Kierra

Thanking them and sticking around to make sure both are alright, I go to Faline's then my room and put the new list next to the tree I'd been making up. Sounds like the bunch could be considered 'Collectors' or 'Trainers', but I'm unsure. From the way she's put it, it doesn't sound like they're part of the bigger whole, more a branch off by themselves.

Still have them up, even though most were killed. A 'Tad' seems to have been apart from the rest, 'unwilling' as Rika put it. The only thing saving him from being grouped with everyone else is she hadn't seen or heard of him touching anyone. Went out of his way to keep from doing so from the sounds of it.

Chewing on my pen as I step back and look over the layout, my mind is so caught up in it that I miss the body coming up behind me. Feeling the heat against my back clicks at the same time scent registers.

"Don't you have better things to do than annoy me?"

The deep chuckle at my back has a shiver going down my spine. Having been in his animal form recently without bathing, his musk is strong, earthy. Smells of the woods clinging to him with his natural scents are quite a heady mixture. All sin. All delicious.

"Not really, unless you count that as being my job."

My scoff sounds as I keep looking over the layout, trying to ignore the male behind me and failing miserably. His nearness making the hair on my body rise with gooseflesh doesn't help.

"I think you need a new job then."

Laughter sounds again as he moves more to my right side, hormones both thankful and crying out in denial. Talk about being bipolar. Turning to put him in view, he's looking over the diagram as well.

The expression on his face is fixed as he looks over it all, Brad Pitt-like jaw clenching as he reads over the names. The service tattoo on his shoulder draws the eye, so different from the traditional ones you usually see. Images most common being eagles and flags, his is unique.

Two skulls facing each other, one human and the other canine. Swords crossed behind them with music notes above and numbers below. I know there's a story behind it, and I'm curious, just never seems to be the time to ask.

"You're serious about this aren't you?"

Blinking, I look back up to his face, amber eyes watching me. Reaching out, I grab the tail of his hair. Thick and short around his head then long and layered as it goes down his back to his rear. Thinner yes, but still has a thickness to it. Not to be confused with a mullet, as the shorter strands on his head are all different lengths.

His human hair feels much like his animal coat; coarse yet soft. Damn animal magnetism of his is going to be hell when it gets closer to the full moon. Black strands get separated between my fingers, watching them as I nod.

"Yes. I am. I've been putting it off too much."

"You're prepared to take their lives? You've killed in self-defense, but you're going into this premeditated. There is a difference."

Him having been a good little soldier once upon a time, he'd know. Shrugging, I keep my focus on his hair in my hand.

"I probably should have an issue with it; with taking a human life, and I may after it's done. I doubt it though. Just can't bring myself to feel bad about giving them what they deserve. There's no going to the human courts about any of this, there's too much corruption. They'd be let loose to continue hurting others, others that I could have saved just by ending one man's life."

Xavier turns to face me more, so I let his hair go. Don't want to look at his face, but it's better than looking at his near-nude body. Green eyes meet his intent stare, boring into me as if trying to get a point across.

"Taking a life is no small thing, Kie, you have to know that."

Giving him a droll look, my arms cross under my chest. Uncomfortable, but better than over them and looking...poofy.

"I know it's not. If it were innocents I was going after then I hope you'd kill me on the spot. But it's not. These men are far from innocent and need to be stopped. The man from my past was convicted once before me, did you know that? The case was dropped, defense claiming the child was embellishing her story. That child was his daughter. Case was thrown and he was free to come after my family. My claim got him less than a year in jail, then he was freed once more."

My arms had dropped to my sides, hands going into my pockets for something to do. The story still angers me, but I can tell it as if it happened to someone else. Snorting, I look over to a dead man’s name on a list.

"Because I don't react to things like most people, it was brought up that I could be lying. Took my mother a long time to believe me. I think it's because of that, that I have no problem with going after them all."

Looking back at him, I try to get him to understand. Moot point since he does seem to follow along.

"I got lucky; I got to kill my attacker, my nightmare. Now I'm given the chance to save others from a fate worse than what mine had been. I won't be able to save everyone, I know that, but I'm going to try my damnedest to do so."

His expression softens, opening his mouth to say something before closing it and nodding. Yeah, I know I won't save everyone, and it will be hard to see those I failed. Things are the way they are though.

That whole spiel of 'if only I got here sooner' will drive you insane if you dwell on it. You have to let it go. Motioning him to the bed, I tell him to sit.

"Xavier? I want you to stay with the kids when I do this, I need to know they're safe."

His face closes down instantly, objection clear. Shaking my head, my hand goes over his mouth to keep him from talking.

"You said once you'd be whatever I need. I need you to do this. If something happens to me, I need to know they're safe and in good hands."

Amber eyes alight and glitter at me in anger. After Asher, he's been the one with me the longest. God, has it even been a month yet? Feels like it's been so much longer with all that's happened.

A smile creeps up over my face as I remember just how this man entered into my circle, and how it could have gone so differently. The first hired to kill me by my sister's captor, it didn't go quite that way. Instead it worked as that Vamp’s downfall to my finding him, killing his lover, and saving Faline.

A large hand curls around my wrist, pulling my hand away from his face to be pressed against his chest. My eyes drop to his neck, the mark left there by a freak accident. I take a step closer, making the reaching out less awkward.

Of course, he takes that and runs away with it, having me move up between his legs and inches away from his chest. My breath catches, eyes flying to his then quickly away.

"Why do you persist in thinking you have to do this alone? You have others you can lean on, to help you."

"Watching the kids is helping me."

From the corner of my eye I see his annoyed look, the expression causes me to smile and laugh. His skin is hot under my hand. That alone being uncomfortable, I try to pull away. The male keeps hold of me, squeezing my hand and calling my gaze to his.

Movement becoming restricted, I scowl.

"I already lean on you guys, I do so too much as it is. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful, I couldn't do much of what I've done without you or the others, especially you. But this is my fight, I don't want you guys involved."

He shakes his head, drawing my attention to his neck once more. The pull from both it and his passive ability prove to be quite annoying as I'm drawn forward, free hand coming up to rest against his chest as well while I lean closer. Long hair falls forward and brushes against heated skin, an exhale over my mark has him shivering. His scent fills my nose till it’s full of nothing else, my heart thumping, anxious, nervous, and unsure of what I'm doing.

Hearing his sigh has me second-guessing myself, freezing in place while being just a whisper away from his neck. Feeling my teeth elongate both top and bottom creates a craving that isn't my own. Feminine need and Werewolf hormones mix with my sister’s craving for blood... We've been here before.

A small sound escapes from my throat, not sure if in denial or need, but I take the distance left between us and clamp down on my mark. His sharp inhale is tempered by his moan, the sound low and coming from deep within him. Weight is touched down on my hip, only noticed faintly as I drown in sensation.