Legion [Book II]

Like Sleep Walking?

"Are you sure you have enough bags?" Selene asked Melanie in jest. Melanie slung on of the Tiffany's bags over her shoulder. "One could never have enough bags Darling." She said smiling. The two women shared a laugh before deciding to retire to the food court of the mall for libations. After finalizing the contracts, Melanie had surprised Selene with an impromptu shopping trip. She couldn't help but beam from within. Though she had her friends, their lives were hectic, and sometimes she missed when things were just simple and easy. It was in these moments when her mind drifted to Beth-or Reign rather, and Andrea, and the bliss she'd shared when they were around. 

"Penny for your thoughts?" Selene was snapped out of her day dream, by Melanie's green eyes starring at her intensely. Selene sighed.

 "I'm sorry..I was just thinking about some old friends of mine, and how we use to do things like this often." 

"Use to? What happened?" 

"They..they died." The words sounded so final to her. It had been years since everything, and the fact of the matter was, she wasn't completely over it. Her thoughts of them both forever tainted, with the notion that it was her fault neither were here. Melanie shifted uncomfortable in her seat, a sadden expression on her face. "I'm sorry to hear that Selene...I know what it's like to lose people close to you. I lost my sister and my son and it haunts me everyday." The revelation floored Selene. Melanie had a son? Selene contemplated her next question carefully. She didn't want to offend her new friend, but she also wanted to know more about her. "You want to ask how huh?" Melanie asked with a soft smile. Selene couldn't help the blush that crept onto her face, she was caught red handed. 

"It's alright really....my sister was an innocent victim of a robbery, and my son.."Melanie sighed heavily and looked away. "You don't have to tell me." Selene quickly interjected. Melanie leaned into the table, her eyes locking with Selene's in a deep stare.

"My son was killed by his father."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  "So what's it like being the head b***h in charge?" Melanie let out a charming infectious laugh. The pair had finally finished eating her lunch as their day was shortly coming to a close. Selene pondered the question for a moment.

 "It's tough..but I have very strong friends and an even stronger husband."

"Yeah..I've noticed how strong he is." Melanie scrunched up her face. "He's really nice once you get to know him." Selene responded apologetically. "I'm sure he will be." Selene c****d her brow and looked at her, the statement leaving a weird feeling around her. Melanie didn't seem to notice, as she was already onto the next question.

"Tell me more about your friends?" So Selene did. She told her about everyone, and as she spoke, she truly realized how blessed she was to have such an amazing support system around her. Melanie eyes sparkled. "Wow...you weren't kidding when you said they were strong." Selene nodded her head in acknowledgement. 

"I still don't really understand the way powers and being a supernatural works. To wield all that power, while others are just so.." Melanie moved her hand up and down gesturing at herself. 

"Normal...seems a bit unfair doesn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just mean that it really doesn't put everyone on the same playing field does it? Us mortals vs you supernaturals." Selene winced at the statement.

"I don't really consider it as a us versus you. Me and you are able to be friends, I don't see why that can't be extended to the rest of the world for the sake of peace." Melanie smirked at her.

"Such a diplomatic answer...no wonder you're the head b***h in charge." The two women shared a few more laughs before finally deciding to depart. As Selene made her way back home, she thought over their conversation. Melanie was a woman after her own heart. Someone who like her, had been through so much. Selene smiled to herself. They would be good friends, she just knew it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ivan stared at Jamie's pink locks bounce up and down as he moved freely through the air. 

How does someone even get pink hair?

He thought to himself. Jamie eyes closed tighter as we went higher on the swing. He was having a blast, something Ivan wished he knew how to do. Ivan couldn't help but feel jealous. Jamie seemed to have no care in the world, and yet here he was, plagued with so much internal confusion it was driving him insane. Jamie slammed his feet into the dirt, causing it to kick dust in the air as he stopped himself from swinging. He turned to face the bush to the left of him. 

"Are you going to continue to stare, or will you come out and swing with me?" He flashed a dazzling smile that caused Ivan to blush in embarrassment. His tall frame slinked closer to Jamie, his eyes locked to the ground. "Well aren't you tall!...Flora said you were eleven, I'm thirteen but you're still a mountain compared to me!" Jamie's voice was almost a squeal. He placed his small dainty hand on Ivan's shoulder and examined him. "So are you going to ask about my pink hair?" Ivan mouth gaped over and his eyes shot to Jamie's in panic. "I-I wasn't." Jamie gave him a knowing look. 

"It's not good to lie to friends."

"I thought you were my cousin or something?"

"Do I look like family to you?" Ivan felt his heart go to his shoes. "I know we all aren't really family we..we just call one another that."He twiddled his feet in his shoes trying his best to avoid the uncomfortable silence. "I know what you meant...I just prefer to be friends...with you..if that's okay." Ivan didn't have friends. The kids thought he was too big, too much of a brute. While everyone loved his father, the idea of a being friends with a mixture of him of other things, made his interactions with others awkward. At only eleven, he'd written off the concept of having friends. He smiled widely at Jamie. 

"I'd love to be friends!" Jamie punched him lightly in the arm. "Good! Now race you back to the swings!" The two took off, each trying their best to outdo the other. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Addeline found herself deep in thought as she laid stretched out on her bed. No matter what she did, or how hard she tried, she couldn't get her mind off of Luka and what happened the other night.

"Why so serious?" Addeline looked up to see her mother standing in the doorway. Her face softened as she looked at her daughter. "What on your mind Bug a Boo?" Addeline wasn't sure if she should tell her, but the situation was plaguing her. Besides, if Luka was in trouble, she needed to make sure she did anything she could to help him.

"Something, happen the other night." Addeline watched as her mother walked in the room and sat at the desk across from her. Selene folded her hands in her lap. "Does this have anything to do with the friend you mentioned?" Addeline nodded. It was now or never.

"I've..I've been visiting his dreams. Everything was fine until the other night where he..he did things to his..the things we did, he did.." Addeline sighed exasperated. She couldn't explain it, hell, she hardly understood it herself. Selene looked from her daughter to the ceiling and cursed under her breath.

"I'm going to assume your father didn't have this talk with you because he wasn't sure if this would affect you due to you being..unique...and not for some backhanded sexist reason." She rolled her eyes. She would have a talk with Miccoli later. Addeline eyed her in confusion.

"I'm not following."

"Addeline." Selene began. "Incubus and Succubus..are demons who feed off s****l energy...you know that but being a demon that feeds on that..doesn't quite set them up for monogamy." Selene laughed lowly. "Not that they can't..I mean your dad and me of course, granted we had a little help...but overall it's not as easy as you may think. Incubus and Succubus are meant to be free moving, forming a connection with their prey can be dangerous for both."

Addeline wasn't grasping what her mother was attempting to tell her. 

"Why would it be dangerous?"

"Because the more of a connection you form with your prey...the more you're able to influence their actions and decisions in real life. It's slow at first, it comes off as moreso suggestion really..but as you get closer, you can actually influence things that they do, particularly when they're sleep."

"...Like sleep walking?" Selene smirked.

"I don't think most people have s*x while they're sleep walking. If you're able to physically influence him, your connection to one another is already really strong. He care about you." Addeline felt her cheeks flush. That would explain why Luka had done that with Shelly.  Why he seemed so surprised. It was her fault. That made her sad. There was something that she still didn't understand though. "I get why it's dangerous for them, but why is it for us?"

"That's a little more complicated." Selene sighed. "Incubus and Succubus might be demons, but they're still very capable of feelings. Forming a connection requires giving a bit of yourself to another and watching the ramification of your influence on them is hard...no one wants to watch the person that they love, being intimate with someone else, and knowing it's because of them." Addeline wasn't sure about love. She'd never been in it before, and while she cared about Luka, it still felt a bit too early for those thoughts. Nevertheless, one thing she did know was seeing him with Shelly in that way did bother her, a lot more than she wanted to admit.

"It would drive anyone mad...and an angry demon who can s*x someone to death? Not a good combination."

"Is that what happened with you and dad?" Selene nodded. "Our situation was a bit different but his influence worked on me just the same. Your father would like to say he stopped entering my dreams because he respected me, which I'm sure is partly true, but I also know it's because it was causing me to be intimate with.." Her voice trailed off. She hadn't thought of Mark in ages. Addeline could tell her mother was getting uncomfortable.

"So...what should I do?"

"Tell him the truth." Addeline eyes widened to the size of plates. 

"Are you insane?" 

"Addeline if this is someone you care about, you can't continue to influence him without his knowledge. " She knew her mother was right. The thought of making Luka do things without his permission made her feel sick to her stomach. Her voice lowered to a whisper.

"But...what if..if he doesn't...doesn't want me when finds out?" Selene reached out and touched her daughters face. "Then he doesn't deserve you honey...but whatever it is that you want from him...friendship or more...needs to be built in honesty." A groan escaped from the back of Addeline's throat. Could she really reveal herself to Luka? Would he still want her around once he knew the truth? Losing Luka would break her heart, in such a small amount of time, he'd grown to mean so much to her.

"Do I have any other options?" Selene eyes saddened as she looked at her.

"Yes...never see him again."