[Third Person Pov]
"So come on," Sam urged insistently, her voice edged with impatience as her eyes shone with barely restrained anticipation. "Share your powers with me."
"Hm…" Ember murmured thoughtfully, hovering in place as she stared down at Sam from within the confines of the magic circle. She tilted her head, considering the request for a long moment before responding. "From what I understand, demons always demand something in return when lending out their power, don't they?"
Sam hesitated, her expression tightening as unease crept in. She studied Ember carefully before asking, her voice cautious, "What do you want?"
"I honestly want a lot of things," Ember replied with a slow, knowing grin. "But in exchange for my power, I'll settle for just one simple thing."
That was when Sam's suspicion truly began to surface. Her brow furrowed slightly as she issued a quiet warning, "Just know this—I can still refuse the deal if you ask for something unreasonable."
Ember paid her no attention. She continued to drift lazily through the limited space afforded to her, the faint glow of her pale-blue flames flickering as she spoke. "Like I was saying, I only want one thing. Give Danny to me."
Sam blinked several times, certain she had misheard. Her thoughts scrambled as she tried to process the words. "Excuse me?" she said finally. "You want what?"
"If you want to use my power," Ember repeated firmly, folding her arms across her chest, "then give me Danny."
The corners of Sam's lips twitched, irritation seeping into her voice as she shot back, "Well, unfortunately for both of us, he's not exactly in my possession, is he? Ask for something else."
"Bullshit," Ember snapped, a scoff escaping her nose. "Despite the whole Desiree fiasco, you still have a certain hold over him." Her eyes narrowed as she leaned forward slightly. "Even if you're not together together, you're still connected in your own way. So if you want to use my power, release the hold you have over Danny and give it to me."
Sam felt a burning sensation bloom in her chest, frustration coiling tighter with every word Ember spoke. Her fists clenched at her sides as she answered coldly, each word heavy with menace. "Over. My. Dead. Body."
She let out a sharp breath before adding irritably, "Think of something else, because if not, forget it." Then she paused, suspicion giving way to disbelief. "And why do you even want Danny, anyway? Have you suddenly caught feelings for him or something?"
For a moment, Ember said nothing. Her arms remained crossed as the pale-blue flames that made up her form flickered erratically, betraying a rare hint of inner turmoil. She closed her eyes briefly, as if steadying herself. When she opened them again, they shone with unwavering resolve.
"That's right," Ember said confidently. "I have."
She leaned closer to Sam, her presence suddenly oppressive as she continued, "I've fallen in love with Danny. He's everything I want in a man, and I want you to give him to me."
Sam nearly took a step back. One look into Ember's eyes told her everything she needed to know. There was no hesitation there—only certainty and obsession. Ember was the kind of being who would stop at nothing once she set her sights on something.
After all, there was a reason she was known as a vengeful spirit.
Sam couldn't help but curse under her breath as frustration boiled over inside her. Her thoughts raced, sharp and bitter. 'This is because of Bruce Wayne. It has to be.' Her jaw tightened. 'Damn it… just what is he teaching my precious Danny? He's poisoning his young mind.'
Danny had always been easily influenced, whether Sam liked to admit it or not. So Danny suddenly being the center of attention to women when he previously wasn't could only be attributed to none other than the infamous billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne.
"Why can't you just be cooperative?!" Sam snapped, her patience finally giving out. "All I wanted was to test something! I thought we were cool—which is why I picked you!"
"We are as cool as can be," Ember replied lazily, leaning back midair with one leg crossed over the other, as relaxed as if she weren't standing at the center of a magical prison. "But nothing is free in this world, girly." She smirked, pale-blue embers drifting from her form. "If you want power—especially my power—then you'd better be prepared to make sacrifices."
A low growl rumbled from Sam's throat as she glared at Ember. Her vision shifted suddenly, sharpening as something unseen clicked into place. From Ember's chest—right where her heart should have been—a thin strand of pale-blue energy emerged. It looped outward in the shape of a heart, then stretched past Sam, piercing through the far wall of the room and vanishing into the distance.
Straight toward Wayne Manor.
Sam clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms. She'd known this was inevitable. Deep down, she'd always known. She just hadn't expected it to happen this soon.
"Look…" she said through clenched teeth, struggling to keep her voice steady, "I can't just give Danny to you on a silver platter."
"Then no deal," Ember replied immediately. She recrossed her arms and turned away, her fiery ponytail snapping sharply with the motion.
"Let. Me. Finish." Sam forced the words out, every syllable heavy with effort. She drew in a deep breath, willing herself to calm down before continuing. "But I am willing to compromise."
Ember paused, but didn't turn back.
"I won't say anything," Sam went on, her voice steadier now. "I won't throw a tantrum. I won't seek revenge. I won't be petty." Her eyes hardened with resolve. "If you manage to seduce Danny and make him fall in love with you, you won't hear a single complaint from me."
She took a step forward. "If you can make Danny fall in love with you—if you can make him forget all about me—then I'll call it fair game. I won't sabotage you. I won't interfere. I won't do anything."
Sam locked eyes with Ember, steel flashing in her gaze. "At the end of the day, the choice will be Danny's. And Danny's alone."
"Hm…" Ember hummed thoughtfully, finally turning back as she tapped her chin with one finger. "Interesting." A slow grin spread across her face. "Alright. Deal."
She chuckled softly. "I'm hot enough to make any guy forget about any girl. That shouldn't be a problem."
Ember extended her hand. "Let's shake on it."
"I'm seriously starting to hate you," Sam muttered as she reached out and clasped Ember's hand.
"Hate all you want," Ember replied smugly, squeezing her grip. "Have you seen my figure? You wish you had a body like mine." She smirked. "This body is seriously to die for."
Sam didn't respond. She simply closed her eyes as she felt the connection snap into place—an invisible tether linking her directly to Ember's power source. She ignored the ghost's arrogant words entirely.
"Woah!" Ember exclaimed suddenly as she felt Sam pull from within her. It was like a floodgate had been thrown wide open, raw energy surging outward as Sam drew in as much power as she wanted.
Ember realized she could stop it. She could sever the connection, reclaim every drop in an instant.
But she didn't.
Instead, she watched with open curiosity.
Marks identical to Ember's own began to manifest at the corners of Sam's eyes, glowing faintly as if being etched directly into her skin. Sam's short hair lifted as if caught in an unseen wind, the tips igniting—not with pale blue flame, but a deep, violent violet.
Around Sam's neck, a choker materialized, sleek and dark. Hanging from it was a pendant shaped like Ember's sigil: a stylized blue flame, with a small speaker embedded at its center.
Sam spread her palms slowly.
Twin spheres of spectral blue fire burst to life, crackling with power and heat.
She stared at them, awe flickering across her face.
"…Sick."
Sam's eyes furrowed slightly as she focused inward, concentrating on the unfamiliar sensation coursing through her body. She forced herself to stay still, taking in the moment and analyzing every detail with practiced precision.
There was a limit—she could feel it clearly now. A countdown ticking away in the back of her mind. At her current level, she could only maintain that empowered form for roughly five minutes, maybe a little less. Every second required her magic to actively sustain the transformation while simultaneously drawing power from the vast well that was Ember.
And it wasn't easy.
The mental strain alone was immense. Holding the form together demanded constant focus, like balancing on a razor's edge while channeling a storm through her veins. Any lapse in concentration, any hesitation, and the entire construct threatened to collapse in on itself.
Still, Sam knew those limits weren't absolute.
They weren't imposed by Ember. They weren't imposed by magic.
They were imposed by her.
By her lack of experience, her unfamiliarity, her current weakness. Sam herself was the bottleneck—the only thing standing between what she could do now and what she would eventually be capable of.
With a slow exhale, Sam loosened her grip on the borrowed power. The energy flowed back toward its source, returning to Ember as her transformed state unraveled in a spiral of flickering blue flames. Within seconds, Sam was herself again, her normal form restored as the last embers faded into the air.
Ember watched the entire process with open amusement. A smirk tugged at her lips as she noticed Sam's labored breathing and the sheen of sweat clinging to her skin.
"So?" Ember asked lightly, arms folding across her chest. "What do you think? Was it worth it?"
Sam shut her eyes for a moment, focusing on steadying her breath. She wiped the sweat from her chin with the back of her hand before answering.
"Of course it wasn't," she said flatly. "And it never will be."
"But you still went through with it," Ember replied, one eyebrow arching as curiosity flickered behind her eyes. "Why?"
Sam opened her eyes and met Ember's gaze, her voice calm but resolute. "I doubt a selfish person like you would understand this," she said evenly, "but love is about compromise."
She straightened slightly despite the lingering exhaustion. "As I am now, I'm nothing but a liability to Danny. I'd just hold him back. I don't have the strength or the power to stand beside him and honestly call myself his girlfriend." Her lips tightened. "And like you said—if I want power, then sacrifices are inevitable."
Sam brushed her damp hair back from her face, revealing an expression that made Ember pause. There was no hesitation there. No doubt. Only determination sharpened by affection.
"And because I love him," Sam continued quietly, "I'll sacrifice whatever it takes to be with him."
For once, Ember didn't immediately retort.
She let out a soft chuckle instead, a faint weariness creeping into her smile. Shifting her weight, she rested one hand on her hip and tilted her head slightly as she looked down at Sam.
"You know," Ember admitted, "you might actually be a lot cooler than I gave you credit for." Her grin softened just a touch. "I can see why Danny likes you so much."
Sam, eyes half-lidded and thoroughly unimpressed, responded by raising her middle finger.
Without another word, she canceled the summoning.
Ember vanished in a pillar of pale-blue flame, her form dissolving into embers as a sharp, unmistakable burst of laughter echoed through the space long after she was gone.
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