Born of Ice

Chapter Five

   It was a trick, had to be. He had been alone for centuries since his wife's passing, never having an interest and not caring if he survived the next mission he was given or not. He cursed himself, blaming his wandering thoughts on his growing attachment. They had played a game of cat and mouse for the last few days since the incident in her bedroom had occured. He was feeling an awful lot like the mouse in the situation with her trying to get him to talk to her about what she had witnessed and him avoiding her as if his life wholly depended on it.
   He was quietly leaving his room after he had sworn he had heard her door close only to be startled when she slammed his back against the wall next to his door. Her eyes were slits as she glared up at him. She was eyeing his face, no doubt waiting for his eyes to begin their fluctuation as they usually did when his thoughts turned to her. He cursed under his breath waiting for her assault.
"You've been avoiding me since your freaky eye trick and I want to know why. What is the deal with it?"
"Do we really need to have this discussion right now?"
"Yes god damn it! Days you've been avoiding me and I want answers right now!"
"I would really prefer not to discuss this right now."
"To God damned bad buddy. You are going to spill right this minute or so help me I will resort to violence. Days Eric! What is so wrong with your eyes doing that?"
"Jesus fine! A bonding male's eyes fluctuate to another color and back when in proximity of their soul mate. Can I go back to what I was doing now?"
"What? No! Why would they be fluctuating around me? You hardly know me!"
"I am well aware of the current circumstances. I am going to go back to what I was doing now. Either let me go or I will plow through you to leave."
   She released him, storming down the hall and slamming her door closed behind her. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he went down to the kitchen. He ended up pacing for awhile as he thought of how he'd explain his reluctance to believe. Was he just supposed to let it fly that he had been celibate for centuries because of the trauma he had suffered before he was turned? He was liable to get laughed at before he made it to the trauma of that day anyway. He growled at himself before turning towards the stairs. To hell with it anyway, she certainly didn't want him so why should he explain himself?
   He was grumbling to himself as he paced back and forth, waiting for morning to go back to his room and hide some more. He was startled to see his door cracked open. Hadn't he shut that before going down the stairs? He clearly remembered shutting it before being assaulted by a certain someone in the hallway. He slowed his pace, approaching the door with caution. He peered into his room, not seeing anything out of place. He entered the room slowly, waiting for an ambush. When none came, he stripped off his shirt to get in bed with the dawn approaching. She would be up moving around soon enough. He felt exhaustion reaching its greedy claws into him as he climbed into bed. He was almost out when he nearly hauled ass out of bed when something shifted closer to him under the covers. He pulled the covers back, seeing a sleeping Tisha curled into the fetal position under the blankets. He gently pulled her up to his chest before flipping the blankets back over to go to sleep. If he should be taken at that moment he'd be happy at least.
   Tisha began to stir slowly. She had been up listening to Eric pace downstairs growling to himself about something. Next thing she had known, she was waking in a cold sweat thinking she was back in that hell hole. The only saving grace she had was that she hadn't woken screaming again. She had crawled out of bed seeking comfort from something. She had quietly padded her way towards the stairs thinking of going down to sit with him downstairs before her feet had carried her towards his door. She had entered quietly, climbing into his bed and pulling the covers up over her head. She was surrounded by his masculine scent, getting comfort from the smell as she had drifted off to sleep. Now, the sun was filtering in through the curtains accompanied by the sound of someone's soft steady breathing behind her. She felt the wall of his chest against her back with something prodding her in the lower back. She slowly shifted around to face him, noting the lines of exhaustion in his face as he slept. She lifted the blanket enough to see, noting an impressive bulge in the front of his sweats. Whatever he was dreaming about must be entertaining. She stifled a startled squeak as he groaned and pulled her closer to him, burying his face into the crook of her neck. His arm felt like a steel band around her waist as she struggled to try and escape his grasp. What else could possibly happen now that she was trapped until he let go to move?
   She groaned as she heard someone knocking on the door downstairs followed by one of the agents from before calling out a greeting. She tried to shrink as she heard the steps coming up the stairs towards the bedroom. All to quickly she was met with amused looks as the agents opened the door to her struggling to escape his grasp.
"I told you I wasn't kidding about him having it in him!"
"Nothing happened you worthless good for nothing ass hats! Now help me get out of his grip!"
"Oh hell to the no. The man is a grouch on the best of days let alone if we wake him trying to help you out of his grip. Honestly though, we are happy for him. What with him not being able to be in close proximity to the female race after what happened and all."
"What do you mean with what happened?"
"He hasn't told you yet?"
"No and since you want to be a blabber mouth instead of helping me out you're going to spill it while I'm waiting for him to let me go."
"Well, um, you know he really should be the one to tell you."
"I will reek violence against you both if you don't start spilling. Don't think I won't because I will as soon as he lets me go."
"Ok ok Jesus! He has been alive for centuries, having been turned centuries ago after an attack on a small village had been discovered by our special forces unit. His wife and daughter hadn't survived the attack and he had witnessed their demise. He begged for death but for whatever reason the commander could not allow him to perish in the attack, turning him and bringing him back to the base. In the very beginning he tried to numb the pain with a few women but it didn't work. He couldn't do anything so he has been celibate since, hasn't even looked at a woman since then. Well, until now anyway. Tell me, has his eyes begun to fluctuate in color?"
"Yes, he said a bonding male's eyes do that but didn't explain it any further than that."
"Well shit."