LoVing Two

Detectives

I knock once like Stephen had done, Ivan answers the door this time, his face falls from a smile to a frown of confusion. He doesn't seem too happy when he notices Ezra.

"Hey Ivan. I know this is strange, but this is Ezra." He gave Ezra an unsure look.
"It's Stephen, something's happened and I need your help."

We explained what had happened, Ezra stood in the corner of the living room, though he had been offered a seat, he didn't seem at all comfortable.

"So where is Stephen now? Is he okay?" Ivan asked, holding his head.

"We had to chain him up at Ezra's house, we can't be sure the compulsion has fully worn off. He's okay though, just confused."

"Oh, poor Stephen. He always seems to get the sharp end of the stick." Hannah held her mouth. She seemed very distressed.

"He'll be okay, don't you worry." I offered her a small smile. "So do you guys have any clues that might help us?"

"The only person who would have any reason to do this type of thing is long dead. I mean, sure, Stephen has enemies, but this is something seriously personal, against at least you two."

I nodded. This wasn't just about Stephen, this was to hurt all of us. "Wait. Who's the person?"

Ivan and Hannah looked awkwardly at each other. Even Ezra seemed a bit off.

Ezra walked closer to us and answered. "Celia." He gave me a look and I understood.

This plan wasn't meant to harm Stephen, it was to hurt us, and cause Stephen pain by having killed me, but she was dead, that's why we had obtained the connection.

"Well, I guess we're back to square one. Thanks for the help guys. I'll let you know if we come up with anything."

They walked us to the door, as Ezra got in the car, Hannah pulled me back by the hand.
"Are you sure you can trust Ezra? I'm not trying to cause issues, but Stephen is my friend and Ezra seems to have come out of this pretty well."

"No, he came close to the exact opposite, Stephen nearly killed him." I felt his pulse against my palms once again, then shook them to remove the thought. "I can see it in his eyes, he's telling the truth."

She nodded and gave me a light hug, then allowed me to leave.

"What was that about?" Ezra asked once I'd shut the door.

"She's just worried about Stephen is all. It's okay, nothing of use or importance." I smile and pat his leg.

Once home, I got Stephen a glass of blood. He wasn't allowed to have too much or he could break free of the shackles.

"Gin?" He asked as I opened the door.

"I brought you some blood to keep you going."

His weary eyes lit up. He looked worse than Ezra did when he was drained of blood. Perhaps it was due to his neck being broken. His skin was paler and dry, his hair was faded to a dull colour and his lips were so dry and split. His body mass had deteriorated as well, his toned muscles were barely noticeable and his top was so loose.

I handed him the small glass and he gulped it down, his features gaining back a little bit of their shine.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, we still need to find out who did this so we can let you out." I kneeled down beside him, running a hand through his hair, my arm wrapped around his shoulder, holding him close.

"I don't want you to leave me Gin."

"I know, I don't want to leave you alone here, it breaks my heart to see you like this. I have to figure this out though, there's no leads. I was going to try persuasion, but I don't know if it would work."

"You can try." He looks to me, as if both asking me and giving me permission to do so.

I look deeply into his eyes. "What is the last thing you remember before you woke up here, before you...attacked us."

His pupils dilate slightly. "I was at home reading, when the doorbell rang, no one was there. I shut the door and heard something upstairs. When I went in my room..." He stopped, his pupils slowly getting smaller.

I concentrated harder and his pupils redilated.

"She was on my bed, but she shouldn't have been. She was lost, she needed my help."

"Stephen, who was on your bed? What was her name?"

"G...G..." He was now stuttering.

"Stephen!"

He held his head and shook it like he was pushing away a thought.

"Stephen, stop. Just calm down, it's okay."

"No! No!"

I placed my hands on his shoulders, but he threw them off, then pushed me away, sending me halfway across the room.
I ran back at him, tackling him and pinning him down.
"Stephen. Relax. Breathe. I'm here. I'm here."

He stopped moving, I felt his muscles relax beneath me as he opened his eyes.

"It's alright. You're okay now." I swung my leg over him and sat beside him.

"Did it work?"

"A woman was in your house, on your bed. You said she was lost. I tried to get her name, but you started to freak out."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't you dare be sorry, this is not your fault." I held his face in my hands and smiled, pressing my forehead to his. "We're gonna figure this out, I promise." I kissed his forehead and he leant his head in my lap.

We sat there for a few hours, we didn't speak, I just brushed his hair with my hand as his head sat on my lap.

"I have to go now, but I'll be back. I promise."
His eyes darkened, but he nodded.

-

"How is he?" Ezra questioned, handing me a coffee.

"The blood helped. I tried persuasion to get information."

His eyes went dark for a moment. "What happened?"

"He said he heard a knock at the door, no one was there, then a woman was on his bed, who shouldn't have been there. Just before I got her name, he went crazy. He's calm now." Sipping my coffee, I looked to him with frustration.

"Don't do it again."

"Why?"

"Messing with someone else's persuasion can be dangerous. They can leave traps."

"Traps?"

"They could have left the idea of suicide in the person's head if they don't want their identity discovered. Or they could have the person attack you."

"That must be why he wanted me away from him before I calmed him, he pushed me out of reach." I looked down at my cup with shame. "Why didn't he tell me?"

"He knows the compulsion is weak now, so he can fight it, for a bit at least."

"Who could that woman have been?"

"I think we both know that."