Sitting up, I nearly flinch when I feel Emma's soft hand touch my back. Sleeping with her wasn't an original part of the plan. It was a necessary sacrifice to get what I want from her. Not counting the extra activity, last night might've been the best sleep I've gotten all week. The wonders a warm bed will do for an exhausted body and weary mind. I intend to keep my promise to Emma, but it won't end the way she thinks it will.

"You weren't trying to leave before I woke up, were you?" She asked.

"I'm not the type to do something like that. I've never done anything like this," I said, gesturing vaguely with my hand.

"Didn't seem like that," Emma teased.

"You're a real jerk, you know that?"

"Fine, I'll stop. So what's the thing you need my help with?"

Last night really helped her come out of the hole she's been in. All she needed was someone to talk to. One night with me and she's already more functional than before.

"Are the people who brought me here still alive?" I asked.

Her eyes become gray as she inhabits her creatures. She falls back against the bed, lying still. What would happen if I took her power right now? Would she return to her body, or would she be trapped in whatever beast she was inhabiting? I get up off the bed, walking over to the windows on the far side of the room. Despite only wearing boxers, I'm still warm. The blizzard is still raging on, and there hasn't been a single day when the sky wasn't gray and stormy. What I thought was a silent serenity is actually just dreary.

"Yes, they are. They're holed up in a house on the other side of town. Do you want me to kill them for you? Is that the favor?" Emma asked, as if it were the most innocuous question in the world and not her bartering with people's lives.

"No. I wouldn't ask you to do that. This is my fight, my past, and I need to be the one to lay this all to rest," I said. "Besides, the three of them can't all die here, or the person who sent us might destroy the entire place. Trust me, you don't want them anywhere near here."

"Then what do you need my help with?"

"I have a plan, but it's dangerous and a little crazy. Do you trust me?" I asked, trying to look apprehensive.

"Of course, Eryk. I'm willing to help you with your plan if you can really free me from this affliction," Emma said, her meaning clear.

She wants proof. Thinking she's just like Maria was wrong. She's not as naive as I thought. Have I read this wrong? I couldn't have; I know people. I'm good at reading them. But what if I am wrong about her? I haven't had a drink in days, but has my reckless streak actually stopped? I still have every single piece that could have contributed to my rash actions. The acknowledgment of the problem may be the first step, but it isn't the last. The negative traits are still inside me, slightly changing me in ways I didn't notice. FUCK.

Technologica and Waters backed me into a corner, and I reacted the way I have been lately: acting in the present without thinking about the future. For fuck's sake, I gave my real name to a stranger for no reason. I took my helmet off in front of her. I had sex with her because she wanted to, and I went along with it completely. Falling asleep in front of a potential enemy was such a stupid mistake. One I never would have made before Quinstin. What if she's been playing me at the same time I've been playing her? Looking over at the half-naked woman who might be far more dangerous than I thought, my original plan burns to ashes. Emma claimed she couldn't control the shadow monsters if she wasn't awake. Neuvohuman abilities can manifest as anything; that's what makes categorizing them so difficult. My mind keeps going back to what Technologica told me all those months ago. Powers are getting stronger right now, not weaker. Her being unable to control her shadowspawn doesn't make sense. Rulers who create their minions, rather than create thralls, can't lose control of the minions they have created. She lied to me, and I didn't even notice it. She took control of the hound that attacked us when we first arrived. She wiped the town out on purpose. Probably to prevent anyone from knowing what happened here.

This bitch played me like a violin, and I let her. Relax. Think carefully, don't just act. My mask cannot slip for even a moment; I need to remain the friendly, helpful Eryk. She can't know I'm on to her until I have her in the perfect position. Is there a way to turn this situation into a positive one? Can I use her to further any of my goals? She knows my first name, my face, and what my helmet looks like. What are my options? Option one is that I get her and Technologica's goons to kill each other. Pros are that Technologica takes a loss, Emma dies, and I'll be able to grab at least two powers. Cons are I could end up with none of their powers, I could be injured, and Technologica might decide to punish me in some way to fuck up all my plans. Option two is to side with the numbers and capture or kill Emma. Pros are that Technologica is satisfied, I might be able to steal Emma's power, and I'll be free of this place without any baggage. The con for that option is that I could end up not getting any powers for this outing. I'm not leaving without gaining something. The third option is partnering with Emma to help me kill two of the numbers and take their powers, explain my absence as kidnapping, and then leave with the only living number left. The pros are obvious: I get almost all the powers on the board, I don't antagonize Technologica, and I possibly set up Emma as a future ally. Figuring out what she actually wants is the most important thing at this moment.

"I can, but you'd like a demonstration just for peace of mind, correct?"

"I mean, if you're offering, then sure, that'd be fantastic," she smiled sweetly, as if it wasn't her goal all along.

I walk back over to the bed, climbing in next to her. Keeping her calm and happy is a necessity. Her power is much more suited for killing me than mine is for killing her. The headboard feels chilly against my back as I sit up in her bed. She looks at me questioningly until I reach for her waist, pulling her over to me. The face she's making shows signs of arousal. She can't fake pupil dilation or the faint blush spreading across her cheeks. She does want to sleep with me, but she's also been lying to me about almost everything. Is she just a run-of-the-mill psychopath? She starts grinning as I lift her onto my crotch with her back against my chest. My chin is resting on the top of her head as she wiggles her butt into me. I wrap my arms around her, putting my hands on her throat. She's practically vibrating in anticipation against me. Starting to squeeze carefully, I kiss the back of her neck, the side, and then nibble on her earlobe.

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"I know you killed them all on purpose, Emma. I know you lied," I said, upping the force on her neck until I'm choking her.

Because my arms are crossed around her, she can't move her arms to try to get at me. Emma can't do anything but thrash around to hopefully break my grip. She tries to headbutt me in the face, but she can only reach my chest. She may have me beat in combat potential, but I am so much physically stronger than her. Mentally keeping track of the time, I don't say anything else to her as I deprive her brain of oxygen. She struggles to speak, spittle getting on my hands as it drips down her neck. You underestimated me, Emma. You may have more bodies in your backyard, but every kill of mine is in a grave I dug myself. And then I release, keeping my hands against her neck but without any pressure. She gasps for air, sucking in as much as she can while hyperventilating.

"Eryk, please," she said in between gaps. "Let me explain."

"No, Emma. Let me explain. You lied about how everyone in town died; it wasn't accidental. You murdered them all on purpose. I don't give a damn about your reasons. I'm not a cop, Cape, or BNA agent, so save whatever excuses you have for someone who cares. Now, I'm going to ask you a question, and you'd better start telling me the truth, or I will choke you to the point of brain damage: one question, one answer. Do you understand?" I asked her.

"Yes," she said hoarsely.

"Good girl. Call off the shadowspawn you have converging on us right now. I will not tell you twice," I said, starting to squeeze again.

"Okay, okay. Stop. I'll send them away," Emma said, starting to cry.

You exterminated a town and are crying like I'm the monster.

"How much of your trigger event was true?" I asked, eyes on the door.

"All of it except the part where I said I accidentally killed him," she sniffled. "It wasn't an accident. As soon as I got my power, I took a mallet to the back of his head after he had had a few drinks. I kept hitting him until there wasn't a single spot of carpet that wasn't covered in him. Eryk, please."

I cut her off with a squeeze.

"Only answer my questions with relevant information. I will not tell you again," I warned, releasing. "You lied about your power. What is your exact actual power?"

"Anyone I kill, no matter the means, will rise as a shadowspawn loyal to me. Anyone killed by a shadowspawn will rise as a shadowspawn. It extends to any living creature larger than a mouse. They are immortal soldiers that will follow any command I give them, regardless of whether it will result in their deaths. I can give them orders with a thought, and I can possess one of them at a time to control its movements directly. They can be killed by anything, but it just turns them into a shadow that they will rise from after a few minutes. They can be permanently killed by burning their shadow with any kind of direct light. That's everything, I swear. The only thing I lied about was losing control when I slept," she quickly said.

"Shhhhh. It's okay. I don't want to hurt you, Emma. This brings me no joy. What would happen to your shadowspawn if you died?" I asked.

She starts sobbing even harder at my question. "No, nonononononono. P-p-p-please don't kill me."

"I'm not going to kill you," I interrupted. "Emma, I wasn't lying about being able to remove your power. I'm sure you were, but I wasn't. I'm asking so I know what kind of fallout I can expect from the shadowspawn."

"They won't die, but I can't say what they'll do without me in control of them, so you shouldn't kill me," she said fearfully.

"Okay, that makes the decision easier for me. If I were you, I'd send all the shadowspawn away somewhere. Somewhere like where the others are hiding," I said, starting to absorb her power.

"What, o-okay. Alright, it's done. Can you let go now?"

"Not yet."

We sit in silence as the minutes count down. And done. Emma gasps, but this time in surprise, rather than from asphyxiation. She begins to speak, asking questions, but I tune her out. Focusing within myself, I soak in the understanding of her power. She didn't lie about a single thing. Good, she might just survive this. My face splits in the first genuine smile I've made since we got here. Another actual emotion: love. I laugh a little, then a lot. I'm so god damn happy. I can finally experience love, the strongest emotional connection two people can have. Emma's frantic shouting ruins my moment, and I'm tempted to choke her again. No, can't do that. Violence is a scalpel, not a sledgehammer; precision is paramount.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"You took it. How? I thought you were a Tinkerer," Emma cried.

"I never said I was a Tinkerer. It's permanent, by the way. Let the realization really set in. You were not the only one hiding your cards," I said.

"Damnit. I went icefishing and somehow caught a fucking shark. I have terrible luck with men," Emma said calmly, wiping her face.

"There we go. Let's continue where we left off; we aren't done with the questioning. What's your diagnosis: antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, a healthy dose of narcissism?"

"None of the above. I've never been diagnosed; not many places to go to therapy around here. But I'd guess BPD and depression, personally. I fantasized about killing Ryan, my mom, the neighbors, myself, but I never did anything. Suicidal and homicidal urges aren't that different when you really get into it. I just took an opportunity when I saw it. I may have gone overboard," she admitted.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"That's an easy one. I was lonely. I really haven't spoken to anyone in months, and when you didn't immediately attack the shadowspawn, I figured I could hear you out. You seemed like a nice guy, you know, before all of this," she said, rotating her head in a circle.

"And why did you try to sleep with me?"

"I didn't try, I did. It's like I said, I was lonely. And then you took off your helmet and turned out to be hot. Also, why are you acting like I took advantage of you? You were very much a willing participant in last night's activities, and are we just ignoring the currently hard dick pressing into me?" Emma asked, sarcastically.

She's not afraid anymore.

"Moving on," I said, ignoring her. "If you could do anything, anything in the world, what would you do?"

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