Title:
Power
Play
Rating:
R
Fandom:
Criminal
Minds
Universe:
Creatures
of the Night (Part 1)
Pairing:
Morgan/Prentiss;
JJ/Hotch
Genre:
Supernatural/Drama
Summary:
Tensions
are running high when a vampire joins the BAU, but all differences
must be put aside as the team investigate a series of suspicious
werewolf murders. AU.
Author's
Notes: Betaed
by Windy City Dreamer. Some guest beta work from Yellow Smurf.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The moment he steps into the cool night air, he can feel himself growing stronger. He can feel the gashes on his body beginning to stitch themselves back together. Can feel his bone marrow replenishing the blood that had been spilled. The moon, partially hidden by the trees, is near full, which means the healing process is much quicker than any other night of the month, save one.
With the pain ebbing away, he becomes suddenly aware of the fact that he's standing around in his boxer shorts. That doesn't seem too important, though, when he realizes that, while being outside the castle makes him stronger, it's not going to do any amount of good for the person who's just ingested a great deal of his blood.
Rossi's holding her up, but she doesn't need it, because weakness isn't her problem right now. It's control.
And it's slipping.
He stares into her eyes, and she stares back, only they're not really her eyes that he's staring into. They're still that golden yellow color, and now he can see the animal behind them that's just waiting to strike out.
Different types of magic do not mix well. Not in this way.
She pulls out of Rossi's grasp violently, her limbs tucked in rigidly, as if it's a conscious effort not to lash out, and it is.
'Get out of here.' There's a lot Morgan can tell from those words. There's fear. Pain. Anger. It's not the first time she's wanted them to leave her behind tonight. The first time had been very, very different, and yet to Emily it's probably exactly the same.
She's afraid of turning into her mother. Afraid of being the heartless, soulless monster that wants to kill them. He wants nothing more than to hold her, to tell her that she isn't anything like her mother, that she's so much better. If he held her now, though, she'd rip his throat out.
'She's right,' Morgan says, his eyes not leaving hers. 'You need to leave.' He knows that even with still-healing injuries, he's the only one that stands a chance of subduing her in this state. That's not an ego thing; it's fact. Hotch, Reid and JJ would be dead in seconds, and without his staff, Rossi's options are limited.
'We can't just go back to the SUVs and pretend they're not watching,' argues Rossi.
'Well it's either that, or hang around while a feral vampire burns off some energy,' he retorts angrily, and he almost regrets it, head snapping back towards Emily to see her reaction. She isn't exactly paying attention, a fact which he simultaneously laments and is grateful for. She hadn't heard his slip of the tongue, but she's also that much closer to a violent outburst.
For a moment, it almost looks as though there's going to be some kind of argument, but the tension is sliced open violently when Morgan finds himself being tackled to the ground by the aforementioned feral vampire. Having expected this, he rolls with the tackle, the leaves and sticks of the forest floor scratching against his bare back.
'GO!' he yells, and doesn't wait to see if they take his advice.
She's snarling, fangs at their full length now – almost an inch. She swipes at him, and he ducks with ease. He's glad more than ever of his martial arts experience, because he definitely doesn't want to be turning right now. With her in this state, he knows he's out-matched. Tomorrow night, in his wolf form, would be a different story. Right now, though, he doesn't need to overpower her. He doesn't want to kill her, or maim her, he just needs to wear her down long enough for the blood to get used up. If he turns, then he won't be in control, and control is definitely something that they're in need of right now.
That's not to mention the fact that if he bites her, then they're both screwed. Magic works in balance. Her drinking his blood had upset that balance, if only temporarily. If he bites her, then there'll be permanent changes on both sides of the table. Hybridism isn't the most ideal state to be in.
He takes each blow as it comes, not dealing any in return. It's not about offense, it's about defense, and over the years, Derek Morgan has built up some pretty solid defenses. Not just physical defenses, but that's a matter for another time.
He's breathing heavily when he regains the advantage, pressing his body weight into her. It's enough to make her hesitate, but it won't hold her for long. Her eyes look a little darker. A little more human. She lets out a small sound, as if she's trying to say something, but it only lasts a moment, and then they're back to tussling in the woody understory. She slams him up against a tree, which hurts like hell, but it's not a pain he hasn't felt before.
He gets to his feet, vaguely aware of howling in the distance. 'Emily…' He tries saying her name, as though it might break through the slowly cracking haze. It doesn't. She tries to grab at him, but he uses the move to his advantage, and swiftly pins her against the tree. 'Emily,' he tries again, a little more softly. He can see the haze starting to clear. The gold is gone from her eyes, only to be replaced by tears.
'…Morgan?' It's almost a whimper, because – if the terse conversation with her mother in the castle is anything to indicate – then she's just done something that she's spent the last six hundred years trying not to do. 'Oh, God, I'm so sorry. Please…I…' She stops, lost for words, and he finds himself compensating for the silence by leaning in and kissing her slowly. Gently.
'It's okay,' he says, his voice quiet, his thumb brushing the tear from her cheek. 'It's okay.'