Snippet #2541153

Weathered hands slammed down on a hard, oaken desk, producing a rather noisy thud as the two surfaces collided, causing the items atop the structure to rattle. Nox winced in a mixture of fear and embarrassment as Thaddeus began his tirade. "Damn it all to high heaven!" he began, pacing back and forth behind his desk. Nox stood opposite, head down and eyes glued to the carpeted floor beneath his feet.

"I thought we were passed all of this, Nox! The regression, the uncontrollable urges, the senselessness. I thought we had worked through it!" Nox tried to make himself shrink, wanting, willing to give anything to be invisible. Words failed him, and wouldn't do him any good if he could muster the courage necessary to utilize them. He understood, even in his frayed consciousness, that he was seriously in trouble.

Thaddeus had to take a deep, concentrated breath and focus. He needed a level head when it came to dealing with Nox. He was well-aware of the fact that he was quite possibly the only thing Nox feared more than vampiric cults and silly string. However, he also couldn't ignore how serious an offense this was. Exhaling slowly, Thaddeus was able to regain his composure.

"Your actions may very well have put a stain on our reputation, Nox. Hey, look at me!" Nox elevated his gaze to meet Thaddeus' amber-colored eyes. They were hauntingly brilliant, those eyes. They made Nox shiver as he peered into their depths. "I'm sorry Nox, but until we can make some serious progress with your condition, I have to ground you. You understand what kind of trouble you could have put us in, don't you?"

Nox merely nodded slowly, his voice still failing to work. Thaddeus merely sighed. "Okay then. Return to your quarters. I'll have Guildenstern pay you a visit. And try not to bite him this time, please."

Nox turned and exited the room somberly. As soon as he left, Thaddeus sat down in his chair, hands clasped to his face. He feared for Nox, both physically and mentally. He was clearly unstable, but was a useful asset to the Society when kept in check. However, his experiences with regression have become the subject of troubling talk.

What terrified him most was the prospect of having to put Nox down, permanently.