Rowan and Dante's Dorm

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"I'm done listening to you." He replied, looking her in... in disgust? Disappointment? Anger? He didn't know. But having her put someone at risk - someone he loved and cared for - brought out an overprotective and defensive side in him he hadn't really known existed to this extent. "Not until you realize you can't just use people to get what you want. Not Raelynn... not me. Not anymore."

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

"What are you saying?" She asked, staring at him with a new kind of fear in her eyes. She had known he'd be disappointed, but she honestly couldn't say she thought he'd react so... defensively. Much less that he'd be angry. 

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"I'm saying that I'm done," Rowan replied, surprised with how sure of that he was. Or rather, surprised he was saying it. "I was fine risking my life to help you, giving you my energy faster than I could make it, but from the moment I met you, you've been lying to me. Lying about what you are, lying about what you were doing to me. I took it because I loved you, but now this?" He asked, taking a step in her direction.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Janelle had been trying to reach him from the moment this all blew up, but it was her turn to step away. Because she knew this wasn't a road to something she would want. "Rowan..." She tried, but couldn't find anything else to say. Which was fine, since he wasn't done talkin. 

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"I've been so close to giving into the bloodlust too many times now- and people could have died! Because of us." He made sure to include himself in that because that was very much his fault. Even if she had started it, he had enabled it and definitely not stopped it. It scared him how truly involved he was, and likely wouldn't have realized it until it was too late. "You wouldn't have suffered for it, though, because all the blame and guilt would have fallen on me."

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Janelle didn't say anything, but she felt an odd sensation in her the back of her throat. Like she would have if she were holding back the urge to cry. Which she couldn't do, because she was dead. Because the only reason she'd been feeling things like this... was because of him. And she was losing him.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"I haven't had a moment to myself since I've met you, have I? You've always been there, watching me. Making sure I was doing things you approved of, weren't you?" He asked, taking another step towards her. It all made sense- how she knew so much he'd never told her, but he'd passed so much of it off. He didn't know how he was doing it - looking at her, confronting her - when all he was thinking about was bolting for the door and never coming back. But he stayed because before he could do any of that, he had to tell her a few things.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Janelle took another step back, her eyes still wide as she stared at him. This just... she really, really messed up. To the point that now she had absolutely no idea of what to do to fix it. Fix them.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Her lack of response was unfortunately enough for him to confirm his suspicions. Now he could barely even bring himself to look at her, and that heavy pit in his stomach just made him feel more nauseous about all of this. And the worst thing was...she didn't seem to understand the problem and this argument would go nowhere until she figured it out. He shook his head at her and pushed past her towards the door, not that much pushing had to occur. He just needed to be out of here.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

"Don't leave!" Janelle cried out, not thinking straight as she reached out to keep him from stepping out the door. She couldn't let him go- not when he'd be in public and would have little difficulty ignoring her for the sake of his... image? It didn't make sense but she knew he wouldn't talk to her. 

Everleigh turned the corner towards the Kyuusho dorm rooms, a big bag of blood in her bag, when she suddenly had the urge to freeze on her tracks.

She had just gotten out of work and decided to head here- to check on Rowan, the person she had been worried about the most. Well, one of the people she had been worried about. For some reason, she had been worried about her sister- wondering where she'd be and who she was with. These were hard times to be a siphon, since a lot of mischief and attacks had been happening. And the witches always found a way to blame them. 

Was that what this was- the feeling of goosebumps running over her body? She felt a sudden energy she only ever felt when magic was being used around her. But she didn't know where it was coming from, which was... weird.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Don't!" Rowan snapped at Janelle, unable to keep his emotions in check. "Don't try convincing me that what you did was right because it wasn't. Don't try to convince me it was a mistake and that you won't ever repeat it because I've heard that and you've never meant it before. I know you, and you'll never give it up. Give her up." In the short time, he had gotten to know his girlfriend, it had been clear she was very persistent. Stubborn. Prideful. If she had failed at taking over Raelynn's body...she'd try again, and again, and again...until she succeeded. "And much as I love you, I won't hesitate in doing what's right for them- for Raelynn. I'm not letting you kill her."

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

"Rowan, please..." Janelle said, reaching out for him but stopping herself before doing it because he made it clear her touch was unwelcome. "Please, I love-"

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Rowan couldn't listen to her anymore. It was all just too overwhelming. He wasn't one to leave an argument like this unattended, but there was a first time for everything. So without looking at her, before she said something that would likely sway him to forgive her, he pulled off the bracelet that connected them. Pulled it off, held it in his hand for a moment, and then glanced in the direction she had last been in. This was easier...but it didn't make the ache in his chest lessen even a fraction. "Don't follow me, Janelle. Don't...don't spy on me...please. I need to think- to be away from you before we're ready to have this conversation again." He said, his voice softer now as he stared at the bracelet a little longer. He wrapped his fingers around it, enclosing it in his fist, and moved towards the bed.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Janelle fell to the floor when he removed the bracelet, the odd feeling in the back of her throat growing heavier as he talked. Even angry he was being kind and... reasonable. Strong. 
And she had tried to bury that part of him. Now... now she couldn't even tell him that she understood what he was trying to say. That she had been wrong to do it. It didn't mean she wasn't ever going to try it again but... it was wrong. 

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

​​​​​​​Rowan tucked the bracelet under his pillow and turned to leave. He forced himself not to look at where she once was because he wouldn't torture either of them that way. He needed a break, and to get away before he reversed his decision and regretted all the things he said. It didn't matter that he meant them, or if he was right. He still loved her, and he didn't want to hurt her, but he also couldn't let her hurt anyone else. 

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Everleigh knew eavesdropping wasn't right, but then again she hadn't exactly been given a choice when it came to listening in to Rowan speak to... something that wasn't there. Curiosity had gotten the best of her when she heard him speaking alone but like he was having a heavy argument with... Janelle, who had to be a ghost- unless Rowan was going crazy.
It didn't take too long to figure out the relationship between them either, or why they were arguing in the first place. She felt her blood boil as she heard of what this ghost had planned to do to her sister- that she had gotten close enough for Rowan to worry about Raelynn.

Sure, Everleigh had tried to hurt Raelynn- but she regretted it now. That moment, she had been full of jealousy... but now? How could she hate her sister when she had been so close to death? Soon, the ghost would have to pay for what she was doing. Hurting Raelynn, hurting Rowan...

Everleigh resisted the urge to barge into the room- because she didn't know enough to hurt the ghost, much less end it- although she did hold her bag a little closer, the blood bags shifting as she did. She also felt the hard edge of a book- of their book. Raelynn's and Everleigh's. Deamhain Siphons. They were the only Siphons in town so, by right, it was theirs.

She only kept the book, after it had been given to her once her sisters friends couldn't figure it out, because it was the closest thing to a an answer that she'd get for questions she had built up over the years. Sure, it barely made sense with the codings and Gaelic, but... but it was hers. 

When Everleigh heard his steps nearing her, she silently hurried to one of the rooms near her, thanking anyone who would listen to her when it was not only unlocked but empty. Soon, she'd have to talk to Rowan. But now... now she had to gather as much as she could about ghosts and how to get rid of them. 


Janelle, for her part, couldn't stop looking at the floor as he walked away from her. What was the point of making any sound if he wouldn't hear her? Couldn't look at her? There was none. 
She had gotten so used to having him that now that she didn't...she felt like she was not only broken, but empty. She missed him for more than the energy- missed and loved his conversations. The look of love and awe that lit his face when he looked at her. Everything. 
She could have easily gone against his wishes and followed him but he was right. She owed it to him to have some time for himself, where she wasn't listening in or something. So she'd stay there, in the place he'd go whenever he was ready to talk again. 

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

--End--

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Everleigh knew there would be no good explanation for being in Rowan's dorm room when he wasn't there. No reason that would either be understood or excused, despite her good intentions. Intentions, she knew, that Rowan would be mortified to learn. So much that he'd no longer want to see her, much less date her, and he'd end up seeking comfort in someone else- someone like her sister. Raelynn. ​​​​​​​

Everleigh couldn't let Raelynn have him, no matter how much she loved her sister. Because she couldn't keep losing. 

So there Everleigh was, dressed completely in black as she snuck into his empty dorm room- or empty enough dorm room. She knew the possibility of someone being there was unlikely, but not impossible. Especially not if the ghost girl that Rowan was dating - or had been dating - kept her word and didn't follow Rowan around so that he could have a few hours to himself. Again, Ever couldn't help but to scoff at the fact that Rowan had dated someone that was...well, dead. She understood he'd still be hung up on his ex, or even interested in Raelynn...but a ghost? Especially when he had so many options to choose from? That's where Ever drew the line.

"Where are you..." She muttered as she poked her hand underneath his bed, making a face when all she caught was a pair of dirty socks. She moved on to his nightstand, but only found a few crumbled notes, a flask containing something that definitely wasn't water and a few loose credits. 

She was just about to admit defeat - which was something she never really did but this was ridiculous as it was - when she suddenly felt something calling for her. Something faint yet persistent enough that it poked the back of her head as it demanded her attention, and wouldn't let her rest unless she gave it.
She had little to no choice when she turned towards the bed again. Only this time, she focused on the lone pillow placed above the messy covers. She didn't think twice before reaching underneath the pillow and- there it was. A thin strap of leather. She couldn't help but to grin when she pulled her arm out, sitting above the bed as she looked at the bracelet. 

Again, she couldn't help but to think of how...ugly it was. The stitching and overall look to it was so badly done that she had half a mind to pull it apart and make a new one. But that isn't what I'm here for, is it? She asked, making a face before she pulled it on. 

Now, Everleigh didn't know what she had to expect once she got wore the bracelet. Was there supposed to be a sudden gust of wind or drop of temperature that no one other than herself would notice? Would she immediately see the ghosts of everyone that lived and died in this town? It was a good thing that she didn't expect any of it because the truth was that this just wasn't as exciting as she'd been lead to believe. If any of that had happened, she could have something excited to tell her friends about and-

"You're not supposed to be here." Came a voice from the other side of the room, faint enough that even if she wasn't expecting it, Ever wasn't startled. Not even when Ever lifted her head and turned towards the intruder. Well, the other intruder. The pretty ginger that looked a lot like... well, her. If Raelynn were there, they could have passed for triplets. If it weren't because of the brown eyes, that was. They were no match for the Prescott blue ones.   

"I could say the same thing about you." Everleigh replied, standing. The height wasn't the same either, since Ever easily towered over her. "Shouldn't you be wherever one goes when they die? Hell?"

"Shouldn't you be running around after Rowan?" Janelle - that's what Ever heard Rowan call her earlier - said in turn, eyes narrowed as she looked Ever over. Perhaps it was the time of the day it was or whatnot, but Janelle had a feeling this was a different version of the annoyingly dull girl she had assumed Everleigh was. 

"I figured I'd leave that to you, seeing as you already follow him around enough for the both of us." Ever replied, and Janelle couldn't help but to laugh. 

"You really had us all fooled, didn't you?" Janelle asked, once her laughter died down. "Poor Everleigh- only seen as the boring and dull girl stuck in the shadows while her twin sister took the front stage in everything. If only you had shown this sooner, you would have had a better job or having Rowan notice you."

"At least I'm seen." Everleigh replied, crossing her arms. There was no need in lying and pretending she was there to exchange compliments or to be kind. "You're dead and no one could see you - outside of whoever is wearing this bracelet, that is. And seeing as the last person who wore it decided they no longer needed or wanted you... Well." 

"Yet you're here, aren't you? Why is that?" Janelle asked, crossing her arms as she tried not to take the bait. Today had been a bad day as it was and she didn't need this girl to show up and... Well, did whatever it is she wanted to do. "To warn me to stay away from Rowan? Because your sister already tried and let me tell you that-"

"We'll talk about my sister at another time." Ever interrupted, because she had a plan of how this conversation would go. The thing about Raelynn was at the very end of that list. "For now, I want to talk about Rowan. About what you're doing to him and how you plan on telling him you're leaving."

"Oh?" Janelle said, another laugh escaping her lips because of how ridiculous that was. "Oh, you're really not as smart as you think you are. But fine- I'll bite. What is it that you can possibly give me that will make me stay away from him, hm?" She asked, more intrigued than anything. If only someone was around to hear her and-

"I can bring you back to life." Everleigh said, and it was her turn to grin when she saw Janelle freeze. Dead girl obviously hadn't expected that- not when it was clear Ever just wanted her gone. Not when Janelle had nearly killed her sister. But Ever knew Rowan enough to know that he wouldn't want Ever to do something to hurt Janelle, because then she'd be as bad as she was. For him, Ever was willing to work with the enemy- in exchange for something that she wanted. "Oh, don't be so surprised. I know Rowan offered to help you but in between being asleep for days and all the troubles in your relationship, you didn't really think he'd find the solution... did you? Not without the help of a witch that knows everything there is to resurrection and whatnot."

Janelle didn't say anything, only stared at the girl as she thought it over. Had Everleigh really found a way to bring her out of her misery? To bring her back to life in her own body to do all the things she hadn't been able to? To live without needing to hurt someone like Raelynn for it? Oh, Rowan would approve.

Janelle thought back on the last memory she had of when she was alive. If she tried hard enough, she could still remember what it felt like as the life was drained from her body and partially passed onto her brother. Feel it as her body grew heavier and colder the closer she was to death. All this to protect those she loved- her father, her sister, her clan... to protect them all until her last breath. The last of her- the bits that didn't already belong to Kaden- were in that bracelet Ever wore. In the bracelet Rowan wore all the time, but was mad enough to remove it this once. Janelle was no genius but she knew Everleigh would want in exchange. Rowan. 

Rowan, who was so kind and understanding. Janelle knew she loved him, and that he loved her too- even if he was angry or disappointed in her for what she did or wanted to do. She knew he'd end up coming back and forgive her, because that was just the kind of person he was. So would she be willing to give him up in exchange for her life? She knew the answer even before she seriously considered it, and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't surprised by it. 

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

 "No." Janelle said, lifting her chin as she looked back at Everleigh. Boy did she desperately hope she wasn't taking the wrong decision. "It would be easier to take your help but...no. I'm not giving him up."

"You do realize I'm the only other person that knows about you, right? The only witch that could possibly help now that you've messed things up with Raelynn.” She said, going over to fix the little mess she had made when looking through Rowan's stuff. Not that it had been particularly clean before then. “And the relationship you think you have with him won't last more than a few months- weeks, if you're lucky.”

“Rowan loves me,” Janelle replied, keeping track of everything she touched so that she'd be able to point them out to Rowan later. So that he’d realize exactly how crazy Everleigh was and cut her out of their lives. “Truly loves me. He won't give up on us so easily."

“Rowan doesn't know what love is- not really.” Ever replied, tossing the mess back underneath his bed. “He thought he'd love Terra until he the day he died but we saw how easily he got over her. And she wasn't even stealing his life force- not like you are.”

Janelle looked away from her, hating that she knew about that. Hated that the only reason she was able to materialize was through him; hated that she and Rowan weren't with each other right now because she had pushed him too far and become someone he was disgusted by.“You and your sister do the same.”

"No we don't," Ever replied, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms and faced Janelle. "See, what Raelynn and I do is not for survival. Just...something we do if we want to have fun. If we don't take magic away from anyone, we're fine. But you?" She asked, unable to keep herself from grinning as she took a step in her direction. Without thinking, Janelle took a step back. "You need it to exist- like I need air to breathe and a heart to live. Without it, you simply don't exist."

“Rowan's sister could help me,” Janelle said instead, ignoring her taunting because it would get her nowhere. “She's a witch. A powerful one.” She had witnessed it recently, but also over the years. Being a ghost allowed her to see many things without anyone else knowing.

“If she found out that a thirty-something year-old ghost was following her little brother around and bringing him so close to a bloodlust and a murdering rage, she'd just get rid of the problem herself.” Everleigh said, enjoying the sight of Janelle flinching. “Or she’d convince Rowan to stop seeing you- but now that I think about it, that's not a bad idea. It definitely would have made things easier for me if I started there.” Easy, yes, but not nearly as fun. "Maybe I should tell Whitlea."

"Rowan will hate you if you tell her about me," Janelle said, crossing her arms to hide her panic. She knew Rowan would eventually listen to Leah and choose to leave her, but he'd hate Everleigh for butting in. "He'd never forgive you." She added. As she talked, she concentrated on the connection between herself and the bracelet- concentrated on taking energy from the body wearing it without letting her know. Just a little.

"I suppose you're right." Everleigh replied, shrugging a shoulder as she took a step back. "So I won't say anything. Especially because you won't be telling Rowan we talked, or even that I was here, speaking to his...whatever you are to him."

"You can say the word, Everleigh. I'm his girlfriend." Janelle said, her eyes narrowed as she took a slightly bigger bite out of her energy. She knew she shouldn't have but she couldn't help it when she was just so.. annoyed. "You know, the girl he chose above all the other options. Above his ex girlfriend- above his best friend...above you. It must anger you, the knowledge that he'd choose a ghost above you. But it shouldn't- not when fate brought Rowan and I together because we're meant to be."

"You almost had me." Ever said, letting out a laugh as she shook her head. "I was so close to being envious of you...until you said that last bit. Fate. We both know that fate is just a stupid way of describing a coincidence. Fate had nothing to do with this sick relationship between the two of you. If you believe it does, then you're just more foolish than I thought."

"I'll have to thank your sister for giving me this opportunity to meet Rowan," Janelle said, taking a much larger bite out of Everleigh's energy but masking it with a wicked grin. "And I will- right before I take over her body and kill her once and for all. There won't be any hard feelings between us, will there? We will be sisters, after all. Family."

Everleigh didn't say anything, her jaw clenched as she calmed herself down before she could ruin her carefully calculated plan. She knew it was only a matter of minutes before Janelle had enough energy in herself- energy Everleigh knew was being taken from her- to attack. Then, she'd be weak enough that her destruction would be inevitable. "You don't know who it is you're messing with." Ever finally replied, her voice laced with anger.

"I think the one that doesn't know who they're dealing with is you." Janelle replied, laughing as she took a step towards Ever. She was slightly surprised when the girl didn't so much as flinched. "You're not enough to get him to leave me. Sure, his sister might be...but he will still do what he can to bring me back, and then there won't be a problem in being with him again."

"Are you so sure about that?” Everleigh asked, reaching over and picking up a rolled up piece of paper she had found on the floor before she threw it towards Janelle. The girl flinched, but stared in dismay when it went right through her. “You're not even capable of stopping yourself from getting hit. You're this… this small piece of energy that is nothing more than a presence. Can you even kiss without draining his energy? He can't even introduce you to his family!”

Janelle couldn't keep her anger from showing. She was angry - furious - and it was clear from her expression. She was seeing red. "You think you'd be able to stop him from being interested in anyone else- really? Already he's moved on and found someone else to love!" Ever said, laughing when she saw Janelle's hand clench into a fist. If she looked hard enough, she'd see the ripple of energy coming from it. "Your entire existence depends on this stupid bracelet! Take that away and you're nothing!"

"Shut up!" Janelle basically screamed at her, no longer pretending she wasn't angry or furious. "Shut up!" She repeated, too angry to think straight or to come up with a better comeback. The last time her anger got the best of her was when she was alive, and even then it had been difficult to tame.

Her family was full of people with some kind of problem, and she was no exception. Her mother was bipolar, her father an alcoholic, her brother was quite literally crazy, her sister was depressed, and she… she had anger issues. Amongst other things. There were times where someone was doing something that would annoy her greatly but she’d let it go, knowing it would build up at one point but unable to stop herself when she exploded.

One second, she was fine, and then by the next, someone was on the floor in need of medical attention. The victim was often her brother, but because he was a psychopath, he'd only grin and promise to pay back. To this day, he was the only other person that could inflict fear upon her.

 It was a good thing his bloodline ended before it could even begin.

“Why? Are you going to hit me with your invisible hands? Blast me with your non-existant powers?” Ever taunted, smirking still as she saw how much more furious Janelle became. She knew that Janelle, although dead and whatnot, still had some kind of power in her that allowed her to use a little magic. Right now, Ever was counting on her anger to make sure that happened. “You wouldn't even be able to stop me if I were to go to Rowan right now and kiss him. Wouldn't even be able to pull him away if we did more- if I used all the sexual frustration he has built over time and made him mine. ​​​​​​​You're not stupid enough to believe he'll turn down the pleasure from me that he can never get from you. And all you'll be able to do is watch-"

One moment, Janelle was on one corner of the room, shaking with barely contained fury. The next, she let out a scream so loud that no one but Everleigh would hear- and raised her hand in the girls direction as a blast of white power came out of it. Power that, because it was made of pure anger, was deadly to anyone who didn't match her strength in magic- and only her brother, Kaden, had been able to do that. 

But for some reason, Everleigh Prescott managed just fine. She had been preparing herself for this since the moment she overheard a conversation between the love of her life and the ghost taking advantage of him. She was determined to get rid of Janelle once and for all, and spent most of the day in a library trying to figure out weak points and how to use them as an advantage. What she didn't know, however, was that only certain people would be able to make it work.

Someone with strong Gemini blood running in their veins. Blood that came from someone in her direct family.

Which was why when Janelle realized what she had done and looked in the direction of where Everleigh had been standing, she was shocked to see that the nuisance was still smiling. Shocked, until shesaw Everleigh's raised hand - or more specifically, at the white orb of magic she had caught from Janelle's blast of magic. Too late, Janelle realized how much more dangerous this situation was- for her, and for the people of her clan. It was impossible- there was no way for Everleigh should be able to. Not unless Janelle's sister or brother had children of their own-

“I don't know why I expected more power from you.” Ever said, moving the magic between her fingers with an amused smile. “The bracelet reeks of it, but you… you really did have nothing, didn’t you? Not even with the magic you take from others. The books said it would be difficult but this... this was much easier. It's almost disappointing."

“No.” She gasped out, moving as far away from Everleigh as she could. She would have teleported, if she hadn't been so weak. With horror, she realized her little stunt of power had drained her to a point where she couldn't even keep herself from flickering out. This could even last for days, which she was sure Everleigh knew. “Everleigh, don't do this. We can figure out a way to help one another. Just don't do anything stupid.” 

 “Oh, so now you want to make a deal? What happened to your pretty little speech from just a few minutes ago, hm?” Everleigh couldn't help but laugh and took a step in Janelle’s direction. She shouldn't have been as pleased as she was but she couldn't help it. If there was one thing she had learned from her brief therapy sessions - forced upon the sisters after their mother's death, and not because she was crazy- it was that one shouldn't feel bad for thinking differently than others. Of course, they had not specifically been referring to this, but it still applied. "Where you refused my offer?"

“I’ll consider it,” Janelle replied, but even if she knew this was a serious problem, she wasn't going to leave Rowan. Not when she had already sacrificed so much for the wellbeing of others. "Just don't do anything without letting me talk first."  

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“I don't think I believe you.” Everleigh replied, rolling her eyes as she clenched her fist around that white orb and allowed the power to flow into her. She gave a sigh of pleasure despite knowing it would make her look crazy. But who was there to judge her? “Besides, I already gave you an opportunity and you blew it.”

“That bracelet's purpose isn't only to keep me here. There was a curse put upon our people many years ago, and the only way to make it stop was by attaching a soul to protect it- mine.” She said, reaching out a hand as if she were able to keep Ever from breaking it. She wasn't very obvious about it, but she wholeheartedly meant the "our" bit. 

“You did a crappy job, then. You’re no closer to saving anyone now than you were when you were alive,” Ever replied, not believing a word she said because she hadn't heard of anything like that happening. Surely if it were real she'd have heard about it, right? It was too bad she hadn't.

“People could literally die because of you- stop acting like a child!” Janelle yelled at her. Or tried to, anyway. Instead she spent most of it wincing because her flickering grew worse. She needed to calm down or she would lose herself. “Please, Everleigh, if not for me…then for the witches in our town.”

Panic- pure panic began to build up in Janelle at the look on Everleigh's face. At the madness and hatred in her eyes, directed at Janelle and…and the people she was trying to save. The people she was wrong to assume Everleigh cared about. “The witches... You mean the witches that humiliated my sister and I throughout our childhood? The witches that watched and said nothing when my sister and I were starving and freezing in the streets because we weren't allowed into our own home? Those witches?” She asked, then gave out a laugh. “Oh, Janelle. This was only supposed to be a punishment for you- but now that I know more about the stakes… Now I know it’ll be a much more rewarding it will be when I get rid of you.”

Janelle could only stare at Everleigh, her expression a combination of fear, anger and...sadness. Acceptance, maybe? She didn't know. But she realized Everleigh and Raelynn, like her, were only victims of a curse that up to this point had nothing to do with something they did. Janelle knew that, in the end, they too would have to pay a price they unfortunately hadn't been told was supposed to be paid. 

A small grin began to form on Everleigh's lips again- a grin so familiar that it made her want to puke. So familiar that Janelle wondered how she could have been so blind to what had been standing before her this entire time. How could she not have realized Kaden had found a way to screw her over, even now? That fate really had been involved with this, but not in the way she had imagined? Because if what she thought was true, then... then Everleigh and Raelynn were always meant to find a way to hate Janelle and eventually end her. 

Stupid, stupid, stupid; now Rowan would be stuck in the middle of it. Right where Janelle hadn’t wanted him to be. Hadn't thought he would be, because this had never even been something her family would have considered being a possibility when they locked Kaden up all those years ago. “Please-” She pleaded, the sound nothing more than a small breath of air. 

"I don't have the best relationship with Raelynn, you know." Everleigh said, completely ignoring Janelle's plea as she raised her hand to look at the ugly bracelet. "There was always some kind of... rivalry between us. But it wasn't one sided like everyone thinks. There were things she envied of me, and things I envied of her. Always. The time I gave her that food poisoning wasn't the first time we nearly brought death upon each other. When I was younger, for example, Raelynn tried to drown me." Janelle could see the moment Everleigh spaced out, and she knew the girl was recalling that summer day. "I dropped her stupid box in the lake- it wasn't fair that she got something so pretty while I never got anything. She was so angry that she threw me in after it, despite knowing I couldn't swim. I would have died that day, if it hadn't been because someone had been nearby and dragged me out. But when my grandmother found out, you know what she said? That it was my fault- I had it coming."

Janelle couldn't do anything other than shake as she listened, knowing exactly what it felt like. Because that's the kind of thing a Gemini heir felt for their other half. That inexplicable anger and jealousy that had made her eyes water the same way Everleigh's were now.

"What kind of person says that kind of thing to a kid, much less her own grandchild? I was good! I did all my chores, took care of my mother...everything! And that bitch always found something to criticize me about and used it to uplift Raelynn," Ever continued, shaking her head as she ran a hand through her hair and brushed some wild strands back from her face in the process. "That's why I left magic. Because it was the one thing she could admit I was good at and I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of saying it was because of her words of encouragement and training. It was better to have her criticize and be disappointed at Raelynn."

Janelle opened her mouth, wanting to say something about these emotions being normal but...she remembered what it was like to hear those words. The annoyance and anger that would run through her when they tried explaining to her why she felt that way, and how it was perfectly normal to want to hurt your twin. That was no way of raising children, was it? Yet the bastards did it anyways, unknowingly building a rivalry so strong that it was the primary reason why it was so easy to want death during the Merge.

Everleigh didn't say anything, just stared at a spot in the room for a moment before she cleared her throat and refocused on Janelle. "Despite all that, Raelynn and I are sisters- and I can't let you hurt her. So I had to find a way to end you." She said, her voice once again thick with anger and smugness as she removed the bracelet, ignoring how she sadly wouldn't be able to see Janelle's face as she was once again powerless. "I didn't realize it was so easy until Rae told me what you told her about the rubies and emeralds. How they represent a witches magic." She continued, turning the bracelet around so that Janelle would see it didn't look like there was any emerald... but they both knew better, didn't they?

"What is a witch without her own magic, I wonder? A witch without power. A witch without a clan... a witch that has to live an entire life without support or help from other witches. An orphan. I know because that's the way I grew up. The only support or love I had came from the very person you threaten to kill. I can't very well let you do that, can I?" She asked, turning towards Janelles last direction as she ran a finger over the jewels before stopping on one that didn't particularly feel like the others. She smiled as she felt it with her finger, staring down at it. She knew that if she scratched it hard enough, she'd see a perfectly polished emerald painted over with black paint. The power coming from it... how could Rowan not have noticed it before? It was strong enough that Ever could practically taste it. “All this fuss for such a tiny little thing. Seriously? It's just so small and... breakable.”  She held it up to the light as her fingers began to glow, taking in most of it's power before she placed it down on the table. Her eyes momentarily caught on the signed baseball resting above a book before she turned to look back at Janelle, her hands sliding over the table and towards it. 

Janelle gave out a sigh of relief, thinking this was over and Everleigh had come to her senses. She had to tell Rowan about this- had to tell him to warn her father that-

"I do this to protect the ones I love," Everleigh whispered, and Janelle noticed then that she was not empty handed- that her hand had been hovering over the baseball for more than mere curiosity about why Rowan had it in his room. But it was too late because before Janelle could even blink, Everleigh pulled her arm back and slammed it down hard upon the lone gem.

Then, all Janelle could do was scream before she was just... gone. Her last thought was about Rowan, and how she didn't get to tell him goodbye. How he'd blame himself for her disappearance and never know that until her very last moment...she loved him. 

Ever had expected everything to feel lighter once she got rid of someone as dangerous as Janelle. She had expected to feel a heavy weight being lifted from everyone's shoulders. For the moon and stars to shine brighter. Something - anything - to tell her she did the right thing. 

But almost immediately after she crushed the gem with Rowan's baseball, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she collapsed on Rowan's bed. All she could focus on before her vision went out was the window overlooking a large portion of town, illuminated by a sudden flash of lightning before the ground shook some part of town. But at least she didn’t have to feel the burning sensation on the back of her neck.

Everleigh didn't know it, but Raelynn wasn't doing too well either. Raelynn wasn't alone, like she was, and instead surrounded by people that couldn't see her as the light around her went out and she fell. Only Rowan was quick enough to catch her before she hit the ground and broke something else… again.

Many would think it was perhaps a consequence of those weeks of being in a coma, but they were wrong. All Raelynn would be able to say about that moment before her own vision went out was that despite being there, surrounded by so many people, the only thing she could focus on was the strike of lightning that flashed across the sky before she vision went dark and she could no longer see anything. Which was a good thing, because the back of her neck… it felt like it was burning.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Ever gasped once she regained consciousness, at the exact same time Raelynn did. She immediately straightened, her hands shaking as she sat down on the edge of the bed and tried to figure out what happened. She was a nurse- knew about strange symptoms and illnesses that could befall her. But she… was fine? She was startled by the sudden fall but… fine.

She shook her head before she stood, carefully incase it happened again. She had little time before someone came into the room- either Rowan or his roommate- so she had to make sure everything here was fine and in place. She fixed the bed again, placed the baseball back on the stand it had been on, and then slid the bracelet back underneath the pillow she had found it under. She raised her hands, casted a quick spell to remove any trace of her smell, and then left just as she came in- silently and on her own.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Rowan was excited. How could he not be when things were...somehow kind of...working out? He had something to look forward to, and Raelynn...she was amazing. It was hard not to be excited that she still cared about him even knowing everything she did. A lot of stuff he'd never told anyone else. It was a good feeling, to be accepted and comfortable like that. He'd swung by the store and gotten things he knew he would need to pack, though he wasn't going to cram very much into his bag. He would tell his family where he was going later when they couldn't stop him, but for now....now he had to deal with the difficult part. Janelle.

His heart ached a little to think of her, and more to think that he had to break it off with her because he did need to. He loved her, but he was starting to wonder if it was doomed from the start. Nothing had ever gone right for them, and every turn was filled with heartbreak and pain. It felt cruel, but it was just as cruel to string her along. And he could still talk to her...maybe...if she acknowledged what she did was wrong. He was torn on that too, because who was he to tell her she was wrong, even if what she did was practically despicable. Still, if she showed remorse...he could forgive her. He had done things out of desperation too, stupid things he would never even think about doing again. He knew she could be truly regretful of what she'd done, and he had trouble admitting that he trusted she would. She was good, deep down- he truly believed that. And yet...he was just as worried that he was wrong and she would break his heart all over again.

Getting himself to his room had been difficult, but he needed to do it. For one, all of his stuff was in there. Technically, he didn't have to put the bracelet on and acknowledge Janelle at all, but he wanted to. He didn't want to leave them like they were - it wasn't fair to either of them. Especially if he was going to be out of reach for weeks if not longer. He took a deep breath before unlocking his door and going in. It was the first time in a long time she wasn't sitting in bed waiting for him and he wasn't sure how to feel about that. He went right to the bed and pulled out the bracelet to tie it around his wrist again, but just as he was about to speak to her...he noticed there was nothing. She just...wasn't there.

Should he not have expected her to wait there? He supposed he couldn't have, but where else could she have gone? She...was a ghost, it wasn't like she had other things to do or people to see. But he supposed the walls of his room did get a little boring and he hadn't set up a movie for her or anything. He couldn't leave like this, though. Did he stay? Go looking for her? Maybe she was on the roof. Maybe he could leave her a note or something...

He had to find her - that much he was sure of - and he couldn't stay here to do that. He wrote a note quickly and left it on the bed for her to see if she did come back. I want to talk to you, scribbled barely legibly in his rush. He didn't have that much time to get all his affairs in order and find her. Packing could wait until he spoke to her. With that, he fled the room, going only so fast that he could still register every being around him in the hopes that he would see her.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Blaze hadn't seen or heard of his oldest brother in a few days and he was beginning to worry.

Not that they kept in contact every day. There were times when they didn't talk or see each other in weeks, but they all had the unspoken rule that if one of them sent a text, the other would at least reply. Blaze had sent a total of five yet-to-be replied to messages to Rowan, and so he just had to check in on him. Which was why he was knocking on his dorm room early in the morning, hoping he wouldn't be waking anyone up.

"Rowan? It's Blaze." He said through the door, after pressing his ear against it and making sure someone was in there. There was only one heartbeat, which he recognized as his brother, and the breathing pattern didn't suggest sleep... "I've, uh... I've been calling and sending you messages but I don't know if you have seen them or not. I just wanted to talk, if you weren't too busy. But if you are, I can come back later? Or we can meet somewhere else-"

Rowan didn't want to get up, didn't want to do anything but lay in bed. Which was why he'd turned his phone off days ago and just...holed up in here. He'd been nutritioning himself, but he looked as much a wreck as ever and didn't know if he wanted to show that side to his little brother. He wasn't sleeping- he hadn't slept in days. No point. No point in much of anything it felt like.

Even as awful as he was feeling, Rowan dragged himself out of bed and opened the door. He definitely didn't want Blaze to come back later. He wasn't going to be feeling any better then than he did now. "Sorry, I uh...didn't get your messages," he said lamely, and could barely look in his brother's general direction.

Blaze wasn't the type of person to judge someone simply by how they looked physically, but he had to make an exception now because Rowan looked...terrible. Seriously. His eye bags were so dark that it looked like he had been punched, and his eyes didn't hold any of that happy spark in them that they usually did. Or maybe it was "used to" because he hadn't seen it in a while. "That's fine..." He said carefully, looking his brother over before deciding he couldn't just tell him he'd come back again when he was feeling better. It was clear he needed help. "It was just questions about the family trip. Can I come in?"

[reminiscience of how Rowan knows about the trip]

"Um...I guess," Rowan said, albeit reluctant. He stepped back and opened the door wider so his brother could come in. The place was just a mess as it had been for months. Just because he'd been awake didn't mean he had the energy to actually clean it up. The blood bags were all stuffed in the trash can and covered because he didn't want to look at them, but the unworn, unwashed clothes were draped all around the room. He'd been in the same outfit for...maybe a week now? What was the point of changing if he wasn't getting out of bed for anything else? Snack packages were in a pile by his bedside, along with a few empty cans of soda. He only really ate enough to survive and it was all trash because going out for decent food wasn't ideal considering how many people might be looking to see him. One in specific whom he could never deny but just....he couldn't look at her face right now.

Blaze thanked him and stepped inside, trying not to gape at how much of a mess everything was. There was dirty clothes and trash everywhere and he wasn't even sure where he could walk without stepping on something. "Do you know what you're taking with you?" He finally asked, resisting the urge to pick some of the things up and either clean or throw them out.

"Um...no," Rowan admitted, glancing around him. Anywhere but at his brother where he would have to admit he wasn't alright. He'd already been avoiding every perceptive person who would pick up on his issues quickly enough to propose a problem for him. The last thing he needed was a breakdown to his family where he spilled out everything he didn't want to.

Blaze nodded slowly, hands in his pockets as he glanced around the room before his eyes landed back on Rowan, who was clearly avoiding looking at him. "I'm, uh... I'm kinda hungry. Do you want to go eat something?"

"Um...yeah I could eat," Rowan said. He really didn't want to go out but he knew he probably wasn't getting out of it so he might as well give in. Nothing mattered anyway. "But I....might need to shower first."

"That's fine- I'll wait." Blaze replied, giving him a smile. He wasn't about to tell him that he didn't because... well, he clearly hadn't showered in a while and he needed to.

Rowan hesitated a moment before nodding. "Do you want me to meet you out in the common room?" he asked since he couldn't imagine his brother would be comfortable waiting in this trash compactor of a room.

"I'm fine with waiting here," Blaze assured him since it would give him more than enough time to try and clean the room up a bit, at least. Enough that he'd at least know what was thrown across the room rather than having to guess.

Again, Rowan hesitated but nodded. "If you want," he said as he grabbed some clothes and went to the bathroom. There was a reason he hadn't showered in this long and it was because it took way too much energy. Not that he was physically exhausted, because how could he be as a vampire that didn't even really need sleep? No, it was a mental exhaustion that took everything out of him as soon as he tried to do anything at all for himself. Literally anything. But because he knew his brother was waiting right outside of his bathroom door, he didn't waste as much time as he would have had he been doing this for himself only.

Still, he was in there long enough for Bolt to show up. The other brother came and knocked at the door without any preamble of calling or texting because he knew Rowan was in there. However, he hadn't expected his twin to be in the room as well. The shower was running and Blaze was just waiting inside. If Bolt hadn't already knocked and had a purpose for being here, he would have just turned and left. At this point, Blaze would have recognized who was on the other side of the door and could make the decision for himself whether he wanted to talk or not. Bolt certainly wasn't outright avoiding him, but he wasn't sure how much he wanted to deal with his twin still not understanding why they couldn't be the way they used to anymore. His temper wasn't in the best of states these days.

Blaze didn't listen very closely before he opened the door because he just couldn't imagine who else would be visiting his brother and it didn't matter anyway. Rowan needed serious help and so he would very much like to have a talk with whoever was visiting him. "Bolt," he said, somewhat stunned looking as he said it.

"Hey," Bolt said simply and peered behind his twin into the room. There was a strong smell from in there but he couldn't place it at all. Was it...dried blood that had been spilled? Maybe a cocktail of moldy pizza and fish crackers with just a tad of B.O. and...something else unrecognizable. It was truly a stench. "Not doing too great, huh," he commented, and Blaze knew it was about Rowan and not himself.

"No, he's really not," Blaze said and opened the door further so that Bolt could see the full extent of it.

To his credit, Bolt didn't make a face about it though the entire scene was offensive to multiple senses. "We've got to get him out of here," he said, there being a clear connotation that they would be working together and also that they wouldn't do this alone. This was a problem with their brother, which meant they needed family help.

"I was already sending Leah a message." Blaze said, holding up his phone to show it to him. Try as they might, they wouldn't get him to talk without the help of their oldest sister. She just had that natural talent of getting into their heads.

"This can't look like an ambush," Bolt said, but wasn't about to stop him. They did need Leah but not in the capacity Blaze first thought. "I can get him out if you want to start cleaning up this place. Then maybe we can find a neutral place to get him to open up so he doesn't feel attacked."

Blaze almost suggested he should be the one to get him out and let Bolt clean, but then he remembered who he was talking to and nodded. "I'll ask Whitlea to come here, then. Try getting him out to buy... food or something. We can tell him that we'll make it in the school's kitchen?" He suggested. Rowan was a good chef, so he knew cooking would get him to feel a little better.

"Not a bad idea," Bolt said. His initial thought had been things for the trip but that might be a sensitive topic. Ingredients wasn't a bad idea....and since they all knew how to cook, it wouldn't be obvious that they were tricking Rowan into doing it.

"I'll tell Whitlea, then." Blaze replied, sending his sister the last of what they agreed on as he heard the shower shut off and the curtain open and close.

It wasn't long after that Rowan came out, looking cleaner but no less a wreck. It looked like he had a car sitting on his shoulders by how much he was slumped, and his eyes were as heavy as if he hadn't slept in three millennia. He noticed Bolt after a second and frowned a little. Two visits at the same time? That was beyond strange. Not to mention unprecedented.

"Hey, I was planning to make something for a friend of mine and you have the recipe so...think you could come shopping for ingredients with me?" Bolt asked before Rowan could question his presence.

"Blaze needed something though," Rowan said, trying not to be skeptical. Why all of a sudden, after months of being alone, his siblings all needed him at the same time. It was fishy.

"We can eat with him and talk about the trip." Blaze replied since he didn't want Rowan to pretend that what Blaze needed was a lot more important than it actually was. "How about you go with Bolt and get the ingredients and I'll meet you guys in the kitchen? I'll get it prepped before you guys get there."

"Uh...okay," Rowan said, even though he was still skeptical of why the twins were working together and...totally fine? Was he missing something about them making up? "If that's what you want, I'm ready to go."

"Great, let's go," Bolt said and went back to the door to leave, expecting Rowan to follow. He wasn't sure about Blaze, though.

Blaze just smiled at his oldest brother before he headed out the door as well. As much as the room needed a clean, Rowan would find it even more strange if he stayed behind. So he'd have to pretend to part ways from them somewhere in the common rooms and then come right back when they were a safe distance away. He hoped Rowan didn't notice the little thing he put in the doorpost that would keep the door from clicking closed and locking him out.

Rowan looked back at his room longingly as he left it as if there was something there that would get him out of this. But there was nothing and no one. And thus he left his room.

------

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

(⁠◠⁠‿⁠・⁠)⁠—⁠☆

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Raelynn pulled Rowan closer to her as they kissed, their homework all but forgotten and to the side as they took a break from it. Honestly, this study was mostly for her benefit than his because he’d already done his, so it wasn’t like they were supposed to be doing it all the time. The music had helped set the mood though, even if she couldn’t pay attention to it because of… stuff.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Rowan knew that studying in his room was probably not the best place to be productive, but he didn't think they were too far behind which was not on the top tier of reasons he didn't feel like ending their break any time soon. Kissing her still felt like a dream sometimes, the downfall of seeing her in his dreams so consistently.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Raelynn slid her hand into his hair the longer they kissed, barely paying mind to the song as it changed, ad shifted so he hopefully wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable above her. This was nice, she thought. Taking things slow with him, without the pressure of more.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Rowan was perfectly comfortable and could have lasted like this forever. Except, he was starting to want more and he was feeling like she was waiting for him to initiate it. So he carefully...started something. Small, but he wanted just a little more of her, and he didn't really know what he was doing, so he slid his hand up her side and under her shirt until he could feel her skin.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

It wasn’t a lot, but this felt… different from their other stuff. That was fine, though, right? She of course didn’t mind it- she liked it, even- but… was that too fast for him? He’d initiate it, so… maybe not. She shifted as his hand raised, in a way that hopefully wasn’t discouraging.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

He paused for a moment, making sure that she was alright with it. The reaction he received seemed positive, so he did a little something more, raising his hand further up her body while gauging that it was still okay. He was trying not to be too...much...but he could feel something like excitement bubbling through his body like a cold glass of soda. It felt like some threshold was being passed after a long -- though perfectly fine -- static period.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Raelynn made a sound when he finally reached the part she guessed he’d been intending, shifting again as she kissed him perhaps a little deeper. She was excited too, obviously- they were doing something a lot less… innocent, and more in her field of expertise. Perhaps that was why she nipped his bottom lip and lowered her hands down his back too, but honestly she couldn’t help it. She wanted more, and he seemed to want more too.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Maybe it was that soda bubbly feeling that when she engaged him he sort of...stalled out. Like his brain short circuited. Even the kissing stopped as he tried to get past how real this was and figure out what he wanted next aside from... her. His senses were on overload, but on the outside it didn't seem quite the same kind of paralysis as it felt.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Shit, She thought as she felt him freeze. She pushed too far again, didn’t she? He was new to this, innocent in so many ways, and she was all but corrupting him. So she pulled her hands away from his and moved to sit up, not meeting his eyes as she shifted out from under him. “I need to go. I have to help Vanessa out with some things.” She lied, although she was sure Vanessa would need her help for something. Of welcome her at the very least.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Rowans brain echoed something similar, knowing somehow that he'd just screwed this up. "Raelynn," he said, getting off of her because she clearly wanted him to. "Don't - you don't need to-" apparently his short circuit hadn't fixed because he couldn't think of anything to fix this. The lie was so stark that maybe she just wanted out.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“It’s fine. Really.” Raelynn assured him, pulling on her shoes and grabbing her things. She almost left then, but then thought about it and went back to kiss him. “Are we still on for breakfast tomorrow?” She asked, hopefully casually enough he wouldn’t freak out some more.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Of course," Rowan said automatically, but it wasn't making him feel much better about this. Rather he felt like hitting himself in the head with a plank. How did he screw this up so fast?

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“Maybe then we can talk about… you know. Stuff.” Raelynn said, giving him a smile before she gave him one last kiss and just… left. Not to get away or anything. Just… to give him time and space to think.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Rowan more or less collapsed when she left him, the only thoughts that came into the space full of frustration and confusion and more frustration. How could he be so bad at literally everything.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Raelynn waited until she was a good distance away before she leaned back against the wall and took a deep breath. Even despite the good moment with Rowan just now, she didn’t… she didn’t feel any bit closer to figuring out what she wanted. She wanted him, obviously. But the longer she went without him, the more she just… wanted. The more she thought about the last time she had it, and with who.

She considered it too- calling him just to see if he… would help. But if she did, she’d only be making him believe she’d chosen him and she… wasn’t sure if she had. Chosen, that was. So, with that in mind, she went back to her own room and dealt with her problems on her own.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

--End--