FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

Cerberus

Chapter 5: Him

Sneak Peek

Flynn…

“Who are you?”

Flynn…keep going…

The voice was distinctly female and…soothing. It was warm and inviting. Flynn leaned into it, his nose nuzzling something soft.

Flynn…find…

“Who are you? Find who?”

Find…them…find all…them…

The voice was fading and that warmth was reduced to a fluttering breeze.

“Don’t go…stay…”

Flynn…find Cerberus…

“I already found him…” Flynn spoke back his lips mouthing the words.

Find…Cerberus…

“I’ve already found him. I can’t keep going back…he’ll…he’ll ruin me…”

…

The warmth was gone. The only thing left was a biting cold, his nose practically frozen.

Flynn’s eyes fluttered open and realized the sun was on the rise. He was still wearing his leather mask, so he couldn’t speak, but a thick layer of frost had covered it. Was his magic seeping out?

He didn’t remember falling asleep. He only remembered pouring over that defaced book. Flynn pulled his phone out to check the time, but he had dozens of texts. Flynn blinked and unlocked his phone.

Almost all of them were from a new number.

Hey! Its Aaron!

Aaron Stine. From the Library.

This is Flynn’s phone number, right?

I got it from Nathan.

Sorry if this isn’t Flynn, but I checked the number and it’s the one Nathan gave me.

The messages went on like this for a couple pages. Single sentences, remarks about magic, what he was making for dinner, and how cool it would be if he could use magic to cook it.

My god, what have I done, was all Flynn could think as he scrolled through his phone. It’s worse than getting a virus. He couldn’t uninstall this malware without getting a new number.

After he got through most of the walls of texts, he realized Nathan had texted him too. He quickly pulled up their chat and read over them.

The first was just a heads up saying he was giving Aaron his number and to expect tons of messages. Flynn was sure the little weasel goaded Aaron on into sending him the dozens of texts. But the second one gave him pause.

Family emergency, won’t be home until tomorrow night. Stay safe and call if you feel like you’re going to use again.

Flynn’s ears drooped. Nathan’s family was like a second family to the little wolf. If there was some sort of emergency he wanted to know, but as long as Nathan thought he was using again, it made sense he wouldn’t want to have him around the man that put his career on the line to expunge his records.

Flynn gave a little sniff and swiped the tears from his eyes with the butt of his palm before quickly messaging Nathan.

Everything is fine here, hope everything is fine on your end.

It was immediately marked as read, but there was no response. Flynn’s stomach was in knots, and not just from withdrawal. There were very few people whose opinion he cared about. Nathan was definitely one of them. Sure he could be a selfish brat, but he was his best friend. It was burning Flynn up inside just knowing he disappointed him.

That was until he realized something was coming up. Flynn snapped his mask off and wretched into his throw up bucket, nothing but mucus and spit coming out, his belly completely empty. He spat a few times into the bowl, fog rolling around his lips and freezing some of it. This whole thing was getting old, but an idea did come to him.

He pulled his phone out and snapped a few pictures of the mask and sent them to Aaron.

Hey, do you know how silencing spells work? Flynn shot off the text and immediate text bubbles started rolling.

Silencing spells? Not really know much about them, but this one is a bit more complex and crude at the same time. Let me look it up for you.

Flynn paused and a few seconds later a couple pictures popped up with a volley of texts.

Not sure what the other ones do, but the suppression runes that look like this are used for silencing.

Oh, this would be a good way to keep your breath under control.

Is that what this is for?

Did you make this yourself?

Is that your mask?

OH, TMI, right?

Flynn simply shook his head and started texting back before the little guy had an aneurism.

Yeah, it’s my mask, but what parts would I need to scratch out in order to get rid of the silencing effects without getting rid of the magic suppressing properties?

Aaron’s response was just as immediate and overwhelming.

OH, you shouldn’t do that. The silencing spells are what’s weaving the suppression spells into the leather.

If you cut the wrong rune, or cut it the wrong way, it might make a new rune.

Or it’ll make it useless.

Or even more powerful.

Is this helpful?

No, it’s not, Flynn wanted to say, but he simply sighed and snapped on his muzzle.

Yeah, it’s helpful. I’ll let you know if I have any other questions.

He sent the text and stood up, swaying and slamming his hand on the wall to balance himself. He hobbled over to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water with some ibuprofen. He down the water and the pills, hoping it would stay in his gut. He snagged a slice of bread to help keep things down with and filled another glass of water. He managed to get a pot of coffee going just before his energy ran out and he had to slump himself at the kitchen table, his head in his hands as he panted.

This can’t be the only way spell casters deal with their innate abilities. There had to be some sort of other way.

That’s when it clicked. Flynn shook his head no and slammed his fist on the table.

No, there’s no way I’m going to him. I’d rather go to Cerberus than that fuckwad again! But…

Flynn shook his head, dismissing the thought on his withdrawal. The sweet call that offered him a way out from all the pain. His veins felt like they were so dry he was cracking apart. He hated it, he hated this helplessness. He wasn’t helpless anymore! He was supposed to be getting his life together, but every part of him felt like he was back pedaling.

He could just text him, why not? It’s not like he ever forgot the fucker’s number. Would he even speak to him how he left things?

Flynn pushed his phone into his field of vision, one hand covering one eye and holding his entire head up as frost hazily tickled the air around his muzzle. Flynn bit his lip and started typing in the numbers. He didn’t even know if it would work, if the number was still active. He just typed up the message and sent it.

Hey…

Flynn felt like he just shot a gun with that text, a bullet that couldn’t be put back in the chamber. He paused, panting as he looked at his phone on bated breath. The message was marked as seen and a few dots started dancing, mocking him, plucking away at his anxiety. Flynn hoped it was just some random person he was texting, that he would get a “new number, who dis” kind of BS line, but instead he got the worst reaction he could have possibly gotten.

Hey baby, been too long.

Flynn’s skin crawled like his veins were trying to get out of his body, only to crackle and collapse under the weight of his withdrawal.

Hi, I just had a quick question.

Must be pretty desperate to come crawling back to me for ‘just a question’ when you’re the one who blocked my number. Prices are the same, but you can always get your usual discount XOXO

I’m not reaching out for drugs you fuck twat, I want to know more about your innate ability. Or at least that’s what Flynn wanted to text. Instead he said something far more spineless.

Lol, no, not reaching out about that, but I wanted to know about your magic.

So you ARE interested in that discount, huh?

That message was coupled with an eggplant and devil face emoji. Flynn had to take a breath before continuing.

No, just need to know how you kept it under control.

What, do you have your own innate ability? Little old for that shit to be popping up.

Flynn bit his lip, he didn’t want to give this jack-ass more info than was necessary, but…he didn’t have the mental bandwidth to deal with being sneaky.

Yeah, I have my own and it’s really fucking frustrating. You’re the only one I know who has one that I can talk to and I need to know how to keep it controlled.

That may have been a bit brash but Flynn didn’t have any real cards to play, at least not ones that he wanted to give the big asshole. Those dots bounced for a minute before a new text popped up with a location.

Come meet me here in an hour. I’ll show you how to handle it.

Dozens of red flags popped up in Flynn’s mind. He didn’t want to go. He didn’t trust he could control himself if he went. He couldn’t, shouldn’t, can’t!

You can just tell me. He shot back quickly, hoping that would be the end of it.

Come, or don’t bother texting me again. You want a fix, you meet me at my new location.

Fucking asshole! No, I’m not showing up just so you can fuck with me all over again! I’m not going to come crawling to you like I did all those other times on my hands and knees just to snort shit off your dick! You fucking piece of shit asshole! Fucking keel over and die…

That’s what Flynn wanted to say, to text back, his thumbs paused before he slammed on the back button. It was like he was back pedaling with every deleted character, that line sliding across his text like an eraser destroying all his progress.

I’ll be there.

Flynn smacked the send button and tossed his phone to the other end of the table and dropped his head in his hands as he tried to keep it together as shame and self-loathing threatened to tear him apart.

Fuck you Damien!

***

It took every ounce of strength Flynn had and a pot of coffee to get going, but he managed to walk a straight line down the street. The location was a quick bus trip away and Flynn bundled up to try and keep himself from freezing. At least it was fall so he didn’t need to really worry about people eyeing him for wearing so much.

He looked boxy with so many layers he had stacked on, but the wolf wasn’t trying to impress his previous dealer with his new figure. He was trying to cover the embarrassing leather hood with a scarf while trying to keep himself warm. Flynn had put some meat on his bones since he last saw Damien, but who wouldn’t when you started eating regular food instead of booger sugar and cock six times a day.

Flynn hopped off the bus and made his way to the apartment complex, the neighborhood run down and trashy. The streets looked like they haven’t been paved in years and cracks ran down them to the point that the old cobblestone beneath could be seen. Flynn made his way to the spot and rounded the corner and half expected to see a bouncer for a club, but instead he saw his ex-boyfriend and drug dealer.

The Great Dane was leaning against the door to an open garage, several of his underlings playing cards on a table while the big black dog smoked a cigarettes outside. He wore a thick gold chain around his neck, diamond studs in his clipped ears, and some serious muscle. Damien must have bulked up since the last time he saw the guy. He wore a black dress shirt that was tucked into his pants. The top buttons undone to show his thick cleavage and chest hair, his powerful forearms forcing those rolled up cuffs to dig into his skin as his thick biceps worked on straining his sleeves to the point of bursting. He had his signature, brown leather suspenders and red dress pants, the matching coat slung over his shoulder.

Flynn half expected Damian to not recognize him, but when the Dane laid eyes on him, he tilted down his red glasses, his dark eyes locking with Flynn’s. A wide grin spread across the Dane’s muzzle, his golden tooth shining against the glow of his cigarette.

“Hey there Flynn, you finally coming home?”

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