Chapter 15: Provender

Hunger. Coming from deep inside, from every one of his pores. Echoing in his head, screaming for absolution, surging to burst out and envelop him. It was such a sudden pang that Sylar confusedly sat up on the couch in the living room he was allowed to come out to and spend his time recuperating after Rebel had changed the magnetic field's radius to wall the house. He looked wildly around him, but he already knew what had happened.

A few moments ago, he heard voices from outside. It was no surprise, he was told Rachel was coming for another sample of his blood that day and he had been getting ready as well all morning, concentrating on recreating the necessary chemical and physiological changes in his body to delude them, like he did before. What he didn't expect was her coming into the house, stepping into the living room, approaching his livings space. Strolling up to him as if nothing would be amiss, as if she didn't possess the compelling ability of teleportation. Hunger. Control. Hunger. Concentrate. Hunger. Focus. Crave...but he had not had much chance to pick up abilities lately. If he had not been deprived of them, forced to keep away from evolved humans, he could be his own master without doubt. But there was this need to understand, master and use what he could find special and different.

Sylar clenched and unclenched his fists, not letting his arms, or a finger rise. Discipline. Feed. He couldn't get sidetracked, he had to concentrate on keeping his blood count as they were expecting it to be. He heard Claire's voice in a haze, just enough to keep him anchored till she drew his blood. Defy his hunger and deny it overflooding his senses.

The little blond stepped away, out his sight and there she was again, Rachel Mills, who had committed the greatest mistake of her life. The killer was consumed by his craving and once he didn't have to concentrate on inner shifting, the mask of restraint fell with a smoldering intensity that could not be controlled. He found it hard to think of anything else than the target. He stood, slowly advancing on the pray, already stuck to the wall by his making.

The girl had shouted and he flicked her away with his other hand, keeping her far enough not to be able to interfere. She wasn't his concern now. The distance between him and his feed lessened and his hunger grew, leaking out his eyes. He almost got his treat, an ability that would've meant freedom too. He could've been anywhere in the world in a few seconds.

Claire stopped struggling. She was no longer looking for a weapon to insert into the back of his head. It was futile the way he was keeping her away. She stood transfixed on the predator who looked like smelling its prey. Sylar had described it a few times in his life story he had given her. The hunger. A call that shivered through every part of his body. An integral part of his inborn ability, his nature, that he had embraced, but not liked being controlled by at the same time.

She stood, determined. She would use a different approach this time. "I believe in you, Sylar," she said unwavering. She should've told him before, but the present situation with somebody's life being at stake kinda made it a lot more urgent. "I believe that you can spit in the eye of the universe and everybody who says you are a senseless killer."

Sylar turned like a wheel to face her, with Rachel still pinned to the wall even though he was not looking at her. If Claire was trying to manipulate him, she would pay for it the moment after he got this new ability. She believed in him, she had said. No ringing in his ears? How could what she said not be a lie? "Say that again."

"I know you could get through the craving, you can make it if you focus on me, on my voice. Don't let it control you, you're more important than that."

He slowly shook his head a little. It was very sweet of Claire to naively offer him encouragement. Well, of course he could control it it he really wanted to, if there was a reason to. His hunger for love and understanding was much greater than his innate ability's hold on him. "You believe in me how?"

"I believe you can be whoever you want to be and I'm not meaning assuming looks. I know you can love me, as you said."

Sylar waited, frozen in place. He waited, but nothing happened. Rachel slowly slid to the floor behind him, Claire was breathing heavily due to the heat of the situation and nervously blinked behind him. There were no chimes, no ringing, no dizzying thud resonating in his head. No lies. Claire would not be stupid enough to lie to him in such a position, but the extent of her trust was a discovery. It was exhilarating to know she might even love him one day and it gave him a sensation of tranquillity at the same time. He had his purpose in life, and although he wasn't sure exactly what it was, he knew it had to do with Claire. It was his destiny.

His almost victim forgotten to the extent the ex agent could teleport to safety, Sylar dropped into a nearby armchair and closed his eyes. He counted backwards slowly from ten to make the hunger die away. He got down to three when he became aware of a warm, comforting hand rubbing one of his knees and thighs. He opened his eyes to see Claire kneeling in front of him, looking at him with concern and compassion.

Sylar reciprocated the gaze, his eyes brimmed with regret, pain and desire, all at once and at that moment, Claire knew that she had won. Not just in that instance, not just that day, but she had seen his real, soulful eyes wanting nothing more, than fit in, those that told her that all he needed was her anchor.

Seconds later, their lips were joined in a desperate attempt to find that only other person in the world who could understand. Their hands were drifting, becoming more and more eager, inhibitions lost in an intense display of need that left them breathless in anticipation.

It was time.

Tbc