Little Pawn (CLOSED/Dominic)

[kayla]

Kayla
It had been a slow night in the Cafe, her regulars were not in that night and all that was left was to clean up and count the till. She hadn't even remembered to lock the door as she popped open the register, feeling safe enough with the one patron still stilling in one of the back booths. Humming along to the radio she began to take the bills out and count them. She never saw it coming as the man in the back stood and began walking to the register with his hands in his pockets, until he reached the counter. Looking up with a big smile she started to speak "Finally decide on somethin hon?" she began to say but her words faltered as she found herself staring at the end of a snub nosed .38 that was aimed at her head. Her blood ran cold and her fingers numb as she blinked and looked at the man. "Y...you don't have ta do this hon." she tried to say only to have him shove the gun to her head and growl "Just gimme all the damn money bitch and I might not splatter your brains over the wall!"
Dom:
The little thing that owned the coffee shop had the attention of one of the shifter's council enforcer. Dominic knew the creature's reputation and knew him to have a short fuse. Gaining his anger wouldn't be a difficult task to accomplish, all he would have to do was to cover the walls with his little girlfriend guts and play innocent, let the shifter come after him and play the innocent. That would rally others to his cause.

More weres sick of the shifters oppression and willing to fight under him, like he was some sort of messiahs. It would be a glorious revolution and one by one he would take the council members out and rule it.

Pushing through the coffee shop's door, he caught the man's scent even before the little bell on the door rang revealing his presence.

The man turned the gun into his direction with a menacing stare, his hand shaking as he took Dominic's imposing form. Wasting no time, Dominic moved upon the man and ignored the bullet that pierced his stomach before he knocked the gun out of the man's hand and squeezed the man's throat while rising him from the ground.

Kayla:
Tears had formed in those big brown eyes, one slipping over the edge of the lid and streaking down her cheek as she shook in fear. She was no stranger to guns, she had grown up around them all her life but never had she had one pointed at her. Maybe it was the look in the man's eyes or the fact that she knew what kind of damage the gun could do at that range. It was a good possibility that the man could get the money and still kill her.

Then things began to happen as if in slow motion, she didn't hear the bell over the door till the man was in the room. At first she thought it was Ty, the large, muscular build, the near bald head, the scowl. But it wasn't him, the sound of the gunshot knocking her out of her stupor as she screamed. But even as the blood wept out of the big man's stomach he was lifting the other man off the ground and it left her staring in shock. Her senses came to her as she noticed the gun was gone, scurrying around the counter to scrabble on the floor and grab the gun. But she didn't know where to point it, afraid her shaking hands would not aim well, instead she just held onto it and gasped as she stay well out of the way. "Mister....you're hurt..." Hello Captain Obvious!

Dom:
Squeezing the life out of the insolent human, Dominic didn't hear the woman's words at first. But slowly they registered and he looked down at his bleeding stomach. For the were it was nothing more than a passing nuisance, but as he looked back at the woman and saw the look on her face, he fought a devilish smirk from forming on his lips.

His wicked mind crafted a new plot of action. He would adapt, but nevertheless he saw potential in it. The first thing he needed to do was not let the woman see him as a killer, so instead he tossed the thief out through the large glass window of the shop and holding his stomach, he let out a painful groan and fell to his knees. Now the next step was to gain the woman's sympathy and trust.


Kayla:
A small scream left her as the glass shattered, her hands coming up to her head to cover her ears as she watched time slowly sync back up again and that's when she saw the man who had just saved her life sink to the floor.

The gun was quickly taken care of, the safety flicked on before she stuffed it in her apron and ran to the man on the floor. She sniffled, still crying. "Oh my gosh!..You...oh you..." she couldn't think, couldn't speak straight as she looked at all the blood, her small hands going to the man's arm and shoulder. She knew she could help him. It would take a lot from her but it could be done. She couldn't let him die for saving her.

She couldn't say it and dropped to her knees and pulled his up to see the wound on his belly. "You shouldn't have done that. He could have killed you." she said softly and inspected the wound. There was no time for an ambulance....at least if he were normal there wouldn't have been. But not knowing that she did what she knew she had to.

Looking up into his eyes as she knelt on the floor with him she spoke softly, slowly, those tears making her eyes look even larger on the small slip of a woman. "You're gonna have ta trust me here alright?" she said quietly as her hand slid gently and slowly over his belly, her eyes closing making the tears streak over her cheeks.

At first there was a tingling feeling that could be felt from her fingertips and palm where it touched his bare skin. Slowly the feeling of warmth began to seep from that touch and into his body, her gift working to carefully heal the damage done to the tissues from the inside out. It was a calming, pleasant feeling, ticklish perhaps if he were the ticklish type but there was no pain. The blood flow almost immediately slowed, a few moments later stopping completely as she breathed deep, her breath shuddering on the way out as she exhaled.

Her other hand came down to rest next to the first. To an outside observer it might look like an intimate moment and in it's own way it was. She didn't even notice the blood covering her hands and dripping up her arm to her elbows. The flesh inside the wound re-knit itself as her breathing became less steady and smooth, her face paling as she concentrated more, an expression of pain filtering over her features. She swooned a little as the skin near the surface was reached, having to grip onto him for support. When her eyes opened she looked up at him, looking like she'd just been awake for three days and the shadows showing under her eyes that weren't there before. "I'm sorry..I can't ..I can't do more." she said and began to fall backwards on her knees.


Dom:
So the human woman was more than she appeared! His own healing would take care of the wound, it was a mere nuisance, but obviously it hadn't been his gift that had healed his wound in such short notice. Gaining her trust seemed more useful now that he knew she wasn't just an ordinary woman.

Grabbing her arm as she started to fall, Dominic pulled her into his arms and raised to his feet faking a look of concern upon his eyes. Holding her in his arms, he moved to the counter and palced her down gently on top of it.

"Are you alright?" he asked her softly brushing the dark locks of hair that had fallen over her face before turning his attention to his stomach and lifting his bloody shirt and running a hand where the wound should be. "How did you do that?"

Kayla:
She's somewhat limp in his arms as she is carried, her weight next to nothing. Mortals are so fragile, this one seems even more so for her slightness. Such delicate little bones so easily snapped. Baby soft skin so easily marred and bruised. It was a wonder they survived at all with all the other things that inhabited their world.

She blinked slowly, tired..so tired now as she felt that gentle touch to her cheek, whispering a name before she looked up. "Ty?" But it wasn't her big growly man. No it was the one that had taken a bullet for her. She looked a little confused at first and her gaze followed to where he looked at his stomach. "I couldn't get the bullet out. I'm sorry." she said with a whisper, feeling a pain in her own belly and wincing as the pain played a symphony over her face.

The world looked so strange from this angle. She'd never seen the Cafe quite like this. Her hand raised slowly, weakly and touched his arm. "Healed you...couldn't let you die for me." she said in those broken sentences. "Are you.." she winced as she tried to sit up and laid back down. "Are you better? No more bleeding?"

Dom:
It was a handy gift she had. If he could turn her and use her into his army...Dominic considered the possibility and pushed back a smirk at how the enforcer would look like when he'd realize he had stolen his precious little woman from him. But no...she would more useful as she was, to gain her trust and uncover information about his enemies. To have someone from within to speak well of him, oh how that would probably drive the enforcer insane!

Turning his attention back to her, he softly caressed her forehead. "Now stay still, I'm fine thanks to you. I still don't know how you managed that, but it seems it took quite a toll of you. Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked already leaping over the counter and getting a bottle of water. Raising her head a bit, he offered the open water bottle to her. "Take a drink? This might help."


Kayla:
Kayla nods, taking the sip of water with his assistance. "Always does." she whispers after sipping a few drinks. Glancing toward the door she looks back to him. "The door..you need to lock the door." she says and tries to sit up again. There was blood on the floor. Blood that needed cleaning. She couldn't explain to the cops that might show up why there was a puddle of blood on her floor but no one injured. Even worse if they were to see the blood and bullet hole on the man's stomach.

She'd get locked up in a looney ward or a lab somewhere. She had no idea that the greatest danger lay in the gentle hands helping her. It was one of her greatest faults, seeing good in people even if there was none.

"Why did you..." she tried to say as she used his arm for support as she pulled herself up a bit and winced. "Why did you do that? You could have been killed." It was honorable, noble even, in her mind. "But thank you. If it weren't for you I'd be a lot worse than now. This'll wear off...Just need to rest is all. " she says and takes another sip of the bottle of water.

Dom:
Nodding, Dominic leaped once again over the counter with ease and moved to lock the door as she requested, he didn't need any curious humans to wander into the coffee shop and disturb his plans. Returning to her, he once again placed that concerned look on his face and gave her support as she pushed herself up.

Once the were had been truly a hero, one that would place others first and act without a second thought or an ulterior motive. But the beast inside had slowly twisted his mind, plagued with fear and guilty, it slowly but inexorably turned into misguided anger and insanity, causing a powerful hunger for power and a detachment of mankind.

He was strong, fast...better. So why should he cower in the shadows? Why should he feel guilty? No, he was better than that and fit to be a leader. And he would reach all that he deserved and crush anyone that dared to stand in the way.

"I only did what I had to, I couldn't let him harm you. Force shouldn't be used to harm, but to aid. And you did more than you could as well, healing me brought you pain, and yet you did that for a stranger. I think you know why I helped without even having to ask."


Kayla:
Kayla smiled at the stranger and lifted a shaking hand to touch his cheek gently. "It's not everyday you meet someone so gallant." she says and looks up at him with those tired eyes. "Thank you." Her eyes moved to the window. She'd have to do something about that, ....or sleep down here tonight to make sure she wasn't looted. But it was a small price to pay.

He truly did seem to be what he appeared to her. So trusting was her nature. It occurred to her that she still had no idea who he was and she flinched a little as she shifted, the pain in her gut searing but not mentioning it. How had he had the strength to lift and throw that man with this much pain? "I'm Kayla...Kayla Murdough." she said pronouncing the last name with the hard, Gaelic gch sound. "I haven't even asked your name. Please forgive my bad manners. I'm not one hundred percent just yet." She wanted to offer to get him something, so was her nature to take care of others but she knew she was in no condition to do it. It pricked at her pride.

Such easy prey, this one. So innocent. So trusting. So naive. Like a lamb to the slaughter she fell for his act hook, line, and sinker. "I own this place..Never had anyone do that before. Everyone is usually so kind when they come here."

Dom:
So gullible this woman was, it wasn't to admire she had fallen for a monster like the shifter's enforcer. In Dominic's mind, his anger was justified. For the most part the shifters had oppressed the were community, treated like a disease and a dark little secret, mere beasts. And in there laid the strength of his arm, the weres that had joined his cause were tired and sic of being treated like second class citizens and wanted more. They were useful tools for him, if a few of them died along the way, he wouldn't regret it. He was their leader, their messiah, they owed him their sacrifice.

Casting a laugh at her, he shook his head. "Considering the situation, I think your manners could be releved. Besides your action spoke louder than introductions would."

Turning his gaze momentarily towards the broken window he nodded, he could see the thief had run out into the night. Dominic could still track him down, kill him...no matter, afterwards he would send one of his army after the man to make him pay for daring to shot at him.

"I'm Dominic Roth, but I think we can skip the formality and you may call me Dom. Are you alright? Maybe I should take you to the hospital..."

The gallant evil he was.


Kayla:
Shaking her head she patted his arm gently and smiled a weak little smile. "No..thank you Dom but there's nothing they could do for me that I can't do myself. Just gotta get some food in me and sleep. I'll be right as rain after that." she tries to reassure him. Sipping the water some more she looked at him truly for the first time, taking in is features and frame. It was no wonder she'd mistaken him for Ty. He was a big man too, strong hands, determined set of his jaw. "Well Dom.. anytime you want you're welcome to come by. It's on the house. It's the least I can do."

She tried to get herself to her feet, staggering and having to reach for the counter as her body swayed a bit, the blood rushing to her head, the pain shooting through her all the way to the toes. "If I can burden you a little further I wonder if you might help a lady to her room? It's just upstairs. I need to take some Advil and a change of clothes before I clean up that mess. Can't call a repairman till I get it taken care of." she says and tries to take a step from the counter.


Dom:
Holding her as she staggered, Dominic eyed her with a fake concern. "Are you sure you're alright? I don't feel right leaving your here like this...maybe I should stay around until the morning? I can sleep in a chair and make sure no one invades your cafe while you rest."

Right, he pulled off that speech even if he'd rather eat his own face than play babysitter for his hated enemy's girlfriend. But that pansy good guy speech would help him to win her sympathy and trust.

Placing one arm around her waist, he helped the woman upstairs.


Kayla:
Kayla smiles as she looks up at the man once more. "That's so sweet of you honey. You don't have to do that. I know a fella that can put up some plywood over it till I can get the glass fixed. I hate calling him this late at night." For more than one reason, not wanting him to see her like this and not wanting to explain what happened, not to mention late night phone calls tend to send the wrong message. "If ya wanted to I won't be stopping you but you don't have to feel obligated." Each step she took was careful as they maneuvered into the back room and up the stairs, leaning on him more than she would have liked to. She hated feeling helpless and even more hated being a burden to anyone. The loft above was small but homey, a lot of rustic country touches from the hand made quilt to the pictures of family on the walls. It was neat and tidy a light left on in the main room as she entered so that they wouldn't be in total darkness. The sounds from the street were muted up here. A sanctuary. The fleeting thought that other than the workmen that helped reconstruct the place this was the first man that she had brought to her home. The thought and the weakness made her giggle softly as she was helped into the room.

[dom]

Dominic had no doubt that the fella she knew was the shifters enforcer. If he could get in the man’s nerves and get him to kill some of his army, it would be an example to rally the others. Some of his army was still reluctant, still had doubts about the way, some still dared to hope for peace even after centuries of shifter oppression and gullibly believed in a peaceful way.

But this was the world of the strong, strength ruled and the weak were oppressed under their rule. Some time while the beast twisted his mind, Dominic came to accept it as the natural order of the world. Even now he believed himself to be some sort of messiah to the weres, the one that would bring them to their rightful place and he wasn’t afraid of making the difficult decisions, if a few had to perish to attain such goal, he wouldn’t shy away from it. Even if he had to pretend to mourn their passing. It was all for the betterment of his race and of himself obviously.

“Then don’t call him tonight, I will stand in guard and don’t let anyone disturb you.”

The idea wasn’t the least appealing to him, but a smile formed upon his lips when the woman giggled. He couldn’t feel the taint of the shifter in her room. So the little woman hadn’t invited the enforcer into her room yet. Oh, how he wished the enforcer would be able to catch his scent in there and let his imagination run wild.

Helping the woman to reach her bed, the were once again looked at her with concern. “Are you sure you’re going to be alright? I will stand outside in case you need me.”

[kayla]

Don't call him tonight. It sounded so simple. She had a man willing to stand guard. A huge, strapping man that would intimidate the worst of bad guys and who had already shown his valiance in trying to protect her. If her wanted to do anything bad he'd already had plenty of easy chances to do so. The thought made her shiver a bit as she was helped to her bedroom and then her bed. She couldn't put her finger on why though and dismissed the feeling as her own weakness and the toll that using her gift had taken on her. At least she hadn't started bleeding from the belly or a hole open up there. She'd had similar things happen before on lesser wounds she'd healed. As it was a little anemia and weakness was a small price to pay. She knew she shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

She sat on the edge of the bed looking like she hadn't slept or ate in a week with the paleness of her face and the dark shadows around her eyes and cheeks. Looking up at the man that was handling her like a delicate piece of spun glass she smiled weakly at him. "I must be woozier than I thought cause I'm actually gonna take you up on that offer." she said and rubbed a shaking hand over her face once and sighed. "Not only that but I'm gonna do one better and ask a favor even though I aint got not business doing it."

She glanced up at him again as she spoke the next, an apology in her expression as she spoke. "I'm still a little shaken up from all that and I think I've done turned yella. But, would you mind terribly to stay up here while I clean up a bit? All I really wanna do is crawl in this bed and pass out but I can't with this blood on me. I really need to get in the shower." She frowned a little and amended that, "Actually a bath might be best, get me off my feet. You can make yourself at home in the living room and help yourself to anything in the fridge. " she offered as she moved to stand again and managed to cross the few feet to her dresser without falling and opened a drawer pulling out a huge, oversized (for her small frame) red football jersey.

It was obviously an old high school thing from the GRCH TIGERS on the front and the name MURDOUGH in peeling white letters on the back with the number 77 on the front and back under the words. Something else was slipped out of another drawer but she slipped it quickly under the jersey over her arm giving only the smallest flash of something white before it disappeared. It just wouldn't do to go showin' her undies to strange men, not matter how many times they may have saved her life.

"I promise I'll make it quick. I'd just feel safer knowin you were out there." she said weakly, closing those big brown eyes a moment as she swayed and kept her free hand on the dresser for support before slipping her shoes off and revealing the dainty little feet.

She never stopped to think how dangerous what she was doing was, letting this man have free run of her home. Those eyes that looked at him, waiting an answer were utterly without guile or suspicion. He was playing is part very, very well, winning over the little Cafe owner. Once earned her trust was a hard thing to lose. She thought the best of folks without knowing them at all but when someone goes out of their way, endangering themselves for her it put them in a special column in her book.

[dom]

Nodding, Dominic watched Kayla as she moved unsteadily towards the bathroom. Wasting one night around the human might be a small price to pay for watching his plans progress faster.

Once she was out of sight, he grinned about how this all went through. It was far from what he had originally planned, but he had learned to adapt to new situations and a chance like this wasn’t to be wasted. A chance to get under his enemies skin and drive them insane.

Moving to the bed, the werewolf laid there for a moment to make sure his scent would stay in there. A little something for the enforcer to get into his mind and make him seem insane at his girlfriend eyes if he was to confront her about it. Might even drive her into his hands and he would be able to use her healing powers to strength the resolve of his army. Divide and conquer.

His scent in her place was one thing, but in her bed?

Rising, he left the bedroom and moved back into the living room. What had the shifter seem into the human woman anyways? She was gullible and innocent, and as far as he was concerned, this was a weakness.

Once he had stand to defend other humans, risked his life without question. And what he got in turn? He became a monster and killed them all. It took a maddening grief to chance him, and a bloodlust to consume him. If fate wanted him to survive and be strong, he was going to take the best of it, he was going to rule.

Pulling a phone from his pocket, he called one of his soldiers and told him about the thief. Flipping the phone off, he smirked devilishly and let his body fall unto the couch, the man wouldn’t survive long enough to see a new day.

[kayla]

She had no idea that while she was running the water in the tub and popping three Advil and several Iron and B12 vitamins that the man out in her room was wallowing and rubbing his scent into her bed. The thought never entered her mind. It had been awkward enough to have a handsome stranger in her bedroom as it was. She'd likely pass out cold if she knew.

She thought things over as she stripped out of her bloody clothes and apron, sighing as she went to the sink and ran the cold water to attempt to stop the stain from setting in. How was it that suddenly there were these big, strong fellas around just when she needed them? Gentlemen at that. While she'd never really lacked for a beau it had never been as if she had 'em knockin down her door! She just never had that honky tonk ba-donk-a-donk like the other gals that the fellas back home went for.

The young men she'd known back home were the kind that liked a little more meat on their women. Well...and not to mention one that couldn't out shoot them and out hunt them. It tended to hurt their pride but she wasn't about to dumb down to soothe the ego of some lughead that wasn't no count anyway. Her strong family core system had taught her that.

But now there were not one but two really nice fellas that went out of their way for her. It was damn confusing. Shaking her head a little and then deciding that wasn't such a good idea when it made her head swim she stepped carefully into the tub, letting the hot water soothe the craps and pains in her belly from the after shocks of the healing. It was literally a pain to do it but she just couldn't see not helping when she could. She'd been given this gift for a reason and if she didn't use it to help folks then...that was close enough to be a sin. The indifference of a good person was more inexcusable than the evil of a bad person.

She slid under the water completely, letting the hot water slip over her head and used her hands to loosen those thick waves to get out whatever had gotten into them. She was sure she looked a total mess. But she didn't linger too long and enjoy the bath, getting herself cleaned up and her hair washed as quickly as her weaken state would allow. The hot water helped the blood get moving through her and get the pills into her system, dulling the pain a little and refreshing her low blood count marginally.

When she emerged from the bathroom there was a towel around her hair and the football jersey was over her, falling all the way to her knees as she padded barefoot from the bedroom to the living room, looking over to the man on the couch. Her pace was slow and unsteady but she managed to keep her feet as she moved to the couch and sat down with him, curling her legs up under her.

"I can't thank you enough Dom. You really saved the day tonight." she held up a hand to stop him from saying anything else as she went on. "I know you're gonna say that it was nothing and mention the whole..healing thing but.. Even if I couldn't do that then that fella would likely have taken the cash and shot me anyway and who knows..he might even have shot you on the way out anyway. What I can do well....it doesn't work on myself. I can only heal injuries to others. But you took that risk and put yourself in the path of danger. That was mighty brave of ya and well...I appreciate it. You sure didn't have to hang around and play baby sitter either. Thank you."

At that last thank you she leaned into him and patted his arm, giving him a little chaste peck on the cheek. She didn't mean anything by it. It was a kiss she'd give her brother or cousin. It was just the way she was raised, very warm and very touchy feely. Her towel had slipped back from her head and tumbled down to her shoulders, causing her to have to retrieve it as she pulled it off and yawned, looking beat.

She didn't seem to realise that just such an innocent proximity to the man and those guileless touches had likely gathered more of his scent onto her. It wasn't a part of her world. To her scents were the wonderful things that came from her cooking or the flowers she carefully tended out in the tiny yard out back and in front of the shop. She didn't even have a clue that creatures such as Dom and Ty existed. All those were merely fairytales and superstitions.

As another yawn snuck up on her she covered her mouth with her hand and looked to him once more. "I...I hope you understand me not wantin others to know about that little gift of mine and I'd appreciate it if you know..it could stay our little secret. I sure don't wanna end up in a lab somewhere gettin dissected six ways from Sunday." She bit her bottom lip a little as she looked up at him through her eyelashes, hoping he would agree. This was one of the other reasons it was always dangerous to use her gift. You never knew who would go spouting off and telling the world.

[dom]

She had to do that didn’t she? How Dominic hated it, the compliments and the chaste kiss on his cheek. It made him remember of simpler times, when he was still human, when he would throw himself into the fire to save others, innocents like her.

But it all had changed into that ill-fated day in the woods when he hunted the beast. From that day on, he felt the taint of the beast in his blood, twisting his mind, changing him into something else, something monstrous and he wasn’t able to prevent it. He could still remember that morning when he woke up covered in the blood of his friends, how crushing the guilty had been. And so he must have tried about a hundred times to end his own life, he didn’t want to be this, this monster.

Dominic fled and buried himself deep in those woods, hoping to keep the world safe from him. But as the time progressed he grew cold and insane, grew tired of hiding. He was strong, so why should he fear?

And he knew others like himself, he wasn’t alone anymore. He was part of a new species, was accepted for what he was…but not all accepted him or what he was. The weres were treated like second class citizens, used like cannon fodder in the wars of the shifters. Fit to fight their wars, but not considered as worth as them. No, they were considered a disease, an aberration.

Anger brewed in his heart, he would not abide for it. Dominic knew he had to do something to change that and in doing so giving some meaning to what he had become. How he had prayed for a sign, for another way. But the path was clear, a villain was needed, a monster that would use any way necessary to jumpstart a revolution, it was the only way.

If no one else would step up, he would. A necessary evil into a corrupt world, a force of change. He knew his ending would be a gruesome one, but it was a necessary sacrifice, until the time came he would rule with an iron fist and use whatever means necessary to accomplish his goals. Right now he was struggling hard to not rip her head off for remembering him of his story.

Rising from the couch, he wandered to the window and gazed into the world outside to hide his anger. “Don’t worry, no one will know it. I can keep a secret.”

Once again he was in control, his anger bottled down and he turned back to her with a smile. “Now you should get some rest, you don’t look so good. I will stay here and make sure no one invades your café.”

[kayla]

She watched as he rose and went to look out at the night below and found she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. She watched the tension in his body as he walked and the way he flexed his hands, as if he didn't even realize he was doing it.

She thought she understood, reading that tension as the dramatic turn of events this night. Being shot wasn't the best thing in the world. She felt guilty, him having been dragged into her mess. Her heavy eyelids drooped a little as she leaned onto the couch more, laying her head on the pillow at the end of it and yawning

She saw his face as he turned around, that smile seen and trusted as he spoke to her. "You're right. Just come wake me in the morning or when you're ready to leave. I'll need to be p earlier than usual to clean up the mess down there." she almost left it at that as she lt her eyes slide closed on the pillow, barely staying awake. But memory kicked her and she started, eyes snapping open to look at him. "Oh..I almost forgot. There's a lot of homeless folks that come by early in the morning so if you see any of them lurking around it's alright. They're just waiting for the place to open."

She tried to keep those big, brown eyes open as she spoke but by the end of it they were closed again, the volume of the words tapering off into silence by the last one. Her breathing was leveled out as she slept right there, exhaustion takin git's toll. She never even made it off the couch. At rest she looked peaceful and somehow even smaller. Her long brown hair was darkened as it lay in wet curls over her shoulder , her hands tucked up under her cheek and legs curled up in an almost fetal position.

[dom]

Dominic eyed the small human, she looked so frail, it would be so easy to simply snap her neck right there. Knelling next to her, he took a closer inspection.

She was kind, selfless and possessed a strength that could be very easily be her undoing as it had been his centuries ago when he threw himself on those woods to save others. He was like she was, innocent and brave but the world had forced him to grow cold and bitter. The were knew someday his end would come, and it would be bloody, gruesome and lonely. There would be no happy ending for him, only thing he could hope was that out of the monstrosity he had became, something good would be left behind when he was gone. A new age for the weres, they would forget his memory, shun his name, but he would change story for the better.

Rising to his feet, Dominic pulled Kayla up in his arms and carried her to her bed, placing her down gently and pulling the blanket over her.

Standing at the doorway he took one last glimpse at her for the night, there would be no further bloodshed tonight.