Author's note: And finally, here is chapter ten! I'm sorry for the long wait with this one, but it was slow coming at first, and then I just suddenly brainstormed and wrote the last six pages of it in one day. Anyway, hopefully chapter eleven won't take so long, but since I'll be going on vacation the first two weeks of August, the chapter may get delayed. I hope you enjoy this chapter though, and a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed, the reviews are really wonderful and definitely help motivate me more. Please keep them coming. : )
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the werewolves and Faris.
CHAPTER TEN: DEVELOPMENTS
Memories were mingled and distant in Lighthammer's mind, but they were there. Many things had been lost when his vampirism had become something else, something wrong. Something powerful. When he had become a reaper, much of who had once been left his conscious, but there were some things he did remember.
Like the Bloodpack. Like Verlaine.
During the confusion of the other reapers, the frightened ones, Lighthammer had been separated from Snowman, and he hadn't been able to find Verlaine in time. The reapers had left Lighthammer alone as his body finished the slow and painful transformation. They had sensed that he was one of them, and wouldn't make a good meal.
He vaguely remembered hoping that he never would be one of them, hoping that the infection was too slight, that the pain he had hid meant he was fighting the mutation off, not slowly undergoing it, that even though he hid his mutation to save himself from death, ultimately he would not be changed. He had almost instantly forgotten the reasons he had been afraid of the change.
It puzzled him now, it had puzzled him then, moments after he had become a reaper. It had puzzled him when Verlaine had tried to fight him off, tried to refuse the bite he had wanted to give her. It had puzzled him when she whimpered as if dying after he had called her name and pulled her to him.
But it had hurt when she had yanked from his loose grip to run to sunlight. It had hurt to watch her willing burn in front of him instead of accept the gift he had longed to give her.
The pain of the hunger hurt, but the power the mutation brought was worth the price. How could she have not seen that? They would have been immune to everything but the sun, they would have had a better chance at living longer than even that ancient corpse they had pledged themselves to. They would have been able to take out the Daywalker without hardly any effort, what they had been sworn to do.
Yet she had killed herself. Right in front of him. She had shown fear and disgust and hurt, and Lighthammer had only wanted to give her this gift. It hurt and burned, but nothing was free. How could she not have seen that?
It still puzzled him. It still hurt him. But he wouldn't let that get in the way of his destiny. And his destiny was to use this gift to its fullest advantage.
Lighthammer was thankful for the chance to show not only the remaining members of his old team as well as the contemptuous Daywalker, but Sir Ulric, the highest ranking Alpha werewolf, as well. He could not have asked for a better audience to view his new powers. His timing had been perfect, and he hadn't even planned for Sir Ulric to be the one to come. He had imagined Vladimir would come back to solve the mystery of the reaper that got away. But no, the head Alpha had walked into the trap himself, practically handing himself over on a silver platter.
Nyssa, was that her name? He knew the faces, but some of the details escaped him. Yes though, Nyssa was her name, he was sure of it. Nyssa was approaching him slowly. She appeared confused, and Lighthammer saw flickers of other emotions cross her face, but it was difficult to say what they were.
Emotions and their names were so trivial to him now. Emotions other than pride, triumph, the rush of victory, hatred, all others were insignificant now. If Verlaine had survived, perhaps love would have a place among Lighthammer's remaining emotions, but no, she had died, she had died willing and to escape him. There was no such thing as love in his mind now.
After pondering over her expressions though, Lighthammer remembered what he was seeing in her face; confusion, shock, relief, thankfulness, and then as she came closer, all turned to fear and caution. His milky irises met Nyssa's dark pair, and the reaper grinned. But his grin wasn't like a human's or a vampire's or a werewolf's. His grin was a frightening sight. His lower jaw split open and both sides went back, almost to his ears, and the top lip curved upward as best it could.
"Oh my," Nyssa started to say, but he soon silenced and grabbed her gun. The bald one, Reinhardt, yes, Reinhardt, followed her example, and the Asian, Snowman, the one Lighthammer had been with before the reapers had gone wild, unsheathed his sword. The human merely cowered, and he reeked of urine now.
Lighthammer ignored them though. He turned from them, mouth closing up once more as his attention fixated on The Daywalker and the Head Alpha. They were his primary targets, and they had already gotten each other a little breathless. Well, Ulric was breathing the slightest bit heavier than usual, and Blade looked like he couldn't breath at all. The Daywalker was, of course, trying to hide that fact.
The sound of gunfire took Lighthammer's attention away from his two targets, and he felt bullets hit his chest. He didn't wince or grimace, he snarled in annoyance. He was above such trivial pain now. What would sting for him when he was a vampire didn't even pinch now.
Reinhardt had shot him, and Nyssa had followed, instinct telling her to join the gunfire from her own party, though if she had thought it through, surely a smart vampire like he remembered her being could realize it was foolish. But they continued, ignoring the fact that Lighthammer was annoyed at them, until he dropped his hammer and charged up and backhanded Nyssa before she could back away in time.
He heard a snarl from the Daywalker, and turned in time to avoid a weak slash from Blade. The half vampire had moved away from Ulric and towards Lighthammer, seeing Lighthammer as the great threat. Good. He was.
As for the werewolf himself, he stood at the sidelines, while all the vampires suddenly came at him, along with the weakened Daywalker. Lighthammer growled slightly in annoyance while fending off the blows, aware of the pain in his body growing worse, heating up more. It was alerting him he needed to feed, and he needed to feed soon.
Shoving his attackers away, Lighthammer reached out and snatched up Blade's human, yanking him close, and he heard Scud crying out for help. Lighthammer and the others had never been fond of Scud - though they preferred him to Blade's other human, but Lighthammer could not remember his name, or what he looked like for that matter. And now, hearing the human shout like a little girl child who stank of his own piss, Lighthammer realized he was disgusted with the human.
Before Scud could be helped though, Lighthammer's mouth had opened and was against his neck. He felt arms struggling to pull him off, weapons smashing and stabbing at him, but he merely backhanded them off. The ex-Bloodpack member lifted his head briefly to roar at his ex-comrades, and then finished feeding.
They came at him again before he was done, which was quite irritating, but he ignored them, almost done. And once he was, he felt much better, his head much clearer. He could even remember what Whistler looked like. Though he did not consider that a good thing.
Finally, Ulric joined the vampires and the Daywalker, and that was when Lighthammer was reminded what pain that didn't come from his mutation felt like. The Alpha hit him hard in the chest, causing his armor to crack and break his skin. And then there was a kick to the side, and soon the others weren't even trying, letting the lycanthrope deal the damage out.
Lighthammer fended off most of Ulric's blows, but every hit the lycanthrope got in did damage. Damage that would heal, but still damage. Lighthammer punched Ulric's jaw, blocked a blow to his throat, then shrieked when Ulric's fist connected with Lighthammer's throat. That blow had hurt the worst, hitting one of Lighthammer's most sensitive spots.
Knowing he couldn't take the werewolf in hand to hand combat, Lighthammer tried to punch Ulric in the shoulder. That blow was blocked, but Lighthammer managed to slam his palm into Ulric's gut, sending him back a couple of feet. That was all Lighthammer needed to go grab up his discarded weapon, wounds healing swiftly, and then he was ready to fight once more.
Ulric regarded Lighthammer warily, and Lighthammer saw that Ulric respected Lighthammer and his weapon as a threat. Good. Because Lighthammer was about to prove that he wasn't just a threat, he was going to be Ulric's death.
Not waiting for Ulric to make a move, Lighthammer charged, swinging his hammer. Ulric dodged and kicked Lighthammer's side, then slashed his ribs. Lighthammer elbowed Ulric in the chest, then swung his hammer again. Ulric dodged successfully once more, got another kick in, and then the hammer finally collided with the Alpha's chest. Lighthammer grinned in the normal fashion as Ulric was sent into one of the tunnels' walls, crashing through and landing in a pile of rubble.
But before Lighthammer could get his kill in, the Daywalker and his ex-comrades were attacking him again. Lighthammer snarled with annoyance and fought back viciously, strengthened by his feeding session and the surge of adrenaline from his victorious - or about to be, once he dealt with these irritations - scuffle with Ulric.
The fight was in Lighthammer's favor. Despite the hot pain, despite the larger numbers, the wounds Ulric had inflicted, it was in his favor. His wounds were healing. His strength outmatched theirs. His pain was something he was growing accustomed to. He had just fed, and it renewed him and lessened the pain. The power flowing through his veins was hot as one imagined Hell must be, but it only fueled him.
Lighthammer slammed his hammer into Blade's chest, the point of it entering the Daywalker's shoulder. Even as Lighthammer grinned morbidly at the sound of metal tearing flesh, Snowman stabbed him in the side, the end of his katana protruding from Lighthammer's other side. He backhanded Snowman into one of the tunnel walls. Lighthammer then yanked the sword out while Nyssa fought to get the hammer off Blade, and Reinhardt slashed at Lighthammer's chest.
With a battle cry that came out part shriek, part roar, Lighthammer yanked his hammer out of Blade's chest and around, sending Nyssa and Reinhardt crashing into another tunnel altogether, while Blade and Snowman struggled to merely stand.
Seeing his advantage, Lighthammer turned from the weaklings to face Ulric and finally claim his kill. But his kill was nowhere to be seen. The pile of rubble Ulric had been a part of moments ago was made up only of the wall Lighthammer had sent the Alpha through. There wasn't a sign of the werewolf. Except his scent. Lighthammer glanced back only briefly at those who had been his comrades, then followed Ulric's scent.
He could kill the pathetic vampires and even more pathetic Daywalker later. For now he was intent on finding Ulric before it was too late.
Walking towards the lab where the human "guest" had been placed, Meira could smell Karen and the human male, their voices reaching her eyes. She gently knocked on the door before she entered, just to alert them so there wouldn't be any sudden surprises. She found Karen standing and the human, Abraham Whistler if Meira remembered correctly, sitting, and it was obvious Karen was taking some blood samples.
Karen turned and smiled in greeting to Meira, before picking up that something was off. Her realization was obvious but brief, and though she seemed concern still, only Meira would notice. "Hey, Meira. Whistler was just giving a few more blood samples, so I could check and see if there were any side effects to his vampirism or anything we might could use," Karen informed the female werewolf, who nodded, going into scientist mode.
Whistler, for his part, stayed quiet but the look in his eyes was cautious, wary. He didn't trust Meira, and she didn't blame him. Right now, she had a whole new respect and higher regard for trust, and realized just how precious it really was. And how hard it was for most people to give.
Considering how vicious the world was, that was probably a good thing.
"Have you gone over Nomak's blood samples yet?" Meira asked, walking over to help her friend out with organizing the samples Whistler had given. And to just have a friend nearby, because after all that had happened, she needed that. She still wasn't sure just what all had happened, because a lot had happened. To be frank, a lot was an understatement.
Karen must have noticed Meira's need for the friendly companionship, and might have picked up the almost gentle tone when Meira said the name Nomak. Her eyes went to Meira, and she gave her a smile, kind and warm. "I've done some work, but we need more. Once the blood is out of his system, it, well it goes bad I guess you would say. Like the blood in the bitten reapers," Karen explained.
"You guys are doing this stuff to him too?" Whistler asked out of the blue, and Meira looked at him, noting the way he didn't speak of Nomak with hatred. Maybe Karen had explained to him what they knew of the reaper. Maybe he had felt sympathy or pity for Jared.
Meira smiled inwardly, sadly. Nomak wouldn't have liked the tone Whistler used.
Karen answered while Meira tried to control her thoughts and keep them from staying on Nomak for too long. "We need to find out all that we can about him, his weaknesses, strengths, immunities, and if there's a way to reverse what was done to him," she informed the human male, and Meira nodded, though more in confirmation to herself of her earlier assumption concerning what all Whistler had been told.
Whistler nodded, but didn't speak again. He cast a glance at Meira, and the female werewolf met his gaze, but she quickly dropped it. The old man had been more observant and smarter than she'd given him credit for, because he had seemed to know there was something going on with her and the situation involving Nomak. Or maybe that was just her mind playing tricks on her.
Considering how attached she was getting, it wouldn't surprise her.
Meira looked back to Karen and saw her friend's concerned and curious look, but she shook her head ever so slightly. She didn't want to leave Whistler and the blood samples and go talk right now.
"I'm going to go get him more blood and see if he'd be willing to give more samples in a little while," Meira stated softly, glancing at Whistler almost nervously. She didn't want people to start thinking there was more to the situation than there was. But then again, if Whistler suspected Meira was attached to Nomak and maybe infatuated or attracted to him, that wouldn't be thinking there was more to the situation than there really was.
Because the situation was really just that Jared was a little, lost boy trapped inside a man's body, and she wanted him for her mate. She didn't love him, she didn't delude herself that he was in love with her, and she had no hope for a happily ever after with him. But she did want him for her mate, and she did want to give him some comfort.
She was attached and attracted. She wasn't really sure of anything else just yet.
Karen reached out while Meira bowed her head and tried to hide her nervous demeanor. Her hand gently squeezed Meira's shoulder, and the female werewolf was grateful. "Okay, you do that, but get some rest later," Karen instructed softly. "You may have superpowers, but you look like you could use a good, long nap," she added, her tone becoming lighter, playfully chiding.
Meira gave her friend a grateful smile and nodded. "Will do, but I think it's best for all of us if we get the research with Jared done as soon as possible," Meira replied, not even realizing she had slipped with Nomak's first name yet again.
The other two, however, picked up on it immediately, but neither of them said a word. Karen watched while Meira turned and strode out of the room, after giving a nod to Whistler. He had been civil, if untrusting, and the latter was perfectly understandable. Whistler nodded back, and promptly gave Karen a questioning look, but all he got in reply was a half shrug.
Meira was oblivious to it all though, her thoughts back on Jared Nomak. She had hoped to give him more time before she went to see him again. It felt like every time they parted ways, they were thrown right back together again five minutes later. While she no longer minded, she was well aware he would this time.
It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that Jared would be in a confused, therefore foul, state, and with fresh wounds still bleeding, he wouldn't want to be exposed to her so soon. So when she saw him, she would be friendly, open, and warm. But she wouldn't talk about their last conversation, and she wouldn't show pity.
Jared seemed to hate pity as much as he hated disgust. Maybe more so. Considering who he once been, who he still should be, Meira couldn't really blame him.
Meira walked over to the fridge the lab, still unaware that Karen and Whistler were glancing at her every so often - Karen with concern, Whistler with a wary curiosity. She hoped that bringing three bags of blood would also help the upcoming conversation with Nomak go as close to smoothly as possible. Which probably would be as smooth as a gravel road, at best.
Once she had those three bags, she gave the other two a brief nodded before briskly striding out of the lab and heading back towards Nomak's room. This could very likely get loud, and maybe ugly, but Meira was actually doing this for Nomak's sake. The sooner they had what they needed from him, the sooner Ulric could make him the offer, and the sooner Nomak could help them, get a cure if there was one, and be on his merry way.
And maybe he would give her the one thing from him she wanted before he left.
It's not like he wouldn't get anything out of it either. So he wouldn't have anything to complain about. He would get his cure, he would get his revenge, he would get laid, and he could then go off and do whatever he liked. That sounds like a good offer to me. Damn I hope he doesn't flip out when I propose, when I make it. Don't make this sound like a freaking engagement, Meira, you're attached enough. Romantic delusions aren't your style anyway.
So caught up in her thoughts, Meira didn't even realize that she was heading in the same direction that another werewolf was coming from. When his scent finally reached her nostrils, it was just in time to look up and see him round a corner, nearly stalking right into her.
Meira tried not to snarl slightly in anger and revolution, and she succeeded for the most part. She glanced up, about to either snap at Vladimir or giving him a biting apology. But the look he gave her made her mouth stay clamped shut.
The Beta male was damp and smelled heavily of soap, shampoo, and shower water, but the faint scent of Valora lingered on him. The added scent of that female made Meira soften somewhat, and hope almost sprang up, but she guarded. It might not mean anything, he might still chase her like prey - he said mate, she felt more like prey.
Her hope was short lived though, because she realized he did not look like a male who had just mated, or at least mated and enjoyed himself. He looked miserable, but not in his usually grumpy, arrogant way. Not in the way that made her want to snarl and snap at him, but in a way she had never seen before. He for once looked like he didn't hold his arrogance or confidence. He looked miserable, and Meira got the strangest impression he was miserable with himself as much as he was with her and, or, Jared.
"Excuse me," Vladimir stated softly after a moment, eying her as she eyed him. He seemed to grow more disgusted with her than himself though, and he glanced at the blood bags in her hands. "Didn't mean to keep you from your new pet," he added with contempt, his tone indicating that the words came out tasting like bile.
Meira bit her lip to keep from snapping back with something sarcastic and laced with venom. She merely walked around Vladimir, expecting him to call after her with a lewd or degrading - or both - comment, but all she heard was his footsteps pick up and grow distant, heading in the same direction he had been before their, run-in, opposite from where she was headed.
The female werewolf couldn't help but feel a slight shock at how easily he had let her go. Maybe her hopes were right. Maybe he would leave her alone and content himself with Valora. She cast a glance over her shoulder, watching the male walk away from her, down the corridor, and she turned a corner, finally looking away.
He hadn't looked back once. He must have known she had glanced at him, yet he had ignored her after his last comment. Maybe he was finally getting a clue. Maybe he was just giving her a much needed break, that would hopefully last forever.
Meira picked up the pace slightly, glancing down at the still fairly cool bags of blood. Well, if running into Vladimir had gone so nicely, maybe the conversation with Nomak wouldn't be so bad either. But consider she still wasn't sure of just what all exactly had happened - and might never figure it out unless Jared opened up to her completely, which was higher than highly unlikely - she wasn't about to let her hopes rise.
Vladimir stalked down the corridors to find Richard and see if Ulric had gotten back yet. He kept his thoughts on what he was doing, not on the brief time with Meira in the hallway. He had tried to keep from saying a word other than the "Excuse me," but when he caught sight the blood bags, picked up the scent of Nomak and Karen and the other human, all mixed and hanging on Meira, he couldn't help himself.
Why did she spend all of her time with the human woman? Or, now, with the reaper? Why did she degrade herself act like she was human, or worse, vampire? Why did she constantly push and shove him away, shoot him down, turn her back to him, give him the cold shoulder? Why could she not see how he longed for her? Why could she not stop pretending that she wasn't half animal?
Vlad growled softly to himself. He had let his thoughts run rampant again, and look where it had gotten him? Back on Meira, on pining for her. He had vowed to himself he wouldn't stoop so let again, and look at where he was heading? Down, down, down. He just couldn't get low enough it seemed.
Turning another corner, Vladimir finally came to the door to the security room. He knocked and entered briskly, and Richard looked up, bowing his head in greeting and submission. Vladimir nodded in reply, then went straight to business. If only he had more business to attend to, then maybe he could forget about Meira.
There is always Valora. She would be quite willing to distract you from any other females.
As soon as that thought popped up, Vlad squelched it.
"Has Ulric returned yet?" Vladimir questioned Richard, keeping his mind focused on waiting for the answer. Until he left the security room, he would not think about either female. Maybe he should take a vacation and go somewhere nice, secluded, and female free once all this reaper mess was taken care of. Maybe then his mind would clear of his infatuation, and the wolf would settle down and return to being content with being alone.
Richard shook his head, mouth opening to voice the answer his body was already given, when Vlad caught sight of Ulric entering on one of the screens in the room. Richard noticed Vladimir's eyes had left him and moved somewhere else, and he turned as well. He looked up at the screen that Ulric could be seen on, then turned to reply in the affirmative this time.
But Vladimir had already turned, and was striding out of the security room. He needed to talk with Ulric, apologize for his behavior and see if the Alpha was all right. He didn't want there to be bad blood between them. Vladimir owed this position to Ulric in part, and Ulric could easily have him removed. And Vladimir did not want to disappoint his Alpha, even without his position on the line. Ulric had been a good friend and leader for a very long time, and Vlad didn't want to put that at risk.
There was also the fact that he didn't like wondering if Melantha was still angry at him. He remembered the first time she had been angry at him, and that had not ended pleasantly. True, that had been long before he had become Beta of the werewolf population, but she was older, wiser, and stronger now. That meant her punishment would be even worse most likely. If so, well, that did not bode well for Vladimir and what was left of his pride. Sometimes, Vladimir feared Melantha more than he feared Ulric.
But only sometimes.
Ulric slowly strode down the hallways that led to his and Melantha's chambers. He was only in slight pain now, most of the wounds he had gotten already halfway healed. He ignored any lycanthropes he passed, intent on getting to his chambers, though not as swiftly as possible. Ulric was still quite certain Melantha was going to kill him the moment she saw him.
Lighthammer had proven to be a fairly formidable opponent. However, his hammer was a bigger threat than he was, and even that Ulric could withstand. The reaper would be difficult, perhaps, since he seemed more like Nomak than the other reapers, but Ulric was confident that could be dealt with. They did have the carrier after all.
As Ulric neared his chambers, he saw Vladimir coming towards him. He could tell the Beta wished to talk with him, and Ulric's temper had cooled. But he still wasn't in the mood to talk, partly because he wanted to patch things up with his mate, or submit himself to her punishment. As the Beta neared, Ulric shook his head, gesturing with his hand that now was not the time.
"We will talk later, old friend," Ulric stated softly as Vlad came up to him. "That is, if my mate does not kill me," he added with a wry smirk. "Go on about your business, you've nothing to fear from either of us. Melantha's ire will be settled on me now, not you," he continued, and he knew that though Vladimir did not show it, he was relieved he would not be in danger because of his irresponsible antics earlier.
"I will leave you then," Vladimir stated, bowing his head in respect before turning from Ulric, heading off in the direction of the sparring room. Or at least Ulric assumed that was where Vlad was going, since the sparring room was that way, and the Beta probably did need for the exercise.
With a sigh of resignation - he had, after all, brought this on himself - Ulric walked towards his chambers, quietly opening the door. He entered silently, closing and locking the door, and found Melantha lying down.
She was propped up against some pillows at the head of the bed, her eyes staring out their window. She wore her silver nightgown, her skin glowing and her dark hair hiding her face like a thick, black curtain. But immediately it was obvious that she was upset about something, and Ulric nearly punished himself for leaving.
If I did this much damage to her, I'm going to beg her to kill me, Ulric vowed to himself as he quietly walked over, removing his dirty clothing on the way. He didn't want to be near her wearing filthy clothing, his skin was dirty enough. He wished he could get a shower first, but he was too worried.
"I want us to go and visit our children," Melantha stated abruptly. She had spoken before Ulric could emit a word, and she didn't even glance at him. Her words were filled with tears though, tears that Ulric was certain had already been shed.
Reaching out a hand, Ulric brushed some of Melantha's hair back, revealing damp cheeks and glassy eyes. He winced inwardly and nodded. "Of course. When do you want to go?" he asked quietly, voice gentle but not overly placating. He understood what was going on. He had been told, after all, that his mate would most likely be visiting with Silvia during Ulric's outing.
Ulric knew that the females' relationship was still a bit tense, but he also knew Melantha wished to rectify that. But attempting to had brought back painful memories it seemed, or maybe worse, maybe the wonderful ones.
Melantha closed her eyes, one hand lifting to wipe away her tears. She finally looked up at Ulric, much more composed, and he smiled at her grace and strength. "As soon as the reaper mess is dealt with. I want us to go and visit all of them, spend as much time as we can," she stated, and Ulric nodded, his eyes promising. The Alpha female smiled faintly at that, and then she went from grieving mother to irritated Alpha.
"Let me get a shower and then get a little rest, please?" Ulric asked hastily, before Melantha could speak again. He waited for several moments, Melantha giving him a slight glare as she thought it over. But in the end he got a reluctant nod from her, and she pushed him off the bed. Smirking, Ulric kissed her cheek and stepped into the bathroom, turning the shower on.
He could hear Melantha pulling down the bedcover and sheets. That was followed by the gentle rustle of her silken gown sliding off her from and pooling around her feet on the floor. Well, that was a good sign. He knew he was really in for it when she remained clothed.
The Alpha male quickly washed off, his wounds healing rapidly. They were healing faster than the stink from the tunnels was being washed off it seemed. But after a few more minutes, he was satisfied that the stink was gone for the most part, and he didn't want to keep Melantha waiting any longer. Ulric wasted no time getting out and drying off, but when he walked back into the bedchamber, he found Melantha asleep under one sheet.
Lying on her side, one arm under her head and one resting near her stomach, Ulric smiled faintly at the sight. She was in the position she usually slept in while she was pregnant. Whether this was a conscious decision on her part, he wasn't certain, but it didn't matter.
"Pleasant dreams, my love," Ulric whispered, leaning down and placing a soft kiss on his mate's temple before he walked around to the other side. Slipping under the sheet silently, Ulric moved so that he was next to his mate, her back pressing into his chest. His arms slid around her slender waist, and he gave her shoulder a kiss before he closed his eyes, falling asleep to gentle sound of her breathing and heartbeat, her scent filling his nostrils.