She was safe. For now she was safe. Resting peacefully in my arms there is no safer place for her, no other place in the world where she belonged. But as usual, someone just had to ruin my happiness.
"Hey you there!" A guard yelled as he caught me darting around the corner with a small bundle in my arms.
"The king's ordered for this sector to be cleared out, we're on lock down. HEY YOU WAIT!" He shouted, the sound of his thundering footsteps racing after me.
"WE'VE GOT AN INTRUDER! INTRUDER AT THE GARDEN GATE, I REPEAT AN INTRUDER," the guard yelled, calling out desperately for backup.
I snarled as I rounded the corner, nearly avoiding a collision with two more guards.
"HALT," four more guards demanded as they joined the growing pack that was annoyingly nipping at my heels.
I let out a roar of frustration as I came to a dead end.
"Fuck," I cursed, my mind desperately racing through possibilities and escape routes to get me out of this deep hole of shit I seemed to have dug myself into. I came up with nothing.
I was surrounded. There were at least twenty of them closing in on me. Now normally this would be no problem for me but I can't exactly go all badass while in a weak human form, holding an even weaker, smaller human.
"Oh my, looks like its my lucky day," a dark voice cooed from the shadows.
"But then again….what's luck in a place like this? My instincts never fail me and it seems like today is no exception," A woman's voice chuckled from the shadows.
The figure stepped forward out of her cloak of darkness. Her tall curvy figure moved with a grace beyond her ageless features. She wore a black fitted tunic with sleek human jeans and a long sharp, deadly looking scythe was held loosely in her grasp. Yes there was no mistaking her. This was Nexia, the goddess of death, the oldest living fey….she was the Grim Reaper.
"Looks like this puppy has gotten himself into a bit of a predicament," she said with a giggle.
My only response was a growl.
I watched as she turned to examine the guards with an unimpressed bored expression.
"Hmmm no wonder I smelled death, Your all about to get your asses kicked. I doubt you'll even last long enough to cause any real fun," she said sounding disappointed.
One of the guards scoffed, unimpressed by the two powerful fey standing before him. He was the first to charge, the first to die.
Nex jumped up in front of me, wielding her scythe merrily as she slashed away. Within the blink of an eye ten were dead, the others left scared and stunned.
"You didn't need to interfere" I snarled.
She cocked an eyebrow at me. "Oh really?"
"Say that to the now dead men that were trying to kill you," she scoffed
I grinned. "Do you really want to help?" I asked
After a moments hesitation she sighed and reluctantly nodded. "Then here," I said with a chuckle, "Catch," and with that I threw my small bundle towards her.
She caught the little baby with ease and looked up at me with a panicked, horrified expression.
"THIS. IS. NOT. WHAT. I. MENT," she shrieked.
I just laughed.
Turning back to my paralyzed enemies I shifted. And boy it felt good. Like letting out a breath you've been holding in, being a wolf just felt natural.
Within seconds the rest of the guards were gone and it was just me and Nexia left. She was holding the baby outwards like it was going to start spewing fire or maybe something even worse. This woman faced death every day, She even rejoices in it, yet she's terrified by a small infant? This is hilarious.
I shifted back and gave a small smile as I rescued her and took the baby back into my arms. The baby now fast asleep snuggled back into my arms and it took all the strength left in me to keep from cooing at her in front of Nex.
"So….What brings you round these parts? I know you're not exactly one for the court life" I said as I set off again, navigating through the now deserted courtyard.
"I sensed some death, and you know I never miss out on a party," she said following closely behind me.
"I don't actually, know you that is. I only know what I overhear from the gossiping tree nymphs," I said indifferently.
"I didn't realize that I was gossip material?"
I snorted, "please, last I heard you and Goodfellow were together, if that's not something to gossip about I don't know what I," grumbled.
"Well I'm disappointed in you wolfie! I thought you were above that low chatter," she teased and I just scoffed in response.
"Besides it doesn't seem as if I'm the only one that's been shot by cupid….You…you love her don't you?" she questioned.
I stopped, halted in my tracks as I turned to meet her inquisitive gaze.
"How did you-" I was about to ask but she quickly cut me off.
"Its the way you look at her, with that…..that softness. Its a far cry from what I've heard about the cruel, harsh uncaring wolf everyone has come to fear," she stated.
That statement left me….dumbstruck. How had she seen right through me? But more importantly how had I let this child change me? In just the short few moments I've spent with this baby she's managed to break through my barriers, she managed to get to my heart and….she's captured it completely.
"Hey big guy," Nex said pulling me from my thoughts.
"I hate to break it to ya but you know what they say about loving?" she asked. "If you love it you gotta let it go"