The Triplets Pt. 09

He smiled, the sharpness of his teeth gleamed with his saliva.

"My dear, you never run from a hunter."

Despite the situation, anger flickered through her. She had not run from him, merely tried to maintain distance between them.

"Your temper flatters you."

Meredith flushed, but kept her eyes focused on his, refusing to back down. His smile widened.

"I wonder how you're betrothed would react if you went back to him with my scent all over your body."

Her anger flared hotly, but dismay filled her. Almost like a self fulfilling prophecy, she had triggered just what she had been trying to avoid.

"Perhaps, he will cast you aside for your treacherous actions. Perhaps, he will still marry you out of pity."

Dane laughed, his eyes beginning to flicker red.

"Either way, he won't touch you once you've been sullied. No man wants a tainted woman."

Meredith wanted to believe Aiden would still want her, still love her through any mistakes she ever made, but Dane's poisonous words rooted in her mind and refused to be shaken free. His grip on her wrist was bruising and swiftly making her hand numb.

"Release me."

Dane laughed again.

"I think not. I will enjoy the chaos your decisions have set in motion."

Dane tugged her flush against his body. His free hand ripped at her dress. Meredith tried to flail against him, kicking at any part she could reach, using her nails to claw at any exposed part of him. He only kept laughing until she didn't know which one of them was lost in the madness.

"You smell like him. Has he already had you? I'm not surprised you would spread you legs so willingly for the gold."

She managed to scrape her nails across his face, just below his eye. He roared and threw her against the wall. Meredith's head cracked against the stone and she crumpled to the ground. Vaguely, she realized that there was more pain than just in her head.

When she could see again, she was almost completely naked. Long, deep scratches lined her breasts and arms where his claws had scored her skin to remove her clothing. Her head throbbed sickeningly and her vision blurred in and out of focus. A sharp, slow drag of tearing flesh made her cry out. She turned her head and saw that Dane had torn the skin on her inner thigh open with his teeth. His mouth was stained with her blood, teeth coated in red.

Suddenly, a deafening thunder of sound vibrated thorough the floor. Dane stilled over her, his eyes as bloody red as his mouth. Then he was on his feet moments before the wood beneath them buckled and erupted in a fountain of splinters. Golden claws emerged from the hole in the floor. Then a dragon's head emerged, its nostrils flared just before it opened its mouth to bellow another roar that threatened to burst her eardrums.

Dane skittered out of the way as the dragon pulled itself through the floor, forcing the wood to part around its bulky body. Meredith could see that Dane was hurriedly shifting into a dragon as well. His clothes burst along their seams as he shifted. The golden dragon, didn't wait for Dane. Instead he snapped his head towards Dane, catching one of his arms between his teeth. The bones made a distinct crunching sound just before the arm was rent from Dane's body with a deft flick of the dragon's head.

(Aiden)

He could smell blood. As the red haze of his rage receded, he could taste the blood now. He spit out the meat in his mouth, disgusted when he realized that it was an arm, partially shifted. Then he saw Meredith. She looked like she was barely conscious with blood all over her body. The rage threatened to take over again, but he pushed it back. He needed to tend to Meredith.

Dane's screaming was grating on his nerves. The man was stuck in half-shift and trying to stem the blood spurting from what was left of his arm. Grey's voice rang in his head now that he was once more in control of himself.

You need to get Meredith. Now.

I know. I bit Dane's arm off.

At least you didn't kill him. Now hurry up and get her before she loses too much blood.

Aiden forced his body to shift back to his human form. It seemed to take longer than usual, but he attributed it to the fact that his body was still trembling with suppressed rage.

Meredith's body was covered in bite marks and deep gashes. Aiden had to look away from her abused body, least he forget himself and just kill Dane where he squirmed on the floor. He cradled her limp body against his chest and moved as quickly as he could without jostling her too much.

Grey was alone in the foyer, but suspicious drops of blood were scattered around the marble floor and his brother's knuckles were bloody. Grey took Meredith and wrapped her in Aiden's shirt while Aiden pulled on his pants.

"She's hit her head. Kaleb is outside with a carriage. We need to get to the healers immediately," Grey said, slightly winded.

Aiden nodded and took Meredith back. Kaleb was already holding the door open to the carriage. His expression was grim and tight.

"I'll handle things here," Kaleb said.

Aiden thanked his brother and handed Meredith to Grey so that he could get into the carriage. They drove to Sherry's home. It was the closest and Aiden trusted her with his life, only this time he would have to trust her with Meredith's.

Sherry was speechless when she saw the extent of Meredith's wounds. The most pressing being the crack in her skull. Aiden refused to leave, helping her bathe the blood away so that Sherry could stitch the wounds closed. Grey disappeared somewhere, but Aiden couldn't concentrate on anything but how shallow Meredith's breathing was and the sluggish pumping of her heart.

When there was nothing more he could do, Sherry forced him out of the room. He resorted to pacing in front of the door and trying to keep himself from sinking into another panic induced rage. He strained to hear anything, but only the sound of his footsteps kept him company. Grey reappeared and forced him into a chair.

"Aiden, look at me. Don't look away and count to ten."

Aiden looked at his brother, into the calm gray of his eyes. He counted.

"One. . .Two. . .Three."

Grey's eyes began to bleed gold.

"Four. . .Five. . .Six. . .Seven."

A new color emerged.

"Eight. . .Nine. . ."

Darkness enveloped his mind. Aiden struggled against the comforting oblivion. He couldn't leave Meredith alone. She needed him.

Calm.

Grey's voice commanded. The tone was like nothing he had ever heard from his gentle brother. It was saturated with power.

I will let you free once you calm.

What is that suppose to mean! Where am I, Grey.

You are sitting in a chair, in the healer Sherry's home.

That is not what I fucking mean.

This is just a mental space. The darkness is nothing more than the back of your eyelids.

It doesn't feel like that Grey. Just how much do you keep from us?

Too much, brother.

There was a pause and Aiden worried that Grey had left him in this floating darkness.

Kaleb's here.

Aiden's vision focused and he was staring at Grey again, but his eyes were back to their original gray. Aiden dragged a hand over his face and raked his hair back. Grey opened the front door. Kaleb stood in the door way, hand was raised to knock. He looked at Grey startled before collecting himself. His brothers came to stand around him.

"The council will most likely excuse you for ripping Dane's arm off. I can't imagine how you had enough control to not kill him. He's being treated. His family is petitioning for your punishment, but its a weak argument since he is still living," Kaleb said.

"What of our family?" Aiden asked. He also had a sneaking suspicion that Grey already knew everything.

"Father is speaking with the council on your behalf. Mother is threatening to have Dane's entire family banished," Kaleb answered.

"She'll live," Grey said.

Both Aiden and Kaleb turned to their brother.

"Meredith will live."

Aiden shivered, instantly suffused with relief. Unashamed tears tracked down his face as his brothers clasped their hands over his shoulders. It didn't last long. He swiped the tears away with his palm. Sherry came out then. She glanced at the three of them before removing the bloody apron she was wearing. With a sickening lurch he realized that all that blood was Meredith's.

"She's lost a lot of blood, but if her wounds stay clean she should be fine."

With Sherry reaffirmation of Grey's statement, Aiden relaxed completely.

"Can I go in now?"

"Just don't wake her. It's better if she sleeps for the most part."

Aiden nodded and hurried into the room. He went to her bedside, but didn't touch her. He couldn't find a place she wasn't marked by bruises or covered in bandages.

"Oh, Aiden."

He turned at the sound of his mother's voice. She had tears streaming down her face as she drew him against her. Aiden breathed in his mother's comforting scent. He didn't even notice his father until a heavy hand cupped the back of his head.

He cried for the second time that day. It was strange being comforted by both his parents and once his tears stopped, he noticed that his father's eye were softer than he had ever seen them.

It was a long day. Hours passed before his family thought it was alright to leave him alone. While he was grateful for their concern, he was getting irritated by their coddling. It was Sherry who actually insisted that everyone leave. His mother had protested, but with his father's help, they managed to convince her that Meredith would feel bad if Celia was over straining herself. She only left after being promised to be the first informed when Meredith opened her eyes.

That moment didn't come for nearly five days. Unlike his mother, Aiden had refused to leave the room. He hardly slept in case Meredith woke. He dripped water into her mouth as often as he could and had held her bandaged hand when he wasn't.

He had been dozing when Meredith let out a hoarse moan. He had to shake himself awake. Aiden stared at her face, silently willing her to open her eyes. Her eyes fluttered open, dazed and unfocused. It took her a long moment to come to full awareness. When she recognized him, she let out a sob and tried to move. She hissed in pain.

Aiden tried to make her keep still, muttering soft reassurances. It was nearly morning, but he didn't want to wake Sherry just yet.

"Aiden?"

"Shh. . .yes, it's me."

"Where are we?"

"We are at Sherry's house."

"What. . .? I was . . . Oh, Aiden. I went to Dane's house."

"Yes, I know."

"I'm so sorry. I should have known better. I just didn't want you to hate me. I didn't want your family to hate me. I should have just gave Jaine the money she wanted."

"Shh, Meredith. You have to calm down or you might hurt yourself more."

As he tried to calm Meredith down, he turned her words over in his head.

"What do you mean about Jaine? What money?"