses. I would suggest you keep this knowledge to yourself for defensive and offensive purposes.

I heard the door to the room open and once they moved next to the bed, the impression of a man entered my head. He was tapping at a device and moving from monitor to monitor.

"Are you awake, Miss Brice?"

Guess there's no use in trying to subvert the sensors. I pulled the hair cocoon back and unwound myself from the fetal position.

"Good afternoon, I'm Doctor Herbert. How are you feeling?"

With my hair's assistance I sat up in the bed and swung my legs over the side. "Fine."

He arched an eyebrow at me. "Would you like to explain why we've had you in our care for the last few days?"

"Um, not really, no." The less they knew, the better, as far as I was concerned.

"Very well, then we will be forced to perform an annoying amount of tests to insure that you are in good health."

Ah. "I had my patron make a few improvements to my body." Close enough.

If I may address him, Braith?

'Go ahead.'

"Doctor, the changes my host mentioned are within the standard evolution of all my hosts. They've simply been applied over the course of a few days instead of the traditional months usually needed. If you care to study the file of Lacy Worthington, a former faculty member and host, you will see where she listed…"

He nodded. "That's what I thought. If you experience any unusual symptoms let us know. And in the future, Miss Braith, if you choose to take a step up the evolutionary ladder, please notify your advisor or a medical professional before doing so."

I shrugged at his intent look.

~O~

I made my way across the Quad to Crystal Hall. Whatever Sangria did in her alterations of my body, it used virtually every ounce of her reserves. In short, if anyone pissed me off, they stood a good chance of being drained unless I fed her very soon. Knowing my temper at the moment, I thought it best to take care of that before I landed in jail.

The cafeteria was fairly crowded for dinner. The table that the Morlocks sat at previously was occupied by people, not of my group. As I headed to the special meals line I scanned the rest of the room and saw Void in the far corner waving at me. I nodded in his direction before noting Gordo and Crystal in attendance as well.

Acquiring seven pints of blood, at Sangria's prompting, brought a questioning look from the server behind the counter.

"They didn't feed me in the hospital. I'm starved."

I stopped by the regular serving line and retrieved a very large dry salad with chopped egg and plain-boiled chicken to add substance.

"You feeling okay?" asked Void as I took the seat next to him. "We visited, but you were just a big ball of hair at the time."

"Yeah, thanks." Sangria didn't waste a second and stabbed six of the blood bags at once, draining the majority dry in seconds. She actually took her time with the last two. And guess what? I tasted every drop. Somewhere deep in my psyche I was majorly revolted, but after eyeing the seventh bag, I paused.

I know I didn't set it there.

Your diet will have changed due to the latest transition, Braith. You require a certain amount of blood as well. Please do not argue. You insisted upon this course if you remember.

I gulped.

Try it on the salad. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

'Uh, no thanks. If I have to drink it then I'll just…'

"Is something wrong, Braith. My sister is worried for you."

I glanced up at Gordo. "No, um, Sangria told me my diet's changed. I gotta drink that."

Everyone's eyes dropped to the bag containing the dark red liquid.

Your new changes require maintenance, Braith. Nothing comes without cost.

I looked at each of them. "You don't have to look if you don't want to. I know its gross."

Void laughed at me. "Sister, I drink radioactive fluids and Gordo can eat your boots. Blood ain't gonna freak me out."

"My sister says to do what you must to remain healthy."

My eyes flicked to the Mexican girl and I saw an accepting smile.

"Hold on a sec." Void got up and went to the drink fountain, returning a few moments later with a large empty mug normally used for coffee. "There. That'll make it look like you're just a coffee nut like the rest of the poseurs around here."

"Thank you, Void." I reached up and kissed him on the cheek. His eyes turned a darker green as he shyly shrugged. I lifted a lock of hair up to cut away a portion of the bag so I could pour it into the mug, but the lock was blunt.

You must will it to thin and hold an edge.

'You make it look so easy.'

I have been doing this for thousands of years, Braith.

With a little concentration the strand thinned and I ran it through the bag effortlessly. Void and Crystal tried to mask their interest by watching me with their peripheral vision, but Gordo watched the whole shebang straight on. "Want a taste?" I offered.

Gordo shook his head. "I just want to watch you drink it." He flinched and grabbed at his shin with a grimace on his face.

Okay, here goes.

"I told you she was a vampire." A voice I didn't recognize said out of nowhere.

I looked quickly looked around.

"I think she can hear us Sara."

"Whoops, damn acoustics."

There she was with a seductive smirk on her face, the girl from yesterday, uh, a few days ago. The freaky elf-chick.

"Seems like I'm not the only one of us that has a whacked out diet, Vindicator?" Sara seemed to take a little pleasure out of my current predicament.

"Name was taken already," I said back, even though she was well over thirty yards away. "I'm Defensor now."

Setting the cup to my lips, I tipped it back and as soon as the blood touched my tongue, I thought I was going to have an orgasm right there in the cafeteria. My nipples stiffened, and I could swear my uterus clenched. Memories of having sex with Portia were at the forefront of my mind. Halfway through the mug I felt my myself moisten and ready for penetration. Considering one of the things Sangria performed on Portia and me, I knew exactly what that felt like, and I wanted it again right then and there.

In between swallows little noises echoed faintly in the mug. I groaned when I was finished, but my tongue licked at the rim in an effort to claim every last succulent drop.

Another pint, Braith?

A throbbing between my legs let me know that it wasn't blood I desired anymore. 'I need somewhere private, very quick, Sangria.'

Satisfaction came from her right then. Allow me to address you as I will.

'Fine, whatever.'

To the left of the kitchen is a door marked Maintenance. If you go now, you will not be seen entering, my love.

I took a hold of Void's hand. "Come on. I need your help with something."

Dragging him along for the first five feet, Void finally got his footing and caught up. "What's going on?"

"Hold on and I'll explain." I licked at my lips, still tasting the faint traces of blood lingering.

Sangria assaulted the lock and picked it in under three seconds, then swung the door open as I pulled Void inside.

East corner, there is a metal covering on the floor, open it.

I threw open the cover and saw the metal ladder leading down. "Follow me, Void and close the hatch after you. Hurry."

I just stepped off into the darkness and fell, trusting in my patron to catch me before I went smack against the floor. My sunglasses were the first thing I tore off, but not the last by far. By the time Void made it to the bottom of the ladder I was down to my panties and bra. It was dark, there was no way he could see me. At the very least my modesty will stay intact.

"Whoa, uh, Braith, not that I'm complaining or anything, but why are you almost naked."

Brilliant. He can see in the dark. Well screw it. At this point I was too horny to care. "Void. I seriously have to have sex with you right now. Interested?"

I saw the glow of his green eyes widen. He was sixteen and a boy. Of course the answer to that question was going to be yes. In seconds he was stripped down as well and I was pushing him back toward the ladder so that I could have some sort of leverage. "Have you ever done this before?"

My hands trailed down the smooth muscled skin of his chest and abdomen until I had things well in hand.

He sucked in a lung full of air. "No. I wasn't exactly Mr. Universe before…"

"Shut up," I whispered. "I'll do all the work. You just have fun, enjoy the ride."

Oh god, please don't let him last for only five seconds.

I will assist in that endeavor, my love.

Sangria wrapped a lock of hair around the base of his hardness. Void jerked. "Hey, that's not one of the sharp ones, is it?"

I grinned and ran my leg up the side of his thigh. "Don't worry. It's just to help you last longer. Trust me, Void."

"Oh, okay. Yeah, that'd be good. Thanks."

"Ready?"

"Hell yeah."

I wrapped my hands around his neck and lifted my body up with my hair. "Kiss me, Void."

He had thick, soft lips and I fed on them like they were they were my last meal. Well, not literally. I didn't eat him. Maybe later. Right now I needed something else, which Sangria guided to it's intended target.

It couldn't have been more than five minutes since I had tasted the contents of that mug, but I was dripping with desire and more than ready for Void to fill me with as much as he could. His hips shot forward, burying himself within.

Pain broke through to my brain and I let loose with a hurt squeak. Okay, maybe the thing Sangria did with the penetration the other morning wasn't quite as much as I thought it was.

His is approximately triple the girth as I used, my love.

I held onto Void tightly so he wouldn't move and make things worse. 'Great, thanks for the warning.'

Give it a moment. Let your regeneration powers heal the tears.

'There are tears?'

Before she answered me I could already feel the pain ease to almost nothing. In its place was only the tightness that squeezed my new lover with intense pressure.

"Oh, god, Braith. You feel so good. I could stay like this forever."

I ran my hands through his hair, before grabbing a great fist full. "Let now be enough."

~O~

I don't remember shredding my thong, but it lay in one piece with the sides cut, on the floor. I picked it up and frowned before handing it to Void. "Souvenir?"

He grinned like a cat with its cream. In fact he hadn't stopped grinning since I screamed his name at the end, culminating with Sangria releasing her hold on his shaft and our orgasms meeting. Well, I had three, he had one. "Thanks."

I looked around at the empty room. It looked like it used to be a lead to an access tunnel that had long since been blocked off. Now it looked like a place for old file storage. Well, whatever. It was empty and served for a good cause.

"Does this mean that you've made your decision?"

I turned back to void as I was doing up the clasp for my bra. "What?"

He was just standing there with his pants on and preparing to put on his shirt. "You know, between me and insect-girl."

"Oh, uh, no. Sorry."

"Oh." He lost his grin.

"I did promise that whatever she got to do, you got to do too." Hey, I can still think like a guy if need be.

His jaw loosened. "So you and her…"

He made a fist and kind of pumped it forward a little. I rolled my eyes. "Yes, we've had sex."

Having once been a guy and having been exposed to locker room talk, I should have expected the next question, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out why I was surprised. "Well, uh, which of us was… you know."

Sangria helped pull my hair through the turtleneck as I tugged it down. "Better?" I almost laughed, but stopped myself. Never, under any circumstance, insult a guy's sexual prowess if you ever want to have sex with him again. Not that they won't do it with you. Guys are easy, they'll do it with anyone they find attractive, and most that they don't. But they won't go that extra mile trying to please you if they don't have to. "Apples and oranges." It wasn't really, but he didn't have to know that.

Before I slipped my socks and boots on, I stepped into him and tiptoed up for another kiss. "Void, for your first time, you were fantastic. I came twice. You did that to me. Don't worry about being upstaged by a girl." My hand slipped down to caress him above his pants. He was still semi-hard, or maybe it was just quick recovery time. There's one good thing about teenaged boys; virility. "I definitely want to work on three times next time."

His grin was back. He bent down and scooped me up by the thighs for another kiss, deepening it until I was tingling once again. "I'll find us a proper bed for then."

I shrugged. "Up against the wall was fine for me."

A warm chuckle escaped from his mouth sending shivers down my spine. Kisses trailed across my cheek and down my neck while I closed my eyes and enjoyed the attention.

"I'm glad you were my first, Braith."

~O~

Escaping from the Maintenance Room was a little more difficult. Dinner was in full swing, and the cafeteria was packed to capacity. From the time on my watch we had been down there for forty-five minutes. Considering the time it took to get undressed, dressed and the talk at the end, Void looked like he was going to be a pro at this once he got some more practice in.

We only got spotted by twelve year old Asian looking girl on the way out. Receiving a raised eyebrow at our exit, I returned it and sauntered back to the table and my now warm salad. Woodchuck was there. Gordo and Crystal looked bored until we showed. Then Crystal was all grins. She knew what happened. Gordo was clueless.

"What happened?" He glanced at Void. "And why are you so happy all the sudden? Owww! Quit kicking me, hermana. I'm going to have a limp soon."

I swallowed a mouthful of chicken and lettuce before answering. "I had to show Void something that I learned in school." That wasn't exactly a lie. I took quite an informative sex-ed class my freshman year in high school.

Gordo glared at his sister. "See, it was stupid schoolwork. She didn't have an itch that needed scratching." He thumbed at her. "Thinks she knows everything. Who scratches an itch for forty-five minutes?"

Void just kept on grinning.

~O~

With a sigh, I stood in front of the door to my dorm room, cottage room, whatever. I'd been thinking up some sort of apology for Portia, but was drawing a blank. 'I should make you say you're sorry. You're the one that caused all this mess.'

I would be more than happy to if it will close this rift between us, my love.

I huffed. 'It won't close it, but it will help. That is if she accepts.'

Steeling myself one last time, I opened the door and found that she wasn't in the room. So much for that. We probably passed each other on the way or something. Even if I truly didn't believe that, I held a fairly decent belief that she'd be back sometime in the near future. Maybe she was still in class.

After shedding the clothes I'd been wearing for three days -- eww, I hope I didn't stink when I was with Void -- I grabbed my bathrobe and took a shower. At least there was plenty of hot water. There were advantages to not having to style your hair in the mornings, taking a shower virtually alone in the evening was one of them.

While making my way back to the room, I passed a few girls that I recognized from the eavesdropping crew that was camped out in front of the door when I left the other morning. While they didn't look scared or anything, they gave me a wide berth. I guessed I had developed a reputation already for being violent. Ah well, at least it'll keep people from screwing with me, for the most part.

There are advantages to that sort of reputation, my love, however there are also disadvantages as well.

'Like what?'

There are always people out there that want to make a name for themselves. Defeating those with reputations is one way to do so. Very few people knew of Perseus before he killed me. And now they name a constellation after the bastard son of Zeus, and call him hero.

'History is written by the winners, Sangria.'

I opened the door to the room and found Portia sitting on her bed looking up at me with shock.

"Braith?"

"Hey." I set my bath caddie to the side and laid my damp towel on top.

She jumped up and looked like she wanted to run over to me, but instead held her ground fidgeting with her hands. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the energy thing. I just thought it was…" She cringed at her words before finishing. "…afterglow."

'See.' I shot at Sangria.

I apologize, my love. I didn't…

'Not to me. To her, and her name is Portia, not magic-user.'

"Portia, you have my most sincere apologies. I was angry and sought to guilt you into action to rid me of the Olympian. I did not take into account your lack of training in not recognizing your well-spring of power."

"I'm sorry too, Portia. When Sangria gets angry it bleeds off to me. I should have known better."

She took a step toward me, smiling slightly. "Does this mean that we're all forgiven?"

I nodded and returned her smile with one of my own. A few steps later and we met in the middle of the room for a warm hug.

~O~

We verified the old saying that make up sex is some of the best sex you can have. Well, I was naked underneath that bathrobe and Portia is a very sexual girl. Don't give me any grief.

~O~

While the single bed is pretty small it was still big enough for me to lay in her arms and run my hand over her body afterward. "You should know something about Sangria, but you have to keep it a secret."

She kissed me on the forehead while I drew small circles around her navel with my finger. "I promise."

I then proceeded to tell her the story of Medusa, her rape delivered by Poseidon, her persecution and punishment by Athena, and eventual murder arranged by Zeus. At the end she understood why Sangria acted the way she did.

"I can't imagine all of that happening to me. I'm so sorry, Sangria."

A lock of hair traced Portia's jaw and then the line of her body in response.

"The thing is that you can't kill them for what happened."

"Why not, they are guilty. I have suffered for three millennia from her idea of justice. Even to this day, in this country, there is no limit to the amount of time one can be held responsible for the crime of murder."

Portia shook her head. "You don't understand. The people that they are using, like you use Braith, are innocent. They're teenagers."

Conflicting emotions built up inside me from my patron.

"It would be like someone from your past killing Braith for something you did fifty years ago. Would that be right?"

Even though I could tell what Sangria was thinking, I let it go. Now that she'd realized there was another point of view on the subject, this was something that she had to work out on her own.

"Let her think about it, Portia." I snuggled into her neck and drew my leg across hers. The last thought I had for the evening was how much I enjoyed the way she smelled after we made love.

~O~

I was up and dressed in the annoying school uniform. I looked ridiculous. But the thing of it was that every other student looked equally as bad. At least I didn't clash against the coloring.

"You should let me do your nails, maybe some make up. It would help."

My eyes ticked up at my lover. "I don't do, feminine fineries."

She smirked at me. "I didn't say you had to look all girlie-girl, but some black or even gray nails would look good on you. Keep them at the length you have now, that's fine. A little eyeliner and shadow to bring out your eyes. Some red lipstick. You're hot now, but you would be devastating if… " realizing what she was saying, Portia backed off. "Never mind. Then you'd get all of the attention and I'd have to share."

Leaning away from my laptop, I relaxed in the chair. "I have no interest in see anyone but you and Void."

She nodded while she did up her tie. "Yeah, right now. But wait until you see all the Exemplars out there. It's like walking around at the Playboy mansion and the offices of GQ at the same time."

I cocked my head to the side. "Yeah, but do the rest of them have two extra sets of arms and make that funny little noise when I lick behind their ear?"

She pointed at me, all authoritarian like. "You better not find out. You're all mine… and Void's somewhat." She frowned when she added my other lover.

"Does it bother you that I'm with him too?"

Portia turned her back to me and made busy with her backpack. "As long as you are in my bed every night, I'll deal with it. But don't think of inviting him in with us. I don't do threesomes."

I giggled. "Yes, you do."

She threw a look over her shoulder at me. "Oh, well, Sangria is part of you. That doesn't count."

I shrugged. "I'm not talented enough to do half the stuff she does that makes you nearly deafen me when you scream."

That brought a little sense of pride to her face. "By the way? I don't have to do the silencing charm to the room anymore. We have an exemption from Circe. Well, I do anyway, but since you're my lover, and that's how I pool my powers…" She left the end of that statement off and showed me exactly how wide her grin could get.

"So, last night… everyone could hear…"

"You should have seen the look on Savage's face when I dropped off that form." She giggled again. "I thought the poor woman was going to bust a blood vessel she was so shocked. She ran straight to her phone and called up the magic department like she was going to bust me forging Circe's signature. Like I'd be stupid enough to do that in the first place."

I face-palmed. "Do we have to let everyone hear us?"

She shrugged after slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "I guess not, but it kinda, like, adds a little excitement to think that the girls on either side are listening in, don'tcha think?"

Shaking my head at her mildly exhibitionist traits, I just groaned. She leaned over and kissed me lightly. "I have to get to my first class, and don't forget your appointment with your advisor this morning, baby." Her eyes focused on mine, and I could see the hunger in them again. "I could just eat you up right now. You look so sexy in that outfit. Maybe later." She danced off to the door with excitement. "Oh, and think about the nails and makeup for me, please. Just think about trying it out. If you don't like it then we don't have to do it again."

"Changing your mind again?"

She shrugged her shoulder and laughed again before disappearing out the door.

~O~

I had time for breakfast before meeting with my advisor. Since neither Void or Portia were with me I avoided the blood, not knowing if it would have the same effect as before. However, I did look at the little plastic bag with new appreciation while Sangria partook of hers. The taste I sensed through my hair was nothing like what it was when drinking normally. Maybe taste was the wrong word. What I feel through my hair is like a sixth sense, and not in the 'I talk to dead people' way. It's kind of a cross between taste and touch, with some smell thrown in there as well.

On my way out I noticed Athena again, or Judicator, whatever her name was. Meeting her eyes, briefly, she stilled for a few moments. Luckily, I was wearing my sunglasses, so she couldn't tell that I was staring back just as curiously.

From what I've come to understand, advisors are normally chosen through the students area of expertise. Basically this meant that I should be getting a faculty member that was well versed in Avatars, or maybe hair care. Then we would meet in their office to go over my options for classes, and training. So why was my appointment in Carson's office? Surely the Headmistress was too busy to involve herself in the day to day mundane life of a student's education. Shouldn't she be off procuring funding from some government agency or spanking naughty schoolchildren who were bad. There's a reason the words Master and Mistress were tacked on the end of Head. I could almost see Carson dressed up in tight PVC and high heeled boots, while she was holding a paddle. Can't you?

To my knowledge, Elizabeth does not participate in these activities.

'That was thirty years ago, Sangria, before she became Head-Mistress. Don't you have to be just a regular Mistress before you take on that role?'

No.

'You know, sometimes I think you don't have any sense of humor.'

Once I trudged my way upstairs to the bondage queen's office -- see how smoothly I segued into Carson's new title -- I noticed a grim-faced lady trying to look official. The name plate on her desk read, A. Harford, Asst. Headmistress. Ah, bondage princess. I knew there was a step below Queen.

"You are inside. Remove your sunglasses, young lady."

I grinned at her. "Sorry, eyes are sensitive to light. Doctor's orders."

"Miss Brice." I turned around to see Carson standing in her doorway. "If you please?"

"Good morning, Headmistress." Leaving my hands in my coat pockets I grinned. "Imagine my surprise when I saw you were my advisor."

"I'm not." She stood back and swept her hand toward the office.

"Oh." Well that explains that then. Guess it's time for my spanking.

When I hit the doorway I noticed I wasn't the only person meeting with Carson at the moment. However, the other three weren't exactly students, but with a nudge from Sangria's memory, I knew exactly who they were.

The first was the guy who I saw for my powers testing, Dr. Finkman. He looked a little too bouncy at the moment with a very thick file in his hands. For a second there I could have sworn he was humping it. The second was a man dressed in jeans, a plaid shirt, and worn leather jacket, sporting a beaded turquoise choker. His skin was a dark coppery color, which spoke of his American-Indian heritage, Charlie Lodgeman. And the last guy, Sangria knew all too well from her time at Whateley. Nobody who'd ever met him soon forgot the utter creepiness of the Most Righteous Reverend Darren Englund.

"Charlie, Darren, may I introduce my current host, Braith Brice, codename Defensor." I looked over at Carson, who was taking her seat. "Elizabeth, it's like old times. Who has the hooch?"

Charlie brought a closed hand up to his mouth, but I could see he was trying to cover an amused smile. Darren scowled like someone shrunk his panties in the wash. The good doctor was still humping his file, and Elizabeth looked constipated. Perhaps I ought to suggest some prunes be added to her diet.

"Sangria, please refrain from familiarity for the moment. We are here for Miss Brice's education."

"As you wish, Elizabeth. However I am curious as to why two of the current Board of Supervisors and the Headmistress are attending something as simple as a curriculum advisory."

"By the way," I snuck in. "Who's my advisor?"

"That would be me, Miss Brice," answered the most revved-up Reverend Englund.

Oh hell. Just what a girl that looks like a demon needs, a religious advisor.

"I thought that you taught Comparative Religions, Darren. I can assure you that we have no interest in thumping any holy book. No matter what the religion."

A palm slap against the desk and Carson's angry voice sounded. "Sangria! That will be enough. If you cannot restrain yourself then you will be asked to be silent."

'She can ask all she wants. I have a sinking feeling in my stomach that we are about to be railroaded into something here, Sangria. Do what ever you want.'

Thank you, my love. "Since my host has never had dealings with any of you in the past, I have been asked to represent her in these matters. Let me be perfectly clear here, Elizabeth. Braith Brice and her Morlocks are attending Whateley at your request and the request of Mrs. Potter. With the exception of Crystal, the rest of us have received a less than warm welcome. Additionally, the presence of three of the most influential people at Whateley poking their noses into her curriculum has me on edge. With Doctor Finkman's presence here, I can only conclude this has to with Braith's unclassified Esper talent."

Charlie bit the side of his mouth like he was trying to figure me out.

"Yes, that's it isn't it? Well, then, I suggest we keep our useless threats to ourselves. You need or want her for your own ends."

"That's enough." Darren looked even more disagreeable. "Sit down, Miss Brice." It looked like he was trying every trick in the book not to pull his bible out and whack me across the head.

He definitely wants you, my love. Darren Englund would never accept backtalk from a student. His ego wouldn't stand for it.

'You mean you're being rude on purpose?'

Of course. What better way to find out someone's motivations than to push them into losing control.

"I'll stand, thank you."

Carson sighed and laced her fingers together. "Will we be hearing from Miss Brice at all during this meeting? It is her education we will be discussing."

Sangria had me nod a single time in her direction. "Thank you for finally being civil, Elizabeth. If you need direct conformation of my intentions and right to represent my host, then you may ask."

"Miss Brice, are you in control of Sangria?" the Headmistress asked point blank.

"We're in control of each other, if that makes sense, Mrs. Carson. Our integration is virtually complete."

A dangerous falsehood, my love.

'What, it's true from a certain perspective. All I need are your previous hosts memories and we're done, right?'

True, but this will still take some time. There will be no rushing this forward. I will not sacrifice you in this way.

Carson's eyes widened. "This is why you were in the hospital."

I raised my eyebrows at her in confirmation, but she didn't seem totally convinced in the truth of the matter.

"Sangria, you once told me that the process takes months, possibly years depending on the host. From the information included in her application I was under the impression that you only joined a little over a month ago."

"All true."

Charlie held up his hand to forestall Carson's next question with one of his own. "If I may?"

He drew my attention to him. "Charlie."

"Why are you enrolled if you are already so far along? Surely you could test out of many if not all of the courses you would want to study. Why aren't you applying for a job here instead?"

"A good question. Thank you. Setting aside that Lacy, a previous host was murdered here while I was a teacher, I have not taught in thirty years. While I still have the knowledge needed, there have been many advances in education that I have not kept up on. There is also the needs of my host. She is sexually involved with two of the Morlocks…"

'Sangria!'

"Out of wedlock?!" Darren exclaimed.

"Yes, Darren, all condoned and exempted by Circe. Well the magic-user, Portia is. She draws her power from sexual energy…"

Carson tried to get the meeting back under control. "We're off topic here."

"Lesbians," muttered Darren under his breath.

"The point being, that regardless of my host's ability to run circles around a good number of the student body, she desires to be among them. Call it emotional education if you will."

The doctor cleared his throat.

"Quite right, Doctor," said Charlie. "We need to move on."

He's checked his watch for the third time. Curious, my love.

'I wasn't really paying attention.'

Charlie stood and straightened the rolled up sleeves. "Braith, we're going on a field trip. Care to join us?"

~O~

I was told to go get changed into civilian clothes, which was both a relief and an annoyance. Couldn't they have just sent me an email telling me to dress down for the day? But, who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth. After slipping on my gloves and wishing for the hundredth time I still had my pistol snuggled up under my arm, I grabbed my coat and met the olds in front of Schuster where a limo was waiting. Whoa, going in style.

The gang was all there. This must be one heck of a field trip. With these three in attendance, I supposed I wouldn't need my pistol after all. That is unless they were the ones that I'd have to fight, in which case I was dead. The Rev. probably no problem. Charlie, maybe, if I caught him unaware. Carson, only if she was asleep, drugged up, in chains, and in a good mood.

Since the Reverend was my advisor, I got to sit next to him. Oh joy. Carson and Charlie were muttering to each other as we traveled along the dirt road back toward Dunwich. This was strange because they didn't look like they were muttering.

Charlie is a Mystic, my love. He is probably using his magic to confuse what we are hearing.

"Here are my suggestions for your winter session schedule, Miss Brice."

I took the offered PDA from the Reverend and scanned the class titles. Needless to say, the average high school reading, writing, and arithmetic weren't represented anywhere on the same planet as these classes were. Specifically, these courses looked like I was preparing for an alien invasion.

Survival Training - Gunderson
Heavy Weapons - Gunderson
Light Weapons - Gunderson
Ancient Languages - Englund
Comparative Religions - Englund
Defense Against Magic - Lodgeman

"Hookaaay. Does this mean that I don't have to worry about memorizing anymore calculus formulas?"

Englund took back the PDA and wiped the screen. "All will be made clear today, Miss Brice."

"Darren, you and I both know of my knowledge of ancient languages. I believe they surpass yours by far, and I also believe that I've already mentioned that we weren't interested in religion classes."

He didn't really like that a teenage girl was addressing him so informally, but he did reply. "The course names are a cover. What we have to teach you will be one on one. You won't be attending any formal classes until the fall, but you will receive credit for the ones listed."

Now I was really confused. "Is there a particular reason that I'm being singled out for this training?" I don't know why I bother asking questions I already know the answer to. It was obvious, by Doctor Finkman's presence, that it was related to…

I snapped my head up and looked out of the side window. The feeling was back. My weird-o-meter was going into overdrive. "Stop. Stop the car."

Carson pressed a button on the console to her left. The limo came to a slow roll and then pulled slightly to the side of the road. There was probably no need to fully pull off since school was in already in session and that was the only place this particular road led.

I alit from the vehicle and stood beside the rear tire. Imaginary spiders were crawling all over my back.

"What are you sensing, Braith?" Charlie followed my line of sight into the woods.

There was no way I could put into words the ideas that were entering my head. "I don't know. Something… wrong."

I heard a beep from inside the limo and Carson saying something. A few seconds later the creepiness factor was much more subdued. Startled, at Charlie's hand on my arm, I jerked back and spun on him. "What was that? What the hell was that?" Backing away from him I brought my hands up to my chest, clutched into fists. My heart was pounding away, beating so hard I felt like it was trying to find a way out from beneath my breast.

"Braith, calm down. We're in no danger."

I didn't even notice Englund sneaking up until I heard him mumbling a prayer behind me. Spinning around I saw him holding up a relatively small cross toward me. With a wisp of hair, I batted at his hand. "Stop that. I'm not evil." Pointing off into the woods I spat, "Whatever's out there is evil. Spout your mumbo jumbo at that."

Englund sighed in irritation. "This is a prayer of protection for you, Miss Brice, not against you."

I backed away again, until I realized it was taking me closer to whatever the hell was out there. "Keep it to yourself. Sangria's more than enough protection."

"Perhaps we should move on, gentlemen," called Carson from inside the limo.

The crawling feeling kept me on edge until we were well past whatever the hell was out there. Once we were in the clear my brain decided to reengage. "Do you plan on keeping me in the dark about this whole thing or what?"

Pardon me for being an ass, but I hate it when I'm being played around with. I think I've told you about this trait of mine.

"Please bear with us for one more test, Miss Brice," asked Finkman. "I would rather see what this talent of yours acts like in its rawest form before I taint your reactions with explanations."

My lips tightened, but I could see the scientific aspect of what he was saying. I already knew what was coming next, so I closed my eyes and tried to relax.

"Can you tell us what the experience was like, anything would be helpful."

Slipping off my sunglasses, I rubbed at my eyes. "I can't get away from the spider analogy, Doc. It was annoying the first time I felt it, but this time. It was like a dozen times more powerful. Like something was being let loose. Something wrong, unnatural. It's not supposed to be here. I wanted nothing more than to tear it to shreds and burn it, but at the same time I wanted to run… anywhere but there."

Englund closed his eyes and sighed like he was remembering something from long ago. Charlie's face hardened and Carson looked --- I don't know -- constipated again. It's hard putting a read on her. It always was.

I blinked and shook my head. Okay, now I'm talking like I've known her for years.

You will find yourself subconsciously using my memories, my love. It is part of the integration.

The feeling was back and I knew we were near the entrance to Dunwich. It wasn't nearly as strong, but still creepy nonetheless. "I feel it again."

"Which way?" Finkman asked.

I pointed east of our position. "That way. Only it's not very strong, just annoying."

We didn't stop this time. Instead, Finkman got the nod from Carson. He opened the file in his lap, but Englund cut him off before he was about to hand me a sheet of paper. "Miss Brice, Sangria, we must have your word that what we reveal to you inside this car and any future conversations concerning this topic are to be held in the strictest confidence."

I gave the eye to everyone. "Uh sure."

Charlie looked more serious than I'd ever seen him before. "We are very serious, Braith. What's in that file is enough to have you put in the deepest hole ARC has and left there until you die. You cannot tell anyone without our consent."

"There really is an alien invasion?"

Carson looked up at the ceiling of the limo. "Not exactly."

Sangria sent a chilling emotion through me. Something was setting her on edge this time. Make the promise, my love.

"Fine, I promise not to tell anyone unless you give the thumbs up."

"What do you have doctor?" She gave me the impression that she had a really good idea, but that she was trying her best to hide it from me until it was confirmed.

"Reverend Englund let me know that you, Sangria, have a strong knowledge of dead languages."

"True."

"I've got a single sentence here, transcribed exactly from an ancient book. Can you translate it for us?"

He reached the paper over and I grabbed it. The characters were like nothing I'd ever seen, which considering that I'm only sixteen years old doesn't amount to a shocking occurrence. I've never seen Portuguese written down anywhere, but I'm fairly certain it's a foreign language. Sangria, on the other hand, felt like she was going to piss herself, if she were physically able, that is.

"The book where this was found…"

"Is very secure," revealed Englund.

I looked at him. "There is not enough security in the world to contain it. It must be destroyed."

Charlie sat forward. "You recognize it?"

Sangria made me release the paper and I watched as it dropped to the floor. "I was the one who dismembered and burned the author's body. I spread the remaining ashes within four containers bound by mystical means and personally rid the world of his taint."

Finkman's color didn't look very good at the moment. Sangria can sound pretty intimidating if she wants, or so I've been told. "And, if any of you have read this book in it's entirety then I will do so with you as well."

Englund almost appeared to relax. Funny that.

"No, Doctor, I will not translate the demonic script for you. It would be like handing a beaker full of hydrochloric acid to a toddler. You could very well prepare a key using the translation and decipher the rest of the text. I will not allow that to happen."

Carson took her cue and said something to distract me from the evil eye I was giving to Finkman. "What do you know of Class X entities?"

"More than I'd care to know, Elizabeth."

'Want to clue me in here, Sangria. I thought you couldn't hold anything back from me anymore.'

My love, you do not want to experience this horror that poisons everything that stands in its presence. While I cannot prevent you from accessing the memories if you truly wanted to see them, I can distract you from experiencing them through my eyes.

Now I was getting frustrated. 'Show me something here. A picture, maybe not the whole thing, but something to give me an idea of what they want me for.'

"Elizabeth. Please stop the car for a few minutes."

"You sense something here?" asked Charlie, clearly shocked.

"No, my host is insisting I show her what it is we are speaking of."

'Why do they have to stop the car?' She didn't answer right away. 'Sangria?'

When we pulled to the side of the road to a complete stop, an image, came to mind. Sangria held it there for maybe a couple of seconds, but it felt like forever. It was tall, maybe ten feet in height, tentacles extended from its face, if you would call what I was seeing a face. It's skin was green, slick with an oily substance, and various portions of its body were pulsing, like something was trying to eat its way out from underneath. Sangria lashed out with her hair, slicing the thing to pieces in a matter of seconds. I found out what was underneath the skin.

Grabbing at the door handle, I barely made it out of the car before my stomach heaved.

The image was burned into my mind. Creatures, babies or something like that… spawn, deformed, clawed hands, fanged mouths, screaming. No, the screaming wasn't them, it was me. Slashing at the creature. Must kill it. Nothing must be left. Mustn't drink. Blood is poison.

~O~

Someone was dabbing at my face with a cool wet cloth and fingering through my hair, gently, motherly. She was humming something, a song I didn't recognize.

Be still, my love. It is Elizabeth who is tending to you.

My stomach rolled angrily. 'What happened?'

I warned you of the consequences. You became ill and eventually lost consciousness.

I remembered. It was kind of hard to forget something that revolting. 'What was that… thing."

It was, what Elizabeth and the others classify as, a Class X entity. Creatures, demons, aliens, call it what you will, they are the truest essence of evil that exists. The one you insisted on seeing was once a human woman. Through the blackest of magic, or mystical arts she was impregnated and transformed into what you saw.

'You killed it.'

Yes, I did.

'Good.'

Not at the time, my love.

She was experiencing conflicting emotions that I couldn't make any sense out of. 'Your host?'

Josette was an explorer of a sort, from a time when women were looked down upon for such things. She met a man who traveled the roads of time by the name of Crow. A foolish risk-taker. He thought he had all the answers to defeat the monsters, one of which you have seen. For her help in defeating the creature she received a life of haunted dreams and eventually, in her later years, insanity and death.

I stayed silent and pondered that.

They would use you for the same purposes.

'You're saying that these things are still around?'

Undoubtedly. I have seen people, members of their cults throughout time, and have killed them without thought. If any of their knowledge exists then it must be extinguished immediately. To let them live is to invite the fruit of their madness.

'Then we have to help.'

Resistance built from Sangria. My love, Braith, what you are suggesting is beyond dangerous. There are things out there that would make you welcome death as the least of options.

'So, you're saying even though you have the knowledge and I have some type of power that could help in this fight, that we should go back into hiding and let everyone else die for us?'

Exasperation welled up through me. You are sometimes as infuriating as Josette. I will aide you and them, my love, however, I will extract a price from them for your service.

'I wouldn't expect anything less, Sangria.'

When I returned my attention back to the interior of the limousine, I could still feel Mrs. Carson stroking my hair and humming lightly. The cool cloth was gone and the warmth of her lap was comforting.

"Thank you for caring for my host, Elizabeth."

She was startled. Her hand froze mid way through my hair and then withdrew.

"There is no shame in showing your humanity, my friend. My host has seen more than enough from indifferent adults. She knows that they have their own agenda and care nothing for her. That is why she protects those that are hers, to let them know that they have someone to turn to in desperate times."

Mrs. Carson's eyes softened. "I've missed you, Sangria. When Lacy was killed, it was just a reminder that I had gotten too close again."

"Is this why you have been so cold to my host?"

The Headmistress didn't reply, choosing instead to stare out of the window.

"My apologies. I did not mean to intrude on a painful subject. Please inform Charlie that he may lower the privacy curtain. Braith is adamant that we assist you with your endeavor."

"We are returning to the Academy, Sangria. Braith has received enough of a shock for one day. Tomorrow we shall begin again."

The sound of pavement against the tires let me know that we'd already arrived. "What happens tomorrow?"

Mrs. Carson looked down at me. "We see exactly what you are capable of with that talent of your, Braith. So, get some rest. I guarantee it will be a trying day."

Even though it was cold out, the pathways between buildings were heated. Don't ask me how they did it. Do you care how your television works? Well, if you aren't a Devisor, that is.

Benches littered the Quad and I had chosen one. With my knees tucked neatly under my chin, I sat there and thought on what I'd learned about the world. We were not alone, and there were horrors out there that defied reason and definition. And here I was, some psychic power that I didn't have a clue how to control beyond pointing and saying, 'ovar dare ovar dare'. How helpful can that actually be?

The worst part was that I couldn't even talk to my friends about this. It was probably better that they didn't know. There was less chance of them dying in a painful and horrifying way. It was my job to protect them and if keeping this from them would do the job then who am I to feel self-pity?

"May I sit?"

I looked up and there she was. "What do you want Athena?"

She looked up into the sky and nodded in conformation to herself. "I thought it was you, Medusa." She sat anyway, without my permission. "I'm not actually Athena. She's just my patron. My name's Elizabeth Maza, or Judicator if you prefer."

I sighed. "Well watch out that you don't piss her off there, Lizzie. She has a really nasty streak with how she defines justice. You might just find yourself with a head full of snakes and a little hero wannabe with a sharp sword looking to take it as a trophy."

She didn't bother looking at me and just stared out into the Quad. "I don't want to harm you and neither does she…"

I laughed. It echoed in the cold winter air. "Harm me? HARM ME?!"

"Little Olympian, let me make myself perfectly clear. It is taking all of my will and a promise to my host that is keeping me from draining every ounce of blood from your body at this moment. I desire nothing more than to see you, your father and your uncle scream for hours on end as I dismember all of you inch by inch. I have wished for that moment for over three thousand years, fantasized about it, dreamed about it, written sonnets about it. So do not come to me with your futile attempts at trying to intimidate me. You are a gnat with nothing but childish powers at your disposal and a moderate amount of talent with which to work them."

I stood and started to walk away, but Sangria had one more thing to say. "Pray to your father or whatever you hold dear that my host holds me back for the remainder of your life, Olympian, because one day I will be there to exact my vengeance."

Shrugging my shoulders I smiled at her. "Sorry about the Mr. Goo's. Have a nice day." I tossed the three empty vials of Mr. Goo's Really Super Glue into the closest trashcan and made my way to Crystal Hall. Fighting evil was making me thirsty.