City of NIght Hotel

[[Jackpot]]

It was amusing to him that Magik seemed so interested in what caused him to be in such bad physical shape at the steps of the church in which she was inside of. Jack had ventured off ostensibly years ago to go confront his brother, the leader of his clan in an effort to stop the madness he spread amongst the living – and even the dead. Was she to go and pursue this lunatic, in hopes of stopping him? That was the very vibe he felt from her in that moment. Augustus was the Devil on Earth; a finger to the hand of Satan himself. His mind was sent into true oblivion with no chance of ever returning to the once mildly disfigured state. His brother was the first to succumb to the atrocities and pleasures of vampirism and Jack had always believed he was the reason why their parents died when he was such a young boy. At first, Augustus had taken care of Jack like an older brother who wanted to act like a father would. That is a whole other story in its entirety; Jack was never truly ubiquitous when it came to reliving his past. Perhaps that was why he asked her if she would die for the ones she loved. He believed when someone was face to face with death, their whole perception of life changes in that moment. Of course you would say you would die for them, but would you really?

Was Jack trying to hint at something with that question he asked Magik, was he insinuating about his brother? Even he did not truly know the answer. He silently watched her body begin to tense up, it was to such a small degree – but that degree made all the difference. There was no denying she was fully aware of the state he was in; the mentally unstable, blood-crazed, borderline impractical phase that came with the full restoration of a near-death experience. Most humans were scared when anyone was behind them, especially if they knew it was a vampire. He did not believe she was scared for that reason alone. It was not the idea and concept he could so easily be seduced by her blood and being so close to her neck – it was not the sheer fact he was a vampire either. It was the notion that it was not truly him. There have been plenty, seemingly countless instances where a normal person would not trust Jack after all the things they have seen from him, and yet, this woman still did. He was not one to express his sentimental feelings and deepest regards for someone, but she was one of those people he approved of.

After their eyes met when he turned her body to face him, she asked if she was supposed to sit idly by and watch him burn. Unfortunately she was not supposed to do anything, in fact, he truly wished she stayed inside the church and watched him suffer from afar. It would have been like a crowd watching a prisoner await their death sentence – waiting and getting ready for their choice of punishment. He dreamt of being thrown onto his knees, his back lashed several times with a whip coated in his brother’s blood, chained from his wrists down to the floor. Wishing all he could do was stare up into the open hole in the tiny room, the crowd around him so blurry – waiting for the golden rays of the sun to burn him. It is how he believed he should perish; a sickened thought of course. With the little and quiet breath he had inhaled, he used his energy to exert that breath from his lungs, out through his nose. It sickened him that she would even consider herself a monster, or possibly even hated herself. She was a noble human, a cleric of unmatched properties that were only used for healing purposes. His arm snapped towards the window with the force of a baseball bat swinging for a grand slam, and his finger as tense as an iron rod as he pointed. “You were supposed to watch me BURN!” If his words were able to be coated in flames, it was as close to it as possible.

It was true he despised himself for the man he was, the monster raging inside of him – but it was never enough to make him want to stand outside in the sun with arms stretched open, hoping for eternal forgiveness. He did not want to yell at her, but he wanted to utterly melt in his own sorrows the night before. When she stepped away from him, heading towards the mini-fridge, he had a chance to calm down a bit. He lowered his gaze and spoke quietly, “It’s never easy to take a life, is it?” She was definitely correct in the essence that were was a rush – was it the fight or flight experience coming into play, or simply knowing you would have to slay the person in front of you? How was it possible to sleep at night knowing the last thing a person saw were the devilish eyes you had that resembled a bright redness like boiling blood? A human killing someone is simply a sin. A monster killing someone is a catastrophe. When you are not in the right state of mind, you feel no remorse, no regret, and no compassion for the victim torn to shreds by centuries of blood-stained weapons.

He was glad to know Magik was not hell-bent on flying out to Venice to lay siege to his brother, because she was much smarter than that. Augustus was not a force to be reckoned with. She continued to drink from another bottle, but managed to maintain her composure during this conversation which was honorable enough. “You should never have to worry about him.” That could be taken two ways. One, he could be saying she should never have to worry about him coming here to harm her or anyone. Secondly, the name or thought of Augustus should never once cross her mind, especially as a human. She raised a good point about knowing the existence of all that should be unknown, considering she was a human and maintaining a proper and courteous outlook on her own life indeed showed courage, strength and a deeper heart than most. Her words were painful and filled with a little hint of distraught, but he was in no place to respond to that with anger. He did approach the steps of the church she was in, dropped by unexpectedly – it could have possibly been a traumatizing and strangely exciting moment for her.

Before Jack could even respond to her, she had interrupted herself with a shot-like drink that must have been a bit excessive to down in one go. Magik’s eyes lit up like a child getting their most prized and wanted present at Christmas time when she was done speaking, but it was not an angelic glow. Even with their eyes locked into one another’s, he took a few slow steps towards the fridge she was standing in front of. He used his right hand taking the bottled drink from her grasp and placed it into his own. He gently placed his gloved left hand under her chin, his palm sliding against her smooth skin. When his fingers made it to the outer side of her chin, a location that traced her delicate jawline – he expeditiously grabbed it. He lifted her chin up ever so slightly, while raising the bottle in his other hand. Jack lifted the bottle right between the two of them, nearly eye level. It began to crack as his fingers around the outside of the bottled yearned to reach his palm. With a quick snap he shattered the bottle and let the pieces fall to the floor beneath them. Her tone was intense and he did not appreciate the reaction he was receiving from her, it was surprising, but she was starting to become the stranger in that moment.

“Watch your tone, young lady.” His grip around her jaw was heightened. Soon after he became a bit disgusted with himself and completely let off from her chin. “If you want horror stories, let’s turn off the lights and sit by a candle.. I have some good ones.” It was a sarcastic remark, and he rolled his eyes beneath the newly given shades. He shook his right hand from the miniscule glass that remained there and turned his back from her briefly. He aimed his head towards his right shoulder and addressed her, “forgive me…” his head turned back so he was completely facing away from her. “It has been so long since I have had someone to care for… I do not see you as helpless, or pitiful. Even you should know that.” This was the first moment he had felt like himself for once, in such a long time. Jack had always tried to consider himself a gentleman, a caring and charming person, but not of late. His clothes were always torn, face covered in blood - sometimes completely drenched in it. “You are too young to witness the tragedies, abominations, and monsters in this world. You are a strong woman, Magik, but don’t open yourself up to all that is evil.” She was only human, there is only so much you can possibly handle. He could feel the pain and frustration that she had built up from him – it traced back years and years, even to the day of his disappearance.

“I am a broken man. I had all the pieces, but refused to put them all back together.” It was true, he could be confident and content with who he was, but day after day he lived to watch himself shatter. It was like being a rock into a manic river, every second you were stripped of essential properties.

He sighed, but whispered, “Augustus is a terrible man, but I would die for him…”  

[Serena Magik Novello]

Maggy knew this night was not going to go alright. Ever since Jack had invited himself into her room, it had been as if everything was in slow motion, seconds seeming like hours. But the thing that bothered her most of all...was how they say when you're close to death, how you reevaluate your life, remembering everything you had done, everything you still had left to do. And she didn't like her mind had strayed that way. It was good she didn't underestimate this man. It meant she still had a healthy dose of some reality. Wincing when he pointed his finger towards the window, and cringed at the emotion in those words. He was still on the burning subject. Oh, the things crossing her mind. Most of them didn't seem like things a sane woman would do. But she somehow had to get control of this before it got out of control. More, out of control.

And as she walked to the mini fridge, she had heard his question. Was it easy to take a life? One in the heat of battle where it was you or them, no. An innocent life was something she'd never taken. That was what she would probably not live with herself over. Guilt would consume her. "That would depend on the reason WHY you're killing someone. Neither one of us is perfect, Jack. I've killed out of...self preservation. You kill because you're...hardwired to do as such. IT's in your blood, literally." She smiled sadly, shaking her head at something she'd thought about. Looking down at the bottle as if it held some of the answers, but she knew it was just a temporary thing to help keep her nerves from registering on the richter scale. "I could no more let you die than keep myself from healing someone. Just as you couldn't keep from drinking what was offered."

Though, her eyes lifted up at hearing she should never have to think about Augustus. "That's like trying to ignore the scorpion running loose in your house. The one day you forget, or don't care, is the day everything goes to hell...pardon my bad anaolgy." It had been the first thing to spring into her mind and it was truthful enough. "The Camarilla was put in place to help police vampires to ensure none of them went over the top. Now being Giovanni, I know neither one of you cares of such authority. But do you honestly think if he comes here and starts killing people..that I"m just going to let it go? Then, Jack...you've never really known me at all." And then his right hand came out and took the bottle, which she could let slide. The hand on her left holding and lifting her chin now hurt. Seeing the little "Demonstration" Jack seemed to give with the bottle made her eyes narrow. "Don't you DARE threaten me, Mr. Giovanni!" She twisted out of his grasp stepping backwards as her own left hand came up to rub where he'd probably bruised her skin. The use of his last name a reminder that she was distancing herself from this man she'd known for years.

"Don't you dare come here, and treat me like nothing! I haven't battled my way for ten years to become some vampire's pet human. Do you feel sorry for me, Jack? And then he spoke and she found herself torn again. He'd crossed a line and then apolgized for crossing it. A sign that maybe he was still in there somewhere. "No! I've seen such evil that more doesn't matter, Jack. Don't you understand, this is what. I. Do?" She punctuated each word, finding it completely impossible to talk some sense into this man. And his last statement made her wonder if he hadn't lost his mind...completely.

"You just have to find a comfortable ground. It takes work, God,I know this...cause I'm still working towards mine. I've felt like I was taking one step forward, and four back. Because I was afraid of what might happen, what might be waiting...you can't live like that, Jack. It's going to continue to eat at you. You can do some good. You don't need to kill..." Who was she kidding...she stopped talking, feeling that nothing she said would reach him. "I can't imagine how your brother makes you feel. Family is usually important." She threw up her hands and just looked lost. "You're a broken man because it's all you see yourself as. And with a mentality like that, it's all you're going to be. Sometimes, you just need someone to help you find those pieces and to figure out where they need to go. But I know too much of how you are, Jack. You'd rather truly die than to accept anyone's help, because you've always been a loner. All you know how to be."

She shook her head in denial, realizing she hadn't been looking at him, because it hurt. Not because of the state of how he looked, but because of what he was saying and how he was acting. "If you plan on dying...don't do it where I can find your pieces, Jack. Because I will work to put you back together... but right now, you have me so pissed off I don't know what to do. You walked in here, uninvited...threatened me...and you expect me to just look the other way?" Only then did she really truly look at him, it was a saddened look, as if she had known all along there was no peaceful resolve to this, unless he just turned and walked out the door. She didn't see that happening. "Tell me truly...that you wish this...death, Jack? Look at me...and make me believe it...then maybe...jkust maybe I'll understand abit."  

[vvh4t3v3r]

(Magik this is Sliptrall, just wanted to log in and say you have a pretty avvie heart )  

[Serena Magik Novello]

((Aww thanky Slip xD *hugs tight* MIss ya hon xD Hope all is well. xD))  

[[Jackpot]]

Magik’s words struck a chord in his heart which was not tuned, in fact – it was something that was never meant to be played. There was no underlying reason for her to reassure him that his urges and desires are something that he cannot simply control. They are life-changing and mind altering feelings that have no choice but to be addressed and satisfied to their fullest extent. Failure to comply resulted in devastating consequences. Not just for the individual who did not turn the cravings, but also for those who were helplessly in the path of a raging fire. Magik was not someone who would go out and stick a knife in the back of an unsuspecting individual because she clearly felt like it. That’s simply not who she is. Of course Jack realized it was not something he dreamed about doing, or even fantasized about either. Maybe he is hard-wired to do what he has to do, to help sustain his own life.

His eyes veered over to her lips where a faint smile emerged from her words, knowing she meant no harm or shame in what she said – only to pull the shades away from the pain and shine some light on the truth. It was the truth in which he tried to neglect, shy away from and even cower defenselessly behind. He acted the way he did because that is what – he instantly interrupted all potential thought he had as he mouthed the words and spoke in his head ‘a vampire… ‘ his thought processes continued; that is what a vampire would do – what was necessary. Jack focused his gaze strictly on the woman in front of him, his eyes mirroring her every step, every motion, every breath. She was always headed towards a bottle when the occasion was rough. He never thought anything of it, for it was something which perhaps comforted her. Until the day she began to drown out her sorrows and suffocate herself in a helpless scenario of self-reflection, he would not step in.

He felt his throat become dry - a mellow cough from the back of his soul-draining atrocity of a mouth emerged. Jack inhaled and exhaled with a moderate compression from his chest while he spoke, “the blood of the tainted is something that I try to avoid.” Jack lifted his teeth clenching head so his eyes met her own, “but when death has their finger tugging ever so gently on your string, you do not always have a choice.” It was painful to say that because he had always tried to live his life by proper choices, things that would not be seen as so heinous and farfetched. When Magik continued to speak of Augustus, it truly angered him. There are things in this world which should be caged and held hostage by the unforeseen Gods which could contain such hatred, and Augustus needed to be in that cage. Jack always liked to consider himself a refined and suave being, and respecting authority was in his nature when the cards were in his favor. But she was right – do not make demands to him unless you had a hankering for a bad evening.

When Magik wiggled out of his grasp, her voice reached a level in which he had never truly been sure existed in her. It startled him slightly as she began to rub the area of her chin where his hand had applied a significant amount of pressure. Hearing his last name instantly exploded in his eyes and they began to bulge and enlarge inside his skull. She never addressed him like that, the only time was when they had first met. He did not enjoy being yelled at, not from himself, his brother, a stranger – even Magik. He lunged forward to grab her hand which was rubbing the area of her chin in which he inflicted some pain. His hand was much larger than hers, swiftly his reflexes and muscles wrapped around her delicate hand and squeezed it periodically, off-and-on. She would not escape him, he would not allow it.

His body was becoming heated, it was boiling the blood of the man he drank from earlier. It was like watching a body of pure water becoming infested with poison. It was his own poison, a blackened and dampened heart which infected every ounce of blood that was fortunate enough to enter his body. Jack wanted Magik to feel the burning sensations through his hand, he wanted her to feel the pain, the anguish in which she was setting herself up for. He let his words flow through her skin and into her body from the physical contact he had on her hand. It was loud – like giant speakers echoing off the walls, but he hoped it reached her heart and caused pain ‘I do not make threats.’ He loosened his grip immensely, but still did not let go. The speed he was blessed with allowed him to perform a twirling motion, raising her arm above her head - something which resembled a dancing scenario and he lured his body behind her. Jack’s free hand traced her shoulder down to her hand and he pulled both of his hands behind her back and held them down together, acting like she was being arrested. He used her own words against her as he pulled down on her hands which yanked her body down an inch or so, “And this is what I do Magik.”

His body was still warm, hoping it would project to her own to make her sweat and feel uncomfortable. Once again he was right behind her, but this time it was against her will. He used this moment to allow his mouth to become salivated with pleasure and a sense of euphoria ran over him as his mouth inched towards her neck. Jack let his nose trace the outline of the right side of her neck, sniffing and inhaling everything about her. He wanted her to feel like he was molesting her – taking her memories, her feelings, her passions and infecting them with the hatred he has brewing in his heart. Jack leaned in to enclose the necessary distance which allowed him to place a gentle kiss where his nose inhaled and snorted like an angry boar. When Magik said that he did not need to kill anymore, he felt so betrayed in that moment. She said all that because she wanted him to live, but if he did not kill, he would be the one laying in a ditch.

Jack raised his lips to her ear where he whispered to her, “I do not know what is stopping me from tearing your neck apart and letting you drain out on this floor.” He yanked her body down another inch before finally letting go. He did not turn her body around to make her face him, he did not step in front of her and did not make any drastic steps backwards. He simply stood where he was and let his eyes encompass her body.

“We have been through much together; you and I.”

His head turned to the side, but his gaze tightened – on the virtual memories he was trying to relive.

“I would protect you like a parent does for their child, and I care for you like a partner would for their loved one.”

He sighed, but spoke graciously, “I just…”  

[Serena Magik Novello]

Magik was seething as she stood there and the images running through her mind were too graphic, seemed too wrong. The things she wanted to do to this man. All because he's touched her and hurt her just a tiny bit by squeezing. Oh, and she saw the anger she had instilled in him at just the mention of his last name. Words could be weapons. She'd learned that way too young in life. Words could do so much more damage if not taken heed of. And then he had grasped her hand again in his and she could feel what had to be a war inside his mind and if he lost, she was lost if she couldn't own up to protecting herself. She didn't trust anyone anymore because trust left you open, and openings could get you killed.


"Let.My.Hand.Go." She spoke quietly, but warningly, her eyes flashing silver just for a split second. Oh, the divine fires wanted out to burn such evil. She hadn't smitted anyone in a long time. Well, someone who didn't deserve it anyways. And then pain, it resounded in her mind and spread everywhere through her body, but especially her mind. She cried out unable to help herself, but she composed herself as soon as she let it slip. Giovannis liked to inflict pain, and it saddened her to have to heap Jack in along with the whole clan, but it seemed like he was losing the war on staying aloof. His behaviors were turning more and more dark. Like a Jedi giving in to the darkside. She was glad he let up on her hand, it still felt where he squeezed, and would likely turn black and blue if she didn't heal it later. but she was half tempted to leave it there as proof that she didn't have a handle on things as she believed she once had.

And then he moved way too quickly again, and she was in some awkward stance, her eyes looking up at the arm he was holding above her head, and again he was way too close. She had to swallow hard, her eyes darting about to see where everything was in the room for future reference as he then lowered her arms down behind her back, holding them like a prisoner. She hadn't thought he'd push the power play thing this far, but when he yanked on her hands and she felt her body almost lose her grounding, she moved, so her stance wouldn't be broken unless he tugged hard. She'd learned how to defend herself against takedowns from the various enemies she'd had to fight during her lifetime. So many reasonings and things running through her mind now, but all of them, all of them were doing harm to this man. And it made her want to scream. Even when the voice told her it would be him or her life at stake. And that voice was the voice of reason that she had to listen to and soon it seemed.

"No. This isn't what you do. This is something like your brother would do..." She knew pulling away would only tick him off more. She had to try to remain calm and not send out any "victim" signals. She'd had years of practice, right? Her eyes tried to steal a look when he brought his face closer to her neck, oh, she knew right then and there just how fast her own heart was beating, adrenaline was surging. That was a normal human reaction when faced with fear and uncertainty. And then she let her eyes clamp shut at the feel of his nose against her soft skin. Belief. The one word that flashed in front of her eyes. Belief that this man was not inherently evil and lost. That somehow Augustus wouldn't win. She licked her lips, which went severly dry. He was so close to her juglar. Would be so easy to just take her life...she knew as much. And then to feel his lips, lips that had ended so many lives just grace the outline of her neck made her utterly spill tears that were collecting in her eyes. She was so torn. Had she done this man a favor. Or had she simply given a monster another day to kill again?

And his words made those tears finally course down her cheeks, and then she stumbled forward and almost fell at his yanking and letting her go so quickly. All because she refused to appear weak. In front of this man or anyone she knew. Least he was behind her, couldn't see the anguish playing on her face, and he certainly had no idea what he was doing to her emotional level. She kept her back to him, reaching up with her left hand to use the back of that hand to wipe those tears from her eyes. She had to remain in control of these emotions before they went out of control. But no, she lost that battle...

She spun on him, still dressed in that towel, hellfire showing in her eyes for once. Again. "Then do it! Make Augustus proud. IS that what you want? You are not my Sire. And I am not Lucky! You just...don't even know why you're doing this, do you? Trying to teach me a lesson?" She walked up to him and poked a finger into his chest, uncaring if he broke that finger or not. "You are such a hypocrite, Jack. You tell me you'd protect me and yet, you come in here and threaten to rip my throat out, For saving your life? Why is it you can care for me, but I'm not allowed to want to help you, to try to look out for you. Neither one of us is ******** unstoppable!" The fact she swore was a big tip that she was pissed. "Do you know what I want to do? I want to holy aura your a** right out that window, because tonight, you hurt me. Emotionally. Physically. And on so many other levels you don't even understand. And if you ever,EVER...try that necromancy s**t on me...I will ..I WILL hunt you down and kill you myself. I might respect you...but you don't respect me. And that might be because I"m Kine, Just another cattle on the ranch...but by god, if I have to fight you to get you to understand HOW I am...then so be it. Don't toss out this friendship, Jack. Not just to be a loner like you've always been. I don't want to hear any sob stories. I want you to be you..."

Now her nostrils were flaring somewhat as there was a feeling of power gathering in the room, and it wild and unsettled for a moment, but she reigned that in fast. "Get out. Get out of my room. And don't come back till you learn to respect me and knock." God, she didn't know what to do. She felt helpless to do what she wanted. And what she wanted could very get her killed and she had every idea of what death by a Giovanni might entail. "We're both just making this worse. I'm angry because you didn't respect my space or my being..and you're angry because you feel I slighted you. Neither one of us can win...' She whispered those words, adjusting her robe. "I do want to hurt you, Jack. But it's pride..not because it comes truly from my heart. My VERY human heart." She knew too well she only thought like a human, Alex had reminded her of that fact, time and time again.

"Last warning. Please?"  

[[Jackpot]]

It was a pleasure and a privilege to ascertain the forbidden secrets that revolved around the manipulation of the dead; the blood magic of necromancy. It is a practice that Jack had always adored and spent centuries trying to master and control mercilessly. The human senses were not always in tune with the ethereal plane which allowed a portal to connect the two worlds together. The wraiths and specters of the darkened world were what people often referred to as ghosts. They were the bone-chilling winds you felt when you were all alone. The eyes you thought you could feel piercing your heart and making it race – the unnerving distractions that encompassed your entire body. We all tend to fear the things we cannot see, the abominations we cannot feel and the random occurrences which have no underlying cause. These feelings had a deep connection to the blackened heart of Jack. He loved to instill fear and desperation into his victim’s heart, their mind, their blood. He did not need the help of those crossed over at this moment; his deathly passion was enough to make even the holiest cringe. Either your soul was truly with you, or you would succumb to the agony.

Magik was a strong woman and he knew that. When his hands grasped hers together, he knew that alone would cause some alarming pain, but when he moved his hands down quickly she still maintained her posture. She had a powerful stance, a strong will and desire to stay up and not appear weak. Showing your weakness was something that most vampires loved; it was a practical sign of an easy feed. That was not how Jack saw it, for it was a craving turn-off. He relished those who fought for themselves, he wanted to inculcate a high magnitude of fear before finally making his victim reach their breaking points. He made no mind to her demands of letting her hands go, his moment of torment was not over. Jack could see a flicker in front of Magik, her tone was mellow when she spoke, but there was an ancient glow that was shown for only a mere second. He knew she was human, but not one to be underestimated.

When his lips had touched the lining of her neck, his teeth urging to caress the barrier of her jugular vein, she had interrupted the twinkling scenario of infecting her with the darkness which brewed in him. His reddened eyes tightened immensely when she spoke of his brother and his mind was racing with the thought ‘how DARE she compare him to me!’ The truth was he was acting the exact same way Augustus would have. Jack felt the sporadic increase in blood pressure and pulse in her body when his lips so gently traced her neck. It was the natural human reaction at its best; fear had entered the body and was waiting to eat away at them like a flesh-eating parasite. His body lurched quickly backwards and he began to build up his rage from her words. It was like the room was beginning to be coated in red, like blood running up the walls and darkening the room. His arms reached out to his sides and his palms outreached in the upright position, becoming temporarily coated in a black shadowy mist. There was a quick slash of wind that roared into the room from underneath his feet and stopped immediately when he spoke, “I AM NOTHING LIKE HIM! NOTHING! HE IS A…. he is a monster.”

By this time, she had already lunged forward onto the floor in front of him, her left hand wiping away the tears that he had clearly been the cause of. Had he broken her? Was he finally the reason for her break-down in front of him? Before he had a second to think about his actions, she spun around and he raised an eyebrow in dismay – her eyes glowed more red than he could ever remember. It seemed like years and years of undeniable emotions of pain, guilt, remorse and utter sadness were pouring out and Jack was being showered in it. In a quick second she stood up and shoved one of her fingers deep into his chest – it was not the physical pain which hurt, it was the raw emotion being shot into him. It was like the trigger of a gun being pulled with every word she said. Everything she raged on about was true, it was all truth. Jack was being hypocritical not only to her, but himself as well. If she thought that Jack wanted to make Augustus proud, then there was only thing that could possibly be true. And that was he was slowly turning into his brother and pulling the stunts Augustus would do. It was hypocritical of everything he wanted to do to his brother. He loved him dearly, but he had to be stopped and laid to rest for all eternity. Magik reassured him that she wanted to use her spells of holy magic and toss him out of a window – she wanted to hurt him. One of the most caring and fortunate people he knew wanted to share the pain in which he had caused them.

He cleared his throat, as if in an attempt to purge the evil which was encircling his heart. Remembering what his last words were, saying that Augustus is a monster; he responded wholeheartedly “I am the monster…?” His eyes looked down at his hands which were slowly diminishing the mist which nearly overtook them a few moments ago. His gaze shifted to her finger which felt like it was into the middle of his chest, like a sword and he was pinned against the wall. Jack closed his eyes for a moment while he attempted to look deep inside, ‘what is happening to me..’ his eyes slowly emerging once more. He slowly stepped back from her and began to cough. It was a nasty hacking sound. He wanted to annihilate whatever it was which caused his rage and hatred.

“I do respect…” he clutched his stomach with his right arm and leaned over as his mouth began to spew out undesired blood which he spat into his left hand. His eyes pierced into the tainted liquid and cringed at the sight of it. Was it the sight of his own blood which sickened him? He could not put a finger on where his hatred could be tied with. He felt as if he needed to die and perish that day on the church steps. The acceptance of blood from a stranger angered him deeply, but there was more to the root of all this pain. Jack regained his composure and tried to wipe the blood on his coat. “I respect you. More than anyone else in this world.”

Unsteady steps were being made as he tried to back up towards her door, respecting her wishes of him to leave. “You have every right to want to hurt me, and I will not stop you from that. But I will adhere to your aspirations.”  

[Serena Magik Novello]

She had braced herself for mostly anything during this little run in. But one thing she hadn't counted on, was the man actually using his shadow necromancy in the same room with her. Towards her. She felt it shifting throughout the room, felt it directed towards her, for a moment. Or he had at least manifested something. More than he had ever done to her. He'd come close to hurting her physically. Moreso than just leaving a mark on her skin, but leaving a hole somewhere it counted. Somewhere it took forever to patch up.

And then he spoke, Stating that he didn't think he was a Monster. Which is what she was trying to get across to him this whole time, but he was so full of madness, or ire...or something that he normally wasn't, that he simply wouldn't listen. She had her arms held up to him, as if if the man charged her, she could simply repel him from strength of arms, which wasn't very likely. And then she had reacted further. Getting into his face, poking his chest. Accusingly.

And then he was having a coughing fit, something she wished she could help him get over it. "I think..somehow your brother was using you as a puppet? Or attempting to do so? Either that or your emotions were high because of the blood frenzy you more or less was forced through. Maybe you just snapped? I don't really know, Jack." She stayed where she was looking up over at him, accusing finger pointed down for now. She had wanted him to see for himself how he was acting, before things got totally out of hand.

And the coughing fit continued, to which she watched him helplessly before she simply picked up one of the white towels she'd had around her before she put on the robe, motioning for him to spit up on that and not in his hand. She was after all, a lady. Seeing he was trying to use his coat, she smacked him with it, lightly. Knocking the coat of his out of his hand as she draped it over his arm. "If you respected me, then why did you fly in here, throw accusations my way, Damn near say I made a mistake doing what I did?"

She walked around behind him, not to pummel him into the ground, but the sound of the door unlocking and then being swung open and then held open for him was what he did. "I have alot of problems on my mind, Jack. I have an old friend, who tells me he's dying. And then I see you laying there in a puddle of your own blood, and you expected me to do nothing? If you ever really knew me at all, you'd know my first reaction would be to help you. And you should know more than anything, why I'd want to help you. If you don't...then you don't really know me, haven't really ever known me..."

And her eyes swept towards the floor at his words, she had wanted to hurt him, but that was because he had almost forced her to. To protect herself, she would have. To protect her honor and her morals, she always would. "All I want is for you to be who you've always been, and not to get lost along the way. You know your brother is the monster here, then let him be the only monster in your family, Jack. You control your own destiny. You can only be what you want to be, no one else can mold you into their shadow. Not without you giving up and giving in. Don't be the one that gives in?" She looked up towards him, not with hate, but with trying to still get her message across.

"I will not stand idly by and watch anything happen to your mind. If your brother is doing this...then we know what we must do. If you feel you can't handle it alone, don't be afraid to band people together? Or at least ask someone to help? I may be mortal...but I am not frail. And I am not expecting to live forever, Jack. No matter how many years I have left. I am going to be fighting...and I"m going to go down fighting. End of story. Don't try to save a person whose life is spent fighting the good fight?" She motioned him outside. "Good evening, Jack, If you have nothing else at this moment to say?"  

[[Jackpot]]

When the physically enervating coughing subsided, it left him nearly powerless for a moment. It was like a sickening and ethereal energy which gave him the control, the lust and the idealistic amenities encompassing a monster had left him. Magik was one to see that side of him, to feel it against her skin – to almost be connected to it. Shamefully he knew he enjoyed it thoroughly and cherished the possibilities of being something more than just a fragile branch in the wilderness. His thoughts were displaced when she knocked his coat out of his grasp. The hand which held the coat was trembling slightly. Bright eyes could not imagine having a weakened body; he remembered clearly when his power was strong enough to leave imprints into a steel rail at the pier where he crushed it with ease.

Magik did not seem to understand his reasoning for acting out so illogically and with such hate. Jack did feel like a puppet all along after hearing her make such a mention of it. He was a dying boy when his brother claimed he saved him – salvation of humanity for the damnation of immortality. After all, it was his brothers’ blood which coursed inside him, boiled in him and infected others with. When Magik lowered her finger from poking his chest, it felt like a hammer pounding in a slab of wood which could wither away and splinter off everywhere had diminished. His words were a little bit clearer after his coughing had stopped, “The cravings are real.” He turned his head briefly as to hide from the shame that was associated with such fervent behavior. “A desire for death, or a craving for life.” It was the battle he was fighting all along – a soul glowing with light and angelic properties, or a blackened heart corrupted by the demon which would never leave. From a human perspective, both your heart and soul needed to be on the same page, or one of the two would fight for power like it had done for Jack.

He knew Magik was indeed a prominent lady with seemingly endless qualities of respect and courteousness. He took the towel she used to break his grasp on his coat and place it gently on the chair next to him; he had enough admiration for her and her things to not spew tainted blood on her belongings. “You did what you felt was necessary, I cannot speak for you on those terms.” Of course he was thankful to be alive, but he almost felt ashamed to say that. She began to walk around behind him – and for once he felt like the victim feeling the shadows, just waiting to be assaulted, where every second counted and fear was your only emotion. His eyes closed and anticipated the final blow; he held his head up while he felt the blade of the Light slicing through his back, tearing apart his stomach and purging all evil into the realm of the unadulterated. He felt like he was on a high-speed roller coaster siting on an empty stomach as his conscious and the sound of the door unlocking brought him back to the world he was in. There was no blood-stained blade coming through his body, there was simply nothing.

When he slowly turned to face Magik, she was only standing at the entrance of her room with the door swung open and an expression on her face which alerted him it was time to leave. Jack of course wanted her to see him lying on the ground, crawling towards the church steps while he began to drown in his own blood – but that is something she would not want to hear from him. He began to sigh as he thought to himself, ‘to live forever with unnerving pain, or to live on borrowed time with slight promises of happiness.. there is no comparison.’ It pained him deeply when she made remarks of him never truly knowing her at all, but he knows that is and never would be the case. They had built a relationship together – it was of mixed feelings, good and bad days, but it was strong. Jack began to step towards her slowly, but stopped a foot shy of the door before finally turning to her. He gave her a small nod and whispered, “I’m sorry.” He raised his hand up slowly to her face where it quivered ever so slightly, but he managed to cup the left side of her cheek, caressing it gently. Jack narrowed his eyes into her own, where his hand began to fill with warmth as he tried his best to relay a memory for her. He felt too weak to take her mind to where it all began, but the importance was in the words. It was like a video tried to play through her eyes, but it was filled with static and only brief moments of clarity. It was a preservation of his mom looking into Jack’s eyes and he stared up at her from his bed and whispered to her, “I’ll be oka—“ the pain was too much to continue, so he jerked his hand away quickly. He said nothing else to Magik, only left her with an unclear and seemingly fading memory. He turned sharply towards the door and made his way down to the exit.