MIDNIGHT TUESDAY
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       FRIGID, icy waters poured from the shower-heads above. Pristine, white stalls separated the four friends as the Enforcement followed their quarantining procedure. Obsidian-stained eyes, veins, and claws had retracted some time ago. Yet, their slightly pointed ears, sharp teeth, and general aura didn't exude humanity.

Not at all.

Droplets of water dripped from Andre's hairline and down into his eyes. His mind raced as it attempted to piece together what happened. Chilly drafts from outside of the stall had him clenching his butt, crossing his arms, and shifting his weight from foot to foot. Darryn, could you teach me...? Andre began. Darryn stood in the stall to his right.

Darryn shrugged, water dripping from the ends of his short hair. Teach you what? He questioned, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. Probably. I know Mani can absorb the power from someone else, Darryn replied apprehensively, as his mind flashed with memories of their recent encounter.

Beside Darryn, Armani pondered in the next stall with his head bowed. So confused about how their lives got to this point. He brought his focus back to their shared telepathy. I just thought of it coming to me, then it did, he explained. His downcast gaze was fixed on the puddling water. What if we can manipulate whatever this is? He wondered, yet a nagging in his belly told him the opposite.

Everyone listened intently to his words. What do you mean, Mani? Tyler wondered from the stall to Armani's left.

I'm saying we can bend this shit to our will. What if we could cure ourselves? Armani thought. His and the other's hearts all sank at the thought. Soured hope hung loosely in the air as trepidation crept in.

How do we know that's even possible? Darryn was skeptical. His mind began to race at the possibilities, yet he still doubted it would be easy.

That creature might be after them.

What if we extracted the black stuff from our bodies and put it somewhere safe? Boom, we're cured! Armani elaborated to everyone.

It can't be that easy, Mani. Darryn skeptically disagreed as flashes of his prior battle resurfaced. His skin pebbled with goosebumps at the memory, the rush of adrenaline he felt, and it solidified his argument in his mind. I doubt this is something we can just be cured of...

I think we should do it. What's the harm in trying? Tyler suggested with a worn smile on his face.

Darryn's eye twitched and his lips pinched.

"Alright, guys," Captain Muller called their attention from outside of the stalls. Flipping the metallic lever on the wall behind him, the water flow inside of the stalls ceased.

The four friends exited their stalls, water falling from their hair and limbs as crisp air nipped at their skin.

The captain laid four charcoal-colored outfits along the metal bench before the stalls. "Clothing has been provided for you. I need you to come with me once you're all situated," he gestured with his hands at their towel-wrapped bodies. "I'll give you a minute," the wolf offered a court nod before stepping away.

Tension settled in the grooves of their shoulders as they dried and clothed themselves. A shared, bleak trepidation lurked behind their darkened irises as they trudged side by side behind the wolf.

Captain Muller's thick muscles strained against his charcoal-colored shirt as he led them out of the room. The gun on his hip appeared to be nothing more than a plaything compared to the brooding energy radiating from him.

Glossy, onyx tiles adorned the floor. The walls were painted in an ash-gray and lined with huge titanium doors. With each step taken, the four men felt the pits of their bellies churning and twisting as they approached the elevator at the end of the hall.

I hate slip-on shoes, Tyler complained as his bare toes wiggled inside the low-quality shoes.

Darryn scoffed out a laugh as they followed behind the wolf.

Armani shook his head, lips threatening to tip up into a smile.

Andre's small smile dropped as they stopped before the lift.

Captain Muller raised his badge to the elevator's scanner before a little green light flashed, opening the doors with a ding. Stepping to the side, the wolf gestured for them to enter before him.

Swallowing down his confusion and simmering nausea, Tyler stepped in first. Following suit, his friends loaded onto the elevator. Captain Muller pressed a thumb against the button labeled GF. With a ding, the elevator brought them down to ground level.

The elevator doors separated with a whir. A darkened, gloomy hallway awaited the friends and wolf. More numbered titanium doors lined the walls, their neon-painted numbers reflected against the onyx tiling. Chills ran down their spines as they took in the bleak scenery before them. The aroma of bleach and cleaners sat in the air, almost taunting them with its odd stench.

The captain stepped out first, leading them to another destination. Huffs, puffs, and soft sighs filled the air as the four men followed. An odd tingling rushed through their limbs and fingertips with each step taken.

They came to a halt. The captain raised his badge to the scanner, and with a beep, the giant titanium doors parted.

"After you," the captain offered, extending his hand toward the room. Armani entered the elevator first; in silence, his eyes darted from object to object.

Four empty white walls and a dark Berber carpet welcomed them. Against the left and right walls lay a pair of cots. EKGs and other medical equipment rested at the sides of each cot.

Following behind came Tyler, Darryn, and finally Andre. Keeping his cold eyes trained on the friends, the captain followed suit. "This is where you'll stay for now," he grunted, gesturing with his hands to the room. "We'll have our medical staff get you hooked up and take it from there."

"What's gonna happen to us now?" Tyler asked, jaw grinding as he watched the captain with cautious eyes.

The captain cleared his throat, sliding his hands into his pockets. "We need to know exactly what you are. To do that, we have to run some tests and have you examined," he began, reluctance splayed across his features. An exasperated, loud sigh left the captain's lips as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I've spoken with some of the other creatures that work here, and none of us—seriously, none of us—know what you are," he relayed, running a hand through his silver hair. "That's a problem for all of us, okay? So, please cooperate, and we'll find an answer." Turning away from their lingering, anxious stares, the captain searched his mind for anything he'd ever come across that resembled these creatures.

Andre's calculative gaze fixed on the doors, his ears twitching as they picked up the sound of approaching footsteps.

Alongside a beep, the titanium doors separated and welcomed Elle, Lillian, and a new pair of medics.

"Please have a seat, everyone; we'll be right with you," Elle assured, despite the angelic smile across her full lips; something about them made her stomach churn. Yet, something else ached to be closer to Armani. Almost like she was being coaxed forward.

Armani's eyes lit up when they landed on the gorgeous medic. He flashed her a bright smile, practically beaming from the other side of the room as he took in a deep breath of her warm, musky scent. His fangs began to ache, and his sweatpants tightened around his growing boner. Clearing his throat, Armani sidestepped to a cot on the left side of the room.

Darryn took the cot next to his, leaving Tyler and Andre to head to the right.

The four medics flocked to a different man, sanitizing their skin before prepping their needles.

Andre huffed as a bead of sweat dripped from his nape as his eyes fixated on the approaching needle. Lillian, his appointed medic, chuckled softly as she braced his elbow in her delicate touch.

Tyler lay stoic on his cot as his appointed medic inserted his needle and attached his index finger to the pulse oximeter. His irregular heartbeat filled the room, pinning his medic to his spot as anxiety festered within the elder man.

Fluorescent lights hummed quietly above their heads.

Do you think they could find a cure for us? Darryn asked everyone using their shared bond.

Maybe they'll help maintain it. Keep it from the public, or something, Andre suggested. The other agreed since they didn't understand how to use their newfound power.

What do you think we could do? Tyler wondered, wiggling his fingers as energy rushed through them.

Armani smirked as Elle's gentle power seeped into his skin with each touch. We can do whatever the fuck we want, he languidly replied. Unflinching as he watched Elle insert his needle.

"How long are you going to keep us here?" Andre asked plainly, his stare glacial as he stared directly into Lillian's eyes.

"For as long as we need," the captain humorlessly scoffed from across the room. Andre didn't find it amusing in any way. He glared daggers at the back of the captain's head as memories of sci-fi movies flashed in the back of his mind.

He, nor the others, were interested in becoming the Enforcement's lab rats. Spending the rest of their days being poked, prodded, and subjected to possible torture didn't sit right with him.

Once his equipment was situated, Lillian scurried over to the captain. Without another look, the pair walked out of the room, leaving the four friends and three medics.

In silence, the captain and medic walk around the corner and further down the dim hall.

Coming to a halt, the captain exhaled deeply before looking at his comrade. "I need you to notify their families that they're here and that they are not coming back," he directed, his tone distressed.

Lillian slowly nodded, her breath hitching in her throat as she took in his change in demeanor. She wasn't used to him being this shaken up, especially by some college kids. "What's happening?" She asked, eyes searching for unspoken answers in the captain's eyes.

"We have no idea what they are, Lillian. We need to take some kind of action. So, please," The captain pleaded, his gruff voice softened as they spoke.

Lillian nodded and walked into a nearby office, dialing the families. Each family member had responded; even Darryn's father was sober enough to pick up the phone.

Lillian's voice, despite how nonchalant she meant to sound, came out stressed and frantic over the receiver. "Good evening, Mr. Malachi. My name is Lillian from the Enforcement, and I wanted to relay that your son and others are being quarantined and tested. An unknown substance has been discovered in his blood that's altered his appearance and body—"

'What the hell is wrong with my son? Can I see him?' Mr. Malachi interjected, his tone grave and his breath hitching.

"Absolutely no visitation during this time!" Lillian yelped, her eyes wide as saucers and her heart raging against her chest. "I'm sorry," she whispered, hanging up and putting the phone onto its hook. Taking a deep breath, the medic attempted to catch her breath and calm her thrashing heart, but to no avail.

Trembling on her feet, the medic left the empty office and dragged her feet back to the room. Fear gnawed at her twisting belly with each step she took. Despite having two of them save her life, they too were part of the problem.

As she stepped back in, she froze and stilled as four pairs of empty eyes fixed on her. Her breathing stopped, her heart leaping up her throat as those same eyes seemed to darken the longer they looked at her.

Then, seemingly in sync, the four men turned their eyes away.

Returning to Andre's side, Lillian continued to do her job, even if her skin crawled as she stood beside him.

Itching to break free from the elephant in the room, Elle glanced up at Armani, hesitant to relay what she was thinking. "I have something to ask you," she prompted, her eyes searching his eyes for affirmation.

Armani smiled warmly at her before offering a small nod.

"Wanna get out of here?" A sly grin spread across Elle's lips as she waited for an answer.

Armani matched her sly grin and nodded excitedly, bouncing in his seat.

Overhearing the conversation, the captain's ear twitched as a small, yet reluctant smile rested on his lips. He had a funny feeling about the pair, knowing something they did not. With a turn of his head, he caught Elle's eye, giving her a nod.

"Let's go," she yipped in a whisper, helping him to his feet as she made his IV portable.

Exiting the busy, quiet room, Armani's friends gave him a variety of looks as he was whisked away.

Andre just stared.

Tyler rolled his eyes.

Darryn disapprovingly blinked, slowly shaking his head as a pinched frown settled on his lips. What are you doing? He asked his friend, squinting at his back.

Armani turned just before the doors closed and flashed Darryn a wink as the doors shut.

Striding down the dim hall, Armani took in Elle's glowing, warm features. Strangely enough, he felt unsure if he ever learned to breathe before meeting her. Sure, he loved his friends. Yet, something deep inside him knew that Elle belonged with him.

Only him.

Leading Armani to a new room, Elle raised her badge and stepped back when the doors swished open. Elle's back stood mere centimeters away from Armani's torso. Smoldering warmth permeated in the breadth between the pair, their senses drunk from the other's scent.

Clearing her throat, Elle ran her hands down her cheeks, pulling her shirt's collar from her neck, cooling down from whatever that was.

Armani bounced from foot to foot, nails scratching at the nape of his neck, a rosy flush blossoming up the throat he tried to clear. His eyes averted from the peachy, round shelf on Elle's full hips as she swayed before him. Clammy hands clenched into fists as he attempted to distract himself from the lingering ache growing in his gums and boxers.

This room shared similarities to their quarters, yet it was void of the cots and medical machinery. Instead, the walls were dressed with bland paintings, while two long sectionals, recreational tables, and a large flat-screen television occupied the room.

Armani swore Elle floated on her feet over to a sectional farthest from the door in a cozy corner. With a side table paired with a small, dim lamp, the encounter began to feel like a trap, and Armani yearned to get caught.

She sat down, grace flowing through her with each move she made. Armani thought he could watch her all day. Elle patted the empty cushion beside her. Armani sped over and plopped on the couch.

Blinking, he realized he hadn't felt like this about anyone. Having such a profound reputation for being a lover, he's never been so enamored by someone. Not till today.

For an everlasting moment, nothing else existed outside of their shared, longing gaze. The pair soon stopped breathing, holding their breaths as they inched closer and closer to one another.

"I... I think you're my soulmate, Armani," Elle's lips whispered against his lips, her sweet, warm breath coating him. His darkening, hooded eyes scanned both chestnut-brown eyes, slipping further into her quaint, heavenly gaze as she stared at him through her voluminous, wispy lashes.

"How do you know for sure?" Armani wondered, despite the flourishing urge to be in her skin. To be entirely fused. His polluted irises swallowed the chocolaty color that once resided when Elle cocked an arched brow at him.

A sultry, silky chuckle rolled from her chest as her irises buzzed with glowing light. Humidity leaked into the air as lust and curiosity swelled between the two. Elle's hot, pink tongue swept over her bottom lip, her gaze never wavering.

Armani could hardly breathe, not wanting to miss a beat. Go away...He willed his growing boner. His nostrils flared as her nose brushed against his, and his clawed fingers dug into his palm.

Elle quirked up a brow, a teasing smile dripping from her lips as she peered through his eyes. "So, you are a gentleman," she chuckled, pouncing onto his lap. Her delicate hands slammed Armani's torso against the sectional, settling herself right onto Armani's now throbbing boner. "I can fix that," she whispered against his lips, barely touching him. She rolled her hips back, her ass bouncing in his lap.

"Fuck," he groaned, the bass in his voice deepening as blackened veins swam beneath his skin. His eye twitched, his hands planted firmly at his sides as Elle rode his boner through her scrubs.

She couldn't believe it. Her pussy clenched over his sweatpants, clit throbbing as her eyes landed on the veins straining on his arms, his hands still balled into fists. "You have so much restraint," she complimented, her panties juicy and creamy. Utterly infatuated with the beautiful man beneath her, Elle slipped her hands from his broad shoulders, his chest, down his veiny arms, and to his hands. "I've been waiting to meet you for a very long time," she confessed in a pained whisper.

Armani's forked, blackened tongue dipped out, licking across Elle's honied lips. His breath hitched in his throat as the heat radiated from Elle's pussy. A sweltry moan croaked from her lips as his tongue licked.

"You don't have to hold back," Elle asserted, her gaze captivating him in her every word. She slipped her fingers through his clenched fists, cupping his hands to her breasts. Her taut nipples strained beneath her uniform as his rough fingers brushed over them gently.

Just as Armani pressed his lips into Elle's, the doors beeped and opened in a swift swish.

"What the fuck?!" Armani and Tyler barked in unison as they glared at each other from across the room.

Tyler stood at the door while the captain stood brooding on the threshold.

"We were looking for you guys," Tyler hissed, annoyance simmering in his voice. He couldn't believe his eyes. This fuckin' asshole, he thought. He rolled his eyes watching Elle scramble from Armani's lap as he tried to wrangle his boner. A sneer warped Tyler's features, and his blue eyes darkened.

"Can you give us a fuckin' minute?" Armani grumbled, rolling his eyes as he helped Elle to her feet. The two best friends glared at each other as they exited the lounge, the medic and captain followed.

The walk back to the room went painfully awkward.

The captain stifled the ironic smirk that itched to spread across his lips as he watched Tyler angrily sulk. I was right, he thought as Elle and Armani walked side by side, keeping their hands to themselves.

Tyler's stomach twisted as he watched the pair before him; something was off. As they drew to a halt, he peered out the corner of his eye at the captain, filled with trepidation.

Finally, the captain badged them in, and the titanium doors swished apart.

Darryn and Andre glanced at the incoming group before their eyes caught each other's. Darryn's lips parted as Andre's dark eyes sank into his stare. Quickly averting his eyes, Darryn put his hands on his lap and hummed.

Andre scoffed, shaking his head as he glanced at Armani. Armani caught his gaze and snickered as a smoldering glint twinkled in his polluted eyes.

Excusing himself, the captain left the room, walking around the corner to an empty office. Picking up the landline, the captain speed-dialed his superior.

Ring...

Ring...

Ring...

"Hey, if I describe something, could you tell me what it might be?" The captain questioned the receiver, heart racing.

'Well, hello to you, too. What is it?' The agent asked, shuffling in the background.

"Now, I may be wrong, but this isn't our kind of normal," the captain began, breath labored as he spoke. "They had black blood, shark-like teeth, black eyes, and black claws. I mean, their aura is just so dark and heavy it's hard to be in the same room as them."

Quieter than a mouse, Tyler held his breath, forcing his body into silence as he crept around the corner. His ears twitched as the captain's rough voice relayed information.

"There was another one, an older one that tried recruiting them. She fucking killed and ate our guys!" The wolf barked as quietly as he could into the phone. "I doubt it's dead, but we have four of them in our facility right now, and who knows when they'll turn on us," the captain solemnly explained, running a hand through his silver tresses.

Tyler's jaw dropped, his heart sinking to the depths of his stomach. What the fuck does that mean? He thought, his eyes swirling with inky darkness.

"We'll observe for now, but our forces have yet to locate the loose creature. We'll talk tomorrow; we're in the middle of testing. I just wanted to know if you could look into this for us."

A beat of silence passed, and then the captain hung up. His senses were unaware of the anxious creature around the corner eavesdropping on his call. Before the captain rose from his seat, Tyler's polluted form dashed back to the room with the older medic's badge. Pretending as if nothing happened, Tyler plopped onto his cot just as the captain entered the room.

With a sudden clap of his hands, the captain directed the medics, "Let's get some samples."

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