ROMAN

I was on edge and probably felt this way because someone else was in my head. I could feel their presence and fingers working their way into my brain to confuse the shit out of me. Even as the drink got placed in front of me, I didn't stop to look at what was inside the shot glass before grabbing it and throwing it back down my throat. It burned, but it wasn't compared to the burning in my head.

I signaled for another shot, looking around the house until my eyes locked on a certain someone.

A superior, Henry. The trickster guy. The one that could make you see whatever he wanted you to.

My whole being told me the superiors had something to do with what I saw the other night. I bit the inside of my mouth and looked away from his stare. I knew it was him. I could feel it in my bones that he was messing with my head and mind.

Or could I?

I felt his presence beside me, almost like my mind had conjured him. From my peripheral vision, I could see him relax his elbow on the counter, leaning towards me.

It suddenly felt so hard to swallow.

"Sup." Was what he said to me while his gaze burned through the side of my face.

"I see why Ethan's your leader now," I responded, taking my refilled shot and drinking it in one go; it didn't burn like the first time.

I heard him chuckle. "Are you trying to get yourself drunk?"

"No, I'm trying to protect my mind from you and your fellow—cultmembers."

He frowned. "Ah, I see...I'm confused, though; why would you want to protect your mind from us?"

I had to hand it to him; he was a great actor. "You should be the answering that question. Did Glory send you, Dean, maybe? Are they trying to mess with me? Distract me and the rebel-lions from ever finding a way to get Ethan back?"

The guy's eyes widened before he blinked his confusion away. "You have a very wild imagination ruled by delusion."

I hissed, dropping the glass down and edging closer to him. "Do you think this is funny? I am losing my mind here, and you're being so fucking smug about it."

This time he looked offended. "Maybe stop pointing fingers at people you don't know and start looking within yourself to find the answer to why you're losing your mind." He was about to turn and leave, but my hand rushed out to grip his bare bicep, and a surge of electricity flowed through me. He jerked away from my touch, and I brought my hand back to my side. "What the hell was that?"

I swallowed, my throat working hard, as I took a step back. "I don't know. Maybe it's you?"

"Nope, I would know. Something's up with you, Blue eyes."

I ignored the nickname. "Yeah, you're fucking doing it! You're making me see things and dream things; it's driving me fucking crazy."

He scoffed in disbelief. "How and why the fuck would I manipulate someone that I don't know? I mean, this is the first time I'm speaking to you—yes, I've seen you around, and I've—I've watched you because you're fucking attractive. I've been finding an opportunity to talk to you, but trust me when I say you accusing me of fucking with your mind, is far from what I had in mind when I walked over here to introduce myself."

His voice ran really slow in my head, and I had to blink my senses back in order, his words coming back to me.

I frowned but couldn't hide the surprise in my voice. "What?"

He closed his eyes, almost as if he had disclosed something he didn't want to. "Shit."

"You—you've been watching me?"

He let out a breath, opening his eyes. "Yeah...I have, and I want the ground to open up and swallow me because—this is fucking embarrassing."

I blinked. "Oh—wow...but I have a—"

"I know you have a girlfriend, the pretty redhead you came in with. Fiona."

I frowned. "Is that why you tried to mess with my head? To ruin my relationship with her so you can get with me?"

He shook his head. "I like you, but I'm not that dramatic or pathetic. Also, I don't use my powers the way I please. It costs as much as it gives."

"What does that mean?"

"None of your business. Whatever is going on with you has nothing to do with me and, as you put it, the cult."

I shook my head, relaxing back on the counter. "But I don't understand; if it isn't you, then—who is messing with me?"

He eyed me for a beat before outstretching his hand. "Give me your hand."

I watched him warily. "No?"

"I don't pass out diseases, okay? I just want to check."

"Check what?"

"If you're going crazy. I can do that."

"I thought you're the tricks and illusion guy."

He rolled his eyes, which I just noticed were a bright brown color that suited his light brown skin and dark brown curly hair. "Yes, which means I can get in your head and trick your mind into showing me what it doesn't want to show you."

My heart shuddered against my chest. If this was a me problem, I honestly didn't want to know what it could be. But I wasn't that stupid; I had to know if something was seriously up with me. It was the only way I could understand how to help myself and solve it.

I hesitated but put my hand against his; the zap of electricity I felt earlier passed through us both.

He winced, but he didn't let go.

"Am I hurting you?"

His jaw clenched as he closed his eyes. "I can take it."

"If I'm hurting you, then please, let go."

"I said I can take it."

"But if—"

"Would you shut up, and let me concentrate, blue eyes."

I gulped down and cleared my mind, temporarily forgetting we were around people who didn't care to glance in our direction to see what was happening.

What happened next had me feeling a little dizzy. I didn't need confirmation to know that he was in my head. I could feel him now.

"How the fuck are you doing this?"

"Shhh..."

My mind went wandering on its own as I thought of possibilities as to how this was possible.

"I can see you thinking." I could hear and feel his voice in my head and outside my head. It was low and soft, like a caress of tricks, making webs in my mind.

"That's kind of gross."

He chuckled.

It tickled and warmed my insides. Whatever trick he was playing was working on my mind.

His grip tightened suddenly on my hand, and then it was gone. He removed his hand from mine and was no longer in my head. My mind felt empty, and the noise from the party around us slowly walked back to my ears.

I looked at him now to see the wary dancing in his eyes.

I didn't like it. The look he gave me scared the shit out of me.

"What did you see?"

His brows fell in a frown. "Every fucking time, it's always the wrong ones I fall for."

"What?"

He inhaled. "Your mind—it's a fucking mess, Blue eyes."

"Why the fuck do you keep calling me that."

His cheeks pinked. "I like your eyes, don't call me out on it."

I shook my head, ignoring his remarks. "What's wrong with my mind? Am I going crazy?"

"I would say yes—Dylan would say yes. But—medically, I think there's something up with you and the chip inside your body."

I was still confused, and he must have seen it because he was letting out a breath. "In clearer words, your body is rejecting your chip, and you're—"

"Dying."

"Yeah. Pretty much—you might also be going crazy because of it. Your illusions and everything else you probably feel is your mind playing tricks on you. It's bringing out your fears at particular moments in time."

"Why is this happening?"

"I don't know. But you might need to seek help at the Grey Zone."

"Which is another word for the facility; whatever goes in never comes out. Ivy would freak out—" I shook my head. "No, Ivy can never know—no can ever know—" my gaze stayed fixed on it. "You're not gonna tell anyone."

He looked at me like I was crazy. "I beg your pardon? You're not okay, Roman. To hell, if I'm keeping my mouth shut about it."

"I'm not asking you to—just hold on—until I figure out ways to help myself."

"And how do you want to achieve that?"

There was fear settling at the pit of my stomach, but amidst that fear was a determination that had me setting my jaw straight. "I'm smart, smarter than Einstein—I can think of a way to stop myself from dying."

"And if you're unable to?"

"I'll walk into the Grey Zone myself."

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VOTE AND COMMENT ;)

Thanks for reading!

Roman's condition? Did anyone guess this?

What do we think of Henry???

Still, at this party, see you at the next one.