(3) Painstaker

Three: Better Off Alone

Summer clutched a small white box closer to her chest. "Sorry. I wasn't sure when you'd be back."

A growl vibrated from my chest. Still, the human/witch/whatever-the-hell-she-was didn't even flinch. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

"I don't agree with him. About Kat."

This peaked my interest. Cocking my head, I ordered her to follow me into the living room. There, I sat in my favourite La-Z-Boy as she slunk down into the leather couch. "Carter would listen to you before he listens to me," I snarled, hating every word. "Why aren't you trying to convince him that he's being an idiot?"

Blowing out a sigh, she focused her gaze on the box. "He really believes this is the best way, but altering memory has its side effects. It could work, maybe, but worst case scenario, her memory of Donovan is erased, but the depression isn't. That would just confuse her more."

"You've tried to change his mind?"

Summer nodded once, solemnly.

I cursed. "Ugh. He's pissing me off."

"That's not the worst part." Her words caused me to narrow my eyes at her. By then, still not looking at me, she was tracing patterns on the box. "He's spoken to Kat about it. She's agreed to the procedure."

I had no words. None. Because, now that Kat had it in her mind that things could truly get better, could I really try to pull the plug on it all? "Oh, Kat."

Summer shook her head, finally lifted her eyes in my direction. "That's not why I came here." Lifting the box, she set it on the coffee table in front of her. "I made these the other week. It takes longer for me to make, since my powers are gone, but the prescription is as strong as it can be without side effects."

I turned my attention to the box. "Okay," I drawled. "Am I supposed to read your mind to find out what's inside?"

It was subtle, the smirk she tried to hide. "Sleeping pills. I've heard about..." She's lucky she didn't finish that sentence. Anyone who talked to me about this curse thing that he put on me made me want to punch something. Preferably a living thing. "They'll help you sleep. The only problem is that it's harder to wake you up. It could be dangerous if there was a fire or something."

Sleep. I could get some sleep? Maybe after a few nice hours, I wouldn't be so bitchy. Narrowing my eyes, I studied her expression. Summer was usually an open book. It didn't look like she was trying to poison me or anything.

"I won't accept you as my Luna," I declared. "It doesn't matter how many pills you make me. You're still a witch to me."

Summer frowned. Glancing away, she nodded slowly. "I know. I just wanted to give you these. Carter's worried." Without another word, Summer scurried out of here. I could hear the sound of the truck's engine roar to life, then she drove off.

I probably should have felt bad. Hell, the old me would have. Something changed. I'm not sure what or when, only that it had. Daddy made sure all of his spawns were tough as nails. Donovan was the emotionless robot and I was the heartless bitch. I'm sure father would be proud, if he even knew what the word meant.

With shaking hands, I grabbed the box and ripped out its contents. The pills were in another white container, this one labelled properly. Jack was the one providing me the other pills.

Sleep. Yes. I wanted sleep. I snagged the bottle, hiked it upstairs, slipped into pjs, and downed a capsule. Laying on the surface of my bed, my vision immediately began to blur. Whatever I just took, it was strong enough to knock me out within seconds.

If I knew I would dream of memories of him, I wouldn't have taken those damn pills.

*