Vasilisa's POV
I finally found my tongue and called out without thinking much about it "Scar!"
He didn't stop.
He just called out over his shoulder "I'll be back before dawn to sleep a few hours. Wait for me in my room!"
I stood there, my mouth hanging open in protest as he disappeared back into the woods. That...that...asshole!
My mind went on overdrive of all the bad things that could happen to him.
I shuffled back to his room, my mind spinning nonstop with thoughts of doom and death and destruction.
What if the Vampyres killed him and we all went to war?
What if they weren't just killed, but tortured for information?
What if Katherine got her fingers on him and decided to make another human from a Vampyre?
What if I could never see him again?
By the time I got to his room, I was breathing heavily, dread making my stomach turn. My throat was tight and my eyes burned, but no matter how many more disastrous scenarios flitted through my mind, no tears came.
If I started now, I wouldn't stop. And it would be stupid because nothing has even happened yet.
I laid down in the bed and pulled the heavy covers up and over half of my face.
I stared at the wall until my eyes burned less from tears and more from lack of lubrication.
I'd calmed down a little, but I knew that the shudder-inducing feeling wasn't far. I knew it was lurking around the corner, waiting to leap out, wave a knife around like a drunkard, and ultimately stab me in the gut.
I closed my eyes, knowing it was for the best, and ordered myself to sleep.
No sleep came.
I counted imaginary sheep leaping over fences.
I thought about helping Janie make flower crowns for Lucas.
I turned over and over again, punching the pillow, and changing my position at least 37 times.
I forced myself to think of anything that didn't have to do with Scar, or dying, or fighting.
I knew that I'd remained awake all night when Scar entered the room quietly, as if trying not to wake me up.
I said softly "I'm awake, Scar."
His slow footsteps halted "What are you doing up so early?" I heard him ask in a gentle voice.
I sit up slowly and turn to him "It's kind of hard to be up so early if you were never...you know...down."
He frowned "You didn't sleep?"
I shook my head "No..." I wanted to tell him about my troubles, but seeing him now, I just couldn't think of things like that "...no."
He came and sat slowly on the bed in front of me, gazing down at me and gently reaching up and grasping a piece of hair in between his fingers, fondling it.
We held each other's gaze, his saddening.
I couldn't take the silence after what seemed like an eternity "Please don't go." I whispered.
He dropped my hair and pulled his hand away "I have to, Vas. You know that." He said gently.
I stiffened "You don't have to go alone." I rebutted, my soft tone raising to a more desperate octave.
He shook his head "I'm not going alone, I'm taking Talon."
I clutched the bed sheet "I mean your pack. You can take your pack."
He took a deep breath, but still wouldn't look at me "Vas, if I approached them with my entire pack behind me, it would look like a declaration of war."
"Fine, if you can't take your pack, let me go with you." I said swiftly, expecting the previous response.
He whipped around quickly to look at me with an almost fearful look in his eyes "No way! No way in hell am I taking you into a potential war zone again, Vas. Something could happen to you, and it would be all my fault."
I replied in a disbelieving tone "Something could happen to me?! I can rip trees out by the roots with the wave of a hand! And then I can set them on fire! What if something happens to you?!"
He rolls his eyes "I'll be fine. I can magically turn into a wolf that is easily the size of a bear. And there'll be two of us. We've been in these situations before. I know you can use your wonderful abilities to protect yourself, but it only goes so far and you've never been under stress when you try to summon the power to do this stuff before. Fear could affect you and then we'd all be vulnerable because my first instinct wouldn't be to protect myself, it would be to lay down my life for you!"
I felt as if I'd been slapped.
Scar immediately regretted his words too because I saw his demeanor return from the mask of anger it had been and turn to remorse "Vas..." He started softly.
I pushed the blanket back and swung my legs off the mattress. I landed gracefully and made my way to the door. If I stayed in here I'd say something I'd regret more than Scar would ever know because he could die and I could never apologize for saying something as stupid as what could spill out of my mouth.
I reached the door when his arms wrapped around me, encasing me with his body "Let go of me, please." I ordered in a whisper.
He just strengthened his hold "Absolutely not." He replied willfully.
My feet were lifted off the ground and I yelped, struggling to get out of his arms "Put me down, Scar!"
He didn't. I was laid down on the bed and kissed before I could yell again.
My body melted beneath him, grudgingly.
"Doing this isn't going to make me forgive you anymore if you come back alive." I grumbled.
He cooed into the soft skin under my jaw, making me shiver "When I come back alive, I will devote all of my time into making you forgive me, and eventually you'll cave in. Years from now, we'll be living happily ever after, maybe even have a kid or two keeping us busy."
I wriggled more when his hand traveled up the side of my thigh, pushing my skirt up with it.
"Kids?" I gasped when it finally seemed to sink in.
He chuckled when I whimpered from his touch "Lots of them. As you pointed out, we have forever..."
I was far too lost in him now to stop him.
Before I fell asleep, sated, and with him curled around me, I whispered "Promise me you'll stay."
He just kept softly caressing my side which was now bare. "Go to sleep, Angel." He offered me lightly. I didn't have the strength to hold my eyes open any longer and complied.
When I woke, I was alone.
I sat up quickly looking around in a frantic worry, running my hands all over the bed in the dark.
The candles immediately lit to show that the room was indeed empty of any other life.
I hopped out of the bed, pulling on the scandalously wrinkled clothing and bolting outside.
I'm sure I was not presentable and looking absolutely deranged, but if I started to care now, it would be a first.
Everyone was going about the day normally as if the man that held my heart in his hands wasn't missing.
I ran as fast as I could to my house. I ran so hard, my chest was aching from lack of air when I got there.
Julie was in the living room, crying silently on my mother's shoulder.
My mother looked comforting, but obviously distraught beneath the motherly calm.
She looked up when I entered in a whirlwind of emotions, the one dominating the rest for the moment, being shock.
She looked regretful that she couldn't contradict my pleading gaze.
I set my jaw and clenched my fists as I ran upstairs.
I pulled on my trousers and my father's shirt. I tugged on my leather jacket and strung up my bow and threw the quiver of arrows across my body. I packed my satchel for a short journey; dagger, dried meat and fruit, a few vitamins, a length of rope, a light blanket, and finally, Katherine Markson's spell book.
As I headed downstairs, I fastened on my cap.
My mother didn't say anything as I left, because she knew there was nothing she could say that would stop me.
I was bringing Scar, and Talon, back alive.