Basilisk (Dark Ominis Gaunt x OC gothic romance)

Chapter 123: Prey and Predator

~~Marie~~

She was frantic, Ronan wasn't making any sense, and he could barely walk as she brought him to one of the spare rooms. She couldn't risk trying to bring him down to his room with the stairs, especially with how steep they were. The last thing she needed was for them to break an arm or worse.

"You look so seeeexy-" Ronan grinned happily as he looked her over again.

She blushed pink at that. "Yes you've said that several times now." She said softly.

"'Cause it's true. I love that dress, it's so pretty. The lil flowers-" he poked at one of the small lavenders that was on the fabric of the dress. This one was on her shoulder, and he kept poking at them.

"That venom really did a number on you. Is Damien okay in there too?" Marie asked, all but pushing him into the room, and closing the door behind them so he was somewhat contained.

"He's fiiine. Saying all kinds of stuff in French, can't understand a word of it." Ronan chuckled as if he thought that was funny.

So Damien had reverted to his native language... he must have been affected by the venom too.

"Hey- hey-" Marie got his attention by cupping his cheeks and making his face toward her even as he looked down at her dress. "Look at me."

"Mmm, I aaaaam." He grinned wryly.

"Not at my boobs, you silly man. At me." Marie huffed in a more serious tone.

The tone seemed to catch his attention, and his golden eyes looked up at her face in worry. "What?"

"How are you feeling? Are you hurting anywhere?" Marie asked, hoping he was coherent enough to communicate that.

"Not really. Not hurting, just..." he motioned up around his head. "Really hazy."

She sighed in relief at that. Hazy was fine... probably. "I suppose we'll have to stay here until you're able to get your wits back, then."

"You don't want me around the others or something?" Ronan pouted.

"No, dear. It's not that, it's more... well you have no filter right now. It might be a bit much for the others." Marie chuckled, watching her thumb run along the back of his hand affectionately.

Ronan had gone silent though, so she looked back up to see his face had turned bright pink with a blush. "Y-you called me dear." He stammered quietly.

"I did." Marie grinned. She rather liked this very honest Ronan. He didn't hold any emotions back at all. Had he really been that withdrawn around her? But why?

She got her answer why, when not a few seconds later she was grabbed by the waist and pulled into bed, making her yell in shock. All kinds of emotions filled her head suddenly as her eyes went wide with panic, the familiar sensation of being grabbed so hastily by a man bringing up bad memories.

"Wait wait wait-" she said weakly, and to his credit Ronan immediately let her go with a soft worried sound.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly, and very quickly moved away from her to be against the wall.

She took a few seconds to regather herself, calming her suddenly labored breath as the images slowly faded again. She looked over in concern that Ronan had moved so far away from her, looking at her with such a guilty expression. "Ronan... you're fine." She said softly, moving back toward him again.

"No, I shouldn't have grabbed you like that. Ugh, Damien is right, I'm too impulsive." Ronan muttered, running a hand through his hair anxiously.

"As if Damien isn't impulsive too." Marie said flatly, crawling across the bed toward him. "You were just... eager. You and I haven't had a lot of time together lately." Marie said softly, trying to reassure him. She reached out, running her hand along his cheek gently and smiling at the way he closed his eyes as if it felt so good to him. He was even more touch-starved than Damien was.