The Protector: Hakan & Nisan

Chapter 16

He walked into the Immortal's dark den in the bowels of the Hagia Sophia an hour later, fully expecting to die. He was completely at peace with it. He fully anticipated the shock, the rage that ensued when he entered.  None of it could even compare to the hatred instantly spewing from Nisan's every pore.

"You fool," she hissed when he waltzed right in.  She immediately grabbed him by the throat and pushed him up against the wall, her eyes flashing, her first instinct always to hurt him, hate him, every emotion always filtering through self-righteous outrage first and foremost, fueled by the heartbreak of a woman seeking her vengeance century after slow-burning century.

She pressed him against the wall, hand closing in around his throat and he was relieved that death was going to come even quicker than he'd anticipated. That was a mercy he hadn't dared hope for.

"What do you think you're doing?" she seethed. "Don't you yet understand who I am?" She couldn't wrap her head around what was happening even as her thin but powerful fingers wrapped around his throat and squeezed.  Was he there to try and kill her in their home base, even as the Immortals gathered around her in protection?  This was suicide!

"Nisan," he managed to push out with effort as she clamped down onto his throat, "I know exactly who you are." But there was no loathing in his eyes nor in his tone as he said this, just the opposite in fact, and she couldn't comprehend it.

"I know you and I love you," he rasped quite calmly.   Her fingers had a will of their own and loosened slightly.  He went on, his eyes beseeching hers, easily ignoring the heckling of those around them, "I won't fight you anymore. I won't hurt you ever again. I won't do it. I'm done with this fight." His fingers itched to touch her in return, but gently, to erase the last time he'd touched her and drew her blood.  It was still fresh in both their minds.  "I never stopped loving you, never gave up on you and I never will."

She was speechless at his complete lack of self-preservation, self-respect and pride. Had he no shame, no desire to go on breathing? His amazing new ability to openly confess his feelings in a den of vipers to prove a point was unprecedented.

Her rage slowly turned into alarm as she let his words sink in.  Inexplicably she felt apprehension growing for both her own well-being and his in equal measure.  She wanted him to survive this she acknowledged without daring to examine why. But how, she wondered with rising panic as the other Immortals gathered closer, already amused and thrilled by the impromptu show Protector and Vizier were putting on for them. 

How in the hell could she keep him alive here in this evil den of all places?

She released her handle on his throat and pulled down the corner of his shirt. As she'd feared, he still wasn't wearing the protective talismanic shirt underneath. Her eyes flashed up to his in panic. What are you thinking? her eyes screamed at him in question.  He was unkillable with the shirt on but he hadn't worn it.  He hadn't even bothered to try and protect himself.  So this was suicide, she realized with engulfing horror. 

She did not know what to do next as she stared at him, dumbfounded, speechless, terrified. But as the others came in close and started grabbing at him and cursing him, she wanted them to know that he was hers and she growled in warning. They couldn't have him. 

Mine, some ancient animal hissed within her, awakening and unfurling in her core.

The others were all chomping at the bit to take a chunk out of him. She all but bared her teeth as she summoned her well of otherworldly strength and shoved back on Mergen, the most aggressive of them all, sending him flying across the room. Knowing she was physically the strongest when she wanted to be they backed off slightly, but not before one of them placed the enchanted dagger suggestively in her hand.