The Bounty of Love

Chapter 13

She stood tall her chin up staring Mace in the eye. At the time she had been a mercenary, if you had the coin she had the blade. She had been working jobs for Mace off an on over the years . In the beginning it was fine, friendly, but over the years it had turned south. He would have her beat if a single hair got out of place. He would take her gold no matter who paid it to her and he would find excuses not to pay her. He would demand and threaten if she defied him in any way. This day she had enough. She was leaving.

“I love you though! I do it all out of love Sacara!” he yelled in her face.

“That’s bullshit and you know it! You only care about yourself. I should’ve followed him when he left years ago,” she shouted back.

Mace sneered. “Siren was a waste of my time, and—"

She interrupted him, “No, you say that cause he beat you in a bet you made! I never should’ve stayed to help you. And don’t dare claim love for me you sad fucking loser!”

She knew she set him off but she was tired of just taking it. She felt the rage coming off of him. She ducked the first few swings. She tried to find an opening but he was faster then he looked. He was a brawler and a ‘beat the weak’ kind of crazy. There! As she ducked below his swing at her face he left his ribs open. She dug her claws deep and raked across his side as she tried to run past him. She felt herself yanked back by her wings and slammed to the ground face first.
“I’ll teach you to defy me you worthless bitch!” He stomped a foot down between her shoulders as she tried to wrestle herself free.

“Go ahead you fucking coward,” she screamed, still trying to struggle loose.
Mace grabbed a close by blade and tapped her wings. Oh gods no! She thought. He pulled back and swung, removed her wings in one swing.

She let out a blood curdling scream as blood went everywhere. She saw Siren ‘s sword making contact with Mace, smelling his blood in the air with hers. Her vision started to go black, she saw Siren run to her scooping her up.

“Love, help, it… it hurts. My…my wings.” she passed out in his arms.

When she came to, she was warped in bandages, Love asleep head in hand sitting next to her. He explained what happened after she blacked out. She had been down for almost a 6 days. He hadn’t left her side at all. She could still smell there blood on him. He held her as she cried in his arms for what seemed like days.

She closed her eyes and shook her head as she stopped focusing on the fire. That was a long time ago. She touched the scars on her back, she didn’t even miss her wings anymore. She had Love with her always now. Mace was no longer a part of her fear, never again. She went about meandering around the camp . Washing her face in the stream she looked up at the stars. Almost midnight, she thought. He should be back soon.