Temperance

Anastasia sat in Tabitha's room, she didn't remember exactly how she'd gotten here but she remembered the feeling of Marcus' ascension. Then again a short while ago it happened again, Tabitba was frantic, Anastasia was worried. She checked her phone, it was dead.

"Do you have a charger?" asked Anastasia.

"Don't have a phone," said Tabitha amidst a pile of old looking books.

"What time is it?" asked Anastasia, the sun was still up peeking through the heavy drapes so it couldn't be that late.

"Little before noon," said Tabitha without looking up.

"It can't be," said Anastasia, "it was like two thirty when you brought me here."

"On Friday," said Tabitha tossing a book to the side.

"What!? How!?" asked Anastasia.

"Time moves differently here," said Tabitha still not looking up.

"I have classes," said Anastasia, "a test."

"You've been going," said Tabitha, "at least your professors think you have, and you got a B+ on the test."

"How?" asked Anastasia.

"Listen," said Tabitha looking up disheveled, "I can help your friend or I can explain all of this."

Anastasia looked at the pile of books and tried her dead phone again. She didn't even really know what they were looking for, or what any of this was.

"Why do I need to be here?" asked Anastasia, "you haven't exactly told me what we're doing or how I can help."

Tabitha let out a disgruntled groan, "you're right," she said shoving the books off of her, "I don't know what I'm doing."

"Well what do we know?" said Anastasia moving to sit next to the witch, "we know he's getting stronger, is that a bad thing?"

"It depends," said Tabitha, "it depends on Mark."

"So we don't want him to get too powerful," said Anastasia, "but if he doesn't carry out his task?"

"He'll die," said Tabitha, "and that's bad because I kind of like the guy."

"You and me both," said Anastasia, "so we need a middle ground, enough to keep him going not enough he becomes all powerful."

"Right," said Anastasia, "right but it's not like we can force that on him."

"Well this corruption he sows in people he's... intimate with, can we reverse it?" asked Anastasia.

"Kind of," said Tabitha, "they need to want it to be reversed and then there's a few ways about it."

"Well lets start with me," said Anastasia, "I've been corrupted."

"Barely," said Tabitha, "and after all this time without him you're pretty much clear, other than the physical effects."

"Is there a way to prevent myself from being corrupted again?"

"Yes," said Tabitha, "yes," she dove into the pile of books and pulled one out then went to a dresser and pulled out a trinket, "wear this," said Tabitha.

Anastasia took the strange looking silver amulet and put it around her neck, "I don't feel any different."

"You will in his presence," said Tabitha.

"So maybe we could get people to wear something like this," said Anastasia.

A phone rang and Tabitha took it out answered it, "yeah?"

Anastasia stood feeling slightly betrayed.

"You're here already?" said Tabitha pacing, "no obviously I want to see you too, ok fine, give me an hour. I have to go," she said turning to Anastasia, "which means you do too. Door is that way, I'll be in touch."

Anastasia wanted to make more of this moment but instead she gathered her things a walked out of the dark room.

***

Mark sat in the cafeteria staring at the C he'd gotten in Professor Roy's class, oh well, C was passing he told himself.

"Hi Marcus," said Wei approaching wearing a big smile.

She sat on his lap and kissed his cheek, "I just wanted to thank you for the other night."

"I should be the one thanking you," he said putting a hand on her thigh.

"I hope it's not a one time thing," said Wei as Marcus moved his hand up her thigh and under her skirt, she blushed but tried not to react.

"Definitely not a one time thing," he said grazing her pussy with his fingertips, "no panties...good girl."

Wei smiled and he rubbed her teasingly.

"You all ready for parents weekend?" asked Trace walking over with Josie.

Marcus kept his hand where it was, "believe it or not I'm excited, no parties this weekend though."

"Well Wei and I are going to have to behave ourselves," said Josie.

"That's too bad," said Marcus giving Wei a smirk.

"I apologize if you meet my family," said Trace, "my mom is great, but my sister..."

"You don't get along?" asked Marcus.

"She's a bitch," said Trace a little thrown by his own words.

"Well I need to do homework," said Marcus flashing his C to the table, "and laundry."

Wei reluctantly let him up and he said his goodbyes but Josie followed him, "Marcus," she said radiating immense need, "what about..."

"What about what?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Well, you and Wei," said Josie, "haven't I done well?"

"You have," he said.

"Well what else do you need?" she asked practically shaking, "I'll give you anything."

"Well I'm going to be spending time with the cheerleaders," he said, "why don't you learn what you can about them?"

"Ok," said Josie slowly accepting that she wasn't going to get what she needed.

"And then when you're parents leave," said Marcus, "we can spend some time together."

"Really!?" she squealed, "ok, I'll get right on it."

He watched Josie walk back to the table and turned to continue his journey but crashed into Anastasia, had she just come out of a supply closet?

"Mark," she said trying to get her bearings, how had she gotten here?

"Hey Stasi," he said, "how have you been, I haven't seen you since our talk."

"I know," she said, "busy, you know, schoolwork."

"Tell me about it," said Marcus showing her his grade.

If this trinket was supposed to be working it wasn't, he was still Mark, he was still her sweet friend albeit much taller and more muscular, and she still wanted him...but maybe not sexually, maybe she just wanted to be with him?

"You ok Stasi?" he asked, "you seem a little out of it."

"Sorry," she said, "just a lot going on, and parents coming tomorrow."

"That they are," said Marcus, "see you tomorrow then?"

"Sounds good," she said giving him a hug.

Mark watched her walk away perplexed, he couldn't sense anything, there was a black hole in her presence, sure he had similar experiences with Katie and most guys but Anastasia he'd been able to read and now nothing.

***

Yasmin lay in her room, everyone else was winding down the week, they were getting ready for parents weekend. Not her though, her parents wouldn't come and while that usually made her bitter, this year she was relieved. She checked her phone, Celia, Josie, Marcus, they were all checking in with her. How did Josie know she was pregnant though, did Celia tell her? Did Marcus? There was a knock at the door and she didn't respond.

"Come on Yas," came Marcus' voice, "I know you're in there."

She opened the door and went back to curl up on the bed where she'd been.

"Yas," said Marcus closing the door, "are you ok? You haven't returned any of my messages, I never see you on campus."

"Fine papi," she said, "don't you have to get ready for tomorrow?"

"That can wait," he said sitting on the bed next to her, "I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine papi," she said not meeting his eyes.

"Ok," he said reluctantly, "I can't make you talk to me, I just wanted to let you know I'm here for you."

He stood up but she grabbed his arm, "papi," she said finally looking at him, "I'm keeping it."

"I figured you would," he said sitting back down.

"Not like she has a choice," said Daemon.

Marcus ignored Daemon, sure he wanted to know more but Yas seemed to finally be opening up.

"It's weird," she said, "I love my life, I love being a slut on campus, but I'm also really excited about this next step."

"That's great," he said, "and you can definitely still be a slut."

"I'm a little young to be a MILF," she said with a chuckle, "then again maybe not."

He kissed her cheek and went to get up but she held his hand tightly, "I can still be a slut?"

"Of course," said Marcus.

"You want this MILF pussy?"

"There is no way in hell I'm saying no to that," said Marcus

He collapsed next to Yasmin a while later and she rolled over to cuddle him, "Dios," she muttered, "I needed that."

"You definitely did," said Marcus wrapping an arm around her.

They lay in silence for a while, he had things to do, but he also wanted to just be here.

"You know the mystery black girl?" he said.

"Mhm," said Yasmin, "you gonna tell me who it was?"

"Josie told me your guess," he said, "you were right."

"I FUCKING KNEW IT," shouted Yasmin, "Papi you fucking horn dog."

"And I fucked her ass."

"Trying to make a girl jealous?" said Yasmin, "I've got a fat ass that's in desperate need of a good fucking."

"Oh really?"

"Easy papi," she said, "I'm a slut but I'm not that kind of slut, give me some time."

Marcus left her a short while later and finally made his way back to his room, he opened the door and found Emily seated on his bed.

"Hey Daddy," she said, "miss me?"

"Where's Eric?" he said trying not to take the bait.

"He went to complain about you to the RA," she said, "unfortunately he'll be back soon."

"I told you the rules," said Marcus.

"You think I play by the rules?" she said walking towards him so her lips were practically touching his, "I was a good girl, then a big bad man ruined me."

The knob turned and Emily's entire demeanor shifted as she moved away from him.

"Oh," said Eric, "you're here."

"It's my room," said Marcus grabbing his laundry basket, "don't worry I'm not staying."

"Neither are we," said Eric taking Emily's hand.

"Call me," she mouthed at Marcus as they left.

They left and Marcus stood waiting for a moment, "Daemon," he said finally, "what'd you mean back with Yas?"

"People you impregnate can't get abortions," said Daemon, "be kind of annoying if they could."

"Super," said Marcus.

"What you thought you'd get all the power and they could take a morning after pill and call it a day? No offense, well a lot of offense, but are you stupid?"