Crossfire - a sizzling slow burn with supernatural powers

Snakes

I thanked Maria for the sandwich and followed Perez out of the common room. It was wishful thinking but perhaps he would take me back home. I dismissed the thought. No one would smoke a business, take someone, and then just let them go again. Even if I answered their questions.

Perez lead me outside and along a path. The surroundings almost looked like a campus. The building I had been in was like a two story dormitory and I saw similar buildings with a green park and paths in between. It was actually really nice. We walked farther up the path towards a parking lot and a small utility building. I scanned my surroundings. I couldn't see the end of the property, so I didn't know how big it was or if there was a fence. If this was the compound, it was massive. I glanced behind me, there were six similar dormitories and one wider building at the end. This was literally a small town.

"This way," Perez, who looked like he tasted liver, held the door in the utility building open. Inside was the stairwell with concrete stairs. This was where I was taken before, but this time I could see where I was going as I descended the stairs. Perez directed me to the same room as yesterday or at least a similar one.

Juanito was there, looking sullen and sporting a bruise by his mouth. He didn't have that at Titan Fitness. Galvan entered along with the creep.

Galvan gripped Juanito's shoulder, making Juanito flinch.

"Juanito insists that he saw you make smoke, even when he was under pressure. However, you adamantly say that you aren't a smoker."

Galvan had flair for the ominous. I had shivers from the uncertainty of the situation. The bruise on Juanito's face was new. Perhaps it was Galvan himself, who had hit him. Galvan focused on Juanito.

"This is your opportunity to prove yourself. Make her show her smoke." Juanito looked confused and in dread, but he knew better than to stall. He looked at his palm to conjure his smoke, but he was feeling the overwhelming pressure. His palm trembled as the yellow smoke began to rise.

I stepped back. I didn't what to show them my actual power. If they knew I could amplify their powers, the smokers could use me as a weapon. I didn't want them to think, I was a smoker, so they would keep me here in the compound. Then again, I didn't want to go through a painful beating again. My hand felt the figure on my chest. I also didn't want Juanito to get hurt. There wasn't a good solution here. There were bad and painful solutions.

Juanito sent a puff of smoke after me. I skittered backwards, and the smoke flowed outwards and evaporated, before it reached me.

"You have to do better than that!" Galvan ordered, his voice thunderous in the room.

Defensive techniques and taking the beating. That was the best options.

Juanito sent a beam of smoke in my direction. It was more focused, but I could easily jump to the right and avoid it. He tried again, and again I diverted the beam of smoke.

The creep laughed under his breath, once again leaning against the wall. The sound unsettled Juanito, his eyes flicked back to catch a glimpse of the creep before concentrating on his palms and me again. Juanito sent a series of smoke blasts at me. One hit my side and stung, but I was able to escape the other.

Galvan sighed. He was losing patience.

Juanito tried again and gave his best shot. He sent a new series of smoke blasts after me. I ducked and evaded them to the best of my ability. I parried the last blast with my arm in front of my face and winced. If I hadn't put up my arm, the blast would have hit me in the face.

Galvan began to move from foot to foot and look at the floor.

The creep pushed away from the wall.

"If I may..."

The suggestion made me look at the creep open mouthed. This was not good.

Galvan ushered the creep forward with the flick of his hand.

The creep licked his lips and his smoke coiled up his arms to his elbows, before it elongated in my direction. His smoke resembled snakes slithering through the air. One snake of smoke struck to my left and I moved right, but the creep snared me with the smoke snake. The creep lashed it around my torso, but kept my arms free.

I wiggled to free myself, but the smoke arm constricted me and pushed against my ribs.

"Just use your smoke. Your hands are free." The creep tried to ensnare me. He smiled and his eyes glinted with cruelty. I realized he was enjoying this, as my legs kicked against the floor and his constriction pushing painfully against my ribs and lungs.

When I didn't blow smoke, the other snake of smoke crawled along the nape of my neck, under my ear, and under my chin and began to suffocate me.

"Please, just show them your smoke," Juanito pleaded, which made Galvan slap him on his ear. Juanito held his ear and rocked back and forth to console himself.

Galvan and the creep scrutinized me in equal measure.

I was breathing through a straw and I saw dark spots. If I could have blown smoke and created a lightning strike, I would have done so to save my life. I felt like I was on the brink of consciousness. I didn't see Galvan or the creep, my focus was on the snakes of smoke stealing my ability to breathe.

Just as I felt my eyes close, the creep released me. I fell on the floor and with a hand on my throat for support, I struggled to breathe without hyperventilating.

"She doesn't blow smoke," the creep concluded.

Galvan uttered his dissatisfaction with a low tone.

"That's unfortunate."

The creep approached me and took my chin in his hand. He turned my face and took notice of my throat.

If I could choose a power right that instance, I would shoot daggers from my eyes. Our eyes met and the creep smiled and let go of my chin.