Brothers In Blood Pt. 89

Touch was standing there perfectly still, his dark eyes burning yet he didn't make a single move and didn't take a single breath.

The Greek man's hands lowered in a way an orchestra conductor's would have after the end of a symphony.

"I have come to fix you. Again." His tone was still the same, not raised in volume or octave. "But this is my last boon. This abomination of blood magic and dead is yours to deal with. I will give you time but I will not allow it to undo all of our work."  

Lleu had fallen sideways to the ground, his body too weak to handle the strong blow from the Eldest. He stayed there, blood dripping from his mouth and his one eye wide in shock and fear as his mind flashed back to being under Bastion's tender care.

Chaya's head merely turned from the hit, his head staying in place for a moment before turning back to turn his blank eyes at Archimedes. There was no anger on his face, no emotion what so ever. He knew it would be useless to react.

"James, take Nick out of here and take the rest of the wolves with you." He ordered softly. "Dylan you will only be allowed to remain if you can control yourself. Am I clear?"

Lleu remained on the floor, trembling, his skin cold and sweaty with fear.

"Like hell I'm leaving." Dylan finally squirmed out of James' hold enough to grab Lleu off the floor, hugging him close. "How can you just stand there and let him hit him?!"

The wolves pulled an unconscious Nick from the other side of the wall and took him towards the Den.

Touch still stood his ground, not reacting only keeping his eyes on the Eldest.  

Lleu placed a trembling hand on Dylan's arm, resting his forehead against his brother's shoulder for a moment before pushing away and attempting to get to his feet.

"These are things that you don't understand Dylan. Sometimes you just have to let things go." Chaya explained to his son softly knowing that Dylan would never understand. Despite his calm exterior Chaya's hands were clenched into fists at his sides. It was obvious that he wanted to go to Lleu but knew it wouldn't be the correct move.

"What do you mean you came to fix me?" Lleu asked softly.

"I did not let your father run around blindly through life and I will not allow you too either." He pulled at the hem of his shirt. "I have a associate who will be here shortly. It would be wise to allow her entrance."

Touch's head made the faintest nod.

"Master, please tell me what's going on. I know I screwed up and what happened was my fault but I'm not asking you to fix anything." Lleu couldn't make his way to his feet and instead stayed on his knees, entreating his mentor for answers.

"Oh kit, you didn't do anything wrong." Chaya said softly, turning towards Lleu, his expression sad and weary.

"No shit he didn't do anything wrong. Lleu suffered enough for fighting back. He fucking died!" Dylan hugged Lleu closer, the hair on his ears and tail standing on end. "No one else is touching my brother without my goddamn permission."

Archimedes waved a hand out to the side. "Insipid, pampered children."

Dylan hissed and growled and would have also taken a swipe if it hadn't been for Chaya and Lleu stopping him.

"Eldest." Touch spoke for the first time. "Allow us to take you to another room. One more suited to the message you require us to listen too."

"I do not take well to old ceremony but for the sake of decency Lleu needs to be showered, groomed, and dressed simply by the time Blue arrives." Archimedes turned away from Father and sons to follow Touch out of the room.

Chaya whirled around as soon as the Eldest left, falling to his knees and taking Lleu's battered face in his hands. He wiped away the blood that dripped from Lleu's lip and down his chin with his thumb.

"Are you alright kit?"

"I'm fine." Lleu murmured quietly, gently pushing away his father's hands with a shaky smile. "Just wasn't expecting it which is stupid."

"No it isn't, I wasn't expecting it either. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything but you know it would have only made things worse. No one can reason with him when he's in one of his moods." Chaya looked truly upset and he was.

"I know. You should go. If you keep him waiting . . ."

"Yes. He might bring the house down around us." Chaya kissed Lleu's forehead and swept out of the room, his worry following him like a dark cloak.

Lleu sagged back against Dylan, his head bowed. "Help me up please."

"You're staying right here in my arms until you tell me what in the nine Hells that was all about!" Dylan looked at Lleu with shock and fear. "He can't be allowed to treat you like that! Not after everything you've been through. He just sent your stupid boyfriend through a wall!"  

"He's an Eldest. You don't argue with him. You don't fight with him. Plus he's my mentor and father's too so he expects more out of us." Lleu attempted to push away from his brother and stand again. "You can't fight him Dylan, you'll lose just like Nick did. Now help me up. He doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"I won't let him hit you again, I don't care who he is." Dylan turned Lleu towards him and pressed a kiss onto his brother's lips.   

Lleu stiffened and then melted into his brother's kiss. It was slow but passionate, so much love and fear conveyed within it. Lleu's arms drifted around Dylan's neck as his body relaxed further.

Dylan was panting but not from anger as they gasped for air. "I won't leave your side."  

"Don't do anything to anger him. He may take me away if you do." Lleu pleaded with his brother, his mate, resting his forehead against Dylan's.

"I am skilled at pissing people off but for you I will try not to." Dylan helped Lleu up and into the shower. It wasn't long before he had his brother looking fresh in clothes he had never seen before. "Matt?"  

"Yeah. I don't know where he found them." Lleu replied, pulling at the collar of the t-shirt. "I miss my hoodie." His favorite item of clothing had been cut off of him by Bastion.

"I'll buy you one. I'll make sure it's just right." Dylan hugged Lleu close.  

"Okay." Lleu responded almost pitifully, burying his face against Dylan's shoulder. "I need something to cover my eye. I lost the sheet somewhere."

"Hm. Guess we'll have to make an on the go eye patch." Dylan took his claws and began to attack a pillowcase.  

Lleu sighed as he watched his brother decimate the poor pillowcase. "You owe me another case." He said but smiled at his brother's efforts.

"Hoodie, pillow case, what else would you like for our birthday?" Dylan found himself teasing as he brought over the material  

"Menate." Lleu stated simply, knowing he was breaking the levity of the moment but unable to help himself. He couldn't imagine them celebrating their birthdays without their sister. "And a new guitar since I lost mine at the club." He smiled softly to sooth that sharp pain.

"No you didn't." Dylan looked down at the ground. "Nick . . . he . . . got it back for you. It's in my room."

"He did?" Lleu was amazed and relieved. It was his favorite guitar, the sound so pure it could sing on it's own. His fingers caressed Dylan's face, eventually making his brother meet his eye. "Thank you for keeping it safe." He pressed a soft kiss to his brother's lips.

"I should have thought about it." Dylan hated to admit he had been so blind to the fear of loosing his siblings everything else went out the window. "Guess Nick's not all bad."

"I think hell just began freezing over." Lleu said with a soft laugh, kissing Dylan again before taking the makeshift eye patch out of Dylan's hand. "And you had a lot on your mind. I wouldn't have given it my first thought if I had been in your position. But then again, you would have never let yourself end up in the position I did."

"I don't know. I would have done anything to keep our sister safe. If that meant loosing a eye or both I'd do it." Dylan took a deep breath feeling his heartache for his sister and the distance he knew he would have to put between Lleu and himself if they were going to find her. "You went through enough."  

"'Lan, with you it would have never gone that far. You wouldn't have been distracted or high on the emotions around you. You would have had everyone dead or bleeding before they even knew what hit them. I couldn't do anything." Lleu tied the silk strip of fabric around his head, covering the ravaged socket. "And it's never often. You say I went through enough but it's never over."

"Lleu, we're brothers. Whatever drug they used on you would have worked on me." Dylan felt as if they had this argument before. "Don't we have a pissy vampire waiting?"  

"Yes, we do." Lleu's body heaved with a silent sigh as he gaze went to his wrecked wall. "Am I weak if I admit that I'm delaying things because I'm scared? Because I feel as if this is the last time that I'll be able to be with you for Gods knows how long and I want to savor it?" He asked softly.

"Don't tempt me. Not when I don't have the time to give you a proper goodbye." Dylan's voice was a weak whimper.

Lleu looked back at Dylan, his face crumpling. His emotions since the incident had been all over the place and nearly incontrollable and now it showed more than ever. "I'm sorry. So sorry."

"I know." Dylan stole one quick kiss before steeling himself and pulling Lleu forward and towards their fathers' room.

Lleu followed along behind his brother, gripping his hand tightly and feeling as if he were a prisoner going to his execution.

Dylan opened the door and saw his fathers' and Archimedes in middle of the room. The Eldest was standing with his arms crossed with an unreadable look on his face.  

Lleu took a deep breath and walked into the room next to his brother instead of in front of him. But his head was tilted down, his eye on the floor, and his entire body was tense.