About a week had passed and they haven’t seen or heard from Luke. Michael’s fear of the poison inflicted on him grew. He hadn’t felt any different but he knew he would in the long run; that it’s just a matter of time. The feeling was just too strong. At night, he would have dreams of fighting against Alex. It scared him to think that he would betray them both. What had confused him was that five other that surrounded Alex in that dream. The only one thing he knew to do at that point was ignore the dream and hope it didn’t mean anything. And that he needed to tell Luke about it if it didn’t stop.

He sat on his bed, hoping that Luke would come back with an answer soon. He didn’t know what it was but there was something that bothered him. And even with the move the last four days, it was still in his mind. The day after they vanquished Andras, Alex asked Jackie and Michael to move into the manor.

There was a knock on the door.

Michael: “Come in.” – The door opened to reveal Jackie. –

Jackie: “We’re going out to lunch. You wanna come or you just gonna hang out here for a while?”

Michael: “No I think I’m staying here today. Not really hungry anyway.”

Jackie: “Okay. See you later then.” – She started to leave but then came back in. – “Are you okay?” – Michael looked at her – “We’re worried about you. Ever since the day of Andras’ attack, you’ve been acting kinda strange, like you’re pulling away from us.” – She looked at him for an answer but saw she wasn’t going to get one. – “If you want to talk my door is always open, all right?”

He nodded and she left. It was comforting to know that Alex and Jackie were right across the hall; he could talk to any one of them if he needed it. But how do you tell your brothers that you might betray them? That scared him even more. If they lived together and the pull of evil “turns” him, as Jackie put it, they’d be in danger. He was starting to regret the move into the manor.

He sat there for some time, oblivious to everything else around him. All the distractions seemed to disappear. What got his attention was the blue light coming from beside him. He turned around to see Luke appear from the clutter of tiny orbs.

Michael: “Did you find anything out?” – Luke looked worried about something. Mike figured it was about the poison. –

Luke: “Yeah. The Elders found out what the poison was.” – He saw the look from Mike’s face that asked him to go on. – “The dagger was carrying pure evil.”

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Alex and Jackie were in a small restaurant a couple of blocks away from the manor. As they ate, they talked about Michael’s…behavior over the last couple of days. They were worried about him. Alex tried talking to him a couple of times but would get from Michael an “I’m fine, just thinking” kinda answer. He didn’t know what else to do.

Jackie: “So what do you think is wrong with him?”

Alex: “I don’t know. I tried to find out but he wouldn’t tell me. Jackie…” – He looks up from his burger to look at her. – “…that scares me.”

Jackie: “Really, why?”

Alex: “Because he’s never kept anything from me…or from you. Whenever he had a problem, he would come to either you or me but he always told us something, never left us in the dark. I know there’s something bothering him and if he keeps it to himself he’ll go nuts.” – He pushes his burger away. – “What scares me even more is that it might have to do with the poison Luke said the dagger had.”

Jackie: “You think? I mean it’s been a couple of days. Wouldn’t have something already happened?” – She grabbed the burger Alex pushed away and bit into it…eventually finishing it all. –

Alex: “Yeah maybe.” – He brings his head up from the floor and sees his burger gone. Then he notices that Jackie’s face has mayonnaise on it. – “I was gonna eat that burger.” – She shrugs her shoulders and continues eating her lunch. –

A guy dressed in blue jeans and a black shirt came into the restaurant. He went over to the bar to sit down next to a young woman. Working his charm he managed to get his head down to her neck. The man kisses the lady’s neck softly until he has her relaxed and calm. People started to leave not wanting to see what was about to happen…or what they thought was about to happen. But no, that’s not what happened. The guy kissed her once more then came down fiercely on her neck biting it. She screamed as the vampire drank out of her and got the attention of Alex and Jackie.

Jackie: “What the…a vampire?”

Alex flicked his hand at the vampire and it froze. He thought of what to do when the thought came into his head. He pulled his chain with the crucifix off and pressed it against the vampires back. Fire began to spread from where the crucifix touched him soon enough surrounding the whole vampire. The power wore off and the vampire released his grip off the girl. A couple of seconds later the vampire was gone, turned to ashes. The young lady fell to the floor. Jackie went over to her and picked her up so that she leaned her back on a table. They called 911 and went back to the manor.

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Michael: “What does that mean, carrying pure evil?”

Luke sat down on Michael’s bed and took a deep sigh.

Luke: “What it means is that the dagger was carrying…pure evil. It’s a tonic The Source’s Seer created to help Phoebe survive her child’s powers as it develops. That tonic is another of the reasons Phoebe fell into darkness.”

Michael: “What does it do?” – He looked over the window…already with an idea of what it did. –

Luke: “Michael…the tonic will eventually turn you. There isn’t any way to stop it. There is a time limit but because the dagger just cut you and not enter you like it was suppose to, it’ll take a while before it takes effect.” – He wasn’t even looking at him. As much as it hurt to tell Michael about the poison, it hurt him to think that one of his charges will fall into the hands of The Source. He thought to himself, I’m sorry I failed you Michael. I’m sorry I failed you and your father. –

Michael: “How long do I have?”

Luke: “About a year.” – He picked his face up from the floor and looked at Michael’s green eyes, now with tears in them. – “The least would be about nine months, the most would be about thirteen.”

As the tears threatened to come down, Michael realized that the dreams were telling him what to come. He was going to betray Alex and Jackie. He was going to betray the power of three.

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Alex and Jackie arrived back at the manor. They went up to Mike’s room and see Luke with Michael. Michael looked at Luke and begged him not to say anything about the tonic. With a nod, Luke agreed.

Michael: “Hey guys. How was lunch?” – He fought so much with himself to keep the tears from him voice. –

Jackie: “Nothing interesting. We vanquished a vampire.” – That got Luke’s attention. –

Luke: “A vampire? Where…how?”

Alex: “We were at the diner eating lunch. Next thing we knew he was biting into a girl’s neck and she was screaming. The how part I’m not so sure about.”

Luke: “Vampires are banished from the underworld and were told by The Source to make their actions unknown. If they were attacking during the day…” – He noticed what he was saying about vampires attacking during the day. –

Michael: “I thought vampires couldn’t be in direct sunlight.”

Luke: “There not. Because light was created by good it vanquishes them. The only explanation is that they’re dealing with upper level power. And the only magic that can perform a spell like that is…” – He stopped himself not wanting to disobey the law of The Elders’ Order. – “I have to report this.” – Without saying anything else he orbed to The Elders.

Michael looked away from his brothers. He couldn’t believe that he would one day turn against them. Alex and Jackie went to sit next to him, both on either side so that he’d be looking at one of them. If Luke was here, it meant that he brought Michael an answer…didn’t it?

Jackie: “So did The Elders know what that poison was?”

Michael thought to himself. Should I tell them? Maybe they could help me find a way to fight it. But Luke said that there wasn’t anyway to stop it. They’d turn away from me; even Alex who’s helped me for so long. Wouldn’t he? Could I bear losing them right after I discovered this bond we have as brothers? If I say no I’d be able to stay with them and we could stay together for the next year or so but I’ll be putting them in danger. I don’t know if I’ll control myself when I…turn. If I leave, go far away I’ll miss them terribly but they’ll be safe. Am I selfish? Do I stay with them? Or am I selfless and leave them forever?

Alex: “Mike…Mike.” – Michael snaps out of thought. – “What did Luke say about the poison?”

Michael: “He said…The Elders couldn’t figure out what it was.”