Tales of a Shifter (P5) The White Mountain

Chapter 71 - Price Of Freedom

Ezekiels was blindsided by what he was hearing, and the implications of what it all meant, but he was more hurt for his lover than anything else.

"Hate? Babe I know you don't mean that..." Ezekiel softly comforted, wishing deeply that he could reach out, he licked his lips and shook his head. "And even if you do hate some things, I love everything about you Brandon...Desire doesn't have to be dark, and painful. I also desire you, your gorgeous inside and out and I got to say that includes the fact that I can't stop thinking about getting you naked or making you laugh or just standing in the same room beside you. Whatever this Druid stuff is? It's just enhancing what's already there to begin with. Your gorgeous...and I kind of hate that everyone thinks that too, because your mine."

Brandon choked out a laugh, just as Ezekiel had intended, before the Druid dashed at the tears, his beautiful green eyes glistening as he fought the pain with humor. "Damn it blue boy, you can't keep saying the right things like that! It's not fair!"

Ezekiels rumbled, his chest aching at his lover's effort to quiet his pain, and he said. "It's the truth."

Brandon shook his head. "Maybe it is, but Blue boy...." Brandon cast him a shameful and hesitant look. "Ezekiel what about us? You don't care about the fact that I kind of...seduce people? Seduce you?"

Ezekiel paused slightly unsure. He hadn't quite thought about the deeper implications of what he had been hearing, there was no way for his mind to quickly acclimate to the information and analyze it entirely before he had spoken to comfort Brandon....but now he realized exactly what he had neglected. Him and Brandon. Their interactions, their love, did this new fact about Brandons blood demand that Ezekiel reevaluate the things he felt for this man, his attraction to this Druid? Did it invalidate his wish to be Brandons Mate the moment they were safe and free.

"I don't think I am bothered by it right now, and perhaps I should be, all things considered... but I believe that everyone has free will. I love you freely, I desire you freely. It is not something that you make me do, Brandon. So I..." Ezekiel stopped.

I don't care...

Something clicked in Ezekiels head at that moment, and he relaxed.

He realized that he in fact, did not care about anything negative, nor could he associate anything negative with Brandon. And even if Brandon Druid blood made him beguiling and seductive....it was not something that the man choose to do of his own free will or even knew about when they had met. Ezekiel could only believe that his infatuation with Brandon had less to do with his beauty and allure, and more with his own desires to be by Brandon's side and he voiced his opinion of the idea that Brandon had forced him or any man to act less then gentle towards him.

"I know that it may be easy to think you may be at fault for things that happened, but if someone hurt you it was not because you wanted them too. That bastard that touched you he had no right, and no one ever will, unless you want them too. Beauty and lust is not a pass to take anything."

To Ezekiels surprise the Alchemist spoke, suddenly reminding the Guardian that she was listening to everything. That she was still captive in his arms, impaled by his talons. "True words Leopard. Honest words...for a beast."

Silence rained for a while after this. It seemed Brandon was regaling his composure. And Ann was content to wait. Ezekiel watched her, ill at her unfailing composure.

He couldn't help but think that she was a strange woman. A strange woman who was relaxing against him in that moment as if his talons weren't inches away from shredding her heart. A strange woman who had accused his lover, then turned around and helped him to comfort the Druid. Strange indeed.