"How many stores do you need to visit in one day?"
Mia chuckled, "I like to browse.. is that bad?"
"You're not carrying the bags." Ryon complained with a wry smile.
"Sorry.." She sighed. "I guess let's head to the car."
He kissed her cheek. "I'm teasing. Where to next?"
She looked around, "I think we have hit pretty much everywhere I wanted to go."
"Good. Now follow me." He headed for a small jewelry store. "Wait here." He disappeared inside.
She waited quietly, glancing at her phone.
"Fancy finding you here.." A voice said from behind her.
She froze, slowly turning toward it.
"You've grown up quite a bit, but you still remind me of that little girl that got away."
Mia backed up, trying to stay calm.
The shop door opened and Ryon emerged. He gave a low growl as he saw the man and her reaction to him.
The man looked up then back at Mia, "I'll see you around soon." He walked away and quickly disappeared.
"Who the fuck was that?"
She tried to calm herself, just shaking her head rapidly.
He quickly went to her side. "Breathe. It's okay. Home?"
She nodded slowly, "Alright. Sorry."
"Stop apologizing." He entwined their hands. "Come on."
She was on edge the whole way home, glancing around at everything searching for the man.
Ryon sighed. "Calm down. You're making me paranoid."
She looked down. "I'll be better prepared next time I see him.."
"You let me take care of the bastard, okay?"
She shook her head, "It's not your business."
"Somebody makes you this jumpy, it is my fucking business."
She shook her head again but didn't argue.
He sighed again. "Do you want me to stay?"
"If you want to."
"Tell me what's going on."
She looked away, "He's a witch hunter.."
Ryon snarled. "Now I'm really kicking his ass."
"Tadashi and I barely got away from him and his friends.. our parents didn't make it."
Ryon let loose a string of expletives, not all of them understandable. "You are staying far away from him then."
She stayed quiet, just looking out the window.
They arrived at the mansion. "You stay inside. I will find and end this fucker." He kissed her, slipping a box into her pocket before he got out of the car and teleported.
She looked at the box carefully before opening it.
A delicate diamond necklace and matching engagement ring lay nestled inside.
She stared at it for a while before heading inside. She sat down on her bed, worrying about Ryon's safety.
Ryon returned to the shopping center, hoping to lure the witch hunter out.
There was no sign of him anywhere.
He growled, fighting the urge to shift and attack something. He was not going to allow anyone to hurt her ever again. "Where are you hiding, you sonofabitch?"
Mia heard a loud bang outside. She headed out front to see what caused it. The others in the house did the same.
The man was standing there with a group of hunters behind him. He smiled at Mia, "Told you I'd see you soon."
Mia growled and began muttering spells.
The men began shooting at the witch clan, some hitting, some bouncing off barriers. Suddenly, an explosive was thrown at the mansion. The old building went up in flame. Mia rushed in, avoiding the fire as best as possible, grabbing her fish and snakes and making sure everyone else was outside.
She coughed as smoke filled her lungs, but she managed to get free from the building.
Lux and Aurum slithered off her and began attacking the hunters.
Mia looked around, noting almost her whole clan was down, either dead or injured. She rushed forward and began taking out the hunters.
The man from before approached her with a cruel smile, "You're not getting away that easy."
He grabbed her. She tried to fight and push him off. Soon, she felt pain radiating through her. She looked down and blood was beginning to spread on her shirt.
The man dropped her and laughed as he walked away.
She tried to push herself up to check on the others but she couldn't get to them. She collapsed, her eyes flicking to the ring she was now wearing, her thoughts going to Ryon and praying he was alright.
Howls rang out as the pair of wolves leapt at the man. One black wolf, one white snapped their jaws viciously, trying to kill the hunter.
The man tried to fight them off but was soon overwhelmed.
The wolves reverted, Ryon rushing to her side as Yamae went to the others.
"Stay with me." He dialed the hospital with one hand as he applied pressure with the other. "Don't you dare make me return the ring."
Mia weakly opened her eyes, "Sorry.. tried to fight.."
"It's my fault. I should have stayed." He got Kouichi on the line. "Get your ass here now."
Mia tried to push herself up again, looking over at her clan members. She knew a few weren't home, but the ones that were were in bad shape and she wanted to help.
"Don't move. Help is coming." Ryon held her down.
She wanted to fight but knew she didn't have the strength. She looked at him quietly, her eyes struggling to focus.
"Don't leave me." His voice was pleading.
"'m okay.."
Kouichi rolled his eyes as he knelt beside them. "Liar." He began to stitch her up.
Ryon kept glancing at the hunters, his eyes glittering.
Mia managed to stay conscious while getting stitched up. She then closed her eyes and focused. Yellow light shot out around her to the other clan members before she finally lost consciousness.
Ryon clasped her hand tight until he saw one of the hunters shakily rise. He snarled, shifted and lunged forward.
The hunter tried to protect himself but was no match for the wolf.
Ryon ripped the man's throat out, then reverted. He swayed, a whimper escaping his throat before turning toward Mia and the doctor.
Mia woke, jolting up with a wince.
Ryon managed a few steps, then looked down at the knife embedded in his abdomen dully. He crumpled to the ground.
Mia crawled to him, removing the knife and beginning to say some spells. Kouichi came over and began working on helping Ryon. Mia tried to keep healing him but soon passed out once again.
"Don't..let her die." Ryon told Kouichi before his eyes closed.
Mia woke, finding herself in a hospital bed. She tried to get up, moving against the pain.
"You better not even think about it." Kouichi entered with a frown.
"How is everyone?"
"Hikaru and Hiroki are next door, but I suspect they'll be released shortly." He sighed and dropped his eyes. "The others at home didn't make it."
Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of her lost clan members. "And Ryon?"
"He left against my advice. Mentioned hunting hunters. Yamae was trying to talk him down."
She sighed and nodded. "Hopefully Yamae will keep him safe.."
"Mariana said she was going to see if she could rebuild the mansion." The doctor sat heavily in the chair beside her bed. "Those bastards almost succeeded this time."
"I just wish I could have protected the clan better."
"Stop that. You did the best you could." He glared at her as the door opened.
Mia looked up.
Yamae looked miserable, one arm bleeding heavily.
"Where is Ryon?" She asked softly as she waved him over, beginning to say a few healing spells for his arm..
"I don't know." He was holding back tears. "He bit me!"
She frowned, "It'll be alright." She pushed herself up to stand.
Kouichi grabbed her arm. "You're not going to listen either, are you?"
"I'll come back once I find him.."
"I really should save my breath." He released her with a sigh.
She focused on Ryon before teleporting. She swayed when she arrived, looking around slowly.
Bodies and blood were everywhere. A man staggered towards her, one arm torn off. He crumpled, then a bloodstained white wolf appeared.
The black star stood out more against the red tinged fur. The eyes were gold green but there was nothing but rage in them, no recognition. It snarled at her, stalking forward slowly.
"Ryon?" She asked softly.
It paused, cocking its head before letting out a howl.
"Ryon, everything is alright.. you need to calm down."
Another howl, then it began approaching once more. A trail of blood followed it, dripping in large spots from its belly.
She crouched down, "Ryon, let me help you."
The wolf's jaws snapped at her, a low growl sounding from the throat.
"I love you.. no matter what," she said quietly.
The eyes focused, blinking slowly before he reverted. He struggled to speak. "Love.."
She approached him slowly, beginning to recite healing spells. After realizing how bad his wound was, she focused and sent her yellow energy into him.
"You..okay?" He shook from the blood loss, his eyes fixed on her.
She nodded and continued to heal for a few minutes then teleported him back to the hospital to get a transfusion.
"Tired...You're safe so I can sleep, right?" One hand clung to her.
"Right. Just rest," she said softly as she settled him in the bed. She sat down beside him, leaning heavily on the side of the bed.
His eyes fluttered shut as Kouichi entered. "How bad?"
"I healed him up, but he lost a lot of blood."
The doctor nodded. "You need to rest as well."