~

  Tarron watched as the humans tossed back the Rapture handed to them in the small glasses. They laughed in carefree merriment and continued to gamble more money than he had given them and more than they probably had in their bank accounts. It had been four days since they had begun giving Rapture to the humans and it was more effective than he could have hoped on the weak, selfish humans, seeking out pleasure with no regard to consequences.

  So far the only thing that he had noticed was when Rapture began to wear off, the humans instinctively sought out more. It was like their bodies knew exactly what it craved. Though the addiction varied, the response to the drink was universal. Inhibitions flew out the window. Doubt, worry, stress, was all gone and all that remained was the pursuit of pleasure and what could bring that pleasure.

  Tarron walked over to the bar and motioned for the elf who was acting as the bartender.

  “Release it to the masses,” Tarron told him. The elf’s eyes widened.

  “Is that direct from Lorsan?” He asked Tarron.

  “Why else would I give an order? Now do as you’re told and offer it to every human who comes to the bar. Reveal the name of it and get them to talk about it so that it spreads like wildfire.”

  Tarron turned to go, leaving the stunned elf to introduce the humans to Rapture and a smile crept up his cruel mouth as he thought about the one thing he had not reported to Lorsan. When Rapture wore off on the males they did not simply seek it out, they hunted for it. They became predators and violence poured off of them in waves. The first night they had had two males nearly kill each other when one received the Rapture before the other. It didn’t seem to affect the females in the same way. Tarron had yet to isolate the distinction, but he imagined that it must have something to do with the Y chromosome they carried.

  Security had called the police and had the males arrested. When Tarron called one of their contacts at the police department, he found out that the males had to be placed in cells by themselves because they were so violent. Since then Tarron had made sure to have waitresses following the males who were drinking the Rapture ready to refill their glass when the effects wore off. But tonight there would not be enough waitresses to follow every male who would consume the addicting drink. Tonight the humans would begin their self-destruction, one drink at a time.