Kaeron was running as fast as he could through the crowded streets of Viandra. His heart was pounding in his ears, but he ignored it, avoiding a head-on collision with a vampire injecting themself with blood, as Kaeron dashed into the alley.
"Watch it you little shit!" The vamp hissed.
Kaeron didn't look back at the junkie; he just continued sprinting forward, the sounds of pounding footsteps entering the alley behind him sang through his blood.
"Get back here kid!" The fat leopard shifter who Kaeron had just pick pocketed shouted.
He had to give the shifter credit for noticing, especially after Kaeron had been so careful, and for being as quick as he was in his leopard form, even though it looked like he had ate in entire griffin in a single sitting.
It was pointless however, the shifter was fast, but Kaeron knew this game like the back of his hand. He'd lose the shifter in less than two minutes.
He took a right, jumping a knocked over trashcan. A woman was lying on the ground; He spared her a quick glance. She was crying, and a nasty bruise marred her cheek.
Kaeron was halfway down the alley when he heard the shifter shout in pain, and then a new male voice say. "Now look what you did you stupid bitch!" Kaeron did not look back as he took another right.
He saw her peaking her tiny head out the slightly ajar door before he heard her. "Hurry Pea!" His sister urged, waving frantically at him.
He dashed over to the run-down apartment building and slipped in after his sister, carefully closing the door behind him.
"Why are you down here!?" He hissed at Lex, grabbing her hand and practically dragged her towards their room on the second floor.
"Ow! You're hurting me!" She cried.
He paused for only a moment, leashing his temper, and loosening his grip, then continued up the stairs, pulling her with him.
"Why did you leave the room? If Rick finds out, you'll get into trouble." He said trying to calm his ragged breathing.
"I'm hungry." She said dryly.
He sighed as they rounded the corner to the first room on the second floor, their room.
"You didn't even shut the door behind you?" He shook his head.
"I was hungry." She repeated.
"Their wasn't anything in the hiding spot?"
She shook her head.
He nodded once. They'd have at least three minutes before mom and Rick came bursting through the door to take today's earnings. He pushed her inside gently, shutting the door behind them, ran to his and his sisters shared room, into the closet, took a few Vorx coins from his pockets, and shoved them into the space above where he had 800 vorx coins saved. Not losing momentum, he ran from the closet into their mom's and Rick's room.
He was sure that just because Lex hadn't found any snacks in the place Rick normally hid them, didn't mean he didn't have a few hidden around somewhere. He abused Pixie Dust, and was always snacking because of it. He must've realized somebody had been stealing his snacks, and had hidden them somewhere new.
He thought to the woman in the alley. Marie Lucian Deitas, had been laying on the ground with a bruised cheek, and Kaeron had ran by, assuming it was all part of the act, the act that had helped him escape people he had stolen from on multiple occasions, but what if it wasn't. The thought had him faultering for a moment.
Had she taken the punishment for them? Would he stop at just her? Problems for later, he continued to search... "Found it!" He exclaimed victoriously, lifting a box of cookies.
"So you've been the one getting into my snacks." An angry high pitched voice said from behind him.
Kaeron stiffened a bit but turned around to face Rick. He was standing in the doorway wearing a cold smile that held no amusement.
He had taken too long, stupid, stupid, stupid!
Kaeron peered behind Rick, only now noticing his sisters muffled cries as their mother wrestled her into their shared room, hand around her mouth.
"You ungrateful! Good for nothing!" Rick said entering the room, slamming the door behind him.
"Kaeron, Kaeron!" His sister cried.
Kaeron said nothing, did nothing. He took the beating, even let the bastard bend his index finger back, back.. Snap! A roaring silence, pounded in his ears, and then..
"Kaeron!"
His eyes flung open, searching wildly. He couldn't breathe! Two long arms wrapped around his head, pulling him into a powerful embrace. Her almond and caramel scent, told him who was holding him before she spoke.
"I'm here Kaeron, it's okay, you're safe, I'm not going anywhere, just breathe." Lex said, stroking his hair.
It took a few minutes to master himself; Lex sitting with him the entire time stroking his hair in a soothing, repetitive motion.
"I'm okay now." He said, sweat coating his forehead.
"Yes, you are." A statement, not a question. She kissed his sweaty forehead before letting go. "So is there a reason you're sleeping in front of my room door?"
Shit, he must've fallen asleep keeping an eye on the girl.
He stood, extending a hand to her as he did. "We have a guest."
******
Lillian eyed the hand outstretched to her, and the girl who the hand belonged to.
A beautiful light-skinned girl, covered in tattoo's just like Kaeron. She had long dyed fire red hair, and those same night sky, black eyes that Kaeron had; that held that calculative, distrusting look within.
She was smiling however, a warm, inviting smile, as she waited for Lillian to take her extended hand, but something about it felt like a test, and Lillian couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl. She couldn't be much older than Lillian, and to be this distrusting, what could she have seen or experienced in her short life to have made her so.
She gave the girl a weary smile and took her hand in her own. "Nice to meet you, my name is Lillian, Lillian Hearthstone."
The girl's smile grew a bit, "Lexie Lucian Deitas, but people call me Lex."
Kaerons middle name was Lucian, fitting. She pushed down the thought as they released each other's hands.
They had been outside the room Lillian had been staying in. Kaerons hand was up, clearly about to knock, when she had opened the door, the noise they had been making beforehand waking her from her restless sleep. Now they stood around the couch in the living room.
Kaeron didn't stop examining his cracked phone as he spoke, "The girl is wanted by Talion, she's got a 35 million bounty to be captured and returned to him alive."
Lillian willed her face to stay impassive as Lex looked from her, to Kaeron, then back to her, a frown on her face.
"Why?" Lex said, shocking Lillian by asking her and not Kaeron, something like concern in her voice.
Softer than she wanted, Lillian said. "He wants me to have his children when I turn 16 in three months, it has something to do with my heritage, I don't know..." She stopped talking as she witnessed the intensity that lined the girls body. She was shaking, and her face was contorted from... was that fear?
Lex turned fully to face her brother. "You're not gonna give her to him are you." She spoke in a shaky whisper.
Kaeron dropped the phone, strode over to his sister and pulled her into a hug. "Of course not, you know I would never."
Lillian's jaw dropped. She should look away, clearly they were having some kind of a moment, but she couldn't help it. Kaeron Deitas the Fire Breather, one of the most notorious bounty hunters on this side of the continent, was being... considerate, and nice, and god forbid she say it... he was being sweet!
He let go of Lex and met Lillian's shocked gaze with a frown. "What!?"
She shook her head. "Nothing it's just.. in no universe would I have expected you to be a person.. like with a heartbeat.. that felt such pesky things like emotions, other than annoyance, or anger."
He scowled at her but Lex laughed. "I like her."
Lex grinned at her, and Lillian returned it.
He scoffed, "Ok girl you..."
"You heard her say her name was Lillian." Lex reprimanded him.
He pinned Lex with the same stare he had given Lillian when she had tried to correct him, and Lillian couldn't help but squirm as if she were the one that look were directed towards. Lex however, shot a look back so vicious, it made Lillian feel bad for the guy. They were having a silent battle, and he seemed to be losing.
He sighed, "Ok.. Lillian," the word came out strained, as if it actually pained him to say it, and she had to stifle a laugh at the effort, "you've told us a... story and unless there's something you'd like to add," He pointed to the door, "you're free to go."
Her mouth dried, it was time. She had been dreading this moment ever since she had come up with the idea last night, and was the reason she had hardly slept.
She forced herself to breathe, he would say yes, she refused to let herself believe otherwise.
But it was Lex who spoke first. "You can't be serious, we can't just abandon her to her fate, that would make us no better than the people who'd hunt her like an animal, she's just a girl pea."
He flinched at the nickname but said nothing.
"Actually, I was going to ask for your assistance." Lillian said quietly.
They both looked at her.
She cleared her throat, and took a breath, allowing for a heartbeat of silence before continuing. "I told you," she pointed at Kaeron, "that I was taken from my homeland as a child, and I don't remember much of anything of my parents."
He nodded.
"Which is all true, but what I didn't tell you, is that I do remember where my homeland is and.."
"And you want me to be what.. some kind of fucking escort, sorry lost lamb, but unless you're gonna pay for this little excursion, I'm not interested." He spat.
It took all of her strength not to curl up into a ball and die. She had been stupid to think he would help her, of course he wouldn't. He wore a persons skin, but he was no human.
"Fine!" She said dryly, and headed for the door only to be intercepted by Lex.
She stood with her hands out blocking Lillian's path, and the look she leveled at her brother, would've made a boulder shrink.
They were having another one of their silent conversations.
"But she's a stranger Lex, and you know I don't do pro bono." He finally said through his gritted teeth.
"Really Pea?"
"I can't just leave, what about you!?" He tried.
"I'll come with, summer break started a week ago, I've got plenty of time.." She looked at Lillian, "Where is it we'd be going?"
Lillian looked at the girl and whispered, "Itara."
"What!" They both exclaimed simultaneously, Lex going so far as to put a hand over her mouth in surprise.
"You want me to take you to the City Of Angels?" He barked a laugh. "You see what I mean Lex, I've never seen nor heard of anybody that was born in Itara, she has to be lieing or caught up in some real deep shit, either way, I don't want to get caught up in it, so no I will not be helping her, End Of Discussion!"
"No, not end of discussion!" She took a deep breath, and softened her tone, "Kaeron, she's a human girl, younger than I am, she won't make it. Even if she weren't being pursued, the Pumi desert is crawling with demons, and terrifying creatures, no human could possibly survive on their own, we have to help her."
He grinded his teeth rubbing his temples. "But we won't get back until at the very least December, and that's only if everything goes smooth and we don't run into too many problems; you can't miss that much school Lex, and not to mention, babysitting the two of you would be a massive pain."
She smiled, clearly thinking she had already won, "I already know everything they're teaching at that dump of a university, and you've got it twisted, we're going to be the ones having to babysit you, my party loving brother."
He loosed a long sigh. "That's not what I meant and you know it."
Lillian turned to face Kaeron. "So does that mean you're going to help me?"
He looked at her as if she had just asked him what color the sky was. "I need a drink." He bit out, heading passed them and out the door.
She looked at Lex, who was smiling triumphantly. "That means he's in."