It was time.

Forest hadn’t fully come into his new powers, but he couldn’t wait any longer. Flynn knew something was up. Given enough time, he could use his wisdom and vast experience with this form to defeat Forest before the fight had really begun.

He spent all night, while his senses were sharpest, pouring over old tomes and preparing dark magic.

He chose dawn to make his move. A longer confrontation would almost certainly work in Flynn’s favor. This way, he would have limited time before the sun forced them both to take cover.

It was now or never.

The incantation echoed in his head as if he were on a sound stage. He’d never felt power like this.

And it worked.

Flynn stumbled as he appeared. He was so completely taken by surprise that for a moment, his face was unguarded. For a split second, Forest saw fear.

“Good morning,” Forest said. “I think it’s time to renegotiate my position in your operation.”

Flynn knew immediately that Forest had changed without Forest bearing his teeth or taking off his mirrored glasses. Forest could feel Flynn’s power from here, and certainly Flynn could do the same. All secrets were revealed. Now Forest could only hope his calculations about Flynn were correct.

“You,” Flynn said. “It’s all been you, hasn’t it? I should have known when I heard about your conduct during the police raid.”

“Maybe you should have known,” Forest agreed. “But it’s too late now. Now your power over me is broken. And you brought my family into this. That’s not something I can forgive.”

Flynn hesitated. “All right,” he said. “But you’re not going to choose the time and place to fight me.”  He turned and ran. The sun had not quiet risen, and his powers were still at their strongest. He moved almost faster than Forest could see.

Forest swore. Strategic retreat was one thing he’d never expected Flynn to do.

He summoned all of his fledgeling power and started to move. For a second, he was faster than Flynn, but a second was all that he needed.

He, reached out, grabbed the older vampire by the shoulder, and swung him around.

The eyes that met Forest’s were that of a monster. Flynn raised his hand to strike.

Forest reached out and blocked, grabbing Flynn by the wrist. The force of the blow jarred his arm and shoulder. Flynn was still more powerful. All Forest could do was hope he could end this without revealing how much that burst of speed had weakened him.

Forest clung to Flynn’s wrist as Flynn pulled back, dragging them closer together.

Flynn growled deep in his throat, the sound of a cornered panther. “If you think you can bite me,” he hissed, “you’re going to be disappointed.”

Forest grinned. The light of the rising sun glinted off his new fangs. “I know,” he said. “I have something entirely different in mind.”

Flynn staggered back, stunned.

Then, without saying a word, he stepped back into Forest’s arms.

Forest had never been able to let go of the fear that the way that Flynn made him feel was just power that Flynn wielded to keep him under control.

It turned out that their attraction was the one thing for both of them that was completely normal

The sun was getting hotter. Forest caught Flynn’s wrist and led him inside to his room.

———-

Took me a while to get myself together to write this one! I hope it meets expectations :).

The Summon Acquainted spell from the Ravendancer Book of Spells is the only one I’ve ever found a use for. There are a couple of other attack spells which looked like they could be entertaining, but they seem to only operate on rooms of sims rather than a single one. Forest has never been that broad-spectrum.

Yesterday, I played through Sawyer’s teen birthday. Dylan will be an adult in 2 days. I pretty much have to do an heir poll, but I’d REALLY like to try to catch up first so you can get to know the characters. I think they’ve all turned out with pretty strong personalities, and for the first time I don’t have a strong favorite going in.