In the Eye of the Beholder

[Maira]

Lia didn't bat an eye at Talbot's age when he finally figured it out, she was nearly that old herself. Before she knew she was speaking, Lia answered, "Well I was probably only twelve or so when I was brushed aside by my father and taken in by Eris. Shortly after that she started the Trojan War and that was round about 1200 BC. That makes me, I think, 3,030 or so."

As she'd talked, a question had sprung into Lia's mind and she couldn't help but ask, "We're just over 100 years apart in age, how could we not have met before now? Especially considering our common heritage?" Just in case he'd forgotten what that heritage was, Lia trailed her fingers along the side of his neck and let some of her succubus powers trickle out like little flames across his skin.

[Shinigami]

Talbot hadn't thought it odd that either of them could be centuries old, so he also wasn't surprised to hear Lia's age, though he was intrigued to find he was older. He was never very good at guessing ages, mainly because he was never around his own kind. It's hard learning to guess the ages of Gods, so he had given up long ago.

When Lia, brought up how close they were in age, and wondered why they had not met, Tale smiled, knowing the answer was is lack of contact amoung the human or even Custos worlds. Before he could answer, however, he felt Lia's fingers trail over his neck, shivering at the sensation. He knew she had added a small release of her powers to make the touch that much more arousing, and he couldn't help but retaliate.

Tale laid his hand just above Lia's knee and slowly and lightly slid the hand up her thigh, also allowing some of his Incubus power to be released, as he replied to her question. "Well, that would be because I spent my life living with the Gods. Hypnos raised me like a son, so I rarely left his side. I only came to earth a few hundred years ago."

[nyoka]

Cera stepped outside of the school's front entrance and let out a huge sigh of relief, goddess help her she loved the kids but today was pushing her limits. All of the kids today were absolutely insane, everything from getting randomly sick everywhere after eating too much, to 4 or 5 kinds screaming and fighting non-stop all..day..long.

But the day was over and time to go home, she walked to work today, it was only about 10 blocks or so but there was still nice weather, so why not. Luckily she hadn't gotten too messy today and her pink and white v-neck top only had several splats of glue which was easy to remove as soon as she got home. Her thoughts traveled to her cashmere sweater that was trash now from the weekend. The beer killed it, but she hadn't helped by drowning it in the bathroom sink of that...club with Cian.

She drifted off a bit, and quickly snapped back shaking the thought and images from her mind. It was Monday and whatever happened over the weekend stayed there, away from reality.

Realizing that she was at her front door, she climbed the steps to unlock her door. The bottom locked clicked open, but the deadbolt didn't click at all. She turned it the other way, locked it and unlocked it to make sure, she could have sworn she did the deadbolt this morning, ah well.

She dropped her bag on the door side table with her keys, and went to the machine as usual. She noticed one call missed, but she wasn't expecting a call from anyone, but it was probably one of those telemarketers asking to switch phone lines again, so whatever. The machine clicked on with someone saying "Hey lovely..." why did the voice sound familiar? It went on "...the guy who spilled beer on your sweater..."

It felt like she was hit in the chest and couldn't breathe.... she forgot she had given him her number. Feeling a bit light headed, she grabbed the counter for balance, he was asking her to get together Thursday and that is about all she heard because things got a little fuzzy at that point.

She had to get a drink, and to breathe. Grabbing a glass she filled it from the tap and began to sip it. No thoughts formed in her mind, but she knew she was pale. Coming out of her daze, all she could think of was 'why?' and 'how?'

Climbing the stairs up to her room, shower was all she thought of, she defiantly needed on right now. Opening her closet, she wanted her fuzzy white terry cloth robe but it wasn't hanging. It must be in the bathroom so it wasn't too big of a deal. Grabbing a few items of comfy clothes she went in the bathroom, but her robe wasn't there either. She must have sent it out to be dry cleaned, as she had done before but it's been a while. No biggie.

Now she couldn't find her brush on the counter where it normally was. Jeez, she must have been really tired this morning not to remember where things were. Deciding it was far more important to have her shower first, she would hunt later, meditating in the shower was her place to relax and let go of excessive tension, and forgetting she gave Cian her number was a big tension producer. This was going to be a long shower.

[Demeter]

Ted leaned against the trunk of a tree at the park entrance closed to the university and waited. He had to be sure that Cera wouldn't fall for that guy. He knew she wasn't a stupid girl but a pretty face could do strange things to women. When he saw Cera pass through the wrought iron arch, Ted growled.

So, the pretty face had done something to her. Ted slipped away from the tree and, careful to keep to the shadows, followed the girl while fumbling around his jacket pocket for the plastic baggie he'd stuffed in there. He hated to do this but he had no other option. Smart she may have been but Cera was blind to the fact that they were destined to be together. Ted, giving up on getting the bag open the conventional way, ripped the plastic and grabbed for the white cloth soaked in chloroform.

When Cera paused on the path, Ted took his chance and clamped the cloth over the girl's mouth and nose. He held tight while she struggled and staggered when the anesthetic took effect and the girl went limp. He had to move fast now, pretending that it was his wife who fainted after injuring herself as he took her home. People believed the lie that was truth in Ted's head. If she had just been a smarter woman, Cera would have never gone to the park and ended up unconsious.

***

Cian cursed as he hurried into the part. His professor had gone over time this evening and it was twenty after five now. He hoped that Cera hadn't given up on him. True she may not have come but he was betting that she had atleast showed up. Out of curiosty, maybe, but she'd come.

Cian tossed his bag onto the bench near the university entrance of the park and stetched. He'd been in class for an hour and fifty minutes, listening to his mind-numbingly dull professor lecture on the way to write a analytical paper. This he knew, he'd had sevearal published. Under different names of course so his professor had no clue he was using one of his students pieces as a example.

Cian unzipped his bag and pulled out the paperback they'd been assigned to read. When Cian surfaced from the book, he blinked as his nighttime surroundings. Confused, he glanced at his watch and stared. It was ten to eight. He glanced up and down the empty path. Something just didn't feel right about Cera not showing up. Cian pulled out his cell phone and flipped through his list of numbers until he found Erika's. He dialed and waited. "Hey, Lady. It's Cian. I was wondering if you've heard from your sister, Cera. We were supposed to meet up but that was nearly four hours ago. Is she sick or something?"

[nyoka]

The week went by fast, it was already Thursday and Cera was still at a loss of what to do. She was afraid in both cases, of going or not. Not much else had passed through her mind the past few days, the only option for having help in deciding which way to go was to call Erika. "But she would make me to go.." talking to no one in particular.

Looking at the clock it was now 3:34 only a little less than an hour and a half to decide to do something. Nervously tapping her fingers on the desk, gnawing on her finger nail tips, she decided to give Erika a quick ring.

Punching in the numbers, it took Erika a long time to answer, or at least it felt that way. "Hello?"

"Erika, it's me. Remember Cian, I gave him my phone number last weekend and I forgot and he called me wanting to go out tonight and I don't know what to do and now I'm scared that if I go something bad will happen and if I don't go I won't see him again.." Taking a deep breath, she waited for a response.

Erika let out a little laugh, "So go! Its obvious you wanna jump him.."

"ERIKA!!!! I WOUL....!"

Laughing, Erika continued, "..Look, I know you. If you feel scared that you won't see him again, go. You don't feel that way unless its something that you, for lack of other words, like or want." There was dead air for a while.

Cera sighed and gave in "I guess.."
"Besides Cera, Cian is a VERY good la...."

Cera gasped and managed to get in "Too much info!!" over Erika's laughing and hung up.

Cera looked at the clock again, it was 3:38 now, and well there really was no harm in going, right? Tromping in the stairs, she went to go get out of work clothes and get ready, despite her internal objections.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Getting out of the cab, Cera walked past the gated park entrance, at least it wasn't too dark and there were still people about.

Stopping at one of the parks forked paths, she looked around for the University's location. Cian said he would be coming from class, so he would be coming from that area. Pulling her sweater closer she sighed and looked for a spot to sit.

Something grabbed her from behind, she tried to struggle and get this person off, but all she could smell was some sort of alcohol on the rag on her face. Thing got real fuzzy, and she got real weak. Her eyes got heavy, and the last this she saw was a blurry face over her shoulder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Erika's night was buried in books, which was not the desired night's activities, but what else could you do when in school and had homework. Although Cera was going to have fun tonight. She smirked about that, it was good for someone like Cian to corrupt her too innocent little sister.

Pulling out her history in broadcasting book, she just flipped it open when her cell rang, probably Cera begging to be saved... yea right..

Oddly, it was Cian asked about Cera. "I just talked to her earlier today, she was debating to come and see you. How odd that she isn't there, it sounded like she made up her mind. Do you have her cell number or just her house number?"

[Maira]

Lia was pleased when Talbot placed his hand on her knee, even more so when she felt his powers trickling out of him as he slid his hand up her thigh a ways. She hadn't meant to get that sort of reaction out of him but it certainly was fun. She smirked and let him play.

She nodded her understanding when Talbot explained that he'd been raised by a god and not come to earth until a few hundred years ago and that was likely why they hadn't met. A few hundred years was a relatively small amount of time (compared to the length of their lifespans) and the planet was a big place. Not to mention the dieties they were allied with were not likely to interact much even if they were from the same pantheon. Dreams and Chaos... Yeah, not similar enough to interact much.

Lia was rather at a loss of what else to say and when the door bell rang she practically fell off the couch with surprise. She'd been concentrating on Talbot a bit too hard she realized and she had to fight to keep from blushing. She scooted away from him so he could get up off the couch and go answer the door. She'd nearly done it herself but then remembered it wasn't her house. Instead she just watched him get up and she said, "Well that was quick." Then as he walked to the door she turned and watched him, a smirk coming to her lips as she studied his butt.

[Shinigami]

Talbot's inner Incubus was practically purring with the renued opportunity to seduce the beautiful succubus into bed, but his concious self, the one that still had some common sense left, kept him from getting out of hand. He did shift a bit closer, letting his hand play over Lia's thigh. Just as he started to shift forward once more he was startled by the ring of his doorbell. He had completely forgotten about the chinese food. He let out a heavy sigh, reigning his powers back in as he hauled himself off the couch and shuffled towards the door to pay for their food.

He snatched he wallet from the small table in the hall and opened the door, greeting the delivery man before handing out a few bills. He knew the menu well enough that he could calculate how much the bill was and added some for tip. He took the bag of food and bid the man farewell before closing the door and returning to Lia. His smile returned as he thought of ways to tease the poor woman during their "dinner." He set the bag on the coffee table and turned to Lia. "Should we be civilized and use plates, or eat right out of the cartons?"

[Maira]

Lia was still smiling when Talbot made it back into the living room with their dinner in hand. At the first whiff of chinese food her stomach reminded her just how hungry it was wth a little growl that she felt more than heard. When Talbot set the bag on the coffee table and asked if they should be civilized and use plates or if they should just use the cartons the reached into the bag, found a pair of chopsticks and a carton. She her smile was full of mischief as she looked up at Talbot and said, "Screw "civilized", its highly over-rated." Then she gave a soft laugh at the look that came to his face.

Opening the carton of chinese she grimiaced and hurriedly handed it over to Talbot, "Here, this one is deffinately yours." Once Talbot claimed the carton from her, Lia went on a hunt through the rest of the cartons, pulling them all out, opening them all and setting them in front of who they belonged to. Once they were all sitting out she grabbed up one of hers, along with her chopsticks and was about to start eating when she realized that Talbot had neither chopsticks or silverware. Seeing she forgot something, she rummaged through the now empty bag until she found the second pair of chopsticks. She pulled them out and handed them over sheepishly. "Sorry, forgot I hadn't given you these. Or do you use silverware? " He was still looking at her kinda funny and she asked, "What? Did I do something wrong, something funny?" Eris had always teased her that she was too domestic, lovingly of course, and Lia had to wonder if Talbot thought so too...

[Shinigami]

Talbot blinked when Lia decreed being civilized as over-rated, a bit of surprise on his features before he chuckled and shook his head. He plopped himself down, waiting as Lia pulled a carton out of the bag and snickered when it turned out to be one of his. He had a tendency towards odd foods, which is why he liked chinese food so much. Of course, they had the normal food that most customers would eat, but they also had the tradition stuff that was a bit odd to most Americans. He liked the latter.

He was content just to watch her going through the bag, opening the cartons and depositing them where they needed to be. He felt a little smile tug at his lips and couldn't help but think it odd that she was acting so... well, domestic. While he knew that he didn't know her well, and it wasn't fair judging her, he just couldn't see her being so domestic. He was sure he was taking the fact that she was a succubus for granted, but he liked to see this side of her.

Tale hadn't even realized that all the food cartons had been handed out, not even noticing he didn't have anything to eat his food with, until he saw Lia hold the chopsticks out to him. He blinked taking them from her, dropping them into a cartons, looking down to make sure it was the one he had wanted before looking back up at Lia. Tale blushed a bit when Lia questioned him, a little embarrassed to have been caught watching her, not to mention finding out he must have had a funny look on his face. "No, nothing like that. It's just-" he found himself unable to -not- tell her what he had been thinking. The smile unconciously came back as he continued. "You just looked so... cute, for lack of a better word. Sorry, I'll stop staring." Since when had he gotten so sheepish? He was never this easily embarrassed before.

[Demeter]

Cian held his phone with his shoulder while his hands hunted for the peice of paper Cera had given him. He held up to the street lamp and flipped from side to side. "Just her home phone number. I'm going to go check out her place, why don't you see if you can get a hold of her."

Cian pocketed his phone after hanging up. He gathered up his belongs and swung out of the park in the direction of Cera's apartment. He didn't know why but the shadowed stranger from that night at the bar popped into his head and he growled. Something about that man had tasted wrong and the fact that Cera hadn't shown up when she'd sounded like she'd be coming tasted even worse.

Cian rapped on her door after arriving at the apartment. He waited and when no one answered the door he traveled around the back of the structure. Thanking the gods that Cera living on the bottom floor, Cian tried the windows, looking through them. He didn't see Cera but he did see bits of shiny wood circled by dust.

After finding a open window, Cian hoisted himself through the opening and looked around the apartment. After he had himself through the narrow windowframe, Cian turned and studied the window. All the others had been locked tight and it seemed odd for just this one window to be open. He tapped the lock, frowning when the bit of metal swung about uselessly. He pulled his phone back out of his pocket and punched in Erika's number yet again. "Me again. Any luck?"

[nyoka]

After getting off the phone with Cian, Erika immediately dialed Cera's cell number. It had gone straight to voice mail, and it never did that. Cera always picked up, even when she was at work. Now was the time to really start getting worried.

She speed dialed her home phone, and again no answer. What in the gods name had happened. Throwing on some shoes and tieing her hair out of her face, she was just about out the door when she remembered her phone, that would be quite important when needing to get ahold of Cian again.

After just picking it up, it began to ring. "Cian, no actually. I was just heading over to Cera's place to look for her. I'm sure you are feeling the same way I am about this not being right. Even her cell is off and that never happens."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cera's eyes burned as she opened them, not to mention the awful headache. Her vision was still slightly blurry but from what she saw, she was in her room with all the lights on.

The last thing she remembered was going to the park with Cian, somehow things got all weird and now she was back home. Rolling to her side a bit, she reached for her protection crystal that was always sitting there and never out of reach. Fumbling around a bit, she didn't find it. Confused, she picked her head up for a better look, straining through the fuzz, she still didn't see it.

Thinking something was a miss here, she tried to pull herself up and found that her body wasn't ready to cooperate with her yet. So she laid there trying to correct her vision while her body stopped screaming.

[Demeter]

Ted watched from the little peephole he'd installed backwards in the door. She was waking up. At first he'd thought he'd given her too much but it seemed to be wearing off now. She was so pretty and she was all his now. Ted puttered away from the door and back to the table covered with papers. Sitting on top was a phone book open to a page on therapits. He needed to make an appointment for Cera, to get this mumbo-jumbo about magic and witchs out of her head.

***

Cian flicked the broken latch with a finger, growling as it swung about uselessly. "One of her windows wasn't locked and it looks as if things have been taken from her place. Yes, I'm in her apartment. No, I don't have a key. Oh for the sake of the Gods, knock it off and get over here."

Cian snapped his phone shut and looked around the house for any clues about what might have happened. Things like photographs, books, and personal items were missing but the jewelry in the pretty little box on her dresser remained. Not the norm for a thief.

He could feel the Custos that he was tugging at him. Something just wasn't right. His inner Custos, the part that was incubus, had claimed Cera for himself and he wanted her back. Cian stuffed his inner Custos back into its box until he found Cera and then he'd let the beast rend her attack limb from limb.

When the front door swung open, Cian looked up to find Erika staring at him. "Do you think her co-workers might have an idea as to what happened?"

[nyoka]

Erika got over to Cera's in record time, well at least it was a record for the amount of times she had been there. Just as she swung open the front door, there was Cian and he startled her to make her fumble a bit.

"I'm not sure if she would mention that kind of meeting to her co-workers. Although she might have said she was going out tonight. The only person I can think of, that I sort of talk to, is Sylvia, she might know of something. I'll be right back her number is posted on her fridge."

Cera's fridge was in a neat order, making the number easy to find. Erika quickly dialed Sylvia and asked if she had known anything, apparently Cera told her that she had a date/meeting of some kind, and that's it.

Relaying the information to Cian, she scanned the apartment. She didn't see anything missing, but she didn't quite know what was here to begin with. "So things are missing then?" She walked over to the open window and looked at the latch and ran her fingers over her hair and holding her head "Did she even make it to the park?!"

[Demeter]

Cian nodded to the dust free spots. "I don't know how often she dusted or whatnot but there are rings of dust. Something happened." Cian shook his head and headed for the door. "Keeping looking around the house but stay here in case she calls or shows up. I'm going hunting."

Without waiting for Erika's reply, Cian exited the apartment. He couldn't keep the Custos containted anymore. It wanted out and he was more then willing to let it out. He didn't like it when what he considered his went missing.

***

Ted sat beside the bed, waiting for Cera to come out of the fog. "I know you can here me. You might not remember me but a couple of months ago you helped me out. I was picking up my brother's kid and the brat was being a hellion, as usual. You helped me out, got the brat to behave enough to I could get him in the car. And then I knew, I knew that you were meant for me. All we have to do is take care of that crazy idea that your a witch."

[nyoka]

Great, now Erika had to play the waiting game. Not that she was mad about waiting, but she felt helpless. Something like this has never happened to Cera, her baby sister. Mad, depressed, confused.. she ran through all the motions. 'how am I supposed to check the apartment for "clues" when I don't even know what was here'....

Erika began to pace Cera's place repeatedly returning to all windows and the front door to look out in any direction.

~~~~~~~~
Cera opened her eyes once again, her vision was definately more clear this time, clear enough to see someone beside her. Every nerve in her body now screamed "MOVE" and her heart raced fast enough to feel the blood pulse behind her eyes. Then he began to speak toher.

Did she know him? He had a familiar look. She had seen him, once before at the center. But, what..? She was doing her job, most of the kids didn't want to leave because they liked school... what was he going on about?

Cera had managed to squeak away from him on the bed farther away from him, but it was all little movement still. Her voice croaked "Meant...?" Oh gods she still was barely able to talk and moving was still and issue, now on the verge of tears the only thing she thought of was, phone. Cera tried to focus and get her cell phone, whereever it was. She felt it but couldn't get the actual phone to her, she only got little white wisps twirling in her palm.

[Demeter]

Ted smiled at Cera, reaching out to ran a hand pet her hair. "Yes, my dear, meant. Like Romeo and Juliet, without the fueding families and death. Now, you have an appointment tomorrow with Dr. Ridgeward, he's going to help you forgot this idea you have about being a witch. Don't you worry, we are going to get past this so we can move on with our lives.

***

Cian circled one spot on the gravel path leading into the park from the college entrance. Signs of a struggle. Cera's scent mixed in with some medical smell and the sweat of a man. Growling, Cian hunted for more evidence. Something had happened to Cera at this place and he intended to find it.

[nyoka]

Cera was able to move more, possibly from the adrenalin pumping through her veins over powering the chloroform. Actually being able to get up from the bed was a good thing, and getting up and backing herself as far away from this creepy man as possible was a must.

Heading for her bathroom, she knew it had a lock and it would keep him away. Opening the door in a panic, there was no bathroom at all, just a door placed on the wall and in the proper position to make her think it was the bathroom.

She watched as the man who deemed them worthy of Romeo and Juliet get up and come closer. "I am a witch, and I'll prove it!" Getting an image in her mind, the only thing was her hairbrush. Unfortunately nothing was turning up in her hand, the chemical was still fogging her mind. Utterly helpless, Cera took more steps back wards as he kept getting closer.

[Demeter]

Cian loosed the inner Custos just a little more, locking onto the unique signature of Cera, snarling when it led away from the park. He followed the trail into a quiet, suburban section of town. He pounded on the door of the house the trail led him to. When no one answer, Cian used his shoulder toopen the door, growling when the lock refused to give.

***

Ted grumbled when he heard someone pounding on his door. It was probably the neighbor brat again, football lost in the yard again. "I really hate to do this, Darling, but I can't let anyone see you yet. I wouldn't want them to get the wrong idea." Ted reached for his back pocket and the spare baggie with chloroform soaked napkin. He waited until he had the girl snug in a corner and lunged forward, pressing the fabric against nose and mouth.

Once Cera was out again, Ted placed her on the bed, gently kissed her forward and went to answer the door. He never expected the monster standing on the otherside of the door that dove straight for him the moment he undid the triple deadbolts.

***

It was over quickly, the spineless idiot had no idea one hit him when he opened that front door. Cian was careful to keep the mess confined behind doors, as to not scare the children playing in the street. Cian stepped over the mess he'd made out of the bastard and hunted for Cera. He eventually found the room she was locked in and pressed his shoulder up agaisnt the cheap wood, grunting when the cheap lock gave way.

He found Cera laying on the bed in the room, surrounded by her things. After checking her over, Cian grabbed one of hte sports bags stacked in a corner and loaded the things that looked to be Cera's into it. He flung it over his shoulder before scooping Cera up.

He cradled Cera against his chest as he picked his way out of the house and backed to the girl's apartment. He used his foot to knock on the door, nodding to Erika when she opened the door. "I don't think she's hurt, just drugged. I'd rather not take her to the hospital as that would lead to many questions I'd rather not answer at the moment."

Once he was done with his little speech, Cian made his way towards Cera's open bedroom door. He used his foot to close the door and settled the girl on her bed. He dropped the sports bag on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed.

[nyoka]

It had been quite a while since Cian left the Cera's place in search of her. Erika had fallen into a statue-esk form after over a half hour of waiting. Lost inside of her head, Erika had no emotion displayed on her face while propped up on the sofa with her legs curled under her. Images of Cera's possible situation ranging from laying in a pool of blood to safely bouncing around being her cutesie self flashed in her mind's eye.

Not knowing how much time had past, she was startled back to reality when there were several loud thuds against the front door. Jumping up she ran for the door and flung it open, it was Cian and in his arms was Cera in a limp form. "Cera! Oh Gods What happened?!" Cian said she was just drugged and not injured so that made her calm down almost immediately. She watched as Cian made his way to Cera's bedroom and closed the door.

Resting her hands on the door she thanked the gods she was safe and Cian was there to do whatever he did to bring her back. Turning and heading back for the living room she held her arms and looked around the place. She really wanted to stay and figure out what the hell had happened but with Cera still groggy and Cian's Custos still flaring, it would be best to get out. Scribbling a note saying she went home and thanking Cian, she left to go back to her place and try to finish her work. She was safe and there would be time later to ask what happened, for now it was still too fresh.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was the sense of the cool night air and movement in Cera's first thought. Managing to squeak open her eyes a tiny bit she saw a figure in close range who was holding her. Attempting to use her voice, which was still impossible, she fell asleep again.

Opening her eyes again, she was in a well lit room that looked like her bedroom. Rolling her head, she saw a figure sitting at her bed's end. Remembering she was in a strange place that resembled her room her adrenaline kicked in and forced her up. Her vision still unfocused and legs like jelly she managed to scoot away. "Stay... back.." was all she managed to get out in a forced tone.

As he spoke, she heard a familiar voice different from her so called Romeo who drugged her. Her vision clearing as she rubbed and blinked her eyes, his form grew more familiar as well. Focusing hard, she knew this wasn't that man but instead it was Cian. Her heart swelling she sat forward and saw him, "Cian..?"

[Demeter]

Cian jumped when Cera spoke. He'd been drifting in and out of sleep while waiting for the girl to wake up. He'd already called some friends to take care of the mess he'd left behind. "Hey, Lovely," he said and leaned forward, brushing a few strands of hair away from Cera's face. "I was starting to wonder when you were going to wake up. "

Cian blew out a breathe and ran a hand through his hair. "How are you feeling? Did...did anything happened to you? You don't need to worry about that bastard. I took care of him and he will not be coming to harm you again. No one will ever harm you again."

Cian leaned back in his chair and sighed. He knew he looked like a mess. He hadn't changed since returning to Cera's apartment and dispatching Ted had been a less then clean event. There was a visable misting of blood over his clothing.