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Variel froze when she felt the metal against her throat, and she didn't have to fake the fear that crossed her face. She trusted her brother, but there was always the chance that the other hunter would do something and get her killed. So she stayed perfectly still, not daring to even breath hard. "Great timing, as always." She finally said, glancing down at the body. "Joy. More nightmare fodder I really didn't need." She groaned, shaking her head. With a sigh she bent over and yanked out the blade, walking over to Mikah handing it over to him. She traded the knife for the helmet, securing it before sitting behind him on the motorcycle. She seemed to have been doing that a lot lately.

Artemus reached Max's finally and the sun was setting..."Max, take care of my sister for me please...Here this will lessen the herbal poisoning those two have suffered." He said tossing her four vials of strange liquids. "Give them each only a single drop...no more than that." He said then looking at his sister. "I guess I'm off to make someone's bed feel like heaven and hell." He smirked once before pulling out again with not asingle word from the others he had no tiem for it he was needing to feed.

Salem slumped over Max with an arm around her, "Isn't he dreamy?" He laughed..."Funny, If I could feel anything in my body right now it would be a hard on for him." He giggled abit more then wobbled toward Variel, "Hey there Vari....How's Damien...I'm moving in with Kali now so when I graduate this week I can start being independent and not ahve to depend on a Wraith for a brother." Salem was blurting out a lot of information tha tMax may have not needed to hear, but under the influence of Basil and St. John's Wort it seemed like it was impossibel to shut his mouth.

"There are guns in the shed outside. Please don't destroy my house." Max sighed a bit helplessly as she looked outside. The fact that it was becoming night affected her too. With a wince she backed out of the room, shaking her head sharply. She darted to her bedroom, where she stripped off all her clothes. Just in time too before she sank down onto all four paws. Soon her change was complete and she trotted back out to the living room, jumping up to curl up on the couch.

"I don't know how Damien is. I haven't talked to him in a while, and I won't. I have a burn all over my side because of him, though it'll go away quickly. I almost killed Mikah because of him. Suffice to say I'm a bit mad at him." Variel said briefly, sliding an arm around Salem's shoulders and sitting him down on the couch next to her. Kali sat on the couch across to them, curling up with Max with a yawn. Max sighed and rolled her eyes, but didn't bite her or anything, which was good.

Salem laughed lightly, "Damien burned you...haha...new meaning to someone saying 'You got burned!!' Ha, that's hilarious. Too bad your brother isn't available, Vari...He is hot." He said with a smirk. What were those vials for?" He asked looking at the few vials on the table. "Can I have some they look like so awesome kool-aid?" He spoke with a yawn..."Where did sexy go anyway?" He asked clearly his mind was numb and on sex and everything else in the world.

"Yeah. My pain is freakin hilarious." Variel said sarcastically, eyes narrowing. But she sighed, shaking her head as she rose to her feet. She went into the kitchen and returned with two small glasses of water. Each glass got a drop from each vial, and she handed a glass to Kali. "Drink. All of it." Yawning, Kali obeyed, drinking all of it and handing the glass back to Variel. "Get some rest." Variel told her. Kali didn't really have to listen, curling up against Max and closing her eyes. Then Variel crossed back over to Salem. She handed him the other glass, "Lets not dwell on what Mikah is doing. You drink this and try and get some sleep." She said firmly.

Salem simply rolled his eyes at Variel, "You are such a part pooper. You need to learn how to smile. You call him Mikah, but he will always be Art to me a work of art." He laughed again taking the water and drinking it fully. "Well, that was refreshing, maybe next time add some flavor to it. I hate eating and drinking healthy. It is so boring. Nothing really good comes out of it but a body like Damien's...I'm getting there." He said looking down at his blood covered torso. "You know if I had my powers I would make it sunny...well..in the morning, but I would get rid of that big line of clouds. Isn't the Coven gathering tonight? Can I go? Please!!!" Salem was out of his mind and it made one wonder when those vials of liquid were going to kick in.

"Forgive me for not thinking that the guy I love attacking me is funny." Variel said sarcastically, her gaze narrowing sharply. "You are most definitely not going. If Mikah is right something bad is going to happen, and I am not going to let you get hurt." She told him firmly. She pulled him over so he was laying on his back, his head in her lap. "Hold still. Try and rest, I'm going to see what I can do about the physical things." Carefully she pulled out a piece of iron from his chest and set it on the table. Picking up one of the wash clothes she had grabbed from the kitchen she held it firmly over the wound left behind until the blood had stopped gushing out over everything. Then she did the next, starting a pile on the kitchen table and patiently staunching the bleeding each time.

Salem closed his eyes unable to feel the iron being pulled from him. He looked like a pup being pampered as he laid on his back. He then let out another yawn, "Maybe you and Damien can be happy...Maybe somebody will sacrifice their soul for you. I want to, but Damien will stop it from happening before it even starts." He said tiredly. "I hope your brother is okay...Maybe he will come back to say hello to me." He said with yet another yawn. "Should we check on him later? I'm sure he is going through a lot with a change leading to sex..." He giggled again, "We can call it a sex change." He then looked up facing Variel more fully and seeming rather child-like. "I have one last game before graduation. Do you think Damien will come see it?" He quickly looked off from her. "Never mind. He probably has no interest in even coming to my graduation." He said plainly before the droplet of potion or whatever it was began to really kick in. He felt a wince of pain and squinted as she pulled out another piece of iron from his arm this time. "Ouch!!!" He shouted rubbing hsi arm, "What was that for?" He demanded a bit more himself now.

"Doubtful, Salem. I'm not going to let you do it, and there's really no one else. Maybe it won't work anyway, since I can't die unless Damien does." Variel gave a half hearted smile, pausing to study him. "Even if Damien can't make it, I promise I'll be there. I always am, aren't I?" She grinned, bending over to kiss his forehead. Then laughed softly, shaking her head. "Mikah will come back for me. Hate to break it to you, but he's a witch hunter. He would have killed you if it wasn't for me. So I'm a hero in more ways than one." She teased lightly, setting aside another piece of iron. Then she sighed in relief. "Oh thank god you're you again. I'm not sure how much more I could stand of hearing all about the sexiness of my brother." She rolled her eyes, pushing his hand away. "Hold still. I'm pulling iron out of you. Don't you remember? You and Kali were attacked by hunters, I was a fabulous hero and hauled your ass out? Now we're at Max's." She summarized briefly, pulling out the next piece. She cast a glance over at Kali, but the seer was dead asleep with a resigned Max as a pillow.

Salem raised an eyebrow with a very confused look, "Sexiness of who? I didn't know you had a brother." Obviously it was clear the herbs did their job he couldn't recall any of it. "What the hell? I can't beleive I thought a Witch hunter was hot." He could recall bits of their conversation, but beyond that it was mostly a blur. "Don't tell me I got shot again. I'm really tired of getting shot and passing out." He exclaimed clearly frustrated with himself that he couldn't figure out his memory manipulation not even on himself yet. He looked at his chest as piece by piece of iron was removed it was slowly trying to heal. "Damn my whole body feels like pins and needles right now." He said as he flexed his fingers and arms.

((Out to dinner brb))

((ok))

((order something good.))

"Twin brother, actually. Artemus. And don't you say it in that tone Salem. I get enough discrimination from both Mikah and Damien. Hunter or not he helped save your life. At th very least he deserves simple politeness, if not for him then for me. He has... Curse with different side effects of desire and stuff so it's not surprising. And yes, you and Kali both got shot." Variel nodded at Kali, who was dead to the world at this point. "Stop moving. I need to get this out and then you're going to help me with Kali. She knows you better than she knows me, and she'll trust you to do this a lot more too." She explained, carefully extending claws just enough to reach into his skin hurt a bit and extract a piece of iron that she tossed onto the pile. "Sorry about the pain I'm sure this is causing. But it'll be a lot worse if I let it sit.

Salem winced and gritted his teeth as she pulled another piece. He was not enjoying this one single bit. "What did I get shot by that exploded?" He asked watching the blood ooze for a moment before Vari dabbed it with arag and it began to heal. Salem looked around to the dog and Kali. "I'm guessing the dog is Max, huh?" He said with a sigh then lightly tried to joke to ease up Variel. Inhs fakest singing voice ever, "I'm in the dog house tonight...Oh I'm sleeping with my hound tonight." He smirked, "Sorry, it was an opportunistic moment. I couldn't help myself." He said...before beocmign rather serious again. "Listen, I get you are mad at Damien and Artemus or Mikah or whoever he is is your brother and a hunter, but I cna't see myself wanting to be with a hunter even if he did save my life. sure checking him out before he tries to kill me, but not actually wanting to have sex with him. Damien has taught me enough about hating their kind and how to avoid them." Salem explained..."Is Kali okay? She doesn't look half as bad as I do what did I take a bullet for her or something?" He asked curiously. "Sorry, I care abotu her, but I must have had some serious guts to do that. Guess the Wraith of a brother I have is rubbing off on me."

Max growled lowly, glaring at him, and Variel chuckled. "Yep. And she will bite you, you know." She warned Salem with a grin. Max glared at him for another moment before lowering her head again, studying Kali. "Also, you really did want to be with him. It was kind of funny, really awkward for me. Don't worry though. It's not your fault. It's this curse that he has. People are attracted to him, it's a mess that I'm not going to explain. If he wants to that's his deal." She explained.
"I don't know what happened. I wasn't there. We females are generally required by society to wear a bit more though, so I'm sure her sweatshirt helped. The problem is that I don't know how bad it is underneath it." She stopped and bit her lip lightly, shaking her head. "And she's a good deal less used to pain than you are. Any pain caused by anyone else she's never had to deal with, except when it's iron. And as a seer she's protected enough it rarely gets to her. She's been all drugged up for most of the time she iron has been in her, so she hasn't really been here enough to register it. I'm not looking forward to trying to get it all out of her." She sighed, watching Kali for a moment before turning back to Salem. She carefully pulled one piece of iron from his chest and added it to the pile. "There. You should be all done."

Salem nodded in understanding and looked at Max a bit uneasily. "Is it considered police brutality if she bites me?" He asked aloud trying to still lighten the mood of a horrible situation. Salem flinched as the last piece of iron was pulled and like a physical wall of air hitting him he felt his powers return and it seemed for a moment visible even as a clear blanket washing over and fitting his form. He took a deep breath in like swimming up formthe bottom of the ocean..."Sweet relief." He said exasperated...is wounds all began healing rather quickly finally leaving no scars at all. "Guess this means I have to go to school tomorrow, now, huh?" He asked clearly not looking forward to suffering guilt and punishment for losing the game last week. This was the last game of the year and he was not excited to be in the locker room or the showers for one last time at all. The big graduation Lacrosse game. The whole town was going to be there showing support. He was under pressure now to be the best.

((Brb in half an hour or an hour))

((ok))

"It's considered a dog attack. And as it's a dog with human intelligence and only a dog during night, good luck with that." Variel chuckled, looking down at Salem. She smiled, happy that he was intact and comfortable again. "Better?" She teased, glancing over him to make sure everything was healing right and that she had for sure gotten everything. "Well, it depends on how much babysitting your roommate needs. Not much I can do, I have a job, and so does Max. Mikah and her in the same room, let alone alone with each other, well, it would not be good." She shook her head. "So if she needs someone to stay tomorrow, well I'm counted as a guardian for you so I'll write you an excuse. And Salem, if you don't feel safe going tomorrow, you don't have to go then either. Or you could take your pet dog with you to the game." She grinned wickedly, baring sharp teeth. "I can promise that they wouldn't get close enough to you to be able to do anything. Or I'm sure Kali could help." She offered, obviously worried about him.

Salem shook his head, "No I want you there as you not as the dog you." He said plainly. He was abit uneasy, but he trusted that everytihng would be okay and even if it wasn't he ahd afeeling Vari would do something or have someone else do something that would put a load of people's feet in their mouths. He stood walking over to Kali and Max, He rubbed MAx's head lightly, "sorry bout the jokes...Couldn't help myself, promise no mroe from me." He siad with a reassuring smile tot eh german shepard. He looked over Kali for a moment. Seeing only a few bits in her arms nad no where else. He raised her hsirt up slowly and saw a few scrapes, but nothing lodged in her skin. "She needs a bit of pulling, but nothing major." He hoped anyway. If she got shot with a real iron bullet that could be anotehr issue. Luckily she wasn't up and acting horny though. That could end badly.

"Well I'll be there somehow, I can promise you that much. And if human is how you want me there, then unless something comes up human I'll be. And I'm sure Kali will want to come and watch you play too." Variel smiled over at him, pulling her legs up to sit cross legged on the couch. "Don't worry, I gave her the same thing I gave you. The drugs should be faded when she wakes up, but then we have the fun of the iron shrapnel. Ironically, Max would be the best at taking care of it, and she's the knout of us that can't." Max simply watched Salem as he petted her head, not making a sound. When he lifted up Kali's shirt she gave a low warning growl, but that was it. It wasn't clear whether it was Max's growl or her shirt moving that made Kali stir, but whatever it was she rolled over onto her stomach in her sleep, which was a bad decision. She woke up instantly, having pushed the small bits of iron in deeper and more painfully when she laid on it. Slowly she sat up and leaned against the back of the couch, closing her eyes. "It hurts." She said simply, and it wasn't evident if the simplicity of it was from the drugs still on or if that was all that needed to be said.

Salem pulled Kali's hair back behind her for a moment..."If she screams in pain I'm going outside." He said rather plainly. He couldn't handle people screaming no matter for what reason. It had something to do with his PTSD, but no matter what he hated hearing screams. He handed Variel the rag, "We may need to get this iron out soon...It could become infected. God only knows what those hunters laced that stuff with." He said very plainly. He was not going to let any hunter get away with it. He wanted them to pay for it and if he had his way he would be finding them right now and killing each and everyone of them. He didn't want to hold a grudge agaisnt a guy he hardly met, but Vari's brother was on the list of people to hate becuase he was ahunter. Whether he saved his lfie or not Salem was sure he wanted every single hunter to be killed.

"You and Max both." Kali said through gritted teeth, struggling to take slow, deep breaths. Variel lightly pushed Salem so he was sitting on the couch, and knowing what Vari needed to fix this Kali shifted to lay on the couch, her head in his lap. "I'll try not to. For your sake." She promised, completely devoid of any kind of sarcasm or anything. Variel sat on the coffee table, pulling it closer over to them so she had a good angle. She pushed Kali's shirt more of the way up, though it still covered everything. To distract herself, the seer just kept on talking, watching Salem so she didn't have to watch Variel. "Vari attacked Damien and was nearly killed by him to keep him from killing Mikah, I doubt she'd let you do anything to him either." She chuckled dryly, hissing in pain as Variel pulled out the first piece and added it to the pile. "Would you rather do this?" Variel glanced over at Salem for a moment, raising an eyebrow.

Salem simply brushed Kali's hair back and looked over at Vari..."I'm fine...really you go ahead." He insisted but he felt anger growing inside of him. He could manipulate sins and virtues, but the down side was that they also affected him rather strongly at times..."Damien attacked you?" He said more fully understanding the situation that had taken place. "What do you mean? I can't believe him." His eyes swirled red with rage. Wrath was a powerful sin and it seemed to reflect on him. His jaw tightened and his knuckles turned pale.

Variel sighed, pulling put another small piece of iron. "He was trying to kill Mikah. I tackled him. Very carefully, I might add. I don't want him actually injured. He was not pleased. I got a nasty burn on my side courtesy of him that Mikah found something to clear up later. Damien used that damned witch familiar control thing to try and make me kill Mikah. Luckily Max can look really scary and it's easy to tell she'll follow through with whatever threats she makes. She scared him, Damien let me stop, I left with Mikah, blah blah blah, saves your asses, ended up here." she summarized efficiently. Rather determinedly she avoided showing any emotion about it, simply pressing a rag against what was now a small hole in Kali's stomach. Kali reached up and squeezed his hand with a worried frown. Even though she was the physically injured one she was completely focused on helping Salem feel emotionally better. "Don't try and choose between Variel and Damien. Nothing good will happen."

Salem couldn't even look at Kali right now because he made her feel better. When wrath became induced it wasn't something you wanted to leave. Like all sin it felt good and it felt good to be pissed right now. "Are you done with her yet?" He snapped at Variel rather harshly. Slowly the wrath building inside had no choice but to escape. He hadn't ascended yet so naturally his pwoers would still have more of a freewill rather than he would ahve control on them. He wasn't even a Novice yet. Salem clinched his jaw again. "Damien is nothing but a selfish prick who has a number of things coming at him. He doesn't deserve the pwoer he has. He deserves to go through the Ritual of the Blind Moon. He deserves to have his pwoers taken and be treated as a mortal." He was clearly losing control of his emotions the more he lingered on it the worse it became. It was only minutes before his aura was released and it became apparent by the red tint in his eyes becoming more full and crimson. "Damien deserves death." He said as the aura of Wrath expanded to the others. No matter what their intentions would be Wrath would affect them in some manner. Resisting could weaken them entirely..and it seemed that only Kali was able to notice that it was even happening.

Though she was perfectly aware of his abilities, Variel never really considered that they would affect himself. It also didn't occur to her that he would effect her, as she knew he would use his powers on her. And with her anger, she didn't really stop to think about his age and inexperience. "Don't you take this out on me. I didn't want any of this. And you really think that making him mortal will help me any? I will still die with him. And remember? Pregnant? Do you want me to raise a child on my own, or have it die and leave me all alone?" She snarled, glaring at him. Kali didn't like strong emotions. Whether they effected her or not she could feel them, and she hated them. This was no different. She wanted it to stop. She started to sit up to intervene better, just as Variel gripped a long piece of metal to remove it. The result was that Vari accidentally braced the shrapnel and Kali sat up into it, only driving it in deeper. It wasn't that Kali stopped and thought about what she did next, and she didn't exactly bag the wherewithal to stop it. A piece of iron stabbing further into a witch? Very very bad. Finally she was able to voice the pain she felt as she screamed, startling Vari and making the familiar shut up instantly. It snapped attention from the anger and onto something more urgent. It didn't take away the anger, but it was no longer the first thing in her mind. Max whined and howled, flattening her ears back against her head. She closed her eyes, jumping from the couch and starting to back from the room.

Salem was going to react almost as harshly upon Variel as Damien had, but the scream halted every sense of rage and wrath within him his aura faded almost entirely and fear consumed him as flashbacks of his brother's murderous acts from his childhood banged against the wall inside his mind. He curled back from allow them his hands over his ears and his eyes filled with tears. Salem pulled his knees up to his chest and began rocking back and forth muttering incoherently. "I'm sorry...Never do it again...It wasn't me...Please don't hate me...I'm sorry...I'll forget...I'll forget it all...I'll forget everything." He repeated hismelf numerous times and his voice wa sina whisper too ow to fully understand. He was going into complete shutdown locking himself inside of his head. Mnemokinesis kicked in and without him being aware of it his memories were forced into Kali's, Variel's, and Max's heads. Kali received a double dosage already being able to hear, read, or see his thoughts.

Both Variel and Max flinched, the sleepwalker with a snarl and the familiar with a whine. Max began shaking her head sharply as she backed away, as if trying to dislodge the memory. She already had enough bad ones of her own, she didn't need someone else's rattling around up there too. Variel, on the other hand, didn't fight it. It wasn't natural for her and she doubled over, head in her hands, but she paid attention. At least she could see for herself what Damien had done. Gasping, Kali pushed herself up to sit beside Salem, wincing. Opening her eyes, she looked down at her stomach to see... Nothing. There were a few bits and pieces, but the one that had gone in more was deep enough that no part of it was sticking out anymore. She looked away sharply, throwing all of her focus to Salem. Partially because she always wanted to help people, partially because she had to distract herself somehow. "We know you didn't mean to. It's not your fault, it's ok." She promised, sliding an arm around his shoulder and hugging him against her side.

Salem was shaking all over. His memories became stronger and given that they were not made up memories implanted in their minds but his own it left a sharp and piercing ringing in his own and everyone else's ears. It was as though murder was being relieved each second with each breath. He couldn't even hear Kali at this point with his worst memories shining through. Being attacked by the boys inthe locker room, the guardian that Damien drained of all her blood, the High Priestess burning her essence away willinging in fornt of him. Finally, he shook his head side to side, "I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry!!!" Thunder shook the house lightening flashed in every direction in a constant and lasting streak. Salem shook violently his own powers overwhelming hsi body as he went into a seizure shaking as hsi eyes rolled into the bakc of his head he fell limp. the memories of pain evne a simple bee sting became amplified as the worst pain imaginable. IT was like his memories were being projected on a big screen and the sound was only screeching and everyone was forced to watch adn listen mroe and more on repeat and fast forward.

Even with all her mental powers, memory was not in Kali's area of control. There wasn't much she could do but sit there and suffer. But she did know someone who could help. The problem was the pain. Variel was whining sharply, tears running down her cheeks, but Kali felt everything doubled. She closed her eyes against it as she pulled out her phone, forcing herself to concentrate. It wasn't easy. But she managed to tap out a message and hit send. Letting the phone slip to the table she tried to suck it up, but she just couldn't do it. The ridiculously amplified pain plus the iron in her gut... And Kali was completely useless right now. Opening her eyes, Variel picked her way over to Salem, whining faintly. But he was her main focus, both to make him feel better and to stop the pain. "Salem. Salem, you're here right now. Can you here my voice? You're not with Damien. If you don't want to you never have to be again. Just focus on me." She coached, her voice surprisingly steady for what was currently going on. She hugged him, brushing her hair from his face. Max whipped around and darted outside into the backyard, whining and scratching at her head desperately. Luckily for her, she couldn't feel the pain. Mental pain just didn't register with her braid the way it was wired, luckily for her. So she didn't get the pain. She did, however, get the memories. And with all the memories of other people dying, of course she would think of her own friends. Even with no pain, there was no way she could help right now.

Finally, the one memory that Salem had hid in the deepest darkest part of his mind rose to surface. The one part of his past that he wished for no one to ever see at any point. At first it was nice Dustin kissed him...Then in a blur it turned to rage and hate and Salem became Damien for a moment. In his own memories he replaced his own face with Damien's seeing only him. Forcing Dustin to feel sloth he had collapsed and in his made up version of horrible memories Salem saw hismelf pushing Dustin over the cliff isntead of trying to save him and failing. He made an act of murder and the memory was prjecting outward beyondd the house others who were asleep were dremaing it now. He shook violently unable to control it at all. There was no hope and no help. Damien became replaced back as Salem constantly bouncing ebtween the two and the memory was on replay letting dustin flip through hsi fingers and fall to his death and again as Salem shoving him off jsut as easily.

None of the women were happy at this point, especially the two feeling the pain. As Kali felt her own from the memories and from the iron, Salem's, and Variel's all pressing down on her, she was literally scratching at the sides of her head to try and make it all just stop. Red lines became visible through her white hair, caused by her her long fingernails. Blood tears ran down her face, and she was half sobbing and half panting. But there was nothing either girl could do. The sound of a motorcycle outside made Variel frown and look over. Luckily for basically everyone, Reyna had taken care of the hunters at her place and, knowing how much trouble Salem and Kali had gotten into earlier, went to Kali's house to help them. That was close enough that it only took a few minutes from there to here when she had gotten Kali's text. Even as she shoved the door open she was concentrating, removing the pain of all four people. Variel sighed in relief and Kali promptly passed out on the couch. With her biker leathers and fierce look Reyna didn't exactly look to be the comforting type, but she was the only one who could help. Striding over to Salem, she touched his shoulder and turned him to face her. Given that she was an elitist she easily cleared Salem's mind of the memories, releasing the others from the hold as well. She didn't get rid of them completely, she just allowed them to return to whatever back corner of his mind Salem had tucked them into.

Salem opened his eyes and the blood had rushed form his face making him pale as a ghost. He took in a deep breath tears streaming down his face. He didn't recognize Reyna at all but at that moment she was the kindest most motherly person in the world as he pulled her into a hug crying in gasps. He released her looking down at the ground as thoguh it were far mroe intriguing than anytihng and anyone else. "I'm sorry...really...I'm so sorry..." He huffed out with a few mroe tears. I lost control...I always lose control." He admitted painfully to himself more than the others. He looked to Kali and frowned, "You're bleeding...Did I do that? I'm so sorry Kali." He said pulling her into a hug or rather lenaing agianst her passed out body. "Please forgive me...please." He begged knowing that what he did was out of control and he was a hazard to those around him...especially Kali.

If ever there was anyone that was the exact opposite of a people person, it would be Reyna. She froze and looked down helplessly when he hugged her, and was just about to pry him off when he moved on his own. With a sigh she looked down at him, folding her arms. "I can teach you to control it. It's easier to work with someone else's memories than your own, so you'll need to find someone. I would suggest Max." She said in her dead pan way, finally looking over at Kali. "Well. There is one advantage to this." She mused, striding across. She quickly and efficiently yanked out most of the the pieces of metal from her form, then paused when she reached the last, the one pushed in deeper. Knowing that everything would heal the instant all the iron was out, she pulled out a knife. And knowing of Kali's injury reflection, she made sure it was an iron one. Very carefully and neatly she made a small X slash through the wound, allowing her to reach in to yank out the shard and drop it on the table. As expected, Kali instantly began to heal until nothing was left besides thin scars. The unexpected side effect was that it pulled her right back and she woke up instantly. She cringed instinctively, but there were no more pained memories so she relaxed quickly, sitting up further to hug Salem. "It's ok. It's an accident. We've all done things because we can't control our powers." She soothed. "Reyna burned her house down. It could have been so much worse darling."

Salem shook his head, "I don't want to control these powers. I don't want to use them. I want to be made mortal." He said rather flatly and truthfully. "If this is all I can do coming into my powers, cause pain for those around me, I don't want to be a Witch. Even if I learn control I can only hurt others. I'll never be able to do anythign good for anyone with what I can do. In the Coven they teach the kids about finding balance between what is light and dark and good and evil...I cna't find my balance and they would tell use that if we stayed in the dark and with what was evil we could only find committed we will be judged. I am ready to be judged. I am Ascending soon and I want to go ahead and be judged before my Ascension." Salem admitted even though no one was ever tested or judged unless willingly offering themselves to be or even if they desired a position of hierarchy without nomination. Damien was lucky to take his spot through nomination rather than judgement. He would have been trialed and sentenced to mortality or death.

((oi?))

"You don't get to complain about your powers. I have memories, just like you do. Oh, and also pain manipulation. Do you have any idea what it's like for someone who doesn't know how to control their powers when they control pain? It's not pretty. I burned my house down with fire and its damned unlucky my Mom wasn't in it at the time. And here I am, still a witch. You haven't done anything compared to what I've done. I have tortured and killed people on purpose. I know I'm dark. In your eyes I'm sure I'm evil. I can go to hell for all I care. But I have a point. I have a purpose, a goal, and I did growing up with powers, granted it was a different one. Kali's goal has never changed, she's always wanted to help people. You need to find a purpose. Something to think about and drive toward. It keeps you focused and being focused keeps powers from reacting as much." Reyna lectured, glaring at him. She could never understand people who wanted to just give up. Many would have in her position, after what had happened, but with how she was she had turned it into a purpose. And now she was incredibly driven towards that goal of vengeance. She knew it had pushed her from just walking the line to all the way into dark. It was too late for her and she just didn't care.

Salem could only nod to Reyna. He waited in silence for a minute before turning toward Kali. "So I take it that I have now met my two teachers, huh? A karate dog that feels no pain and a mother to lecture me on how pathetic I am and how to better myself who creates pain..." He rolled his eyes clear sarcasm spouting from his lips. "Good choice, really, you have out done yourself. From helping me through God only knows what and now putting me in a pit of snakes who wish to grind this me into pulp and make a man out of me. To beat it all they act nothing like Damien and don't have the right parts to be men themselves." Salem was annoyed at this point and he had no idea why. He stood up and turned to face Reyna, "Thanks for the advice but no thanks. You have your own story and your own past we all do, but guess what I can't handle mine. Yours may have been more horrible, but mine isn't something I can make myself stronger from. Hate to say it, but I'm weak and I'm fine being that way. Nevermind, you macho and in control people wouldn't get it." He was luckily wearing he hollister sweatpants and tennis shoes as he walked out slamming the door shut. He hated how people had to talk to him like he was still a child. He hated how he was the one who had to be taught so much more than everybody else. Why was he stuck having to be taught and watched over? He was perfectly capable of dealing with his own problems, it wasn't his fault that everyone had to be around when he faced his problems.

Kali flinched back sharply, starting to say something. But she stopped and looked down at her hands, blinking hard. Reyna sat on the couch next to Kali for a long moment, hugging the seer. At last she got up and headed to the door after Salem, catching up to him easily. She stepped in front of him and pushed him back against the side of the house, standing in front of him and preventing him from moving away. Even though it was Max who was the soldier, there was no doubt that Reyna was the more violent of the two. Max could be defensive, but Reyna was downright hostile and aggressive most of the time. "I am not a mother. I can promise you that. I almost was, but something happened. So I have never have any kids. I am not in control. 'Macho and in control' doesn't exactly describe me and my life. I couldn't prevent my husband from dying, and if I had any control over anything I would have stopped him. I had to learn control on my own. You have the chance to learn before you hurt someone else. And remember something else. You asked. You asked for Kali's help, and you have no right to get mad at her from just trying to help like you wanted. Yell and scream at me all you like. Hate me and plot my death. Many have. I don't care. But she does. Kali is my friend. She's decided she likes you, only God knows why given the way you act to her. And if you want to hurt her feelings then I'm going to hurt you." She hissed, her eyes narrowing fiercely.

Salem never actually took into consideration about how others felt. Even if his brother was a raving lunatic who only cared about himself he spoiled both Salem and Erin, a lot. Salem felt himself pinned to a wall and the breath was nearly knocked out of him. He struggled against the grip at first givne he couldn't see the face jsut yet int he darkness of night, but then it came into focus. It was reyna and naturally she was pissed. Salem glared at her, "I'm not hurting Kali's feelings. Okay, I am simply proving that I don't need teachers and babysitters to make sure me and my pwoers are in check...No wonder my brother became a Wra..." He stopped himself quickly. "None of you seem to understand that all I want is freedom and real responsibility. I'm so sick of being treated like some child who needs to be cared for. If that hurts Kali's feelings maybe she shouldn't waste her time on someone as pathetic as me." There would have been no point in screaming for help or even struggling past her. He figured his best option to get out of such a situation was to let it all out. All of his emotions which he tended to do a lot. He held very intense emotions given his power over vices and virtues.

Reyna went from simply standing in front of him to pushing him hard against it with one hand, just below his throat. "And you know what you don't understand? That you don't get to decide what it is that hurts someone else's feelings. You asked her to help you. She offered to let you stay in her home and you were thrilled to accept. There's a difference between learning to use powers and keeping them in check. If you hadn't been an ass to Kali, she could have told you that." She said sarcastically, making a snarling sound that Variel would have been jealous of. Then she stopped, and was suddenly terrifyingly calm. She removed her hand and took a step back, smiling slowly. "Alright. You know what, you're right. You should learn about freedom and responsibility. And you know what else? That's a big part of life. So let's show you what else is big in life. Pain is a big part of life. You want to grow up and be a big boy, all independent, free to be a jackass whenever you'd like? I can help you with that." She glared at him, making a pain start below his throat where her hand had been and slowly begin to spread. She carefully controlled how much pain it was, giving enough to definitely feel it but not enough to know him unconscious or anything.

Salem felt a pressure on hsi throat as she stepped back. Her calm appearance worried him. Only someone who was insane would switch to someone so calm after being someone pissed. Her smile put him on edge as the pressure on his throat grew and spread quickly like fire in his body it worked through him and at first he grabbed at is throat trying to ease the pain his eyes locked on hers and unable to look away. Once it spread he felt himself curl up and faall to his knees in pain. It was like major cramps mixed with fire in his veins. He felt the burn and his muscles tightened, "Stop...." Was all he could manage. He had a horrible pain tolerance that was mostly non-existent this was not something he would be able to take..."Stop..." He pleaded of course in pain everyone sounds like they are pleading. Salem felt the burn inside of him and it was like a thousand knives stabbing from the inside out.

Reyna mock pouted down at him, faking confusion. "Oh, but Salem, honey. I thought you wanted to be all grown up? You wanted to learn about life and responsibility and freedom. You didn't want help. I'm just showing you what life will be like so you can practice doing it all by yourself." She taunted him, blinking sweetly down at him. She knelt down on one knee and tilted her head to study him better, smirking. Though she wasn't really classified as insane, Reyna certainly wasn't exactly stable. And that much was obvious. "Now should we go tell Kali we're sorry? I think that'd be a good decision to help you grow up more than you were in the last five minutes."

Salem clinched his jaw tightly and his knuckles turned pale as his fist tightened in pain. He was left defenseless. He had no other choice but to give into her demands. Even though it wasn't a horrible demand and would have ben rather rud eof him to not want to do so in the first place, but now he felt like her lesson really was a lesson. Life gave you pains that you never felt like you could handle. You would bare weight that seemed too heavy for you and no matter what sometimes pushing through wasn't the solution but giving into it all and simply letting things be. It was a valuable lesson in growing up that he was only beginning to feel the full consequences of learning. "Okay....I'll say sorry....Stop...Please." He truly was begging for relief now like someone with too much debt pleading for a loan that will never be able to be paid back without interest. Salem felt his entire body wanting to give in to it all but he knew he had to accept that there was no letting things go once you grew up. Once it happened it seemed to remain without the intellectual and adult choice to seek help when it was needed most. He managed to stand proving he could take the pain, behind gritted teeth of course, and he could accept that apologizing for his own misguided actions was the only course to be taken at this very moment.

"See? Now was that so hard?" Reyna mused, removing the pain she had brought. She stepped forward and took him by the shoulders, studying him. "Now. If you don't hurt one of my friends again, we won't ever have any problems. You said you learned your lesson and I believe you. So I have no reason to kill you or do this again. I didn't exactly like doing that to you now, but I know you deserved it. And now you had a chance to see what life is really like. Some people won't be as kind as I am and they stop when you ask though. You do need help and teachers, Salem. Everyone did at that stage. And you have the opportunity to have them. I suggest you take it." She smiled slightly, tilting her head as she studied him. "Just consider it a warning. And some free friendly advice." She patted him on the head with some vague affection, like one would to a puppy. Then she turned him by his shoulders to face the door and pushed him in the direction of it. She scribbled a phone number along his arm in sharpie, studying him. "Once Kali finds out about this she'll be mad at me, so this is where I leave you. I'm trusting you to do what I asked though, because you know you should. If you want my help, there's my number. Don't take it inappropriately because then I might have to kill you." She waved as she backed off and swung a leg over her motorcycle.

Salem watched the Witch walk toward ehr bike flattening his hair back down on his head. One of the reasons why he always wore a hat was because he wanted to keep people from beign tempted to rub or pat his head in any way or form. He tried for a smirk, but he looked uneasy still, "I can't take a girl's number wrong...Don't flatter yourself." He said rather rudely, but it was jsut his attitude which he had a bad habit to not be able to control so well. He opened the door without giving Reyna a second look. He looked at Variel and Kali both, "I'm sorry for the way I have acted." He wouldn't look them in the eyes but he did look at them. "Any teachers or guides you wish to give me I will be grateful to accept." He said sitting in a chair farthest form the two. He looke dlike he was pouting and at the same time thinking deeply. He began to question how his brother and sister were.

"Oh my god! What the hell did Reyna do to you?" Kali blurted, making Variel look over sharply. The seer rushed over to kneel beside his chair, anxiously checking him over for any physical injuries. Not that Reyna would leave physical marks, but still. She worried. "Oh I'm so sorry Salem! If I had been paying attention I would have been able to sense what was going on. But I was trying to get iron dust out of my hair and because I was so focussed on that and it was iron I didn't sense it." She fussed. Putting her hand against his forehead as if checking his temperature, she frowned deeply. "I'm so sorry. I know her, I should have paid more attention to see her following her. I should have known she would have done something this moronically bullheaded. She's gotten a bit numb to the torture kill thing. It's become her first line of defense."