Apollo's Muse

Lykos (A Secret) VIII

* Pic is of the park :)

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Lykos' eyes widened.

Oh no. This is not good.

Candice collapsed limply against the wooden counter, her head sliding down the smooth surface and her body crumpling into a heap on the floor. 

"Give me a moment," he snapped at the clerk, and bent to touch her face.

"Candice! C'mon, wake up..."

He wrapped his arms round her shoulders and slipped his other arm under her legs, and scooped her into his arms. 

Even as a dead weight, she weighs nothing. It's like holding a little bird, all fluff and feathers, no meat.

He surveyed her face, worriedly, noticing her skin was absolutely colourless.

Oh god. Not good at all.

A crowd of concerned people had started to gather, and he ignored their babbling as he held a palm to her mouth. The faint warmth of her breath reassured him, and he quickly surveyed his situation.

"Should I call an ambulance?" a worried woman with a piercing voice shrieked in his ear.

"No, that'll be fine, thanks." He nodded at the clerk. "Hold that for her, please."

"Of course, of course..."

He ignored them all and bent over with her in his arms, scooped up the bags in his fingers, and left the store. The fresh air on her face seemed to bring a reaction, and her eyelashes fluttered.

"Shhh," he whispered, his lips brushing the soft skin behind her ear. "Take it easy."

She blinked, slowly, and he was again reminded of a little bird.

Such big, wide eyes.

She looked at him, confused.

"Wha—"

"Shhh," he soothed, squeezing her shoulder with gentle hands. 

I swear I could break her by accident, he thought, ruefully. He caught sight of the park at the end of the street, and started walking, still holding her like a baby.

"You got a bit dizzy in the homeware store, I thought you needed a little fresh air."

"Oh." She blushed crimson.

She does that a lot, doesn't she? So cute.

He didn't speak until he reached the bench under a big pink-leaved tree, partially protected from the snow fall by the foliage on the branches. She watched him with big eyes as he glanced into her tote, and spotted the cellophane wrapping of the street vendors's sweets.

"Here, have a nibble on these." He held up the bag of shortbread and Stollen.

She shook her head vigourously. "Uh uh, I'm fine. Really, I am."

"Come on, you really need to get some sugar into your bloodstream, trust me."

"I don't like shortbread or christmas cake."

"Why do you have it, then?"

"Mum bought it for me."

"What do you like?"

She shook her head, avoiding his eyes.

God damn it.

He dropped his head and swore under his breath.