The horror is almost instant for me as the scene in front of me unfolds. Bloodied young warriors are crawling from the trees as Claire runs towards them, screaming in desperation for an explanation. Most of the warriors have already given out and just lay lifeless by the forest, no longer fighting to get away from the massive darkness beneath the treetops. I stare as a blond warrior drags himself through the dirt, muttering things between his teeth.

"Him." I point towards the young man. "He can talk and tell us what's going on." Kilian nods at me and stalks towards him, grasping onto my hand and pulling me along. I don't have time to feel the warm electricity caressing my hand, or the hushed whispers that caress my ears as if a phantom itself were speaking to me.

"Callence." Kilian says as we approach near. Blood is spurring from his chest, claw marks dragging from his neck down to his hips. His blue eyes flicker up at Kilian in dismay, but then flicked toward me in surprise. He glances at our linked hands for a second and then back to my face, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"You—" He breaths out, a deep groan quickly coming out as if he was suddenly aware of the painful condition he is in. "How have we not met?" He continues as Kilian smirks down at him.

"Callence there is no time for you to be ogling at something that is mine." Kilian purrs as Callence pushes himself up into a sitting position, wrinkling his eyebrows in confusion.

"Yours? I must've made a mistake—" Callence continues to stare at me, deep blue cobalt eyes staring through me in fascination and awe. He clenches his jaw and looks away, rubbing a hand through the slight stubble trailing on his face.

I snatch my hand away from Kilian, feeling a slight sensation of embarrassment— and I had no idea why. My eyes flicker down to the ground in shame and I clear my throat, remembering what we came to him for.

"What has happened? Was there an attack from Mother Recluse?" I ask, pushing the words forcefully out of my throat as Callence looks up at me again. I tense up as his eyes flicker up to my hair, observing the colors and textures. He scans my face, as if he was almost certain something wasn't right— but then he decides against whatever that is.

"No, she sent troops to surprise us while we were hunting. There was a witch with them— one who was able to paralyze us for moments as they took their killing shots. We were the only—" he grunts in pain, eyes closing temporarily. "Ones who made it out." He finishes as he hisses through his teeth.

I step forward to provide some sort of comfort— any kind of comfort really, but Kilians pulls me back. My body screams at me to do something, anything, but the look on Kilians face says otherwise.

Callence stares at the interaction, biting his plump lip in concentration and pain as if trying to figure things out. I give Kilian a glare, realizing that he didn't want me to help Callence in anyway. I was not Kilians to command, so if he was feeling jealous— he'd have to take that up with a therapist. As if Kilian knew what I was thinking, he closed his eyes; no doubt glowing red at this challenge of power.

"Callence." I test his name out as he looks up at me from his darkly framed eyeslashes.

"I can stop the bleeding— but you'll have to allow me to come near you—" I start to say, but I'm interrupted.

"Yes." He says as Kilians clenches his fist at his sides.

"Perfect." I murmur, getting down on my knees, to Callence's level. I reach my hand out to his chest as he stares at me cautiously, but curiously. Heat blooms on my cheeks as I push him to the ground, and start to peel the shirt off of his skin. I hear him growl out as Kilians tenses up even more.

"It'll be okay." I soothe him as I see the blood continue to escape his body, gushing at the source.

"I need water." I tell Kilian, but he just stands there in frustration.

"Now." I raise my voice as kilian narrows his eyes and stalks off to get me water for Callence's wounds.

"God he acts like a child sometimes." I mutter under my breath as Callence stares at me, his lips twitching into a small smile in amusement. The close proximity allows me to make out more of his features, the specks of gold in his eyes; and the streaks of brown hair in what I once thought was just dirt in his blonde hair.

"My names Viola." I clear my throat as he studies me just as much as I study him, not knowing why— just knowing that I couldn't stop the curiosity. His dark pink lips form into a larger smile as he looks into my eyes.

"Viola." He tests out my name slowly on his tongue, a slight accent that I hadn't noticed before. Before I can process what's happening, he brings a muscular arm up and puts his hand to grasp the back of my neck.

"Viola." He murmurs again as he brings me closer to him— testing out the water. I'm too stunned to move, too entranced to even speak I start to sputter.

"Okay so— well it looks like you'll need; Um maybe some—" I start to stutter as he raises his eyebrows slightly.

"Maybe some?" He inquires, amusement on his face.

"Ice." I breathe out as he bites his lip, nodding in agreement.

"Ice?" A breathtaking smile takes up his face, as if my nervousness was a source of amusement and humor. His white teeth are more noticeable because of his strawberry colored lips, the gold in his eyes flashing up at me.

I feel arms quickly wrap around my waist as I'm pulled away from Callence, and put behind a dark suited body. Kilian. I'm snapped out of my entrancement as Kilian snarls at him, his muscles rippling underneath his shirt as if he'd gotten riled up.

"Watch it, half breed." Kilian spits out angrily— I'd never seen him as angry as that before.

"Be careful who you try to put under that spell." Kilian glances at his wounds quickly, in irritation. "The next time, I'll be the one finishing the job. Watch yourself." He bares his fangs as Callence drops his head back, trying to relax from the pain he's in. A pained smile graces his lips I start to shake. Was I put under a spell? Or was Kilian just using a figure of speech?

"Kilian." I grip his arm and attempt to push him away from Callence. "You can't try to harm someone who is injured— much less challenge them." I sigh as Kilian flickers his glowing red eyes throughout my face, and without another thought; he pulls my chin closer to his face and slams his lips onto mine.

A rough demanding, and possessive kiss.

A marking territory kiss— and I knew exactly who he was trying to make a point to.

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