NOVPUB"Erm.. Shouldn’t we do something about this guy?" The little she-wolf pointed her thumb in Clint’s direction. "Before you continue with.. well, romping on the roof.."
Damon glared in Esme’s direction. Aila couldn’t help but giggle lightly at the annoyance flaring through the bond. Her mate was irritated at being interrupted; he wanted to ignore Esme and carry Aila away so he could just devour her. At that, though, his eyes glinted deviously, hooding as he looked down at Aila. She bit her lip, feeling the heat of his stare and the bulge in his jeans.
"I don’t know how long we have until Cass-"
"Don’t even dare speak his name," Damon growled, eyes glowering at her. Aila smiled at him fondly, missing his possessiveness. Or maybe it was just pure hatred for the vampire. It didn’t matter; she pecked his lips lightly instead and began to climb out of his hold. "Hmmm," he groaned against her lips, trying to keep her in his arms but reluctantly releasing her.
Aila stared at him only briefly, taking in the state of his dishevelled black locks, the stubble across his jaw she loved so much, the lips that took her breath away and those eyes that captivated her the moment she saw them. He was a sight she’d never be bored of. Though a frown formed between her brows at the state of his shirt and the dried blood.
But the purposeful shuffling of impatient feet snapped her out of her daze.
"Thanks, Es." Aila glanced at her, and the she-wolf smirked before strolling towards Clint, inspecting his wounds like seeing his intestines was a normal everyday thing to see. She watched Esme for a moment, curiosity bringing questions to her tongue, but she bit it when the sun started to beam from behind the clouds.
Aila rushed over to where Clint was hanging against the wall, scrutinising him and glancing back at the sun until its light shone on the hunter’s feet. His eyes flew open, and he started to hiss, his fangs fully grown and lengthened, snapping and groaning. 𝚗ovp𝚞b.𝚌om
Aila watched in a numb haze as his feet burned bright red, and then the first layers of skin started to melt away before flames erupted from his toes, growing wildly across his skin, following the light across his body.
Clint began to scream, and it was both music to her ears and absolutely horrifying as she watched his body burst into flames. Aila watched a moment longer, feeling her chest tighten and release multiple times.
She was conflicted by this settling feeling, rewarded at the sight of her parent’s killer finally put to justice, tortured by his victim and bringing a just death, and to this heavy heart burdened by the monstrous side of herself. To have allowed herself to become something so cruel and twisted. A shudder rippled through her at her behaviour.
Aila turned away from the flames and charring flesh, her steps were heavy, and she stopped to stare at the spotless shoes, all that would remain of Clint, the psychopathic killer of many. Would her parents have been proud she got back at their killer and hers?
"No," Malia whispered. Aila blinked at the sound of her wolf’s voice. "They would want you to move on, live, love and laugh. But we can take that next step now, together with our mate."
Tears sprung to her eyes as Damon clasped her hand in his, watching the sun and the clouds returning to hide its beauty. "Where have you been?" She whispered aloud, causing Damon to look at her, but he set his jaw after reading the bond, reading her expression, seeing the bright blue glow of her eyes.
"I was always here. I couldn’t break through to you.." She trailed off, letting Aila fill in the blanks. Her wolf watched as she tortured Clint, and she was all for blood and getting revenge, but they both knew that what she did was purely monstrous. She’d lowered herself to Clint’s standards, and though she felt better at the time and lighter for a moment, it wasn’t her.
"Guys, I hate to break this up.. But Davian is coming up." Aila turned to see Harry watching them wide-eyed, his chest rising and falling rapidly like he’d sprinted over. Davian, right.. He couldn’t see them together. Soon, she hoped he would be released from the leash holding him to Cassius, and she could treat him better, trust him.
"Remember to call for me," Esme appeared by her side; the little sneak always popped up out of nowhere and so quietly.
Then she was gone, and Damon had pulled her into another embrace. "I hate this. I don’t know how much longer I can last, Aila," he admitted, growling his frustration.
Aila leaned into his fully healed chest, leaving a kiss above his heart. "I miss you already," she whispered, unable to give him more than that answer. She couldn’t say how long it would be, but she couldn’t take this anymore either.
With one final squeeze and kiss to the top of her head, Damon released her and ran past Clint to the other side, jumping over with ease. Her heart dropped, and she wanted to follow, to see if her mate was fine, but if she raced after him, she was sure not to return and keep running with him.
The bond told her he was fine, but she remained anxious, meeting Harry’s eyes and accepting a quick hug to cover her scent before Davian burst through the rooftop doors.
He was alert, muscles rippling, eyes wide. For a brief moment, he took in the sight of Clint, now crumbling to the ground, a skeleton turning into ash. But he returned his attention to Aila’s bloodied form, looking for injury before rushing out what had him so wired.
"Cassius and Gabriel are fighting."
Aila stared at Davian for a moment, her mind not computing what he had just said. Then she gasped, her eyes widening. "What!?" Gabriel was with them. He was with Damon and Esme, and he.. he must have taken Cassius on. Both terror for her master and a guilty sense of hope swarmed her chest at what this meant.
If Gabriel killed him, there would be no more waiting, and everyone, the lycans, Aila, Davian, and Harry, would be free.
If Gabriel killed Cassius..
Her heart felt overwhelmingly heavy at the idea of Cassius’ death.
