"Mom? Can we talk?"Doreen squirmed. "Of course."He took her hand and sat her down. "I'm really in a bad place right now. I can't imagine losing Harley, you know? I'm more afraid of losing her than I am afraid of her.""She's... amazing and independent. She's full of surprises and I guess I'm afraid that she won't need me anymore." Doreen swallowed hard watching him. He looked distressed. "When she sent me those texts, I think there was a lot of desperation. She asked about you everyday I mean, every single day." She laughed with teary eyes."I did tell her how I felt but...I didn't want to tell her I was afraid. It's new territory for me. How do you fall for a person on the first day? I guess it's just dumb luck.""I've had a similar discussion with Harley? She said losing you was ripping off a bandaid and she knows it's going to hurt because you don't say 'I love you' much. But I think she's just as scared to leave you as you are."Maks hugging his arm. "I don't think so now. It's
(Volume 1 is on my profile, please read for context.) 2nd yr, Phoenix ArizonaMaks made a terrible mistake by trusting an "inner voice" who was actually Pandora, the mother of monsters.He unleashed monsters into the world until a war between the awakeners and the monsters started.Pandora wanted a world where the monsters could be included. But she realised that it was never meant to be.Maks with the help of his friends and allies. Banished the monsters back to the null void and peace was restored....But not entirely...Maks sat back brushing his black cat's ears. He was a 2nd year college student."Maks, to the kitchen." His stepmother Doreen Fletcher-Anderson said.She had come into her life when he was 8. She had trouble conceiving for 3 years before she had his half sister Jessica. He was so conflicted and it took him over a decade to come to love her but he couldn't blame his half sister. He took care of her even though he thought she was a burden.He went to the kitchen and h
Artemis Kroner stared at the target drily at the bustly amusement park. She got a call from Maks to meet her there. The red haired heiress of Kroner industries wasn't expecting him to bring his date. Sam Flair, his other best friend, son of Vice Mayor of Phoenix wore a basketball jersey, sweats and laceless sneakers. He switched his glasses for contacts.Harley was so shocked that Maks invited them."Maksim!" Sam hollered."Ey yo Samson!" Maks said approaching him and Harley steamed."I've missed you man.""Dude come on. We talk online."Sam ruffled his hair. "It's not the same, my dad thought it would be nice to get away from this mess." He sighed.Sam had been forced to change course from pyrotechnics to political science. He wasn't even forced to join the military because his dad feared he would go into pyrotechnics there as well. Besides that, he was glad to have such great company. "Got any ideas.""Let's test out that ride." Maks pointed.Harley growled at them running off. It
He pushed his chair aside to approach the man no one seemed to notice. Chupacabras had the ability to shapeshift into anyone. But it took one to know one."It's gonna be a bloodbath tonight." The beast chuckled ominously. "How can you stand around all these people, these deserts?""I don't hurt people." Sam said. "I'm human just as they are.""And you're a beast, just like me. You starve like a monk and perish or feast with me and live like a king." Miguel offered."I'm sorry but I promised not to take risks so."His pupils constricted. "You dare reject me? All these people will die and it will be on your head...hero."Sam held out his fists and the man lunged towards him and vanished.Sam fell over when the invisible force slammed him to the ground.Maks, Artemis and Harley noticed the pandemonium.Sam tried to punch the creature and Miguel hit him from all sides.He coughed blood and his eyes were starting to bruise.Sam growled and he morphed. People started to disperse screaming at
"Who's Miguel?""Your friend." "I don't know what you're talking about."Miguel sat at a corner sad, he had hypnotized him that night to make him forget.Miguel walked with Maks's shoe searching for Sam He approached the school. "I can smell you."He tracked down Maks at the school looking around, he didn't need the boot anymore. He could just find Sam and take him but first, he had to eliminate Maks.Present day,Miguel walked through the forest, he needed to feed before travel. His eyes rounded at a deer and his fangs elongated.Birds flew out of the trees following the deer's bellow.The next day, he grabbed his coat and books. He waved at Meg in the class.It was a typical biology class at Maks' med school. The professor, Dr. Jenkins, was explaining the basic structure of a cell, using diagrams and models to illustrate his points.Maks was sitting in the front row, taking detailed notes and asking the occasional question. He was focused and attentive, wanting to make sure he under
"You remember that promise right?" Maks's eyes rounded. He promised that if Sam ever went berserk then he would kill him."Meg will hate me_""You're all about being grounded right. This is the best option, I think she'll understand." Sam said."Staying sane is up to you and killing you is up to me. So for your sake.""I'm doing this for my sanity." Sam said facing him. "Try to stop me."Maks walked out the door. "What did he say?" Meg asked and he couldn't look her in the eyes. "We have an understanding.""What kind of understanding?""You wouldn't get it." Maks said coolly and she sat hugging her knees....Miguel wanted Sam to join his cause, he didn't want him to be a victim of prejudice and rejection just like he was with his friend Stacy.Maks stood, he couldn't wait around for Miguel.He went after Miguel and so did Sam who ran on all fours. Harley hung on to her hellhound Blackjack with Artemis behind her.Miguel was headed his way with his other gang.Maks stood back and he
"I could have killed him.""That scares me, you actually wanted to kill Sam?" She said and he nodded then shook his head."I had a choice." He said to her. "I made a promise to do whatever it took to stop him if he went berserk."Artemis looked stunned. "Okay but why would you do something like that?""It's not exactly easy you know!""No need to get defensive. I train with assassins, I completely understand_""No, he's a monster now. There's a difference between being evil and being monstrous. That's our friend up there.""What are we gonna do?" Artemis asked.Maks was thinking. "I broke my promise. It's up to Sam now. We just have to trust that he can handle it. He did it once before, he can do it again.""Yeah but it's not that simple." She said. "Plan A, we can let him go and have him work on himself or Plan B, isolate him from his family and lock him up." Maks thought about Harley's dad, he was possessed and locked up, lost all the opportunity to connect with her. Because he made
She attended dance classes and girls from the background glared at her."Can you believe her? She's grieving for Bo and still acting like a main character."Harley stopped dancing and she walked towards them. "Can you believe that we're having dance classes and you're back there mouthing about what's none of your business?"Yvonne stepped forward. "Bo was our coursemate, she's our business too."Harley clenched her teeth. "You act like everything's not a big deal! Why don't you get out of your fantasy world and stop acting like everyone's jealous of you."Harley was taken aback. "I never said that.""Yeah but you certainly act that way." Yvonne said hurt.Her lip trembled.Keisha walked in with shopping bags, a yellow crop top, camouflage mini skirt, pop socks and baseball boots. She just went shopping."Ley Ley!""Keish!" Harley brightened up."You're late for class.""As if I care. Ares just let me loose, I can do whatever the hell I want. Ah, I'm so excited."Keisha was a Phoenix g
"Mom? Can we talk?"Doreen squirmed. "Of course."He took her hand and sat her down. "I'm really in a bad place right now. I can't imagine losing Harley, you know? I'm more afraid of losing her than I am afraid of her.""She's... amazing and independent. She's full of surprises and I guess I'm afraid that she won't need me anymore." Doreen swallowed hard watching him. He looked distressed. "When she sent me those texts, I think there was a lot of desperation. She asked about you everyday I mean, every single day." She laughed with teary eyes."I did tell her how I felt but...I didn't want to tell her I was afraid. It's new territory for me. How do you fall for a person on the first day? I guess it's just dumb luck.""I've had a similar discussion with Harley? She said losing you was ripping off a bandaid and she knows it's going to hurt because you don't say 'I love you' much. But I think she's just as scared to leave you as you are."Maks hugging his arm. "I don't think so now. It's
Maks's eyes rounding. Although he tried to look as calm as possible. He took a deep breath, then nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Sam, I totally get where you’re coming from. Meg’s been difficult lately. I’ve tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, but it’s getting to be too much.”Sam looked flustered this time only with embarrassment. "I really used to have a crush on her but...I can't stand her anymore.""I just can't anymore. I'm sick of feeling bad about her problems, she just sucks me into her toxic world and the air is not breathable. In fact it's the opposite of oxygen."He went home for the weekend. His mom Doreen spotted him."Oh Maks.""Mom." He hugged her, eyes shut.Doreen was heady with relief and concern. He made himself at home.His eyes lowered. "How's life treating you?""It will get better." She said."It already is." He told her. "I think it's best if we hold on to this moment."Doreen's eyes crinkled. "What's wrong?""Nothing." His body turned to lead and it wasn't
Maks fumed. "What? I wasn't proactive to call up a date?""Please, we both know Dr Brendan made you ask me out." Harley said looking for her sunscreen."I knew you had powers from the very first day we met."Harley's eyes rounded. "You what?""I have a power reader, remember?" He said."You knew who I was all along didn't you. That almost kiss we had." She pushed him away.He smirked. "Oh, you think I'd kiss a stranger behind a mask.""You knew who I was!?""I didn't think it was important." He said drily.She nodded. It made so much sense why he chose her. Who would want a fragile girlfriend without superpowers. But it still made no sense why he still had his protective instincts."So I'm just...an asset.""No, that's not what I meant.""Stop." He said.She stepped back into a portal. "Get your hand off me."He winced when the portal closed.Maks banged his head against the wall. He hung his backpack and glanced at the empty space on his bed.He forced a smile when Meg arrived in cas
She had pushed her father away and he crashed in a car and died in the same institute her mother died. A hospital. A place where she aspired to work in."Meg..."She pushed out the door making her way through campus. She took a deep breath and exhaled.The cat she rescued, Nora paid her a visit. She lowered a plate of food."Maks, are you coming over for a study session?"Maks held up the phone. "Actually I'm not really in a good place to bury my head in the books.""Oh yes, your superhero cultivating, monster hunting shenanigans. We have tests and those professors are taking no prisoners."Maks clenched his teeth, finally he succumbed. "I'll be right over."She faced her laptop and Nora made herself comfortable on her laptop meowing."I know you're looking for TLC right now but I really have to study."Nora protested.Maks walked in to see that books had already been scattered around the study table."Dude." He knelt to lift Nora."Oh you couldn't ask your teleporting girlfriend to l
Miguel sat up. "Get the hostage!" The Chupacabras ran after Artemis.Helen blasted an electrical barricade. Some ran into it and were fried.Artemis gasped at the beasts on her tail.Natalie bashed them all together like sardines.Sam screeched lunging at the monsters ripping their heads off."Finish him!" Miguel said and he blocked Maks's fist. Throwing him downHe groaned at his shoulder. Maks shrank and Miguel crushed him.Helen unleashed chaos on the chupacabras. Their flesh lit up in flaming orange and combusted from energy. Her eyes blazed in electric blue.Sam roared."Yes, embrace your dark side!"Sam punched Miguel, an uppercut, and kick to the solar plexus caused him to wheeze."It can't be!"Sam gave him and undercut. Miguel stopped his arm and squeezed throwing him. The impact so hard he spun."I see you've come into your own but it's not enough to bring your friend back from the dead."Sam scaled a nearby building then leaped onto Miguel from above catching him off guar
Sam exhaled. "I'm going alone."Sam was on his way to 10th avenue.Maks glanced at Artemis. "We can't let him go alone."Artemis scoffed begrudgingly. "Duh.""I think it's best we reach a compromise.""Done." They shook hands.Sam climbed into a car and started the engines. "Sam!" Maks called flying towards him. "You're done fighting?""We've reached a compromise." Artemis said. Natalie Irons and Helen Lightfoot arrived."So, you need us renegades to go after a politician we so desperately fight against?" Natalie asked drily."I love that plan. It's so in over it head that it works." Helen said laughing.She approached Artemis and Nat stopped her. "What's in it for us?"Artemis looked flustered. She had stabbed Helen by accident."Nat."Helen scratched her head. "The past is all behind us, right?""We're not risking our lives for any of you.""I'll pay you." Artemis said."You really think you can bribe me off with money?" Nat said. "I like it."Helen walked over to Maks. "You coul
She shook and the room was filling with strange looking people."If you don't come with me. All these people die.""You can't_""Yes I can, considering your history with drunk driving, being a nuisance to the public. I would say you couldn't handle the pain of losing your loved ones and you decided to take it out on the public.""Get up."She shook at the people unaware of the dangers. It was almost like they weren't even there. He grabbed her arm."Are you okay, miss?" The bartender asked"Yes, I'm fine.""Walk." She stepped outside and she looked around. The people noticed her stilted motion and a student snorted. "Another crack head pretending to have it all together.""It's a shame, I would have taught that man a lesson. But no, you're too busy playing hero." Miguel said.She worked her jaw stepping outside.When they were at an undisclosed location. He grabbed her by the throat."You thought you could get rid of me."He did it so fast she couldn't even think.Artemis choked. S
Sam groaned when she walked in. She had curly black hair with green highlights, a black shirt with a hummingbird and a green plaid skirt.Dakota was his cousin and she had stuck by him from time to time. "What?""You're a Chupacabra?" She glanced at Meg who was pale.Sam swallowed hard. "Dakota."She shook. "I saw blood on your closet, your laundry!"Sam lurched shutting the door. Dakota touched her head. "Now it makes...so much sense.""And that's why you're missing classes. I thought you hated your course_""I do hate the course. I hate it so much!""Dude, you caused this." She said, Dakota was studying journalism under the mass communication faculty but she had kept this secret. Usually she would follow up until she got some meat to her story.Dakota faced Meg. "And you knew about this!"Sam nodded. "Just don't tell anyone.""Are you kidding, uncle will kill you.""If only it were that simple. I hope you haven't killed anyone." She asked."No!""All this time, I thought you were
Yvonne heard about Artemis and Maks. She hissed."He's out with her. Soon enough he's netflixing and chilling with her."Harley winced."I'm just kidding..." Yvonne said tugging her hair. "But I think it's best if you don't ask my single ass for advice. But I'm rooting for you."Harley hugged her. "Forget Maks, we're going to the mall." She said draping her arm around her shoulders.Yvonne stared at her in shock and held her hand.Harley and Yvonne drove to the mall.Maks shoved his hands into his pockets. "Rex, we had a fight and I really want to make it up to her. She's upset that I treat her like a child."Sam hid his face in his hoodie."What? You guys agree too?""Forget that but what do you think she likes?""I don't know, maybe a nice perfume?" Maks shrugged.Maks and the others walked through the mall. Harley and Yvonne crossed the mall with sunglasses and fascinators giggling.The boys walked right past them in search for a gift.Sam spotted them. "Hey.""Sam, stop fooling a