Boon and Zack wrestled on the smooth cement floor as Rob and Olvia watched in shock. Jumping into action Olivia pulled Boon off of Zack, he continued to kick and swing his fists in Zack's direction. Snapping back to reality, Rob stepped between Zack and Boon, ensuring that Zack wouldn't try anything.

"Are you crazy!" Rob shouted, his voice filled with frustration. "Did you suddenly forget that he has a restraining order on you? Zack pull it together!"

Sarah came rushing around the corner, she seemed panicked and was dragging Prof. Dowding behind her. "He's just over here. Deb thinks he's choking," She explained to the teacher. But as they got closer the old man's face changed from worry to anger. Sarah froze when she saw the scene in front of them.

"I on Earth do you think you are doing!" Professor Bobby Dowding shouted, his stern gaze sweeping the group, including Sarah. "Look at the mess you've all made, no one is going anywhere until it is cleaned up and I get some answers."

"But I had nothing to do with this." Sarah protested "I was getting you, so you could help Boon."

"Boon looks fine to me." Bobby eyes him, "Though he may want to consider putting some clothes on."

"Shit," Boon muttered, his face turned bright red before he ducked back into the locker room.

"Well the rest of you need to get to work, I'll pull you aside as I need you," Bobby commanded.

-----

Father Bill sat hunched over the CCTV feeds in the university dean's office, his eyes scanning for one person in particular, Deb. He knew she was seeing someone and had his suspicions as to who it was. He needed proof to confront her, as so far he had come up with nothing.

There was a knock on the door and Kenzie entered the room. her fiery red hair framing her face as seemed confused by Father Bill's presence. "I'm sorry, Father, I was hoping to speak to the Dean. My nursing schedule came out for the month and it interferes with some of my dawn duties. Is he around?" her eyes scan the room for Pablo

Father Bill looked up, his blue eyes meeting Kenzie's. "I'm sorry, the dean is attending to an important matter across campus today." He paused, his expression turning thoughtful. "Tell me, Zack is a resident on your floor right?"

Kenzie's face brightened. "Yeah, though I haven't seen him around the dorm as much lately."

"Oh," Father Bill said with a nod. "I was hoping I would be able to catch him, talk to him about his recent confession."

"Isn't at St Jerome's a lot?" Kenzie asked, her curiosity piqued. "I mean he is dating Deb, after all, I see them heading off together all the time.

"Oh is that so?" Father Bill replied, trying to hide his disdain "I will just have to keep a better eye out for him around campus, thank you, my dear." He escorted her out of the office, closing the door on the confused young woman.

-----

Meanwhile, in the locker room, Zack, Deb, Rob, Olivia, and Sarah were hard at work cleaning up the mess left by Boon and Zack's outburst. As Rob and Zack straightened an out-of-place locker, Sarah muttered angrily to herself as she mopped up the floor. She whispered about getting payback for being forced to clean up their mess and uttered it aloud.

Deb rolled her eyes as she overheard Sarah's empty threats, but she quickly composed herself, not wanting to rock the boat. Zack on the other hand could barely keep control of his anger, his eyes flickering with pink energy.

"Rob, I think you might be right about having to kill Boon." He hissed through gritted teeth. "And that is just fine with me."

"Zack, we can't kill him," Rob sighed, knowing it was just Zack's anger talking. "He may not have control of his actions, besides if we kill him Sloth could just create another Familiar. It doesn't solve anything." He gave Zack a reassuring look, trying to soothe some of his rage.

As they continued to debate, Boon's head began to throb painfully. He winced, clutching at his temples, and raced toward the bathroom stalls. Professor Dowding followed him with a worried frown.

"He is just such a smug asshole," Zack muttered, watching Boon run. "He attacks Deb and I just have to let it go because he may not be in control?"

"We all know Boon is the worst on his best day. You don't have to forgive him for attacking Deb if it really was him attacking her. Otherwise, save that rage for Sloth," Rob said, as the sound of a stall being forced open echoed through the room.

Boon stumbled into the stall, his face pale and sweat beading on his forehead. He bent over the toilet, gripping the edges tightly. His green eyes were clouded with pain and confusion. As his mouth opened, a torrent of crow feathers spilled out. Boon coughed, choking back bile as he flushed the evidence of his last meal down the pipes.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He could feel Bobby Dowding worrying on the other side of the door.

On the other side of the wall, Rob and Zack joined Olivia in her effort to reset the tipped-over lockers. She didn't actually need the help but if she had lifted the lockers on her own, Sarah might have seen. Olivia's voice was quiet but firm as she spoke to Zack.

"I know Boon is the familiar, and I know he can suck but there is a good reason for it" She explained, "Jaymie Boon, Boon's father, left their family after a messy affair, it totally ruined the family." she paused unsure if she should say more but seeing the anger in Zack's face soften was all the go-ahead she needed. "He fought for custody of Boon's sister but not him. All that fighting was for nothing though, Boon's father was killed in a hit-and-run accident on Hespeler Road shortly after."

"How do you know all this?" Zack asked, now feeling pity for Boon. He kind of understood why Boon was so desperate to stand out and be the best, to prove his dead father was wrong for not choosing him.

"Believe it or not I actually grew up with Boon," she said, making sure Sarah wasn't listening in. "They were our next-door neighbors."

Before anyone could respond, Zack's phone rang, the shrill tone cutting through the conversation. Glancing at the screen, he saw that the University was calling him.

"Hello?" he answered cautiously.

"Zack, this is Father Bill. I need to see you in my office immediately," Father Bill demanded, his voice stern and unwavering.

"Alright, I'm on my way," Zack replied, ending the call. He looked at Rob and Olivia, who were listening in. "This can't be good."

"I can come with you, in case he tries anything," Rob assured him.

"No, I can handle this. You stay here and don't let Boon out of your sight." Zack instructed before leaving. He knew that Father Bill sounded serious but he also knew his deal with Pablo hadn't expired yet so he would be safe for now.

-----

Upon reaching Father Bill's office, Zack found the older man hunched over his desk, using an electric pencil sharpener to shave down several pencils. He didn't look up from the sharpener, just motioned for Zack to take a seat.

"Zack," Father Bill began sternly, "I saw you little tussle on camera." He glared at Zack

He paused, removing a pencil that was barely an inch and a half long from the sharpener, holding it up for emphasis.

"You're lucky I'm here to explain away things like ripping sinks from walls, to shield you from those who would like to see you dead. But we had a deal and new evidence suggests you broke it." he continued, an anger burned behind his like Zack had never seen before. "Are you having sex with Deb?"

The question caught Zack off guard, causing his cheeks to flush with embarrassment. "No, we're broken," he stammered, he wondered how Father Bill had found this new evidence.

Father Bill stared at the tiny pencil, clearly not convinced. "Well, I certainly hope not," he finally said, setting the pencil aside. "You know the consequences of breaking that promise, and believe me you will not see the exorcists coming until it is too late."

"I swear that nothing...." Zack started.

"I don't need you to swear anything, I need you to stay away from Deb." Father Bill instructed. "Now get out of my sight and clean up your mess." Zack nodded and walked away, knowing they had been found out.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

-----

Meanwhile, back in the locker room, Professor Dowding approached Deb and Rob "I have to step away for a moment, I expect you to keep cleaning, no one leaves until it is finished," he said sternly, pointing at the wreckage surrounding them.

As Bobby slipped out the door Zack slipped back in. He made his way over Rob and Deb but he had no interest in filling them in on the conversation he just had.

"Well? What the hell did the good Father want?" Rob asked, trying to make sense of Zack's distorted features. "Is he onto us?"

"Uh, no he doesn't know about that," Zack said, he tried to think of a logical response for the next inevitable.

Deb adjusted her glasses before asking it. "So then what was it all about? Rob, said it didn't sound good."

Zack sighed, "He was trying to me to give up Ethel again, they are getting impatient."

Danm, that's not good," Rob rubbed his chin, "Just pulling you away like that, they are getting careless."

Sarah continued to mop in through the locker room in the background, making her way to the bathroom. She banged on Boon's stall. "Hey, are you actually going to help clean anything or are you just going to fake sick until we are done?"

The stall was spinning for Boon, and Sarah's banging made his head throb. The writing that filled the stall walls started to wiggle like snakes. the words unwound and reformed to create "Boon" and then, as he blinked in disbelief, the message changed to "Close Your Eyes Boon" before morphing again into "Close Them Now!" unable to stop himself, Boon closed his eyes.

A loud thud rang out from the bathroom, Rob, Zack, Deb, and Olivia all gave each other looks before racing toward the source. As they pushed through the door, they found Sarah lying in a puddle of blood on the floor. Zack raced to her side, turning her over on her back to reveal two thick gashes across her chest. Deb reached Sarah next, she reached down and searched for a pulse. "She's alive" She assured them.

"We need to get her to a hospital." Rob reached for his phone.

"Where is Boon!" Olivia scanned the room, but there was no sign of Sarah's attacker.

Before anyone could answer, the stall door was ripped from its hinges and thrown toward the group. Zack stepped up and caught it with his telekinesis, sending fly back at the unseen attacker. Light fixtures cracked and shattered, ceiling tiles rained down upon them like storm debris as the familiar avoided the door. With a guttural roar, Zack transformed into his vessel form, focusing his aura to try and locate the Familiar.

"Where is he!" Deb's voice rang out as she looked for signs of where the familiar had gone. She didn't have to wait long for an answer, two deep fang marks appeared in Olivia's neck. I permanent look of shock was stuck on her face, the paralysis set in quickly, and she collapsed to the floor. There was the sound of shattering glass, and they knew Boon was gone.

Zack's thoughts raced as he knelt down beside Olivia, concern etched on his face. "We need to get them to the hospital," he said urgently.

"Take me to Ethel," she insisted weakly. "She can help me, the hospital isn't safe."

"Rob, help me carry her," Zack instructed, Rob rushed over, and together they heaved Olivia onto her feet. "What about Sarah?"

"Don't worry, I'll stay here with Sarah until the ambulance arrives," she said firmly, her dark eyes meeting his. "I will text you the moment I hear anything."

"Thank you," Zack agreed, knowing that time was of the essence. As he and Rob carried Olivia away, Deb kept her fingers to Sarah's wrists, monitoring her pulse.

-----

Ethel was jolted awake when Zack came barreling through the door of her apartment. She didn't have time to ask what was happening before Rob emerged from behind, with Olivia draped over his shoulders. Olivia seemed almost like a puppet with its strings cut, her breathing shallow and labored. Ethel raced to her side, concern etched across her features as she studied Olivia. She noticed the deep fang marks on her neck and knew what had happened.

"How did this happen," Ethel demanded, her voice firm but full of worry.

Rob hesitated unwilling to give up Boon, "We were attacked by the Familiar at in the locker room, it got away." He brought Olivia to the closest couch and laid her down on it.

"Thank you," Olivia whispered, even speaking felt like a struggle. She glanced over at Rob, her eyes portraying her gratitude, his expression was a mix of fear and concern.

"You make a good Batman," she said with a weak smile.

"I am not really a hero" Rob replied, the corners of his mouth turning up into a small grin.

Ethel knelt down beside her vessel and took her hand, her eyes shifted to their dazzling green color and Olivia's body began to twitch. "Explain exactly what happened to me, why was the Familiar in the locker room?"

Zack looked down at Olivia, he knew they were in over their heads. We know who the Familiar is," he admitted, he saw a look of shock grace Ethel's face for a split second. "I can't tell you who it is though, I can't be responsible for their death." He hoped Ethel would understand.

"Then why bother telling you know who it is?" Ethel began, her voice firm but annoyed. "I can't do anything if I am kept in the dark, and you know getting rid of the Familiar will save lives."

" Kill the Familiar won't save lives, Sloth will just make another one," Zack finally said, unable to make eye contact with the Supreme. "Because that is the problem, there is another sin in Waterloo and we have no clue who it is or what they want. But if we can find them then maybe we can save the Familiar."

Ethel mulled it over for a moment "OK you're right if we don't eliminate the Sin they will just create another, so we need to come up with a plan that forces the sin out of hiding,"

"And how exactly do we do that?" Rob asked.

"We lay a trap for its precious Familiar and force it out to free it," Ethel said without skipping a beat. "First things first we need to gather a few things to make sure it can't escape from this trap."

-----

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Kenzie hurried down the sterile white corridor, her red hair tied back in a tight bun. She had been working tirelessly since the beginning of her shift and was running on fumes.

Entering the room at the end of the hallway, she approached Nancy, who had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl. As Kenzie checked the new mother's vitals, Nancy suddenly grabbed her arm, her grip surprisingly strong.

"It's coming," she whispered urgently, her voice trembling with fear. "It's coming to get me, it knows what we did."

"Shh, try to stay calm," Kenzie soothed, attempting to hide her own unease at the woman's words. "You're safe here, no one is coming to get you." Nancy's shakey hands released Kenzie as she took in her words.

"I am just going to check your vitals and then you can rest again," Nancy nodded, giving Kenzie the go-ahead. After ensuring that Nancy was stable, Kenzie left the room, worried about the new mother's mental state. Kenzie was so wrapped up in thought she did not pay too much attention to the hooded figure passing her in the hallway.

The hooded figure slipped into Nancy's darkened room. Gloved hands moved with practiced precision, pressing down on the new mother's mouth and nose until she drew her last breath.

-----

Ahmed could feel the cool night air as he stepped out of his last class of the day. He pulled his jacket up over his shoulders and started to make his way across campus to the bus stop. As he reached the small structure, a familiar face was sitting on the bench

"Hey," the stalker said, a coy smile playing on his lips. "Any plans for the rest of the night?"

"Of course," Ahmed replied, trying to seem nonchalant. "Why do you ask?"

"Well I was hoping to take you to dinner tonight," the stalker said, the mystery in his voice palpable. "But if you're busy...."

"I suppose I could squeeze you into my schedule," Ahmed agreed trying to maintain his cool.

"Perfect." The mystery boy said with a smile. "Let's head out then." He motioned to the bus, allowing Ahmed to get on first.

Ahmed's heart pounded in his chest, was both excited and nervous around this mystery man. There was something about the guy he didn't quite trust, like something was just slightly off. He eyed the young man beside him and realized he didn't even know his name.

"Uh, this is pretty embarrassing but I don't think I ever asked you your name," Ahmed mused aloud, he could feel his cheeks turning bright red.

The boy looked perplexed "Oh shit, Yeah you didn't." He laughed "The name's Curtis."

"Where are you taking me to dinner?" Ahmed asked, blasting himself for not having asked these questions sooner.

"It's a surprise," Curtis said putting an arm around him, "Trust me, you are going to love it." While Ahmed liked Curtis' confidence, every dateline he watched had told him going to an unknown location with a stranger wasn't a good idea.

As the bus pulled to a stop Curtis got up. "This is us," He hooked his arm around Ahmed's and led him out the door at the back of the bus.

Ahmed was even more confused when he realized they were in a residential neighborhood. He pulled himself free of Curtis and took a step back. "Ok, seriously where are we, I thought you were taking me to dinner but there is no way there is a restaurant around here."

Curtis looked almost hurt by Ahmed's reaction. "I wasn't going to take you to a restaurant, I was actually going to cook for you at my place," he admitted.

"But I thought you said that you lived close to me?" Ahmed said skeptically, eying Curtis. "This isn't anywhere close to my house."

A sheepish look spread across Curtis' face, "Yeah I kind of lied about that, I just really want to talk to you again. I think you are amazing."

"You don't even know me." Ahmed countered.

"I've seen you around, I know you have the top grades in all your classes, that you love to read, and drink brown sugar chai tea lattes. I know you survived being attacked last semester and I knew I had to meet you, you were so strong."

Ahmed couldn't help but feel flattered, "OK I will let you cook for me this one time, this dinner better be amazing."

"I promise it will be," Curtis said with a smile.

Moments later, Ahmed's heart raced as he stepped cautiously into the modern kitchen, the black granite countertops sparkled under the crystal chandelier. He could feel his pulse quickening as the door creaked shut behind him.

"This is it," Curtis said as he made his way over to the stainless steel fridge, "this is where the magic happens." he began pulling out ingredients and setting them on the counter.

Ahmed took a seat on the black leather bar stool by the island, "This is a really nice place," Ahmed took in the room, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling that still gnawed at the back of his mind.

"Yeah, It's my parents' place really but they are out of town," the young man murmured, drawing closer. They locked eyes, and Ahmed found himself unable to resist, leaning in for a kiss.

The moment their lips met, Ahmed felt something was terribly wrong, Curtis' lips were icy cold. As he pulled away, he caught sight of their reflection in the fridge – and what he saw made his blood run cold.

The reflection wasn't Curtis; instead, he stared back at Kyle, fangs bared and orange eyes glowing menacingly. Panic welled up within him, and he stumbled back, breaking free from Kyle's embrace.

"What is this?" Ahmed choked out, his voice barely more than a whisper. His surroundings began to shift before his very eyes, the once elegant home crumbling into the charred remains of Kyle's house.

Ahmed struggled to process the now-destroyed home he was standing in. The truth finally dawned on him as the fog around his mind cleared: every encounter with Curtis had been nothing more than an illusion.

Kyle appeared before him, a sinister smile playing on his lips. "Oh my boy you are something truly special," he explained, his voice dripping with malevolence. "It was my lucky day when I discovered you."

"What are you talking about?" Ahmed demanded, trembling with anger and fear. "If you try anything, I'll scream"

"Ahmed," Kyle said slyly, "you are far more valuable to me alive." Before Ahmed could ask anything else Kyle faded from existence, leaving him alone in the remains of the old home.

A sudden weight in his hand drew Ahmed's attention downward, where a delicate lily bloom rested in his palm. As he stared at the fragile petals, the reflection of glowing orange eyes flashed in the shattered windows, watching him from behind the veil.