Baited~ Book 2

52

"Kuro." Kuro limply lifted her head, eyes shimmering in recognition as her tail wagged. His poor poor baby girl... "What did he do to you?" Janus smiled sadly as he walked over and placed a hand to her mouth laughing lightly as she tried to give him kisses. "My loving baby girl..."

"As you can see, I was not lying about finding her." Janus's eyes flashed a bright pissed off yellow as he glared over at his 'father'.

"And what... perchance 'Father'... happened to her wings?" The King's eyes darkened as Janus looked back towards his dragon, petting her lightly with a soft smile. She was practically shivering under his touch. His eyes met with the base of her wings and nothing but rage-filled him entirely. There was large nasty scaring all around her wings, so poorly cared for... It was clear she would never be able to fly again... 

Not unless a miracle happened.

"She was detained by the enemy. Unfortunately..."

"Do not lie to me." The King flared as Janus's voice distorted a bit. "The only person who might have hurt her would have been Roman in a snapped state... and he admitted to keeping himself FAR FAR away from her for that very reason. Patton would NEVER have touched her. Logan would have cared for her injuries. And Virgil would have brought her back to me... So, I will ask again..." Janus hissed loudly as he turned back to his father with glowing yellow eyes. "What happened to my dragon?"

"I don't think I like what you're implying."

"Implying mean's I'm not entirely sure. I know my baby girl. She NEVER would have listened to anything you or anyone else had to say. Knowing you, you tried to break her. She's a strong, my dragon." Janus cooed softly as Kuro pressed her nose into him for a supportive hug. She was so scared yet so grateful to be with her rider again. "She wouldn't break. I know her. She would have fought tooth and nail. She only listens to me. So I take it... you tried to clip her wings... After all, a grounded dragon is no different than a dead dragon." Kuro whined quietly as Janus hummed. "But you failed to take into consideration... 'father'... You hurt my baby girl." Janus's eyes shined dangerously as they flashed a bright white. Kuro's eyes went wide as she stretched her wings, while the snake bared his fangs. "And I'm not about to let that go unpunished. Kuro..." Janusquickly bounded up onto his dragon's back shocking the guards who all went for their blades. "Alejarse!" Kuro took off into the sky flying Janus far away from the place before another word could be said. Janus just cheered loudly as he collapsed into his dragon filled with relief. He melted as he felt the vibration from her purring and he smiled. "I know, Kuro... I love you too. Now... Let's go find Patton. We're gonna need some help."

"Shit." Roman froze up the moment he walked out of the cottage. It was like the second his foot touched the dirt on the other side of the door ALL of Virgil pain and fear came crashing into him. Images of Virgil in a bed shaking and crying out for him passed his mind. Visions of guards trying to drag him away as Remus fights to help him... tears streaming down his dragon's face as he curls up against a wall on the cold for wishing for death and feeling so absolutely alone.

"ROMAN!" He felt this jolt and suddenly he was sitting there against a tree disoriented and dazed. He blinked the haze from his eyes finding his leg was hurting way more than it should have been but... what got him the most... El was holding onto him as if trying to keep him still. "Roman? Are you back?"

"What?" Roman groaned over how completely dizzy he was and he frowned. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure." Roman looked up to see the concern in the demon's eyes and he froze. El was covered in scratches. He looked at his own arms and his heart just dropped.

"I snapped?" El frowned as Roman's eyes filled with tears. "I... I snapped? I didn't... I didn't even realize. I... I'm sorry."

"Roman, what exactly happened to you?"

"I... Uh... I felt his fear." El's eyes narrowed slightly as Roman deflated. "Virgil. I felt his fear. He... His pain. He thinks I'm dead again. I can feel it. He... He's in so much pain. I saw him crying. He was alone in this cold room, begging for me to just come and take him away."

"But you just said he..." El's eyes shot wide as Roman nodded. "Oh."

"It was sudden. I wasn't feeling anything. It was so muted and hazy and then... it just crashed into me all at once. I... I must have snapped. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." El just smiled as he brushed Roman's hair back making the prince tense slightly at the touch.

"You did not hurt me, young one. I was merely concerned for your wellbeing. During your time with me, I'd never actually seen anything like that from you." Roman nodded as he avoided any eye contact. "Besides... It was completely my fault."

"Wait, why?" El pointed back at the house and Roman frowned in confusion. 

"I have a field around my home. It dampens energy and magic, not completely but enough. It must have suppressed your bond making it so you two could not feel each other." Roman could feel Virgil's panic in him like a wildfire burning through him so much. He whimpered slightly as the pain set in making El fill with even more worry. "Roman?"

"I-It's V-Virgil. H-He's p-panicking. I can't..." Roman clenched his shirt as he cried out feeling his chest twinge badly in pain. "Virgil, hun... please, I'm ok." He spoke shakily as he tried to reach through the bond. "I'm ok. I'm ok, love. Please..." El just watched, worried over the human prince, but unsure how to help. "He doesn't... He thinks I'm dead. He can't... He can't feel me. He's too scared."

"What do you need?" Roman grunted in pain as he held his hand out, eyes flashing purple as he winced. 

"Burn me."