Hard to Hate You // Michael Langdon

Part VIII - Seven Wonders

Upon seeing Michael's true Antichrist face, my instincts take action.  Almost immediately, I grab his arm, which is still holding me by the neck, and he flies back.  His face returns to its human form as he crashes into the wall.

I swing my arm out and the bookshelves on both sides of him flip over onto him.  I break the chain holding up the candles hanging from the ceiling above him, and they crash onto the bookshelves on top of him, catching them on fire.

I stand back and watch Michael's reaction smugly.  He stares at me in shock as he pulls himself to his feet, pushing the bookshelves to the side.  He slowly walks forward, barely paying attention to the growing fire behind him.  "How did you do that?" he asks, his voice laced with disbelief.

"Surprise bitch, I have powers," I scoff.

"Have you been hiding them this whole time?"

I roll my eyes.  "No, I only got them after your father decided to make us allies and shit.  Trust me, if I had them before I knew you were the Antichrist, I would've tried to kill you with them."

He sighs as he fixes the mess behind him.  "Well, this complicates things."

"What?" I question.

He transmutates over to me and grabs my arm before transmutating us to his bedroom.  "Give me some warning before you just do that," I complain as he releases my arm.

He ignores me and walks over to his bedside table, taking a knife from the drawer.

"You just keep knives in your nightstand?" I mock.

He rolls his eyes as he raises his arm and a candle flies into it.  "Give me your hand," he states as he sets the knife and candle down on his desk and holds out his hand.

I raise a brow as I walk over to him and extend my hand.  "Why?" I ask.

Without warning, he flips my hand over so it is palm up and slides the knife across my palm.

"What the fuck?" I gasp as I pull my hand away.  "What is your issue?"

He rolls his eyes.  "Bear with me here."  He picks up the candle and hands it to my non-injured hand.  "Light it on fire," he instructs.

I send him a questioning look as I hold my bloody hand over it, somehow already knowing what I'm supposed to do.  My blood drips onto the candle, and it lights up.

He nods as he takes the candle from me and blows it out.  "Is the hand-cutting really necessary?" I question.

"No," he shakes his head.  "It's just more fun for me."

"Asshole," I mutter as I open his nearest drawer and pull one of his black shirts out.  I wrap it around my bloody hand before he can protest.

"What the hell?" he complains as he reaches for his shirt.

"It's already ruined now," I state as I hold my arm out of his reach.

He rolls his eyes, giving up.  "I suppose I deserved that one."

I smirk.  "So did you only want me to light some silly candle?" I question.

He sighs as he walks past me.  "Transmutate into the hallway."

I roll my eyes and transmutate into the hallway outside his bedroom.  He opens his bedroom door as I appear.  "May I ask what the purpose of all of this is?" I question.

"You'll see," he says nonchalantly.  "Now, can you tell me where the item belonging to Ariel Augustus is in this outpost?"

"What the hell does this Ariel Augustus bitch have to do with the task at hand?" I scoff.