Power and Control

“ASSHOLE,” Diana hissed under her breath angrily as she made her way out, rolling her eyes in obvious annoyance at Adam Conant’s doppelganger. How dare he underestimate her? With her dark magic, she knew she was much stronger than anybody in the circle– even more so than Cassie Blake. She narrowed her eyes, unlocking her car wordlessly as she made for The Boathouse. It was late when she’d arrived– her resolve still DEAD SET on proving Ethan Crane wrong. It took a while to sneak in, knowing that the Conant Book of Shadows wasn’t in the abandoned house nor in Adam’s place, that was her best bet.

While she was new to dark magic, she KNEW that her concentration was far better than Cassie’s, eventually being able to locate his family grimoire at one of the false bottoms of the bar. She’d snuck out just as silently as she’d gone in, speeding back to Crane’s little lair and tossing the book onto his lap. “You’re WELCOME,” she mumbled under her breath, crossing her arms in front of her chest and rolling her eyes.

When Diana stormed back into the room not long after she’d left in the first place, Ethan had to admit, - to himself, of course; never to her, - that he was somewhat SHOCKED by her return. He’d barely managed to close the laptop he’d gotten out while she was gone and have it put aside before he noticed the book in her hand and had it tossed into his lap. A sharp BARK of laughter fell from his lips when he realized what she’d done; it seemed his dismissal of her had simply given her the necessary PUSH she needed to do as he’d wanted her to in the first place.

Long fingers practically CARESSED the book’s cover, gaze fixed on it adoringly as a smile curved up the corner of his lips. He’d held it before, but not for MANY years and never in an environment so calm. He almost felt HIGH from the feeling of being reunited with it, anticipation racing through his bloodstream for what was soon to come. Ethan wondered whether or not the girl knew she’d just handed him exactly what he needed to kill his doppelganger, just like he had all the other FOOLS who had dared be born with his face. This time, however, there was one big difference; with the Conant Book of Shadows, he could take Adam’s magic for himself.

Looking up from the book, he kept his hand somewhat PROTECTIVELY over it as he looked over at Diana. She was an ISSUE; he knew how to work her most of the time but the way she’d been giving him attitude and acting as though she were the one in control was a problem that would have to be quickly rectified. As much as the mere thought of it left him with BILE in the back of his throat and having to hold back a sneer, Ethan knew he’d have to APOLOGIZE to keep her where he wanted her.

Flicking his hand to send the book flying to it’s new hiding spot, - he wasn’t saying he didn’t trust Diana, but... well, he’d sooner trust his life to his ex than put any trust in Diana, so he supposed that was EXACTLY what he was saying, - Ethan stood, fixing a sheepish expression to his face as he reached out to brush the back of his knuckles AFFECTIONATELY across her cheek. ❝ I’m sorry, Diana. I should never have doubted you; this whole... business has me on edge. I have NO IDEA what I’d ever do without you by my side. ❞ The lies slipped from his tongue with practiced ease, coming more naturally than any truths he’d ever spoken.

+ @potenzaxlussuria || fuck me up

                    CALLI RARELY WENT out- given the choice between a night of social exertion and a night at home with a good book, she would always choose the latter. People were all well and good, but fiction had appealed to her far more for most of her young life… until she met him. Ethan had pulled her out of her dream world and into his ; had made her believe that just maybe, living her own life could be BETTER than reading about another’s. 

                    It hadn’t taken much more than an invitation to convince her to come out tonight, but he’d gone to get drinks and left her standing in the corner alone. DISTINCTLY uncomfortable, she made awkward conversation with a man she could hardly even hear over the music, smiling and nodding along blindly and trying to keep her eyes from wandering over the crowd in search of her date ( she didn’t want to seem RUDE, after all ). Calli realized minutes too late that she should have been paying closer attention when the man inched closer, settling a hand on her arm and trying to lead her to dance.  ❝ I’m actually- I’m here with someone, ❞ she gestured and raised her voice, pulling away, but he simply grinned uncomprehendingly. Clearly, he wasn’t listening either. Fantastic.

          Getting Calli where he wanted her was about as EASY as he’d thought it’d be. The girl was practically begging to have someone like him take advantage of her nature, so why should he feel guilty about doing so? Not that Ethan even KNEW what it was like to feel guilt, but that was entirely beside the point, obviously. And now, they were DATING. He was courting her and they would soon fall in love; it was the perfect love story with two attractive leads, but Ethan had never believed in the CONTEMPORARY IDEALS of romance Calli and others like her seemed to subscribed to.

          Next on the agenda had been getting her dressed up all pretty so he could take her dancing, most likely get her drunk and show her a GOOD TIME. Leaving her in the corner with a kiss to her cheek and a promise to return quickly, he’d gone to get them both drinks, only to return to the SLUT making her move on another guy while he’d left her. She seemed all too comfortable with him, smiling and just about opening her legs and offering herself up to him. He left her for barely a couple of minutes and this was how she kept herself entertained? THIS was how she repaid him for even bothering to give her the attention she so obviously wasn’t worthy of?

Diana rolled her eyes as she DREW in breath, looking into his eyes. She knew very well that he was MUCH stronger than her; but it didn’t keep the fight out of the Balcoin girl. “Maybe you should– but I didn’t think you were the type to like your girls EASY,” she shrugged, licking her lips, ignoring the pang in her heart that it caused as she crossed the room. “I’m pretty sure you;d have Cassie falling head-over-heels for you in an INSTANT,” she mumbled under her breath before she looked towards him.

“If that’s it–” she drew breath, going towards the door. She had an INKLING Ethan didn’t like where the conversation was going; and while she fought whatever feelings she’d had for his doppelganger, she HAD to warn Adam that he was going for him. She grit her teeth, ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach– first it would be the Conant Book of Shadows; NEXT would be the Crystal Skull; something that Diana herself had been after even before she’d met Ethan. She made her way OUT the door quickly, knowing that Ethan wouldn’t let her go– at least not that easily.

Watching Diana walk towards the door after she’d finished having her say, Ethan knew she expected him to follow. What girl didn’t assume the guy was going to follow her when she walked DRAMATICALLY out the door? Unluckily, - or luckily, he supposed, - for Diana, Ethan wasn’t that guy. She could walk out on him all she liked; what DIFFERENCE would it make to him if she was gone and on Adam’s side as he assumed she’d now be? It wasn’t as though she’d done anything worthwhile since he’d recruited her, so she was hardly a THREAT to come up against. If anything, Ethan would take pleasure in snapping that pretty neck of hers.

A voice in the shadows startled the blonde out of her silly whims and caused her to instantly tense up. Jaded hues narrowed to scan the darkness in the courtyard, until she vaguely spotted a man’s silhouette. Now aware of him in the shadows, Celeste relaxed and processed his words. Chimes of soft, muffled laughter passed her lips at the thought of her parent’s reaction to her behavior. In her uninhibited nature, Celeste moved out of her angelic moonlight and joined him in the SHADOWS. Illuminated hues locked gazes with his own as her wicked little smile spread across her face once again. Lost in her own drug induced fantasy, Celeste played up her innocent Southern Belle charms as she crossed into his personal space. Testing the waters, the blonde kept her voice laced with SWEETNESS - though there was no hiding the mischievous, almost MANIC glint in her eyes.

❝ Oh NO, I hadn’t even thought of that! What would they think of me? ❞ Faux gasp and widened eyes only lasted a moment before all pretense of sweetness left her. After all, it was a mental hospital. Who cared if some other patient saw her true self? No one would even believe him anyway if he told on her, since she had them all wrapped around her pretty little fingers anyway. ❝ Actually, I know exactly what they’d do. Mama dearest is too lost in her own form of self medication to care, and dear ol’ daddy? Oh, let’s just say he’s found me doing a lot WORSE to even bat an eye over this little, harmless stunt. Unless, you have any suggestions to make this more scandalous. ❞

Simply following her movements with his gaze when she moved towards her, Ethan arched a brow at her seemingly INNOCENT demeanor. If it were used on anyone but him, he supposed it may have fooled them into believing she was sweet, but Ethan knew better than most what could be hidden by a mask. He knew he could have outed her, but why BOTHER? It would provide no benefits from him, so if she wanted to continue pretending, that hardly bothered him. Admittedly, he preferred when she dropped the act; as a MONSTER himself, there was nothing Ethan enjoyed more than seeing the darkness in others. Other than reliving the moment he killed his father, of course. Nothing was more enjoyable than that.

Of course she had a SOB STORY. What patient in this place didn’t? Other than himself, of course; Ethan hardly considered his story to be counted as one. ❝ How predictable. Let me guess; with a story like that, I’m guessing you started taking drugs to rebel against parents who wanted you to be PERFECT? ❞ He scoffed, rolling his eyes at the girl. If not for the fact that there’d been no one even slightly interesting in months, Ethan may of left her then and there and given her no more thought. But he was BORED and she was attractive; she’d have to do for entertainment. ❝ I’ve no interest in being involved with your... parental drama. I’m out here to enjoy myself, not listen to some spoiled brat whine about her family and plot to upset mommy and daddy. ❞ Okay, so maybe his people skills weren’t exactly up to par recently. But at least he was practicing his honesty.

“ETHAN,” Diana snapped back towards him in a similar tone– choking against the feel of her hair being tugged as her lips let out a low snarl, gritting her teeth as a moan escaped her lips, her eyes closing momentarily at the feel of TEETH against her skin. “You and I both know how ADAM’S cloaking spells are a bitch to undo,” she narrowed her eyes as she met his gaze, a quick wave of her hand WORDLESSLY detangling his grasp on her hair. With a flick of her hand, he was against the nearest wall– one hand keeping him there and the other flitting towards the RED mark on her neck.

“Don’t test me– I don’t WORK for you–” she approached slowly, one foot crossing over the other as she ran her fingers through the tangles in her hair. “So it’s either you get that through your GORGEOUS head or we end our little arrangement right here,” she shrugged her shoulders easily. “We both know you need me more than you care to ADMIT.”

He HUMORED her for a moment, pretending as though she were strong enough to hold him against his will as he listened to her speak. He SCOFFED at the implication that she didn’t work for him; was the girl delusional? Their so-called arrangement was entirely based on Ethan being IN CONTROL and her running along at his beck and call like a good little puppy; whether she acknowledged that fact was hardly his problem.

A flick of his own wrist had him BREAKING her hold, gaze fixed on hers as he shook his head. ❝ It never fails to amuse me how USEFUL you seem to think you are to me. Or to anyone, really. ❞ A chuckle fell from his lips. ❝ You know, maybe I’ll have to learn from my DOPPELGANGER and replace you with the Blake witch, instead. It seems Adam may have been right in upgrading to her. ❞ Really, he had no intention of wasting time on another useless girl; if Diana didn’t step up and prove herself USEFUL, his next step was to go straight to Adam and get the book himself. Honestly, he wasn’t even sure why he’d not done so in the first place; would have saved him the hassle of dealing with Diana.

Long fingers found their way to the nape of the girl’s neck, TWISTING their way into long strands of hair as he ran his lips along her jaw and took her earlobe roughly between his teeth. He yanks the girl’s head back, exposing her neck to his teeth as he makes quick work of leaving a POSSESSIVE mark over her jugular so all who saw her knew not to touch his property.

❝ Diana. ❞ His tone is low as he speaks, slightly muffled by her skin, but still HARD; the warning it holds no less audible. With one last HARSH nip at her throat, he moves back so he can see her face, fingers not loosening their hold on her hair. ❝ Did you forget the conversation we had about what would happen if you DISAPPOINTED me? All I asked for was the book from Adam’s family and you... hm. You couldn’t even manage that, could you? ❞

In the shadowy quiet of the hall, a willowy silouette danced in the dark as she moved down the hall. After a week of being trapped inside the halls of Jekyll Island’s PRIVATE RETREAT - AKA the mental institution to hide all the crazies found in elite familes across the world. At first, Celeste despised the facility and remained isolated from the others in some form of retribution towards her dear ol’ dad. Daddy Darnell, on his quest to be President, thought this island getaway would be the perfect way for her to relax away from the pressures - AKA he didn’t want his bipolar, manic, drug-addicted daughter to ruin his chances.

So - naturally, after a week of sulking, Celeste decided to make the most of this fucked up place and use it to fuck with her old man. In less than a day, Celeste sweet talked all the guards, hooked up with the dirty doctor in exchange for some of her coca cola, and found a way to sneak out at night without the guards detecting her. At the thought of her triumph, jade hues glanced down to the rosary hanging around her neck. Her slender fingers picked it up from between her breasts and opened up the family heirloom at the cross. After another quick snort, Celeste closed her cross and turned the corner towards the courtyard.

Satisfaction EUPHORIA jolted her system as her wicked smile spread across her face. The vixen started to sway to the symphony in her head. Her golden tresses, now illuminated in moonlight, cast a halo around Celeste’s features. For a moment, she imagined herself as a fallen angel trapped as a prisoner in hell - then burst into giggles. Though she may look to be the picture of innocence, Celeste knew hell was exactly where she belonged.

After four years, Ethan was somewhat certain the staff knew of his nightly routine of leaving his room to roam where ever he so wished. He was also entirely certain they chose to leave him be for the sake of avoiding one of his TEMPER TANTRUMS, considering the last time he’d exploded, the other patient had to be moved to a separate ward for their own safety.

The brush of his fingers against the wall was the only sound that could be heard as Ethan made his way SILENTLY through the shadowy halls, no destination in mind but anywhere other than his room. Sharp gaze caught sight of another in the halls, a smirk making it’s way to his lips when he recognized the new girl.

Celeste Darnell. New Orleans. Eighteen. Cocaine addiction. Eating disorder. Bipolar.

She’d caught his attention the first day she had arrived, and on his nightly perusal of the other patient’s files, - therapy sessions were good for AMMUNITION when he wanted to get his own way, after all, - he’d read through her’s to see whether she was worth his interest. He’d watched from afar to see what she’d do, somewhat DISAPPOINTED by her as she’d sulked for the entirety of her first week.

Watching her snort the drugs from her necklace, Ethan remained cloaked in the shadows as he followed her to the courtyard and watched her DANCE. Her laughter had him shaking his head at her recklessness; if she cut off his time outside by getting them both caught, it wouldn’t matter how fascinating she was when he sliced that pretty throat of hers open. Not bothering to show himself, Ethan simply leaned against the wall, speaking lowly but enough so she’d hear his voice. ❝ Tut tut. Roaming the halls and taking drugs? Whatever would mommy and daddy say? ❞ Not that he particularly cared, really. He was simply CURIOUS to  to see if she was better than the usual fucked up rich girls who got themselves admitted for their partying habits.

          HE DID NOT move as the other one go closer,           neither did he  moved as he  reached out for his           neck, pulling him close enough for their faces to           almost touch.  eyes were   f i x e d  on him. only           seconds after  the other  rose   on his  tip toes a           sharp   pain rushed  through his chin,  causing           him to twitch,  he felt the  man’s breath brushing           his ear. a small smile appeared on emmett’s lips.           he let the other one finish his question before he           raised his hand,    placed it on the  other’s chest           and quickly turned around  pushing him against           the bricked wall of the closest house.   his smirk           was still in place.

                    ‘ ———– sounds like a PLAN. ‘

{ A sharp bark of laughter fell from his lips as he felt the   hand on his chest and found himself pushed against the   wall. Yes, he’d definitely picked the right one to have his   FUN with. Using their height difference to his advantage,   Ethan looked up at the other through his lashes, putting in   just enough INNOCENCE into his glance to mix in with the   shameless way he was flirting. He bit down on his lower lip,   previously rough touches turning SOFT as he ran his hand   feather light along his jaw as he rose up on his tip toes once   more. When they were a mere millimeters from having their   lips touch, Ethan’s hand quickly TIGHTENED upon the other   vampire’s throat, coy smile turning to a sharp smirk as he   closed the gap to bite him once more. Though this time, the   bite landed on his lower lip, latching on for a moment before   running his tongue over his lip to make up for it as his hand   on his throat shoved him away roughly. Slipping out from   between the man and the house, a wink was thrown his way   before he darted away, words called back over his shoulder. }

          Emmett did not moved  back as the other one got closer, dark           eyes focusing his.  The blood he  was covered with perfumed           the the fresh  night air with a  delicious  smell,    making the           hunger he felt only grow.    And as the vampire  darted out his           hand, leaving a thin film of blood on his lips it became almost           unbearable for the young vampire. Not letting another second           pass he  licked off  the little blood that  was given to him and           immediately  felt  a fuzzy feeling  rushing through  his body. A           feeling so  much more   intensive  than any  drip of alcohol           could   ever give.     His eyes dropped     onto the  death man,           wishing dearly   for a few    more  drips  before    they quickly            flickered back to the vampire in front of him. 

                            ‘ ———– i didn’t said i wasn’t HUNGRY. ‘

{ His head tilted slightly to the side as he watched the other    vampire’s tongue removed the blood  he’d put on his  lips,    a glint of  MISCHIEF  in his eyes as he watched his gaze    fall to the body he’d dropped. The sly smirk remained on    Ethan’s lips as he flashed a quick  WINK,  before closing    the distance between them entirely. His hand darted up as    he did so,  taking hold of the hair at the nape of the  other’s    neck, roughly yanking him closer as his nails  scraped    against  skin.  Rising up on his toes to  combat their height    difference, Ethan’s teeth bit HARSHLY at his jaw before he    quickly moved so his lips brushed against the man’s ear as    he whispered, a trail of blood streaks left in his wake. }

                 Emmett walked through the dark city, the new day started a while ago                  and the  few  beers  he had  drank  tonight  made his  brain  feel blurry.                  Being a few  streets away from the bar, the young vampire caught the                  smell of  fresh blood. Even though  he had his last  meal not that long                  ago,  Emmett felt  the hunger  growling  inside of him.  He quickly                  followed the scent  until he found another  male tucking  his teeth into                  the neck of a human. It didn’t took look till he noticed he wasn’t alone                  any longer and the corpse slipped on the floor to his feet.                                       ‘ yeah, no thanks. i tent not to stick to                                                      other people’s leftovers. ‘

{ Ethan arched an eyebrow at the other vampire, continuing    to lessen the distance between the two of them, the corpse    that’d held his attention long since forgotten as much more    fascinating topics presented themselves to him. Lack of    social interactions since finding himself in his... new body    could have lowered his standards for fascinating for all he    knew, but for the moment, the vampire who’d interrupted    his feeding seemed like a shiny new toy for him to screw    with. Quickly darting forward so he stood right in front of    him, Ethan collected more blood from his mouth onto his    thumb and SWIPED it across the other vampire’s lips, a    teasing and almost lewd grin on his own lips. }