125 Darkness of the storm

The skies above darkened as huge thunder heads rolled across the horizon. The heavy salt air grew heavier as large droplets of rain began to pelt down from the ominous clouds. The seas turned with the fury of a hundred hurricanes, the high waves occasionally crashing over the steep cliffs surrounding the now ingulfed beaches below. The angry, tortured cries of a man being torn apart from the inside out echoed through the heavens, giving the booming claps of thunder a challenge. The ground quaked with each bright crackle of lightening that streaked the bleak pitch of darkness.

"So, this is what it's like when a son of Gaia and Poseidon is truly angry?" Raven asked pressing the palm of her hands so forcefully against the interior glass of the patio windows. Anxiety and worry escalated with every second she stood there, rolling off her in waves to match those crashing below. She and Isha had rushed back the second Ry had texted them what had happened. Isha had busied herself with teleporting in as much help as she could. She was now comforting Shelly outside of Russ's bedroom as the team of doctors, made up of various healers across the magical realm, worked tirelessly removing bullets and bandaging wounds.

Another loud clap of thunder was nearly drowned out by another beastly roar. "That is the sound of an immortal when he realizes life doesn't go on forever… that time is not endless." Triton, a man of very few words, spoke up as he walked over to the windows to peer out beside her. He fell quiet again as he watched the storm rage outside.

"Shouldn't we go down and help him? Couldn't you?" Raven asked, realizing there would be no way she or Isha either one could stand up against the raging seas or the fierce storm battling outside right now.

Tri frowned as he nodded. "Ry and I both tried helping." His eyes stayed focused on the storm ripping at the landscape outside. "He wouldn't have it… wouldn't let either of us near her." He shook his head moving his attention down to the faded ink of a tattooed band around his left ring finger. "That's the way it has to be sometimes…" His words trailed off and he fell silent as he continued to run his thumb over the faded ink and stared out the window.

Raven's words broke as she forced herself to ask the question that had been battering her brain since she'd arrived. "H-how was she? H-how… bad…"

Tears filled Raven's eyes as her body began to tremble. The tips of her fingers whitened as she curled them against the glass. For what seemed like the first time in her life, words wouldn't come. No pleas, no cursed profanities, no empty reassurances, no witty humor to mask the pain. Her body's weak legs crumpled under the weight of her body and she slid to the ground resting her forehead against the cold glass.

Tri turned toward her and removed the thin cashmere sweater he'd put on after the torrential downpour had begun. He draped it over her shoulders, leaving his hand to rest there as he said. "I'll not do you the injustice of saying all will be fine, however, I will tell you. I know my brother and he will not give up if there is any chance in this side of heaven or hell, Areion will find it. He won't give up until her body is pried from his grip…" He glanced to the room where he'd carried the young wolf earlier. "With that being said, I can only wonder what that will mean for your young friend in there." He nodded down to her in a curt goodbye and left the room leaving Raven feeling an even greater sense of dread deep in the pit of her stomach.

Arei's body was numb to the cold crash of the sea around him and to the tiring ache of his muscles as they steeled against the battering force of the waves. He was well aware it was his own emotional distress causing the forceful collision of sea and sky around him, but he didn't care. All he cared about was the still, cold body in his arms. He plunged his fingers deeper into her matted hair curling his fingers around the back of her skull as he crushed his lips to her, once again forcing his hot breath into her lungs. Once… twice… but her breathing didn't resume. He let his trembling lips linger on hers as he fought for control of his turbulent emotions. "Pleeeaaassseee, just breathe..." His plea drug out painfully and he pressed his mouth to hers again. Waves threatened to drag them under, raging from several directions at once; but it didn't stop him. He clutched her limp body tightly against his, cupping his mouth over hers, and breathing all that he had into her willing her to take his very soul if necessary. This time there was a slight sputter and he quickly pulled away to study her. Her lips was a pale blue and lay as limply parted as the rest of her body. "BREATHE!" He demanded. This time pressing his mouth hard against hers, forcing as much air into her as possible. He could feel the hot tears rolling across the cool skin of his face as he blew again before he'd even fully recovered from the last.

Jos brought in a quick ragged gasp. Her lips were blue but her closed eyes twitched and another harsh sputtered breath emerged from her ever so slightly. She let out a faint moan as her head rolled from side to side.

"Jos!" He exclaimed, pressing his lips to hers again before showering her entire face with fevered kisses. "Listen to me, Kitten, you've been hurt badly. I need you to do or take whatever it is you need to recover. Do you understand?" The storm raging around them began to ease and the waves began to recede as his stress eased.

Jos could feel the frigid cold of the water now and hear the masculine voice calling to her through the dark haze that was her brain. The voice sounded familiar instructing her to heal herself. She struggled to open her eyes, but their weight wouldn't be budged neither would her arms or any other part of her body. All she could do was let out another pained moan. A strong hand took her hand and brought it to rest on her stomach. A thick finger pressed into her palm.

Jos shook her foggy head. The beast scratched for freedom inside her, but she fought it with every remaining bit of her strength. She couldn't find words, instead, she slowly shook her head 'no'.

This time her hands clasped the arm as several rows of razer-sharp teeth tore at the flesh. Her eyes flickered open, their cold white stare held Arei's as the creature within, drew strength quickly. She raised from his lap and moved atop the corpse, plunging a tentacle through it's chest and ripping out the heart with a spray of blood.

All signs of Joslyn 'Decker' were gone. The creature held out a nearly human hand and ran it over Arei's sharp jawline. Her head tilted to one side as the beautiful, exotic white eyes blinked in what seemed like wonder. "Friend..." She said in a heavily accented forced voice.

Arei opened his bright eyes smiling down at her. He cupped his hand over the tiny blackened hand caressing his jaw. He nodded. "Yes, friend." Happy tears ran down his cheek. She'd controlled the beast, she was in control! He pulled her against his broad chest and squeezed her tightly. "You did it, Kitten... You're doing it. You have control!" He pulled away enough to cup her face between both his massive hands and kissed her square on the lips. "You did it!" He said pulling away and resting his forehead against hers looking down into their strange white depths. "You did it." He whispered again. As he began to lower his lips back to hers, something flickered across her eyes then they fluttered shut. Luckily, he'd already been holding her because as soon as her eyes shut her body crumpled and she'd fainted again, just like at the DeMarco house. Arei scooped her back into his arms and carried her up the cliffs. The second the house came into view, a dark-skinned figure came bolting toward him. He let out a chuckle. "Back so soon?" He called out as soon as she was close enough to recognize.

"How is she?!" Raven asked as she made it to his side. She quickly scanned her eyes over Jos's body and let out a long breath when she noticed her respirations were coming easy and evenly.

Arei smiled. "She's doing great. She fed on some... leftovers," He winked, "left on the beach. And she was able to stop herself and recognize me almost instantly." He added proudly.

Raven let out a relieved sigh. "Good." She looked around at the now clear sky with only a few lingering fluffy clouds stained faintly with the last streaks of the setting sun. "I guess, I should have figured with the passing storm, she was doing better." She gazed around at the damage the storm had caused, "Impressive, I might add." She said.

He let out a chuckled huff, "Family trait." He answered simply before carrying Jos the rest of the way into the house and to her room. "She'll need her rest." He set her in the center of the bed and brushed a stray hair from her face as he continued talking to Raven. "I'll keep an eye on her for tonight, but she should be better than fine by morning." He said, never taking his eyes off Jos's sleeping face. "How's the boy doing?" He asked when his eyes landed on one of Russ's tee shirts on the foot of the bed.

"About the same." Raven said nodding toward Jos. "They have all the bullets out, but he hasn't regain consciousness enough to shift yet. Until then..." Her voice trailed off. "Orion is staying in there with him. Shelly too, though I figure the second she finds out Jos it back, she'll be going crazy running between the two rooms."

Arei nodded. "Why don't we wait until in the morning. So, all three of them can get their rest. What do you say?" He tugged off his wet shirt. "If you have time though, I'd like to ask you to stay with her until I can get showered and changed."