Skedaddle

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis smiled sourly. "Erik has had women against their will, and on occasion well beyond their bodies' endurance. I suppose I'm actually quite experienced with...yesterday. There's really no way to ungive this gift, that I know of. And, this may sound absurd to you, but I love him. I love him as much as I did when I saved him." He turned a corner on the main street. "Which tavern did you send him to?"

[Emora Deen]

"The Rusty Kettle," Laya told him after shaking herself from her thoughts. Now she hated the man even more, to the point of pure revulsion. She couldn't understand how he could love someone who hurt people for pleasure. "So, that's what he meant about shutting me up..." Laya was starting to wonder if she could stay in a home with that man. But, if Adonis needed her, she could find the nerve and strength to ignore him.

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis lowered his gaze and turned toward the familiar establishment. Even without empathy, he could guess what she might be feeling right now. "I'm sorry," he said, setting her down in front of the tavern door. "I told you once, that there's no taking it back once we choose to love someone. We protect everyone unanimously, but love is specific and unconditional, and inescapable. I've lost my nature in more ways than I thought possible, but I can't seem to overcome this."

[Emora Deen]

Laya looked at Adonis, looked him right in the eye. "We can't help who we love," Laya whispered, looking down. "And I can try to get along with him..."

Laya walked towards the steps. "If I died... do you think Telanis would bring me back? I don't know if I would want to be connected to him, knowing that if something happened to me he could feel my pain and that it would hurt him too."

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis actually smiled a little. "I doubt you'll have much of a say in the decision."

[Emora Deen]

She smiled too. "No, I guess not..."

The inside of the tavern was busy with waitresses and customers coming and going. It was lively and full of music and laughter and warmth. She looked around the room, trying to spot where he would be sitting in the crowd. "How well does Telanis know Erik?" she asked him as she moved through the crowd, keeping her eyes peeled.

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis's eyes went straight to the corner, where Telanis was sitting in a booth. He gestured that way. "Telanis doesn't know about the person you met today. He and I lived with Erik in the forest for years before the accident. He knows him as I did when I chose to save his life. I've tried to explain what happened...what people can turn into. But Telanis can't grasp it. He's too trusting. I don't want to let him anywhere near Erik."

[Emora Deen]

Laya frowned as she walked towards Telanis. If Adonis didn't want him anywhere near Erik, then how was she supposed to stay with Adonis and help him? She didn't want to leave Adonis alone with that thing... And she didn't want to leave Telanis's side. "What do we do then?" she asked in a whisper just before they reached his brother.

[Soran Nightblade]

"This is my bed to lay in." Adonis stopped a moment and faced her. "Erik is my responsibility. Your role is with Telanis. There's no reason for someone like you to deal with this hell. Have lunch, eat something with enough iron. And water. Then let Telanis bring you home."

Telanis had noticed them and looked their way, trying to read what was going on between them.

[Emora Deen]

"I don't want you to do it alone," Laya told Adonis firmly. The idea of leaving him to that monster to suffer was enough to make her ill. She looked around the room as she thought of the right words to tell him. Her storm gray eyes raised to meet his. She knew what she felt in her heart, but could not express it to him.

She was afraid to tell him.

"I want to help you."

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis didn't have the strength to continue protesting something he had to admit needing. However, he felt mostly guilt at his own selfishness as he and Laya reached the booth. He slid onto the bench across from Telanis.

"What happened?" the white unicorn asked in confusion as the two joined him. "Did you interview for the job too?"

[Emora Deen]

Laya smiled at Telanis as she sat next to him. "I didn't get it," she told him as she leaned her head down against his shoulder. She felt comfortable again, and some worry she felt ease from her bones.

"Looks like I will have to keep looking," she told him. "I don't think I looked healthy enough for the job, and this could be the reason I didn't get it."

She reached out and wrapped cold fingers around his warm hand. "Did you order anything?" She wanted to keep him off his questions, at least until she figured out what was going to happen.

[Soran Nightblade]

Telanis gestured somewhat proudly to the empty glass in front of him. "Apparently it's possible to make juice from carrots. Jessica introduced me to it."

Like clockwork, a perky young woman bounced up to the table and smiled at Adonis and Laya. "I see your friends found you. Can I get you two anything to drink or eat?"

"I'm fine," Adonis said cordially, feeling bile rise in his throat at the thought of eating anything.

[Emora Deen]

"Ugh..." She looked at Adonis and thought about what he said. "Something with lots of iron and a glass of water?" She smiled nicely at the woman who gave her a perplexed look before disappearing to retrieve the food.

Laya tapped her fingers on the table top, feeling antsy. What if that man woke up and Adonis felt pain again? Telanis would know that something was wrong. She wasn't seeing how they could keep him out of this.

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis couldn't think straight. He didn't know what to do next. He could go back to the way it was, living with Erik. Could he really expect these two to help? Did he deserve help? How could they possibly help? He and Telanis both kept a straight face when the waitress brought out a tall glass of water for Laya and a medium-cooked steak.

"There's your iron," Adonis said with a touch of humor as Telanis sulked to the other end of the bench.