Severed Ties
“It’ll be fine.” Shira repeated. “It’ll be fine.”
It was difficult to convince the terrified girl beside her but she attempted to. It was hard to remain calm when they were being tied against the wall with blindfolds on their eyes.
“H-he’s g-going to c-come back.” The girl cried.
“It’ll be fine, I’m going to protect you.” Shira stated, the door bursted open as a man walked in.
“You’re going to protect her? How sweet of you.” He laughed as he placed his hand against her cheek. “How nice it will be to make you scream.”
“I’d rather watch you burn in-” He slapped her.
“Now now, lets not ruin the moment.” The man continued to laugh, he stood before the girl as he begun to caress her. She cried and struggled to move away from his hands. “So soft.” He murmured. “You’ll be my favorite of them all.”
Shira grunted as she tried to break her hands away from their restraints. The man laughed even harder. “I’ve never had one put up such a fight before.” He tilted his head. “And the fact that you’re a cop arouses me even more.” Shira’s blindfold was taken off, she watched as he lifted his jacket to reveal her holster on him.
“If you know I’m a cop, then you know what’ll happen next.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t scare me.” He then grabbed onto her arms as he released her from the wall. “I’ll have to keep you quiet though.” His hold on her was strong as he took her into the room within but left the door open. “I want her to hear you die.” Shira fought back with her body but even then he kept his hold. He tied her arms against the bedpost.
“You will be my first kill, be honored.” He laughed as he neared her, she struggled even more when suddenly his laugh was cut short. She looked down to see a hand through his stomach covered in blood.
“Not tonight.” A voice said, the man was lifted from her and thrown against the wall. The figure that was cloaked completely in black held his hand out, soon the man screamed in agony as he burst into flames. The figure turned around and place his hand on her cuffs and they disappeared.
“You are an idiot.” The voice stated.
“Now is not the time Zien.” Shira replied. “Nothing I couldn’t handle.” She got up from the bed, the man glared at her.
“Nothing? He nearly raped you and would’ve killed you if I hadn’t come.”
“I would’ve taken care of it.” She retorted, Zien huffed.
“Right, cause you being tied to the bed was your plan along.”
“It was.” She stated as she looked around. “You didn’t have to come.”
He shifted his eyes. “I couldn’t exactly ignore your cry for help.”
“I’m sure.” She placed the gun on her holster. “Couldn’t ignore them now or from the other times either.”
“You’re the one who always places yourself in these situations. Why be a cop? Do you enjoy putting your life in danger constantly?”
“Yes I do actually.” She retorted. “I enjoy the rush when a person puts a gun to my head or when a guy like him places his hands on me. It thrills me.” She walked past him and out of the room towards the frightened girl. The girl suddenly stopped crying and seemed to have fallen asleep, Shira knew it was his work. “Did you want to keep talking?” Shira asked.
“Why do you always do this to yourself?” He asked weakly. She turned to face him.
“I won’t stop working just because you’re afraid something might happen to me, its a risk that comes with the job.” She explained. “And you’ve long lost the right to have any say in my decisions.” The girl fell into her arms.
“You and I are too different, you should know that of all people.” Zien replied. “You should know that wasn’t my choice.”
“You did have a choice, and apparently that choice wasn’t me.” Shira murmured as she walked through the door and out of the place they were kept in. She would’ve kept on walking when she felt the ground before her disappear, yet she wasn’t afraid. She soon found herself in front of the police station and back on the ground. “Thanks.” She said out loud as she walked in.
---
She sighed as she wrote down her statement. “He just ran off?” The detective asked.
“Yeah, I have no idea why though, it seemed urgent.” Shira replied with ease, it was becoming easier to lie under the circumstances. The detective nodded and walked off, she sighed but smiled as the girl who had woken up walked towards her.
“Thank you, thank you so much.” She hugged her, Shira patted her back.
“It’s fine, its not really me you have to thank.” She said, the girl released from the hug
“How did you know everything was going to be okay?” The girl asked, Shira smiled.
“Because he’s always listening.” She replied, the girl didn’t understand. She shook her head and waved when the girl was brought inside, she breathed out as she walked down out of the department and out the doors.
“You’re always listening.” Shira murmured. “You’ll never let me die despite my desires against it.” She sighed, she didn’t speak out loud her thoughts afterwards. She didn’t speak of her gratitude for saving her as he always have, her sadness because of his constant presence that made it that much harder to forget him.
She stopped dead in her tracks and clutched her fists. She thought it over before she swiftly turned on her heel and walked in the different direction, away from the route to her apartment. She continued on by taking random turns and changing her pace repeatedly. It was as if she was throwing someone off her trail, instead she knew this would only catch his attention.
She continued to walk further into the dark alleys, the place that would most tend to avoid. She sighed as she kept on, but kicked the floor when she realized for once that no one occupied a single alley, at least no one that even threatening. She walked out onto the sidewalk and saw the incoming speeding car, she ran for it until she was in front of it. The tires screeched as it attempted to stop, the horn was blaring and the lights became larger as it neared her. She shut her eyes, waiting for the oncoming impact.
“This makes it clear to me that you’re asking for death.”
There was no impact, instead Shira felt his arms around her waist and her feet off the ground. She opened her eyes and looked at Zien’s angry expression.
“I knew nothing was going to happen.” Shira replied, Zien narrowed his eyes. Angry was definitely not the word, he was furious.
“Being a cop should make you rational and have some sort of common sense.” She heard a growl within him. “Instead you’re an idiotic, senseless, sophomoric imbecile-“
“I get the point.” Shira muttered, she forced his arms away and attempted to walk away but she froze in place. “Let me go.”
“Not until you tell me why you have a death wish.”
Shira sighed. “Don’t bring that up.”
“Why not, I think I have the right to ask why you keep trying to break through the grim reaper’s door.” He breathed out. “It’s becoming tiring to have to save you every time.”
Shira lowered her eyes. “Then don’t.” His arms became tense. “It’s not like we have anything to do with each other anymore.”
Shira stated angrily. “I want nothing to do with you. You’ve should’ve left me alone as you said you would. You weren’t supposed to come rescue me every time I’m in danger. Do you know what it does to a person like me?!” She glared at him as he walked in front of her. “Instead you remain constantly on my mind, you say you’re worried about me? It’s your own fault I’m like this. I don’t know how they do it in your world, but in mine, when you end it with someone you tend to leave them alone and let them get over it!”
“It is different in my world,” He locked eyes with her. “I’ve even explained these exact details to you before. You should’ve known the fate of our relationship.”
“You were the one who pursued this relationship, not me.” She reminded, he was taken aback. “You are absolutely horrible.” She felt the hold on her disappear.
“Then hate me.” She glared at the empty spot before her.
“If only it were that easy.” She whispered to herself.
- - -
“Idiot.”
Zien stared out from above the high bridge and looked at the view of the city. He didn’t turn at the voice. “Hello Xylia.”
“You are a fool.” Xylia appeared before him, her white hair trailed down into a long braid. Her pale skin contrasted with her black eyes, the very ones that glared fiercely at the man.
“What have I done to make you so angry this time?” He asked nonchalantly.
“You have the best thing thrusted upon on you and you throw her away like a corpse.”
“Not exactly, the reason I left in the first place was for the latter to never happen.”
She hissed. “Shira loves you, she’d do anything for you. She even accepts the fact that you’re not human. How can you turn the other cheek?!”
Zien inhaled deeply. “You’ve been lurking in her thoughts again, haven’t you?”
Xylia looked away from him. “Even if I hadn’t, it’s quite obvious. Her heart is in constant pain and she keeps thinking of you, at one point it was too much of you I had to get out.”
“You’ve always had a soft spot for mortals.” Zien said.
“Not for all mortals, only for her.” She corrected. “It’s nice for a mortal to greet me without gaping dramatically or staring at my appearance, humans are so judgemental.”
“I think you’ve justified their fears considering the death toll.”
“Not the point. Even when I came by occasionally, she would smile and welcome me in.” She smiled affectionately at the memories, but then resumed her glare. “She’s the closest thing I have to a friend and you do this to her?”
Zien looked down. “You know as well as I do that our kinds don’t do well together.”
She huffed. “The same old argument, the same old excuse. If you knew what was actually good for her, you’d stay by her side.” She stated.
“What’s best for her is for me to stay away.” He reasoned.
“Oh, please.” She waved her hand away in disgust. “What’s the risk of her being with you? Tell me honestly.” She crossed her arms, Zien didn’t respond. Xylia continued to wait until she became completely impatient.
Zien narrowed his eyes. “Stop looking into my mind.” She smiled as she continued to search within his thoughts. Zien attempted to empty his mind but she penetrated until her smile faltered.
“Somehow I didn’t expect that reason at all.” She murmured. Zien closed in eyes. “If you had told me that earlier I wouldn’t have bothered you so much.”
“I’m sure.” Zien gave a weak smile. “You don’t have to give me that look either.”
Xylia quickly resumed her fierce expression. “I understand your reasons and your fears. But our average life span is way beyond these mortals.” She looked on sadly. “I’d doubt even you can withstand her being with someone else, your kind is known to be quite selfish and jealous.”
“She’ll be much happier with someone else.” Zien forced out, the thought crushed his heart.
“She’ll never be happier with someone else and neither will you. She doesn’t have long to live, we both know that. Enjoy being with her now, instead of regretting of this for the rest of your life.” Her body glowed a dim light before disappearing completely.
She left a thought in his mind that haunted him since then. A fictional image yet enough to tear his heart apart.
Her grave stone.
- - -
Shira sat on the pier’s edge, the waning moon reflected in the water before her.
“You should always watch your back,” Shira turned around but saw no one. “Humans tend to get taken down that way.” Shira smirked as she recognized the tone.
“Lir.” She acknowledged. “I thought you said you would never appear before me again.”
“That was meant for Zien, I would never make a pact with a human.” Lir replied icily. Shira shook her head but watched as the water before her parted. He rose his head from, each droplet falling from his hair. “And since you are now separate, I consider the agreement void.” His eyes glistened.
“You never dared to hurt me since then. He’s truly terrifying, isn’t he?” Shira concluded.
Lir scoffed angrily. “He never argued against my feeding before, if anything he’s much worse. His kind are not quite known to be so… generous.” He deemed.
“So I’ve heard.” Shira mumbled.
“Such horrendous creatures, they do not even feed but live to kill. Truly atrocious.” He growled, as if the thought of wasting such a meal meant so much.
“Have you ever seen his true form?” He asked with a twisted smile.
Shira looked down. “Twice.”
He widened his eyes and barked a laugh. “Twice? Twice?! Humans that see their forms even once do not live to tell it, or choose to repress such memories. Tell me, were you frightened?” His smile became childlike as he waited for her response.
She paused before she answered. “Yes, I was.”
He chuckled. “Of course you were. Any rational human would be.” He glimpsed at the moon. “Then again, any rational human would learn not to love his kind.”
Shira lowered her eyes. “Why is it so wrong?” She asked quietly, Lir tilted his head. “Why is being together so wrong? We feel strongly for each other, we want to be together, we love each other. Why can’t we be together?”
He blinked. “That deserves no answer.”
“And why not?!” She cried out angrily. “Zien keeps giving me excuses but I don’t care about any of it! How can I deserve no answer? How is it not right?” She closed her eyes to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.
“It will never be right.” Lir answered simply, Shira felt his cold hand lay on her cheek. “You are too fragile, too weak, too much like a human.”
“I could scream.” Shira suggested. “I could cry.”
“Yes, you could do either. But you won’t.” He tilted his head slightly as he placed his hand behind her neck, he took note of her expression. “Humans are destroyed by their emotions so easily.”
She said grimly. “I sometimes envy you.”
Lir sneered. “Yes, being completely heartless does tend to be advantageous. Never have to worry, suffer...” He dug his nails onto her neck. “Or mourn.”
Shira felt the cold waters envelope her completely as she was dragged further down by his hands. She somehow heard his cruel laugh, yet she didn’t bother to fight or struggle. Instead she closed her eyes as she attempted to block any pain she might’ve felt. She then felt nothing as the darkness consumed her.
- - -
“Shira, wake up! Please!” The voice begged, she felt herself being shaken roughly.
“You’re going to kill her.” A woman’s voice warned, just as quickly she was dropped onto a soft surface. The two voices argued in a language she didn’t understand, Shira struggled to open her eyes. “You see, she’s fine.”
The sudden embrace cut her off guard but she didn’t struggle. She glimpsed at Xylia’s smug expression. She was then released, both his hands gripped her arms firmly.
“Why didn’t you cry out for help?! Do you want to die? I can’t believe you even-” She didn’t understand the rest of his rant as he spoke in the unfamiliar language.
“She doesn’t understand.” Xylia informed, Zien immediately stopped and sighed as he let go completely.
“He’s going to get what he deserves, once I find him I’ll-“
“He didn’t do anything wrong,” She interrupted, she continued before Zien protested. “The deal was that he would never try to kill me as long as long as I was with you. Maybe you should’ve left those final words out.” Shira stated as she got up from the bed and headed towards the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.
Xylia chuckled. “Your expression is priceless.” Zien narrowed his eyes at her. “Don’t look at me, it was your fault. You didn’t have to be so noble in how you word your arrangements; they tend to follow down to the detail.”
Zien remained silent in the passing time. He then glared at Xylia. “Stop roaming through my mind.”
“Can’t help it, wondering what you might do. But it seems even you don’t know.” Zien breathed deeply. “You won’t need a healer, she’s fine.” Zien nodded, she glanced at the door before nodding off to Zien. “You’ll want some privacy.” The dim light surrounded her before she disappeared. He held his breath as Shira opened the door and sat on the bed.
“You can go now, I’m fine.” Shira said quietly as she settled onto the bed.
“Their clan owes me a favor.” He replied. “They won’t be bothering you anymore.”
“How unfortunate.” She murmured, he shook his head at her.
“Can’t you for once comply with the basic rules of protection?”
“Would it matter?”
“Yes, it would in fact.” She rose up and glared at him. “You don’t get it.”
Zien narrowed his eyes. “What am I not getting?”
“Can’t you see that with or without you I’m in the same danger. I could get killed by a car or choke or even-”
“I get it.” He interrupted. “Don’t have to remind me how fragile all humans seem to be."
She shook her head as she resettled into her bed. She held her legs to her chest and closed her eyes as she tried to calm herself down. It seemed no matter what she did to convince him otherwise, he would always come to the same conclusion.
She felt a hand on her head, gently patting it. She recognized the gesture, he had always done it before when she felt the stress overwhelm her from either cases or life itself.
They said nothing as the unspoken promise was once again reestablished. She recalled the words he declared to her the night after her encounter with Lir.
"You're that person I'm meant to protect and whether you like it or not," His eyes glistened as he looked back. "I'll never leave you."
It was difficult to convince the terrified girl beside her but she attempted to. It was hard to remain calm when they were being tied against the wall with blindfolds on their eyes.
“H-he’s g-going to c-come back.” The girl cried.
“It’ll be fine, I’m going to protect you.” Shira stated, the door bursted open as a man walked in.
“You’re going to protect her? How sweet of you.” He laughed as he placed his hand against her cheek. “How nice it will be to make you scream.”
“I’d rather watch you burn in-” He slapped her.
“Now now, lets not ruin the moment.” The man continued to laugh, he stood before the girl as he begun to caress her. She cried and struggled to move away from his hands. “So soft.” He murmured. “You’ll be my favorite of them all.”
Shira grunted as she tried to break her hands away from their restraints. The man laughed even harder. “I’ve never had one put up such a fight before.” He tilted his head. “And the fact that you’re a cop arouses me even more.” Shira’s blindfold was taken off, she watched as he lifted his jacket to reveal her holster on him.
“If you know I’m a cop, then you know what’ll happen next.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t scare me.” He then grabbed onto her arms as he released her from the wall. “I’ll have to keep you quiet though.” His hold on her was strong as he took her into the room within but left the door open. “I want her to hear you die.” Shira fought back with her body but even then he kept his hold. He tied her arms against the bedpost.
“You will be my first kill, be honored.” He laughed as he neared her, she struggled even more when suddenly his laugh was cut short. She looked down to see a hand through his stomach covered in blood.
“Not tonight.” A voice said, the man was lifted from her and thrown against the wall. The figure that was cloaked completely in black held his hand out, soon the man screamed in agony as he burst into flames. The figure turned around and place his hand on her cuffs and they disappeared.
“You are an idiot.” The voice stated.
“Now is not the time Zien.” Shira replied. “Nothing I couldn’t handle.” She got up from the bed, the man glared at her.
“Nothing? He nearly raped you and would’ve killed you if I hadn’t come.”
“I would’ve taken care of it.” She retorted, Zien huffed.
“Right, cause you being tied to the bed was your plan along.”
“It was.” She stated as she looked around. “You didn’t have to come.”
He shifted his eyes. “I couldn’t exactly ignore your cry for help.”
“I’m sure.” She placed the gun on her holster. “Couldn’t ignore them now or from the other times either.”
“You’re the one who always places yourself in these situations. Why be a cop? Do you enjoy putting your life in danger constantly?”
“Yes I do actually.” She retorted. “I enjoy the rush when a person puts a gun to my head or when a guy like him places his hands on me. It thrills me.” She walked past him and out of the room towards the frightened girl. The girl suddenly stopped crying and seemed to have fallen asleep, Shira knew it was his work. “Did you want to keep talking?” Shira asked.
“Why do you always do this to yourself?” He asked weakly. She turned to face him.
“I won’t stop working just because you’re afraid something might happen to me, its a risk that comes with the job.” She explained. “And you’ve long lost the right to have any say in my decisions.” The girl fell into her arms.
“You and I are too different, you should know that of all people.” Zien replied. “You should know that wasn’t my choice.”
“You did have a choice, and apparently that choice wasn’t me.” Shira murmured as she walked through the door and out of the place they were kept in. She would’ve kept on walking when she felt the ground before her disappear, yet she wasn’t afraid. She soon found herself in front of the police station and back on the ground. “Thanks.” She said out loud as she walked in.
---
She sighed as she wrote down her statement. “He just ran off?” The detective asked.
“Yeah, I have no idea why though, it seemed urgent.” Shira replied with ease, it was becoming easier to lie under the circumstances. The detective nodded and walked off, she sighed but smiled as the girl who had woken up walked towards her.
“Thank you, thank you so much.” She hugged her, Shira patted her back.
“It’s fine, its not really me you have to thank.” She said, the girl released from the hug
“How did you know everything was going to be okay?” The girl asked, Shira smiled.
“Because he’s always listening.” She replied, the girl didn’t understand. She shook her head and waved when the girl was brought inside, she breathed out as she walked down out of the department and out the doors.
“You’re always listening.” Shira murmured. “You’ll never let me die despite my desires against it.” She sighed, she didn’t speak out loud her thoughts afterwards. She didn’t speak of her gratitude for saving her as he always have, her sadness because of his constant presence that made it that much harder to forget him.
She stopped dead in her tracks and clutched her fists. She thought it over before she swiftly turned on her heel and walked in the different direction, away from the route to her apartment. She continued on by taking random turns and changing her pace repeatedly. It was as if she was throwing someone off her trail, instead she knew this would only catch his attention.
She continued to walk further into the dark alleys, the place that would most tend to avoid. She sighed as she kept on, but kicked the floor when she realized for once that no one occupied a single alley, at least no one that even threatening. She walked out onto the sidewalk and saw the incoming speeding car, she ran for it until she was in front of it. The tires screeched as it attempted to stop, the horn was blaring and the lights became larger as it neared her. She shut her eyes, waiting for the oncoming impact.
“This makes it clear to me that you’re asking for death.”
There was no impact, instead Shira felt his arms around her waist and her feet off the ground. She opened her eyes and looked at Zien’s angry expression.
“I knew nothing was going to happen.” Shira replied, Zien narrowed his eyes. Angry was definitely not the word, he was furious.
“Being a cop should make you rational and have some sort of common sense.” She heard a growl within him. “Instead you’re an idiotic, senseless, sophomoric imbecile-“
“I get the point.” Shira muttered, she forced his arms away and attempted to walk away but she froze in place. “Let me go.”
“Not until you tell me why you have a death wish.”
Shira sighed. “Don’t bring that up.”
“Why not, I think I have the right to ask why you keep trying to break through the grim reaper’s door.” He breathed out. “It’s becoming tiring to have to save you every time.”
Shira lowered her eyes. “Then don’t.” His arms became tense. “It’s not like we have anything to do with each other anymore.”
Shira stated angrily. “I want nothing to do with you. You’ve should’ve left me alone as you said you would. You weren’t supposed to come rescue me every time I’m in danger. Do you know what it does to a person like me?!” She glared at him as he walked in front of her. “Instead you remain constantly on my mind, you say you’re worried about me? It’s your own fault I’m like this. I don’t know how they do it in your world, but in mine, when you end it with someone you tend to leave them alone and let them get over it!”
“It is different in my world,” He locked eyes with her. “I’ve even explained these exact details to you before. You should’ve known the fate of our relationship.”
“You were the one who pursued this relationship, not me.” She reminded, he was taken aback. “You are absolutely horrible.” She felt the hold on her disappear.
“Then hate me.” She glared at the empty spot before her.
“If only it were that easy.” She whispered to herself.
- - -
“Idiot.”
Zien stared out from above the high bridge and looked at the view of the city. He didn’t turn at the voice. “Hello Xylia.”
“You are a fool.” Xylia appeared before him, her white hair trailed down into a long braid. Her pale skin contrasted with her black eyes, the very ones that glared fiercely at the man.
“What have I done to make you so angry this time?” He asked nonchalantly.
“You have the best thing thrusted upon on you and you throw her away like a corpse.”
“Not exactly, the reason I left in the first place was for the latter to never happen.”
She hissed. “Shira loves you, she’d do anything for you. She even accepts the fact that you’re not human. How can you turn the other cheek?!”
Zien inhaled deeply. “You’ve been lurking in her thoughts again, haven’t you?”
Xylia looked away from him. “Even if I hadn’t, it’s quite obvious. Her heart is in constant pain and she keeps thinking of you, at one point it was too much of you I had to get out.”
“You’ve always had a soft spot for mortals.” Zien said.
“Not for all mortals, only for her.” She corrected. “It’s nice for a mortal to greet me without gaping dramatically or staring at my appearance, humans are so judgemental.”
“I think you’ve justified their fears considering the death toll.”
“Not the point. Even when I came by occasionally, she would smile and welcome me in.” She smiled affectionately at the memories, but then resumed her glare. “She’s the closest thing I have to a friend and you do this to her?”
Zien looked down. “You know as well as I do that our kinds don’t do well together.”
She huffed. “The same old argument, the same old excuse. If you knew what was actually good for her, you’d stay by her side.” She stated.
“What’s best for her is for me to stay away.” He reasoned.
“Oh, please.” She waved her hand away in disgust. “What’s the risk of her being with you? Tell me honestly.” She crossed her arms, Zien didn’t respond. Xylia continued to wait until she became completely impatient.
Zien narrowed his eyes. “Stop looking into my mind.” She smiled as she continued to search within his thoughts. Zien attempted to empty his mind but she penetrated until her smile faltered.
“Somehow I didn’t expect that reason at all.” She murmured. Zien closed in eyes. “If you had told me that earlier I wouldn’t have bothered you so much.”
“I’m sure.” Zien gave a weak smile. “You don’t have to give me that look either.”
Xylia quickly resumed her fierce expression. “I understand your reasons and your fears. But our average life span is way beyond these mortals.” She looked on sadly. “I’d doubt even you can withstand her being with someone else, your kind is known to be quite selfish and jealous.”
“She’ll be much happier with someone else.” Zien forced out, the thought crushed his heart.
“She’ll never be happier with someone else and neither will you. She doesn’t have long to live, we both know that. Enjoy being with her now, instead of regretting of this for the rest of your life.” Her body glowed a dim light before disappearing completely.
She left a thought in his mind that haunted him since then. A fictional image yet enough to tear his heart apart.
Her grave stone.
- - -
Shira sat on the pier’s edge, the waning moon reflected in the water before her.
“You should always watch your back,” Shira turned around but saw no one. “Humans tend to get taken down that way.” Shira smirked as she recognized the tone.
“Lir.” She acknowledged. “I thought you said you would never appear before me again.”
“That was meant for Zien, I would never make a pact with a human.” Lir replied icily. Shira shook her head but watched as the water before her parted. He rose his head from, each droplet falling from his hair. “And since you are now separate, I consider the agreement void.” His eyes glistened.
“You never dared to hurt me since then. He’s truly terrifying, isn’t he?” Shira concluded.
Lir scoffed angrily. “He never argued against my feeding before, if anything he’s much worse. His kind are not quite known to be so… generous.” He deemed.
“So I’ve heard.” Shira mumbled.
“Such horrendous creatures, they do not even feed but live to kill. Truly atrocious.” He growled, as if the thought of wasting such a meal meant so much.
“Have you ever seen his true form?” He asked with a twisted smile.
Shira looked down. “Twice.”
He widened his eyes and barked a laugh. “Twice? Twice?! Humans that see their forms even once do not live to tell it, or choose to repress such memories. Tell me, were you frightened?” His smile became childlike as he waited for her response.
She paused before she answered. “Yes, I was.”
He chuckled. “Of course you were. Any rational human would be.” He glimpsed at the moon. “Then again, any rational human would learn not to love his kind.”
Shira lowered her eyes. “Why is it so wrong?” She asked quietly, Lir tilted his head. “Why is being together so wrong? We feel strongly for each other, we want to be together, we love each other. Why can’t we be together?”
He blinked. “That deserves no answer.”
“And why not?!” She cried out angrily. “Zien keeps giving me excuses but I don’t care about any of it! How can I deserve no answer? How is it not right?” She closed her eyes to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.
“It will never be right.” Lir answered simply, Shira felt his cold hand lay on her cheek. “You are too fragile, too weak, too much like a human.”
“I could scream.” Shira suggested. “I could cry.”
“Yes, you could do either. But you won’t.” He tilted his head slightly as he placed his hand behind her neck, he took note of her expression. “Humans are destroyed by their emotions so easily.”
She said grimly. “I sometimes envy you.”
Lir sneered. “Yes, being completely heartless does tend to be advantageous. Never have to worry, suffer...” He dug his nails onto her neck. “Or mourn.”
Shira felt the cold waters envelope her completely as she was dragged further down by his hands. She somehow heard his cruel laugh, yet she didn’t bother to fight or struggle. Instead she closed her eyes as she attempted to block any pain she might’ve felt. She then felt nothing as the darkness consumed her.
- - -
“Shira, wake up! Please!” The voice begged, she felt herself being shaken roughly.
“You’re going to kill her.” A woman’s voice warned, just as quickly she was dropped onto a soft surface. The two voices argued in a language she didn’t understand, Shira struggled to open her eyes. “You see, she’s fine.”
The sudden embrace cut her off guard but she didn’t struggle. She glimpsed at Xylia’s smug expression. She was then released, both his hands gripped her arms firmly.
“Why didn’t you cry out for help?! Do you want to die? I can’t believe you even-” She didn’t understand the rest of his rant as he spoke in the unfamiliar language.
“She doesn’t understand.” Xylia informed, Zien immediately stopped and sighed as he let go completely.
“He’s going to get what he deserves, once I find him I’ll-“
“He didn’t do anything wrong,” She interrupted, she continued before Zien protested. “The deal was that he would never try to kill me as long as long as I was with you. Maybe you should’ve left those final words out.” Shira stated as she got up from the bed and headed towards the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.
Xylia chuckled. “Your expression is priceless.” Zien narrowed his eyes at her. “Don’t look at me, it was your fault. You didn’t have to be so noble in how you word your arrangements; they tend to follow down to the detail.”
Zien remained silent in the passing time. He then glared at Xylia. “Stop roaming through my mind.”
“Can’t help it, wondering what you might do. But it seems even you don’t know.” Zien breathed deeply. “You won’t need a healer, she’s fine.” Zien nodded, she glanced at the door before nodding off to Zien. “You’ll want some privacy.” The dim light surrounded her before she disappeared. He held his breath as Shira opened the door and sat on the bed.
“You can go now, I’m fine.” Shira said quietly as she settled onto the bed.
“Their clan owes me a favor.” He replied. “They won’t be bothering you anymore.”
“How unfortunate.” She murmured, he shook his head at her.
“Can’t you for once comply with the basic rules of protection?”
“Would it matter?”
“Yes, it would in fact.” She rose up and glared at him. “You don’t get it.”
Zien narrowed his eyes. “What am I not getting?”
“Can’t you see that with or without you I’m in the same danger. I could get killed by a car or choke or even-”
“I get it.” He interrupted. “Don’t have to remind me how fragile all humans seem to be."
She shook her head as she resettled into her bed. She held her legs to her chest and closed her eyes as she tried to calm herself down. It seemed no matter what she did to convince him otherwise, he would always come to the same conclusion.
She felt a hand on her head, gently patting it. She recognized the gesture, he had always done it before when she felt the stress overwhelm her from either cases or life itself.
They said nothing as the unspoken promise was once again reestablished. She recalled the words he declared to her the night after her encounter with Lir.
"You're that person I'm meant to protect and whether you like it or not," His eyes glistened as he looked back. "I'll never leave you."