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Lie to me
Sept 18, 2022 17:55:32 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Thea on Sept 18, 2022 17:55:32 GMT -5
The silence was loud after the call ended, punctuated by Quill’s clockwork hiccups. She held the phone to her chest with both hands, clutching it as if it were a lifeline. And in a way, it was. It was her child’s, most definitely. She couldn’t deny the excitement she felt in being rescued. It buzzed in her veins as if she drank fifteen shots of espresso.
But just with the burst of energy that came with the espresso, the anxiety spike chased after it. There were so many things that could go wrong today. So many potential deaths on top of the guaranteed, if Vincent was telling the truth about sowing dissonance within Keith’s ranks. Quill knew that four months wasn’t nearly long enough to get to know someone, but she knew enough about her mate - captor - to know that he wasn’t stupid. Cunning, quick, and dangerous, Keith wasn’t someone to be taken lightly. Keith was going to see the disloyalty as death warrants, and he the executioner.
Maybe that’s why he was like that this morning. And if Keith knew that she called Vince…?
On top of her hiccups, her body started to shake. Violent tremors racked her body as she deleted Vincent’s number from the call log. Her vision blurred and tunneled, and her breathing became fast and shallow. It wasn’t until later that she realized she was having a panic attack. Her mind raced alongside her heart, both too quick for her to keep up. It was like she was in a tornado, being thrown around by her thoughts and her emotions, too quick for her to pinpoint or examine.
She didn’t know how long she sat on that toilet, but by the time she too her first deep breath her legs were asleep and her shoulders aches from the prolonged hunching. With a crack, her back straightened and she stood. Quill’s steps were hesitant when she walked toward the bathroom door, but it didn’t stop her to press her ear to the door to check for any activity on the other side. Then to double check, she lowered to her hands and knees and sniffed under the crack to check for any fresh scents.
When it was evident how the room was how she left it, she breathed a sigh of relief, jaw unclenching and eyelids sagging. What she wouldn’t give for a nap right now. And food.
She didn’t dare to call for any though. One, she didn’t want to turn around and throw it up later. Two, Keith would end up knowing that she called for food. It was best if she didn’t draw his attention in any way. It was a long shot, but she hoped that her rescue would be a quiet one - in and out with no confrontations. And ignored how tight her chest felt at not being able to say goodbye. Like this was a long-distance relationship or something. No. Keith didn’t deserve a goodbye.
He was a. Bad. Man. He’s killed multiple people, some of whom were in the same position as her. And if he knew she was pregnant, he would kill the baby.
It was a little bit later when she crawled back onto the bed, refusing to think anymore that it was her side, she was dressed. It was a rare time that she was, simply because when Keith showed up from work, the first thing they did was fuck. There really was no point in dressing when every time she did her clothes were violently ripped off her body. This time though? She dressed because she was leaving, and she didn’t want to have her rescuers see her naked.
Not only that, but the white, square-necked dress that accentuated her full bust and hugged her waist was her favorite piece from the wardrobe Keith accumulated for her. The silky feel of the fabric brushed against her thighs with a lover’s caress. And the lacy bodice? Beautiful. She hadn’t worn it since she tried it on to make sure that it fit. But if she was leaving with anything, it was this.
Quill was lying on her side, purposely facing away from Keith’s side of the bed as she went through his phone. She figured it was because she was bored and definitely not as a way to get to know him. Not that there was much on there anyway. Besides the pre-installed apps, it lacked any personality. No social media. No games. Zilch. “That’s boring,” she said aloud. But she assumed that was a good idea to not have anything on there. When she came across the notes app, she found a few notes that warranted nonsense to her. His photos app though had her gasping.
“He. Did. Not.”
He had both photos and videos. A plethora of them. And their main subject was her. And mostly all of them were her in the nude. Her finger quickly swiped through them, only playing videos long enough to make sure the content was what she thought it was: sex. Sex with her begging. Pleading. Moaning. Screaming. They seemed to be focused on her eyes, how they dilated or watered or wide they were as he gave her all of him.
She was disgusted, partly with him, but mostly with herself. How did she not see him taking photos or videos of her?! Most of this had to have been through her heat, where all she cared about was being satisfied. She remembered the nights where she had been too tired for sex but didn’t want to disappoint, too. A scoff passed her lips, though beneath the comforter her thighs clenched together.
“So not turned on by this,” she muttered, deleting the material one by one until she came to a particular video, face turned toward the camera but eyes going above it, as if she didn’t know she was being recorded.
”The reason why some argue for it’s authenticity is that scientific studies found the pigments that were on the codex matched up with what people in that area used, like Maya blue - which is made from palygorskite and indigo dye-“
She was sitting up in the video, straight-backed with gesturing hands as she talked animatedly. A monotone voice droned on in the background, and the soft light of the TV cast half her face in shadow. It was obvious, however, that she was talking about something that she was passionate about. And not minding the company that she was in.
“Deleting this too.”
She had a satisfied grin on her face by the time the last photo was deleted. Then she reached for the TV remote and turned it on to search through the sitcoms.
Not even “The Big Bang Theory” could make her laugh today. Quill found herself frowning, eyesight going fuzzy with dissociation, as she thought about that last video. It hadn’t been sex related, which was odd. Instead, she was talking about an important manuscript for Mayan culture in what her father called her “nerdy voice”. She thought that Keith didn’t care about what she was before she became his - victim, she forced herself to add - or what she loved. So why did he have a video of her talking?
With a sigh, thankful that her hiccups ended a while ago, she opened his notes app again.
It was instances like these that made her wish that she didn’t want to know who Keith was. She felt Psyche’s pain, then. And maybe that was why she left the note for Keith:
Husband mine, Got wot that I Thousand deaths would sooner die Than be separate from thee; None than thou can sweeter be. Thee I worship, dearest one, Even to distraction. Whosomever thou may be, ‘Tis alike the same to me.
***
Thea was grateful that she didn’t wake Katie up. Her voice on the other end held the same chipperness the new director equated her newfound best friend to. That sheepish smile turned into one of relief. “Oh-ho yeah.” She glanced at Elaine as the snow leopard gracefully moved off her bed and sashayed to her own discarded clothes. Though when Elaine bent at the waist, Thea looked away quickly and continued.
“I haven’t found anything on Jade or where she could have gone. Jas is supposed to be on his way to talk to her parents now. But I was just given confirmation on another case. We’ve got a few hours before we pack up and roll out. I was wanting to see if you’d be interested in coming along. I know for sure I’d love the help in talking with the parents.”
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Post by Ventia on Oct 10, 2022 2:40:21 GMT -5
A hour had passed before he knew it and after the final room he found himself walking halfway away before slumping back against the hallway. Keith sighed, looking up at the hallway light clutching his side, each new room sucked out his anger and patience and by the time he was done with what he had to do, he felt suddenly very tired and empty inside. He had wasted so much time. So much life. On what?
He closed his eyes, seeing Tranquility in his mind's eye, a white spot in all the red and black, golden like her hair wrapped around his knuckles, he wondered how she would look under the moonlight, suddenly realizing he's never seen her either in the sunlight or the moonlight. He felt sick then, clutching his mouth the wet feeling of the still warm blood on his skin should have caused the nausea to deepened instead it centered him a little, clearing his head of that disgusting guilty emotion.
He slumped down the wall, reaching the ground his fingers going into his hair, pulling lightly at his skull. A low chuckle left his tight lips, he gasped out a louder choked laugh next, feeling the walls behind him shaking from the poundings of his dying men, knowing at the top of his castle there was a princess being locked away from her loved ones, with more lesser common people trapped everywhere else within his walls. He was the Tyrant. The Monster responsible for all of this.
Did he feel guilt? Keith hung his head lower, smirking to himself, he didn't, at least with none other than the one upstairs. The only one that mattered. Quill. With her, he felt all kinds of guilt. He hated the feeling. Hated it even more that it felt right. She deserved more. When was it that he started thinking such ways? When was it that he began wanting her approval of him? Wanting more with her?
He didn't want to have to lock her away to be with him. He wanted to see her out with the sun blazing down on her, the moonlight caressing her skin and hair, wanted to go on walks with her through a flower field and see her laugh by his side, he wanted to go on a dig site with her and watch as she lost herself in her work, that glint in her gaze blossoming making Keith unable to catch a breath much less tear his gaze away from her.
There was so much he was missing out on, so much he could still learn about her, witness, if only he didn't trap her in his bedroom like the sick fuck he was. If he wasn't a monster. He sighed, getting to his feet, making his way to one of the personal rooms. He showered then, still lost in thought, as he tried his best to get the majority of blood and guts off of him, after a few rounds with the bottles, he emerged out from the bathroom soaking wet rubbing a towel at his face before drying off his chest.
He checked himself in the mirror, was content to see no blood stains on his person, and finished drying himself off what little wounds he had gotten himself had already healed in the short time under the scalding water. There were clothes in the closets, standard like sweats and t-shirts along with socks and undergarments for both sexes. He took what was needed and dressed next, even taking the time to wipe at his boots with the now wet towel, watching as red stained the white cloth.
He made a disapproving sound as he threw the bloodied towel away and put on the now clean boots. Taking his belongings back Keith made his way to the elevators intended to check on Quill. He had made quicker time that he had given himself credit for and found himself smiling again. Soft and gentle like, he entered the elevator and pressed for the top floor, ruffling the water out of his hair as he waited.
The elevator door opened and Keith walked out across the small opening, the soft sounds of the code being put in and then the scanner beep before the door unlocked, no sounds came in until the door began to open and then Keith could hear the low volume of the television before he entered the room leaning against it, locking it from the rest of the world.
"I finished faster than I expected." He grinned at her, all teeth with warmth in his eyes, "But I can head back if you're getting hungry." He told her as his eyes found hers, his body began to relax the tension in his skull lessening. His eyes dropped from her eyes to her lips, and then down her body to the white dress he had bought her on the rare occasion he found himself out of the area.
"Missed me?" His voice dropped to a low purr as he began to make his way towards her.
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"Doing something actually productive?" Katie jumped up from bed, the switch in her automatic, "Count me in! I'll be by the Guild in twenty. I've always been good with other people's parents." She giggled and after a little chat with Thea they hung up and started to get ready. She dressed in comfortable work clothes, which for her consisted of leggings boots and any loose fitting top. Her hair was the most annoying thing, she opt for a tight ponytail and once done grabbed her tiny purse and opened her window.
Sure she could have went down the stairs like a normal person but that would require a chance meeting with either her mother or her worrisome Jaimie. If Jaimie heard about this, he would no doubtfully want to join in on the fun, and Katie still hated having him out on the field. She wrapped the purse strap over her shoulder and chest and jumped for the large tree branch by her second floor window.
Like muscle memory, her arms gripped the branch easily and she swung herself down to the lower one a few feet away. Another jump and she was making the landing, she held out her arms for balance and grinned mischievously as only a tingle of the impact went to her toes. She had fallen on her ass more times than she liked to admit before. Katie thought with a giggle before taking the short walk to where her car waited, Ivy always parked it farther away from the house for this exact reason and used a lame excuse like not wanting to block anyone in when her mother confronted her about it.
From then it didn't take her long to make it to the Guild's location and after a few moments of waiting to get buzzed through the checkpoints she was parking next to one of the many cars in the designated parking lot. For the hour, the Guild's premises was already beginning to be abuzz with activity. Like a kid in a candy shop, Katie couldn't help but find herself feeling giddy as she all but skipped her way into the Guild, if only her previous crew had made it to this level, maybe they wouldn't had disbanded so soon.
In that hour Vincent had texted Quill again if they could make a call once more, she agreed and he got Elena to trace the call getting Quill's location, after giving Tranquility Chambers some more encouragement he had gave her the same instructions to delete everything and ended the call. He began making all the calls he had to next, recruiting the medic crews plus more transportation trucks, as well as trying to get in contact with one of his clients on the inside.
When those phone calls didn't go through it made Vincent go cold, feeling dread for the first time that night. No. He snuffed the thought away, he wouldn't allow himself to back down. He got the copies of Keith's Compound and made his way into the meeting room, laying it down with the marked notes he had been changing with every new piece of information he had gotten. Yes he was confident things would go in his favor today. Even if he couldn't count on the people inside, Vincent would just have to break his way inside and take Keith by storm.
"Here's the plan..." Vincent began to explain to everyone as the room was filled and after that fifteen minute meeting, everyone began to disperse into their individual's roles. Vincent moved to where Thea was and her black haired companion.
"Vincent McClellan, glad to have you on board."
"Kate Black, likewise. McClellan huh? Any relation to our bad guy Keith?"
"Unfortunately. We're brothers."
"Ouch." Katie smiled softly, knowing a bomb when she saw one.
"The parents should be here soon from their hotel. We'll have someone calm them down, I'm going to go with the scouts and get a heads start. Sound good?" He glanced at Thea, even though he was in control for this case, he still looked to her for her permission on certain things. Usually he would be waiting at a safer location but Vincent couldn't sit still anymore. He needed to get this up and running, now.
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Post by Thea on Oct 11, 2022 21:27:11 GMT -5
Quill had just dozed off when Keith came in.
She had been stuck in between being awake and asleep, the vague beginnings of a dream taking shape when her heightened hearing picked up the door opening. Her head snapped up, eyes blinking away the blurriness that came with near-sleep to take in the man that has kept her captive for the last four months. All at once, her memories of earlier came flooding back. Being sick, calling Vincent, Vincent calling her back.
Before she laid down to rest, she had put the phone back in the spot Keith left it, hoping that it didn't look like she used it. She had to resist the urge to look its way; she had a terrible poker face and knew that if she did he would know something was up. It was best that she played dumb, like she hadn't even thought about escaping. Not that it was hard, she thought to herself. If it weren't for the baby that was currently taking up space in her womb, she probably would have jumped Keith's bones by now.
He did smell good, though. Fresh, like he had just stepped out of the shower. He was wearing different clothes, too. A tight-fitting tee that flirted with his frame and sweats that were gripping at his hips for dear life. No longer were his eyes that golden color, nor was it the brown that she had seen when she first met him - the brown that held no spark or glow of life. This brown that colored his irises ... it was warm. Like hot cocoa on snowy days or the melting chocolate on a s'mores around the campfire.
And that smile? It might as well have punched her in the gut, with how difficult it was to breathe now. She found it hard to believe that the same man that left her a while ago was the same man now. There was no hint of insanity in Keith anywhere. No tension. Nothing. Suddenly, she felt ... shy, the blush settling on her cheeks telling on her. Normally, she would strut for him. Or at the very least not care to hide. Maybe it was because of her swollen breasts, filling the top of the dress more than last time she wore it. Or the way he was acting - yet another facet of Keith she had yet to see. Or maybe it was the fact that he looked clean and refreshed and she did not. Regardless, she followed the urge to yank out the covers from under her so that she could cover her bare legs. "I see that," she murmured huskily and returned one of her own smiles, soft and unsure how to make of him. "And that you showered."
What she should do was send him off to get her breakfast. Quill was starting to get hungry now that her stomach was settled. Not only that but it was easier to keep a secret from someone if said someone wasn't in the room. She wasn't sure if Vincent would try to reach out to her again, either. And she sure as hell didn't want for that to happen if Keith was with her.
And yet, these last four months she never did anything logically. Sleeping with the proverbial dragon? Cuddling with him at night? Equating him to the fucking Greed god of love? She's a psycho, and always worried that she was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. Even now, she was debating on opting out of breakfast so that he didn't have to leave her again. She never wanted for him to leave her.
Confess.
He was getting closer. He asked her if she missed him.
Confess.
"I did," she said truthfully.
Confess.
"Did you miss me?" The question came out of her without her permission. It was something that she wanted to know though. She needed to know.
Tell him!
But she couldn't. She just couldn't.
***
"Sounds good to me." Thea and Katie were the last ones in the meeting, watching as Vincent took charge of the case and made a playbook of who was going to be where. The scouts she was familiar with, along with two head medics Daphne and Matthew and the rest of the warriors that she and Katie were taking. Elaine had been one, with Atsila, the new guy Lark, and Tobasco. Tobasco was the most eager of them all it felt like, rubbing his calloused hands so hard Thea was afraid he was going to start a fire with the friction. Usually, the smaller the team the better, but from what Thea has seen Keith's compound was huge. There was no telling how many people that needed rescuing.
"Kate and I will follow right behind you. But do not engage until we get there." She knew what it felt like to want vengeance. On the flip side, that vengeance could very well kill Vincent if he wasn't careful. The time Thea had with the Guild made her care for them all; she interacted with a handful the most, Vincent included in that group. And she sure as hell didn't want to have to attend a funeral.
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Post by Ventia on Oct 13, 2022 20:48:11 GMT -5
Keith smiled softly, he hadn't expected her to answer so honestly and it did many things to his chest and brain, he made it to the bed and bent down taking the edge of the covers by her waist and easing it up farther over her body before letting go and sitting on the edge of the bed by her feet. She scooted a little bit away which he only followed her by taking more space on her side of the bed and easing a knee up and facing her.
"I did miss you." He bent forward easily touching her cheek with his big hand and brushed his finger against her cheek, she felt warm under his touch and soft, clean too. It went beyond cleanliness, she was pure while he was tainted, she was more like that of a angel with him being more like a devil, she was good and Keith was bad.
Yet here they were, at the same place at the same time, their lives forevermore would be changed from their meeting, Keith only hoped she could look past the rough start and take only the good out with her, even if Keith knew that he had shown her very little of his good side.
"I always do. You look pretty by the way," he lifted his palm to touch her hair gently stroking it away from her face. "Quill..." he paused not sure what he wanted to tell her, in his thinking he withdrew his hand away from her and laid both of his arms in his lap, looking away from her towards the wall that still held the shackles and chains.
"Do you hate me?" He asked in a low tone after a long moment of silence, he kept his gaze on the wall his mind replaying their story from the very first day to this moment. She should hate him, he knew this, he hadn't been kind, he had kept her here all this time against her will, and never showed remorse for his actions until probably now.
Finally, he turned to look at her, his eyes very dark with only bare hints of gold in them, "You can tell me the truth without fear of me getting angry. I want to hear you say the words. Do you hate me Tranquility? Do you wish to be free?"
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"Alright sounds good." Vincent nodded and gave them both a little smirk.
"I'll try my best. See you out there." Then he turned and strode out the room, the friendly glint in his gaze disappearing as anger and bitterness made his expression hard as he made his way to the armored truck he and the scouts were taking. Making a pit stop in the armory room where many of their people were stocking up, he began to do the same until everyone was set and ready and the first car was heading out of the Guild's Territory on route towards Keith's and Quill's location.
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Post by Thea on Oct 14, 2022 2:38:24 GMT -5
He was going to be her undoing.
Quill felt it deep within her. Keith was etching his very essence into her bones. His gentle touches burned her more than his brand had, confusing her and making her dizzy with whiplash. She should not want for him to keep touching her like this. So gently, so sweetly. This was an abomination. That's what she has to keep telling herself to combat the guilt she was feeling. He was an evil man that did evil things.
Yet that argument was losing it's impact with how much she was using it. The more he caressed her, the more he unknowingly wiped away his sins. The more she was beating a dead horse. "I do?" she whispered, forcing her hands to stay in her lap so that they wouldn't do something traitorous. Like frame his face or interlock his fingers.
Relief washed over her when he pulled away, knowing she was not strong enough to withhold her desires for too long. Still, on top of that relief was disappointment. She wanted to take those large hands of his and press it to her belly. Where his child was growing within her. A spark of fear ignited her heart to race against her chest, then, reminding her of his words he said all that time ago.
When he raped her against the bathroom wall.
When he branded her with his initial.
When he locked her in the same shackles on the wall that he was looking at as if they would give him some sort of answer.
She took a few moments to process what he said, almost too low for her to hear. Her blue eyes blinked once. Then twice. Did she hate him? She couldn't deny that she did feel hatred in the beginning. For him, for fate, for herself. The more time she spent with him, the less she thought about it. Until now. The familiar acrid taste of it welled in the back of her mouth, bidding her to remember of what it felt like in the beginning.
The urge to say no died on her tongue when her gaze met his. He was like a spider, catching her, a measly house fly, in the web that was his eyes. Flecks of gold peeked at her. Enticing her with their possessive tendencies. Her head was swimming. Ears ringing. She didn't know that she had started crying until she blinked and her tears fell onto her cheeks to travel down to her wringing hands.
"Yes," she answered shakily. "I hate how you can make me forget what you are with just a touch. You make me feel so fucking crazy because - because I'm not stupid, Keith. I know how I got here. I didn't forget what you've done to me. And I know I'm not the first one to be in those chains."
She couldn't look at them as she jerked her chin in that direction. Otherwise the ghosts of all of Keith's victims would condemn her. Why was she the one to be alive after so long? Was it because of the mate bond? Did it really have that big of an effect for a man of Keith's caliber to stop in his tracks? It sounded so ridiculous even to her own ears. "I'm the daughter of a goddamn alpha," she continued more to herself, voice breaking. The heels of her hands dug relentlessly into her eyes for a few seconds as if it would staunch the flow of tears. "I have iron for bones and steel for blood."
Her mother's words, her grandfather's and the alphas of old, tumbled out of her mouth out of nowhere. She hadn't heard that phrase in a long time. Not since Grandpa died. Was it her ancestors' way of mocking her? Because she sure as hell hadn't acted that way these last four months. A whole third of the year. "I want to be free," her words broke the brief silence. "And I feel so fucking crazy for saying this, but I want you to be free too."
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Post by Ventia on Oct 31, 2022 16:20:11 GMT -5
He watched her, unable to look away, mesmerized by her. The pain in her voice. The tears leaking down her cheeks. Her trembling lips as they spoke the truth, a truth that sounded like a fairy tale, a truth that sounded too good for the likes of him but still made Keith's lips tug and stretch into a smile. He gripped the bedsheets, wanting to touch Quill, to wrap her hair around his knuckles and never let go.
He wanted to kiss her lips, to kiss away the tears that he knew wouldn't stop anytime soon because she held on to so much pain, the pain he had given her. He was sick, he knew it, Quill did too, he liked hearing that she knew what kind of man he was, he liked how she wasn't ignorant of his crimes, that she wasn't the first to endure his pain.
He chuckled lightly, liking her voice, liking her words, she did have iron for bones and steel for blood, she hadn't broke...if anyone had been broken it was Keith himself. Quill ruined his life for him. Showed him there was still something human in him. It was still twisted and he wouldn't ever be a good man, his sins forever staining his soul black, but she had found that one shard of decency and had protected it during her time here, if it was a ember she would be blowing on it gently trying to get it to burn ablaze.
His throat closed, she was too good, too sweet, he should let her go...but Keith wouldn't. He couldn't. Even if he was a monster, even if he continued to make her cry, to give her pain, even if that was the right thing to do, Keith wouldn't give up on Tranquility. She was his. She would always be his.
"Can I be free?" He asked in a gentle tone, allowing the vulnerability to shine in his eyes and make his voice waiver. When she continued to hide her eyes from him, he touched her wrists lightly and tugged them down to her lap, waiting for her to open her teary gaze for him.
"Do you think there's still good in me? Do you think I can change?"
"Do I have the right to? After everything I've done? Isn't it too late for me Quill? Wouldn't you think that I'm just faking it? To look good in your eyes and then turn around and be a monster to everyone else? Wouldn't you think that?" He smiled sadly, gently massaging her wrists with his thumbs, crouching a little to be on eye level with her.
"Could you ever love someone like me?"
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Post by Thea on Nov 4, 2022 15:30:50 GMT -5
Quill was so busy trying - and failing miserably - not to cry that when Keith touched her she startled. She stared at him around the stars she created from pressing into her eyes so hard. She was sure she gave him a sight as well, with her blue irises rimmed in bloodshot red. But what she saw was something she thought was a figment of her imagination. Or maybe even a byproduct of her attempts to staunch the flow of tears.
Did she have as much an effect on him as he did her?
No. Surely not. This was just a way to get even more under her skin. She had to believe it. Yet, Keith wasn't one for psychological warfare. Not that she's seen, anyway. He liked to give and receive physical pain, that much he's told and shown her. And while she's in a mindfuck of her own, she was afraid that the only fault Keith had in it was being her fixation. Quill wasn't sure if he had the patience for pretzeling her thoughts and emotions or even be impressed with how many acrobatic hoops she had to jump through to justify the need to leave when she wasn't sure herself that she wanted to.
What would Lydia say right now, if she were here? She could imagine her friend in that calculated, sympathetic way of hers telling her that none of this was her fault. She was not a victim, but a survivor, and she did everything she could to do just that. Keith was the one in the wrong here, not her. It was as if the woman was right there beside her - she could almost feel Lydia's hand on her knee. A comforting presence that she so desperately needed right now.
"I don't know," she moaned, and with those words came another wave of tears. God, how many buckets could she fill with how much she's cried today? She remembered when she did all she could to not show this in front of Keith. This was a sign of weakness that he was looking for. The way he knew that he successfully broke her down into the submissive whore that he wanted. Well, he got it, she thought ruefully. But probably not in the way either of them expected. Was this better? Or worse?
"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know." With each word came a warbling sound, an indication that she was trying so hard not to break down into incoherent sobs. That was all she could say. She wanted him to be different and even lost herself in a fantasy that he was the guy she imagined her mate to be all these years. Was he capable of change? Is it too late for him? She wasn't sure; every time she tried thinking of her predecessors it was too painful to handle. Knowing that she was treated differently. Feeling guilty that she was and not doing anything to stop it until now. There would be a high possibility that he would be faking it. If it's one thing that her pack has taught her was that it was hard to change who you were.
But there was something that Quill had to ask out of all of this. Something so small and inconsequential in the grand scheme of things that she was better off not knowing the answer. If there was something that she found out to be true for herself, though, was that she liked pain too. "Why do you care?"
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Post by Ventia on Dec 19, 2022 14:52:10 GMT -5
There it was.
Keith stared at her, stared at the mess he had made, of the fact that he loved her becoming that much clearer. Not for the first time the bitterness of his emotions made him swallow hard reaching out again to lightly fondle her hair as his brain went on overdrive and his body tried to remain calm.
Touching her cheek with his other hand, he wiped at her tears the wet feeling was another blow of how much he was making her cry. He found it hard to speak, seeing Quill like this, knowing the reason why she was like this, that it as always was Keith’s fault.
“Don't cry please.” He said softly, one hand cleared her face with gentle yet precise motions, alternating between his thumb and the back of his forefinger as he wiped both sides wave after wave; the other hand kept petting her hair in what he hoped were gentle and soothing strokes.
“I can't stand seeing you cry.” His voice darkened before he could catch himself, and he paused in his touching of her, his hand by her hair fell away yet he still couldn't bear not wiping away every tear that she shed.
“Because I have to know; I want and need to know what you think.” He finally answered her question, at least part of it, what he thought was safe to tell her. He needed to do this delicately, if there was any hope for a future.
“It's okay if you can't tell me. If you don't know.” He caressed her cheek, cupping it with his hand and felt himself leaning closer, her scent flared around him strong and sweet, the feel of her breath brushed his lips. Keith wanted to kiss her, and though he had just a few hours ago, now it felt like there was a wall separating them.
If his assumption was right, which it usually was, everything made sense. She was leaving him. He could feel it with every fiber of his being, but what he could also feel was how strongly she felt for him as well, was it love?
Was any of it love? For both him and her? Keith still wasn't one hundred percent sure, he thought it was, at least for him. But there was still that doubt hanging over him, that maybe he was just clinging onto her because she was his mate and the first person to bring out the good in him again.
Was she just feeling pity and sadness for him, was it just a survival instinct to play nice and act a certain way until she would be saved, and then since she was such a good person, those feelings made her heart get torn in two deciding if he could still be saved. She was a sweet girl while Keith would always be a monster, no matter how hard he tried to hide his claws.
“I know about the phone calls, Quill.” He said gently and finally let his hand drop from touching her face, from wiping her tears.
“My phones are synced.” He explained further, staring into her bloodshot blue eyes and gave her a half smile as he leaned back, giving her some room. His gaze was soft, and maybe even a little sad.
“Who did you call?"
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Post by Thea on Dec 22, 2022 6:28:45 GMT -5
As Quill clung to him she realized, not for the first time, how large Keith's hands were.
Funny how those same hands used to hurt her. Now they soothed her. Calloused fingers swiped at her cheeks and brushed through her tangles. His palm had no problem cupping her cheek in its entirety. Hands stained with red - and yet at this moment, she didn't care. Because she didn't want to. In a brief amount of time, she let herself be comforted by him as she reached forward desperately to latch onto his wrists. Along the way she winced - in her haste, she had brushed her forearms against her very-much-sore breasts.
He was so close. Just a breath away. His scent enveloped her, very much like a lover's embrace. And yet he felt so far away. Like he was keeping himself from her. She wanted to close the distance. Latch onto him and never let go because at this moment all she wanted was Keith. Yet that would be wrong, wouldn't it? It is wrong to want the man that held her captive for four months, even if the last two weren't filled with malice and depravity. To tell him that she was pregnant and had the desire to have a family with him.
It was so wrong. And she was insane.
Though denying that his touches soothed her soul and eased her sobs into painful hiccups would be like saying the sky wasn't blue. Disingenuous, her mentor would tut. Was this what love was? Or was it because he was the only person she's had contact with for so long? Either situation looked dim. No matter what, she had to leave. Never leaving this bed wasn't a life she wanted to live. Bringing a child into this, to be raised like Keith if he didn't follow through with his promise in the very beginning. She couldn't - wouldn't stand for it.
So when he brought up the phone calls, she didn't act surprised. Didn't deny them. Of course, slipping away undetected would have been out of the question. Of course, he knew about them because nothing got past the damn man. Wasn't that just her luck? What really threw her for a loop (even though it shouldn't) was his reaction. In the beginning, he probably would have laughed at the audacity. But now, his eyes gave off the quality of a lost puppy. Her heart ached, and the lump of sobs came back with a vengeance.
"Don't look at me like that," she hissed, missing his warmth and his touches as if he wasn't right there in front of her. She hugged her arms close to her torso, tearing her gaze away from him to look at the wall above the television. If she had something to focus on, maybe the guilt she felt tearing at her insides would go away. "What did you think was going to happen? That I would let you keep fucking me into oblivion? Until I forgot what you did? What you do?"
If she just kept talking, she wouldn't break down again. She couldn't break down again. Never mind the fact that she hadn't answered him yet. It probably looked like she was stalling for time - in a way she was. "I have a life I want to get back to. I don't know if you know this about me but I'm a well-respected archaeologist. I've written a book! I was expected in Egypt when your lackeys threw me in this hell hole."
That life seemed so far away. And why was that? "I should have gotten out of here sooner," she continued, more to herself than him. "I had ample opportunity." But she didn't want to leave him. That was the truth.
"His name is Vincent," she finally answered him after a few moments of silence. She ran out of acid to throw in her words but if she stopped talking completely she was going to cry again. "Someone came to me a couple months ago with his phone number and a picture of my parents. Told me to call. I don't know how much longer it will be but he's on his way."
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Post by Ventia on Jan 26, 2023 12:22:37 GMT -5
Keith stayed silent as he watched her, his smile had died away and his stomach felt like it was twisting into knots by the end of her speech. Even the name of his brother made his jaw twitch and a unnecessary unload of memories that came with the name filtered through his brain before he forced it away, concentrating on the side profile of Quill's face and trying to decide what he wanted to say.
What was there to say though? Was he angry? Of course he was, but his anger was directed at himself because now he could only hear the truth in her words. Of course he knew it before too, but before Keith had never cared enough about anyone else's feelings but his own. So what if he mentally and physically damaged people, if he didn't do it, life would just fuck them up in his stead. He enjoyed giving others pain, whether it was a coping mechanism or just the fact that he liked it, Keith had never bothered to care to get to the bottom of it.
He was a lost clause.
Until she came around.
Now, everything felt different. No, everything was different.
He could feel her pain as if it was his own, he would have dreams of her in the beginning, where he'd hit her or when he branded her, in those dreams she still cursed him, the same words she was speaking now were always a echo in those dreams, he should have felt guilt for it all. But Keith couldn't bring himself to feel guilty, at least not for keeping her here with him. He did feel it for the way he treated her in the beginning, had he known she'd turn out to be the one person who stood alone from everyone else Keith wouldn't have acted so rashly...or maybe he would have.
Even now he still wanted to drag her up and away from the bed, to the wall she was still staring at, he wanted to chain her there and demand she remember how much she needed him, that if he was a disease she was already infected, he wanted to train her to be dependent on him, wanted to store himself deep in her bones where she could never get rid of him, he wanted her to realize that no one else could take his place and that her place was by his side.
But that would only go against everything he wanted for the future. Everything she wanted.
He clenched his teeth, gripping his knee to keep his hand from shooting out and grabbing her chin and making her face him. Instead he looked away as well, staring at the fireplace where the poker waited seemingly harmless by the ashes. Anger flared again as he stared around his room, little things here and there stood out, the chains, the poker, the security box that held some of his toys that he liked to use on Quill, the restraints on the bed, and then the tv that was his poor excuse of entertainment for her while he was away.
Keith stood up, gripping the bridge of his nose and breathing out roughly, his palm now covering his face. Another twist in his stomach made him swallow hard as he made his way towards the fireplace, his hand coming down from his face and grabbing the top of the poker in a fluid motion as if he had done it a hundred times, and he was sure he had.
Without a word to her, Keith gripped the iron like a bat and went towards the tv and without missing a beat he swung it and smashed his tv, the screen fractured the little cracks spreading out, he stood in front of the bed making sure at least nothing would fly off and hit Quill. Then he swung again, his muscles clenching with the added force behind it, the tv wobbled though drilled into the cement wall it was already tilting sideways. He then let himself take his anger out on the damn thing, black pieces fell and rain down on his boots, only when it smashed to the floor did Keith turn around, poker still in hand and stare at Quill.
Good. She was finally looking at him.
His eyes were glowing gold, he watched her as she huddled on the bed, her eyes a bit wide despite her attempt to keep her face calm. She probably found him crazy, that was fine.
"You think you can leave me?" He said under his breath, the urge to break everything in the room was strong if the way his fist was tightening on the iron was anything to go by.
"You think you'll get rid of me?"
"Let them come. Let them try. Fuck it Quill. You want to leave? Fucking leave then. Fucking try to leave. You've had opportunities, you say?" He scoffed, "Why the fuck are you still here then. Why are you still fucking caring. Should I remind you what kind of person I am? Do you want to get chained to the wall again? Want me to fuck you to oblivion? Is that why you cant keep your eyes off of it? Do you like this side of me? Huh? Should I just act fucking crazy before you fucking get it into your head that I fucking li-"
Keith stopped himself, the iron whined bending a fraction from how hard he was gripping the tip.
"Fuck!" He turned around, whipping the wall with it once more before dropping it with a loud bang and then making his way back to Quill's side and leaning over her. This time he didn't hesitate in gripping her chin with his fingers, he lifted her face looking into those eyes.
"You'll never forget me. You'll never feel normal again if I'm not there with you. You say all this shit about how you landing here was the worst time of your life, that I'm just your crazy captor but we both know there's more to it. You like me Tranquility." He let go of her then.
"You'll see. You'll start to miss me. Maybe some nice guy will come into your life and you'll try with him, but he'll be lacking in every way. Because what you need is me, and only me. Yes you're right. Staying cooped up in a human trafficking tower is sucky. Borderline crazy. You do deserve more. You should be able to do anything you want, digs or seeing your family, a nice home and a safe Pack to live in, this doesn't suit you anymore. Maybe it never did. I only wanted you for myself, I still do, I want to keep you locked away like the precious jewel you are, but not if it's only killing your spirit."
"So I'll let you go, oh I wont make it easy for this Vincent guy and whatever squat team he wants to bring, but I give you my word, you can go. Live without me for a little. Try to be normal again. Put on a show for me babygirl, try and convince yourself you're better off, and just when you think you are, just when you think you got me out of your life, that's when I'll come knocking and show you how wrong you are."
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Post by Thea on Jan 28, 2023 3:32:17 GMT -5
There it was.
His anger. So raw and jagged, like if she dared to reach out she would surely be cut. So instead, she watched in horror as he destroyed the only thing that was her escape during the long days in which he was away. Quill couldn't pull her eyes away from it. And yet at the same time, her body instinctively drew itself inward, as if it was trying to pull away from the gruesome scene before her.
It seemed to last forever - but in a very swift way. She blinked finally, and he was there, staring at her with those possessive, golden eyes of his. She felt her heart drop to the bottom of its cage before jump starting to one thousand miles a minute. There was a dull roar in her ears, rushing right alongside Keith's tirade until she wondered in a sort of detached way if he was actually roaring. Like a great beast of yore.
And then she jumped at the sound of the poker being thrown, her lungs suddenly remembering what their purpose was while her eyes took in his bestial stalk toward her in paralyzed awe. She was helpless, shoulders trembling, breathing shallow. Keith's words bounced around in her head, echoing harshly over and over again. These were words that, if he said them in the beginning, she would have dismissed and laughed in his face. Because who in their ever-loving mind would believe the bullshit he was spouting?
Four months later, she could. She didn't deny that she had feelings for Keith. She didn't deny that she wasn't sane, either. The expression on his face dared her to contradict him. To show him proof that she could, in fact, leave this behind. Leave him behind. Regardless, she knew better than to call him out on his bluff. He was a man of action, that much she knew. If he said he would come for her again, she believed him. She believed, also, that he was right in every other thing that he'd said.
He wasn't a good man.
She would miss him.
She did deserve better.
But he burrowed himself under her skin, settling deep into her bones and spirit. He somehow had morphed her into something that couldn't function properly without him. Like an addict, never wholly complete until they had their next fix. She would be stupid to think that with enough time away from him she would be cured. No. She had fallen so deeply and quickly for the fantasy that it was too late to turn back now. Because now, even if he weren't to come looking for her, she would look for him at every turn.
Her lip curled into a snarl, hatred for herself burning in her eyes, blue irises becoming more vivid. "How very fucking generous of you, Your Majesty," she growled, balling the part of the comforter she had into her fist. "To let me free of my chains until I - what - grow bored? Do you honestly think that you've made so much of an impact on me that I would want you? Need?" She laughed, then. Not because she found him funny but because this situation was so bizarre. As if she were actually breaking up with him, in some sort of twisted way.
"You know what I say to that? Fuck. You." She tucked her knees under her, then rocked to her heels so that she could stand up on the bed. She was sure he could see her shaking, how she clenched her jaw to keep her teeth from clattering together. On the other hand, she didn't really care. If he wanted a show, she'd give him one right now. "Having the fucking nerve to tell me that you're letting me go because it's killing my spirit. All hail Keith fucking McClellan. What a good fucking guy."
She scoffed then, feeling a little bit bolder. A little bit more like her old self. Before a few good romps in the sack made her a demented woman. Of its own accord, her hand moved quicker than she could register. Her palm met his cheek with a resounding smack!, causing his head to tilt slightly to the left. "Get it through your pretty, thick skull of yours. I. Hate. You."
You said you wouldn't get angry.
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Post by Ventia on Jan 30, 2023 1:56:34 GMT -5
In that split second after Quill had hit him, Keith found himself staring into the mirror behind the bed at his reflection, his gold eyes were dangerously bright and already some redness was starting to show on the cheek. Its sting was making the eyelid above it twitch furiously and a low hum echoed in his ear, making it ring for a few pulsating seconds before it died down, leaving Keith with nothing but the truth. He had been slapped. He should have felt fury but his lips curved upwards and he turned his face back to face Quill.
Still standing on top of that damn bed, her face which had been turning red earlier was now drained of its color, looking as white as the dress she wore. Yet her eyes were still burning with hate, ah yes that was how it was supposed to go. He reached to touch his lip where her nails had nicked him and glanced down at the smudge of blood, only a droplet or two but more than he had allowed any to come close to achieving.
He brought his thumb to his lips and licked the smear while watching her face. He watched as she gathered herself up, and waited for her fear to quell down before he brushed his hand towards his cheek and rubbed it for a second before pushing back the hair out of his face.
"I would have punched any girls before you if they just did what you did, Quill. Matter of fact, I have. Even to the ones I had been fond of." He told her once her breathing had steadied and took a step forward, the next second he jumped onto the bed and grabbed one of her wrists while wrapping the other around her back, pressing her close to his chest his grip dangerously tight not giving her any room to break free. Only the bed tiled this way and that under their weight.
"So yes, I think I'm being a fucking gentleman right about now. Hate me all you want Quill. Be in denial. It doesn't change anything. You are mine." He growled into her ear, kissing the soft earlobe before biting down on it, teasingly at first and then adding a pinch of pressure before smoothing the pain out with his feverish tongue.
"You will always be mine. Even if I need to resort to these drastic measures, I'll do it again and again until you learn the truth. Right now I'm just giving you a chance, giving the both of us a chance to do things the way you want them to be. I am going to do it your way this time. I'll make an effort. If it doesn't work out, then I'll do things my way. Remember that, won't you?" He leaned back, staring into her eyes and slowly began to loosen his grip on her, not enough for her to flee but so he wasn't crushing her with his strength.
Bringing the wrist he still held up, the same hand that had slapped him, Keith pressed a kiss to her inner palm where her skin was also turning red. His tongue shot out, tasting her before he pressed another kiss down to her throbbing pulse.
"Don't hit me anymore, you'll get more hurt than I will, and come down from here, you could fall." He let go of her waist and stepped down from the bed, still holding her hand and offering her the other so she could get down.
"I have to go greet your heroes."
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Post by Thea on Jan 30, 2023 20:35:19 GMT -5
Quill didn't think she had hit him that hard. But as she watched him lick the blood off his thumb, rapt, her stomach flipped and rolled like a ship on raging waters. Her hands became fists at her side briefly, then released as she took in a slow, steadying breath. It was stupid of her to have done that. That could have gone so differently. He could have punched her like he said he did to the other women. Could have done a lot more to her. Probably in the beginning he would have.
She could have lost the baby.
The she-wolf was so lost in her mate's chaotic eyes that she wasn't paying attention to what he was doing. One moment she was standing steadily on the bed she spent most of her days in, and the next she lost her balance. Had it not been for Keith she would have fallen flat on her back. It wouldn't have been an ideal situation, but it was hard for her to decide whether it would have been a better alternative to the vice-like grip he had around her back. Her swollen breasts protested fiercely, pulsating in pain. That in itself froze her lungs solid, but Keith didn't help matters.
One good tug back told her that she wasn't getting free. Another said she was going to bring him down with her and if that happened she'd likely pass out due to no oxygen.
His breath was hot on her ear - it sent a wave of goosebumps down her neck and shoulder. Her stomach flipped once again, this time for a whole different reason before a slick heat pooled at the bottom of it. Her bare toes curled into the dark sheets involuntarily. She let her eyes flutter closed, then, and tried desperately to breathe through her body's traitorous response. The feeling of hatred boiled deep in her veins, yet not for him. The hatred was for herself. How could she feel such a way for a man like this?
How could he have fit into her fantasy so easily? Or was she that naive to think so?
A whimper eked from her lips, thighs clenching with sudden need. The fact that her body was so attuned to him, even now as everything was coming to a head ... it was primal. No thought to it at all. Just pure instinct. Fuck, she was out of her goddamn mind.
When he eased up on his hold she took a much-needed breath but dared not tug herself free. Instead she stayed silent, the words she wanted to say on the tip of her tongue. Her mouth was screwed closed, trapping her voice in so he wouldn't take her answer to his question as a request for one last go-around. No, she wouldn't cave again. She couldn't.
At his commands, she grunted. No, it wouldn't do well if she tried hitting him again. Next time he might actually hit her. Or he'd take enjoyment out of it too much and her intentions would be lost on him. Neither would it do good for her to fall. Her pride, however, demanded that she not take his offer to help her down. So she didn't. She wrenched her hand free and turned to walk to the other side of the bed. "If you're going to let me go, then I'm going with you."
Quill didn't make it very far; her feet didn't make it three steps before she felt a thick arm around her waist and another across her chest to keep her arms pinned to her sides. Her chest protested, making her cry out in surprise-laced pain. "Keith! What are you doing? Let me go!" Every time she wiggled and writhed, his hold tightened more and more until she barely breathed. She wasn't deterred. On the contrary, her movements became more frantic when she realized what he was doing.
"Keith! Keith, no, please not those!"
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Post by Ventia on Jan 30, 2023 21:32:07 GMT -5
"Ssh relax," Keith shushed her gently, nuzzling his face into her hair while he took a couple of steps needed to get to the middle of the wall, where the full-body set of chains waited. They had been harmless these days, used for mere decoration instead of their actual purpose but with things going the way they were, locking up Quill would be much safer for her than allowing her to roam free. He didn't like the idea of her hurting herself by trying to escape from the room just to help aid in her rescue. And if she decided to do something drastic, like taking her own life just to spite him because she didn't believe he'd actually let her go, Keith would lose the last remaining shard of humanity he had in him and then he'd really become a monster with no chances of redemption.
"I'm not going to hurt you." He groaned into her hair as they reached the wall, he pressed his body into her which was an easy task from how tall and large he was, nearly double her size Keith had no issues wrenching an arm up and away from her body to the side where the shackle waited, he had changed the material one night, forgoing the silver chains for an equally as strong metal that would hold a normal shifter. The idea of causing wounds on Quill's wrists and ankles again or even her throat had sent him making the change in the middle of the night while she slept; he hadn't thought he'd really need to use it again but it was better to be prepared for safety's sake.
"It's just to keep you put." He told her grabbing her other wrist, lessening the weight on her chest since she was already where he wanted her. Though she struggled still, trying to yank her hand out of his Keith gently placed the next shackle onto her wrist, the locking mechanism instantly clicking into place. He stepped away, smiling as she tried to kick him now and kept pushing down her knees with his hands while bending down, grabbing her ankles and repeating the process until he stood back up, admiring the sight for a long moment.
She was cursing him now but he barely listened, could only see her chained and spread out for easy access. It still did things to him, rousing lustful emotions and memories of their early days, he wasn't that much of a changed man that he didn't still enjoy having her helpless under his control. He swallowed hard, his eyes slowly raking down her body, focusing on the peaks against the thin fabric of her dress before it dipped down to the curve of her waist and hips, pressing against her spread thighs only a thin curtain of fabric separating him from touching her sweet cunt and Keith knew that he could still get her wet, even when she was acting unwilling, he knew all of her sweet spots and how easy it'll be for him to take her on one last ride with their bodies and show her how compatible they were together.
Keith felt his cock stirring and reached to touch the wild strands of her pretty blonde hair, smoothing them away from her face and tucking one behind her ear, giving her a sweet smile.
"Don't tease me Quill, keep badmouthing me and I'll do something that'll make you start moaning those sweet words you love to weep. I'm doing my best to hold back here." Keith chuckled, trailing a lone finger down the curve of her side not able to resist the feel of her trembling away from him, the rush of power flooded his brain the voices inside urging him to have his way with her, to treat her like his slave, his property, that she liked it had accepted it many times, over and over until she willingly gave herself to him countless more times. Why did he have to hesitate? Why when it was much more fun to be a madman doing whatever the fuck he wanted instead going through the boring process of trying to change for a mere girl.
He caressed her thighs with both hands then, rubbing his thumbs over her hipbones while squeezing her flesh, he pressed his lower half against hers, pressing his chest into hers, his face bending into the hallow of her shoulder, he pressed a light kiss to her neck almost wanting to mark her once again as his, even though his mark was already showing on the other side of her neck. He wanted more marks on her. More marks of him. So she'd never forget.
He dragged his lips, slowly, up her neck bringing his hand up to anchor her face where he wanted it, before closing around her throat. Before she could gasp or scream at him, Keith covered her lips with his own closing his eyes as he sought her out with his tongue, her teeth came down hard on him biting drawing blood but Keith didn't care and after a moment he felt an unwilling shiver rumble across her body and her grip on his tongue slacked, he kissed her deeply then, squeezing her throat gently his other hand petting her hair, when Quill began to moan Keith soaked it all up.
Her taste, the feel of her soft body against his, the sound of her moans sinking into his sweet blood, the wetness of her mouth and the warmth that seemed to burn him each time he touched her, the way her body shook and the sound of her pulse thundering in his ears, the sound of his own matching hers, the way his hands wanted to clench around her hard and never let go but instead he touched her gently and sweetly, afraid to use all of its strength, his wolf claiming hers within their link, their souls imprinting in that one kiss until finally with a hard inhale of air, Keith dragged himself away from her breathing heavily as he stared intensely into her eyes, waiting for the cloud of lust to settle until her eyes cleared and she was staring back at him.
"Goodbye Quill." He said roughly and lowly, his hands spreading on the wall over her, his body almost unwilling to part from her.
"For now." He added, and felt a little better felt like he could move from her now, he dragged his arms back, took a few steps away from her, and sucked in a deep breath of her scent that filled his room, no their scents together, entwined in everything within the room, he would go crazy if her scent remained and she didn't. He would have to burn it all. Burn every aspect of her that she made in these last few months. Until he could find her again and next time, she would stay for good.
He turned away from her, from this room, from the only thing that was good in his world, and readied himself for what was to come. For the next chapter of his life, where he'd have to face his sins head-on just for a chance of a happily ever after with his currently chained-up mate. It went against everything in him, but for her, Keith glanced back one last time, well it was worth it.
"Don't miss me too much love. This isn't the end." He warned her and finally left the room, letting it lock behind him with a silent thud.
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Post by Thea on Jan 31, 2023 0:54:57 GMT -5
Quill didn't register the chains not hurting her at first.
No, all of her senses were attuned to him. Keith was so large that he was the only thing she could see from her newfound spot on the wall. Everywhere he touched her was lit in flames of want and need. His smell surrounded her, caressing her as much as his hands did. And when he kissed her? God, she wanted to devour him and be devoured in return. No, all she wanted at that moment was him. To fuck her once more, yes. But also hold her like he did after. Like she was all he could have ever wanted. Like she was what he claimed for her to be minutes ago.
It wasn't until after he pulled away that she came back to the present. Where she was. What was going on. What he was saying to her. The sound of his voice ... it was as if a heart was breaking. Hers. She couldn't help but shake her head, denying what he was saying to her. Wanting so desperately to be happy that he was leaving her here but knowing that he was right - like he always was. She was going to miss him.
She tried her best to keep her tears at bay, to twist her face into a mask of loathing. Her throat worked to keep the lump of tears at bay. She opened her mouth, but closed it almost immediately afterward. What could she say? What was there to say? He was letting her go, even though he promised to come back. She wanted this to happen. Right? She'd get to go back to normal. She'd raise their baby - her baby - as part of the large family she'd always wanted. She'd get back to work. All would be swell.
This isn't the end, he had said before he left, the door locking in place for what she knew would be the final time.
And yet as she hung from the wall in the dark, with swollen lips, welling eyes, and Keith's scent still clinging to her stubbornly, she couldn't bring herself to be happy.
***
Thea was true to her word: Vincent had point on this mission.
He had left twenty minutes before she and Katie had, taking with him the new man Lark, Atsila, and two scouts. Though if Vince was taking them they had to be good. Tobasco would have gone with them, since he was a formidable warrior as well. But since he was so large, Thea figured that he would be best suited for victim transportation. He rode with Thea and Katie and Elaine in a black nondescript van.
This included the two of the best healers she knew, the bovine siblings, Daphne and Matthew. They were going to follow a little bit behind in the privatized ambulances with their own crew for the worst of the victims.
Thea herself felt a little bit ill at ease - a surprisingly common occurrence for her ever since she took up Selena's title as Director. She had the ability to send out and bring back teams. Sure, she was now able to delegate tasks and the such. But in the end, if something went wrong the responsibility fell on her. What if she made the wrong decisions? This wasn't some video game or a made up scenario. This was her job. Her life. And everyone else's too. She would never forgive herself if something were to happen today. Or any other day.
"Where are we stopping for breakfast afterward?" Thea asked aloud, looking at her best friend briefly before casting her gaze to the rearview mirror.
"I dunno," Tobasco said, drawing out his answer contemplatively. "I'm in the mood for coffee and donuts."
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