Fire Down Below

It was Friday again, campus was set for another party, this one hosted by the athletes, most of whom were in DK. Marcus knew he needed to stay away but Daemon was kind enough to keep bringing it up.

***

In a room downstairs from Marcus Anastasia paced, she shouldn't go, Liam would definitely be there, Katie wasn't going either after the whole revenge porn thing so they were considering going to the bar in town that was lax on age limits.

***

Next door to Anastasia Yasmin sat with Celia, a Friday night in was unacceptable but they obviously weren't going to the party.

"Call Marcus," said Celia, "let's have some fun."

"Papi hasn't really been answering me," said Yasmin sadly, "after the shower, I don't know, maybe he's sick of me."

"He's sick of you?" said Celia, "he fought a fraternity for you."

***

Across the quad Lily, Wei and Josie were getting ready to go out, Seth and Andy would both be there.

"Is Marcus coming?" asked Josie as Lily changed and Wei tried to emphasize her tits with her outfit.

"Text him," said Lily, "duh."

"I don't want to seem needy."

"You're being needy," said Lily, "he likes you, text."

"Party tonight? she sent.

He was typing, either it was a chapter book or he was deleting and retyping.

"I'm not welcome."

She looked at it, who hated Marcus, she never saw him talking to anyone but her group, Anastasia and the two girls he was fucking.

"Can you tell me why?"

"Long story, I'll tell you when I see you."

***

Tabitha sat in her room, it was dark on purpose, she had candles lit and she focused, something was wrong, or a lot of somethings were wrong. The incubus' energy had spiked but it was unstable, he probably needed to feed, but that wasn't all, the party starting across campus should have been generating the same energy as last weeks, but it wasn't, it was anger, rage, wrath and it was all aimed at two people

***

Marcus sat in his room, he had to vacate soon Eric would be back with Emily. He closed his eyes, the energy he'd felt the prior week was off and then he focused Yasmin, Celia, Stasi, he could sense them, sorror, confusion, uncertainty. He grabbed his stuff and headed downstairs and knocked on Yasmin's door. It opened almost immediately and Yasmin looked ecstatic to see him.

"I wasn't expecting you," she said letting him in.

"Hey Yas, hey Celia."

"You been avoiding us?" asked Celia.

"A lot going on," he said leaning back against the door, "it wasn't a lie, but it was in no way the truth. Are you girls ok?"

"We're kind of pariahs with the greek houses and the athletes," said Celia.

"Ditto."

***

There was a knock at Anastasia's door, it was probably Katie's field hockey friend, but maybe it was Mark.

She opened the door and saw Liam leaning against the door frame waiting for her.

"Ana," he said with a smile, "I haven't heard from you, figured I'd come make sure you were coming tonight."

"Liam," said Anastasia, she shot a look back to Katie who mouthed "want me to kill him" and dragged her thumb across her chest.

"What's wrong pretty lady?" he asked, "I know our last date got cut short but I'm more than ready to make up for it."

Oh my god he was a pig she realized about a week too late, the greek letters should have been a dead giveaway.

"I'm not going tonight," she said, "sorry."

Close the door, she thought end it now. She tried and he put his foot in the door.

"What's the problem? asked Liam, "did I do something."

"It's not you," said Katie, "but it is the company you keep."

"Who asked?" You he snapped at Katie.

Liam turned back towards Anastasia, he hadn't done anything yet but he was angry.

"She's right Liam, you need to leave."

"Or what?"

"I'll scream," said Anastasia.

"So, scream?" He said.

"You first," came a voice from behind him.

Liam was suddenly thrown into the hallway hitting the far wall with a thud.

"Mark?" said Anastasia, she hadn't recognized his voice and now she didn't recognize the look in his eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Grumbled Liam as he got to his feet.

"Ladies asked you to leave," said Marcus looming over him, "I'm the bouncer."

"Fine " he said looked around at Yasmin, Celia, Anastasia and Katie, "keep your who-"

Marcus grabbed him cupping his mouth and lifting him off the ground with one arm.

"You're gonna want to be careful about how you treat my friends."

He dropped Liam who scrambled back away and then bolted down the hallway. Marcus cracked his neck and breathed out releasing a puff of smoke he hoped no one saw.

Tabitha ran up the stairs as quickly as she could in combat boots, as she got to where the disturbance was she was passed by a frat guy who seemed to be running for his life, shit balls, she was late. She peeked around the corner, too many witnesses for her to talk to Marcus freely.

"What's your workout routine?" Katie asked him.

Demon powers he thought as Anastasia crashed into him hugging him.

If she was speaking real words he couldn't decipher them but he could tell she was rattled and held her against him.

"So bar?" said Celia, "I need a drink."

"Seconded," said Katie.

Tabitha watched, three of them were leaving but the blonde wasn't.

"We'll catch up," said Marcus.

He led Anastasia back into her room and sat next to her on her bed.

"You saved me," she finally managed.

"I told you I'm here for you," he said brushing her hair from her face.

Her blue eyes looking up at him, they always cut right through him.

"You're always here for me," she said, "you were right about Liam, you were right about Jake, am I really just attracted to assholes?"

Loaded question he thought.

"Don't answer that," she said with a chuckle.

She looked up at him, the same eyes she remembered, those eyes pleading with her.

"Stas-" he started as her lips met his.

It was happening, he thought, finally, he kissed her back and pulled her onto his lap.

"Stasi," he started.

"No more words," she said pressing a finger to his lips, "enough talking."

She kissed him, and his brain turned off, this was it, this was Stasi, if Daemon had anything to say he kept it to himself. She reached down to remove her top and there was a knock at the door.

"You have gotta be fucking kidding me," he groaned.

Knocking again, more urgently. He opened the door and found Tabitha standing in the hallway watching nervously.

"You need to leave, now, both of you."

"Mark who is that?"

"She's from my Creative Writing class, Tabitha, Anastasia."

"There are about twenty drunk angry frat guys on their way here."

They heard commotion from the main stairwell so they went the back way. One of the brothers must have been their standing guard but before Marcus could act Tabitha threw some kind of powder on him and he dropped like a ton of bricks.

"Neat trick," said Anastasia, "can I get some of that?"

"No," said Tabitha as she led them out to the parking lot

"My car," said Anastasia.

"Wait," said Marcus, "Josie and her friends are going to that party, I have to make sure they're ok."

"Are you insane?" asked Anastasia.

"Are you fucking stupid?" asked Tabitha.

He took out his phone and called, nothing, same from Wei, same from Lily.

"Fuck it," said Tabitha, "get in and we'll get closer."

***

Josie and her friends approached the party when they got there two guys wearing female body inspector shirts stopped them.

"You seen this guy?" One of them asked holding up a photo of Marcus.

"Not tonight," said Lily.

"How about this chick?" The other said holding up a photo of Yasmin.

"No again," said Lily.

"Well if you see them, they're persona non grata, that means douchebag in greek."

"No it doesn't," said Josie as Lily pushed her towards the crowd.

They found Andy and Seth talking towards the edge of the crowd, "hey Lils," said Andy greeting her with a kiss.

"Hey hot stuff," said Seth as he kissed Wei on the cheek.

"How's the party?" asked Josie now wishing she hadn't come.

"It's bad vibes," said Andy, "the guys who put it on are all pissed off."

"What happened?" Asked Josie.

"Apparently this guy beat up a bunch of the brothers cause one of them banged his chick," said Seth, "sounds like bullshit though."

Wei and Seth were making eyes at each other, Lily and Andy were being cute and here she was alone, there were guys here but she didn't want any of them, she wanted Marcus and she wanted to know he was ok. The couples soon made their excuses and Josie was left standing alone surrounded by angry frat guys and drunk girls.

"Fuck it," she said to no one.

She started to walked away and checked her phone, she had a dozen missed calls from Marcus and a text that just said "call me."

"Hey pretty lady," came a voice, "leaving so soon?"

He was drunk, and close.

"Yeah," she said as she caught a whiff of his breath.

"Come on its just getting started," he slurred, "I'm Joe."

"Josie," she said as she tried to walk away only for him to get in front of her.

"Joe and Josie," we're like made for each other.

He grabbed her arm and she kneed his groin and caught him in the nose with the heel of her palm sending him sprawling, thank you church self defense classes. She moved as quickly as she could away from him. He was getting up slowly when she crashed into something firm.

"Marcus?"

"Jos, you're ok."

"Oh shit," said Joe, "he's here!" He screamed.

Marcus led her to a car and they pulled away as a few dozen angry guys got to the parking lot and gave up.

A short while later they walked into the bar and found Yasmin, Celia and Katie.

"Beer," said Katie as she saw them.

They pushed some tables together and sat in the corner of the bar.

"So they just left you there?" Anastasia asked Josie, "to get laid, that is one hundred percent breaking girl code."

"Right?" Said Josie.

"And wait," said Yasmin," Joe is the one who followed you out of the party? Man is scum."

"Dipshit," added Celia.

"Well yeah especially now that I know what he did to you," said Josie.

Marcus went to the bar to get another water, his throat was still burning. Despite the craziness of the night it was nice to just be hanging with his friends.

"You know that was almost a mistake," said Daemon.

I know.

"You're gonna make it again anyway aren't you?"

Marcus looked down the bar and saw Trace staring into an untouched beer.

"Hey man," he said walking up to him, "you alright?"

"Yeah," he said nodding, "no."

"Come on," said Marcus , "I'll introduce you to some people."

Soon Trace was chatting with Josie, about Magic while Yasmin and Anastasia talked about their dating history and Celia and Katie...were they flirting?

"No one here knows about you do they?" asked Tabitha quietly.

He shook his head no.

"You keep a lot of friends for someone with your condition, seems strange you'd be the kind of person to make a deal like this."

"I didn't."

Tabitha had completely misread the situation, if he hadn't made the deal then he hadn't done this for power and it truly was a curse.

"I can help," said Tabitha touching his forearm.

"You were quite forward about that," he said, "you also were already a big help tonight."

"I mean with them " she said, "I can help them understand."

There was no way, this was all crazy.

"Trust me," he said giving him a squeeze, "offer still stands too," she said with a wink.

Mark went back to the bar to get the next round and Yasmin followed to help carry.

"Sorry I got you wrapped up in all of this papi," she said as they waited for the drinks.

"I got myself involved Yas," he said, "you're worth it."

He was too good to her she thought, he had her contemplating a bathroom quickie though given the company she assumed he'd refuse.

"Who's the guy, Trace?"

"Just a friend," he said, "having a rough time adjusting to college."

"Sounds like he needs some cheering up," said Yasmin with a smirk.

"Are you offering your services?"

"If you'd like that," said Yasmin, "but I still want some time with you."

"Of course Yas."

When last call came they all filed out, Josie rode back with Trace, Celia and Katie while Yasmin, Tabitha, Anastasia and Marcus rode back together. At the dorm Tabitha gave a blanket goodbye and disappeared while Marcus walked the girls back upstairs, the hall had been trashed but it seemed like the frat guys had given up and taken off.

"Night papi," said Yasmin giving him a kiss on the cheek.

He walked Anastasia to her room, "stay here," she said, "I'd just feel safer if I wasn't alone."

She led him inside and they got ready for bed, "don't peek," said Anastasia as she got her pajamas out.

The hero always peeks Marcus told himself as he looked away, but then again he wasn't a hero, at least it was hard to feel like one in his condition.

"Ok" she said.

It wasn't the first time he'd seen her in her pajamas but it still felt oddly intimate despite what had almost happened earlier, that was the heat of the moment he told himself.

"You're gonna sleep in jeans?" she asked.

He had before but fine, he took his jeans off and Anastasia's eyes immediately drifted despite her telling herself she wouldn't look, what was he packing? They got into bed together and she pressed back into him in a spooning position.

"Good night Mark."

"Night Stasi."

He wasn't asleep, this was familiar, this was dangerous yet despite that he was tired but his mind raced.

She wasn't asleep, what had happened before, it was hot, it was cut short but it was wrong, wasn't it? He was with Josie she told herself, or was he with Yasmin, Celia, Tabitha? This wasn't how she'd pictured anything with Mark, it was always him the nervous virgin and her making his dreams come true, that fantasy was gone now but it was replaced with a new one, she would seduce him, maybe he wouldn't want to date but she wanted him, just once, just a taste of the forbidden.