Victory with a price

Don spent the entire way back to Megan's in overwhelming anxiety. The curiosity was eating him alive at the thought of what Tom had witnessed. The womanizer seemed uncharacteristically silent. At any moment Don could change, or even lose himself completely. All at the whim of some asshole they just lost a chance to catch.

Every goosebumps, ache of a pulled muscle, sensation he wasn't ready for was a false alarm to him. A spark of dread waiting for it to become a sensation of loss. But he kept rushing to the house of the rich blonde's.

"Uh..." Tom finally spoke. Don didn't dare turn to look at the guy. "Look...I don't think I know the right words to explain how sorry I am. A girl being changed by the asshole is still bad, but kind of hot. You don't deserve to be changed. I do."

What? Don furrowed his eyebrows trying to make out what the man was trying to say, "What happened back there?"

Tom sighed, "Some weird shit."

Don wanted to push more. To yell at him. Tom deserved to tell him after the loss he faced, the danger he should have been protected from. But honestly at this moment as the house pulled up in the distance, he could care less. He had more important issues to deal with all on a time limit. Tom's answer most likely would only just upset him further.

Tom however struggled. Desperately trying to find the right words. He felt overwhelming guilt for his stupidity. For his weakness with women. If he explained what he did, the group would easily cast him out. For the first time in awhile Tom felt like he had a legitimate friend, not some rival trying to pick up chicks with. Now it was ruined.

The only thing that mattered to Tom was helping Don do whatever he thought was best. Maybe if he kept his stupid mistake a secret, and helped save Don that he could be forgiven. He looked over at the shorter dark haired student and saw the grim and focused expression. Well forgiveness might not be in the cards, but he could at least try to make right by his mistake.

Don parked the car and hastily grabbed his stuff and walked out without a word. Tom struggled with his seatbelt, rushing to follow and cursed. Finally freeing himself and tripping out the car before standing and leaning on the hood of the car, "Don, wait."

The other man paused, still facing away.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you and your family safe." Tom declared, "I fucked up. I know I did. I have no excuses besides that I am not the smartest, I know that. I got wrapped up in all this weird supernatural book shit and creeped out when something really weird happened and I wanted to see if we were safe. I should have said something. I should have stayed." He paused and noticed Don's clenched fist shaking, "I mean what I say. I am going to help you and your family stay safe."

"Seeing your lack of capability, and how you act Tom that isn't as reassuring as you think it is," Don spat. "Let's just get inside."

Walking inside only Megan sat in the livingroom. Looking up she sighed, "Thank God you two were alright. That was stupid and dangerous. He could have been there!"

"He was." Don muttered, placing the hard drive next to her laptop and setting things up quietly.

Tom and Megan nervously eyed each other. Unsure of what to say, do or think. Tom felt a pain in his chest seeing a hint of distaste and annoyance in her eyes. Did he go too far? What the fuck was going on? Tom sighed and collapsed dramatically onto a sofa. Life was so much easier not that long ago. Call some guys up, drink some beers then pick up some girls.

Now Megan was a bundle of mixed messages, Don was mad and Tom felt like every move was the wrong one. Fuck it! He thought. He would prove them wrong. He would show he wasn't the piece of shit that they saw him as.

He wasn't sure how. But he made sure in his mind that it would happen.

Several grueling minutes of silence passed before Don let out a relieved sigh, "Alright this has gathered clips of all your suspects on the night of the theft. I am now narrowing it down to being near where the book was held or the security office." He waited. It took almost as long as before. Megan got up and walked into the kitchen.

Tom couldn't stand being left in silence and hastily followed. He tried to ignore her cute ass in a pair of faded black jean shorts and waited for her to turn around and face him, "So..."

Megan frowned and avoided eye contact, "So."

"You were into before as much as I was right?" Tom asked cryptically.

Megan briefly looked into his eyes, "Sucking you off and accepting my role in life as a woman is to be a willing and enthusiastic slut for you to use."

Fuck. Guess she had absorbed more than his desire to have her suck him off with enthusiasm. She could really feel his fantasies, his lust addled thoughts like that? "Uh."

Megan looked away and started her coffee maker. "Yes Tom I was into it. And at the time I loved it. It was extremely potent. I hadn't felt something so resolute before while like this. I struggled for awhile after with how your thoughts had changed my own. I lost myself to your dream version of me."

Tom felt a pit in his chest. He thought she just got horny when he was horny. "I'm sorry."

Megan rolled her eyes, "Don't be. I loved it. But the thing is...I don't want to be that sort of person going forward. Things are changing, I'm changing. I have to fight those powerful urges for....for me be who I want to be in life."

"I get that," Tom **** a smile, "You were amazing. Hottest thing I ever experienced."

"Tom," she quietly but strictly called. He realized he was looking her over and felt a tingle of lust. He calmed down. "What did Don mean? You guys ran into that asshole?"

The man leaned against the counter and looked at the floor, "He did. I think I fell for a distraction and left Don open. I feel like a fucking idiot. The guy stole his student card. Don said with that the guy can get information like family, address, anything on school records."

"Did he see the guy?" Megan softly inquired hopefully. She pulled the mug of coffee out of the machine and sipped it. Tom shook his head. "Well at least he didn't get a sample from Don. But we might need to figure out a way to protect his family. That part is hard."

"I can protect them."

The blonde raised an eyebrow and laughed, "I get it Tom. You feel shitty. Trust I can feel it too. I've been eyeing the whiskey since you walked in here. I can feel how you get urges to drink yourself stupid and fuck til you feel better in situations like these. I want to do it too. But that is weakness. We are stronger than that. Just because you haven't been changed by someone else casting a spell doesn't mean you aren't facing your own demons, your own flaws."

Tom nodded and silently stared at the floor.

"But Tom think about what you say and do. So yourself that favor. How would you protect them? Stand outside their house? All day? All week? How long? Do they stay home? How do we convince them?"

Tom groaned, "I get it."

Megan walked up and pulled his chin to look her in the eyes, "Look Tom. Full honest, no bullshit advice...you need to stop being such a bitch. You are so focused on being dumb, or other excuses you give yourself to validate why you fail or feel shitty. Then you get drunk and fuck some girl silly with a big dick and get an ego boost to protect you from it all for a bit longer. Maybe take the time to sit and think instead of trying to act. See what happens." With that the blonde kissed him on the cheek and walked out of the room with her coffee.

Tom groaned and looked over at the whiskey bottle. She might of been strong enough to walk away from the temptation. But was he? He walked up the bottle and popped open the lid. Raising it to his lips he remembered what she had said. How drinking lead to him acting out, acting like a horny idiot to feel better. He would end up influencing Megan. And as hot as it'd be to fuck it felt wrong. For her to choose inner strength and not get horny drunk only for him to **** it on her with her condition. Placing it down Tom fought back tears and composed himself.

He walked back in. Sober. Upset. And in pain. But he knew these two before him had it worse. That's what kept him focused.

The blonde eyed Don for awhile before frowning, "Don I have an idea. I was told a bit of what happened. With us trying to take this guy down there is no doubt that close calls or run ins won't happen again. I'm going to make us batches of a 'medicine'. It will hold back the brunt of the changes like it did for me. But it only lasts for a day. Forget to take it and the effects you've put off will take over or you will be ****."

Tom looked at her, "You take something every day for this?"

Megan frowned and looked away, "I didn't have the luxury of time or resources to have this...superior option. I had to make something on the fly. It stopped some of what he tried to do. The fact I can kind of function is showing of that. But it was permanent. Until we get the book what I have cannot be repressed or controlled by anything other than myself." She shrugged, "I think the daily doses are maybe a bit riskier but they will keep all of you the safest. As long as you take your doses then you will all be mostly safe."

Don nodded, "I wouldn't mind a few right away for me and my family please."

The blonde rich witch nodded. "I got some supplies delivered today after hearing we would be making a group. I can make a batch for everyone for the next two days. Just give me an hour. Let me know if anything comes up."