The Limits of Immunity

Bang!

Ivy pushed the door open and found Catwoman in Damon's arms, kissing him, still under the chemical influence.

"Something's wrong."

She knew Catwoman's self-control and couldn't believe that pheromones alone would affect her so quickly. In her experience, a dose like this shouldn't have produced such a change.

Ivy interpreted what she saw as evidence of an attraction Catwoman hadn't admitted. "Harley, Harley. I'm not the only one interested in your man." She laughed and stayed in the room.

Catwoman's awareness had narrowed so much that she seemed oblivious to anyone else. Damon didn't mind Ivy's presence. "Want to join us?"

"No, thanks. I don't think you could handle it."

"Then you'd better leave. I find her like this interesting. I might increase the effect."

"Increase it? Pheromones affect different people differently. You can't just make them stronger. If you're embarrassed to have me here, say so." Ivy had tried many ways to increase their potency without success. She doubted he could do it. Perhaps he simply didn't want an audience.

"Don't say I didn't warn you. If you're affected, that's not my fault."

"I'll be fine," Ivy said with a smile.

"Suit yourself." He knew she trusted her immunity. Without further hesitation, he stacked the pheromones' potency tenfold.

Their effect intensified invisibly.

Catwoman's condition worsened. Ivy, watching, began to react as well.

She thought of leaving, but remained. Gradually, her awareness blurred. She found herself beside them, and Damon pulled her down. Under the influence, she offered no resistance.

Night fell.

Doors and windows stayed shut across the city. Gunshots occasionally broke the silence.

Inside the rooftop room, Damon had sex with both women while they were impaired by his amplified pheromones. Their voices carried into the otherwise quiet city.

By morning, sunlight was coming through the window. The plants beside it absorbed the light and grew more vigorously. Some of that light fell across the bed.

Damon lay beside the two women, his outstretched arm beneath their heads.

Ivy stirred in the warmth and woke in severe pain. Even breathing hurt. She opened her eyes to find Catwoman asleep close beside her and Damon behind her.

'God...' Parts of the previous night were missing from her memory.

She contacted the plants in the room and asked what had happened. Gathering information through plants was another of her abilities.

'He really affected me? He can increase the potency. How?' After learning what had happened, Ivy focused on that question rather than the sexual encounter itself or the fact that Catwoman had been involved.

She was supposed to be immune to toxins. Yet his pheromones had affected her, too.

Her immunity clearly had limits. She needed to research how to strengthen it, and how to increase her own pheromones' effectiveness. Impatient to begin, she turned to get up.

"Ah!"

"Ah!"

The first cry was Ivy's, from pain. The second came from Catwoman, who woke at the noise and realized where she was and who was with her.

"Morning." Ivy climbed over Damon and got out of bed, speaking matter-of-factly.

Catwoman pulled the sheet up. "You... how can you be so calm?"

"I'd already been interested in him. I didn't expect you to be involved, too. I'm going outside to get some sun and recover. Everything still hurts. Let me know when he wakes up. I want to know how he did it."

She dressed and left the room with a limp.

"Morning."

Damon opened his eyes, looked at Catwoman, and asked, "Where is she?"

"Bastard!"

Catwoman glared at him and kicked him out of bed.

Thud!

He hit the floor. The movement made her wince in pain, too.

"I'll kill you!" she shouted.

Damon got up, his face blank, and pulled her toward him.

"What are you doing?" He raised his hand without answering.

He struck her repeatedly while she cursed and made sounds of pain.

Only when she fell silent did he stop. "Kick me out of bed again, and I'll make sure you can barely move."

"Bastard... you bastard. You think there'll be a next time? Dream on..."

Her curses were barely audible. He lay down beside her and pulled her into his arms. She resisted, but he overpowered her and held her there.

"Stop muttering. I want more sleep. You don't remember how you two acted last night." He closed his eyes, still holding her.

The night was over.

The Parademons had vanished from Gotham's streets. Damon slept for another two hours or so before getting up. Catwoman had fallen asleep at some point and was sleeping even more deeply than he had. He activated his phasing ability, sank through the bed, then dressed and left the room.

Ivy was sunning herself outside. Hearing his footsteps, she spoke without turning. "The bat found the Parademons' nest. He and the others destroyed it."