The Doctor and the Witch's Spell

This is the second installment of the Requiem chapters, transitioning into a new stage of development for the story. Please, it is probably quite different than the image you concocted in your mind, or perhaps it hit the nail on the head. In any case, I hope you enjoy the outcome of this first chapter via the new segment. Cheers!

*

The music within the booming building transcended the walls, caressing every dancer, drinker, and womanizer's ears like a lover does, beckoning with a voice of urgent need. It was a comforting sound to Chloe as she read another chapter in her most recent discovery thanks to Sherron,

A Song of Ice and Fire

. The imagery within the pages escalated to such fantastical realms and magical worlds, characters that could instill fear or love into the heart, and lands of rich history inhabited by relics of an ancient world just like our own. The magic that lives within the pages, the dragons, warlocks, alchemists, and enchanted weapons had to exist in our world; if such a person like George R. R. Martin lived in the cruel world she knew better than her first memories as a child, then there was no question as to what was real in her mind. She believed in everything until it's disproven; fairies, myths, ancient beings, it all exists. It simply had to exist because her thoughts couldn't travel anywhere else whenever she'd unmark the dog-eared pages and submerge herself in wonder and awe.

If they would just stop moaning for another half-hour, maybe I

would

be able to focus more on whom I'm supposed to keep an eye out for!

Chloe complained to herself, hearing another thump in the room she had her back to.

After Sherron's most recent battle with her sleeping condition, Veronica secured the position of Mother Goose and fled to Sherron's side; completely unmoving for anyone else or anything. She flipped another page, reading about a battle that was ensuing between two opposing armies with green fire, when another audible thud was heard, followed by a distinguishable moan that was foreign to Chloe's ears; it could be no one other than Veronica.

Curiously, she felt her ear gravitate towards the double doors that were shut tightly, the doorframe locks north and south of the crease latched tightly closed. At first there was nothing but the constant booming and rattling of the walls, the bass harmonizing with the words of Katie from below her. And, then -- a distinct voice was calling out.

"Yeh... Ooh..... ...me, beauty... su...ohhhhh... no... st-stop! ... I cant! ... You have to st-"A sharp gasp cut the silence as Chloe's eyes wandered aimlessly. Her mind desperately tried in vain to hear more of what was said. And, then, quite clearly, a scream could be heard from beyond the doorframe. She felt her heart in her chest echoing, resonating the beat of her pulse thick in her throat. Chloe's eyes were wide as she listened in on the hot sex between her best friend of close to a decade and her 'love of her life', as Sherron always quoted to her.

"FUCK!" A voice screamed.

Chloe's eyes widened as she recognized the yelling to be Sherron's doing, wondering if she was experiencing mind-blowing sex as it appeared to her behind the door, stealing her view from the spectacle.

"Mm... don't go, stay with... safe. Always, ...could I not?" A mumbled accented voice called out from beyond the lounge doors, followed by a giggle. Looking around herself, Chloe concluded that it was safe enough to divulge her full attention to -- she couldn't sense any immediate dangers, not as of yet. Meg had instructed her to watch over the doors while Sherron was indisposed, keeping an eye out for any unwanted disturbances should there be start of any. Chloe didn't understand the point of her sitting there at the guest table, reading and pondering, and then pondering and reading while waiting for Sherron and Veronica to finish up their little endeavor; if she truly needed protection, she could've called any number of the bouncers on deck to report to the lounge room on the third floor, to keep any disturbances at bay. Yet, there were always precautions when it concerned the three best friends of ten years.

She shook her head and sighed, her attention being directed back towards her book, as a soldier with an axe hacked off a limb that was parrying blows from above and below him. Until his arm flew from view, his blood-curdling screams were cut short by an arrow to the chest. Chloe's eyes drank in the words, unable to turn away in disgust as the carnage of the war was singeing her comfort zone; the music faltered momentarily, the band taking a break, talking and interacting with the crowd.

Laughter erupted from beyond the doors as Chloe stared at the wall in front of her frustratingly, wondering what the hell was so funny. She was tapping her heel against the wall out of annoyance, her patience thinning as Dylan and Allen appeared from the hallway. Chloe felt as though she would shit a golden egg.

Will this night never fucking end with its suspense and surprises! Enough already!

Chloe screamed in her mind as she forced herself to smile.

"Allen, Dylan... I haven't heard from you two love birds in so long I figured you both made some progress as new friends along the way from one of these lovely suites available..." Chloe remarked as she shut the hardcover close.

"Charming, Chloe. We just finished up a big sale thanks to this big guy here." Allen explained while patting Dylan's back. Veronica's fiancé had possibly the biggest grin Chloe had ever seen. For an instant, she felt foul play. Something didn't feel right. If she'd have to, she would use her clairvoyance if Dylan showed the signs, but only after and not before...

"Congrats, Dylan. I honestly didn't know you could throw a pitch."

"Nice terminology, Chloe. And, ya, I learned from a good friend who always keeps me informed and, ...growing, yeah, growing, that's right." He was shaking his finger to and fro to emphasize his acknowledgement. Allen gave him another pat on the back as if he wanted to settle down an animal. Suddenly, she felt that sting in the back of her mind again, telling her something. Chloe's intuition never lied, so she picked up on the frequency of Dylan's mind, locating, and pinpointing the source of interest.

"How much was the sale exactly? Or is that strictly confidential?" She gave Allen a crude look.

He looked at her silently, his expressionless face unnerving her for a heartbeat. Recently, Chloe felt she was giving her marriage second thoughts to Allen. Ever since college, the chemistry between them dwindled further and further into a black hole.

Two can play at that game, darling.

Chloe thought in retaliation.

"Unfortunately, Chloe, I'm afraid all the business talk would bore you, it's completely indiscernible from a woman's point of view."

"And, that comes from fact? You can be a real tool sometimes, Allen, but cut it out with the jokes. Unless you still want to have a dick in the morning."

Chloe's words sliced the air with a tangible effort, feeling the impact of them. She knew she would have to use a sparse amount of energy for the added effect she wanted, and hopefully not lose consciousness by doing so. This sort of power was what Sherron possessed, the ability to affect one's emotions through words and thought. Chloe was waddling through uncharted territory in her mind, but she wouldn't allow Allen to walk all over her. Not this time, at least.

He raised his eyebrows out of surprise, his eyes slightly out of focus. Chloe relished in seeing the fire cease in his pupils, the carnal hunger within them dissipating at a rapid rate. Dylan looked over at Allen, confused.

"You all right, Al? Ya look worse than a sick dog." Dylan's intent gaze was trained on Allen, expecting him to blow chunks or yell or something -- anything to expel that unwanted loathing and hatred.

Allen's lips fumbled for words, yet none would come out. Out of exasperation, he sighed angrily and slumped into the wall, crossing his arms over his chest, staring blindly at the double doors. Until -- another thud came from within. With fear in her heart, Chloe saw Allen's eyes refocus on the distant sound, his interest waxing and waning. Silence followed, aside from the constant beat of Austra's instrumental sound downstairs, as Allen's eyes looked all around the door, thinking, trying to make sense of something.

Oh shit! He knows the doors are charmed!

Chloe thought out of alarm.

Meg had cast a charm over the double doors, securing it in a vacuum seal a little over an hour ago to help give Sherron and Veronica privacy.

Now, though

, Chloe thought to herself,

Allen is picking up on the scent. He knows it's there.

"Speaking of mysteries, my darling wife, would you happen to know where Veronica is? Dylan wants to leave. He says he has a headach-"

"Well, if he has a headache he can go downstairs, hail down a cab, and walk himself through the front door of his home where I'm sure he's capable of fetching his own glass of water and ibuprofen. It's truly not difficult, boys." Chloe quipped sarcastically.

"And, Veronica went downstairs to get drinks. I'm pretty sure I saw her walking down the steps not twenty minutes ago..." Chloe said as several people walked past, laughing in a drunken stupor.

Allen opened his mouth to say something, yet couldn't, because his attention was drawn back to the doors. He was staring intently at the locks, the gears in his head visibly moving beneath the surface; Chloe could see it herself. Allen was a different breed of being than Sherron, Meg and herself -- he could disappear and reappear at will, but only when the moon was full did his power become greater, for his abilities lie dormant within him. She was running out of time. She needed to fix this situation, and fast.

Then, almost as if on cue to add to her misery, a faint but recognizable laugh could be heard. Dylan was oblivious to the sounds; it was too acute for normal human hearing. Allen definitely heard it though, Chloe knew that much.

"You know, I think I left my flask on the counter in there. If you don't mind, I'll just go and fetch it." Allen made his way over to the double doors; standing at attention once he got there from Chloe's long leg blocking any further advancement.

"Sherron is still suffering from the migraine and the episode from earlier. She needs her rest."

"Well, I have pretty good eyesight as you know. I think I can manage to not wake her. I'll be getting my flask, if you please?" Allen gestured his gaze towards Chloe's outstretched leg, asking her to move it. She didn't budge. He raised his arm towards one of the doors, mere inches away from rapping on its surface.

"Don't." Chloe said, faintly.

Or else I'll have to do what I don't want to do.

Allen looked at her, his dark green eyes the color of swamp water, as his knuckles rose further and further, adding less and less distance from his body and the doors. Until, suddenly, a zap caused him to jump back in retreat, staring incredulously at the door with a baleful gaze, and even more malevolent thoughts than before. Allen's hand had just come in contact with the charm Meg used as a barrier to keep sound in rather than out. She forgot to mention that it was a defense barrier as well. Chloe sighed in relief.

Dylan cleared his throat, reminding the couple that he was there during their little outburst.

"Well, Chloe... if you happen to see Veronica, tell her I'll probably be home within the next twenty minutes. I forgot to jot down my information to our most recent client, so while I'm doing that, I figured she'd probably be back here by that time. So, just ...let her know I'll be headed home, ya?" He said with a smile. Only one thing was completely off to Chloe, aside from the second obvious anomaly she had heard -- his eyes weren't smiling.

And she knew if the client Dylan was referring to be the fat cat, loan shark that Allen dealt with on a daily basis -- there would be no second chance to jot down information. When you pitch something, it's either you win or you don't. With a sinking feeling, she let her mind wander as her powers took over her, sinking further into her chest. She dug deeper into his mind until an image of him twenty minutes ago, lounging on a sofa in a room Chloe knew did not belong to Meg Little. This room was modernized: the coffee table was a single panel of glass resting on a white block, several glasses of liquor cluttering what empty space one could find. The couches were leather and white like snow, as well as the walls.

The only part of the room that did have color seemed to be Dylan's own skin as he stared out the open window in a daze. His memory shifted as his eyes moved to his lap, a head with red hair energetically bobbing up and down, her arms at her sides. An exhilarating feeling infiltrated her senses as Chloe realized she was experiencing his emotions, a darkness to them that didn't seem foreign to her at all. In fact she knew that feeling quite well.

The memory shifted again, much like static on a corrupted video, as Dylan's eyes moved further to the left of the room where they fell on Chloe's husband, laying on the couch adjacent to Dylan, a woman completely nude riding him, continuously. Chloe gasped in fright, losing the connection with Dylan's consciousness. The atmosphere felt extremely cold to her as she shook, her lips quivering with the recent memory. She had never felt so sick to her stomach in her entire life.

She was sitting there, silently, as the two men looked at each other out of confusion, wondering the same thing. Allen stepped closer to the table where she sat, his hand moving towards her hair to stroke it. Even with her eyes closed, Chloe could see Allen's hand from above her as her spirit lifted from her body, drawing energy that began to coil into a ball that grew more and more.

The index finger of Allen Frobisher tapped Chloe's bare shoulder in a caressing way, when without warning, a blast of force propelled both Dylan and Allen ten feet from their original position, the table flying with them. When it made contact with the wall, it splintered into several pieces flying in all directions as the two men landed in a heap near the corner of the wall. Allen sat up in a rush, brushing debris from his black trench coat as Dylan began to stir beside him. He caught Chloe's stare and breathed hesitantly.

Chloe's eyes were emitting a certain glow that resembled fire as her hair stood up, floating by an invisible force. They were trained directly on Allen, connecting with his mind, repeating a single word over, and over, and over until he finally understood.

"Go."

By the time Allen had gained his footing, Dylan was shaking splinters from his hair when his eyes caught Chloe's, freezing him in a state of fear. Allen began pulling him up by the arms, hauling him to their escape route. Dylan blinked several times as he took in Chloe's gaze, muttering incoherently when Allen hoisted him on his feet, forcing him to focus on walking instead of looking at a woman who looked to be on fire. It was only when they had rounded the corner, witnessing the backs of them recede on their descent down the staircase that Chloe let her guard down, feeling the energy being zapped from her in an instant. She steadied herself on the wall with a hand to keep balance as she closed her eyes and practiced breathing, feeling herself acclimating to the familiar vibration of the five senses.

Sherron! Listen to me! It's urgent!

Chloe yelled with her mind, imploring her friend to hear her so she wouldn't have to barge in on such a note. There was no answer from her consciousness as Chloe waited, feeling paranoia gnawing on her thoughts.

SHER!

No answer.

She huffed out of frustration as she waved her hands on either side of her. The latches over the locks unclasped by themselves as she pushed the doors open, slamming on the walls and damaging the hinges in the process.

The light from the hallway fell on two figures lying on the sofa in an entanglement of limbs. The two women gasped in surprise, hugging each other as Chloe burst through the doors, slamming them shut again with her will alone. Darkness filled the space again for an unnerving full ten seconds until Chloe reached up and pulled the chain attached to the fan from above, flooding the space around them with light once again.

"Chloe, what the hell!" Sherron said with a startled look. She was underneath Vonni, pulling her arms towards her abdomen in vain to try and conceal where they had been moments before.

"We have trouble."

"What trouble?"

"I know who Allen is now. And, I know why we weren't able to sense it before." Chloe said with an unsettling calm, forgetting momentarily that Vonni was near.

"Monarcha daemonium."

She whispered unsteadily.

Sherron's face fell, as she understood the weight of the situation. Veronica turned her head towards Sherron, then back to Chloe for some clue as to what was going on.

"I have absolutely no idea what the fuck you two cooks are talking about, but Chloe, I don't mean to be rude, but do you mind if we get dressed in peace?" Veronica said, attempting to cover up her nude form.

Chloe nodded, apologizing, walking back to the double doors in a daze. She turned back to Sherron, saying to her in her mind.

What happened behind the doors was minor. What they did was not. I need to assess the damage that Allen has done, though. Meg was already in her car heading to Veronica's home when she felt me ascend earlier. She's adding the tonic to the teacup Dylan will use to drink out of before he goes to sleep. He won't remember any of it; it was beyond his knowledge when it happened. He was put under mind control. To be safe though, she's staying with you tonight. Do not let her out of your sights. Allen still has a hold over Dylan, and you know what the only reason for him doing so is. By morning we'll know if it's safe for her to return. I'll take care of Allen.

And, with that, she opened the double doors, and closed them quietly behind her, the soft click of the locks shifting into place.

* * * * *

Veronica fidgeted within Sherron's arms, incredibly confused.

"Monarchamocha de what?" She said in a skeptical tone. Sherron looked back at her, resting her hand on her cheek, trying to calm her.

"What she said, was,

Monarcha daemonium

. It means monarch demon in Latin." Sherron's voice was a mere whisper as she caressed Veronica's cheeks, softly tracing her name into the skin with her fingertips.

"Yes, but why did she have to barge in here like a bull in a china shop?"

"You know that's a myth, right?" Sherron quipped with a smirk.

"I'm serious! Tell me what's going." Veronica's eyes held her stare as a warning to Sherron, the light shinning in them was incandescent. Sherron blinked a few times, feeling herself losing control. She sighed and looked around, shaking her head.

"I honestly don't know if you'll believe me, Veronica, when I tell you this bit of information I learned... six years ago. I need you to trust me."

"I do trust you." Veronica said without hesitation. Sherron's eyes misted at those words, feeling herself falling head over heels as her eyes held Veronica's gaze. Sherron smiled at her, her cheeks burning with the love flowing from her eyes.

"What if I told you that... I can do things that other people cannot. That I can influence a situation whenever I wanted to. At will."

Veronica sat up a bit more, her hair falling to her face as she looked down at Sherron strangely.

"Be more specific. Enlighten me." Her hard stare was inspecting again, searching for a clue to help her understand.

"It's more complicated than that, Veronica. I don't exploit what I can do. I do not use them for my advantage in any personal endeavors I encounter. I only use them when they're needed. Critically needed. Like life and death situations." Sherron closed her eyes, begging Veronica with her mind to try and understand that the impossible she was conditioned to believe as a child, is in fact possible and happens everywhere, at any given time.