Elliot's POV
My body hadn't felt this light in years—maybe even a decade. There was a euphoric charge surging through me, like I could take on twenty Gates today if I could just get one more taste of that sensation.
Then I looked down at Nathan—trapped between me and Gabriel—and guilt flushed through me. His glazed, shocked expression pulled me back to myself. My trousers were damp and sticky with my own release, but I could feel his too, seeping through the fabric and mixing with mine.
Snapping back to my senses, I disentangled myself from him. Gabriel was still holding him tightly from behind, breathing against his neck. I slapped my hand over Gabriel's, which was still gripping Nathan's waist—no doubt in an equally sticky situation.
That seemed to jolt him back to reality. He blinked at me in surprise.
"Gabriel, can you let go of Nathan's hips?"
This had never happened to either of us before. We weren't each other's type, and even when we'd been with other people, it had never felt like this—this euphoric clarity that had wiped our minds clean.
Gabriel looked just as stunned as I felt, but he finally loosened his grip. Nathan's legs gave out slightly, and we both moved at once, steadying him and guiding him to a chair.
The warmth still pulsed beneath my skin, but it had dulled to a manageable hum. I could feel myself stabilising. The contamination weight that had felt like a heavy rucksack had lifted completely.
As I knelt beside Nathan to help him settle, Gabriel stepped back and pulled out his phone, calling Adam to bring clean clothes and to inform Nathan's superior that he wouldn't be returning to work today.
While the incident had been unexpected—shocking, even—the guilt was already sinking in. We'd overwhelmed him, trapped him between us, and we hadn't stopped in time. He might've been affected too, but we were the ability users here. We had a higher responsibility.
I knelt in front of him, my voice low and careful. "How are you feeling, Nathan? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Our eyes met, and I gave him a soft, reassuring smile. That seemed to snap him out of his daze. He gasped and raised both hands to his mouth, eyes wide in horror.
"I—I didn't mean to do that! I'm so sorry. I was just trying to leave when the door hit me. I didn't mean for anything to happen, I swear!"
He began to tremble. All I could think about was what he'd already endured—John interrogating him, isolating him for days. My guilt only grew.
"No, Nathan, you did nothing wrong. I was the one who opened the door too fast—it was an accident. Is your shoulder alright?" He gave a small shake of his head to indicate it wasn't hurting. I pressed on gently, "We know you didn't do anything wrong. Whatever that was, it was beyond anyone's control. We'll make sure it doesn't happen again. That's a promise."
Even without touching him, I could feel the pull. His flushed face, his soft brown eyes—his body still tingling from what we'd all just experienced. My body ached for him. I wanted to hold him, to feel him melt against me again. But I kept my hands to myself. Consent mattered more than anything.
He started to relax a little and glanced up at Gabriel, who was just finishing his call. I followed his gaze and caught the way Gabriel was looking at him—with heat, yes, but also something protective. Possessive.
Every part of me wanted Nathan in my lap. I'd carry him everywhere if he'd let me. But those thoughts weren't helpful right now.
Gabriel crouched beside me and added softly, "Elliot's right. It didn't even cross our minds that you'd done anything wrong. We both felt it. We just… reacted. Nathan, can I ask—what did you feel?"
Nathan's face turned crimson as he stared at his hands, thinking. Then he spoke quietly, "I think… when we touched after the door hit me… it felt like wave after wave of heat, radiating from where you were touching me… and kissing me. My brain just—shut off. I couldn't think about anything else. It was like all I could focus on was…"
He trailed off, cheeks burning brighter, and whispered the last word.
"…cumming."
Another jolt raced through me, sharp and delicious. I inhaled deeply, and his clean, sweet scent filled my lungs. I wanted to strip him bare, search for where that scent clung most.
Nathan's breathing quickened, and I couldn't help but notice the bulge in his trousers starting to grow again. I adjusted mine discreetly—still damp, still tight.
I smiled gently. "We felt the same. So we're all in the same boat. There's nothing to feel ashamed of. We just… don't know why it happened."
I glanced at Gabriel, quirking an eyebrow. He was the smarter one between us, if anyone had a theory, it'd be him. But he just looked confused.
He cleared his throat. "Since we don't really know what triggered it, we should speak to the doctors. I've never heard of something like this before. Maybe the drugs in Elliot's system are still having some kind of residual effect."
Nathan's face fell again, a flicker of fear returning. Gabriel immediately crouched beside me, his voice strong but soothing.
"We know you didn't cause this, Nathan. We've had powerful enemies come after us before, and we suspect this is more of the same. None of this is your fault. It's on Elliot and me. We're sorry you got dragged into it."
That seemed to calm him. He exhaled and asked quietly, "Will they be held accountable… if I may ask?"
Gabriel and I shared a look. We both knew it wouldn't be easy. High-ranking Guides had deep support within the Association. But I said firmly, "We'll do our best. It's hard, especially when they're high up the chain, but we've got our best guy on it. If he finds anything, they'll regret ever spiking my drink."
Nathan nodded slowly, seeming reassured by that.
Then came a knock at the door. We all turned in unison.