Skedaddle

[Soran Nightblade]

Erik shook his head and looked away from her, but he didn't seem to have much to say to that. He'd gone a few steps farther than he ever had before this time. He glanced at the almost-closed door to Adonis's room and his expression wavered. "I was drunk," he said.

[Emora Deen]

Laya frowned at him, folding her arms. "You were drunk every time?" she asked him slowly. "Excuse me if I don't forgive your actions for lack of self control while under the influence of ale. If you find any drink in this house it will either be so strong it kills you, or makes you wish you were dead."

[Soran Nightblade]

"Deprive me of the bottle, and he'll feel it too," Erik warned a little too smugly. As he spoke, the door to the bedroom opened. Adonis walked back into the room, followed by Telanis. Telanis focused a warning stare on Erik. Adonis looked to Laya instead. He gave her a nod and crossed the room to stand next to her. His face seemed drawn, but composed. He inhaled and looked at Erik with resolve. He was a little surprised to see the human's eyes drop from his. "Don't use me to threaten them. Ever again. You'll follow her rules. You'll be kinder sober."

[Emora Deen]

Laya took a step back from Erik to allow Adonis more room. She went to Telanis and leaned against him, closing her eyes as she felt the warmth of his body near hers. It had been an exhausting day and now that evening was over and night had crept up on them she felt that she wanted nothing more than to be in bed with him.

"There aren't many rules," she told Erik. "Just be civil, no drinking, and we'll all get along just fine," she said, hoping maybe it was partly true.

[Soran Nightblade]

"I'm not your prisoner, you know. I can choose to leave," Erik said testily to Laya. He switched his scowl to Adonis. "Planning to lock me up again, 'friend'?"

Adonis shook his head. "I'm going to bed. If you want me to find a job in the morning, be here and be sober when I wake up."

Erik blinked and fell silent as the unicorn made a gesture of parting to Telanis and Laya and headed for the other room. When he was gone, the human tilted his head like he was putting something together. "Adonis is..."

"Different?" Telanis supplied. "You should have noticed sooner." He put his arm around Laya softly. "Be here in the morning, Erik. Don't disappoint him again." The words sounded like advice, but came out with an unvoiced threat behind them.

[Emora Deen]

Laya wrapped her hands around Telanis's arm and drew him towards there room. When they were inside she closed the door behind him and stoked the fire from there. "I don't like him," she muttered, forgetting he could hear her from the other side of the fire.

She went to her wardrobe and started stripping off the clothing she'd worn that day. The room was warm from the fire, and the light danced off the walls. She piled her dirty clothes in a corner and stretched her slightly stiff form. The food Adonis had recommended did make her feel peppier, but she could tell she wasn't at her full strength.

She drew on a long-sleeve white gown that was thigh-length. It hung loose on her from at the top, draping off one shoulder. She brushed her fingers through her hair, having not found a brush or comb yet.

When she was finished she went to Telanis and slid her hands up his chest until they wrapped around the back of his neck. "I love you." She leaned forward and kissed his lips softly, letting out a heavy sigh against the skin of his neck. She kissed him gently there. "You don't think he'll snoop do you? My father used to hide whiskey in the cupboard... Should I go pore it out or wait until morning?"

Despite all that had happened Telanis's presence always drowned out anything bad. When ever he was close all she felt was goodness. She nuzzled his neck, have not the motivation to leave the room. Instead she drew him to the bed, and fell back into the covers. She pulled on his hand, wanting him to join her there in the comfort of thick covers and soft pillows.

[Soran Nightblade]

Telanis climbed across her in the bed, resting over her for a minute to kiss her forehead. "I doubt he'll find it tonight. You deserve rest." He stroked a lock of hair back behind her ear and gazed at her affectionately. "Thank you for helping my brother."

[Emora Deen]

Laya smiled at him, tilting her face into his gentle touch. "He's my friend," Laya told Telanis. "I will help him as much as I can." She shifted her head up and kissed his lips softly, her hand brushing across his cheek and down his neck.

"Sleep," she told herself, even if her body wanted something else.

[Soran Nightblade]

Telanis smiled at her gently and placed his lips over hers, lingering there like he never planned to stop. His breath blew softly across her face as he finally lifted away. The front of his body was pressed to hers amidst the half drawn sheets as he gazed at her for a moment, his silver hair falling like cool silk across her stomach. Deciding it would be hard for her to sleep with him above her, he shifted to the side and rested with his body wrapped warmly along the side of hers. He tucked his nose against her neck and rested one hand just above her stomach.

"Sleep well," he said, really quite blind to any distraction he might be causing from that purpose.

[Emora Deen]

Laya sighed, stifling any thoughts she'd had about pushing the limits of her energy. She closed her eyes to sleep and slowly her mind calmed enough for it to take her.

In the middle of the night Laya heard a noise. A whisper. Her eyes snapped open. The fire had died, and the room was filled with a cold blue light from the moon. Her breath fogged in front of her face.

She heard a noise again, coming from the living room, so she slowly slipped from Telanis's arms. She crossed the room barefooted, through the door and into the living room. It was even colder in the living room.

Laya heard the gently thud of something at the door. She couldn't see anything out the window, so she crept closer. Her slender hand reached out very slowly for the icy knob, and when she pulled the door open she found a lump of fur on the floor before the door.

A wolf.

A dead wolf.

She grimaced, stepping out from the safety of the house in her short nightgown.

"Cats often leave dead animals as presents at the foot of the ones they love," a voice called to her left. Her head twisted at the sound to find the vampire cold and as white as the snow. He leaned casually against the side of the house with his arms folded, and his silvery-blue eyes shot through her.

Laya gasped, jumping back into the house.

Her eyes flashed open, and she was staring at the warm ceiling of her house. She didn't know how late it was, but the fire was still burning. She glanced to Telanis's sleeping form, wiping cold sweat from her brow. Taking a quivering breath she slipped from his side and went to the door. She closed the bedroom door behind her, and padded across the floor gently towards the door to the house. Laya pressed her face up against the glass window, and looked down at the floor.

Nothing was there, just as she expected their to be. When she was satisfied she went to the sink and the water pump and filled a glass of water, taking long deep swigs.

Her gray eyes flashed to the bed where Erik was meant to sleep. She wasn't sure if he was sleeping, but she knew that if he had been really drunk earlier he would be dehydrated. She filled a cup of water and took it to him, slowly creeping closer to the bed. It wasn't to be nice, but if Adonis could feel what this man felt, she didn't want him waking up with cotton mouth.

[Soran Nightblade]

Erik's blue eyes opened, quite awake and aware, at the sound of the glass settling in front of him. He peered up at Laya suspiciously. "Thought you all settled to sleep," he spoke quietly.

[Emora Deen]

Laya drew her hand away, standing over the bed. "They are," she told him. "I was thirsty, and thought that you might be as well given how much you drank." She reached up and brushed her messy brown hair away from her face.

[Soran Nightblade]

Erik rolled his eyes at her and pressed his head firmly into the pillow. He wasn't about to thank her. As as he was concerned, they were all on Adonis's side. Maybe they'd even conspired to lock him up. How could he lock him up? How could he! He clenched his eyes impatiently to make her go away.

[Emora Deen]

Laya hadn't expected a thank you. She really didn't know what she expected from him. She looked down at him clenching his eyes shut. "You're a child," she muttered to herself, shaking her head and turning away from him to head back to her room. At first Laya thought he was someone to fear, but the more she saw of him the less she felt fearful of him. He was nothing but a child.

[Soran Nightblade]

Erik scowled up at her. "You'll regret talking to me that way," he warned. "Just because Adonis likes you doesn't mean I do."