It should have been just like any other day. Dominik was getting low on coin again so he'd set out for what should have been a quick hunt in the forests near the town he'd been staying in. A thick fog had rolled in off the river overnight and settled low on the ground as the sun had yet to break through the overcast grey of the sky above, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.
His luck had been quite good anyway. He'd picked up a couple of rabbits quickly, and one would eventually be his dinner, but he was holding out for something a bit bigger to sell. Perched up high in a tree, Dom crouched low over the branch beneath his feet. His bow remained relaxed in his hands, an arrow already nocked and ready to draw at the first hint of prey.
Though his limbs remained motionless his sharp eyes scanned the brush below, peering out into the fog in hopes of catching sight of some movement there. It had been a few days since he'd last taken to the skies, being so close to a human settlement, and his wings ached to stretch beneath his shirt as the rest of him was so still. They fluttered gently against his back in his restlessness but it wasn't anything like the real thing and never once did he let them peek out. Even without watchful eyes upon him he felt compelled to keep them folded against the curve of his back. It was just safer that way, kept questions to a minimum, and it was a habit of comfort after so many years of hiding in plain sight.
It had been years since he'd walked these forests, and never as a wolf. Liam lifted his head and scented the air, basking in the strange-familiarity of his home now seen and heard through new eyes and ears.
A foreign scent caught his attention suddenly and he paused, cocking his head to the side as he sniffed again.
Human? Odd. Nobody back home really bothered to hunt these woods. They were considered to be too dangerous by most. Wary now, he slunk low to the ground as he crept forward, eyes flickering about uncertainly.
Dominik didn't see the slow, stalking rise and fall of the wolf's shoulders until the creature was nearly upon his tree. The fog was like a blanket over his fur, molding nearly perfectly with Liam's movements. As the glow of his eyes cut through the mist his silhouette came into sudden, sharp focus and the hunter's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected anything to actually sneak up on him, never mind such a large predator.
Not knowing the woods himself he'd expected lucking out would be a deer or a fox. He wasn't even sure if he could handle dragging a wolf back to town, but he would certainly try if he could nab him.
With the beast almost directly under the tree he couldn't quite aim for the chest as much as he would have liked. Instead he took aim at the shoulder as he drew back on his bow and let the arrow fly with a faint whistling. Weakening the beast would be enough for him, the knife at his belt would be enough to slit his throat. Then it would only be a matter of figuring out how to carry it.
Liam heard the twang of the bowstring and the whistle of the arrow an instant before he managed to spin in an attempt to dodge out of the way. The bolt still struck, but it grazed off his shoulder rather than lodge in his flesh.
Yelping, he skidded on his paws and whipped back around toward where he'd come. Animal instinct threatened to override higher reasoning as he took off, racing down the familiar trails through the trees.
Shit.
How had he missed? The beast was smart, but he was surprised it turned tail and immediately ran. Perhaps it had been hunted before.
Sliding down from his perch Dominik snatched the arrow out of the ground where it had lodged itself and gave chase, though the wolf was certainly faster. His wings ached to break free but he shook off the impulse, hoping he wouldn't need such an unfair advantage to catch the beast.
With his form quickly fading through the fog Dom launched a few arrows out ahead towards the wolf, hoping he could goad the creature into a fight instead or land a lucky shot. If he had to, he'd chase it back to its den to corner it but he hoped he could avoid it leading him to any other wolves that might be nearby.
Liam yelped and skittered sideways, left and right, left and right, a constant zigzag as he tried to avoid the bolts fired toward him. He kept running, not entirely sure himself where he was going, moving almost entirely on instinct and flashes of memory.
He didn't realize where he was going until he burst through the trees, out into the stretch of valley that sloped down away from him toward a familiar cottage, fog swirling gently over the grass. He froze, eyes going wide.
Home.
Cara.
He couldn't go there. Not just because of how he'd left, but because he couldn't lead a potential danger to his sister's door. He hesitated, jerking his head from side to side as he tried to find a new escape route.
Dominik growled between gritted teeth, irritated that the beast was managing to dodge him so expertly. It was certainly a smart wolf and he gave a brief thought to stopping his chase and letting him go on his way. But it was just a thought, and he was certainly in too deep to give up on it. He could only hope it was tiring itself out.
The fog was less dense the further they ran from the river as he broke through the treeline and he could see the creature more clearly for it. He could also make out some sort of building, perhaps someone's home? Now that was odd, why would it be heading towards people? There was no way its den was so close to any of the human settlements, it must have been trying to lead him away.
When the wolf hesitated Dom seized the opportunity, drawing another arrow from his nearly-empty quiver and taking aim at his rump before letting it fly. If he could just slow him down enough to catch up it would all be over soon and he could be on his way with his kill without terrorizing the creature too much.
The arrow struck home and Liam howled in pain as the head burrowed deep into his right hip, lodging there.
The sound echoed down through the valley, and in her workshop Cara Teriyn's head snapped up, eyes going wide.
It couldn't be. That sounded like...
The wolf fought animal instinct, and finally some common sense won out. Gasping, he collapsed into human form, the shift forcing the arrow from his flesh, earning a pained whimper in the process. He gasped raggedly, crouched on all fours as his whole body shuddered with the after effects of the change.
A figure moved in the field ahead of him, streaking through the fading mist. Pale hair, flashing eyes, a telltale glimmer of silver and gold around her arms and neck.
No, stay away, not safe... Words weren't happening, his mind still half-wolf. He just shook his head desperately as his baby sister ran toward them.
Oh gods, it was, it was him. Liam.
"Liam!" Cara only caught a flash of the man behind him, the hunter, and instantly she realized what had happened. Magic gathering around her fingers, she shrieked, "Get away from him!" as she threw herself forward toward her brother.
This was certainly the most complicated hunt of his life. His chest swelled in his triumph at finally downing the beast. He'd shifted his bow to one hand and snatched his knife from his belt with the other, ready to slit Liam's throat as he approached him from the rear. But before he could put himself into motion the wolf was shifting into a man. The wolf was a man. How in the world had he managed to hunt down a werewolf?! And now a woman had come running out of the house in the distance yelling at him to go away.
How could he just leave at a time like this?! He just shot a man! There was fresh blood on the arrowhead resting beside him and every piece of him had the urge to go closer instead to offer his help to the man he'd accidentally hunted.
"Wait! No, no- Just- I didn't know he was a... A uh... Werewolf? I thought he was just an animal! Please let me help, I'm so sorry ma'am I had no idea!" he pleaded, dropping his bow and quickly sheathing his knife to hold his hands out empty hoping she wouldn't see him as a threat that way.
Cara narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to shout at him some more-- maybe through a spell or two, she hadn't decided-- but Liam's weak grip on her arm stopped her.
"Not...his fault," he panted, eyes clenched shut and jaw set against the pain as he tried to sit up. "It's alright, Wynnie."
"Don't call me that," she snapped, switching her glare to her brother. Her brother she hadn't seen in years, her brother who'd left her.
Gods, if he wasn't already bleeding out, she might have shot him herself.
Gritting her teeth, she looked back to the hunter and snapped, "Grab his shoulders, we have to get him back to the cottage." Her eyes narrowed dangerously, and despite her tiny stature the air of ferocity that surrounded her made Liam's wolf shrink back instinctively.
Dominik flinched at her tone, but his boots remained firmly planted on the ground. Being so angry at an injured man... It left him wondering briefly if they were married and it was a normal occurrence for the wolfman to run off and get himself hurt. Despite the obvious, powerful anger rolling off her in waves, though, he still wanted to help and he was relieved when she finally gave her blessing through barking her orders at him.
He snatched his arrow from the grass and secured his bow across his back before crouching down beside Liam. "Sorry about that. And sorry about this," he murmured, wincing as he hoisted Liam up by his shoulders. Ducking under his arm and holding it over his own shoulder the hunter wrapped his other arm around his back to support him off his injured leg.
"Can you walk with me?" he asked, eyeing him apologetically. If it hadn't been so urgent he would have taken the time to unstrap from all his gear to carry him properly, but he could see the pain across his face and he didn't want to make him wait any longer after what he'd done to him.
Liam winced painfully, but nodded as the hunter helped him to his feet. "Yeah, I can walk--" His voice choked off in a pained yelp as he put weight on his injured leg.
Instantly Cara was at his side, supporting his other arm. She swore under her breath as she steadied him, still frowning. "Alright, take it easy. One step at a time," she coached, shuffling him carefully closer to the cottage.
It was gonna be a long walk.
Dominik winced at the man's cry of pain silently wondering how in the world he'd seriously gotten himself mixed up in hunting a werewolf of all creatures. He did his best to help support him, though, eyeing Cara warily as she came closer. She was being helpful, though, and he was grateful for the mindful pace she set where he probably would have been dragging Liam along as quickly as possible if he'd been left to the task alone.
The hunter was mostly quiet as he helped Liam along, having no idea what he could say to either of them to make the situation any better. He matched Cara's pace for them but felt the urge to be more helpful than he was. "I'll get the door," he offered sincerely. "Is there anything you have on hand I can fetch for him? Medicine, bandaging?"
Liam snorted. "Anything on hand," he chuckled. "Lad, you've no idea--"
"I think you've done quite enough," Cara snapped at the stranger, glowering as she helped her brother into a chair and whirled toward the door that led back into her work room. "Just-- make sure he doesn't move."
Without bothering to look at her brother, she added, "And don't you start getting smart. I'm still angry with you."
The werewolf winced and rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly.
Dominik flinched at the sharpness of her words but did his best to help Liam get situated even though he probably wasn't needed. With Cara gone momentarily he felt a weight off his shoulder, though, and he was gradually relaxing and finally feeling exhausted after such a long adrenaline rush.
Slowly he unstrapped and untied all his hunting gear from his body and set it in a neat pile in the corner of the room. He eyed Liam apologetically, unsure how he could make his situation right. Why was this Wynnie woman -his wife? An estranged friend? Perhaps sister?- so angry with him anyway? He wanted to ask, but it didn't seem appropriate to question the private matters of a man he'd just injured.
His wing feathers rustled quietly against each other as he pulled them flat to mold against his back under his shirt. Turning to step closer to Liam again Dom awkwardly set an apologetic hand at his shoulder as he pulled up a chair to sit next to him. "I'm so sorry about this, I really don't hunt your people. I never wanted to hurt anyone," he told him sincerely, letting his hand slip away and crossing his arms over his belly.
"Hey, don't worry about it." Liam tried to give him an easy grin that came out as more of a pained grimace. "Honestly, I wasn't thinking too straight. If I had been, I'd have changed back the minute you shot at me. Could've avoided this whole thing." He huffed and rolled his eyes, obviously irritated with himself.
That he was forgiven so easily... An unconscious tension through his back was released, so relieved the man didn't seem eager to hold a grudge or pout over his injury. Though he wasn't a shifter of any sort himself he felt at ease in knowing he hadn't gained his ire, not yet at least.
"I should still make it up to you. Do you and your, um...wife need anything? Help around here or errands maybe? I should stick around until you're feeling better," he suggested with a shrug, glancing towards the doorway Cara had disappeared through.
Cara, coming back into the room with an armload of bandaging and disinfectant salve, nearly dropped her bundle, eyes going wide. Liam blinked, then gagged and shook his head quickly.
"Wife?" They both exclaimed, looking positively ill.
"Oh gods. No. No no no no no." Cara shook her head repeatedly, while the werewolf hurriedly added, "Sister, she's my sister, my little sister, gods!"
Well that was certainly the wrong guess.
Dominik's cheeks went crimson, eyes wide as he looked between them in a moment of panic before dropping his face into his hands with a self-deprecating chuckle. "I'm so sorry, I figured it was probably one or the other."
"No it's-- I guess it's fine." Face still screwed up in distaste, Cara readjusted her grip on her supplies and moved forward to kneel in front of Liam. "Alright, shirt off. Lemme see the wound. And you."
Without looking, she thrust a tangled handful of linen wrappings at their guest. "Get these smoothed out so I can put salve on them. If you can manage without shooting somebody else."
"Winnie." Liam frowned at her softly as he pulled his shirt of with a wince. "He's a hunter. He thought I was a wolf. It's not his fault--"
"You hush." His sister tossed his shirt into the corner with more force than was strictly necessary, glowering. "And don't call me Winnie."
Dom flinched at her venom, lifting his head to arch a questioning brow at her rubbing in on his mistake. Okay, he'd shot her brother but it was established it'd been an accident.
His mouth drew up into a tense line but he swallowed back an argument and took the linens from her to do as he'd been instructed to help her and Liam in turn. "Why don't you like it? The name," he blurted out as he worked, eyeing her warily as he wondered if he was once again stepping into a snake pit with her.
Cara's shoulders tensed and Liam's eyes went wide.
Oh shit.
Poor kid was really gonna get it now. Over his sister's head, he mouthed a plaintive, Sorry.
"Oh, why don't I like it?" The young witch's voice was deceptively calm, almost sweet. "That's your question?"
"Cara, come on," Liam urged quietly. "He's just--"
"Don't you dare!" Cara's voice suddenly rose to a shriek and she shot to her feet. "You know what? He can treat your wound!" She threw her bundle of supplies at Dominik, snarling. "And then he can ask all the questions he wants and you can answer. And then I want you out of my goddamn house!!"
"Caronwyn, please--!"
"Please? PLEASE?!" She was crying now, though she either didn't notice or didn't care. "You don't get to-- you don't-- how dare you--"
With a choked, screaming sort of sob, she whirled on her heel and disappeared back into the workroom, slamming the door. The sound of muffled, desolate weeping trickled forlornly through the wood into the main room.
Liam, very pale and looking near tears himself now, sighed and turned carefully to hold a hand out to Dominik. "I'm...sorry. If you just give me that stuff, you can leave. I can...take care of myself."
Dominik arched a questioning brow for Liam's gesturing, entirely confused until her wave of rage -or hurt, it seemed?- was upon him and smacking him right across the face. He sat stunned as things fell and clattered to the floor around him, not even bothering to try to catch them as he watched her, completely gobsmacked as she dissolved into a shrieking mess of tears.
He didn't even flinch at the slamming of the door, but he slowly tilted his head to look down at the linens in his hands when Liam spoke. "No, I... I want to help. I'm sorry...didn't mean to upset her," he muttered, rising from his chair to scoop up the rest of the dropped supplies. "Let me get you patched up."
Liam blinked, then sighed and nodded slightly. "Thanks," he murmured, twisting slightly so the hunter could better see the wound at his hip. He had to work his breeches down slightly, which was less than comfortable, but seemed necessary.
"I, uh...I'm sorry about...all this," he said quietly after several long moments.
Dominik crouched beside him to examine the wound, a sharp pang of guilt tugging in his chest to see what he'd done to him. He had to focus on helping Liam, though, not feeling sorry for himself.
As gently as he could he cleaned his wound before clumsily applying Cara's salve to the linens. He bandaged Liam as best he could, carefully looping the fabric over his lap to tie off at his good hip. "How does that feel?" he asked, worried he hadn't been careful enough with him.
Liam did his best to hold still, but he'd always been a bit of a self-admitted baby when it came to medical care. He hissed and clenched his eyes shut, but forced a smile for the hunter when he was done.
"Yeah, that's better," he said with a soft sigh of relief. "Thanks."
Despite his best efforts to be friendly, his eyes kept flicking toward the door Cara had disappeared behind. They couldn't hear her crying anymore-- in fact, it was almost eerily silent.
A small smile of relief twitched at his lips, but Dominik still felt terrible guilt as he looked upon the bandaging and then glanced at the silent door Cara had disappeared through. Gathering up the leftover supplies in his arms he eyed Liam in silent question for a moment before making up his mind and stepping towards it on his own.
He would just poke inside quickly, set everything down and out of the way for her on whatever table or bench was closest to the door and let her be if she would not be out again.
The werewolf watched him approach the door warily, but when Cara made no noise from the workroom he shrugged and gave the hunter a helpless sort of look. He had no idea what his sister was going to do.
Dominik didn't hesitate at the door, gently pushing inside and wincing at the low creak of the floorboards as he stepped through. "Um, miss? Just wanted to give these back to you..."
Cara had curled herself into a ball on her workbench, a small puff of white fur tucked into her lap. She sniffed and raised her head when she heard the hunter enter, eyes red and tears still marking her face.
She rubbed at her eyes and gestured listlessly to the work table. “Just leave them there.”
The ball of fur in her lap raised her head and twitched a tiny black nose at Dominick. Cara sighed and patted her familiar absently. “...Is he okay?”
He couldn't help but frown, troubled by her appearance even though he'd already known she'd been crying before. His eyes kept flickering to the creature on her lap as he carefully laid down the remainder of her things with purposeful care and gentleness.
"Yes, I think so. Patched him up as well as I could... It's deep though, " he warned her with an apologetic wince. "Really should be changed every day, keep an eye out for infection and all that."
His wings itched with the strong urge to fidget in his idleness. It was rare for him to be near others with nothing already on-hand to keep himself occupied. "Listen, I'm... I'm sorry about all this, I didn't mean to upset you," he apologized sincerely, taking a slow step closer to her.
Cara sighed she shook her head slowly. "It's not you. Really."
Millie chattered at her in concern as her voice dropped and she smiled sanely, stroking the mink. "And I, ah...I'm sorry I yelled at you," she mumbled after a few moments." She blinked, then laughed tiredly and shook her head. "Gods, I don't even know your name."
He startled slightly for the sound coming from her...pet. At least it seemed tame, he didn't need any more excitement that day.
Nodding in understanding, his lips quirking into a gentle smile for her apology. Perhaps there was hope for things being smoothed over between them. The hunter's eyes widened at her reminder, though, realizing she was right.
He rushed to step closer, holding out his hand to offer to her awkwardly. Was it even wise to shake her hand? He half-wondered if she might shock or burn him if they touched at all the way she'd nearly attacked him earlier. "It's Dominik. Dom, if you like. Ah, Morzae, but the name doesn't mean much," he assured her with a nervous chuckle.
With all the names he'd heard Liam call her by he wasn't even sure what he should assume about her own name. Except that it wasn't Winnie. "What should I call you?"
"My name is Caronwyn Teiryn," she murmured after a long moment, staring at his hand. Slowly, she reached out and took it, shaking slightly. "Cara, usually."
She sighed and got to her feet, wiping at her eyes again. "That's Millie," she added with a small gesture toward the mink that had scurried up to perch on her shoulder.
"Cara," he tried with a small smile, feeling much better to have managed a proper introduction with the girl who'd burst into tears only a short while ago. "Oh, I'm... Hi Millie," he stumbled, giving a small wave to the white mink. He felt a little guilty in doing so, though, he was certain he'd hunted the small creatures in the past.
"Were you going to come back out? Or...I can tell him you don't want to see him if you'd rather," he offered, uncertain of the strength of their relationship as siblings since she'd been upset at Liam's arrival.
"I..." She stared at the door for a long moment, scowling. "Just...give me a minute. Here. Take him this though, could you?"
She turned to grab something off the table, then twisted again to hold it out to him. It appeared to be a cup of some sort of tea, fragrant and gently steaming.
"Oh, um... sure. Sure will," he agreed, taking her proffered cup and holding it carefully in his hands. It was warm to the touch but not so badly that he might burn if he didn't hand it off immediately.
"I'll just...be out there, then," he told her, bowing his head slightly since he had no free hand to gesture with. Turning to carefully shoulder his way back through the door to face Liam he crossed the room and gingerly held the cup out to him.
"Your sister wanted you to have this," he offered. "Oh and... I'm sorry I didn't say sooner with everything... My name's Dominik, but you can call me Dom if that's easier."
Liam looked up, then took the cup with a small smile. “Thanks, Dom.” He eyed the concoction warily, snuffed it, pulled a face, then downed it in one gulp.
“Eugh!” He spluttered and put the cup aside. “Gods. I knew she wasn’t gonna put any honey in it. Fucking bitter.”
Dominik winced at the way Liam struggled, plopping himself down to sit beside him again and rest his head on folded arms against the table while peeking at him sidelong. "Medicine?" he guessed, hoping her regular teas weren't that bitter.
The werewolf nodded and sat back with a sigh. "Painkillers too, if that taste is anything to go by," he sighed. He could already feel the medicine working, loosening his muscles and fogging his mind. "She...say anything?" he asked after a moment.
He frowned at that and grimaced in understanding. Liam probably needed it, though, if he was going to heal properly.
"Ah..." Dominik shrugged with an apologetic smile. "Not really, just...learned what to actually call her by. And I met Millie," he added, uncertain if she might have always had her pet or if it was a new addition.
Liam winced a bit at that, then sighed and nodded. "Sorry we all seem to have got off on the wrong foot here," he murmured, casting Dominik a lazy smile.
"We did, but...if you'll be staying here or nearby I'd like to stay close for a bit. Keep an eye on you and all, help where I can," he offered, eyeing his hunting gear with guilt. "At least until you're feeling better."
"You don't have to do that," Liam replied quickly, trying for another smile. "Really, I'm--"
There was a knock at the door.
Liam jumped, then winced as he pulled at his wound. "What on earth...?"
The workroom door slammed open and Cara stormed out. Her eyes were still red but she'd managed to wipe the tear tracks from her face. "Who the hell is it now?" she growled, stalking forward to yank the door open. "What do you want, we're closed--!"
Liam jumped to his feet, wound forgotten, as his sister's eyes went wide. Cara gaped at the man standing sheepishly in her doorway, holding his arms open in a plaintive gesture.
"Aiden...?"
"Nope." Cara slammed the door, turned on her heel, and stormed back into the workroom. "Nope!"
Dom had lifted his head curiously, turning to watch Cara march across the room. He'd only gotten a brief look at the man on the other side but he couldn't tell if any words had passed between them at all before she was rushing off to the back room again.
Liam had seemed to recognize the man, though, and he cast a questioning look at him as he glanced between the werewolf and the door. "...lover's quarrel?" he guessed dryly.
Liam gave him a very dry look, then sighed and moved toward the door. "You're really "O" for two there, buddy," he muttered as he pulled the door open. "Hey, big brother."
Looking a little dazed, Aiden Teiryn blinked at his younger brother-- though by now it was nearly impossible to tell the difference between them in age. "Liam?! What the hell are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question," the werewolf pointed out. "Isn't it a little...bright out there for you?"
Aiden winced and nodded. "So...I know Wynnie locked me out, but..."
Liam stepped aside. "C'mon. I'm...kinda trying to wear her down myself."
"Who are you?"
The last question was directed by a rather lost looking Aiden toward Dominik, his eyebrows creeping up.
Dominik had just rolled his eyes, watching their exchange curiously. They didn't seem...particularly close. None of them did, really. What had happened to cause such distant siblings? He was interrupted from his thoughts by Aiden's question, though, and for the third time that day found himself needing to make introductions.
Sitting up straighter on his seat the hunter gestured vaguely at Liam, struggling to think on how to explain the situation that had led him to Cara's home without making himself sound horribly incompetent. Hi, nice to meet you. I accidentally shot your brother in the ass.
"Liam and I, we... I kind of followed him here?" No, that didn't sound right.
He sighed and winced in guilt, hanging his head slightly. "I kind of...hurt him. But not too badly. And now we're here."
"You. Did. What?"
The temperature in the house dropped drastically as a wave of chill pulsed away from the vampire. Liam winced and hurriedly grabbed his brother's arm, holding him firmly in place. "Aiden, I'm fine, it was an accident! He thought I was a wolf--"
"Not in my house." Cara suddenly burst out of the workroom again, magic crackling around her fingertips and Millie chittering angrily on her shoulder. "You, get back," she snapped at Dominik, planting herself firmly in front of the hunter.
Aiden blinked, the rage quickly leaving his expression as his eyes lit on his sister. "Wyn-- Cara. I just--"
"No." She raised her hands, a half-prepared spell ready to fire. "Liam gets a half-pass because he's hurt, but you...I want you out. You were so ready to leave before, well fine. Leave!"
Dominik's face fell and he shuddered at the sensation he'd just walked into the tundra without even moving from is chair. His wings tensed for the intense chill in the air, poised and ready to unfurl before Cara came out.
He didn't flee though, even as Cara demanded he get back. There didn't seem to be any immediate danger, so what if Aiden was a little angry? Instead he watched them in morbid curiosity as he wondered if she might finally fling some of her magic around, but intense posturing seemed to be a family trait.
She gave him another glimpse into the strange trio of siblings, though, and he cast Liam a questioning look. What in the world had they done to her?
"Cara..." Aiden's voice was pleading, his expression utterly contrite. "Please. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I-- I just wanted to keep you safe--"
"Get. Out." The words were spat through gritted teeth. "And you know what?"
Cara suddenly whirled and grabbed Liam's arm, dragging him forward and giving him a quit shove toward their older brother. "Take him with you. I've got enough medicine for a week, then you two are on your own."
Both men stared at her, and even without knowing them as well as she did she would have been able to read the heartbreak in their faces. "Cariad," Liam whispered, reaching for her.
That was worse than Wynnie. Tears gathered in her eyes again and with a wordless shriek she threw an aimless bolt of magic at them, exploding against the wall in a shower of sparks as they both winced back. "Get out!"
Dominik sat there tense and still as a statue as he watched such a raw moment. It was clear to him they were all hurting, but Cara the most devastated. He flinched at the spark of magic she'd shot out, shrinking away from her slightly on instinct with a hiss. What had they said about wearing her down? If this was their idea of it he wondered how they planned on making it out alive, or unscathed for that matter.
"Cara...maybe just- Try to hear them out?" he muttered, hoping he wasn't putting himself in the line of danger by speaking up without knowing their situation. "They're here now, aren't they?"
Cara whirled on him. "Do you wanna be out on your ass too?!"
"Caronwyn!"
That was Aiden, his voice snapping out like a whip crack. His expression had shut down, showing no emotion. "We need to talk. I know you're angry with us, but..." He hesitated, glanced at Dominik, then sighed and continued, "I think you're in danger."
He'd flinched at the way she'd barked at him, turning his head with a pouting frown. What in the world had he gotten himself into?
Honestly if she was normally so hot-tempered with everyone he could entirely understand why she might've been in danger anyway. He couldn't help but stand back and watch in open curiosity, wanting to know what sort of mess she was in so he could try to avoid it himself.
The witch looked between her brothers, then growled and rolled her eyes, stomping back toward the workroom. "Fine. Come on."
She paused briefly as she passed Dom, glancing at him sidelong. "You...probably don't wanna get involved in this," she muttered, her tone softening just slightly.
He'd frowned at that, uncertain if she was trying to politely get him to leave.
Dominik just shook his head, though, making up his mind after a moment and moving to offer Liam a shoulder to lean on to follow her. "Not gonna kill me to hear anything else," he shrugged.
Cara looked like she was thinking about arguing, then she shrugged and shook her head. “Suit yourself.”
As he followed her to the workroom, Aiden cast Dominik a wary glance, but Liam was the one who hesitated.
“I, ah...” He glanced sidelong at the hunter. “Look, not that I’m not grateful, but...I’m not sure you want to be here, really.” He smiled wryly. “You just shot a wolf in the ass— you didn’t sign on for all this.”
Dominik winced at the reminder, but more than that he felt very much like they didn't want anyone hearing what it was they had to say to her with the way Liam was warning him away.
He nodded, frowning slightly but letting go of him so they could get the privacy they seemed to want. "I'll just...be outside then," he shrugged, turning to gather his things off the floor and step out into the grass to clean and reorganize everything he'd tossed aside in his hurry to help with the werewolf.
Liam seemed to relax slightly, but Aiden’s voice cracked out with a sharp, “Wait.”
Both Liam and Cara paused, glancing to their older brother, who looked like he’d just eaten something sour. “Unfortunately, whether he wants to be or not, he’s involved now. His scent is all over the house— and the smell of Liam’s blood is all over him.”
The werewolf’s eyes widened slightly and he cursed at the realization. Cara just looked confused. “What the hells does that have to do with anything?”
Dominik froze in the doorway, turning his head with a quirked brow. None of these people could make up their mind about anything, could they?
He also didn't understand what he had to do with their business, why his scent mattered, why Liam's blood mattered... It sounded like he might be hunted if he left, and that was an unsettling thought. Turning slowly, he set his things down again by the door and stepped back into the house to shut it quietly behind him.
Eyeing Aiden warily he stepped a little closer before looking to the other siblings with doubt. "Why does- What exactly are you involved in? What's going on?" he asked skeptically, narrowing his eyes.
"It's..."
The three siblings exchanged a glance, for once animosity and heartache absent from their expressions.
"Complicated," Aiden sighed.
"A long story," Cara huffed at the same time.
"Kinda fucked up," Liam said in tandem with the other two. They all blinked and looked at each other again.
Despite herself, Cara smiled. Just a little. "Look, take him into the house proper. I'll close up shop, make sure no one else comes calling today," she decided after a moment, shooting Domink an unreadable look as she moved by him to fix a "Closed" sign to the front door.
He just blinked at them, shaking his head in disbelief. It was starting to feel like a trap, but there was no way such an impossible day had been arranged.
With a short, nervous sigh and a bit of anxious plucking at the collar of his shirt Dominik stepped closer to the brothers ready to follow wherever it was Cara wanted them to take him.
Aiden, still looking thoroughly annoyed by having a stranger in their midsts, grunted under his breath and jerked his head toward the workroom, looping one arm around Liam’s waist to help his brother hobble along.
There was anothe door out of the workroom, tucked against the left wall, that led into the cottage proper. Aiden cast a sharp glance at Dominik as he held it open. “Go on then.”
He'd followed after them silently, wincing at the limp to Liam's gait as they stepped through to the workroom and then even further to Cara's cottage. Looking up when he felt Aiden's eyes on him he stepped through to the space, his body slightly tense for the unfamiliarity of it all.
Exhaling a shuddering sigh he went to take a seat at her table, leaning forward to rest his cheek over his forearms and his back to the nearest wall. There was a small voice in the back of his head warning him that he was blocked in, that he was in a house with strangers he might not necessarily be able to trust, that he was defenseless with all his weapons staying in Cara's shop. Dominik pushed it back, though, trying to remain calm so he could at least hear out whatever it was they had to say to one another. If it was all crazy talk he would just leave anyway, but if it was real...if it could change his life he wanted to know.
Aiden and Liam followed him into the cozy main room of the cottage, and for a moment both of them relaxed, the familiarity of home surrounding them.
Aiden snapped out of it first. "You sit," he urged his brother, nudging him toward a threadbare armchair. Liam sank into it with a groan and wince. "And you." Aiden turned to the hunter, expression blank, but the chill the radiated from him seemed to grow slightly more intense. "Alright. How much does he know, exactly?"
Though he was still looking at Dominik, his question seemed to be directed to Liam. The werewolf huffed and shrugged. "He knows I'm a shifter-- werewolf. And that Cara's a witch."
Dominik flinched at the chill rolling off Aiden, unsuccessful as he tried to stifle a harsh shiver. There was something really unsettling about the man he just couldn't pinpoint.
He shrugged in agreement with Liam, figuring there were other things he should have been privy to but slightly comforted by the fact that at least two of the siblings seemed to have something a bit...unusual about them. "That's all I know," he agreed quietly, turning his head to rest his cheek on his arms and eye Aiden curiously. "What else should I know?"
Aiden snorted and Liam sighed. "You, ah...might wanna sit down," the werewolf muttered after a moment, hobbling further into the room to collapse into a chair beside the hearth himself. "It's-- well it's kind of a long story..."
"We don't have time for the full version." Aiden glanced at his little brother with a frown. Little brother. Gods, Liam looked...almost older than him now. His chest tightened painfully, but it put it from his mind. "I wouldn't have come back if it wasn't serious. Cara's in danger here, and so are you, if you've come back. I wanted to get us all out of the area, but with your hip like that..."
His eyes flicked to Dominik, scowling.
Dominik grimaced for the pointed look. Aiden really liked rubbing it in, didn't he? The hunter turned his eyes on Liam instead, trying not to look at his brother any more than he needed to.
"Someone have a grudge against your family?" he guessed, having no idea how a witch and a werewolf could possibly share an enemy if not by blood. What did he have to do with all of this, though? And how had Aiden found out about it at all?
His imagination told him their brother might have had a hand in orchestrating it, but he kept quiet about that. It served no purpose to goad him any more than he already had.
"You might say that," Aiden sighed, at the same time Liam huffed and chuckled wryly, "Who doesn't have a grudge against our family."
"Well, that's rather ominous." Cara appeared in the doorway, glancing from her brothers to their guest.
Both Aiden and Liam straightened up, looking for all the world like little boys about to receive a scolding. For a moment Cara seemed entirely prepared to fulfill that expectation, then she sighed and dropped her eyes, moving across the room toward the hearth, snapping her fingers to light the fire.
"I'll make some tea..."
Dominik grew tense at their answers. How could they be so calm talking like that? Perhaps they'd already known for a long time, but he was starting to get the feeling he'd stumbled into the worst possible family to tangle himself up with...whatever mess they were in.
Feeling a little anxious and jittery he sat up in his chair, loosely folding his arms across his chest instead. Watching Cara by the fire he bounced his leg beneath the table, his heel tapping lightly at the floor. Nobody seemed in any sort of rush despite the circumstances that were being laid out to him piece by piece.
"What else, then?" he promptly quietly, eyes lingering on each of them in turn.
A three way glance was exchanged between the siblings. Then Aiden sighed and leaned back on his heels, rubbing at his temples. "Remember that bit about it being a long story? We weren't exaggerating." He glanced at the window. "And I'm not sure how much of it we have time to tell."
"Oh gods, don't be so dramatic." Cara rolled her eyes and leaned against the hearth. "If the danger was immediate, you two would already be long gone, wouldn't you?"
Both her brothers winced and dropped their eyes.
He eyed them all skeptically, shaking his head at the hurt puppy reactions of the brothers. "Long story is fine," Dominik cut in with a sigh. "Whatever you have time to tell me, just- I'd like to know something."
Another three way look.
Then, slowly, Liam started to talk. He began at the beginning-- which made sense, Cara supposed, though Aiden kept shifting nervously and glancing toward the window as dusk faded to evening.
The werewolf explained as concisely as he could, how first Aiden had been attacked and turned into a vampire-- which explained the unnatural chill-- and he himself had been bitten by a feral werewolf while searching for some sort of cure.
And both brothers decided that what they were, and what had turned them, made it too dangerous to stay with their sister.
Cara snorted and moved to take the kettle off the hearth, pouring two cups and handing one to Dominik. "Here."
Dominik furrowed his brow thoughtfully at Liam's explanation, a little nervous to realize there was a parallel between their past and his own. Perhaps leaving his mother alone in her house had been a poor decision, perhaps she had as much pent up grief as he'd witnessed from Cara previously that day. He grimaced at the thought, hoping she might have found closure in the years of his absence. There really wasn't a way to ever return to his home without revealing what he was, risking death or becoming truly exiled instead of the self-made sort that had still given him a somewhat comfortable life.
He was drawn from his thoughts by Cara entering his vision, the cup she held out for him steaming and warm as he took it into his hands. Sipping at the tea he realized he wasn't feeling so tense now that they'd shared a bit of their secrets with him, the whole day still so surreal with the unlikely events that had led them to Cara's table.
"And now you're here," the hunter mused quietly, glancing between the two men across from him. "Because you trust yourselves more around her now? Or... only because there is more danger than yourselves?"
Aiden grunted and the chill that pulsed from him grew stronger for a moment. Liam sighed and dropped his eyes, cowering under the glare Cara shot in their direction.
"More the latter," the werewolf muttered. "I thought-- we thought, if we just stayed away, the people hunting us would leave Cara alone."
Aiden gritted his teeth and glanced toward the window again. "It seems we were wrong."
Instinctively he leaned away from the harsh cold rolling off Aiden. He couldn't really escape it, though, the sensation stretching to fill the air all around him.
"Why...do they hunt her?" he found himself asking, swallowing nervously as he glanced towards the window the vampire kept looking towards. He couldn't really make anything out in the darkness with the way the fire reflected in the glass.
"What does this have to do with me?" he pressed with an involuntary shudder. "You said something about my scent and Liam- Liam's blood."
"They hunt her because she means something to us," Aiden replied bluntly, though his expression softened a bit when he looked at his sister. "It's why we left. We wanted to protect her--"
Cara didn't bother to even look at him. She'd heard this all before.
"I'm not sure, but I'm guessing the ferals are tracking Liam, since his sire is one of them, so he technically belongs to their pack, right?" she said instead of answering her brother, looking from Liam to Dominik. "Which means you now smell like Liam. So they'll be after you too. Blood is strong, especially for weres and vampires."
She sighed and gave him a regretful look as she sipped at her own tea. "I'm sorry you got dragged into this."
He seemed...oddly fine with it though, all things considered. He hadn't even freaked out when Aiden was revealed to be a vampire, not just a mage with a penchant for cold spells.
A small voice in the back of his mind told him it was all wrong, that he shouldn't be there. What they explained felt like one giant trap, but it was one he was probably already stuck in if he had any faith in the truth of their words.
He thought he could easily fly away without a trace, leaving no clear trail behind him on the wind. Uprooting was no longer difficult, it was only a matter of deciding in his travels but...perhaps he would eventually be found again. And then he would be alone with nobody to warn him.
"So what? Will they kill me if they find me? If I want to live am I stuck with you now?" he blurted out with a disbelieving chuckle, shaking his head and dropping his elbows to the table to rest his face in his hands. They were a strange trio to be sure, but...he got the feeling they weren't exactly a danger to him on their own if they were bothering to explain their plight.
"I wouldn't say stuck with us--" Liam stared.
"Yeah, probably," Aiden cut across him, and Cara rolled her eyes.
"Most creatures like my brothers have an incredibly good sense of smell," the witch murmured, sipping her tea again. "It'll take weeks for the scent of Liam's blood to fade properly. What Aiden means is, until then, you're probably better off with a bit of...protection."
Weeks?
Dominik felt his stomach sink. For some reason he hadn't expected it to actually be the case when he'd asked. What in the world was he going to do?
"But...I can't stay here," he mumbled automatically, dread clenching at his heart. Sure he'd wanted to help with Liam for a bit to assuage his guilt, but he'd planned on spending his nights outside in the open where he might be able to sneak off without anyone noticing. Needing protection...that plan was dead and his wings only ached and itched desperately for the reminder.
That the brothers were something other than human hadn't bothered him until he'd begun to realize he would be living with it. Old demons reared their heads in his mind as he looked between the trio warily. Sooner or later they would see him for what he was if they didn't already and he had no idea what would happen in weeks with them.
He was pretty sure Aiden already wanted to him dead, and while Liam was weak...he had no idea what the man was still capable of or might become capable of once he started to regain his strength. Cara...he was entirely stumped by her.
He hung his head, nodding distractedly in acceptance. "You...wouldn't just hand me over if they came here?" he asked warily, having no idea why he posed a question of trust when he wasn't even sure he could take their word as truth.
"What?!" Aiden looked enraged by the very thought, while Liam exclaimed, "Of course we wouldn't!"
For once, Cara seemed to be the calm one, eyes fixed on Dominik's face. "No," she murmured. "You'd be safe here. I'd keep you safe, I promise."
"Well..."
She closed her eyes, took a breath, then turned to glare at her brothers. "What?"
Liam swallowed and Aiden dropped his eyes. "It's...not exactly...safe...here."
Cara continued to stare, saying nothing. Liam huffed and picked up where his brother had left off, "That's why we came back Wy-- Cara. We need to take you somewhere safe?"
Aiden snorted and added with a nod toward the hunter, "And him too, it seems."
Wary eyes followed their conversation, a gradual sense of acceptance releasing the tension in his shoulders at Cara's word. She seemed...honest. He wanted to trust her.
The protest rising from her brothers caused him to flinch, though, a heavy sigh escaping him as he lifted his hands to rub at his face. Dominik shook his head slowly. How could he just...go with them? It seemed insane to just follow them somewhere unfamiliar, but he supposed Cara's cottage was barely any better in that regard. Being on the move, though...it had to be better in the long run than waiting to be found.
"Well where is somewhere safe?" he challenged with a huff, brow furrowed in concern as his eyes flickered between them before settling on Liam. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, an unspoken question there. Wouldn't he just slow us down?
The hunter was entirely unfamiliar with the werewolf's biology, having no idea if he might heal quickly enough to go along without assistance... But the way they spoke of this threat to himself and Cara seemed incredibly urgent.
"That's...sort of the problem." Aiden sighed-- and seemed to finally remember the chill he was causing, drawing it back into himself as much as he could with guilty glance at the now shivering Liam. "There's really no one safe place. If there was, we'd have taken Cara there and--"
"What? Abandoned me again?" Cara asked blandly with another sip of her tea.
Aiden winced, guilt clenching in his chest.
Dominik shuddered involuntarily as the air suddenly changed again and cast a wary look at Aiden as he spoke. He shook his head, eyeing Cara and wondering for a moment by Aiden's reaction if she was about to fling some of her magic again.
After a few moment's silence in the room he finally spoke up again, leg tapping anxiously again, "If nowhere is going to be entirely safe then what? Stay on the move for a few weeks? Months?"
Liam sighed, dropping his eyes, and Aiden pursed his lips. "Well...yes. That's sort of plan."
"Oh?" Cara stared at them both, and for a moment she seemed to almost emit the same chill her eldest brother did. "And when exactly were you planning on asking my opinion?" She frowned. "Wait-- how long have you been planning this?!"
"We weren't!" Liam hurried to say. "I mean...not really. We write letters sometimes, but there was no guarantee they'd even make it to each other--"
"You. Wrote. Letters?"
Both men's eyes widened. Oh shit.
It didn't bother him so much that they had a plan already to protect Cara, and himself by extension. It was better than his own idea of continuing to go about his life as though there was nothing looming over him and he wouldn't be at risk being out on his own.
It seemed their secrets from one another continued, though, and he hissed softly under his breath for Cara's outrage rearing up again. It didn't seem exactly undeserved, though. Family secrets were painful and he really did feel for her for that.
"Can it wait at all?" he asked quietly, directing his question to the werewolf as he eyed Liam with a careful look and an apologetic half-smile. "You don't exactly seem in the best shape for that right now."
That seemed to be enough to snap the other two siblings out of another brewing argument-- or rather screaming match, as it seemed unlikely Cara would be really capable of anything else in her current state.
Liam smiled quickly as their attention turned to him and shook his head. "No really, I'm fine. Just give me an hour or so and I'll be good to go."
Cara snorted. "Bullshit. I don't care how fast you heal, that wound needs at least a day, even for a werewolf."
Aiden glanced at the window again, the ever sinking sun. "I don't know if we have that long..."
Dominik was entirely unfamiliar with werewolves, having no idea which of the siblings was more correct in the matter of healing. He'd heard things...but what was true seemed to vary from person to person from stories through his travels.
He eyed Liam with open worry and skepticism. It was his fault he'd gotten him into this position, and he wasn't entirely sure what he could even do to help that wouldn't somewhat expose his secret.
"I could carry you," he offered, voice quieter and the words spoken with a calculated and thoughtful slowness as he eyed the werewolf across the table. "You're no worse than a big stag, I'm used to it."
"Whoa, hey." Liam frowned. "I'm not some invalid. Seriously, just give me a few hours and I'll be good to go."
"And I'm telling you you're an idiot," Cara snapped. "You need at least a day, and that's if your healing is augmented with some actual medical attention!"
Millie, who rather seemed to have simply appeared on her mistress's shoulder, chittered, picking up on her agitation.
"Enough, both you you!" Aiden snapped, a burst of cold sweeping out from his form. "While you two squabble like children a whole legion could sneak up on us!"
It had been worth a try. Dominik just shrugged, hoping Liam was being honest but thinking he might not have been from Cara's response. With Millie chiming in the cloud of voices and noise in the room was almost too much and he dropped his face into his hands again, though it didn't really help to block any of it out. What a mess.
The short blast of cold from Aiden got his attention, though, and he lifted his head to glower for his dramatics. He couldn't help a disbelieving snort. A whole legion. Surely there was no way their problem was that big. Right?
"What do you propose we do, then? Doesn't seem like we have many options..."
"A sled might work," Aiden mused. "Something we could drag along until he's healed enough to walk."
"Hold on, who said I'm leaving?" Cara scowled at her brothers. "Maybe it's easier for you two to forget, but this is my home. I can't just up and run off."
The hunter nodded thoughtfully, a sled was certainly more dignified than being carried but unless Cara had one already it would be a further delay to build one, though he supposed something that only had to be temporary would be a quick thing to construct. Dominik couldn't help but shoot her a tired and worried look at her very vocal protests.
"It's not forever, Cara, just a few weeks to get them off our trail." Of course...then what? Perhaps he would be free to go but surely if she came home they would eventually catch up to her again.
He was convinced of the danger looming over them and he wanted no part in sitting and waiting for it to come for them. Her brothers had come specifically to warn her and ensure her safety, he'd certainly gotten himself mixed up in quite a mess but he had a feeling they would stay and guard her if she refused to leave. That would only make Dominik more vulnerable, but he didn't think wanting them to live was exactly a selfish desire.
"Oi, you hush--!"
"Cara."
Adrien's voice froze her in place. His attention was on the window rather than the other occupants of the room. Liam tensed, and even Cara felt an instinctive chill run down her spine.
"Get into the workshop and lock the door," her brother hissed.
For once she didn't argue, darting forward to grab Liam's arm and sling it around her shoulders. "Help me," she whispered to Dominik as she helped her brother stand.
The sudden shift in the air and Aiden's tone sent a shiver racing along his back and over his wings. Something seemed distinctly not right and it took the hunter a few moments to realize...he was afraid.
"Yeah," he gruffed, springing into action after a few moments more of hesitant stillness. Joining up at Liam's free side, Dominik settled a steadying arm around his waist and shuffled along with them towards the door that separated the two spaces to push through to the workshop.
"Is it...them?" he whispered, asking no one in particular and half-expecting silence for the shifting mood of the siblings.
"That depends on who them is," Cara grumbled, and Liam huffed.
"I can't smell anything," he hissed. "I don't know what Aiden's sensing-- but I trust his instincts."
"Well, what do we do?" Cara grunted slightly as she shuffled her brother into the workroom. "Aiden!" She leaned out of the doorway, eyes narrowed. "Come on, what are you doing?"
Dominik eyed Cara warily and stopped short himself when she paused to lean through the doorway again. She really didn't like listening to them, did she?
"The door, Cara? Close the door," he prompted, nearly trembling with the effort to keep his wings still against his back. Aiden had seemed pretty serious and it had his nerves on edge.
"I'm not leaving him out there by himself," Cara hissed back, but before she could argue further Aiden appeared before her, one hand on the door and the other giving her shoulder a firm shove, knocking her back.
"I'll lead them away," her brother hissed quickly. He looked to Liam, paused, then flicked his eyes to Dominik. The near-stranger was his best bet for rationality.
Wasn't that depressing?
"There's a glade about three miles northwest, you know it? I don't care how, but once I've led them off you need to get these two there. I'll meet you."
"Hold on a fucking--"
"Aiden, you can't--"
The door slammed shut. By the time Cara had recovered enough to fling it open again, her brother had vanished.
Dominik met Aiden's eyes for that brief moment and was a little stunned he was entrusting him to such a thing. He didn't feel like he really had much choice anyway though, the hunter fairly convinced his own life might be in danger if he didn't heed his instruction.
He looked between brother and sister in silence, confusion written on his face for how he'd even gotten caught up in their problems. Hunting Liam. The damned wolf that was now a man... Blessedly it was a time he hadn't struck true, hadn't killed him outright by mistake but what trouble it had led him to.
"Well you heard him," Dominik finally gruffed, narrowing his eyes at them with a serious sternness. "We need to get going, that's a long way." And it was dark, the woods shrouded in mist, and they'd be taking an injured werewolf with them.
He moved to guide Liam towards the nearest wall he could lean upon before leaving him to stoop and gather his belongings all over again. There was no way he was chancing leaving anything behind. "Get whatever you'll need and then we're leaving," he ordered grumpily.
"No." Cara was shaking, one hand on the door handle. "No no no no no, I can't leave him out there by himself."
"Wynnie." Liam winced as he reached out to her. "I hate it too, you know I do, but Aiden's right. Our best shot is for him to lead them off."
The with shook her head, unmoving. Then she took a sharp breath and pulled away, swiping at her eyes. "Okay. Okay, we need supplies. The workroom door is spelled for protection, but we need food from the kitchen."
Dominik was tense, a frown fixed upon his face as he silently wondered just how he was going to manage to convince Cara it was what they needed to do. Even Liam was agreeing with him, but of course the witch was a stubborn one. But...finally she seemed to see sense and he relaxed a little from his uneasy front. He turned to face her once he'd gotten his own gear ready again, not that much had been shifted when he'd last removed it all.
"If you'd rather stay with Liam... I can get whatever you need," he offered, eyeing the door cautiously.
She shook her head firmly, stepping up beside him. "No. Of the three of us, you and I are the best equipped to...handle things, if something goes wrong. I'll spell the door so Liam's safe."
Dominik's eyes widened at a bit for that, a little surprised by her boldness. Even through all her anger her actions again showed she seemed to care about her brothers more than she was admitting to him. Not that she owed a stranger anything, especially one who'd showed up at her door as he had.
"What do you expect to face in your own kitchen? A demon rising up from the flames of your hearth?" The hunter snorted a wry chuckle, shaking his head at the ridiculousness his thoughts had wandered into.
Without further ceremony he stepped through to the space they'd only just abandoned, boots shuffling quietly across the floor as he cast a look to the window Aiden had been staring out before. He saw only darkness and the subtle haze of mist in the distance, ignorant to whatever it was that the vampire had sensed as the night seemed quiet and calm now.
"This won't take long anyway," he murmured, half thinking out loud as he stepped past her abandoned table. Though the room was less crowded than before he still struggled to stifle the nervous shifting of his feathers, keeping them relatively still through willpower alone though his concentration darkened his expression to a tense frown.
Against his skin the subtle and nearly silent twitches felt like his wings were ready to burst out and unfurl to fill the room. He knew rationally it wouldn't serve him at all and probably cripple any chance at escape should trouble find them, but the irrational desire was there anyway just beneath the surface.
"Don't jinx us," Cara muttered as she turned to shut the door behind them, ignoring Liam's protests that he wouldn't be left alone behind like a child, damnit. She place a quick protection spell on the door before turning back around.
Her own home felt like a warzone. When had that happened?
Walking carefully, she picked her way toward the kitchen, constantly glancing to the windows. She couldn't make out anything unusual in the lengthening shadows, but a shiver ran down her spine all the same.