Not Quite What Was Planned [DragonSong]

[Juno]

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.

[DragonSong]

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.

[Juno]

"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."

[DragonSong]

"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!"

[Juno]

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.

[DragonSong]

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.

[Juno]

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."

[DragonSong]

"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!"

[Juno]

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?

[DragonSong]

"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!"

[Juno]

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?"

[DragonSong]

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."

[Juno]

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.

[DragonSong]

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.

[Juno]

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.

[DragonSong]

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.”

[Juno]

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.

[DragonSong]

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?”

[Juno]

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.

[DragonSong]

"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.