Hard to Hate You // Michael Langdon

Part V - Alliance

"What the hell happened?" I mutter, shielding the bright light from my eyes.

"You died," Langdon replies. My eyes adjust and I look around to see that I'm laying on my bathroom floor, covered in blood with only a towel covering me. I suddenly remember everything that happened.

"Fuck, that was more painful than I was expecting," I sigh, sitting up. I feel a sharp pain in my head and I fall back over. "Wait, did you send that fucking snake after me?" I accuse as I hold a hand to my head.

He rolls his eyes. "No. I already told you I wasn't going to kill you," he says as he hastily takes my arm and pulls me up. "I had to bring you back to life, so you're going to feel weird for a while."

"I'm fine," I mutter as I fix the towel covering me.

He grabs my bathrobe off of the countertop and tosses it at me before stepping out into the bedroom, his back to the bathroom door. I quickly change into the bathrobe as I ask, "Where did the snake come from?"

I step out just in time to watch his face darken. "I think I have an idea of who sent it."

"Who?"

"My father. He's somewhat of a magical being like I am."

"Somewhat? You know what, I'm not even going to ask."

He smirks. "Now you're getting even smarter."

I roll my eyes and begin to walk over to sit on the ottoman at the bottom of my bed, but I suddenly collapse. A searing pain spreads through my leg, and I look down at it with a wince. There are two bright red fang marks in my calf, and the veins around them are large and discolored. It spreads through my leg, becoming excruciatingly painful. I dig my nails into the floor and scream as it worsens.

"Shit," Langdon mutters, crouching down next to me. "This hasn't happened before." He holds his hand above my leg, but he quickly withdraws it as if it burned him. "That's some really complicated magic," he frowns as he touches it.

His touch sends pain shooting up my body, and I shout in pain. "Just make it go away!" I scream.

He holds his hand above it, ready to heal it, but then he smirks as he looks back over at me. "I'm in an interesting position here," he mocks. "Why should I heal this for you?"

I narrow my eyes. "Don't even try me, shitbag. I will not hesitate to make the rest of your life a living hell."

"Wow, you're threatening me even when you're powerless," he tsks. "Admit to me that you are powerless."

"Go to hell, asshole," I spit. The pain doubles and I writhe on the floor.

"I've been there. It's actually not as bad as people make it out to be."

"You're an ass."

"And you're going to be lying on the floor in excruciating pain for hours with that attitude."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you sent that snake in and just lied to me about it just to get me to admit my weakness," I spit, not letting it go. My pain worsens and I scream again.

"I will admit, that would be absolutely evil, but I did not come up with that idea. My father must've really wanted you dead."

"And why would he want that? I don't think I've even met the guy."

"He's pure evil. He wants everybody dead."

"Good enough explanation," I wince, looking down. My whole leg is a reddish-purple color.

"You're really just making this harder on yourself," he continues to mock.

"Why the hell can't Venable or anybody hear me?"