Skedaddle

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis looked at the doorway and how well blocked it was. "There's a window. Come with me," he breathed as Erik began arguing belligerently with the sharks.

He took her hand and slipped away from the chaos into the bathroom. He ushered her in and locked the door behind them, rushing to open the only real window in the apartment. He shoved the shutters aside and put his hands down, locked together for her to climb up and out. "Climb," he said. A sharp thud sounded in the other room. The unicorn's whole body tensed like he'd been the one punched. He tried to catch his breath and keep his hands out for her to step up.

[Emora Deen]

Laya grabbed onto the window and put her foot in his hands. She pulled herself up, trying to drag herself through the window. She felt Adonis's strength falter or his concentration. Her week arms struggled to pull her through the window. She slipped back down, stumbling to pull her foot from his hands and catch her balance. She fell into the bathroom wall, heaving like she'd been racing Telanis again.

"Are you alright?" she asked him, placing a hand on his shoulder. She whispered it, like she hoped that the ones in the other room would forget about them.

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis shook his head to clear it and tried to focus on her. Another punch made him gasp. He heard Erik cry out angrily in the other room.

He had to get Laya out. "I'll be fine," he heard himself say as he stared up at her pale face. He took a getter hold of her leg and used his other hand to push on her bottom and steady her. Not a very proper action, but it helped balance her enough to get her out. He jumped and grabbed the frame, swinging himself outside behind her. "You're still anemic," he whispered the obvious as he landed next to her on the dirt alley outside. He moved to check her temperature, but a shooting pain up his spine sent him back against the wall, choking. Erik was taking a beating. Nothing he hadn't felt before; the human was no stranger to trouble. "Can you see my fingers," he asked her, holding up a shaking hand in front of her face.

[Emora Deen]

Laya narrowed her eyes on his shaking fingers. "I can see fine. I'll be fine," she protested, moving his hand out of the line of sight. "What's wrong? There is something wrong... Adonis, what was that?" She was shaking, but didn't want him to notice. He had his own problems to deal with, and they seemed huge.

"Telanis is sitting in a tavern just down the street. Let's find him and get home. He won't find us there," she told him, reaching out for his hand again. "Come on. You helped me, let me help you."

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis grimaced. He couldn't even imagine letting his brother see him like this. "I have to stay here," he said unsteadily, jerking as pain cracked into his ribs. He didn't seem ready to act on his words.

[Emora Deen]

Laya shook her head dizzily. "You can't stay here," she warned him. "I don't know what you and Erik were, but whatever he is now is dark. He's not a good man Adonis. You can't let him drag you in. You can't let him hurt you anymore. Trust me," she breathed, pushing back the hair from his forehead, and bending to look him in his eyes. "There comes a time when you have to walk away from whats going to kill you. This happens to be one of those times."

Laya had never been good at taking her own advice, she hoped Adonis would take it instead. "If you have to stay here, I will stay here too."

[Soran Nightblade]

Her fingers against his forehead gave him enough focus to try to rationally think about what he needed to do next. He looked haunted as he met her eyes. He shook his head desperately. "I can't run away from him again. It's my fault he's like this. I couldn't save him," he rambled, knowing he wasn't giving her enough information and that he sounded like a lunatic. He winced as another blow struck. "Fools, he can't pay you back if you beat him to death," he groaned under his breath.

[Emora Deen]

Laya narrowed her eyes on Adonis as he spoke, the last words ringing through her like the bells of a church tower. Her narrowed gaze widened as she realized what was going on. She wasn't sure how it was possible, but Adonis was being hurt right before her eyes, while the lump of trash in the next room was being pummeled.

She took a deep breath and ran down the alley, coming out in front of the apartment. She grabbed up a long thick piece of firewood, and the guy standing in the doorway took a hit to the back of the head. She ducked around him and dove for the kitchen counter, scrambling for a knife.

Her thin fingers wrapped around the handle of the butcher knife. She stumbled back, swirling until she came face to face with the man she'd struck. She put the knife against his throat and pushed his chest until she backed him into the wall. Laya clutched at his tunic shirt and leaned into him too close for her own comfort, but that was the only thing keeping her on her feet. He was three times her size, or at least it felt that way. Massive, and taller than her. He could crush her with his bare hands.

Laya didn't think of that. Laya thought of the fact that if he tried, she'd run his neck through. Then, he wouldn't be crushing anything.

Her vision swam, and she trembled against the brute. She didn't want to shake, it could be mistook for fear, and surprisingly Laya was too dizzy to be afraid. Or maybe, to tired.

"Stop," she growled. "Or I'll kill your friend."

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis stared at her like she was some kind of ghost as she bolted away. "Laya!" he called after her, hurting too much to move. He forced himself to his knees and held the wall for support, but he wasn't close to fast enough to catch her. Why was she doing this for him?

The loan shark paused mid-blow to stare at the young woman who was holding his partner captive. You're bold, little lady. I'll give you that," he said, dropping Erik to the floor and turning for her. Now drop your weapon."

"Not until you give me a two week extension," Erik broke in bloodily from the floor.

"Standing behind a woman now, are you, bastard?"

"Two weeks," Erik gasped. "You'll get it all back."

The thug paused for a moment. "You'd better," he snipped. "Or we'll take the cost out of this one's pretty flesh."

"Fine." Erik started up onto his knees. A heavy kick caught him in the stomach and threw him backward against the wall.

The thug pressed his face close to Erik's. "We'll be back. In two weeks. And if I see you in the casino before that, I'll kill you in your sleep."

He stood up and cast Laya a look that was a mix of confusion and respect as he brushed past her on the way out. "Keep him honest, sweetheart. I ain't in the mood to kill you. Now, if you'll return my associate."

[Emora Deen]

Laya pushed away from the large man, holding her knife in front of her as she backed into the counter, grappling it for support. "I didn't do it for him," she muttered to the man. She didn't lower the knife, and wouldn't until they turned their backs and crossed the street. "Now go."

[Soran Nightblade]

The thug looked even more baffled, since her words made very little sense. "Whatever you say, missy," he said, leaving the apartment with his partner.

Adonis regarded them warily as they passed in front of him. They cast him a deriding look, but ignored him and went on down the street. Adonis clutched his aching chest and let go of the wall, running forward into the apartment. "Laya!" he said, going to her side. "What happened?"

[Emora Deen]

"I made them go away," she told him, not looking at him. It was like she wasn't seeing anything at all. Her legs gave way under her and she dropped to the floor. She crumbled like paper until her hands caught the upper half of her body from falling over. They shook as she focused on staying up. "I just need to sit for a second."

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis staggered to the kitchen, found a clean dishcloth and soaked it with cool water. He came back to her side and dropped next to her. He carefully put an arm around her for support and pressed the cool cloth gently to her forehead. "Just take deep breaths," he guided her.

Erik wasn't ready to move just yet, so he just stared at them from the floor across the room. He seemed too disoriented from that last blow to speak up about his own condition. Adonis tried not to look at him, but he knew he would have to. He would have to go see to the human's injuries. It was already fighting every instinctive nerve in his body to stay on this side of the room, but his apprehension was still stronger.

[Emora Deen]

Laya nodded numbly, closing her eyes as she rested back against his arm. She took slow deep breaths and slowly started to feel the world slow and come to a stop. Her eyes fluttered open to look up at Adonis "Thank you," she whispered to him with a dry mouth.

[Soran Nightblade]

"You're a very unusual human," he said quietly, turning the cloth over to keep it cool on her skin. "Lie down if you don't mind. It will help with the circulation." He guided her sideways and onto her back next to the wall. "I'll be back in a minute."

He pushed to his feet and crossed the room for the kitchen. He came back with a bowl of water and some towels and knelt next to Erik. The man trembled in pain as Adonis drew him up to a sitting position.

"Heal it," he demanded as the unicorn wiped at his split lip.

"I can't this time,' Adonis told him softly, taking Erik's hand and posing his fingers to pinch the bridge of his bleeding nose. "Hold," he instructed quietly, wiping away the blood and throwing the towel across the room. He raised the man's shirt and began feeling along his ribs. His fingers weren't as steady as they needed to be for this, but he had other senses he could use to feel for breaks. They were both sweating by the time Adonis finished. "They're not broken," he assessed.

"Fix them. What are you waiting for?"

The unicorn frowned at him. "Some things have changed."