Chapter 21

“What do you want out of life?” Alice asked.

She sipped her coffee as Damien’s eyes became misty and unfocused. It was strong, dark, and just starting to cool—the perfect temperature.

“I want to change the world,” Damien said at last.

“For yourself I mean,” Alice pressed. “What do you want for your own life? Kids? Career? Where would you like to live?" 

He frowned. 

"I want to change the world for myself," he said, cocking his head as if she'd said something stupid.

Alice tried to think of another way to pose the question. To understand him better. If all he wanted was to create a new world, did he want to be King? God? And was living a normal life with her not something he'd even consider?

"Do you know why the world is the way it is?" he asked, halting her train of thought.

"Erm," Alice muttered. She didn't know how to answer. Couldn't even begin to explain why the world was in the state it was. There were too many factors, variables and unknowns.

"Collective will," he said. "Whether people know it or not, they are creating this reality around them."

"You think?" Alice asked. The concept wasn't completely new to her, though she'd never studied it at length.

"I know," Damien said. "Because I can do actively what most people do passively."

Alice nodded. She had to admit it made sense. It was the only thing that made any sense. It put her mind at ease to know he wasn't some monster or demonic being.

She smiled to herself, nestling back into the soft leather sofa and getting comfortable between two geometric design cushions and a faux fur blanket.

"But what will you do after that?" Alice asked.

He looked thoughtful for a second before casting a sly grin. He grabbed on her foot and yanked, pulling her onto her back and knocking the pillows to the floor. "Don't think I don't realise what you're doing. You said you'd be my slave for the night, so I get to ask the questions."

She bit her bottom lip and stared up at him. 

"I'm tempted to keep this PG-13 and make you feed me grapes or something lame," he said, grinning down through this thick black hair.

"We can do whatever you want to do," Alice assured him. "I'm going to quit my job, so—"

"You are?" Damien asked. "Because of me?"

"Because of me," Alice corrected him. "I broke the rules."

"But how do you know you had any choice in the matter?" Damien asked.

It hadn't occurred to her that he might be using his powers to control her actions. Not until now. The thought crushed her chest, making it hard to breathe.

"How do you know you weren't living some other life until I uprooted you and made you a counsellor at my school? Hmm?" he went on.

At this, Alice let out a strangled laugh. 

"Don't be ridiculous," she scoffed. The idea that anyone would want her so much they'd alter reality was both a scary and an uplifting concept.

'I'm just not that special,' she thought.

The amused look on his face was all the confirmation she needed. He was simply teasing her.

"I don't want to force you to leave your job," Damien said, hanging his head. His hair covered his face as he looked down in silence.

"You aren't forcing me," Alice reassured him. "I choose you over my job."

"Why?" he asked.

"Well," Alice said, trying to think of a way to explain it. "You're... more important."

He smiled, chuckled, then began to laugh openly. "I am."

Alice found his laugher infectious. She was still laughing then the doorbell rang a few times, followed by fervent knocking. The pair exchanged confused looks before he got up to answer it.

Three school kids she vaguely recognised pilled in, bringing the cold and scent of rain with them.

"I don't want to alarm you, but the new guy has an angry mob, and they are coming for you," the girl said as she moved into the living room. She looked up at Alice. "Why is the counsellor here?"

The girl turned to Damien. "Oh no, you didn't?"

"No, Morgan, she just happened to like me without being forced into it." Damien tutted. "Is it that inconceivable that somebody might like me for me?"

Morgan bit her lip, eyes shifting as she slowly shook her head. 

"No," she whispered, lowering her head. "Of course not."

'Does she like him for real now?' Alice wondered. 

"They're coming," Toby shouted from the window. "What do we do?"

"Who's coming?" Alice asked.

Toby left his post at the window and paced the living room, hands grasping at his hair.

"That new guy...Logan...is telling everyone that you made that little girl sick because the teacher made fun of you in P.E.," he said. "He healed the girl and now everyone thinks he is some kind of messiah, and you are...well..."

Toby trailed off, still pacing the room.

"We told them you wouldn't do that, but they wouldn't listen. It's like...they are under some kind of spell," Erin said. She looked up from her phone. "And they are getting more and more people as we speak."

Alice watched with a spark of jealousy as Morgan moved to Damien's side, grabbing at his arm. 

"I think Logan has the same power as you. When he first arrived, it felt the same as when you made me fall in love with you," she said. "It's hard to explain."

Damien looked pained as he shook his head. "But what is he playing at? What does he want?"

A din from outside echoed, filling the house and making them all stop in their tracks and freeze. Their shouts pierced her ears as they came closer, clambering at the windows.

"Come out! Come out!" they chanted as one, hammering fists on glass that rattled and shook in the panes.

"They're going to break my mum's precious windows." Damien sighed with an eye roll. "I best go out there."

"Can't you just use your power to will them away?" Alice asked. She wasn't entirely sure how his ability worked, but it seemed a reasonable suggestion.

Damien squinted and shook his head. 

"Something is...wrong with me. It was me who saved the girl, not him. She was supposed to die and for some reason, it takes a million times more energy to save a life than it does to take one," he said. "But I shouldn't be this weak from it. Somehow, he is...blocking my powers. I don't know."

The look on Damien's face suggested he didn't meet obstacles like this often. Alice wanted to hold him, to tell him everything would be okay. 

'But will it?' she wondered.