The Highlander's Charm

Seven

My sweet pup's tears continue on as I hold him, my mind focused on simply bringing him as much comfort as I can offer in the state I am in, my mind a dark place as he nuzzles close causing my heart to hope for something that I know will most likely never happen. 

I'm not sure what I had hoped for by stumbling my way to him... Only that I could not leave him here in a crumpled heap heaving out chunks of his very soul, no matter how much my own spirit has been damaged... He seems to be too sweet of a young man to be left all by himself, crying alone in the hall after who knows what has just taken place... And even when the two maids who had been helping me back to my room find the two of us curled around each other so that he might seek shelter in my arms I find that I do not have it in me to even attempt to draw my eyes away from my tearful cherub as he shivers against me, his emotions ever so rocked...

...

Flinn

...

I know I have no right to find myself pushing closer into the vampire's chilled embrace, but I find that I cannae stop myself, his smell calming my nerves more than it should considering I just snatched away his heart and tossed it out into one of the fields like it was nothing with my rejection... No matter how kindly I had tried to walk away from this sweet creature I had undoubtedly shattered his heart just as badly as I had shattered my own... Just as shattered as Baigh's nose... Every time that moment his lips fell upon mine replays in my mind is another moment I have to fight the urge to wretch once more, nothing but bile rising in my throat as I try to convince my stomach to rest when it so badly doesnae want to... The only relief I can find coming from the pair of strong arms wrapped around me that I should not be allowing myself to linger in in the first place... I should pull away... I know I should pull away... I just cannae...

I had come this far thinking that no one would find me or at least have the sense to realize that I've fled this far into the far wing of the castle to be left alone and let myself grieve the loss of what I cannae have... But someone had found me and I had been so rude earlier that I hadnae even asked his name before telling him that I cannae ever be with him and ripping the poor man's soul out...

"Flinn? Dearie, was it another night terror? A bad one, aye?" I can hear Morgan, and I know that she's waiting for me to answer while trying fruitlessly to lure me away from the vampire's lap with the offer of her own, much warmer embrace, the frown I receive when I reject her offer and settle into the vampire's quiet comfort, his own hands the ones that knock her's so carefully away from me before caressing the side of my face as if I were made of glass and he's afraid he might shatter what is left of me that is not broken. 

...

Emory

...

My exhaustion seems to fall away the longer I hold on to my sweet cherub, the maids that had been escorting me trying to make sense of why I would be the one to run to their omega when the rest of them hadn't even noticed his distress, but unlike them, I know damn well that whatever had happened surely hadn't been a nightmare, the other shifter's scent fading but still present as Flinn's heart pounds away, a whimper leaking from him as said scent grows stronger, the metallic tang that comes with it making my eyes narrow as I look past the women only to spot a blood-soaked shirt and partially silvered hair. The man, currently sporting two rapidly purpling painful-looking eyes, stops short when he falls upon us, the maids taking one look at him before trying to turn their fawning over the older shifter trying to figure out why on earth his shirt is covered in his own blood. 

"B-Baigh!" The way my pup croaks the man's name in fear makes me see red, the sting of my iris's darkening as I connect in my mind that my sweet cherub is afraid of retaliation, the man's broken nose apparently Flinn's own handiwork. 

"Flinn! Pup! I... I'm fine, Morgan, Maggie! Be off with the both of ye!"  Baigh stops only long enough to push away the two women that had trailed after me to try and help me back to my room before he turns his focus back to the pair of us, my position holding Flinn shifting to one more protective as he carefully approaches... I know that I am in no real condition to fight, but I shall not let him hurt a single hair on my Angel's head, the protection I offer the least I can do for his saving of my life... Though as soon as the women are out of sight the shifter holds his hands up in surrender before easing down to his knees and shuffling until he can lean against the wall next to us, his expression sad as he reaches for Flinn's hand, stopping short at the growl that leaves my chest before he pulls the wayward hand back into his own lap, "Flinn... I know it's not my place to be asking ye' for forgiveness... But you should know... I... I am so sorry, Pup... I let myself get carried away..."

Sorry or not I would like nothing more than to cover the shirt so vividly stained with the shifter's repulsive blood with more of the likely sour liquid, the pieces of the story that had unfolded slowly falling into place as he continues, "I know yer still young...Still hoping to find your actual mate... I just find myself so taken with ye... So much so that I've run ye right into the arms of our guest without a second thought..."