Forsaken < corby- rissa - lil' >

[Kyle Aodhagán †]

Like there's no sunrise
Like the taste of your smile

I miss the way we breathe

The sky was a deep navy blue littered with twinkling diamond stars as the dragon flew gracefully with a blonde witch clutched gently in his talons.
The moon was bright and full, but the clouds were his lover; never drifting very far to let the silvery light shine through to illuminate the heavens. Their gauzy embrace seemed perpetual, causing the diamonds to weep with a misty rain.
The shifter didn’t need this light to see in the pitch blackness, for even though his glowing azure eyes were keen and aware, he knew their flight path like the scales on the back of his long tail…

Kyle found the cave which was a great distance from New Orleans, but they arrived there in a matter of minutes. The dragon was large and his wing span even larger, so each beat of the dark leathery appendages took them further and higher.

When they arrived, the ancient shifter set the woman down as light as a feather, landing a mere few feet away. The grotto was dimly lit by torches and clammy; the ambiance quiet, but unnerving, as if being watched by a hundred pairs of eyes or more.
Kyle shifted immediately, standing before Marissa shamelessly unclothed, but clearly indifferent to the nudeness. His dragon form was much too large, so any attire he had been wearing before the transformation was obviously destroyed.

“I mean you know harm. This was the only way I thought you would hear me out and realize the profoundness of what I will tell you. ” Kyle said huskily, and begun walking towards her with a slow sure footed stride. He was just before her when he reached toward the blonde tresses, missing them by an inch to retrieve a black hooded cloak which had been hung from a jutting rock. He pulled it over his shoulders and closed the front to hide his nudity, and then tilted his head while regarding her with a stoic expression, as if pondering how to begin the explanation.

“I’m sure you are aware your boyfriend is a member of an otherworldly council that was prearranged eons ago in order to protect both the human realm and the other realm.” The dragon began speaking clearly and slowly as if to put emphasis on each and every word. “Recently, we have all noticed an influx of otherworldly creatures into the human world, and it has come to light that breaches in the veil are allowing these monsters to bleed in and cause havoc. A human seer has foretold a war that will occur if these breaches are not stopped; first New Orleans, and eventually all over the world.”

He sighed then, as if the significance of his words caused a very real and corporal pain in his chest. One hand rose to the place where his heart beat like thunder and the rain outside the cave began to mirror the rhythm in its intensity.

“Lillie has not only painted images of the future of -this- world, but the otherworld, including depictions of the disappearance of the Fae king and Queen.” Kyle paused then as if to give the woman a chance to absorb what he had told her so far before delivering the final blow.

“It is Corbin who has taken this prophet, and Corbin who most likely hurt, if will not kill her if we do not act swiftly.” He narrowed his intense blue eyes, glancing back and forth in her crystalline orbs before adding one final point. “You know what he is capable of.”

[Marissa Skye ☀]

It's true, we're all a little insane.
But it's so clear,
Now that I'm unchained.
Fear is only in our minds,
Taking over all the time.
Fear is only in our minds but it's taking over all the time.

Could a person possible explode from anger? Marissa was beginning to believe so. For the SECOND time in her young Fae years, she found herself in a unique situation. Or... what SHOULD have been unique. After all, how often did a girl find herself snatched right off her feet by strange men?

Evidently more than anyone had warned HER about!

How DARE this beast kidnap her and fly her off to places unknown! She was going to roast him alive for his actions, just see if she didnt! Of course, that would be AFTER she finally got over her terror of being held hundreds of feet above the ground.

From the moment Rissa felt herself snatched up in talon like claws to the very instant she was set down on a rocky cliff she'd been beyond terrified. Her one true fear was heights so she hadn't been able to react to this abrupt snatching until she'd found herself securely on a solid surface.

However, that effect was soon burnt away by the smoldering anger that had been building just below the surface of her fear. Honestly, she was surprised she wasn't shooting flames out of her eyes with the fury she felt! What was this man? Some kind of throw back caveman?

Oh, wait... Never mind.. Scratch that.. He was just some throw back DRAGON man. Good Lord, didn't she just attract all the psychos?

Making an effort to reign in her temper, the petite blond opened her mouth to tell the arrogant beast exactly what she thought of him when suddenly he was shifting before her. One moment a full grown dragon stood before her and the next a stunningly gorgeous.. stunningly NAKED man rose in his place.

OK, so maybe that had made the trip worth it. Damn, the man had a body that even the gods would rival. Yeah, yeah, he wasn't as sexy as CORBIN of course but damnnnnnnn.... She might be on a diet but that didn't' mean she couldn't look at the menu, right? She was, after all, only female!

OK, definitely NOT a train of thought she needed to be pursuing here. The man was evidently off his rocker so she needed to focus on that, right? Never mind that he had a body that just made her want to haul out her camera and snap pictures to show off to Lani. She bet she could make a few million off those suckers. Surely there wasn't any harm in THAT was there?

Oh good lord, that flight had really effected her brain.

Then, realizing he'd approached while she'd been to busy gawking at his naked form, Rissa groaned and threw her hands over her eyes and snapped her mouth shut. He stood so close that she could practically feel the heat rolling off him. She was so disconcerted that it took a moment for her to gather her thoughts and his own words were already lingering in the air between them. As they made impact, she glared out from between to slender fingers and frowned.

"I don't know any Lillie and I haven't meet any Lillie. I know everyone in the fortress... I'm sure your mistaken!" she denied in her innocence.

Unfortunately, even as she denied it, the memory of the feminine scent lingering on Corbin's clothing came back to her. A deep frown settled on her brows as she thought back.

"He surely wouldn't do such a thing..." she muttered, even while the memory of her own capture came back to haunt her.

In her heart of hearts, she was forced to admit that this dragon could be right. If so.... Then her world was beginning to tumble around her.

[Kyle Aodhagán †]

But I never told you
What I should have said

No, I never told you
I just held it in

The credence of Kyle’s confession weighed on him as if he were Atlas, and the world was on his broad shoulders. His forehead creased and his lips became but a thin slash across his handsome face. Cobalt eyes narrowed and distant; it seemed for a moment the shifter had gone somewhere else as images of a broken Lillie enveloped him like a coverlet of misery.
She had been so innocent, so optimistic; the thought of all that trust being stolen from the human hurt the dragon like a visceral knife to the stomach.

The sound of Marissa’s voice broke the trance, and Kyle lifted his gaze once again to the fair witch. The female’s words rang true, though the shifter could see doubt creeping into her azure eyes. She was thinking back to some occurrence; something that had her resolve fading like the stars at daybreak.
Kyle watched Rissa with an intense gaze, mentally willing whatever reverie she had found would convince her that his avowal held nothing but certainty.

“Marissa, think back…I believe you will find some indication that your male has been hiding something from you.” The shifter told her in a patient, but dogged tone. “I was in her home mere hours after her abduction. I recognized his scent. It is the same scent I can smell lingering on your skin even now…”

He gave her a moment to absorb the statement, and then suddenly, he advanced towards her in unexpected motion; dropping to his knees and reaching out for the hand that hung by her side.

“Please Marissa, I beseech you. Lillie Galleau is a kind and honest soul. She is a human and fragile, unlike you and I. She has no powers to help her save an uncanny ability to see the future even though she cannot see the world around her. Lillie is blind, Marissa. She is scared. I can feel it in my chest like an oppressive emptiness…as if I were the one that was in her place.”

Kyle clung to the smooth porcelain hand as if it were a lifeline; his eyes wide and sincere as they held her sparkling stare. “Please…summon your male. Entreat the truth from him. Help me save her Marissa…please…”

[Marissa Skye ☀]

Blurring and stirring the truth and the lies
So I don't know what's real and what's not
So I don't know what's real and what's not
Always confusing the thoughts in my head
So I can't trust myself anymore
I'm dying again, I'm going under
Drowning in you, I'm falling forever
I've got to break through, I'm
So go on and scream
Scream at me, I'm so far away
I won't be broken again
I've got to breathe, I can't keep going under

There is a point in everyone's life that the child in you is left behind and a new, stronger person emerges. Like every cycle in life, this event is brought into creation by the circumstances around oneself and ones inner ability to cope with anything life can throw at you.

For Marissa, it was watching a strong man humble himself at her feet for the sole purpose of saving a woman who evidently meant more to him than his own soul.

In that moment, she was forced to cast off her rose colored glasses and see the world for the place it truly was. There was no such thing as happily ever after and one couldn't love blindly without feeling the pain of the thorns that lined every rose. Her heart broke as she realized the truth but she would be a fool no longer.

It was time to grow up and move beyond her dreams of fairy tale knights and their lady loves.

As all her naive notions of love's ability to change Corbin for the better washed away, the petite blond squared her shoulders and accepted the mantle of dignified maturity that would be her saving grace. With eyes that suddenly glimmered with cool fires, she tugged at the hand that held hers, urging the dragon to his feet.

"Do not humble yourself before me, sire. If what you say is true then I am at fault as much as anyone... Corbin has been distracted of late but I thought it only to do with Council business and the were war that the others have been talking about. Because of my own foolish stupidity your Lillie may very well have been put into danger longer than neccessary."

Once he was standing, she turned away and paced to the lip of the cliff edge. Below the cave sprawled a wide band of forest with a small clearing near the feet of the cliff. Raising a hand, she pointed towards it and then looked back at the shifter.

"There.... If you wish me to do as you ask then we go there... I will summons him to me if possible but I can not guarantee that he will respond. If what you say is true then I might be nothing to him truly. When it is done and the truth is revealed, i will leave. For all that you might be correct in your accusations, I can not be a part of his punishment. " she whispered, resigned and heartbroken.

Without waiting for him to respond, Rissa closed her eyes and dematerialized to the forest floor below. Her dragon companion came awake and she felt a cool wisp of air as Marty freed himself from his resting place to take form beside her.

"Uh.. Rissa, you sure you wanna do this? Maybe we should make like a prom dress and be off. I don't like this.. I don't like this at all... Your daddy dearest is going to flame broil me if Mr. Darth Vader dude hurts you.... "

Unamused, the blond shook her head and closed her eyes. Reaching inwardly for her magic, she took a deep breath and then sent out a message on the night air.


"Corbin.... I need you.. Come to me, please...."

As she waited for her lovers response, Rissa felt the dragon's tension as much as her own.

[Corbin Muunokhoi]

Me and you alone now
Are you frightened are you scared
Let my little toy show you how
To scream so loud no one can hear
We're gonna play a game that I enjoy
We won't stop 'til you tell the truth
No matter what - I won't believe
'Cause I just like hurting you:
And that's the truth



“You know, this is all your fault,”

His voice echoed in the grimy confines of the decrepit prison cell, sincere and almost regretful. With a sad shake of his head, he looked down at the soiled lump of flesh on the ground at his feet, crossing his arms over his chest.

What a disappointment, this venture was turning out to be. It had been almost two weeks since he’d taken the soft little human from her home in the city and brought her to the abandoned fortress in the forest. He’d been civil to her; giving her the rules of her new life, providing her with food and shelter. He’d made a few threats and made good on them, yes, but when compared to other…guests he’d taken over the years, his treatment of the frail prophet was extraordinary. He hadn’t chained her to a wall, put knives to her body and reveled in her pained screams; oh no, he’d been quite kind to her.

And this was how she repaid him? By ignoring his requests? Even going so far as to chain herself to a wall, as if to spite him? If he were on any other kind of time restraint, he would have thought this little show of bravery quite amusing, before ripping her legs off with his bare hands. But, thanks to his woman questioning his whereabouts, and certain other Powers moving mountains looking for the human, he didn’t exactly have a lot of time to appreciate the little things.

Slipping a cloth out of his jacket pocket, he wiped the blood off his hands with another disappointed little sigh. The woman was lying still on the floor, shaking and panting, but instead of screaming as she had the last few times he’d delivered warranted justice, she’d held herself quiet. Add on another point of respect to the roster. Damn, if only he could keep her alive for longer than planned.

“All I wanted was for you to paint me the future. It’s a small task, isn’t it? Given that you practically throw them at your dragon’s feet? But no, you just have to defy me.” He made a clicking noise with his tongue, a sympathetic expression pulling at his lips as he helped her sit up. He laughed as she jerked away from his touch, striking out at him. How cute, the human thought that she could harm him.

She’d tried that with a sharp rock two nights ago and had actually pierced skin. If she had normal eyes, who knew how much of a fight she would have put up? Oh, he could practically taste his own blood in his mouth as she slashed open his cheek en route to his throat. It had almost made him proud.

But then, as usual, the insanity came roaring to the forefront of his brain. Respect, amusement, pride; all of those useless emotions were pushed aside as his blood fell to the floor. She’d DARED to spill his blood?! He would have to show her what happened to guests who didn’t follow his rules.

And he had. Multiple times. Perhaps that was why she didn’t scream; he wouldn’t be surprised if her voice hadn’t been used up, after that glorious night.

Pitiful little human. She was so fragile, so weak. Kneeling down, he pinched her chin between his thumb and finger, laughing as she tried to scoot back. Her face was distorted, marred by bruises and cuts made from the uneven floor, and blood matted her hair. Her clothing hadn't fared any better; ripped and torn from crawling around on the cobbles, and her hand lay useless in a sling against her chest. He remembered how sweet her fear had smelled in her apartment; how sweet it still smelled. If he were his past self, he would have taken a personal taste of those lush lips of hers…but as it was, he could not.

That was saved for his Marissa.

Just as the thought flitted through his mind, a fissure of power crawled up his spine. What was that? He straightened with a growl, looking around the darkened room with a frown. The prophet pulled herself painfully toward her corner, silent, save a few harsh gasps, and he ignored her with ease.

Someone was calling him…summoning him? His frown deepened. No one should be powerful enough to make his heart pound in time to that magical pull. No one…he tilted his head back as if scenting the air, and a toothy smile replaced the snarl that clung to his lips.

So, his witch did have true power. He’d sensed something along those lines the first night he’d met her- the memory made a chuckle rumble through his chest; the fiery witch balling one of his toughest soldiers…that was his Marissa- and increasingly over the months, but he never thought that she’d reach this level of ability. Oh, to be excited or wary; that was the question.

Gathering up his own magics, he focused on the thread that connected them through the summons. It was just oh-so-easy to tear through time and space, folding the distance between them into a doorway. With one last, fond little smile in his guest’s direction, he bid her a good rest.

He would be back tomorrow. And if he didn’t get what he wanted? He’d find some more bones to break.

Stepping through the portal, Corbin surveyed the forest in which his woman stood. Curiously, he scanned the rolling hills and looming trees, brows rising slightly as he moved toward her.
“What a nice meeting place you’ve chosen for us,” He said, his usual smirk on his face. Something was off; he saw it when he looked into her face…but he couldn’t tell what. “Funny; I thought you described yourself as a minor witch, my love. To manage a summons from this distance is very impressive. You’ll have to tell me how you accomplished that later.”

He came closer still, arms hanging loosely at his sides. Had she missed him? Wanted to have yet another romp in the forest? From the look on her face, he knew that those weren’t the reasons for her call, and the question formed on his lips.

And then he smelled dragon. Two, in fact. Oh, Rissa, Rissa, Rissa. How very disloyal; setting a trap for your beloved.

Stopping a few feet away from her, the Dark Fae instantly tensed, eyes going up to the cliff behind her. “Why did you summon me here?” He snarled, nostrils flaring as the familiar Council scent hit him. It was all over her! HIS woman! That every present insanity beat at his mind and he clenched his fists, lips curling back. “What trickery is this?”

[Marissa Skye ☀]

I know I'd better stop trying
You know that there's no denying
I won't show mercy on you now
I know, should stop believing
I know, there's no retrieving
It's over now, what have you done?
What have you done now?!
I, I've been waiting for someone like you
But now you are slipping away... oh
Why, why does fate make us suffer?
There's a curse between us, between me and you

Marissa had never been so scared nor so determined. She felt like a leaf caught between two powerful forces but she refused to give into the urge to just wisp away. Inwardly, she knew she could do it and there would be nothing the dragon could do to stop her.

Over the last few weeks, her new powers had been coming to her in leap and bounds. The summoning of her guardian hadunlocked her fae powers completely and all though they were still not at their fullest potential... She knew they were vast.

She's simply had no reason to test them before tonight.

Through the summons she sent out, she sensed rather than felt the moment Corbin picked up on it. Closing her eyes, she traced his approach with her senses and then took a deep breath as he took form before her.

As her eyes flashed open, a new awareness was in them. One as ancient as time and as brilliant as the stars on a clear nights sky. Gazing across the distance that seperated her from her lover, she saw the way his own eyes darted around and knew he sensed the dragon.

His words not only confirmed it but made her heart ache. Surely he would have no reason to suspect a trap if he was indeed innocent of the crimes the shifter had laid at his feet.

Taking a deep breath, Rissa meet his gaze with a sad, disillusioned one of her own.

"I offer you no trickery, my love. I'm simply a messenger in this. It seems that you've done something that has brought attention upon me and I was a useful tool to get to you...."

Watching him carefully, the petite Fae tilted her head and continued.

"What have you been up too, my dark lord? Have you harmed the innocent woman that the shifter insists you have? Is that the scent I smelled on you that last time? Have you truly done something so terrible to a woman who's never offered you any harm? Please tell me that this is just a terrible lie....."

Wanting him to reassure her, Rissa started to step forward but felt the menace rolling off him. Sadness crept through her as she realized that things would never be the same between them again if he answered in the why her heart told her he would.



Corbin:

Deep breaths...isn't that what his woman liked to tell him in the past? Deep, calming breaths to stave off the growing irrationality? He did his best to try to curb the sharp need to kill, to maim, to feel blood on his face...but it was DAMN hard.

There was another%u2019s scent mixing in with his own, on his woman%u2019s body. He could smell the shifter from there, meaning that he was nearby...but he had touched her. He had put his filthy hands on HIS witch, HIS mate; been so close that he could smell him on her! He couldn't...no, he didn't want to hurt her. He had to think rationally. If this was a trap, surely his enemies would have gotten to Marissa. Calm, Muunokhoi, he told himself, gritting his teeth against the irrational urge to howl. Calm. Think. She was saying something important.

Finally, after a minute, the Fae was able to tamp down on his personal demons, rolling tightened shoulders as his eyes scanned the sky. The dragon was close, and if he dare come at his mate, he would die a very slow death. Talk about a change of heart; this need to protect, to possess. It was as if she owned his soul...was this what it felt like to be owned? To be tied?

It was...strange. Unwelcome. Unfamiliar.

And nothing compared to the words that slithered into his mind. What a smart little girl; discovering his stolen toy in the basement. But she'd had help, hadn't she? That was why the shifter was there.

Really, there was a reason why he tried his best not to resort to kidnapping. All of this intervention, this drama; it was too annoying for words. Slowly, Corbin came closer, watching the witch through new eyes as he listened to her speak. There was a glimmer of the old Marissa in her face, that hope that he'd always seen shining from her eyes, but it seemed like the more she spoke, the older she looked.

So, he had broken her after all. Pity...time with her had been such a nice little change. She'd actually made him believe that he was capable of love.

"A lie?" Like a bird's, his head tilted sideways as he watched her curiously. "Why would you think that, my love? Yes, I do have the prophet in my care, but what does that matter to you? She is merely a means to an end; a way for me to finally gain what I've fought for all these years."


As he spoke, he circled her, fondness edging into his eyes.

"Really, little witch, I don't know why this comes as a shock. You've known what I want...and that I'd do anything to get it. She is only a human; she means nothing." Abruptly, his face changed as he looked up at the sky once again, lip curling in distaste. "And yet, you've led that meddling dragon right to me. This wounds me, Marissa."



Marissa:

Well, hell.... There went any hope that the dragon was wrong. Son of a freaking lilly hopping toad. What the hell was she suppose to do NOW?

"Evidently she is NOT just a punny little human, Corbin.. Or you would not have wanted her. If she was merely a human female, you would not have felt the need to take her. Did you snatch her the same way you did me? Did she defy you like I did? What did you do to her? " she whispered, squaring her shoulders and meeting his gaze defiantly. "Did you really thing SOMEONE wouldn't want vengenence? That someone wouldn't move heaven and earth looking for a woman who could paint the end fo the world?"

Shaking her head, Rissa heard his next words and registered the disdain in them like a knife in the heart.

"I have led the meddling dragon nowhere, Corbin. He already knew who was responsible. He just seized the opportunity to use me to get to you. Imagine that... I think you should recognize the wisdom in that... If you care at all.

Reaching inwardly, she tugged on a bit of magic and a light, silver chain appeared around her ankles. In all appearances, it was a magical chain and it lashed through the grass and into the shadows of the forest where she knew Kyle awaited. Lifting her chin, she brought one trim foot up and shook it at Corbin.

"As you can see.... Its an eye for an eye..... I think that you've messed with the wrong beast this time, my love."



(OK, I was kind of thinking that since Corbin already showed up, Marissa would want to talk to him before Kyle shows himself. I think she still wants to believe in Corbin's innocence even though she knows in her heart that hes' probably guilty. She needs to make sure she's giving her love the chance to defend himself before turning it over to Kyle. Since she has done that, she's turning the next phase over to Kyle and Corbin.


NOTE TO KYLE: I threw in the whole chain on an impulse to make it seem like Kyle had control over Rissa and that she was tied to him until Corbin returns Lillie. If you DON"T like this I can change it and we can go whatever route you want. It was just a spur of the moment idea so that Kyle would have the upper hand . )

[Kyle Aodhagán †]

A warning to the people
The good and the evil

This is war

The dragon could see an unfathomable change in the woman the moment she tugged him up to stand before her. Rissa’s glistening eyes seemed to cloud for an instant before brightening once again; this time not the glimmering gemstones of innocence, but fiery orbs of understanding and wisdom. Her stance seemed taller, straighter; a pose of tenacity, and though the shifter could still hear the intense thumping of her heartbeat, it was to a different rhythm now; almost an echo of loss.

Kyle blinked slowly as he regarded the change in the woman; a dull pang of remorse tugging at his own withered chest. It had not been his intention to break the woman’s heart, but he did what he had to in order to save the blameless Lillie.
The mere echo of the name within his mind caused the shifter to straighten, a fierce determination crossing his stoic face. He tried to convince himself that this wasn’t about love, or loyalty, or any of those useless human sentiments that had weakened him once before, but about saving an innocent woman, and perhaps, the fate of the world.

The dragon followed behind her and gazed over the woodland floor, nodding an affirmation at her confession and intentions. He was not surprised when she faded into the breeze; her scent becoming palpable again as she manifested somewhere in the forest beyond. Kyle could tell there was a magic in her that was potent; otherworldly. Perhaps even as powerful as he was old.

The shifter stiffened as he dark Fae appeared below to join the blonde; the atmosphere growing colder and denser; wrought with ominous tension. He nearly flew down right then, but held back; knowing that the woman needed to have her moment with the male first.
The veiled dragons at his back growled in unison; feeling the friction Corbin’s arrival had brought, but the shifter merely held out a hand to calm them. No need for that kind of intervention…yet.

Finally the fae began to circle the woman and the air became thick with anger. Kyle knew it was time to intercede. A moment before the large leathery wings sprang from his shoulder blades a thin silvery chain appeared at his hand. Confusion creased his brow for a split second, and then lucidity brightened his azure eyes. Ah yes, the witch was far smarter than he gave her credit for.

Chain in hand Kyle glided down to the grassy ground below to land before the dark haired male. His jaw was tight with anger and malice blazed in his eyes like the fires that threatened to spew forth from his throat.

“Where is she Muunokhoi ?” Kyle snarled, and the sound was more animal than man. He took an aggressive stride towards the man; the fist with the silvery binding held up in the air so it was plain who had the other end of the chain. “So help me if you have hurt her I will roast you alive and use your bones for a tooth pick.”

[Corbin Muunokhoi]

Corbin’s body practically vibrated with anger as he circled the traitorous witch. She had led that Council ass straight to him! Had gotten him to confess to a crime in his earshot! He’d kept himself in that useless little Otherworld club so that he could keep an eye on the movers and shakers in this world, and now that she had outed him in front of their oldest surviving Chair, there was no way the others would let him stay a member. His reputation as a murderer was still intact, but his political standing amongst the supernaturals in this realm was dead.

And all because of one little human prophet and his own stupidity. Gods, he should have seen this coming.

It took all of his self control not to lash out at Marissa as he stalked her, gritting his teeth against angry words that threatened to pour out of his mouth. Damn it, despite her betrayal, he still didn’t want to make her unhappy! The urge to fall to his knees and beg forgiveness was almost as strong as the insanity clawing at his brain, and he scoffed at the mere idea.

Him? Kneel before her? Preposterous! He kneeled before no one! It was others who fell to their knees, crying for mercy in front of him!

But it didn’t matter what his pride screamed. His woman, his mate, was disappointed in him. His heart felt too heavy to bear.

“Marissa…” He could feel the mask of rage slip for a moment as he reached out for her, brows furrowing against the words stuck in his chest. He wanted to strip that haunted look from her eyes; somehow bring back that alluring innocence that had drawn him from the very beginning. He wanted her to smile, to laugh, to…Gods…forgive him…

All of it disappeared behind an expression of anger, however, as the dragon touched ground before him. His hand lowered from where it had been floating upward toward her cheek, and he took a step back, lips peeling back in a snarl. Ah, the churl himself had finally decided to join them. NOW it was a fucking party!

“Valorous words, coming from a coward, dragon,” He growled in reply, facing the oncoming shifter. He braced himself, as if expecting a blow, slowly gathering his magic for a defensive assault. “Is it true that you used to kill your own kind? Pity you didn’t kill yourself in the end,” His lips curled again as he caught sight of the shifter’s winged horde on the cliffs above. “Or finished the job.”

As the chain moved around Rissa’s ankle, the Dark Fae found his sight shading red. He wanted to throw everything he had at the annoying chink in his well made plans, but he couldn’t risk hurting his witch. What if the chain was magicked in some way? He’d used such tactics enough in his lifetime to be wary…whether or not the angry part of his mind was screaming for him to hurt the woman alongside the other male.

Grinding his teeth as his mind whirled, Corbin eyed the dragons with disdain. He could see no way to get out of the situation and keep the prophet; he would have to give her up. The thought galled him, but he tended those mental wounds with the reassurance that he would have killed the human soon anyway, given her current inability to follow simple orders. If not given to the shifter, he would have given her to his men, as a reward for their loyalty.

He would bite the bullet this time, and wreak his revenge later. Ah yes, that was a consoling thought. He would kill the dragon another time; his little human along with him. And Rissa…his eyes cut to her as he slowly let his arms fall loose at his sides. He would keep her for last.

“Fine,” He snarled after a moment, sneering at the growling dragon. “Take the bitch; she’s useless to me anyway.”

With a swipe of his hand, he cut a rectangular hole through time, revealing the dark room that was the woman’s prison. Lying on the floor at its back, she lay on her side, curled up into a protective ball. Corbin tilted his head, thinking for a moment that she’d died all on her own, but a moan and a twitch confirmed that she was still alive. Broken, half naked and probably quite ill…but alive.

It wasn’t his fault if humans were so damn weak.

With a dramatic movement, he motioned for Kyle to proceed through the portal. “There she is, dragon. Why don’t you go in there and get her?”

And once he did, Corbin would close the portal and face his woman and the nasty horde above them with utter glee. The shabby stone walls of the rotting prison weren’t strong enough to hold the shifter, that he knew, but it would at least hold off on their imminent smackdown until he’d dealt with his traitorous love.


Inside the prison, Lillie did her best to lie as still as she could. Her ribs were broken by the way it hurt like fire to breathe. Her hand was numb, which was surely a bad sign, she probably looked like a Tommy Lee Jones-Two Face look alike with the way her face felt, and if the little bursts of nausea was anything to go by, she probably had a concussion to boot.

Oh, the joys of living alone. After this, she was going to adopt a German Sheppherd…or some other kind of large, dangerous monster-dog.

If she lived, that is. Strange; she’d never thought in a million years that she’d be capable of hoping to die, instead of being saved.

She took a careful breath, gritting her teeth against that familiar wave of fire that flowed over her abdomen, and curled tighter into a ball. It wasn’t exactly the most comfortable position, given the cobblestones beneath her and the fact that she probably had a couple bones making sock puppets out of her flesh, but it felt better. Less exposed.

Not that any of that mattered, once a particular scent hit her nose. Was that…fresh air? Something not moldy, rotting or damp? Slowly, she lifted her head, half expecting a boot to come crashing into it for the umpteenth time that week…year…whatever. Slowly, she took another. And another, and another, and oh GOD, those were voices! And the rustling of trees!

With another groan, she tried to push herself to her feet, but couldn’t manage the movement. She made it to her knees, fully intending on crawling toward the smell- trap or no trap, mind game or no mind game…it was FRESH AIR.

[Kyle Aodhagán †]

I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away
I keep your photograph, I know it serves me well
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

The harsh things Corbin said caused a wave of dark memories to crash over Kyle, fairly threatening to drown him in pain and sorrow. Every statement spoken was accurate; the shifter had always felt that he’d been a traitor to his kind. Though he had done it for the safety of the humans that were as much a part of him as the dragon, he had never forgiven himself for slaying the creatures merely acting out of natural instinct.
His darkened eyes lifted toward the cluster of winged beasts assembled on the far cliffs edge, hoping that he was strong enough now to keep them from doing what was their nature to do.

A visceral pain surged through his abdomen at the remembrance of times he had actually tried to do what the fae suggested he do; finish himself. The agony the shifter had felt towards the loss of his love had compelled him to do so, and so many times he had failed only to awaken from the blackness in pain and broken in more ways that physically, realizing that he would -always- awaken as he could not do the wretched deed himself.

The dragon exhaled heavily and shook his head, forcing his thoughts back to the here and now. He had no time for self loathing or pity while Lillie was still somewhere cold and bleeding.

“Had I done such a thing I wouldn’t have been able to put the light of truth in your woman’s eyes.” Kyle said harshly, knowing the words would twist Muunokhoi’s mind as the fae’s had done to him. The dragon had not failed to notice the look of pain that had crossed the dark male’s face just moments before fading as if it had never been. The though of the blonde witch betraying him had wounded the man like a corporal weapon.

“My words of your treachery grow in her mind like a weed in the garden of her love. You may pluck them, they may wither in time, but the roots will always be there deep down.”
Though the situation was dire Kyle allowed himself a moment of smugness. It shone in his face as a smile of self-satisfaction crept over countenance.

He tightened his hold on the silver chain, tugging at it just a little so that the blonde was drawn forwards an inch (but not so much that it would hurt her at all). Once again his head tilted up to gaze on the dragons that spewed smoke and spit fire as the clawed at the ground, just waiting to fly down to begin the battle. But Kyle forbade it. It would be his hand that struck the fae. Blood for blood.

“How many dragons would you kill to hold your woman again?” The shifter demanded ruthlessly. “To feel the warmth of her skin, the taste of her lips. How many would you fight? A hundred? A thousand?” Kyle growled at the male before him, taking another aggressive step to him. “There is but one that stands between you and her.” The shifter balled his hands into fists, his pupils narrowing into black slits in the center of blue irises that shone with the brightness of flames. “They are under my command. It will be my hand that removes your head from your body.”

And then the fae conceded, opening a portal with the mere wave of his hand in thin air.
Kyle’s heart stopped beating within his chest and his mouth dropped open at the sight beyond the rip in the veil. The scent of Lillie’s blood; dried and fresh, drifted out of the cell and hit the dragon with the weight of the sea upon him. “No…” The word uttered past his lips and the fangs that had begun protruding from the top and bottom gum. “No…” The word seemed an echo even as Kyle dropped the binding and took a tentative step towards the human.
She appeared to be lying there dead. The beating within her chest was so weak even the shifters keen ears could no perceive it.

And then he saw it. The prophet moved just an inch, her ragged breath as loud to him as the thunder that rolled in the storm darkening clouds. He broke into a sprint towards the opening; the hope and anger within him causing the heavens to swirl with a black haze and gathering winds; a torrent just on the edge of ripping the sky apart.

He reached the cold damp cell and the rains began to fall; fat heavy drops of angel’s tears that bit into the skin like razor blades.
Dropping to his knees next to the human, Kyle gathered her up into his arms as gently as he could but even the slightest movement caused the scabs around protruding bones to tear apart and begin a fresh fount of crimson from her black and blue patched skin.
He winced as he turned her in his arms to face him and her visage was so bruised and swollen he could hardly recognize the beautiful seraph beyond the injuries.

The emotionless shifter felt like weeping then. Her pain was so palpable it seemed to radiate out of her and bleed into him; seeping down into his bones and soul.

“Noooooo!” Kyle screamed out in anger; embracing Lillie against him and wishing more than anything he could steal her pain. His moistened eyes looked around for something that he could use to press against the open wounds that seeped scarlet and puss, taking in the rotting cell that had been made her home. They found the charcoal pencils and the shattered canvases and the dragon knew why Corbin had brought her here. A low, guttural growl crawled up from his throat as his eyes lit on the smug fae still outside, and letting out a fierce war cry in a language of the dragon that waited on the edge of that cliff; he unleashed hell.

[Marissa Skye ☀]

Damn, ain't it crazy when your love slams?
You'll do anything for the one you love
'Cause anytime that you needed me, I'd be there
It's like you were my favorite drug
The only problem is that you was using me
In a different way that I was using you
But now that I know, it's not meant to be
You gotta go, I gotta win myself over you
And I'll never give myself to another, the way I gave it to you
Don't even recognize the ways you hit me, do you?
It's gonna take a miracle to bring me back
And you're the one to blame

It was funny how fast ones life could change with only the merest hint of the storm that would rip your world apart. Marissa had truly wanted to believe that the man she loved wasn't as evil as the dragon had suggested. She'd wanted to believe that the gentle lover who'd been her shining star would never lower himself to hurt an innocent woman who'd done nothing to deserve his temper but dare to live with a curse she could not control.

Unfortunately, she was quickly shown the error of her ways.

As Corbin circled her, she felt truly afraid of him for the first time. She knew better than to show that fear however, so she simply lifted her chin and meet him eye to eye. The emotions that flashed through his own dark depths gave her hope for mere seconds before they were replaced with viscous rage. The same rage that came upon him when the insanity threatened to creep over his mind and destroy everything around him.

Inwardly, Marissa admitted to herself that she could no longer remain with her lover. Obviously, he was to far gone to see reason and if she stayed with him, he would slow but surely destroy her. The thought made her want to weep but she didn't let her new resolve show in her eyes as he watched her.

Then, before she could blink, Corbin snarled and ripped through the veils of time and space to reveal a young woman, tortured almost to death. Gasping in horror, Rissa watched as the huge shifter jumped through the veil and cradled the human in his arms. The air around them shifted and when he looked back, all hell broke loose.

Quite Literally, it felt like.

Frozen in place, Rissa at first did not react to the creatures swooping down towards them. Her eyes were glued on the human in the dragons arms and the horror she felt at the knowledge that Corbin had done this. It seemed like something out of a horror movie. It wasn't until Marty started shouting at her that she finally realized the danger she was in and moved a second to late to completely avoid a pair of slashing talons.

As pain ripped through her shoulder, Marissa shrieked and saw her guardian launch himself into her attacker and the pair go into aerial maneuvers as they fought. Automatically, she looked towards her lover for protection before she caught herself and began to use her brain.

She was a Fae Princess. Surely she could handle a few dragons, right?

"Yeah, and Corbin is about to go down and vow never to harm another living soul. Wake up, Princess, this ain't no Disney fairy tale!" she heard Marty retort in her head."MOVE YOUR SKINNY BUTT!"

[Lillie Galleau]

Oh Jesus Christ! Moving was a bad idea! A very bad idea! Pausing in mid-crawl, Lillie let her front sink down, resting her forehead against the ragged stone beneath her. She’d just rest for a little while, then keep on going toward that beautiful smelling fresh air. How did it get there, anyway? Thanks to a particularly nice kick in the side of her head the other day, her hearing was a bit off. She hadn’t noticed any kind of stone crumbling, or the vibrations of something crashing into the wall.

But whatever it was, and whatever the cause, she was going to kiss it. Dead tree, some kind of hard headed animal; it didn’t matter. Whatever had introduced the crisp, clean air into her cell was going to get a wet one, right smack in their—

She cried out as she was suddenly seized, pain and surprise evident in the raspy quality of her voice. She tried her best to move away, especially as she felt that telling wetness at her sides running down to the floor, and braced herself for her kidnapper’s familiarly cruel voice. He liked to play games, that one; the sicker the better. What was this one? How to hug the Lillie so tight, he broke more bones? Hell with that!

In a blind panic, she twisted in his hold, gritting her teeth against the fire that the movements caused. If she could just crawl away, get back to her little manacle, she could grab that sharp piece of rock she’d been working on and finish the job she’d started the last time he’d gotten too close.

But she never made it that far. As quickly as those iron-strong arms had closed around her, a familiar scent hit her nose like a smack upside the head. Immediately, she went still, turning until she could angle her face upwards. She couldn’t see him, but the scent was stronger and oh god, this had to be real, or she was going to use that rock on herself!

“Kyle?” Her voice was a ragged whisper, and she cleared her throat, reaching a tentative hand up to brush her unbroken fingers against his cheek, then along the outline of his jaw. She hadn’t exactly gotten to frame her kidnapper’s face, but she knew this one almost as well as she knew her own. “Oh God…please say I’m not dreaming.”

She shrank back at his roar, instinctively flinching to cover her face from a blow, but when none came, she relaxed against him. He’d found her; she knew he would, and he did. Turning her face into his neck, she felt herself go boneless in his arms. She was so used to the pain in her body that it was so easy to push it to the side; to focus on the feeling of his scratchy shirt against her bruised cheek and his warm breath on her shoulder. She’d almost forgotten how good he smelled.

She took a deep breath of that musty, foresty scent and felt once-vibrating muscles uncoiling. “I was thinking before that I was going to French kiss whatever knocked down the prison wall. Guess you better hand me off to someone else quick.” She murmured thickly, voice a papery rasp. How funny; she felt like she could finally sleep with his arms around her. Her body shuddered as it lost more of its precious blood, but she didn’t care. Her favorite dragon had come for her and that was all that really mattered. Salty tears burned her eyes and she quickly closed them, wincing as they stung the cuts on her cheeks.

“Kyle…take me home? Please…I want to go home, now.”

---

((I have no idea why, Kyle, but imagining the dragon horde descending on Corbin and Marissa makes me think of one thing:

'RELEASE THE KRAKEN!'

-falls over laughing- XDD ))

[Corbin Muunokhoi]

There it was; the expected charge, the scream of war. It was like some kind of song that began blasting in the air, replacing the romantic reunion of separated lovers.

If he had known that the human meant so much to that pathetic little shifter, he’d have cut off her head long ago. Oh, the look on his face would have been priceless as he found the woman’s sitting on a plate with an apple in her mouth. He would remember that for next time. And there would be a next time; oh yes. He would make sure of that.

The only person that was going to die that day, would be those slavering dragons above them. With an ease brought on by countless years of training and exacting revenge, Corbin ignored the dragon’s threats, watching him with narrowed eyes as he approached. His magics were ready for use, centered around his fists and chest, and he ached to use them.

What Kyle went on to say about his ‘woman,’ however? He glanced sideways at Marissa as the dragon went on to demand how many bodies would pile at his feet if one were to threaten his mate. Though she’d betrayed him, the Dark Fae couldn’t help but consider the question, the words ‘no survivors’ popping up in the forefront of his mind without hesitation.

Truth be told? There was a part of his warped mind that was strangely proud of the normally bubbly witch for dragging him right into a trap. She’d had an ulterior motive and had brought a plan to perfect completion without his even noticing anything wrong. Not to mention the obvious magic that she’d so effectively hidden from him! An evil thing such as himself could appreciate such obvious deception, and he couldn’t help a fond little smile as he looked at her one last time, as the scene unfolded into fiery growls and snapping jaws.

With a malicious glee, Corbin leapt back as the dragons descended. Thinking that he would be meeting his lover, he hadn’t exactly thought it necessary to arm himself to the teeth, but he never traveled completely naked unless in his animal form. From the small of his back, he produced two knuckle-blades, and faced off against the first of many descending dragons. As the beast snapped its great neck toward him, doing its best to bite his fool head off, the Fae dodged and rolled, bringing his knife-laden fists up to slash at those scaley eyes. He wasn’t nearly armed enough to take out a horde of dragons, and if he used his magic too freely, he’d weaken himself. He had to flee, regroup with his soldiers—

One scream from Marissa was all it took to strip him of such thoughts. As the witch fell back, blood falling freely from her shoulder, Corbin saw red. With a war cry that had sent many a Power falling back in fear in the past, he launched himself at the beast that had clawed at the witch. In quick succession, made even quicker by his magic, he slashed at the dragon’s throat and underbelly, snarling in satisfaction as the wet thump of unleashed intestines hit the ground beneath him. As the rest zoomed in, intent on their prey, however, his sane mind took over once again.

With a snarl, he grabbed hold of Marissa’s unwounded arm and pulled her beside him. Betrayal or no, whatever fate would befall her would be under HIS watchful eye; not that of a disgusting, winged lizard. He made another slashing gesture with his hand, cut open a portal until his dimly lit bedroom loomed before him, and shoved Marissa through the hole. As a second thought, he grabbed her annoying dragon by its tail, ignoring the surprised yowl, and flung it after its mistress.

Lastly, he turned to get himself out of the area, but not before a gust of fire caught his back and arms in its burning embrace. With a roar, he whirled, flinging a dagger from his waist into the fragile eye of the dragon behind him, and shut the portal on its scream.

With a curse, he quickly threw off his now smoldering coat, gritting his teeth as his arms stung. He stomped out the flames for a little while longer, then his movements slowed, until he was ever-so-slowly straightening to look at where his woman lay. His only consolation was that, witout his presence, the fool Kyle would be locked in that rotting prison along with his human. Hopefully, he could control his horde from a distance.

But all that was for another time. Now that they were safe...it was time to deal with a witch.

“The next time you call me for a secret tryst, my love,” He said, voice mocking. “Remind me to arm myself and bring a guard, hmm?”

[Kyle Aodhagán †]

And I never told you
What I meant to say
And I never told you
I just held it in

Kyle didn’t even notice the swarm of dragons that rained down on the fae and the blonde witch, for his attentions were on the fragile prophet in his arms. Her voice was weak, but the sound of it made the shifter’s heart dance with elation; the feel of those gentle probing fingers on his face stirring a happiness within him he thought he had long ago lost the ability to feel.
“You’re not dreaming.” He answered her huskily, and pushed a strand of blood stained auburn hair away from her face. Her eyes were framed with black and blue bruises and one even a little bit swollen shut, but he was thankful for the chance to look into those milky orbs again. Had she not survived the wrath of the dark fae Kyle would never have been able to forgive himself. The wall that he had spent lifetimes building, and the one so easily crumbled by this frail human, would have completely encompassed him. Her breath was his breath, as ragged as it was right now.

Kneeling there, cradling her in his arms, the dragon couldn’t fathom how he could help her without hurting her more. Each tiny shift of their bodies brought a quiet whimper from the female, the sound of them stabbing him in the chest.
At the familiar playful teasing Kyle wanted to weep again. The pride he felt fairly illuminated off of him like a bright star in the navy blue sky. Corbin might have been able to break her body, but he had not broken her spirit. She was far stronger than any immortal creature he had ever known.

“If I wasn’t afraid that the slightest pressure to your lips would cause them to crack and bleed, it would be me kissing you.” He told her hoarsely, but then unable to stop himself, he lowered his face to hers so that his lips just barely brushed the swollen, chapped rose of her mouth.
Even though it was but a whisper of a kiss, it nearly hypnotized the ancient shifter. A surge of something foreign swept through him; relief like a drowning man taking in a lungful of air, a parched man taking a swallow of water, a dying man seeing that light at the end of the tunnel he had been waiting for so long…

Inhaling sharply Kyle pulled back, swallowing a lump in his throat. The wall was crumbling…crumbling….

No! It was closing.

It seemed the departure of Corbin caused the portal to shift close, and the dragon found he and Lillie were now both prisoners in the dingy cell. Desperate to get her as far away from the hell as possible, Kyle softly laid the woman back down, shedding the long black cloak and wrapping her up in it. “Don't be alarmed. I’m going to get you out of here.” He reassured her in a voice the belied the panic written on his face.
He knew there was only one way to escape, if it even worked. Surely the powerful fae had the cell circled with some magic barrier, but his magic was old and powerful too…

One minute the form of a tall, muscular unclothed man stood there, and the next a dragon much too large for the small space. Massive talons clawed at the damp stone wall and the dirt floor, and then the room seemed to shake as it threw its immense scaled body against the place where the threshold had been open moments before.
Hopefully the tear in the veil would make the realm weak, and he could reopen it for just long enough to take Lillie through.

The dragon slammed its body against the moss covered rocks again, this time releasing a white hot fire that consumed the wall, as well as the ancient shifter. The flames and weight seemed to break the dominion open, but did not harm the figure than was quickly shrinking back into the familiar human male.
“I’m sorry if this hurts you.” He whispered to Lillie as he bent to lift her, holding her against his chest as the leathery wings came out of his back. Kyle tore out of the hole and rose into the air as soon as they hit fresh air, flying as quickly but as gently as he could towards the place that she called home.

It didn’t take them long to get to New Orleans, but the dragon did not carry the prophet back to apartment that she’d been abducted. Though the police had long since abandoned it as they went on with their search, Kyle had seen the brothers there time and time again.
She needed to rest and heal, and having to explain her disappearance (and rescue) could wait, for the evening anyway.
Instead Kyle took her to the place that he often took his own rest. The plantation had been forsaken long ago, but was still clean and well maintained.

The room that he usually slept (when he was able to sleep) had a large king size bed and velvet duvet and several overstuffed downy pillows. The shifter gently laid her down and covered her up, moving quickly towards the closet to retrieve a pair of jeans to pull on before finding his cell phone on the bed side table.

“I know a doctor that will be discrete in treating you. She is from this realm, but not a human, so she won’t ask questions about how this happened.” Kyle was beside himself with worry over Lillie. Gone was the usual calm self-assurance, he was panicking, unable to grasp what to do for the wounded woman.

He paused before punching in the number in the phone and returned to Lillie’s side to take her hand in his. “What can I do for you…to make you more comfortable?”

[Marissa Skye ☀]

Corbin and Marissa continued in SHIFTING SANDS

[Lillie Galleau]

It was just so funny, how a girl can pray to die. She remembered thinking that not thirty minutes earlier, trying not to inhale water from a particularly nasty smelling puddle. She’d seen horror movies like the one she was living; read books and heard stories about abductions and torture. She’d always thought ‘oh yeah, if that ever happened to me, I’d kill the bastard before giving up.’ She’d find some kind of weapon, go for the throat and make like the Road Runner all the way back home.

If only life was so easy. She felt shame, as she lay there in the shifter’s arms, trying her best not to cry out as he moved. This man had endured captivity much like her own- worse than all of this, from what she remembered of those horrific paintings- for CENTURIES and hadn’t given up as easily as she had. Hell, she knew that that sharpened rock over by her manacle hadn’t only been preparation for killing her captor. One more day in this dark, foul smelling hole and she have been ready to end it all.

Shame and relief; what a heady combination, she thought with an absent tilt of her lips. And what was even stranger?

The fact that now that she was with him, she’d have clawed God’s eyes out if He tried to take her away so soon. Talk about life doing its best to make a girl certifiable.

At his soft words, she managed another small smile. “You’re a…big fat liar…buster,” She murmured, doing her best not to fall asleep. Hell if she was going to pass out in his arms like some puffy version of a damsel! Yes, he might be a dead ringer for a Knight- heck, he might even be one, he was so old- but she was NOT going to ruin all of this by passing out. For one, she was afraid that, if she fell asleep, all of this would be a dream. For another; the last thing she wanted to do was cause Kyle anymore anxiety that he already had. Though he was obviously trying to put up a brave front, she could hear the slight tremor in his voice.
“You could’ve…kissed me back at Tulane, but you didn’t. Bad dragon-man…left me looking like a…demented fish,”

Talking was definitely keeping her awake, but there was nothing to bitchslap the brain cells like a kiss, light or no. Her eyes slid open in surprise as her lips instinctively responded, her free hand caressing his bristly cheek. Butterfly soft, she thought with an inner sigh.

Yeah, if this was all just a dream, she was REALLY going to wake up pissed off.

And speaking of ‘pissed off,’ with a roar that sounded from outside and the sound of air being sucked out from a hole, all of that beautifully clean, foresty smells disappeared. With a horrified groan, she tried to free herself from Kyle’s arms, but found herself instead folded in the soft confines of his jacket. Turning her face into it, she closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, praying that the lack of pine scent didn’t mean that they were both trapped in her prison. If her kidnapper came back and started in on Kyle…

The thought bore no fruit, however, as the sounds of crumbling rock reached her. Feeling the cobbles vibrate beneath her, she drew herself into a ball, instinctively protecting her head. Her ribs protested the movement and for the thousandth time that day, she cursed her inability to see what was going on.

But then, that sweet smell was back, and with a hiss of dirt and rubble being thrown back by a sweeping wind, she was free.

A sound of pure delight poured from her lips as she tilted her head up toward a warm ray of sunshine. Air whipped around her face and her body screamed at every movement, but she didn’t care. She was flying! He was flying! She was free!

Hugging the dragon as tightly as she could, she reveled in the fresh air. There were so many emotions, exhaustion included, tearing at her insides that she couldn’t help light peals of laughter and stingingly salty tears from escaping. Tucking her face into his neck, she kept murmuring ‘thank you’ over and over again through her mirth.

Still holding tight to him, as if she were afraid that, upon release, he would disappear, Lillie almost missed the downy softness of a mattress beneath her. After forcing her arms to unwind and laying docile while he arranged her on his bed, however, her brain finally registered the difference.

No more cobbles. No more hard stone floor, putrid water and scuttling things that nipped and bit at her at night. With a shuddery sigh of pure relish, she turned her face into his pillow curling her fingers around his. With a deep breath to unclog the ball in her throat, she turned her face towards his voice.

“Just…stay with me?” She said finally, her eyes drifting open to stare unseeingly into his face. “And get ready…for some major thank you’s…when I’m better.”

Sweetly, sleep nudged at her, causing her body to slowly grow heavy. Unable to remain open, her lids slid closed once again and her voice slurred. “Call the doctor…but don’t leave me. Please…”

She did her best to stay awake; to stay with him. But her mind, knowing that it needed as much rest as it could get, vetoed conscious desire. Still gripping his hand, Lillie found herself sliding back into velvety darkness with his name on her lips.

When the doctor would come much later, it would be determined that the prophet could not have survived, if the shifter hadn’t found her. Besides having four broken ribs, broken fingers, a fractured cheekbone, concussion and minor internal bleeding, lying in mold and having nothing but what was left of her thin sundress after using most of it for bandages, had brought on a mild case of pneumonia. When seeing her patient, the doctor would blanch, press the back of her hand to her lips and even go so far as to cross herself before going to work on the unconscious woman. It would take most of the afternoon and one heart-stopping code, as the prophet’s vitals crashed quite suddenly, but triumphantly, medicine would triumph over all else.

---

((Heya, boo. I wasn't sure what you had in mind for the doctor, so I put that little blurb in so you'd know what injuries Lillie had sustained, and what I thought might've happened when the lady got there. You can play with it however you want, or lemme know if it doesn't work out and I'll change it. ;3 ))