Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

1.

She sat on the roof of the castle not really caring who may or may not see her, the gentle breeze fluttering the collar of her black pleather jacket as she tried to enjoy a packet of stale crisps that she’d managed to find, they may be stale but it had been years since Sorcha Anne Robertson had held crisps in her hands so she didn’t care, you could still taste the hint of salt and vinegar even though the crisps were slightly rubbery from being out of date.

“Oh alright you greedy beast,” Sorcha rolled her eyes at her loyal hound who had been not so quietly whining for a crisp.

The shepherd mix caught the crisp elegantly but didn’t give it the same treatment when she swallowed it whole, the dog sat patiently, her soulful brown eyes going wide as she waited for more.

You could see all the way to the river forth today, the wind whipped at the stray strands of Sorcha's ebony hair as she looked over the ruined city of Edinburgh and out towards the water.

The dog, Athena, wagged her tail as she eagerly watched the packet of crisps. Drool was dripping from her lips as if she’d been starved for days, there was so much of it that it dripped down the black fur of her chest and onto her golden paws.

Another whine from the shepherd and her lips smacked as she licked them loudly, impatiently waiting for more.

“Oh here,” Sorcha groaned as she tossed the packet to the dog. “You're not gonna stop pestering me now anyway, greedy beast, like you haven’t just caught and ate a pigeon earlier.” She rolled her eyes at the dog as Athena ran off with the packet and turned her attention back to the water again.

Sorcha still found it strange to be in the city after the world fell, before the streets would be bustling on a warm day like this, you wouldn’t be able to move for tourists wanting to see the city and locals trying to enjoy the weather. She for sure would have never gotten onto the roof of Edinburgh castle if the world was still as it had been before the invasion and the plague, before humans knew of other life beyond Earth.

The Voleux had come and hovered their ships over the main cities of the earth; Edinburgh, London, Paris, Washington, Sydney and so on. As if they knew exactly where the capitals were, of course they did, they were here long before they made a public appearance, learning all about the human race. The ones sent here had been mixed with humans, they called it a breeding program, you can’t tell the hybrids from real humans.

Sorcha shuddered thinking of the women who had to breed with the blue aliens with sharp black claws and shark-like teeth, their eyes black except for the thick golden ring around what she presumed was a pupil amongst their dark eyes, they did have white sclera like humans. 

They masked very well or were just rather tall, strong and muscular looking for humans. There weren't enough of them to make any human question why there was an extremely muscled human living near them that looked like they could give Captain America a run for his money, had he been real, some were more human than others and the differences could never be seen except the ring of gold in their eyes around their pupils that no one noticed until it was far to late, it was the only sign that they weren’t human, such a small detail so easily missed before the fall.

They hovered their ships over the earth for weeks, watching, waiting. Waiting to see what the humans would do, what weaknesses they’d show, how strong of a defence the earth had, of course the Voleux knew the humans stood no chance but they toyed with them anyway.

The humans fired first, they didn’t have the fire power or the technology the aliens possessed but somehow put up a good fight, some Voleux died not as many as the humans, enough to make them send their creatures. The Va’nu, terrifying monsters straight out of a horror film. Like large wolves crossed with bears and as black as night, talons like daggers and teeth like steak knives.

Somehow by some mercy the military captured a Va’nu and they found a way to fight the beasts with special bullets, aurum otherwise known as gold. Every piece of gold was collected and melted down, except the piece Sorcha wore round her neck, it was a small necklace that had belonged to her mother, the last thing she’d given her before she was gone, infected by the plague that was introduced to the earth.

The Voleux didn’t take their small losses well, they weren’t happy such primitive animals could fight back against them. So they turned to biological warfare, people died but they didn’t stay dead long and the human race was left with a whole new problem. They weren’t only fighting the Voleux, the dead were walking and hungry. The dead didn’t discriminate between human or alien, the Voleux also became infected when bitten by the undead however they didn’t come back when they died, only some of their hybrids did.

The bombs started after that, then EMPs to cut the television broadcasts and internet, the world went dark as they tore it apart. If they couldn’t have it then neither could the humans, it was an all out war.

Some Voleux remain on the earth still, along with the Va’nu and the plague they’d set upon the human race. A few mercenaries managed to get hold of their EMPs using them against them and took down half their ships, leaving some trapped while the rest of the fleet abandoned them on this ruined planet.

Sorcha sighed as she fiddled with her gold chain that held her parents' wedding rings; she wondered if it would be enough to keep a Voleux away if she came across one. She had been lucky enough to hide when she saw them and had only ever encountered one up close, even luckier she’d never come across a Va’nu.

Athena came strutting back with the now empty packet of crisps, shaking it playfully at Sorcha as she sat beside her human.

Sorcha sighed as she wound her fingers into the shepherd dog's soft fur, she glanced up at the blood orange sky, another reminder of the waste the aliens had left on this planet. The grey clouds were rolling in and Sorcha knew she had to find cover soon, rain was about to come and she didn’t want to scar another part of her from the acid that was about to spill from the clouds.

She rubbed her marred hand as she got up, she’d been curious and stuck her hand out of the treehouse she’d been hiding in, she had been lucky not to lose her hand.

“Come Thena,” she crooned at her dog as she rose from her seat, wiping her fingers on her trousers as she did.

Her fingers on the right side caught on her thigh strap that held her bowie hunting knife, she pulled her fingers out the straps and made sure it was still firmly attached to her belt and thigh before moving.

They carefully made their way over the slanted roof as they went to take cover inside the abandoned castle, Sorcha waited below for the dog to jump into her arms.

Athena jumped without hesitation when Sorcha opened her arms, the two had a deep bond cemented by everything they had endured.

They took cover in the great hall of the castle, the red walls now faded and peeling in places. They had made it just in time, the rain started and it belted down hard.

Sorcha loved the smell of fresh rain, she leaned on the wall nearest the open doors and watched as it splattered against the ground. She hated that the acid looked, sounded and smelled exactly like rain. There was no indication that it was violent, that it would burn the very skin from your bones, Sorcha hated that she’d never get to dance in the rain again.

She raised her burned hand, her skin looked folded in places, white scars covered her hand, she’d never forget how much it burned, her hand hurt with the memory of it as she remembered. Such a painful way to die, it wasn’t quick either if someone opted for a fast way out standing in the rain wasn’t one of them, the only ones it didn’t stop were the dead so Sorcha sealed the doors and settled down to wait out the rain.

Chapter Text

2.

It was another warm day today as Sorcha and Athena made their journey across the forth road bridge, they’d been hauled up in the castle all night and Sorcha had decided she was bored of Edinburgh and that she wanted to cross the water.

She wasn’t looking for anything in particular, just food mostly and she didn’t like staying in one place too long, she had learnt from that mistake.

Staying put had been what killed her family, the aliens stayed in one place and scouted humans who did the same. Setting traps for them or unleashing hordes of the undead onto places that humans regularly visited, so when her mother went to raid their local supermarket she got bitten by a dead one who’d been tied to the wall. The rope had been rigged to snap when the door opened, although her mother killed it she’d gotten bitten in the process.

Sorcha had been the one to end it before her mother could come back, this new world was a cruel one indeed and one did not make it if they couldn’t make hard decisions, sometimes awful ones.

Sorcha eyed the abandoned cars as she passed them, she wasn’t in the mood to loot them today so she stayed well away on the pedestrian path but still kept an eye out for bitters or even worse living humans.

There was no trust in this new world, humans posed a bigger risk than the biters. Sorcha carried two gas masks on her, one for her and one for Athena, she kept them hidden in her pack because masks were sought after. Some of the cities had been bombed to the ground, the sites still radioactive and Sorcha had the masks so she did not have to stray around any place that may be covered in radiation. She kept her geiger counter at easy reach though, it hadn’t made a noise through Edinburgh nor on their journey across the bridge so she wasn’t worried.

For some reason the Voleux bombed Glasgow, she hadn’t understood it at the time, even in the six years since the fall she still never understood how they picked their cities out. It wasn’t always capital cities they bombed, there was no real rhyme or reason to it.

Athena stopped and scented the air, she started snarling, her hackles raising as she went into a slow stalking crawl. Sorcha slid the M16 rifle from her shoulder and held it, ready for what may have gotten the shepherd's attention. If it was a biter she wouldn't bother with the gun but if it was human or alien disguised as human she wanted to be ready, perhaps it would even be a Voleux mutt as the hybrids were better known now. They fit in nowhere now that the earth had fallen, the Voleux had no use for them as spies and only the mutts biological families would try and protect them, if they had any left.

As Sorcha rounded one of the columns she could see what had put her loyal companion on edge, there was a woman, a rather beautiful one at that, trapped under a car. Her blue eyes went wide when she spotted Sorcha and Athena, she let out a whimper and reached towards them with her hands, her fingers clawing the air.

“Please help me, please! I’ve been here for a day,” her eyes full of tears.

Sorcha just stared at the woman, looked her over once and kept on walking. It wasn’t her problem, Athena followed closely, keeping her eyes on the women for any movement.

“You traitor!” The woman wailed, “the biters will get me.”

Sorcha still kept walking, she never faltered as the words grew more grotesque. She kept her rifle at the ready because she knew that the woman wasn’t trapped, it was a trap in itself and Sorcha wasn’t in the mood to be fighting over her pack or to kill that woman who was just trying to survive. Someone else will pass by and ‘help’ her, they will find their backs lighter when she is done with them. Sorcha was no fool, she’d seen how well kept the woman was, it would draw in men without a fault but not her.

Sorcha wasn’t in the habit of saving people, she didn’t see herself as a heroine. The last time she helped someone they’d robbed her then left her scarred and broken, she was lucky to make it to shelter. Navigating the apocalypse with a broken leg was no easy feat but she’d done it and it had hardened her. It had been a surprise that the boy traveled with a Voleux, he’d lured her then let the Voleux deal with her after he ripped the bag from her back.

Trust no one, the scar over her right eye that continued down her cheek from the Voleux served as a reminder. She had plenty of scars from the new world, only three were particularly nasty; her left hand, the right side of her face and the bullet wound in her shoulder just above her collarbone.

Nothing else stirred on the bridge, Athena had flanked the rear the whole time, worried that the woman may attack them.

After climbing down the stairs they headed along the coastal path towards the red railway bridge that was the forth bridge, sometimes Sorcha missed train journeys. She’d probably never see another in her lifetime or fly in a plane again.

She could drive but fuel was the issue, so she and Athena walked like nomads exploring their desolated world.

Sorcha glanced towards where she knew deep sea world was, not that she could see it but she wondered if the tunnel had flooded, she wondered what happened to the sea creatures that resided there. She remembered going there as a child and being totally mesmerised by the underwater tunnel, the sharks gliding so close overhead that it almost looked like they were flying.

She continued her walk towards Jamestown where she knew there was a little secluded beach and many large houses to choose for tonight’s residence, Athena would enjoy the beach and so would Sorcha, she had realised she missed the water as she’d stared towards it yesterday.

Athena dove in and out of the gorse as they walked, the dog was having a great time. The salty sea air was making the pair giddy but Sorcha kept scanning the horizon every so often, staying alert. She’d let the dog enjoy herself for today, for it would be the dog's seventh birthday, it was just an estimate but Sorcha knew she was close enough.

She carefully watched the houses as they passed, nothing stirred in them but she’d worry about scouting one for the night later.

Athena’s tail wagged wildly when she caught sight of the sand, she was shaking in excitement when she looked at Sorcha.

“Go on then,” Sorcha snorted at her canine and Athena went bounding towards the sand. She frantically started digging, before the fall the dog would’ve squealed with excitement but Athena had learnt excessive noise attracts unwanted attention.

As Sorcha stepped onto the sand she sighed in relief at the soft feeling under her boots, she’d take her boots off and feel it for real on her feet if it didn’t take so long to take them off. She was happy just being here, watching Athena’s joy was enough for her right now.

She watched as the dog went running for a stick, throwing it around before deciding she’d bring it to Sorcha who took the stick and launched it along the beach. The only thing Sorcha missed in this moment was the sounds of her hairy beast barking with pure joy.

Athena returned, holding the stick in her mouth as she waited for Sorcha to take it and throw it again, tail wagging at a very fast pace as she waited, throwing the sand around with her tail.

“Again?” Sorcha teased with a dramatic eye roll before taking the stick. She took it and once more threw it along the beach, the dog in fast pursuit.

At this moment Sorcha was just a girl and her dog, she sighed at the thought.

The dog ran through the incoming waves as she came bounding back, Sorcha didn’t understand how the water wasn’t acidic from the rain. Once it landed and settled it seemed to be safe, it was just while it fell through the air.

She once more threw the stick, this time into the water so Athena had to swim for it. They played on the beach for an hour or two, Sorcha wasn’t the best at tracking time, she just knew the sun would set soon and being out in the dark is never a good option.

“Come Athena,” she commanded to the dog who immediately dropped her stick and came running.

They approached the nearest house, the one that looked directly onto the beach. Had anyone been lurking there they’d have known about while they were on the beach, the door opened without complaint and quietly Sorcha stepped in, knife at the ready.

She nodded her head to Athena who stalked into the house and nimbly went from room to room, seeking out any possible threats or anyone else residing there.

She only stopped at one door, sitting so very still to let Sorcha know she had found something.

Sorcha tapped the door and that’s when she heard it, the shuffling, the fumble of steps and then something clawing at the door. A dead one she realised, Athena bared her teeth at the door.

Now Sorcha had to decide whether to kill it or not, if it scraped at the door all night it could attract more.

She motioned to the dog to back up with her hand, she had trained Athena with hand signals as well as vocal commands, she didn’t know at the time how handy those hand signals would come in.

The dog did as instructed but was standing in a crouched and ready position as Sorcha twisted the handle and slowly pushed the door, she raised her blade as the dead, blackened fingers curled round the door frame and she efficiently drove her knife through the dead things eye with a twist for good measure.

The dead one went limp and she slowly lowered it to the floor, it was male. She didn’t look at him too long as she swept the room for more, no more lurked inside much to Sorcha’s relief.

She went to shut the front door, she’d left it open as an escape route but now she knew the house was secure she wanted to shut up the house for the night.

Athena followed her as she searched the kitchen, it had been picked clean. She didn't expect much here anyway, she did find a packet of bottled water hidden behind the sink and a tin of beans. The water was invaluable, the tin of beans would at least feed her for tonight.

She went in search of a room for the night but first dragged the dead one back into the room she’d let him out of, she suspected he must’ve been the owner of this house and either him or his family had shut him in when he’d been bitten. She could see the bite on his thigh as she dragged him, she wondered if he’d gotten it protecting his family or if he’d just been unlucky and not seen the biter fast enough.

If she was a better person she’d have buried him but she didn’t have the energy or the time, for now she’d place him back in the room he’d chosen to die in, she’d at least give him that.

Once she shut the door she went in search of a room, it didn’t take her long to find one she deemed acceptable. It looked over the garages so the window would provide escape if she needed it and the door locked from the inside, it also had a private bathroom.

“This will do nicely,” Sorcha smiled at Athena who had curled up on the small sofa in the room.

Sorcha kept her pack and rifle under the bed closest to her, the glock that she kept holstered under her jacket now lay under the pillow and her knife was hidden under the mattress.

She read for a bit as she sat on the bed, pride and prejudice was the book she’d swiped from the last library she’d been in. She made the most of the last of the light but had to put it down as darkness swept into the room, so she shoved the book back into her pack and took the tin of beans out.

She had nothing to heat it with so cold beans would do, she’d eaten worse. She ripped the lid off and tucked into the beans with her hand, it was probably the best thing she’d eaten in a long time.

If a tin of beans brought her joy it really showed how dire the situation was, she was starting to forget what her favourite meals were let alone what they tasted like.

Athena watched the tin of beans eagerly, Sorcha smiled at her before placing the tin on the ground.

“Here, have the rest.” Sorcha motioned the dog over.

Athena didn’t hesitate and quickly emptied the remainder of the beans as Sorcha wiped the mess off her own fingers, the dog licked the can even when she was done as if she could will more beans into it if she just kept licking.

Sorcha shook her head in amusement at the dog before she finally gave up and retreated to the sofa she’d claimed as her bed for the night, Sorcha also climbed into the large bed in the room. She wouldn’t mind if the dog joined her but Athena had decided she wanted the sofa and Sorcha would let her, if that was where the dog wanted to sleep then she’d leave her be.

As Sorcha closed her eyes to settle in for the night she heard it, the clicking, Athena’s head was raised towards the window, those large ears like radar dishes as they perked to attention.

It was a noise they hadn’t heard in a few weeks, the sound of Va’nu claws clicking on the ground, hunting for prey. Sorcha stayed alert as she heard it pacing outside, she didn’t want to move or make a sound, scared it would alert the monster to her presence. Athena was the same, the dog hadn’t moved from her position and looked like a statue on the sofa.

The Va’nu had exceptional hearing, they rarely came to the coast because the waves interfered with their hearing. She heard the Va’nu pass close under the window, she feared it could smell them. She knew it likely couldn’t, they didn’t hunt by scent alone, they hunted by sound and relied heavily on their expert hearing.

She heard it charge off into the nearby trees, its claws screaming on the concrete as it did. She wondered what poor thing would be its victim; animal, human, alien or undead, it didn’t matter to a Va’nu, they had long stopped obeying their alien masters.

Sorcha had once seen a horde of the dead take one down, it put up a spectacular fight, it must have taken out at least twenty of the dead before it was over powered and devoured, she shuddered at the memory.

It took Sorcha a long time to find sleep that night and when she did she kept waking with fright, expecting the Va’nu to be in the room waiting, as if it had somehow gotten inside silently. 

Chapter Text

3.

Sorcha stood in the garage in disbelief, there sat a metallic orange ford pick-up, barely touched, hidden in this small corner of the earth ready and waiting. 

She didn’t let herself hope too much as she searched for the keys, when they fell out of the sun visor as she opened it, she blinked at them in disbelief. 

There had to be a catch, Sorcha thought, she figured it would have no fuel and that’s why it was left here but when she turned the truck on the fuel dial shot up, up, up. The tank was basically full, she couldn’t believe how lucky she had gotten, she had struggled to find food so this felt like a sign to keep going, now that she could widen her search and not walk herself to complete exhaustion.

It didn’t take long for Sorcha to stuff her pack and the packet of bottled water into the footwell of the passenger side along with her rifle, she held one of the back doors open for Athena who gracefully jumped in and lay down across the back seats. 

Sorcha hit the button for the garage door to open and she slid into the front seat, her hands gripping the wheel as the door shut with a slam. The locks clicked as she started the truck and she waited for that door to slide all the way up before she floored it out the garage, she was practically giddy as she tore through the narrow streets. 

She slowed as she pulled out of the cul-de-sac, it was a rather tight turn, she sped up slightly when the road fully opened up. She didn’t give it as much enthusiasm this time, she wouldn’t drive like a lunatic the whole way, especially with Athena in the back. 

She drove through some smaller towns as she headed more inland, she could still see the coast line and the forth becoming more of a river than an opening into the North Sea. 

She drove for half an hour before the familiar sight of the tall trees of Devilla forest greeted her, she smiled as she pulled into the car park. 

Sorcha was practically bouncing when she jumped out of the truck, she made sure her knife and glock were still on her, tapping her leg and the side of her jacket to make sure, then she let Athena out the back. 

She made sure to lock the truck behind her as she headed for the familiar trail, she made her way up the red ash path that now had an orange tint to it from the orange sky above. Athena dove in and out of the shrubbery, birds fluttering away out of the way of the happy dog. 

Sorcha breathed deeply as she walked, it was strange to walk here and not hear the cars passing on the road nearby. She hadn’t strayed too far, only the red squirrel trail which would lead her around Bordie loch and back to the car park. 

It was a silly risk and Sorcha knew that but the place was familiar as she used to live nearby, it had been a long time since Sorcha had been anywhere close to home. 

Athena seemed to remember too as she ran in and out of bushes, jumping on fallen trees, she’d have barked her head off had the world been as it once was. 

It wasn’t a long walk and far too soon they were heading back to the truck, Sorcha could stay longer but she knew she’d taken enough risk for one day. 

She heard the groans before she saw them, Sorcha stopped on the wooden walkway and saw a few undead writing in the bog beneath her. She huffed in disgust as she walked away, they would struggle to get out so Sorcha didn’t want to expend her energy on them, although she did wonder if they had died there or had just been wandering before dropping dead in the bog.

She held the door for Athena before sliding back into the truck, clicking the locks before taking the wheel. It wasn’t long before Sorcha was back on the road again, heading for a small town that she knew had plenty of supermarkets she could try and scavenge for food in. 

She may even find weapons as the military had taken up residence in the town, after being made aware of the bombing threat that had been made to Stirling, Sorcha’s home city. 

It had been desolated and removed from the map, it was a radioactive crater now. She hadn’t seen it since, only the flash of light before her mother had covered her eyes and then the mushroom cloud that had hovered over the ruined city when she could see again. 

She continued on shaking off the thought, she drove by two more bridges that crossed the river before seeing the blue sign that welcomed her to Alloa, a small town that was famous for its brewery many, many years ago. 

She pulled into the car park of the first supermarket and hoped she’d find food here, there was also a superstore nearby that she may check as well if she felt up to it. 

“Come Thena,” she opened the door for the dog and placed boots on her canines feet before letting her jump from the truck. 

She slung her rifle over her shoulder and made her way towards the store, the sign now read; ‘orrisons’, the M lay broken in two on the ground. 

The doors were smashed to pieces, glass sprinkled all around, she didn’t have to worry about carrying Athena over it with her protective boots on. Other survivors had definitely thought her crazy for having so much protective gear for her dog, she even had a full suit which Sorcha used near more radioactive parts that they’d come across. 

Sorcha silently stepped into the shop, scanning for threats. Unfortunately it looked bare of supplies but she grabbed the abandoned trolley and made her way around anyway, she walked straight by the chilled aisle. Sorcha knew not to expect anything there, she did however find a few things worthwhile; a packet of dried out wipes, more water, a bag of various crisps, bandages and two tins of tomato soup. 

Sorcha moved onto the next shop in the car park after depositing her loot in the pick-up, again the doors were smashed. She wasn’t as fortunate here, she did find more stale crisps, a packet of nerdz, some chocolate buttons (which almost made her scream in delight) and she found two plush dog toys, a purple bandana too which she immediately placed around Athena’s neck. 

As Sorcha made her way to leave she spotted a rather fluffy looking blanket which she just could not resist, so again she loaded the truck with her find. 

She made her way to the next store nearby, there was glass shattered everywhere she noticed as she parked. The sign above this one read ‘DA’, another A hung upside down and the S was suspended through the plastic canopy over the entrance, with how smashed out it was, there was a good chance of biters lurking, Sorcha needed to find more food so she stepped out of the truck. 

She eyed the train station behind the supermarket, the train still lay in the station. She didn’t plan on finding out what could be lurking on the train, she gingerly stepped into the store and collected one of the green baskets. 

It seemed to be Sorcha’s lucky day, no one lurked in here but she had found more water, a bottle of appletiser, two tins of spaghetti hoops, a tin of beans with sausages and to Athena’s delight three cans of ground beef. 

They moved onto the third supermarket, Sorcha sighed as she parked the pick-up and looked towards the blue store with the red words above it; ‘co.’ The rest of the letters nowhere in sight, Sorcha wondered if her luck would strike out now. 

“What do you think, Athena, is it worth it?” She muttered to her dog. Athena just tilted her head at her human, her tongue hanging out one side of her mouth. Sorcha snorted at the sight, “let’s get this over with.” 

Again they quietly entered the store, the escalators to the top floor were broken in half and some of the large shelves had been tipped over. Sorcha wasn’t feeling so lucky as she tiptoed around this store, it was picked bare from the looks of it. 

She had taken her pack this time not expecting much, she found an American section though that had a few good items left, a box of chocolate twinkies and four tins of pumpkin purée. 

She continued on and found a mix of baby food, she didn’t care she’d eat it she thought as she stuffed it into her pack. 

Then she spotted a pile of tins under some fallen shelves; tinned fruit, tinned veg, different kinds of soup, a jar of applesauce, a jar of pickles, even tins of dog food. 

Sorcha knew this was some sort of trap, it was far too good to be true but what was the trap? Aliens or undead, was it worth the risk? Sorcha had decided it was, as she looked for some sort of idea as to what was going to happen when she crawled between those shelves. 

She motioned for the dog to hide in a nearby shelf and Sorcha crawled for that pile of food that was far too good to pass up, a risk she should not be taking, she knew that but food like this was far too scarce to ignore and she could not ignore the ravenous feeling in her stomach. 

She got to the pile without incident and began frantically stuffing the food into her pack; she'd been far too busy watching her exits that she didn’t see the wire attached to the last can. 

Her eyes burned as she was sprayed in the face, it choked her as she breathed in the spray. She bit back the scream of pain as the pepper spray burned her eyes, she heard steps coming from behind her and started to quickly crawl forward with the limited vision she had. 

She tore the water from her drink strap, thankful she’d put a bottle there and squirted it in her eyes, washing away that pepper spray. Her eyes for sure hurt, her vision was still spotty as she scrambled forward but it was better, she knew rubbing them or touching her eyes would make it worse than it was right now so she’d endure it. 

“She’s cleaned her eyes,” she heard a man call behind her. 

That meant there was more so Sorcha crawled faster, she flung herself around as she made it out the other side and aimed her rifle down that crawl space.

Human , she sighed in relief as squeezed the trigger, he hit the ground without a sound as the bullet found his head. 

She scrambled up when she heard two more footsteps, this time they sounded like they were running and jumping. She stole a glance to see two bodies making their way over the fallen shelves, nothing was fired upon her so she suspected they didn’t have weapons, not long range ones anyway. 

She let out a low whistle as she broke into a run, the doors in sight as she sprinted for the exit. 

As she neared another person slid out from a hall that led to what used to be the bathrooms according to the sign above them, gun raised at Sorcha but she didn’t slow as she saw the black blur before he did. 

Athena clamped down hard on his forearm, forcing the man to turn as he yelped in pain. Sorcha emptied a bullet into his head before he could turn his gun on the dog, making him go still. 

Sorcha let out a short whistle as she turned for the doors, the dog released her victim and followed at her human’s side as they sprinted across the car park. 

Sorcha thought she’d take the door off the pick-up when she flung it open, “in.” She snapped breathlessly to her dog who quickly leapt in and over into the back seats, Sorcha swung the bag off her shoulder as she slid in. 

She slammed the door, threw the bag in the seat beside her. The rifle on her lap as she turned the key, put the truck into gear and floored it out of the car park. 

Sorcha was laughing when she sped past a college, she couldn’t believe she’d taken such a risk and gotten away like that.

“Good girl, Thena.” She smiled as she looked at the dog in the mirror. 

Sorcha reached for one of those fluffy toys and tossed it in the back, the toy squeaked as Athena held it in her mouth, chewing it happily as she lay down with it. 

Sorcha knew the dog would break the squeaker soon but the dog deserved it after than impressive move back there, she didn’t like risking her dog like that. 

She passed by what had been the town hall of Alloa, a few empty tanks lay around and undead soldiers paced the temporary fences that had been erected around it for their base. Their guns just swinging from their necks as they stumbled around aimlessly, asking for someone to steal them. 

Sorcha wouldn’t risk that, you’d have to be mad to risk that and pull it off. She could do with more bullets but she had enough for now, enough that she wouldn’t risk it. She’d gotten her guns from random undead soldiers she'd stumbled across and she’d found bullets along the way, there were some shops in the UK that stocked bullets and weapons but before the fall you had to have a gun license to purchase them, it was mostly shotguns as they were commonly used by farmers and game hunters. 

Sorcha had planned to stay the night here but wanted to put distance between her and the people she’d just encountered, so she headed towards the familiar road that would take her to the place she once called home, her stomach twisted at the thought of seeing what had become of her hometown. 

Chapter Text

4.

Sorcha had pulled into an empty petrol station when her geiger counter had started crackling and clicking, she’d pulled over to check it, it was at 100 mSv already. 

She quickly found Athena’s full suit, the dog's ears flattened at the sight of it. 

“I know,” Sorcha gently scratched the dog's chin. “It’s a ridiculous thing to wear but I just want to keep you safe.” Athena huffed but allowed Sorcha to put the suit on her, then the gas mask. “Good girl, it’ll be off before you know it.” 

Sorcha pulled on some gloves and covered her neck, she slipped her own gas mask on and pulled a hat over her head. Even though she’d be in the truck Sorcha didn’t want to risk exposing her skin, she then tested the diesal pump and was delighted when liquid squirted out, 

Sorcha quickly filled the truck and two fuel canisters that she slid into the bed of the truck when she was done, back in the front again she made her way towards Stirling. 

She tried to steady her nerves as she got closer, she grew more nauseous as she gained on the city, the crackling geiger didn’t help, she glanced to see it climbing, 250 mSv now. 

Wallace monument came into view, not as spectacular as it had once been. The blast had torn it in half, she passed over a few more roundabouts before she had to bring the truck to a halt. There it was the crater that was now Stirling, Sorcha could have wept at the sight. 

She’d never see the castle again, she’d never see the town, the park she used to play in as a child, the shopping centre she used to hang around in as a teenager, the cinema she had her first date in, the bowling alley where she had so many birthdays, all gone with one hit. 

The crater was a mile in radius, it had wiped out most of Stirling, even taken out part of the M9. The crater wasn’t empty though, the blast had also torn through the river that ran through Stirlingshire and the water had spilled into the crater, creating a large water hole. 

She sat for longer than she should have gazing at the hole that had once been her home, the counter was still clicking and crackling; 300 mSv she read from the dial.

Athena huffed in the back, it was muffled by her gas mask but Sorcha took the hint and slowly rolled the truck forward. 

The road was cracked in places, the blast had shaken the ground hard, so she carefully manoeuvred over the broken road. 

The road evened out once she got to Bridge of Allan, the sun was starting to get low in the sky and Sorcha knew she’d have to find shelter for the night. Part of her wanted to sleep in the back of the truck, she could drive up Sherifmuir from here but she could encounter Va’nu out in the hills, she decided to anyway as she remembered a little inn up in the hills that had shut down before the fall, she’d stay there for the night. 

Sorcha enjoyed the one lane road that wound through the Ochil hills, the peaks rising above her and the rolling green hills all around. 

Some animals still remained grazing on the hills, she could see sheep and horses. A good sign that she may not encounter Va’nu up here or at least not too many, she passed by a reservoir as she drove through the lush hills. 

Sorcha felt high up right now, there were higher places to be but it’d been a while since Sorcha had been in these hills and there was a familiarity in driving along this road. 

All too soon she was pulling into the car park of the little white inn that still sat hidden away, forgotten and empty in the hills, she’d come with her parents on occasion for dinner.

She pulled the truck around into the car park behind the inn, the truck would be more hidden there, not that she expected many people to be wandering the hills but she preferred to remain cautious, over confidence doesn’t help with survival and would get her killed.

The inn used to be home to a very famous bear that her parents had told her about but she’d never had the chance to see, she was too young when Hercules the bear had resided here with his owners.

Sorcha slid off her gloves, hat and gas mask, tucking them into her bag as she removed them. She slid the neck covering off her chin and left it around her neck as she turned to gently take Athena’s gas mask off her, she slid the hood back off the dog's head as well letting her ears spring free. 

Athena shook her head as Sorcha put the mask in her bag, there were no sounds of tags clinking because a collar is something Athena didn’t wear. Sorcha had been worried about the small noise and the possibility of the collar getting caught so Athena didn’t wear one, she’d occasionally put bandana’s on her, like the purple one the dog now wore, because they tore off easily and she never tied them tight for fear of the dog getting caught on something. 

Athena whined impatiently, waiting for the suit to be fully removed. Sorcha smiled at the dog, she reached her hand towards her and gently stroked the dog's cheek. 

“Stop being so impatient,” Sorcha twisted back round and unzipped her jacket before getting out and opening the door to the back.

She quickly removed the dog's suit and let her out the truck, she’d left the boots on in case of smashed glass as she went round to get her pack, she’d slid some water and food in there for the night and flung the blanket over the rest that sat hidden in the footwell. 

She slung her rifle over her shoulder and locked the truck as she headed for the inn, Athena close at her heels. 

Sorcha tapped the door, once, twice, nothing stirred inside so she gingerly tried to open the door, it didn’t move so she shoved both hands against the door, it groaned in protest. She gave an even harder shove and it moved slightly, the door stiff from age. 

She stepped back and with a bit of a run shouldered the door, she stumbled into the small entrance as the door popped open. 

She collected herself and tried not to rub her now sore shoulder as she slid around the door, the inside was torn to pieces.

She stepped past what looked to be a bookings table that was now splintered in half, something awful had clearly happened here.

There was a chunk taken out of the bar, it’s chairs tipped in every direction. Not a single table had survived in the bar area and she could see the doors that lead into the kitchen had been ripped off, she quickly and carefully stepped through one of the open doorways.

She quickly scanned the kitchen, the dog stayed close by as Sorcha deemed the kitchen clear. 

They headed back into the bar area and turned towards a small set of stairs, the blue tartan carpet at the bottom of it was ripped in places. 

Sorcha and Athena quietly stepped into the dining area, the damage wasn’t as bad here but it had still taken a hit. 

What had happened here? Sorcha wondered as she took in more smashed tables, it looked like it could’ve been a bar brawl. 

Sorcha definitely suspected it had been a brawl, not a drunken one but probably over food and resources, maybe even over leadership. 

She made her way through the dining area, careful not to trip over the rips in the tartan carpet as she stepped. 

She knew there were rooms upstairs, the door that led to them and the bathrooms lay smashed against the opposite wall. 

She stuck her head through and glanced around, eyeing the stairs, she’d check the bathrooms first and then head up. 

She quickly scanned the bathrooms, apart from broken sinks she found nothing in them. 

Sorcha quietly crept up the red carpeted stairs, the stench of dampness lingered on the carpet. 

She found four doors at the top of the stairs, these ones were intact unlike the ones downstairs, it almost scared her more than the smashed doors. 

Athena whined, her ears going flat as she made herself appear smaller on the stairs beside her human. 

Sorcha took a breath and ripped the first one open, she gagged at the smell of stale blood and rotting flesh. 

A man with his throat and eyes torn out, blood coming from his ears where he’d been stabbed in the head, lay on the bed and there was a word carved into his head: mutt.

This is what became of the hybrids when humans found out what they were, Sorcha shut the door as she started to piece together what had happened here. 

She took a deep breath as she opened another door, the bed was snapped in half, claw marks and blood splattered all over the walls. There must have been more than one mutt here for this amount of damage, she suspected that they had tried to blend in with a group of humans. 

Sorcha almost didn’t want to open another door, she glanced towards Athena who still stood on the stairs watching her human open these doors in vain. 

Sorcha quickly ripped the next one open, the paint was blue in this room and the smell of rotten flesh hit her. She had to step around the door to see what was in this room, Sorcha had to clamp her lips shut at the sight, her teeth clattered painfully at the quick movement.

There was an undead woman writhing on the bed, her jaws snapping towards Sorcha but she couldn’t get to her as she’d been restrained and tied to each post.  

Her navel had been sliced open, dark dried blood lay all around her reanimated body and on the wall above her written in what Sorcha believed was the woman's own blood: the mutts whore.

Sorcha knew exactly why the woman’s belly had been torn open and the thought made her nauseous, there was other ways to deal with mutts impregnating human women but this was definitely extreme. 

She wondered if the women had known and loved the mutt that had impregnated her and that’s why she was killed so brutally, perhaps she had refused to remove the spawn that had been implanted in her.  

Sorcha definitely felt disgust at the thought of this women loving a mutt enough to have his mutt spawn, though that also didn’t stop her disgust at the animals who’d tortured and killed her in such a brutal way. 

She slid the knife from her thigh and stepped towards the bed, the woman's pale dead eyes watched her every move, those teeth never stopped snapping until Sorcha drove the blade through the dead woman’s temple and she finally went still. 

Sorcha wiped her blade on the covers before sliding it back into the sheath, she closed the door behind her on the way out. 

One more door Sorcha realised, one more door that will decide whether she sleeps in the pick-up tonight or not.

She had to take a breath before opening it, only a musty smell hit her this time. This room was red, the paint peeling from the walls, the wardrobe was smashed open, the fireplace was cracked and a few patches of dry blood splattered the floor but the bed was intact. 

It would do for the night and she’d move on, she peered into the bathroom which was also red but everything was smashed in there. 

She shook the covers on the bed, dust flying from them when she flapped them, the sheets underneath weren’t stained with blood thankfully so Sorcha went to close the door that she’d come in from. 

She managed to coax Athena into the better room of the four with a tin of corned beef and she locked the door, while Athena finished the can of corned beef Sorcha tucked into a tin of pears with syrup. 

She drank the syrup right from the tin when she was done with the pears, the syrup dripping on her chin as she’d thrown it back far too quickly when she’d drank from it. 

She placed the empty tin on the bedside table and sighed as she wiped the syrup off her chin, she licked it right off her hand not wanting to waste a drop. 

Sorcha hated being this hungry, she wanted more but knew she had to save what she had. She’d gotten lucky today, that didn’t happen often. 

Athena finally gave up with her tin of food when licking it didn’t make more ground beef appear, she sprung up onto the bed and curled up at Sorcha’s side. 

Sorcha absent-mindedly petted the dog as she thought about where she’d head next, perhaps she’d go up north and see about taking a boat to one of the islands, not that Sorcha knew how to sail but she could try.

She wondered if the islands had avoided a lot of the events of the fall, like the Va’nu and the plague, perhaps even the Voleux themselves. She knew they would have suffered to some extent but she wondered if such small patches of land would've been worth the hassle to the aliens, she’d perhaps go and find out. Sorcha wasn’t a plan maker she just went where she felt like going and avoided anything that could kill her, she hadn’t survived six years by making stupid decisions. 

If she went and found it was too risky she wouldn’t bother but she would maybe go and find out if it was possible. For now she was going to try and sleep in this disgusting room, she removed the boots from Athena’s feet and stuffed them into the pack before laying down in the bed beside the dog, Athena sprawled out against Sorcha’s side as she did and they settled in for the night together. 

Chapter Text

5.

Athena had her head out the back window, tongue flying in the breeze as the truck sped through Blair Atholl. Sorcha had just wanted to drive today, to get as far from that bloodied up inn as she could. She hadn’t stayed a moment longer than she had to in that cursed place, she had however stopped on the way out of the hills to take a walk amongst them to the gathering stone up sheriffmuir, to also let Athena stretch her legs before being stuck in the truck until Sorcha decided they had gone far enough. 

Sorcha was glad the A9 was pretty much empty as they continued up north, she didn't have to weave in and out of too many abandoned cars. Although no matter how far she drove she couldn’t escape the dream she had, the one she’s been running from all morning. 

“Sorcha, Sorcha! We have to go,” her mothers voice was full of panic as she rattled against Sorcha’s front door. 

Athena was leaping and barking, trying with all her might to hurry Sorcha from her bed. 

“Sorcha!” Her mother screamed as she pounded the door. 

Sorcha quickly bounced out of bed at the urgency and distress in her mothers voice, almost losing her footing over the mess in her small flat. 

She fumbled with the lock and chain before finally ripping the door open before she could speak, her red faced and teared stained mother was pushing her way in and forcing Sorcha back down the hall. 

“Change quickly, we have to go.” Her mother made for Sorcha’s bedroom, Athena close behind her as she went. 

Sorcha wasn’t long in following them both, she arrived to her mother frantically packing a bag, her red hair was messy and looked as if she’d been tugging at it. 

“What’s going on, mum?” Sorcha’s anxiety was building as she watched her frantic mother. 

“There’s been a bomb threat, so get dressed. Now.”  Sorcha dove for her drawers at that. “Your fathers off to get your brother, I knew you both should’ve stayed with us.” 

Sorcha didn't know why she stayed in her flat alone except that it was closer to her place of work, she also didn’t like to watch everyone’s panic and thought the army had the upper hand in the fight so she didn’t see the urgency to move to her parents, her brother shared the same sentiment and lived in his own flat with his roommates at the other side of the city.

She was quickly jumping into jeans and a plain pale green t-shirt, she tugged on her knee length combat boots and forced herself into her fake leather jacket. 

She was throwing her hair back when she finally spoke again, “where will we go?” 

“To your grandparents, up the north coast.” Her mother zipped the bag up. “Hopefully we’ll be safe there till we know more.” 

Sorcha nodded as she tugged her ponytail tightly into the bobble, she found Athena’s collar and whistled to her so she could put it on her, she was leashing her as her mother started dragging her to the door. 

Sorcha didn’t have any more questions as her mother was practically sprinting with them, she’d dragged Sorcha when she’d gone to lock her door. It had been out of habit that Sorcha had tried to lock the door, she didn’t fight her mother when she’d dragged her towards the car. 

Athena didn’t hesitate getting in the car, Sorcha fumbled with the seat belt as her mother sped off through the town. 

“I hope we can beat the queues,” her mother muttered. “I hope your father has gotten your brother by now.” 

Sorcha watched her mother carefully, those stormy grey eyes that Sorcha had inherited from her were so full of panic right now, her face wasn’t as red now that she’d gotten a hold of her daughter. 

Sorcha held the seat belt tight, squeezing it in her palms until it hurt. Athena’s tail was wagging happily, it could be heard thumping on the leather seats as they made their way through the streets of Stirling. The only time it couldn’t be heard was when they passed over the cobbled sections of road, the dog just thought she was going for a car ride. 

Sorcha felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and she yanked it out to see 15 missed calls from her mother, 3 from her father, one from her brother and 5 from Kadon. There were a bunch of messages from her family asking her to answer her phone, to get back to them but she was only interested in the ones from Kadon. 

She read his messages:

Sorcha please call me back! 

Please tell me that your on your way out? 

Sorcha??? 

??? 

Another message came through as she was reading:

I should’ve come for you before we headed, Sorcha please tell me your safe before I beg them to turn around! 

She quickly replied before he did indeed try and come back for her:

Don’t you dare! 

She hit send and began typing out more texts:

I’m safe, my mum has just rattled down my door and dragged me out, we’re on our way out of Stirling now. 

My dad has gone to get Aonghus.

I think we’re heading North to my grandparents. 

She took a breath as she saw the three dots appear and waited for his reply, it came through seconds later with a ping: 

We’re heading north too, keep in touch! I’ll find you as soon as we’re there, I love you Sorcha ❤️

She couldn’t stop the small smile as she replied:

We’ll find each other again, I love you too Kadon ❤️

Sorcha fiddled with the moonstone crystal that hung around her neck, the first thing Kadon had ever gotten her and she’d never taken it off since, she’d see him again she told herself. 

They passed by the Wallace moment and then the university as they headed into the hills, her mother pulled into the closest car park from their ascent up logie kirk. 

“Come on, come on.” Her mother was muttering as she held her phone to her ear, “answer you big idiot.” 

Sorcha undid her belt and stepped out of the car, she looked towards Stirling. She could just see it from the car park, the hills splitting enough that the city was just visible. 

“Oh Micheal! Micheal,” her mother sobbed.  

“Where are they?” Sorcha bit out towards her mother, “did he get Aonghus?”

Her mother shushed her and she could slightly hear her father over the phone, “settle Elenor, we’re on foot and…” the phone started crackling. 

There was a deafening high pitched whirring noise overhead, then it came into view, the spaceship. Sorcha’s body chilled at the sight of the metallic grey foreign ship settling above Stirling, orange lights flashing from its sides, something like a satellite pole sticking up from the rear of it and the whirring noise never stopped as it came to a stop. 

“Please tell me your close, please?” Sorcha heard her mother beg and cry behind her as she watched the ship. 

Athena was howling in the car at the noise and then it happened, the bomb dropped, there was a flash and Sorcha’s ears rung from the boom it made on impact. 

Hands were covering her eyes as she was dragged to the ground, she couldn’t hear as her mother held Sorcha against her. 

The ground trembled as they lay near the car, Sorcha's face was being shaken but she couldn’t hear as she looked at her mother who was wailing, her lips moving as she said something Sorcha couldn’t hear. 

Eleanor was scrambling to find her phone as Sorcha stood, looking towards that explosion. All she could see was a large mushroom cloud where Stirling had once been, her throat hurt as she choked at the sight. 

She was being flung back into the car, her mothers lips still moving without sound. 

“Where are they?” Sorcha didn’t know how loud she was talking, she suspected loud from the way her mother had flinched.

Her mother shook her head so slowly, tears spilling as trepidation washed over her mothers face, Sorcha didn’t need to hear to know that her father and brother hadn’t made it. 

She went limp and her mother shoved her into the car with ease, Sorcha jumped when a soft nose touched her shoulder, Athena’s ears pressed tightly against her head as the car took off through the hills, Sorcha didn’t ask where they were going as the car sped through the hills.

Her chest felt heavy with the feel of her parents' wedding rings hanging on the gold chain Sorcha wore that once belonged to her mother, her father had given her mother his ring and promised he’d be back for it while he went to get Aonghus because Eleanor had been so panicked about them separating so Micheal had given his wife his wedding ring saying no force on this earth would stop him from getting it back, he never got it back. 

Sorcha shook the memory off with a sigh that rocked her, she glanced at Athena in the rearview mirror, the dog was sleeping soundly in the back seats. 

Sorcha flinched when she caught sight of her storm grey eyes, she’d avoided looking in mirrors as much as possible. She’d occasionally catch glimpses and avoided looking at her eyes if she could help it, the eyes that reminded her far too much of her mother and she didn’t want to be reminded of the way she lost her or that she’d been to be one who had to end it. 

It had been a mistake to go to the hills not only for the mess she’d found in the inn but the memories that were better left alone in the hills that had stirred in her, she continued on driving as far from those memories as she could. 

Chapter Text

6.

Sorcha had pulled over to let Athena out, thankfully the memories had been left somewhere back on the road, she couldn’t remember where they had finally left her. 

She was trying to get her bearings as she watched her dog run off to do her business, the roads had been blocked with turned over trucks, buses or army blockades so Sorcha had weaved in and out of towns before finally stopping outside of Aviemore. 

She had to stretch her legs as well as Athena’s legs after a few hours of being stuck in the truck, she’d look over the map when she got back in. 

Athena came bouncing out of the bushes, leaves caught in her fur as she sprung into the back seat. Sorcha smiled as she shook her head at the dog, she closed the door behind Athena and climbed back into the driver's seat locking the doors as she did. 

She fumbled with the map book before finding what she was looking for, she traced her fingers over the lines that marked out the roads. 

She could continue up to Boat of Garten and then to Skye of Curr before getting back onto the road she needed to be on, if that didn’t work there was a road bridge in Boat of Garten that crossed the river Spey and she could continue up till she got to Speybridge, it’d be a massive detour but it was still going in the direction she wanted to go. 

She dropped the map book in the seat beside her, mildly satisfied at the plans she’d made. She reached into her pack and pulled out the first tin that her hand made contact with, her nose crinkled when she saw it was pumpkin purée. 

She ripped the tin open and ate half of it before giving the rest to Athena, who was happier about the food than Sorcha had been. The dog wasn’t fussy, she ate whatever, even catching her own food but it still didn’t stop Sorcha sharing with her. 

Athena didn’t always eat the things she caught, when they were really hungry she’d bring them back to Sorcha who would do her best to prepare the dead animal so she could eat some of it too. 

Sorcha wasn’t skilled at it but she’d managed when she needed to do it, she wouldn’t turn down food of any kind and Athena seemed to know when she was too hungry to go without something in her belly. 

Sorcha heard the tin clatter to the floor in the back, Athena had shoved it off when she’d finished. She glanced around the truck to make sure they had everything and set off back down the road, to try and find a way back onto the main road. 

She wondered why there were so many blockades up here - there had been rumours in the beginning that going north was safer but perhaps the influx of people had caused issues, it would’ve attracted the Va’nu and the dead. 

Sorcha didn’t doubt the forests here were full of Va’nu, she’d passed nothing but trees and hills. She’d find cover far, far from the truck if she had to sleep out here but she didn’t plan to get stuck out here. 

They started passing small houses hidden away amongst the trees, they were mixed with stone and wood giving them a cosy cabin look nestled between the trees. 

As the houses started getting closer together, turning into rows of cottages, Sorcha knew she was getting close to the little town and headed for the road that would take her out of here. 

As she drove to the turn towards the town's centre she hit the brakes hard, she groaned in annoyance at the fence blockade. If it wasn’t for the twenty or so biters on the other side she’d have moved it, the biters pushed against the fence, chewing at the metal mesh as they aimlessly grabbed for the truck with their dead, peeling skin. 

Sorcha huffed at the sight, she’d try the bridge then and she rolled the truck on. She wouldn’t try any other streets here in case the biters trapped her in the truck, not a way she planned to die. 

She found the bridge and made her way to Skye of Curr hoping there weren't any more blockades now, she didn’t want to be stuck on this one track road that led through the forest but they would pass by a few towns until they got to Nethy bridge which would lead her to Skye of Curr and then the A9. 

She didn’t get far along the road before she was faced with another blockade, perhaps the town she’d just come through had been a mass outbreak and they’d tried to contain it, she wondered. There was a road to her right that led by a lodge and deeper into Abernethy forest, it looped right round to Nethy bridge so she knew she’d still get to where she needed but the blockades were throwing her off. 

She worried they may not have been from a mass outbreak and could be a trap for travelers, especially if it was forcing her deeper into the forest but she’d also seen no suspicious movement at each blockade they’d stopped at and the blockades had started miles back. 

She glanced at the forest road, it wasn’t a long drive down it. She could drive fast if needed or run them over if someone had set a trap, if she came across another blockade though Sorcha knew she’d turn back and find another way up North, perhaps even take one of the coastal roads. 

She eased the truck into the turn and took off down the forest road, trees blurring passed them as they did. The orange sky illuminated them in a strange way making them appear darker than they are, she was beginning to forget what colours looked like during the day. 

As the trees got denser on each side Athena growled, the dog didn’t make any noise unless something had unsettled her. Sorcha’s hands tightened on the steering wheel as she began scanning the trees, she couldn’t see much through them. 

Athena was on all fours now, hackles raised and her ears went flat, she was hearing something that Sorcha couldn’t. 

Then she heard the trees crashing on her left, the scraping of claws as a large Va’nu came crashing and clawing out the trees behind them, its claws screaming on the concrete as it spun towards the truck, foam and drool dripping from its large maw. 

“Holy shit,” Sorcha hissed as she slammed her foot on the accelerator. 

The truck sped off and the large monstrous creature sped up after them, Sorcha could hear the frantic clicking of those claws on the road as it pursued them. 

Why was it out during the day? they don’t come out in the day, Sorcha tried to bite down on her panic as she sped down the road. 

This wasn’t the best road to be driving fast on but she didn’t care, she’d prefer not to be Va’nu shit in the near future. 

Athena was clawing at the back window, teeth out at the Va’nu as it pursued her human, as if the dog would take on the gigantic beast ten times her size if it meant it wouldn’t touch her human. 

“Athena, lie down.” Sorcha commanded the dog, she didn’t want her being jostled around on the turns. 

Athena did as she was told but kept snarling her teeth at the back window, Sorcha was praying that the road would end soon. 

She saw the loch up ahead which distracted her from the movement in the trees and she didn’t see the black blur charging from her right, it smashed into the car with horrific force.

The second Va’nu sent the truck flying through the air and right through the trees, clearing the tops off some and breaking branches in its way. As the truck hit the ground the windows shattered and Sorcha was flung so hard that the seat belt snapped from the sheer force that’d she had just been flung, the pick-up rolled with her and the dog being tossed around inside. 

When the truck finally came to a stop it was upside down, Athena was whining in pain and Sorcha was flattened against the roof, her face and hands peppered with tiny cuts from the glass but she didn’t care about her, Athena’s pained cries cut her far worse than any injury she could ever endure. 

“Athena,” she croaked as she rolled towards her dog. 

Athena lay sprawled on the roof of the truck, her right paw was bent in the wrong direction which made Sorcha sob as she crawled to her dog. 

She gently shushed the dog as her fingers wove into her fur, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” She sobbed but tried to suppress it aware that there could be two Va’nu nearby, “I’ll fix it, I’ll fix it.” She didn’t know if she was trying to convince herself or the dog, she was trying not to panic and become delirious at the sight of her beautiful Athena hurt and in pain. “I know it hurts baby, I know.” She placed a gentle kiss on the dog's cheek as she shushed her again. 

Sorcha kept stroking Athena’s neck who had gone silent now as she scanned the trees, they’d be fine if the Va’nu passed them, as long as they stayed quiet and still. She’d carry Athena to the lodge back down the road and figure out the rest, she’d set the break and never stop apologising to the dog for the rest of her life for being responsible for her leg breaking. 

Sorcha’s stomach clenched when she heard a different kind of clicking, more high pitched and squeaky, it was a language instead of claws on the ground. She’d been right in thinking this could have been a trap and now the Va’nu being out during the day made sense. They were obeying their masters, masters Sorcha had thought they didn’t serve anymore. Most didn’t but those two must’ve been bred and raised by the Voleux who were communicating through the trees looking for her. She reached for the blanket that was lodged in the foot well and draped it over Athena, trying to hide her the best she could, moving her would cause her pain and if she cried then the Voleux would find them and Sorcha was going to get them both out of this - somehow. 

She may have been too cocky in thinking she could escape, she thought as she was dragged back out of the truck, a large clawed hand bit into her calf and the shattered window scraped her through her clothes as she was dragged. 

She aimed a sharp kick and heard the crunch as it collided with the alien's face, it shrieked as it dropped her and she ripped her gun from her side as she bounced up. 

The blue alien didn’t see her rise as it clutched its now broken nose, Sorcha placed her glock under its jaw and squeezed, black blood spurting from the Voleux as it stumbled back and it went limp as it fell to the ground. They didn’t need gold bullets if the shot was aimed right in their brain, there wasn’t much of anything that survived that shot, even the dead die with a head shot.

Sorcha’s gun was flung from her hand as another Voleux tried to swipe it from her, Sorcha drew her knife and aimed it at the Voleux who had its sharp teeth bared, it snapped towards Sorcha as it hissed. Sorcha hadn’t seen a female one of these in a while, there wasn’t much difference in the males or females, just their height and the females had white hair on their heads unlike the males black hair. 

The female Voleux lunged for Sorcha and she slashed her blade across its neck as it grabbed her, one claw finger tore right into Sorcha’s side making her scream out and push the blade deeper into its throat. 

The Voleux jumped back from Sorcha sucking her blood off its finger as it did, it smiled at her, those sharp shark teeth and night dark eyes even with the golden irises breaking them up made Sorcha want to shudder but she stood strong as she felt the blood dripped from her side. 

She pushed her free hand against it trying to stem the blood flow as she felt the blood pooling in the waistband of her jeans, the alien had gotten her deep, the pain she could ignore but the blood loss would make her vulnerable the more she lost. 

The alien clawed at the deep mark on its neck, mocking Sorcha because it would heal and it would not suffer blood loss like a human does. 

Sorcha bared her own teeth at it before another that she hadn’t heard or seen came up behind her, gripped the back of her neck and forced her head sharply into the footstep of the upside down truck, Sorcha’s ears rang at the impact on her temple. The new Voleux let go of her with a guttural noise that sounded like a laugh, the female made the same sound as Sorcha hit the ground with a groan. 

Her vision was going fuzzy but she could see Athena under the blanket, they were both going to die here and there was nothing Sorcha could do, tears welled in her eyes as she realized that. 

I’m sorry, she silently whispered to her dog one last time. If the rainbow bridge does exist she’d see Athena again, not that she wanted it to end like this. 

She twisted to look at the laughing aliens, they both smiled at her with their horrid sharp teeth as the tears fell from eyes - that made them smile wider. 

The new one that had smashed Sorcha’s head put it’s foot on her back, right between her shoulder blades and pushed Sorcha into the ground, crushing and suffocating her. 

Black spots were appearing in her vision as she choked for air, the pressure was released from her back when a shot rang out. 

The female screamed but Sorcha didn’t look back as she heard the second shot, she crawled forwards towards Athena instead. If she was going to die here she wanted to hold Athena and apologise until her last breath, the dog felt warm as Sorcha collapsed beside her. 

She softly wrapped her arm around the dog, her fingers played with the fur that stuck out top of the blanket. 

“I love you,” she whispered to the dog and Athena nestled closer, placing a soft lick on Sorcha’s cheek. Sorcha could feel herself slipping, Athena whined as her human started to go limp around her. 

“Hold on,” Sorcha’s hearing was muffled, she swore she heard a deep human voice. 

She looked above her, her vision still blurry. Someone was reaching through the broken window, Sorcha couldn’t make them out as her vision went black and she collapsed from the blood loss. 

Chapter Text

7.

Sorcha awoke with a groan, the light was blinding she had to shut her eyes immediately on opening them. She braced herself as she carefully opened them once more, she had no idea where she was, just that she felt like she’d been hit by a bus. 

She winced at the pain in her side as she sat up, she looked down to see a bandage through the slash in her top where the Voleux had swiped her. She lifted her top to see that her wound had been dressed and bandages wrapped across her aching ribs, her head throbbed too and when she touched it she found another bandage, she remembered someone firing on the aliens as she’d hit the ground and then the silhouette of a human reaching for her inside the upturned truck.

How long ago had it been? Had it been days or only yesterday and where was Athena? 

Sorcha tried not to panic as she glanced around the bare looking room for her dog, she wasn’t there. Sorcha swallowed the whimper that threatened to escape her lips, the last memory she had of Athena was her crying in pain and her paw was bent the wrong way. Her stomach turned at the memory as she slid from the bed, she suppressed the moan of pain when her feet touched the ground. 

There was only a bed, a bedside table and a desk with a chair. No sign of her pack or weapons, only her jacket hung on the chair and that didn’t help her when she didn’t know where she was or what she was dealing with. 

From the window she could tell she was still in the woods, she carefully tried to open it and found it to be locked, she was going to have to find another escape route. 

She tiptoed to the door, ignoring the pain in her side as she did and pressed an ear to the door. Nothing, there wasn’t a single sound on the other side so she carefully opened the door and peered out. 

Only a bare hallway greeted her so she silently slunk out of the room, she gingerly stepped down the hallway mindful of every step she took, the house still lay silent before her. 

She took a glance around the corner at the end of the hall to find an empty living room or what she thought was empty, as she stepped into it she found her dog curled up on the couch, her paw wrapped in a bandage. 

She almost ran to her but glanced around for a weapon before approaching the dog, she wanted one on hand in case the inhabitant of the house returned. 

She spotted the iron poker by the fire, it would do, she thought as she took it in her hands, laying it at her side as she knelt before her dog. She gently twisted her fingers into the dog's fur and Athena begrudgingly opened her eyes, they were heavy with sleep when they found Sorcha.

One gentle wag is all the dog let out as she closed her eyes again, Sorcha suspected she had been given pain medicine from the dazed state the dog was in which meant she’d have to carry the dog if she wanted out of here and that wouldn’t be possible with her torn side. The only thing left would be to fight her rescuer with the poker she’d found, she should be grateful they had saved her but no way had they done this out of the kindness of their heart, Sorcha knew there would be payment of some sort demanded from her. 

She glanced around the room, the kitchen was along the wall nearest the door open to the living area and small table sat under the window littered with books because the shelf in the corner of the room was overflowing with them, it was clearly lived in as there was clutter everywhere and no way could a human survive in one place for long, if a mutt had saved her then she’d kill it without hesitation. 

“You're not where I left you,” a deep voice from her left growled. 

Sorcha whirled with the iron poker in hand, raised and aimed towards the very tall man that stood in the door before her. She couldn’t see him properly for the light shining behind him, not that Sorcha cared if he was human or alien, she’d made up her mind as her face twisted into a snarl and she ignored the pain tearing through her right side, if he took a step towards her she’d do what she had to do to survive.

“No need to thank me or anything,” the man shrugged as a chuckle bellowed out of him. 

Sorcha held her ground in front of her dog, he wasn’t acting like a threat but that could be an act. 

The man sighed and raised his hands in submission to Sorcha, “I only wanted to help.” 

“Why?” She spat at him, still holding the rod at him. “What’s in it for you?” 

“Nothing, just that I saved another human's life.” Human, the word rang through Sorcha and she didn’t believe him. “There’s enough killing, I’m tired of it and I'm alone out here, I was beginning to think everyone was gone.” 

“So you thought I’d hang around, is that what this is?” She shook the poker at him. 

“You’re free to go when you want, I suggest you rest and heal up first but if you want to go I’ll get you a pack.” He kept his hands raised, “your dog is in no shape to travel however, she has a fractured wrist and I gave her the strongest pain killers I could.” 

Sorcha weighed her options, she couldn’t haul Athena out with a fractured wrist. This man had indeed helped them both, he could’ve done much worse while they were unconscious, that didn’t mean she trusted him but perhaps for a few weeks she could stick it out for Athena’s sake. 

“You just want to help?” She asked him, keeping her chin high. 

“Yes,” he nodded with his hands raised. 

“And we can leave when she’s better, you want nothing in return?” 

“Just company and some help in the fields if you can manage it.” 

Fields? Did he also have farmland out here? 

She again mulled it over, it was too good to be true. “Show me your eyes,” she demanded.

He scoffed and shook his head, “you think I’d have killed those things if I was one of them?” 

“Mutts infiltrated this planet and blended in long before we ever knew they were there, I think they’d stop at nothing to try and keep hidden considering neither species is hospitable towards them now.” She spat at him with so much venom the poker shook in her hand. 

“Ok,” he nodded. “I’m just going to step this way,” he motioned to his right as he carefully stepped into the room. 

“Close enough,” she barked as he went to step past the kitchen counter. 

He turned towards the door as she took a few careful steps towards him until she could see his brown eyes, his plain chocolate brown eyes lit up by the light from outside, she loosed a breath as she looked him over. 

He had dark curly brown hair, the orange light played with the red tones in his hair. He had a strong face with high cheekbones, one scar on his jaw that started from his ear and wound around his neck to his collarbone on the other side from what Sorcha could make out. 

She kept a tight grip on the poker as she backed away from him, he lowered his hands as he watched her retreat. 

“Did I pass your assessment?” He raised a brow at her as he smirked. 

“For now,” Sorcha replied dryly. “You promise I can leave when I want?” 

“Yes,” he drew a cross over his heart as he said, “cross my heart and hope to die.” 

“You will die if you try to keep me here,” she promised him back. 

“I do not doubt that, you held up well against the Voleux. Took down one and injured another, that’s pretty good for one of us.”

“And you killed the rest from what I remember,” she watched him carefully. 

“Gold bullets,” he shrugged. “They were easy pickings.” 

“How do you have gold bullets?” Her fingers tightened on that metal rod. 

“From dead soldiers who passed by or from what I found on my scavenging trips,” he shrugged as he leaned against the counter. “I have a supply that I haven’t had use of until today, I don’t use them often.” 

“You really don’t encounter much out here,” her brows furrowed. “How is that possible?” 

“Nothing around for miles, what would anyone be looking for out here? The only thing I get occasional bother with is the Va’nu but a deer will catch their eye or a bullet will catch their head,” he was watching Sorcha, keeping an eye on her weapon. “What were you looking for out here?” 

“Nothing, I was just passing through. I don’t like staying still,” she was still glaring at the man. “What’s your name?” 

“Munroe,” he smiled. “And yours?” 

She didn’t want to answer but he kept looking at her, waiting. “Sorcha,” she answered through her gritted teeth. 

“What about the dog, she got a name?” 

Sorcha nodded, “Athena.” 

Athena’s tail wagged as if in answer to her name, her head rose briefly but then she lay back down with a sigh as if raising her head was too much effort. 

“Goddess of war and a fierce protector, how fitting for a shepherd breed.” His brows rose. 

“Is she going to be ok?” Sorcha’s voice cracked as her hard mask slipped away for a moment. 

“Aye, she’ll be fine. Just needs to sleep it off, it’s barely been a day, don’t worry yourself too much.” Sorcha just nodded at him, he clapped his hands together as he spoke again. “Now are you hungry, I bet you are after a day's sleep.” Sorcha looked him up and down, still not trusting him. “Come on,” he smiled wide. “What would be the point in poisoning you now, I wouldn’t have wasted my time saving you.” 

Sorcha was indeed hungry so she agreed, she’d taken a seat in the armchair by Athena and where she could keep watch of Munroe flitting about his kitchen, the poker lay across her lap and she still held it in a vice-like grip. 

She watched as Munroe sauntered over to her and placed two glasses of orange coloured juice on the table, she eyed them while he grabbed two plates from the counter. 

“Never seen orange juice before?” He chuckled as he placed a plate in front of her with a sandwich on it. 

She blinked at it in disbelief, an actual sandwich sat in front of her, when was the last time she’d seen one?  

She watched Munroe as he sat in the chair across from her, her face was full of confusion which made him watch her back. 

“How?” Was all she asked. 

“I make it, I grow my own food.” He shrugged as he took a bite. 

“You mentioned fields, you grow crops?” She didn’t move to touch the food in front of her.

He nodded as he swallowed the bite he’d taken, “wheat, some vegetables and I have greenhouses. I have livestock, I can cure meat. I can prepare almost anything,” he gave her a reassuring smile. 

“It’s fresh?” Her voice hitched and her eyes widened at him. 

“As fresh as you’ll find these days,” he nodded to her plate. “Eat.”

Her mouth was watering at the thought of how fresh the food was in front of her, she’d wondered what fresh food had tasted like for so long. 

Slowly she picked up half of the sandwich and stared at it, she could see lettuce, peppers, meat and some sort of spread. She tentatively sniffed it and Munroe watched her as she took a soft bite, she had to spit it back out onto the plate from the foreign taste and feel in her mouth. 

She gulped at the lump in her throat, she’d gotten used to stale and rubbery food, something so soft and flavourful didn’t feel right in her mouth but she didn’t deny how good the taste in her mouth was. 

Munroe was still watching her as she took a second bite, she shut her eyes as she chewed it, tears rolled from her eyes and down her cheek as she swallowed it. 

How could this be possible? 

Sorcha had never tasted something so good in so long, she almost felt like she was back in school enjoying a packed lunch that her mother had made for her. 

Her eyes opened again, Munroe had gone tense at the emotions that were overcoming Sorcha. 

“Has it been that long since you’ve eaten something decent?” His eyes full of guilt as he looked at Sorcha’s cut up face and the tears that rolled down it. 

“I ate what I could, there isn’t an abundance of fresh food anymore.” She stared at the half eaten sandwich in her hand, “this shouldn’t be possible.” 

“I’m sorry,” he said it with so much sincerity that Sorcha couldn’t look at him, she didn’t want to see the pity on his face. 

She just shrugged, “that’s survival out there.” 

“Eat,” he said as he took another bite of his sandwich. 

Sorcha nodded but reached for her orange juice, she carefully took a sip, her nose crinkled at the sweet bitterness of the drink and she devoured the rest of her sandwich with little dignity. 

Munroe didn’t say anything as she devoured the food in front of her but he did offer the rest of his sandwich to the dog who had been watching the food, Athena tentatively took the sandwich from him and with as much grace as her owner devoured the sandwich like it was her last meal. 

Sorcha groaned as she pushed the plate away from her and leaned back in the chair, Munroe cleared the table without saying a word. 

Sorcha watched him clean up, her stomach fuller than it had been in a long time. She’d forgotten just how filling bread could be, she’d have to go back to stale food when she left so Sorcha was going to enjoy the food while she was stuck here. 

Munroe opened the fridge and pulled soemthing out of a tub, Sorcha froze at the sight of the small light clicking on inside the fridge. 

“You have electricity!” She snapped rather loudly. 

He smiled as he shut the door and walked back into the living area, “yes.” Was all he said as he dropped some meat in front of Athena who gobbled it up quickly. 

“How is that possible?” The question tripped over her tongue at every word as she watched him sit back in the chair across from her. 

“Solar panels and a wind turbine, we were self-sustaining out here long before the fall.” 

“We?” She stiffened in the chair, her fingers tightened around that poker. 

“My parents, I grew up here.” He watched her fingers curl around the metal rod. 

“You’ve been here this whole time?” He nodded. “And your parents?” 

“My mother died when I was ten, my father went on a supply run five years ago and didn’t return.” His eyes hardened as he spoke about his loss. 

“I’m sorry,” Sorcha whispered, “I shouldn’t have asked.” 

He half smiled at her, “what’s your story?” 

She looked away from him as she kept her grip tightly around the metal in her lap, “it’s just me and Athena.” She stated plainly, she didn’t want to drag up her past to this stranger. 

“That’s it?” He raised his brows at Sorcha who twisted her head to watch him cautiously. “I’m sure there’s more but you can tell me when you're ready or not,” he shrugged. “I think you’ve probably been through enough for one day.” 

Sorcha didn’t plan on telling this man her story, she’d enjoy his food, endure him for the weeks she’d be stuck here and help out on his lands if that was what he wanted. She wouldn’t get friendly with him or share her life trauma with him, she didn’t owe him that even if he did save her. 

“Do you have my pack?” She levelled her gaze with his. 

“No, sorry. Why?” Munroe furrowed his brows at her. 

“I wanted fresh clothes,” she picked at her dirty and bloody top before looking back up at him. 

“I can give you something in the meantime, I still have some of my mothers clothes.”

“And you can move Athena into my room,” she demanded, she didn’t plan on asking. 

His face scrunched as he looked at her, “do you think that’s a good idea?” He continued on before Sorcha could start yelling, “I mean because you won't be able to move her to the bathroom with your side, I don’t mind her being in the room, I just worry for both your healths.” 

Sorcha sighed in defeat, she hadn’t thought about that. “Fine but just until I can move her myself.” 

“Of course,” he nodded as he rose. “I’ll get the clothes.” 

He swiftly left the room, he slid through one of the doors and shut it behind him, Sorcha caught sight of a very cluttered room and a dark wooden bed with green tartan sheets before he shut the door. 

He returned with a pile of clothes in his hands, “there’s some tops, a pair of shorts and leggings of some sort.” He placed them on the table in front of her, “you can wash up in the bathroom, the sink works. I wouldn’t recommend taking a shower with your bandages and stitches.” 

She just blinked at him, running water too.  

Munroe backed away from her and she heard him fill the kitchen sink as he went to wash the dishes from their food, she slid onto the floor in front of Athena, placed the poker by her side and placed a kiss on the dogs cheek. 

“Get better,” she stroked the dog's cheek gently as she whispered so quietly. “I’m so sorry that this happened to you,” Sorcha blamed herself immensely for the dog's pain. 

Athena whined as she pawed at Sorcha with her good paw, as if to say I’ll be ok and don’t worry about me. Sorcha smiled at her while she still caressed the dog's cheek, she’d still worry even if the dog formed speech and told her not to. 

Sorcha sighed as she rose with the poker back in her hand and collected the clothes off the table, “what did you give her?” She looked at the back of Munroe’s head as she spoke. 

“CBD oil,” he twisted to look at her. “It’s safe to give dogs, don’t worry I just gave her enough to help her sleep and help with the pain.” 

“Did you drug me?” She didn’t know whether to be mad that he grew drugs here too, it shouldn’t surprise her. 

“I gave you a little pain relief while I stitched you,” he turned to face her. “Opium before you ask.”

“You grow them both?” She breathed out.

“Yes, for medical purposes.” He smirked, “mostly.” 

She took a deep breath, “where’s the bathroom?” 

He pointed to the door between his room and across from the one she’d come from down the short hall, she stormed away and through the door without a second look at him. 

She wasn’t mad about the drugs, she was mad that he’d survive out here so peacefully and been self-sustaining while the world burned. She could kill him and keep it all to herself, he had to know if others came across him and this place they would kill him for it. 

Sorcha hated how stupid he had been bringing her here, it was a risk she’d never have taken but if he hadn’t she and Athena would be dead right now. 

She pushed it all away as she filled up the sink and placed the clothes on the shelves, she leaned the poker against the wall as she stripped off. It didn’t take her long to find a sponge, a towel and some soap to wash with. 

To her surprise the water was hot, she was going to enjoy this too and she’d even wash her hair. 

How was she to leave with so many luxuries here? If she decided she couldn’t leave then she could always just kill Munroe for it, she'd figure that out the closer she got to being ready to leave. 

Chapter Text

8.

Somehow Sorcha had managed to avoid Munroe yesterday, he was out whenever she came to sit with Athena and he didn’t come to find her when she swiped one of the books and took it to her room. She probably should’ve thanked him for the clothes that fit her relatively well, she’d found the shirt easiest to put on rather than pulling a t-shirt over her head that would irritate her wounded side with the movement. 

Munroe didn’t try to coax her out of her room for food either, just knocked and left trays of food at her door during the day. The only time she’d seen him was when he’d walked by the window as she’d gone back to the room after checking on Athena and he’d had a deer over his shoulder, Sorcha didn’t wait around to find out what he was doing with the deer or question what the meaty stew was that he’d left for her. 

Athena was more awake this morning as Sorcha came to check on her, Munroe lingered in the kitchen prepping food which put Sorcha on edge, she’d hoped that they’d just avoid each other again. 

“Hey my sweet girl,” Sorcha whispered as she knelt on the floor in front of her dog, keeping Munroe in her sights who had his back to them. 

Athena pawed at Sorcha with her good paw, it rested on her arm as Sorcha pet her with the other hand.

“You look better,” Sorcha whispered and Athena let out a soft whine as she rolled on her back, presenting her belly for petting which made Sorcha smile, of course Sorcha obliged the dog and scratched her belly. 

“She is much better today,” Munroe turned to look at them, gaining a glare from Sorcha. “You should be happy about that,” he narrowed his eyes at Sorcha. “The faster she gets better the quicker you leave, right?” 

He wasn’t wrong but Sorcha didn’t have to like the living situation in the meantime, “I suppose.” She grumbled. 

“Try not to nearly get her killed again when you do leave,” Munroe sighed his annoyance as he turned his back on them. 

Sorcha already blamed herself enough, she didn’t need to hear it to know that she’d been the cause of Athena’s pain. 

She rose up and headed for the front door, “prick.” She hissed at Munroe as she stormed out. 

She heard him hiss a curse but didn’t stop until she was in front of his truck, her side aching from the fast pace she’d set. 

The cabin sat in a clearing amongst the dense trees of the forest, only a dirt road cut through them as a way in and out of the cabin. She could hear water nearby and birds chirping in the trees all around, like a little slice of heaven in the middle of hell. It was untouched by the world and Sorcha wanted to know how he’d managed this, she spun where she stood to see Munroe opening the door he stopped when he saw she was watching. 

“Are you done with your tantrum then?“ he folded his arms over his chest as he leaned against the door frame. 

The tone and the action filled Sorcha with rage, she wanted to claw at his face as she went to open her mouth she was stopped by the sound of a gun being cocked. 

She looked to her left to see a blonde haired man pointing his gun right at Munroe, the man briefly glanced at Sorcha before fixing his gaze on Munroe who had gone still. 

There was a whistle behind Sorcha and a gravelly voice spoke, “look this way sweetheart.” 

She turned to another man, this one with darker blonde hair and dark blue eyes, he was grinning at Sorcha as he twisted a blade in his hand. 

“I didn’t know what you looked like under all your layers but fuck me you aren’t an eye sore, even with that nasty scar.” He was eyeing Sorcha like a piece of meat and she didn’t appreciate it one bit. 

“Am I supposed to know you?” She drawled. 

“Yes and no,” he sneered at her. “You robbed us, a few days ago, remember? Killed two of our guys…” he paused for a moment, letting Sorcha remember. 

“The supermarket? You fucking pepper sprayed my eyes,” her teeth were bared as she snarled at him. 

“And you were the first not to drop screaming, we were so looking forward to a meal, it’s been far, far too long.” He eyed Sorcha again. 

Cannibals, she realised with a gulp. 

“I’m afraid I’m not that meaty, even the aliens wouldn’t get a decent meal out of me.” 

“No your not but women are fucking delicious in more way than one,” he looked at the dip of her shirts neckline as he spoke making Sorcha clench her jaw. “And it looks like he'll be meaty enough to satisfy us, giving us plenty of time to satisfy our other appetite with you.” He motioned to Munroe but didn’t take his blue greedy eyes from Sorcha. 

Sorcha would rather be eaten alive, by what she didn’t really care as long as she didn’t endure what this disgusting man had in store for her. 

“Don’t you fucking touch her,” Munroe’s voice had turned dangerous, he hadn’t moved from the door but that still didn’t stop him from looking menacing as he threatened them. 

Munroe was a large man, he looked like how you’d imagine a Scottish highlander to look. Brawny, large and he looked like he’d have no problem carrying or tossing a caber. Both cannibals had definitely taken note of his size, it’s why they chose to ambush them rather than take them head on because they did not want to fight with Munroe, not a physical one anyway.

“Move and you die, Jeff is just dying to shoot someone.” The blue eyed one flashed a wicked grin at Munroe. “I got the impression you two don’t like each other anyway so what’s it to you?” 

“It’s disgusting and inhuman what you're insinuating,” Munroe was glowering at them but stayed where he was. 

Sorcha couldn’t believe he was still standing there, Munroe could step back inside and be done with her but instead he was threatening them. He caught her watching him and gave her a soft blink, his eyes shifted to the wheel arch beside the blonde man and then he blinked at her again. 

She shifted her gaze to his truck, she glanced at the blonde who was too busy taunting Munroe. She guessed there must be a weapon under there and Munroe was trying to tell her as discreetly as he could, she thought she saw the handle of a knife just barely visible. 

“How did you find me?” She hissed as her attention turned back to the blonde. 

Those blue eyes lit up when they looked at her, he pulled out a piece of alien technology. It was a tracking device from the look of the midnight black box with a small antenna that dimly glowed blue, “this handy little thing, there’s a chip on one of the cans.” 

Sorcha internally kicked herself, those cans had been a bigger risk than she’d first thought. 

“David,” the one called Jeff warned. 

“Relax, they're going to die.” David chuckled, “I might even eat your little dog too.” He grinned at Sorcha. 

“You touch her and…” 

“And what?” He grabbed Sorcha’s face as he sneered at her, he squeezed making her wince as his dirty fingers pushed against the small cuts on her cheeks. “Go on, try and do something, you look pretty messed up. We came across the truck, thought you were dead till the tracker pinged yesterday and I’m guessing your pretty beat up from that smash to fight me off much,” he stroked his gritty thumb against her cheek as his eyes devoured her lips. 

Sorcha gulped as she scanned his evil face, he was going to enjoy not just defiling her but hurting her as much as he could. 

He leaned in and flicked his tongue on her top lip, she clamped her lips tightly as he started trailing his tongue all over her lips. He squeezed her cheeks roughly as he shoved his tongue through her lips, forcing her to open as he crushed his fingers into the hinge of her jaw. It was disgusting , she gagged at the intrusion and violation to her mouth. 

“Take your shirt off,” he shoved away from her and she blinked at him. “Now!” He snapped. 

“Sorcha,” Munroe started, his eyes burning into the side of David's face at the violation he was witnessing. 

She shook her head at him, “it’s fine.” She raised her hands shakily to the top button, David's eyes blazing as he watched the movement, she hesitated on the button and he glowered at her. “Let him go and I won’t fight, I’ll come quietly, you can do what you want with me and I’ll be complacent.” 

David smiled wider, “that sounds tempting but what if he doesn’t agree to it and comes after us?” 

“He won’t, he doesn’t know me and he’ll get a free dog out of it…” she tried to keep her voice steady. “Why would he bother?”

“Finish taking your shirt off and I’ll think about it,” David chuckled, it was a malicious sound. 

Munroe was seething from the door at what was unfolding in front of him, Sorcha slowly and reluctantly started to undo her buttons. 

She tugged the shirt off revealing the black lacy bra underneath (the lace ripped from being over-worn) and the bandages that wrapped around her ribs, the blood had soaked through as they were needing changed. 

She slid one arm off but struggled with the other as the sleeve had folded on itself so she left it hanging from her wrist as David raked his eyes over her, even Jeff had peeked a glance at her before looking back begrudgingly at Munroe whose jaw was wound so tight that he could crack some of his teeth if he clenched any harder. 

“You really are quite easy on the eyes aren’t you,” he rubbed himself through his jeans as he looked at her much to Sorcha’s disgust. 

“Let him go,” she managed to keep her voice steady. 

“No, I’m going to make him watch this and then kill him because I want to see that rage turn to devastation as you try to fight me off.” He gripped himself through his jeans at that last part, he was enjoying that he was toying with them both. “And I love it when they fight,” he stroked himself again. 

He licked his lip as he stepped right up to Sorcha, his fingers dragged up her bandages and he dug his fingers into the bloodied patched making Sorcha scream, she bit her lip to suppress it but David yanked against her chin hard ripping her mouth open. 

“Don’t suppress it, I’ll only make it worse if you do.” He dropped her chin and dragged his fingers down her neck, between her breasts and then under the centre of her bra. 

Every stroke of those fingers made her skin crawl and sent a wave of nausea through her so strong she was sure she’d throw up on him and wouldn’t stop it if she did, he dragged his fingers side to side under her bra, tracing the under curve of her breasts with his dirty nails. He was savouring the torment, drawing it out as he went. 

He stopped in the centre again and tugged the bra, he was smiling as it lifted an inch from her chest, his eyes peeking at her nipples that could just be seen. 

“I’m going to savour ripping this off you,” he tugged again and released it so it snapped back with a sting on Sorcha’s ribs. 

“You disgusting piece of shit,” Munroe growled. 

David dug those fingers into her wounded side again, harder this time drawing another but louder scream from Sorcha. 

“Keep your mouth shut,” David spat at Munroe. “Or I will take great pleasure in ripping out every stitch you sowed into her.” Munroe’s eyes widened at him, “yes we’ve been watching.” David hummed, “you really shouldn't have gone back to the crash for her pack, it led us right here.” 

Sorcha was sure one stitch had burst, she’d felt a pop with that second jab and a sharp pain. David was busy watching Munroe as Sorcha sharply tugged the shirt off her hand and threw it over his face, she rammed her knee into the tender spot between his legs and spun around him as he dropped to his knees. 

She gripped her shirt at either side of his head and slid it right down to his throat, pulling back hard. She placed a foot between his shoulder blades, shoving against him with her foot as she pulled the shirt with her hands, crushing his neck as she did. 

It wasn’t long before he was choking and clawing at the shirt, Jeff didn’t know whether to look at her or Munroe because if he moved to shoot Sorcha that left him open to Munroe. 

Sorcha let David drop and he hit the ground spluttering as she fumbled for the knife in the wheel arch, she yanked against it with a hard tug. 

“You bitch,” David spluttered as he got up. 

David lunged for her, fisting his fingers harshly into her hair and yanked her around to him. When Sorcha faced him she drove the knife through his throat and then yanked it right back out of his neck, blood splattered her face as she shouldered him away from her. He dropped to his knees again, wheezing and gurgling on his own blood, he tried to press his fingers on the hole that was now in his throat but his fingers quickly coated red. 

Sorcha stepped for Jeff who was shaking so badly he couldn’t hold the gun still, he went to whirl on her but Munroe stepped for him as he started to turn. 

He dropped the gun and backed away from them both with his hands raised, Sorcha wasn’t letting him go though, she couldn’t give a shit if he got on his knees begging and kissing the ground, he was dead. 

“Please,” he whimpered as she stalked closer. 

Munroe had stopped when he dropped the gun, he didn’t know whether to stop her or watch and see what she did. 

“Say it again,” she snarled. 

“Please,” Jeff's dark brown eyes had turned watery. 

“One more time,” Sorcha was a foot from him now. 

“Please,” he dropped to his knees. 

Sorcha stopped in front of him and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her as she looked down on him. 

“No,” she loosed a breath and slit his throat in one swift move. 

Just like David he wheezed and choked on his own blood before dropping to the ground. 

“Jesus Christ,” Munroe hissed. 

Sorcha twisted to look at him, David's blood splattered on her face and both mens blood dripped from the knife in her hand. 

“Don’t take this the wrong way but I’m now glad you passed out by the time I got to you,” he gave her a sheepish smile. 

Sorcha’s grip on the knife's handle tightened as she looked at Munroe, if there ever was a chance to kill him it was now, she could stay in the cabin in peace. 

Munroe sighed as he eyed her, as if he knew what she was thinking he smirked at her. “Go for it but you won’t come out of it if you do, you're exhausted and from the blood seeping through your wrap that prick burst a stitch.” 

She scowled at Munroe still contemplating, killing him would just make it simple for her, it’s what she should do but he had saved her so part of her knew it would be wrong. 

“Give me the knife, Sorcha and let me look over that wound again before you bleed out,” he held his hand out to her. 

It would be so easy for her to cut some fingers off, “why do you want to help? How have you even survived this long with a hero complex, what is wrong with you?” 

His hand curled as he looked at her, “what’s wrong with one person not wanting to take a life that doesn’t need to be ended? We’re all just trying to survive out here, why would I make it harder?” He sighed, “it’s not like I haven’t, I will do what I have to if I need to but I prefer to avoid it.” 

“And what of them,” she waved the knife at each of the dead men. “Would you have let them live?” 

His jaw clenched, “no. I couldn’t let two rapists walk away from here,” his voice was chilling. 

She turned the knife towards him and he tentatively took hold of it, Sorcha stared at him for a moment before releasing the blade to him. 

“I get to leave when we both heal?” She repeated the question, she needed to, if she was going to not kill him she had to remind herself why.

“Yes,” he huffed. “Now go clean yourself up, I’ll deal with these two and then I’ll be in to redress that wound.” 

He turned from her, not giving her a chance to argue as he sunk the blade into Jeff's skull, ensuring he wouldn't come back and stalked over to the other body. 

Sorcha left him to it and went to wash the blood from her face. 

Chapter Text

9.

After washing up and checking on Athena, Sorcha went to her room where she was pacing back and forth until there was a soft knock on the door that stopped her, she opened it to see Munroe with a soft smile on his face, a bowl of clear liquid in his hand and a first aid kit under his arm. 

She opened the door wide for him to allow him into the room, he placed the stuff he was holding on the bedside table and turned towards Sorcha. 

She was suddenly aware that she was just in her bra, she’d meant to find a top when she’d come back in but had forgotten it as she’d still been worked up over the two cannibals while she’d paced.

She folded her arms over her chest to cover herself, Munroe snorted at the movement which made Sorcha glare at him, she was starting to wish she still had the knife. 

“Don’t worry you're not much to look at,” he grinned at her. 

Sorcha gaped at him, she knew she wasn’t the most attractive woman but she certainly wasn’t ugly or so unappealing that she’d be classed as not much to look at. Sorcha was indeed beautiful even with the scars that peppered her, she wasn’t used to insults regarding her looks. 

“I don’t find that reassuring asshole,” she growled at him. 

“Did I offend you?” He raised a knowing brow at her. 

“No,” she lied. “I get it, you're just not into women.” She said as nonchalantly as she could. 

“Oh I am into women,” he smirked at her. “I just prefer them not to be so scrawny,” he shrugged as he started opening the first aid kit. 

“I don’t think you’ll find any who aren’t scrawny from starvation in this world,” she glared at his back, she knew this shouldn’t be bothering her like it did. 

“True,” he chuckled. “Sit,” he pointed to the bed without looking at her. 

She bristled at the command, he was a cocky bastard that much Sorcha had gathered from him.

He glanced over his shoulder at her and smiled at the scowl on her face, “I’d rather not draw this out.”

She stalked over to the bed and sighed as she sat down, she glared at him while he unwrapped the bandages around her waist. 

The blood trickled down her side when the bandages fell away, she glanced at the gash as Munroe turned to dip some cloth in the dish he’d brought.

It was large, it went from the tip of her hip to the bottom of her rib cage at an angle across her right side. Scabs had formed where the skin had been knitted together, it was healing nicely until David had prodded at it, bursting a stitch and pulling the healing scabs from that spot when the skin had separated. 

She sighed at it which made Munroe look at her as he spun back towards her, she noticed the questioning look in his eyes. 

“Another scar to add to my collection,” she gestured to her face with her burnt hand as she shifted her arm out of the way of her side. 

“Ah,” he breathed out as he tentatively dabbed at the open part of the wound.

Sorcha clenched her teeth tightly so she wouldn’t make a noise. It didn’t hurt, the solution was however nipping. 

He quickly wiped the blood that had run down her and took a breath as he picked up the needle, “you’ll want to lie down for this.”

“Fine,” she wasn’t happy about it but Sorcha lay down on her left side, keeping her arm out of the way of her right side. 

“Do you want anything for the pain?” He watched her carefully. 

“Just do it,” she bit out through her clenched teeth.

She suppressed the first scream behind her teeth when the needle pierced her, the second wasn’t so bad, the first had taken her by surprise. Munroe was swift stitching the skin back together, he placed two in just to be sure. 

Sorcha groaned when she pushed herself back up, “I should’ve taken a drink first.” 

“I have whiskey, I’ll get you some after I’ve wrapped you again.” He was pulling some gauze and wraps out. 

“So you got my pack back?” Sorcha had some whiskey in her pack, that had reminded her the cannibals had mentioned he’d gone for her pack. 

Munroe stilled, “yes.” 

She scrunched her brows at him, “then give me it.” 

“Once I’ve determined there’s no weapons in it,” he didn’t dare make a move towards her. 

“If you go through my pack,” she gulped, the panic rising in her at the thought of it. She turned her head from him, “I promise there’s no weapons in it. I carry them all on me, please don’t look through it.” 

“I don’t trust you won’t kill me,” he simply stated. 

“I’ll empty it in front of you, hold a gun on me. I don’t care,” her eyes threatened to water as her voice dropped to a whisper. “Just don’t go through it.” 

“How sentimental is the thing you want to keep hidden?” His voice had dropped too. 

She couldn’t even think of it as she tried to swallow her grief, “very.” 

He sighed, “fine but let’s get you wrapped first.” 

She nodded, she didn’t look at him as she raised her arms to let him dress the wound. Another thing he did quickly and swiftly, his fingers barely brushed her. 

“I’ll leave a glass of whiskey on the counter for you while I go get your pack,” he was cleaning up the supplies he’d used. “Hopefully you’ll have covered yourself by then.” 

Blush burned on her cheeks and when she watched him leave the menacing smile on his lips made her want to scream at him, anger fuelled her as she ripped on the first shirt she came across. 

She knew she was scrawny from lack of nutrition, a balanced diet wasn’t easy to come by, even her skin was washed out and ashy from lack of proper food. 

Sorcha was lean and built for escape, she missed her once soft body occasionally but it wasn't the body she’d honed as a survivor. Her legs as muscled as they could be on barely any food and the amount of walking and running she did, Munroe was the only person she’d ever seen recently with a bit of meat on him. 

He’d have lasted the cannibals a long time, if they knew how to cure meat. 

The thought made her sick as she shook it off, she glanced down at herself. She didn’t care, she told herself as she ripped the door open, he could think what he wanted about her. 

Athena raised her head as her human huffed past her, right for the strong scented glass half filled with amber liquid. 

Sorcha gulped the whiskey down in one go, the liquid burning her throat as it went. She slammed the glass down with a triumphant clink, she wanted more and wasn’t satisfied when the bottle was nowhere in sight. 

She clicked her tongue in annoyance and spun to look at Athena who had her head tilted at her owner, Sorcha smiled softly at the dog. 

“Did you see where he put the whiskey?” Athena’s head tilted to the right, “of course not.” Sorcha sighed. 

The door creaked open and Munroe huffed in with Sorcha’s pack hanging from his hand, he gave her a cautious look as he shut the door. 

“Where’s the rest of the whiskey?” She grumbled at him. 

“Somewhere,” a smile tugged at his lips as he placed the pack on the counter. 

“It’s fine,” she shrugged. “I have some in there,” she pointed to the pack. 

“Of course you do,” his eyes narrowed at her. 

“I’m going to need it,” she eyed the pack, pain flashing in them as she thought about what lay at the bottom. 

Sorcha watched Munroe take a few steps away, his hand resting on his gun as he gave her space to check her bag. 

Slowly she approached it and unzipped it, she took a breath as she started to empty it. The cans from the cannibals, she turned them till she found the one with the tracker and picked it off, leaving it on the counter to smash later. 

She pulled out a pink fluffy dog toy, Athena would take great joy in tearing it to pieces. She pulled out the other bits of food and the small amount of clothes that she had and set them all on the counter. She tugged out the two gas masks, Athena’s suit and boots and the geiger counter. Then she reached into the hidden compartment she’d made in the back of it and slid out the large hunting knife that she delicately set down and fished out the Swiss Army knife also in the hidden compartment. 

“No weapons, huh?” Munroe grumbled, his grip tightening on that gun. 

“I use them for cooking, and the pocket knife is for opening doors… so I don’t technically use them as weapons.” She forced a smile. 

Sorcha peered into the bag, the only thing left was the thing she wanted to avoid but she was also relieved to see it still lying there at the bottom of her bag. The lightest but heaviest thing she carried was wrapped in a dark blue, silk chemise. 

She delicately picked it up, a lump formed in her throat as she pulled it out so very carefully. She didn’t stop the empty pack from falling off the counter, it didn’t make much noise as it hit the wooden floor. 

Sorcha pulled back the fabric to reveal a scruffy brown teddy bear underneath, Munroe didn’t know what to make of it but from how tense Sorcha was he knew it was her most valuable possession. 

The little brown eyes and brown thread nose peaked out at Sorcha, her throat tightened at the sight of it. She gently ran a finger through the curly plush on the bear's head, the blue chemise fell further down and there sat her moonstone necklace, her mother’s engagement ring also sat on that chain. 

Sorcha losed a shaky breath as her fingers caught on the edge of the photo that was against the bear's back. She hadn’t looked at this in years, just kept it in her pack and occasionally scratched the soft fluff. 

She gently tugged the photo out and gazed at it for a moment, Kadon was smiling up at her from the photo and she was also in the photo, her arms wrapped tightly around him. 

His blonde hair was wavy from the summer heat and his dark blue eyes looked vibrant in this photo, happiness was radiating from him and Sorcha too, she hadn’t grinned that wide in a long time. It had been Kadon’s birthday, Sorcha remembered her face hurt from smiling so much that day and Kadon had taken this photo with him when he evacuated, it was his most valuable possession until he died. 

Sorcha gripped the bear too hard, forgetting the bear held a recorded message inside, a message that tore her apart every time she heard it. 

“Hey Sorcha,” a soft familiar chuckle emitted from the bear that stilled Sorcha to her very core. “I miss you, so, so much right now and god I love you, I can’t wait to see you.” Kadon’s voice stopped emitting from the bear. 

Munroe gulped as he watched the women, the grief was evident the moment the voice had erupted from that bear. 

Sorcha knew she’d never hear that happy voice again, a sob worked its way out of her as she wrapped the bear back up. 

“What happened?” Munroe asked as gently as he could. 

Sorcha shook her head, pain erupted in her shoulder at the memory. 

“He was shot over food, it was so stupid.” Sorcha gently placed the now concealed bear on the counter. “It should’ve been me, he was good and kind, too good for this new world.”

“I’m sorry,” he sighed as he removed his hand from the gun. 

Sorcha didn’t look at him, just kept her hand clinging to that covered bear that meant everything to her and her heart was in tatters once more. 

“If I hadn’t gone out he’d be alive, maybe he would’ve died later down the line, maybe it’s not a terrible thing someone as pure as him didn’t have to live this long,” Sorcha traced circles in the fabric, she didn’t know what she was looking for anymore, she knew she wandered without purpose but this moment cemented just how little she had, if not for Athena she’d would’ve ended her existence a long time ago. 

“When did it happen?” Another careful question as he watched her. 

“About a year after,” Sorcha’s shoulder slumped. She didn’t know why she kept talking, the pain in her heart and the whiskey she told herself that was why. “It was supposed to be me,” tears brimmed in her eyes. “He couldn’t just let it happen when he should’ve, he deserved to live… I don’t.” 

“He loved you, he wouldn’t have stood by while…” Munroe gulped. “He would’ve wanted to give you a chance to live.” 

Live, that was exactly what Kadon had gurgled as he died. Sorcha’s now red eyes turned to Munroe, anguish and anger from one word. 

Munroe tensed as he assessed how much of a threat she may be in this emotional state. 

“He told me to live,” she breathed through her nose. “Gurgled it as he choked on his blood, I could do nothing because the bullet had passed through him and lodged into me.” She tore the shirt away from her shoulder to reveal the scar, “I was sick with fever after it and all I wanted was to die, I should’ve died but that one word.” She shook her head, “I see now living, surviving that is my punishment, dying is too easy for someone like me.” 

Munroe didn’t know what to say, he had pushed her too far today so he slid away and returned with the bottle of whiskey, handing it to her. 

She eyed it suspiciously before gingerly taking it from him, she didn’t bother with a glass as she flung the bottle back and took a rather large gulp.

“Rest,” Munroe said as he collected the pack from the floor. “Drink the rest, I don’t care. I’ll make food, you’ve been through enough today.” 

So delicately he placed the wrapped bear in her pack, for a brief moment Sorcha had wanted to swing the bottle at him until she registered the care in which he handled that prized possession of hers. He placed the clothes in before handing her the pack and she eyed the cans of food. 

Munroe just smiled, “I thought I’d put them away here and-“ he dragged the knives towards him and used the large hunting knife to crush the tracker, “I’ll keep hold of these till I think you won’t slit my throat in the night.” 

Sorcha didn’t argue, she was done for today. She grabbed the pink soft toy off the counter, ripping the tags off it before giving it to Athena. 

She gently stroked the dog as she chomped on the new toy and Sorcha headed back to the room, taking swigs of whiskey as she went. 

Chapter Text

10.

The mutt held her at gunpoint, two humans at its side. Sorcha hadn’t seen a mutt that looked more Voleux than human, they didn’t often take on much of their alien side unless this one had a mutt parent and a Voleux one, Sorcha didn’t have time to ponder it as they demanded the bag of food from her. 

She was so close to the complex, it had been foolish to go out alone. 

“Just give us the food and we’ll let you go,” the mutt glared at her. 

“What are you even doing with a mutt?” She looked at the human man and women who could’ve been twins with their matching hazel eyes and white hair. 

“Does it matter?” the woman bared her teeth. “Give us the bag.” 

The mutt cocked the gun, his skin was strange; a pale blue, he almost looked hypothermic with his human appearance, the sharp teeth and black eyes however gave him away. 

Reluctantly she tossed the bag over, she’d gotten a rather large haul. The mutt just snorted before pulling the trigger then Kadon was tackling her to the ground. 

Sorcha hadn’t seen where he’d come from but he grunted as they fell and searing pain erupted in Sorcha’s collarbone, she heard the three scramble away as she hit the ground, Kadon crumpled on top of her. 

He was wheezing as something hot trickled onto her top, she shifted under him and Kadon gurgled. 

“Kadon,” she whimpered as she put a hand under his jaw, thick hot liquid coated her hand, she looked to see her fingers covered in red. “Kadon!” Her voice turned more desperate as she managed to push and roll him off.

The pain in her collar was forgotten as she took in the blood flowing from Kadon’s neck as he struggled for breath, his fingers curled around hers as her eyes became watery. 

“Why…” she choked. “Why did you do that?” She was half screaming and half sobbing.

Kadon gulped and wheezed as his dark lapis blue eyes found her, he squeezed her fingers as hard as he could. “I…I… love–” he spluttered as he tried to talk, his voice was hoarse and not like his normal warm tone. 

Sorcha shushed him as she stroked his cheek, she knew nothing could be done, the bullet had gone through him and into her, they didn’t have the doctors skilled enough for the surgery he’d need. 

“L–live” he wheezed. “You have too… live… for… for–” he coughed as more blood seeped out and droplets sprayed from his mouth. 

“Shhh, it’s ok. I will,” she rested her head on his forehead and lay beside him. Sorcha pulled his arm around her and tugged him gently onto his side as she held him. She placed a soft kiss on his lips, “I love you.” She murmured against him. 

His bloody hand cupped her cheek, “I lo–love–” he spluttered. 

“Shh, shh, I know, I know.” She sniffled as she nestled closer. 

Sorcha wanted to scream and shout at him, if this was something he could survive she would’ve but right now she would be with him, she wished the idiots at the gates weren’t taking their time getting here. 

Kadon nestled closer to her as his breathing became shallow, the bullet was aimed at her heart and he knew she hadn’t seen it so he had to do something, he wasn’t scared to die for the woman he loved if it meant she lived. 

The men at the gates finally arrived and that’s when Kadon stopped breathing, he let go knowing she was safe. 

The men tried to pry Sorcha off Kadon and that’s when she exploded, screaming and wailing, she would not let him go because he couldn’t be gone. 

“No,” she screamed, her throat and face burning with tears and screams. “Kadon! Kadon, please, please, wake up!” 

He had to wake up, he couldn’t be gone, she finally let herself feel but she couldn’t let herself believe as she was torn from him. The pain in her shoulder was blinding as she thrashed, thrashed like a wild animal. 

She began kicking when they held a blade over Kadon’s head, “stop! Stop! He’s not gone, he can’t be gone–” because if he was gone then there was nothing good left in this world, Kadon was the last pure thing she’d known. “Kadon please wake up,” she wailed.

One of them gripped the hair at the nape of her neck and then there was a sharp prick in Sorcha’s neck as they injected her with a sedative, she thrashed wildly as she tried to fight the effects of the drug. 

No they couldn’t do this, why would they do this? 

She started to grow fuzzy, her eyes glued on Kadon’s sleeping face, his bloody but sleeping face because he couldn’t be dead. 

She was pulled into the blackness and went limp in the two guards arms as the drugs consumed her, she was drowning in the dark, it lapped at her to stay to go deeper. 

Sorcha flung herself up, breathing heavily as if she’d just been pulled from drowning and she was drowning, drowning in her own sorrow. 

The memories and the dreams had plagued her for three days since she’d heard that recording and she hadn’t left her room, Munroe made sure she was fed and he checked her stitches yesterday because he’d hassled her enough that she gave in. He hadn’t asked about the recording, just made sure she was given food and that she’d eaten an amount he deemed acceptable.

The first time he’d made a comment on how little she’d picked at her food, she had hurled a cup of tea at him which he swiftly dodged by closing the door, he’d been the one to clean it up which made Sorcha feel guilty as she pretended to be asleep. 

So slowly Sorcha made her way out of bed, her side hurt from lack of movement but the stitches held firm as she slid into some trousers and made sure none of the shirt buttons had come undone during the night. 

She stumbled down the hall and into the open living area, she didn’t find anyone not even Athena but the door was open. So slowly she peered out the window to see Munroe scooping Athena back up and heading inside, she made her way towards the kitchen and busied herself with the kettle, she heard Munroe stumble as he spotted her in the kitchen. 

He swiftly made his way to the couch to gently place Athena back on it as Sorcha turned to look at him, if something happened to her while she was here Sorcha at least knew Athena would be cared for. 

She still felt empty from hearing Kadon, she hadn’t felt that empty hollow feeling in a long time and it was pulling such dark thoughts, thoughts Sorcha worried she’d act on and she found some comfort in knowing if something happened Athena would be cared for. 

Sorcha tried to shake off the thought as she busied herself with placing sugar and a tea bag in the cup but she kept seeing the blood, kept feeling the prick in her neck, kept hearing him saying he missed her in that recording. 

She yelped as the hot water splashed onto her foot and she dropped the kettle as she realised she’d over filled the cup, flooding the counter and burning her foot as it spilled off. Somehow the kettle landed in the sink because she would’ve scolded her legs if it had hit the ground, annoyance flooded her at not being able to do one simple thing. 

“Are you alright?” Munroe was at her side while Sorcha just blinked at the mess, “here I’ll sort this and you just go sit down.” He gently urged her. 

Sorcha swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded before stumbling over to the chairs, she’d tried today and ended up making a mess is what she told herself as she sat down. 

Athena poked her nose over the arm of the couch towards Sorcha gaining a small feeble smile from her human, one wag of the tail had Sorcha reaching for the dog and softly stroking her warm cheek. 

The dog always knew when her human didn’t smell or feel right but she didn’t always know how to make it go away, the dark, sad smell that was overcoming her human always meant bad news for her owner and Athena didn’t know how to make it go away, so she’d watch her human carefully. 

Sorcha leaned back in her chair as Munroe walked over and handed her a fresh cup of tea, she thanked him and he hovered nearby monitoring her cautiously as if she was going to combust. 

“Do you want a hot cup chucked at you again?” She snapped, her temper was shorter these days, she was always quick to snap before. 

She never understood when she felt so dull how the littlest things could make her explode but they did and again the guilt of not being able to rein herself in consumed her as Munroe walked away muttering something about making food. 

She didn’t even watch him cook, just sipped her tea and blinked at an empty space on the wall. Munroe kept glancing at her every so often, making sure she was still there. Her eyes as empty as they had been when she’d squeezed the bear, he knew she’d buried that pain deep and didn’t want to push her but he was concerned about the woman’s current mental state, he sighed as he continued to make breakfast, he’d keep her fed it was all he could do until she felt she could talk. 

Athena kept close watch on Sorcha as the room filled with the most delicious scents, the dog was drooling as something delicious started sizzling in a pan, the dog enjoyed Munroe’s cooking. 

Sorcha hadn’t known how long she’d stared at the wall, she thought she’d only just been handed the tea but Munroe was placing breakfast in front of her and a fresh cup of tea. He delicately took the empty cup from her and she let him, she blinked at the sausages and eggs on her plate. 

Slowly she ate some, she tried to eat it all like she did with the other meals he had given her, she did manage to eat more today than she had the last three days but she couldn’t finish it. Perhaps it was her stomach that needed adjusting and it wasn’t the darkness that was consuming her that prevented her from eating till she burst, she delicately placed her cutlery down and leaned back with the second cup of tea. 

She winced as she twisted in her seat, Munroe caught the sound and eyed her side. Sorcha wanted to ignore him, pretend she hadn’t seen his concern but the dressing did need to be changed. 

She just nodded at him and he nodded back his understanding as he cleaned up, she was almost finished with her second cup of tea when he came back.

They didn’t say anything, she half removed her shirt for him and he swiftly tended to her stitches, he only dabbed some antiseptic around it before wrapping it again. 

“It’s looking good, I’ll keep checking it every few days cause we don’t want an infection.” He said matter of factly and when Sorcha didn’t respond he swiftly started to tidy the supplies away. 

She spent the rest of the day in that chair not really caring about Munroe’s coming and going, eating when he gave her food and stumbled back to bed when it finally got dark. 

Chapter Text

11.

Sorcha stood outside with her tea this morning, it had rained yesterday so everything smelled fresh, she’d hoped it’d help chase away the dark feelings but the smell of the rain didn’t even flicker a single emotion inside her. 

She sighed and her shoulders slumped, she still never understood to this day why he’d died and she didn’t, why he jumped in front of her. 

It would be around the anniversary of his death, it happened a few weeks after a trip to a beach with Athena. Sorcha hated that she didn’t know the exact date but hearing his voice so close to his death had rocked her in a way she hadn’t been in a long time, she wondered how far that loch was from here and made a plan to go find it. 

Sorcha went back inside and waited, Munroe always disappeared for a while, Sorcha guessed to check over what land he had here. She hadn’t explored much, mostly due to her wounded side. 

Athena was sound asleep when Munroe muttered that he’d be back soon, Sorcha counted to twenty before silently going to get her pack and she briefly searched for her knives hoping he didn’t move them from the kitchen. 

When she didn’t find them she settled for a steak knife and a large chef’s knife, Athena didn’t raise her head as Sorcha filled up a bottle with water and placed it in her pack. 

Sorcha left quietly and strutted straight over the clearing and into the trees as she slung the pack over her back, it wasn’t long before her side was burning and she had to slow her pace. 

The brush was overgrown and tugged at Sorcha’s clothes as she made her way through it, she didn’t care when the thorns caught her skin or the nettles stung her legs, she just kept batting her way through the overgrown forest. 

The forest was quiet except the occasional huff from Sorcha, she suppressed a cry when she’d stumbled and fallen over. 

Slowly she peeled up her shirt and sighed in relief when she didn’t see any blood, it’d just make it harder to keep going if she started bleeding. 

There was a rustle behind her that made her stay low to the ground, she wondered if the two Va’nu still wandered around. She hadn’t thought of them when she’d started her walk, she turned slowly and her heart caught in her throat when something dark came flying through the thorns. 

A bird, she loosed the breath she had been holding when caught sight of the little black bird's wings as it flew away. 

Sorcha forced herself up and started looking for the loch again, she stumbled around for a while before finally spotting a body of water in the distance. She picked up her pace not caring about the ache in her side as she headed for it, her chest fluttered at the sight of it and tears burned her eyes as she got closer. 

Kadon had been buried in a loch, he loved the water, he’d been a swimmer and had told Sorcha if he ever died that was what he wanted, to return to the water. At this time of year she tried to seek out a body of water if she could, if she still had the truck she’d have maybe driven to the very loch he lay in. 

She found a little dock on the edge of the water and went to sit on the end of it, placing the pack beside her as she did and hung her legs over the edge, the tip of her boot just barely touching the water as it sent ripples across the surface. 

She pulled out the bear and slid the necklace from around its neck, holding it tightly in her hand as she also slid the photo out from behind it. 

Her fingers caught on the soft silk nightgown, his favourite colour and he loved this on her. She remembered how pink he’d gotten the first time he’d seen it on her, tears dropped onto it as she remembered how soft and sweet he was, how every time he saw her in something a little scandalous it was like he was seeing her for the first time, every time. 

A shiver ran up her spine and she swore she heard his soft chuckle right in her ear, she placed the bear still wrapped in the dress back in the pack and gazed at the photo, the necklace biting into her hand as she did. 

“I miss you too,” Sorcha sobbed as she looked at Kadon’s soft smiling face, his blue eyes smiling up at her from that photo. The words that had been stuck in her finally wormed themselves out of her, finally escaping. 

“I still love you,” tears splattered on the photo and she just gripped the necklace in her hand tighter, the engagement ring on the chain dug in harshly. 

It was her mothers but she’d given it to her ‘just in case’ her mother had said, Sorcha never got to wear it and had found out he was going to ask her the day he’d died. 

Quietly she cried, this is why she didn’t stop to think about him too much, why she had to wrap him away deep in her heart, why she kept the necklace with the bear because it had gotten too heavy to carry on her chest. 

“Why did you have to leave me?” She managed to croak out as she blinked at the photo, “why did you tell me to live?” The photo shook in her hand, “it was supposed to be me, it should’ve been me.” 

She sobbed till her face hurt, till her throat was raw, she dropped the photo in the pack as she buried her face into her knees and rocked as the tears continued to flow from her. 

She could never make it right; never feel him, never hear him, she’d never marry him, never get to wake up with him beside her again, never breathe in his soft ocean scent again. 

She was so lost in her grief and darkness that she didn’t listen to the sounds around her and she didn't hear when Munroe finally found her. 

He stayed back as he watched the woman curled around herself on that dock, her face red and tear stained as the sobs continued to rock her. He didn’t know how to approach her, he’d figured when he couldn’t find her for lunch she must’ve wandered off for this reason, he doubted she’d have left her dog but the darkness that had consumed her made him unsure of what she would do especially when he found two of his knives missing. He’d spotted the trail of crushed nettles and pushed back thorns, he’d followed it until he spotted her on the dock and wasn’t sure he should disturb her in her grieving. 

Sorcha sniffled as she raised her head to look out at the water, she pulled the necklace over her head as she stood still looking at the water as she twisted the moonstone in her fingers. 

She was never as good of a swimmer as Kadon, she could be with him if she just took a step. She gulped as she contemplated it, how easy it would be to just let go, to stop fighting for a dying world and to find him once more.

What was she looking for? She really didn’t know, didn’t know why she kept going. 

‘I miss you.’ His voice whispered as the breeze fluttered over her, a few dark curls fluttered over her cheeks. 

She stopped twisting the crystal and let the necklace drop around her neck as she looked down into the dark water, she could be with him in the water if she just took one step, one leap. 

So she shut her eyes, raised her head and let herself fall forward until the ground shifted from beneath her feet and she became weightless in the cold water below. 

She didn’t try to swim back up, just let herself sink further and further, she kept her eyes shut as she sank down, the water lapping at her like the darkness within her chest. 

Drowning in the same way she was internally, she wanted to be with Kadon. 

‘I told you to live,’ she heard him as clear as day, as if he’d spoke right into her ear.

I can’t be without you anymore, she thought to that voice. I can’t do this anymore. 

‘L…live,’ he was choking on his blood this time. 

Sorcha sobbed at the sound of it in her head, the water rushed in when she did and it burned, she couldn’t figure out which way she was facing when her eyes opened as she tried to swim. 

She couldn’t break her promise to him even if she wanted to but she might as she couldn’t find the right way up or out as she flailed in the water, it rushed up her nose as she flailed causing her to panic further.

In her panic she didn’t see the shadow swimming for her but she did aim a kick when it grabbed her which caused her to take in a mouthful of water, her throat and eyes burned as she tried to see what had a hold of her. 

She peered at the golden fingers wrapped around her arms, small scars flecked over them and she rolled her head to see brown hair floating in the water as they drifted towards the light. 

Munroe had found her and jumped in, she realised, she was relieved she wouldn’t be breaking Kadon’s promise but annoyed that Munroe hadn’t just let her drown. 

He dragged her onto the stone shore and she spluttered when she was out the water, water erupting from her as she coughed. 

Munroe was coughing when he crouched beside her, his hand stroking circles in her shoulders and patting her firmly between her shoulders to help get the water out. 

Chapter Text

12.

“Bakajanaino?” he roared at her. 

Did he just call her an idiot in… Japanese? She wasn’t sure so Sorcha flipped him the bird as she struggled for breath. 

“Fuck…” she took a strained breath. “You…” she coughed up more water. 

“No you should be thanking me, that’s twice now.” He growled at her.

“Did I ask you?” She shook his hand off as she turned to glare at him. 

“If you wanted to die you wouldn’t have survived this long,” he huffed at her as the water from his hair dripped down his face. 

“You don’t know what I want,” her teeth were bared at him and her arms shook as they supported her weight. 

He snorted, “neither do you.” 

They glared at each other, Sorcha wheezing from the water that had burned her throat, nose and lungs. 

“You should’ve let me drown,” she coughed. 

“For a moment I nearly did,” he glared at her. “I get it isn’t easy losing someone, we all have but you were just going to leave Athena to me?” 

Guilt racked her, the dog would have probably never stopped looking for her, pining for her. She hadn’t thought about that at the moment, only Kadon. 

She turned herself away from Munroe, the cold air nipped at her as she presented her back to him. 

“I didn’t think,” she shivered as she wrapped her arms around herself. “I can never make what happened right, I will never feel, see or hear him again yet I still… I still love him.” She winced at admitting it out loud. 

“We never stop loving the ones we lose, time is supposed to be a healer but I don’t think that grief ever gets smaller, perhaps the space around it gets bigger when we let it. You don’t have to keep torturing yourself, I think that’s what you're doing because you think it’s easier to hate you than to hate him for taking that bullet and leaving you.” 

“Shut your mouth,” she snarled at him. 

“Admit it, you hate him for leaving you don’t you?” His voice was low as pushed her for the answer. 

“Shut up!” She snapped but her voice wavered. 

“He left you,” he pushed. 

“Yes! He left me, he fucking left me.” She sobbed, “I hate that he took that bullet for me.”

“And that’s ok, you are allowed to feel that, do not suppress it Sorcha.” 

“Fuck you asshole, I hate you.” She glared at him. 

“Tell me something I don’t know,” he rolled his eyes at her. “Are you staying here to freeze to death or shall we head back? It’s going to rain soon so there’s always melting to death,” he gave her a cruel wicked smile. 

“Those options sound better than suffering another second with you,” Sorcha huffed. 

“I love it when you talk dirty to me,” he was grinning so wide at her. 

It infuriated Sorcha so much that she rose and stomped away from him, ignoring the pain in her right calf as she did, an old ache that flared up when it got cold. Munroe just smiled watching her for a moment before finally following after her, retrieving her pack from the dock first. 

The cold was biting into her with every step, every brush of a branch was agony on her chilling skin and that god’s damned leg ached with each step. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried not to shiver too hard as Munroe gained on her, she did hate him right now and still didn’t trust him. 

Her feet where so numb from the cold water that she didn’t feel the root before it took her tumbling down and with her arms wrapped around her she couldn’t untwist them in time to save herself, Munroe grabbed the back of her top before she could eat dirt. Sorcha hovered inches from the ground, he’d only just caught her in time having to run to catch up with her. 

“Baka,” he hissed. “Watch where you step!” He snapped at her as he yanked Sorcha back up on her feet. 

“Stop calling me an idiot!” She whirled on him.

His eyes widened in surprise and a small smile tugged on his lips, “anata wa nihongo wo hanasemasu ka?” 

Sorcha blinked at him, she had no idea what he’d just said and that made him smile even wider. 

“I’ll take that as a no,” he chuckled softly. 

Sorcha glared at him, “and what are you taking as a no?” 

“That you don’t speak Japanese,” he walked by her, leaving her gaping after him. 

“No I don’t,” she huffed as she trailed after him. “How do you?” 

“My mother was half Japanese, half Scottish, she taught me.” He just shrugged as he kept walking. 

“So you’re pretty fluent?” Sorcha tried not to sound too interested but she always struggled in language class and could never grasp another language no matter how hard she tried. 

“I am fluent,” was all he said, his shoulders tensed as he’d spoken. 

Sorcha didn’t push further, she got the feeling he didn’t like talking about his mother and she could understand that. 

She stumbled some more behind him but kept her footing, she hadn’t remembered it being this far. Her aching feet making the distance feel thrice as long, Munroe grumbled his annoyance at her slow pace. 

Sorcha huffed to a stop and leaned back against a tree, she was convinced her feet were going to break off, there was so much water sloshing around in her boots that the weight was killing her as well as the cold water. She’d walked in worse conditions but the ache in her injured side was winding her, the breeze was making the damp clothes that clung to her feel even colder than they were which didn’t help her pain. 

“We don’t have time to stop,” Munroe was eying the sky above through the trees. 

Dark clouds were rolling in, they had to move or be caught in the downpour, they’d be lucky to find shelter out here. 

“How much further?” Sorcha couldn’t hide the wince as she pushed off the tree, her knees buckling when they tried to support her weight. 

“Not far,” he eyed her. “I can carry you the rest of the way if your—”

“No,” she hissed at him as she shoved past him. 

That had been a mistake, Sorcha crumbled to her knees at the force she’d just put on her feet in her huff. She hissed, she’d have to let him carry her if she wanted to get back and she hated the very thought of it. 

“Gankona on'na,” he tutted as he stopped beside her and held his hand out to her. 

“Fine,” she whimpered, making him go still. “Stop insulting me in Japanese though.”

“What if I wasn’t?” He flashed her a smile. 

“It sounded like it,” she glared at him as he bent down to pick her up. 

“I called you stubborn,” he grumbled as he bent towards her. 

She caught the gleam in his eye though and knew he’d called her more than stubborn, she didn’t bother pushing him on it as he reached for her.

Sorcha tensed as he lifted her into his arms, he kept his hands in respectful places on her but she still felt irritated about where his hands touched her. He’d cupped her behind her knees and his other hand gently held her waist, she folded her hands over her chest as he started walking with her. 

“Just stop insulting me,” she snapped quietly. 

“Whatever you say, hanī.” He chuckled as he strode through the brush with her. 

He walked as if he didn’t have a woman weighing him down, even as she shifted to glare at him for his last mocking word.

“Stop,” she hissed at him. 

“That one wasn’t offensive,” he smiled. “You are freezing by the way, I’m surprised you made it as far before needing help.” 

She huffed through her nose as she glared at him, she had nothing to say as her eyes caught on that very large scar that wound from his right ear along his jaw and across his neck, disappearing under the collar on the opposite side as if someone had tried to slit his throat, he’d have been lucky to survive that and she wondered how he did and just how far that scar went under his shirt. 

“How did you get that?” She whispered as if scared to say it too loudly, as if asking him loudly would offend him. 

He tensed when he saw what she was looking at, “I don’t ask about yours.” His lip twitched as he answered, his eyes briefly scanning over the scar over her right eye and cheek.

She looked away, her cheeks heated when she realised she’d crossed a line. “I just wondered how you survived it,” her voice was so quiet she’d be surprised if he heard her. 

For a moment she just rocked in his arms, the warmth of his chest heating her slowly as she still shivered. She thought he hadn’t heard her and was glad of it, it must be another sore spot for him she realised. 

“It happened before,” he sighed. “My father was a rather violent man, I was lucky, very lucky to survive it.” 

“I’m sorry,” she looked down at her hands feeling guilty for asking. 

“I told you mine, your turn.” He grunted at her. 

“I walked right into a Voluex trap. She had a human boy pretend to be defenceless and lead me back to her, she sliced my face and then broke my leg. It still hurts when it gets cold,” it was throbbing now from the cold. 

“Did someone have to rescue you from that encounter?” He teased, the cabin finally coming into view.

“It was only one, she was too busy monitoring the boy to see me pull out my gun with the last gold bullet I had, I killed her. The boy wailed, he didn’t even bother with me after that, I should’ve killed him too but I left him to live with what he’d chosen to do to his own kind. So I hobbled out with my pack, managed to get back to the hole I was staying in and somehow managed to set my leg.” 

“You managed on a broken leg without dying?” He sounded genuinely surprised. 

“I had Athena, she caught some disgusting things for the first few weeks and I made do with being extra cautious while I hobbled around.” She shrugged as Munroe stepped into the clearing. 

“Was that your only other close contact with the Voleux?” 

“Yes, I tend to avoid them where I can. I’d gotten pretty good at it until…” she sighed as she let her words drop off. 

“They're pretty organised up here, it’s one of the reasons I didn’t leave. They’ve never come this far out so I’ve been lucky,” he stopped to open the door. 

Athena wagged her tail as they came in the door, Sorcha was hit with a wave of guilt at what she’d almost just done.

Munroe kicked the door shut and then placed her on one of the chairs, knelt down in front of Sorcha just as the rain started pelting down outside. 

“And what if they do find you out here?” She asked as she watched the water roll down the window. 

“Then I’ll have to move,” he shrugged as he started undoing Sorcha’s boots. 

She turned to watch him as he undid her boot and almost groaned out loud when he pulled the first one off, he gently peeled the wet sock off too. 

He hissed when he took her foot in his hand, “it’s like ice.” 

His hand was like a roaring hot fire on her foot which made her yank it out his hand, she gasped in pain when her frozen toes hit the hard ground. 

“Careful,” he hushed at her before swiftly undoing the other. 

She glared at him as he slid the other boot off and then her other sock, that foot just as cold and numb as the other. 

“I’ll get you something warm to wear,” he muttered as he went to light the fire. 

She watched as he did then he put the kettle on and disappeared into his room, she glanced at Athena who had gone back to sleep. The dog's back legs were twitching softly and Sorcha wondered what she might be chasing in her dreams, she suspected rabbits and squirrels. 

A shiver ran over her as she shifted in her seat, her clothes were just damp now but still cold. She reached her fingers towards the fire, trying to heat them as they were almost as icy as her feet. 

Munroe came back with fresh clothes on and some clothes tucked under his arm, he placed them beside her on the arm of the chair, “the trousers were from when I was a teenager. I suspect they’ll be big but should be warmer than any trousers you have. I'll go sort some food, soup I think should help heat you.” She just blinked up at him, “or do you need help?” 

She bristled at that and Munroe took the hint to leave, she watched as he slid into the kitchen and started prepping food. He kept his back to her but she still watched him for a few moments before she dared to start peeling off her clothes, she didn’t think he’d look after saying she wasn’t much to look at.

Slowly she shoved her trousers off trying to ignore the cold pain in her hands as she did, her underwear slid off with them, sticking to her damp trousers. She didn’t try to pull them back up, she wasn’t going to sit in wet pants. She quickly slid on the grey joggers, watching Munroe cautiously as she did. 

She undid her shirt, it took her longer than usual with her numb finger. She dropped it on the floor when she finally peeled it off and then started to slowly undo her bandages, “do I need fresh ones?” 

Munroe stilled and carefully glanced over his shoulder, his eyes dropping to her wounded side as she pulled the gauze off. 

“Ah, shit.” He hissed, “yes I forgot about that.” He shoved a lid on the pot and quickly washed his hands. 

She watched as he pulled the first aid kit out from one of the cupboards, he slid the supplies on the coffee table and knelt before her again. 

“Thankfully it doesn’t look too bad, it’s actually healing well. It shouldn’t need to be wrapped for much longer, I just worried with the stitches it’d catch on your clothes.” He poured some liquid on a cotton pad and gently dabbed around the wound. “Another few days and I’ll take these out, hopefully you didn’t get anything in it from your dip.” 

“I’m guessing you have some sort of antibiotics if I do?” She grumbled at him. 

“Maybe,” he smirked up at her briefly, his attention going back to cleaning up her side.

He gently took a dry pad and dried her off around her wound, then dried her waist with a towel to Sorcha annoyance. 

She watched him as he did and he didn’t look at her in any way that made her bristle, he just looked at her like a patient, she was trying not to bristle at the thought of being touched. He was quick wrapping her, like every time his fingers barely grazed her. 

“Did you do this before?” She found herself asking.

Sorcha hadn’t spoken much to him since that first day, this had been the most they’d talked since and she hated that she found it easy to talk to him, not that she’d ever admit it out loud. 

“I was a paramedic in training,” he answered as he sealed the first aid kit. 

Her eyes widened in surprise and she huffed a small laugh, “I shouldn’t be surprised.” 

He furrowed his brows at her but just picked up the wool socks and placed her foot on one of his knees before sliding it on her foot, Sorcha bit her lip at the small tingling pain that went through her foot, the socks were fleeced inside and instantly started heating her foot. 

He did the same for the other and she winced as he slid it on, “sorry.” He muttered, “they should warm now at least.” 

He gently placed her feet on the floor before getting up, he grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch and placed it behind her. 

“Are you not cold?” She tilted her head up to look at him and he glanced down at her as he leaned back. 

“I’m used to swimming out there,” he shrugged and started to turn from her. 

“Can you unclip me?” She sniffled as she folded arms over her chest. “My fingers are—I don’t think I can…” she let her words trail off, the buttons were an effort and she didn’t want to sit in a wet bra. 

He turned back glancing at her folded arms and then her face, a smirk appearing on his lips. “Sure.”

“Don’t you dare look,” she hissed at him. 

“What would I be looking at again?” He raised a brow at her. 

“You're an asshole,” she tensed as he strode around her. 

He just chuckled as his fingers slid under her strap and with one small movement her bra came undone, she gasped and twisted to look at him. He was already striding away without giving her a single glance, still smirking as he slid back into the kitchen, putting away the kit, washing his hands and then went back to throwing more stuff in the pot. 

She kept one hand on her bra as she watched him, she was a little flustered at how quickly he’d done that. 

Kadon has always fumbled, she found it amusing, especially when she’d tricked him with a front clasp one day. He hadn’t found it as funny as she had but his annoyance was soon forgotten when she’d undid it for him. 

She quickly pulled the very large sienna jumper over her head and tossed the bra out from under it when it covered her, she had to pull the sleeves up, the jumper engulfed her. 

“Is this yours?” She asked as she stared at the back of Munroe’s head. 

“The jumper is mine, yes.” He turned to look at her and snorted at the sight of her as his jumper swallowed her whole. “It’s one of my warmer ones,” he grinned at her.

He grabbed something off the counter and sauntered over to her again, whatever was cooking now wafted over to her and her mouth watered at the smells. 

Munroe held out a hot water bottle to her, she just looked at it in disbelief so he dropped it in her lap making her yelp.

“You are an ass,” she glared at him. 

He just shrugged as he grabbed the blanket and tossed it around her, “just shut up and get warm.” 

She scoffed at him in disbelief, he just winked at her as he sauntered over to the tv. 

She watched as he clicked it on, “what do you want to watch?” 

She was tired of being surprised but she was staring at him like he was an escaped lunatic while he just grinned at her in that cocky way she hated, “what is there?” She tried to sound confident and he didn’t look fooled. “Won’t it be too loud?” She added.

“It’s fine when it’s raining, only time I’ll risk using it.” 

Sorcha supposed that made sense, “just put on whatever you like.” She shrugged before pulling the blanket closer and bringing her knees up as Munroe sifted through DVDs. “What’s cooking?” She grumbled as the smell fully hit her. 

“Soup,” he smirked as he kept his back to her. “I did say that already,” he mocked. 

“What kind, it smells good.” She huffed as she cuddled the blanket as close as she could. 

Munroe glanced back at her, her nose still red from the cold, her fingers not as blue as they were and sighed softly. “Carrot and coriander, a little bit of ginger,” he slid the disk in and clicked play when the menu appeared. “I hope you like Lord of the Rings,” he smiled softly as he placed the remote on the coffee table. 

Athena wagged her tail as he passed and he lingered to pet her gently before returning to the kitchen, Sorcha briefly watched him before turning her attention back to the TV. 

She couldn’t believe she was watching TV again for the first time in years, she jumped in fright when Munroe appeared with a bowl of soup for her. She’d been so enthralled she’d totally forgotten he was there, he muttered a sheepish apology as he handed her the bowl. 

They ate in silence as they both got sucked into the movie, Sorcha felt normal for a brief moment as she let herself get lost watching the rest of it with the soup helping to heat her bones. 

Chapter Text

13.

Sorcha flung herself up, she was startled to find that she was in bed and not on the couch where she remembered falling asleep. 

It didn’t help her disoriented state that she’d had another nightmare, she glanced at the window to see it was light out and because it was she forced herself out of bed. 

Munroe’s jumper hung off her hands, she had to shove the sleeve back up and roll them at the ends. Sorcha was feeling rather warm today, the clothes she’d been bundled in had definitely helped heat her. 

She found Munroe feeding Athena sausages when she wandered through to the living space, the dog didn’t glance at her while her eyes were locked onto the man in front of her for more food. 

“Morning,” Munroe nodded to Sorcha.

She stopped to glare at him, “did you carry me to bed?” 

“No, the fairy’s came in, in the middle of the night and done it.” He mocked her. 

She narrowed her eyes at him, “a very large and annoying one I bet.” 

“Would you rather I left you to sleep, squashed in that chair?” He dropped the last sausage to the dog and turned his full attention towards Sorcha. 

“Yes,” she huffed as she folded her arms. “I’m not a child who needs to be carried off to bed.”

He chuckled, “sorry it’s hard to take you seriously with those oversized clothes on and you huffing like a child.” 

“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes as she turned towards the kitchen. 

He stepped in before her, making her stop in her tracks.

“I’ll make the tea. You might try to burn your foot off again,” he smirked at her. 

“Can you show me around today?” Sorcha decided to change the subject, she wasn’t in the mood today for his fussing. 

He smiled wide, “If you don’t know the way around by now-” 

“You know what I meant,” she snapped as she cut him off.

He nodded as he filled the kettle, “are you sure you don’t want to rest more?” He asked softly, keeping his back to her. 

She slid into one of the tall chairs as she stole a slice of toast from his plate, “no I don’t want to wallow.” 

He turned as he flicked the kettle on and eyed the toast she was currently taking a bite out off, his eyes sliding from his plate and back to her. 

“I’d have made you some,” he hissed. 

“But there was already some,” she grinned at him as she took another bite. 

It was a wild grin that was more similar to a snarling wild animal than to a grinning woman; he very much believed that Sorcha was more wild animal than woman. 

He just shrugged and sighed as he turned to start making tea, she slid his plate towards her as he turned his back and devoured what was left on the plate. 

“I wasn’t finished,” he grumbled but a small smile played at his lips as he filled the cups with water. 

“Fastest fingers first,” she snarled as she placed the cutlery on the plate with a clink.

He huffed a laugh at her as he slid a cup towards her and removed the now empty plate, “this isn’t a bed and breakfast get away.” 

“Sure feels like it,” she shrugged at him as she took the mug in her hands. “You’ve even been giving me room service,” she smiled so sweetly at him before taking a sip of her tea.

He coughed as he turned to the sink, suppressing the laugh that dared to bellow out of him. 

“I’ll just wait for you to get changed-”

“What’s wrong with what I have on?” She pouted slightly as she put her cup down with a small thud. 

“You can’t be serious?” He twisted to look at the oversized clothes on her.

She narrowed her eyes at him as he looked her over, “who cares what I wear?”

“Fine,” he rolled his eyes as he placed the plate on the drying rack. 

He left her to finish her tea, dried his hands and strode over the dog who was watching him. Munroe ruffled the dog's ears as he passed her, she rested her head on the arm as she watched him pass by. 

Sorcha didn’t pay him any mind until he came back with her now dry boots, she just blinked at them as she took them from him and he started putting on his own pair. 

Sorcha forced her feet into hers, thankful that she could feel her feet today. She tightened the laces and slid off the stool, she suppressed the wince at the stretch in her side. She’d forgotten that she wasn’t quite ready to move around too quickly yet, the fall had at least hardened her to handle pain in a way she never could have before the world fell. 

Athena wined as she watched her human, Sorcha smiled softly at the dog and Munroe noted that smile. 

“Sorry girl, you have to stay here.” Sorcha crooned softly to the dog who lay back down with a rather loud huff. 

“I think that’s the dog equivalent of fuck you,” Munroe snorted. 

Sorcha just glared at him, Munroe just shook his head at her as he rose and motioned for her to follow him. He wasn’t sure if he’d get used to her whiplash emotions, at least he found them entertaining as she kept him on his toes. 

He held the door for her, another thing that earned him a glare and he was sure if he hadn’t she’d have glared at him for that too, he couldn’t stop the playful grin from forming and of course she didn’t approve of that either as she stalked off in front of him. 

“Sometime today,” she hissed back at him when she realised he was still standing at the door. 

“This way,” he motioned with his head to the right. He watched her stomp over to him, his jumper still engulfed her making her appear far smaller than she was. He couldn’t stop the thought coming out as she stopped in front of him, “you look utterly ridiculous.” 

She threw him a vulgar gesture as she stopped in front of him, he just smiled as she scowled at him. She followed behind him as he led her around the back of the cabin, the first thing she noticed was the barn and the wide field behind it. 

She stopped and watched as Munroe stepped in through a little door and then she heard another door being rolled open inside, much larger from the sounds of it. 

Sorcha carefully stepped in, her nose crinkled slightly at the smell of manure and she looked around to see Munroe stepping back inside from the massive barn door he’d opened. She watched as he started opening stalls, four sheep flitted out, followed by three lambs. He opened another and two brown cows went sauntering out, Sorcha just blinked as she watched them. She noticed the chickens already outside and wondered if the coup was out there, the next stall opened had a pair of goats leaping from it and a donkey. 

She jumped as a loud snort came from her left, she turned to see a large black horse blinking at her. 

“Just open it, he’ll go right out.” Munroe muttered to her as he stepped into one of the stalls with a shovel. 

So Sorcha did, the horses tail swishing as it went and didn’t look back as it galloped off down the field. 

She went to speak when a cat leapt onto the stall door and watched her while it purred loudly, a very pretty tortoiseshell cat. Sorcha extended her hand to the cat, giving her a slow blink as she did which the cat returned before rubbing her face against Sorcha’s hand. 

Sorcha smiled as she petted the cat, who was purring rather loudly now. When she stopped the cat gently clawed at her fingers pulling it back, she was nowhere near done with being petted it seemed. 

Sorcha gently picked her up and the cat settled against her, the cats claws digging into her shoulder as Sorcha stroked her. She noticed a tabby cat as she turned, sat watching Munroe, her tail softly flicking as she watched him. 

“You didn’t say you have cats, what are they called?” 

“What?” He grumbled before his head poked out the stall. He eyed the cat she had cuddled against her and then the tabby that watched him eagerly. “Oh, no, they're just farm cats, well wild. I just didn’t chase them away, they keep the mice away so it seems like a good deal.” 

She just nodded, “what are they called?” She asked again. 

“Cat,” he pointed to the one in her arms and then a wicked smile formed as he looked at the tabby. “Neko.” 

She was missing the joke she realised, “what does that mean?” 

“Cat.” He grinned at her.

She blinked at him in disbelief, she wondered if they’d been nameless for long. 

“They aren’t house cats, Sorcha. I’m surprised that one is letting you hold her,” he leaned on the stall door. “Don’t try to pet that one, she’s a bit more… reserved than the cat you're holding.” 

“Artemis,” she stared at him. “And Baast,” she motioned to the tabby. Who looked in her direction at the name and blinked almost in recognition. 

Munroe blinked at her before snorting in disbelief, “Artemis and Basst it is then. I get Baast but why Artemis, she’s goddess of the hunt?”

“Yes but she could take the form of a cat to hide in the moon,” she gently tilted the cat onto the nearest stall and Artemis stepped off. 

“You like mythology, huh?” He set the shovel down as he fished something out of one of his pockets. 

Both cats became very interested in him and Sorcha found out why as he tossed some meat to each cat, she smiled slightly as the cats disappeared with their prizes. 

“I did,” she shrugged at him as she turned to look around again. 

“Looks like you got drooled on,” he chuckled as he picked up the shovel from where he’d placed it. 

She glanced over her shoulder and there was indeed a wet patch on her shoulder. 

“Make yourself useful,” Munroe called from the stall. “There’s another shovel and a lot more to see when we’re done here.”

Sorcha didn’t relish the idea but it’d get them around faster so she stalked to the spare shovel and began mucking out the closet stall, Munroe would occasionally bark at her to go easy and not twist as much because of her injured side. He didn’t want to have to put any more stitches in her, he of course said he would if she burst them but he fussed and grumbled about it enough that Sorcha wanted to whack him with the shovel. 

He walked her around the field when they were finally done in the barn and pointed out the field where he grew his grain crops and hay for the animals as they went around, which he stated would need to be rolled soon. 

She also spotted the chicken coup which was attached to the barn, Munroe said they have a hatch that leads into the barn as well. The outside of it was enclosed, it even had a roof covering it, the large mesh door was currently open allowing them to roam around.

He showed her the two green houses, both growing fruit and veg but one had an extra back which he told her was where he grew the medicinal plants with a lopsided grin, she just asked to see what’s next. 

So he pointed out the kill shed which she did not want to go and see and he teased her about that, she’d killed had she not so what was the difference? She just asked him not to make her kill any of the animals.

Athena had been the one to hunt animals not her but she wasn’t admitting that to him to get teased some more. 

“And how do you get power again?” She changed the subject as she turned her back to that shed.

He just huffed a laugh, amused that she’d be squeamish over the shed but pointed to the roof, allowing the conversion to shift. 

“Solar panels, wind turbines.” He pointed to one on the cabin and then two on the barn roof. “I won’t get into it as you won’t need to know how it all works, you're not staying long anyway, right?” His smile was cocky when he looked back at her.

Her eyes narrowed, “no I’m not.” 

He just blinked at her, “good. How about lunch now?” 

“Fine,” she glanced back at the farm behind her. She hadn’t expected that much to be here.

Not that it was a big farm but definitely more land than she expected out here, well hidden away behind his cabin. Killing him and keeping it started to sound better each day, except she’d never be able to prepare food like him and she hated him for that. Neither would she be able to run this place, she was sure she’d figure it out but it’d be nowhere near as efficient. 

“Some time today?” He called over his shoulder to her.

She turned to see he was halfway to the cabin, she huffed as she made her way to him. He turned and started walking when she was halfway. 

“How do the animals stay safe out there?” She asked him as she caught up to him, too many questions swimming in her head to keep up with. 

“They know to hide, they head to the barn before it rains and I do have a perimeter fence for the dead before they can get close to that field.” He simply explained as she followed him.

But she hadn’t seen a perimeter fence when she’d wandered out, “where? I didn’t see—”

“There isn’t one out there,” he shrugged. 

She blinked at his back, “so the fronts just open to the dead, aliens and Va’nu?” She hissed.

“No I have a trip wire fence out there for the dead, you were lucky you didn’t trip on it.” 

But she had tripped and she wondered if that had been the cause of it, “and what about the space bears and the blue freaks?” 

He stopped dead, looked at her and roared out a laugh. “Did you say space bears?” He managed through his laugh. 

Her cheeks heated as he laughed at her, “so what if I did.” She snapped at him.

“Oh no,” he managed to straighten himself. “It’s funny, I’m not laughing at you. That’s a good one,” he chuckled to himself. “Space bears.” 

Her face was still red as she glared at him, “so what do you have against them?” 

“For the space bears,” he teased as he smiled at her. “High pitch noise, wind chimes. They hate them, so there are some dotted around in the trees and as for the blue freaks they don’t come this far and if they do, they don’t make it back out.” He just shrugged and turned heading for the cabin again. “They wouldn’t ignore a cabin if they stumbled across it so there is only one way to deal with them.” 

She didn’t say anything as she followed him, she knew they wouldn’t ignore it if they spotted it and wanted to know if he’d deal with them. 

She went to wash herself up before having food, she stared at the shower and couldn’t wait for the stitches to come out, she was sick of cloth baths. Even if they were better than what she had to do to wash on the road, she was still desperate for a hot shower or bath but she knew it’d just be another reason for enjoying being here. 

Munroe didn’t tease her about the space bears again over lunch but she suspected it wasn’t the last she’d hear about it, she hadn’t meant to blurt it out. It was what her and Kadon had called them, well Kadon had and she had also found it as funny as Munroe had. 

Munroe left her to enjoy the rest of the afternoon in solitude, according to him she’d done enough work this morning with her ruined side. She wanted to be annoyed at that but she also wanted to be alone for a while, so she curled up beside Athena with a book while he went out and sat there reading until he came back and made dinner. 

Chapter Text

14.

In the few days that had passed Sorcha went to help Munroe turn out the animals and muck out, Artemis had waited for her everyday, meowing the moment she spotted Sorcha and was not satisfied until she’d been petted.

But this morning Munroe had refused to take her as he was setting Athena back on the couch, “she’s starting to put pressure on the leg.” He glanced at Sorcha as he petted the dog.

It’d been nearly two weeks since the dog's injury, Sorcha had estimated and then asked, “so she’ll make a full recovery?” 

“I think so, she may limp when it gets cold.” He glanced at Sorcha’s bad leg as if he got caught in thought.

Sorcha had let him look at it yesterday, she had to restrain herself from wanting to kick him in the face when he’d laid his hands flat on either side of her calf, she had to remind herself she’d allowed him to check it over. He didn’t think her bone had set properly and that she had a chip in it, not that anything could be done about it now.

He’d called it a malunion and when she’d looked at him like she was going to throttle him for expecting her to know what it meant he explained that when she set it she just didn’t set it accurately, she’d left some space and the bone had hung over the fracture so when it healed the displaced ends had been filled in by new bone. So she now had a notch, essentially, on her fibula and a chip in her tibia where the Voleux had stomped on her leg. 

He said she’d been lucky the bone hadn’t shot out of her leg because if it had displaced further than it had she'd never have been able to use that leg again, it had fractured and shifted but thanks to her splinting it and feeble attempt at setting it, it had healed well enough. 

She chewed the inside of her lip, “will it be like mine?” She hated the niggles of pain she occasionally got in her leg.

“No, not as bad as yours. Her bone was set by someone who knew what they were doing,” he scratched behind Athena’s ear.

“I’m glad,” she said so quietly that he went still. “I’d say I’m grateful to you for that because if I’d set it…” she gulped. “I’d have probably fainted after and she’d be hobbled like me.” And she was, she may not trust him but she was grateful he’d found her, not for her but for Athena.

“You don’t walk hobbled,” he snorted at her. “The muscle around it is good, I can brace it to help with pain.” He looked up at her.

She shook her head, “it doesn’t really hurt.” 

He gave her an incredulous look.

“It doesn’t,” she shrugged. “I’ve had it for five years.” 

He got up and sighed as he headed to what she knew as the medical cupboard now, “sit down.” He commanded as he grabbed the first aid kit.

“You're not touching my leg,” she hissed at him.

“No, I'm taking your stitches out.” He stated as he stopped in front of her.

Her eyes widened and she relaxed from her tense state, “I can finally take a shower?” 

He smiled softly, “thank god cause you stink.” 

She glared at him and hissed, “Bastard.” 

“Sit,” he crooned at her, infuriating her further. 

She grumbled as she plonked herself down in the chair, “so is this why I’m not coming today?” 

“Yes,” he muttered as he sat in front of her and then commanded. “Shirt.” 

She huffed as she pulled it up. 

“Oh yeah,” his fingers skimmed down the side of the wound and she clenched her teeth at the feel of his warm fingers. “That looks really good.” Munroe said as he laid a hand flat against her, Sorcha bristled at the contact and the heat from that hand. 

“I know but pay attention to the scar,” she smirked at him. 

He turned to glare at her, she raised her brows at him a little startled at how piercing that glare was.

He just shook his head as he pulled away from her and reached for some tweezers and a pair of scissors, he stilled her with a look before dropping his eyes to the stitches.

“Stay still,” he grumbled as he gently tugged at the second stitch with the tweezers and then slid the scissors under the knot to snip it.

She gagged at the sensation of the thread being pulled from her skin, after he dropped the thread into the tray he'd placed nearby, his eyes barely leaving her as he did it.

“Wuss,” he chuckled but his eyes held a flicker of concern. 

“It felt weird,” she snapped at him.

“Was it sore?” his throat bobbed as his eyes scanned her wound. 

“No, just a bit of pressure,” she murmured. 

“Good,” he sighed in relief. “Let me know if it hurts.” 

She nodded and he moved onto the next one, removing each second stitch as he went, the cool metal of the scissors brushed her skin occasionally as she stayed as still as she could. When he was done snipping he carefully dabbed at the stitch wounds with disinfectant on a cotton bud, she didn’t mind that at all or when he placed the steristips over where the stitches had been.

“Just to keep the skin together,” he muttered as he placed the first one on. “It’s healed but sometimes the skin can come apart, I don’t think yours will. It’s healed extremely well,” he placed the next on her. 

She had another ten to come out when he was done replacing these ones with steristips.  

“How badly will it scar?” She whispered as she looked down at her knees.

“It will be barely noticeable.” He reassured her as he continued cleaning and replacing.

“But I will scar?” She picked at a loose thread on her trousers. 

“Are you that vain?” He glanced at her.

“I’m just tired of collecting them.” She sighed.

“No this one won’t be as noticeable as the others, like the bullet wound it was treated medically so it’ll be like a surgical scar. Not like the scar on your face that you treated yourself,” he glanced at it.

She tried not to feel hurt at the mention of her face scar, she knew it was hideous and rough. She hadn’t had anything to hold the skin together with, she’d had vodka to keep it clean and just hoped the wound knitted together on its own but it had been so deep and wide that it had left a scar. It healed to half the size, the scar that had remained was not the same size as the wound had been. 

“I put extra stitches in,” he added. Noticing the look on her face. “So it’d heal a bit cleaner,” he sat back and eyed over the skin, his fingers gently trailed down each side. 

She blinked at him, “is my face that bad?” 

He looked at her, his eyes flicking to that scar. “How did you tend to it?” 

“I had nothing for it, I only kept it clean.” 

“Then it healed very well for not being sutured, faces heal better than any other part of us. I suspect it was a much larger wound if that’s what is left?” She just nodded and he went on. “You're lucky you still have your eye, could you open it?” 

“Barely,” she muttered. “I thought I’d lose it.” 

He gave her a soft smile, “are you ready for the rest?” 

She nodded at him as she turned her head away, he chuckled at the movement. 

“What?” She gritted out through clench teeth.

“I didn’t peg you as squeamish,” he shrugged as he gently tugged on the first stitch and snipped. 

“I’m not,” she kept her lips tight. “It’s just different when it’s me, I can’t watch.”

He nodded in understanding, “I get it.” He muttered as he gently placed the strip on.

“Will I be able to shower with the strips?” 

“Yep, just don’t scrub at them. I’ll replace any that seem loose later, just dab gently when you dry off.” He was swiftly working through the rest of the stitches now as he spoke.

Sorcha just nodded and let him work the rest out of her, she was desperate for that shower now. Also terrified of how it’d make her feel, warm water, to not bathe in a river or a stream, actual warm water. She was scared she wouldn’t want to leave, Munroe was tolerable at best but his skill set was undeniably useful, more than useful even.

Sorcha however couldn’t tolerate being around people for long periods of time, not anymore. Had she found him sooner she’d have perhaps begged to stay but the person she was now, she didn’t like to feel tied to anyone. 

“There we go,” Munroe huffed as he turned from her to clean up the supplies.

She glanced at the wound on her side all taped up with steristrips, he really had done a clean job of it, she blinked at it in surprise. The skin held firm under those strips too, she glanced at his back, he’d be in danger if the wrong people sought his skills and she thought him an idiot for tending to her the way he had. 

He glanced back at her feeling the eyes on him, his eyes going to the wound. “Something wrong?” 

“No,” she shook her head. “You really did a clean job of it,” her lip twitched up slightly. “I was just thinking you're an idiot for being so giving to someone you don’t know.” 

“Ah,” he chuckled as he zipped up the bag and took the tray with the stitches, scissors and tweezers over to the sink. “I should’ve let you die and Athena then?” 

She yanked her shirt down, “not Athena but you took a risk in helping me. Was it because I’m a woman..?” He twisted to look at her, his eyes wide as she continued. “Would you have taken the same risk for a man?” 

He contemplated for a moment, “I suspect I would.”

“Even if they could overpower you?” She watched him carefully.

“You really are as untrusting as they come aren’t you?” He shook his head at her.

“I was born a woman so of course I’m untrusting, the world was dangerous for me before but now.” She gulped, trying not to remember some of the near misses she’d had, “well you remember our cannibal friends?” 

He went tense, “has anyone ever—”

“No,” she said tightly. 

He didn’t miss how the muscle in her jaw had rippled or how quickly she’d answered him, he didn’t miss how her fingernails curled against her leg as she’d answered but he wouldn't push her to talk about anything she didn’t want too. 

Munroe just nodded, “I suppose I’d be more cautious with a man but even with the chance of being overpowered if they needed help then why wouldn’t I help them?” 

“Because it’s stupid and reckless,” Sorcha glared at him as she twisted in the seat to face him fully.

He crossed his ankle over his foot as he leaned back on the counter, “what stopped you from driving that poker into my neck? I could see how much you wanted to, I don’t doubt you still think about ripping my throat out.” 

“Hmmm perhaps you aren’t as stupid as you seem,” she gave him a wicked grin. “I didn’t because you helped Athena, I should have ripped your throat out though and been done with it.” 

He just blinked at her and huffed a laugh, “there’s still time.” 

“Indeed,” she jutted her chin towards him as she held it high.

He shook his head in amusement, his eyes slid to the dog who had been sleeping soundly on the couch, Sorcha followed his eyes. Athena was on her back, all four paws pointing to the sky as she slumbered. 

“Enjoy your shower,” he hummed as he headed for the door. “I should be back for lunch but help yourself if you get hungry,” he twisted to look at her as he opened the door. “Should I expect an ambush or shall I get to keep my throat for another day?” 

Her eyes narrowed on him, he grinned at the stare she was giving him. She just sucked a breath in through her teeth as she turned her head from him, his leaving chuckle had her bristling. 

“Cocky bastard,” she hissed as she pushed herself from the chair.

She glared at the door for a moment, making sure he wasn’t going to come back through it before storming into the bathroom. 

She quickly turned the shower on and undressed, she gingerly stepped into the bath, the warm water lapped at her toes.

She stepped under the water and moaned as the water sprayed over her, it was warm and soothing, it warmed aches in her that she hadn’t known existed. 

She wanted to reside under the warm water for the rest of her being, again Sorcha found herself crying, she had to rest her forehead on the wall for support. Nothing had felt this good in a long time, she hated Munroe for letting her get a taste of these things and he may have teased her about losing his throat but Sorcha may indeed act upon it to keep these things to herself. 

Her gut twisted at the thought, he’d shown her nothing but kindness and she knew it’d be wrong… however if she wasn’t the one to do it she knew someone else would. 

Chapter Text

15.

“Where are we going?” Sorcha demanded as she followed Munroe through the trees.

Athena dangled from his back in a backpack that he’d cut six holes in, four for her legs, one for her tail and a larger one for her head. Her tail was wagging happily as she swung gently on his back, every so often the dog would snap for a fly that passed too closely, her teeth clacking loudly which amused Sorcha.

“You’ll see,” Munroe grunted as he continued on.

It’s been about a week, Sorcha assumed, since her stitches were removed, about a week since Munroe had gotten to keep his throat. She'd been distracted in a book by the time he had wandered back in that day, he had made her rest for a few more days before allowing her to help in the barn again, this morning he’d tended to the farm before she’d gotten up and just told her to get ready.

She’d blinked at him when he suggested taking Athena and almost cried when he said he’d be carrying her, it turned out he'd butchered the very backpack he was carrying the dog in now when he’d found them, it’s how he’d gotten them both back. The dog on his back and he’d carried Sorcha in his arms, she didn’t want to think about him carrying her and had tried to hide her surprise at him having hauled them both back at the same time. 

She had wondered how he’d managed it, had expected he may have left one and came back for the other, she’d have throttled him if he’d left the dog behind first. 

“Is it much longer?” Sorcha grumbled. 

Sweat was dripping from her brow and pooling at the base of her back, it was rather warm today. It was still summer although it’d be coming to an end soon, it was ridiculously warm today.

Munroe stopped at the top of the slope they’d been climbing and looked her over in that medically assessing way of his, Sorcha was too breathless from the climb to even glower at him for it. 

“Is your side bothering you?” He tilted his head slightly. 

“No,” she panted. He'd put fresh steristrips on her this morning, the last time she’d need them he assured her. 

He reached his hand for her and she smacked it out the way as she scrambled up the last part of the slope.

Munroe curled his fingers to his side as he watched Sorcha pull herself up using a branch, she leaned against the nearest tree when she came to a stop. He offered her the canteen and she glared at his hand as if she was going to smack it again but as her eyes landed on the water she reluctantly reached for it, she took a long drink from it before pouring some into the cap for the dog on his back.

She handed it back to Munroe and he tucked it away before picking up the cooler he’d been carrying, she had offered to carry it as he also had Athena but he’d refused which Sorcha was now glad of as she followed behind him once more, her breath not fully back from the slope they’d just climbed.

She didn’t carry anything on her and was practically useless as she stumbled behind him. He’d refused to give her a knife even for her own safety in case she stabbed him in the back, which she had said would be very unlikely with Athena on his back, he’d still refused. 

Her side ached with each movement now, she kept her mouth shut about it as she huffed her way through the brush and tight trees. It was the lack of use and proper exercise she told herself. 

The light that bled through the canopy caught on the dog's coat as they passed through streams of light turning patches of black coat to a reddish brown, her paws gleaming gold in the sunlight. Athena’s eyes were closed, her head tilted up as her nose wiggled taking in all the scents around them. Sorcha smiled at the simple joy of watching Athena take in the forest, once the dog could properly walk she was going to love running through this forest.

Sorcha glanced up at the canopy of greenish leaves, the orange glow of light making the leaves appear darker even as the light bled through them. She tried to see what the dog could smell, a few birds flitted in and out of the canopy.

Sorcha collided with something hard and warm, she stumbled back a few steps, rubbing her head as she did and glanced towards the object hoping Munroe hadn’t seen her.

She recoiled when her eyes found his brown one’s filled with utter amusement as he smiled softly at her, “that’s why you keep your eyes forward out here.” Even his chuckle sounded taunting.

What was he even made of? She wondered as she dropped her hand from her head, glaring at him as she did. He was solid, she’d expected to have walked into a tree not him.

“We’re here,” his voice was full of amusement. 

“Where?” She snapped at him.

He nodded behind him, her gaze shifting behind him to a large loch that was half covered by trees. The ones they stood in curved around the edge into a C-shape, the rest was open to the rolling hills beyond. Sorcha's breath was stolen from her as the sunshine rippled over the surface of the water, it sparkled in response as if the water was playing with sunlight. 

The gentle breeze ruffled Sorcha’s hair as she stepped out of the tree line to gaze over the water, Munroe had stepped aside for her to get a better look. It was utterly beautiful, the cairngorms spread away into the distance. Everything felt tranquil, Sorcha loosed a breath as she blinked at the water.

Munroe delicately placed the cooler onto the dock where a little boat lay on the water, Sorcha hadn’t even seen him move. He glanced at her once and jerked his head at her to come to him as he delicately slid Athena from his back and placed her into the boat, he slid in after her and Sorcha watched as he removed her from the bag with care as she got closer to them. 

She noticed there was a mat in the boat that the dog now lay on, fishing rods lay on the ground behind Athena, there wasn’t any wire on them.

“Pass the cooler,” Munroe ordered her.

She almost flinched at the pure command in his voice but she quickly went to get it and handed it to him, he slid it behind him on the boat and then picked up a fishing rod. He started putting a new spool on it as Sorcha looked over the boat bobbing gently on the water, Athena’s tail wagging softly as she watched birds land further out on the loch.

“We’re fishing then?” Sorcha grumbled.

His eyes slid to her, she could’ve sworn annoyance flicker there before he spoke. “I am, you don’t have to.” 

“So you brought me along to watch,” she folded her arms over her chest. 

The wind whipped her hair over her face and she refused to uncurl her hands to move it out the way as she glowered at him.

He sighed through his nose, his attention going back to the rod. “Come in the boat, watch, fish if you want.” He clicked his tongue in annoyance, “sit on the dock if you’d rather, I just thought you’d like to be… out.” He motioned to the view around them. 

“I don’t know how to,” she admitted as she shook the hair from her face.

He hummed a little laugh as his eyes softened, “I can show you if you want.” 

She just shrugged and eyed the boat again, “is it safe?” 

“Yes,” he gently set the rod down and reached a hand to her, he held it open to help her in.

Her eyes flicked to his hand then his face as she stepped for the boat, she unfurled her hands and delicately lifted a foot, ignoring his outstretched hand as he set her foot down inside. 

She wobbled with the boat as she tried to get her balance, his hand had been to keep her steady she realised but she refused to take it even as she lifted her other foot. She lurched forward, trying to balance on one leg in a boat wasn’t easy, Munroe’s warm hand gripped her above her elbow and her hand instinctively wrapped around his forearm as she tried to right herself, her other foot finding the bottom of the boat as her eyes landed on Munroe. 

He wasn’t smiling like she’d expected him to be as he monitored her, she kept hold of his arm as she slowly sat into the seat. When she practically threw her fingers from him, he gently let go of her and leaned back in his seat.

Athena rested her head on Sorcha’s knee when her human was finally settled, her tail thumping off the bottom of Munroe’s seat and the bottom of the boat as she wagged it.

“Ready?” Was all Munroe asked as he untied the boat then picked up the ores. 

Sorcha curled her fingers into the dog's soft fur and nodded at him, she let her eyes shift to the trees around them as she heard the paddles hit the water then they were gliding over the surface of the loch. 

The breeze was a little wilder on the water, it whipped her hair around the further they went. Sorcha kept shoving it behind her ear, she knew it was pointless, it’d just keep coming out but she had nothing to hold it back with. 

Munroe was glancing behind him as he rowed, her eyes briefly caught on his biceps rippling under his shirt as he threw them over the water.

She gulped as her attention slid back to their surroundings, no wonder he’d been solid to walk into, no wonder he could throw them over the water with ease with arms like those. The man was Herculean built, he looked as if he could’ve walked right out of one of the many mythological books Sorcha had poured herself over many, many years ago. A mythological hero just waiting to fight Kerberos at the gates of the underworld, she shook the thought away and wondered where he even had the time to gain muscles like that or if he really just worked that hard day in and day out.

She tugged her hair back behind her ear again as the boat finally came to a stop on the water, she heard Munroe lift the oars in as she watched the ducks soar into the sky, Athena’s ears perked towards them.

“Here,” Munroe said softly.

Sorcha twisted to look at him, he held a black band between his fingers, she blinked at it before tentatively reaching for it. 

As her fingers gripped it he tugged it towards him forcing her forward slightly, her eyes going wide as he smiled at her. 

“If you're going to fish you’ll need to see,” he purred as he let go of the band. 

It flicked into her fingers with an audible snap, she just eyed him as she sat back and quickly swept her hair back, tying it swiftly into a ponytail.

“I’ll just watch,” she murmured to him as she started to pet Athena again.

He pulled something from the cooler behind him and Sorcha swore she could see movement inside it, she almost gagged when he pulled a worm out and spiked it on the hook. She schooled her face into neutrality as he tossed the line into the water, she sat staring at the line for a moment, then another and another.

“Now what?” She huffed.

“We wait,” he didn’t take his eyes off the water.

“Fine,” she rolled her eyes and leaned her head back, tilting it towards the sun as she shut her eyes.

She’d take in some of the heat from the warm day while he fished, she was just happy that the dog was happy to be out. Athena was watching animals in the water, the birds that flew overhead and any that appeared in the trees along the shore. Both the dog and woman relaxed for a moment on the warm summer’s day, while the man waited for the fish to bite. 

Chapter Text

16.

They sat in silence for what felt like hours, Sorcha peeked a glance at him to check if he was still there, he was still watching his lure in the water.

“I could’ve brought a book,” she muttered. 

“You could also fish,” he grunted to her. 

“Show me then,” she said as boredly as she could.

His eyes slid to her, a small smile on his lips as he set his rod down against the edge and grabbed the second rod where he started attaching a line to it for Sorcha to use. 

When he was done he passed it to her then began reeling his line in, she weighed the wood in her hands for a moment. Wondering how hard it would strike someone, her eyes flicked to Munroe who wasn’t looking at her. It would do nothing against him she knew, she’d have to strangle him with the line but she’d figure that’d snap too and the hook would do nothing, a little damage but nothing to hold a man of his size back.

She hadn’t noticed when he began watching her from the corner of his eye, she hadn’t noticed when he grabbed the other end of the rod as she was too lost in thought.

He yanked it with a twist, she yelped as her wrist was twisted with it then stilled when the base of the rod was pressed into her ribs, inches from where her now healed wound was.

As she shifted her gaze extra pressure was applied into her side, she gulped when she found Munroe’s eyes dark and hard as he watched her. Sorcha’s heart began racing at the lethal look on his face, there was no hint of amusement on his now hard face. The face that was usually soft with smiles was now menacing as it assessed her, his fingers gripping that rod tighter that he used to hold her at bay.

“Do not mistake my kindness for weakness, Sorcha.” The voice that came out of him now was like a dagger, cold, hard and laced with danger.

It made Sorcha’s skin crawl as a shiver ran down her spine. She'd assessed that using the fishing rod against him would be useless but him using it on her would be lethal. She knew the threat the base possessed pressed against her, one flick to the right and he’d ram it so hard into her wound she’d need stitches again, if he felt willing to give them afterwards that was. 

She loosed a shuddery breath, “I don’t know what you mean.” 

“So you weren’t thinking how you could use this as a weapon?” He glared at her, not in the joking way he had before but really glared at her.

Athena started growling, her eyes locked onto Munroe at his tone. His eyes slid down to the dog and he huffed out a long breath as his face softened, the rod loosened on Sorcha’s side but he kept hold of it. 

Sorcha had wondered if she’d ever see a dark side to him, she knew there had to be one and the glimpse she’d just gotten had scared her shitless. She knew from the look of him he wasn’t someone to be messed with, it was his sheer size that had stopped her really doing anything. 

“I’m sorry,” she managed to whisper. “I-I can’t help it, it’s what has kept me alive this long.” She was looking at Athena. 

The dog's ears were alert as she kept her eyes on Munroe, she couldn’t fend him off in her state but Sorcha didn’t doubt that Athena would still sink her teeth into him if she felt he was a threat to her.

“It’s a good skill,” he stretched a hand towards Athena. “Being able to assess anything as a weapon, what had you deduced?” 

“That it would be useless, probably break the moment I swung it.” She shrugged. 

Athena delicately sniffed his fingers but turned her head from him, she’d decided he wasn’t a threat but wasn’t ready to forgive him for talking to her human in such a way.

Munroe leaned back, “you could stab me when it snapped but the ores would be your best option, sturdier.” 

Her eyes shifted to the ores, “that would mean lunging and giving up the element of surprise, so would breaking the rod.” 

He blinked at her then huffed a laugh that sounded like he was amused, “you don’t look strong enough to take someone out with one hit.” 

She scoffed at that, “I don’t need to be strong enough, I just need to get the right hit in first.” 

His lips curved into a smile and he dropped the end of the fishing rod he'd been holding, “fair enough. Now, ready to learn how to fish?” 

“Sure,” she said as she took hold of the fishing rod again. She wasn’t particularly thrilled with the idea but it would be better than sitting and doing nothing. 

“I think a side swing would be better, if you shoulder swing I can see you snapping the rod.” He gently explained and she glared at him for the later part, he just smiled. “If you flick too hard you can snap it and I have a feeling you’ll swing it like a bat.” 

She just blinked at him, he wasn’t wrong she would swing it like a club and she hated that he’d assessed her so well.

“You also need to keep your thumb on the spool,” he pointed to it. “And apply pressure when the lure hits the water.” He leaned towards her, “can I position it correctly for you?” 

She looked at the rod then him and nodded, he gently positioned the rod in her hand and placed her thumb over the spool. 

“So light pressure when the line is being thrown and then,” he gently pressed her thumb into the spool. “Pressure when it lands, reel in when you feel a bite.” He removed his hand and pointed to the crank handle. 

“How will I know I’ve gotten a bite?” She twisted to look at him, her eyes widened at how close his face was to hers.

“You’ll feel it, it’s like a tug.” He smiled at her before leaning back. 

“How do I throw it out?” She asked as she eyed him.

“Watch me,” he grinned. 

He twisted his rod out to the side and flicked his wrist, his rod arched around to the front of him and the line flicked out over the water. She watched him and as the line hit the water he pressed the spool, his lure bobbed in the water where it had landed. 

“Got it?” He glanced at her. 

She nodded, “I think so.” 

“You’ll need this first though,” he picked up the tub of worms. 

Her nose crinkled as she looked at them, he rolled his eyes but picked one for her and speared it onto the hook. 

“Next time you're doing it,” he winked at her. 

She scoffed a laugh at him, “I would’ve done it.” 

“Sure,” he purred at her. The sound rolled over her skin and she tried to shake it away, “throw the line out.” He jutted his chin towards the water.

Sorcha flicked the rod to the side like he had and let the line unspool under her thumb, and when the lure hit the water she applied pressure on the spool. Her lure bobbed in the water and she smirked at it.

“That wasn’t terrible,” Munroe chuckled.

“Now what?” She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

“Now we wait,” his attention slid back out to the water.

“Fishing is pretty boring, huh?” She grumbled as she watched her line.

“Sekkachina on’na,” he tutted. 

Her back straightened at what she could guess was an insult, “didn’t I say to stop that?” She growled at him.

“Hai hai,” he waved her off.

She growled in annoyance, her fingers curling around the rod, strangling it with her fingers.

Munroe smirked at her annoyance as she glared at her lure in the water, Athena had decided to rest her head and shut her eyes as she ignored their bickering. 

They sat in silence for what felt like hours, both watching their own lures in the water. Sorcha would huff occasionally, she found it hard to focus on waiting for a bite and wanted to watch everything else around her instead. She’d thought she’d caught a glimpse of some deer, there had been movement along the shore a few moments ago. 

The ducks still floated on the water, diving under and bobbing back up. Athena would occasionally raise her head to watch them if they had been particularly noisy, she was very interested in them when they would quack. She was watching them now and whining softly as if it was going to intince the ducks over to her, Sorcha watched her in amusement. 

“They aren't going to swim over and into your teeth, silly dog.” Sorcha chuckled as she scratched the dog's head.

Then she felt it, the rod tugged in her hand, her eyes flicked to the water where her lure was being tugged under.

Of course when she wasn’t paying attention it would happen, she grumbled internally.

“Oh my god,” she squealed as she gripped the handle. “What do I do?” 

Munroe’s head snapped to her then the rod that was tugging in her hand, “rod up.” He snapped. “And let it run.” 

She did as he said, nerves suddenly creeping into her as she tried her best to keep hold of the rod.

“Ok, reel. It’s stopped,” he instructed. She nodded and started to crank the handle, “if it starts fighting just let it run the line.” 

She just nodded and kept reeling it in, it didn’t try to run again and she was practically shaking when it got closer. She pulled it out too hard and her rod spun into the boat, she kept hold of it but the fish smacked Munroe right across the face.

She froze as she blinked at the water dripping from his hair, his eyes had glazed over and the fish flailed at his feet, Athena watched it flounder around. 

Sorcha dropped the rod from her hand, “I didn’t… I didn’t mean that.” She gasped.

He blinked at her once, twice then his lips curled and he snorted out a laugh, Sorcha released the breath she’d been holding when he’d started laughing.

“Never in all my years have I been smacked with a fish,” he was still laughing as he bent to pick it up.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I swear I–I wasn’t trying to—”

“Don’t sweat it,” he gave her a soft smile. “I didn’t think that you were trying to kill me with a fish.” 

She nodded at him and watched as he unhooked it, she grimaced at that. She didn’t have a clue what the fish was that he was now holding, it was brown and spotted.

“Brownie,” he informed her. “Good size too.” He muttered as he opened the cooler. “They have a strong taste though, hope you don’t mind that.” 

Sorcha was looking at him like he’d just spoken Japanese, he wondered for a moment if he had until she spoke.

“I don’t know what any of that means, it doesn’t look like the kind of brownie I would enjoy.” 

He grinned at her, “brown trout, not the chocolate kind of brownie I’m afraid.” 

“No I wouldn’t think you’d be able to fish for chocolate brownies,” chocolate was something Sorcha knew she’d never taste again. She still hadn’t made peace with that thought.

“Can you hold this?” He pulled a bag from the cooler and held it to her.

She took it and watched as he placed the trout inside the cooler. She unzipped the bag she now held and peered inside, her stomach growling at the sight of the food inside.

He tutted, “nosy.” 

She just shrugged as she reached inside but hesitated, her eyes finding his eyes watching her. 

“Help yourself,” he smiled reassuringly. 

She sighed in relief as she gripped the first wrapped sandwich she came across and placed the bag at his side with the other still in it. She took a rather large bite when she tore the wrap off, even after three weeks she still ate like a starved animal. 

Athena had turned her attention to the food that Sorcha now held, hoping the human would drop bits and when she did the dog was there to lick them up.

“Are you going to fish some more?” Munroe muttered to her as he picked up his food, taking a much more delicate bite and he also kept hold of his rod as well. 

“No,” she muttered when she swallowed. “I think I'd rather have gone for a swim, I don’t think I’m a fan of fishing.” She took another large bite.

“Fair enough,” he nodded. “Next time.” 

She almost choked on the bite she’d taken at that, “don’t forget I won’t be here for much longer.” 

“I know,” he offered her the water before she choked herself on the food she was devouring. “Still a few more weeks, doesn’t mean it has to be spent inside.” 

She didn’t say anything as she took the water from him, just took a drink and continued eating. She supposed it’d be better than being cooped up if she was going to be here for another four to six weeks at least, a thought that didn’t sit right in her but she pushed it away. She always got restless staying in one place for too long, she had moved around so much in the past five years that staying still was forgien to her. 

They didn’t say much else, Sorcha soaked in some more of the heat as Munroe continued fishing. He caught a rainbow trout and a salmon before heading back, he could see just how bored Sorcha was getting but she didn’t moan about it to his surprise.

Sorcha’s eyes flew open when she felt the boat start to move, “are you done now?“ 

“Yeah,” he nodded as he rowed.

She had the feeling he’d have sat out here much longer if it wasn’t for her, she didn’t look at him as the guilt edged at her stomach, she just watched around them as they glided through the water. It didn’t take them long to get back, Sorcha waited while Munroe tied the boat back up, slid the cooler onto the dock and helped Athena onto the dock where she sat and waited for them, holding her sore paw up as she did.

Sorcha gripped the edge of the boat as Munroe stepped out, he did it with such ease that she thought it’d be easy enough but she wobbled like a newborn foal as she tried to rise.

“Would you like a hand?” Munroe held his hand toward her.

She looked at it for a moment, then another before sighing in defeat and nodding. She slid her hand into his, it engulfed her hand when he’d wrapped it around hers but it held her steady as she clambered out of the boat. 

“Well that was rather graceful,” she laughed as she slid her hand from his.

“Most definitely,” he laughed with her. 

He scooped Athena up and led her to the end of the dock to hold her while she did her business, so Sorcha picked up the cooler and the empty backpack taking them to the end of the dock and waited nearby. 

“I’ll be going away on a supply run tomorrow,” Munroe stated as she stopped nearby.

“What?” Sorcha blinked at him. “You’re leaving me alone?” 

“You’ll be fine,” he gave her a reassuring smile. “I just need cables and stuff for the batteries, extra batteries if I can find them…” he trailed off. “I should only be a day at most.” 

She nodded, “you trust me alone?” 

“If you both weren’t still recovering I would take you but you’ll be safer at the cabin and it will only be a day.” He took the empty bag from her and started helping Athena into it.

“What will I possibly do without your cooking for a whole day,” she sighed dramatically.

He snorted, “starve I suspect.” 

“And if you don’t come back?” She asked coolly. 

“Then enjoy the cabin to yourself,” he muttered as he slid Athena onto his back. “Although don’t pin your hopes on me not returning, I will be back.” 

“I’m sure you will,” she nodded as they turned to start heading back.

He gripped the cooler handle before she could go much further, “I’ll take that.” 

“I can manage,” she huffed as she tugged at it.

He tugged it harder making her stumble two steps towards him, “just give me the cooler. Your side—“

“Is fine,” she snapped at him. “Stop fussing.” 

“And if it tears again do you want me tending and fussing over it?” He arched a brow at her. 

She begrudgingly let go of the handle, he gave her a victorious grin that made her want to scratch his face as she turned from him, she heard him follow after her and she wondered as they walked what she was going to do for a whole day without him around to bother her, it’d definitely be quiet and she’d enjoy the solitude while it lasted. 

Chapter Text

17.

Munroe had tended to the animals before Sorcha had gotten up and then brought them back in before lunch, he’d said it would rain on and off today so they’d be safer in the barn. He’d left a pot of food that could be put in the oven, stew was what Sorcha had gathered. And he’d left a harness for Athena in case Sorcha struggled to help her outside, Sorcha had tried not to bristle at his fussing. 

She was now just setting down a book, she was glad he had plenty of them for her to pick through. She’d decided she’d wanted a bath as she set it down so she started running it and left it to fill as she went to help Athena outside, she couldn’t lift her. She had tried and almost screamed at the pressure that had tugged on her side when she’d lifted her, so she’d clipped the harness on her and helped guide the dog outside. 

Athena now lay in the hall on the rug while Sorcha took a bath, Sorcha had left her on the couch with the bathroom door open but the dog had decided to hop over, had stuck her nose over the edge of the bath, looked Sorcha up and down them limped into the hall where she had settle down guarding the bathroom door, her deep brown eyes watching the front door for movement. 

Sorcha sank deeper into the hot water with a moan, she was probably going to be bright red when she stepped out, not that she cared as she stayed there until the water turned warm. 

When she’d dried off and changed into something clean she helped Athena back into the living room and onto the couch again. 

Sorcha busied herself with the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen then went back to the bathroom and cleaned that, it was strange to be doing something as mediocre as tidying. She stood in her room staring at the bed, she wondered where he kept fresh sheets and where she could do washing, she’d perhaps have to leave that until Munroe came back.

Sorcha went looking anyway, there was a cupboard between the kitchen and his room, she found what she was looking for in there. She was sure he wouldn’t mind so she stripped and made her bed, then wasn’t sure what to do with the dirty sheets and went poking around the kitchen for some sort of washer. She could clean them in the bath but if it was to rain on and off she couldn’t hang them out.

She opened the slatted door in the kitchen, she huffed in amusement at the two machines that sat inside it, along with a few other cleaning things, mops, brushes, buckets and lots of cleaning supplies. 

Of course he has an actual washing machine and a dryer, she snorted internally as she rammed the sheets into the drum. She’d have to wait till the rain started to use it, if she remembered. 

She glanced around the living area and sighed, she didn’t know what to do with herself now. She stared at the cupboards and started slowly snooping through them, she didn’t find anything interesting as she searched through cabinets and drawers, just typical things that you’d find in any kitchen.

She raked through his TV unit, nothing but DVDs and then peeked up the chimney. She wasn’t sure what she expected to find in there, she had just wanted to look up there.

Then his bedroom door snagged her attention, she knew she shouldn’t but found herself striding towards it anyway. She twisted the handle and shoved, it didn’t move, locked . Of course it was locked which made her all the more curious, perhaps he was just private about his room but the more sinister thought was that he was hiding something. 

She tried to shake it off but found herself trying the handle again, she went to find something she could slide into the lock, she didn’t have her lock picking kit anymore. That had her wondering if it was in there, possibly along with her weapons. 

She came back to his door with a knife and tried to ease it into the snib, the knife protested and couldn’t push the lock in so she gave up with that before she chipped the frame. She didn’t want to leave any evidence that she'd tried to get into his room, so she huffed at the door for a bit before giving up entirely. 

She placed the knife in the sink and dropped down beside Athena, the dog rested her head on Sorcha’s thigh as she began stroking the dog.

“What now girl?” She muttered to the dog. 

Athena looked up at her from where she rested and grumbled out a huff as she nestled closer to her human.

“Yeah,” Sorcha sighed. “I can’t wait to get moving too.” 

And she found without Munroe’s annoyingly chatty presence that her mind had time to wander, she found that without him she grew restless rather quickly without something keeping her distracted from her own thoughts. It’s why she was constantly moving, constantly running from her own mind, as if she could out run her own thoughts.

This was why Sorcha couldn’t settle in one place, it set her on edge, she tried not to remember what it had cost her the last time she stayed in one place for too long.

Munroe has been here since the beginning, she tried to tell herself. It would be fine, only a few weeks and she’d be moving again. Athena shifted on her lap as if reminding her that she also needed more time, Sorcha released a long breath as she tried to calm herself. 

“Do you need the toilet again?” Sorcha muttered to the dog as she petted her. Athena however didn’t move or react to her words, “perhaps not then.” 

Sorcha glanced at the windows, rain splattered the glass in light drops. She felt a little less anxious at that, nothing could be out in the rain so she’d be fine. Then her stomach dropped, which meant Munroe couldn’t be out either. He’d be holed up if he hadn’t made it back to his truck before the rain, perhaps it would stop and he’d be back by nightfall like he’d said he would. 

Sorcha busied herself again with making dinner, not that she had to do much thanks to Munroe leaving her food. She wondered if he just thought she couldn't cook, sure she’d be rusty but she was able to before, she just hadn’t had the facilities to be able to cook anything other than the occasional animal she skewered over a fire.

As she waited for the oven to heat she put the now dry dishes away and then placed the dish of stew into the oven when it was hot enough, she even remembered to put the load of washing on. Now she just had to wait so she found herself looking through the DVDs again as the rain thundered down harder outside, she tried not to think what that meant for Munroe, even if he did make it back he’d be stuck in the truck until it stopped. 

She spotted Lady and the Tramp and slid it into the DVD player, she didn’t think he’d mind her using it, seen as it was raining. It’s not something she’d dare watch with him, she was sure he’d tease her for it. Athena also liked this movie, at least Sorcha assumed she did as the dog would tilt her head at the screen.

So she sat down to watch it as she waited for food and Athena’s head perked right up when puppy Lady started whining, she’d tilt her head back and forth as the cartoon dogs appeared on the screen. Sorcha didn’t know what was more amusing watching the movie or watching Athena watch it. 

Sorcha plated herself some food and left the rest to cool for Athena who now didn’t know if the TV or what Sorcha had on her lap was more intriguing, her tail hammered wildly when Sorcha presented her with a bowl of stew and when she was done Sorcha cleaned up, did some more dishes and settled down to another movie; 101 Dalmatians this time for her and Athena to enjoy. For a brief moment as she cuddled into the dog it felt like before even as the acidic rain pelted down on the window. 

Sorcha glanced at the window again wondering when it would stop and wondering as the sky started to darken if Munroe was indeed stuck where he was. 

Sorcha started nodding off as Athena cuddled into her side, the heat of the dog pulling her into sleep as the remote slid from hand. 

“I’m sorry,” a woman sobbed. “I’m so sorry.” 

“No, you can’t…” Sorcha sobbed. “Please I can’t lose you too.” She was shaking from how hard she sobbed. 

“Please don’t let me turn,” the woman whispered as she gripped Sorcha tighter. 

“I can’t…” Sorcha roared.

“You’ve been through so much,” the woman’s hand was gentle as it stroked her cheek, her sleeve falling slightly to reveal the bite on her wrist. “My strong, brave girl. You’ve been through too much, I’m sorry to ask it of you.” 

“Please, don’t go.” Sorcha wailed as she gripped her tighter. “Mum,” Sorcha pleaded. 

Eleanor blinked up at her daughter and smiled softly at her as her thumb brushed Sorcha’s cheek, “you know I’d stay if I could.” She sighed and placed a delicate kiss on Sorcha's forehead. “I’ll be with your father, with your brother and with…” she gulped. “Kadon.” 

Sorcha whimpered, “tell them I love them.” Her tears fell on her mother, she couldn’t stop them if she tried. 

“Oh they know sweetie, they so know it.” Her mother squeezed her hand tightly, “but I’ll remind them.”

“I don’t want to be alone,” Sorcha sobbed.

“You won’t,” Eleanor looked right into her eyes. “We’ll always be with you,” she placed a hand over Sorcha’s heart. “You’ll always carry us right here.”

Eleanor took a shuddery breath then didn’t take another, Sorcha wasn’t sure what she was saying through her wailing and screaming, she was shaking her as if she would wake. 

Then the world tilted and shifted and Sorcha had the knife over her mother, aimed at her head, it shook in her hands.

She couldn’t do it, couldn’t do it, couldn’t.

Her mothers eyes snapped open, Sorcha screamed as her mothers undeadself lunged and snapped her teeth at her daughter.

Sorcha screamed as she plunged that knife down, down, down.

Sorcha flinched as her eyes opened, her heart pounding in her chest and a whimper escaped her lips. She took a shaky breath as she looked around, unsure of where she had woken up.

She quickly realised she was on the couch, the TV still on but nothing playing and Athena curled against her. She blinked away the sleep and the nightmare, she rubbed at her eyes and found them wet so she wiped them dry.

“Morning Athena,” she mumbled to the dog as she stumbled up.

She ached terribly from sleeping in a sitting position on the couch, her spine, hips and shoulders clicked as she stretched. She noticed Munroe’s door was still shut as she relaxed from her stretch and glanced out the window when she headed to the kitchen, no truck in sight outside. 

Her stomach clenched, something had gone wrong. She tried to shake it off, told herself the rain had delayed him as she poured herself a glass of water. 

Sorcha found her boots and helped Athena outside, when she came back in she helped herself to some fruit, she also gave Athena some strawberries as she picked at the fruit, when she was done with that she found herself glancing out the window again.

No, she refused to be worried about him. She refused to think she even cared as she turned away and took another drink.

With the rain not on and Munroe not here she decided she’d go tend to the animals in the barn, they’d probably like to be out now that the rain was off. 

Athena had come along with help from Sorcha, she’d whined when her human had tried to leave her so Sorcha had given in and put the harness on to assist the dog.

The dog had been excited to see the animals and now lay near the hay bales as Sorcha opened the large barn door and then started opening stalls, the animals disappeared out into the field without a backwards glance. 

Athena was quiet until the cats appeared, Basst gave the dog a cautious wide berth, the cat also wasn’t sure what to make of Munroe not being here. From the way her eyes narrowed on Sorcha she knew she was still expecting some form of food which Sorcha had of course brought with her for the cats. Artemis made her way over to the stall Sorcha was in and purred at her until Sorcha scooped her up and petted her much to Athena’s horror, the dog whined in protest at her human petting the cat. 

Sorcha shushed the dog, “don’t be jealous. You got plenty of cuddles last night.” 

Athena huffed as she lay her head down, sending strands of hay floating away as she breathed out another huff.

Sorcha rolled her eyes as she set the cat down then reached into her pocket for the slices of meat, Baast became instantly interested in Sorcha. She smiled as she tossed a slice to each cat, both turning tail and disappearing with their prizes. She then sauntered over to Athena and knelt in front of her, stroking the dog's soft cheek as she did.

“I didn’t forget you either,” she crooned as she pulled a slice out for the dog.

Athena took it gently and then licked Sorcha’s palm after she had scoffed down the meat, all was forgiven for daring to pet the cat it seemed. 

Sorcha left the dog to relax and went to start cleaning out the stalls, her side ached once she got to the fourth one and she was huffing as she kept shovelling.

“There you are,” Munroe practically purred from behind her. 

She hissed a curse as she turned to face him, “announce yourself asshole, my hearts now in my ass.” If he hadn’t scared her half to death his voice would’ve made her shudder from the silky tone he’d just used. 

“My apologies,” he gave her a lopsided grin. “I didn’t expect you to be here, I thought you’d be half way to the coast by now when I saw you and Athena weren’t in the cabin.” 

“In the rain?” She scoffed as she looked at him.

“You could've left this morning,” he shrugged as he leaned against the stall. “Certainly didn’t expect to find you working.” 

“I figured, seen as you’re late, that the animals would need out,” her eyes narrowed on him.

He nodded, “thank you for that.” 

She just shrugged one shoulder at him as she set the shovel down, then she noticed it. He had blood splattered across his neck, some speckled on his clothes too. 

“Shit,” she gasped. “Did you get hurt?” 

He glanced down at himself, “no just the dead. I made a mess, I didn’t change before I came looking for you.” 

“You have my weapons, I won’t get far without them.” She folded her arms across her chest. “What happened anyway?” 

“Just the rain, I got stuck in one of the shops I raided and had to hole up for the night. Turned out it was infested with biters,” he grumbled. “Sorry if I got your hopes up that I wasn’t coming back,” he chuckled.

She just smiled at him, “someone as annoying as yourself wouldn’t die that easily.”

He just rolled his eyes at her, “so mean.” His face softened slightly, “I can finish in here.” He offered.

She shook her head, “this is the last one anyway. Go wash that blood off,” she gestured to it with her chin.

“Fine,” he turned from her then glanced back as if he’d just remembered something. “Do you like skiing?” 

Her brows furrowed at him, “I’m not sure, I did it once when I was in school… why?” She asked cautiously.

“We should go,” he stated, as if it was simple.

“It’s summer,” she scoffed incredulously at him.

“There’s a ski lodge not far, they have a fake slope for the warmer months.” He tilted his head at her, “think about it. You don’t have to answer now.” 

She just nodded and he left her to finish, when she came back with Athena, Munroe had come out to pick the dog up now that he was clean and took the dog back inside then he had barked at Sorcha to shower because she smelled disgusting. 

Sorcha hated herself for that small bit of worry she’d held for him, although the thought was forgotten when she was clean again and he was handing her a plate of food, as they ate Sorcha told him she’d decided that she’d go to the ski lodge but she wasn’t making any promises to actually ski. 

Chapter Text

18.

Three days later Munroe packed the truck, assured that the animals were secure and had plenty of food and water before they set off for the mountains. 

Athena was sprawled over the back seat, her nose pointing towards the open window, even Sorcha was enjoying the breeze coming in from her open window as she watched the world pass by. She hadn’t been a passenger in a long time, Munroe hadn’t let her drive because he'd seen what she did to the last truck, she however didn’t think being flung off the road by a Va’nu had anything to do with her own driving. 

She hummed along to the music anyway as the truck wound its way through the hills, patches of snow started to appear the higher they got. There wasn’t a lot of snow, some had remained due to the cooler temperature on the Cairngorms.

Sorcha plucked some melon slices from what was left of the lunch they had devoured, she was getting far too used to the food, far, far too used to it. She had to stifle the moan from the sweet fruit, Munroe plucked one from the tub and tossed it into his mouth without glancing at her. 

She glowered at him as she popped another in her mouth and offered one to Athena, who drooled on her hand when she’d taken it.

“Ew,” Sorcha grumbled as she wiped the dog's drool off on her trousers. 

Munroe laughed as he stole another melon piece making Sorcha go right back to glowering at him. 

“You're going to grudge me for eating my own food?” He gave her a snarky look before looking back at the road.

“Maybe,” she kept scowling. “It’s hard when I’ve had to kill to eat, when I’ve had to protect my food with my life…” she sighed. “Although I wasn’t particularly great before the fall for sharing food in all honesty,” she just shrugged as she finished the last bit of melon and dropped the tub back into the bag.

“Were you as vicious then as you are now?” He let out a throaty laugh. 

“Watch it,” she glared at him. 

He was still laughing as he shook his head, then he pointed forward with his index finger, his hand never letting go of the wheel. “There, up ahead. That’s the lodge.” 

Sorcha turned to what he was pointing at and blinked at the lodge sitting high in the mountains, some snow nestled behind it but not a lot like most of the patches they had passed. It looked serene up there, the ski lift sat motionless behind it, some chairs swinging in the slight breeze and spread out beside the lodge was the green and white dry ski slope. 

Sorcha had done a few lessons with her school on a slope like that, she had hated it, so she didn’t plan to ski today but would watch and enjoy the view. 

Munroe slid the truck into the bay nearest the slope, which kept it hidden behind the lodge and hopped right out, he disappeared towards a little shack attached to the larger building, Sorcha just watched him go. She hopped out of the truck when he disappeared then she went and opened the door for Athena, she eased the dog onto the ground before gripping her harness before heading in the direction Munroe had gone.

He came out of the shack with two orange rubber rings when she was halfway to him, waving them at her rather enthusiastically. 

“Nope,” she huffed at him as she got closer. “Not a chance.” 

“I didn’t think you’d ski but I think you’ll actually like tubing,” he dropped the rings near the edge of the slope. “I can go with you if you're scared,” he grinned at her as he leaned in towards her. 

“You climb into one of them with me and I’ll claw your eyes out,” she growled at him as she bristled. 

“Come on, it will be fun, I promise.” He stepped back from and hovered by the tubes. 

“Fine,” she walked towards him, she had a feeling he wasn’t going to take no as an answer. He gently took Athena so Sorcha could get in. “You can put her on my lap,” Sorcha grumbled as she slid into one of the rings.

“You're going to take Athena?” He scoffed in disbelief. 

“You want to leave her in the truck?” She threw a glare at him, “she’ll also love it so pop her on my lap.” 

Munroe carefully placed her in the ring between Sorcha’s legs, he’d suggest that instead of on her so the dog was less likely to slip out. 

“Keep a tight hold of her harness,” he grumbled as he slid into the ring beside her.

“You think I don’t know that?” She snapped.

He clicked his tongue at her in annoyance as he gripped one of her handles and slid them closer to the edge, “hold on.” He muttered  as he let go of her ring and then they slid off the edge.

Sorcha’s grip tightened on Athena’s harness and one of the tube's handles as she went plunging down the slope, a scream ripped from her and she tried not to tense her legs from the speed and steepness of the slope. 

Munroe was laughing in joy behind her, she didn’t look as she kept her eyes forward and her grip tight. Athena barked in joy, almost making Sorcha jump at the sound, then a laugh was tearing out of her from the noise she hadn’t heard from her dog in far too long. 

The tube spun as it came to a skidding stop, Sorcha was still laughing when the spinning stopped, Munroe’s laugh twisted with hers when he stopped close by a moment later. She placed a kiss on Athena’s head, the dog's tail hadn’t stopped wagging. She’d known Athena would like that, she hadn’t expected the dog to like it that much. 

“Again?” Munroe called as he rose from his tube. 

“Yes,” Sorcha breathed as she tried to wriggle out of the tube, a little challenging with the dog.

Sorcha had a wild, joyous smile on her face, Munroe couldn’t help from smiling as he looked at it. Probably the first time he’d seen her actually happy, not like the soft sweet smiles she gives Athena, a genuinely joyous smile. He reached a hand to her and had to stop his eyes from widening when she took it without fuss, not even a glare in his direction.

“I’ll take Athena,” he offered as he stepped away from her and she nodded.

He gripped the rope on the tube and pulled the dog up behind him, Sorcha was already storming ahead, panting loudly from the incline. 

“I guess it’d be too much to ask for the chair lift to be working,” she managed through her panting.

“It’d be too hard to maintain, unless I lived up here but I don’t fancy the snow.” He called to her.

“Why? I like the snow,” she huffed as she climbed.

“Cause it’s cold,” he chuckled. 

“But it’s beautiful, even if it is cold, it’s beautiful.” Sorcha breathed out as she glanced back at him. 

He supposed it was, he couldn’t deny that as he looked into those soft grey eyes of hers, no hint of the storm that usually rages behind them. 

They tubed a few more more times, Sorcha even whooped with joy when Athena had howled, Munroe had joined in too. Then Sorcha had decided she didn’t want to climb the stupid hill one more time and when Munroe said he’d carry her, she’d finally gone back to glaring at him for suggesting such a thing, those eyes turning stormy once again. 

So he led them into the reception and set the bags down on one of the couches, Sorcha kept a hold of Athena’s harness who stayed at her side. 

“I’m going to check the back and the rooms. Stay here,” he instructed. When she nodded he slipped through a door and into the back of the lodge.

She waited while Munroe did his sweep, she glanced around the wooden lodge and up at the high ceiling. She was surprised most of it was intact, the stairs were in pretty perfect condition, even the railing along the hallway that looked over the reception area was in good condition. 

Athena shifted impatiently at Sorcha’s side so she helped the dog over to the couches where the bags lay and helped her up onto one, she gave her a soft pat as she continued to study the room. 

Sorcha eyed up the large desk before walking over to it and rummaging around in the shelves and drawers, she didn’t find anything overly interesting. A long stick that could be used as a weapon but she suspected would break after a few strikes, Athena let out a low growl from the couch making Sorcha glance at her and followed the dog's line of sight. 

A man stood in the door, he had light caramel blonde hair and his hazel eyes widened at Sorcha in surprise. She grabbed for the stick and the man went still.

“Woah, I’m unarmed,” he smiled sheepishly as he dropped the bag he was holding and raised his hands. 

“Then you're an idiot,” Sorcha hissed at him.

She’d let him believe she had something under the desk if it kept him there until Munroe came back, she was going to give him an earful for still not trusting her with a weapon. 

“Hey I just came here to relax,” he shrugged.

“Leave,” she hissed at the man. 

“Look I’m Lachlan, I mean no harm-” he stopped as the door fully opened behind him and a woman appeared. 

A red headed, blue eyed woman who was extremely beautiful and went straight on defence at the sight of Sorcha, faster than Sorcha could register she had a gun aimed towards her. 

“Who are you?” The women snarled at her. “Hands where I can see them,” she motioned with the gun.

Sorcha gripped the stick tighter, Athena rose with her hackles raised at them and her lips raised in a snarl showing off her very sharp teeth, the two glanced at the dog warily. 

“Drop it,” Munroe growled as he slid into the room from the other side of the desk with his gun pointed at the woman.

He side-stepped towards Sorcha as the pair watched him, until he was in front of Sorcha blocking her from view. 

“Oh it’s you,” the woman laughed. “Jesus Munroe, didn’t think I’d see you this time of year.” She holstered her gun. 

Sorcha was bewildered that he knew the pair, they both looked at him with recognition in their eyes. She watched them carefully as she slid out from behind the desk, leaving the stick behind as she settled herself behind Munroe’s back and peered round at them.

“Same here,” he growled, not lowering his gun. 

“Oh don’t be like that,” the woman stepped further into the Lodge, dropping her bags by Lachlan’s. “We came here for a holiday, you can bugger off if you are going to be a pain in the arse.” 

He sighed as he finally lowered his gun, “I was here first so you can fuck off, Ailith.” 

Ailith just scoffed at him and then slid her gaze towards Sorcha, her eyes narrowing as they took her in. Sorcha wasn't the type to back away from anyone but the way this woman looked at her was undeniably predatory, it had her gripping the back of Munroe’s jacket and sliding closer to him. 

Munroe glanced down, startled at her closeness until he saw the way Ailith was sizing her up. 

“Stop being a bitch,” he hissed at her as he stuck his arm out, shielding Sorcha from the vicious redhead. 

“Where did you find that one, Ro-boat? I didn’t think you’d like having a little timid girlfriend, how did you survive this long little mousie?” She grinned at Sorcha. If you could call it a grin, it looked more like a snarl. 

Sorcha would have corrected her, she wanted to, wanted to scream that she wasn’t his girlfriend but she got the feeling this woman wouldn't touch her if she thought that she was his. So before Munroe could open his stupid mouth, Sorcha wrapped her free arm around the arm that shielded her and pulled his arm against her torso, leaning her cheek against him as she did and still keeping a tight fisted grip on his jacket. 

“Don’t be jealous,” Munroe purred at Ailith teasingly.

“Certainly not,” she snorted as she turned her attention to Lachlan, who had been watching Sorcha rather carefully. “There’s only two decent rooms here, so you both take one and we’ll take the other.” Ailith smiled at Munroe and then Sorcha, a challenge in her eye as she glanced at Sorcha, trying to call her bluff. 

“Nah,” Munroe shrugged. “We’ll leave you to it, Ailith.” 

“You won’t make it down the mountain before the Va’nu come out to play,” Lachlan chuckled. “We aren’t that bad to be around, it’s been a while Munroe.” 

“It really has,” Ailith pouted at Munroe. “It’s like you’ve been avoiding us,” she drawled rather dramatically. 

“Honestly I thought you’d both buggered off somewhere else,” Munroe grunted at her. 

Ailith huffed her annoyance at him and shifted to look at Sorcha, who just blinked at her. “You don’t say much do you? Or are you mute?”

“Ailith,” Munroe growled a warning at her, she looked away with another audible huff. “Come on,” Munroe gently tugged Sorcha forward. “I’ll show you where the rooms are,” she unwrapped herself from him as he went to get Athena and the bags. 

Sorcha trailed after him, staying as close to him as she could as they headed up the stairs, uncomfortably aware of the eyes on her back as she followed, she had to restrain herself from throwing a glare over her shoulder at the two behind them. 

Munroe led her down the hall and through one of the doors into a rather large room, she could spy a walk-in wardrobe and a bathroom, not that she expected it to work up here. 

Munroe delicately placed Athena on the large white bed as Sorcha shut the door and took in the room, her eyes landing on the windows that looked over the mountain range as Munroe dropped the bags on a chair.

“Well you’ve roped us into sharing a room,” he sighed as he fixed his gaze on Sorcha. 

“I’d rather take my chances with the Va’nu than sleep in a room alone with them here,” she crossed her arms over her chest as she spun to look at him. 

“And I’m your boyfriend?” He smirked at her, “I was surprised you didn’t snap and correct that one instantly.” 

“Believe me, I wanted to.” She grumbled in annoyance, “I felt I was safer if she believed it.” 

“You have some great survival instincts. I'll give you that, she’s not particularly friendly to unknown women.” Munroe dropped onto the bed. 

“So is she your ex?” Sorcha found herself asking.

“Something like that,” Munroe sighed as he lay back. Sorcha watched as his jacket fell open then as his shirt rose up slightly, her eyes following the trail of brown hair into his waistband. “You know she’ll expect us to…” he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

“Try it, I dare you.” Sorcha snarled at him. 

Munroe grinned, “I’m just saying she might expect us to be noisy.” 

“I will loudly announce that I’m bleeding if that’ll shut her up, find me something red and I'll stain my jeans–” she began ranting. 

Munroe burst out laughing, “Sorcha, I’m messing with you.” 

“You can sleep on the floor,” she hissed at him. 

“I was welcome in the bed?” He suddenly sat up, his brows raised at her in surprise. 

“No,” she snapped at him then sighed and went on. “Yes, as long as you stayed on your side, but you're on the floor now.” 

“Shimatta!” he exclaimed with a hiss and then chuckled. “I guess I’ll just have to look forward to the spinal adjustment then.” 

She just rolled her eyes at him, “you need to give me a weapon. I was defenceless and only lucky because you knew them…” she eyed him. “Come to think of it, didn't you say you were alone and thought no one else was out there?”

“I haven’t seen them in a year, maybe longer.” He shrugged, “I really didn’t know and besides if it’s down to me and those two idiots left in the world then I think I’d rather end it.” He slipped a knife from his thigh and held it out to her, “just while we’re here.” He yanked it back as she reached for it, “don’t try to slit my throat.” 

“I won’t,” she gently took it from him and when he finally let go she slid it into her thigh strap. 

“Don’t make me regret it,” he glowered at her. “You’ll give me it back when we go to bed.” He sighed, “you can get changed in the bathroom if you want to before we have to go back down.”

She just nodded at him and slid away to get changed, she pulled on some jeans, a fresh top and a jumper. Her worn clothes folded over her arms when she came out, she tossed them over the back of the chair with the bags on it. 

She glanced at Munroe, who’d also changed, as she sat on the bed to pull her boots back on. He was wearing jeans and a jumper too, his was forest green, not like the light pink one he’d fished out of somewhere for her. 

He sat beside her and tugged his boots back on aswell as he spoke, “they’ll be expecting me to cook dinner so it’s up to you if you want to stay here, sit with them or help me with the food.” 

“I’ll come with you,” she muttered as she slid her thigh strap on, now with a knife in it, finally. 

He tugged on both his thigh straps, one for his gun and the other hunting knife he had. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, they won’t dare touch you cause you're with me.” 

She shook her head, “if you haven’t gathered I’m not good with people so I’d rather stay with you. Plus if something happens like an attack, they’ll toss me as collateral.” 

He shook his head at her, “seriously. I wouldn't think you need protecting.” 

“One well placed hit to my side and I’ll go down like a sack of tatties,” she gave him a grim smile.

His eyes drifted to her side, “is it bothering you?” 

“Yes,” she sighed. She had wanted to lie about it, “nothing overly painful, it’s just… annoying.” 

“Can I look at it?” His brows furrowed with concern.

For once his concern didn’t make her bristle, perhaps she was just too tired to be bothered. So she nodded before lifting her jumper and top for him, he was quick as he skimmed his hands down her, gently prodding at either side of the scar. 

“Just tender, probably from laughing and too much exercise but I think it should be fine, let me know if it gets worse.” He gave her a stern look. 

Again she just nodded, she dropped her jumper back down as she got up to follow Munroe down to prepare dinner. He had also helped Athena down stairs after refusing to let Sorcha do it because of her side, the dog now sat guard at the kitchen door despite her leg. She’d grumbled at the two people on the couches in the reception area when they’d passed through, even with the warm fire blazing the dog wasn’t going to sit with them until Sorcha was with her, much like her owner the dog wasn’t as easy to trust strangers. 

Chapter Text

19.

The dishes now lay empty, piled on the coffee table, it hadn’t been like the usual meals Munroe made as he only had gas to work with up here, it had been rabbit stew. Sorcha had looked away when he’d skinned it, busying herself with chopping the vegetables he’d packed. 

She hadn’t spoken much over dinner but had finally introduced herself, they’d mostly talked about hunting and their earlier days during the fall and how Ailith and Lachlan had gone off to travel not wanting to stay still unlike Munroe. Sorcha had just watched and listened, there wasn’t much she could join in with. 

They had known each other before the fall too, Ailith and Munroe had known each other from their high school days and Lachlan had been in the year below them at a different school but had gone to the same university, Munroe had saved him from getting his ass handed to him when Lachlan had gotten into a fight he couldn’t win. Lachlan had also studied to be a paramedic, he’d been in the year below Munroe and Ailith who had studied to be a nurse, much to Sorcha’s surprise, she didn’t think she’d have the best bedside manner as a nurse. 

“I'd forgotten how good your cooking is,” Lachlan patted his stomach before getting up and searching a nearby cabinet until he pulled out a board game. “Monopoly anyone?” He shook the box at them all with a rather charming smile. 

Sorcha was sure he’d been a heartbreaker before the fall, he was very good looking and still had a lot of charm about him. She however wasn’t in the mood to play a game, not one where she was always the one to flip the game from the table when she started losing, her parents had practically banned the game in their house because of her tantrums over it. 

“No thanks,” Sorcha muttered.

Munroe laughed, “I’m not surprised, I bet she’ll flip board the minute she starts losing.” He winked at her as he rose and collected the plates. 

Sorcha flipped him off, “you're an ass.” 

“You love it.” He purred at her before leaving with the plates.

She just rolled her eyes as he left and slid her hand into Athena’s fur who had curled up beside her after dinner, the dog having had her fill of stew as well, Lachlan plopped back down in his seat by Ailith and placed the box on the table as started setting up the game.

“Come on,” Lachlan grinned at her. “It will be fun, even if you do flip the board.” 

“Leave her if she doesn’t want to play,” Ailith snarled at him. 

Lachlan just gave her a coy smile, “you usually lose, I thought you’d like to play against someone possibly worse than you.” 

She scoffed at him as Munroe came sauntering back, “has the bickering started already?” He sighed as he slid next to Sorcha.

“Just trying to convince your girl to play,” Lachlan turned his attention to Sorcha again. “I promise,” he placed his hand over his heart, “that I will clean up the mess when you flip the board.” 

Sorcha shook her head at him and smiled, “fine but don’t get mad when I flip the board.” 

“I would never, that’s not my vibe.” He was grinning as he started setting up the board. 

Munroe leaned into Sorcha and whispered, “why are you not that accommodating for me?” 

“Because you piss me off,” she muttered under her breath. 

Ailith was eyeing up the distance between Sorcha and Munroe as they muttered to each other quietly enough that the others couldn't hear, Sorcha pretended like she didn’t notice and continued to pet Athena.

Munroe slid his arm around the back of the couch, his fingers gently touching her shoulder and she leaned into him.  

“And all I’ve done is be nice to you,” he muttered in her ear as he slid closer. 

She gulped as his chest brushed against her arm, “and I thank you for your hospitality.” She whispered as she twisted her face towards him, “but it doesn’t mean that you don’t get under my skin.” 

“Does Lachlan not get under your skin?” His nose brushed against her scarred cheek. 

“Everyone gets under my skin,” she whispered as she started to tilt her head back from the small touch. 

“Just not as much as me?” His lips slid to her ear, his nose brushing across her cheek as he moved, his fingers tightening on her shoulder. 

She smiled slightly as she hummed into his ear, “it’s not a competition.”

“Can you two not?” Ailith snapped, making Sorcha jump away from Munroe as Ailith added, “or at least go to your room.” 

Sorcha didn’t get too far from him as he’d kept hold of her shoulder, she couldn’t believe she’d just done that, she wasn’t really sure what had come over her either. 

“They were only talking,” Lachlan snorted and Ailith looked a bit put out at that. 

“Whispering is rude in company,” she muttered.

Lachlan ignored her and started plucking the figures out of the box, “the ship for Munroe,” he set the ship down as he spoke then placed the car down, “the car for me, Sorcha you can have the dog cause you know,” he pointed to Athena as he plucked the dog out.

“But I’m always the dog,” Ailith glowered at Lachlan.

Sorcha was also usually the dog but she didn’t actually want to play, so she wasn’t too bothered about what piece she played as.

“I don’t care what I play as.” She stated, “give me the thimble or something, she can have the dog.” 

Lachlan gave her a soft smile as he plucked the thimble out, Ailith turned the glare onto Sorcha. Munroe’s grip tightened as she did and when he levelled his glare with hers, Ailith finally looked away. 

Sorcha was the first one out of the game, she declared bankruptcy and dipped out. Munroe had muttered in her ear that she’d done that on purpose and she didn’t deny it cause he wasn’t wrong, if she played seriously she’d lose her temper. Munroe came out the winner in the end, him and Lachlan had ganged up on Ailith forcing her out and then Munroe had annihilated Lachlan who was anything but a sore loser, he just seemed happy they’d played and Sorcha supposed that was part of his charm. 

“It’s driving me crazy,” Lachlan groaned as he stared at Sorcha once he’d packed the game away, he hadn’t been so discreet with his glances all night. “I’ve seen your face somewhere,” he wiggled a finger at Sorcha. 

“Perhaps I’ve robbed you before,” she smiled sweetly at him. 

“Nah, not that.” He shook his head, “it will come to me.” 

“Was it before or after the fall?” Ailith turned to him. 

“Before, definitely before.” He stroked his chin as if he was really trying to think about it and remember.

“Perhaps you slept with her?” Ailith snorted, a cruel smile forming on her lips. 

“Definitely not,” Sorcha bit out rather sharply. 

Munroe tried to stifle his chuckle as he gently squeezed her shoulder, Sorcha tried to ignore how warm his hand was on her as he pulled her closer. 

“Were you a model?” Lachlan eyed her. 

Sorcha snorted, “no.” Then a wicked smile crossed her face as she decided to mess with him, “oh I know, you're a pervert.” 

They all went still as they looked at her, Lachlan choked. “Why would you say that?” 

“Oh cause you’ve probably seen me in some sort of porno,” she said nonchalantly and had waited till he’d taken a drink.

Lachlan choked on it and spluttered as he patted his chest, Munroe had even spat his drink back into his cup. 

“No, no, I’m not.” Lachlan said a little flustered. 

Sorcha let out a laugh as she spoke, “I’m just fucking with you.” 

“Very funny,” Lachlan rolled his eyes. “You had me shitting myself for a minute.”

“You wouldn't be the first,” she smirked at him.

“Holy shit!” Lachlan gasped as recognition shone on his face, “you were miss Scotland.” 

“Shit,” Sorcha groaned, wishing the ground would swallow her up right now. 

“Shut the fuck up,” Munroe squeezed her tighter. 

Ailith slumped back into her seat with her arms crossed, that wasn’t the answer she had clearly hoped for. 

“The scar was throwing me off, oh my god I stalked your Instagram like all the time.” Lachlan took a sip of his drink.

Sorcha crinkled her nose at him, “maybe you shouldn’t be admitting to stalking.” Munroe shifted at that, to eye up Lachlan.

“Oh sorry, when I was a teenager like in my last year of high school.” He waved his hand in dismissal, “I got a girlfriend, moved on and then you were dating that, that,” he clicked his fingers as he tried to remember. 

Sorcha had gone still as dread started to curl in her gut, Munroe noticed the shift in her and slid his eyes back towards her giving her a gentle reassuring squeeze, she hardly noticed it as she tried to swallow the bile that threatened to rise in her throat. 

“That swimmer!” Lachlan explained, “shit, what was his name… Kadon, right?” 

Sorcha shrugged Munroe off as she stood, “I’m tired.” She didn’t wait for them to say anything as she stumbled away. 

“Aw shit, guess he died.” Lachlan hissed, “sorry.” Sorcha stopped on the first step as Lachlan went on, “would’ve thought he’d survive—” 

Kadon, she couldn't bare to hear his name, she couldn’t bare the ache it had created in her chest. 

“Shut your fucking mouth, before I shut it for you.” Munroe growled at him. 

Sorcha turned to see him pulling away from snarling in Lachlan’s face. He turned and scooped up Athena from the couch, he grumbled a goodnight as he dismissed himself. 

Ailith just blinked at them as they left, Lachlan was a little red in the face as he began to study the glass in front of him, Sorcha knew he hadn’t meant to hurt her but her chest caved in every time at the thought of Kadon. 

Silently they walked up the stairs and entered the room, Munroe placed Athena gently on the bed. 

“Are you alright?” He asked softly as he glanced at Sorcha. 

She nodded, “I just want to go to sleep.” 

She just wanted to bury it, was already tucking Kadon back into her heart as they spoke and as they’d made their way back to the room. 

“I’ll step in there while you get changed,” he slid into the large walk in wardrobe. 

“Throw me your shirt,” she mumbled when he disappeared.

“What?” He scoffed from the wardrobe.

“It’ll look convincing,” she sighed. “If anyone decides to walk in, that is.” 

“Oh,” was all he said. 

She heard the shirt hit the floor a few moments later, she scooped it up and stripped off her top half, quickly sliding his shirt on, it was still warm and smelled strongly of him. She shimmied off her trousers, leaving her socks on as she scooped up her clothes and dumped them on top of her bag. 

“Are you decent or am I sleeping in here tonight?” Munroe called out. 

“You might be comfier in there than on the floor,” she huffed snidely. “Yes, I’m decent.” 

She pulled back the covers as he stepped out, they both eyed each other. Munroe was in grey sweats and a very tightly fitted white t-shirt that hid nothing, Sorcha tried her hardest to avert her eyes from his chest and the outline that was visible in his sweats.

Munroe couldn’t stop looking at her bare legs as she slid into the bed, he grabbed some pillows from the bed and the blanket that was draped across the bottom of the bed, trying not to look at her as he did but his eyes caught on her thighs and then the shirt as it rose up when she slid under the covers. 

Sorcha sunk into the bed while Munroe found a spot on the floor to curl up in, they lay in silence for a few moments. Sorcha could see his chest rising and falling in the dark room, one candle sat burning that was all Munroe had allowed. 

“Thank you,” Sorcha muttered into the darkening room.

“You don’t have to thank me for that,” Munroe mumbled sleepy. 

“Sorry, I thought you were awake.” 

“I’m talking, am I not?” She swore she could hear him grin in the dark.

“Oh shut up,” she rolled her eyes as she turned on her side. 

She could see him glancing in her direction, he turned his head towards the ceiling when she’d looked at him, she felt a little guilty about him being on the cold floor especially after what he’d just done for her. 

She sighed and gently patted the bed, “come here.” 

He rolled to look at her, “I didn’t do it to get into the bed.” 

“I know, I won’t offer again so take it or leave it.” She turned onto her back. 

She felt him slide in and place his pillows on the bed then he dropped the blanket on top of the covers over her feet and Athena. She turned to look at him, surprised at how quickly he’d moved, he was facing her as he nestled into the mattress.

“Stay on your side,” she hissed at him. 

“Of course,” he smirked at her. 

They turned from each other and it wasn’t long before sleep found both of them, not for long however as Sorcha was awoken to the sound of the door creaking open. As she stirred she kept her eyes closed, listening to someone step into the room. The knife Munroe had given her lay on the chair with her clothes, she cursed herself for leaving it there, although Munroe would’ve taken it back if she’d tried to take it anywhere near the bed.

Sorcha was very warm she realised, then the warmth shifted under her. She was draped over Munroe’s chest, her cheek rested against him and her hand was curled against his chest, her stomach turned as her cheeks heated, however she didn’t shift away as she didn’t want them to know that she’d woken up. 

“I thought you were lying,” she heard Ailith whisper into the room, venom coating her voice. 

“Go away,” Munroe grumbled sleepily. 

His arm came around Sorcha’s back as he pulled her to him, she tried not to go tense as he squeezed her closer. 

“Come on I’m offering to fuck,” she chuckled under her breath. “I have to be far better than her, you know you enjoy me.” 

“I’m not interested,” he groaned sleepily. “Now fuck off.” 

“Please your not actually interested in her, you’ll fuck for a bit and you’ll get bored, like you always do.” She was giving him a simpering smile. 

Munroe gave her a half smile, “nothing about Sorcha is boring.” 

Sorcha curled her fingers into his chest at him trying to defend her, she felt his chest tense so she faked a sleepy groan as she nestled closer to him. 

“Munroe, come on.” Ailith snorted at him. “You can’t be serious?” 

But Munroe was not looking at the red head, he was focused on the woman who was nestled against his chest, he was fighting the urge to stroke her hair from her face and fully wrap his arm around her as her warm breath tickled his chest. 

“Leave,” he hissed as he yanked the covers up higher around them. 

Ailith stomped out in a huff, she wasn’t as quiet as she should've been when she shut the door in her annoyed state. 

Sorcha waited, she couldn’t spin away from him or he’d know she was awake, so she listened to his breathing and the beat of his heart beneath her trying not to focus on the fact she was wrapped around him. He slid his arm away from her back and sighed loudly but made no attempt to move her, when Munroe finally fell back asleep Sorcha waited another few minutes before sliding back over to her side of the bed, hoping that she wouldn’t hear about it in the morning. 

That morning when Sorcha awoke she was curled against Munroe’s chest again, his arm wrapping her tightly against him. Slowly she turned from him and tried to slide back over to her side before he could wake but he turned with her, his arm sculpting her against him. 

She tried to shimmy out of his grip, stilling as something rather large prodded her backside. She gulped as blush rose on her cheeks, his soft breath made her shiver when it fluttered through her hair and across the nape of her neck.

Sorcha took a deep breath and tried to peel his arms off her, he just pulled her tighter against him, his hips grinding into her making his morning erection slide across her ass. 

Sorcha thought she may burst into flames from how red she’d gone, she jabbed him sharply with her elbow right into his ribs, he grunted in pain and his grip finally loosened. 

“Morning to you too,” he winced. “What was that for?” 

“For not staying on your side of the bed,” she hissed as she shoved his arms off her. 

He smiled sleepily, “you're on my side of the bed. You're the one who crawled over here and wrapped yourself around me, twice by the way.” 

She glared down at his sleepy face as she sat up, “and you rubbed your erection on me so I jabbed you.” 

His eyes shot open and he glanced at her bright red face, “I’ve never seen you turn that colour before, I think I like it.” 

“Fuck off,” she hissed at him. “You're lucky I didn’t punch you in the dick, I should have. And here I thought l wasn’t much to look at,” she smirked at him. 

“My cock doesn’t care, you're still a woman who had her ass pressed against it.” He grinned at her.

“You're deplorable,” she hissed at him. 

“I’d almost think you want me to be aroused by you,” he sat up and leaned toward her. “Is that what’s wrong, you want it to be hard for you?” 

Sorcha couldn’t believe he was being so brash, she was lost for words while he grinned at her like a predator. He stalked closer and she stuck her hands out to push him away, he gripped her wrists in one hand raising her hands above her head, his other hand gripped her left thigh and she was yanked beneath him before she could shout. 

Sorcha was frozen as he settled between her legs, his face getting closer and closer until his nose softly brushed against hers, she shut her eyes waiting for what was to come until the door was kicked open by Ailith. 

Ailith’s face twisted into jealousy at the sight of Sorcha sprawled under Munroe, her hands bound by one of his, her nipples pert beneath Munroe’s shirt that she was wearing, her creamy legs spread and bent with him nestled between them and his erection was not hard to miss as it stretched for the women beneath him. 

“Do you mind?” Munroe hissed as he turned his head to look at Ailith. 

Sorcha turned her head away, unable to make eye contact with the woman in the doorway, she couldn’t believe she’d gotten into this position let alone be caught like this. 

“I was coming to see what you had in store for breakfast,” Ailith faked innocence. 

“I know what I’m having,” Munroe grumbled as he turned back to Sorcha, his nose brushing down her neck. “Get the fuck out,” he snapped at Ailith. 

Sorcha kept her eyes tightly shut as she heard the door close, slowly he let go of her and sat up. He hadn’t moved far as he now sat on his knees between her legs, Sorcha glanced at him to see that Munroe had his finger against his lips. He motioned his head towards the door, Ailith was still on the other side. 

Just part of the ruse Sorcha realised and she’d wondered if he had heard Ailith coming, she eyed him and he watched her as she slid herself away from him. Her eyes caught on his large hard bulge as she forced herself to sit, Munroe adjusted himself when he caught her looking. 

She was trying to calm her racing heart, part of Sorcha had liked being pinned down by him and she tried to stifle that part deep, deep down, as deep down as she could shove it. He was appealing to look at and his body was a work of art, it was just a normal reaction to someone so physically handsome, at least that’s what she told herself. 

As if he wasn’t blessed enough, he had a massive cock from the feel and looks of it, she had tried not to look but the sheer size of him had made her unable to not notice it when it pointed right at her. Sorcha shook that thought away, also burying it. 

“If I looked at you like that you’d kick me in the face,” Munroe chuckled. 

“My body parts don’t point at people,” she hissed at him. 

He dropped his eyes to her chest, “two of them do.” He murmured seductively to her. 

Her lips curled into snarl at him as she covered her chest and snapped, “it’s cold.” 

“I could heat them up,” he winked at her teasingly. 

“You touch me and I’ll strangle you.”

“I’d like to see you try,” he shook his head as he turned from her. 

“Fuck off,” she shoved herself off the bed and yanked her trousers on. “Don’t look,” she hissed as she unbuttoned his shirt. 

“Wouldn't dream of it,” he chuckled as he kept his back to her. 

She tossed the shirt behind her onto the bed and quickly pulled on her sports bra and top, she found her jumper quickly and shoved that on. 

She huffed past Munroe as she went to grab her boots, he twisted and tugged his shirt back on, it smelled of Sorcha and he hid the delightful shudder it gave him to smell her around him, he quickly shook that off and found some trousers and a jumper to wear. 

“We’re leaving right?” Sorcha sounded agitated as she shoved her feet into her boots. “I don’t want to hang around here for another moment.” She was blaming the lodge for her reserve dropping. 

Munroe sat back down as he slid his boots on too, “if they weren’t here would you have stayed longer?” 

“Probably,” she shrugged. “Now answer my question, I did ask first.” She twisted to glare at him. 

“Yes we’re leaving,” he gave her a soft smile. 

“Good,” she turned to gently stroked Athena, who had been sprawled out on the bottom of the bed at what was supposed to be Sorcha’s side. 

Athena licked Sorcha’s hand and rolled on her back for belly rubs, Munroe smiled at the sight before lacing up his boots. 

Chapter Text

20.

Sorcha was clipping Athena’s harness on while Munroe had gone to put the bags in the truck and then he’d bring the truck around the front, Athena was definitely getting stronger on that foot as they headed for the stairs. Sorcha touched her thigh before they descended the steps to make sure she still had a weapon, she wanted to get the hell out of this place already and to forget everything that had happened. 

She helped Athena out for her business then waited on the porch near the door for the truck to appear, she heard heavy steps inside that had her glancing towards the open door to see Lachlan stepping out the kitchen with a steaming mug. He smiled wide and waved when he noticed her, he stopped at the door and leaned against it, Athena watched him from where she sat at Sorcha’s side. 

“Hey so look I just wanted to apologise,” he gripped the mug tighter. “I can speak without thinking sometimes, I didn’t mean to hurt you in any way.” 

Sorcha nodded at him, “it’s ok. I’d rather not talk about it if you don’t mind.” 

“Sure,” he took a sip from his drink. “Oh do you want some?” His brows rose at her, showing off those hazel eyes. 

“No,” she shook her head. She didn’t trust anything Munroe hadn’t made. 

“Still wary, huh?” Lachlan gave her a rather charming grin. 

“Just because you know Munroe doesn’t mean I trust you, either of you.” She looked him up and down.

“Good,” he nodded in agreement. “You shouldn’t trust anyone easily these days.” 

She cocked a brow at him, “you seem quite relaxed or is that an act?”

“You're with Munroe, it’s easier for me to trust someone he trusts. I’ve known him longer and before the fall, he’s also very good at judging someone’s character.” He smiled softly at her, “plus he brought you here and he never does that. Even before the fall, we used to come up here for Christmas break and he never took any one he dated even when me and Ailith did.” 

She blinked at him, they used to come here before, she couldn’t quite believe they still visited it. 

“So that’s all it took to trust me?” She smiled softly.

“I wouldn’t say I fully trust you but you're fine with me if you're fine with Munroe,” he chuckled. “But if you ever get bored of him,” Lachlan gave her a devilish wink. 

Sorcha scoffed at him in disbelief, “aren’t you with-”

“No he isn’t,” Ailith huffed as she came into view.

“It’s complicated, we’re just friends who-”

“Lachlan!” Ailith snapped at him, “she doesn’t need to know.” 

Munroe’s truck pulled up as things started to get a little tense, Ailith fixed her gaze on Sorcha as the sound of the truck door slamming echoed around them.

“Besides it’s bad enough with him putting up with it,” she jutted her chin to Munroe approaching them and her attention slid back to Lachlan. “What do you want with a woman who is pining after a dead man?” 

As the blow to her heart filled her with grief she didn’t wallow in it long as Ailith grinned at her, that grin spiked Sorcha’s rage and she would take great joy in letting it wash over her, consequences be damned.

“Ailith,” Lachlan muttered a warning.

Sorcha’s fingers twitched for the knife, Ailith’s eyes tracked that movement as the sound of Munroe’s boots got closer and closer.

“Do it little mouse,” Ailith purred at her.

Sorcha gripped the handle, she could hear Munroe’s pace quicken meaning he’d been watching her.

So she laughed, wickedly and looked at Ailith. “No, I’m too tired from my morning… activities.” 

She watched as the words slapped the woman across the face, she found great joy in hurting Ailith in the same manner she’d just inflicted on her. Lachlan suppressed a laugh as Sorcha turned on her heel and stormed away, Munroe had stilled at the bottom of the steps and when he’d reached for Sorcha as she passed by, she smacked his hand away with a quick flick of her wrist.

“Tell me what happened?” She heard him growl as she stomped for the truck and ripped its door open.

She quickly helped Athena in and shut the door gently for the dog, Sorcha wasn't so gentle when she slammed the passenger door shut as she’d got in. 

Athena watched for Munroe coming back as Sorcha rummaged through the CDs in the glove box, she didn’t want to overhear any of the conversation those three were having right now. 

He had a variety of music at least, Imagine Dragons, Elvis, 80s rock music, 80s pop, some sort of Christmas CD, she grabbed one of the 80s ones and slid it in, getting bored of looking through them. I wanna dance with somebody started blaring through the speaker, she turned the case over but there was no list on the back for her to pick through the songs so she slid it back into the glove box and shut it, thankfully she liked 80s music thanks to her mum's choice of music on road trips.

She heard the driver's door open but didn’t look as Munroe slid in, she just kept her arms folded and stared out the window. Athena however acknowledged him with a whine and pressed her nose to his cheek, he chuckled at that and softly scratched her chin before she went and lay back down.

“Are we going to talk about it?” He muttered to Sorcha. 

She just shook her head, still refusing to look at him. 

He sighed, “fine.” Then he held his hand out, “I’ll be taking that knife back.” 

She snorted as she yanked the knife from her thigh and slammed the handle hard into his hand making him growl his annoyance at her, it had been a reprieve to not have her at his throat but now it seemed that was over.

He slid the knife down the side of his door and without another word he set off, he’d hoped the lodge would help her disposition, perhaps those two from his past had ruined it. He’d certainly bitten Ailith’s head off for her horrible jab at Sorcha, Lachlan had just looked devastated so he knew he’d had nothing to do with Sorcha’s mood. He thought it’d been him pushing her too far this morning, but then he’d heard the snide remark that Sorcha had made to Ailith and he’d been impressed, not many people could leave Ailith speechless. 

They sat in silence as the trunk wound its way out of the hills, the music was loud enough that it’d be hard for conversation anyway and Munroe suspected she’d done that on purpose. 

She noticed they weren’t going the same way as when they’d gone up, Sorcha watched the different landscape go by trying to pretend it wasn’t killing her to not know where they were going and that it was setting her on edge. As they neared what looked like a town she snapped her head towards Munroe and just glared at him, waiting for him to explain. 

He rolled his eyes at her as he turned the music down, “just making a stop for supplies while we’re out.” 

“What supplies?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Nothing specific,” he shrugged. “Anything, more cables, just whatever I can get my hands on that I may not have.” 

She nodded and watched as the bare landscape turned to ruined houses. She wasn’t sure where she was exactly, there hadn’t been a sign but the place was in tatters. Buildings blown apart, holes in parts of the road, wherever they were this place had been hit hard with either the war or looters. 

Munroe pulled the truck into a car park to what looked like a warehouse with a shop front attached to it, the building was cracked with bits of broken brick littered around and smashed crates that had been picked clean. She doubted many people lurked in this ruined town, the houses that lay around the warehouse didn’t have any roofs for cover.

“Ok you stay here, I won’t be long.” He said as he unclipped his seatbelt.

She laughed, “not a chance am I staying here.” 

Rage flickered across his face as he stilled, “you will do as I say.” 

“I am not staying in the truck and you can’t make me,” she snapped at him as she ripped her belt off. 

He chuckled darkly, “oh I could make you.” 

She glared at him as she ripped the door open and slid out before he could grab her, the rage was still simmering, she wouldn’t be afraid to fight him today even if she knew she wouldn't win. 

“Sorcha,” he growled as he grabbed her wrist when he caught up to her and yanked her back. “Please stay in the truck,” his jaw was clenched as he assessed their surroundings. 

She yanked her wrist out of his hand, “I don’t want to.” 

“Anta wa kodomodesu ka?” He grumbled as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. 

Her lips twitched, “and what the hell does that mean?” She shoved past him as she spotted Athena watching her from the window, trying not to care if he answered her not as she opened the door and helped the dog out. 

“That you're acting like a child,” he glowered at her. “I asked you if you were a child.” 

“I’ll stay where you tell me to in there,” she motioned to the building before them, “but I’m not sitting out in the open waiting to be picked off.” 

He released a defeated sigh, “you stay where I tell you to then.” 

She nodded and let him lead the way, her hand hovered over Athena’s harness who was walking pretty well on her own now, but Sorcha was still ready to support her when she needed it. 

Munroe swept the front desk while Sorcha and Athena waited by the door until he motioned them in, he was poking around in the back office while Sorcha looked around the front desk, her eyes landing on a box that snagged her attention.

She found herself stumbling towards it and almost bounced on the spot as she turned it and to find that it wasn’t empty, six lion bars sat in that box unopened. Six bars of chocolate just waiting to be taken, waiting for her she chose to believe. 

She spied an empty bag hanging on a rail and grabbed it stuffing the chocolate into it, she picked a few more things from the office, she found some sudoku books and found one that hadn’t been touched so shoved that one in her bad, some rope and a first aid kit that had seen better days so she picked out the sealed wraps inside it and continued her search until Munroe came out of the office. 

“Stay here–” he glanced at the bag on the desk. “Have you been looting?” He raised a brow at her.

She nodded, “Athena kept guard.” She pointed to the dog who was indeed keeping a close eye on the car park beyond the dirty glass doors.

He just shook his head at her, “stay here. You understand? Do not move from this room,” he watched her carefully. 

“Yes, I understand sir.” She nodded dramatically and tried to stifle the smile that threatened to appear.

“Don’t even fuck with me right now,” he snarled at her.

They just glared at each other until Munroe headed for a door that looked like it led to some stairs, he glanced back once, looked her up and down and then disappeared up the stairs. Munroe out on a raid was clearly not one to be messed with, she found it rather jarring but she supposed it made sense, she could get cocky when raiding, it was how she stopped herself from looking like a trembling fool who was indeed terrified of the world she now lived in. 

Athena’s ears twisted toward the plastic curtain strip door, Sorcha glanced at it and as she did she wasn’t quick enough to stop Athena when the dog bolted right through it.

“Shit,” she hissed as she pursued the dog. “Athena,” she snapped as quietly as she could as she pushed through the plastic curtain and into the back. 

She found the dog with her hackles raised as she slowly stalked towards the railing that looked over the warehouse floor, Sorcha slowly and quietly stepped until she could see over the edge to find out what had caught the dog's attention.

“Holy shit,” Sorcha hissed under her breath as the warehouse floor fully came into view.

They had to get out of here and now, the warehouse was full of the undead. Someone must have shut them in here, she had no way of warning Munroe, no way of finding him. He must’ve spotted the mass of zombies by now, she hoped he could see down to the warehouse floor from wherever he was and was perhaps working his way back to her because if he walked into that mass he wouldn’t come back out, she scanned the floor and figured there must be about a hundred down there, probably more, one slip and she was a goner.

Sorcha twisted to look at the plastic door then tensed when she heard Athena whine, she spun back to see what looked like a dead Voleux laying on the floor.

She blinked at it, she hadn’t seen that when they came in then it rose and her heart almost stopped. It couldn’t be reanimated, they didn't come back but there it was dead and getting to its feet. Massive bites had been taken from its legs, arms and sides. It’s dark soulless eyes were fixed on Athena and it’s clawed fingers wriggled towards the dog, this shouldn’t be possible. 

The decaying alien was foaming at the mouth, perhaps sick and not dead or the virus had now mutated to work a different way in them. Her heart was thundering as she watched, she had nothing on her as Munroe had taken the knife back. She didn’t take risks, she knew she didn’t take risks but that was Athena in front of that mutated thing. 

She took a breath as it stumbled forward, the terrible plan forming as she released a breath and charged right for it. 

She ducked and shifted all her weight to her right side, her shoulder slammed into the Voleux’s ribs with a crunch and it went crashing into the railing. Sorcha practically sighed in relief when she’d heard the rail snap, the dead would deal with it or it’d at least be trapped down there if the fall didn’t kill it.

Her relief was short lived when its claw hand grabbed her, she went tumbling with it shutting her eyes as she fell. The air was knocked out of her as her stomach collided with something hard and jagged. She screamed at the pain that tore through her ribs, stomach and side, there was a louder thud further down. 

Her hands gripped the hard thing she’d landed on as she tried to get her breath back, too much noise, that had been too much noise. She looked at the beam she was now folded around, drool dripping from her mouth from the impact. 

She couldn’t tell if anything was broken, she’d rather broken bones over internal bleeding. She looked down, the undead twisted their hands towards her. The mutant alien lay broken underneath the dead, its head smashed across the ground and some dead were eating it. Sick then, not undead. 

Sorcha gulped at the fate she’d narrowly missed, a bruised torso wouldn’t be so bad if she managed to get out of this. She swung her leg up and hooked it around the beam, she bit back the moan of pain as she hoisted herself up so that she was now lying flat across the beam.

Her ribs burned at the movement, she tried to shut out that pain as she scanned the railing from where she’d fallen, she hadn’t fallen far from what she could tell but had been flung through the air to this beam that hung a few inches below the rail. Her eyes searched the floor for Athena, she was taking shallow breaths as she was still very winded from the impact.

“Hide,” she gasped out when she spotted Athena peering down at her. 

Her voice hoarse from her breathlessness, she wondered if she’d get her breath back because it was still rather difficult to breathe, perhaps she had broken her ribs and the splintered bones had torn through her organs, she couldn’t tell.

The dog listened to the hoarse command and hopped into an open crate, Athena would wait for Sorcha to tell her to move.

Sorcha wasn’t sure how she was getting off this beam, her vision was fuzzy and spotted as she looked around. She knew there was some significant damage done to her, she’d thought broken ribs but now the panic was setting in that she was internally bleeding or had ruptured an organ. 

She had to get up, she tried to push herself up but the pain that coursed through her caused her to pass out on that beam, Athena whined as she watched her human go limp and dangle from the floating metal that held her in the air. 

Chapter Text

21.

“Sorcha!” A voice roared, cleaving through her head.

Sorcha’s eyes fluttered open, she blinked a few times to clear her blurry vision as she twisted to find the source of the voice. 

She had to hook her leg as she twisted, she had started to slip, her hands frantically grabbed at the metal surface as she screamed at the pain that tore through her from the sharp movements. 

She spotted Munroe once she was sure her grip was tight, his face looked strained as he watched her, she wondered what was wrong with him. 

“Athena,” she murmured. 

“She’s here,” he twisted to look at the crate that the dog still hid inside before his gaze shifted back to Sorcha. “Stay still and I’ll get you,” he called over. 

“Don’t,” Sorcha mumbled. “It’s pointless,” her breathing was still as difficult as it had been before she’d passed out, how long had she been lying here?

Munroe was scanning his surroundings, trying to find a way to get Sorcha off that beam. Her breathing was shallow and that had him worried, what had even happened for her to end up on that beam? He’d heard the first scream and came as quickly as he could. His stomach had dropped when he’d seen her limp on the metal barely holding on.

“I’m getting you and that’s it, accept it.” He snapped sharply at her.

“Don’t be a hero,” she whimpered, a tear slid down her cheek. “Don’t die for someone who… who wouldn’t…” she coughed and spluttered. “Wouldn’t do the same.” 

“Stop talking,” he hushed her. God knows what internal damage she had, she wouldn’t make it if she did have any, but he wouldn’t leave her to die on that beam or to fall and be devoured. 

Then he saw it, his eyes trailed up the wire that suspended the beam, it was on rollers he just had to find a way to pull it closer. 

Sorcha glanced at the distance, she felt unbelievably sick to see it and the drop beneath her into the host of waiting zombies whose hands all clawed at the air towards her. That’s when she noticed the one licking the floor, blood dripping on its head from her. 

Munroe had followed her line of sight and hissed when he realised that blood was coming from her, her once healed wounded side from the patch of blood that had seeped through her jumper. Blood loss and possible internal injuries, he hoped it was just broken ribs at worst. 

She watched as he eyed up the wire above her and she followed that line to see the wire sat on rollers, she could see something formulating in his head as he dropped his bag and started raking through the broken shelves behind him. 

She was pretty sure she was coming in and out of consciousness as Munroe was now looking back in her direction swinging a rope in his hand, she blinked and it was sailing through the air. It missed the beam by an inch, he tried again this time it was successful. 

“Tie it,” he snapped at her. 

She whimpered as she moved her arm, the one she’d slammed into the Voleux protested as she slid the rope under the beam and started knotting it as tightly as she could. She let that arm drop back down when she was done, she didn’t have the strength for it to grip anything now. 

“This might hurt,” Munroe called out.

She closed her eyes and then the beam shifted, she gritted her teeth as a scream tore out of her from the swinging movement and she was sure she was going to be sick, she was more sure that she’d pass out again. 

Munroe winced at the scream that had torn from her, he wished there was another way to do this gently but from the growing lack of colour about her he had to get her to the edge and quickly. 

The rollers hit the end of the runners and the impact shuddered through the beam, she couldn't clench down on that scream, especially as hands gripped her, tugging her up and off the metal. As they scooped her up against them she went limp in their arms just as she heard them call for Athena. 

Yes Athena, don’t forget Athena, was her last thought as she tumbled into that darkness. 

She was jolted awake, her head lolled to the side as she shook. The truck she realised, she was in the truck.

She peered up at Munroe, his face tight with worry, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel.

“Athena,” she mumbled. “Athena, where is she-”

“She’s here,” Munroe’s eyes slid to Sorcha briefly. “Don’t move, she’s in the back.” 

He kept his eyes on the road as he gripped Sorcha’s chin and tugged her head up gently, he took a quick glance at her face and gulped as he turned back to the road, tentatively letting go of her chin as he did.

She wondered what he’d seen in her face, it definitely wasn’t anything good. She could hear Athena panting now, she relaxed at the sound. 

She dared a glance down at herself to see where pain was cutting into her, the jumper and shirt she’d worn had been cut dead down the middle, she didn’t have it in her to care about that right now. There was gauze taped to her scarred side, bright red blood coated it already, her ribs and the top of her abdomen was bright red, parts of it already turning purple and blue. 

She didn’t think she’d survive this one, not with the current state of her torso. She hissed as she tried to push herself up. 

“No, no, no.” Munroe gasped. “Don’t move,” he gently grabbed her arm. “Don’t move Sorcha, I have no idea-” he gulped as if he couldn’t finish what he was about to say.

“I’m going to die-” she murmured.

“No, you're not going to die.” He slid his hand into hers. “I won’t let you.” 

“Please,” she gasped, stifling her sob. “Athena, you have to–” tears dropped from her chin onto their hands, “please look after her.” 

“You're gonna do that yourself, you aren’t going to die.” He squeezed her hand a little tighter, his eyes never leaving the road. 

“Just promise if I do-” she tried to squeeze his hand, she wasn’t sure if she had. “Please.” 

“I promise,” he murmured softly. 

She released a shuddery breath of relief, “thank… you.”

Her eyes shut and her head rolled back against the seat, every little bump in the road was red hot agony. Munroe was driving like a madman, Sorcha was far too out of it to notice how desperately he coursed them down the road. 

She hummed softly as that darkness called to her again, it lapped at her like cool water on a summer's day and she wanted to sink into it, to revel in it. 

“Stay awake,” Munroe tugged her hand. “Sorcha, stay awake.” 

How could she when the darkness was far too inviting. 

“Sorcha!” He roared at her, roared it like he cared, like he’d plunge into that darkness after her.

Her brows furrowed at that, she wanted to listen but the darkness was stronger, her eyes flickered open and she saw him, the worry on his face was agonising. 

However it was far too hard for her to stay awake, her head dropped back and she was gone, the sound of him calling her name rang through her head as she blacked out… again.

Sorcha awoke with a groan, she was having the worst case of deja vu. She’d been here before blinking at this very room feeling as if she’d been hit by a bus, she remembered the fall and telling Munroe to leave her, she would give him an earful for taking the risk of saving her. 

She carefully turned on her side and the pain through her ribs made her physically sick. There was a tightness in her right arm and a dull pain in her right shoulder too as she hoisted herself up onto her side. She half sat up, using her left elbow as leverage when she spotted the jug of water by the bed. 

She glanced at her right arm and there was a cannula taped to her skin, her brows furrowed at it and she followed the line up to a drip. 

Her eyes then caught on the chair and the man that slept in it, Athena curled up at his feet on one of the couch cushions. She blinked in disbelief that he’d stayed with her. 

How long had she been out? She wondered. From the bags under his eyes he was clearly exhausted, even the dog hadn’t lifted an ear to the noises Sorcha had made. She took back what she had thought about giving him an earful, his sleeping face was far too full of worry for him to deserve being yelled at right now and she wondered how serious her injuries had to be for him to have stayed nearby. 

Her mouth was unbelievable dry, she needed a drink so she pushed herself up fully into a sit, she wouldn’t be able to reach with her drip arm so she needed the one she was using to balance, carefully she reached for the jug but as her waist bent when she’d gripped the glass she yelped in pain and ended up falling back onto the bed, the glass went tumbling out of her grip and hit the floor with a crash as she groaned in pain. 

“Sorcha,” Munroe gasped as he sprung up from the chair. “Shit, I’d have gotten you a drink,” he panted as he crouched near the bed. “Stay,” he snapped at Athena, who had risen from the makeshift dog bed and was about to step off it.

The dog did as he said with a huff as she looked at her owner, who was now doubled over in pain as the man reached for her. 

“Here,” Munroe gently touched her arm. “Let me get you back round.” He shoved her pillows up and very gently got her sitting and propped up against the headboard, “are you okay?” He murmured as he swept the hair from her eyes. “I didn’t know if you’d wake up.” 

She took a deep breath, “I’m okay. Feel like I’ve been shat out but that aside I’m okay.” 

The pain still twisted in her ribs but it wasn’t as bad now that she was sat up straight, the nausea that had built started to recede. 

“Good,” he murmured as he poured her a glass of water. “I’m going to get this cleaned up cause someone has been very anxious to see you.” 

He glanced at Athena and Sorcha followed his line of sight, the dog let out a soft whine from where she was seated. As Munroe cleaned up the glass the dog never took her eyes from her owner waiting for the all clear that she could now move, Sorcha was slightly amused that the dog was listening to Munroe, she really had taken a liking to him. 

“You're an idiot,” Sorcha muttered to him, her eyes sliding to look at him as he was bent down, his warm brown eyes snapped up to her.

He stilled his sweeping as he scoffed at her, “do you not know how to say thank you?” 

“I told you to leave me,” she snapped, it came out hushed as it still hurt to breathe. “Why did you do that?”

“I couldn’t leave you,” he gulped. “I just couldn’t, what a shitty way to die for someone who has survived this long.” 

“I can’t say I’d have done the same,” she sighed regretfully. 

“I know,” he muttered as he swept the last of the glass up. “What happened anyway?” 

So she told him about the mutated alien, how it had come for Athena and that she’d pretty much tackled it through the railing.

“That explains your dislocated shoulder,” he snorted. “I can’t tell the extent of the rest of your injuries so I couldn’t put your arm in a sling, I didn’t want to put unnecessary pressure on your ribs.”

“What is the damage that you know of?” She grumbled. 

“Well for starters the tip of your healed side tore, I had to put three stitches in it and as for your abdomen… I still can’t tell, nothings broken at least, you're awake, your abdomen isn’t swollen, you haven’t been sick and you aren’t running a fever so I doubt there’s internal damage, I have no way to see inside you.” He dumped the broken glass into the bin with a sigh, “at best you’ve just seriously bruised your ribs and abdomen, I’m going to keep monitoring you just in case anything changes. I’ve radioed Lachlan anyway, luckily I found some batteries for the radio in that warehouse.” 

“Why would you radio Lachlan?” She furrowed her brows at him as he set the dustpan down.

“Because I’d need someone to keep you breathing if you’d rupture an organ,” he said rather grimly. 

Her mouth dropped open at that and he just gently removed her now empty glass from her hand before helping Athena onto the bed, the dog rested her head tentatively on Sorcha’s thigh, Sorcha gently stroked the dog's head as she tried to get over the shock while Munroe started mopping the floor, making sure he’d gotten all of the glass, so many questions swan in Sorcha’s head which helped her ignore the pain. 

“I’m glad you're ok too,” Sorcha muttered to the dog when she glanced at Athena. 

“I’m going to leave the cannula in, in case you need more blood or another drip.” He muttered as he set the mop down. 

Her head snapped towards him, “excuse me? You gave me blood?” Her eyes widened in horror, that had been one of the questions in her head, that she’d need blood if they cut her open. “From where?” He gave her a soft look and she gasped in disbelief, “yo-you? You gave me your blood? But we have to be a match—”

“Sorcha, breathe.” He muttered gently as he came to her side to remove the drip. “I’m a universal donor, I’m O negative. I wouldn’t have risked giving you blood otherwise,” he sighed. “Out of curiosity, do you know your blood type?” 

She blinked at him for a moment as she tried to take in what he had just said and nodded, “yes I’m AB negative.” 

“Rare, of course you are.” He snorted a soft chuckle as he rolled his eyes. “Were you a donor then that you know?” He asked as he removed the drip leaving the cannula in. 

She shook her head, “I needed surgery when I was little, that's how I found out, my brother was O negative though and he donated frequently. I always meant to, I tried before the fall but my blood count was too low so they wouldn’t take blood from me… sorry I’m rambling.” 

“Ramble away, it’s kind of nice actually.” He smiled at her, “you have a brother?” 

“I had a brother,” her voice wavered. 

“I’m sorry,” Munroe gently took her hand and she gripped his back.

“He wanted to be the one to give me blood that day, he was four years older than me and we were very close.” She huffed out a soft, sad sob. “Did you have any siblings?” 

He shook his head, “nope. Just me, my mother said she got it perfect the first time.” 

She scoffed at him in disbelief, “no wonder you are so insufferable.” Then her eyes softened, “do you miss her? You were pretty young weren’t you when she… passed.” 

“Ten, yeah.” He nodded as he knelt by the bed, not moving his hand from hers as he did, “I wasn’t allowed to miss her…” he winced. “My dad,” he sighed.

She slid her fingers into his and squeezed, “we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” 

He nodded and then rested his chin on the edge of the bed, they just watched each other for a few moments. 

“How old are you, Sorcha?” He suddenly muttered. 

Her eyes widened at him, “that’s a rude question to ask a lady you know?” 

“I just realised that I don’t actually know, I just estimated in your twenties.” He shrugged as his thumb stroked the back of her scarred hand, stroked it as if the skin wasn’t horrifically marred, “it’s good to know for how long it may take you to recover or if I need to–” he couldn't say operate on you. 

“I’m twenty-six,” she blinked at him, she didn’t need to hear the end of that sentence. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-nine,” he gave her a lopsided smile. “I should get you something to eat,” he murmured quietly. 

She wanted to say no, she wanted to keep holding his hand but instead she nodded and let go of him first. 

“I think you need sleep,” she laughed softly but winced at the pain it cost her.

“I’ll give you something for the pain too, after you’ve eaten.” He smiled and then twisted to pet Athena, “you keep watch for me.” He whispered to the dog, Athena whined at him as if she’d agreed to do just that.

She petted Athena with her free hand while she listened to Munroe pottering about in the kitchen, part of her was in disbelief at the risk he’d taken, she remembered how panicked and scared he’d looked as she’d come in and out of consciousness, then the other part of was insanely mad at the risk he’d taken. 

He came back with a sandwich for her, she only managed half and he didn’t push her to eat the rest so he’d let Athena finish it and tucked into his own one as he sat back in the chair.

“Got to make sure I don’t throw it up I’m guessing?” She muttered to him.

He tapped his nose, “well done. If you're fine by the time I’m finished I’ll give you the good drugs.” He winked at her as he took a bite. 

“And then you should get some sleep,” she smiled softly at him, she was talking to ignore the pain.

“The pain is worse now, huh?” He eyed her as he set down the remainder of his food. 

“Just getting harder to ignore, I wouldn’t say worse.” Her smile faulted as he rose, “finish your food, I can wait.” She hissed at him.

“It’s fine,” he assured her as he opened up a small black bag. “I think you should be fine now, this will probably knock you out so I just wanted to make sure you weren't throwing up.” 

He disinfected his hands before pulling out a small syringe and Sorcha looked away as he stepped around to the cannula, she didn’t watch as he injected it into the cannula, he just huffed a small laugh as he disposed of the needle. 

“You're such a wuss,” he chuckled as he sat back down and plucked up the remainder of his sandwich.

She glowered at him but a smile played at her lips, as she went to talk she started to feel woozy. “Woah,” she blinked. “That–that kicks in fast.” She mumbled in her increasingly drowsy state.

“It does,” he smiled at her as he took another bite, he was also keeping a very close eye on her. 

“Shit,” she slurred as her eyes started to droop and she let out a relaxed breath.

Munroe wasn’t sure if he’d be able to sleep, he’d checked her heart rate when he’d held her hand before she’d slid her fingers into his and he knew it was good, it was strong again but the worry that he could’ve missed something settled in him.

He went still as her eyes fluttered open again, a soft sweet smile spread across her lips and she mumbled, “thank you.” Then her eyes shut again and she started to doze off.

He’d almost dropped his plate at the sheer shock of it, even Athena had perked her head up then looked at him as if she couldn’t believe it had happened either. 

Chapter Text

22.

Sorcha had been in and out for a couple of days, she wasn’t entirely sure how much time had passed. She’d been given another dose yesterday or this morning, she couldn’t be entirely sure, of what she assumed was as close to morphine as she’d get these days, she also assumed it was from the poppies he grew.

Only Athena was in the room today, sprawled out at the bottom of the bed, the chair sat empty. Sorcha glanced at the water jug beside her, she wasn’t as sore today at least. She couldn’t remember when the cannula had been removed from her right arm, which was still pretty useless due the dislocated shoulder, she hadn’t even noticed the pain in it till now. The pain in her abdomen had made it seem like nothing more than a little niggle but now that the pain was manageable in her ribs she could feel the ache in her arm. She’d dislocated it on impact with the alien, she remembered the crunch but had been filled with too much adrenaline then to notice and had then gone on to injure herself far worse immediately after. 

She pushed herself up with her good hand, not that her left hand was her good hand with the horrific acid burn on it. She managed to get up and swing her legs over the bed, the painful part was dragging her right arm around to her side. She managed to pour a glass of water and drink it, ignoring the pain in her side as she did. 

She suppressed a wince as she set the glass back down, Athena whined at her for it, the dog had been watching her every move since Sorcha had woken. 

“I’m ok sweet girl,” she murmured, as she smiled at the dog.

Athena rested her head back on the bed and kept watching her human, Sorcha just shook her head and glanced down at herself. She wasn’t wearing one of her shirts, she wasn’t wearing trousers either. Her brows furrowed at what she was wearing, it was one of Munroe’s shirts from the size of it which meant he’d changed her. 

When? That was what she wanted to know, had she been wearing this the first day she woke up here? She hadn’t yelled at him for saving her but this, he would hear about this.

Slowly she unbuttoned that shirt, blue skin appearing the more buttons she undone, her abdomen was a mass of black, blue and purple. Her bra was also missing, her jaw clenched at the sight as she stopped unbuttoning the shirt just below her ribs. 

“You shouldn’t be sitting up,” Munroe grumbled, not hiding his frustration as the door swung up open.

She pulled the shirt together and glared at him, he braced himself at that look, he knew she’d go back to her grumpy self at some point but he wasn’t sure what had triggered it today.

“You undressed me.” She glowered at him.

He looked up and muttered in exasperation, “Kamisama wa ore ni chikara wo ataemasu.” Then he sighed as his eyes dropped back down to her, “do you not remember much from the truck? You were conscious, briefly.” 

“Yes, you’d cut my clothes open but I still had my bra on.” She was still glowering as she held the shirt tightly, she was slowly doing the buttons back up while she kept herself covered. 

“I didn’t see anything, Sorcha. I’m not a pervert,” he hissed as his jaw clenched.

“How would I know, I was unconscious.” She snarled at him.

He noticed the fear that flickered through those metallic eyes, he’d seen that same fear with that canibal, then when he’d tried to ask if anyone had been inappropriate with her and at the lodge just before she shut her eyes and submitted underneath him. He knew that he had to tread carefully around her. 

He took a deep breath, “I took your cut clothes off, I slid your bra straps from your arms, not removing the actual bra so it would keep you covered as I put a clean shirt on you, then I did a few buttons so you would be modestly covered while I removed your bra, should I have done something different or is that to your satisfaction?” 

She twisted her head away from him as she did the last button up and pushed that fear down, she didn’t think he was lying. 

“I try not to overstep, I understand you don’t like to be touched… I had to remove–”

“Don’t pretend like you know anything about me,” she snarled at him. 

“At least your mood is back to normal,” he smirked at her before his lips twisted into a grin.

She tried to flip him off, in her anger she forgot about how useless her right arm was and gasped in pain when she’d half raised it.  

“Fuck,” she hissed through gritted teeth as she let it drop onto the bed.

Munroe’s face dropped when she’d tried to lift that hand, he’d been stupid to goad her knowning how temperamental she was. 

“I should put that in a sling,” he muttered as he disappeared.

He came back moments later with some fabric and did just that, Sorcha glared at him the whole time and he was sure if she had Voleux teeth he would have lost his throat. 

“Now let’s get you to the bathroom–”

“I can do it!” She snapped, blush rising on her cheeks.

He’d helped her the past few days, she’d kicked him out once she was on the toilet but she was sick of it and was sure she could limp herself there and back. 

He stepped away from her, “fine I’ll sort food. Shout if you need me–” he went to turn away.

“Take Athena,” she grumbled as she rose from the bed.

She clenched down on the pain that splintered through her as she gripped the bedside table, Munroe had hovered at the sight of it but quickly disappeared with Athena when Sorcha had glowered at him, he knew by now when to leave her be.

Sorcha slowly made her way to the bathroom, her legs were shaky and she had to use the walls as support but she got there on her own, as she shut the door she heard Lachlan crooning over Athena. Sorcha was vaguely aware of his arrival, he’d allowed Munroe to finally get some much needed sleep and kept an eye on Sorcha while she’d slept. 

She had thought he was an illusion when she’d woken up and he was there in the chair instead of Munroe and then she had been totally unimpressed at having a second male fussing over her, she was surprised that he was still here.

She made it back to the room by herself when she was done, she didn’t bother shutting the door as she shuffled towards the bed, she was sure she’d have been faster with help but now that she wasn’t in such a drowsy state she didn’t plan to let them that close to her again. 

Munroe came back with food just as she’d sat on the edge of the bed, he placed it on her bedside table with a glass of orange juice. 

She absentmindedly went to tug at the chain around her neck as Munroe slid into the chair, placing his food on the desk as he did, when her fingers came up empty she ran her hand around her neck looking for her necklace.

She winced at the sharp movement she’d made in her panic, “where is it?” Her eyes went wide as she looked at Munroe, “it isn’t…” she gulped. “It isn’t back at that warehouse is it?” 

He looked at where her hand was and shook his head, “no.” He slid the top drawer of the desk open and gently plucked out the gold chain, it dangled between his fingers and the rings swung in the air from the end of it. “I meant to leave it by the bed but I was worried it’d get knocked off.” 

She loosed a breath and reached her hand for it as he headed towards her, he gently placed it in her open hand and then glanced at the brown bear that now sat on her bedside table.

“I didn’t know you were married,” he murmured softly.

She followed his line of sight, her eyes softened on that bear. “We weren’t, he was going to ask me the day he–” she sighed. “These are my parents' rings.” 

“Do you need help putting them back on?” He glanced at the rings in her hand. 

She was far too tired from her walk to the bathroom to even lie about being able to do it herself one handed, so she nodded and slid the chain back into his hand. She pulled her hair out of the way and tentatively he slid the chain around her neck, clasping it quickly before pulling away from her. 

“Aren’t you going to eat with Lachlan?” She muttered as he was about to slide back into the chair.

“You want to be alone I take it?” He glanced back at her. 

“Yes, I’m tired.” She looked away from him as she spoke. 

“Very well,” she heard him lift his plate and glass, “shout if you need anything.” Then he was gone, she glanced over to make sure. 

She reached for the bear and gently stroked its ear, a soft smile on her lips as the soft fur slid into her scarred fingers. She glanced at the food as she let go of the bear and began to eat, she finished it and then lay down letting the exhaustion she felt wash over her and drag her into sleep.

Sorcha was woken by the smell of something utterly mouthwatering, her stomach was writhing at the smell of it.

She blinked at the darkening window, she’d slept for a good few hours then and without the help of drugs. She assumed that was a good sign as she sat up, ignoring the pain as her feet hit the ground, she still couldn't believe she’d gotten out of that warehouse with mostly bruises. 

She wondered where Athena was as she headed for the door which had been left open, probably for the dog to come and go as she pleased now that she was moving better. Sorcha didn’t have to wonder too long about where her dog was, Athena’s head poked over the couch and watched Sorcha hobble down the hall. 

“Finally up and about?” A warm voice called to her.

She turned her head in the direction it came from to see Lachlan lounged in one of the chairs, his feet sprawled out on the coffee table as the fire warmed them, he had a lopsided grin on his face, a rather charming one. 

She blinked at him, “and you're still here.” 

“Hey is that anyway to talk to someone who rushed down here to ensure your well-being,” he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She shook her head at him, “if I was informed correctly.” She muttered as she gripped the back of the couch for support, “you were called to keep me breathing.” 

“Mmhmm,” he nodded. “How are you feeling anyway? You were pretty out of it when I saw you, I tried to get him to give me some of that but he wasn’t having it.” He sighed exasperated as his eyes slid to her sling.

She snorted at him, “throw yourself very hard into something and he might give you the good drugs.” She smiled at him, “but I’m better now at least.” 

“Good, good.” He muttered as he slid his feet off the table. 

She glanced at the kitchen expecting to see Munroe cooking, he wasn’t, her brows furrowed as she wondered where he was and what the hell was cooking if he wasn’t here. He wouldn't have left her with Lachlan, would he? 

“He’s just tending to the animals, it’s gonna rain tonight.” Lachlan informed her when he’d seen her looking for Munroe.

She turned to see him watching her, “what’s cooking?” 

“Some potato bake thing, I believe he said.” Lachlan waved his hand in dismissal then patted the arm of the couch she was leaning on. “Sit, you don’t have to hover.” 

She carefully made her way around as she asked, “Munroe made it then?” 

“You worried I’ll poison you?” He chuckled as she lowered herself onto the couch, he eyed up her bare legs rather brazenly. “Jesus you have legs for days don’t you.” 

She was now rather conscious that the only thing she wore was Munroe’s shirt, she glanced around for the blanket that usually hung over the couch but it wasn’t there, instead Athena lay her head on Sorcha’s lap.

“Perhaps, I don’t fancy food poisoning.” She mocked him as she tried to keep the subject off of herself. 

He bellowed out a laugh, “I’ll have you know that I can cook.” 

“Sure,” she rolled her eyes at him. “Are you staying much longer?” She started to stroke Athena, acting as uninterested as she could.

“Trying to get rid of me already?” Lachlan faked being hurt. “Yeah I’m leaving tomorrow, I don’t fancy getting stuck in the rain. I don’t fancy another night on that couch either unless you're feeling well enough to crawl back into Munroe’s bed?” He gave her a hopeful, questioning look. 

For a moment she wondered what the hell he was talking about then she remembered she’d pretended to be Munroe’s girlfriend when they’d met, she blinked at him for a moment working out what to say and as she went to speak the door clicked shut. 

“Sorry Lachlan it’s the couch for you again, she can’t keep her hands off me when we share and I don’t fancy fucking a convalescent,” Munroe said rather crudely.  

Her mouth popped open and she scoffed at him and muttered under her breath, “as if.” 

“We could always share,” Lachlan glanced at Sorcha. “Perhaps you can keep your hands off me, I won't complain if you don’t.” He glanced at her legs again.

“You climb in her bed and I’ll break your fucking legs,” Munroe snarled at him making Sorcha jump.

Sorcha didn’t know what to make of Munroe like that, he was terrifying as he glowered at Lachlan, she wanted to disappear into the couch. He noticed her wide eye stare and his face softened as he looked at her, he slid over the linen cupboard and tugged out a blanket. 

“I was kidding,” Lachlan muttered as he picked at something on his jeans. 

Athena sat up and rested her head on the back of the couch watching Munroe as he walked towards Sorcha, her tail thumping as she gave him her best pet me eyes. He smiled at the dog as he stopped at the back of the couch, unfolded the blanket and placed it around Sorcha, covering her legs as he gently dropped it around her. 

“Someone missed me then?” He crooned at the dog and Athena’s tail thumped harder as his hands reached for her.

She was practically wriggling when he started stroking her, the tail was now acting as a drumstick as it wagged off the table, playing a song only the dog seemed to know.

Sorcha glared at the blanket that was now around her as she tried to ignore her dog acting like a love sick puppy, quite literally.

“Traitor,” she grumbled under her breath.

“Is someone jealous?” Munroe crooned at Athena but Sorcha knew the words were for her. 

Sorcha turned her glare on him, her nose crinkled when she took him in. “You stink,” she hissed at him.

He snorted at her and then stopped petting Athena as he stepped back, “don’t worry I’m going to get washed up before we eat.” He levelled a glare at Lachlan, “behave yourself.” 

Lachlan raised his hands in submission and grinned at him, “I always do.” 

Munroe just rolled his eyes and sauntered away to the bathroom, the door clicked shut and the shower buzzed on a moment later. Sorcha heard the shower curtain being pulled back just as Athena rested her head back onto her lap. 

“Don’t try sook up to me now,” Sorcha grumbled at the dog as she wound her fingers into her fur.

Athena softly wagged her tail and gave Sorcha the biggest puppy eyes she could muster, the dog knew they always worked to keep her owner appeased.

“You're good for him you know,” Lachlan muttered softly.

Sorcha’s eyes snapped to him in surprise, his hazel eyes were soft and he had a genuine soft smile on his face, Sorcha knew he wasn’t lying and she didn’t know what to say.

“No,” she shook her head. “I’m sure he’d say differently, I’m rather hard to live with.” 

He let out a soft hum that may have been a laugh, “he’s different. He seems happier, it’s nice.” 

She wanted to tell him it’s an act, she didn’t know if he’d tell Ailith and Munroe had still acted like they were together, hadn’t corrected it so she assumed she should still act like they were dating.

“I thought he was always happy? He seemed quite easy going when we first met…” she looked Lachlan up and down.

“No,” he snorted. “Munroe was one mean bastard, sure, he can be a pretty easy going guy now but he can still be one grumpy motherfucker.” 

Her brows snapped together at that, that wasn’t the Munroe she knew. “That’s hard to believe,” she muttered. 

“Don’t get me wrong he has mellowed out but in uni you just had to look at him wrong,” Lachlan shuddered. “I was lucky he took pity on me, he could’ve just joined the ones who wanted to pummelled me just as easily but I guess he wanted to beat the shit out of more than one person that day.” Lachlan just shrugged as he rose, “drink?” 

“Yes, water will be fine.” She muttered. 

She tried to mull over Munroe being mean as Lachlan went to fetch drinks, from the small glimpses she’d seen she could imagine it but she couldn’t see him being constantly mean.

“Don't think about it too hard,” Lachlan chuckled as he placed the drinks down.

“Was he mean to everyone? Even the ones he dated?” She twisted her head to look at him as he sat back down. 

“Pretty much,” he took a sip of his drink. “If you could call what he did dating.” 

The bathroom door creaked open and Munroe stepped out, Sorcha glanced towards the movement and she somehow managed to stop her eyes from widening at the sight of him in just a towel. His muscle torso glistening from still being a little wet, water dripping from his hair and down his face, some droplets landed on his pecks, she watched one trail down his chest, down his abs and down one of his V-cut abs. 

Shit, shit, shit. It felt like the word rang through her with every beat of her heart and as she looked away her eyes snagged on the scar across his left peck. 

The scar that wound around his neck and jaw, she had wondered how far that scar his father had given him went and it punched her in the gut to see it. As if nearly having your throat taken out by your own father wasn’t bad enough the scar wound over his left collarbone and curved down his peck, stopping just above his heart, as if his own father had made to carve it out. 

Munroe stopped near her when she’d fully turned from him and he tossed something at Lachlan, “for you, for hauling your ass out here.” 

Lachlan held the little plastic bag up, Sorcha didn’t need to be told what that was as the blonde man grinned at it.

“Nice one,” he nodded at Munroe. 

Munroe just sighed before disappearing into his room, it took Sorcha all her strength not to look at him as he went. He grumbled something about sorting dinner when he was done, good was all Sorcha thought cause the smell was driving her insane. 

Chapter Text

23.

“If I also let you fuck me will you let me stay with you too?” Lachlan patted his stomach, “I’m going to miss this when I go.” 

“Sorry you aren’t my type,” Munroe chuckled.

Sorcha just shook her head at them both, to be fair to Lachlan, potatoes have never tasted so good. The rain had started halfway through dinner, Sorcha was watching it softly patter on the window that was cracked open slightly, not enough that the rain could get in. 

Munroe had started to clear up, he’d popped a plate down for Athena and she happily lay down to eat it. No wonder the dog had become attached to him, she hadn’t eaten that good since before the fall, nor had Sorcha but she didn’t plan on getting attached to the idea.

Lachlan had flicked on the TV and then started rolling joints, the bag that Munroe had tossed him had been weed and Lachlan intended to put it to good use, immediately. 

Sorcha however was watching the beginning of what Lachlan had put on, Iron man, not paying too much attention to either man as they busied themselves, she had planned to go back to her room after food but then the TV had been put on and Sorcha would never admit out loud how much she enjoyed it. That of all the things to make her want to say it was this, not because she wanted to watch TV but for the normalcy it created inside her. 

Munroe was still pottering around when Lachlan sparked up a joint, he took a deep draw and gently tapped Sorcha’s sling on her elbow, holding it out to her as he did. She looked at it then him, he peeked a glance at Munroe and she also followed his gaze to see that Munroe had his back to them. When she looked back at Lachlan he had a daring grin on his face. 

She supposed as she reached for it that it would help with her pain, she pressed it to her lips and inhaled, rather deeply. As she exhaled she coughed, the abruptness hurt her ribs. 

“Not that deep,” Lachlan laughed.

Munroe quickly spun on his heels and his jaw clenched at the sight of the joint in her hand, Lachlan leaning in and grinning at her, he watched as the blonde slid his eyes to Munroe and he flinched at the sight of Munroe’s cold, hard face.

Sorcha just took another hit, not realising the exchange happening between the two men. She tapped Lachlan and handed him it back, she glanced towards Munroe as Lachlan was taking another hit, she just smiled at his angry face.

“It’s good for pain is it not?” She blinked at him.

He just sighed and went back to cleaning, he kept glancing back every so often to make sure Lachlan wasn’t plying her with too much. 

“I expected you to refuse more,” Lachlan muttered as he exhaled.

“I’m not a prude,” she grumbled as he handed her the joint. She took a hit and as she exhaled she inhaled it back through her nose, a french inhale, she had been rather good at it before the fall. Lachlan watched it with a smirk and then grinned as she told another hit, he gently took it off her when she was done.

“I can do a jellyfish,” he chuckled before taking a long hit.

Munroe scoffed as he finally came back to sit with them, “now you're going to get him showing off for that.” 

She just glared at him then stuck her tongue out at him, he blinked at it in utter surprise. The drugs already lowering her inhibitions, it appeared. She turned back in time to see Lachlan blowing out a ring and then a line of smoke, it indeed looked like a jellyfish when the smoke twisted through the ring and the line of smoke fluttering out behind it. 

“That was pretty cool,” she laughed.

Lachlan winked at her as he reached over her and held the blunt to Munroe who took it and pressed it to his own lips, Sorcha gave him a dubious look and he just smirked at her as he exhaled and handed it back to Lachlan.

“Why did you get grumpy when I did it?” She narrowed her eyes on him. 

“Because,” he muttered as he reached for a lock of her hair and twisted it around his finger, “you're recovering from an injury.” 

“Overbearing much,” Lachlan snorted. 

Sorcha twisted to look at him, her hair sliding from Munroe’s fingers as she did, he rested his hand on the back of the couch, not around her like last time but near her shoulder as he kicked his feet up on the coffee table.

“He can be,” Sorcha nodded as she took the remainder of the joint from Lachlan and took a draw. 

As she exhaled Munroe plucked it off her, he kept it to himself as Lachlan lit up another one. She was starting to feel light headed now as she rested her head back against the couch, Munroe monitored her from the corner of his eye.

Sorcha couldn’t deny that she was slightly amused at this grumpiness, it was odd to see but for some reason having his friend here set Munroe on edge. 

Lachlan smiled at Sorcha, his eyes roaming down her and then landing on that sling, “how’s the arm now?” 

She just shrugged with her good shoulder, “I’m not aware of it right now.” She gave him a wide smile. 

Munroe huffed as he stubbed out the joint he’d finished, his eyes had tracked that smile, the two didn’t pay him any mind as they started giggling. Munroe didn’t get a laughing high, he was surprised it affected Sorcha that way, he didn’t know what he expected but not the bubbly version of her that now sat beside him.

“Sorcha tell me something simple that you miss from before the fall, nothing important, just some little thing you miss.” Lachlan smiled at her. “Just a question I like to ask people I meet.” 

Her brows knitted together and then she started down at her left hand, the white scars like lightning across her skin that forked through each other and over one another. As she raised her hand up to examine it in front of her, her eyes sliding to the window behind her hand, rain splattering against it, the very rain that had marred her skin. The two men at either side of her didn’t know what to make of her staring at her hand. 

“I miss feeling the rain,” she muttered softly. “Such a silly inconvenient thing, everyone hates the rain… I just enjoyed standing in it, god even dancing in it.” She smiled softly at that, “my mother used to get so cross with me cause she could never get me inside when it poured, I loved the greyness, the smell, the sound, that people avoided it and it was perfect for someone who just wanted to be alone… mostly I just loved how it made me feel.” She sighed softly. 

“You make rain sound nice… not driech and cauld.” Lachlan chuckled, his accent growing thick at his amusement. 

Sorcha turned her attention to him and smiled, “true, the sun and the wind inspire. But rain has an edge. Who after all dreams of dancing in dust? Or kissing in the bright sun?” Lachlan's mouth dropped open at her and she shrugged, “Cynthia Barnett.” 

Lachlan scoffed amused, “wow.” 

Munroe huffed a small laugh before he spoke, “rain is not only drops of water. It’s the love of the sky for the earth. They never meet but send their love this way,” he smiled as Sorcha twisted to look at him in awe. “I never found out who that one was written by.” 

Lachlan clicked his tongue awkwardly behind them, “oh I’ve got a quote!” And he did look proud of himself as he said, “inhale the good shit. Exhale the bullshit.” Both Sorcha and Munroe snorted as they looked at Lachlan. 

“That was a good one,” Sorcha smiled as she reached for the joint. 

“I do try,” he half shrugged as he let her take it. “Now who’s up for a game, huh?” He clapped his hands together as he peered between the two of them, a mischievous smile forming on his lips. 

“I suppose I could hunt out a deck of cards somewhere,” Munroe grumped.

“Just find me a bottle and we can play spin the bottle.” He winked at Sorcha.

“With three of us?” Munroe scoffed then he smiled cruelly, “if you want to make out with me Lachlan, just tell me.” 

“If you're offering,” Lachlan’s attention slid to Munroe. 

Sorcha looked between the two men, “have you two–”

“Nah,” Lachlan snorted as he headed for the kitchen. “We’ve fucked in the same room, shared woman but never each other.” 

Sorcha’s eyes slid to Munroe and raised a brow at him, he just smiled and shrugged at her, she didn’t know what to make of that. 

“How about never have I ever then?” Lachlan grinned as he pulled out a bottle of vodka. 

Sorcha wished she’d seen where he’d pulled that from, Munroe certainly hid the alcohol well.

“She can’t drink,” Munroe hissed at Lachlan.

“She can sip juice then,” Lachlan shrugged then went to pour a glass of juice for her.

“And why can’t I drink?” Sorcha glowered at Munroe.

“Cause you're on opioids at the moment,” he simply informed her.

She huffed and bent forward to take up the joint Lachlan had left in the tray, she pressed it to her lips as Munroe glowered at her. When Lachlan sat back down and placed glasses in front of everyone she slid the joint into his hand, he had a few rolled on the table ready for use so Munroe plucked one up and lit it for himself, Sorcha didn’t bother to do that with the third, she was content to steal there’s as the high washed over her.

“I’ll start then,” Lachlan muttered as he puffed out smoke.

“You did suggest the game,” Munroe grumbled at him and then turned his attention to Athena whose ears had flattened against her head. “Go to the room, girl.” He clicked his fingers and pointed down the hall. 

The dog slunk away down the hall, the window that had been cracked open wasn’t sucking the smoke out quick enough and he’d figured it’d be bothering the dogs nose, he heard the springs on the bed groan as the dog leapt onto the bed and curled herself up at the foot of the bed. 

Sorcha smiled softly at him for sending the dog away, she should’ve done that when she’d taken the first draw, she hadn’t thought to with the window open slightly. 

Lachlan leaned back in his chair and smiled at them, “I’ll start easy. Never have I ever stolen something.” 

They all took a sip at that and Sorcha snorted, “in this day and age, really?” 

Lachlan just shrugged and nodded to Munroe, “your turn.” 

Munroe grinned at him, “never have I ever thrown up on my friend.” 

Lachlan narrowed his eyes at Munroe as he took a sip, “I was very drunk.” 

Sorcha grimaced at him then looked at Munroe, “were you the victim?” 

“Unfortunately,” he grumbled in disgust. “Your turn,” he gently nudged her shoulder.

“Hmmm,” she sighed as she thought of something. “Never had I ever… gotten with someone without knowing their name,” her eyes widened slightly as both men took a sip, they both just shrugged at her.

She snorted as Lachlan passed her the joint as he took his turn again, “never have I ever had a threesome.” 

They both took a drink and their eyes widened as she dropped the joint into the tray and gripped her glass, bringing it to her lips and taking a sip. 

“Interesting,” Lachlan chuckled. “I didn’t expect that, when?” He was intrigued.

“In university,” she shrugged. 

Munroe was glowering at him from behind Sorcha, warning him not to even think about it, let alone say it and ask them for one. 

“Weren't you with…” Lachlan stopped wishing he hadn’t started to ask that question. 

“We were, it was with him.” She swirled her glass in her hand, “we had an arrangement… we wanted to explore and then realised we didn’t.” She shrugged, she’d have never admitted that sober. 

Munroe just blinked at her then Lachlan coughed at him, “right my turn! Never have I ever… got myself locked out naked,” he winked at Lachlan as the blonde was forced to take a drink.

“Why are you targeting me?” He hissed at Munroe. 

“You wanted to play,” Munroe just chuckled at him and gently tapped Sorcha, who had been lost in thought. “Your turn,” he murmured softly, he didn’t move his hand from this time.

She just nodded, “never have I ever been arrested.” Munroe sighed and took a drink, her head whipped to him, “for what?” 

“Fighting,” Lachlan chuckled. “Told you he was pretty angry before, think you just got off with a fine and an assault charge right?” His nose crinkling as he asked. 

“Yep,” Munroe’s lips smacked as he set his glass down. “Think that’s enough for one night.” 

“Spoil sport” Lachlan hissed as he downed his glass and took up the joint again.

“What did the other person do?” Sorcha prodded his ribs to get his attention.

“Nothing,” he ran a hand through his hair as he leaned back and sighed again. “In the wrong place at the wrong time.” 

“They picked a fight with you,” Lachlan grumbled. 

“I’m not talking about this,” Munroe snarled at him. 

Lachlan sucked his teeth as he filled his glass back up and took a sip before taking another draw, Sorcha twisted to look at Munroe, his jaw was clenched tightly as she took him in. 

Her chin brushed against his fingers that rested on her shoulder and she rested it there, absentmindedly he stroked the back of one of his fingers across her chin and jaw as his eyes slid to look at her. 

She leaned into that soft touch, her eyes finding his warm brown ones as she did. The high made his finger feel unbelievably soft and warm against her, her skin tingling at the small touch.

“You're not that person anymore,” she whispered softly to him.

He released a long breath, “I easily could be.” 

“We’d butheads too much or kill each other so no it wouldn’t be easy,” she snorted. 

He smiled at that and she twisted away from him to take a drink and steal the joint from Lachlan, Munroe took his own joint back up as she did and glanced at the rain pelting down outside.

Munroe tipped more vodka into his glass as Sorcha tried and failed to blow a smoke ring, then again as he took a sip, this time she was more successful which had her grinning at Lachlan as she handed the joint back to him.

“Ok I’ve got another one for you,” Lachlan chuckled as he sat forward towards her and beckoned her to lean into him.

So Sorcha did, watching him with heightened curiosity as he took a draw. Munroe slid his head around to watch, his jaw clenched and eyes narrowed on Lachlan. Munroe knew he was a shameless flirt and he was handsome enough that most women were weak at the knees with one well timed smile from him, even a few of the women he’d slept with had found their way into Lachlan’s bed, either with or without Munroe. 

Lachlan smiled as he leaned into Sorcha, his hand gripped her jaw and tilted her head back.

“It’s called shotgunning, open your mouth.” He murmured gently as he took a long draw. 

She parted her lips as his hazel eyes landed on her, he slowly got closer making her head tilt further back until she was tugged back by the back of her shirt. 

Munroe dropped her shirt and slid his hand onto the arm of the couch, his body now hovering over her and shielding her as his other hand fisted into Lachlan’s shirt.

“Back the fuck off,” he snarled in Lachlan’s face. 

Lachlan choked on his inhale as Munroe’s raging face was inches from his, slightly taken aback by his friend's rage but also amused at seeing him territorial over a woman. 

“I’ll wait till you're willing to share then,” Lachlan chuckled through his choking as he tried to pull away from Munroe but he held firm.

“You’ll be waiting a long time,” Munroe’s lips twitched in annoyance at Lachlan. “Cut the shit before I toss you out in that rain and watch how long it takes for your skin to peel off.” 

Sorcha blinked at Munroe’s twisted face, he was snarling at the blonde that he had a tight grip on. He was just showing her a trick, she didn’t understand his grumpiness. She was looking at his arm that was braced on the couch and she couldn’t stop herself from touching it, feeling the muscle in it as she wrapped her only good arm around it and then pressed her cheek against it. 

“So grumpy,” she sighed against him and then laughed. “Maybe it’s freaky Friday and we switched bodies.” 

Munroe glanced down at her and finally let Lachlan go, Lachlan retreated back to his seat immediately and stared at the TV not wanting to do anything else to piss Munroe off.  

“Someone needs their bed,” he growled softly as he lowered himself carefully back down beside her.

She felt that growl reverberate through her as she hadn’t let go of him yet, she shook her head at him as best she could with it pressed against his arm. 

“I’m not done yet,” she murmured drowsily against him.

“Yes you are,” he chuckled. “Come on, I’ll carry you.” 

He didn’t make a move to lift her, he’d wait until she agreed to it before he made a move and she was pondering it as her head rose to look at him.

“Fine,” she sighed in defeat, she was also pretty tired. 

He huffed out a laugh at the sight of her now dark eyes, “your pupils are huge.” 

“So are yours,” she smirked at him.

He just shook his head before gently scooping her up, she slid her arm around his neck and slumped her head against his shoulder, her cheek nestled against his chest. 

“Night Lachlan,” she mumbled and gave him a feeble wave as Munroe started to carry her away.

“Goodnight,” he gave her a soft smile before they disappeared down the hall.

Munroe grumbled something as she swayed in his arms, she wasn’t sure what it was in her fuzzy state and didn’t think she was meant to hear it anyway.

“Why are you grumpy with your friends?” She grumbled when they were halfway down the hall.

“Cause they annoy me,” he gave her a knowing smile.

She just snorted as they slid into her room, her fingers tracing his shoulder as he led her over to the bed, her fingers started to wander along the muscle on his back. He really was good looking, she’d known that but hadn’t really let herself look, she let her eyes trail along his face and as he stopped to lower her he paused when he noticed her gaze on him.

Munroe quickly looked away as he gently lowered her into her bed, she kept her arm around his shoulder as he made to pull the covers over her, her arm tightened making him twist to look at her again to find her face was inches from his. He gulped at the sight, her eyes hooded as her gaze drifted down to his lips. 

Sorcha slowly started to lean into him and as her nose brushed his he turned his head away, her lips brushed his jaw making it clench as he gently removed her arm from his neck. She blinked away the surprise at the rejection as he tugged the covers over her, she tried not to look embarrassed as he looked at her.

“Goodnight Sorcha,” he muttered to her as he tried to maintain eye contact. 

“Night,” she mumbled with a soft smile as she sunk deeper into the bed.

She couldn’t help but notice the way his fists were clenched at his side, how tense his face was, and how hard it had been for him to look at her. As soon as she’d mumbled the words he’d turned on his heel as fast as he could, she noticed that too and shoved the hurt down.

She hated how sobering that rejection had been, she wanted to go back to feeling like she was floating. Why had she done that? She knew he didn’t find her attractive, he’d stated it more than once. She’d just mistaken the high for something else, at least that’s what she told herself now that the fuzziness was wearing off. She couldn’t really make sense of why she’d done it, perhaps the best course of action was to feign ignorance and pretend like it didn’t happen at all. 

Athena moved from her spot at the bottom of the bed and crawled beside Sorcha, leaning into her owner as she felt her unease and wanted to make her feel better, her tail softly thumping when Sorcha’s fingers twisted into her fur as she released a sigh and cuddled into the dog as she tried to sleep and forget what had just happened. 

Chapter Text

24.

Sorcha kept denying that anything had happened between them for the past few days, not that Munroe had brought it up when she’d acted completely oblivious the next day when Lachlan left. She was just as cold as usual to him and mostly avoided him where she could, keeping to her room and telling him she wanted to be alone when he brought her food. 

He had started taking Athena with him in the mornings, the dog loved exploring the barn and the fields, it helped that the dog was very easy going around the other animals too. She wasn’t fully healed yet, she still had four or five weeks of taking it easy on that leg but he let her enjoy the short amount of exercise that she could manage. 

He was now running a bath for Sorcha with his morning routine over, she’d demanded it and he didn’t have the mental strength to fight her on it. She shouldn’t really be having one with the stitches, they were healing fairly quickly this time with the amount of bed rest she had done so he’d allowed it by saying he was only going to half fill it and that she couldn’t lie down, if she did lie down there was no chance she’d get out by herself with her bruised ribs. 

Athena had been watching him from the bathroom door before turning and padding into Sorcha’s room, Sorcha beamed as the dog came strutting in, her limp mild now. 

“Did you have fun?” Sorcha crooned at the dog as she sat before her. 

Athena’s tail swished across the floor as Munroe appeared in the doorway, Sorcha glanced at him and his eyes didn’t fully meet hers. 

“That’s your bath ready,” he muttered. “I left towels… will you need help getting in?” His eyes met hers briefly.

It was her turn to look away, “no, I’ll be fine.” 

“Shout if–”

“If I need anything? Yeah I know,” her jaw clenched as she tried not to roll her eyes and sound snarky. 

He let out a huff, he didn’t even try to barter back with her as he stalked off down the hall. This was what she couldn’t stomach, somedays the tension was obvious, others it wasn't but they didn’t back and forth like they used to since the high had made her try to – she couldn’t even admit it to herself. Four more weeks she told herself as she got up, four more weeks and they’d be gone. 

At least she moved a lot better now, she didn’t have to skim her hand along the wall for support as she made her way into the bathroom. Athena followed her to the door and then made her way into the living area, Sorcha just watched her go, probably off to see what food she could get today. 

Sorcha shut the door behind her, glancing at the bath as she did. He had offered to sponge bath her instead and she’d seriously thought about punching him for it, slowly she pulled the sling off her arm, her shoulder still aching but finally she could use it to an extent. She quickly undid her shift and let it drop, along with her underwear, both falling at her feet before she stepped out of them.

She glanced at herself in the mirror, her ribs were now yellowing, the bruises finally starting to heal. Her stitches had been covered but she knew they were healing quicker this time, she also noticed the weight she’d gained from being here, her stomach wasn’t as tight, it looked soft and her ribs weren’t as visible through her skin even with the bruises.

Delicately she prodded her stomach, it was soft to touch, softer than it had been in a long time. Her hands roamed down it and to her thighs, they had filled out too. Her breasts had also filled, they looked more rounded, she was sure she’d fill her bra much better now. She tried not to get used to this either, there wouldn’t be food like this out there to maintain her body like this. 

She caught sight of her face as she turned, it wasn’t as sharp as it had been the last time she’d seen it. She looked for as long as she dared, she didn’t want to start obsessing over it when it wouldn’t last long, so she made her way over to the waiting bath. 

Tentatively she stepped in, the warm water was an absolute delight as she carefully she lowered herself in and just sat for a moment soaking it in before she took the cloth and soap that had been laid out for her and started gently scrubbing at herself. 

She struggled to reach her shoulder blades and her left shoulder, her right hand hadn’t been able to go that high and when she’d tried her shoulder had barked in protest at the strain. She had debated calling for Munroe but had decided to move onto her hair, thankful he’d left a cup for her to tip water over her hair.

She sat for a few moments when she was done before bracing her arms on the edge and pushing up, she groaned in pain at the pressure that burst through her ribs and right shoulder. 

Shit, could she not get out of the bath? She tried again and clamped her lips shut as a squeak of pain tried to escape. 

She groaned at the idea of calling for him and tried again, she slumped back down when she couldn’t do it. She wrapped her arms around her legs and pulled them against her chest, she took a deep breath and released it as she sat for another moment contemplating.

“Munroe,” she called out. Trying to not let her voice waver. 

She tried not to tense when she heard his steps getting closer. A soft knock on the door had her heart racing, she hated feeling this vulnerable.

“Did you call me?” He murmured softly as he cracked the door open.

“Yes,” she muttered begrudgingly. “I need–I can’t get out,” her ears turned hot with embarrassment. 

“Would you like me to help?” He stayed behind the door, waiting for her to answer.

“Not really,” she whimpered. “But yes,” she hated how pathetic that made her sound.

Slowly he opened the door, she twisted her head to watch him as he stepped into the bathroom. He wasn’t looking at her though, his eyes were on the towels he’d left for her and he went to scoop one up before turning to her, keeping his eyes above her head.

“You can cover yourself with this,” he indicated to the towel in his hand.

She chewed her lip as she pondered the next question, seen as he was here, “I couldn’t…” she sighed. “Could you…” she shut her eyes and cringed, deciding she wasn’t going to ask afterall.

“Could you not reach your shoulders?” He murmured gently. She just nodded, “do you want me to help?” 

Again she nodded and he knelt by the bath beside her, setting the towel down as he braced an arm on the edge of the bath, she tensed at the closeness.

“Tell me where, talk to me.” He murmured softly to her.

She slid her eyes to him, he was looking right at her as she did. His eyes were soft and warm when she found them, full of understanding and patience as he waited for her to tell him what to do. The look on his face made her heart flutter, not with nerves, she denied that little flutter and shoved it down. 

“My left shoulder and my shoulder blades,” she rested her chin on her knees as she kept herself covered. 

He nodded and scooped up the cloth, rubbing soap into it before holding it over her arm and muttering gently to her, “you can tell me to stop at any point and I will.” 

Her heart clenched painfully at that as she nodded her understanding, she wanted to hate how soft and gentle he was with her, she wanted to rage against it but was finding it harder and harder to do so. He hadn’t been completely wrong in assuming she didn’t like being touched, she didn’t like surrendering herself in any way to anyone and that’s what being touched meant for her, giving up control of herself to someone else. 

Tentatively he scrubbed at her left arm and shoulder, pausing before moving around to her shoulder blades, letting her know where every touch was going to go. 

“I’m just going to move your hair out the way,” he muttered and waited until she nodded. 

She shuddered as his fingers brushed across her neck, ignoring the way that small brush twisted her stomach. He swiftly swept her hair over her left shoulder and carefully started cleaning down her shoulder blades, she bit down on the soft groans that threatened to escape as he worked her shoulders, the pressure more like a massage than being cleaned. 

He scrubbed a little harder at a red mark on the bottom of her left shoulder blade, stilling when it wouldn’t come up and he blinked at it, the shape was unusual. 

“It’s a birthmark,” she muttered. Knowing what had caught his attention. 

“It’s shaped like a heart,” he scoffed in amusement. 

His thumb brushed over it as he stared at it, her cheeks heated at that small brush and she shuddered again. 

“Sorry,” he winced. “I shouldn’t have–”

“I’ll let it slide…” she grumbled and then added with a sly smile. “This time.” 

He snorted and placed the cloth near the faucets, “I’m done then if that’s just a birthmark.” 

He tugged out the plug and turned his back on her while the water drained, he leaned against the bath as he waited. 

“Thank you,” she whispered as she twisted to look at the back of his head. His brown hair was wavy and slightly messy from his work this morning. 

He smiled at that, “finally gaining some manners?” 

She let out a huff, “shut up.” He chuckled at that and she liked feeling like they were on normal footing again, “do you really not want anything for everything you’ve done for us?” 

He tensed at that and resisted the urge to look at her, “just for you both to heal and get better.” 

“At what cost to you though?” Her brows furrowed in annoyance.

“You sound like you care,” he laughed. “Perhaps you’ll stop wanting to kill me too if you keep asking questions like that.” 

“I don’t,” she whispered. “At least I haven’t thought about it for a while,” she added. 

“Since when?” He tried to keep the surprise out of his voice. 

She gulped, “the warehouse. Maybe even the lodge, I’m not sure.” She sighed, “but seriously Munroe, do you not want anything?” 

He shook his head, “I’m just glad I got to meet you, and Athena, that you're both still alive.” 

She blinked in surprise at that and ignored the way it made her feel as she went on, “so no intense labour to pay you back for your supplies, forcing me to stay to work it off?” 

He snorted, “as if you could be forced to do anything, but no. No I’m not going to do that, if you want to stay longer you are more than welcome to of your own volition.” 

She pondered it for a moment, she'd never be able to ask even if she wanted to, right now she didn’t want to stay longer than she needed. 

The bath started to empty and Munroe lifted the towel up, holding it to her without looking and she took it, wrapping it around herself the best she could while she sat in the bath.

“I’m covered,” she muttered to him. 

He nodded and rose to his feet, he turned and looked at her. “You ready?” 

“No,” she grumbled at him. “But just do it.” 

He sighed as he reached for her, wrapping an arm around her waist before tugging her out of the bath and setting her down, her left hand gripping him tightly as she tried to get her balance. 

“You good?” He murmured, his breath was warm as it tickled her cheek.

“Yep,” she mumbled as she stepped back from him. “I can manage from here.” 

He just nodded and left her to sort herself, the door clicked shut and she loosed the breath she had been holding. She dropped the towel from around her body and wrapped it around her hair. It had gotten wet around the edges from being in the bath so she reached for the dry one, wrapping it around herself to dry off. 

She quickly got dried and managed to get changed into the top and shorts that had been left for her, then she towel dried her hair the best she could before twisting it into a bun with her good hand. At least the only thing she struggled with was getting up from a crouch, the stitches should be out soon so a shower will be possible and she won’t have to be rescued from the bath again, she did not want to relive that mortifying experience.

She sighed in relief at feeling clean as she stuffed her clothes and towels into the hamper, her skin was feeling a bit grimy from being in bed so long. She made her way back to her bedroom, but was stopped as her hand reached for the handle by Munroe appearing at the end of the hall. 

“I made soup,” he smiled softly at her. “And I’ve just made fresh bread.” 

He turned from her, not waiting for an answer. She decided to go get some when her stomach protested, the smell of freshly baked bread hit her as she rounded the corner into the living room. 

“How do you even make bread?” She muttered as she slid into one of the tall chairs by the counter. “The yeast would be hard to find,” she added. 

“You get yeast through fermenting grain,” he stated as he set a bowl down in front of her. 

She just nodded, pretending she understood as she stole a slice of bread and dipped it into her soup. The rich, savoury flavours busting on her tongue when she popped it into her mouth, he really was a good cook. 

“I've never tried to make bread,” she glanced at him. 

“I can show you?” He gave her a soft smile. “If you want to, that is,” he added as he reached for his own slice of bread.

She just shrugged, “it won’t be as good with me helping. You're definitely better than me, I mostly baked cakes before, I preferred that to cooking.” She hummed out a soft laugh.

“We could always bake biscuits of some sort if you’d rather. I’m sure I could figure out a recipe of some sort with the supplies I have,” he chuckled slightly.

She just nodded and then asked, “who taught you or did you teach yourself?” 

“My mother taught me,” he smiled softly. “I retained most of it before she… and then eventually taught myself. She was a much better cook than me,” he sighed as if he was remembering her and her cooking. 

His eyes had dropped to his soup as he spoke about his mother. As Sorcha opened her mouth, reaching her hand for his, a crackle made her jump and glance around to find where the noise had come from. Munroe’s head snapped towards it as well just as a voice tore out of the radio, it kept breaking up.

“In… trouble… Ailith… the dead…” Lachlan’s voice occasionally broke through the crackling.

Munroe abruptly slid from the counter and snatched up the radio, he started spinning the dial at the top until the sound became clear.

“I didn’t catch that,” he barked into the radio when he clicked it down.

“Ailith has just radioed an S.O.S. She’s trapped in Dufftown, if you could rendezvous with me in the morning we could work something out to help her, I’m heading now, it will take me till sunrise to get there.” 

Munroe sighed before he took up the radio again, “this is why I stop using this thing.” 

“Just get your ass here you prick,” Lachlan growled through the radio and Sorcha’s eyes widened at the sharpness in his tone. 

“Fine, where will I check in with you?” Munroe grumbled into the radio.

Sorcha blinked at him, she wondered if Lachlan hadn’t hauled ass out here to help with her, would Munroe have gone to help them now? 

“Meet me at the Mortlach Parish Church, it’s just up from the distillery.” The radio clicked. 

Munroe sighed as he shoved the button down, “yeah I know where it is. I’ll meet you after sunrise,” he let go of the button and dropped the radio onto the counter. 

He tilted his head back in anguish and ran a hand through his messy hair, frustration evident on his face. 

“So we’re going to Dufftown?” Sorcha asked as she took a spoonful of soup.

Munroe’s eyes snapped to her and he huffed in disbelief, “I’m going. You’ll be fine here.” 

She shook her head as she dropped the spoon into the bowl, “I’m coming. He hauled ass here to help me, it’s the least I can do.” 

Munroe’s fingers bit into the counter as he turned to glare at her, “you're still recovering.” 

“I survive on a broken leg, going out with a few bruised ribs has nothing on that.” She glowered at him. 

“Sorcha–” he growled at her.

“Munroe,” she mocked as she folded her arms. “I can help, you may as well just give in now or are you going to throw my ass out the truck and drive off without me?” She arched a brow at him.

He looked like he was contemplating doing just that, he growled at her in annoyance before stomping away into his room, the door slammed harshly signalling the end of that conversation. Sorcha just huffed in amusement as she took up her spoon and finished off the soup, she was starting to get restless so she’d been happy to offer her help and she felt she owed it to Lachlan, for allowing Munroe to have the rest he needed instead of stressing over her and for coming to help someone who was still just a stranger to him. 

Chapter Text

25.

Munroe had huffed and growled the whole time he’d packed the truck and then for the first twenty minutes of the journey, while Sorcha just smiled in the passenger seat, Athena had gone back to sleep the moment she’d curled up in the back seat.

“Proud of yourself?” Munroe finally growled words at her. 

“A little bit,” she shrugged. “I really thought you’d lock me in the cabin and bugger off without me.” 

“I wanted to,” he snapped at her.

“I’m a big girl, I can handle myself.” She crooned at him. 

He scowled at that and grumbled something under his breath that she didn’t catch, she stifled her laugh at his little tantrum. 

A machete sat in the foot well and she had several knives strapped on her, he’d even given her gun back, to be used under extreme duress he’d told her as he handed it to her. There was a bow in the boot, she’d spotted it in his weapons cache and when she said she could use one he’d packed it, it had been a while but she was a pretty good shot, before hers had been snapped into several pieces. She’d asked if she’d even be able to shoot it with her shoulder, Munroe had said it’d probably hurt her to use it but just in case it’d come in handy for her he’d shoved it into the bed of the truck. 

There wasn’t much to see in the dark but now that the sun was coming up, turning the world grey, she knew they’d be there soon. She didn’t know how he was able to drive without headlights, he said he knew the road well enough and didn’t want to draw attention if there were other survivors around. He may have been welcoming to her but meeting people on the road, especially now with resources so low, it was a dangerous game to come across others in this horrific new world. 

They pulled up by the iron fence of the church and there was Lachlan perched in between the arches of the bell waving as he rose up, Sorcha wondered how he’d gotten himself up there or why he trusted the crumbling building to hold him, the other part of her was jealous because she quite enjoyed scaling buildings, she wondered how he’d gotten himself up there with his large size. Sure he was smaller than Munroe but he still must’ve been around six foot tall, Sorcha climbed easily due to her smaller size. 

“Baka,” Munroe huffed when he caught sight of him. “Wait here,” he snapped at Sorcha.

She sighed and glared at him as he left the truck, she watched as he waved Lachlan down. Lachlan just sauntered over to the edge, sat and then dropped himself down, keeping hold of the ledge until he was hovering over the ground and dropped. 

Sorcha couldn’t tell what they were saying, she could just see Lachlan pointed to the tree line and what looked like a heated discussion until both men started heading right for her, Lachlan flashed her a grin as he passed the window and then tossed his bag into the truck bed before sliding into the back beside Athena, Munroe slid back into the drivers seat at the same time. 

“Hello Sorcha,” Lachlan purred at her. “What a lovely surprise seeing you up and about.” That grin never faltered on his face. 

Munroe rolled his eyes in annoyance as Sorcha twisted to look at Lachlan, a grin spread on her face as she did. 

“I always approve of fucking shit up.” Sorcha smile turned wicked. 

“I knew I liked you for a reason,” he chuckled as he sat back. “It’s a pity you met Munroe first,” he sighed in dismay. “We’d have made quite the formidable team you and I.” 

Sorcha’s eyes narrowed on him, “I’m not high anymore so cut the flirty bullshit.” 

Lachlan’s eyes snapped wide open, “oh she has teeth.” 

“You have no idea,” Munroe muttered as he pulled the truck into a small car park, a small smile playing at his lips.

Sorcha twisted to glare at him, he just smiled wider at her when he pulled into a space. She didn’t give him the chance to tell her to stay in the truck this time as she slid out, taking the machete with her and sliding it into her belt before opening the back door and helping Athena out. The dog had a harness on that had some pockets in it and a handle along the back to help the dog to be easily manoeuvred, Munroe had said it was padded as well if she was to get grabbed then she couldn’t get bitten. 

Munroe was glowering at Sorcha as he started pulling supplies from the truck bed, he slung a bag over his back and grabbed for the bow.

“Lovers tiff?” Lachlan chuckled as he slid up to Munroe.

Munroe slid away from him and turned his glare on him as he snarled, “none of your business.” 

Athena was watching the zombies stumbling about in the field beyond them, Sorcha watched them too. They were heading into the town, suggesting there was more further up. At least only five stumbled around the field, two making their way towards the truck when it had pulled up. 

With the two men distracted by each other she decided she’d deal with them and sauntered towards the waiting dead, the men were going over the plan again and didn’t see her go. 

Idiots, she thought as she stepped into the field, Athena flanking her tightly. She nodded to the dog to spread out right, drawing one of the zombies' attention while she went after the other. 

Athena did just that and pranced towards the zombie, it stumbled aimless after the dog, even with her mild limp she was much more agile than the dead. 

Sorcha dealt with hers quickly, her foot crashing into its knee making it fall and with one swift swipe of the machete she had the top of its head off. She didn’t glance at it where it fell as she headed for the one Athena kept distracted and quickly disposed of that one.

Lachlan had been the first to notice her, Munroe was mulling over the map when he was prodded rather hard in the side by Lachlan. 

“Your girl wandered off,” Lachlan muttered, not taking his eye off the woman who was now petting the dog. 

Munroe’s head snapped towards where he was looking and he hissed in annoyance, even if she had killed those two zombies with ease she should have stuck close to them. 

Sorcha glanced over, feeling the eyes on her and found the two men now watching her, Munroe looked practically feral. She’d have rolled her eyes at him if he was close enough to see it, she glanced around the field to see the other three dead ones now heading for her. 

She pointed her finger up and made a circular motion at Athena, the dog understood and took off down the field as Sorcha sauntered straight at the dead. 

She picked the first off easily, the second needed to be kicked down, the machete sinking into its head and the third was too busy trying to get the dog to see her coming, it fell just like the rest. 

Sorcha stretched out like a cat as she loosed a breath, she was surprised she wasn’t breathless from that, her ribs niggled a little but it was easy enough to ignore. 

She headed back to the truck now with no more zombies to dispose of, keeping the machete out as she went just in case she needed it, the dog trotted nearby, her nose scenting the air as they went. 

Sorcha smiled down at the dog which caused her to miss it, if Athena hadn’t spun and growled Sorcha would’ve been caught unaware. She spun in the direction her dog had turned, just in time to see it lunge from the grass, a lurker. 

She raised the machete, its jaws clamping around the blade as she went tumbling to the ground with it on top of her. The sound of its teeth snapping on the blade was deafening as it frantically snapped for her and failed, its stench was stomach turning. 

These zombies waited for their prey to wander close by, as if lurking in one spot all day allowed them to conserve their energy for one big pounce. 

Athena came charging at it, Sorcha tried to call her off but too late, the dog sank her teeth into its skull dragging it off as she shook it in her mouth. Hard enough to kill it but in case she hadn’t Sorcha rolled up in the same direction, sliding a knife from her thigh. 

“Drop it,” she growled harshly.

The dog did and Sorcha plunged that blade, hard and true right through its skull. She heard the panting coming from behind her as she pulled the dog to her and checked her over, Sorcha sighed in relief to see that she was all clear. 

“I’ve told you not to do that,” she murmured to the dog. Athena just snorted at her as if her human had never asked that of her, neither had the dog made such a promise. 

“That was pretty impressive,” Lachlan panted nearby. 

She twisted to see the two men stopping nearby, Munroe shoved at the lurker with his foot. “No, that was idiotic,” Munroe added, annoyance laced his voice.

“Like you’ve never been caught off guard by a lurker,” she huffed as she pushed herself up.

Lurkers, one of the variants of the dead. The most common were biters, they just bumbled around aimlessly, slowly. The other variants included; Climbers, those that could climb, open doors, even clung to walls waiting for their prey and dropped down on them. Sprinters, pretty self explanatory, you had to be faster to get away from them, they came at you like the freaking terminator, you could tell a sprinter from the blood curdling scream it let out before it charged, and finally Berserkers, utterly horrifying variants. 

They were what became of the hybrids when they turned, their limbs elongated allowing them to walk on all fours, they grew clawed hands, their faces flattened and their eyes melted into their heads, making them appear completely blind. They were utterly brutal when they charged and once they got your scent there was no shaking one. Unlike human variants they have sharp canines for tearing into their victims, hybrids have retractable canines when alive, for what purpose no one really knew. Perhaps to make them even more deadly but in reanimated death, for the ones that did turn, the sharp pair of fangs remained out. 

The interaction with the lurker had left her a little breathless, thankfully it didn’t land on her ribs or she’d still be rolling on the ground. She was also thankful it was a lurker and not one of the more deadlier variants, luckily the biters were the main host of the undead and the other variants were rare to come across. 

“Don’t wander off,” Munroe growled as he yanked her fully upright. 

She shoved him off and glared at him, she was aware of Lachlan watching so kept her snarky comment to herself and let them lead the way. She trailed behind them with Athena at her side, Sorcha eyed each weapon they carried; Munroe had the bow slung over his shoulder, the quiver of arrows along with it, two twin knives on his thighs, a machete of his own, a hatchet and his gun. Lachlan had the same amount but instead of the bow he carried a sniper's rifle and he had four grenades on his belt. 

She followed them into the trees and left them to deal with the dead that stumbled around between the trees while she hung back, Munroe had given her a look that suggested if she’d tried to help he may skin her alive. So she kept behind them and left them to dispatch the dead while they made their way through the woods, there weren't many so each man took turns when one stumbled too close.

After a while of silently walking through the trees Lachlan suddenly whipped his head around to her, Sorcha stilled at the suddenness as he eyed her up and down. A smile appeared on his mouth as he took in the wariness on Sorcha’s face, Munroe had stopped as well and was giving Lachlan a disgruntled look.

Lachlan awkwardly rubbed the back of his head as he sheepishly laughed, “sorry, you don’t make much noise. I thought you weren’t behind us for a moment.” 

Munroe glanced at her as if he was realising it too, he looked at her feet as if they held the answers to her silent steps. She’d just gotten good at being light and quiet on her feet over the years, trying to stay as invisible as possible. 

“Keep moving,” Munroe grumbled as he stalked forwards. 

They followed behind him, Lachlan catching up quickly to his side until a two-note whistle stilled them in their path. Sorcha remained behind both men while a copper haired man sauntered out from between the trees, Athena pressed herself against Sorcha’s leg while the man eyed each weapon Lachlan and Munroe carried on them, two dark haired men and two fair haired men flanked the copper haired man at each side. They all grinned at the two men hiding Sorcha behind them, Lachlan had slid further in front of her, she could barely be seen between the two of them. 

The five men before them all bore various weapons, knives, guns, even a crossbow, the one with copper hair held a bat over his shoulder as he grinned maliciously, his dark eyes finding Sorcha between the two men before him. The other men smirked at the two giant men before them, at least tall in comparison to them with both being over six foot and these men being slightly under that, five foot eleven at least, still about half a foot taller than Sorcha.

“Hope you aren’t heading to Dufftown,” the copper haired man said snidely. “Horde is passing through so you won’t make it and what a pity that would be when you carry such a prize with you,” those dark eyes landing on Sorcha again. 

Munroe tensed and slid closer to Lachlan, shielding her further from the man's stare.

“Don’t concern yourself with our business,” Lachlan snarled coldly.

He had teeth too then, Sorcha shuddered at that voice and his lethal stance that promised violence if they so much put a toe out of line.

“Well you see women aren’t easy to come by so we can’t have you walking one into such a dangerous place,” he hummed out. “You’d be safer with us darling, not with two overgrown idiots who will walk you into danger.” 

Women weren’t easy to come by outside of colonies, another reason Sorcha kept to herself. The women that you did encounter out here were dangerous, well versed in traps and picked their prey well. Like the woman on the bridge, Sorcha had ignored her from how well kept she looked, part of a colony that was happy to allow her to play victim or she’d been a rather skilled survivor. 

The other problem the virus had posed, except for infecting everyone, those who didn’t immediately get sick or those who survived found themselves unable to reproduce, it didn’t affect women, just the men and the human race was faced with a fertility crisis before the world fell into ruin. So when men found women out here, well they wanted to find out if their balls still worked or not. 

“Do not talk to her,” Munroe snarled at them. 

“Just be on your way and you get to live,” Lachlan smiled at them. Not a friendly smile, it was rather menacing even on his soft face. 

“Shouldn’t you let the lady choose?” The copper hair man purred and the other murmured their agreement. 

Sorcha slid her hand into Munroe’s hand as she slid herself against him, he squeezed her hand in his and the men before them glowered at it. 

“I’ve made my choice,” she fully turned to face them. Letting them take in her scarred face. 

Their eyes landed on it like she knew they would, not the pretty thing they’d expected her to be, she was sharp and a real survivor of this world, not some soft meek woman that had been locked away in the colonies to try and repopulate the planet. 

“Why have one when you can have five?” He smiled at her. 

She sighed as she looked at each of them, she let go of Munroe and twisted her head to look at Lachlan. “Who said I just have one?” She smirked as she snaked an arm around Lachlan’s waist. 

He grinned as he looked down at her, he wasn’t lying then about not minding if she put her hands on him. She snaked her other hand around his back and trailed her fingers down it, right down to his belt and tugged before pushing away from him and sliding both her hands into her pockets as she turned to look at the group of men. 

“You didn’t have to stop,” Lachlan purred at her.

Munroe’s face twisted into a scowl but he kept watch on the men until Sorcha removed one her hands from her pocket and tapped him, he looked to see her hand held flat out to him. 

“Your bandana please,” she smiled sweetly at him. 

His brows furrowed at her but he tugged it off his neck anyway, the group of men watched on in curiosity as Munroe dropped the black fabric into her hand. 

“Five is still better than two,” one of the darker haired men called over. Wanting her attention back on them and not on the men she traveled with. 

She nodded as she slid the bandana behind her and smiled at them, “I wouldn’t know. Could be fun to find out I guess,” she shrugged with a coy smile on her lips. 

The copper haired one smiled wildly, “your welcome to come find out.” 

Lachlan and Munroe both went tense again at either side of her at that, fingers twitching for their weapons. 

Lachlan snarled at them. “Over our dead–”

“You don’t mind the scar then?” She feigned disgust at it as she interrupted Lachlan. 

“We can look past it,” the copper headed one crooned. 

She shrugged, “or you could put this on?” 

She tugged out the bandana she’d just taken from Munroe, it was now round as she held it up and motioned that she was going to throw it. The copper-haired man smiled and held his hand out just as she tossed it, Sorcha grabbed both men’s hands beside her and tugged them as she stepped back. She mouthed the word ‘run’ as the leader started unwrapping it, she dropped them as she twisted and tugged Athena by the harness as she took off into a sprint, she heard Munroe and Lachlan a moment later behind her just as the other men started screaming. 

“You bitch!” The copper hair one roared. 

Boom! The screaming and roaring silenced as the grenade she had wrapped up from them went off, she could see a ditch in front of them and hoped they’d make it. 

An arm wrapped around her waist as they went tumbling into it, she saw Lachlan scoop up Athena as they all went sliding into the ditch. She could hear trees being blasted with grenade fragments as they ricochet off them, Munroe covered her with his body when they landed at the bottom of the ditch, it was over quickly, thankfully. 

“You crazy motherfucking bitch!” Lachlan roared with laughter, “I love it! I didn’t even feel you take it,” he chuckled as he glanced at the grenades on his belt, three now thanks to her. He then turned to the dog who was still in his lap and began checking her over. 

Munroe was panting as he sat back, Sorcha still held tightly against him. She could feel his heart hammering against her back, she twisted to look at him and he was pale, extremely pale. 

“Are you ok?” She gasped as she twisted in his arm, placing a hand over his racing heart. “Your heart is–”

“I’m fine,” he snapped at her. “What in the fuck where you thinking? You nearly got us all killed!” 

“But I didn’t,” she shrugged. Her hand was still over his heart as it started to slow. 

“Sorcha,” he snarled softly as his hand clamped around her wrist. He rested his forehead against hers and huffed out an exasperated, shaky breath. 

He shut his eyes and took her in for a moment, relishing that hand over his heart, that small touch that told him they were all still alive. She was utterly insane, he could be intimidating but her… she was something else. 

“I’m here,” she whispered. She let him collect himself for another moment before she pulled back and glanced at Lachlan, the dog curled up in his lap watching her. “Are we all good?” 

Lachlan just nodded as he glanced at her then smiled down at Athena, rubbing her neck as he did in case they still needed another moment to collect themselves. 

“I’ll say it again,” Munroe huffed as he pushed himself up to his feet. “And it sounds bad but I’m so glad you were unconscious when we met, I knew you were unfriendly…” he gulped as he held a hand out to her. “But blowing people to shit?” 

“How do you think I survived so long,” she muttered as she took his hand and let him pull her up, “we didn’t have time to play whatever game they wanted. We still don’t have time, we should get moving, that blast will attract the dead back.” 

Lachlan helped Athena up as he got to his feet then his attention slid towards the couple, “she’s right. They’d have ended up dead whether she blew them to shit or not. You know we were going to kill them for suggesting what they wanted with her–”

“I know,” Munroe growled at him as he cut him off. 

“You're just pissed you didn’t get to gut them yourself,” Lachlan snorted at him.

Munroe huffed at him before turning away from them and climbing out the ditch, his footsteps trailed away before he peered back down into the ditch. 

“Clear,” he grumbled as he dropped to his knees and reached his hand towards Sorcha. “Come on, let’s get out of here before the dead show up.” 

She quickly took his hand and let him haul her out, she didn’t want to wait for the biters either. She spun to see Lachlan passing Athena up to Munroe, Sorcha helped haul her up and over the edge and led her away so that Munroe could pull Lachlan up. She glanced towards the direction they had come from, the trees nearest where the men had been were snapped in half, she glimpsed a few limbs around but didn’t glance long at them when her stomach tightened and nausea washed over her at the sight. 

Lachlan patted himself down when he’d gotten back on his feet, Munroe stalked forward a few paces before throwing a glare at them to hurry up and follow him. So they did, Sorcha this time in the middle with Athena and Lachlan taking up the rear as they continued their journey towards Dufftown.

Chapter Text

26.

Sorcha sat with her legs over the edge of the building's roofed wall that they perched on, the old clock tower in Dufftown that gave them the highest vantage over the town, they were surprised it was fully standing and mostly unscathed. She kicked her legs as if she was sat on the edge of a dock, except peering down at water she peered down at a massive horde tearing its way through the small town they found themselves in while they searched for Ailith.

Munroe was organising the weapons behind them with Athena sat at his side, Lachlan was lazily leaning against the wall that Sorcha had perched on, binoculars in his hand.

“Do you know where we’re going?” She asked the man beside her. 

“Yep,” Lachlan muttered as he twisted, leaning his elbows on the wall as he did. “She’s hunkered down in a pub, that one to be specific.” He pointed at one of the brick buildings that was still whole and not half falling to the ground.

Sorcha squinted at it, “how can you tell? Did she tell you that before you lost communication?” 

He shoved the binoculars into her hand, “she left a clue on one of the windows.” 

Sorcha pulled the binoculars up and peered through them, she couldn’t see anything unusual about any of the windows, she supposed whatever it was it was something only they knew and something that could be looked over easily. 

Sorcha gave Lachlan a questioning look, he gave her a cheshire cat grin as he took her hand in his, turning it palm up as he started tracing a circular knot on her hand.

“The spiral knot, no one would blink twice at it but we know what it means.” He looked up at her as he let go of her hand, “if you're ever in trouble we’ll know what that means.” He nodded his head back towards the pub.

Sorcha pulled her hand from his and looked again, this time she saw it in one of the windows right in the corner of it. Red and easily looked over, she shuddered at the colour knowing what Ailith had used to draw that. 

“Clever,” she smiled at him as she handed back the binoculars. 

He just shrugged, “Munroe’s idea.” 

She glanced back at Munroe, he didn’t look at her as he continued ensuring everything was as it should be, he only stopped to scratch Athena between the ears when she leaned against his leg. 

“Of course it was,” she muttered as she looked back at Lachlan. 

Lachlan glanced down at the streets below, “at least the streets mostly empty towards the pub.” He spun to Munroe, his elbows leaning against the wall as he spoke again. “So what’s the play?” 

Munroe looked at him, “the horde is heading out, I think it’s safe enough to head right for her.” He bent down to Athena and started placing boots on her feet, Sorcha hadn’t seen him pack them. 

“What about that small group?” Sorcha jutted her chin towards the small group of dead bumbling around in a circle near a junction in the road. 

“That's where you come in,” Munroe grunted from right beside her. 

She jumped from the sudden closeness, she hadn’t heard him move from the dog. She glanced at Athena to see she stood with the boots now on her feet, totally unimpressed by their presence on her. 

Munroe unslung the bow and arrows from his back and held it to her, a grin spread on Sorcha’s face as she rose up on the wall and took the bow from him along with one of the arrows. 

“Do you have a target in mind?” She raised a brow at him, now having to look down at him as she towered above him on top of the wall. 

“The one closest to the junction, it goes tumbling in and the rest should follow.” He pointed to the one that did look like it was contemplating going down the new road or staying with its group. 

Sorcha took a deep breath in, bracing herself not for the shot but for the pain it would bring to her shoulder. She raised the bow, knocked the arrow and gritted her teeth as she pulled back on that string, the flight tickling her cheek as she anchored the arrow and aimed. She released her breath and let go, the arrow flew, spinning threw the air till it found its mark, right through the dead ones eye and just as Munroe wanted it went tumbling into the other street causing the rest of the dead ones to follow it and then walk over it where it had fallen, they continued on in their new direction. 

Lachlan let out an impressed whistle, “that was a clean shot.” 

Munroe’s eyes had widened at that shot, she’d executed that perfectly even with an injured shoulder, he turned his attention to it as she started to lower the bow. 

She shrugged her left shoulder at him as she lowered the bow and rolled her right one, she felt the throb in it, now she had nothing to focus on to block out the pain. 

“I did say I was handy with a bow,” she huffed as she handed Munroe the bow back and hopped down, ignoring the hand he’d held out for her. 

“Let’s get this over with,” Munroe said rather gruffly as he dropped his raised hand and slung the bow back over him. 

He marched over to the door and the others followed him down the stairs then into the street where he kept them close to the walls, the pub at least wasn’t far, about two hundred metres if that.

Just as they had on the way out of the woods Munroe took the front, Lachlan flanked the rear and Athena stayed tight to Sorcha while they quietly slid into the car park of the pub. Munroe held up a hand, motioning them to stop while he tried the door. Sorcha impatiently watched, used to being the one who did this sort of thing on her own but she managed to remain quiet while Munroe jemmied the door open. 

Munroe let the door fall open and started to lower each of his fingers one after the other, counting, Sorcha realised. 

When nothing came at them Munroe swept in and she followed after him, Athena and Lachlan on her heels as they swept into the pub. Lachlan carefully shut the door, not wanting the dead to filter in while they were in here. It went against everything in Sorcha to allow that door to shut but she knew if there were any dead in here, the number would be nothing on the horde so she pushed that panic down. 

Munroe headed for the door in the back and took a jump back as he let it swing open, he backed up a few steps as the dead started to filter through. Sorcha noted six of them as Munroe cleaved the head of the first, Lachlan took the second and she lunged for the third, driving her knife threw its eye with a twist before kicking it away, it fell with a thud as she stepped over it to the next one. Munroe and Lachlan dispatched of their second one as she kicked her one to the ground and brought her blade down upon it, she yanked the blade out as it went limp underneath her. 

She wiped the blade on her trouser leg before placing it back in her thigh strap as she stood, Lachlan was preening himself when she looked at him, making sure his hair hadn’t gotten bloodied.

“You're worse than a woman,” Sorcha snorted at him. 

“You try and wash blood out of blonde hair,” he sighed dramatically. 

The image of blood soaked golden hair filled her mind, she clenched her jaw as she tried to chase the memory away. She didn’t need to be reminded, she knew how hard it was, how the ends of his hair had still been tainted with it the last time she’d seen him. 

“Enough nonsense,” Munroe snapped at them as he motioned towards the door. 

Sorcha was thankful for him interrupting her thoughts as she fell into step behind him, letting him lead the way down the hall. The windows had been boarded up, light only bleeding through from the small gaps in the wood. 

Munroe signalled them to stop, Athena stopped at Sorcha’s side as he examined the door before them, Lachlan spun to keep a set of eyes on rear. Planks of wood had fallen over the door jamming the handle in place, Sorcha looked around to see where they had come from, how they ended up there to trap Ailith inside, there was a broken bookcase with strips of wood missing. The wood across the door looked like it could fit into it, she wondered how that broke. 

“Stay back,” Munroe whispered as he glanced back at her. 

She nodded before he went and started moving the wood out of the way as quietly as he could, he took a deep breath as he took hold of the handle. With one quick twist he shoved the door open, it creaked open rather slowly as someone raised a gun towards them. 

“It’s me, Munroe.” He hissed at the figure slumped in the corner. 

Sorcha stepped closer, her hand on her gun loosening as she took in Ailith, sweaty and her right leg was blood soaked. She had her belt wrapped above what looked like a bullet wound in her thigh, luckily it looked like it had just skimmed her. 

Sorcha slid further into the room, Athena keeping tight to her as Lachlan slid in and closed the door. Munroe was kneeling by Ailith and rummaging through his bag until he pulled out a medical kit, Lachlan went to kneel beside him as Munroe started cutting open Ailith’s trousers. 

“What are you doing here?” Ailith glowered at Sorcha. 

“Nice to see you too,” Sorcha smiled as she crossed her ankles and leaned against the wall.

“She’s here to help,” Munroe grumbled at her as he began wiping the blood from her leg. 

“Looks like you got skimmed,” Lachlan muttered as he pulled the belt tighter around her thigh, trying to stem the blood flow. 

Sorcha watched them work, she’d been unconscious both times Munroe had worked on her so she was curious. Ailith was hissing at him while he cleaned her up, he wasn’t as gentle with her Sorcha noticed, she put it down to the circumstances. 

Lachlan used his free hand to hold the wound together as Munroe started suturing her skin back together, Ailith clenched her whole body as they worked.

“How did you get that?” Sorcha asked. Trying to see if it’d distracted her.

Ailith slid her eyes to Sorcha, those blue eyes turning venomous when they found her. “I got shot.” 

Sorcha scoffed, “no shit. How?” 

“There was a man… in here.” She winced as Munroe shoved the needle through her skin, a little too harshly when he’d heard what she’d said. “I managed to hide in here.” 

“Is he gone?” Munroe asked as he kept his eyes on her leg. 

“I think so,” she murmured as she twisted to look at him.

Sorcha dropped her eyes to her feet, looking away from the way Ailith was gazing at Munroe. Guilt flooded her with the lie she’d told, that woman was clearly more than infatuated with him and she had a feeling Munroe was happy to have Sorcha as his shield regarding Ailith’s affections. 

Sorcha tilted her head towards the door within the room where she swore she heard a soft thud, gingerly she stepped for it, she signalled Athena to sit as she gripped the handle. She glanced back before opening it to see the others hadn’t paid her any mind, too busy with Ailith who was too busy fawning over Munroe. 

Sorcha carefully pulled the door open to find nothing except a bag that lay open on the ground, her eyes widened in excitement at what lay within it, a tub of chocolate powder. 

She felt the hair on her body rise as she went to grab it and paused, glancing up as she did to see a vent hanging open and a face grinning down at her. She leapt back as he aimed and fired, missing her as she slid out of reach. 

“Guess your little friend is still here,” Sorcha growled as she ripped her gun from her holster. 

Lachlan and Munroe had gone still, torn between finishing with Ailith and helping Sorcha as a body dropped from inside the cupboard.

“Ah, red.” The man chuckled as he pointed his gun at Sorcha while he swaggered out of the closet. “You brought friends, those two are disposable but this one,” he eyed Sorcha up and down. “Yes, she’ll do.” His eyes landed on the scar, “even if she is a little… damaged.” 

Sorcha tried not to shake as she took in the khaki green uniform, a uniform she never wanted to see again. The uniform from her old colony, she worked hard to suppress the feelings that surfaced. Lucky for her she didn’t know this one’s face and he didn’t seem to know her, she clenched her teeth tightly as she widened her stance in front of the others.

“You're no prize either,” Sorcha sneered at him. 

She couldn’t make out much of him from his hat and his dirty face, only that he might have dark hair and that his eyes were green. 

“Oh we’ll fix that smart mouth,” he gave her a crooked grin and slid his gaze behind her to Ailith. “I called my friends too,” he winked at her.

Chills crept up Sorcha’s spine and the urge to run flooded her, she was going to get as far from here as possible when she was done. 

“There’s nothing to fix,” she purred as she tossed her braid over her shoulder. 

Lachlan grinned behind her at that, Munroe was trying to finish off Ailith’s stitches as quickly as he could while this unfolded, he was glad that Athena hadn’t moved from the other side of that door but wanted to get to Sorcha before she got herself killed for them. 

“Oh I’m going to have fun breaking you,” he tilted his head towards Sorcha. 

“I know all about how your colony likes to break a woman,” her voice turned dark, the amusement fading as she let the killing calm wash over her. “I have no intention of ever returning to Fort Durrse.” 

His eyes widened as he took a step back from her, his eyes roving over her again as if he’d suddenly figure out who she was. Her lips curved at the corners as she raised that gun, she didn’t blink as she pulled the trigger, nor did she baulk when his brain splatter the wall. Sorcha only sauntered forward, stopping to spit on him in disgust before collecting the bounty from the cupboard. 

The bag swung from her elbow as she tossed the chocolate powder in one of her hands, grinning like the cat who’d just gotten the cream. 

“Hot chocolate anyone?” She smiled at them all, even as they looked at her in complete horror. 

Munroe placed a plaster over Ailith’s stitches as Lachlan removed the belt from around her leg and twisted to look at Sorcha, he eyed her as she peered into the bag to see what else lay in it. 

“All that for chocolate? And you said I was worse than a woman,” Lachlan snorted. 

Sorcha raised her eyes to him, grinning viciously enough to make him flinch. “So what if I did?” She slid her eyes to Munroe who was looking at her now that Ailith was patched up, “I hope that you can make whip cream.” 

He just blinked at her in disbelief, his eyes slid to the man she’d just killed and back to her. “What’s Fort Durrse?” 

She sighed at him and crossed her arms, the tub of chocolate powder still clenched tightly in her hand. “No, you answer me first.” 

“Seriously?” He growled as he stood, slinging his bag back over his back as he did. “Yes, I can make it.” 

“Perfect,” she crooned and let out a small chuckle. “And Fort Duress is something I don’t want to talk about… ever,” she glared at him. 

Munroe snorted a laugh in disbelief as he shook his head at her, “fine.” 

“Fine,” she snarled back as her whole body clenched. “We have to go now. If he did call… others…” she gulped. “We have to go.” 

“We don’t do as you say,” Ailith sneered as she pulled herself up onto her feet. 

“Why?” Munroe glanced at the dead man again before looking at Sorcha. 

Sorcha’s heart was racing, she’d run alone if they didn’t. Munroe watched as her eyes shifted to wary, he watched as fingers clawed at her thighs and her eyes flickered with fear for just a moment. 

“Please,” she implored him to listen. “We have to leave, the things they-” she shuddered. 

Munroe wavered for a moment, his eyes again landing on that man, not with curiosity this time but with hate. Whatever they were she was terrified of them and he hated that, he’d seen glimpses but never enough to make her plead. 

“Ok,” he stepped for her. “We’ll go,” he murmured softly as he stopped in front of her. 

She looked up at him, she wanted to sink into him for not fighting her on this but instead she twisted and clicked her fingers at Athena, the dog instantly coming to her side.

“Come on,” Lachlan murmured to Ailith as he held an arm out to her. 

She was too busy watching the way that Munroe was looking at Sorcha, watched as he slid the tub of chocolate powder into his own pack that Sorcha let him take, he peered into the bag she held but tossed it to the side clearly deeming the rest useless. Lachlan gently nudged her out of her staring, earning him a venomous look before she finally took him up on his offer. 

Munroe twisted to look at them, checked them over quickly as he began talking. “It should be an easy shot back to the truck, the horde was moving North, we’ll head along the road in case the explosion from earlier attracted the dead.” Sorcha ignored the way his eyes slid to her, “right time to go.” 

As he passed by Sorcha she gripped his hand, he tried not to act surprised as he gripped her hand back while he led them out of the building and she let him. Mentally she was still reeling from that khaki suit, she needed the contact to feel grounded, to feel like she wasn’t descending into madness. 

The journey back to the truck was uneventful which, Sorcha was thankful of with Ailith injured it’d be left to her and Munroe to deal with threats and she didn’t want to let go of his hand, he’d held it the whole way and he held it as if he knew she needed this, as if he realised she thought she’d float away if he did let go. 

He’d even kept hold of her hand while she climbed into the passenger seat where she was finally forced to let go, Ailith had been furious to have to ride in the back with a dog so Munroe helped Athena into the passengers footwell where she lay down and rested her head on Sorcha’s knee. Sorcha smiled at her as Munroe gently shut the door, making sure the dog's tail was out of the way as he did. 

Sorcha gently stroked the dogs head while Munroe made his way around the front, she wasn’t listening to the two in the back and vaguely heard Lachlan giving Ailith grief for forcing Athena to sit at Sorcha’s feet, she knew the dog didn’t mind, she’d slept in smaller spaces but she also knew Lachlan had grown a soft spot for the dog in the short time she’d known him, he was always reaching out to stroke her when she passed by him. 

Sorcha had tried to sit in the back to keep Ailith quiet but Munroe hadn’t allowed it, she had been too gone to really fight him on it. She was barely aware of him sliding into the truck until it started up and music started quietly playing. When he pulled out of the car park he’d slid his hand into hers, gently squeezing as if to remind her she was here. 

“I'm here,” he whispered. 

Repeating the words she’d whispered to him to remind him of where he was when he’d needed it most, hoping it would do the same for her, she squeezed his hand back as she turned her gaze towards the widow at her side. 

Chapter Text

27.

Sorcha glanced at the sign of the town they were driving into, Aberlour, not a place she’d ever been before. She kept her eyes fixed forward as Munroe crept the truck through the streets, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand every so often. I’m here. 

It wasn’t until they pulled up into a cul-de-sac and he’d turned to look at her that she’d finally let go of him, clasping her hands together as she did and refusing to look at him. 

Munroe sighed softly before sliding out, Lachlan went with him as they did a quick sweep of the streets, Sorcha watched them until they were far enough away that they wouldn’t notice her sliding out of the truck. 

“They aren’t back yet,” Ailith huffed at her as she hopped out the truck. Athena following her out. 

Sorcha said nothing as she closed the door behind her and stalked towards the park before her, the river Spey stretching out along the edge of it, the current mild today with the lack of rain during the summer. Athena bounded out ahead of her as they walked along the river's edge, trying to clear her head until she got to a metal bridge. 

She stopped in the centre of it, resting her elbows on the railing as she peered down into the water while Athena sniffed at the railing. Sorcha sighed deeply, fighting every instinct that told her to run, that told her she had to keep moving. 

She wasn’t sure how long she stood there, long enough that Munroe had come to find her. He’d been livid until he saw her. Silently he approached her and gently leaned on the railing near her, looking down into the river below as she turned her head to look at him. 

She eyed him cautiously, she’d expected him to be mad when he finally found her. She slid away from the railing and breezed past him, he watched her as she stopped to look back at him. 

“Well… are you going to show me where we’re staying for the night?” She muttered as Athena strode up beside her. 

He just nodded and pushed himself off the metal bar, she let him lead, following quietly behind him towards a little white house that sat just beyond the park. 

Ailith and Lachlan were already inside, the latter was snooping through cupboards while the woman lounged on the musty looking couch, Athena claimed the armchair dodging the shabby little wooden coffee table as she leapt onto the chair and curled up in it. 

“Finally found her,” Lachlan grinned as he twisted to look at them. 

“What a shame,” Ailith growled under her breath. 

Munroe glared at her, “I’m going to move the truck so it’s not visible from the road and do another sweep.” He nodded at Lachlan before gently gripping Sorcha’s arm and turning her to him, “I’ll be back.” He whispered to her, she just nodded. 

He reluctantly let go of her before he sauntered out the door, pulling his hunting knife from his thigh as he did.

Sorcha stalked towards the torn up kitchen and slumped her elbows onto one of the only whole pieces of counter, Lachlan had watched her from the corner of his eye as she’d come over. She paid him no mind, she figured Munroe had told him to keep a close eye on her. 

“Please cut the whole woe is me act,” Ailith rolled her eyes at Sorcha. 

Sorcha slid her eyes to the redhead who was watching her like a snake ready to strike, she didn’t have the mental strength to deal with her just now.

“Ailith please,” Lachlan whispered as he stopped his snooping. 

“No, I want to know what she’s even doing with Munroe.” Ailith hissed. 

Sorcha glared at her, “I’m not in the mood for whatever bullshit is about to come out your mouth.” 

“Why are you bothering with Munroe?” Ailith glowered at her as she pushed herself off the couch. “You're still hung up on that dead ex so why bother Munroe with your shit?” 

It was like a punch in the gut, Sorcha would’ve rather taken a punch to the gut. Rage coursed through her as she straightened, turning towards Ailith as she slid her elbows from the counter. 

“Ailith, shut it.” Lachlan hushed her.

“No, I won’t! She’s going to get him killed, he should’ve never saved her in that warehouse.” Ailith was glaring at her now. “Such a stupid risk for a bitch who is carrying way to much baggage.” 

“You don’t think I know that?” Sorcha growled through clenched teeth. “I told him to go, he made his choice.” 

“Exactly, he’s smarter than that. He took a risk,” Ailith was seething. 

“He is also kind hearted,” Sorcha snapped. “He did what he believed was the right thing.” 

“At least we agree it wasn’t the right thing to do but he isn’t as kindhearted as you think.” A wicked smile grew on her face.

“Then you don’t know him,” Sorcha tensed as she looked Ailith over.

“Oh, sweetie. I know him much better than you and whatever you’ve done to him…” she crossed her arms and smirked at Sorcha. “Your going to get him killed, he’s stupid with you and he’ll end up just as dead as… What was his name again… oh yeah, Kaydon? Kadon was it?” Ailith snorted out a snarky laugh.

Sorcha was trembling with rage as she roared at Ailith, she didn’t even think as she threw herself at the woman who had stupidly looked away from Sorcha to laugh. Both women went crashing through the coffee table, Lachlan was panicking as he stopped behind the couch and was pleading with them to stop but Sorcha was far too gone to listen or care, too gone to feel any further pain she may have just caused to her bruised body.

Her hands went round Ailtih’s throat as she pinned her, she pulled her legs up ramming her knees into Ailith’s upper arms pinning her to the ground. Ailith was wildly trying to buck Sorcha off but she couldn’t unseat her as hard as she tried to throw the raging woman from her body. 

“Shitshitshitshit,” Lachlan was now pacing behind the couch, his panicked state worsening. 

“You psycho bitch,” Ailith choked out.

Sorcha’s grip tightened around her throat and the woman beneath her started gasping, her fingers scraped at the ground below her, nails cracking on the wooden floor as she scratched for her life.

“Sorcha please,” Lachlan whispered. “Fuck… where is Munroe?” 

“Get… her… off!” Ailith choked out at Lachlan.

Ailith was flailing underneath her now, Sorcha would strangle her till she passed out, maybe even beyond that and knew Ailith didn’t have much more fight left in her.

“What the actual fuck is going on?” Munroe bellowed as he entered the room tossing his pack to the side as he took in the two women. 

“You have to do something! I don’t know what to do, fuck Munroe it’s a shit show!” Lachlan was frantic as he ran up to Munroe. 

Munroe stomped over to Sorcha, she tensed as his fingers curled around her, just above her elbows.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” she snarled at him.

“Let her go, Sorcha.” He murmured gently. “Whatever she said I believe she deserved this but don’t let her get under your skin, don’t let her have that power.” He squeezed her gently and murmured softly, “let go.” 

Sorcha shook her head, tears splattered around her, she hadn’t realised she’d been crying. 

“Let go,” he pleaded. 

Sorcha took a breath and then did as he said, he quickly yanked her up before she changed her mind. Ailith lunged up at the same time, her curled fist aimed for Sorcha’s ribs. Munroe shifted taking the punch on his side instead, Ailith hissed at the impact as she was expecting a much softer target. 

“You bastard,” she punched Munroe in the ribs, again.

“Back off,” he glowered down at her and she went utterly rigid as she took in his anger.

Ailith yielded a step and then another, she glanced at Lachlan who turned his head in disgust from her as she did.

“I did nothing wrong,” Ailith coughed as she tried to get her breath back. “She’s fucking crazy.” 

Munroe guided Sorcha toward a chair, helped her sit and turned to face Ailith as he kept Sorcha hidden behind him. 

“I came here to help you and you do this?” His anger was tangible. “You tried to fucking punch her… she could’ve died from that injury and you were going to…” his jaw tightened as he let out a harsh breath. “If you don’t get the fuck away from me I’m going to finish it and strangle you myself.” 

Sorcha blinked up at the back of his head, she noted how tense his body was, his fists were shaking as he glared at Ailith. 

“She attacked me…” 

“Because you goaded her, you think I don’t know you?” He laughed darkly, it was terrifying. “You poke at a broken woman and you expect her not to be sharp? Don’t cry to me because you got hurt.”

Sorcha shut her eyes as more tears rolled down her cheeks, he really did see just how broken she was. Lachlan placed a hand on the back of Sorcha’s chair, Munroe snapped his head back to glare at the movement and seemed to assess that Lachlan wasn’t the threat he was worried about.

“Munroe…” Ailith tried to smile at him.

“Don’t, I am not your friend right now.” His voice was as cold as ice. 

“You called us out here to help, Ailith…” Lachlan’s voice wavered with hurt as he looked at her. 

“Don’t waste your breath on her,” Munroe glowered at him as he turned to face Sorcha. 

He bent down in front of her, his face yielding from anger as he took her in and reached for her face, he gently stroked away her tears. She sniffled as she pulled back from him and wiped at her other cheek with the back of her hand, he gulped as he looked away from her. 

“Come on,” he held a hand to her as he rose. “We’ll go upstairs.” He glanced at Lachlan, “is it clear?” 

Lachlan just nodded. Still keeping a tight grip on the chair, keeping his eyes on Ailith. 

Sorcha took hold of his hand and let him lead her upstairs, he grabbed the bag he’d dropped before trying to stop their fight and whistled for Athena to follow them. 

They entered a room with smashed up furniture, most of the contents had been looted, the mattresses had been torn up, there had been two beds in here from the looks of it but they were usable now. 

She yanked her hand from his as he shut the door and slid down against the furthest wall from him, he placed a bottle of water and some sort of wrapped up bar at her feet before backing away from her to his own corner. Athena was unsure who to go to as she looked between them both, she decided to curl up a piece of mattress that wasn’t shredded. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Munroe asked gently. 

“No,” she grumbled as she tilted her head towards the window and watched the sky change colour for the second time today. 

Eventually she gulped down some of the water and picked at the ration bar he’d given her, it was disgusting in comparison to his food but it would do. The temperature had dropped as the day turned to darkness, Munroe had lit a candle after ensuring the windows were covered and they each kept to their respective sides. 

He was reading Sorcha noticed as she tried not to shiver too obviously under the blanket he’d given her from his bag, even with the dog now at her side she was freezing and contemplating asking for his blanket. She’d spent far too long in a bed and it had spoiled her, so she forced herself to endure it, she would find no such comforts when she was back on the road. 

She was trying to figure out what he was reading when he peered over the book and caught her looking, he smiled before she had the chance to look away. 

“Something wrong?” He murmured softly as he placed the attached piece ribbon back into his book. 

She shook her head and whispered, “just wondering what you're reading.”

“Bram Stoker's Dracula,” he wiggled the book at her. 

She gave him a small smile, “do you think Lachlan is ok? He seemed pretty… hurt.” 

Munroe delicately set his book down, “he’ll be fine. He can handle Ailith and she won’t hurt him, physically anyway.” 

“I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that,” she muttered as she picked at the blanket.

Munroe sighed, “if I know Ailith I bet she said something particularly nasty.” 

“Because she’s in love with you,” Sorcha raised her eyes to look at him.

He went utterly still and tried not to sound harsh as he spoke through clenched teeth, “what did she say to you?” 

“That I’m going to get you killed,” Sorcha blinked at him. “That you took a stupid risk in the warehouse.” 

“What else?” He gulped. 

“It doesn’t matter,” she sighed. “She just worries about you.” 

“Don’t say that like you're defending her,” he narrowed his eyes on her. “I can’t see you attacking her over me so what else did she say?” 

“I’m sure Lachlan will fill you in,” she suddenly snapped at him. 

He huffed at her, “I’d rather you told me.” 

She shook her head and leaned her head back against the wall and tried not to let her voice waver as she pulled her knees up, “that I’m going to get you killed like I got… like I got him…” her voice broke into a sob, she couldn’t repeat it. 

“Kuso on’na,” he snarled towards the door, his glare was piercing as if it could see all the way to the source of his anger.

Sorcha snapped her head to him and blinked, he sighed deeply as he ran a hand through his hair. 

“I’m sorry she said that,” his eyes full of unwavering apology as he looked at her. “I should’ve let you choke her just a little longer, if I knew she’d said that.” 

Sorcha snorted, “I’m glad you stopped me.” 

He smiled, “you're scarily violent by the way.” 

She hummed out a laugh, “I know.” 

Munroe watched as she gently started stroking Athena. She tried not to shiver as a cold breeze fluttered in through the cracked window, summer really was coming to an end, she wondered how many warm days she’d have before she started seeing frost. 

“Are you cold?” Munroe murmured as he caught that shiver she tried to hide. 

 “No,” she whispered as she pulled the blanket up higher. 

“Do you want my blanket?” He started to tug it off, “I don’t mind–” 

“Then you’ll be cold,” she glared at him. 

“I’ll be fine,” he gave her a reassuring smile.

“No, I don’t need it.” She shook her head at him. 

He rolled his eyes at her, “I don’t mind but if you're worried about me.” The corner of his mouth curved upwards, “you can come here and we’ll share body heat.” 

She glowered at him but she couldn’t deny it was tempting, as she remembered how utterly warm he was when she’d woken up against him at the lodge. She turned her head from him in a huff, making him chucked as she did. 

“I promise to keep my hands to myself,” he purred at her. “It’s just for warmth and I am very warm.” 

She grumbled her annoyance at him, “just for warmth.” 

She pushed herself up, taking her blanket with her, Athena huffing at her as she watched her go. Sorcha couldn’t stop glaring at him as she stopped beside him, she slumped down beside him and he tossed his blanket over her. She almost groaned at the heat of it and the heat that was seeping into her left side from him, instead she spread her blanket over them both. 

Athena trotted over but went to Munroe’s other side where she rested her head on his thigh and huffed as she settled down, as if she knew who the warmer person was. 

Sorcha rolled her eyes and stretched her hand out, her hand skimmed over something soft, making her glance towards it, it was the book Munroe had been reading. 

“I didn’t realise it was cloth bound,” she muttered as she stroked the cover. Her finger gently traced the pattern on the book. 

“Oh yeah,” he reached for it and hissed as his hand brushed against hers and he yanked it back. “You're freezing.” 

She twisted to look at him, “and you're a furnace.” 

“Here,” he raised his arm up so she could tuck herself against him. “For more heat,” he added as he took in the angry look on her face. 

She huffed as she slid down and turned into him, his arm came down behind her but he kept his hand flat on the ground. He hissed as both her hands gripped his shirt as she settled herself at his side, her cheek landing on his chest as she removed her hand and pulled the covers up higher. 

He shuddered at the coldness in her hands and cheek, “fuck you really are cold.” 

“Sorry,” she grumbled as she tried not to bristle at their closeness.

“Don’t worry about it, at least you'll be warm now.” He whispered softly, his warm breath dancing through the strands of her hair. “Good night, Sorcha.” 

“Good night,” she mumbled sleepily as the warmth started to lull her into sleep.

She was utterly exhausted from the day they’d had, she peeked at Athena to see the dog already sleeping, her feet twitching as she dreamt. Munroe’s hand was buried in her neck as he stroked her gently, Sorcha huffed out a sigh as she let sleep wash over her. 

Chapter Text

28.

Munroe was looking down at the sleeping woman that was curled around him, he’d been awake for a while now. His arm stayed wrapped around her waist, one of her hands was laying flat over his chest, the other was clenching the fabric of his shirt at his side. He smiled softly at her, she was so peaceful when she slept, he’d never seen her face so soft. Athena was at his other side and when she realised he was awake she’d lifted her head and rested it on his hip, he gave her a smile as well and raised his hand to scratch her head. He was pinned here until the woman woke up or he woke her, he’d wait till she roused because he was sure she’d be pissed if he woke her. 

He didn’t have to wait long as she stretched out over him and nuzzled her face deeper against his chest, she let out a soft hum as her eyes fluttered open. 

“Morning,” she grumbled to Athena as she shoved Munroe’s hand off her so that she could stroke the dog, Athena’s tail thumped at that. 

Sorcha yawned before rolling her head up to look at Munroe, some of her hair had fallen out during the night and covered her face. Munroe watched as she blinked up at him, her face full of sleep. 

“Morning,” he mumbled to her. His voice still full of sleep too. 

She sleepily grumbled her reply, trying not to shudder at his heavy morning voice. Her eyes landed on that scar along his jaw that was visible from where she lay and she found herself removing her hand from Athena and reaching for it, Munroe stilled when her finger brushed along his jaw, she slowly trailed her finger down that scar. 

He gulped at that small, feather light touch. Her hand stopped at the collar of his shirt where she let it rest, her eyes fixing on it as if she thought about exploring the rest of that scar. 

She let her hand drop back down his chest and mumbled what might have been an apology, he just blinked at her, her face still half covered. This time he was the one to reach, he gently swept that hair away from her face, her eyes rose to his, they turned metallic as she roused from her sleepy state. 

Her eyes found his brown ones, they were blazing and she could make out the golden flecks in them. Tenderly he swept that hair behind her ear as their eyes bore into one another, so softly he trailed his fingers down the back of her ear then under her jaw were he slowly, gently raised her face up to him, tilting it as as leaned into her. 

Her breath hitched as he got closer and closer, her hand fisted in his shirt as their noses skimmed, her eyes started to close as she felt herself falling into him, into this feeling. 

The door was flung open and Lachlan sauntered in, freezing when he realised what he’d just interrupted as Sorcha jolted back and spun to look at him.

A sheepish look overtook Lachlan’s face as Munroe dropped his hand that had been suspended in the air after she’d jolted away from him, his hand fisting at his side as he shot a look at Lachlan that promised violence for his intrusion. The blonde man turned wary in the doorway at that look, he couldn’t back out now. 

“What is it?” Munroe snapped. What he didn’t add was, this better be fucking good for you disturbing us. He didn’t need to say it, Lachlan could read it all over him. 

“We spotted someone outside,” Lachlan gulped. “Uhm… Ailith wants to-to investigate.” 

Sorcha grumbled as she pushed herself up to sit, undoing her hair as she did and mumbled sarcastically, “she’ll get far on that leg.” 

“He looks like a priest so she’s not worried,” Lachlan informed. “I just came to tell-”

“Did you say priest?” Sorcha hissed as her eyes snapped open.

Suddenly she felt very awake and nauseous, like she wished the ground would swallow her whole. She was up and sliding towards the window before the two men could blink. She peered out from the edge and there he was, a giant cross over his chest and his white collar the only indicator of what he was and wondered if he was on his way to look for the man she’d just killed. 

“You've got experience with priests?” Lachlan asked as he peeked round the door at her now looking out the window. 

Munroe was watching her wide eyed from where he still sat, Athena was also watching her warily from his side. 

“I-” she started to say. “Did you say Ailith was going out there?” Her head whipped around to Lachlan. 

“Yeah,” he nodded. “She can–”

He was stopped as Sorcha shoved him out the way and charged down the stairs, she heard Munroe hiss a curse as he bounced up, she didn’t care about the two behind her, she had to stop Ailith before she got them all killed. 

And there she was, hand on the door knob, her head snapping in alarm towards Sorcha as she landed at the bottom of the stairs and slammed Ailith into the wall, clamping a hand over the woman’s mouth as she gently nudged the door shut with her foot. The two men stopped at the top of the stairs and glanced down at the two women.

“Did he notice?” Sorcha hissed at them.

Lachlan carefully slid over to the window and peeked out, the man outside was poking around not aware of the house behind him that they hid in. 

“No,” he confirmed. 

“When I let go, do not say a fucking word!” Sorcha snarled at Ailith, “understand?” She nodded and Sorcha let go, “keep away from the windows.” 

Was all Sorcha said as she backed away from her, her eyes scanned the room and found what she was looking for. She dropped on all fours and crawled for it, placing her back on the wall when she gripped it in her hand. Ailith had slid behind the stairs and the two men were now seated on them, Athena had come to lie at the top of them as they all watched Sorcha. 

She angled the mirror towards the window and could see the priest still wandering around, aimlessly it appeared but she knew better. 

“What’s going on Sorcha?” Munroe asked gently. 

She sighed as she lowered the mirror, “he’s a preacher.” Was all she said and when they looked confused she went on, “they recruit for the colonies… specifically women because they have no use for men. So you two would be killed on sight but Ailith and me… well we’re women so we have one purpose in the colonies.” Her head rolled round to them and Ailith shuddered. 

“How do you know that?” Lachlan blinked at her. 

“I was in a colony. In the beginning,” she picked at her trousers. “I had… Kadon, I was paired up already in their eyes so there was no forcing me…” she shuddered. “We didn’t know what happened to the woman who were single when they arrived, I was so fucking stupid back then.” She winced at the memories of that horrible place, “Fort Durrse was not the sanctum they made themselves out to be.” 

“It’s just one person,” Ailith rolled her eyes. “There’s four of us, I’m sure we can take him.” 

Sorcha breathed through her nose, trying to stay calm as she made her way back towards them and began explaining, “preachers do not often travel alone, typically they have a squadron with them for backup in case they come across men with women… new men are complicated, they do not take them in anymore as they don’t want competition.” 

“Jesus,” Lachlan hissed. “Surely they would need the numbers to balance it out.” 

Sorcha shrugged, “they have a system. It’s all about hierarchy,” she stuck her hand out towards Munroe for weapons. “Stay here, I’ll get rid of him.” She wiggled her fingers at him and he slid two knives into her hand, then waited to hand her gun to her. 

He held onto it firmly as she tried to take it, “be careful.” He murmured to her, anxiety obviously plastered on his face. 

She nodded, “and you stay put, don’t let Athena out.” 

He nodded as she slid the gun into the holster on her belt, she hoped it was warmer this morning as her jacket was still upstairs. 

Carefully she slid out of the door and glanced around, the preacher had wandered a little further away, she let her eyes skim the street until she found where Munroe had left the truck and made her way towards it, whistling a soft tune as she did. 

She slid open the bonnet and pretended to tend to the engine, she took the oil rag that was hidden in the hood and wiped her jaw with it under her scar and then wiped her forehead with it, making it look like she was hard at work trying to fix her engine troubles. 

“Hello,” a soft voice called to her as the preacher stopped nearby. 

She almost jumped as she hadn’t heard him coming, it hadn’t taken him long to notice her. Sorcha gripped her knife and whirled on him, the man had his hands raised as if he meant no harm, she pretended to buy it. 

“Preacher,” she muttered carefully. 

“You know what I am?” He clasped his hands together, his pale blue eyes bore into her. 

“I have heard and seen some of you, occasionally, I stay clear.” She huffed as she sheathed the blade. 

“Just you out here?” He looked around and he continued when she just blinked at him. “Would you want to be part of something bigger?” 

“No,” she snapped abruptly. “Been there, done that and got the blood soaked T-shirt to prove it.” 

The preacher shook his head a bit startled at her response, “are you are alone?” 

“I’m content where I am, thank you.” She put her hand on her hip and huffed as she avoided his question.

“Hello, Sorcha.” A snide voice called from her right catching her off guard. 

She froze, she hadn’t heard them coming either but she also knew that voice and it chilled her right down to her bones, her skin crawled at the mere thought of him being near her. 

“Cormac,” the preacher nodded at him. “This is one of the guards-”

“She knows who I am,” Cormac snorted. “We go way back,” he chuckled and then drawled at her, “at least look at me.” 

She couldn’t, she wouldn’t or she’d lose her grip on reality fully this time. Her hand twitched and her fingers bit into her thigh, she tried not to rake herself with her nails. 

“Do you know him?” The preacher asked softly as he watched her for any signs of recognition.

She knew she should answer but she was trying to collect herself, trying to ignore the way her heart was hammering in her chest. She hated herself for not running yesterday when every instinct in her had told her too, begged her too. 

“You should as well, preacher, she was in our colony and is a deserter.” Cormac chuckled in that cocky way that grated on her. 

Shit, shit, shit. This was not going to plan and the preacher was now eyeing her warily. 

“Always a pleasure, asshat.” She snarled as she finally found that spark of rage within her. 

He was just as cold as she remembered, her spine locked at the sight of him and at the khaki suit he wore, the memories tried to surface, clawing their way through her, she buried them as quickly as she could. She hated the way his cold blue eyes watched her, his long black hair was tied back and he’d had the sides shaved off.

He stepped for her with predatory intent, “do you know I never stopped looking for you?” He stopped before her, leaning a hand on the open bonnet, “you are a hard woman to find, Sorcha.” 

“Did you ever think that perhaps I didn’t want to be found,” she spat at him.

“If you are from our colony, you need to come and be reprocessed.” The preacher said simply. 

Sorcha huffed a laugh, “I’m not going back to that hellhole. I’d be safer joining the dead ones.”

“Such dramatics,” Cormac rolled his eyes. 

He reached a hand to cup her face and all she could see was that hand coming for her throat, pinning her to a table. She winced as she recoiled from him, her hand grabbing the bar that held the hood up, she yanked it away as she retreated from that hand. 

Cormac screamed out as the hood crushed his fingers, Sorcha was breathing heavily as she gripped the metal bar now in her hands. 

“Do not touch me,” she snarled. “You don’t ever touch me again.” 

“You fucking bitch,” he hissed as he gripped at his wrist.

Sorcha’s eyes widened at the tags that fell out of his shirt, Kadon’s tags. 

“You dare wear them,” she pointed to the tags and he smiled at her distress. “You dare pretend you were his friend after what you did, take them off, they are supposed to be mine.” 

“Come and get them,” he grinned at her.

“Please can we just calm-”

“Shut your mouth,” Sorcha barked at the preacher. 

She was going to pry those tags from his dead body, she’d kill them both, she didn’t give a shit about trying to stealthily get rid of them but if she failed they’d find the others. 

Cormac finally pried the hood off his hand and flexed his fingers, he hissed as some of them were now shredded and bent, she smirked at that. 

“Hey if you didn’t like hand stuff, you could’ve said.” He rolled his head towards her with a smile, “no need to crush my fingers to make your point.” 

“Breaking every bone in your hands will never be enough,” she was trying not to shake, she was trying not to throw up. 

“I followed protocol, you were mine after he died.” 

“Fuck the protocol, his body wasn’t even cold you disgusting piece of shit.” She tried to rein her anger in before she couldn’t see straight. 

“It’s not my fault, it’s how it works-” 

“He was your friend,” she hissed at him. 

“No he wasn’t, I only wanted you and you chose him,” he ripped the tags from his neck.

“I still choose him, it will always be Kadon for me.” She snarled fiercely at him, she meant it with every inch of her being. 

He sighed as the tags swung in his hand, “and I went through all that effort to find him when you were held up at gunpoint.” 

Sorcha’s blood chilled, “y-you what?” Tears welled in her eyes. 

“Yes, me.” He chuckled, “I knew that idiot wouldn’t be able to stop himself and with him gone protocol would demand you be paired with someone else, me.” 

She was right, this world was far to terrible a place now for a soul like Kadon’s, he’d have thought Cormac was trying to help, had it been reversed Sorcha would’ve beaten Cormac stupid for wasting time by trying to find her. 

“You murdered him over me?” She whispered in horror. 

“Well technically the mutt killed him… but it was far too easy to send him off to play hero,” he grinned victoriously at her. 

Ailith had been right, she’d gotten Kadon killed. The world had gone quiet around her as her gut curdled with the news she’d just been given. 

“You bastard!” She screamed and then she flung herself at him, fuck everyone watching she didn’t care, Cormac was now a dead man walking. 

He was too busy watching her swing that rod, he laughed as he grabbed it and didn’t see as she swiped at his crotch with one of her own knives, she sliced his thigh, blood seeping through his trousers as he leapt away. She swiped again at his outstretched hand slicing his palm open, the rod came back round to strike his face and ruptured his nose as it collided with it. She kept relentlessly swinging at him, he’d have to kill her to stop her, she would not relent to him for any other reason. 

“Pl-please, s-stop th-this,” the preacher stuttered as he watched in terror. 

She would not relent, she’d die first. 

She’d missed his half step and he lunged for her causing her to go crashing into the hood of the truck. She’d dropped the rod on impact but her nails dug deep into his cheek, slicing through his face making him hiss in pain. She drove the knife wherever she could, it dove deep into his bicep as he let out another cry of pain. 

She yelped as he crushed her into the hood with his body, panic seizing her as she’d been here before with him crushing her into a metal surface.

She dug her nails in deeper, twisted the blade harder and fought against the urge to shut her eyes. 

“This is familiar,” he hissed into her ear as he knocked a leg between hers. She trashed and kicked and scratched at him while he just laughed at her struggle. 

“St-stop! Don’t hurt her,” the preacher snapped. “We need women–” 

“I’m not going to hurt her,” he chuckled. “Well it might hurt a little, maybe a lot but it won’t damage her… much.” 

She spat in his face when he turned to look back at her, his fingers clamped around her throat as he forced both his legs between hers. She dug her nails into that hand and twisted the knife again with the other, he just continued to smile at her. 

“Do what you must, I won’t stop.” He lifted the tags over her head and dropped them into her mouth, “spit at me now and you’ll lose them.” 

She clamped her teeth around them and snapped her head into his while he was off balance, it collided with his already broken nose and he grunted at the impact but his grip around her throat tightened pushing her harder against the hood. 

She tried to snap her knees into him but he ground his hips against her as he shoved her as far down as was physically possible. She wanted to be sick, she could feel his fingers biting at her skin like they had before… She snapped those thoughts out, she couldn't think of them, she couldn’t freeze up but the tears came anyway. 

The preacher watched horrified but he wasn’t going to stop Cormac unless he tried to kill Sorcha. She knew they only cared about what she could produce for them, some women in those colonies weren’t as lucky to be paired up with one man. Forced brothels were used as punishment for women who didn’t comply, they didn’t care which of them fathered the child to the woman they shared that night. 

“It’s an honour to be a guards woman,” he purred at her as he lowered his face to hers. 

It had been, when it was Kadon. When she’d been loved and not seen as a broodmare, she hadn’t realised the true horrors until he was gone. She twisted her head away from him as her eyes clamped shut, the fight starting to fade from her as the familiar feeling of defeat washed over her. 

No she wouldn’t submit like this she thought as she pushed the metal tags into one of her cheeks, away from her teeth before she snapped her eyes open and then sank her teeth into the closest part of him she could find. She whipped her head to the side as hard as she could, blood splattered her as he screamed. She spat out whatever part of him was in her mouth, his earlobe landed on the bonnet beside her hand. 

She lunged for him, he was too busy clutching the bloody side of his face to notice her and he screamed as she tore the knife from his shoulder; screaming again when she forced it through his thigh, she made to kick it deeper into his leg that’s when he struck her. Her face snapped to the side and then the wind was knocked out of her as his fist collided with her ribs, she was gasping as she fell back onto the hood of the truck. 

He blinked at her in surprise, the preacher was wailing behind them or praying, she couldn’t make it out through the ringing in her ears. 

“What do we have here?” Cormac grinned as reached for her shirt and tore it open, the buttons clinked off the hood. His eyes raked over her, he chuckled as he skimmed his fingers over her bruises. “Someone’s done a number on you, huh?” He sharply jabbed his finger against her biggest bruise. 

She screamed at that and he pushed harder against it before resting his full palm across her ribs as he bent back over her, he tugged her down towards the edge of the hood. 

“No–” she tried to tried whimper but he just shoved the heel of his palm into her ribs making her scream out again as he buried his face in her neck. She sobbed at the weight on her, at the feel of his breath on her neck. 

“What a beautiful noise,” he chuckled. 

Then the weight was suddenly gone from her and Cormac yelped as Munroe dragged him back by the scruff, Sorcha opened her eyes to see him land a punch right on Cormac’s broken nose then his jaw, the crunch was sickening. Her eyes widened as Munroe wound up for a third punch. His fist collided with Cormac’s cheek sending him tumbling to the ground, he'd be lucky to walk away with his jaw intact after that. 

Sorcha shuddered at the rage that twisted and consumed Munroe’s face right now, he’d moved so swiftly that even the preacher looked startled to see him there. She pulled the tags out of her mouth as she sat up, she didn’t have time to look at them so she pocketed them. Munroe’s gaze shifted to her as she slid off the hood and he was undoing his shirt, revealing his black T-shirt underneath as he twisted towards her, he tugged it around her and quickly did up the buttons. 

Cormac was wailing on the ground as he clutched his nose, the preacher didn’t know what to do, he was eyeing Munroe and clearly didn’t like his chances. 

Sorcha was reaching for Munroe and as she buried herself into his side he wrapped an arm around her, his warmth seeped into her and it started to ground her, chasing away that crawling feeling on her skin as she breathed him in. He was here, he’d come to help her again. 

“D-don’t move or I-I’ll” the preacher had a gun raised at Munroe. “Shoot,” his hand shook as he held it and he looked like he was going to piss himself.

Munroe’s eyes slid to him and the preacher actually trembled, Sorcha tried to step out of his hold, the preacher wouldn’t shoot her but Munroe’s hold on her waist was like a vice grip. 

“You were just going to watch him assault her,” Munroe snarled at the preacher. 

The preacher's eyes turned watery and he dropped to his knees in dismay, he dropped the gun and held his face in his hands as he wept. 

“Spineless coward,” Cormac hissed at the preacher as he rose onto his knees, glaring at Munroe as he turned to look at them.

Munroe’s glare tuned murderous as he took in Cormac, “if you come near her again. I’ll fucking kill you, slowly .” His grip on her tightened. 

When Cormac’s gaze drifted to Sorcha she clung onto Munroe harder, her nails biting into him. Munroe hated the fear the man before them held over her, he’d enjoy finding out what fears the man before them had and he’d enjoy using them against him. 

“What about Kadon?” Cormac choked as he looked at Sorcha, “didn’t you just say he’s the only one for you.” His eyes sliding to Munroe, a question in his eyes.

“He’s a friend,” she snapped at him, her voice sounding rough. 

Munroe ignored the warm tingle he felt when she’d called him a friend, he was surprised he could feel anything but rage right now. 

“Bull shit,” Cormac spat blood onto the ground. “As if you just have her around for the sake of company.” 

“You heard the lady,” Munroe snarled. 

“You just want her for yourself like he did,” Cormac glared at Munroe. “It’s the same look in your eyes, like I’m fucking crazy.” 

“Because you are,” Munroe snarled in annoyance at him. 

“She’s mine,” Cormac raised a finger at him.

“Sorcha,” he snapped in annoyance. “Belongs to no one but herself and she doesn’t want you.” 

“No, you can’t have her.” Cormac laughed a little too manically. “I worked far too hard for someone else to get to fuck her whenever they want.” 

Sorcha shifted uncomfortably at that, she felt nauseous at being spoken about like an object as if she wasn’t right there. 

“Don’t tarnish me under your brush, we are not the same. I don’t have her,” he glared at Cormac. “But if she chooses it, it will be because she made that choice, I’d never force a woman to do anything she didn’t want.” 

Sorcha snapped her head to look at him, a slight smirk appeared as she glared at him, in your dreams. She thought at him, even if the last part made her want to stop her hard stare. 

Cormac eyed his hand on her waist but Sorcha’s glare made him smile, “looks like she doesn’t choose it.” 

“That’s fine, I’m not really that interested in her. She’s angrier than any of the Va’nu, I think I’d rather try my chances with one of them.” 

Sorcha narrowed her eyes at him, now glad she hadn’t stopped glaring at him as her fingers dug into him. 

“Liar,” Cormac finally managed to stand up on his feet. “Just hand her over and we’ll leave,” he motioned to the preacher.

“Oh she’s not going anywhere,” Ailith purred from the door waving at them with a knife in her hand. 

Cormac eyed her and Ailith smiled in that wicked way of hers, the preacher was startled out of his weeping as he heard another woman. 

“So there are two here,” Cormac huffed. “You don’t need two.” 

“Just like Sorcha I belong to no one but myself,” Ailith purred seductively. “Your community doesn’t sound appealing to me,” she picked at her nails with the knife. 

Lachlan appeared behind her with Athena at his side, Cormac’s eyes widened slightly at the dog who snarled at him, she remembered him too. 

“Leave.” Munroe growled dangerously. 

The preacher shakily got up, leaving the gun at his feet, he retreated backwards from them, the fear evident on his face. 

Cormac looked at Sorcha, “if he could see you now.” He smiled, “I bet he’d hate you.” 

She audibly winced at those words, the words that haunted her, she’d thought them many times about herself. Cormac’s smile turned into a satisfied grin as his words found their mark. 

Munroe however did not let that slide, he raised his gun and emptied a bullet into Cormac’s thigh, erasing the smile from his face but he wasn’t done yet, he aimed a second higher and squeezed the trigger. 

Lachlan hissed as Cormac doubled over clutching his now bleeding crotch, even Sorcha flinched at the sound that was now coming out of the bleeding man. 

“I said leave,” Munroe glared down at him. “How useful will you be to your colony now?” He chuckled darkly at him. 

Cormac shook as he looked in terror at Munroe, his eyes rolled back before he collapsed into the growing pool of blood beneath him. 

“Take him, leave him, I don’t give a shit.” Munroe was now glowering at the preacher, “but you come after Sorcha again, no one will walk away from it, that I promise.” 

The preacher nodded and bowed his head at him, as he knelt by Cormac. Sorcha just blinked in disbelief at the scene before her, she couldn’t believe he’d done that for her. 

“Come on,” he muttered softly against her temple as he tugged her towards the truck that Lachlan was already hauling their bags into. 

Sorcha didn’t say much as they took off in the truck, just held Athena as close to her as she could, the dog was in the footwell again. Sorcha didn’t talk much, she didn’t want to as she watched the world pass by and no one tried to pull her into their conversations, they just left her to sort through her own thoughts. 

Chapter Text

29.

She was pinned to a metal medical table, his lips were on her ear licking and biting at it, his fingers traced circles around her nipples, her bra had been shoved down and she couldn’t see where he’d thrown her top when he’d torn it from her before restraining her to the table. 

“Finally you’ll be mine,” Cormac moaned against her neck, making her stomach violently roll. 

His excitement clear as it brushed over her thigh, she thrashed in the restraints. He hadn’t pinned her legs but he was between them when she started wildly kicking them, he shoved one hand between her legs, the heel of his palm pinning her as he started stroking her through her jeans. 

How could he, after Kadon’s just… she sobbed aloud as the thought coursed through her. 

“Stop, please stop.” She whimpered. 

“You're all mine now,” he trailed his tongue down to her breasts and started sucking at her nipple. “I can do whatever the hell I want.” 

“Kadon!” She screamed out for him praying that somehow he could stop this, “please! Kadon! Help me!” 

Cormac laughed as he looked into her panicked face, “he’s dead. You killed him, your stupidity killed him, remember?” 

She froze as he ducked his head back down. He was dead, she remembered and it was her fault, she’d gone out alone, she’d been cocky. His fingers stroked her harder, pressing into her through her jeans. 

“St—st—stop. P-please,” she pleaded. “I can’t…” she started wailing. 

“I’m just doing my duty,” he started undoing her jeans. 

“Nononono! No!” She started thrashing again, “Kadon! Please! Kadon!” Her throat burned from how loud she screamed. 

Her head snapped to the side hard as Cormac slapped her, it did nothing to stop her sobbing. 

He yanked her jeans down, she tried to hug her body as close to the table as she could, she fought with every ounce she could so that he couldn’t remove them. He did though, twisting her harshly to the side as he tore them from her. 

“Please help me! Someone, anyone. Help me.” Her hushed prayer came out through her sobs as she watched him slide off his khaki jacket. 

“I’ve heard just about enough out of you,” he gripped her throat hard and squeezed. “You are mine now,” he buried his face into her neck and inhaled. “The way it was supposed to be,” he dragged his tongue along her neck as he slid his hand into her underwear. 

She tried to squeeze her legs together, tried so very hard to stop him as he forced his fingers through her and into her. He chuckled at the feel of his fingers inside her, Sorcha hissed at the pain of the sharp intrusion. 

“You’ll get wet for me soon,” he kissed her neck as he moved his fingers in her. 

“Stop, please just stop.” Her face burned with the tears that fell and marked her cheeks. 

“I’m already in, no point in stopping now.” He chuckled. 

“Why are you doing this, Kadon is barely… he’s…” her voice wobbled as she tried to shut out what he was doing to her. “Just stop this.” 

He shoved his fingers all the way in and twisted roughly, as he distracted himself looking at where he was inside her, she snapped her leg back and crashed it into his knee as hard as she could, she felt a crunch. 

He grunted and stumbled away from her as he fell over, she flipped herself off the table and yanked as hard as she could against the restraints, not caring how exposed she was, she just wanted to get away. She’d cut her hands off to get out of these restraints, they dug hard into her skin and parts of her wrists tore open from how hard she tried to thrash herself out of them. 

The doors slid open and two guards looked them both over, “please, please help me. Please,” Sorcha dropped to her knees and wailed. 

“She’s mine, don’t you dare touch her.” Cormac hissed as he threw himself up. 

“Not yet she isn’t,” one of the guards glared at Cormac as he slid off his jacket. 

He unclipped her before dropping his jacket over her, she was shaking as she pulled it around her, she felt utterly numb as she stared at the floor while the other guards restrained Cormac. 

The guard's name was Ben, he worked closely with Kadon and was always kind to her, to both of them. He gently gripped her shoulders and shook her, odd she didn’t remember this happening before. 

“Sorcha, Sorcha! Sorcha wake up,” Ben said, his voice shifting back and forth from his soft one to a deeper one. 

“Wake up!” Ben snapped but he now sounded like Munroe, that wasn’t possible. “Sorcha, please!” 

She took a deep breath and sat bolt upright, she was gasping in air, her body was shaking and she was coated in cold sweat. She touched her face and found it to be wet, had she been crying in her sleep? 

“What’s… what’s wrong?” Sorcha mumbled, her throat felt sore and sounded like it too. 

“You were screaming,” he gently wiped at her cheek. “And crying, I thought you were being murdered.” 

“It felt like it,” she sobbed as the nightmare came crashing back, she hugged her knees to her and began rocking. 

Munroe sat beside her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, “was it Cormac?” His voice strained as he asked. 

She nodded, “I relived it. What he did to me, how he touched me.” Her stomach twisted, “he restrained me to a medical table–” she choked out a sob as she put her face in her hands. 

“You don’t have to tell me,” he gently rubbed his thumb over her shoulder. “Only if you want to.” 

She just nodded and he slid away from her, he froze when she grabbed his shirt, her teary eyes looking up at him as her hand shook where it held him.

“Don’t leave me,” she whimpered. “I don’t want to be alone.” 

“I was going to get water,” he gave her a soft, reassuring smile and she nodded as she reluctantly let go. 

He was quick in getting water; he sat on the edge of the bed as he handed her a glass, he watched as she took a sip and when she was done he placed it on the bedside table.

“And if I want to talk about it?” She whispered it so very quietly as she picked at her covers. 

“Then I’ll listen,” he murmured softly.

She took a deep breath as she looked up at him, when she exhaled she began to tell him the nightmare. And she also talk about how Cormac had told her he’d orchestrated Kadon’s death, she told him about how the women in Fort Durrse were forced to take a partner if they weren’t paired up and she’d had no idea until it was her, most woman to scared to speak up about it and if they did they were forced into prostitution. 

She watched him carefully when she was done, her face wet from the crying she’d done while she’d spoken. His fists had curled into the covers as if he was strangling them or imagining strangling something, he hoped that the bastard was dead and if he wasn’t he’d kill him very slowly if they ever crossed paths again. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t stop it sooner,” he dropped his head as guilt washed over him. 

He had wanted to, she knew that from the black eye that was forming on Lachlan’s face when Munroe had dropped him off, the pair had gone to the lodge to recover. They had tried to restrain him from helping Sorcha and poor Lachlan had earned a punch for it, Munroe felt guilty for it afterwards but his only care was getting to her at the time, Lachlan could heal from a black eye. 

“Don’t,” she gently placed her hand on his. “You stopped it–”

He snorted, “I should’ve killed him, I should’ve made sure–” 

“You made him dickless,” she huffed out a forced laugh. “I think if he survives the blood-loss, then that will be a living hell for him.” 

Munroe shook his head, “he’s dead if he ever crosses paths with me again.” She just blinked at him, “I saw the way your hand twitched, the way your fingers scraped against your leg when he appeared.” He released a shaky breath, “like you wanted to peel your own skin off and I hated that. I hated that he made you feel that way, that’s when I should’ve gone to your side.” 

“Munroe,” she murmured softly as she squeezed his hand. Her thumb rubbing the back of it softly, feeling the small scars in them as he still choked the covers. 

“And for that feeling alone I’m going to skin him alive the next time I see him,” his eyes turned cold. “And I’m going to make sure he’s awake and alive for the whole thing.” 

She shuddered at that but it did not scare her, what did scare her was that she enjoyed him saying that, she wouldn’t make an attempt to stop him if Cormac was stupid enough to cross them again. 

“Are you going to stay there?” She blinked at him as she looked at him still tittering on the edge of the bed. 

He started to shift away from her, pulling his hand out from under hers. “I can move to the floor—“

“No,” she whimpered. “Stay with me,” he hesitated as he watched her cautiously. “Please,” she patted the bed beside her. “C-come here, beside me.” 

The pain on her face and in her voice had him moving and sliding beside her, she looked up at him as he settled beside her. He extended his arm out offering her his side if she wanted it and she reached for him, she nestled against him and shut her eyes as she buried her face into his chest, his scent washing over her, he smelt like embers, pine trees and cinnamon and she registered that as a safe smell as she relaxed into him.

Athena raised her head towards Munroe and grumbled slightly before she flopped back down, closing her eyes again. 

“Can you hold me?” Sorcha softly whispered. 

Munroe glanced down at her a little unsure in case he’d imagined those words, he hesitated before wrapping his arm around her. His chin gently rested on top of her head as he wrapped his other arm around her, she nestled deeper against him as he held her, his other hand gently stroked through her hair making her relax further. 

He told himself he’d leave when she fell asleep as her fingers gripped the material of his shirt tightly, at least that’s what he told himself as he watched her face relax, his warmth lulling her to sleep. He soon followed after her, the soft sound of her breathing lulling him, her soft sweet scent washed over him and he found it rather hard to fight the sleep that beckoned him. 

Chapter Text

30.

The nightmare didn’t return that night, nor the others that followed. She’d been a little distant since that first night back at the cabin, Munroe didn’t push her and just left her to rest while trying to discreetly keep an eye on her. 

She didn’t really mind when he checked in on her but hadn’t asked him to stay for longer than he had to, she kept herself busy with his books and Athena for company as she tried to distance herself from him. She didn’t see the point in getting close to him, she didn’t want to open that up when she was going to leave.

Finding Kadon’s tags in her jean pockets had also reminded her why she kept herself from getting close to anyone, she’d stroked her fingers over his name many times, she couldn’t bring herself to put them on though, so they found themselves around the bear's neck beside the necklace with the moonstone and the ring. She found herself touching the tags most mornings as if she couldn’t quite believe they were here, proof that he was real and he wasn’t just some beautiful, sad memory she’d made up. 

Time had made her forget how his touch felt, how he felt, what did he even smell like again? She couldn’t remember, if it wasn’t for the photo would she have forgotten his face, his smile? Her fingers trailed down that bear's stomach, she knew his voice still because of this but she couldn’t listen to it without it shattering her heart a little more each time. 

She sighed before getting up and stalking to the kitchen, she found the food that had been left for her and started picking at it. When she'd done with it she sat back on the couch with a new book to read, just as she opened it Munroe came back with Athena in tow. Sorcha paid him no mind as she started skimming the book, well trying to as he watched her. 

“How about we go somewhere today?” He said as he leaned on the counter.

“I’m fine here,” she muttered as she kept staring into the book not really seeing the words.

“I have somewhere in mind and I think you’ll like it,” he ushered gently. “It’s nice today,” he glanced out the window. “You should enjoy it before the weather shifts.” 

She snapped the book shut and glared at him, she did want to enjoy the last of the warm weather but also wanted to be left alone. 

“Are you going to keep persisting till I agree?” She muttered as she dropped the book on the coffee table.

“If you don't want to go I won’t make you but I think it’d be good for you to get out,” he just shrugged at her. 

She rolled her eyes, “if it gets you to stop fussing then fine.” 

She shoved herself off the couch and went to grab her boots, when she came back he had two knives laid out for her but no gun today, she didn’t complain as she shoved them into her thigh straps. 

Athena was waiting at the door as if she knew they were going somewhere, Sorcha smiled at her as she strode for the door and opened it letting the dog out then following after her heading for the tree line. 

“We’re taking the truck,” Munroe called as he closed the door. 

Sorcha spun to him giving him a questioning look as she did, she’d thought they’d be going somewhere close by. 

“It’s not far, twenty minute drive.” He shrugged as if reading her thoughts, “but it can take a few hours walking which Athena isn’t ready for yet. Even if she acts like she is,” he smiled softly at the dog. 

Sorcha just whistled for Athena and headed for the passenger side of the truck, Munroe helped the dog in and before Sorcha knew it the trees were blurring by, occasionally opening up to empty farmland and views of the hills. 

It wasn’t long before they were pulling up into an abandoned campsite, Munroe slid from the truck and Sorcha carefully stepped out, warily checking her surroundings. It looked clear, her fingers twitched nervously for the knives at her side. 

“Come on,” Munroe chuckled as he came round her side of the truck, Athena bouncing at his side. 

She furrowed her brows at him, “where?” 

“It’s a surprise,” he purred as he took a few steps backwards before turning and walking away from her. 

She followed after him, her eyes scanning the trees around her. There was nothing really left of the campsite, no real reason anyone would be here but she was on alert anyway, even as Munroe sauntered ahead without a care in the world as he grinned at the dog prancing in front of him, her tail held high and proud. 

She couldn’t deny the day was wonderfully warm as a gentle breeze fluttered through her hair, she almost stumbled when she spotted the sparkling body of water ahead. Her eyes widened at the lovely sight of it, the way the trees surrounded it reflecting in the water, it was breathtaking she’d never seen such a clear reflection and then there was the sand, beautiful golden sand. A lush beach tucked away into this massive loch, she blinked in awe at it. 

There was a strong scent on the breeze as she halted on the sand. It crunched under her boots as she did, Athena bounced in a circle when her paws touched it, she loved the feel of sand under her paws. 

Munroe noticed that Sorcha had paused, “you can take your boots off.” He chuckled as he started taking his off. 

Horror appeared on her face at that, “don’t be stupid!” She hissed at him, “what if we need to run?” 

Munroe snorted at that, “the space bears don’t come here and as for the dead they are easy to deal with.” 

“You can’t know that they don’t come here,” she shook her head at him. 

“Take a deep breath and take in the smell,” he sniffed as if to demonstrate. His boots now swung from his hand, “wild garlic. They can’t smell through it, we’ll be fine. So take your boots off and enjoy the small things when we find them and while we can.” 

He turned and started walking down the beach, his steps much quieter without his boots and Sorcha followed. She was mulling it over, she wanted to feel sand, she didn’t even know when the last time was. As she caught up with Munroe he pointed along the tree line, she could see the white flowers along the edge, they spread out far and the scent was definitely stronger now they were in the middle of the beach. 

So she stopped, bent down and started undoing her boots. Munroe tried to hide his smile as she did and he loosely tied his laces together before attaching his boots to his bag, he’d do the same with Sorcha’s when she was done. 

She tugged one sock off, tossing it into the boot before placing her foot onto the sand. It was warm from the day's sun and soft, so much softer than she remembered but perhaps the years of cutting her feet on sharp things had changed how she felt texture. She quickly rid herself of the second one and stood with both feet in the sand, she wriggled her toes in it and a smile bloomed on her face at the sensation. 

Munroe couldn’t hide his smile then as he tugged her boots up from the ground and set them beside his, he watched as she shut her eyes and raised her head towards the sun, the light dancing on her face as soft, silent joy also spread across her face, illuminating her in a way that made Munroe blink at her in wonder. 

Athena came barrelling back towards them with a stick in her mouth and wacked Sorcha in the leg with it, knocking her out of her trance as she hopped away from the dog coming to wack her other leg. 

Sorcha laughed as she grabbed for the stick, Athena let go and Sorcha pulled her arm back and then snapped it forward, pretending to throw the stick and snorting in amusement when Athena went bouncing down the beach a few feet before turning back to look at her owner utterly confused and bamboozled by the trickery. 

Sorcha waved the stick at the dog and took a few steps backwards before taking off into a sprint, Athena came charging after her and Munroe watched, rather entertained by the pair. Sorcha tossed the stick in front of her before Athena reached her, the dog continued her pursuit after it as the stick landed further down the beach.

Sorcha slowed to a jog enjoying how soft the sand was on her joints, her knee didn’t protest on the soft surface. She watched as Athena came running back towards her, the dog deciding she was going to run through the edge of the water as she did, sending water spraying over the golden sand in her wake. 

“Someone’s having fun,” Munroe chuckled as he came to a stop beside Sorcha. 

“Yeah she loves the water,” she smiled at the dog. “I try to take her to the beach at least once a year, if it’s safe to do so.” She glanced up at Munroe worried she’d said too much but he was watching her intently, “I take a stabbing guess when it’s her birthday and I’ll try to stop at one if we’re near enough.” 

“I think that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard,” he beamed down at her. 

She shrugged, “it’s the least I can do for her. She’s been through just about as much-” she shook her head. 

“I'm glad you have each other,” he murmured softly to her. 

Athena pranced over to them and this time whacked Munroe in the thigh with the stick causing him to yelp then chuckle at the dog as he took the stick, throwing it for her as he did. 

“She’s healing really well,” Sorcha muttered as she watched the dog. “Thank you for that, I know I said I was grateful but I didn’t thank-”

“You don’t have to,” he smiled softly at her. “Perhaps only a few more throws though, we don’t want her over doing it.” 

Sorcha just rolled her eyes at him and started walking along the sand, he walked with her as the dog circled around them with her prize, their fingers brushing each other’s when they’d stumble or slip on the soft sand but neither making a move to entwine them. 

Sorcha sunk into the couch after washing up, the sand had gotten everywhere and she had to wash it off. Munroe had washed up before disappearing back out the door. Not that Sorcha had minded, she enjoyed the quiet after their day at the beach, they’d had lunch then walked a little more taking in the view and feel of the beach, Munroe had even shown her how to skip stones or well had tried to, Sorcha had failed miserably at it much to his amusement. 

Athena curled up in the opposite armchair with a loud huff, Sorcha smiled at her as she grabbed for the book that she’d left on the coffee table. 

She gave up trying to read it after a few minutes, she couldn’t concentrate on the words long enough to retain them, so with a sigh she went to find something else to occupy her time. 

She found some fruit that had been cut up and went to sit back down with it, stuffing her face as she kicked her feet up on the coffee table. 

“Make yourself at home why don’t you,” Munroe scoffed as he opened the door and took her in.

“Was I not supposed to?” She arched her brow as she popped a slice of apple into her mouth.

He chuckled with amusement at her, “you most certainly were.” 

He sighed as he headed towards the couch, ruffling Athena’s ears as he passed her before slumping down onto the couch. He reached over and stole a handful of fruit from Sorcha, gaining him a glare which he returned with a fiendish grin.

“Long day?” She asked as she slid the bowl onto the table and slid her legs back onto the floor.

He pulled the discarded book towards him, “just trying to organise the crop yield before harvest.” 

“If you need help I’m sure there’s some sort of job I can assist with,” she shrugged.

“For now just relax,” he smiled as he started flipping through the pages. 

“I like to be kept busy,” she muttered quietly. 

“I can see that. You've worked through more than half of my books,” he snorted. “Enjoying little women?” He waved the book at her. 

She shrugged again, “I haven’t started it yet… I can’t concentrate on the words long enough so I gave up for now.” 

Munroe gave her a soft smile as he thumbed through the book again, “I can help with that.” He stopped flicking through pages and his eyes sparkled with mischief as he began. “Chapter one. Gossip–”

“Stop,” Sorcha scoffed at him. “I’m not a child who needs to be read to,” she gave him a rather bemused look.

“Just be quiet and listen,” he scoffed back rather snarkily. 

Sorcha just blinked at him as he turned his attention back to the book, she wasn’t sure what to make of this. 

“In order that we may start afresh and go to Meg’s wedding with free minds, it will be well to begin with little gossip about Marches…” his voice was soothing as he began reading. 

Sorcha found herself getting lost in it quickly as she watched him, before she really knew what she was doing she was beside him and peering down at the book as she inched closer to him, following the words as he read. 

She couldn't recall the last time she’d been read to, perhaps indeed when she was a child. She found herself enjoying it as her cheek landed on his shoulder and she let herself get utterly lost in his storytelling, her eyes getting heavier and heavier with each turn of the page until she found herself drifting into sleep, his voice following her until dreams of the story she’d just heard found her. 

Chapter Text

31.

Sorcha flung herself upwards when she didn’t immediately recognise the room she was in, the blanket that had been draped around her fell around her thighs as her heart started to slow when she realised she was just in the living room. She remembered falling asleep against Munroe and he must’ve left her to sleep here, she rubbed at her eyes as she swung her legs from the couch. 

No one here, she realised as she looked around, which meant Athena was out in the fields with Munroe. 

She decided while she was making herself tea that she was going to go look for them. She didn’t want to sit around waiting, she wanted to move, to ease the restlessness that was growing in her and clawing at her very skin from within. 

She wandered around to the barn, he wasn’t in there so she made her way down the field. A few of the animals glanced at her as she passed by them, then she spotted the familiar jet black tail wagging frantically in the air as she followed after Munroe, planks of broken fencing tucked under his arm. He almost stumbled a step when he spotted Sorcha heading towards them. 

Athena went bounding towards her owner when she spotted her, Sorcha bent down to intercept her as the dog ran right into her, flattening them both on the ground. 

“It’s only been a few hours,” Sorcha laughed as she shoved the dog off her, gently. 

“You did fall asleep before dinner,” Munroe chuckled. “Far more than a few hours.” 

“I guess I needed it…” she chewed at her lip as she scratched the dog's neck. 

“Why are you out here anyway?” Munroe shifted the planks under one arm and held his hand out to her as his eyes swept over her side where the steristrips held her now healed wound together underneath. 

He’d left the stitches in longer this time, his fussing had been far worse. She knew he just wanted the wound to heal fully, he’d taken them out earlier than he’d wanted to when she’d moaned at how itchy her skin got if she twisted too much, the stitches pulling her skin tight when she did. So he’d switched them for steristrips. The wound had healed almost as perfectly as it had the first time, the scar was thicker at the top where it had reopened but he’d said that was to be expected. She didn’t grumble too much at it, it was still less visible than her other scars. 

She let him yank her up as she took his hand, “I felt restless.” She shrugged as she turned from him. 

“You can help with collecting firewood then if you feel you have to do something,” he chuckled again as he passed her. “I’ll need to keep my store up before winter.”

Sorcha followed him into the barn and watched as he laid the broken wood down into the empty storage bin by the door. She glanced around the barn quickly for the cats but there was no sign of them today, she hadn’t had a chance to look when she stormed through earlier. 

“What happened to the fence?” She nodded her head towards the broken wood. 

“Dead one got past the trip wire,” he grumbled as he raked through a box near the bin before tugging out an axe and two hatchets. “Tore down a section of fence so I dealt with it and the fence.” 

She just nodded, “so where are we getting firewood?” 

He smiled, “just follow me.” He slid a knife from his belt and handed it to her before walking from the barn. 

She trailed after him as he strolled into the forest around them, she couldn’t help but watch the way his back muscles rippled under his white shirt as he moved. She wasn’t used to seeing him in a T-shirt, it was another warm day for the end of summer, she supposed he’d abandoned his button-up shirt for something cooler. She certainly hadn’t put a shirt on when she felt the temperature, she was in a loose fitting top and was enjoying when the breeze decided to flutter inside it. 

He stopped them in a clearing with trees that had already been felled and some already chopped into logs, too large to take back to the cabin she realised. 

“Are you expecting me to be able to chop through logs that size?” She gaped at the huge hunks of wood. Even the dog halted at the sight of them, she knew she couldn’t fit those ‘sticks’ in her mouth. 

He laughed softly, “you’ll manage when I cut them smaller or you can just watch then help me bring the wood back.” He just shrugged at that. 

He held a hatchet out to her and she took it before standing back beside the dog as she watched him drag a large log onto a stump, setting it up so he could swing at it. She watched as he raised the axe and then brought it back down hard on that chunk of wood, he grunted as he brought it down again and she gulped at the sight of it, her legs almost shook on the third swing when he split the wood clean in half. The strength that had to take almost had her trembling, she knew he was far from a weak man but seeing it was something else. 

She watched again as he swung the axe down into a second, beads of sweat dripping down the side of his face as he panted. This had been a bad idea but she was rooted to the spot as she watched that axe cleave through the log he was working on, he was still panting when he grinned at her. 

He sighed as he held the axe in one hand, gripping the bottom of his shirt with his other and wiping his brow with it. Sorcha blinked at the sight of his ripped torso then twisted her head away from him, no she couldn’t stand here and watch this.

“You can chop them,” he purred as he dropped his shirt and pointed to the wood at his feet. 

She looked at the wood, “still too big.” She grumbled, “I’ll go look for smaller ones to hack at,” she rolled her eyes at the glare he was giving her. “I won’t go far,” she added as she stalked away. 

She scouted around the edge of the trees, she could see Munroe haul the now smaller pieces onto the stump, his biceps rippling at the weight and then tensed as he brought the axe down on it. She wandered further away not wanting to eye him further, Athena keeping close to her side. 

She wandered off a little further than she’d should’ve, further than she said she would. 

She quickly got bored of looking for smaller chunks of wood to chop when she couldn’t immediately find any and started glancing around at the different trees instead, sliding the hatchet into her belt while she watched the animals that resided in the trees scramble up the bark or flit between the branches.

She had stopped when she spotted a hollowed out tree before her and was studying the missing part of its trunk, wondering how it had happened and what could’ve done that to the tree when someone grabbed her shoulder, she yelped in panic as she whirled around, ripping her blade from her thigh and she swung at them with it. 

Another hand stopped it, clamped around her wrist before the blade went through his chest, she just glared up at Munroe.

“You idiot,” she hissed at him.

He laughed at her as he slowly released her hand, “sorry I should’ve announced myself.” 

She huffed as she slid her knife back into her thigh strap, “what do you want?” 

“Just wondered where you wandered off to—” he stopped abruptly as his eyes went over her head to the trees behind her.

She started to turn her head in the direction he was looking, “what is—” his hand was clamped over her mouth before she could finish asking. 

He pushed her into the hollowed out tree, shushing her as he pushed himself against her, his hand still over her mouth, his other hand above her head as he hid her beneath his body, Athena squeezed in by his legs as if she understood the threat as much as he did. Her ears flattened and she lowered herself onto the ground at their feet, making herself as small as she could. 

Oh Sorcha was seething with rage as she glared at him but he wasn’t looking at her to notice it, his eyes were fixed on the small crack in the tree bark, looking out of it at whatever was beyond them. 

Then she heard it, the clicking language followed by very heavy footsteps, a few aliens and their pet out for a stroll from the sounds of it. Sorcha tensed beneath Munroe, he pushed her further into the bark as the sound of those footsteps got closer. 

Her cheeks heated at how flush they now were, she could feel every hard inch of his muscles pressed against her. She watched his face as he kept his eyes on that break in the bark, the break that was allowing him to see the threat. She was readying herself for the panic that would seize her from this abrupt closeness, was readying herself to fight off the thoughts that would start warring in her mind but instead they didn’t come, instead she felt her body betray her in a way she never wanted it too. 

She’d forgotten about the threat, her body thrumming at the closeness of him. He stole a glance at her, as if checking she was still there, she had been very still beneath him at the shock of what was happening to her. 

She was scared to move in case she enjoyed it, him being pressed against her was heating her in a way she hated. She cursed him for being attractive and she cursed herself for wanting to run her hands up his arms then down his chest and down… she dropped that thought, closing out the memory of him at the lodge. 

She instead focused on the tree biting into her, the pain from the sharp jagged wood, his hand still clamped around her mouth… yeah that one didn’t help keep her mind from wandering. 

She huffed through her nose at him, he slowly removed his hand from her face, it slid to rest on the handle of his knife as he kept watch.

She turned her head towards that crack as well, her cheek brushing his chest as she did, she just didn’t want to look at how close he was. She couldn’t see anything out of that crack from where she’d been pushed into the tree so she didn’t know how much he could actually see. His jaw brushed the top of her head just as something passed by that crack, they had to be about eight feet away she guessed. 

Sorcha didn’t think she was breathing, she certainly didn’t move now that she was fully tucked against him. His scent was washing other her, he smelled good. He felt good, she shut her eyes tight, dispelling the thoughts. She was sick, she told herself, she had to be because there were aliens mere feet away and all she could think of was him pressed against her. 

She couldn’t tell how much time had passed as she kept her eyes squeezed shut, trying to keep her breathing even, trying to ignore his chest rising against hers, his breath in her hair. 

“They’re gone,” he whispered, his voice gravely as his breath fluttered the loose strands of her hair. 

She tilted her head to look at him, to glare at him, he was still watching through the crack. 

“Get off me,” she hissed as she thrashed against him. 

He blinked in surprise and turned to look at her a bit wide eyed at the feral look on her face, her face twisted into rage when he looked at her but what he didn’t expect or see coming was the punch to his jaw. 

He stumbled back a few steps rubbing at his jaw as he did, he looked at her a bit bewildered before she stormed by him. 

“Your welcome,” he growled at her as she passed by. 

She ignored his snark, she had to get away from him, she had to shake off what she had just felt. 

She shouldn’t think of him that way, she told herself she couldn’t allow it. Wouldn’t allow it… she didn’t even know when she’d let him that close, when he’d woven his way under her defences. She hated that she could feel such a thing after what had happened, what she had relived. 

She could hear him grumbling a few feet behind her but kept walking and ignoring him the best she could, no she wasn’t going to do anything with Munroe. She’d help out, enjoy more of his food and then get the hell out of here.

She left the door open as she stomped into the cabin, she heard it shut as she stepped into the bathroom, swiftly locking the door as she did.

She turned the shower on and quickly peeled her clothes off, she needed to wash away the very thoughts and feel of him against her. 

She cursed herself again as the thought washed over her so she twisted the dial to cool, again she wondered when he’d gotten so close that her body didn’t bristle in his presence like it should. 

Was it because he’d said she wasn’t appealing to him that she was starting to feel comfortable around him or was it simply because she was actually starting to like his company? 

Sorcha realised she had unknowingly let him close, she had voluntarily nestled against him yesterday, she’d started holding his hand after he saved her in the warehouse, she sought him out for safety because he’d shown that’s what he was, safe. He’d even risked his own neck for her and that was far too good to be true, she’d expected some ulterior motive to appear by now. 

She groaned in annoyance as she pressed her forehead against the tiles, she shoved it all down. She’d ignore it, she was going to leave, no point in acting on something that wouldn’t change the fact that she was going to leave. 

Even if a part of Sorcha liked the idea of someone she could just mess around with, she didn’t think he seemed the type to take it seriously if something happened between them, Ailith had even said he got bored easily. From the way her body had thrummed she may even enjoy it, her last experience with a man hadn’t excited her in the slightest and she had slunk away while he slept, robbing him in the process of course. 

That lacklustre experience a little over three and half years ago had made her decide it wasn’t worth her time to try and scratch that itch again, perhaps what had been missing then was the feeling she had just experienced. 

She shoved her face fully under the cold water, letting it wash over her and wash the thoughts away with it. Sorcha wouldn’t act on her base desires, a few more weeks and she would be gone, she was just glad they got along better now so at least the last few weeks wouldn’t be utter misery. 

Chapter Text

32.

Sorcha watched from inside the truck as Munroe muttered angrily under the hood of the truck, their supply run had gone well until they hit a biter on the road. They thought it had just gotten splattered and fallen onto the road, apparently not, parts of it had gotten wedged in the truck and Munroe had the lovely job of picking them out. Sorcha had offered to help but when he refused she didn’t insist further, she had however insisted to come on the supply run with him. 

She had said she wanted to stretch her legs but she was wanting to help him where she could, she felt utterly guilty about punching him. The yellow mark on his jaw was a reminder that she’d let her own issues get the better of her, he’d made one joke about how hard she could punch for a small thing, he hadn’t tried to joke about it again when she got sheepish and disappeared into her room. Then the following day he’d apologised for shoving her into the tree, she couldn’t even look at him for the rest of the day, which had been awkward when he had to check her wound, at least after that she didn’t need the steristrips anymore. 

So she had volunteered to help gather supplies. It had been fairly successful even if they had to go further to find places that hadn’t been picked completely clean, she hadn’t minded. She enjoyed the road and his company didn’t grate on her like it used to, just the guilt she felt when she saw his bruise, a few more days and it’d be gone. 

The door opened and Munroe was scowling when she looked over, dark blood splattered on his face as he pulled a cloth from the side of the door and scrubbed at his face. 

“Disgusting,” he grumbled. “Splattered the moment I pulled it,” he hissed as he tossed the cloth back into the door. 

Sorcha snorted at him as he went to shut the hood, giving the engine a final check before he did and then slid back into the truck. Athena pressed her nose to his cheek before curling back up in the back seats, she had been watching him like a hawk while he worked. 

“We aren’t going to make it back before dark,” he grumbled as he started the truck.

“Don’t tell me we’re camping in the truck,” Sorcha sighed in dismay.

“No,” Munroe chuckled. “There’s some sort of club bar up ahead so we’ll chance our luck there.” He eased the truck down the road, “the truck can be plan B.” 

“Great,” Sorcha rolled her eyes. 

It wasn’t long before they were pulling up to the shabby building, white paint peeling from its walls and the windows boarded up to the nines. She furrowed her brows as she took in the overgrown drive that twisted around a shattered fountain, Sorcha suspected this was some sort of wedding venue and tried to imagine it in all its glory but failed when all she could see was the ruined state of it. 

“Looks cosy,” she grumbled. “I expect to see the scooby gang busting through those doors any second yelling g-g-g-ghost.” 

Munroe tried to suppress the laugh that snorted out of him as he stopped the truck, “was that actually a joke coming out of your mouth?” His brows raised high at her.

She shrugged, “maybe I was being serious.” 

“It is rather derelict, perfect for a ghost.” He smirked at her. 

“I think I’d rather a ghost over our actual reality,” she smirked back at him.

“True,” he nodded and then sighed. “Right let’s get this over with.” 

She just nodded before getting out of the truck and went to sort out Athena before they went in there, Munroe was working on covering the supplies they’d found. Batteries, tools, some tinned food, blankets and anything useful they could get their hands on. 

Sorcha dragged her pack towards her and pulled the boots out of her bag for Athena, the dog’s ears flattened the moment she spotted them.

“Don’t be like that,” Sorcha murmured to her. “You need them to keep your feet safe.” 

Munroe chuckled at the dog as he came to lean on the truck near them, “before we searched for Ailith I really didn’t think that dog had a fussy bone in her.” 

“She doesn’t like clothes,” Sorcha smiled as she started putting the boots on Athena who reluctantly let her. “But she accepts it as begrudgingly as she can.” 

Once the boots were on Athena they set off into the rundown building, Sorcha hoped they could find somewhere decent to sleep in there, at least it’d be better than being squashed in the truck.

They stepped into the entrance hall and Sorcha was glad she’d put the boots on Athena at the sight of the smashed chandelier between the twin stairs, some crystal jewels still hanging from it. Sorcha went around one side and Munroe the other, both with their guns at the ready, Athena carefully trailed after Sorcha as they ascended the stairs. They went from room to room, finding the place to be clear of bodies, dead or alive, so Munroe went to barricade the doors and Sorcha went to snoop around in what looked like a ballroom.

The dance floor in the middle had been what had caught her eye, torn curtains hung from the windows, curtains Sorcha assumed were once white but now worn out and splattered with dark stains which she believed was old, dried blood. She glanced around the room as she trailed around it, Athena had gone to sniff under the tables.

Sorcha set her bag on the bar and holstered her gun as she started picking through the alcohol, she found two decent unopened bottles, whiskey and vodka and then she found an unopened packet of crisps, she couldn’t tell what kind from the worn bag, not that it would matter, they’d be stale no matter what flavour they had been. She set them near her pack and lazily strolled through the tables until Athena stopped her with something hanging from her mouth, Sorcha took it and muttered a thank you so the dog would let go.

It was a worn wedding cake topper, the lace veil had tears in it. Sorcha frowned at it and glanced around the ballroom again, she wondered what horrific story it would tell if it could, who’s wedding day was ruined and was it by the war or when the infection spread? She supposed she’d never know as she set the topper on the nearest table and continued her round.

Her foot knocked into something that made a musical clink, she blinked down at the little wooden box and bent to scoop it up. A music box she realised as she twisted it in her hands and walked back to the dance floor, she opened it but no noise came out, two figures appeared, one in a red suit and the other in a golden dress. She flipped the box upside down and found the dial, she twisted it a few times before setting it down on the bar.

She loosed a breath at the melody that started playing from it, she knew that song and had sung it many times as a child. 

She hummed along as she started to gently sway to the soft tune, Munroe had stopped in the doorway at the sight of her, she hadn’t heard him coming and he was completely mesmerised by the soft joy on her face as she hummed along, her eyes closed as she swayed.

Then she started singing the words she knew went with the melody playing, his heart stumbled at the softness of her voice. “Dancing bears, painted wings,” then she started waltzing, a hand raised on an imaginary shoulder, the other holding an imaginary dress as she continued, “and a song someone sings once upon a December.” She flung her hands around herself in an embrace as she belted the next part, “someone holds me safe and warm,” she was waltzing again. “Horses prance through a silver storm, figures dancing gracefully-” the music box stopped making her halt her movements and singing as she glanced at it.

Munroe was moving before he really knew what he was doing, Sorcha had noticed him then and had gone utterly still and a sheepish expression crossed her face at the sight of him. Those metallic eyes narrowing as he got closer, frustrated that he’d caught her. Not that he cared as he reached for that box that had caused her to do such a beautiful thing, twisting the dial a few times before setting it back down, he stepped for her as the melody started tinkling out of the box once more.

He gulped as he stopped before her and held a hand out to her, “dance with me?” He murmured.

She blinked at him, that anger dissipating and turning to shock as she shook her head. “I’m not a good dancer.” 

He smiled softly, “I can lead.” 

She glanced at that outstretched hand, she hesitated until her eyes caught on the bruise that still coloured his jaw. She gave him a soft nod as she took his hand, he spun her out gently to the tune and pulled her back in, her hand landing on his shoulder and his on her waist as he led her into a waltz. 

Very quickly she got lost in the dance, a smile bloomed on her face as they twirled around the dance floor, the last thing she had expected was for him to be a good dancer. A joyous laugh burst out of her that had Munroe twirling her faster, this wasn’t like the wild joyous smile he’d seen when they’d been at the lodge this was something else, she was glowing and he had thought that soft simmering joy on the beach had been beautiful, this joy was was blinding and contagious as it washed over him.

When the music stopped they continued to sway as they slowed their movements. Sorcha was first to pull away, her cheeks pink from the dancing. He just watched her as she slid into a stool by the bar and popped open a bag of crisps. 

“Dinner,” she shook them at him. “And to wash it down,” she flicked a finger against the vodka bottle making it clink.

He shook his head, “I don’t think drinking out here is wise.” 

She just shrugged and took a handful of crisps, her nose crinkled in disgust as she chewed them. “You have ruined me,” she grumbled as she set the bag down.

“I did no such thing,” he purred as he slid into the seat next to hers and took a handful. He tried not to gag at the chewy texture, “ok they are disgusting. How did you survive out here?” 

She took another handful, “it’s easier when you forget what food is supposed to taste like, so thanks for that.” She sighed, “I get to remember that when I go.” 

“You could find somewhere, grow food, sustain yourself.” He picked at the crisps.

“I like to keep moving and I can’t do that on the move,” she gave him a smirk before flicking the cap off the vodka and taking a sip.

“You're really going to drink that?” He grimaced at her.

She rolled her eyes as she set the bottle down, “somedays I was far too buzzed out here to see straight, I think a few sips of vodka won’t kill me.” 

“You should sleep instead, I’ll take the first watch.” He insisted. 

“You sleep,” she huffed. “I promise I won’t drink anymore if that puts your mind at ease.” 

“No you first–”

“Munroe, sleep.” She grumbled the command at him, “you’ve been driving half the day and you took on far more biters than me during the raids, you need it.” She levelled a glare at him, daring him to fight her.

“Fine, I’ll leave you to your disgusting crisps just don’t get blootered.” He levelled that glare right back before going to pull the sleeping bag from his pack.

She forced herself to eat a few more crisps as she listened to Munroe settle down into sleep, Athena had curled up beside him the moment he’d set himself on the floor. 

She twisted to look at him as she took another swig from the bottle, he had an arm draped around Athena and she had nestled into him, it made Sorcha smile but her gut also twisted at the sight. The dog was going to miss him, probably wouldn’t understand why they’d left Munroe behind when they finally left. They had a few more weeks to make sure the dog's leg was healing correctly. Sorcha wished she could make Athena understand that this was temporary, the dog had gotten so attached to Munroe. 

Sorcha told herself she wouldn’t miss him, at least not as much as the dog. She would however miss his food and how he left books out for her that he’d think she’d like to read and she had. They had gotten close and she was starting to see him as a friend. He’d done what she thought was impossible, she realised not everyone who was left was bad or rotten, there were indeed some good ones left in the world. 

Sorcha slid herself onto the bar, she had better vantage of the windows from up here. She rested one foot on it and let the other hang off the edge as she kept watch all night. Munroe looked far too peaceful to disturb so she let him sleep and silently admitted to herself that she would miss him a little when it was time to go. She washed that thought away with a sip of vodka, she’d never admit that aloud or again, even to herself, if she could help it. 

Munroe groaned, causing Sorcha to twist her head from the window to look in his direction, Athena’s tail started thumping which indicated that man must have woken up.

“Ugh!” He grunted as Athena licked his face, “not the mouth.” He grumbled as he pushed himself up to sit.

Sorcha watched as he stretched, then rubbed his eyes as he glared at the light now streaming in through the room, she smiled when he twisted to look at her.

“You watched all night?” His brows furrowed in annoyance. 

“Yep,” she let the ‘p’ pop off her lips as she swung both legs off the bar and dropped down. “You have to drive again, I can sleep in the truck so I figured I’d let you sleep.” She shrugged.

“Did you plan that?” He murmured sleepily, annoyance still laced his voice. 

She gave him a half smile that told him she had indeed planned not to wake him once he was out, he was utterly miffed at her for it.

“Sorcha you’ve been up as long as me,” he protested as he got up.

“And I’ve been doing this far longer than you,” she folded her arms as she stopped near him, she looked towards the door as she spoke again. “You’ve done so much for me, for us, the least I could do was let you get a decent amount of sleep.”  

He blinked at her, that annoyance suddenly drifted away at the candour on her face, at the pink that colour her face as she’d spoken.

“Thank you,” he whispered sincerely. 

She just nodded as they started packing up their stuff, and Munroe couldn’t stop stealing glances at her the whole time they did. 

As they headed down the hall Munroe walked by the stairs and motioned for her to follow him, she gave him a dubious look but trailed after him when Athena passed by her and went to his side. He stopped in front of two large cracked doors at the end of the hallway and threw her a smile as he placed his hand on the handle. 

“You really didn’t snoop past the bar did you?” He smirked at her and when she gave him a questioning look he laughed, “I’m sure we’d have ended up sleeping in here had you found it.” 

He threw the door open and her eyes about popped out at the sight, she stepped by him without a thought as she took in the shelves. The many, many shelves filled with books, some ruined from the broken windows that had let the weather in but some still sat almost as good as new. 

“I meant to tell you and then I found you dancing,” he smiled as he stepped in the room. 

She glared at him for mentioning it, “I don’t know what you're talking about.” She huffed as she walked up to the shelves and started skimming her fingers over spines. 

“Sure,” he chuckled. “Fill your bag, I’ll go see if the kitchen has anything we can take and then we’ll go.” 

She just nodded and watched him go, Athena stayed with Sorcha but kept her eyes on the open door as her human wandered around the room throwing book after book into her pack until no more could fit. 

As she headed for the door she glanced back at the books again and smiled, she certainly didn’t expect there to be a library here of all places. She gave the weathered books a sad look before strolling out of the room to find Munroe, Athena on her heels. 

It didn’t take them long, he was strolling into the foyer as they reached the bottom of the stairs. When he spotted her he held up a bag of what looked like nuts, a grin appearing as he waved them at her. 

“I didn’t find much but these, I can use these with your chocolate powder and make cookies.” 

“What are they?” Her eyes narrowed on them as she got closer. 

“Hazelnuts,” he hummed as he pocketed them. “I hope you like chocolate hazelnut cookies,” he raised a questioning brow at her. 

“What if I’m allergic to nuts?” She muttered as she stopped. His face dropped and she snorted as she added, “I’m not. I think I’d eat them even if I was, I loved Nutella before so…” she stopped when she realised she had started rambling. 

He gave her a half smile, “well let’s get back so we can try them.” 

She nodded and began to follow him as she said, “you still owe me hot chocolate with whipped cream.” 

He chuckled as he opened the door, “it’s still too warm for hot chocolate is it not?” 

“So?” She shrugged. 

“Fine, if you want it.” 

“It’s nice having a personal chef at my beck and call,” she sighed dramatically and chanced poking him in the ribs as they stepped onto the drive. 

He stopped and laughed fully before smiling at her as she came to a stop as well, “I’m your personal chef?” His smile turned into a smirk at that question. 

She smiled right back up at him as wickedly as she could, “I think if I tried to cook you’d have an aneurism.” 

He stepped into her and she didn’t budge an inch, “you can try if you’d like but I think you might give us food poisoning.” He teased as he towered over her. 

“Maybe I’ll just give you food poisoning,” she purred at him. 

His eyes twinkled at that tone, his smile turning predatory as he enjoyed this back and forth between them. As he opened his mouth he heard the gurgles, he turned to see two dead ones stumbling from the trees. 

“Stay put,” he hissed as he walked towards the dead ones. 

She didn’t argue, she was dead on her feet from staying up so long. She could’ve made herself take them out but she was so ready to climb in that truck and nap. She watched as he drew both blades from his thighs, he swiftly dispatched them both as he plunged the knives through their heads at the same time. Sorcha couldn’t stop herself from trailing her eyes down him as he shifted his blades back into their straps, she wasn’t sure why she had found that attractive. She shook her head before he turned back around and nodded towards the truck as if to say get in. 

She let the dog in first before sliding into her seat, Sorcha let out a yawn as Munroe’s door slammed shut and he twisted the key into the ignition. 

“You should sleep,” he said softly. 

She nodded, “I’ll try.” 

“Do you mind if I put music on?” She shook her head and he grinned fiendishly. “Good, I need something to drown out your snoring.” 

She whipped her head towards him and hissed, “I do not!” 

“You do,” he purred. “And you drool, I didn’t move you from the couch in case you drowned me.” 

She was scowling at him now, “asshole.” 

“Ikatteiru on'na,” he chuckled. 

“You know I can’t stand that,” she huffed. 

“I know,” his lips curved at the edges as he slid a disc into the console. 

She rolled her eyes at him as she started to turn away but paused as heartbreak hotel started playing and she turned to look at him, he raised a questioning brow at that look.

“You like Elvis?” She chuckled softly, “I wasn’t sure if that was yours or one of your parents.” 

“Well he is the king,” he grinned at her. 

Again she rolled her eyes and muttered, “oh god.” 

“Do you not approve?” He scoffed in playful disbelief. 

She just shrugged, “I don’t mind. I was just surprised, my parents liked listening to him a lot. What’s your favourite of his?” She tilted her head towards him. 

“Blue suede shoes or hound dog.” He nodded, “maybe jailhouse rock too. Do you have any of his that you like?” 

She thought about it for a moment and crinkled her nose, “I’m not going to tell you.” 

“Can’t help falling in love, then?” He smirked at her knowingly. Knowing that she’d never admit to liking a love song. 

She shook her head as she laughed, “what else do you like?” 

He smiled widely, it lit up his whole face as he asked. “Music wise?” 

“Anything,” she gave him a soft smile. 

She wanted to know more about him, she shouldn’t but she found herself enjoying having a normal conversation. She supposed asking people what their likes were wasn’t exactly classed as normal anymore, there wasn’t much to enjoy during the fall. 

“Fishing,” he winked at her. 

“I could’ve guessed that and you can’t say reading either,” she narrowed her eyes slightly at him. “Or cooking,” she added. 

He rolled his eyes, the smile didn’t ease from his face as she watched him. She found she liked that smile, it was warm. Why hadn’t she noticed that before?  

“Tell me your favourite colour?” She murmured, trying to steer him in the right direction in case he couldn't think of anything off the top of his head. 

“I like the colour green, although I’d say my preference runs towards silver now.” He glanced at her before going on, “what’s yours?” 

“Purple… lavender or lilac,” she smiled. Blue, she also liked blue but it was too hard to say. 

He blinked once in surprise, he hadn’t expected her to like such soft colours. 

“I like rowing, I like animals… all of them.” He chuckled before going on, he’d caught the look in her eyes and wanted to distract her. “Pizza but I’ll never taste that again.” 

“Is pizza beyond your skill set?” She snorted in amusement.

“Cheese isn’t easy to make, I can make a small amount but not enough.” He smiled and glanced at her, her eyes going heavy. “You should sleep.” He said even though he wanted her to keep talking, she hadn’t talked this much and he had relished every second of it. 

She nodded and hummed out a sigh, “ok.” 

He reached in the back as he kept his eyes on the road and dragged a blanket out, he dropped it onto her legs and she pulled it around herself as she turned from him. It wasn’t long before the truck was filled with the sound of her soft breathing, Munroe had tried his hardest not to be surprised by her playful nature today. He’d definitely sensed the shift between them recently, even if she had punched him for getting too close to her. At least she was now acting more like a friend than a frightened animal that thought he was her enemy, that was all Munroe could ask for. 

Chapter Text

33.

The smell of freshly baked cookies was otherworldly, Sorcha had died and gone to heaven. She was cleaning up the mess they’d made while they had baked, Munroe had already scolded her for trying to eat them when they’d just come out of the oven. He was currently making popcorn, Sorcha had found some kernels in his cupboard when she was skimming for ingredients so she’d asked if he could make it, so he had done just that. 

She glanced out the window as she finished the dishes, the rain was belting down now. Another reason he’d agreed to make the popcorn, it’d be perfect to snack on while they watched a movie, as if she needed another reason to love the rain.

“Done,” she chimed as she dried her hands and leaned on the counter near him. 

“Just waiting for these to pop–” he stopped as he glanced at her and blinked before a smile formed on his lips. “You’ve got flour all over your cheek, it’s in your hair.” He snorted as he reached for her.

His fingers brushed the flour from her hair then cheek, his thumb brushing over the scar there when he was done wiping the flour off her which made Sorcha gulp. She made to pull away but froze when he stepped closer, her cheek was on fire from the heat of his hand or perhaps from the way he was now looking down at her. 

Pop. She yelped and jumped away at the sound, it was followed by a bunch more popping and she glanced at the source. Munroe laughed as she sighed, embarrassed to have jumped at such a small thing but her nerves had been shot in that moment. 

“So jumpy,” he teased as he dealt with the popcorn. “You're not going to survive the movie tonight if popcorn has you jumping out your skin.” 

She tensed at that and threw a glare at him, “and what the hell are we watching?” 

“Just a little horror,” he shrugged as he turned the hob off. 

Sorcha scoffed, “no I don’t think so.” 

He arched a brow at her, “I slave away. Have taken on every one of your demands and you won’t let me pick a movie?” 

“Demands,” she shook her head in disbelief. “I asked, you could’ve said no.” 

“Sorcha,” he pleaded with her, a rather attractive grin on his face as he purred her name. 

“Fine,” she huffed in defeat. 

He chuckled as he looked for a bowl, “go pour some drinks and sit your huffy arse down.” He gave her another grin, one that made her a little weak in the knees. 

She ignored it as she poured them some water, thankful that her legs moved with ease as she made her way to the couch. She wondered if being at each other's throats was the best way to be, rather than this new witty, friendly banter that they had fallen into. 

She set the glasses down and sat herself on the couch, Athena had followed her so she patted the spot beside her but the dog ignored that and headed straight for the armchair.

“Fine then,” Sorcha snorted at the dog as she curled up.

The bowl slid onto the table with a scrape as Munroe stopped nearby, he held out one of the cookies to her as he took a bite of his. Sorcha took it and tried not to appear too glutinous as she took a bite, they tasted better than they smelled. She suppressed the urge to moan at the chocolaty, nutty taste. 

“Good?” Munroe chuckled. 

When she opened her eyes she saw he was looking at her, his eyes twinkling as he watched her reaction. She guessed she hadn’t been so subtle while she had enjoyed it then. 

She just rolled her eyes at him, he turned and started putting the movie on. Sorcha glanced at the case but didn’t recognise it, some slasher movie where the killer was going to hunt all the characters down. She finished her cookie, much to her dismay, as Munroe sat down and took his last bite. As the movie started she settled for a handful of popcorn, it was very buttery and sweet. 

“Someone else has a sweet tooth then,” she arched a brow at him as she sat back. 

“Just a little,” he grinned at her as he took a handful. 

She just smiled as she sat back and tried to watch the movie, she really just kept her eyes on the corner of the screen. She hadn’t asked the name when she hadn’t recognised it and she didn’t want to know, she knew the beginning wouldn’t be so bad at least. 

When the killer started hunting his victims down she was glad she was only watching the corner of the screen, she couldn’t admit to him how much she hated these kinds of movies, and had always hated these kinds of movies. Sorcha hoped he couldn’t tell how hard she was clenching her jaw, so she leaned forward to take a drink. Another way to distract herself was leaning forward for food or water every so often. 

As she set her glass down and leaned back into the couch, she tried not to tense when she felt his arm behind her as sat back. How long had that been there? She hadn’t noticed him doing it.

She peeked at him from the corner of her eye, he was watching the movie not her so she did the same, it meant nothing. 

Lighting flashed outside making her jump as it was quickly followed by a boom, Munroe’s hand slid onto her shoulder and squeezed gently, reassuringly.

“Looks like it’s more than just rain,” he muttered as he kept his hand on her.

“Will the animals be ok?” She whispered, not daring to look at him, she should shove his hand off, instead she enjoyed the warmth that seeped into her shoulder from it. 

“They’ll be fine,” he leaned forward to grab the bowl of popcorn.

When he sat back he’d moved closer, Sorcha noticed it as he offered the bowl to her she just shook her head as he took a handful.

He slid the bowl back onto the coffee table and took a drink, again Sorcha thought about shrugging him off but he was so warm. 

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she glanced at the TV and jumped at the stupid jump scare as the killer jumped out of a dark hallway, which made Munroe chuckled, “I’d think that you would be used to scary things by now.” 

“I’ve always hated scary movies even before they became reality,” she grumbled.

Munroe frowned at that, “you should’ve said… I’d have picked something else-”

“I wouldn’t want to make any more demands,” she teased him. 

His lips curved at the edges, “you’d be able to take him you know. So you’ve nothing to be scared off,” he purred back just as teasingly. 

She just snorted at that, she supposed he was right and now she would slaughter anyone like that if they got in her way. 

His fingers trailed along her shoulder then up the back of her neck until his hand was cupping the nape of her neck. He gently tugged her, her heart was the one to jump this time as she looked at him.

His eyes were ravenous as he took her in, her heart clench painfully under that stare. His eyes flicked to her lips and then back to her eyes, she didn’t dare move as her cheeks exploded with heat. He tugged her again, softly and patiently, giving her a chance to pull back she suspected if she wanted to but did she want to? 

She couldn't think over her thundering heart, he leaned in towards her and before she could form a straight thought she was leaning back up into him. 

As their lips met her fingers gripped his shirt greedily, she hummed a moan against him and as her lips parted his tongue delved into her mouth, his fingers sliding into her hair freeing it from the ponytail it was in, his other arm wrapped around her waist pulling her against him.

He was lowering her onto the couch, their lips still hungrily devouring each other as he settled between her legs. His hand slid down her waist, her hip, the curve of her ass, down her thigh and cupped her knee as he pulled her leg around him. 

He gently ground against her and she moaned at the friction between her legs, his hand slowly slid back up, under her shirt as he explored her body. He quickly got his hand beneath her bra and gently pinched her nipple, she gasped out at that touch and her head tilted back as he began teasing her nipple. As he did Munroe kissed his way down her neck and stopped to tentatively bite her where her shoulder met her neck causing Sorcha to buck her hips against him at the sensation. 

He swiftly removed her shirt as she pawed at his, clumsily undoing the buttons of it as he unhooked her bra with a flick of his fingers, not caring as he tossed it behind the couch. 

His mouth found her other nipple making her moan as he sucked it into his mouth, his tongue flicking circles against it.

Sorcha clawed at his shirt as she pulled it from him, wanting to feel his skin on hers. He nipped her nipple as she removed his shirt before working his lips down her, starting at the tip of her scar and peppering kisses all the way down it to her hip until his knees touched the floor and he began tugging her trousers off before tossing them behind him as he pulled one of her legs over his shoulder. 

He nipped and licked his way up her thigh, Sorcha was trying not to bite through her bottom lip as she watched him, his lips leaving a trail of smouldering fire in their wake as he worked his way up. 

“Sorcha?” He groaned as he stopped at the apex of her thighs, his fingers curling into the waistband of her underwear.

She knew he wasn’t just saying her name, he was asking if he should keep going or stop. She was far too lost in the feel of him to stop this now, she may curse herself tomorrow but for now she wanted him.

“Yes,” she moaned as she squirmed under his lustful gaze.

He did not hesitate in sliding them off before ducking his head right between her thighs, moaning as his tongue glided through her folds. 

His fingers gripped around her thighs and spread them wider as his tongue found her sweet spot pulling a whimper from her as her eyes rolled back, her hips greedily tried to meet his mouth as his tongue flicked agaisnt her. 

Sorcha screamed out in pleasure when he sucked her clit into his mouth, his tongue still flicking her teasingly as he sucked her into his mouth.

She was going to come fully undone from his tongue and she couldn’t quite believe someone could be so good with their mouth, just as her head tipped fully back and her body started to arch he pulled away. His eyes still devouring her between her thighs as he sat back to admire her, she whimpered in annoyance which made him look at her, a playful grin forming as he nipped her ankle, her foot still propped on his shoulder.

“I’m not done yet,” he growled his promise as he nipped at her calf, she whimpered at the soft, sweet ache of his teeth. 

She watched as he undid the button of his jeans, her stomach clenching tightly as he stood and she couldn’t stop looking at his muscled torso or believe how big his arms were without a shirt, he gently set her leg down before pushing his jeans down letting her take him in as much as she wanted. 

Her mouth went dry at the sight of his cock straining against his black boxers, her heart raced as he slid back between her legs, his mouth devoured hers as he pushed her further up the couch. 

She forgot about the monster in his boxers as she curled her fingers into his hair and dragged her other hand down his back as she opened her mouth for him, he trailed his fingers from her hip and up to her jaw, his fingers kissing along her skin sending the most wicked sensation through her until he was tilting her head further back giving him more access to her mouth as his tongue learned every inch of her mouth. 

His hips rocked into her, his cock pushing against her stomach, she was reminded of his size again and the panic of him not being able to fit in her washed over her. 

She shifted under him and felt his cock slide through her folds, she gasped as she pulled back from him, she had been too lost in kissing him to feel when he’d removed his boxers. Her eyes slid between her legs and god he was huge… she couldn’t even see the tip as it sat near her entrance, he had stilled when she pulled away.

Sorcha’s breathing became shallow as she tried to eye the full length of him, he was too big, far too big.

His thumb gently caressed her check as he realised what she was taking in and he murmured softly, “I’ll go slow.” 

She didn’t say anything for a few breaths and he just waited, stroking her cheek as he did. The TV was still playing and the storm outside still raged as Sorcha tried to calm herself.

“I can stop if this isn’t what you–”

She shook her head, her gaze finally shifting to his eyes. His warm brown eyes burning with want but she could see he meant it, he would stop if she didn’t want this. 

“I’ll go slow,” he repeated as his lips brushed her jaw. 

She nodded as her fingers curled against him, she didn’t trust her voice not to waver right now. He nipped at her jaw as he started to move again, his tip knocking at her entrance as he kissed and nipped at her jaw, working down to her neck as he pushed into her, moaning against her neck as his cock entered her.

Her head fell back as he worked his way into her with rolling thrusts, and goddamn he felt good, he was stretching her but it felt far too good for her to stop. 

Her fingernails dug into his shoulders as he went deeper, she was whimpering with each slow and gentle thrust that he worked into her. 

And when he was fully seated in her, their hips brushing against each other he gave her a moment to adjust as his mouth teased her neck, nipping at the spot under her ear that made her release a breathy moan. 

Then he moved and Sorcha clamped down on the groan that threatened to burst from her as he began fucking her, her head tipped back exposing her neck to him and he bit down on the very centre of it as he fucked her harder.

Sorcha screamed out in pleasure at the pace and the soft hold he had on her throat with his teeth, her hips moved to meet him as her body heated further, she didn't think it possible. 

Munroe flicked his tongue over her throat before releasing her, he watched as she changed the most beautiful shade of pink he’d ever seen, his eyes snagging on her breasts bouncing with the rhythm he set into her so he fucked her harder and watched as they bounced more frantically. 

“Munroe,” she hushed out as her body arched into him. “Oh fuck, Munroe.” Her eyes squeezed shut as she fully threw her head back. 

He braced a hand on the arm of the couch, near enough losing his mind over his name on her tongue like that, the wood underneath the fabric groaned under his lethal grip as he tried to hold onto his sanity. 

He dragged his other hand down her waist, down her hip, her thigh, until he hooked his hand behind her knee as he continued to work her harder. He shoved her leg forward so he could be deeper inside her, her other leg squeezed around him as she helped pull him deeper, her moans started to blend with her pleasure filled screams. 

She tugged him closer until they were flush, until their bodies were one writhing together, she was desperate for that release that was building in her, knotting tightly in her stomach, tighter and tighter with each of his thrusts. 

Sorcha’s fingers bit into his shoulder blades as she buried her face in the crook of his neck as the orgasm that had built rocked through her, tearing out of her as she held onto him like she was going to float away if she didn’t have an anchor. 

Her eyes rolled back as he came and spilled into her with one final slam of his hips, she might’ve moaned his name, her ears weren’t taking in sound like they should as she clenched around him.

Slowly she began to hear properly again, he was panting heavily as he pried his hand from the arm, placing a kiss on her collarbone as he twisted that arm underneath her head. His lips trailed up her neck, leaving kisses in their wake, then along her jaw until they softly pressed against her lips where he also murmured her name. 

She was utterly spent as she removed her fingers from his back, letting them slide up his shoulder and under his jaw where she left them as he gazed down at her. 

He smiled as he gently cupped her cheek, she leaned into that touch as his thumb stroked soothing lines there pulling a soft hum from her lips as they did. 

“I have no words for that,” he murmured softly, breathlessly. 

Neither did she, she gulped as their eyes bore into one another. She had thought about scratching this itch but she had not expected him to do it so thoroughly. 

Her eyes slid towards the TV, it was still on. That was when he moved, he dropped a blanket over them and manoeuvred himself behind her before tugging her into him, she didn’t fight him as he pulled her against him. In fact she twisted around and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, her fingers twirling the locks of his hair at the nape of his neck in her worn out state. He hummed out a soft moan at that as she nestled herself into him, his fingers trailing soothing circles on her back as they held each other. They lay like that for the rest of the night, Sorcha found sleep before him and he followed soon after as he wrapped the blanket tighter around them, content to sleep here with her wrapped around him. He hadn’t been able to stop looking at her while she slept, it was as if he thought if he looked away she’d be gone and this wouldn’t be real. 

Chapter Text

34.

Sorcha still couldn’t quite believe what had happened last night, even as she watched Munroe still asleep on the couch. She gently placed her cup of tea down as she scanned his sleeping face, it looked so soft and relaxed right now that he almost looked carefree. Her eyes skimmed over his muscled arms, she had dragged her hands all over them last night trying to learn all the curves and ridges to them. 

She managed to slide out from under those arms this morning and pulled on his discarded shirt when she couldn’t find her own clothes, she could see them now from where she sat at the kitchen counter. Her shirt had landed on the side table by his bedroom door, her bra in the hall, her underwear on the hearth and her trousers on the floor before the kitchen, he really had tossed them without care.

Currently she hated herself for allowing last night to happen but god had he been good, more than good… She huffed out a sigh as she pulled her tea back up to her lips. She was in deep, deep shit now. She had crossed that line with him, at least she’d enjoyed it even if it did make her feel utterly confused and slightly ashamed of herself for allowing it. 

She tried not to tense when he started to rouse, she was starting to wonder if she should’ve packed up and ran while he still slept, too late for that now as his hand slid across the empty space beside him, searching for her.

His eyes snapped open when his hand came up empty and then he turned his head, a soft smile appearing when he found her watching him.

“Morning,” he grumbled sleepily as he sat up, the blanket falling around his hips as he did.

Lord have mercy, Sorcha mentally told herself as she eyed up that chiselled body and tried to shut out the memory of how it felt to run her hands all over him. 

“Morning,” she whispered back as she took another sip, hoping it would hide the redness on her face and the sheepishness in her voice.

He reached for his boxers that hung off the edge of the coffee table and tugged them on before disappearing down the hall and into the bathroom to tend to his needs, Sorcha internally groaned at her predicament. She could still make a run for it when he went to tend to the farm, she didn’t think he’d try to find her or at least she hoped he wouldn’t. 

She didn’t have time to think about it too long as Munroe came back out of the bathroom and towards her. As he slid into the kitchen he put the kettle on, she heard him yawn as he started making up a mug for himself.

When she heard the spoon click into the cup he wrapped his arm around her waist and nipped at her jaw as he pulled her back flush against his chest. She almost melted into him, she tried to resist the feeling. 

“You didn’t wake me,” he purred into her ear. She could feel the sound rumble through her back from his chest.

“You looked so peaceful,” she hummed out.

“Mmm,” his lips pressed against her jaw and she tilted her head into it. She couldn’t help it, his lips did something to her that made her absolutely senseless. 

He gently took the cup from her and set it down, ignoring the kettle when it popped as he spun her to face him and claimed her lips with his. She moaned as she opened her mouth to him and he groaned at the sound as he tugged her up and placed her gently onto the counter, kicking the chair out of the way not caring where it landed as it clattered to the ground while he nestled himself between her legs.

“So,” she murmured as she pulled back from him. “I shouldn’t have left you sleeping?” 

“Absolutely not,” he growled as he nipped and kissed her neck.

She gasped as she tossed her head back giving him better access to her, “fuck.” She hissed out, her stomach clenched tightly as his lips explored. 

He pulled back and looked at her, a smile forming on his lips as he took her in. “You are so beautiful, Sorcha.” He murmured as he gently stroked his thumb along her scarred cheek.

She smiled at him wickedly, “I thought I wasn’t much to look at?” 

“So I lied,” he smirked. “You’d have ran a mile if I’d admitted I found you attractive, I hated saying I didn’t but it seemed to make you feel more comfortable around me, if not also making you a bit annoyed.”

Her eyes narrowed on him, “no need to insult me so much then.” 

“Are you that vain?” He purred at her as he trailed a finger down her neck making her pulse quicken. 

“There is no place for vanity in this world,” she hummed at him and then crooned. “But I’m not blind, Munroe.” 

His finger trailed over her shoulder now and towards her arm as he huffed out a laugh, “someone thinks highly of themselves.” 

“Should I not?” She arched a brow at him. 

His fingers stopped and he leaned back as he looked down at her, his eyes taking in every single inch of her. She gulped as his eyes continued to trail all over her as if assessing her claim, her confidence started to waver. 

“I suppose,” she chewed on her lip. “I'm more damaged than I once was,” the words of that man she killed in Dufftown ringing through her as she raised her scared hand and gestured to her face.

Munroe’s eyes gutted at that and he shook his head as he reached for her hand, “you think scars can hide it?” He gently took her hand and pulled it up to his lips, placing a soft kiss to the heel of her palm before resting it on his cheek. “Or do you just hope no one will see past them, Sorcha?” 

He leaned into her hand on his cheek as he loosened his own hand around it, his fingers tracing the scars that lined the back of it as he started to let her go.

“So what if I do use them as a shield?” She whispered. “I remember what it was like before I had them…” she shuddered. The first time Cormac had found her after she’d gotten away from her colony, the only reason she had gotten away from him then was because he’d been too horrified over the mess of her face. 

The thought of him made her skin crawl that when Munroe slid his hand under her jaw she flinched away from him making him still. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered as he pulled his hand back. 

She shook her head, “I went somewhere else for a minute.” 

She pulled her hand from his cheek as she looked up at him, she shouldn’t be doing this. How could she even be like this… how could she even enjoy this?

“Sorcha,” Munroe whispered gently. “Where did you go?” 

She looked at him again, he made no move to touch her, his eyes were soft but she could see the concern lingering in them. 

“I slept with someone over three years ago and hated every second of it,” she muttered. Not sure why it was spilling from her as she looked at him. 

He tensed at her words, a small anxious smile blooming on his lips as he looked at her. 

“Are you trying to tell me something?” He raised a brow at her.

A smile spread on her lips at the concern in his question, she couldn’t have faked last night if she tried. She wasn’t entirely sure that it was real, the way he had made her come undone. She never lost herself like that, not on the first try. 

“I just didn’t think I could… I thought...” She sighed as she struggled to find the words, “I thought because of what he did to me I couldn’t feel it anymore or wasn’t allowed too,” she let out a frustrated sigh. The words she wanted to say just weren’t for coming out but the worry vanished in his eyes as he watched her struggle. “I thought that prick had ripped that part of me away, my body's way of punishing me for allowing it to happen–so after that last time I swore off it, it was a pointless endeavour and now I’m confused.” 

Something flickered in his eyes, an emotion she couldn’t detect as he opened his mouth. “What was so bad about it?”

She furrowed her brows not expecting that to be the thing he clung to, “uhm… I did it to survive, to get away from him while he slept.” 

His eyes gutted again, “shit.” 

“Don’t worry I robbed him for my troubles,” a small smile played on her lips but it dropped away as quickly as it appeared. “I didn’t know another way to survive at the time, he wasn’t unkind to me. He wanted me to go back to his colony and I wanted to run, so I tired him out and snuck away.” She shrugged, hoping her clenched jaw wasn’t obvious. 

“You wanted to run this morning too.” 

Not a question she realised as his eyes bore into her, she started to shake her head but he gripped her chin. 

“Don’t lie to me,” his eyes narrowed on her. 

Her breath hitched and her heart began to thrash wildly in her chest. Shit, shit, shit. Had it been so obvious? 

“I didn’t though,” she whispered. 

Although she was still thinking about it, especially with the way he was glowering at her. She couldn’t tell if he wanted to devour her or throttle her for thinking of running, god she really was in deep shit for crossing the line with him.

“Why?” He tilted her chin higher. 

She shook her head, it barely moved in his grip. She didn’t know nor could she answer that question. 

“It’s not a betrayal to yourself to enjoy sex, Sorcha.” He was still glowering, a fire was burning in his eyes. Those golden brown eyes narrowed in on her lips and the way they parted as he devoured them with only his eyes. 

She was blinking at him in shock and then she scoffed as she shoved his hand off, “who’s full of themselves now?” 

He grinned, it was such a wicked thing. Sorcha told herself she should run from that smile but she found herself frozen as his hands landed on either side of her, caging her in as he leaned in and her goddamn heart was doing enough running for them both as it tried to leap out of her chest. 

“Because I’m not blind either,” he purred seductively and if he wasn’t still between her thighs she’d have clenched them together, tightly. 

He was a bastard, she thought as she glared at him. How could he play her body so well after one night? She dreaded to think of the mess she was making of the counter with her lack of underwear. 

“So sure of yourself,” she raised her chin at him. “Or am I just a good actress?” Her brow rose.

That grin reached his eyes and a shudder ran down her spine at the sight of it while he leaned into her. She didn’t have much space to back away from him before he stopped, his nose inches from her. 

“Tell yourself that if it makes you feel better,” he hummed out. 

She gulped, her chest was on fire from his closeness and gaze. His eyes trailed across the flush on her chest following it up her neck and she cursed her treacherous body for her obvious arousal. 

He let out a small, soft growl as his eyes settled on hers. The fire in his eyes determined to set her ablaze or melt her on the very countertop she sat on, she wasn’t sure which one just that she wanted it to end or for him to finally set her alight but he didn’t make a move, just kept blazing into her. Waiting, waiting for her to make the first move. 

Her lip twitched as she realised he was calling her bluff, he wouldn’t make a move for her, he’d wait for her to crumble and claw him to her but she wouldn’t. 

That’s what she told herself anyway as her eyes darted to his lips that were so temptingly close, then to his bare chest, that exposed flesh made her fingers twitch and long to touch him. She just jutted her chin higher at him, amusement sparking on those blazing brown eyes of his as he slowly trailed them down her dragging that fire with his gaze as he dragged it down her body and Sorcha almost arched into that feeling. Her nipples tightened and pebbled as he looked her over, he didn’t miss that as they peaked through his shirt that she wore. 

She was so pissed at her body for reacting to him, so she glanced down at him and that satisfied her anger momentarily to see she wasn’t the only one affected. As she looked back up her anger spiked again to find him watching her, catching her taking him in. She couldn’t stop the blush that coated her cheeks and she could see the wicked chuckle in his eyes, god she could practically hear it. 

So slowly he leaned in, her eyes started to flutter shut at the closeness and then he pulled away. A snarl twisted on her lip at the smirk on his and again he leaned in, he hovered just over her lips teasingly and as she leaned in he pulled away. As she stopped, so did he. He dipped his head towards her then back as if to say ‘chase me, you know you want to.’ 

Fine, she raised her chin higher. He wanted to play, then she’d play and he’d regret it. 

His brows furrowed at the smile that spread on her lips as she leaned away from him, he gulped at the sight. He didn’t want this to end yet, starting to worry he’d pushed her too far.

Then she shimmied closer to the edge and the shirt she wore rose higher and higher. He tracked every inch that it rose up her thigh and Sorcha couldn’t stop her smile widening at how engrossed he was, she undid a few buttons while he was distracted and when his eyes rose he almost choked at the sight of her breasts just peeking out of the shirt, the smile she wore now was that of a victorious queen. 

“Fuck,” Munroe growled as he eyed her breasts. 

She took a deep breath as he watched them, the fabric pulling away and revealing her pert nipples even further making him groan at the sight. 

She jutted her head in the same way he had mocked her to chase him and he didn’t care that she may very well win this unspoken battle between them of who would break first and touch the other. 

As his hand moved so did hers and when he cupped her breast she gripped the back of his neck dragging him closer while his thumb teased over her hard nipple, stealing a gasp from her as it did. 

She dragged his lips down to her and sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, sinking her teeth gently into it as she tugged him closer to her. He groaned as he leaned into her, having no choice with her pulling on his mouth, he pinched her nipple as she tugged him eliciting a moan from her as she released his lip, her grip on his neck tightened as they glowered at each other. 

“It’s not raining anymore,” he murmured as he dragged his hand down her ribs to the buttons that were still fastened. “You’ll have to be quiet,” his lips curled at the edges as he popped the first button out. 

She huffed out a small laugh, “I think you’ll be the one struggling to stay quiet, Munroe.” 

His eyes almost rolled back at the way she taunted his name on her lips, he didn’t have time to let them as she yanked his lips to hers and their mouths met hungrily, each trying to devour the other. 

Munroe groaned into her mouth, his fingers struggling with the buttons as he tried to keep pace with her lips and tongue. He quickly gave up and yanked the shirt open, not caring as the buttons bounced off the counter and onto the floor. 

He curled his fingers into her hair, right to her scalp before tugging her head back to give him better access to her mouth. She hummed out a moan at the sharp ache on her head, the hairs being pulled taut from his hold on her. His other hand drifted around her hip to the middle of her lower back and pulled her flush against him, her nipples brushing his chest until her breasts were fully flush against him. 

She raked her fingers down his chest, through the small, soft dusting of chest hair and around his ribs where the soft scratching continued down his back until she was tugging his boxers down and dragging him between her thighs. 

He let his hand slip from her hair and onto her thigh to grip it, gently he pushed it to the side as he pulled her right to the edge, his cock knocking at her entrance as he did.

She pulled him into her but he held firm as he kept exploring her mouth, she wiggled her hips at him impatiently, which made him smile against her lips.

“Sekkachi on’na,” he murmured as he nipped at her lips. 

She glared at him and just as she did he sunk into her, her eyes rolled back and her mouth popped open as her head rolled up. 

“Bastard,” she hissed at him but she couldn’t stop it twisting into a moan as he began thrusting into her.

He chuckled as his lips brushed hers, “quiet.” He reminded her as he drew himself slowly out of her before thrusting back in, not as slowly but not as fast as she wanted. 

He continued to torture her like that with long slow drags out, hesitating while his tip was barely still inside her and then sinking back into her faster than the drags out but slow enough that it was sending her wild for more of him. Her nails bit into his back as she tried to drag him closer, her lip was ready to burst from how hard she held it between her teeth. 

“More,” she pleaded quietly. She needed more, she was going to burst from how utterly desperate she felt tittering on the edge of the counter with him inside her. 

He hissed a curse as he sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, an iron taste coating his tongue from how hard she’d been biting herself. The thought of how hard she was restraining her moans made him release a guttural groan as he picked up his pace and drove into her faster.

He rested his forehead on hers as a soft, quiet moan escaped her lips, the bottom one now swollen from her biting and that just spurred him on harder as their breaths mingled, their quiet moans finally reaching each other at this closeness, it was almost as if moaning any louder would shatter whatever this was right now between them as they breathed each other in. 

Munroe glanced down between them and almost lost the silent battle between them as he watched his cock slide in and out of her, he couldn’t clamp down on his moan at the sight of her taking him so well.

Sorcha blinked up at him at that sound, her breath was starting to catch in her throat as that familiar feeling coiled in her stomach getting tighter and tighter. She saw he was looking down and followed his line of sight, just when she thought her stomach couldn’t tighten any further, it did at the sight of him covered in her wetness and gliding in and out of her. 

“Fuck,” she whimpered as she tossed her head back, dragging her hands up to his shoulders as she squeezed her eyes shut. 

He dragged her as close to him as he could while he began fucking her harder, her fingernails bit into his shoulder and she clamped down on her moans as his pace became almost punishing. 

Sorcha buried her face in his chest causing him to go deeper as she pulled closer to him, the knot in her stomach was starting to unravel and she tried to hold onto it for as long as she could. Munroe raised both her thighs up, hooking her legs behind his hips before pulling her completely flush against him, his arm wrapped around her waist as he began slamming in and out of her. 

She whimpered at the closeness, at the feel him inside her and him fucking her ravenously as if he’d never get to taste her again. She clawed him closer and he began moaning in her ear with each thrust. The sound of him enjoying her was driving her insane and she couldn’t hold back the moans that had built in her as she came fully undone around him, he continued fucking her through her orgasm and she had to clamp down on the scream working it’s way out of her throat at how intense it felt to be ridden through an orgasm as he chased his own release.

Sorcha sank her teeth into his peck when she couldn’t hold back the scream anymore, it tore out of her and vibrated through him as he spurted into her with a final slam, roaring his release as he did. 

“You vicious little creature,” he snarled as he peered down at her, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to get his breath back. 

Her teeth still clamped onto his chest as she blinked up at him, she smiled as she released him. 

“You did say I had to stay quiet,” she hummed up at him. 

“I did,” he purred in agreement as he gently gripped her jaw. His thumb stroked across her puffy bottom lip as he peered down at her and then he sighed. “I have to go tend to the farm,” a frown forming on his face. 

She decided she didn’t like his face looking like that as she dragged one of her hands to his cheek, his face softened as she began stroking his cheek. 

“You don’t look thrilled about that,” she murmured a little breathlessly. Her breath was not fully back either as she started to come down. 

“There’s things I’d much rather be doing,” she shivered at the way his eyes dragged down her. Then he sighed again, “will you be here when I get back?” 

She tried to stop the smile that played at her lips, “maybe.” 

His grip tightened on her jaw as he leaned into her, placing a soft kiss on her lips before pulling away and finally pulling out of her. Sorcha slowly opened her eyes to find he’d already tugged his boxers back on and was looking at her cautiously as if she was going to bolt for the door while he was still there. 

“I need to get ready,” he muttered as he made his way into the living room and collected up his jeans. 

She tugged the shirt around her as she watched him head for his room, he wasn’t long getting dressed and he looked her over again while she still sat on the counter. 

She slid herself off, her knees almost buckling from how jelly-like her legs felt. 

“You should take Athena with you,” she said as she strode for the linen closet. “She’d like that.” 

He let out a sigh of relief and she heard it, he knew as well as her that she’d go nowhere without Athena and it settled him enough that he managed to make himself walk to the door, Athena on his heels when he whistled for her. She didn’t watch him leave as she searched for a towel, she didn’t want to give him further confirmation that she would still be here. 

She would still leave when the dog was healed but now she was really going to enjoy these last few weeks with him, she tried not to bite her swollen lip at the thought of it as she made her way towards the bathroom to take a much needed shower. 

Chapter Text

35.

Sorcha had done her best at clearing up the mess from last night and this morning as she righted the living area after her shower, her hair was still wet and dripping down her neck as she finished wiping down the counter. She was also still in her towel, the need to right the mess had overruled her desire to get dressed. 

She glanced around the room to make sure everything was back in place, it now looked like it had never happened. Sorcha wanted to hate him for how good he was in the sack, she hadn’t expected that. But from the way Ailith had slobbered over him at the lodge she should have known that it wasn’t just for the size of him but that he actually knew how to wield it. 

She took a sharp intake of breath as her thighs clenched together at the thought of how well he could use it, his cock hit spots in her that she didn’t know existed within her. 

She shook her and let out a frustrated sigh, yep she was in deep shit indeed. 

She twisted towards the fridge as she pushed away her thoughts and pulled out some sliced meat then went to find some bread, when she was done with making the sandwich she poured herself some water and leaned against the counter as she began eating. 

She wasn’t sure when he’d be back but she’d find something else to do after she got dressed to occupy her time, probably read but she was feeling well enough again that she could probably do some actual work to pass the time. 

She glanced out the window as she ate, three more weeks wouldn’t be long. It’d take her into autumn though and the weather would shift, finding shelter as the nights got darker would be hard. She’d done it before, she knew she’d be fine but her eyes drifted to the fireplace as she took the last bite. Something like that wouldn’t be easy to find, she’d have to ensure the place she squatted in was boarded up well to hide a fire. 

She’d survive, she’d done it before and countless times , she told herself as she began cleaning up her dishes. 

She grabbed one of the cookies from last night and headed for her room as she ate it, it was just as good as she remembered. She finished it just as she stepped into the room, she made her way to the drawers on the other side and started picking out some clothes which she quickly shoved on, just leggings and a loose fitting T-shirt. They were starting to fit her better now and she didn’t know if she should feel happy or sad about that. 

She tried to gently towel dry hair as best she could before braiding it back, her hands started ache the longer they twisted her hair into that braid and she sighed in relief when she finally wrapped the band at the end. She tugged at the bottom of it and frowned at the length of her hair, it was now past her collarbones and in serious need of being cut. 

Long hair wasn’t practical, it could and would be used against you as she’d learnt multiple times in those first few years when she’d be dragged or flung down by her hair, so she kept it short.

Sometimes she missed her long hair, before the fall she had loved her hair and taken care of it as if it was her most prized possession. Now she hacked it off without a care in the world, long hair would get her killed and there was no room for error during the fall. 

She supposed she was going to have to find scissors, she figured she should wait and ask Munroe because if he’d found her with them or looking for them he might not think she only wanted them to cut her hair, she’d deal with it later. She could hack it off with a knife but she figured he’d have something better to use so she would wait to find out. 

She pushed herself off the bed and stretched her hands up above her, her spine popped as she did. Sleeping on the couch all night certainly wasn’t comfortable or good for her back, she now understood why Lachlan had moaned about it.

As she exhaled she twisted around but halted rather abruptly as her eyes landed on the bedside table and her heart was in tatters at what sat upon it, she wasn’t entirely sure that her heart was still beating in her chest as she took in the light brown bear that sat there. 

Her hands shook as she stared at it, her eyes turning glassy as the feeling of betrayal punched her in the gut with enough force to knock the air right out of her lungs. 

“Kadon,” she sobbed as the first tear dropped from the wells forming in her eyes. 

What had she done? She sank to her knees, there was another reason she thought she couldn’t enjoy anyone else. 

She shook her head as shame washed over her, she’d betrayed him by enjoying Munroe. She should’ve never let herself get that close, she should hate the very touch of him and she wanted to. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered as she looked at that bear. “I’m sorry,” it tore out of her throat sharply as she gripped onto the covers on the bed. “What the fuck am I doing?” She wailed as she buried her face into the mattress, she didn’t care that the wooden floor was biting into her knees harshly as she bent over the bed. 

She was supposed to suffer for the rest of her life, she had decided that was her punishment when he had died and here was letting herself enjoy life like she deserved it. Someone like her deserves nothing, she was disgusted with herself for allowing a single bit of happiness in. She buried her face deeper, she wasn’t allowed. She had to endure, suffer and endure, she’d told herself that was all she deserved and nothing more. 

“Sorcha,” Munroe called out at the sound of her sobs. 

She tensed as she heard him speed down the hall and buried herself deeper in the mattress when he came to a stop in the door frame, he looked her over as he panted trying to figure out if she was hurt.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” He asked shakily as he stepped for her. 

As he bent for her his fingers skimmed her shoulder and she threw herself backwards at the brush of his hand, she whirled around as she moved her face twisting from despair to rage to anguish. 

“Don’t fucking touch me,” she spat viciously at him. 

He froze at the sight of the feral look on her red, blotchy face. His hand suspended in the air as he took her in, he wasn’t sure what the hell had happened in the time they’d spent apart.

“What happened?” He asked gently, mustering as much calm as he could. 

She turned her face from him as she backed up against the wall, the tears now burning down her red hot face. 

“Sorcha, talk to me please.” His brows furrowed in concern as he lowered himself onto the floor and lowered his hand to his side. 

She shook her head as she covered her face with her hands, how could she tell him she’d been happy until she remembered she shouldn’t be. 

“Ok,” he murmured softly as he glanced around the room. Trying to figure out what had set her off. 

“I can’t do this,” she whispered into her hands. “I can’t betray him.” 

His eyes landed on the bear at those words, she’d been kneeling here he realised and the memory of Kadon must’ve set her off. He let out a long breath, his heart clenching at her words. 

“Oh Sorcha,” he murmured as he turned his gaze back to her. “You’re not-”

“I am,” she choked on her sob. “I’m not allowed–” she shook her head roughly against her palms. “I deserve nothing but pain, I don’t deserve to feel anything but pain.” 

He released another breath as he looked up towards the ceiling in reverence, he had to choke back the pain that was suffocating him at her words, at her clear self hatred for herself. 

“Sorcha,” he whispered. “Oh Sorcha you are so broken aren’t you?” 

Her grey eyes were piercing when she yanked her hands away from her face, the red that rimmed her eyes made them stand out. He flinched at the sight of them and the glare she was giving him, he hadn’t meant to say that out loud, it had escaped his lips as he’d thought it. 

“Asshole,” she growled at him as her face twisted into a snarl.

He tried to smile reassuringly at her, “you do not deserve pain.” He murmured soothingly, gently. 

The anger washed away as she blinked in surprise at him, more tears welling at his words. 

“I do,” she mumbled. Her throat sounded sore and rough from crying, “how can I not when he died for me? I should be the one who’s dead–”

“He told you to live didn’t he?” He snapped a little harshly which made her still before she nodded slowly. “He told you to live, Sorcha not survive but live because he loved you and wanted you to keep going, to live, to find life. Do you think Kadon would want you to be miserable because you’ve decided you deserve to be punished?” 

“But I do–”

“You do not,” he snapped firmer this time. “You do not deserve to feel like you are clawing out of a hole just to survive. You deserve to feel the sand on your feet and enjoy things that bring you even an ounce of joy. You deserve to live and enjoy it because he’d want that for you, if an afterlife does exist do you think he’s happy to watch you torture yourself because you’ve decided you deserve nothing less?” 

“You don’t even know him,” she tried to sound pissed as she sobbed. 

“I don’t but I can see how much you love him, I heard that message.” He glanced at the bear, her eyes being drawn to it as well. “And someone who used his dying breath to tell you to live didn’t do that because he wasn’t madly in love with you, I can deduce how much he loved you Sorcha. The evidence is hard to miss, so no I don’t think he’d want you to suffer or think that you deserved this self torture.” 

She knew Munroe was right, if Kadon could see her tearing herself apart he’d be utterly heartbroken and devastated but she didn’t know how to be without him, she didn’t think she should be allowed to be without him and she didn’t know to stop hating herself for being the one that survived. 

“Come here, Sorcha.” Munroe lifted his hand to her, that was the only move he made. 

She shook her head, “I can’t–I can’t.” 

“Please, let me help.” He murmured softly, “I’ll never ask for more than you can give, Sorcha.” 

She winced at his patience, his softness and she rested her head back against the wall. “I can’t,” the tears rolled off her jaw and onto her collarbones. Her heart was going to shatter all over again at his patience, “I’m a stain, Munroe.” She shook her head back and forth feverishly, “you don’t deserve to be stained by me.” 

His eyes widened slightly, all the surprise he’d show as he watched her, “you are not stain and you're not going to stain me. And even if you did, I'd wear that stain with pride.” 

She blinked her astonishment towards the ceiling at his words, she was broken, he had said it but yet here he was holding out a line for her to grab so she wouldn’t shatter herself further. Her head twisted to that bear again and she decided right then that she didn’t deserve either of them.

“I can’t stop loving him,” she whispered. 

“I’ll never ask you to stop loving him,” he said assuringly. “I‘d never ask or want that from you, a man that loved you that fiercely can never be replaced.” 

Her head snapped to him at that, he was still watching her patiently, his hand still held out to her. She had decided at the wedding venue that he was one of the good ones left but she had also still been waiting for the other shoe to drop. She figured in this moment it wasn’t going to, he was just too good to be true, perhaps being isolated out here had stopped him from becoming so twisted. 

“Koko ni kite,” he hushed as his fingers curled back, motioning her to him. 

She didn’t need to be told what he was saying, she could infer from the action that he was asking her to come to him again. She hesitated for just a moment before reaching for him, her hand slid into his and he gently tugged her towards him, his hands wrapped around her as he pulled her into a hold. 

She took a sharp intake of breath as he wrapped her against him, her hands couldn’t move for a brief moment, when they did finally move she held him back just as tightly and began sobbing into his chest as she buried her face into him. 

She had cried so much in her time here and he’d endure so much of her bullshit, she didn’t deserve his kindness. She shouldn’t be dragging him into her unending shit. 

“I’m sorry,” she breathed out shakily. 

“Shhh,” he gently stroked her back in soothing circles. “You don’t need to apologise for anything.” 

She shook her head against him, “you shouldn’t have to deal with me. I don’t deserve any–”

“Stop that,” he snarled. “I don’t want to hear you say a sentence starting with I don’t deserve again. I want to help, I’m offering it freely, whether you want to talk or you just want comfort, I’m here and you deserve it.” 

And she wanted to believe him, perhaps for a moment she did as she inhaled his scent; pine trees, cinnamon and embers. The scent coursed through her and centred her back to earth as he held her, she let it as the tears finally stopped, her face couldn’t have taken anymore it hurt so badly now from all her tears. 

Munroe just held her, if the floor was biting into his knees he never once let on even as she started to doze off against him, utterly exhausted from her outburst. She didn’t know how long they stayed like that, they didn’t stop until he offered to make her something to eat but before he went to do that, he gently placed her on her bed before sliding out of the room for a brief moment. 

He came back with a cold flannel and gently soothed her still aching face with it, she almost wanted to start weeping again at the soft gesture and she also wanted to curse him aloud for being so considerate. He stroked the cloth over her cheeks with a tenderness that she wouldn’t have given herself if she was the one to clean up her sore face, he muttered that he wouldn’t be long when he finally slipped from the room. 

She had significantly calmed down by the time he came back with food for them. He sat on her bed with her as they ate and let her be the one to talk, he didn’t push her into conversation, just let her lead however she wanted, which wasn’t much and he didn’t mind just sitting with her. 

He disappeared with the plates and muttered about putting the animals away, so when he left again she undressed and slid into a shirt that she could sleep in before crawling into the bed. She tugged the covers around her and tried to sleep. She wanted to forget what had just happened as she tugged the covers right up to her chin, her warm breath tickling her neck when it slid down into the covers that she held high against her hoping that covering herself enough would warm her enough that she'd be lulled to sleep. 

Chapter Text

36.

Sorcha was struggling to find sleep, she had forced her eyes shut to see if sleep would find her that way, it didn’t. A gentle knock on the door frame had her opening her eyes. 

“Are you asleep?” Munroe whispered.

“No,” she whispered back as she rolled over to look at him. 

“Sorry,” he smiled sheepishly from the door. “I just wanted to check on you.” 

She realised they were in unfamiliar territory with what had happened between them in less than a day, the air was starting to get tense around them as they blinked at each other. 

“I’m ok,” she murmured. 

He nodded as he slid his eyes to the floor, “I’ll let you sleep–”

“I can’t,” she grumbled as she pushed herself up. “I’ve been trying.” 

He shifted awkwardly in the doorway, she smiled at his awkwardness, she suspected he was far more confident with women and was sure her instability made him cautious around her, she actually found it sweet that he was careful with her. 

“Can I do anything?” He twisted his hands together, “can I get you a hot drink–why are you looking at me like that?” 

She shook her head at him as her smile spread, “I was just admiring your fumbling.” 

A muscle in his jaw flickered at that, “I wasn’t–” 

“I found it cute,” she murmured quietly as she picked at her covers. 

His cheeks turned pink at that, he’d been called many things but not cute, he was acting like a bumbling fool but she set him on uneven ground that he didn’t know how to chart. 

“Thank you,” she muttered, as quiet as it was the sincerity could still be heard, “for earlier.” 

“Anytime,” he replied just as softly. 

She kept her eyes on the covers while her finger started tracing circles in it as if she was contemplating something, he watched her but was starting to wonder after a moment if she was trying to work up the courage to ask him to leave. 

“I’ll let you sleep,” he chuckled nervously. 

She shook her head as she continued to look down and he stilled at that, she didn’t want him to leave so then what did she want? 

Her finger stopped and she fisted the covers into her hand as she took a deep breath, “do you want to sleep with me?” He blinked at her as her eyes finally found him and her cheeks turned red as the words reached her. “To sleep I mean not–not that… just sleep–oh god I’m bad at this,” she winced as she dropped her head back down to look at her hand gripping the covers. 

He chuckled as he slid into the room and quietly shut the door, “yes I want to sleep beside you.” 

“You're ok with just that?” She mumbled. 

“Yes,” he breathed out as he strode around to the other side of the bed, “I told you I won’t take more than you can give.” 

He started undoing his jeans, she didn’t look but heard the sound of the metal buckle on his belt hitting the floor. 

He slid the covers back before his knees hit the other side of the bed and she shuddered as she sensed him sliding under the covers, she had started twisting her fingers around the covers again when he lay down.

She took another deep breath before turning to look at him, he gave her a soft smile as he slid one of his hands behind his head. He just watched her until she slowly lowered herself down beside him, she rolled onto her side and blinked up at him. 

He slid his gaze to her but didn’t roll to face her, he just let her take him in. Her gaze only shifted briefly when Athena jumped onto the bed. The dog stared at Munroe, she huffed in annoyance as she kept her gaze on him.

“What’s wrong with you?” He murmured softly to the dog as he shifted to look at her, the dog's eyes bore into him. 

“You’re in her spot,” Sorcha laughed softly. “Lie down, Athena.” She crooned at the dog.

Athena let out a whine while pacing a few circles between their feet before finally settling down.

“I think I just lost her favour,” Munroe chuckled.

“She’ll forgive you as soon as you feed her in the morning,” Sorcha hummed softly. 

It wasn’t as strange as she thought it’d be to have him beside her, it was a little but she’d expected to feel more awkward than she did as she stared at him. He’d kept his top on she noticed, she supposed jeans weren’t comfy to sleep in so he had taken them off. 

She could feel warmth radiating off of him and she wanted to slide closer for more but didn’t know how he’d react if she did, she chewed on her lip as she mulled it over, it was still slightly swollen from earlier. 

“You can come here if you want?” He held his arm out above her for her to slide in beside him. “You look a little cold,” he added when she blinked at him, pretending he didn’t notice her inner battle. 

She realised he was giving her an out by not having to ask him so she slid closer to him, her hand landing on his chest as she lowered herself against his side. She practically shuddered at the heat rolling off him, who needed an electric blanket when this man was a furnace. 

“You're freakishly warm,” she muttered as she nestled closer to him. 

He chuckled as he wrapped the arm he’d held to her around her back, “I’ve always been a bit warm.” 

“It’s like having an electric blanket in bed, only it can talk and annoy you.” She smirked slightly.

“It can also toss you out the bed if he finds you annoying,” he grumbled playfully as he squeezed her tightly. 

“You wouldn’t dare,” she snorted as she twisted to look at him. 

“Depends how annoying you are,” he grinned at her. 

And she found herself smiling back as she looked at him, his warmth slowly chasing away that emptiness that had filled her while she had tried to sleep. The guilt still ate at her stomach as it slowly ebbed away, it would never fully fade but receded for a time. 

Sorcha slowly traced her fingers over his chest, drawing shapes through his shirt. His eyes slid to her hand and watched as she absentmindedly dragged her fingers over him, he hummed a few times, enjoying the soothing motion of her fingers. 

“Perhaps I won’t toss you out if you keep doing that,” he muttered sleepily. 

She smiled at that, her eyes also growing heavy as she nestled further against him, his scent infiltrating her senses and further lulling her.

She let out a sleep sigh and moaned her annoyance at the light still on in the room, “crap.” She muttered as she slowly started to push herself up, “I forgot to turn the lamp off.” 

Munroe tugged her back down and as she landed back beside him he let go of her back, his hand slid away and then the lamp clicked off. 

“I got it,” his voice now deep and heavy with sleep. 

She shuddered at the sound of him and murmured a sleepy groan when his arm came back around her, he began tracing swirls into her back as he held her to him. 

Her eyes shut as she took a deep breath of him in, her fingers started tracing circles in him again and he groaned his approval at her soothing touch returning. 

His nose brushed against her forehead before he slid his lips against it and he murmured deeply as he placed a delicate kiss there, “goodnight, Sorcha.” 

“G’night,” she tried to suppress her yawn. “Munroe,” she added sleepily when she was done yawning. 

He tugged her closer, his other arm coming around her as he turned into her. She let her arm drift up around his shoulder as he turned, feeling every inch of muscle as she dragged her hand up. She was engulfed in him, his heat and scent flooding her as sleep began to claim her. 

The first orange light of the day streamed in the window, Sorcha groaned as it washed over her face and woke her. She’d forgotten to shut the curtain over last night, she’d be mad about it if she wasn’t so warm with Munroe draped around her. 

She twisted around to face him, he shifted slightly at the movement but didn’t wake. She sighed as she took in his sleeping face, he truly was handsome. She hadn’t stuck around yesterday morning to notice it, his high cheekbones, the subtle cupid's bow on lip and how smooth his face was, aside from the small amount of stubble across his jaw. There was a small scar on one of his inner eyebrows that she didn’t notice before, she hadn’t looked at him this closely for long. His face lacked scars and she supposed he was lucky for that as she thought her own face, he only had the one on his eyebrow and then the larger one that ran from his right ear and under his jaw, then across his neck and down his collarbone to his heart. 

Her stomach clenched when she remembered his own father had given him that, how could someone do that to their child? 

Slowly she reached for it, her fingers hovered over it. What fear had he endured? She wondered if it was before his mother passed, he’d have been so young to have endured something like that if it was. He’d gone tense when she’d asked about it so she wouldn’t ask him to drag up his past. 

Gently she ran a finger along the part of the scar that stretched under his jaw until she was cupping his jaw in her hand, her thumb stroking through his stubble as he groaned and started to wake. 

“Morning,” he grunted sleepily as he pulled her flush to him. “That’s nice,” he breathed out as he nuzzled his jaw into her hand. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” She winced as she pulled her hand away and rested it over his collarbone. 

“You didn’t have to stop,” he groaned sleepily as his eyes slid open and bore into hers. They were so bright in the morning light, not as chocolate more golden. “I have to get up anyway,” he added while he stretched. 

She felt pressure on her stomach as he stretched out, his arms tightening around her as he did. Heat pooled between her legs when she realised what that was pushing into her, she should be utterly ashamed of how instantly she responded to his arousal but she wasn’t, instead she was thinking about how good he’d felt between her legs and how much he’d made her feel. 

Right now she wanted to feel anything but empty, she wanted to be flooded with what he’d made her feel, alive for once and not like she was dragging her ass through existence. 

A burning yearning was working its way through her core as she reached her hand back for his jaw, he had started to let go of her when he finished stretching but she wasn’t ready to let go just yet and she hoped he wasn’t either as she gripped his jaw and tugged him towards her as she half rose to meet his lips. 

As soon as her lips brushed his, he wrapped one arm around her as the other gripped her nape and he moaned against her mouth before his tongue teased at the seam in her lips, she opened her mouth at that small tease, her tongue just as greedy for his. 

He rose over her, removing his hand from her nape to undo her braid as he lowered her into the bed, his fingers gently undoing her hair before her head hit the pillow, her black hair now wavy and spread across the pillow as he continued to claim her mouth. 

She tugged up his top as the hand that had been on her back started exploring her hip and the other stayed in her hair, he pulled back briefly as she tugged it over his head and tossed it off the side of the bed. Her hands landed on his chest and she dragged them down him, one stopping at his waist as she tried to guide him between her legs while the other traced every one of his carved abs. 

He gripped that hand and gently pulled it away before dropping it, she tensed as she forced her gaze away from his chest to his face, she wasn’t sure what she’d done wrong. 

He smiled softly, his fingers stilled in her hair as he asked. “Is this what you want, Sorcha?” 

She loosed a breath at that when she realised he was worried about her, she couldn’t stop the soft smile at his concern as she reached her hand for his cheek. She wasn’t sure right now why she had wanted to hate him at first, he was kind and considerate, everything she didn’t deserve yet here she was taking more of him. 

“Yes,” she whispered as she stroked his cheek. “Only if you want this too,” she made herself look him in the eyes. 

His hand covered her hand that rested on his cheek and he twisted to place a soft kiss on her palm, “yes Sorcha, I want this more than I probably should.” 

Her stomach clenched at his words and a small whimper escaped her as he dropped his hand and she dragged hers down to his neck, gripping the back of it as he pulled him back down towards her. 

The hand in her hair drifted down her neck as their lips met again, demanding and hungry. His fingers trailed a path of hot sparks as he found his way to the top of her shirt, he began undoing it as he slid a knee between her legs knocking them open as he shifted over her. Sorcha let one leg fall open as he settled between her thighs, the hand on her hip tugged her underwear down and she curled one leg up to make it easier and as soon as one leg was free, Munroe tore her underwear off with ease. 

Sorcha’s hands had gone back to exploring his body and down to the floor waistband of his boxer were they worked them down as she continued to kiss him like she needed him to breathe, when she’d pushed them down as far as she could half way down his thighs, she then used her feet to shove them off the rest of the way. Her hands moved away and started undoing the bottom of her shirt, working her way up as Munroe worked his way down. 

She hooked a leg around him and guided him down, he moaned into her mouth as he sunk further down onto the bed and Sorcha was practically squirming in anticipation as he got closer and closer. She gently bit down on his lip as his tip slid through her wetness, Munroe let out a hiss at just how wet she was for him. 

She let go of his lip when she felt his cock knock against her entrance and she gasped as he drove into her, her hands forgetting her buttons as they moved to his shoulders, her fingers biting into his shoulder blades as she gripped him tightly while she tried to hold onto her own sanity. 

“Yes,” she breathed out as he entered her. She didn’t care that she was utterly lost to him already. 

As Munroe undid the last button her shirt fell open and he started thrusting, she was whimpering with each stroke and slam into her and he was utterly mesmerised as he watched her lose herself beneath him. He loved the colour she turned, the way her mouth popped open as she moaned and how her body arched into him, begging for any touch of him. 

He flicked his thumb over her nipple and she groaned at that then gasped when he pinched it tightly between his finger, tugging gently before releasing it. 

She forced her gaze onto him as she dragged her nails right down his back, she bit down on her bottom lip as his pace increased while he watched her, their eyes refusing to leave each other as she continued to claw down his back until her hands stopped on his ass and she way dragging him deeper while her legs curled higher around him. 

“Oh fuck,” he hissed as he worked himself deeper into her with her hands on his ass demanding more of him and he gave it. 

She let one hand drift up him, over his hip, up the side off him until she curled it around his bicep and began scraping her nails down it. She only stopped her exploration when he began slamming into her and her lip came free of her teeth as her moans slid from her tongue unrestrained, her nails bit harshly into his bicep and ass cheek as her stomach clenched tightly, almost painfully. 

“Totemo utsukushī,” he groaned as he watched her start to unravel. 

Her eyes found his, heavy with utter pleasure as she tried to glare at him when she didn’t understand his words.

“What does that–” she tried to say through her moans but Munroe silenced her with a kiss. 

She was moaning into his mouth as she kissed him back, her legs tightening around him as her release became too tight to bear and then it was shooting out of her, she was half screaming into his mouth while the other half of her couldn’t get enough air in to breathe. 

Her head fell back as his lips explored her jaw and neck, placing small bites and kisses as he continued to drive in and out of her. Her nails were biting in painfully and she was clenching around him, her walls clamped tightly around him demanding that he come undone along with her and with one final thrust he did. She cried out as he filled her, her nails digging impossibly deeper as she felt him filling her. 

She struggled to get her breath back as she finally let go of him, her eyes caught on his arm and the four little bloody half moons she’d left there. 

“My bad,” she mumbled breathlessly as she lazily brushed her fingers over them.

“I suspect my ass looks the same,” he chuckled as he eyed his arm. 

She winced at that, she hadn’t meant to claw him that deeply.

“Well don’t fuck me to the point that I have to cling on for my life,” she mumbled out in her dazed state, she was still coming down from her orgasm. 

He bent back down to her, his lips brushing against her neck as he softly growled into her ear. “I like you clawing at me for more,” then he bit her right beneath her ear making her moan. 

He chuckled as he pulled away, her cheeks heated at such a small thing making her moan and they heated further when he trailed his gaze down her. 

He sighed as he looked away and tugged the covers over her before rolling away and sitting on the edge of the bed where he tugged his boxers back on. 

“As much as I’d love to lie here with you all day, I have a farm to tend to.” He grumbled as he reached for his clothes.

She rolled towards him as she pulled the covers around herself, “that’s a real shame.” She purred at him, she too would love to lie here all day twisted in the sheets with him and utterly naked. 

He twisted his head to look at her, a seductive smile forming on his lips as he looked her over. 

“Don’t look at me like that,” he growled at her. “I’m half tempted to let those animals run away and spend my days in here,” he started to twist himself towards her. 

“You have crops to check on too,” she murmured as she watched him tug his top back on. 

“They don’t take up as much time,” he grinned and then huffed out a breath. “I’ll be back, you can go back to sleep.” He reached out to her and twisted a lock of her hair in his fingers. 

“What did you say in Japanese?” 

He smiled at her while he pulled away to grab his jeans off the floor and he whispered while he did, “so beautiful.”

Her breath hitched and her cheeks tinted pink, again. He didn’t see that reaction as he got up and started tugging his jeans on with his back to her, Athena had taken the opportunity to steal the side of the bed back while he was up and his back was turned. 

“How long?” She asked as he was doing up his belt. 

“What?” He asked as he turned to face her. 

“How long have you wanted… more?” Me, she wanted to say. 

He tensed as he finished doing up his belt and gulped as he looked at her, “uhm… I’m not sure I want to answer that.” 

“I mean I’ve not been easy to be around so when did you even think that you might… or why? I just don’t get it, I’ve been hostile as fuck,” she didn’t even know why she was asking or if she even wanted to know the answer. 

“So we’re doing this then,” he chuckled awkwardly and sighed. “Before I say anything I’m just going to say this first, I’d have been content if you didn’t want this.” 

She nodded, he’d said as much to Cormac about it being her choice, not that she’d believed him or thought he even thought of her any other way than a nuisance who wound up on his doorstep.

“When you held that poker on me,” he admitted and she blinked in surprise. “It wasn’t like I knew then or thought I wanted you but you got my attention in a way no one has, you were so ready to charge me and run me through. I was utterly taken aback and surprised, not many people surprise me. Then you stood your ground in front of Athena, that's when I realised you didn’t give a shit what threat I could’ve been to you but that you were protecting her, you looked utterly wild and feral and I was ensnared from there.” 

Her brows furrowed in bemusement at him, “and here I was worried I was the crazy one.” 

He snorted out a laugh, “I properly knew at the lodge when you laughed, really laughed, it was breathtaking.” She gulped and tried to think of what to say but he went on. “I’ve always found you endearing Sorcha, in a wild, stubborn and agitating sort of way.” 

She scowled at the last part, she had almost smiled until he'd said that. “Thanks,” she drawled at him. 

He smiled at her and then winked, “don’t worry I won’t ask you when, although I was tempted to chop more wood in front of you for a while after you practically drooled over me.” 

“Get out,” she snapped at him. 

“I better before you punch me again,” he was laughing now. 

“I won’t feel guilty about it this time,” she huffed, utterly annoyed that she hadn’t been as stealthy as she’d thought. 

“I bet you won’t,” he sighed. “Right I’ll be back later,” his eyes landed on Athena and she wagged her tail softly at him. “I'm guessing you're staying here today now you’ve gotten your bed back.” 

The dog rolled over onto her back as if to say she was doing exactly that, she would not be moved today even if sniffing around the farm was one of her favourite pastimes. 

Sorcha slid back down into the bed, her hand reaching for the dog's belly and she began scratching her as Munroe left, he shut the curtain over before disappearing in case she wanted to go back to sleep and that’s exactly what Sorcha did. 

Chapter Text

37.

Their next few days together passed in the same way, they woke up together and ended up twisted in each other. Munroe would come back for lunch and they’d end up tangled on the couch before they ate and when he’d come back at night they’d have dinner before retiring to Sorcha’s room where they would again find themselves revelling in each other's bodies. 

Until this morning when Sorcha woke, when her hand searched the bed beside her it came up empty, she slowly peeled her eyes open and found he indeed wasn’t there. She could hear the shower running across the hall and figured he’d be back before he went to work so she waited. She did think about joining him in the shower when she started to get impatient. 

She sat up as she kept waiting and spotted his shirt still hanging on the end of the bed, she reached for it and pulled it on when she heard the shower click off.

Her insides were practically squirming at the thought of him coming back, every time they had sex she found herself wanting more and more of him. She just told herself she hadn’t felt desire in a long time, her body was craving it for the years she missed, it had to be because this need wasn’t normal. 

Sorcha sat up straight when she heard the bathroom door open but slumped when she heard him recede down the hallway. 

That just wouldn’t do, she huffed as she pushed herself out the bed and stormed for the door. 

She stumbled a little as she made her way down the hall, she’d gotten up too quickly but she still continued down the hall regardless of her unsteady legs. Munroe was just collecting up his keys when he spun to face her, his eyes dragging down her. 

“Why aren’t you in bed?“ she huffed as she folded her arms, pushing her breasts together as she did. 

He glanced at the drop in his shirt on her, at those breasts pushing together and he felt no better than when he was a teenager looking at a woman for the first time as his cock swelled in his jeans, he cursed her for the effect she had on him. 

“I have work to do,” he grumbled as he turned from her. 

“You could've said bye instead of sneaking off like a thief in the night,” she scowled at him. 

“Sorcha,” he smiled as he glanced at her. “We both know I’d have struggled to get out of that bed if you woke up with me still there.” 

“Because I’m suddenly so appealing, right?” She hummed her annoyance. 

His laugh cut her off as he turned to face her, waving a hand over his very clear erection even though he’d tried to hide it in his waistband. “Look at what the sight of you in my shirt has done to me already, I will be back and believe me this is not over.” 

“It’s not over now,” she purred at him. 

He groaned and then hissed out, “fuck it.” 

He tossed his keys to the side, not caring where they landed while he stepped for her. His hand fisted roughly into her hair as he crushed his lips to hers with a guttural moan, she dug her fingers into his neck as she kissed him back and opened her mouth for his tongue that came to meet hers with a flick. 

“You drive me mad,” he growled as he pressed her into the wall, his lips nipping at her jaw. 

“Good,” she moaned as she exposed her neck to him. 

He kissed, nipped and licked his way down her neck before dropping to his knees before her. She looked down at him, amusement flickering in her eyes as he knocked her legs open and hooked one over his shoulder. His other hand gripped her hip and tugged up the shirt she wore as he ducked his head between her legs. 

His mouth and teeth exploring her thigh that he had hooked around his shoulder, then so torturously slow he dragged his tongue through her centre and right to her clit where he flicked his tongue in teasing circles causing Sorcha to throw her head back and fist her hands into his hair as she tugged him in closer. 

He moaned his approval as he slid his hand along her thigh to cup her ass and sucked her clit into his mouth as he gripped her tighter, his tongue flicking against her as he sucked causing Sorcha to screamed out in pleasure as her fingers dug into his scalp, her hips rocked into him with the delicious thing his mouth was doing to her. He drew shapes into her clit faster and faster until she was whimpering above him, until she moaned the word he desperately wanted to hear from her. 

“Munroe,” she whimpered and his grip on her ass tightened at his name on her tongue. 

He grunted his approval as he pulled away from her, pulling her up against the wall and holding her aloft. 

“Please,” she whimpered as her hands undid his belt. 

He was going to cum just from that plea and from the way she pawed at him so desperately. 

“Do you want me so badly that I have enticed manners out of you?” He chuckled seductively.

“Not want, need.” She moaned as she started to undo the button on his jeans. 

“Fuck,” he hissed as his lips crashed down on hers. 

He tugged his boxers down and drove himself into her, he set a punishing pace as he thrust her into that wall. Her nails biting into the back of his neck as she threw her head back in ecstasy, she bit her lip to stifle the moans coming from her and he couldn’t quite believe she was wrapped around him like this. 

“Don’t stop,” she moaned as her nails bit in harder as she dragged them down his neck. “Don’t ever stop,” her moans turned to pleading whimpers. 

“Fuck, Sorcha.” Munroe hissed out as he fucked her into the wall so hard it had to be biting into her back by now, “if I could stay buried in you forever I would.” 

He had never imagined that the feisty, beautiful woman he’d first met would want him like this and so much. It was turning him on like nothing ever had before, he could never, would never have enough of her. He’d been right, Sorcha was anything but boring. 

“Yesyesyesyes ,” she whispered as she pawed him closer, trying her hardest to stifle her orgasm as the word was ripped from her over and over like a prayer. 

He gripped her ass tightly as he thrust into her sharper, faster. She bit down harshly into his shoulder as she screamed in pleasure, she clenched around him and he came right with her. 

“You vicious wild thing,” he grunted as he stilled inside her. 

“You like it,” she grumbled as she let go of him. But her eyes widened as she stared at his neck, “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to–” she gulped as she traced her fingers along the scratches she’d left. 

He grinned, “you marked me?” And because she looked guilty he added, “I didn’t feel it.” 

He tucked himself away before carefully setting her down, she was still looking at his neck, guilt flickering in her silvery, grey eyes. 

He stole a glance in the small mirror above the side unit, he had three very red scratches on either side of his neck, like a collar. 

Fuck, he silently groaned at the sight of them. He had to leave before he wanted to take her again for marking him in such a wicked way.

“You really are a wild beautiful thing,” he smiled wickedly at her but it faltered into a soft smile when he saw her blush and shy away from it. “Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt.” He placed a soft kiss on top of her head, “in fact.” He grumbled into her hair, “I think it’s hot as fuck that your so needy for me you claw me for it.” 

He stepped back with a chuckle as she swiped at him, her fingers just snapping against his bicep. 

“Stop,” she winced in embarrassment. 

He strode away to pick up the keys and glanced at her as he bent to get them, she was still standing there blushing, he found himself smiling that her brashness had suddenly disappeared. 

“You're the one who started it and now you're acting shy,” he teased as he slid out the door. 

She wasn’t mortified at what had passed between them, she was mortified that she’d been so lost in him she’d clawed at him like a desperate animal in heat. 

And he said she drove him mad, he drove her to the brink of insanity with how much she wanted him.

Sorcha was feeling a bit tender now as she sat reading a book on the couch, she sighed and put the book to the side, she hadn’t thought he’d been that rough, she’d be too far gone to really care and had loved every second of it regardless. 

He was well endowed though, she wondered if she still had to adjust to the size of him and huffed as she rose off the couch, ignoring the pain as she let Athena out and waited for her to be done. Her back niggled slightly too from the wall biting into her, she snorted a laugh at that, she certainly wasn’t going to let it stop her from repeating it. 

She wondered why Munroe wasn’t back yet, he had mentioned a storm coming last night so he must be covering the crops and ensuring whatever needs secured is tied down, she could’ve helped or should have offered. She knew she wouldn’t be able to track him down now if she tried, Athena ran back in then and hopped back onto the couch without a second look at Sorcha. 

Sorcha shook her head at how comfortable the dog had gotten here as she shut the door and made for the fridge. She found a wrapped sandwich inside and again snorted a laugh, wondering when he’d had time to do that. 

She would’ve prepared her own but he did seem to enjoy handling food so she wasn’t complaining as she got herself some water and sat down to eat, she read some more when she was done eating, she’d left a piece sandwich for Athena who was very happy to scoff it down. 

A headache was starting to form while the pain in her body got worse as she tried to read. It was coiling low in her stomach as she got up to run herself a hot bath. She shoved some mango smelling body wash in which soon turned to bubbles, she hadn’t had an actual bubble bath in so long and it with the pain niggling at her a bubbly hot bath was calling to her. 

She stripped off and sunk herself into the hot, sweet smelling, bubbly water and moaned in relief at the water licking at her aching back and legs. The hot water found other aches that felt as if they’d been woven and twisted into her body for years, god this place was a delight. 

She lay there for longer than she should have, resting her feet on the edge when she felt they were getting too hot under the water. The pain was almost gone now as she tipped her head back and closed her eyes, although not for long. When she heard the door opening she almost lept from the bath, until she heard his voice. 

“Hello Athena,” Munroe chuckled, she heard the dog's tail thumping. “Where is your owner hiding, huh?” 

Sorcha heard him head along the hall and pause outside the bathroom door, it creaked open.

“There you are,” his fingers touched her toes but he didn’t flick the curtain back. 

“Here I am,” she sighed in relief.

“Enjoying yourself?” He curled his fingers under her foot and she yanked them back into the water. 

“I didn’t feel well, I thought it’d help.” 

“Has it?” He went still. 

“I feel a bit better, I still have a headache though.” She groaned. 

“I have some salve for that,” he murmured gently. “I’ll go find it.” 

She heard him leave and she sat up, her hands skimming through the water and clearing the bubbles and as they parted red swirls appeared underneath. 

Red, she tensed as she blinked at the water in disbelief. It was red, she threw herself up with a loud yelp. 

She heard something clatter in the kitchen as she stared at her calves still in the water, her hand darting between her thighs as she leaned against the tiled wall and as she snapped them back out her fingers were coated with blood. 

“Sorcha,” Munroe’s panicked voice filled the room as he came rushing in. 

“Don’t come in here!” She yelled as his hand curled around the shower curtain. 

His hand gripped it but he didn’t make to open it, “what’s wrong?” 

“I’m-I’m bleeding,” she blinked in disbelief. “I-I think I just got my period.” 

His hand dropped away from the curtain, “when was the last time?” 

“Years ago,” she whispered. “I can’t remember…”

When she did bleed she had only spotted for a day or two, she hadn’t felt cramps in years, she'd forgotten how they had coiled in her stomach and back, she had forgotten how much her legs had ached on her first day. She had put the pain down to the sex because she simply couldn't remember what a cycle was supposed to feel like, she had put on weight so of course it was only natural that her body was trying to right itself but she had forgotten that she was supposed to bleed. 

He reached in without looking at her and pulled the chain releasing the plug to let the water drain, “I guess you’ve put on enough weight for it to come back.” 

“Do you have anything for-” she stopped herself, why would he?

“I’ll check through my mothers things,” he said softly. “Take a shower, I’ll come back before you're done.” 

She did just that and he found an old box of pads, the box slightly dusty from lack of use and left them on the sink for her along with a little pot of salve for her head. She quickly changed and felt odd to be wearing a pad of all things again, it was odd to have her period again for another. The salve was also nipping at her head so she had that to distract her from wearing a pad. She liked the cooling nip on her head, it definitely soothed the ache. 

She grumbled as she made her way through to the living area, trying and failing to ignore the pain creeping its way back up her body now that the bath wasn’t warming her. 

“Where is the hot water bottle?” She winced as she came to a stop. 

“I’ll get it,” Munroe gave her a soft smile. “You can just sit or go lie down in bed if you’d rather rest,” he twisted away from her and opened a cupboard. 

“I'm not sick, I don't need to rest,” she grumbled at him. 

He smiled gently as he placed the hot water bottle down and walked towards her, “I know you're not sick but you haven’t bled in years and I can see the pain in your eyes-” he sighed as he stopped in front of her and gently swept her hair back.

“All I’ve done since I’ve gotten here is rest! I'm sick of it,” she huffed as she tried not to lean into his soft touch. 

As she folded her arms in her huff she winced at the pressure it put on her stomach, Munroe didn’t miss that. 

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” he slid his hands down to her arms and rubbed gently. “You haven’t bled in years though, you should rest to let your body adjust to it.” He soothed, “if you faint you’ll be stuck in bed longer.” He added when he could see her starting to bristle. 

She didn’t like the sound of that so she slumped her shoulders in defeat, “fine.” 

“I'll bring you some hot chocolate too,” he brushed a gentle kiss on her forehead. 

“Maybe you shouldn't,” she grumbled as she pushed away from him. “You feeding me got me into this mess,” she glared at him. 

He let his hands drop away from her as she glowered at him, “was I not supposed to feed you?” He chuckled slightly.

“You shouldn’t have fed me up, what was the point when I’m going to leave and I’ll be starved out there anyway?” She snarled at him. 

Munroe winced at that and Sorcha tensed at the sadness that passed through his eyes when she said she was going to leave, he composed himself quickly but the amusement that had lit up his face when he’d tried to change the mood had disappeared and Sorcha felt like she’d just kicked a puppy. 

“I’ll–uh… sort your water bottle, you should rest.” He grumbled, he didn't look at her before turning away.

Her breath was stuck in her throat as she watched after him, had he thought she’d stay because of what had shifted between them? She didn’t think saying she was still leaving would hurt him, she hated herself for that, when he was again just trying to help her. 

As she shuffled back to her room she told herself she had imagined it, he’d just gotten bothered because she’d been snappy and snarky, he got bored of women, right? That’s what Ailith had said, so Sorcha clung to that as she climbed into bed and wrapped herself in the covers. This wasn’t serious for either of them, it couldn’t be, she wouldn’t let it. 

Chapter Text

38.

Sorcha’s cycle had only lasted four days but she’d been in agony for the first two, the storm had distracted her slightly the first night as she watched the rain but it didn’t last long. She had practically curled up from the pain and was glad for Munroe’s fussing for once. She had sniffled an apology to him while he was trying to look after her, in truth she liked his food she had just been upset about her cycle. 

Munroe made sure she ate, he brought her hot chocolate and made more cookies, she didn’t grumble once about it, if she hadn’t been bleeding so heavily and sick from the pain lashing through her she’d have climbed him like a mountain but she settled for him holding her, his body heating her even though she had a hot water bottle pressed against her stomach most of the time. 

The third day wasn’t so bad, she managed a bath but the heat from the water exhausted her. She did curse him that night for feeding her up, this time more teasingly than snappy, she tried to refuse the food he’d brought her but she was so ravenous that her refusal didn’t last long. Then she went back to cursing him some more, if she hadn’t gained the weight her cycle would have never returned. She had spotted over the years but had never had a full blown period, she stayed in a huff with Munroe that night over it, going as far to loudly huff while she cuddled herself against him, much to Munroe’s amusement. 

He didn’t particularly mind her huffing, he was just glad she wasn’t bent over in agony anymore, he hadn’t been quite sure what to do. He knew nothing would help, it would pass but he still tried to ease it the best he could, she had refused painkillers saying to save them for when they were necessary and not to waste them. 

Sorcha was remembering the fourth day as she sat up in bed, she’d woken up yesterday absolutely ravenous for him, she had wanted him on the third day too, part of why she was so huffy. She had tried not to give in but hadn’t stopped herself from kissing him or from grinding against him and when she’d pulled away frustrated with herself when she couldn’t do more, he’d wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest muttering in her ear that he wasn’t scared to ride the red dragon. 

And she let him prove that, he slipped her pants down and had taken her while they spooned, he had shifted one of her legs up and around him while one hand playing with her breasts before sliding up her to grip her around the neck, guiding her lips to his while he released himself on her. 

She shook the memory of it away, she couldn’t believe she’d done that but he made her utterly needy. She was just glad her words still didn’t hang over them and that her bleeding had stopped so there would be no holding back now. 

She ran her hands through her hair, still slightly damp from her shower last night and glanced around the room for Munroe. He wasn’t there nor could she hear the shower this morning, she noticed it was bright when she glanced at the windows so she must’ve slept for longer than usual and he must be out already. 

She went looking for food and found some left in a tub for her so she picked at it as she sorted herself a cup of tea, as she slid herself onto a tall chair at the kitchen counter she noticed the note that had been left there, she dragged it towards her and skimmed her eyes over it; 

Come find me when you're ready. 
-Roe  
-M

She blinked at it before twisted it in her fingers, seeing if anything lay on the back of it. She looked at the name he’d scored out, a line trailed from the e as if he realised too late what he was writing and she wondered who’d called him that to make him score it out. 

She quickly shoved some clothes on and forced her boots onto her feet, she called for Athena as she picked the note back off the counter and stuffed it into her pocket. She’d go find out what he wanted, when she opened the door Athena went bouncing out making her owner laugh. She’d have to ask Munroe how the dog's leg was coming along, if her maths was correct it should only be a little over another week before the dog is fully able to travel again, her gut recoiled at the thought as she made her way around the cabin. 

She ignored that feeling as she stalked into the barn, Athena went running through the open doors and into the field as Sorcha looked around. She didn’t find him in the barn or the field and was quickly starting to dislike this game of hide and seek as she stood outside the barn and glanced around, she could check the crop fields or the greenhouses. Perhaps he’d even gone to get more wood, she didn’t want to check the kill shed and she didn’t think he’d ask her to look for him if he was going to be in there… then she seen it, the closest greenhouse door was open so she lazily strolled towards it, she could see Athena still lounging in the field as she made her way towards the open door. 

She wondered as she walked if that’s what the dog got up to when she was with Munroe, she certainly looked like the queen of the field as she lounged high on the bale, her tail draped over the side. 

Sorcha shook her head as she stepped into the greenhouse, there was no sign of Munroe even as she slid further inside, her eyes darting around as she went. She was starting to wonder if she’d been sent on a wild goose chase and let out a sign as she eyed up the various plants that grew in here. 

She knew some; carrots, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce and a few small blossoming trees. She stopped at one and stroked her fingers over an orange that grew on its small branches, she had wondered where they’d come from. She’d thought oranges grew better in the heat, she wondered if he’d tried to plant any trees outside of the greenhouse when they got too big. 

“You found me,” he chuckled wickedly as he pushed the back curtain aside and leaned against the metal frame as the plastic curtain fell behind him. 

She jumped at his sudden appearance and turned to look at him as she pulled the paper from her pocket and shrugged, “I did get your note… Roe?” She raised a brow at that, a small smirk appearing on her lips. 

He sighed, “I knew I should have written a fresh one.” He rolled his eyes when she kept her brow raised at him, “it was my mothers nickname for me.” 

A soft smile replaced her smirk as she pocketed the note, “ah I better not use it to tease you then.” 

“Call me that if you like,” he laughed. “Although I may have to repay the favour and find out yours.” 

“Well Roe,” she grinned at him. “I’m afraid I don’t have one,” she simply shrugged one shoulder as she watched him. 

“Then I can give you one…” he pondered for a moment, his fingers tapping against his chin. “Hmmm… it’s not easy, I could give you one in Japanese, So-chan.” 

“Which means?” She tilted her head at him. 

“It’s just your name but said in a way that would make it obvious that I was close enough to you to use it,” a small smile played on his lips as he watched her. 

“I’m not sure if I’m a fan of nicknames,” she sighed as she glanced at the orange tree again. “Do these grow outside of here or are they not able to?” She slid her eyes back to him. 

“I have tried a few times, apple trees do much better… I don’t think I’ve ever pointed them out to you—anyway, I’m getting off track. Two of the orange trees I planted outside survived, the weather here isn’t the best for them to fully thrive, they do better in here before they grow too big.” 

She nodded, “So what did you want me for?” 

“To show you something,” he grinned wide when she twisted to look at him. 

Confusion coated her face as she watched him, “and what would that be?” 

“You’ll like it,” he purred at her as his hand slid into the curtain behind him. 

She caught sight of the nefarious plants that were in the back separated by the curtain, her eyes scanned over them until she heard a click and music started playing. 

“You brought me out here to listen to Elvis Presley?” Her brows furrowed at him as suspicious minds started playing, it was half way through so he must’ve been listening to it earlier. 

“Just wait and have some patience, sekkachi on’na.” He gave her a lopsided grin as something else clicked. 

She watched him utterly perplexed about what they could be doing in a greenhouse until she was splattered with something cold and was gasping as the breath was stolen from her, water was raining down from the roof.

Her body tensed at the sensation waiting for the burn that didn’t come, it was raining and it didn’t burn. 

Her eyes went wide as they found him, he was smiling as he watched her. She let out a shuddery laugh before tilting her head up slightly and holding her palms up, watching the water splash off them. 

“Why?” She breathed out as she blinked at Munroe. 

“So you could feel the rain,” he murmured softly. 

Her heart stopped for a brief moment at those words and she was so glad it was raining in here to hide the tears that had fallen, a small quiet sob did escape her as she fully tilted her head to the water that was raining down on her. 

He slid the dial up on the radio that was in the back room, just as the next song started playing. He gulped at the wash of emotions crossing her face, sadness, relief, happiness. He couldn’t keep up with it, as he stepped toward her letting the water splattered over him too. 

She dropped her head when she heard him coming, the water making his white top see through as he stopped in front of her. 

“How?” She breathed. 

“Bits of hose with holes pierced in them connected to the drip system,” he glanced up and she followed his gaze. 

She spotted the green lines then, snaking back and forth from the irrigation system. Her heart thudded painful at the sight, he’d done this for her? 

He slid some loose strands of wet hair behind her ear making her look at him, “why would you–”

“You wanted to feel it again,” he shrugged as he stroked his thumb across her cheek. “And I believe you said something about dancing in the rain?” He smirked as he gently took her hand and slid it onto his shoulder then held his other out to her. 

He wasn’t real, she died in the car crash and this wasn’t real, right? 

She registered the song that started playing now, the song she had chosen not to say whether she had liked or not but he had guessed was her favourite of the kings, she had refused to admit it on their way back from that venue. 

She shouldn’t, she shouldn’t, it would send the wrong message but she was selfishly reaching for his hand because if she had died in that crash then would it matter if she said yes or no? If this was all just some lucid, blissful dream in the end. 

So they danced in the fake rain in the greenhouse to Elvis, she couldn’t stop from smiling as they twirled around. His smile practically mirrored hers as they allowed themselves to become completely soaked through. 

“This isn’t real,” she whispered breathlessly as they spun. 

“I could always pinch you,” he murmured as he pulled her tighter. 

Why would he do this for her? She wanted to ask, it was on her tongue but she was scared of the possible answers he could give her, some of those she didn’t want to hear because she’d bolt like a deer during a hunt. 

The song stopped and they did with it, she was breathing heavily as she gazed up at him, the way he was looking at her made her shudder and her heart clenched. As he went to talk she didn’t let him, she was too scared of what he might say so she tugged him down and silenced him with a kiss. 

His hand fisted into the wet material on her back as her hands cupped his jaw and dragged him down as she started to lower herself, she didn’t want to talk so she let her body do it for her. 

He didn’t need to be told what she wanted as he lowered her onto the ground, it was challenging for them both to peel their wet clothes from each other. The water still pouring from above wasn’t helping but it just built the anticipation and need, she was practically shaking with desire by the time he sunk between her legs.

The water made their skin glide against each other as he thrusted deep within her, she tried to keep her legs around him but the wetness of both their skins made it difficult. She tried anyway, loving the way her legs slid against him and the way her hands glided up his chest and down his back. 

Not being able to get a proper hold on him was teasing her closer and closer to orgasm, she didn’t know how he was keeping his purchase as he ground into her, every thrust sent her skin alight. Warming the cool water that coated her. 

They were sharing their moans with each other as their mouths devoured each other, they were devouring each other in every way that they could until they were completely spent when their orgasms found them, she murmured his name into his mouth as he filled her, she hated how much she loved how good it felt to be full of him. 

She wasn’t sure when the water had stopped as they lay twisted in each other, Munroe had wrapped a blanket around them that he’d tugged out from under one of the benches.

“I hadn't planned for that to happen when I asked you out here,” he shuddered in delight as he stroked his fingers up her spine. 

“Sure you didn’t” she sighed as she slid her hand up his chest, her fingers stroking the soft dusting of chest hair there. “You just keep blankets in here for fun,” she gave him a dubious look.

“I keep them in here for emergencies, I have them stashed everywhere.” He grumbled softly. 

“Uh huh, sure.” She rolled her eyes disbelievingly. 

“Sorcha,” he breathed as his fingers stroked into her hair. 

Her stomach clenched at the tenderness in which he'd spoken her name and she pushed herself up to look at him, his hand slid out of her wet locks as she moved. 

“This is just sex right Munroe?” She tried to calm her heart as she asked. 

He gulped before a smile slid across his lips, “of course.” 

“Good, I-I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page with-uh…” she sighed as she let it trail off. 

“We’re friends too, I just wanted to do something nice for a friend.” 

She smiled softly at that, making him smile wider as she did. 

“Friends with benefits, I like that.” She chuckled as she pushed herself up, letting the blanket fall away as she started to pick up her clothes. “I have to admit, I’ve never had sex in a greenhouse before.” 

She started picking her wet clothes apart as she stood there completely naked before him. 

“I can also admit neither have I,” Munroe chuckled as he let his eyes roam all over her naked form. 

“Enjoying yourself?” She muttered as she watched him. 

“I’d be a fool not to enjoy such a wonderful view when given the chance,” his eyes meeting hers as he sat up, the blanket falling around his middle. 

“I don’t think I’m going to be able to force these back on,” Sorcha huffed as she waved her wet clothes at him. “And running back to the cabin in the buff doesn’t sound like my idea of fun,” she grumbled as she glanced at the door. 

“There’s another blanket,” he began moving and tugged it out from under the bench on the other side of him. “Here,” he held it up to her. 

She just shook her head as she took it from him, “they really are everywhere.” 

“I did tell you,” he grinned. 

She quickly pulled it around herself, “are you coming or are you going to stay here wet and naked?” 

“I have a few things to turn off,” he grunted as he pushed himself up, wrapping his blanket around his waist. “You go, get a shower, get warm. I’ll take the clothes back,” he murmured as he gripped her clothes.

When she let go of them he placed a gentle kiss to her scarred cheek, letting it linger for a moment. When she took a step back he slid away into the back of the greenhouse and she slid her feet into her boots before making her way out, trying not to let her eyes linger on him as he walked away. 

Athena spotted her and pranced over to the fence, sliding out under it as Sorcha passed by. Sorcha smiled as the dog fell into step beside her. 

As the water from hair started dripping onto her neck she started to shiver, it was made worse when the cool breeze would twirl up under the blanket so she increased her speed as she made a beeline for the cabin, the dog now trotting at her side. 

Sorcha slammed her feet into the dirt when she rounded the corner, Athena leapt in front of her when she caught sight of the figure standing in front of the door. 

Sorcha’s stomach almost dropped out her ass when Ailith’s gaze turned toward her, her blue eyes filled with bewilderment and then rage as her eyes ran down her obvious naked state underneath the blanket. If she needed a reminder that she wasn’t dreaming or dead then here it was like a slap in the face while the redhead viciously glowered at her. 

Chapter Text

39.

“Where is Munroe?” Ailith’s glare was sharp enough to cut through her. 

“He’s around,” Sorcha shrugged as she tried to resist the urge to look behind her. 

She wasn’t stupid enough to take her eyes off the potential threat in front of her, even if she had come to defend her against Cormac she was sure Ailith had done that out of fear that she’d lose Munroe. 

“Obviously,” she let her eyes flick up and down Sorcha. 

Sorcha bristled at that, “and what brings you here? Looking to get your ass handed to you again,” Sorcha smirked at her as cockily as she could while she stood there practically naked. 

Ailith barked a laugh, “such a brave little mouse.” 

Sorcha narrowed her eyes at her, Athena hadn’t fully relaxed in front of her either. 

“As if you're in any state to fight,” Ailith gave her a knowing look. “Although Munroe may enjoy the show if your blanket slips during…” 

“What do you want?” Sorcha snapped at her. 

“Munroe, I want to see Munroe, not his little pet.” She scoffed as she dismissively waved Sorcha off. 

Sorcha’s hands tightened on the blanket, she shouldn’t allow her to get under her skin but she did. 

“Ailith?” Munroe barked out in surprise as he almost came to a stumbling stop when he rounded the corner. 

He glanced between the two women who were both glowering at each other, “if looks could kill, huh?” He chuckled but it was cut off when both of their glares snapped towards him. 

Ailith’s glare however wavered when she took in the sight of his glistening chest, the blanket around him and the wet clothes bunched in one of his hands. Her jaw was set tightly as she looked away from him.

“She’s here for you,” Sorcha shrugged as she looked at him. “She wouldn’t say why, so enjoy.” 

And with that Sorcha stomped for the cabin door, Ailith passing her at a wide berth as she headed for Munroe. 

“What do you want?” Munroe sighed as he stepped towards Ailith. 

“Lachlan he’s gone…” Sorcha almost stilled on her way to the door but forced herself to keep stepping. “We argued and he left…” a sob bubbled out of her. “It was bad Munroe–“ 

Sorcha didn’t hear the rest as the door closed behind her, she wanted to stand there and listen as worry flooded her over Lachlan. Ailith probably wouldn't talk with her there so she couldn’t hang around to find out, instead she forced herself to take a shower rather than trying to demand answers from them. She let Athena into the bathroom before her and heard the front door open as she was closing the bathroom door, she stilled on the other side as she locked it. 

“He’ll be fine, Ailith.” Munroe sighed. “You know what he’s like, he takes off, he runs but he comes back. You hurt him,” Munroe added a little harshly. 

“I k-know I did but he didn’t even say where he was going, what if he doesn’t come back?” She hissed at him. “Help me look for him, please?” 

“I can’t just up and go, not like that, not to scour half the country. He could be anywhere, Ailith.” Munroe snapped.

“You won’t leave because of her,” Ailith bit out. “You’re really going to leave him–”

“Don’t,” Munroe’s snarl was deadly. “I’m going to get changed and we’ll talk further but don’t you dare say anything about Sorcha.” 

“Then why won’t you look for him with me?” Ailith whispered and Sorcha had to strain to hear her. 

“Because first of all we don’t know where he is and secondly he took off without saying because he doesn’t want to be followed,” Munroe sighed. “I’m going to get dressed and then we’ll try to make contact, that's all we can do.” 

Sorcha slid away from the door and let the blanket fall from her as she stepped into the shower, she didn’t know what to make of that conversation as she punched the shower on and started to wash herself off, the water heated her bones as it washed over her. 

She found a towel when she was done and shoved the blanket into the hamper before unlocking the door, when she slid into the hall the conversation stopped in the living room. She glanced over to see Munroe giving her a simmering smile as he tilted his head in her direction, she could hear Ailith letting out an annoyed huff so she slid away into her room at that. 

She quickly shoved some clothes on while Athena lounged on the bed and she was grateful that she had moved some books in here, she grabbed one and flopped down onto the bed. She’d stay in here until they were done, she was sure Munroe wouldn’t care if she came through, he wouldn’t have altered the conversation for her sake but she couldn’t be bothered with being glared at so she settled down and began reading. 

She was a little less than half way through Treasure Island when the smell of food reached her, when her stomach growled she shoved a bookmark in it and slid it onto the bedside table as she got up. 

“Something smells good,” she murmured softly as she padded into the living room. 

Munroe looked over his shoulder at her and flashed a smile, “I wondered when you’d sniff out dinner. It’s almost ready.” 

Sorcha glanced around, there was no sign of Ailith. “Has your visitor gone?” 

“Yeah,” he grunted. Annoyance edging in his voice, “can you sort the cutlery and drinks?” 

“Sure,” she hummed out as she slid into the kitchen. 

Sorcha noticed the tired look on his face as she poured some juice for them, the look he’d tried to hide when he’d smiled at her. She quickly laid the drinks on the coffee table along with some cutlery for them before coming back and leaning on a counter, one that was out of his way so he didn’t have to dance around her. 

“So Lachlan is missing?” Sorcha pressed gently. 

Munroe sighed, “sort of. He does this occasionally, just goes off the grid for a while.” 

“She seemed worried about him… I don’t want to push but should we be looking for him?” Her fingers scraped anxiously against the counter. 

“We?” He raised a brow at her, his jaw was clenched tightly as he turned to her. 

She shrugged, “I was just worried when I heard.” 

“They had a pretty nasty argument, he’ll be away to cool off.” Munroe grumbled as he pulled the food from the oven, setting the dish towel to the side when he placed the pot down. 

“Did you try to reach him?” 

He tensed before throwing a quick glance at her, “were you eavesdropping?” 

She shuddered at the tone he used, “no.” She muttered quietly. “Her being upset and him being missing is all I heard before I went for a shower.” 

“Yes,” he murmured reluctantly. “We tried over the walkies and got nothing, we have both left them on in case he did hear and doesn’t want to get back to us right now.” 

She nodded, not that he could see as he plated up the food. She glanced back at the living room before sliding around the kitchen island, turning her back to the living room now that she was across from Munroe on the island as he continued to dish out the food, it smelled delicious her stomach was practically dancing inside her. 

“So is she looking for him?” She asked casually and carefully. 

His eyes snapped up to her and she wished she’d never asked, Sorcha had never seen this much rage on his face, not directed at her anyway. 

“This doesn’t concern you,” he glowered at her. 

“I’m sorry… I was just worried to hear that he was–”

“And why should you give a shit about Lachlan?” His eyes darkened as he dropped the serving spoon back into the dish. 

She didn’t know, they had just clicked from the moment she met him. Being around Lachlan was as easy as breathing, he had looked at her impulsiveness with the grenade and had laughed like a wild thing, she knew then that they were both wild beings, wild kindred spirits she had realised. 

“Because he’d want to help if it was you or me, he already proved that.” Her hands clenched tightly at her side. 

“Typical,” he snorted a dark laugh and then sighed. “Ailith would have loved you if you were present for our conversation.” 

“As if I would’ve been allowed?” She snarled through gritted teeth. Her hackles were up now as she planted her feet firmly on the ground before him. 

“I can’t make you do anything,” he snapped at her, pushing her plate towards her.

“Ailith wouldn’t have liked me there even if I was agreeing with her, so what would’ve been the point?” Munroe’s arms went tense at that causing Sorcha to laugh, “so did she go looking for him and are you really just waiting around with you thumb up your ass till you hear from him?” 

“So what if she did?” He snapped harshly. “Because I should’ve gone too?” 

“Yes,” Sorcha glared at him, trying to stop her hands from shaking as her nails bit into her palms. 

She was utterly terrified right now, she didn’t like his anger being pinned on her.

He shook his head, “there’s no point when he doesn’t want to be found.” 

“You still should have gone with her,” Sorcha tried not to shake. 

“I don’t want to talk about this with you any more,” he slammed his hand down on the counter hard.

She couldn't stop herself from flinching at the loud slam it made, she registered how big his hands were. She knew they were, they had traced every inch of her body but seeing them now, she knew they’d hurt if he smacked her with them. Would he? She tried not to tremble at the thought, she didn’t think he would but she couldn't stop that fear from bubbling, she didn’t know how far he could be pushed. 

“You should’ve helped her, offered her something else… she sounded really–”

“For fuck sake!” He roared at her, Sorcha’s knees almost giving out at the rage twisting on his face. “I get enough of this from Ailith,” he spat out. “I don’t need this jealous nonsense from you.” 

She felt like she’d been dipped in ice cold water, jealous? She hadn’t been jealous in the slightest, she stepped towards the counter before she could stop herself. 

The ice that now coated her veins was turning to anger as she slid her fingers under the edge of her plate and then she was throwing it, it went flying off the counter. The food on it covered his top as it went by him, making him step back as the plate crashed to the ground, pieces scattering in all directions. 

“Shove your food up your arse you fucking bastard!” Despite the anger her voice wavered as her eyes turned glassy. 

Rage no longer plastered Munroe’s face, he was utterly devastated as he watched her. She didn’t wait to hear anymore from him, she spun on her heels and headed for her room.

“Sorcha! Wait,” Munroe called after her. 

She flung herself through the door before he could stop her and flicked the lock on, she didn’t want to hear his excuses for saying that, for speaking to her like that. She was shaking as she leaned against the door and when she uncurled her fingers blood beaded on her palms from how hard her nails had cut into her. 

The door shook when Munroe tried the handle, she had to stifle the sob as she jumped away from the door. Her eyes on it as she watched him try to open it, her heart started racing and she felt sick thinking he might just break it down.

“Sorcha please open the door,” his voice was gentle again. Anxious but gentle nonetheless. 

“No,” she snapped, hoping he couldn’t hear the tears. 

“I didn’t mean it,” there was no hiding the trepidation in his voice now. 

She shook her head, she didn’t want to believe him, she was still so scared of how angry he had looked and that he had tried to say she was being jealous, after what they had just shared earlier how could he have thought that? They should’ve just stayed there, perhaps Ailith wouldn’t have come looking around for him. Was that selfish of her to want that? 

She sat on the edge of the bed as she heard something slide down the door, Munroe had slumped to the ground on the other side and she heard when his head knocked back against the other side. 

Her heart calmed slightly knowing that he wouldn’t break the door down, although she didn’t like that he was hanging around nearby either. 

“Sorcha,” Munroe pleaded from the other side of the door. 

The remorse was so clear that it shot through her like a bolt, she almost gave in, she came close to getting up and hearing what he had to say from how he had pleaded her name like a prayer of forgiveness. 

“Go away!” She snapped, stifling the sob down. 

“Please listen–” 

“Fuck off!” She bit out louder when she heard him shift, “leave me alone.” Her voice wavered then and she worked hard to stop herself from bursting into tears. 

“Shit,” he muttered quietly as she heard him sigh. 

So slowly he dragged himself up, she listened to his footsteps trail away down the hall and sat there straining to hear him for a few moments longer. 

She wasn’t sure how long she sat there just staring at the wall, wondering how things had blown up so quickly between them and wondering why he’d been so quick to get angry at her questions. 

She sat there until a soft scrape and a whine came from the door, she forced herself up and cracked the door open allowing Athena to come in before shutting and locking it again, loudly. She wanted him to know that she still didn’t want to talk or see him. 

When she stumbled back to the bed she threw herself down onto it, burying her face in the pillows as the tears finally fell freely and she let herself sob. She didn’t know what hurt most; that he’d spoken to her like he had, that she thought he may strike her or if she was just hurt because she hadn’t given herself to anyone in a long time and now that they were at each other's throats she was starting to remember why she hadn’t. 

Athena crept up beside her while she wept and curled into her, Sorcha wrapped her arm around the dog. Her face burying into the soft fur on Athena’s neck as the tears started to cease, the dog's warm presence slightly soothing her as her breaths started to come out shaky while she tried to calm her breathing back to normal. 

Chapter Text

40.

Sorcha awoke still curled around Athena, the dog's tail gently thumped as her owner moved. Athena rolled towards Sorcha and licked at her cheek causing Sorcha to sniffle a laugh as she pushed herself up.

Her face hurt, her eyes still felt wet and she felt utterly exhausted regardless of the sleep she had gotten. 

“Sorry,” she muttered to the dog as she stroked Athena’s neck, finding bits of her fur hardened from her own tears.

Athena just blinked at her and placed her chin on Sorcha’s knee, she smiled down at her dog and continued to gently stroke her. 

She could hear Munroe shifting around outside, the sound of the bathroom door shutting had alerted her to his presence. She’d wait till he was gone to do what she needed, she wondered if she should leave while he was gone. She was good at running, she ran from everything, she was running from herself and the life she lived when she had ended up here so it would be fitting to run from here too. 

Her gaze shifted to the dog in her lap and she knew she couldn’t go anywhere until she was sure that the dog could, although would around two weeks early make a difference? She wanted Athena to have full use of that leg, she didn’t want her to have a hobble like her if her leg got cold and if gritting her teeth and staying here would grant the dog that she’d just have to put her big girl pants on and deal with it. 

Staying would mean having to talk about what had happened and she didn’t want to do that, running was definitely the appealing option but it only benefited her own needs. 

She waited until she heard him leave and then waited another few minutes before sneaking out of the room, she let Athena out before seeing to herself and then took a shower. Hoping that it would also help her aching face, it did slightly. She poked around the kitchen but decided she wasn’t hungry after all and slunk back to her room with some water and a cup of tea, she didn’t want to be out there when he came back. 

Not yet anyway, she didn’t know what she’d say to him. So she stayed there reading more of Treasure Island. 

At least until she heard him come back in and she found it difficult to ignore the sounds of him moving around, she couldn’t focus on the words on the page anymore, she was too on edge. Especially when Athena leapt off the bed and sat staring at the door, her tail wagging softly side to side as she listened to Munroe pottering around. 

Sorcha still refused to move, she wasn’t going out there. Her heart sped up at the thought of it, so she lay there staring at the ceiling until everything fell silent outside the door. 

The silence piqued her interest and she pushed herself up to stare at the door, she stared for a long while but nothing shifted outside, had he left again and she’d missed the sound of the door? 

She sat up fully and twisted her fingers together nervously, she still didn’t know what to do. Perhaps just getting it over with would be easier or she’d spend her last two weeks hiding in here. 

Carefully she pushed herself up and tiptoed to the door, Athena shifted out the way as Sorcha unlocked it. She took a deep breath before she opened it and silently stepped out, the dog on her heels as she made her way down the hall. She still didn’t know what she was going to say, she just hoped her face didn’t look puffy anymore. 

Munroe was sitting on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees as he held his face in his hands. Athena went padding towards him and Sorcha almost cursed her for it as the dog slid her face between his arms causing him to flinch in fright, he quickly composed himself and stroked her. 

Then his head snapped towards the hall, as if suddenly realising that the dog's presence must’ve meant that she was here too. Sorcha tensed and took half a step back when he started to rise, when he noticed he carefully sat back down. 

He didn’t want her to be unsure of him so he’d let her come to him, she could stand there and talk to him, he didn’t particularly care as long as she stopped looking at him at him with those cautious eyes as if she was assessing a dangerous situation and trying to figure out what would be her safest, fastest way out. 

It took her a moment to move again when she realised he was staying where he was, the dog had gotten bored of him ignoring her for Sorcha so she’d taken up her usual spot on her favourite armchair. 

Sorcha came to a stop near the edge of the couch, she didn’t try to sit down or step any closer to him sitting at the other end, he watched her carefully. 

They just stared at each other for a long moment, Sorcha was trying to ignore the frantic pounding in her chest. 

“Sorcha, I–” 

“No,” she breathed out as she folded her arms. 

She was trying to ignore the urge to shake, she was just glad that her voice had sounded steady. Munroe closed his mouth as he watched her.

“You won’t ever speak to me like that again,” her eyes hardened as she glared down at him. 

He shook his head and breathed out, “never. Never again, Sorcha I promise.”

“And don’t you ever call me jealous again, it’s not in my nature to be jealous.” She squared her shoulders, trying to remain brave. 

She was not a brave person, fear ruled her more than she cared to admit but she was good at pretending and bravery does not equal the absence of fear, that she knew well. 

“I’m sorry I said that, I was–it’s not an excuse but I let Ailith get under my skin, she’d said things that got to me and,” he gulped. “I was the one to get jealous, I know that now.” 

She blinked at him in surprise, “you got jealous?” 

He winced and looked away as he let out a deep sigh, “yes.” His eyes slid back up to her, “when you were asking about Lachlan. And then you got pissed that I wasn’t going to look for him, I was reminded of how easily you got along with him at the lodge, you’d barely known him a day and you were already smiling and joking with him.” 

Oh… Sorcha’s stomach practically dropped at the admission. 

“It’s not an emotion I’m accustomed to, all I knew was I was extremely irritated hearing his name on your tongue and I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about how we’d shared women. Many that pursued me often found themselves in Lachlan’s bed, he’s far more… charming than me, I know that and I can’t stop you. I wouldn’t stop you if you wanted him, you probably deserve someone who’s not like me.” 

“You're a big idiot,” Sorcha murmured softly as she took a step closer. “You have nothing to be jealous of–I was just worried, he’s a good friend to you.“

There was more she wanted to say, it was on the tip of her tongue but it wouldn’t come out, she couldn’t make herself say them as she looked at him. 

“He is,” Munroe exhaled, guilt flashing in his eyes. “Which makes me an even bigger bastard, he helped me through my anger issues and here I am… fuck.” He let out an exasperated groan. 

She couldn’t bear the pain on his face and she slid in front of him, tenderly cupping his jaw. 

“This is new to me Sorcha, I don’t know what I’m doing.” He murmured as he leaned into her hand, “I am so sorry for getting angry at you when I was pissed at myself, I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. I’m used to anger, my father was an angry man, I learnt it from a young age–which isn’t an excuse but I’ve tried so hard to be anything but him.” 

Her thumb gently stroked across his cheek, “we all carry our trauma differently.” She whispered softly, “is that what Lachlan helped you with?” 

“Yes,” his eyes slid up to look at her. “I’m sorry.” 

Her heart clenched tightly at the sincerity in his eyes, “I know.” 

“I’ll never stop being sorry,” his fingers twitched as if he longed to touch her but thought better of it. 

“Was your father angry towards you?” 

He nodded, “often. I-I was never good enough, never did anything right–” He winced as he let his words trailed off. 

Sorcha’s eyes dropped to that scar under her fingers, “what did Ailith say to get under your skin?” 

His jaw tightened and she felt it under her fingers, “I can’t… she just berated me until I told her to get out, can I leave it at that for now?” 

“For now,” she nodded. 

“I don’t expect you to forgive me right now but again, I am sorry for talking to you like that, I promise that won’t happen again neither will I take my own anger at myself out on you.”

A soft smile appeared on her lips, “I’ll think about forgiving you.” 

“Hontou ni gomen’nasai,” he whispered softly and sincerely. 

“I know,” she whispered back. She could guess what that meant from the way he’d said it, “now show me.” 

She felt him gulp, her heart quickened as his hands moved. They came around the back of her knees and slowly he ran his hands up her thighs as if he was worshipping her. 

“Hontou ni gomen’nasai,” his apology was husky this time as his eyes bore into her. 

“Did I hurt you?” She murmured as she titled his head up, “I didn’t mean for the food to–I didn’t burn you, did I?” 

He shook his head as his hands drifted up her hips, shifting her top up as he grip her gently. Munroe slid forward on the couch and placed a kiss on her navel, then another and another until her hand ran through his hair. His lips found the scar on her hip and worked up it before he tugged her down so that she was straddling him. 

Gently he stroked her hair from her face and guided her lips to his, “hontou ni gomen’nasai.” He murmured against them before gently kissing her. 

His fingers curled into her hair as the soft tender kiss turned pleading, more needy and she welcomed it, her hands wrapped around him desperately until he pulled back, both breathing heavily. 

“I’m sorry–”

He silenced her with a rough kiss before growling against her lips, “no. You don’t get to apologise, not while I’m not done.” 

Her brows furrowed briefly before shooting up in surprise when he moved her onto the coffee table, his lips claiming her again as he flicked the button of the jeans open. He sat back and tugged them down, her pants went with them when she lifted her hips off the table to make it easier for him. 

She was reaching for him as he tossed her jeans to the side but he stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her down. His hands dropped to her thighs as she leaned back then he tugged her hard, she yelped as her shoulders dropped onto the table. 

She gasped when he pulled her legs around his shoulders, he was still seated on the couch so her hips where now in the air and as she tried to raise her head to look at what he was doing, he drove his tongue between her thighs making her cry out as her head tipped back off the table while he devoured her like a man who’d been starved and he’d just been unleashed on the best feast of his life. 

“Oh God–Munroe,” her eyes rolled as he fully buried his face between her thighs. 

His tongue drove teasing circles around her clit while he sucked her into his mouth. His fingers bit into her hips while he held her suspended in the air, she didn’t know if she was light headed from the angle or from how hungrily he was feasting on her. 

She tried to roll her hips with him, she couldn’t from this position but her body was utterly desperate for more, so she crossed her legs behind his neck and squeezed him closer. He growled his approval against her at the motion and it vibrated through her making her moan, that moan was quickly swallowed by her whimpers as he tugged her closer and buried his tongue deeper in her folds. It was too much, Sorcha started coming undone.

“W-wait–fuck, it’s too much.” She was moaning through her whimpers. 

Her body was alight and her orgasm had snuck up on her or built rapidly when he’d fully buried himself into her, she wasn’t sure as he stroked his tongue over her firmly and she came around him, her legs clenching tightly causing him to slide his hand from her hips to her thighs to stop her from crushing his face. 

He let out a long breath when he came up for air and gently set her down, her ass cradled on his lap as her legs dropped around him. 

She was breathing heavily as she pried her eyes open and glanced at him, he had a lopsided grin on his face as he took her in, his mouth and jaw was slick with her which made her cheeks hot. Gently he pulled her up and her arms wrapped around his shoulders. 

“Can you take more?” He murmured softly and when her eyes widened in surprise a soft smirk crossed his lips, “I’m not done repenting yet, koibito.”

She wasn’t sure, she was still getting her breath back, regardless if she could or couldn’t it didn’t stop her wanting all of him. 

“I want you,” she whispered as her fingers slid into his hair. 

“Īkoda,” he grumbled as he shifted of the couch, his knees hitting the ground as he slid her back onto the coffee table. 

As her toes touched the ground she dragged her hands down his chest as he slid his under her top and caressed her breast, he moaned when he found she wasn’t wearing a bra. His lips teased at her collarbone while his fingers worked her nipple, she was writhing on the edge of the table. She knew she could take more then, she was so needy for him to enter her that she started undoing his jeans. 

Her other hand drifted further till it found him straining through his jeans, her palm stroked against his length as she gently gripped him. She knew he was big but feeling it caused her core to heat further, he groaned and bit down harshly on her collarbone as she stroked him faster. She wriggled in delight at that bite and when he dragged her hand away from him she whimpered in protest. 

“I’m the one repenting, not you.” He growled softly as he guided her to lie back, “lie down.” So she did and he smiled wide at that and purred, “that’s my girl.”

She gasped out at that as he dropped down and started placing soft kisses on her hip, then along her stomach and up. His fingers drawing teasing circles on her nipples through her top, taking turns to tease each as his other hand spread one of her thighs open. 

“Are you ready to see how very sorry I am?” He growled against her nipple before softly biting it through the fabric that covered it.

“Yes,” she squirmed underneath him causing him to chuckle, it vibrated through her nipple. 

Her fingers twisted greedily into his hair just as he slid into her, her head tossed back off the edge of the table as he moved in her. 

His hands roamed down her as he rose up, stopping on her hips to raise her slightly off the table, his hands supporting her with a firm grip and he used the new angle to his advantage as he drove in and out of her, the table protesting under his firm and desperate thrusts within her. 

Sorcha’s hands wrapped around his wrists for leverage as she was starting to slip out of control already, her fingers gripped him desperately as he unleashed himself on her. 

“Oh my God,” she wailed as she gripped him tightly, her walls clenching around him already. 

Her stomach coiled tighter and tighter, waiting to be unleashed. She was crying out with each deep stroke of him, her legs hooked around him demanding him closer as her back arched off the table. 

“Kimi wa totemo utsukushīdesu,” he muttered tenderly as his eyes roamed down her body. 

His eyes stopped between them and groaned at the sight, his hands tightened on her as he took her harder. 

He let go of one her hips, his hand fisting the fabric of her top as he dragged her up to look between them. 

“Look how good you take me,” he growled. 

She whimpered at the sight of him driving in and out of her when her eyes dropped between them, her walls clenching tightly around him as she watched him glide in and out of her. 

“So good,” she mumbled out as her head rolled back again. “So fucking good,” she moaned again as her eyes flickered back. 

“Oh fuck,” he growled as he started to lower her back down. 

Thrusting into her as hard as could, she clung to him like she was drowning and was desperate for air. The table groaned loudly as he shifted his weight forward to lower her, then it tilted and the two legs furthest from him went crashing to the ground. 

His tight grip on her top and her desperate hold on his wrists was the only thing that stopped her head from hitting the ground, she was suspended parallel as the table was now slanted, the last two legs still holding strong. 

“Shit Sorcha–”

She let go of him when he stopped and started smacking at his chest, not that her hands reached, her fingers barely touched him, only occasionally snapping his arms. 

“Don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t stop,” she wailed desperately.

She didn’t care how needy or shameless she sounded, she was nowhere near done and he had stopped. 

He cursed out a growl before a dark chuckle escaped him, then he was driving into her again. She responded immediately, her body tried to arch into him but it failed due to the position she was now in. He watched as her top shifted up when he let it go, slowly exposing her breasts as she writhed beneath him half upside down. 

Sorcha was gone, she didn’t care that she was practically upside down or that the blood was running to her head faster than before, probably making her more senseless, just that she wanted him to release the tightness he’d coiled within her.

“Munroe,” she whimpered as her eyes squeezed shut. She was floating, she was no longer on the table, it was just him and her, nothing else mattered right now. 

He groaned as he fought to keep her from sliding as he gripped her tightly, he leaned over to pull her back up then the table shrieked as it split in half. They went crashing through it, he slammed into her harshly causing her to yelp. He’d managed to throw his elbow out so as to not crush her. One arm braced above her head and the other hand cupped her back when they fell. 

She blinked at him, at his sudden closeness and at the sharp pain she’d felt… then she noticed the table in half at either side of them, he was stroking her cheek as she turned back to look at him. 

“Are you ok?” 

She didn’t particularly care about the table, she only cared that he had stopped again so she tightened her legs around him, pulling him deep into her and ground her hips against him as she moaned out, “yes.” 

His eyes rolled back just before he starting meeting her with his own strokes, she groaned her approval at him fucking her again and drag her hands down his back, her nails softly clawing him spurring him on harder. 

The sharpness she’d felt and the small pain in her back was gone as that coil started to unfurl, she was moaning utter nonsense now, she didn’t even think that she was in her body at this moment. Every stroke of his fingers elicited sparks dancing across her skin under his deft fingers.

One hand slid around the back of her head, his fingers gently scraping her scalp as he drove her into the ground and she shattered hard, coming completely undone around him. Her fingers squeezed against his back as she screamed his name, really screamed it. She didn’t try to stifle it by biting him or burying her face into her chest, he was following after her and he cried out when she came again, clenching hard around him as he spilled into her. 

“SorchaSorchaSorcha,” he moaned her name like a prayer. 

She was whimpering as she held onto him, she was going to float away if she let go and when he was done filling her she came again causing him to hiss as her legs closed around him, holding him inside her as her body arched up into him. 

She was breathing hard when she finally came down, her arms falling lazily away from him as she melted into the ground below them. 

His hand scraped gently, soothingly into her scalp as she hummed out happily and contently, she’d never been this gone with pleasure before. 

“I think,” he muttered softly as he kissed her cheek, his other hand cupped her other cheek. “That was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard.” 

She hummed out a contented laugh as a smile spread across her lips, she traced her fingers slowly up his arm and they lay there for a few moments sharing soft touches and kisses while they got their breaths back. 

Chapter Text

41.

“Are you ok?” He murmured as he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. 

She nodded and hummed out, “better than ok.” 

He chuckled before placing a tender kiss on the hollow of her neck, “we broke the table.” 

“We did,” a soft laugh bubbled out of her as he pulled away. 

He tentatively pulled her up, she hadn’t even realised he’d pulled his boxers back up, his jeans lay discarded near hers, she was still blissfully high as he scooped her up into his arms and then gently set her on the couch.

Carefully he lifted her top up, his fingers scanning over her back, checking for slivers of wood. He sighed in relief when he found her skin to be splinter free and smooth. He delicately slid onto the couch beside her before pulling her into him, his fingers still skimming her back just to be sure.

“This is perfect,” she mumbled as she cuddled closer to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. 

He smiled against her temple and she felt it, it made her smile too. 

“You have no idea,” he grumbled softly as he squeezed her closer. 

“Munroe,” she hummed out, causing him to shift and look down at her. She glanced up at him, brushing her fingers along his jaw as she said softly. “I forgive you.” 

He took a sharp intake of breath as she leaned up and kissed him, he let out a pleading groan before kissing her back. 

She was smiling as they kissed, her hand dragged down him and slid under his shirt, tracing the lines in his stomach until her fingers skimmed across what felt like welts. She pulled back sharply and tugged his shirt up, she blinked at the three red marks there.

“You said I didn’t hurt you,” she hissed. 

“And it didn’t hurt,” he muttered softly as he grabbed her chin. “I promise it doesn’t hurt, Sorcha.” 

“You should’ve told me,” her eyes dropped away from him. “I-I wasn’t aiming for you I swear-“ 

He tugged her chin up higher until she was looking at him, “I was an ass.” 

“I still shouldn’t have done that,” she let out a shaky breath. “I'm sorry.” 

“You have nothing to apologise for,” he placed a kiss on her cheek as he pulled her back against him. “I hurt you, I won’t ever do that again.” 

She breathed him in deeply as her finger traced his lips, “I’ll admit I was scared you might… hit me.” She grimaced as she admitted. 

He tensed at that, “I would never. Look at me,” he muttered softly as he tilted her head up again, “I would never lift a hand to you.” Then his hand drifted down to her bare bottom as he smirked, “at least not one you didn’t ask for.” He tapped her gently before squeezing her ass in his hand. 

“Oh?” She bit her lip as her stomach clenched. 

His smile softened, “I’m sorry I made you think that.” 

She shook her head, “it wasn’t really you… I’ve just come to expect it from the world…” she let out a sigh. 

“If anyone lays a hand on you, they're as good as dead. Fuck if they look at you wrong I’ll rip their throats out,” his lips twitched into snarl. 

“I don’t doubt that,” she hummed as she wrapped herself around him. 

“But seriously Sorcha, I would never raise a hand to you.” His hand gently slid into her hair, “I saw what it did to my mother–“ 

“He beat you both?” She whispered cautiously, she didn’t want to push him too hard about his father. 

“Her more than me, until-” his fingers tightened. 

“He sounds like a real piece of work, is he still out there? You said he left right?” She leaned back slightly to glance at him, “would he come back?” 

Munroe’s eyes darkened at that last question, “if he sets one foot on the gravel out there. I’ll cut him down, I never want him to meet you.” 

“He's your father–”

“Unfortunately, but being his son didn’t stop him from trying to kill me,” he growled.

Her hand slid to that scar, “I hope I don’t meet him either. I’d want to repay him for this.” 

“Sorcha,” Munroe gasped quietly as if her very name had stolen his breath. 

Then his lips were on hers and it was her turn to lose her breath as she melted into him, this, she liked this. She opened her mouth to him, demanding more as she got greedy for him. 

Then her stomach growled, loudly making her blush as he pulled away. 

“Please tell me you’ve eaten today?” He groaned. She shook her head and he grumbled as he shoved himself up. 

“Where are you going?” She huffed her annoyance at him moving away.

“To feed you before your stomach deafens me,” he chuckled as he slid off the couch. 

She groaned as she pushed herself up and watched him slide into the kitchen, she found her underwear and shook them off in case wood had gotten into them. She gaped at the table as she shoved her panties back on, it was split in two, right down the middle. The first two legs that had broken were cracked in half, the other two had popped clean off, if she wasn’t looking at it now she wouldn't have believed they had done that. 

She didn’t bother with her jeans as she shoved off the couch and tip-toed carefully to the kitchen island and shoved herself into a chair just as he placed a plate of sausages in front of her, with toast on the side. 

She smiled at him as she hungrily took a bite of the toast, he just shook his head as he finished making her tea. 

He placed a soft kiss on her temple as he passed her, “I’m going to clean up the table.” 

She just nodded as she shoved the sausages onto the toast and scoffed them too, washing it down with tea as she heard the wood moving around behind her. 

She glanced back at him as she took a smaller bite, he was busy collecting the legs. And for a brief moment here was where she wanted to be, she shook it off but knew she was a fool for denying that she should stay. She couldn’t stain him with her presence for longer than necessary.

Instead she found the courage with her back to him to say what she had wanted to earlier, she told herself to not back out as she twisted the last slice of toast in her hand.

“You do know you have nothing to be jealous of right?” She whispered softly. 

He dropped one of the legs as he glanced towards her, “y-yes. I think so,” he watched the back of her head. 

She glanced back at him, “I’m here aren’t I?” 

“You are,” he gulped. 

“I wouldn’t crawl into his bed just because it seemed like I was comfortable around him,” she turned back to her plate and poked the last sausage around. “I was comfortable because of you.” 

He blinked in surprise as he dropped the rest of the legs to the side and watched her, “me?” He breathed out. 

“Sure Lachlan is nice, he’s funny, very charismatic and easy to be around-” Munroe tried not to tense at that as she went on, “but he’s not the one who makes me feel safe.” 

He stumbled as he dropped down to get the other half of the table, his knee hit the ground hard as she glanced back at him again, those silvery eyes finding him. 

“He’s not you, Munroe.” 

He gulped as he tried to ignore the roaring of his heart in his ears, she couldn’t be saying this to him. 

“Sorcha-” he barely managed to breathe out. 

“If it wasn’t for you being there I’d have gutted them both from nose to navel,” she shrugged as she turned away. “That fear I feel when I meet other survivors wasn’t there with them because I had you, I just wanted you to know that.” She hummed as she took a large bite of her toast. 

He didn’t know what to say, there was a lot he wanted to say but he kept it down as he moved the last piece of table and began sweeping up the small slithers of wood. 

“Come to the loch with me again?” He asked as he finished sweeping up the splinters and dropped them in the bin. 

She set her cup down and raised a brow, “to fish?” 

“To just enjoy it before we are well into autumn and before–” he glanced at Athena as the rest got caught in his throat. 

She ignored the pang of guilt that wrapped around her, “if you promise I don’t have to fish.” She teased sweetly. 

“I promise,” he leaned over the counter and gripped her jaw. “Come with me?” He pleaded softly. 

She nodded as she kissed him, “yes.” She whispered against his lips before she sat back down and gave him a simmering smile. “You're charming too, you know?” She glanced to the side for a moment as if she was thinking about it, “in a brutish, annoying and… sweet sort of way.” 

He rolled his eyes at her smirk, at her using similar words against him like he had her but he didn’t know what to say to them either, she had meant them and he couldn’t believe she’d said them so he held onto them as he tried to wrap his head around it. 

He smiled softly as he slid away from her, he had to go back out and see to the farm. She watched him go and hoped that tomorrow was warm if they were going to spend a day on the loch.

Sorcha sat with her legs folded at the bottom of the bed as she stared out the window into the dark cloudy night, looking in vain for the moon that she’d never see again nor the stars that couldn’t be seen anymore either. 

She wasn’t sure what woke her, just that she was up and couldn’t get back to sleep so she turned her eyes towards the night sky and had been careful not to wake Munroe.

She held a blanket tightly to her chest, covering herself as her eyes kept searching, how long before the night sky wouldn’t just be a black mass? She wondered. 

“Sorcha,” Munroe grumbled out when he’d stirred and hadn’t found her beside him.

He rubbed at his eyes as he sat up slightly before he caught sight of her sitting on the end of the bed. Her pale back bare to him as he blinked at her, she was gazing out the window. 

Sorcha looked over her shoulder at him with a soft bashful smile as her hair swept off her shoulder, “sorry I was just hoping.” 

“For what?” Munroe wondered as he slid forward and wrapped an arm around her waist, placing a gentle kiss against her bare shoulder when he pulled her closer. 

“That I’ll see the night sky again, I hope I see it at least once before I die.” 

Munroe flinched at the thought of her dying, his eyes fixing on the window as he too looked out into the dark cloudy night. “What do you miss most about the night sky?” 

Munroe tilted his head as he watched her, a soft smile spreading as she blinked. “I miss the moon.” 

She looked so honest and sad, Munroe didn’t know why it had struck him so hard, “tsuki ga kirei desu ne.” 

“What does that mean?” She whispered as her head snapped to look at him, his brows furrowed at her. 

“Oh,” he breathed out. “Sorry I thought I said that in my head, I’m tired. I said: The moon is beautiful, isn’t it.” 

“Yes,” the word breathed out of her.

Munroe couldn’t keep his eyes off her, he’d bet if the moon was shining right now she'd look magnificent bathed in its glow. Her soft silvery eyes turned to stare out the window again, hoping and waiting. 

“I’m lucky, I still get to see the stars.” He muttered softly and those silver eyes peered at him curiously, “I think if they were still here your eyes would make them appear as if they were not shining anyway, when you are happy they are like pure starlight.” 

Her cheeks turned pink as she turned away from him again, she didn’t know what to say to that, she found her eyes hard to look at. 

“Come back to bed,” Munroe kissed her shoulder again. “I don’t think the moon is going to appear tonight, although for you I wish it would.” 

Sorcha twisted her head to him, that soft smile still on her face as she took his face in her hands, the blanket falling around her thighs as she released it so that she could kiss him. 

He groaned as she kissed him and Sorcha let him drag her back to bed, she may not have the night sky but she did have Munroe and he made her feel far more things than the stars or moon ever could. 

Chapter Text

42.

The boat floated lazily across the water as Sorcha’s back rested against Munroe chest, he’d shift one of the benches out of the way behind him to lean on as they lay wrapped in each other while they floated on the loch pointing out birds passing by or shapes of clouds, his fishing rod hung in the water, he’d left it resting in the row lock as he pressed soft kisses along her shoulder and neck, his fingers tracing her collarbone as he squeezed her closer with the arm that was draped around her waist. 

He nipped at the hollow of her neck making her laugh and gently push him away, he laughed with her at that. 

She sighed as she slid her fingers through his, “this is nice.” 

“I agree,” he murmured as he rested his cheek gently against her temple. 

Athena raised her head at the sound of their voices, she was curled up on a blanket at the other end of the boat. She huffed at them for waking her before settling back down to sleep, the dog was enjoying the warm day too. 

“Even if you are still fishing,” she rolled her eyes as her head shifted to look at the pole. “Still no bites yet?” 

“No,” he grumbled. “I’m not making you try again at least so don’t whinge,” he smiled. 

“Me?” She twisted to look up at him. “Whinge? Never,” she smiled back at him. 

He lowered his face towards her, his nose gently skimming her nose as he pressed his lips to hers so softly that it made her cheeks heat at the tenderness of it. 

“I don’t mind it,” he chuckled. 

She rolled her eyes at him as she reached for his jaw, her fingers stoked over his cheek as she pulled his lips back to hers. 

This was utterly perfect and far too good to be real, she thought as her hand drifted around his shoulders and she twisted in his grip. She wasn’t sure what had shifted between them yesterday but something had, they had barely left each other's sight as they got ready this morning, she’d even helped with the farm so as to not be too far from him. 

The kiss became more needy as she ran her tongue along his lips, he parted for her and their tongues danced together as they met. 

She shifted onto her knees, his hand sliding to her hip as she did and her fingers fisted into the back of his top as her other hand drifted down his chest, over his belt and to the bulge forming in his jeans. 

She traced her fingers along his growing bulge before taking him in her palm and stroking him through his jeans. She hadn’t stopped thinking about touching him since yesterday, she wanted to feel him in her hand.

He moaned into her mouth when she stroked him firmer, then he gripped her wrist and tugged her hand away as his other hand slid onto her cheek. 

“Not in the boat,” he gently nipped her jaw. “Unless you want to go for a swim when you capsize us,” he smiled against her jaw. 

Her eyes narrowed on him, “would it actually tip?” 

He shifted from side to side and she lost her balance when the boat rocked, she fell right into his chest when she lost her balance and he laughed as his arm wrapped around her.

“Believe me now?” He growled softly. 

“Yes,” she huffed as she started to twist back around. 

Athena let out a soft yip as she glowered at them both, she’d slid to the edge of the boat when he’d done that. 

He winced as he looked at the dog, “sorry girl.” 

“I suppose she wouldn’t thank me either if the boat tipped,” Sorcha crinkled her nose. 

“She would not-“ he stopped abruptly when the rod started bouncing in the row lock. 

Sorcha slid forward as he sat up and reached for it, she didn’t want to get splashed by a fish or smacked by it as payback for the last time. She was sure he wouldn’t but she still gave him space to reel it in. 

She pulled the bag towards her and sifted through it until she found the book she was looking for, Howl's moving castle was her choice today, the hardback Munroe had was beautiful. She was just tracing her finger over the image of the castle on the front when she heard a splash. She twisted to see Munroe unhook the fish before dropping it in the cooler and hooking more bait on the line. 

Sorcha turned back to the book and opened it, starting to read. She didn’t get far when she was tugged back and the book plucked out of her hand when she hit Munroe’s chest. 

“You can read right here,” he whispered into her ear, making her shudder. “I’m not ready to let you stray too far just yet, koibito.” 

She rolled her eyes but nestled into his chest, her fingers tracing over the hand that was around her. 

“You have to give it back so I can read it,” she muttered as she faked annoyance. 

“I have a better idea,” he purred as he let go of her and held the book out in front of her, flipping it back to the first page. “Chapter one. In which Sophie talks to hats,” his voice soothing as he read. “In the land of Ingray, where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of three…” 

She traced her fingers along his forearm as he read, she was used to escaping into books alone but this time she was going with him. Together, she thought as she sank into him a little further while his words drifted over her. 

“Wake up,” Munroe muttered softly as he stroked her arm gently. 

She blinked in surprise, she hadn’t realised she’d drifted off. 

“I fell asleep?” She mumbled as she sat up and gently rubbed her eyes.

“Just for a little bit,” he chuckled as he slid the ores back into the row lock. 

“We’re going back?” She asked sleepily. 

He nodded, “I thought we could have lunch on dry land unless you want to stay here?” 

 She shook her head, “do you have somewhere in mind?” She tilted her head as she spun to face him. 

“Yes,” a sly grin crossed his face as he started rowing the boat back to the dock. 

“Show me then,” she smiled softly. Her eyes brazenly taking in his arms as he rowed, she didn’t have to hide looking at him now.

“I want to show you everything,” he whispered softly. 

Sorcha’s eyes slid up to his, he had a soft smile on his face, his eyes golden brown in the bright light of midday as he gazed at her.

“I hope you do,” she muttered sheepishly as her ears heated, it spread across her cheeks.

He blinked as his own smile spread, colour emitting on his cheeks as he twisted to watch where they were going. 

She should be careful with what she said but she was throwing caution to the wind with him now, she liked how he made her feel. She couldn’t keep her eyes off him as they made their way back across the water. 

Athena had come closer to her as they drifted back across the water, she leaned against Sorcha as she watched for ducks, not that there were many on the water today and Sorcha wrapped her arm around the dog. 

It wasn’t long before Munroe was tossing the rope and tying the boat back up, as he stepped out Athena leapt with him. Sorcha shook her head at that, Munroe just smiled as he reached for her and gently tugged her out the boat. 

“I’m surprised you didn’t try to get out this time,” he taunted as he let go of her. 

“Why would I when I have such a big Herculean man to do it for me,” she grinned wide at him before striding down the dock. 

He gaped after her before he shook off the shock at her words, grabbing the bag and the cooler as he followed her. 

He smiled as he watched her, the wind catching in her loose hair as she made her way off the dock, it caught in the slits on her grey top too, occasionally giving him a view of her smooth back. She had opted for something short sleeved today and loose, he couldn’t blame her. He had just shoved a thin white top on, he did think this would be the last warm day they would have in a while. 

She turned to him when she hit the gravel and gave him a curious look, she wanted to know what direction they were going. 

“This way,” he hummed as he tilted his head to the right. 

She let him slide beside her and fell into step with him as he led her along the edge of the water, Athena trotted in the waters edge as Sorcha took in the sights around them, the trees were starting to open up ahead. 

“It really is beautiful out here,” she muttered as she watched a small blackbird swoop into the trees. 

“It is,” he said sincerely. 

She shifted her gaze to him and found he was watching her, she couldn’t help the smile as she bashfully looked away from him when she realised he wasn’t talking about the view. She didn’t know how he could find her beautiful or see past her scars. 

“Just up there,” he pointed.

She looked up ahead towards a meadow of vivid colour hidden between the trees, a meadow of wild flowers, she recognised a few but couldn’t name them all. There were too many colours to keep up with, yellow, white, blue, purple, pink, Sorcha hadn't seen that many colours in a long time. 

She loosed a breath at the sight and smiled wide and freely, the world was still beautiful it appeared, you just had to know where to look. 

They stopped to eat on the edge of the water, Munroe laid a blanket out and they lounged on it eating their fill, tossing bites to Athena when she watched them too eagerly. He even read more of the book, having bookmarked it the moment she had dozed off and for a moment she felt like the world had never shifted, this felt normal, and it felt wonderful to feel utterly normal. 

“I just can’t do it,” she snorted as the third stone she’d tried to skip sunk into the water. 

“You're throwing too hard,” he chuckled. “It’s all in the wrist,” he smirked as he tossed his stone over the water.

It bounced off the water several times, Athena diving into the water after it, making them laugh as she failed to get it before it came to a stop and disappeared into the water. 

Sorcha just shook her head and walked away from the edge of the water, she managed to get one stone to bounce just once before it sank. She stopped in front of the wild flowers and took a deep breath in, she was totally mesmerised by all the colours, she hadn’t been able to stop glancing over at the meadow when they had been eating. 

“Hey,” Munroe yelped. 

Causing her to spin and see Athena shaking off the water right beside him, she laughed and he looked up at her, laughing with her.

A thought crossed her as she watched him and she gave him a slow smile, he raised a brow at her as she took a small step back and then another.

“Do not make me chase you,” he snarled playfully. 

She bit her lip, his eyes zeroed in on that before she spun and sprinted into flowers, she heard him curse but her fingers were gliding through the petals as she ran so she didn’t really care if he was pursuing her or not. Athena had, the dog was now springing ahead of her in and out of the flowers, petals catching on her wet coat. 

Sorcha squealed in delight when his arm caught her around the waist and swung her around, however he misplaced his footing and they went tumbling to the ground. 

They were laughing as they landed amongst the flowers, her hair sprawled out around her as he rose up on his elbow to look down at her. Flowers and petals caught in her dark hair, making her look like something straight out of a fairytale. He’d never seen such happiness on her face, he liked that and wanted to give her more of this. Her eyes were incandescent as she looked up at him, they were like deep silvery pools that he would gladly drown in. 

She pulled him down to her and he kissed her fiercely, his hand sliding into the slit of her top as he moved over her and her hands pulled him further down onto her. 

“As much as I really want to,” he groaned as his hips ground against hers. “We shouldn’t out here.” 

She pouted at him, “I suppose we don’t want a biter to catch you with your pants down and bite your ass.” 

“Are you concerned for my ass?” he chuckled. 

“It is a nice ass,” she purred as she slid her hand down to squeeze his ass cheek. 

He laughed at that as he placed a soft bite on her neck, until thunder clapped through the sky making him jolt up onto his knees. 

“Shit,” he hissed as he scanned the sky. 

Sorcha sat up and watched him as he scanned the sky above, she twisted to look at it too, the world above them had turned grey. 

“What’s wrong?” She whispered as she reached for him. 

“It’s going to rain,” he stood up, pulling her up with him. “Very soon, we have to go.” 

She gripped onto his hand as he made a beeline for their blanket, she whistled for Athena who came back and stayed close. 

As Sorcha helped him pack their picnic back up the clouds roared above them again, she glanced up at the darkening sky, the clouds now a dark angry grey. She once loved storms, if she was back at the cabin she’d be happily watching it from the windows but out here she was terrified, as she caught sight of her burnt hand it shook slightly. 

“We aren’t going to make it,” she whispered as she looked up again. 

He zipped the bag up, slung it over his shoulder and gently took her scarred hand. 

“We will,” he soothed as he squeezed her hand. “Not to the cabin but I have a store out here for fishing, we have to move fast.” 

She nodded as he let go of her and yanked up the cooler, he motioned to her to start running and they took off along the edge of the water. She could go faster but she had to stay in pace with him, even if her body screamed at her to move faster she didn’t know where she was going. Athena flanked them with a lazy run as she followed. 

They followed him as he weaved through trees, the thunder boomed again and Sorcha tried to ignore the way her heart had jumped with it. She could smell it, the rain that was to come, dampness threatened the air. 

The forest around them was quiet, the animals knew what was coming and had probably hid long before they had heard the thunder. Sorcha was panting now, her legs burning slightly as she hadn’t run in weeks. She should’ve been keeping up with it, she realised it was stupid to have not kept her legs fit while she was here. 

She whimpered in relief when she spotted a little wooden shed up ahead, Munroe’s pace had quickended when it came into sight so she picked up her pace as well. Then she heard it, the water hitting the earth and getting closer, she tried to keep her heart from racing any further than it already was.

Munroe stopped at the door and quickly unlocked it, Sorcha snapped her fingers at Athena to get in and she burst in a moment later, Munroe on her heels as he shut the door with a slam. 

Sorcha was breathing heavily as she dropped down onto the floor, her body was shaking as she heard the rain pelt down on the wooden hut a moment later. 

“I’m sorry,” Munroe breathed heavily as he dropped what he was holding. He dropped down behind her and wrapped her into his chest, “I should’ve been watching the sky better.” 

She shook her head, “it came on fast. It wasn’t your fault,” she took a deep breath trying to slow her heart. 

“It was still too close,” he grumbled.

Her hands shakily gripped his hands as she glanced around the shed they were in, a small cot lay along one wall, there was a counter and a sink beside it, she doubted that worked, there was cupboards above and below them and then there was the armchair in the corner that of course Athena was already curled up in and on the other wall a rack full of fishing poles.

“What is this?” She whispered. 

“Just a store for my fishing stuff or a place to kip for the night if I am caught out here,” he muttered softly as he released her. 

He reached over to Athena and scratched her chin, her tail thumping wildly as he gave her attention. 

Sorcha shakily got to her feet, there wasn’t much space for them but it would do until the rain stopped. She glanced at the door, her eyes flickering over the locks to make sure that they had been done up. 

Then she shuffled over to the small bed and sunk into it, she pulled back the cloth that was on the wall over the cot. It revealed the trees around them and the rain coming down hard, she realised just how deep they were in the forest from how close the trees were and shuddered as she dropped the makeshift curtain, at least it was raining that meant no Va’nu stalking around. 

“We aren’t going to fit in this,” she patted the bed. 

Munroe turned to her with a smile, “I’m sure we’ll make it work.” 

She shuddered at the hidden meaning in his words, the way his eyes had danced as he’d spoken them told her enough of what they’d make work in this bed. 

“I don’t think it’ll hold our weight,” Sorcha muttered as she looked up at him through her lashes. 

He stalked over to her and was pushing her down as one knee slid between her legs, his other landing on the other side of her. The bed didn’t protest at their combined weight, she’d just gotten her heart to settle and it was going again as he dragged his lips up her neck. 

“It’ll hold,” he growled out the promise as he nipped her ear and she squirmed under him, groaning as she found friction on his thigh. 

She was suddenly cold as he removed himself from above her, smirking at her as she glared at him. 

“You’ve teased me all day,” his smile turned slightly cruel. 

He turned from her as she sat up and he started rummaging through the cupboards before pulling out a camp hob and lighting it. Providing heat while he tried to figure out what they could eat, the fish from today would do them and they had a few things left from lunch. 

Sorcha was sure she’d have been fine for one night but he wasn’t having it, so she folded her legs on the cot and he handed her the book to finish. She read it aloud while he worked, he hadn’t asked, she just thought since he’d done it for her that he’d want to finish it together. She hated reading aloud, she told him as much when she finally put it down as he slid a plate of food in her hand and when they were done he gave the remainder to Athena which made the shepherd dog very happy while Munroe tentatively teased out the remaining flowers in Sorcha’s hair. 

Munroe sighed when he let the curtain drop back down, it was very dark outside now and the rain was still coming down. 

“I think we are here for the night,” he sighed again as he slumped down beside her. “Even if it does stop now we wouldn’t get back in the dark.” 

She nodded and then something occurred to her as her eyes went wide, “what about the animals?” 

“They will have put themselves away,” he gave her a reassuring smile. “They will be in the barn, probably not in their stalls but they know to go there for safety and the donkey can close the door. She’s very smart,” he chuckled. “I tied a rope to the handle to make it easier for her so I’m sure they are ok.” 

“I hope so,” she sighed as she leaned her head against his shoulder. 

He nodded and glanced at the hob still burning, “I better turn that off. I’m sorry it won’t be warm in here once it’s out,” he muttered as he got up. 

“It’s fine besides I have you for that do I not?” She smiled coyly at him as he flicked the hob off. “If we’re making the bed work then I have no doubt I will be kept warm enough.” 

His gaze turned ravenous as he watched her lean back, “more than enough when I’m done with you.” 

“Is that so?” She moaned out softly as she slid her hand down to undo her jeans. 

He ripped his top off over his head before stalking towards her, his lips crushing hers as he wrapped an arm around her, moving her higher onto the bed as he climbed between her thighs and lowered her down as they removed each other's clothes. He indeed kept her very warm as they lost themselves to each other for the rest of the night. 

Chapter Text

43.

They were twisted in each other when Sorcha peeked her eyes open, her legs twisted in his, one hand on his chest and the other draped around him. Munroe was lying sideways against the wall, one arm braced around her back stopping her from rolling out of the small cot and the other holding her tightly to him. 

She tilted her head up towards his face and smiled at the sight of him sleeping, his breathing soft as he held onto her. She never thought she could enjoy another person like this, she never wanted to stop looking at him either, he was utterly beautiful to her. Her fingers gently slid up and cupped his cheek as she took him in.

She sighed when she finally looked away, her free hand reaching for the curtain and tugging it back to see how the weather was today. The rain appeared to be off, she could see droplets falling from some of the lower branches outside. 

Munroe groaned at the light now bleeding in and blinked at Sorcha as she dropped the curtain, plunging the shed back into darkness. 

“That was rude,” he mumbled sleepily. 

“Sorry,” she whispered as she stroked her thumb over his cheek. “I was checking if the rain was off.” 

“Is it?” He hissed as she pulled her closer. 

“Yes,” she gasped as his hard cock pushed into her stomach. 

“Are you warm enough?” He grumbled sleepily. 

She nodded, she was extremely warm now as she thought about his cock pressing against her. Her eyes slid to his and he was watching her with a soft, sleepy smile. 

She jutted her head towards him and gently tugged at his cheek, he obediently lowered his lips to her at the small demand. She hummed a moan against his lips as his tongue delved into her mouth, her hand slid down his chest as the other curled into his hair. 

Her hand drifted lower and lower, till she was dragging her nails down his thigh, he let out a small noise at that. Then she dragged them back up and gently slid her fingers over and then along his length, her stomach clenching hard as she explored the full size of him. Before she reached his tip she lazily dragged them back down, gently she wrapped her fingers around him and started stroking him. 

He moaned into her mouth before resting his forehead on hers as she worked him, she dragged her other hand down. He was too big for one and she knew he was still going to be too big for both of her hands, still she wrapped her other hand around him and started pumping him with both. He let out a guttural groan and her core became wet at the sound of him and the feel of his cock in her hands.

Her fingers didn’t fully fit around the thickness of him and with both her hands his tip stuck out from them so she slid her hand up, teasing him as she kept stroking him, his hips bucking with her hands which only made her grow wetter between her thighs. 

She stroked her thumb over his frenulum and then stroked it over the edge of his tip, he was thrusting into her hands now and she was utterly pleased at his reaction to her as she stroked her finger fully over his tip. 

She gasped when her thumb met something round and hard on the tip of his cock making her fully release him and half sit up. 

“What was that?” She hissed as she tugged the cover back.

His hand slid over his tip as she pulled the covers away making her look at him, his face slightly flushed from what they’d just been doing.

“It’s a bead,” he grumbled as he slid his eyes to hers, heavy with sleep or pleasure, she wasn’t sure. 

“A bead?” Her brows furrowed, “I don’t understand.” 

“I have a bead implanted in the tip of my cock,” he huffed matter of factly. “Or a pearl as it’s more commonly known but not an actual pearl.” 

Then he slid his hand away and her eyes narrowed in on it, she couldn’t help it as she blinked at the round lump sitting above his slit. She was practically tilting her head at it as she studied it and she also couldn’t help but greedily take in the sight of his cock for the first time she realised. 

She turned her attention back to him, “w–why would you-”

“For pleasure,” he murmured seductively as he smiled at her.

“How does that give you pleasure?” She scoffed at him. 

“Oh it’s not for my pleasure,” he growled sweetly and it sent a delightful shiver right down her spine and into her core. 

“Oh–” she blinked in surprise. 

He had hit spots in her she didn’t think was possible, her eyes slid back to that bead–pearl. Had that been the reason why then? 

“I was starting to think you didn’t want me to touch you,” she whispered as she looked back at him again.

“I didn’t know how to tell you about it without freaking you out–this probably wasn’t the best way… not that it was the first thing in my mind with your hands making me senseless.” 

She smiled at that, “did it not hurt? How is it even in there?” She gestured to the head of his cock. 

“It did and with a small incision, after it’s in they stitch it and done.” He shrugged. 

She winced, “that sounds painful.” 

“It was a long time ago,” he dragged his fingers up her arm. 

She thought for a moment and then found herself looking at it again, “does it hurt to touch?” 

“No,” he slowly dragged his fingers down her arm. 

“Can I touch it?” 

“Oh you absolutely can,” he chuckled. It sounded more like a rumble in his chest. 

She pushed the covers back as she shifted herself up, slowly her fingers reached for him and ever so gently she traced her finger over the pearl on his tip. It was hard as her finger slid over it, she stroked her finger across it a few times which made Munroe let out a frustrated sigh. 

Her eyes slid to his to find him watching her, his eyes were utterly greedy as he ran them over her but there was restraint there as he let her explore him. 

“Do you want me to touch you again?” She purred teasingly at him as she slid her finger over his tip. 

“Yes,” he snarled at her. 

She gave him a simmering smile as she sat back from him, he groaned at the tease and pushed himself up coming to face her, his finger’s fisting into her hair as he tilted her head to his. 

“Please touch me again,” he snarled softly against her lips, not making a move to kiss her. 

She smiled against him and gently took his cock into her hands and began pumping him, his fingers gripping her hair harder, pulling her hair taut, making her moan as she pumped him faster. His lips crushed hers as his hips rocked with her hands, she tried to concentrate on her hands as he kissed her, his mouth threatened to consume every one of her thoughts. 

He tilted his head up as she pumped his tip into her hand, applying some pressure as she stroked over his tip, her other hand working his base. 

“Touch me,” she suddenly pleaded as the wetness between her legs became unbearable. 

His head snapped down to hers, his eyes slightly wide. “What?” 

“Please, I want you to touch me.” Her cheeks blazing as she asked again. 

He gripped her wrists, stopping her as his eyes blazed into hers. 

“Are you sure? I avoided using my hands–I didn’t think you’d want me to.” He said so very gently. 

She knew he understood what this meant to her as he’d said that and she wanted him to be the one to do this just for that gentle understanding, the patience clear in his eyes as he watched her. 

“I want you to touch me, I want it to be you.” She gently took his face in her hands, “I want to rid myself of that fear, but if you don’t want to–”

“I want to,” he added immediately. His lips shifted to kiss the inside of each of her palms. “If this is what you want?” 

She nodded and whispered as she brought her lips to his, “touch me Munroe.” 

He groaned as he kissed her, his hand gripping her hip tightly as he dragged her to him. She let one of her hands drag down him until she was teasing his cock again while his fingers skimmed down her thigh and when she tensed he dragged them back up and along her lower stomach, repeating it when she got tense. 

He repeated it until she was whimpering, until he was dragging fire along her things and her mound, until she was burning with so much need that she slid her thighs open. His hand drifted down her mound as they parted and she bit her bottom lip as those fingers drifted lower and then dipped into her making her release her lip as she gasped. 

He flicked his fingers over her clit and her hips responded to that movement, his fingers slid deeper into her folds and he groaned out a curse at how utterly soaked she was for him, his fingers sliding back up to her clit now covered in her slickness. 

“So wet for me,” he growled into her ear before biting her right below it making her rock her hips. “That’s my girl,” he purred as he started circling his fingers making her whimper. 

She was trying to concentrate on still stroking him as he worked her, he didn’t complain if she slowed while he explored her. 

He slid his hand onto her cheek and pulled her head up to look at him, stealing a soft kiss from her. 

“Are you ready for more, koibito?” He murmured as he kissed her jaw. 

She nodded and his fingers slid down her, when he groaned at the feel of her she could feel it against her jaw. She let go of his cock and gripped his arm as those fingers found her entrance and he stroked one into her, she whimpered when he started pumping it slowly in and out of her. 

Her fingers bit into his arm as he gently slid a second finger into her and as he started pumping in and out of her again his thumb storked over her clit making her cry out. 

“Fuck,” he groaned. “My fingers agree with my cock at least, you feel like fucking heaven.” 

She arched into him at that, his hand gently tracing down her spine as she did. She should’ve known he’d be just as good with his hand as he was with his tongue and cock, her hips rocking with him until she was riding his hand as her need for him grew.

“I need you now,” she whimpered as she shoved him down till he was sitting on his knees. 

He gently removed his fingers from her before she climbed onto his lap, his hands gripped her hips as she reached down for his cock, positioning it under her before lowering herself onto him. 

His eyes rolled back as she sunk down onto him and he let out a shuddery moan as her hips bucked into him, his hips rising to meet hers. 

He wrapped one hand around her waist, supporting her as he rose onto his knees. Thrusting in and out of her as he rose up, then drove deep into her as he tilted her onto the bed, sinking his hand into the back of her neck as he unleashed himself on her, his other hand drifting between them until he found her clit and he started teasing circles into her as he slammed in and out of her. 

The springs in the cot creaking as he was driving in and out of her, Sorcha was trying hard not to cry out but she just wanted to toss her head back and scream at the pure pleasure pulsing through her. She spread her thighs wider for him as she dragged him closer, then she was sinking her teeth into him as the knot inside her came undone quickly, too quickly and she’d had to stifle her pleasure. 

His fingers stopped as she came undone, her scream vibrating through his chest as he let himself go with her. 

She ran her hands up his shoulders as they drank each other in, breathing heavily while they both came down. Her fingers twisted into the soft hair at the base of his neck. 

“I can’t get enough of you,” he sighed softly as he traced his finger along her cheek. “Of this.” 

She gently scratched her fingers in his hair and hummed out, “neither can I.” 

It took them a while to untangle from each other but eventually they were getting dressed and getting ready to head for the cabin, Munroe had gone out to ensure that it was all clear before she and Athena left the cabin. 

He popped his head back in and beckoned them out, they walked hand in hand as he led them back, Athena prancing in front of them occasionally checking back to ensure the people were still ‘following’ her. 

Sorcha tried to remember the way as she walked through the forest with him, it would take her a few times to remember the way but she thought she recognised a few trees. Munroe was on constant look out as they walked, she supposed she should be too and would occasionally glance around but mostly she left him to be the look out. 

She was too busy looking at the moss covered trees and the animals that had made their way out of hiding, Athena had chased a few squirrels back into their trees. 

When they reached the cabin Munroe had said she could go back inside but she wanted to see if the animals were ok, they were all huddled in the barn. Munroe reopened the field door and checked on the chickens before righting the barn again, Sorcha had helped. 

He led her back to the cabin when they were done, Athena shoving them out the way as she leapt inside and ran for her chair causing them to laugh, Sorcha ignored the guilt that filled her afterwards at the sight. 

“I’m going to check the walkie for any updates if you wanna go for a shower?” He muttered as he finished emptying the bag and went to find the walkie-talkie. 

She nodded, “will you be joining me?” 

He almost dropped the walkie as he plucked it up, “I will make this quick.” He grinned as he clicked the walkie and asked for Lachlan to check in. 

Nothing came through on Lachlan’s line so he tried Ailith, Sorcha hovered for a moment as she went to get towels from the linen cupboard. 

“I’m heading to him now,” Ailith’s voice rang out on the walkie and Sorcha sighed in relief, so did Munroe. 

“Let me know when you get him,” Munroe clicked the walkie. 

She confirmed with him as Sorcha slid into the bathroom, laying the towels on the sink before stripping off. Munroe joined her a moment later, she heard his boots thud in the hall and saw him tugging his top off in the mirror as he rounded the door. He smiled when he caught her staring through the mirror and he brazenly eyed her backside as he stalked towards her, his arms wrapping around her. 

“Not bored of me yet?” He murmured against her neck. 

“Not yet,” she smirked at him through the mirror. 

They were barely under the water when he took her against the wall and she loved that he could hold her aloft like that and fuck her. After they were satiated they gently washed each other, Sorcha couldn't stop her eyes from rolling when he’d washed her hair and he’d practically had the same response when she washed his, although she had to stand on her toes and he had to crouch slightly for her to reach him. 

Chapter Text

44.

Munroe’s head was thrown back on the couch in ecstasy while Sorcha rode him, one hand cupping her rear as he helped her bounce on him and his other teasing her clit. His hips thrusting with hers as she worked him into absolute madness, he never let women ride him but her… he could never get enough of her, he’d always been better at getting off if he was in control but with Sorcha he couldn’t contain himself as she rode him, he had his eyes closed as he moaned with each thrust. 

Sorcha scraped her nails down his neck before her hands landed on his shoulders for more traction as she rode him harder, her head tilted back as her orgasm built, she could not get enough of this man’s cock or his body whether she was on or underneath it. 

“Fuck,” she moaned as she bounced harder. “Oh fuck yes.”

Munroe’s fingers bit into her ass at her beautiful plea, “fuck Sorcha be quiet or you’ll make me cum.” 

“Please,” she threw her head back. 

He let out a guttural groan as his eyes slid open, if he thought hearing and feeling her was going to make him blow it had nothing on the sight of her frantically riding him to release. One hand slid up her back while the other squeezed her ass tightly as he started thrusting harder, driving into her as his hips lifted from the couch. 

She had to work hard to stay on him with the bouncier pace, “shit.” She hissed, “don’t stop. Don’t ever stop,” she mumbled as she screamed in pleasure. 

“Oh believe me I never want to,” he growled as he nipped at her collarbone making her squeal in delight. 

And she was gone with that small bite her orgasm tore from her, with Munroe starting to follow after her as he let go of his restraint. 

“I'm back,” a cheerful man’s voice bellowed out as the door thudded open. “I heard you missed-oh!”

Munroe grunted as he began filling Sorcha, she yelped when he flipped her, his cock ramming her hard before sliding out of her. Hot sticky liquid splattered her thigh and hip as Munroe reached behind the couch, a blanket was dropped over her as he tore a blade from out of the couch. 

His eyes were fixed on the door and he was ready to lunge from the couch not giving two shits that he was utterly naked, it was Lachlan’s startled face blinking at him that made him recoil. 

“Care for one more?” Lachlan grinned widely. 

Sorcha clutched the blanket tighter, trying to ignore the wetness on her thigh and the man now standing in the door who’s eyes raked over them both.

“I honestly don't know what's freaking me out more…” Lachlan chuckled nervously. “You bricked up and ready to fight me or the fact that you're having sex anywhere other than the bedroom.” 

Munroe slid the knife back into the couch and glanced at Sorcha ensuring she was covered, he didn’t like that Lachlan could see one side of her beautiful body peeking out from the blanket and when he looked back up he could see the blonde looking, his eyes stopping on the cum that had splattered on her and some animalistic side of him liked that as Lachlan slid his eyes away. It hadn’t been his intention to spill on her.

Yes she’s mine, some primal part of him practically roared, not that he was proud of it but he couldn’t stop it from washing over him. 

“Get out,” Munroe snarled at him.

Lachlan made to spin away just as Ailith appeared behind him, her nose crinkled at the sight and her face turned to absolute disgust as Lachlan shoved her back out the door with him. 

Munroe sighed as the door shut and slid from the couch, Sorcha heard the tap running before he came back and knelt on the floor, gently he started to wipe his cum off her. 

“There’s been a knife in the couch this whole time?” She gaped at him. 

He grimaced, “yes and I was glad you didn’t find it that first day.” 

She huffed out in amusement as she pushed herself up and glanced at the tear in the couch, it was barely noticeable, you’d have to know it was there and a blanket did usually cover it. 

“Sneaky,” she nodded at him as he finished cleaning her up. “And smart, I like it.” 

“I’m glad you approve,” he chuckled as he came back from tossing the cloth in the bin. 

Before she could say anything he was sweeping her up and taking her into his room, she tensed as he nudged the door open with his foot. She tried not to appear overly nosy as she glanced around, Athena had also followed them in. 

She wasn’t sure what she had expected, she’d only caught a glimpse of tartan sheets last time, now they were sage green, his bed was deep dark wood she noticed when he set her upon it. There were lots of wood carvings dotted around on the two bedside tables, she snapped her head around when she heard a drawer shut and saw him lock a drawer on his desk. 

He plucked up a pair of boxers and tugged them on, she glanced at the wooden drawers and then at the double doors beside them that probably led to a wardrobe. There was a faded green armchair in the corner and a wooden chair at the desk, some discarded clothes lay over both of them. 

“I have to go let them in,” he sighed as he patted the bed for Athena to hop on, “I’ll be right back.” 

With that he slunk out of his room and she was left naked on his bed, the blanket covering her thighs where it had fallen, she was a little unsure of herself in his room. He’d never brought her in here and often kept it locked when he wasn’t in, maybe he’d just wanted it to remain his private place she told herself. 

She glanced at the figures on the bedside table near her and slid closer. They were well carved she realised as she plucked up one that looked like a fox and she wondered if he’d made it.

She set it down as her eyes scanned over the rest, so many different animals. She froze as one in particular caught her eye, her blood chilled at the sight of it as she carefully plucked it up and twisted in her fingers. 

“Just stay out there till I’m ready,” Munroe grumbled in annoyance as he slid back into his room, closing the door behind him. “Sorry about that–“ he stopped when he saw what she was holding. 

She held the figure up to him, “you make these?” He nodded and she went on, “so you’ve seen a Va’nu up close then?” 

“Unfortunately,” he sighed. “I was hunting and in a hide when it passed by, I never forgot what it looked like that close.” 

She gulped as she eyed the figure, the sleek wolf like body, the short tail, the skull like face and hollowed out eyes, it had little nubs on his head and two sets of ears, one pointed like a fox and the second rounded like a bears, they sat closely together making them look like wings on either side or it’s large head, it had two sets of canines as well, the front one’s elongated. The one thing it didn’t show was that it was the size of a bear, she shuddered as she set it back down. 

“No I wouldn’t forget that either,” she looked at him. “The figures are impressive though, I had no idea you made them.” 

He shrugged, “sometimes I get bored.” 

“You’ll need to make one of Athena,” she shrugged jokingly and he shifted slightly making her eyes widen. “You haven’t?” 

He sighed as he strode over to his desk and plucked one up, coming back and handing it to her. She twisted it in her fingers, a little wooden rendering of Athena sitting and it was perfect, she stroked her fingers down the wooden dogs back. 

She started to hand it back to him but he shook his head, “keep it.” 

She smiled as she gently set it down on the edge of the bedside table and then glanced around his room again, “so this is your room, huh?” 

“Yeah, I hope you don’t mind, you'll be sleeping in here while those two are here?” He said as he walked over to his drawers. 

“Are they staying long?” 

“Tonight and maybe tomorrow, I doubt they’ll be here too long.” He tossed a shirt to her and a pair of his boxers, then he dug into his wardrobe until he found a pair of leggings that had belonged to his mother. “I’ll move some of your stuff in here so you have more to wear,” he told her as he handed her the leggings. 

She tugged on the clothes he’d given her as he started pulling some on himself, she had to tie the shirt at the bottom so it sat on her better. He handed her some socks as he shoved his feet into some and when they were both done he wrapped her to him and kissed her softly. 

“I’m going to apologise in advance for the next few days,” he sighed out as he let her go. 

“It can’t be that bad,” she shrugged. 

“Famous last words,” Munroe chuckled as he took her hand and led her back into the living room. 

She regretted those words immediately when Ailith’s eyes found her before sliding them down to their link hands, she almost wanted to throw Munore’s hand away at the intensity of that stare. 

“These cookies are dope!” Lachlan chimed from the kitchen as he took a bite of one of the hazelnut cookies. “Although if you do a batch with some weed in them they’d just be,” he gestured with a chef's kiss. 

Sorcha shook her head at that as she let go of Munroe when Athena spread out on the couch so she went to sit with the dog, Ailith glowering at her from the tall chairs as she watched her go. 

Munroe stayed watching Ailith as Lachlan grabbed another cookie and strode over to the armchair nearest Sorcha. 

“Catch,” he grinned as he tossed a cookie at her. 

She caught it before it smacked her in the face, “thanks?” She raised a brow at him. 

“Thought you might need something sugary after that performance,” he winked at her. 

“Lachlan,” Munroe snapped at him. 

Sorcha just nodded as she took a bite of the cookie. 

Lachlan’s eyes rose to Munroe’s, “I can give you some sugar too.” 

“Oh for fuck sake,” Munroe huffed as he stalked into the kitchen and filled the kettle. 

“Maybe one day,” Lachlan nodded at Sorcha. 

She laughed at that, she wanted to glance at Munroe but Ailith was in front of him now. 

“So I heard you were worried about me Munroe,” Lachlan chuckled as he leaned back and kicked his feet up.

Sorcha watched perplexed as he crossed his feet mid air and brought them down on the table that was no longer there, he jolted forward as his feet hit the ground and he nearly lost his cookie and as he blinked in utter confusion at the ground and then at the dark brown shag rug in front of the fire, Sorcha couldn’t stop herself from barking out a laugh. 

“Judas!” He pointed at her as she laughed, “you could have warned me! Where is the bloody table?” 

She pointed behind him at the broken pieces still leaning against the wall, “we broke it.” 

A slow smile spread as he looked at her again, “oh? Pray do tell?” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, “is any surface safe in here?”

Munroe groaned at that as Ailith’s glare fixed on him instead. 

Sorcha shrugged, “nothing exciting. You see there was a spider and Munroe squealed like a big baby, then he hopped onto the table and went right through it.” 

“Oh I bet he did,” Lachlan smirked. “I hope you're making me some,” he called to Munroe as he started pulling cups down. 

Sorcha glanced over then to see Munroe flip Lachlan off, a smile on his face as he jested him. She looked away when the redhead noticed her watching. 

It dawned on Sorcha as she watched Lachlan why he was so easy to be around, it wasn’t just that his easy going natured radiated from him it was that there was a familiarity in being near him. 

She smiled at him, “I think I figured it out.” 

His grinning face turned back to her, “that I’m the more attractive one and you’ve realised you want me?” 

She snorted in derision which made Lachlan baulk as she shook her head, “no.”

Munroe had gone still while he listened in, trying to busy himself with making tea. 

She sighed, “I figured out what it was that makes you feel so familiar.” 

“And that is?” He leaned towards her, his curiosity well and truly peaked. 

“I think it’s because you remind me of my brother,” her smile was bittersweet. 

“Ouch,” Lachlan covered his heart. “Well there goes my chance.” 

“What chance?” She faked innocence as she raised a brow at him. 

“Oh you’re mean and I like it,” he grinned wide, showing his teeth. “Do I really remind you of your brother?” 

She nodded, “You don’t look like him but he was a joker and everybody just naturally loved him, he just had this way of making everybody happy.” 

“Nope. Fuck this,” Ailith hissed out. 

Lachlan sucked in a breath as he slid from his chair and made his way over to Ailith. 

“What?” Munroe growled at her, “go on you're desperate to start a fight I can see it written all over you.” 

“Munroe please–”

“Stay out of it,” Ailith snapped at Lachlan. “We are not pretending like this is normal,” she twisted to glare at Sorcha making her point clear.

Sorcha smiled at that which did not help the situation in the slightest, she bit back the comment that was dancing on her tongue. 

“Keep your mouth shut,” Munroe snapped at Ailith.

“Don’t tell me what to do! And where were you? I called and called on the walkie, no answer and you got back to me yesterday morning like nothing was wrong.” She was glowering at him. 

“I got stuck out in the storm, I was in the store shed.” 

“No doubt taking your fill of her cunt while I’m frantically looking for Lachlan,” she was snarling at him. 

Lachlan motioned for Sorcha to follow him outside as he slid out the door, she should leave or she was going to wipe the floor with Ailith if she spoke of her like that again. 

“You fucking dare–” Munroe growled dangerously. 

Sorcha didn’t catch the rest as she slid out the door, Athena darting out after her, also getting away from the raised voices. 

She spotted Lachlan leaning against a tree opposite her and she headed right for him, his eyes looked tired but he still had a smile on his lips.

“Are you ok?” Sorcha asked gently, “she shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.” 

Surprise crossed his face as he looked at her, “me? Did you hear what she said about you?” 

“I don’t concern myself with what she thinks of me,” she shrugged one shoulder at him. “But you're her friend, so I’m sorry she spoke to you like that.” 

“I take it you know I took off because we argued then?” His smile slipped away. 

“Yes,” she winced. “Sorry I just wanted to make sure you were ok, I didn’t want to upset you further.” 

He shook his head, “you didn’t and don’t worry I’m not planning to bolt anytime soon but I won’t lie, she is hard work.” 

“I hadn’t noticed,” she smirked. “What is their history?” She nodded towards the cabin. 

“He hasn’t told you?” He raised a brow at her. “Or are you too scared to ask?” 

“Something like that…” she grimaced. “I shouldn’t have asked–”

Lachlan waved her off, “they dated in high school or tried to make something work. They had been friends for a while and I think she just thought that would be their next step, so they tried.” 

Sorcha nodded, she had gathered that much. 

“It wasn’t really working, he prefered being friends because she got extremely possessive… then she wanted him to take her virginity before they split. He didn’t want to but she convinced him and that led to them sleeping together until both their fathers found out and it didn’t end well for either of them, they got punished for it.” 

Sorcha blinked at him trying to take it in, “they got punished for sleeping together?” 

She also wondered how they had gotten caught, two teenagers sneaking around she supposed aren’t always as inconspicuous as they believe they are being.

Lachlan nodded, “their dads are both super fucked up. Ailith’s left after that he couldn’t look at her because she was ruined in his eyes and so she was left with just her mother who wasn’t overly warm towards her but better than her father–” he winced. “I've said too much…” 

She shook her head, “I won’t repeat it.”

He loosed a breath, “thank you.” 

“You don’t have to thank me for anything,” she gave him a soft smile.

He smiled back, “follow me. Let’s not hang around here with our thumbs up our asses while they argue.” 

She nodded, it was definitely better than waiting for them to be finished, however long that would take. So she patted her leg for Athena to come closer and they followed Lachlan into the forest. 

They stood on the dock of the little loch that Sorcha had found by herself the first time she had walked out into the woods, Lachlan was tossing stones into the water. 

“So what’s your story Lachlan?” Sorcha muttered as she watched the stones disappear into the water. Athena was perplexed by them too. 

“What do you want to know?” He gave her a lopsided smile.

She shrugged, “whatever you want to tell me.” 

“Well,” he sighed as he dropped the rest of the stones in the water. “What’s there to say? My mother ran off away from my father and raised me alone. I did pretty well at school even when I discovered drink and drugs, I’m surprised I did well when I discovered sex.” He laughed, “I had a pretty good life and then I met them.” He nodded his head back the way they had come, “and we were pretty close. Even when the world fell, we kipped out here and life went to shit so I did what I always do, get on with it. Life’s too short to be miserable so I choose not to be,” he slid his eyes to her. “So that’s me, what about you?” 

Sorcha tensed slightly, “there’s not much to tell and besides you… followed… me.” She winced at that, “that was pretty much me. Self-centred, vain and spoiled. I don’t even know how I made it this far, I guess I was always pretty determined, beauty pageants don’t bring out the best in people so I guess I was already adapted to survive when things got… vicious.” 

“What about your life before that, you had a brother? I never had siblings, I always wondered–” he stopped when he saw her eyes well up, “sorry I’ve been insensitive again.” 

She shook her head, “it’s hard to talk about my family. My dad and brother died when our city was bombed,” her shoulders curved in as she shuddered. 

“Your mother?” 

“Gone, a biter–“ she shook her head. “What about yours, why did she run?” 

“She’s gone too,” Lachlan’s head dropped as he twisted his fingers together. “It was before the fall that she–anyway she ran because she wanted to give me a better life, a life away from my father.” 

“You are like a trio of daddy issues,” Sorcha snorted as she tried to make light of their conversation. 

A laugh bellowed out of him, “oh my god where were you when we were in uni, why didn't I think to call us that.” 

She shrugged, “probably sipping champagne on a beach somewhere.” 

“You were pretty glamorous,” he chuckled. 

“It appeared that way but I’m sure I’d have been getting pinched and pinned into a dress, I wasn’t allowed to indulge on alcohol. Empty calories and all that,” she rolled her eyes. 

“I can see why he likes you,” Lachlan smiled. 

Her eyes went wide as she looked at him, “so it’s not because he thinks I’m the only woman alive who isn’t a bitch?” 

He shook his head in amusement at her, “maybe but no you’re witty and I bet he doesn’t quite know what to do with that and then you’re a badass, he really doesn’t know what to do with that and I think he likes that you aren’t some damsel, not that it’ll stop him being overly protective but he’s always been a bit defensive of the people he cares about.” A gentle smile tugged at his lips, “he has saved my ass many, many times.” 

“You really are a good friend huh? Out here talking him up,” she grinned as she raised her eyebrows at her. 

“Don’t tell him, I have a reputation to uphold.” He mocked hurt. 

“No we wouldn’t want him to think you were anything other than a flirt,” she glanced at the water. 

“Do me one favour, Sorcha?” He asked carefully.

She turned to face him and he looked concerned, her brows furrowed together. “And what’s that?” 

“Don’t hurt him,” he whispered and her breath caught. “He’s not used to whatever this is between you both, just be gentle with my friend.” 

“It’s not that serious-”

“Maybe pay attention to the way he looks at you and you’ll see it’s more serious than you're letting yourself believe,” he frowned slightly. 

“I'll try not to,” she looked away from him. “So you also protect him then?” 

She didn’t want to believe him, she also didn’t want to tell him she was going to be leaving soon and if Munroe did have stronger feelings than she believed then… she chased the thought away. Lachlan was only doing what she’d do if it was her friend on the line, she couldn’t fault him for that. 

“Sometimes,” Lachlan's voice lightened. 

She just nodded as they both stared out at the water, a gust of wind blew through the trees causing some leaves to be plucked from them and float down onto the water, Athena was very interested in them. 

“So how about some fishing?” Lachlan grinned as he clapped his hands together. 

Sorcha groaned, “I hate fishing.” 

“Ah I see Munroe has had you out on the big loch then,” his eyes twinkled with amusement. “But no this isn’t Munroe’s style of fishing, in fact he would disapprove of me showing you but it’s called blast fishing.” 

She watched as he slid a grenade from his belt, pulled the pin and tossed it into the water. A few moments later the water was erupting from the small loch and then the splash dropped back down across the surface causing lots of little ripples, she blinked at the water. 

“How is that fishing?” She gaped.

“There’s no fish in this loch but usually it kills a bunch and they float right up, it’s actually illegal to fish like that but it’s fun to blow shit up is it not?” He cocked a brow at her as he held a grenade out for her. “Almost therapeutic in a way,” he started to grin, it was practical feral. 

She grinned back just as wild when she grabbed the grenade, they were definitely kindred spirits in this regard so she pulled the pin and launched the grenade into the water. They were both grinning like fiends when the explosion went off, this time they got sprayed with some of the water. 

She released a breath, “I suppose that is slightly therapeutic.” 

“Come on,” he gently nudged her arm. “In case that attracts anything we better go.” 

She followed him off the dock and they stopped when Athena wasn’t with them, she turned to see her creeping down the dock, her ears twitching and nose scenting. 

“Oh,” Lachlan tutted as he looked at her. “I hope that didn’t hurt her ears.” 

Sorcha didn’t think it had, it hadn’t been as loud as it would’ve been if it had gone off on land. The hairs on her body stood on end, something wasn’t right and they hadn’t been paying attention. 

Lachlan was reaching for Athena as Sorcha scanned the trees around them, he was unaware of her as she checked their perimeter. 

Everything was quiet she realised, when had it gone quiet? Something wasn't right, her body was practically screaming it. 

Look closely, look carefully.  

Something told her, so she did and her eyes landed on two thin branches that didn’t look quite right. At first glance they didn’t look out of place but the trees here weren’t that thin, they could be branches but wood wasn’t that colour of grey. 

She felt sick and she thought she might piss herself when she realised what that was, she took a quiet step back and tapped Lachlan gently. She had never seen one, Athena had never seen one either, that’s why she’d been cautious she didn’t know the scent. 

“We have to run, like right now,” she whispered so very quietly and motioned for Athena to get ready to move. 

Lachlan slowly stood and followed her eye-line, his eyes narrowing and then widening as a faceless head lowered between the trees and the grey looking branches twitched, its limbs. Sorcha was going to throw up from pure fear, her body almost locked up when it peeled back its lips revealing it’s mostly blunt teeth except the two large canines. 

She couldn’t stop herself from shaking or the tears as she backed up another step, they didn’t have eyes so they couldn’t see right? 

“Shit,” Lachlan’s quiet voice was as shaky as she felt. 

“Can it see us?” She really hoped they could stand still. 

“Yes,” he confirmed as he pushed against her. “Run,” he snapped. 

And she didn’t hesitate, crying for Athena to move as the berserker roared behind them and she whimpered at that cry. She almost screamed at the footfalls behind her until she realised it was Lachlan, fear and adrenaline kept her moving when she heard the thing crashing through the trees behind him. 

“Left!” Lachlan bellowed as he grabbed her elbow and dragged her down another path. 

She felt the air shift behind them and tried not to glance back, it was too big to turn that hard and had gone careening through the trees. 

Sorcha was crying as she sprinted all out, her only source of relief was seeing that Athena was safe as she loped in front of them. 

Lachlan was reaching in front of her and tugged a rope hard, she heard chimes and bells going off then the thing behind them screeched in pain. It was further back now but that still didn’t ease Sorcha’s fear. 

“The trip wire, get ready to jump.” He panted as he pushed her to run harder. 

“Jump Athena,” she called to the dog and she leapt when told. 

Now it was their turn and he was telling her to jump, she leapt and stumbled on the gravel as Lachlan landed beside her but when the door was kicked open she stopped and Lachlan kept going, she was looking down the barrel of a gun as the monster got closer and she didn’t trust the wielder not to shoot her. 

“Sorcha!” Lachlan called to her. 

But she was rooted to the spot, fear consumed her now that she had come to a stop. She had seen Athena slip inside, that was enough, that was all she needed to know. Perhaps Ailith would shoot her so she didn’t have to be torn apart, so Munroe wouldn’t have to be the one to do it and as she thought of him that’s when he appeared wielding his own gun, she twisted her head away when fear coated his face, she couldn’t watch his terror. 

She saw the monster breaking through the trees, she heard the metal wire stretch and saw the long limbed beast go twirling to the ground, then she was knocked through the air. She cried out in pain when her knee crashed into the gravel and she rolled as an arm tightened around her waist, her and her rescuer went sliding along the gravel as the berserker hit the ground. 

It clawed towards them, two long talons ripping the dirt up as it scrambled up and launched towards them. The talon swiped for her and she heard something rip along her leg, she couldn’t feel anything but fear as she started screaming. 

The monster screeched and started shaking its head back and forth at the sound, it charged its head into the ground as the sound of her carried through its ears. It didn’t even notice the bullets being emptied into it as it struggled. 

Sorcha was crying and screaming as its attention went back on her, it had figured out where the noise was coming from and she tore at the hand that held her as she tried to scramble away. 

And when it opened its mouth to scream Munroe emptied three bullets into its mouth and it finally went down but he emptied two more through its skull to be sure, black blood oozing from it and pooling across the gravel towards Sorcha’s boots. 

Chapter Text

45.

She was sobbing when she finally tore that arm off her, Lachlan she realised as she scrambled over him and emptied the contents of her stomach onto the drive. 

Lachlan slid away from her at that, he didn’t want to vomit as well even if he did want to comfort her he couldn’t stand to be around vomit. 

“What a wuss,” Ailith snorted at Sorcha but she was eyeing the dead berserker with fear in her eyes. 

Munroe dropped his gun and stalked towards Lachlan, grabbing him up by the shirt. “What in the fuck where you thinking?” 

Ailith tutted, “he was showing off. I’m pretty sure I heard explosions,” she smirked at Lachlan, “two of his grenades are missing from his belt.” 

Sorcha wiped her mouth on her sleeve as she sat back up, she shuddered when she saw the dead berserker, the blood leaking out of it smelled foul, like rotten flesh and oil. 

“You better not have,” his free hand balled into a fist. “The only thing that’s stopping me from beating you senseless is that you got her out of the way but if you caught that thing's attention out there then–”

Sorcha shuddered at how menacing Munroe looked, he’d do it if he thought Lachlan had put her in danger. Sorcha’s leg protested painfully as she stood, she didn’t want to look at it just yet. 

“Don’t,” she pleaded as she slid herself between them both. “He didn’t-Munroe please, it didn’t happen on purpose and he didn’t have to save me but he did.” 

“It’s ok Sorcha,” Lachlan whispered. 

Munroe shut his eyes and let go of Lachlan as he took a deep breath. Sorcha pushed against Lachlan’s chest and mouthed ‘go’ to him, he did just that and quietly slid away. 

Sorcha put a soft hand on Munroe’s chest and took a step forward but hissed as her knee buckled under the pain, she dropped to the ground. 

“Shit,” Munroe’s voice wavered as he dropped down beside her. “Did it-did it get you-” his voice trailed off when he saw the slice in her leggings. 

Shakily he reached for it, she watched as dread filled her stomach. Sometimes people got sick from scratches, his finger slid into the tear and when he found smooth unscathed skin he sighed in relief. It had only got her leggings, only lucky that it missed because most of the clothes she wore were still too loose for her. He pried the rip apart to make sure, his whole hand skimming her calf.

“So where does it hurt?” His eyes scanned her till they landed on her other leg. 

Her bad knee had slammed into the gravel, the leggings were also torn open there and bloody, she almost gagged at the sight of the gravel embedded in her knee. She cried out when he touched it and yanked it away as she glowered at him. 

He turned to glare at Lachlan who swiftly slid behind Ailith at that look, Sorcha barely registered the blood on Lachlan’s face as she gripped Munroe’s chin and pulled him back to look at her. 

“I’m ok,” she whispered.

He shook his head and gently swept her up, his jaw was wound tightly as he slid back into the cabin, growling at the two standing there to clean up that mess. Sorcha tried to give Lachlan a reassuring smile as they passed by but he was warily looking at the dead monster. 

Munroe whistled for Athena when he kicked his bedroom door open and they all slid inside, he nudged it shut with his foot before stepping for the bed. 

She expected him to place her on the bed but he sat and cradled her against him, she gently stroked her fingers into his hair trying to sooth the tension that was radiating off of him. 

“I thought I was going to lose you,” he breathed out. 

“I’m ok,” she reassured him as she buried her fingers into his hair and he held her closer. “I’m here,” she whispered as she buried her face into his neck. 

“Yes you are but for how long?” His sigh was desolate. 

It was like a punch to the gut, she had to stop the sob that threatened to bubble out of her. Don’t hurt him, Lachlan’s words rang through her. This was going to hurt them both when it was over she realised, she hated herself for letting it get this far and she hated that she still wasn’t willing to put a stop to whatever this was. 

“We better get the gravel out your knee,” he huffed as he slowly unfurled himself from her.

She nodded and he slid her off his lap, his lips pressing against her temple as he set her down. 

“I won’t be long,” he murmured and then stroked Athena. “Look after her while I’m gone, huh?” 

Athena licked his palm making him smile before he slid out of the room, Sorcha let out a long breath when he was gone, she still felt utterly sick to her stomach as she was still coming down from the fear and the adrenaline. 

She glanced around his room and her eyes stopped on the bed side table, the one that had all the figures on it, only the one of Athena was there now and sat behind it was Kadon’s bear. She bit her lip to stifle the sob and slid along the bed, trying not to wince at the movement. 

She smiled as her fingers stroked over the soft fluff, he must’ve moved her stuff when she’d been out. She brought the bear up to her chest and took a deep inhale of it, trying not to squeeze too hard just as Munroe came back in, he cautiously stepped towards her when he saw what she was holding. 

“I hope you don’t mind, I didn’t think you’d want the bear left in there while they stayed–“ 

She sniffled as she shook her head, the soft fluff of the bear tickling her chin. “Thank you,” she smiled at him as she set the bear back down. 

She wanted to hate how considerate he was about Kadon’s things but she couldn’t, it made her like him even more that he never wanted to stifle that part of her heart. 

He knelt down in front of her with a bowl of soapy looking water, an empty small metal tray and a first aid kit under his arm, she smiled as she looked at him.

“What?” He smiled nervously. 

“You're such a mother hen,” she laughed. 

He rolled his eyes at her, “would you rather I left the gravel in your knee?” 

She just shrugged as she started to slide the leggings down but he stopped her. He pulled out a pair of surgical scissors and cut a line up her leggings covering her thigh and then another down her calf before cutting the bottom off and he gently peeled back the fabric that had embedded in her knee. She winced as he helped carefully remove them from her knee and when he was done he made the incision bigger on her leggings before tentatively helping her take them off. 

She gagged at the sight of her bloody knee, at all the rocks in it and the bruise that was starting to form around it. His fingers skillfully skimmed her legs, she realised he was checking for scratches again. He slid beside her on the bed and skimmed her arms, checking them as well and brushing her hair back to make sure her neck was ok. 

His hand stopped on her top, “can I check?” 

She nodded as she pulled it up, his hands roamed her back, then his fingers stroked up her stomach and she ignored the way it made her feel, she couldn’t hide the way her breath hitched though. 

She dropped her top back down when he sighed in relief and knelt back in front of her, “no cuts or bites.” He muttered more to himself. 

“Have you seen one before?” She asked so she could ignore the pain in her knee as he rested her foot on his thigh. 

“From a distance, they do occasionally wander through here but for what reason I do not know.” He started opening the first aid kit. 

“I’ve never seen one, well just one but very, very far away and I’ve heard them but that was-“ she shivered. “They're more horrifying than I could’ve ever imagined.” 

“They are,” he nodded as he removed the tweezers from his kit. “I’m sorry but this is going to hurt,” he gave her an apologetic smile.

“It’s fine, just get it over with.” She scrunched her face up and tried to brace herself as he gently gripped the back of her knee. 

She yelped when he pulled the first one out and tried to yank her leg out of his grip. 

“That fucking hurt,” she hissed at him. “Fuck they are in there deep,” she whimpered. 

His fingers curled soothingly against the back of her knee, “they are pretty deep.” Blood was trickling down her leg from the one he’d plucked out, he gently wiped it away. “Try not to jolt, I’ll try and be quick.” 

She braced herself as he plucked a second one out and she cried out when she felt it pop out of her knee, she tugged her leg hard against his grip. 

“Please tell me we’re done?” She bit her lip, “if not maybe I’ll find a way to be ok with having a gravel filled knee.” 

“Sorcha,” Munroe soothed gently. “It’ll get infected, infection is harder to fight. You survived on a broken leg. What's a few rocks?” 

“My broken leg didn’t feel like it was tearing out every nerve ending in my body,” she hissed at him. 

He sighed, “Do you want whiskey?” 

“I want all the pain killers you have,” she whimpered. 

“You wouldn’t take them for your period but for this you would?” He smirked at her. 

She took a deep breath, “fine just make it quick.” 

He placed a kiss on her thigh as she leaned back, hoping not seeing what he was doing would help. She clamped down on her cries as he plucked one after the other out of her knee, she counted the thunks the stones made as they hit the tray. The deeper ones made blood roll down her leg, she could feel it before he cleaned it up. 

“Ok,” she hissed as he plucked the tenth one from her leg. “That has to be it right?” 

“No,” he winced. 

“I want the whiskey,” she gulped. 

He slid away and opened his wardrobe, coming back with a bottle for her, she gave him a dubious look as she took it. 

“You keep it in here?” 

He shrugged, “just a few bottles. Go easy on it though,” he nodded to it as he knelt back down. 

“I’ll try,” she muttered as she flicked the cap off and took a drink as he started plucking again.

The burn in her throat distracted her slightly, she stopped counting as she focused on the alcohol. It wasn’t long before she was mildly buzzed, she tried not to drink too much but she could still feel every stone being pulled from her knee. 

“Ok that’s enough,” he murmured as he gently took the bottle from her. 

“I’m fine,” she growled but she let him take it away. She glanced at her knee, at all the little holes in it and how angry it looked. “Ew, that is pretty gross.” 

He smiled as he turned back, rinsing the cloth out that he’d just dipped in the soapy water, it smelled slightly minty and there was a floral scent to it that she couldn’t place, with a hint of pine mixed in that scent. 

“It’s pretty nasty,” he grimaced at it. 

“So what’s the prognosis doc, will I survive or are my days numbered?” She dramatically exclaimed. 

He huffed out a soft laugh, “you’ll survive. I thought I may have to amputate but alas you shall keep your leg for another day and more,” he gave her a mocking smile. 

“Damn and I was so hoping for a bionic leg,” she smirked.

“You got away with a fairly nasty graze, you were lucky.” He murmured softly as his fingers stroked down her calf, “you might want to brace yourself cause this will sting.” He warned as he pulled the cloth from the water, ringing it out as he did. 

“I kind of sort of hate you right now,” she groaned as she braced her leg on his thigh not looking forward to more pain. 

“Do you really?” His voice was low with a hint of amusement as he chuckled.

Then he gently dabbed at her knee making her hiss, she tilted her head forwards to watch him. He was so gentle as he dabbed at her knee, she wondered if he’d hated plucking those stones out because he was grimacing as he cleaned up her knee, it made her smile. 

“No, how could I possibly hate you,” she sighed exasperated. 

He glanced up at her, their eyes meeting for a moment before he looked back at what he was doing. 

“I just hate the pain, it had to be my messed up leg didn’t it?” She added. 

He dropped the cloth back into the dish causing it to turn red then he was reaching for a salve, he gave her a look that said to brace herself again so she did. 

“I could always kiss it better,” he chuckled as he finished with the salve. “Or I’m sure I could take your mind off it for a while,” he stared at her brazenly as he unwrapped some gauze. 

“Then hurry up and finish with my leg, I could use the distraction.” 

Gently he applied the gauze, holding it in place before he started wrapping up her knee with a bandage. It didn’t take him long to finish and when he did, he placed a feather light kiss just above her knee before sliding her back on his bed. 

He groaned as he kissed her, it was desperate as he settled between her thighs and she knew he needed this just as much as she did, he needed the reminder that she was here and she was safe. 

His hand slid beneath her shirt as she opened her mouth to him and when he pinched her nipple she wrapped her leg around him, whimpering out painfully as she'd forgotten about her injury already in her haste. 

He stopped and glanced at her knee, “this isn’t a good idea.” 

“I’m fine,” she murmured as she placed a kiss on his jaw. 

He groaned as he slid his hand back out from under her shirt and flopped down beside her, his fingers tracing circles on her hip. 

“It’s probably better if you don’t move it,” he muttered before softly kissing her. 

She huffed out her annoyance at that as she reached her hand out to him, she started tracing the lines on his face as she took him in. Her eyes and fingers devoured the beautiful planes of his face, the softness of his lips, the slight sharpness to his stubble and his eyes, those chocolate brown eyes that sometimes looked like they’d been dipped in honey. 

“So beautiful,” she whispered out loud. 

His eyes widened slightly in surprise, so did hers because she hadn’t meant to say that out loud. Then he was smiling at her and any regrets she had about saying it vanished along with that smile, it wasn’t a lie so she shouldn’t regret it. 

“Are you trying to seduce me?” He growled teasingly. 

“No,” she started to remove her hand. “I just-” she stopped as he slid his hand over hers, keeping it against his face. 

“Just what?” He murmured softly as they gazed at each other. 

“I just thought it and then I was saying it,” she admitted. 

“Thank you,” he whispered as he placed a kiss on her palm. “I’m going to get us something to eat,” he sat up and gently pushed her stray hair out of the way. “Will you be ok?” 

“I’m sure I’ll manage without you for a few minutes,” she smiled softly. 

He looked at her knee and then gave her a dubious look, “sure you will. There’s some books in the bedside drawer that I thought you may like, feel free to pick through them.” He gently stroked her cheek before sliding off the bed. 

She pushed herself up as she watched him go, he collected up the first aid supplies before leaving. Athena had poked her head up from the armchair to watch him too, Munroe had cleared the clothes from it and Sorcha assumed that was for the dog’s benefit knowing her preferred choice of seat. 

She pulled open the top drawer and there were three books in there, she sighed happily as her fingers skimmed over them. 

She plucked one up, one she had read before and leaned back on the headboard, her injured leg lying straight as she bent the other up while she read pride and prejudice, until she heard the door open and Munroe carted in a tray with their dinner on it and they ate together in bed. Even though he had mostly calmed down he wasn’t ready to sit in a room with Lachlan quite yet so they spent the rest of the night in there, they talked and she asked about the bell system that Lachlan had pulled. It was an alarm system that also acted as Va’nu repellent, and when they were done talking of today's events he read to her for a bit. 

“It’s strange being in here,” she murmured towards the ceiling as Munroe slid into the bed beside her, coming back in from having a shower after bringing the animals in. 

He chuckled as he rolled to face her, “not a fan of my room?”

“Just not used to it,” she smiled as she turned her face towards him. 

“Oh, I have something for you.” He suddenly gasped as he rolled away and rummaged through the drawers on his side. 

“What?” She pushed herself up on her elbow and watched him. 

He twisted back to her and held a box out to her, her mouth popped open as she stared at it. She sat up fully and traced her fingers over the top of it before taking it in her own hands, it was a little heavier than she remembered and the words she hadn’t noticed on it before had been painted in, the edges smoother out and it had been polished. 

“You took the music box?” Her eyes lifted to him, “I didn’t even notice.” 

She opened it and the figures popped up, the paint no longer looked faded, there was now a mirror inside or perhaps it had been there before just too dirty to notice. She shook her head as she twisted it upside down, the dial wasn’t as stiff when she twisted it and the tune was smoother as it tinkled out of the box. 

“I fixed it up a little, I thought you might like it.” He shrugged, “so I pocketed it and you know it could be nice to store things in-“

She silenced his fumbling with a kiss, her hand on his cheek as she pulled away. 

“Thank you, it’s so thoughtful–I can’t believe you’ve held onto this since then.” 

“I had to take it apart a little so it took some time to fix up,” he smiled softly. 

She gently shut it and traced her fingers only the words, ‘Once Upon a December’. She slid it onto the bedside table near her and glanced at it for another moment. 

She twisted back to him and pulled him to her, kissing him again as she lowered herself onto the pillows taking him with her. He half raised over her, his fingers sliding into her hair as he kissed her back. 

“Your leg,” he grumbled as he pulled away. “We can’t.” 

“I won’t move it this time, I promise.” She whispered as she dragged her nails down his neck. 

He groaned, “if you move it I will stop.” 

She nodded as she tugged him back down to her but he refused to move, a seductive smile spread over his lips and her core twisted with delight at the sight of that smile. 

So very slowly he dragged his finger down her neck, trailing the most delicious sparks down her as he continued his slow torture, then down between her breasts as he bent down to whisper in her ear. 

“How much do you want me Sorcha?” 

She whimpered at that question and the way his breath had tickled her neck, “touch me and you’ll find out.” Because she was practically soaked through already. 

“Are you wet for me already?” He purred into her ear.

She arched as his breath caressed her ear and his fingers trailed past her navel. 

“You’ll find out if you touch me,” she moaned. 

He chuckled softly and released a breath, “tell me how much you want me.” 

She tried not to squirm as his fingers slid into the band of her underwear, then he stopped just as his fingers brushed into the soft hair there. 

“I want you,” she whimpered. 

“Tell me how much,” he growled. His fingers barely drifted lower but she got the message, tell me and I’ll touch you.

Her cheeks heated as her breath caught in her throat, “I want you all the time, I want you so much that you consume most of my thoughts, it’s infuriating and it drives me mad that all I want is you.” 

“Oh Sorcha,” he moaned as he bit just below her ear. 

She let out a silent moan at that and then his fingers moved again, getting closer and closer until a loud bang came from the wall of what would be her room and his fingers stopped as he stared at that wall, her head twisted towards it as well just as Ailith started moaning very loudly repeating ‘yes’ over and over. 

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Munroe snarled as he gently pulled his hand out of Sorcha’s underwear and sat up. 

Sorcha groaned her annoyance as she looked back up at the ceiling, “that’s one way to kill the mood. I guess that’s her payback for seeing us earlier.” 

Munroe was still glowering at the wall as the noise continued, “they walked in on us. She’s just being a bitch.” 

“I never asked, who was the victor of your argument earlier?” Sorcha smiled carefully at him. 

“What did Lachlan tell you about us?” His jaw tensed as he looked at her. 

“Nothing that I hadn’t guessed,” she shrugged. 

He sighed and shook his head, “what did he say?” 

So she told him, leaving out the part about them being caught and punished and what she’d been told about Ailith. 

“No one won the argument,” he said when she was done. “No one ever does, she thinks she does or she cries and it’s over. I've given into her, I’ve tried to be sensitive, I’ve tiptoed around her but it doesn’t take much to set her off.” 

She nodded, “it’s hard because she’s still your friend at the end of the day.” 

“Yes, so I deal with the crap that comes with it,” he rolled his eyes. 

Sorcha jumped when the banging next door got louder, that’s when Munroe reached off the bed and lobbed one of his boots at the wall, silence followed until Munroe started roaring. 

“If you don’t shut the fuck up I’m going to give you both a reason to be quiet.” 

Sorcha had to cover her mouth to stifle her laughter, Munroe was silently laughing as he laid back down beside her. The room next door was quite now, except for the slight noise of springs bouncing. 

She was still laughing when she wrapped her arm around him, he tucked her in closer to him as he pulled the covers around them and they tried to sleep now that things had gone quiet. 

Chapter Text

46.

Sorcha was pulling a pair of shorts on, she had tried to pull trousers on but the pain in her leg when the fabric had pushed against her wrapped knee wasn’t worth it. She quickly pulled a top over her head as she glanced at the messy bed, she was mildly pissed that he wasn’t in it this morning. She knew he had just gone out to work but she still would’ve liked to wake up to him, Athena had gone with him too so she had woken up alone. 

She slid out of the room closing the door behind her and almost stumbled when she met Ailith who smirked at her bandaged knee. Great, she forgot she was here but then last night came back to her and Sorcha gave her a cruel smile as she headed for the kitchen. 

Lachlan was there and pulled out an extra cup when he saw her and started making her tea, she leaned against the counter not turning her back on the predator in the living room. 

“How’s the knee?” He asked as he made up the cups. 

“Oh it’s not bad, I’ve had worse.” She shrugged as she watched him. 

“You aren’t that special you know?” Ailith sighed as she watched them. “You’re not the first girl he’s had here and you won’t be the last, a cabin in the woods and a nice guy will sweep most girls off their feet won’t it?” 

Lachlan had gone tense and Sorcha felt sick at her words, at what Ailith was implying but she made herself smile at her regardless, she smiled at how much Ailith just couldn’t help herself. 

“I think that bothers you more than it does me,” she scoffed at her.

“You really are just as ugly as that scar on your face,” Ailith spat at her. 

“Munroe doesn’t share your sentiment,” Sorcha chuckled wickedly at her. It was a low blow but Ailith really did test one’s patience. 

“For now, he will tire of you—”

“And then come crawling back to you like you so desperately hope?” Sorcha cocked her brow arrogantly. She had argued like this plenty with girls, and had been skilled at out manoeuvring them for her own benefit. 

“You are a bitch,” Ailith shrieked at her. “And you will get him killed but you're good at that aren’t you?” Ailith smiled and it was pure poison, “getting the ones you care about killed.” 

Sorcha had been good at this playing these games in a world that didn’t exist anymore, she may have met her match in the woman before her when it came to pettiness. 

Lachlan dropped the spoon he was holding into one of the cups and whirled so fast that Sorcha almost jumped, instead she winced at the sight of the angry red gravel burns across his jaw and down his left arm.

“Would you stop for just once, Ailith!” He snarled.

Both of the women in the room shrank down a little, their eyes widening as a usually placid Lachlan lost his shit.

“Don’t-“

“No,” he snapped, cutting her off. “Don’t you start, if you’re going to be an unbearable cow then you can fuck off before Sorcha kicks your ass again and this time I won’t give a shit that I didn’t intervene. If your goal here was to piss everyone off then well fucking done! You’ve done it,” he was breathing heavily as he glared at her. 

“Lachlan,” she blinked at him, hurt evident on her face.

“No I’m done, I am so done pussy footing around you and I know I’m not the only one.” 

Ailith looked like she’d been struck and Sorcha had to look away, she couldn’t stomach the torment on the woman’s face. She heard her storm away and the bedroom door slammed shut.

“That was harsh,” Sorcha hissed. 

Lachlan sighed, “sorry I… I just can’t anymore.” 

“No need to apologise, I guess you’ve just had enough.” She shrugged, “are you ok? Your face looks awful.” 

“Yeah,” he smiled slightly as he handed her a cup of tea. “I’ll live,” he tugged up his shirt to show his hip had been torn open, there was a gravel burn across his ribs and she noticed he wasn’t putting pressure on his left leg. “Sadly it will heal and I won’t have any badass scars,” he sighed. 

“I’m sorry,” she let the cup he had given her warm her hands before taking a sip. “Thank you, you really didn’t have to do that for me.” 

He waved her off, “no worries. Munroe would’ve killed me if I just stood there.” 

“Oh so it was for Munore,” she cocked a brow at him. 

His cheeks tinted pink as he muttered out, “I didn’t mean it like that–”

“I’m only teasing,” she gave him a soft smile but she had struck a nerve. 

He let out a sigh as he shifted the conversation, “so you held your own against Ailith pretty well,” he smirked and then it dropped. “Don’t believe anything she said.” 

Sorcha shook her head but the last comment had buried deep within her, “I’ll try not to.” 

“There’s another reason I know he likes you,” he said after he took a sip of his own tea and Sorcha just raised a questioning brow at him as she drank. “You’ve lasted longer than a week.” 

She almost choked on her tea, “excuse me?” 

He laughed, “she said about him getting bored.” Sorcha just nodded at that, “she’s pissed because he’s usually bored after a week and you're still here.” 

Sorcha didn’t know what to make of that, before she’d have told herself it was because she was stuck here waiting for Athena to get the all clear but after their past few days together she couldn’t confidently think that was the reason anymore even if she wanted to. 

“Well thank you for the tea,” she slid the cup on the counter. “But I have a dog to find.” 

“Using Athena as an excuse that’s cute,” Lachlan sniggered as Sorcha stepped into her boots.

She huffed a laugh at him and flipped him the bird with a wide smile, he smiled back and flipped her off as well when she slunk out the door. It was nice having a friend that was just easy to click with, even if he saw right through her, she hummed a laugh as she tried not to limp while she searched for Munroe. She forced herself not to look at the dark patch of blood on the gravel, she did not want to be reminded of that when she already couldn’t forget it. 

She heard something being dropped in the barn and she stepped in to see Munroe moving a square bale of hay, she closed the door behind her and he spun when he heard it. 

“Morning,” he smiled as he relaxed from going on the defensive. 

Everything she had wanted to ask him about melted away as she took in the way he had responded to her presence. Instead she was striding over to him, his brows furrowed as he watched her coming towards him. 

When she got to him she gripped his shirt and tugged him roughly to her, kissing him so fiercely that it stole her own breath away as he twisted his hand into her hair. 

“What was that for?” He smiled down at her as he pulled back. 

“Because I wanted to,” she smiled back up at him. “And because you weren't beside me this morning to kiss.” 

“I will make sure to stay next time,” he placed a soft kiss on her lips. “Sorry you looked so peaceful, I couldn’t wake you.” 

She ran her hands down his chest and he tugged her head back to him as he kissed her again and again and again. 

She was undoing his belt as the kiss turned frantic and she pushed him back making him land on the hay bale he’d just set down, she now stood over him as they kissed, his hands tracing her hips as her hand released his cock. 

She pulled back to watch him as she started stroking him, she watched as his head tilted up slightly exposing his neck. She lowered herself between his legs, ignoring the pain in her knee when it touched the ground as she gripped him with her other hand. 

“Your knee–” he protested but she shushed him. 

As she pumped his tip his eyes rolled back, that’s when she took him into her mouth causing him to gasp out as his head snapped down to her. His eyes locking on hers that had been watching him, she flicked her tongue on the underside of his cock as she dragged his tip back out of her mouth. 

He groaned at the sight of it and then moaned when she sucked his tip back into her mouth, her tongue flicking against him again as her hand started pumping. 

The bead in his tip rubbed against the roof of Sorcha’s mouth, she couldn’t fit him all in but she did try while her hand worked his base, she had to clench her thighs from how wet it was making her having him in her mouth. 

She was drooling all over him, it was dribbling down her chin as she tried to take as much of him as she possibly could. She gripped one of his hands as he watched her and she guided it into her hair, he whimpered at the gesture and she moaned against him as she gave him her approval. 

Munroe’s head flung back in ecstasy as he buried his fingers into Sorcha’s hair while she took him with her mouth, she was relentless in her sucking and it was pushing him over the edge very quickly. 

“Fuck, Sorcha I’m going to…” his hand started to slide from her hair as he gazed down at her. 

She gripped his wrist, her metallic eyes peering up at him as she hummed her approval. She wanted to take him in her mouth and his fingers curled into her dark hair as he began thrusting into her mouth, she didn’t think she could’ve gotten any wetter as he gently fucked her mouth. She couldn’t stop herself from moaning at the sensation and he spilled into her mouth at those sweet little noises coming from her. 

She swallowed all of him as he spurted down her throat and as she removed him from her mouth, her tongue flicked over his slit ensuring she had swallowed all of him and then she swirled it around that pearl he had embedded into him as she fully released him. 

“That will take a little getting used too,” she grinned up at him as he shoved his cock back into his boxers. 

“It doesn't freak you out then?” he smiled sheepishly as he tugged her into his lap. 

She shook her head, “it’s a little… outlandish but I like it.” 

“You do?” He growled against her jaw as he nipped her with his teeth, pulling her closer to him as he did. 

She bit her lip as she nodded, her hands going into his hair. 

His hand spread across her back as he buried his face into the crook of her neck and breathed her in, then so slowly he dragged his tongue up her throat stealing a breathy whimper from her.

“My turn,” he murmured as he pressed his lips to the centre of her throat. 

Munroe slid his hand up her thigh as he held her on top of him, she ignored how itchy the hay was on the bare legs as she squirmed under his touch. His fingers glided over her shorts and they paused as he pressed his fingers against her core through the fabric, he hissed out at the wetness he found there. 

He shuddered as he relished the feel of how utterly aroused she was, he groaned as he stroked his fingers against that wetness.

“You really did like it,” he growled against her throat before biting down. 

She gasped at the pain but then he was kissing and licking it away turning the pain into something wildly titillating, she rocked her hips to gain more friction from his fingers as she gripped his shoulders tighter. 

His hands slid to the waistband of her shorts and he started frantically tugging at them, “I need you out of these right now.” 

She couldn’t stop the soft moan that escaped her as she leaned back and started to sit up to do exactly that, they both stopped and went still when the sound of high pitched clicking reached them. 

“Shit,” Munroe hissed as he stood, taking her with him before setting her down gently. 

The Voleux had gotten onto the property and were somewhere outside, the clicking getting closer as Munroe did his button back up. 

Munroe pointed to the loft in the barn and Sorcha quickly climbed the ladder, Athena appeared out of one of the stalls at the noise and he slung her over his shoulders and made the climb as well. He let the dog hop off before he clambered up, taking the ladder with him. 

Sorcha lay on her stomach, her injured leg lay straight and the other bent as she looked over the edge, her bare legs getting scratched from the hay but she stayed still as she watched the door slowly open. 

Athena curled up in a corner and Munroe lay beside Sorcha, his hand on her lower back as they watched the two Voleux step into the barn and begin their search.

Munroe trailed his hand down her until he was cupping her ass before giving it a firm squeeze. She threw a glance at him, he had a wanting grin on his face, which made her roll her eyes at him because now was not the time but that hand moved lower and lower. 

His fingers slid beneath her shorts, Munroe shuddered in pleasure as stroked his fingers through her wet folds. His soft breath tickled her neck as he lazily stroked his fingers through her. 

She bit her lip as she kept her eyes on the threat in the barn, she almost screamed out when Munroe slid his fingers inside her. A soft groan escaped him as he started pumping his fingers in and out of her, Sorcha couldn’t believe this was happening but she didn’t want to stop it either as she wriggled against his fingers inside her. 

His index finger worked her clit as he stroked in and out of her, his breath on her neck and the danger below was sending her absolutely wild, her nerves were on edge from both fear and pleasure. 

Sorcha was going to throttle him for this, she was struggling to keep the moans in as those fingers devoured her. Her eyes rolled back as her hips moved with his hand, he nipped at her shoulder as her hips frantically rocked with him. 

She watched as the Voleux finished their search, they clicked something at each other that she couldn’t understand before sliding out of the barn, she could just hear them slinking away. 

Munroe removed his fingers from her, sucking them into his mouth as he rose to his knees. He didn’t give Sorcha a moment to roll over as he yanked her up and tugged her shorts down so that her rear was presented to him, his hand stroked a circle on her ass before squeezing one of her cheeks hard enough to turn the skin red. 

“Keep quiet.” He said as he ripped his zip down. 

Sorcha twisted to see him spring his cock free and slid it into her so hard she had to clamp down on the scream that tore up her throat, he didn’t give her a moment to adjust as he pounded into her at a punishing pace. 

Sorcha quietly groaned, she braced her arms and legs, (trying not to brace to hard on her swollen knee) so she could be able to take the pace he was setting and god how she loved it, the roughness and firmness of him, the danger of their situation clearly turning him feral and setting him on edge as well. 

She moaned when he went deeper and he clamped his hand over her mouth as he leaned over her, fucking her even harder for daring to make a noise when it could get them both killed. 

“I.” -slam. “Said.” -slam. “Be.” -slam. “Quiet.” 

Her eyes were rolling with each slam of Munroe’s hips, his cock was buried deep inside her. She allowed herself to whimper with his hand covering her mouth now, he squeezed her cheeks tighter with each soft noise breathed into his hand. Her ass stung with the punishing pace, his balls slapped her clit with the sheer force of his fucking. 

Sorcha was going to scream at this rate so she bit down on his hand rough and harsh as a scream rocked her, he growled at the ferocity of her bite, his fingers biting firmly into her cheeks making her bite down even harder. 

She moaned into his hand as her eyes rolled and she flung her head forward into the hay as an orgasm raked through her, Munroe made one final, rough slam as he came with her, going still as he filled her. Sorcha’s orgasm squeezing his cock tightly into her, she couldn’t stop herself from rocking on his cock as her pleasure consumed her. She sank her teeth deeper into his palm at the rough orgasm that had taken over her making him groan in pain. 

Finally she collapsed, unable to hold her own weight on her shaking limbs. The tip of his cock still inside her even as she’d fallen, slowly she removed her teeth from his palm, she had blood on her lips and teeth as she turned to look at him, her mouth was full of the metallic taste of it. She hadn’t meant to bite though his hand, she didn’t even know she could.  

Munroe’s eyes flared at the blood covering her mouth, his hand went around her throat as he pulled her up, his fingers squeezed her throat gently as he devoured her mouth, his tongue delving in to taste him in her mouth. He accidentally painted her throat red with his blood, his cock sliding all the way back in as he leaned into her, wrapping his other arm around her waist as he pulled her back flush against him. She moaned into his mouth at the pure possessiveness of his hold on her, it made her stomach tighten. 

“Fuck,” Munroe hissed as he gently let her go. 

She shakily lay herself back down, he supported her hips as he slid out of her and then his fingers traced the curve of her ass as he emitted a guttural groan. She lazily glanced over her shoulder to see his eyes fixed between her legs and his stare was devouring. 

“Now that is a pretty sight to behold,” he purred. “You're so full of me,” he dragged his fingers through her, making her whimper from how sensitive she was now. 

She caught sight of the whiteness on his fingers before he wiped it away as he rolled down beside her, panting heavily when he hit the hay.  He tugged her to him and she turned into him, sinking into his chest. 

“Was that too rough?” He winced as his fingers stroked through her hair, as if he suddenly just realised that they’d fucked like a pair of wild animals. 

She shook her head as a smile spread across her lips, “you think I would let it go on if I didn’t enjoy it?” 

“I think your way of telling me would be a knife to the throat,” he chuckled quietly as he gently tugged her shorts back up for her. 

“Clever man,” she purred as she traced her fingers up his chest and then her face dropped as she whispered, “I’m sorry about your hand.”

A smile spread across his lips, “I think that was the filthiest, most erotically tantalising thing I have ever seen and fuck did I enjoy it, I will think of that often.” 

Sorcha raised her eyes at him in surprise, “you don’t have an undead kink do you?” She teased as quietly as she could. 

His eyes narrowed on her, “only if you're the undead one trying to bite me.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her and then he gave her a sultry smile, “nah just a normal biting kink.” 

She huffed out a small, quiet laugh at that and then gulped when she remembered the danger, “are they still out there?”

He nodded, his jaw caressed her temple as he did. “I’m going to investigate and you're going to stay here, hidden and safe do you understand?”

She pushed herself up and look at him in disbelief, “I can help two is better than–”

“Please, after yesterday I need you to stay here.” He tried to push the panic off his face as he sat up and took her face in his hands, “I need to know that you’re safe. I can’t bear to see you hurt again,” he glanced down at her bandaged leg. “ I just can’t bear it, Sorcha and I’ll beg if I have to.” He murmured as he brought his lips to hers and kissed her so pleadingly that it shattered something within her, “please just stay right here.” 

She nodded, her eyes turning glossy as she shakily breathed out, “you have to come back then because I’ll be waiting.”

“I won’t leave you waiting long, I promise.” He whispered as he kissed her again before getting up, handing her a knife as he did. 

Sorcha hated everything about this as she watched him start to climb down that ladder, she hated as she watched him disappear, she hated that she stayed even when she desperately wanted to follow him and she especially hated when he pulled the ladder away so she couldn’t give into the urge to follow. 

She slid herself over to the corner with Athena, the dog pressing into her side as they both waited for him to come back. Sorcha’s mind was running wild the longer she waited, she strained for any little noise, anything that would tell her he was still ok and then she wondered about the two in the cabin, had the aliens checked there yet? 

The door below clunked open, she ripped the knife from its sheath and slid in front of Athena defensively. She tried not to shake when the ladder was raised, she buried that fear when she heard the ladder being climbed. 

“It’s me,” Munroe whispered as he appeared. 

She released a breath of relief, almost sobbing at the sight of him stepping into the loft as she dropped the knife and stepped for him. Her eyes scanning his face as she took it in her hands, black Voleux blood was splattered across his cheeks and nose.

He wiped the tears away that had fallen, “you weren’t worried about me now were you?” He let out a soft chuckle as he teased her. 

“Shut up,” it bubbled out of her as a laugh mixed with a sob. “Are you hurt?” Her eyes scanned over the blood on him again. 

He shook his head as he wrapped her against him, her hands slid around him tightly as they just held each other. 

“They didn’t get a scratch on me,” he whispered. “Too busy catching my bullets.”

She snorted a laugh at that and then asked, “Lachlan and Ailith are they ok? Did you see them?” 

He nodded, “yeah they went out to check the perimeter before I came to get you, so let’s get you back to the cabin and get this blood off.” He stroked a finger down her throat, reminding her that he wasn’t the only one with blood splattered on them. 

And with that he led her back to the cabin, he helped Athena down the ladder and as they walked back Sorcha didn’t let go of him even if she knew he wouldn’t have come to get her if it wasn’t safe. 

Chapter Text

47.

While Ailith and Lachlan had tracked another Voleux down in the forest, Sorcha and Munroe had cleaned themselves up. Sorcha had to hang her leg out of the water, Munroe had found it funny when he’d come to help her after he’d dried himself and changed, when she was done he cleaned up her knee and redressed it. 

And while Lachlan disposed of the bodies with help from a very eager Ailith, Sorcha suspected she was trying to make up to him for earlier, Munroe cooked dinner with help from Sorcha, although the most she did was chop up the veg and question him on how he’d made pasta, she was utterly fascinated with the things he could make. 

And even more amazed at how it had tasted as she set her cutlery down, Munroe was quick in collecting everyone’s plates and it looked like Lachlan was going to help but instead he went for the alcohol, pouring everyone a glass as Munroe cleaned up which left Sorcha with Ailith. She was glad that it was raining outside, with the TV on she didn’t have to try and talk to her, instead she stared at the screen while some episode of Doctor Who played, Lachlan had insisted this was what they watched, not that Sorcha minded, it was the episode with the vashta nerada in the library. 

Lachlan shoved glasses into the women’s hands before flopping back into his seat with a loud huff while Munroe dried up, a glass waiting for him on the counter when he was done. 

“You look riveted by the doctor there?” Lachlan snorted. 

Sorcha’s eyes slid to him and she shrugged, “once upon a time ago I did used to enjoy it and I did secretly hope the tardis might appear one day.” 

“He’s an alien you know?” Lachlan raised his brow at her. 

She sighed, “I always forget that part but one that tries to save humanity at least. Too bad the doctor isn’t real, do you think the Voleux would stand a chance against him?” 

“What’s the bets that they wrote an episode on it?” Lachlan snickered. 

“It doesn’t matter now does it?” Sorcha huffed as she took a large sip, “unfortunately he isn’t real and the human race wasn’t enough. Most of the aliens left and we will die out, that’s all we amount to in the end, back to the earth we go and when we’re dead I bet they will be back to clean up this shit hole and claim it for good.” 

Lachlan let out a low whistle, “why don’t you just roll over and surrender now.” 

“I’ll surrender when I’m dead,” she grinned at him. 

“I would expect no less from you,” he winked at her.

“And yet I was left out of the action earlier,” she huffed again just as Munroe dropped down beside her. 

Athena rose from her spot in front of the fire and slunk over to the couch when he did, she hopped up beside him, curling up before resting her head on his lap. As he took a sip of his drink his other hand gently landed on her head and started stroking her. 

“Because if they caught you…” Lachlan tensed as he let out a sigh. “You don’t want to know what they’d do to you because you are a woman.” 

“Then why were you hunting them?” Her eyes slid to Ailith. 

“Because I don’t show up on their tracking devices,” she gave Sorcha a wicked smile but it didn’t reach her eyes. 

The room went silent at that, Sorcha certainly didn’t know what to say about that. Munroe looked strained and Lachlan just looked uncomfortable as his eyes slid back to the TV. 

“And why would that be?” Sorcha asked as she glanced at the two men on either side of her. 

“I don’t have a uterus so that isn’t appealing to them, their trackers are designed to find fertile women. Anything else comes up as irrelevant and as something that should be killed because usually the irrelevant blips are men,” Ailith’s grip on her glass tightened. 

Sorcha gulped now understanding why the men had gone tense, they knew about this already. 

She had known the Voleux still sought out human women, another reason she avoided them like the plague. Although they were more likely to eat you these days than breed you but some still did, she wasn’t sure why perhaps some had just gotten the taste for human women, she couldn’t figure out with the ships gone and no form of communication out of Earth from all the signal jammers what sort of plan they would have if they had one. Perhaps there was no plan and like many of the humans left the aliens also took their kicks where they found it. 

“How?” Sorcha breathed out. 

Ailith raised a surprised brow at her, “it came down with an infection and had to be removed.” She took a large drink, avoiding looking at Sorcha as she did. 

Sorcha just nodded as Lachlan slid out of his seat and grabbed the whiskey, topping up everyone’s glasses while Ailith turned her attention towards the TV. 

“I think another drink is needed after that,” Lachlan winked at Sorcha as he took his seat. “Oh,” he shifted to the side and started pulling something out of his pocket. “Game of switch, break the tension?” He grinned as he wiggled a pack of cards in his fingers. 

“We don’t have a table,” Munroe rolled his eyes at him. 

“Then let’s unscrew a door and make one,” Lachlan grinned. 

“Lachlan. No.” Munroe furrowed his brows at him in astonishment. 

Sorcha had to stop herself from laughing at them as Lachlan tutted his disapproval at not getting to rip a door off and make a table for them, she was sure Munore wouldn’t let him get that far. 

“Don’t you have a folding camp table somewhere? I really hope it’s not out in the barn,” Lachlan frowned at the rain pelting down. 

“I’ll go look,” Munroe grumbled as he got up. Athena disapproved of the motion as she curled up at the other end of the couch. “Before you start tearing my house down,” Munore hissed as his glass clinked onto the counter. 

Munroe opened the sliding doors that led into the washing machines and slid inside as he looked for what Lachlan wanted.

“Sometimes he does stuff for me,” Lachlan wiggled his eyebrows at Sorcha. 

“Is being pestered into it the same as doing something for you?” She hummed as she took a sip of her drink. 

Lachlan shrugged, “please don’t act like it’s not nice having a big strong man do something for you.” 

Sorcha just rolled her eyes at him as she took another drink, enjoying the small burn forming in her throat. 

Munroe dragged the blue coloured folded table out of the utility closet catching Sorcha and Lachlan’s attention as he did, Ailith chose to keep ignoring them all. 

“Found the stupid thing,” Munroe grumbled as he hauled it over. He unfolded it and set it at a low height so they wouldn’t be reaching for their cards, “don’t put your feet on it. It won’t hold the weight,” Munroe hissed at the blonde as he went to get his drink. 

“So grumpy,” Lachlan teased as he bagan shuffling the deck of cards. “Do you know how to play switch?” His attention turned to Sorcha. 

“I think so,” Sorcha smiled at him.

“You probably know it as black five,” Munroe hummed as he took his seat back by Sorcha again and set the whiskey bottle on the table. 

She nodded, “I didn’t play often but I think I know the rules.” 

“It’s like uno in a way,” Lachlan explained. “Someone puts down a two and if you don’t have a two to put down then you pick up two, if you put down a two the next person has to pick up four and so on. The numbers or the suit have to match for you to put down a card until they're all gone and if a black five is put down you have to have one of your own or pick up five.” 

“And if I have one the next person has to pick up ten?” She smirked at him.

“Precisely,” he winked at her. 

“So there aren't any other trick cards?” She raised a brow at him. 

“A red five will cancel out a black five,” Munroe informed her. “And I’m guessing you're leaving out the other trick cards?” He nodded to Lachlan. 

“Thought I’d keep it simple for your first time,” he smiled at Sorcha. “Eight is a missed turn, ten reverses direction of play and aces can be used to change suits.” He grinned at her.

“I have played uno, I think I’ll manage.” Sorcha muttered. 

“And don’t forget to say last card when you're down to one,” Munroe gently nudged her. 

Sorcha nudged him back and then leaned against his side as she smiled up at him, a smile spread across his lips as he slid his arm around her back and pulled her tighter against him. The top of her head brushed his jaw as she twisted into him.

“Enough of that,” Lachlan hissed at them. “We’re about to play a game.” 

Munroe glared at Lachlan as Sorcha pushed away from him and leant forward just as Ailith pried her eyes from the TV. 

“Another doctor who fan?” Sorcha raised her brow at her before glancing at the TV to see which episode it was now. The doctor was on some sort of space train while something was knocking, she vaguely remembered that one. 

“Something like that,” Ailith hummed as she brushed her off. 

Sorcha didn’t pay too much mind to it as she scooped up her cards, she was just trying to be amicable for the sake of them being in the same room and as Lachlan flipped the first card down off the deck the game began. 

Sorcha had won the first game which Lachlan put down to beginners' luck, Ailith won the second which she was silently smug about and Munroe won the third. Sorcha was watching Lachlan as he gathered the card back, she leaned forward to help with half the deck. He really was just happy to participate, she noticed the other two were sore winners and losers. Sorcha supposed he’d just adjusted to being around them and she was pretty unbothered about winning or losing because games meant nothing to her now. Even if she had enjoyed it, it wouldn’t last, it never did these days.

Sorcha handed him her half of the deck and leaned back on the couch, jumping slightly when she landed on something hard and relaxing when she realised it was Munroe as his hand squeezed her shoulder. 

“What’s wrong with your hand?” Lachlan motioned with his hand, his glass of whiskey now back in it, to the bandaged hand now on Sorcha’s shoulder. “It’s been bothering me half the night.” 

“Oh nothing to worry about,” Munroe shrugged. 

“It looks like a bite… you didn’t get…” Lachlan cocked a concerned brow at him.

“Not by anything infectious,” he smirked as his gaze dropped to Sorcha. 

Lachlan huffed out an amused laugh while Sorcha tried not to let her blush be obvious, she glanced at his bandaged hand and the red marks that where starting to bleed through were obviously teeth marks. 

“Kinky,” Lachlan said while he sucked a breath in.

Munroe didn’t respond to that, instead he trailed circles on Sorcha’s neck making her look at him, a small smile appearing on his lips when she did. She just rolled her eyes at him before leaning into him further.

“Fuck this,” Ailith hissed as she got up, clearly she had reached the end of her restraint. 

Ailith slid her now empty glass onto the kitchen island as she passed it and disappeared up the hall, Sorcha winced and slid away from Munroe when she heard the door shut. 

“Don’t pay her any mind,” Lachlan gave her a reassuring smile. “She lives for dramatics.” 

“She certainly does,” Munroe grumbled, his hand now on Sorcha’s shoulder squeezing her gently. 

“Are neither of you going to make sure she’s ok?” Sorcha glanced at the door. 

“That’s what she wants and I’m done with it,” Lachlan sighed as he leaned back. 

Munroe gave him a dubious look, “since when?” 

“This morning when she was being a bitch to Sorcha again,” Lachlan grumbled as he took a drink. 

“You didn’t tell me,” Munroe’s brows furrowed on Sorcha. 

“It didn’t really matter,” she shrugged him off as she stood. “I’ll do it.” 

Lachlan spluttered on his drink, “that’s-that’s a terrible idea.” He coughed. 

“I agree with him,” Munroe said as he leaned forward and gently took her hand. 

“I’ll be fine and if you hear screaming just come and drag me off her again,” she winked at him as she squeezed his hand before letting go. 

“She won’t let you take her by surprise again,” Lachlan chuckled. 

Sorcha rolled her eyes, “I’m not going to actually try and fight her.” She shoved him gently as she passed by him. 

“Sorcha?” Munroe cautioned. 

She twisted to look at him, “don’t worry. I’ll be quick and he can fill you in on this morning if you want,” she waved her hand towards Lachlan before heading for the hall. 

“As long as you fill me in on the bite,” she could just hear Lachlan purr as she disappeared down the hall and then he let out a yelp when Munroe smacked him. She didn’t turn to see which part of him got smacked, from the way Lachlan was now laughing it wasn’t a serious hit. 

Did she really want to do this? No but she needed something from Ailith and she didn’t see another way to get her alone so she gently knocked on the door and when she heard a sharp ‘what’ coming from the other side Sorcha slid inside. 

“I don’t want to talk–what the fuck are you doing here?” Ailith blinked in total surprise at Sorcha now leaning against the door. She was clearly expecting anyone else but her. 

She shrugged, “seen as they weren’t bothered to check on you I thought someone should.” 

“Still being a bitch,” Ailith grimaced at her. 

“I guess so but an honest one at least,” Sorcha smiled slightly. 

Ailith shook her head at her, “why are you here?” 

“To check on you like I said,” Sorcha sucked on a tooth. 

“Uh huh sure and I was born yesterday, what do you want?” Ailith eyed her. 

“A favour,” Sorcha smiled slowly. 

Ailith scoffed, “as if–”

“It’s not for me, it’s for Munroe.” 

Ailith raised a brow at her, “go on.” 

She knew that would peak her interest, Sorcha sighed. “If you could come back here in about three weeks time…” she had to stop herself from gulping. “He’ll need a friend then.” 

Ailith blinked at her before looking her up and down, “you're leaving?” 

Sorcha nodded, “I don’t know when exactly but I mean it he will need a friend, you can’t be overbearing or clingy… just relax around him.” 

Ailith’s jaw tightened at that, “it won’t change anything.” 

“Maybe it won’t,” Sorcha shook her head as she looked up at the ceiling. “But would you rather have him as a friend or as someone who can’t stand to be around you?” 

“Why would you want… this?” Ailith was utterly confused. 

Sorcha let out a breath, “I just want to know he has someone looking out for him.” She shrugged, “you're right the people I get close to get hurt so it’s better this way.” Sorcha blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. 

Ailith nodded and took a large intake of breath, Sorcha swore that when she saw Ailith eyeing her again that her eyes widened slightly but she blinked it away as quickly as it had appeared that Sorcha thought she’d imagined it. 

“Fine,” Ailith nodded. “I’ll come back, I’ll check on him.” 

Sorcha gave her a small smile, “don’t be overbearing.” 

“You already said that,” Ailith hissed out her annoyance. 

“Just reminding you, he doesn’t like being pushed, just keep that in mind.” Sorcha went to turn away and stopped, “and I hope this means we can have some sort of truce for the remainder of the time you will be here. I am rather sick of us being at each other's throats, it’s hard enough being a woman and surviving in this world.” 

Ailith nodded, “fair enough. A truce it is,” although she certainly didn’t look happy. 

“Don’t look too horrified, I didn’t ask you to be my bestie.” Sorcha chuckled as she grabbed the handle, “you are ok though right? I didn’t actually ask.” 

Ailith gave her a half smile, “I’m fine thanks for asking.” 

Sorcha tried not to shiver at that, she guessed the truce started now as she slid out of the room and headed back down the hall. 

Munroe’s head snapped towards her when he heard her, his eyes scanning her for signs of injury and she was hit with a wave of guilt, she had to swallow the lump in her throat. 

“Don’t worry, no one hit anyone.” She smiled at him as she stopped behind him. 

“I’m surprised she tolerated you at all,” Lachlan raised his brows at her. 

“I can be convincing when I need to be,” Sorcha shrugged. 

Munroe twisted his fingers into hers as he spun to face her, Athena stayed curled in his lap even as he moved, the dog must’ve wormed her way back over to him when she’d left the room.

Lachlan gasped, “you slept with her and left us out?” 

Sorcha snorted at him before reprimanding him, “Lachlan.” 

“Sorry,” he winced as he filled his glass. 

“Come sit back down,” Munroe circled his thumb on the back of her hand. 

She shook her head, “I think I’m going to get ready for bed…” Munroe started to shift. “No, no you stay,” he blinked up at her, a little confused. “I don’t want to interrupt and besides you know where to find me when you're done,” she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek before grabbing a towel out of the linen closet. 

She grabbed a change of clothes as well before slipping into the bathroom, she had showered earlier but he didn’t question it, she usually did take one before bed. At least it was just a quick wash so it will be easy enough for her to hang her leg out and not need help. 

She locked the door and clicked the shower on and she placed her things on the counter, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. 

That’s when the tears fell, she wasn’t sure if she’d go through with it but now she supposed she was going to. She was too scared of what would happen if she stayed, of what would happen to him if Ailith was right. When he’d put her safety over his she knew she couldn’t stay, she had hated waiting, had forgotten what that pit in your stomach felt like as you waited for someone you cared about to return. She now had to figure out how to say goodbye, she hated herself for it but she had to because she couldn’t watch anyone else die, it was her curse. 

Chapter Text

48.

Sorcha was struggling to sleep tonight with her thoughts still running wild from earlier, then her knee was bothering her and the noise from the next room had barely stopped. At least they weren’t as vocal tonight but it had again put a damper on her and Munore’s evening when he had come to bed.

She sighed as she opened her eyes, she was about to roll off of Munroe’s chest when she jumped as he slid his hand along her back.

“Sorry,” he grumbled sleepily. “Can’t sleep either?” 

“No,” she whispered as she glanced up at him. “I thought you were sleeping.” 

“Almost,” he admitted. 

“Sorry,” she murmured as she stroked her fingers along his stubble.

“It’s fine,” he smiled as he reached his other arm out and clicked his lamp on. 

It illuminated the scar on his neck before her eyes adjusted to the sudden light, she traced her finger down it. It was haunting every time she saw it. 

“I don’t know how anyone could do that let alone a father,” the words fell out under her breath and she yanked her hand away when she realised she’d said it. “Sorry-“ 

“Because I loved my mother,” his eyes slid to her. 

She tilted her head at him slightly confused, “what do you mean?” 

“It’s a horrible story,” his voice was heavy with sleep. “There once was a boy who loved his mother very, very much–“ he stopped to take a deep breath. 

“You don’t have to tell me anything, Munroe.” She whispered softly, tentatively taking his cheek in her hand, her fingers stroking against his cheek soothingly. 

“And if I want to?” His eyes bore into hers and she felt that shattering feeling again, his hand cupping around hers on his cheek. 

“Then I’m here,” she gently assured him. 

“My father didn’t like how much my mother loved me, she taught me things behind his back. Her own language, how to cook, what love was like. My father views love as a lower emotion, ‘it is a weakness, Munroe.’ He would say to me,” he shifted slightly beneath her, squeezing her closer. “When he caught my mother showing me these things he’d beat her for it, it never stopped her loving me though. It never stopped her stealing hugs or reading to me or kissing my cheek,” he let out a shaky breath. “She took the beatings, sometimes he would make me watch because I had let her love me even though I was a child and didn’t understand. It never stopped her though, she told me she’d endure anything that was thrown her way if she got another day with me.”

Sorcha was trying not to shake, was trying not to cry, she was far to overcome with horror to do either as she listened to him.

“I wasn’t allowed to play with toys or other kids but she let me, she showed me how. The times when he was away for work she used to take me to parks or swimming pools. We’d go for ice-cream or see movies, she tried to give me so much even when she knew if she got caught he’d beat her.

“He came to get me after school once, when I was eight. I was playing with a classmate and didn’t see the car pull up, I didn’t know it was him till I got in and that drive home was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life as he sat in silent rage. That was the first day he hit me, I got out of the car and he slapped me to the ground, then he took it out on my mother for making him a weak son.” 

He took a breath as she watched him, her eyes wide in horror. She wanted to tell him to stop, dread was curling in her gut as he went on. 

“She would tell me that the beatings didn’t hurt, I knew then that she was lying and didn’t know why she would keep loving me after enduring so much of it but yet she did.” His fingers anxiously circled her back, “she was an utterly amazing and resilient woman. I see that now and I think,” his eyes sliding to Sorcha’s. “I think she’d have liked you a lot.” 

As she went to say something he started talking again, “the second time he hit me was when he caught me playing with a little red fire engine. Mum had taken me to the fun fair and we’d won it in one of those silly duck-hooking games, he plucked it off me and struck me with it twice before crushing it under his boot. He’d burst my cheek open and my blood was enough to satisfy him that day.

“And the day he did this,” he motioned to the scar. “Was the day he caught me saying I love you to my mother. He just lost it, grabbed the first thing that came to hand which was a large kitchen knife… she tried–she tried to fight him, she was so small in comparison. I remember her hitting her head on the counter and then I remembered the pain as he sliced me open, I remember the blood pooling over me and her screams as she tried to hold my neck together.” 

Sorcha was practically holding her breath as she watched him, she was numb as she took in the words, trying to process them. 

“Then I woke up in a hospital,” his fingers tightened on her back. “They lied, said someone had broken in. I was too confused to tell them and too young for them to believe me if I told them anything anyway. I didn’t know why he hadn’t let me die, it turned out she had begged for me. Offered him anything, she didn’t care what it was, she would pay it…” his eyes gutted as he watched her and she knew this story was about to get worse. “He got us home and then he killed her, made me watch, told me that if I looked away he’d kill me too and her death would be in vain if I did. Then he stabbed her until she couldn’t bleed anymore–“ 

That’s when Sorcha sobbed, he’d been so little and he’d endured that. Ten years old and he was almost murdered only to have his mother sacrifice herself for him, she couldn’t make sense of the grief that was consuming her at the thought of it. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” It bubbled out of her and she didn’t know if she was sorry for interrupting him or because of his terrifying past. 

He gently shushed her, it was slightly shaky and when she looked at him his eyes were wet. She gently wiped them away and he did the same for her as they both took deep breaths. 

“What happened then? He didn’t get caught?” Her voice shook as she asked. 

He shook his head, “he said the intruder came back and they believed him. So I was stuck with him… that’s when he started beating me into shape, I was scared to love anything after that.” His sigh was heavy with despair, “he went away more when I was a teenager so I was left for long periods of time and when kids poked at my bruises or my ill fitting clothes or called me names I just couldn’t handle it, I got enough of it from him so one day I just snapped. I got pulled into the headmaster’s office, I had beaten the kid unconscious so I was expelled. He’d never been more proud of me, he beat me for getting caught but he liked my anger so I picked fights and learnt to not get caught at my new school, that’s where I met Ailith.”

Sorcha wrapped her arm around his waist tightly, she had known his past wouldn’t be pretty but this… this was… there weren't any words she could find that could describe it well enough. 

“Then I went to university, I got away from him and for the first time in my life I was free. I was still angry, I still picked fights and then I met a really annoying blonde kid who was about to get the living shit kicked out of him. He was smiling and this other kid was saying it was their fault but there was Lachlan ready to take that beating for someone else. I couldn’t watch it, not again, not when I was able to do something this time.” 

Sorcha sat up and looked at him, she was trying to stifle her tears so she wasn’t a blubbering mess as she gazed at him, she was looking at him as if he was the only thing she needed, as if she was seeing him clearly for the first time. 

She cupped his face, placing her forehead on his as she whispered. “I had no idea you were so strong, you didn’t deserve any of that, you didn’t deserve to endure that and I thank you for sharing it with me if it makes enduring it a little easier for you.” 

His breath hitched, “S-Sorcha.” 

“I would’ve liked your mother to, in fact I bet I’d have adored her. How could I not when she loved you so fiercely and defiantly, love like that never really fades even when someone tries to diminish it.” She let one hand slide over his heart, “when my mother passed she told me I’d always carry her right here, no matter what she would be right there. I bet yours is too, otherwise you’d have walked away from Lachlan and you wouldn’t be this beautiful, kind man that I know now.” 

“I caused her murder she wouldn’t have stayed with me after–”

“Munroe,” Sorcha softly interrupted him. “It wasn’t your fault, you were a boy—a child. It was not your fault,” her thumbs stroked his cheeks and she gently took his face in her hands. 

He let out a shuddery breath as his hands gripped her wrists tightly, “I never knew how much I wanted to hear that.” 

“What an irrevocably broken pair we make,” she sobbed out a laugh. 

His nose slid against hers as he tilted into her, “maybe our broken pieces fit together because there is no one else I’d rather be broken with.” 

Her world tilted at those words and she was falling with it as it did, she hadn’t felt as empty with him, her broken pieces not as sharp as if some other pieces had filled in those fractured empty spaces. She loosened a breath as she buried the feeling, she wasn’t ready to face it yet. 

He was the first to break the silence between them as they held each other, “tell me about your mother?” He asked softly, “unless it’s too hard–I’m not demanding you or anything.”

She gave him a soft smile, she wanted to tell him, she would break a little more for what he shared and for him she would let herself break a little more for what she was about to do. She had thought of telling him more about herself since Lachlan had asked about her and she had realised then that she wanted to open up to Munroe, so she did. She told him how her mother had gone on a raid, how she’d gotten bitten and how Sorcha had to end it. She told him how she’d gone to that very store to find those responsible, she’d locked the doors and burnt the place to the ground with them all still inside it. And then she told him about her father and her brother, how they had been on the phone with them when the bomb dropped on her home city and they hadn’t made it. 

More tears were shed, more soft soothing touches shared between them as they told their stories and when they had finally said enough, when they got too tired to talk the light clicked off and they lay wrapped in each other sharing soft tender kisses in the dark. 

Chapter Text

 49.

Sorcha had woken up before him and was just watching him sleep, her eyes on that scar. She had been fascinated by it before and it had filled her with sadness but now she was somewhere between despair and rage as she looked at it. 

She glanced at the window, it was bright for early morning which meant Munroe had slept in for once. She sighed as she turned to look at him and gently pushed his hair from his face, dragging her fingers down the side of his face. He groaned as his eyes flicked open and he smiled when he saw her looking down at him. 

“Morning,” he sighed sleepily. 

“You're still here,” she mumbled as she placed a kiss on his chest. 

“I am,” he grumbled as he slid his hands onto her hips. 

“You’re going to be late,” she dragged her lips up to his neck, kissing as she went. 

“I’m staying in bed today,” he squeezed her closer. 

She pulled back to look at him, “what about–”

“Lachlan offered, he still felt bad and wanted to make it up to me. I told him he didn’t have to but he offered to drag Ailith along and give us a moment's peace, so you don’t have to come hunt me down and ravish me in the barn again.” 

She scoffed at him, “hunt you down. I did not–” then her eyes widened, “you didn’t tell him that happened did you?” 

He chuckled, “no I wouldn’t tell him about us. He’s just good at guessing… or well he just knows when these things happen, like a bloodhound but for sex.” His face crumpled in mild disgust. 

“And here I was thinking you two were giggling like a pair of school girls while you talked of your exploits,” she smirked at him. 

“We also kick our feet and talk of the funny feeling in our tummies while we dreamily doodle hearts in our notebooks,” he chuckled as he prodded her in the side, making her let out a small squeal. 

“Now that would be a sight to see,” she sniggered and then dragged her fingers along his collarbone. “So you're really staying in bed with me?” 

“Do you want me to go?” He cocked a brow at her. 

“I mean I do enjoy the bed to myself,” she sighed dramatically. 

“Oh do you?” He snarled playfully as he slid his hand up her ribs and then began tickling her. 

She squealed and writhed under his fingers as laughter bubbled out of her. 

“Stop,” she squealed breathlessly as she gently smacked his chest. 

He did, wrapping her closer to him as he chuckled, “who knew you were ticklish.” 

“I hate it,” she hissed as she threw a glare at him.

He dragged his finger down her spine, “sorry.” He murmured softly. 

Sorcha smiled as she rose up onto her elbow and looked down at him, the covers falling down to her hips as she moved, his eyes roaming over her as her top half became bare to him. 

“I guess I’ll think about forgiving you,” she purred at him as she trailed her fingers down his chest. 

He grinned at that and began to sit up, she shoved him back down, denying him the kiss he was looking for before continuing to trail her hand down his abs. 

Sorcha began placing soft kisses on his chest as her hand went lower, she heard his breath hitch when her nails scraped his thigh. She was smiling as she kept peppering kisses over his chest and then up his neck just as she gripped his cock in her hand. She started to slowly tease him in her hand while her teeth gently nipped up his neck and she placed her other hand firmly on his chest as he groaned beneath her. 

She worked him harder as her lips trailed up his jaw before she hovered her lips above his, savouring just how gone he was with her touching him and when he tried to lean into her mouth it sent a thrill through her. She liked that he wanted her just as much as she wanted him, she liked that she wasn’t the only one that became a little wild and lost when they began touching each other.

Sorcha leaned into him and kissed him, she kept it soft until his hand fisted into her hair, turning that kiss demanding as she opened her mouth for him. He dragged his fingers back up her spine making her squirm under that slow teasing touch as he started to regain control but she wanted to be the one to lead this morning.

So slowly she caressed that bead on his tip making him gasp into her mouth, she gently flicked back and forth of it, her finger rubbing over his slit as a bead of pre-cum formed there, his hips bucked with every flick of those fingers. 

She pulled back to look at him as she released his cock and raised her hand to her lips, sucking her thumb into her mouth, she moaned at the taste of him on her tongue. 

“Do you like the taste of me?” He groaned as he watched her release her thumb from her mouth. 

She bit her lip as she nodded while she rose onto her knees and tossed the covers from them both as she straddled him. 

“But…” she purred as she slowly slid her fingers up his muscled chest, letting her nails dig in slightly. “I enjoy the feel of you so much more.” She wiggled on top of him for emphasis until his cock slid between her folds. 

“Oh fuck,” he groaned as his eyes rolled back. 

She planted her hand firmly on his chest as she ground herself on his cock, she couldn’t stop herself from looking down to see herself grind on him, the tip of his cock rubbed against her clit making her gasp each time it rubbed over her. 

Munroe slid his hands onto her hips and rocked her faster on him, he hissed out a curse as he did, his eyes dipping down between them to watch. 

Sorcha smirked as she covered his hands with hers and dragged them up to her breasts, his thumbs skimmed over her nipples just before she pulled his hands off her. 

“I don’t need any assistance to fuck you,” she moaned as she kept rubbing herself against him. 

His eyes widened in amusement as he watched her, he smiled as he wiggled his fingers teasingly at her before planting his hands behind his head. 

“Very well,” he smirked. “Do your worst.” 

She smiled as she leaned over him, her hand sliding up his chest as he squirmed beneath her. His cock springing free from beneath her as she moved higher, her lips finding his.

She pulled away when his arms twitched, “as long as you can keep your hands to yourself.” 

He groaned in frustration but kept his hands firmly planted behind his head. 

She slid herself back down him while he kept eye contact with her, a slight smirk on his lips as he watched her and she tried not to let it unnerve her as she rose up over his hips and positioned his cock. From this position she took in just how big he was, the last time she was on top it had been because they were already fucking and she’d flipped them. 

She stroked him while he watched her making him moan, it was her turn to smirk as she watched him while she slowly lowered herself onto him. He hissed out a curse when she slid him inside her, she had to bite her lip to suppress her moan as she lowered herself onto him. 

And then she started to move, planting one hand just below his ribs and sliding her leg closest to the edge of the bed off the side so she could get more leverage as she rode him. 

“Fuck,” he groaned as his head tilted back while she moaned with each bounce. 

She couldn’t stop her wicked smile, not caring that he couldn’t see it as he shut his eyes against the sight of her as she rode him faster, stealing another curse from his lips. 

Sorcha was fighting losing herself as she fucked him, she wanted to, he was buried so deep inside her that she just wanted to throw her head back and lose herself completely and not care if he took over or not, he would if she gave in.

“So big,” she moaned out as she became slightly more frantic in riding him. With her on top it was hard not to realise the size of him, she was so full off him that it was starting to consume her entirely. 

“You’ve only just noticed?” He smirked as he peered up at her, he let out a moan when he took her in on top of him. 

She gently tapped his ribs, “shut up.” She hissed as she placed her hand back below his ribs.

He watched the way her breasts bounced with her, the way her lips parted as she panted and moaned while she frantically rode him and how beautifully flush she was with pleasure. 

“Fuck me you are beautiful,” he groaned as he began to sit up. He wanted to devour that mouth, to devour her. 

She chuckled when she shoved him back down, she had placed her hand there on purpose knowing it would throw him off balance when he tried to sit, all she had to do was shove. 

His eyes flared at her as a grin spread across her face, she put a little pressure on her hand as she continued to fuck him, the leg she’d planted on the floor was keeping her from getting overly tired as she let her head fall back while she went harder. 

Munroe began groaning with each roll of her hips, he was still watching her and trying to control himself as he began losing it at the sight of her and the way she was moaning was edging him closer and closer. 

“Shit,” he hissed as he clenched his jaw. “Sorcha,” he groaned as he removed his hands from behind his head and reached for her. 

She batted them away as she looked back at him, “no… touching.” She gasped out through her moans. 

“Then touch yourself for me,” he groaned as his fingers fisted in the covers. 

She smiled at that and dipped her free hand between them both, “like this?” She gently bit her lip as her finger started circling her clit. 

“Yes, yes. Like that,” he moaned as he rolled his hips with hers making her gasp and stroke herself faster. 

They were writhing in sync with each other as Sorcha started moaning louder with each stroke of her fingers, she was getting tighter and tighter around him as pleasure began to tighten in the base of Munroe’s spine. 

He clenched his jaw tightly as he tried to hold off but her pace wasn’t letting up and he was going to blow before she did, he had to slow her down so he gripped one of her hips. He let out a guttural groan as he felt with his hands the way she was moving on him, he couldn’t stop himself from looking at his hand now engulfing her hip. 

“Sorcha,” his breathing was heavy now with strain. “Wait–wait I’m…” 

Her brows furrowed at his pleading and she slowed just as his head tipped back and he cursed, her fingers stilled as he came into her making her slam down triumphantly and finally on him. 

Sorcha yelped out when she landed fully on him as she felt something sharp stabbing her inside, making her jump up and start to slide off him but his other hand gripped her hip and held her there. 

“What was that?” She eyed him. 

“You landed on my bead,” he groaned as his eyes squeezed shut like he was in pain. 

“Oh shit,” she blinked at him. “Are you ok, did I hurt you? I’m sorry I didn’t think about-”

He gently stroked her hips, “I’m fine.” He murmured softly as he finally looked at her, “are you? That sounded like it hurt,” he winced slightly. 

“I’m fine now, it was more of a surprise.” She gave him a soft smile. 

His thumbs storked circles on her hips as he nodded and then sighed,  “you didn’t come. I don’t like being a selfish lover, Sorcha.” 

“I still enjoyed myself,” she smiled coyly at him. 

He abruptly sat up at that and flicked his tongue over her nipple before sucking it into his mouth, making her gasp. 

“Did you now?” He growled as he gently bit her nipple before flipping her onto her back, his cock slipping out of her as he slid off the bed and dragged her by her thighs to the edge as he knelt between her legs. 

“What are you-” she gasped as he sucked her clit into his mouth. 

He wrapped his hands under her ass and buried himself into her, his tongue flicking against her as he sucked her clit. 

She squirmed under his tongue as her breath got stuck in her throat, one leg was draped off the side of the bed while the other was over his shoulder. 

He removed one hand from under her and his fingers slowly teased up her thigh as he devoured her, she was whimpering beneath his mouth already and she couldn’t make the noise stop as his fingers went higher and higher until he slowly slid them into her making her cry out as he fucked her with his fingers, his tongue still mercilessly devouring her clit. 

She couldn’t stop herself from writhing beneath him, he had to place his other hand over her navel to keep her still as he worked her. 

She couldn’t believe how quickly he’d unwound her and when she thought she was doing so well to stay in charge of this. She loved losing herself to him like this though, she had just wanted to let him lose it today but instead she was now arched back beneath him and desperately clinging to the covers as she begged for her release to find her. 

Munroe nipped at her thighs before stopping to watch her writhe beneath him, the smile he wore now was utterly smug or perhaps proud and his eyes matched that smile as they burned into her. That stare alone made her moan very loudly. 

“You like me watching you?” His fingers curled over her stomach as he placed a soft kiss on her mound. 

“Yes,” she moaned out breathlessly. Her body heated further, she couldn't believe it could heat any further with how flush she was. 

He groaned at that as his eyes slowly dragged over her, snagging on her hard nipples before he looked down at where his fingers were driving in and out of her. 

“I can feel how full of me you are,” he growled as he placed a hard bite on her thigh making her yelp and moan all at once. 

“Please,” she wailed out. 

“Please?” He purred seductively. 

She shut her eyes as her hips rolled with the strokes of his fingers, she wanted his mouth again, she wanted to come now. 

“Please,” she pleaded again. She couldn’t say what she wanted.

“Do you want my tongue in your sweet pussy again, Sorcha?” He groaned as he hovered his lips over her clit. 

“Yes, yes, please yes.” She nodded frantically, her toes curling at the thought.

So slowly he circled his tongue around her clit as his fingers stroked her faster and as she whimpered in frustration he began devouring her, her breath got stuck in her throat again as her back arched off the bed and her fingers strangled the covers beneath her.

She was so lost to him that she didn’t hear the knocking until it was too late, the door was opening and she was going to kill whoever it was before Munroe had the chance. 

He must not have been paying much mind to it either because his head moved from between her thighs just as the door swung open. Sorcha barely covered her breasts as Ailith’s eyes landed on her, her face turning almost as red as her hair at what she was witnessing. 

“Oh god–” she turned her head away from them as she stood there. “I thought you were still sleeping…”

“This better be good,” Munroe sighed and Sorcha realised his fingers were still inside her as he blocked her from sight. 

“We’ll talk about it after. Uh–we saw more Voleux so we need to discuss that–yeah, I’ll just…” she grabbed for the door and started to shut it. 

The door slammed shut and Sorcha let out a laugh as Munroe twisted back towards her. 

“Well that’s another way to kill the mood,” she shook her head as Munroe looked at her. “You need to teach them how to use a door.” 

“There’s something else I’d rather be doing than teaching those idiots some door manners,” Munroe snarled as he placed a kiss on her thigh.

His fingers slowly moved in her making her gasp, “don’t you have to find out about the aliens they saw?” 

“It can wait,” he groaned as his lips moved higher, his fingers stroking her faster. “I wasn’t finished, I believe you’d just pleaded for my tongue in your pussy.” 

“Munroe,” she whimpered out. 

She felt him smile against her thigh, “say my name again.” 

“Munroe,” she whispered. 

“That’s my girl,” he moaned before dragging his tongue through her again. 

As he devoured her it didn’t take long for her pleasure to grow with all the edging she’d just experienced. It built fast and hard, she sunk her hands into his hair but he tugged them out and kept a soft hold on one of her wrists as he grinned up at her. 

“I don’t need help devouring your pussy,” he purred as he teased her. 

And when he sunk his tongue back into her she was gone after the first stroke, his name tore from her tongue like a prayer as her legs tightened around him, shaking slightly from the force of her orgasm before she slumped breathlessly onto the bed. 

He placed gentle kisses up her stomach before hovering above her as he settled beside her, he dragged his fingers up and down her stomach as he watched her come down. 

“Sorcha,” he muttered gently as he leaned into her. 

“Hmmm?” She hummed as she looked up at him, one hand coming to cup his cheek as his nose brushed her ear. 

He placed a soft kiss below her ear before he whispered to her, “if you ever let me come before you again, I promise that we aren’t leaving this room until I’ve wrung every ounce of pleasure out of you that I can. Until you can’t take anymore, until you are so full of me that no more could possibly fit in you.” His fingers curled on her stomach, “you understand me?” 

She squeezed her thighs tightly together at the thought and she bit down on her lip as she nodded, a soft moan escaping from her. 

His fingers stilled on her stomach as he leaned up to look at her, a smile forming at the sight of her and his fingers started forming circles on her. 

“Hmmm,” he hummed as he looked at her, a sly smile on his lips. “You like the sound of that then?” 

“Very much,” she whispered as she dragged his lips to hers. 

His hand slid to her ribs as he kissed her back, his tongue flicking against her lips making her open for him so his tongue could delve into her mouth. Her fingers slid into his hair as she held him to her, kissing him back just as feverishly. 

He sighed as he pulled away, “I guess I better deal with what they have to say.” 

“So much for getting some peace while they’re here,” she snorted. 

He nodded, “yep. I should’ve known better,” he chuckled as he sat up. “Come on, let's find out what’s going on.” 

Sorcha sighed as she got up and quickly found some clothes to shove on before following Munroe out the door when he was also done changing. They were met by Athena bounding towards them, Sorcha blinked at the dog, a little confused as to why she was here. 

“I hope you don’t mind,” Lachlan smiled sheepishly. “She was whining at the door when she heard me get up, thought I’d take her with me so she didn’t wake you both.” 

Sorcha smiled at that and shook her head, “no she likes going out with Munroe so she probably was a little confused this morning.” 

Munroe slid a cup into Sorcha’s hand when he came back to stand beside her, his hand resting on her lower back as he looked at both Ailith and Lachlan. 

“So there’s more Voleux in the woods then?” He tried not to glare at them but they both didn’t miss the hardness in his eyes for disrupting him. 

And so they both started to explain that they had followed them a few miles out and found a site that they must be operating from, they wanted to investigate further to ensure that the cabin would remain safe when they both left, so they wanted to deal with the alien site that had them exploring this far out into forest before they did go. They got to work planning, Munroe pulled out his map of the area and they started plotting out the best route and way around the complex the aliens were holed up in while Sorcha watched them and stuffed her face with food. She was listening but she didn’t plan like them so she left them to it. 

Chapter Text

50.

Sorcha was staring at the map that they had left on the kitchen island, Munroe had still been adamant that she wasn’t going with them as he used her injured knee against her, again. Even though it didn’t hurt anywhere near as much anymore. He’d be back alone after their search, he was going to escort Lachlan and Ailith to wherever they wanted to go afterwards. 

She rested her elbow on one corner of the map and took it in, she placed her finger over where the cabin was, not that it was marked on it. She knew because Munroe had pointed it out, then she spotted the name of a town she recognised. Her fingers trailed away from it to the small camp sign, her heart raced as her finger traced it. She had spent her childhood summers there many times with her family, there were photos of them every summer… she wanted them, she wanted to know if they were still there. 

She strode into Munroe’s room, her pack lay by her bedside table and her weapons were on his desk. He’d left them out for her if she needed them, she stuffed what she might need into the pack, boots for Athena, a change of top, the gas masks, bandages, she shoved some tinned food in there and bottled some water, dropping it in there too. Her eyes stopped on the little figure of Athena on the bedside table, she slid that into the inside pocket, it was silly to think of it as a lucky charm but she did. 

She quickly got herself changed into her black jeans, a dark grey top and she found her jacket in Munroe’s wardrobe. She fastened her thigh straps on before slipping into her jacket and then she strode over to the desk. She swiftly shoved her two bowie knives in her thigh straps, she slid her hand gun into the inside pocket of her jacket, one she had made to hold it in and then glanced around for her any sign of her rifle, she figured he wouldn’t have left that one out for her but she did spot a bow in his wardrobe, it would do she thought as she fastened the quiver to her back and then grabbed it. 

She dragged the pack into the living room and stopped when she spied her hair tie on the sideboard, she glanced in the mirror as she started braiding her hair back and she was reminded that she had forgotten to cut it, she hissed as his fingers quickly twisted her hair together. She looked like a warrior by the time she was done, all she needed was to paint her face to match, not that she was going to. 

She didn’t normally braid all her hair back, not cause she couldn’t she could French plait in her sleep from years of experience but when her hair was short, like it should be, she’d plait it into a crown at the front to keep hair from dropping into her eyes, the rest she flung back as she kept it short enough that it only just fit into a bobble. That way if she got grabbed by the hair the first thing they got was the hair tie, it would slip off and they’d find her blade in their throat before they could think about what had just happened. 

She found the harness Munroe had made for Athena and slid it on the dog, she didn’t often put harnesses on her, to scared she’d get stuck on something but this one was bite proof thanks to him so Sorcha clipped it on the dog and then scooped up her pack and bow sliding them over her back, the pack hiding the quiver behind it. 

She glanced at the map again, sliding the ruler just behind the summer camp and she raised the pencil over it but then decided to set it down, it wobbled as it pointed at the ruler and then she left without looking back at it. 

She looked the door over when she stepped out, she had no way of locking it but she supposed if someone was determined to get in they wouldn’t care if it was locked. So she shrugged before striding off in the direction she needed to go, Athena trotting at her side. Sorcha stopped to step on the trip wire to let Athena over and then they both set off through the forest. 

Sorcha sighed as she twisted the cap back onto the water, she shoved it into her bag as she whistled for Athena who was drinking out of a small stream nearby. It was slightly humid so the weight was making her warm as they trudged through the trees and her knee ached slightly, she had stopped to tie some fabric around her knee and criss crossed it for extra support despite the bandages underneath. 

Athena caught up to her human with ease when she was done drinking, that paw wasn’t giving her any difficulty at all. The walk wasn’t far so Sorcha hadn’t minded bringing her, maybe forty minutes at least if she had estimated that correctly but she felt it had been longer and the fact that Athena was walking like her leg had never be broken reminded Sorcha that they both had to leave soon, even if part of her wanted to stay longer she knew she had to go. It was part of the reason why she asked Ailith to check on him so that she couldn’t back out of her choice. 

She supposed she could leave now, she could find the photos and just keep going afterwards. She huffed aloud as she mulled it over, she didn’t like staying in one place and that was all she really needed to know right now as she kept walking. 

Sorcha came to a sudden stop as the trees opened up to a wide open field, they had made it this far without attracting attention, they just had to make it over the field and into the next set of trees then they would be there. 

Stealthy she made her way out, keeping her feet light as she stepped into the open. Athena dipped into a stalk as she slunk after Sorcha.

They didn’t find any trouble in the field. It was when they stepped into the next set of trees that a dead one stumbled around a tree and gripped Sorcha’s shoulder. 

Athena dove for it, teeth clamping around its leg as she shook it violently from her person. The dead one stumbled and Sorcha unsheathed her blade, ramming it through the dead one's jaw and using the extra momentum of it falling to drive that blade deep. When it stopped moving the dog released it and Sorcha pulled her blade from its face, wiping it on its ruined clothes before she slid it back onto her thigh. 

“Good dog,” Sorcha whispered as she scratched behind Athena’s ear and then pulled the water out her pack, pouring some into the dog's mouth to wash out any putrid blood. 

Sorcha had never stopped being amazed at how fast the dog had adapted to this world, she learnt on her own to be quiet, she learnt to scent out threats and she could tell when to step in to help Sorcha without being told. Although Sorcha wished it wasn’t the case, she’d have loved nothing more than for Athena to just be a dog and not another hardened survivor. 

She stroked her once more before they set off again, quickly finding the road that led to the lodge and following it. She stopped when she came to a jeep that had crashed into a tree, the door was open and the front window was cracked. 

Sorcha slowly peered inside, knife in hand but the vehicle was empty. She opened the glove box, there was nothing in it and nothing worth picking up lying around inside so she walked away from it, it must’ve already been picked clean, she couldn’t help but wonder as she walked away when it had crashed there as it didn’t look too old.

It wasn’t long before the three wooden lodges came into sight, the main building in the centre and the two beside it for residents, behind them was the activity hall which overlooked a small drop onto the grass playing field bellow, she remembered the wooden deck out back of it that looked over the field, they had ping pong tables out there and sometimes she’d aim her ball over the edge just to make her brother have to run all the way down the steps to get it. She would try there first, the picture board was there last time she was here. 

Both her and Athena slid silently through the grounds and quickly made their way into the activity hall, one of the doors hanging off making it easy to do so. The place seemed clear so far but she kept her knives in her palms anyway as she tentatively made her way around. 

She came to the desk and glanced behind it, the wooden board that was once there wasn’t anymore. She sighed, it must’ve moved. She guessed they would be in the main building then but decided she was going to poke around in here just in case, it didn’t take Sorcha long to poke around the small reception area, there was nothing worthwhile. The plain brown couches had all been torn up, leaflets ripped and strewn everywhere and the vending machines had been smashed and picked clean. 

So she slid through the doors that she vaguely remembered led to the pool, Athena brushed against her leg as they moved, staying as close as she could with her ears twitching around for any little sound.

They stepped into the pool room together, carefully making their way around and again finding nothing. The place must be well and truly deserted, except for the strong smell of stagnant water. 

Sorcha glanced at the half empty pool, the deeper end still had water in it. Stale, murky water with a layer of scum over the top. She wondered if they’d tried to drain it, there was a drop into the deeper end so the water that sat down there was still pretty deep if you were to fall in, it was about four metres deep at that end when full, she did not want to fall into that disgusting water. 

Her eyes snagged on a crack in the tiles at the empty shallow end, it looked fairly fresh and like someone had fallen in there at a great height or great force. Sorcha glanced up, there was a higher balcony over the pool, mostly for storage and where the head campers liked to keep watch on the campers. 

Whatever had made that crack it was big that much Sorcha knew, she wondered how recent it had happened. It could be a few months, she just hoped it wasn’t from today. 

Carefully she made her way into the games hall, she spent a lot of time here playing volleyball or badminton. They had outdoor courts too but rain usually meant a lot of activities were held inside. 

She strolled over to the glass windows at the back, not that there was glass in them now. She stopped at the sight of the ping pong tables, she blinked at one. The one she and her brother usually claimed was there in the same spot it had been before, right by the balcony railings looking over the grass playing field, the grass in that field was a lot longer than it used to be. She gulped at the sight of it, she could practically see them laughing as they pelted the ball as hard as they could at each other.

His hair was darker than hers and he had their fathers green eyes, she had hated him for inheriting them and not her. They were greener than the trees around them as he taunted her, pelting the ball back as hard as he could. He was four years older than her and at an age where he really didn’t want to tolerate his twelve year old sister, she knew he’d much rather be off with the pretty girl she’d seen him with earlier but she’d threatened to tell their mum unless he played her a game of ping pong. When the ball came at her she purposefully overshot it and it bounced right off the deck.

“You did that on purpose,” Aonghas huffed rather dramatically. 

“No I didn’t,” she pouted. “I have terrible aim, I didn’t mean it at all.” She let her eyes go a little watery for emphasis. 

“Go get the ball,” he hissed as he dropped his paddle on the table. 

She shook her head back and forth rather quickly, “I can’t my legs are littler and it will take me ageeeees. You have to do it Aggie,” she gave him her best pleading eyes. 

“Stop calling me that munchkin, it’s stupid.” He glared at her. 

She couldn’t hide the hurt and he’d noticed it, so guilty he agreed to go get the ball before she burst into tears and got their parents involved. 

Sorcha didn’t like how he’d changed so dramatically as a teenager, she vowed that she would be nothing like him. She didn’t want to be stroppy or not want to hang out with him anymore because that’s what hurt the most, he didn’t play with her anymore. What Sorcha didn’t know then was that she was going to be way worse, she got her first period a few months before her thirteenth birthday and was the angriest preteen you’d ever meet. God how they had argued and fought, she had shoved him down the stairs once for pulling her hair. Luckily he hadn’t gotten hurt but he fought back, he’d paid her back by hurling her off her bike on a ride around a loch. She had to walk the last two miles back limping and holding her bike, she’d scraped her chin and a large portion of her leg. He had felt guilty after the first mile and walked with her as he kept both their bikes upright.

They had done their fair share of awful things to each other but if someone else started on the other you bet they were there to back each other up and they had gotten close again after she turned fifteen, everything between them started to settle and they stopped fighting like animals, sure they still had screaming matches but when he moved out for university she had missed him. 

Sorcha shook her head as she shook off the thoughts, she found herself now standing at that table. A small smile played at her lips as she ducked down and glanced under it, quickly finding where they had carved their names in it. Her fingers traced over his, so many memories here. 

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard something rattling then she realised she hadn’t looked around, she’d foolishly gotten distracted and was starting to panic that she’d come here alone to a place that would pull her into her past. She should have waited and taken Munroe, she shouldn’t have been so stupid and come alone. 

The hackles on Athena’s back rose as the rattle turned to slow thudding, the dog was figuring out where the noise was coming from and stopped. Her nose pointed to a utility closet partially covered with what looked like a ball rack that had fallen over or been placed there. 

Sorcha took a deep breath, palming the knives again as she slowly made her made to that closet keeping her steps quiet, so quiet that they couldn't be heard and she was so glad that she could stealth foot her way around the apocalypse, it was a very handy skill indeed and one she didn’t want to think about where she had learnt it from as she made her way over the room with Athena creeping close behind. 

Sorcha stopped before the door letting her eyes track over the ball rack, she should just leave it and move on but if she wanted to keep looking around she was going to have to deal with what was in there, a dead one she guessed. If it was alien it would’ve clawed or ripped the door open by now, so she gripped the ball rack and pulled.

The metal groaned as it shifted and the thudding on the door stopped, in fact the noise inside the closet had gone far, far too quiet as Sorcha pulled at the rack again, her breath huffing out of her at the strain and it wasn’t entirely quiet when it did. 

“Hello?” A soft woman’s voice from inside the closet made Sorcha freeze, “hello who’s out there can you help me?” 

Sorcha threw herself away from the rack, she stumbled as she went and almost tripped over Athena. It was a person, there was a person in there and Sorcha wanted to run as far as she could, people were far more dangerous and she was now glad Munroe wasn’t with her because that fool would open the door. 

“Please,” the woman pleaded. Her gentle voice became desperate, “I don’t want him to find me in here. I got stuck trying to hide, I’ve been here all night. Please, I know you're not him from the sound of your breathing, you're a woman right? So please don’t leave me in here, please he’s going to hurt me,” a quiet sob came out of her. 

Well shit. 

How could she possibly leave her now? Every instinct in her was screaming that this was a trap, people do stuff like this all the time to lure you in and throw you off balance by giving you a sob story but all she could think of was Munroe’s mother and if that was her in there. 

“Are you still there?” The woman whispered, “it’s hard to trust… god I know it’s hard to trust,” her voice wobbled. “You can go, I’ll understand.” She sighed and then added, “if you haven’t already that is.” 

Sorcha was standing there for far longer than she should, she should be gone, she should go and she tried to take a step back but found she was rooted to the spot. She didn’t know why, she had walked away from plenty of people before and without batting an eye but right now she was utterly stuck. Athena’s ears flattened on her head as she leaned into Sorcha, waiting for her owner to make a decision. All she had wanted was a photo and now she was faced with this, she was utterly screwed. 

Chapter Text

51.

Leave, she told herself. Leave right now and don’t look back. And yet she didn’t, she just kept staring at that door. 

The woman let out a sad sigh from inside the closet and Sorcha took a step, then another until her hands gripped that rack again and she started pulling. 

“Stupid,” she hissed under her breath at herself. This was so beyond stupid for her. 

“You didn’t leave,” the woman called from inside. “Oh my god, thank you. Thank you.” 

“I should,” Sorcha muttered towards the door. “This better not be a trap.” 

“It’s not, I promise it’s not.” The woman did sound sincere. 

“What’s your name?” Sorcha asked as the ball rack started moving away from the door. 

“Paisley! My name is Paisley,” she hummed out. “What’s yours-”

She was stopped when the metal racked thudded away from the door, Sorcha gripped her gun and levelled it as she took a couple of quick, quiet steps backwards. Athena backed up with her, her lips rising slightly to reveal her sharp canines as the handle twisted. 

Sorcha was ready to pull the trigger if she needed to but the door opened slowly and the woman came out with her hands up. Sorcha had to blink away her surprise at how beautiful the woman was, it had almost stunned her into lowering her gun.

Paisley's bright amber eyes landed on Sorcha and nervously flicked to Athena at her side before they rested back on Sorcha, her curly inky dark hair was shoved back into a messy bun and her rich brown skin practically glowed as she stepped into the brightly lit activity hall. Sorcha again tried not to be stunned by the beauty of this woman as she held her gun steady. She noted the worn navy denim jacket that Paisley wore and that her oversized grey t-shirt was pretty clean, her dark jeans were mostly intact, she couldn't say the same for her boots that were slightly torn at the top and the irony that she had a dark green paisley scarf tied around her neck was not lost on Sorcha. 

“I promise, this is not a trap.” Paisley smiled nervously, her voice wavering as she took in the scar over Sorcha’s eye and cheek. 

Sorcha knew how menacing she looked, especially with the shepherd dog at her side. 

“What were you doing in there?” Sorcha nodded behind Paisley. 

“Hiding from my boyfriend–ex! Ex, he is no longer my–I left and he followed so I’ve been hiding, I don’t know where he is now I just want to get away,” she took a deep breath. “So please, I’ll be on my way now and thank you for letting me out–”

“Why are you running from him?” Sorcha asked, with the gun still pointed at her Paisley was going nowhere.

The woman got a little shifty, her fingers twitched and her breath came a little faster. “You-you wouldn’t understand,” she hushed out. 

“Try me,” she raised a brow at her.

“I don’t even know you,” Paisley whispered. 

“Sorcha and this Athena,” she motioned to the dog. “Is that enough?” 

Paisley took a breath, “he got… obsessive ok? I just want to get away because if he finds me he will never let me go, he is insane and that’s putting it lightly.” Her eyes shifted towards the open windows as if the lunatic she was talking about was going to be there. 

Sorcha sucked on her teeth before letting out a breath, “fine but you don’t look like you have much on you to be running?” 

“He-he caught up with me, grabbed my bag and I slipped out of it. Kept running,” her feet started to shift. 

There was something she wasn’t saying but Sorcha was positive that she wasn’t lying about running from an obsessive man so she lowered her gun, Paisley relaxed slightly. 

“So he’s here?” 

“He was-I don’t know anymore,” she chewed on her lip. 

Sorcha stepped a little closer and stopped when Paisley stilled, she thought Paisley was around her height but she could see now that Paisley was much taller than her.

“You won’t get far if he’s here,” Sorcha said carefully. 

Paisley gulped, “what am I supposed to do?” 

“We can deal with it here,” Sorcha shrugged. Not sure why she was offering to help, she supposed she’d gone this far. 

“Oh no,” Paisley gasped quietly. “I couldn’t-you’ve done so much for me already.” 

Sorcha smiled at that, she decided she liked Paisley because opening a door really wasn’t much.

“Maybe I can’t resist helping someone get away from an asshole and I’m rather good at dealing with entitled men,” Sorcha smirked at that. 

“No I couldn’t ask that–Euan is… difficult to deal with.” She gave her an awkward smile that suggested that wasn’t even the half of it. 

Athena trotted over to Paisley and cautiously sniffed at her while Sorcha watched, the woman went tense as the dog neared. 

“Scared of dogs?” Sorcha smiled slightly. 

“I wasn’t before…” Paisley watched Athena carefully and when the dog was done she slunk away and started sniffing around the room. 

“She doesn’t mind you now,” Sorcha shrugged and the woman relaxed. “So do you want your shit back? I have nothing to spare you and you can’t go out with just a knife.” 

“How?” Paisley gasped as her hand went over her pocket. 

“The handle is sticking out,” Sorcha smirked. 

Paisley shoved it fully back into her pocket a little sheepishly. 

“I'm not good at this… surviving. I was part of a colony until they started warring with a neighbouring one and everything went to hell… that’s when I met Euan. I stayed with him, it was nice.” 

“Until he got obsessive?” Sorcha sighed as she slid her gun back into her jacket. 

Paisley nodded and relaxed further at that. Sorcha mentally kicked herself for getting into this predicament, how was she to leave this woman to fend off a wolf when she’d barely survived on her own. She didn’t know if she was jealous of that or not, Sorcha had endured a lot and part of her wished that she didn’t know what it meant to survive out here. So because of that she found herself wanting to do something she had never done, help someone who wasn’t her. Mentally she cursed Munroe, she was sure this was his influence. 

Paisley nodded, “I didn’t know what else to do. I heard my colony moved south so I was going to start there.” 

Sorcha sighed, she didn’t even know where to start with what to do right now. She had to check for this Euan for one thing, if she was going to help the last thing she wanted was to be caught unaware… her thoughts were cut off by the sound of a man whistling. 

Paisley had gone a little green in the face as Sorcha tried to pick out the tune she was hearing, she was sure it was Sugar, Sugar. Mentally she could hear the song as the man outside kept whistling over and over. Oh sugar, oh honey honey…

“It’s him,” Paisley hushed out, panic rising in her voice. 

“Don’t panic,” Sorcha snapped at her as she glanced around for a place to hide. 

She spotted it and grabbed Paisley’s hand as she made a beeline for it, she let go of the woman as she grabbed hold off the vent and pulled, it groaned before finally popping open and she shoved Paisley inside, Athena following after her and Sorcha shoved in just as she heard heavy steps on the stairs. Sorcha rammed the vent shut, Paisley was hyperventilating behind her, probably at the cramped space so Sorcha shoved her hand over the woman’s mouth and threw a glare at her as she tried to keep her eyes on what was going on. 

Athena took that as her que to climb into Paisley's lap and leaned against her, trying to comfort the woman and as her hands went into the dog's fur Sorcha could feel her breathing settling and released her before moving forward to stare out the vent as a large shadow covered the deck outside. 

He was whistling a different tune now then he started humming it as he kicked glass around, Sorcha could hear the glass crunching under his boots as he stepped closer and closer. 

“Paisley,” he called in a sing-song manner. “Come on baby, I know that you still have to be here,” he chuckled and it was a menacing sound, one that made a shiver crawl down Sorcha's spine.

His tone and the sound of his heavy footfalls made her wish Munroe was here as her heart thundered in her chest, she squeezed her eyes shut at that. What was she thinking, she’s survived worse than a jilted ex, she didn’t need anyone to help her survive. 

He was humming again as he got closer, Sorcha glanced back at Paisley to see she had her face buried in Athena’s side and she was gripping the dog tightly, the woman’s hands shaking uncontrollably in her fur. Sorcha let out a long quiet breath at the sight as she tried to prepare herself for what had Paisley so terrified that she’d run with her limited amount of survival skills and barely anything on her. 

His humming turned into singing as he pelted out the new song he had been humming, “I love you baby. And if it's quite alright. I need you, baby. To warm the lonely night. I love you, baby. Trust in me when I say…”

Sorcha had to clamp her hand over her own lips when he came into view, holy shit the man was huge. She should’ve walked away and she was definitely glad Munroe wasn’t here, that monster had to have a full foot over him. 

And as he turned to look in through the smashed doors Sorcha had to suppress the scream that threatened to tear out of her at the sight of the glowing golden rings that rimmed the pupils in his icy blue eyes. 

Mutt, he was a fucking mutt and a massive one at that. Sorcha had no chance in hell against that.

Sorcha watched as he ducked through the doors, she almost scoffed at the fact he had to duck to fit in here. She was regretting opening that goddamn door now as she watched him strut into the room, the orange light of the day filtered through his reddish blonde hair making it appear much redder than it was, same with his freckles, he was peppered in them and the light played with them making them appear orange as he practically glided around the room. 

“Paisley!” Euan roared, making Sorcha flinch at the shift in his sing-song mocking. 

She didn’t know what was scaring her more, his gaslighting tunes or the rage as he snarled into the room. He snarled loud enough to shake the walls, Sorcha was trying to keep control of her bladder as the sound vibrated through her. 

“If you come out now I promise I won’t be mad, baby.” He was breathing heavily, “just come out and we can forget this happened.” 

Paisley gripped Sorcha’s shoulder and motioned towards the vent, she’d give herself up she realised. She wondered if she could see just how much Sorcha was pissing her pants. Sorcha shook her head at Paisley and put her hand on top of hers, she wouldn’t let her give herself to that monster just to stop her from being scared. She’d never forgive herself for it if she did. 

So they waited, he paced around some more until he stopped in front of the closet Paisley had been hiding in. The mutt ripped the door off and took a deep intake of breath. Sorcha froze at the sight of it as she realised something she didn’t know about mutts, they could scent track to some extent and him being able to smell that Paisley had been in there seemed to send him into a rage as he picked up the ball rack and launched it across the room. It went sailing through the smashed doors, taking out one of the window beams before crashing off the side of the deck and tearing the railing with it. 

“You can’t hide from me for long,” he snarled as he stalked out of the room towards the reception. 

They waited until they heard the front doors opening, well smashing, Sorcha suspected he’d just torn them off. 

“A fucking mutt?” Sorcha whirled on the woman who flinched away from her and the rage evident in her eyes. 

“I–I did say you wouldn’t understand,” Paisley shrank back as if hoping the wall would swallow her up. 

Sorcha tried to take a deep breath, “you knew what he was when you met him?” 

Paisley nodded, “I won’t say I wasn’t scared but he didn’t hurt me. He let me get cleaned up in his van, it was nice. A soft bed, a change of clothes and I was safe with him scaring off everything.” She sniffled, “I stayed and I fell for him. I couldn’t help it, I know you won’t get it, he's a hybrid so how could I have fallen for him, right?” Paisley shrugged remorsefully.

Sorcha was trying to understand, it certainly wouldn’t be her, she’d take the throat out any mutt who tried it with her or she’d go down swinging.

“I can’t say I get it but I guess we also can’t help who we love…” Sorcha sighed at that. “So what happened then to lead you here?” 

“Like I said he got obsessive as in he didn’t want me out of his sight, ever, and then he started saying I was his mate–”

“Mate?” Sorcha furrowed her brows at that. 

“Yeah like soulmate type shit, I can’t remember their weird alien word for it but he was saying I was made for him and no one else… saying that I could never leave him… I didn’t know what else to do,” she started sobbing and Sorcha gently took her hand. 

Sorcha had no idea those things mated like that, she certainly didn’t think the Voleux did, they didn’t have the capacity for that kind of love she was sure. Perhaps mutts just didn’t know what love was and confused it for some sort of bond, they were part human and perhaps had a larger capacity for emotions than their predecessors. It would make sense if they didn’t understand love, that the hit of oxytocin that comes with it would become addictive to them and turn to obsession, even humans had a hard time understanding love. 

“Should’ve taken his library card away sounds like he’s read one to many fated mate books,” Sorcha snorted. 

Paisley coughed out a laugh at that before covering her mouth, at least she made her laugh Sorcha thought as she sighed, now to get out of this mess. 

They waited a few more minutes as Sorcha strained to listen for more noise, her eyes scanning the room outside the vent as she listened. A plan was starting to form, she just had to get somewhere safer to figure it out. 

Slowly and quietly she slid the vent open, signalling Paisley to wait as she climbed out and cautiously glanced around. Once she deemed it was safe she motioned for them to come out and slid the vent back when they were all out, she didn’t need the mutt finding their hiding place in case they needed it again. 

Sorcha quickly made her way over the room while Athena and Paisley followed after her, she led them back into the pool room and quickly found the door she was looking for. It had gone stiff from lack of use, she had to use her knife to push the snib down so she could open it, Sorcha shoved Paisley inside as the woman started to open her mouth. 

She didn’t want to stand around discussing this, she just wanted to get somewhere mildly safer to figure out what in the hell they were going to do. Athena squeezed into the small room with them before Sorcha shut the door. 

She shoved Paisley towards the ladder and pointed upwards, while the woman climbed up Sorcha knelt down and patted her shoulders for Athena. The dog delicately placed her paws on her human and Sorcha guided her up onto her shoulders with a strained huff, shakily she pushed herself up and gripped the ladder. 

She took a deep breath before she started climbing with the dog, she’d done this many times, it had just been a while because Munroe had taken to carrying the dog around when needed. Sorcha slowly climbed, Athena’s weight affecting her slightly and she cursed Munroe for making this look so easy, she cursed herself for being out of practice and allowing him to pick up her slack. 

Sorcha’s breath was coming hard when she finally got to the top, she paused to let the dog hop off and Paisley was there to help guide the dog off as well, Sorcha thanked her for that as she climbed out. 

She walked over the balcony closest to the back of the room that overlooked the pool and headed for the window at the end. She glanced out over the grounds and could see nothing suspicious but it’d give them a view of anyone coming over the field towards the building at least. 

Sorcha glanced around at the boxes and dusty blue sheets that were draped over things and started picking through them while Paisley awkwardly watched her, her eyes darting down towards the ground every so often. 

“Not scared of heights are you?” Sorcha muttered as she started pulling a dusty sheet back. 

“No… I’m just wondering what we’re doing, he won’t leave if he thinks I’m still here so we should go, shouldn’t we?” 

Sorcha sighed as she glanced at her, “no doubt he’s watching this place like a hawk if he thinks you're here, especially if he’s as obsessive as you say…” she definitely believed that part from how manic the mutt had looked. 

“So what are we doing?” Paisley took a cautious step towards her. 

“Setting a trap,” Sorcha grinned as she dropped the sheet revealing a bunch of wooden poles. 

“I tried that, I pushed him into the pool before I hid… he was unconscious for a bit–” Paisley chewed on her lips. “They aren’t like us, they recover so much faster, a fall like that would do some real damage to us.” 

Sorcha had seen the crack in the pool earlier, she guessed that it was from his fall and had been right to be cautious of it. She also knew first hand how lethal a fall like that could be. She stopped herself from touching her side as she remembered being launched across a warehouse into a metal bar, she hadn’t fallen nearly as far as Paisley’s mutt had and that fall had almost killed her. 

“But they can’t recover from death,” Sorcha blinked at Paisley and the woman’s eyes widened. “Or do you oppose that idea?”

“I-I don’t know,” she whispered as her eyes turned watery. “I did love him once…”

Sorcha started sharpening the end of the wooden poles with her knife, creating sharp tips.

“It’s this or you’ll run from him for the rest of your life, make up your mind now.” Sorcha’s voice was hollow, devoid of any emotion as she started carving a second stick. 

Paisley slowly nodded, “I know.” 

Sorcha kept working on the sticks as Paisley watched her, tears rolling down her cheeks, she supposed this couldn’t be easy when she’d loved him but he was a monster who would hound her to the ends of the earth and Paisley needed to understand that. She was lucky it was Sorcha who’d found her, other humans don’t exactly take pity on hybrid lovers. Sorcha tried not to shudder when she remembered the disembowelled dead woman she’d found in the inn weeks ago, that could be Paisley if someone else had found her instead. 

“I need to know something before we do this,” Paisley suddenly said, making Sorcha stop her carving. 

“And what’s that?” Sorcha raised a brow at her. 

“If he was human would the plan still be to kill him?” Paisley rose her chin high. 

Sorcha smiled slightly at that, yes she had loved the mutt at one point that much was clear. 

“Yes,” she answered as she kept her gaze locked on Paisley. “I wouldn’t need to go to such dramatic lengths if he was human though, I’d have already charged and gutted him.” 

Paisley gulped as she took a step back from Sorcha, suddenly unsure of the woman who was supposedly helping her. 

“You’ve been out here a long time then?” Paisley asked softly. 

Sorcha nodded as she picked up another stick, “five years give or take. I didn’t do well behind walls, I find it easier to be alone.” 

“So you are alone then?” 

Sorcha paused again and glanced at her, she wasn’t going to tell Paisley about Munroe or the cabin, she’d point her in the right direction of wherever she wanted to go and then they’d both be on their separate ways.

“Just me and Athena,” she smiled as she started carving again. 

Paisley gave her a dubious look and Sorcha knew what she was thinking, she was far too well fed to be alone. Paisley wasn’t far off her though, having a mutt providing for you would ensure you got fed whatever you wanted, that gigantor could probably tear a deer apart with his bare hands. 

“What do you need me to do?” She asked Sorcha. 

“Either carve up some of these or poke around for other things we can use,” Sorcha muttered as she kept her focus. 

Paisley just nodded and started poking around while Athena followed her around curiously, Sorcha was still trying to figure out the plan and when Paisley found some rope she figured she could use it for what she needed, it was starting to come together and she just hoped she could pull it off. She hadn’t dealt with hybrids, they were lethal that much she knew and thanks to their human side they didn’t possess the same gold weakness that the Voleux did so that made them a little tricky to deal with, they did die though that much she knew. They bled out like humans, not as quickly thanks to their alien side but like most things in this world a shot to the head would take care of it or even carving their throat open, Sorcha’s prefered method of killing because she liked her victims to die slowly and she enjoyed watching when they realised she was the one that had killed them.   

Chapter Text

52.

The trap was set and Sorcha was strolling around the gym hall again, she glanced at the vent that Paisley and Athena now hid behind, the one that had kept them hidden earlier. It should be enough to keep them safe while she acted as bait. 

She now wore Paisley's denim jacket and her scarf, the scent should be enough to draw Euan the mutt to her and he wasn’t going to be happy in the slightest to see her in the woman’s clothes, Paisley hadn't liked the idea one bit but Sorcha needed to make him irrational. It could be the only thing that may give her a chance against him. 

She glanced at the climbing frame that covered one of the walls as she whistled a tune, be my baby was the one Paisley had told her to whistle, just to piss him off further. 

Sorcha could see where the climbing ropes had once been, they were still there, sort of, all of them had been torn in half from whatever had gone on here. 

Glass crunched behind her at the door that led to the reception area and she stopped whistling when she heard the snarl, Sorcha slowly twisted her head around and tried not to baulk at the hulking beast standing there as he dropped his bag by the door, the rings around his pupils glowing bright, his icy blue eyes were feral as they took her in. Then he took in the jacket she wore and Sorcha again tried not to piss herself, she was thankful that she’d squatted for one while she set up the trap. 

“You are not Paisley,” the mutt snarled as it took a step closer. 

“Who’s Paisley?” Sorcha blinked as she acted dumb. 

“The woman who should be wearing that jacket,” his lips peeled back as he showed off his sharp pointed canines. 

Sorcha gulped at the sight of them, “I f-found it.” She took a nervous step backwards, she didn’t have to fake that feeling. “There was no woman, I-I found the jacket.” 

His lips curled up at the side, “then she’s doomed you to a painful death.” He tutted slightly, “I didn’t think my little bird had it in her to be so despicable and doom an innocent bystander.” 

Sorcha gave him a nervous smile, “hey you can have the jacket and I’ll just go.” 

“No,” he growled. 

He really growled like a freaking bear and Sorcha tried not to let her knees shake as he stepped closer, she was dead, she was dead, dead, dead, dead, DEAD. 

“Of course I’d expect no less from a filthy mutt,” Sorcha spat at him. 

He chuckled loudly at that, “there she is the warrior worthy of that wicked scar on her face. I want to know how you survived the Voleux that gave you such a grand badge of honour, it is impressive for a female of your kind. Although your males aren’t really that impressive so it isn’t really saying much,” he grinned wide at that still showing off those teeth, teeth that will probably tear her neck out if she gets this wrong. 

“How could you even know an alien did that?” She tried to keep her breathing steady as she stepped back. 

“The jagged edges, that means it was a claw and not a knife. Then there’s how deep it is, no human cuts that deep not towards a female anyway.” 

She didn’t like this one bit, fuck her stupid idea she couldn’t fight this thing if she tried. She supposed she just had to keep him coming towards her so she could spring her trap. 

She tried not to panic at the fact he had at least a foot and half on her as he got closer, she really wanted to grab for her knives but didn’t want to make him charge her faster. 

“She was pretty easy to kill, far too full of herself for her own good.” Sorcha let herself smile, cockiness had gotten that Voleux killed. 

He snarled at that, they didn’t like their females being killed that much she knew and the aim of the game was to keep him mad. 

“You're no better than the dirt you come from,” he snarled. “Humans are the real plague of this earth.” 

She couldn’t disagree with that, they hadn’t respected the world they inhabit, pollution was killing the world long before the aliens came to claim it. 

“Yet here you are looking for a human girl like a dog with a bone,” Sorcha let out a cruel, teasing laugh. 

“And how do you know she’s human?” Euan’s gaze turned lethal, Sorcha swore the golden rings flared brighter as rage filled his eyes. 

“Oops…” Sorcha hissed. “I guess I did see her after all,” she ran her hand down the jacket and twirled the end of the scarf in her other hand. “I just couldn’t help myself, these were far too cute to let slip away… she was such a defenceless thing.” 

He roared and Sorcha suppressed the whimper that clawed up her throat, she was so stupid. 

“You better not have touched her, I’ll make death look like a fairytale when I’m done carving you up.” He was coming at her faster now. 

She kept backing up, she just had to get him a little further. She never took her eyes off him as she went and when her foot crossed the threshold to the deck he lunged for her, she yelped as she tried to dive out of his way but he caught her wrist and sent her sailing back into the gym as he went crashing through another wooden beam that used to be a window frame. 

Shit, shit, shit. The plan was going to quickly fall apart if she didn’t think quickly. 

She crashed into the ground, her arm taking most of the brunt of the fall before she rolled and flung herself back up. He was already charging her as she spun to face him, there was no getting out his way this time. 

Sorcha gasped when his hand gripped her throat and she screamed in pain when he charged her into the bars of the climbing frame, the force of it causing them to snap beneath her. Her hands clawed at his massive wrist as she tried to get some leverage, that just made him crush her throat harder. 

She was gulping for breath as her nails dug into him, her feet kicking wildly as she hung in the air, they didn’t make contact with him. If she died like this she hoped Munroe didn’t find her. 

“Not so cocky now are we,” he chuckled. 

Tears fell from her eyes at those golden rings burning into her, her lip trembled as he brought those sharp teeth close to her face. 

“Fuck you,” she spat at him. 

He growled before shoving her deeper into the wall, crushing the air from her body as he wiped at his eye.

“Feisty little thing,” he snarled, his eyes snagging on her neck at the blood that trailed down it. 

The snapped wood from the climbing rails had sliced behind her ear when he’d shoved her into the wall, she was kicking her feet again and managed to find some purchase on one intact rails beneath her, it did nothing for the hand on her throat but she could breathe a little easier now she wasn’t dangling. 

He dipped his head toward that trail of blood and licked it up, his tongue sliding behind her ear and she shuddered at that, she’d throw up if he wasn’t crushing her throat. 

“The only good thing about you humans, your blood is delicious.” He purred. 

“Ok Count Dracula,” Sorcha managed to rasp out. 

“Are you seriously joking at a time like this?” He sneered at her. “I will take great pleasure in draining you off your blood.” 

She did whimper at that, she had no idea they were blood suckers. What in this world didn’t want to eat humans, she didn’t know what’d be worse being eaten alive or having your blood drained, she remembered being a little hysterical from blood loss so perhaps this was the better option. 

One of her hands dropped away from him as he leaned into her throat again and as he opened his mouth wide she gripped the blade from her thigh and rammed it into his neck, he roared as he stumbled back a step. She was quick at ramming the knife into his wrist, pulling it out and sinking it into him again and when she sank it into him a third time he let go causing her to crumple to the ground. 

She glanced up to see him grabbing his neck, blood was quickly coating his white t-shirt red and there was a puddle forming on the floor from his arm. 

Sorcha gripped the bars behind her and threw herself up as she took deep gulping breaths, she ignored the pain in her throat as she darted around him. 

“You bitch,” he screamed behind her. 

She could feel him coming for her, the floor shook with his heavy steps as she headed for the deck. She was heading right for the hole in the railing and quickly threw herself to the left, grabbing for the rope that had been set up there. 

Sorcha started to shout ‘now’ as she pulled the rope causing it to rise over the missing part of railing but the mutt had been faster than she realised and he grabbed her by the arm, pulling her into his grip as his jaws snapped for her throat making her scream as she squirmed away from those sharp snapping teeth. 

She palmed her knife again and twisted in his grip, driving it right through his cheek just as his teeth clamped down on it causing him to howl in pain while Paisley darted past them. 

Sorcha hit the ground again when he dropped her and watched as Paisley pulled the rope, she glanced towards the vent to see Athena peering out. 

“Now,” Paisley snapped at Sorcha. 

Sorcha blinked as she looked at her again, her voice had also gotten Euan’s attention and he stepped for her, weaving by Sorcha as if she wasn’t there. His eyes only on Paisley as he started smiling, it was horrifying with the blade still sticking out of his face. 

Sorcha took a deep breath, she was having a horrible case of deja vu as she threw herself up and charged at the hulking mutt, putting her whole weight into her shoulder as she drove herself right into his side. She quickly stepped back as he stumbled a few steps and the ropes did the rest when he went tripping over them and off the side of the deck, calling for Paisley as he fell. 

There was a sickening squelch, he groaned out in pain before the final thud could be heard, Sorcha shuddered at that as she stared at the broken railing. 

Paisley was hyperventilating as she dropped the rope, “what have I done?” She wailed as she covered her face. 

Sorcha slowly made her way towards the edge and peered down to see Euan impaled on the spikes she had buried there, there was one sticking out through his mouth that made her feel very sick to look at. The rest stuck up through his arms, thighs and chest, she wasn’t sure how well it would work but he definitely wasn’t moving, his eyes unblinking as they stared up at the sky. 

“Is he-is he gone?” Paisley sobbed behind her. 

“Yes,” Sorcha croaked as she turned to look at her. 

Paisley winced at the sound of Sorcha’s voice, she had no doubt that her neck was a mess. 

“Go check the bag,” Sorcha nodded towards the door. “I’ll check on him.”

Paisley nodded before getting up, stumbling over the room as she went, Sorcha sighed before heading for the stairs ignoring the strain in her neck as she told Athena to stay when the dog had tried to follow her. 

Sorcha quickly made her way down the steps and carefully walked towards the death trap she’d set. Digging up the ground had been the hardest part but she’d got it done while Paisley set up the trip rope. She glanced at the mutt for a moment, trying to ignore the blood soaked ground as she made sure he wasn’t moving, his eyes were pretty dull now so she was sure he was dead. 

She still approached him carefully before yanking her knife from his face, she picked any weapons he was carrying off him before making her way back up the stairs. 

The hair on the back of her neck rose after a few steps making her stop, she glanced towards the dead mutt, he hadn’t moved but something was watching her, she just didn’t know what it was. 

Her eyes skimmed over the trees and the buildings around her, nothing stirred but she still felt as if something was watching as she made her way back up the stairs. She shook it off, anything that’d watch you out here would come charging at you so it had to just be a normal animal, she hoped anyway. 

She found Paisley tucking into a tin of food, she had also emptied one for Athena who was lapping it up happily. 

“Do you want some?” Paisley held the can out to Sorcha as she approached.

She shook her head, “save it for yourself.” 

Paisley just shrugged as she continued to eat the rest, Sorcha couldn’t help but take in the strangeness of this situation. Here she was with someone she barely knew, they’d just killed a hybrid, a feat she thought impossible and now they were acting like it was just another day. 

“Here,” Sorcha muttered as she started handing over the weapons she picked from Euan. “You probably need these more than me.” 

Paisley took them and dropped them into the bag she now had, Sorcha went to retrieve hers and the bow that she’d stuffed in the vent, her quiver was now tied to her pack to make it easier to move them both around. She started picking out the cans of food she’d put in there as she headed back over and dropped them in Paisley's bag.

“Oh no–don’t do that, don't you need them?” She blinked up at Sorcha. 

“No, I can get more. You’ve got a long way to go,” she smiled as she slumped down beside her and pulled out her water before taking a drink.

 She handed the spare bottle to Paisley, she didn’t take it back when she offered but Paisley did give Athena a drink before slipping it into her bag.

“You should take the weapons then, I don’t even know how to use them properly.” Paisley sighed.

“I’ll point you in the right direction, can you use a gun?” Sorcha tilted her head towards her, the colonies always taught women how to use a gun as self defence. Mostly because you couldn’t use a gun unless you had to, they were too noisy so most chose not to if they could avoid it. 

“Yes but I’ve never used one on anyone,” Paisley twisted her fingers together. 

“Just don’t hesitate if you have to use it, questioning it could cost you your life.” Sorcha sighed and Paisley nodded, “as for knives if you have to use one aim for the throat. If they are struggling to breathe it makes it harder to pursue you and if you get their jugular then they will bleed out quickly.” 

“Jesus Christ…” Paisley hissed. 

“It’s not pretty out here,” Sorcha muttered. “But you’ve got to do what you have to, to survive.” Sorcha raised her arm and pointed into her armpit, “another good point to strike and if you aim down you’ve got a good chance of puncturing a lung.” 

That one made Paisley gulp, “what about the chest? Can’t I just stab them in the heart?” 

Sorcha shook her head, “it’s incredibly difficult to stab someone in the heart. We have ribs for protection and then there’s our sternum but if you do aim for the heart go up through the bottom.” Sorcha pointed towards the bottom of her rib cage, “and stab upwards, hard. I’d suggest stabbing them from the back if you're going to try and take their heart out, it’s much more efficient from the back but again you have to go in and up through the bottom of the ribs.” 

Paisley shuddered, “how do you even know this?” 

“From surviving,” Sorcha muttered as she leaned back. 

“What else should I know?” Paisley blinked at her slightly eager to know more.

Sorcha smiled at that, sure she could see Paisley was a little scared of her but the woman before her was smart and she wanted every ounce of information she could get that could help her. 

“Don’t forget to sing,” Sorcha grinned at her. 

“Sing?” Paisley scoffed. “How is that going to help me?”

Sorcha laughed, throwing her head back. “Solar plexus,” she pointed between her ribs. “Instep,” she lifted her foot and wiggled it. “Nose and groin. S I N G, sing.” 

She slowly stood and went through the moves if someone had a hold of her from the back, she was to jab her elbow between their ribs, stomp on their foot and if she could spin around ram the heel of her hand as hard as she could into their nose, if she couldn't spin around then snapping her head back would do and then kneeing them in the groin or punching them before running. 

“Don’t look back and just keep running. Also if someone gets you on the ground and you can’t get a knife into their throat, aim for their eyes, you can pop them out if you get your thumbs in the corner.” Sorcha lightly demonstrated that one and Paisley gagged. 

“You are actually insane,” she laughed nervously at Sorcha. 

“Oh Paisley you don’t even know the half of it,” Sorcha winked at her as she helped her up.

She showed her how to effectively punch and where to hit that would hurt the most, the windpipe or the groin was always a winner for downing someone. 

Then when they were done they swapped back jackets, Sorcha spotted the bite marks on Paisley’s collarbone as she pulled her denim jacket back on while Sorcha started taking off the scarf. 

“Keep it,” Paisley placed her hand over Sorcha’s. “As a thanks and to hide the nasty ass bruise that is forming,” she winced as she looked at Sorcha's neck. 

“It’s not so bad,” Sorcha smiled at her as she tied the scarf again. “I’ve had worse,” she tried to reassure her as they looked out the windows. 

“I don’t doubt that,” Paisley snorted. “I can’t even thank you enough, I’m actually free.” 

“Try not to get yourself killed and we’ll call it even,” Sorcha chided. “How did you get here by the way to this camp?” 

“I crashed the jeep I had not far down the road,” she blushed at that. “One of the tyres blew and then I ended up here trying to pick through what was left, I should’ve kept moving.” 

She’d been right about that too then, that it had been fairly fresh. 

“That’d be my next bit of advice, don’t stay somewhere for more than one night and if something doesn’t feel right trust your gut and keep moving.” 

Paisley nodded, “thank you Sorcha from both of us.” Her hand dropped over her stomach and Sorcha took a step back as her eyes widened. 

“No… you’re not-”

“Yes,” Paisley took a deep breath as her hand circled her belly. Sorcha could see it was slightly rounded and the baggy shirt had hidden it well, “I wanted to tell you before… he’d gotten possessive when I’d gotten pregnant. He acted like something was going to take me away.” 

“If you care for the babe…” she stopped herself from saying thing. “In your belly don’t tell anyone who fathered it and you better pray it doesn’t inherit its fathers eyes.” 

Paisley's eyes saddened slightly, “I know. I know people aren’t going to be understanding but I love this baby already, it’s crazy.” 

Sorcha sighed, “I hope you find somewhere safe for both of you.” And she was surprised to find that she actually meant it.

“Me too,” she smiled at Sorcha.

Sorcha was reeling slightly but she kept her thoughts to herself about Paisley’s hybrid baby, what would it change anyway if she voiced that it freaked her out. 

“Come on, let’s point you in the right direction.” Sorcha muttered softly before heading for the reception. 

Paisley followed her as they made their way past the main building, Sorcha glanced back to see Athena walking by Paisley who kept stealing soft pets, Sorcha rolled her eyes at just how sooky the dog actually was. 

Sorcha told her to stick to the coast warning her about the road blocks she’d faced on her way up here and to aim for Edinburgh, she’d told her it was relatively safe when they had passed through it. Then Paisley pulled her into a hug, Sorcha tensed as she did, she wasn’t a hugger but she wrapped one arm around the woman and patted her back gently. 

“Try to find a car and to get to where you need to go, ok?” Sorcha sighed as she pulled back. 

“I will, I won’t forget you. Either of you,” she smiled at her and then Athena. 

And then she was gone, waving goodbye as she disappeared down the road that led out of the camp. Sorcha and Athena watched her go until they could no longer see her, she hoped Paisley was going to be ok as she turned towards the main building and made her way inside. 

She still had a photo to find, it was going to be dark soon. She really didn’t have time to waste if she wanted to make it back to the cabin before dark or before Munroe got back. 

It was darker in here but not as messy as the gym, she supposed the larger building would’ve been where people hid and huddled together so these ones probably weren’t used as much after the fall, she still stayed cautious as she swept around the room. 

She loosed a breath when she found nothing lurking inside and went to search for the photo board, she was far more successful this time when she stopped at the main desk in the main reception. There was a cork board with photos pinned in it, she placed her bow on the desk before quickly climbing over it, she didn’t waste any time going around it as her eyes raked over all the photos looking for the one she came here for. 

She had to wipe dust off a few as she looked over them, she nearly jumped when Athena poked her in the leg. She’d been too preoccupied to notice the dog moving around, she glanced at the dog to see her now sniffing around under the desk and when she turned back she found it. 

Her breath got stuck in her throat as she took it in, her parents and brother smiling back at her, she was there too, her brother had his arm tightly wrapped around her shoulders as they sat between their parents on the playing field in front of the trees. Their father was beside her and their mother beside him, happy, so very happy in a world that didn’t exist anymore. Her mothers light red hair stuck out amongst their dark hair, both her and her brother had gotten their fathers dark hair. 

She wrapped the photo to her chest as she took a deep breath, she couldn't believe it was still here. It was a little worn from age but it was still here and so very carefully she placed it into her pack which she left by her feet as she glanced at the rest of the photos, she wondered if she’d find another but she knew should really be going instead of lingering. 

She was pulled back as an arm locked around her, trapping her arms beneath their grip as her attacker's other hand went around her face covering her mouth. She thrashed under their hold but couldn’t move her arms. No she didn’t just fight off a mutt to go out like this, she thought as she started to bring her foot up, she’d fight to the very end. 

Chapter Text

53.

“There you are,” a familiar voice purred in her ear just as she brought her foot down. 

Munroe hissed just as her foot missed crushing his, he slackened his grip on her and she twisted in his hold, her fist thumped against his chest. 

“You bastard!” She hissed as she glared at him, “you scared the shit out of me.” 

He let out a long sigh and she took in just how angry he looked, he also looked relieved but there was anger glinting in his eyes. 

“And how scared do you think I was when I got back and you were nowhere to be found?” His hands gripped her hips, “I nearly went out of my fucking mind Sorcha when I realised you weren’t in the cabin or anywhere on the farm, the things I imagined happening to you…” he shuddered. 

“You found me so you must’ve found the message I left,” she smirked up at him as she rested her hands on his chest. 

“What message?” He huffed at her.

“I left the ruler on the map so you’d know I didn’t go any further than that and the pencil was pointing towards the camp… did you not get it?” She raised a brow at him. “I didn’t think it wise to circle where I was going in case someone else found it.” 

He snorted, “yes I got it or I wouldn’t be here. I really want to be mad at you right now but that was clever of you,” he sighed.

God she had missed him she realised as she looked up at him, she knew she shouldn’t think that way or feel that way after a few hours apart but it really felt like days after what she’d endured. 

“I wasn't sure if you’d come looking, I just left it in case you wanted to know.” She shrugged. 

“You don’t actually think that do you?” He leaned back to look at her, “Sorcha I thought you had left when I found no sign of struggle, I thought you’d just… gone.” He gulped. 

The look on his face was a punch to the heart, she hadn’t thought of that, she thought he’d get the message fairly quickly. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered softly as she slid her hands to cup his face. “I promise I’m not going to take off without saying goodbye to you Munroe, I could never do that to you.” 

His eyes guttered at that as he pulled her closer, his forehead dropped to hers as he whispered so softly that she might’ve imagined it, “I wish you would stay.”

“I can’t,” she hushed back. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t ask anything from me that I couldn’t give?” She kept her eyes shut tightly as she asked. 

He nodded against her, “does that mean a man can’t hope?” 

This had to end, she realised. They had both gotten attached and although she wanted a few more days with him this cemented the fact that they had to come to an end. 

She tilted her head to him and kissed him, softly. He moved one of his hands up her back and pulled her flush to him as the kiss turned more needy, it stopped when Athena jumped on Munroe causing him to pull back and laugh as the dog wagged her tail frantically at him. 

That’s when Sorcha realised the dog hadn’t warned her when he’d snuck up on her making her eyes narrowed on the fluffy traitor, she had wondered why she’d been given no warning and it was because Athena hadn’t seen or sensed a threat. 

Sorcha slid away from them as Munroe dropped to his knees and started petting Athena with both his hands, the dog was leaning into him and trying to roll herself against him, Sorcha snorted at the ridiculous sight but she loved it, Athena just being a dog she loved everything about that.

“Care to elaborate on why you were out here?” Munroe’s gaze rose to her again as Athena rested her head on his arm. 

“I used to summer here with my family,” she shrugged. “I saw it on the map and wanted to see if anything was left here,” she gave him a half smile. 

“Did you find what you were looking for?” His gaze softened slightly. 

She just nodded as she glanced at the picture board again. 

“It’s crazy to think you spent your summers here, so close to–” he didn’t finish it but she knew he was going to say, so close to me. 

She started poking around in drawers, not really looking for anything, she was just trying to keep herself busy.

She was stopped when Munore’s hand covered hers and he pressed himself behind her shoving her against the desk, she twisted her head to look at him as his arm wound around her waist. 

“I’m still mad,” he grumbled into her ear. 

“You are?” She fluttered her lashes at him as she glanced up at him, his eyes darkening as he took her in. 

“Don’t play with me, Sorcha.” He murmured as he nipped the tip of her ear making her gasp.

She pushed into him and wiggled her ass against his crotch making him groan, “how could I possibly make it up to you?” She breathed out teasingly. 

“I did expect to come back and not be leaving our bed for hours,” he growled as his hand slid down her stomach. “There was going to be a lot of pleading and begging,” he flicked open the button of her jeans. 

She bit her lip to stop the moan, she should stop this, they shouldn’t be doing this out here but she was gone to him already. A few words from his lips and she was ready to spread her legs for him, feeling his hard cock pressed against her ass wasn’t helping her either. 

“Do you want to be bent over this desk or taken on it?” He purred as his hand dipped into her underwear. 

“Both,” she moaned as his hand glided lower. 

He chuckled at her desperate answer, his other hand sliding up to her neck before gently gripping her there causing her to hiss out in pain. 

He stopped at that small noise and spun her to face him as he gently tilted her jaw up, his eyes narrowing in on her neck as he started undoing the scarf. 

“Munroe don’t–” Sorcha tried to warn him before he pulled it off. 

He went still when he pulled it off, his breathing came out heavier as his eyes raked over her neck then over the dried trail of blood that disappeared behind one ear. 

“Who—fuck that, where are they?” He snarled. 

Sorcha wanted to shrink away from the simmering rage that was brewing in him. 

“Dead, I killed them.” She gently gripped his wrist. 

“Good,” he snarled as he let out a breath. “Where else are you hurt?” His eyes landed on the blood again. 

“Behind my ear, I think it’s just a scratch–”

“Can I look?” His jaw tensed and she nodded. 

So very softly he turned her head and folded her ear forward so he could see the scratch, he ran his finger over it and sighed in relief before grabbing his pack and pulling out a first aid kit. She rolled her eyes at that but stopped when he glared at her, she didn’t say anything as he tentatively cleaned up the scratch behind her ear. He placed a plaster over it and she wanted to protest but the look on his face kept her mouth shut. 

“You're mad again, huh?” She asked carefully as she picked up the scarf while he zipped up his bag. 

“That’s an understatement,” he snapped at her. “I can’t stand to think of you getting hurt, do you not understand that? It fucking kills me Sorcha, it kills me.” 

She gulped as she looked away from him as she slid the scarf back on, “it was just a little scratch–”

“Someone fucking strangled you.” He said through clenched teeth, she could see he was trying to control his anger as she looked at him from the corner of her eye. 

“Do you want to see them?” She asked quietly. 

“Excuse me?” His brows furrowed at her. 

She shrugged, “he was freaking humongous there was no way I could move him so he’s still where I dropped him.” 

“Show me,” he nodded as he reached for her. 

He quickly buttoned up her jeans before tugging up her pack and bow as he let her lead the way, she quickly led them towards the gym hall. She glanced at the sky as they made their way towards it, they still had some time to spare before the sun would set. 

“Careful the railing is smashed to bits,” she warned as they stepped out onto the deck.

He cautiously followed her, stopping beside her at the missing part of the railing and when she pointed down his eyes followed. 

Sorcha watched him as he looked, he went pale when his eyes landed on the mangled mutt and he gulped at the sight, actual fear flashed in his eyes making her brows furrow at him. 

“Jesus fucking Christ, Sorcha.” Munroe hissed as he took a step back, “you didn’t say it was a mutt.” 

“A big one too,” she muttered as she peered over the deck. 

“Yeah I can see that,” he scoffed in disbelief. “Sometimes you scare me shitless… Did you at least make sure you brained him afterwards?” 

She blinked at him, “a spike did go through his mouth and besides isn't it rare for them to turn?” 

He pinched his nose and let out a frustrated breath, “stay here.” 

She watched as he went, he slowly approached the dead hybrid and sunk a blade into its skull before running back up the stairs, he practically took three at time to get back to her. 

He took her hand and started leading them out the gym hall, “the next time you want to go somewhere please wait for me. I don’t care where it is or what you want just please wait for me,” he gently squeezed her hand. 

She slid her fingers into his, she agreed with him and didn’t bother reminding him that she wouldn’t stay forever. 

He only stopped when he got to the truck, he’d parked it just far enough away from the main building that she hadn’t heard it pull up. He held the door for her before helping Athena in and slid the bags and bow into the back footwell. 

Sorcha started rifling through the CDs as he slid in, she stopped looking through them when the truck was struggling to start, her attention turned to him as he tried to start the truck again and it wouldn’t. 

He huffed his annoyance as he reached for the lever to pop the bonnet open and slid out when it opened, Sorcha listened to him cursing as he checked what was wrong with the truck. 

She slid out to check on him and as she took a step towards the front goosebumps rose over her skin making her shiver, she felt like she was being watched again. She glanced around as she stepped for the open bonnet, the feeling didn’t go away as she reached Munroe.

“What’s wrong with the truck?” She asked as her eyes scanned over the trees around them. 

“The battery is dead somehow,” he sounded frustrated. “Which doesn’t make any sense because it’s fairly new.” 

“Maybe just faulty, it’s not like anything is actually new now.” She turned to look at him. 

His lips twisted up at the corners, “I suppose.” He sighed, “we better make ourselves comfortable here then.” 

“There’s a jeep just down the road,” she whispered. “We could pick it for parts.” 

He nodded as he shut the bonnet and then glanced at the greying sky, “tomorrow. We won’t get back up that road before dark,” he gently took her hand. “Did you bring food?” 

She gave him a sheepish look which earned her an exasperated look, she wasn’t going to tell him that she had and she’d given it away. 

“Good thing I did then,” he muttered as he helped Athena out the truck. 

They ended up in the bungalow to the left of the main building. Sorcha wanted to be far away from that feeling of being watched, which did disappear as they walked over to the building. She debated telling Munroe about it but he might think she was crazy so she kept her mouth shut. 

He made her wait until he found a room he deemed acceptable and ensured nothing was inside the building. She didn’t mind too much but did hassle him a little for not letting her do much. 

He’d barricaded the door of the room and covered the windows the best he could before lighting a small fire in the fireplace, they were sitting in front of it eating the sandwiches that he’d packed. Sorcha glanced at the gap in one of the curtains as they ate, it was now pitch black outside and she didn’t like being here one bit. Her eyes shifted back to Munroe, she was glad he was here, it helped her not be so scared.

“You spoil me with these,” she muttered as she took another bite.

He smiled at that, “and yet you can’t wait to get back to tinned food.” 

“Tinned food roulette is always fun,” she huffed at him. “Is it spoiled or isn’t it, open it to find out if you're puking your guts out or not.” She laughed softly.

His smile faded at that, “you don’t have to live like that–”

“Please,” she whispered. She couldn’t bear it if he asked her to stay again, she might cave if he did and she had to go. 

She wasn’t good for him but she was sure if she told him that he’d tell her why that wasn’t true, she didn’t want to hear it, caring for people got you killed. It made you senseless and more susceptible to making rash, dumb decisions. 

She just wanted one more day, one more long and selfish day with him before she went, she’d tell him when they got back to the cabin.

“Sorry,” he muttered as he stood and walked over to the bed he’d set up for them.

She glanced over at it as he sat on it, at least it was wider than the cot they’d shared in the shed. She took her last bite as she looked at the fire, it was slowly dying out. They’d leave it to die out now, Munroe had kept the flames low anyway. 

She took a drink of water before getting up, she glanced at Athena sprawled out on the small couch in the room as she took a seat beside Munroe. 

“I’ll take the first watch,” he murmured as he placed a soft kiss on her temple. 

She just nodded, she was utterly exhausted and would sleep better knowing he was watching over her. 

He lay down behind her, his eyes on the gap in the curtain as she pried her jacket and boots off. It wasn’t long before she was settling down beside him, he pulled the blanket over her as she wrapped her arm around him. 

“You sure you won’t be tempted to fall asleep with me wrapped around you like this,” she grumbled as she nestled into him. 

He chuckled, “I’ll manage.” He purred as he ran his hand over her braid. 

She yawned before letting her eyes fall shut, she didn’t doubt he’d watch that window like a hawk and because of that she found herself drifting off to sleep rather quickly.

Someone was calling for help but it wasn’t right, there was something eerie about it like an echo or like something that shouldn’t exist. Sorcha’s eyes scrunched together tightly as the voice called out again, desperately as if they were in severe danger. 

It wasn’t right, it was all wrong but they needed help. 

Her eyes shot open and she found she couldn’t move, Munroe had her pinned under his arm and his hand was over her mouth. 

She glanced up at him, it was hard to do without being able to turn fully. He looked back at her, raising a finger over his lips before his eyes flicked back to the window. 

Her eyes flicked to the window as well just as the eerie voice called out again, “help me. Help, anyone please.” They were frantic but it didn’t feel right. 

Sorcha shrank back into Munroe when she heard the click then the scrape of a large claw, her whole body went tense as she registered what that was and why Munroe had pinned her, they were attracted to any little noise. Her eyes slid to the small couch, Athena wasn’t there. Panic rose in her because she couldn’t move to look for her or call for her. 

“Help,” the eerie man's voice screamed again just as a huge snout came into view at the window.

Sorcha suppressed the noise trying to claw out of her as the Va’nu stopped to sniff the ground. The noise of its sniffing was unsettling this close, Sorcha couldn't take her eyes off its pale skull like face. It had black fur around it and everywhere else but it was like its face had been split open for all to see and she could see its hollow, depthless eyes as it raised its head back up. 

But she wasn’t prepared for what came next as it’s mouth dropped open and it screamed out, the eerie voice calling for help came out of it like an echo of something that had been and Sorcha had to fight not to scream, tears spilled from her eyes as she squeezed them shut trying to block out what she had just witnessed. From the way Munroe’s hand loosened she knew she must be soaking his hand, she was trying not to breathe too heavily into his hand as well but it was hard to stop her panic. 

She had no idea those things could mimic, Munroe held her tighter to him as the panic washed over her. She realised she was shaking and he was trying to still her, so she focused on him. On his hold, on his scent, on the fact that he was here and she wasn’t facing this alone. She didn’t know how much time had passed as she kept her eyes squeezed tightly shut. 

“It’s gone,” he whispered quietly as his hand moved from her mouth. He gently wiped at her eyes as he turned her around, “it’s ok. It’s gone.” 

She buried her face into his chest as a sob burst out of her, his arm wrapped around her as he gently shushed her. 

“Where’s Athena?” She managed to sob out. 

“Under the bed, I managed to call her over when I heard it and hid her with the covers.” He soothed. 

“Thank goodness,” she sniffled as she sat up and rolled towards the edge.

She stuck her head under the bed to see a very scared looking dog, her ears were pinned on her head and she didn’t come towards Sorcha when she stuck her hand towards her.

“It’s ok baby,” Sorcha gently hummed. “It’s gone,” Athena whined and curled up further, Sorcha let out a breath before pushing herself back up and glanced at Munroe. “She’s pretty scared and I don’t blame her, I’m tempted to climb under there myself.” 

Munroe ran a hand down her arm, “I was hoping you’d just sleep through it and not have to experience that.” 

She shimmied closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder, “I wish I had, that was terrifying. Did you know they could mimic?” 

Slowly he nodded, “they only mimic the last moments of something they kill. They can’t mimic everything they hear.” 

“That doesn’t make it better,” Sorcha gripped his shirt tightly. 

“No it doesn’t but just so you know if you hear it again, it’s not a real person they are already dead so don’t fall for it.” He slid his arm around her as he rested his chin on top of her head. 

“It didn't sound entirely real,” she whispered. 

“It’s more like an echo but if it was someone you loved you’d believe it without question,” he gulped. “If I heard you screaming like that even knowing what a mimic sounds like I don’t think I could stop myself.”

She gripped him tighter at that, she’d fall for it too if he was screaming for her. She’d have gone running right into the beast's jaws and she whispered, “I think I would as well.” 

He pressed his lips to the top of her head, “if one of those things kill me I promise I’ll go quietly. I wouldn’t want you to hear that,” he squeezed her tighter. 

“No, lead me to it so I can make a rug out of it when I have the cabin all to myself,” she shoved him playfully. 

“You kill one hybrid and you’re ready to start skinning space bears,” he chuckled softly.

“Only the one that tries to eat you,” she sighed dramatically. 

“Sorcha, that is so romantic, keep telling me such sweet things and you might just sweep me off my feet.” He grinned as he teased her. 

She huffed as she shoved away from him, “oh shut up.” 

He gently gripped her chin and turned her face to him as he placed a soft kiss on her lips, her hands reached for him but he pulled away before she could pull him closer. 

“I’m only teasing, you know that.” He gently swiped his thumb over her chin. 

She smiled before she nodded towards the bed, “it’s your turn to sleep now.” 

“I don’t mind–”

She shook her head at him, “I’m not going to be able to sleep now anyway so you may as well.” 

He nodded before settling down, she turned towards the window and he wrapped one of his hands around her thigh, squeezing reassuringly as he settled down.

“Wake me if you need me, it can be for anything.” He stroked his hand over thigh as he let out a yawn. 

She just nodded at him before he shut his eyes, it was going to feel like the hours dragged by before the sun came up because every little noise set her on edge, her only comfort was the man sleeping behind her. 

Chapter Text

54.

She glanced down at him while he slept, she had let him sleep a little longer when the rain had started just before dawn. There was no point in waking him when they couldn’t go out anyway, she supposed she should wake him soon and let him know. 

Athena was curled up at his feet, she had finally crawled out from under the bed a few hours ago but clearly hadn’t wanted to go back to the couch and be alone. Not that Sorcha had minded one bit, she had enjoyed the company as she stroked her. 

Carefully Sorcha lowered herself down beside Munroe and as she slid her arm across his chest he let out a groan as he started to stir, he pulled her closer as he yawned. 

“Shit is it raining?” He grumbled as he took in the noise. 

She nodded, “afraid so. Did you put the animals away yesterday?” 

“I did,” he sighed as he trailed a finger down her spine. 

She wrapped herself closer to him as he slid the blanket over her, his heat washing over her and she suddenly felt very sleepy, she hadn’t gotten the best sleep last night before it was interrupted. 

He pressed his lips to her forehead, “sleep for a bit. You look tired and it’s not like we can go anywhere.” 

She just nodded as she let her eyes fall shut, nothing could get them now with the rain, that thought eased her into sleep. 

When she woke a few hours later she found the rain hadn’t stopped, in fact it had gotten heavier so they were indeed stuck here. 

They had tried to make the most of being stranded by finishing what they had started yesterday, unfortunately without the desk being involved but when she had turned her head the wrong way and yelped at the sharp pain it had caused her, Munroe had slid away from her as if he’d been the one to inflict the pain on her. She had tried to reassure him but he’d practically ran away to scavenge around the bungalow they were now trapped in. 

So she now had her nose in a book, she wasn’t paying a lot of attention to the words with how utterly frustrated she felt, she was half tempted to take care of herself as her eyes shifted back to the window to see the rain still pelting down. 

She dropped the book she’d found into her bag and made sure everything was still in there, it landed on Paisley’s scarf, she had put it in there so she wouldn’t lose it. 

She slid her boots back on before getting up, she stretched out before making her way out into the hall. It didn’t take her long to find Munroe in the back of the large bungalow, poking around the lounge area.

“Find anything worthwhile?” She sighed as she leaned against the wall. 

He shook his head as he glanced at her his eyes dropping to her neck, “blankets and a tin opener. Nothing really.” 

“Yeah this whole place seems to be picked clean,” she glanced around the room. 

Munroe nodded as he walked to the other side of the room away from her, clearly still avoiding her after earlier which made her sigh again. 

She wanted to remind him she wouldn’t be scarred from these injuries, the scratch wasn’t deep and the bruise would fade but with him clearly still annoyed about it she wasn’t going to aggravate him further. 

Athena came trotting in just as Sorcha started glancing at the dusty photos on the wall, they were inspirational type photos with some sort of nature photo followed by a cheesy quote, her eyes snagged on one that was a picture of the night sky above a mountain range and below it a lake that reflected the stars back up. She would never see that again, her eyes slid down to the quote beneath it: Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars. She hummed out a small, quiet laugh as her lips turned up at the corners at that. 

While she wasn’t paying attention something landed on her shoulder, it was warm and a little wet. As she turned to look at it, it moved. Small little claws scraped at her neck and she caught sight of dirty brown fur then a small twitching nose and black beady eyes as she looked at it, she squealed rather loudly at the sight of the rat on her shoulder. 

She shook it off as she made a beeline for the nearest couch and leapt on it as she continued to scream, Munroe bumped his head off the cabinet he’d been looking in as he’d spun towards her to see her shake the rat off herself. 

Athena was on it before either of them could react further, it let out a squeak when the dog sunk her teeth into and shook it till it stopped moving and when it was dead the dog started throwing it around like a toy. 

Sorcha gagged as she turned away only to meet Munroe’s amused gaze and when she looked at him he started laughing making her cheeks heat, she was already embarrassed from her reaction he didn’t need him to rub it in. 

“Shut up,” she snapped at him and she twisted to look at Athena, snapping her fingers at her as she did. “Drop it,” the dog did with a huff and Sorcha looked away from the dead thing. 

“It was just a little rat,” Munroe was still laughing. “You squealed like something was going to eat you.” 

“It dropped on me!” She glared at him, “I wasn’t expecting it.” She huffed as she looked away from him, “and anyway they carry diseases.” 

“Oh don’t be mad,” he purred as he strode over to her. 

She refused to look at him even as he stepped onto the couch behind her and wrapped an arm around her, his other hand gripped her jaw as he brought his lips to her ear and gently turned her head but she refused to move it. 

His hand skimmed down her neck, she realised he was checking to see if the rat had caused any damage which made her shake her head before pushing out of his grip.

“Oh bugger off,” she hissed as she stepped off the couch. She didn’t even glance at him as she took off towards the room. 

“Sorcha,” he called after her pleadingly. 

Not that it made her stop as she slid back into the room, she didn’t even know why she’d bothered coming out of the room now. 

She dragged her bag to her as she sat down and plucked out the photo she’d found as she leaned back, her fingers skimmed over the faces of her family as she stared at it. 

There was a soft knock a moment later followed by Munroe’s voice, “I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” 

She glanced at the door, it didn’t open as she watched it. She knew it wasn’t him that had set her off, she’d just been frustrated from earlier because she knew being stuck here was putting off what she had to do, she wouldn't tell him she was leaving while they were stuck out here and that was setting her on edge. So the rat had caught her off guard which didn’t normally happen to her, it just cemented that emotions got in the way. 

She sighed as her eyes slid towards the window to check the weather, it was still raining but had lessened slightly. 

“Can I come in?” Munroe asked gently from the other side of the door. 

“Sure,” Sorcha answered without looking away from the window. 

The door opened slowly as he stepped in, he didn’t bother shutting it as he made his way over to her and tentatively sat beside her. She still didn’t look at him as she felt his weight settle onto the bed. 

“What’s that?” He murmured. 

Her eyes slid to him then and she realised he was looking at the photo that was now upside down in her lap, she placed her hand over it. 

“What I came here for,” she gulped. 

“Can I see it?” He asked softly. 

She sighed as she carefully picked up the picture and handed it to him, she watched him from the corner of her eye as he took it and turned it over. His eyes widening as they roamed over it, then a small soft smile appeared. 

“I guess it makes sense now,” he hummed. “You and your brother could be twins… except the eyes.” A small laugh escaped him as he looked at her. 

She nodded at that, “we were pretty similar. Except he was much sweeter natured than me…” 

He gulped at that as he gently gave her the photo back, she slid it into her bag and wiped at her eyes as she sat back up. He slid closer to her when he noticed and gently slid his arm around her back pulling her in, she leaned into him as he did resting her head against his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry if I offended you–”

She shook her head, cutting him off, “I’m just on edge being stuck out here.” 

He sighed as his eyes shifted to the window, “I get that.”

“How much longer do you think the rain will last?” She muttered as she slid her hand up his chest. 

“I have no idea, I’m hoping it stops soon but I think it’ll be a few more hours which will bring us pretty close to sunset.” He grumbled, sounding mildly annoyed. 

She twisted to look at him and she could see how tense he was, he didn’t like being out here either. 

Sorcha cupped his cheek in her hand and twisted him to look at her as she leaned in and as their lips met her stomach grumbled, Munroe pulled back at that with a lopsided grin on his face and again her face flushed. 

“I suppose we better eat, I have a few more sandwiches… we should ration them in case we’re out here much longer.” He started to slide away from her.

She nodded, “we should just half one right now in case we’re stuck here for another night.” 

He headed for his pack and fished one out, coming back with it and some water as well that they would also have to go easy on now that they weren’t sure how long they’d be here. 

She tried not to eat it too quickly but she had finished before him and he’d tried to offer her the rest but she refused it, he’d need his strength too. Athena had come in at the smell of food and he’d peeled the meat from his sandwich for the dog. 

Sorcha lay on the bed while she waited for the rain to stop, Munroe had picked around some more but came back when he deemed the place was truly empty and lay with her, plucking up the book she had found and read it with her, Athena lay at their feet as they all tried to pass time. 

Eventually the rain stopped, they had about an hour, maybe two, if they were lucky, until it got dark. 

They had quickly gotten ready and headed for the jeep down the road, the smell of the rain was still strong as they walked. Sorcha was glad when she didn’t feel like she was being watched as they made their way down the cracked road, whatever it was must’ve moved on she hoped. 

That hope was short lived as she watched Munroe unhook the battery from the jeep, it had taken some work to get the crushed hood open but they had done it and as she watched him the hair on the back of her neck rose, it was as if something was staring into the back of her head.

She glanced down at Athena thinking if anyone else could sense it, it would be the dog but she was unbothered as she also watched Munroe. Sorcha tried not to make it too obvious that she felt something as she glanced over her shoulder. Again she was met with only trees, nothing obvious stirring in between them as she looked. 

“Got it!” Munroe grunted. 

Making her jump as her attention was suddenly drawn back to him, he gave her an apologetic look as he headed for her. 

“Let’s hope it works,” she forced a smile as she started walking up the road. 

It didn’t take them long to get back to the truck, the feeling didn’t follow her up the road so she shook it off. 

Although she did stay near Munroe as he changed the battery, Athena had opted to lounge in the back seat. It didn’t take him long to to swap out the batteries and when he was done he slid his hand onto the small of her back and circled soothingly, it was as if he could sense the tension rolling off her and she supposed it wasn’t like her to stick close to him unless she was nervous, she wondered if he realised that. 

“Can you see if she starts up?” He asked as he straightened himself up. 

She hesitated before nodding and headed for the drivers side, she twisted the key and the truck choked. She took a deep breath and twisted again, the truck spluttered slightly before finally turning over. 

“Woo,” Munroe whoop. “I really didn’t fancy walking back,” he chuckled as he slammed the bonnet shut. 

“And here I thought you just didn’t want to leave your truck behind,” she smirked at him as he slid up beside her. 

“That too,” he chuckled as he gently slid his hand onto her hip and guided her around the truck. 

Her brows furrowed at him as he yanked her door open for her, she slid in without questioning it and he shut the door. It wasn’t long before he was sliding into the driver's seat, she was still in disbelief that he’d just led her to the truck and held the door for her like they weren’t in an apocalypse and they’d just been on a date. 

“I’ve just got a quick stop to make,” he muttered as he glanced up at the sky. “There’s a store out here I’ve not had a chance to pick clean.” 

She just nodded as he sped the truck down the road and when they got to the small store she didn’t bother going with him, much to his surprise, he had just started trying to convince her to stay in the truck and she’d agreed without argument. He had to collect himself from the shock of it before getting out. 

In truth Sorcha was exhausted, yesterday and today had taken it out of her. She was realising that spending weeks with Munroe had coddled her. 

He really didn’t take long, he’d found a spare car battery too along with a few supplies: rope, bottled water and some small batteries that could fit a watch or something similar. 

She was glad to be on the road again, she was thinking about how soft Munroe’s bed was and how she was going to enjoy it one last time. Her eyes snagged on a small petrol station and she pointed it out but darkness was starting to set so Munroe didn’t want to stop, she just watched the tree line on his side as they kept heading down the road, after the crash with the Va’nu driving by forests made her nervous. 

They were about a mile down the road when there was a loud rumble and the truck swerved, a horrible groan came from Sorcha’s side and she tried to lean away from it as Munroe slowed the truck to a stop and managed to pull into a lay-by. 

“What now?” He hissed as he slid out of the truck and stomped around to her side. 

She heard him curse and jumped when he punched the side of the truck, she rolled down her window not wanting to open the door in case it hit him. The sky was getting really dark now.

“What’s wrong?” She asked as she peered out. 

“The tire has been shredded,” he sighed as he stood up. “It’s going to be too dark to change it,” he ran his hand through his hair as he stalked by her. 

She heard him fumble around in the truck bed before he came back with a jack and started propping the truck up with it, not wanting his wheel rim to rest on the concrete if they were stuck here. 

She rolled her window up and tried to keep herself calm as she watched the sky get darker and darker, her eyes darting around for any signs of movement as her hand rested over her knife ready to pounce if she was needed. 

When he was finally back in the truck with her she sighed in relief, he locked the doors as he leaned back in his seat, his face pointed towards the roof in exasperation. 

“Stuck again,” he groaned. “What the fuck is going on?” He sighed as he rubbed at his face. 

“I have no idea,” she mumbled. “At least we didn’t eat all the rations,” she tried to lighten the mood. 

“True,” he nodded as his attention slid to her. “I’m sorry this isn’t going to be the most comfortable sleeping arrangement tonight.” 

“I’m sure it’ll be fine for one night,” she smirked at him. “Do you have a spare?” 

“Yes, it’s a little awkward to get out and I’d have needed you to hold the flashlight… I don’t like the idea of sleeping in the truck but I don’t like the idea of something sneaking up on you either,” his hand gripped her thigh. 

She nodded, there was to many night time dangers to risk wielding a flashlight out here. Aliens could see in the dark, dead ones didn’t stop at night so they were still at risk of them and Va’nu hunt at night so the truck was the best option. 

“You can take the back,” Munroe squeezed her gently. 

Sorcha looked at Athena in the back seat and reached back to stroke her, “looks like it’ll be a squeeze.” She muttered as her fingers curled into the dog's fur. 

“We should’ve stopped at that petrol station,” Munroe hissed. “That would’ve been slightly safter.”

“No sense worrying about it now,” Sorcha muttered as she clambered into the back seats with the dog and handed Munroe his bag over.

She then started digging out the blankets she knew he kept in here, she was thankful Munroe kept an emergency kit practically everywhere. 

She placed a blanket and the pillow on one side before dropping a blanket into the front seat for him as well and then turned to look at the dog who wagged her tail at her as she did, making Sorcha smile at her. 

“Here,” Munroe passed her some water and half of the other sandwich that they didn’t eat, the last one. He did have some oat type bars in here at least if they needed more food.

“Thanks,” Sorcha smiled as she took them. “Do you have-” She was cut off when he handed her a tub for Athena to get some water, “perfect.” 

She filled it up for Athena and set it down, the dog lapped it up greedily while Sorcha demolished her sandwich, she did leave some for the dog this time and again Munroe gave her the meat from his. 

Sorcha leaned forward and rested her chin on Munroe's shoulder, he smiled and twisted to place a soft kiss on her temple. Sorcha nuzzled closer to him, enjoying his warmth. 

“I can’t wait to be squashed all night,” she hissed teasingly at him. 

“Stop moaning, you get the back seat.” 

She rolled her eyes at him as she took her head off his shoulder and grabbed for the water, “do you have-”

His hand cupped her cheek and pulled her lips to his, she dropped the bottle of water on the floor as she gripped him back. 

She moaned as she tugged him to her, he half rose out of his seat turning to her as he started to come through the seats. 

He pulled away and patted the passenger seat, “Athena, come.” 

The dog hopped over and Sorcha shoved the now empty tub on the floor as Munroe squeezed through the seats, she tried to suppress her laugh as he collapsed into the back seats.

Sorcha was smiling when her lips found his again and that made Munroe smile as she straddled him, his hands cupping her ass as she did, he let out a groan as he squeezed her in his hands.

Sorcha started undoing the buttons on his shirt as she ground against him, he pulled her hips against him enjoying how worked up she was getting. 

It was maddening that he couldn’t be a foot from her without wanting to devour her, they should be staying alert but he’d lost it the moment he’d kissed her, it’d been a mistake but one he was thoroughly enjoying. 

He slid her jacket off, carefully avoiding her neck when he did. He then tugged her top off and undid her bra with one flick, his lips sucking at her nipples when they were released. 

Sorcha’s fingers dragged through his hair as she threw her head back, still writhing on top of him. 

He slowly flicked his tongue over her now pert nipple and then started on her other, she made the most beautiful whimper that made Munroe moan as he sucked her other nipple into his mouth. 

Sorcha managed to free his cock while he was playing with her breasts, she slowly traced her fingers up and down him, purposefully teasing him and when he growled in annoyance she squeezed him in her hand gently as she started pumping him, making him buck his hips and moan underneath her. 

“You are fucking maddening,” his head rolled back as she continued to tease his cock.

“I know,” she chuckled softly as she nipped his jaw. 

He groaned again as she teased his neck, fucking her hand with his bucks as she nipped and kissed at his throat. 

“Fuck,” he hissed as she squeezed him in the way he liked and with her teeth, lips and tongue on his neck she was sending him wild.

“Do you want me to keep going or do you want me to fuck you?” She murmured against his neck. 

He grinned, “fuck me, Sorcha.” 

They swiftly undid and removed the rest of their clothes, Munroe gripped her ass with one hand and his cock with the other and she settled over him. 

Sorcha kissed him as she lowered herself onto his cock, she moaned at him stretching her. Munroe started playing with her clit as she lowered further onto him, the circles he drew made her gasp with each stroke. 

“You feel so good inside me,” she gasped against his lips. 

His eyes rolled back at those words and he tried not to buck his hips as she continued. 

“So fucking big,” she moaned. 

His hips twitched, “quiet.” He warned. 

Sorcha was almost all the way down when she slowly moved her lips to his ear and whispered, “I love how big you are.” 

Munroe gripped her tightly and slammed her right down onto him, Sorcha moaned loudly and bit down on her lip to suppress it. 

“And I love how well you fit me,” he gripped her to him and looked at how flush they were. “Look at how you take me Sorcha,” he waited till she looked down and he lifted her till she could see his cock inside her and drove it back into her. 

She whimpered as she watched him do it again, “yes, yes.” She hissed as she slammed back down onto him, “I could watch that all day.” 

He didn’t have time to respond to what she’d said as she started to ride him, she put one hand on his shoulder and one on the roof as she frantically fucked him. 

Munroe bucked his hips with her and helped guide her hips as one his hands devoured her ass and the other stroked her clit. 

Sorcha was trying not to moan too loudly, she couldn’t help it as she started to ride him faster. She got tired rather quickly from the faster pace but used the leverage she had to keep going, she did not want to stop for a moment, it felt far too good to stop now. 

Her breathing got heavier as she continued, ignoring the way her knees where protesting. Perhaps it was just the position in the truck that was making it harder but she refused to stop even as her legs screamed, his cock was far too good for her to want to stop. 

Munroe stopped teasing her clit and wrapped his arm around her waist as he kissed along her collarbone and flipped her onto the seats. 

“My turn,” he growled as he drove into her. 

Her hand gripped for the plastic grab handle behind her and her other arm wrapped around his shoulders as he thrust into her, one of her legs was bent over the seat and her other foot was pressed against the window as he fucked her.

Sorcha was whimpering in pure pleasure under him, her fingers biting into him as he went harder, he was rolling his hips in the most sensual way that she couldn’t stop her eyes from rolling, she had to bite down on her lip to stop herself from screaming at how good it felt. 

She managed to release her hand from the door and dragged it down his back to his ass, gripping him as he thrust into her, her head fell back as the tightness in her built at the way he was rolling his hips into her. 

“Munroe,” she murmured. “Kimochī,” she hushed out.

He stumbled for a moment, almost stopping his thrusts at the shock of hearing that on her tongue. 

He gave her everything after that and she had to bury her face into his chest as her moans became louder and louder with each stroke of him, he was moaning too as he wrapped an arm behind her head, pulling even closer to her as their bodies writhed together.

Sorcha tensed around him and he came into her with a hard buck as she shattered, they didn’t unwrap from each other right away, just panted heavily as they got their breaths back. 

“You're going to be my undoing,” he murmured as he looked down at her. “Where did you learn that?”

“Lachlan,” she snorted. “I asked if I could say anything that might… surprise you.” 

He rolled his eyes and let out a soft chuckle, “of course it was him.”

She smiled softly up at him, her fingers reaching for his cheek and he was too shocked at the tenderness on her face to move as her fingers caressed him, “you are so beautiful, you know that?” She murmured gently to him. 

He blinked at her in disbelief, his cheeks heating as she hummed happily underneath him. 

“Sorcha,” he whispered as his nose brushed against hers, “you are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced.” 

She hummed a laugh as her eyes shut, Munroe’s blush rising as he watched joy flood over her. 

Her eyes fluttered open again, “Munroe I think that I’ve–” she gulped as she took a breath and his heart was pounding painfully as he watched her. “I think–” she whispered sweetly and it sent shivers all over him. 

There was a slam on the window near her foot that made her yelp and slide up till she was half sitting, she glanced around Munroe to see a biter clawing at the window. Munroe shifted his gaze to it as Sorcha pulled her foot away. 

He turned back to her and murmured, “what were you saying?” 

“Uhm,” she kept her eyes on the dead one as his nose brushed along her jaw.

He desperately wanted to know what she was going to say, his heart was still tight in his chest at how sincere she had looked. 

“Sorcha,” he nipped her jaw gently and she moaned. “Tell me, please.” 

“I-I can’t remember,” she mumbled and tensed as the dead one started pounding on the truck window. “We need to get rid of it.” 

“It can wait,” he gently bit her collarbone. 

“It will attract more,” she hissed as she shoved against him. 

He sighed defeated as he pulled the blanket over her, she had closed herself off to him again. He quickly shoved his boots on, grabbing his large knife as he slid out the opposite door from the biter. 

“Wait” Sorcha hissed as the door closed on her. 

She watched his silhouette slide around the truck, then behind the dead one, his blade sinking into its skull. Munroe dealt with it swiftly, she watched as he dragged it off a few feet before he came back and slid in the side it had slammed against. 

“Idiot,” she snapped at him as he slid back in. 

“What?” He snarled at her. 

“Going out like that,” she gestured to him, still fully naked except for his boots. “If it’d gotten you, it would have bitten you without any issue.” 

“Oh,” his scowl turned to a smirk. “Is that your way of worrying about me? So very sweet of you.” 

Sorcha frowned at him, “you're an ass.” 

“You love my ass,” he leaned towards her as he grinned. 

She couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her lips, “it’s the only good thing about you.” 

He hummed out his amusement as he tugged the blanket away from her, “I could look at you all day long.” He purred as his eyes roamed over her nakedness. 

She tugged the blanket back up and rolled her eyes at him as she pulled a cloth out the back of one of the seats and tossed it at him, “clean yourself up.” She grumbled as she looked at the small blood splatter on his chest. 

He smirked as he slid out of his boots and wiped himself off, when he was done he pushed the back seats down so he could fit as well. She had raised a brow at him for that and he’d muttered that he just couldn’t be bothered folding them down before but he wasn’t clambering back over the seats so they’d be squashed together, she huffed about it but she really wasn’t annoyed, she just wanted him to think she was. She couldn’t be any happier when he’d wrapped her against him, she didn’t even care that it was pretty cramped, he was warm and she slept much easier tucked against him. 

Chapter Text

55.

When Sorcha awoke the next day, her neck was a bit stiff from the position she’d been forced to sleep in and the residual bruise, she twisted to see Munroe wrapped around her he was still sleeping so she carefully sat up, his arms dropping away as she did. 

Athena poked her head around the front seats and Sorcha gave her a soft smile as she scratched the dog's chin, the windows had fogged from their breathing during the night so visibility wasn’t great and if someone passed by they’d know someone was in here.

Sorcha sighed as she reached for the water bottle on the floor and took a drink, Munroe’s hand gripped her thigh as he rolled over. She smiled down at him as he squeezed her, she set the bottle down and delicately brushed the hair from his face. He looked so peaceful when he slept, he hummed sleepy and shifted as his eyes slowly opened at her touch.

A smile spread across his face as he murmured, his voice heavy with sleep. “That’s nice,” 

He hummed softly as her hand brushed through his hair. She smiled as she watched him, his eyes finding hers as her fingers trailed down the side of his face. She leaned into him and softly brushed her lips against his before pulling back, he cupped her jaw before she went too far and pulled her back down to his lips, his lips caressing hers firmer than she had.

“Wake me up like that everyday,” he whispered against her lips as he let her pull away. 

She could feel her cheeks heat as he watched her sit up and her stomach twisted with guilt, “what squashed in a truck getting a kiss?” 

“Perhaps not the squashed part,” he grumbled as he forced himself up into a seat.

Sorcha handed him the bottle and as he took a drink she leaned past him and drew on the window, Munroe snorted at the smiley face as he twisted the cap back on. 

“Very mature,” he brushed a kiss to her cheek and leaned his chin on her shoulder after, his stubble tickling her where he rested. 

“I couldn’t resist,” she laughed. “Your turn,” she twisted to look at him.

His eyes slid to her lips, “I’d prefer to draw a smile on your face than on the windows.” 

Then he dragged her to him, his hand fisting in her messy braid as he let the bottle drop onto the floor. Her arms wrapped around him as she opened her mouth to him, his tongue dancing with hers as he lowered them both into the seats.

She moaned when he settled in between her legs, he was grinding against her as the kiss grew greedy, her hips met his thrust for thrust.

Her head fell back and his lips moved to her jaw, placing biting kisses as he went, then he moved his lips to her shoulder and trailed kisses along her collarbone.

“We shouldn’t,” she gasped as he bit down on her collarbone. 

He flicked his tongue along her collarbone, nipping and kissing as he went. Sorcha moaned and flicked her hips harder against him, he knew how much she liked to be kissed there.

“Munroe,” she hissed out her warning.

He groaned in annoyance as he stilled and raised his head to look at her, “spoil sport.” He grumbled as he nipped her jaw.

“Impatient bastard,” she purred at him.

He pressed his lips to her collarbone again and murmured far too seductively, “Sorcha.” 

She almost melted at the thrill it sent through her, “when we’re back. We’ll have plenty of time too—” she closed her eyes. “Fuck,” she groaned as he sucked her skin between his teeth.

He chuckled against her before finally pulling away from her, “later.” He snarled as he rolled off her and sat beside her.

She glowered at him as she pushed herself up to sit beside him. So slowly she sank her teeth into his shoulder, he moaned as he twisted to look at her and she held his gaze. She let go and rested her chin over the spot she’d bitten, he was watching her, their faces mere inches from one another. 

She gripped his hard cock as she kept his gaze and watched as his mouth fell open as he groaned loudly, his eyes flickering as she gently caressed him before letting go.

She smirked as she sat away from him, he looked as frustrated as her now. 

“You aren’t the only one who can tease, don’t forget that.” She grinned widely at him.

“We aren’t leaving our bed for hours when I get you back,” his eyes shuddered. “If we even make it to the bed, I might take you the minute the door closes.” 

Her stomach tightened at that promise, “I look forward to being fucked against the door or floor, which ever surface we find first.” 

He chuckled before taking a shaky breath, “then I have a fucking tire to change and fast.” 

“You do,” she murmured as she chewed on her lip.

She wanted him, she was too scared to draw anymore attention out here than they already had but the promise of being fucked was sliding her fear to the back of her head.

He shuddered and shook himself off, as if he was trying to gain control.

He gulped as he twisted away from her, “don’t look at me like that, it makes my cock ache to be buried inside you.” 

She blinked at the side of his face, she wasn’t sure what look she’d given him but she had to clench her thighs together at the thought of him being buried in her.

Munroe quickly found where their clothes had ended up and they awkwardly got dressed in the back seat, taking them off was definitely easier, Sorcha thought as she struggled to shimmy her jeans back on. 

Finally they were dressed and Sorcha was digging out the oat bars, she handed him one. He handed her the water when he was done and climbed out the truck, she glanced back to see him opening a compartment in the truck bed as he started removing the spare tire. 

She slid out of the truck just as he lugged the tire to the front, she patted the seat for Athena and the dog hopped over from the front and then out the truck. Sorcha headed for the trees as nature was calling, she didn’t want to do it at the side of the road or have Munroe hear her for that matter. 

“Where are you going?” Munroe called after her before she could even take more than a few steps away from the truck. “Don’t wander off.” 

She twisted to look at him and realised he’d come around the front towards her.

“I just have to go in there for a bit,” she blinked at him, not wanting to say it aloud.

“No you need to stay where I can see you,” he huffed at her. 

“Munroe I need to pee,” she hissed at him as her cheeks heated. 

“Oh…” he looked away a bit bashfully. “Yeah, uh–sure…” he grimaced. “Take care of that–not that you need my permission to–”

She snorted at his sudden awkwardness, “I wasn’t asking for it. Unlike some people I can’t just whip it out and go.” 

“Just–just don’t go too far… I’m just gonna uh… yeah.” He sucked a breath in as he disappeared back down towards the wheel. 

She found herself smiling as she walked away, she walked a little further than she should’ve till she found a large tree to squat behind. The truck still wasn’t far, she could still see it if she looked around the tree but the other trees wouldn’t have hidden her. She patted at her thighs before she undid her trousers, both knives were there but she realised she didn’t have her gun. She wouldn’t need it, she was going to be quick, she looked around again and found nothing except Athena doing her own business. 

So she kicked some earth up with her boots, she didn’t want to piss on them as she created a little hole and then quickly undid her trousers. She used the tree to lean on as she squatted, she could hear Athena exploring just behind the tree as she went. 

Then she felt it, that horrible feeling she had back at the camp and her stomach lurched when she looked up and found dark beady eyes watching her. 

He grinned as he slid a finger over his lip, “don’t scream lovely.” 

He raised a gun at her to emphasise what would happen if she screamed, how had she not noticed? She was internally kicking herself as the man stepped closer, his dark eyes taking her in. He had sores on his face and it was almost like one of his cheeks was peeling off, it made her sick to look at. His dark dirty blonde hair was patchy in places and she couldn’t tell how tall he was, he walked slightly hunched and one of his legs appeared to be slightly stiff. 

“Can I at least pull my trousers back up before you shoot me?” Sorcha glared at him. 

He shrugged, “if it makes you more comfortable why not but it won’t matter after you're dead, you won’t need your clothes then.” 

She shuddered at what he was insinuating, she stood and quickly pulled her underwear up before moving onto her jeans. She didn’t like how he looked at her thighs as she pulled them up.

“I bet they are going to taste nice, so creamy.” His eyes flared at the thought. 

He wasn’t just going to defile her dead body then, he was going to eat her as well. Quite a lot of humans had turned to cannibalism when food got scarce, it wasn’t something she could ever do. 

She tried to listen for Athena, she couldn’t hear her anymore so she was sure she’d gone back to Munroe, she’d rather that than the dog be here. 

“Come,” he waved the gun in his direction, beckoning her to him. 

She didn’t want to move but his finger slid over the trigger and she took a step, she just had to stall for a bit. So she let him lead her deeper into the trees until he stopped in what looked like a small camp set up, probably his one. She glanced at the ripped sleeping bag and the dying fire before looking back at him. She should’ve told Munroe that she felt like she was being watched, she thought she was being crazy but her instincts had been on point and she’d stupidly ignored them. 

“I wasn’t sure I was going to get you alone when the big guy showed up,” he muttered as he kicked at the dying fire. 

“You were at the campground?” She asked and he nodded, “why?” She hissed when he just kept staring at her. 

“I was following the pretty one that the mutt was after, she was very sweet looking but then I saw you and how you killed that thing… I had to have you, I like them feisty. It's more interesting when you turn during, more fight still in you.” He sneered at her. 

She blinked in utter horror as she pieced together exactly what that meant, it meant he was utterly sick and she wondered if his face was a result of what he found pleasure in. She shuddered to think if she hadn’t crossed Paisley's path this sicko would be after her but also if she hadn’t crossed the woman’s path she wouldn't be in this position, she knew though if either of them had a chance of surviving this it would be her and she was actually glad she’d taken this burden from Paisley. 

“You tampered with the battery?” She was stalling. 

He nodded frantically as if he was happy she’d figured it out, “and the tire. I couldn't let you slip away, I made do with some of that hybrid you killed while you hid with the man that showed up.” He motioned to some meat lying on a rock nearby and she gagged at the sight, “then the Va’nu took some of him when it passed by and the rain melted the rest of him so Brian was happy when you wander into the woods, you will be far more delicious than he was.” 

“Brian? That’s your name?” Sorcha was listening intently around her for any sign of the dog coming back, Athena could track that was the only reason she’d let herself be moved. 

“Yes yes,” he nodded. His black eyes glinted, it was unnerving. 

“Are you alone?” She gulped.

That question seemed to annoy him as he scowled at her, “you are stalling Brian.” 

“No no, I was just curious if anyone else was going to… eat me today,” she was trying to act as casual as she could but she was freaking out. 

She didn’t think being aggressive would help, if she moved too quickly she was sure he’d shoot her, he was very twitchy. The gun waved a bit too wildly as he spoke for her liking. 

“Only I will taste you,” he started smiling again. 

She did not find that comforting in the slightest but he was still talking at least. 

“Well I will taste you after,” his brows rose at her suggestively. “I don’t often enjoy watching live ones fornicate but it was interesting watching you both, I wasn’t expecting to see it or it to excite me.” 

Well that just made her feel dirty and she almost wished she’d been shot so she didn’t have to hear that, she didn’t even know what to say to keep him talking, that had stunned her into silence. 

He steadied the gun at her chest and she took a deep breath, she had a tree behind her so she’d have to be quick and dive. 

“Don’t be scared, I’ll get your heart. It will be quick and painless,” he smiled.

She doubted that, her fingers twitched towards her knives and he didn’t like that. She stopped when he made a yipping noise at her, like an angry screeching animal. 

Is this the shitty death she was destined for then? No one dies peacefully in this life, she often wondered how’d she go but she’d hoped it would be on her own terms. 

A shot rang out and she flinched, it hadn’t been from his gun. Brian pointed his towards the shooter and let off two shots, the shooter took cover and Brian twisted to her. She heard running steps as she looked down the barrel of the gun, he let off the shot just as another was let off. Munroe was screaming her name, everything was moving far too slowly. 

There was another shot, then another and another. Something slammed into her and she went crashing to the ground as she heard three bullets land, two in a tree and the other hit flesh, she couldn't hear where the fourth landed but there was a thud like a body hitting the ground.

She was aware of the arms that caged her to the ground and the body above her, everything was still going slowly except her heart, which was trying to tear out of her chest. 

She’d been here before, this couldn't be happening. Her breath was coming out fast, she was screaming as she shakily raised her hands, tears rolling down her face as they reached for the man above her. Her eyes couldn't focus on anything as her hands roamed over his neck, this couldn't be happening, not again. 

Munroe’s blood chilled as her fingers searched his neck, she was frantic and completely panicked beneath him. Her terrified scream was cutting him deeper than any weapon ever would and when those hands had gripped his neck he realised what she’d just relived, he couldn’t breathe as she desperately checked him. He quickly glanced at the asshole who’d dared pull a gun on her and was thrilled to see he was dead, a bullet right through his head. 

“Sorcha,” he hushed as he turned back to her and cupped her cheeks. “It’s ok, you're safe. He’s dead, you're safe.” 

“Nonononono,” she wailed as she gripped the collar of his shirt. She was still frantic, “how could you? How could you?” She snarled at him. 

“Sorcha,” his thumbs stroked her cheeks. “Can you take a deep breath for me?” 

She shook her head frantically and then started throwing her fists into his chest, he hissed at her violent little fists as he let her take her anger out on him. 

“How could you?” She sobbed as her hands dropped away from him, she hated him for it. The one thing she never wanted him to do and he’d done it, she still couldn’t fully breathe from the way she was hyperventilating. 

“I wasn’t going to let him shoot you,” he whispered softly and she sobbed as she rolled onto her side. “We should get back to the truck–”

She flinched away from him when he grabbed her arm, “don’t touch me.” She spat at him as she slid out from under him, “don’t you fucking touch me.” 

“Ok–” he raised his hands as he sat up on his knees. 

She glared at him as she pushed herself up to stand, “touch me again and I’ll cut your fucking hands off.” 

He looked away from her as he flinched at that, he’d really fucked it he realised but her being mad at him was a small price to pay for her still being here. 

She stormed off away from him in the direction of the truck and completely breezed by Athena, he quickly followed after her and reassured the dog as he passed by, she followed after him. 

He was so grateful to Athena for coming to get him, she really was a good dog, she was more than that probably the best dog he’d ever known, she was ridiculously loyal to Sorcha. 

Sorcha wasn’t particularly quiet as she stormed through the trees and she found she didn’t actually care, she was beyond angry and was still utterly terrified at what had just happened. She wanted to strangle him, she was glad he was ok but it didn’t stop her being utterly enraged at him. 

She wasn’t gentle with the truck door when she got in, she practically shook the whole vehicle. The dog hopped in when Munroe opened the door and then he cautiously slid in, eyeing her but she was staring out the window not sparing him a single glance. 

He reached for her but she flinched away from him and stayed as close to the door as possible, he sighed as he started up the truck and got them back on the road.

Sorcha refused to look at him, she just glared out the window as tears rolled down her cheeks. She was seething, this was exactly what she had wanted to avoid. 

Chapter Text

56.

Sorcha jolted forward when she woke up, panic starting to seize her when she wasn’t sure where she was but as she glanced around she took in the truck's interior around her and started to relax, she realised her face stung from all the crying she’d done. They weren’t moving so her eyes darted to the drivers seat to find Munroe wasn’t there. She twisted towards the back seat and found Athena and their bags were no longer there either, the only thing left in the truck was the bow, the quiver and her. 

He’d left her in the truck she realised when she glanced out the front window and noticed that she was outside the cabin, that just pissed her off that he hadn’t bothered to wake her and left her in here. 

She didn’t think she’d be this angry if she hadn’t woken up alone. It just made her ready to pick a fight with him over it and for throwing himself at her like that towards an oncoming bullet, now that she wasn’t as shaken up she was ready to argue. 

She slid out of the truck and wasn’t the least bit gentle when she shut the door. From the look of the sky it was late afternoon, so she’d been in there for a while which just angered her further as she headed for the door. 

“You left me in the truck,” she hissed as she slammed the cabin door shut behind her. 

Her eyes darted around to find he wasn’t in the main room, only Athena was there curled up in her favourite chair in front of the lit fire, she wondered if he was tending to the farm but then she heard something clatter in the bathroom. 

“I didn’t want to lose my hands,” he snarled from the bathroom.

She was really ready for a fight now as she stormed towards the bathroom and flung the door open, her face twisted into a snarl, he was glowering right back at her as he faced her. She braced herself to start shouting but paused when her eyes snagged on the mirror, on his back reflected in it, on the blood that was running down it from the bullet wound in his shoulder. She took in the blood on his hands then and the red droplets over the floor, his bloodied shirt lying near his feet with a hole in the shoulder and a pair of bloody tweezers lay in the sink that also had a few droplets of his blood splattered in it, that must’ve been the clatter. 

She felt her stomach drop, her anger shifted into something else. He hadn’t told her, she was now only mad at him for that and it hurt in a way she didn’t think it would. He’d let her take her anger out on him when he’d been shot, she hated herself for that, even if he hadn’t been hurt she’d still have hated herself for that.

“You didn’t tell me that you got hurt,” her voice dropped to a whisper as her face turned sorrowful.

Munroe winced as she shifted from anger to melancholy, he hadn’t told her because she’d already panicked about him saving her, the feel of her desperate fingers racking his neck sent a chill down his spine. He’d tried to shut out the fear he’d seen in her eyes, he never wanted to see her look that scared again, he hated that’d he made her relive one of the worst moments of her life.

“It’s nothing, I promise.” He murmured to her even though he was struggling to get the bullet out he didn’t want to make her feel worse. 

Her eyes had gone glassy and she gulped as she took in his face, he couldn’t tell what she was thinking as he watched her. 

“Tell me what to do,” she murmured as she stepped for him. 

“You don’t have to, I can-”

She shook her head, “I want to.” 

So he gathered what she’d need and she followed him into the living room, she still couldn’t believe he’d let her roar and be mad at him when he’d been hurt. She wanted to be mad at him for letting her do that but after the way she reacted she knew why he’d stayed quiet, she hated him for being considerate, she wished he’d just yelled back at her. 

He sat on the couch and motioned for her to sit behind him as he sorted through the first aid box, she carefully sat down behind him and her eyes trailed over the blood on his back, guilt washed over her, made even worse when she spotted the gold bullet in his shoulder. The psycho had wasted a gold bullet on a person, she supposed he was too insane to actually care what bullets he used.  

Munroe handed her a clean pair of tweezers and gently told her, “you're going to have to pull the bullet out.” 

She nodded as she took them and as delicately as she could she placed her other hand under the wound and gently placed her fingers on either side as she opened it and held it in place, she reached with the tweezers for the small bit of metal in his shoulder and gently tugged on it, he only hissed when she finally pulled it out, it had taken some manoeuvring to tease it out of his skin. She glanced at it to make sure that the bullet was whole and that she wasn’t going to have to dig for bullet fragments, she was satisfied to see it was whole before dropping it in a bowl he’d laid on the floor. Munroe glanced down at it and she was sure he was checking for the same thing. 

He guided her through how to stitch him as she cleaned the blood from his back, she flushed out the wound and cleaned his back up again when the solution had rolled down him. 

Now she had to stitch him, she knew this was going to be messy in comparison to his handy work but there was no way he could do it himself, so she tried to keep her hands as still as she could while she knitted his skin together.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” She muttered as she worked, she wanted to gag everytime she pushed the needle through his skin but was able to bury the feeling deep down and ignore it. 

He sighed remorsefully, “you were terrified. I didn’t want to add to that, it really wasn’t that bad.” 

“Tell me next time,” her voice wobbled slightly. “You let me scream at you, when you-”

“It’s ok, scream at me if you need to Sorcha. I’m just so sorry that I caused you such distress, I didn’t know that it would end up similar to-” he gulped. “I just couldn’t lose you.”

She sighed as she tied the stitches off, it definitely wasn’t as neat as his stitches but it would hold. “And you think I want to lose you?” She murmured quietly. 

She dropped the needle in the bowl just as Munroe went still, she gently cleaned up around the wound before picking up a large plaster gauze and unwrapped it. 

“You say that but you're going to leave me,” he whispered, but she caught the hurt in his voice. 

Sorcha remained quiet as she gently placed the plaster around his stitches to protect them, when she was done she cleaned up the supplies as she tried to ignore the way his words had sliced her. 

Munroe’s stomach twisted as he realised he wasn’t wrong, she was going to leave him, he couldn’t watch her as she pottered around. 

Sorcha stopped in front of the fire and tossed the bloodied scraps in it, watching as the fire ate up the cloth, she knew she had to say something. Her feelings were scattered and all over the place after what had just happened, it didn’t stop her from knowing what she had to do. 

“Didn’t I just say I didn’t want to lose you?” She hushed out shakily as she kept her eyes on the burning fire. 

Munroe’s eyes shot up to her but she wasn’t looking at him, his heart started beating wildly. 

“Does that mean–” he breathed out as he rose from the couch and stepped for her. 

She still didn't look at him as he stopped in front of her, he gently tugged her chin and gingerly tilted her face up, he gulped at how watery her eyes were. 

“Sorcha are you saying you’ll stay with me?” His throat was tight as he watched her. 

“Yes,” she lifted her eyes to his. “I-I realised that I can’t be without you,” she sniffled. 

Did she hate that it took him nearly sacrificing himself to realise that she wanted him more than she realised? Yes she did but she’d have hated herself more if she realised after leaving him. 

She was sure she had started to realise at the camp when she didn’t feel the urge to just run and move on, instead that tug that kept her always moving forward was tugging back towards the cabin, towards him. 

She felt that tug as she looked at him now, that tug that had kept her moving over the years, the one that led her here when she knew taking coastal roads was safter, it was him. It had been leading her here like he was the sun pulling her into his orbit. 

“And besides you’ve spoiled me with your food, I wouldn’t survive out there now,” she laughed slightly as she tried to shift the mood into something less serious and lighter. 

He snorted at that as his hand cupped her cheek, “maybe that was my plan all along.” A playful smile formed on his lips as he tentatively teased her. 

She gently reached for him and stroked her fingers onto his jaw, “it worked.” 

“Sorcha,” he whispered tenderly as he leaned into her.

His lips softly found hers as his fingers gently brushed her jacket off her shoulders, he tossed it aside as he pulled her into him. One of his hands slid into her hair and started to undo her braid, setting her hair free as he gently slid his hand through it to make sure it was all free from the plait. She moaned against his lips, opening her mouth to him as he started gently pushing her backwards, trying to guide her to the couch but she didn’t budge. 

She shook her head when she pulled away from him, “right here.” She murmured, as she tugged her top off. 

He growled out a groan as he tugged her back to him, she was undoing his belt while his deft fingers unhooked her bra, tossing it to the side as he lowered her onto the rug beneath them. 

The fire was crackling beside them, letting out soft pops every so often as they rid each other of the rest of their clothes, Munroe paused to gaze down at Sorcha as he settled in between her legs. She was surprised at how soft the rug was on her back as her fingers explored his face before running them down his arms. 

He gently caressed his fingers up her side along her collarbone and back down along her scar, his thumb caressing her now soft stomach as he explored her. 

“You are beautiful,” he hummed as he kissed her. 

“I know,” she gasped into his mouth, making him smile.

He leaned up over her when they stopped kissing and gently swept her hair out of her face, softly he stroked her cheek as he lowered himself into her. He savoured the way her face shifted into pleasure at the feel of his cock pushing in her, the way her lips parted into a small ‘o’ and the way her head tipped back, spreading her hair over the rug beneath her. He thought she was absolutely divine and he couldn’t get enough of her, he didn’t think he would ever be able to get enough of her. 

Sorcha tenderly touched his unwounded shoulder as she gripped him to her, her legs parting further for him as he began to thrust in and out of her. This wasn’t their usual desperate fucking, this was slow, this was utterly sensuous and deeper than anything they’d shared together, Sorcha hadn’t thought sex could feel so beautiful with every soft touch of his fingers, every stroke of skin that skimmed against hers. 

His lips brushed hers with every thrust, her skin was dancing with sparks that had now erupted into flickering flames as he drove into her harder, even with the new pace it was still utterly sweet. Every small touch was divinely sensual, sparking more flames dancing over her skin and with the fire beside them she was sure to combust at this rate. 

She was moaning against his lips when that familiar feeling grew, growing tighter and tighter with each of his tender thrusts. Her legs tightened around him and her head fully fell back, exposing her neck to him. 

Munroe placed a soft tender kiss to the hollow of her throat, his tongue flicking against her skin there as he did, it sent Sorcha whimpering as she writhed underneath him on the rug. 

His nose skimmed gently up her neck, his hand gently cupped her cheek as he made her look at him. Sorcha moaned when she looked into his beautiful golden chocolate eyes, so full of want and need for her, she just wanted to melt into them and she was positive hers mirrored his as they locked onto him. 

“Munroe,” she groaned in pleasure as she gazed at him, her breath catching as her core tightened further. 

He kissed along her jaw, his fingers sliding through the back of her hair as he cradled her possessively against him. His other hand slid down her side before tugging her thigh up around his hip, letting him deeper into her with a moan as the feel of her began sending him over the edge.

“Sorcha,” his moan was pleading as he tenderly nipped the spot below her ear. 

Her fingers bit into his good shoulder and her other hand gripped his neck as she arched into him, her body finally exploding from small flickering flames into pure fire as she came undone around him. 

Sorcha moaned against Munroe’s collarbone when he came into her, he didn’t think he’d ever stop filling her as he bucked into her three times before he was finally empty, he’d never experienced anything quite like what they’d just shared. 

She made that happy little hum that sent Munroe’s skin tingling in a delectable way as her hands slid onto his cheek. 

“Wow,” she hummed happily as she stroked her thumbs over his cheeks. 

“Wow indeed,” he chuckled breathlessly as he kissed her collarbones. “Are you really staying?” He murmured against her skin, scared he’d imagined it. 

Her stomach fluttered as she slid a hand into his hair, “I’m really staying.” 

“Watashi wa sore ga hoshī, So-chan,” he murmured with a smile. 

“Hmm, maybe I won’t.” She grumbled at the lack of understanding. 

“I’d like that, Sorcha.” He smiled sincerely down at her. 

“You would huh?” She giggled beneath him. 

He had to suppress his moan from the way her walls had clamped around him while he was still inside her as she’d laughed, he was more surprised that she’d actually giggled. 

“Indeed, I would like that very much.” He purred seductively as he placed a tender kiss to her lips, he never wanted to stop kissing her. 

“So would I,” she smiled softly at him, her eyes turned tender as she took him in. 

His breath caught as he gazed back at her, his eyes wetting at her words but he blinked them away as he pulled away from her. She pouted at him when he slid away from her but he grabbed for the blanket on the couch and was quickly back at her side, lowering himself beside her as he threw the blanket around them. He gently tugged her into him, her cheek settled against his chest as he pulled her in, he didn’t plan to unwind from her anytime soon, not until he was sure this was real. 

Chapter Text

57.

Sorcha was staring out the window in what was now her old room, she was sorting through the remainder of her things that had been left in here, mostly just clothes to be moved to Munroe’s room, their room she corrected herself. 

She’d left her pack by the bedside table as she tried to organise everything, she’d gotten distracted when a red deer passed by, she had watched it till it disappeared back into the trees. It really was peaceful here, for the most part. 

Munroe was out taking the animals back in after they’d had dinner, she had never been so happy to eat something hot and while he was out she’d taken the time alone to wash up, then change the bandage on her knee to a plaster instead, now that it was mostly healed she didn’t need a bandage. 

She also realised why she’d struggled in the truck as she washed herself, when she’d unwrapped it her knee had been throbbing from sweating in a bandage for two days. So she had aired it out for a while after the shower before applying some salve and a large plaster, similar to the one on Munroe's shoulder. She’d also noticed the scratched behind her ear was practically gone and the bruise on her neck was yellowing, she couldn’t wait to be whole again. 

She glanced down at the plaster on her leg, hoping that would be the last injury she’d sustain in a while. 

She let out a sign as she glanced back out the window again, the growing darkness making it hard to see if anymore animals stirred amongst the trees. She tugged at the grey baggy T-shirt she was wearing as she gazed out the window, she had stolen one of Munroe’s instead of looking for her own, it hung just above her knees. 

“I’m not sure if you look cute or ridiculous drowning in my clothes,” Munroe chuckled from behind her. 

She twisted to see him leaning against the door frame as he took her in, he smiled when she looked at him and she couldn’t help but find it utterly breathtaking as he stepped towards her. He wrapped an arm around her as he reached her, his hand flattening over her stomach as he slid up behind her. 

“I didn’t think you’d mind,” she murmured as she slid her hand over his.

Her fingers traced the bite mark she’d left on that hand, she glanced down at the small teeth marks in his hand now that he wasn’t wearing a bandage over it. She couldn’t see the ones on his palm from the way he held her against him but she knew they were there, she really had hoped it wouldn't scar but it looked like it was going to. 

“I don’t,” he whispered as he placed a kiss on her cheek. “You look good in my clothes, far too good for your own good.” 

She let out a laugh at that as she twisted to face him, a wicked look crossing her face as she looked up at him. That look made him nervous. 

“Would you be happy to know that I'm only wearing your top and nothing else?” She murmured sensually. 

His hand fisted into the material as he pulled her closer, “very.” He snarled as he pulled her lips to his. 

She started undoing his shirt as she kissed him back, she nudged him towards the bed which made him chuckle. 

“Wait wait,” he was still chuckling as he pulled his lips from hers, her hands stilling on his buttons as she gave him an agitated look. “Don’t be like that,” he purred as he pressed his lips between her brows. “I have something for you, I want to give it to you before we get carried away and I forget.” 

“For me?” She raised a brow at him as she stepped away from him. What else could he possibly give her? 

“You’ll like it,” he smiled at her. “I finally got the last part I needed for it, so I can give you it.” 

He walked towards the bed and pulled something out of his pocket as he sat down, he kept his fingers curled around it as he motioned her over to the bed. 

She realised as she got closer it was a little box of some sort, she climbed onto the other side of the bed and knelt beside him as she sat in the middle of it. Her brows furrowed as she tried to figure out what he had in his hand and what could’ve been the last part that he had needed for it. 

“What is it?” She whispered nervously. 

“Hold out your hand,” he murmured. 

She raised one of her hands up and watched as he unfurled his fingers before placing a small handcrafted wooden box in her palm, she blinked at it, there were holes all over it. They had a shape to them but they were so small she couldn’t make them out, the only place it didn’t have holes was the bottom she realised as she carefully twisted it in her hands, it had a small switch. 

She was utterly confused at what it was as she sat it upright in her palm again but Munroe was smiling knowingly as he watched her, she wanted to ask again but he reached for the lamp and turned it off plunging the room into grey as the sky outside darkened. 

He carefully picked up the box and flicked the switch underneath it, light erupted from it as he set it back down on her open hand, throwing small beams of light around the room from the small holes. 

She was still staring at it confused when he gripped her chin and guided her head upwards towards the ceiling, she nearly dropped the box at the sight before her. 

She couldn’t take it in fast enough, there were stars on the ceiling. Not real ones but he’d created the night sky in a box for her, she couldn’t stop the tears falling at how utterly beautiful this gift was. 

“It’s not the moon,” he murmured. 

She shook her head as she finally looked at him, tears still in her eyes. “I have no words, Munroe. It’s wonderful,” she let out a happy sob. 

He slid his hand into her free one, a sweet smile crossing his lips as he took her in. “I was right, even fake stars don’t compare to your eyes.” 

That’s when she noticed it, the way he looked at her, what Lachlan had told her to look for. His eyes were practically alive as he looked at her, she’d never noticed the fire behind them before or that he looked at her like nothing else mattered, like nothing else would ever matter more to him. 

She was not ready for those feelings yet, she wasn’t sure how strongly she felt, she wasn’t ready to open that door. She did know that here was exactly where she wanted to be, he was exactly who she wanted and when she was ready she was sure he’d help her come to terms with her full feelings. 

For now she would give him what she could, she knew he wouldn’t push her for more, he was far too good to her for his own good. 

She gently placed the box on the bedside table before wrapping her arms around him as she pulled him in for a kiss, he immediately returned her kiss. His hand sliding into her hair as he lowered her onto the bed, the kiss turning more heated as she tugged him on top of her.

He pulled back to look down at her, his fingers teasing through her hair making her hum, she couldn’t give him all of her just yet but she would give him what part of her she could for now. 

“Munroe,” she whispered sincerely and he paused to watch her, “thank you.” 

“For what?” He asked gently. 

Her fingers stroked over his cheek, “for the stars and for making me feel alive again. I didn’t know I was barely living before you, you made me feel alive for the first time in a long time.” 

He let out a long breath, “oh Sorcha. Would you believe you did something similar for me?” He smiled when she gave him a dubious look, “my life was pretty dreich before you. You brought light into my life, I didn’t think I could ever feel the way I do right now.” 

She snorted in amusement at that, “are you sure you're talking about my stubborn and grumpy ass?” 

He chuckled at that, “you certainly didn’t hold back at first. It was entertaining, kept me on my toes.” 

“And I always will,” she laughed as she placed a kiss on his jaw. 

“I hope that you do,” he groaned as he pressed his lips to hers. 

She pushed his shirt off, her hands trailing the muscles on his back as she shoved it off him, she dragged her hands around his ribs and up his chiselled chest. 

“Can I tell you something else?” She whispered against his lips. 

“If you want to,” he murmured softly as he pulled back. 

“You're like the sun to me I think,” she whispered as her eyes focused on his scar, she was too scared to look at him. 

“And how’s that?” He chuckled slightly. 

She took a deep breath as she touched the tip of his scar, trailing her fingers down it slowly. “I find that I can’t help but gravitate towards you when you're near me, it’s like you pull me into your strange gravity field and I never want to not feel it. I’ve been following a pull the whole time I’ve been out here surviving but I don’t feel it pulling me away from here,” she trailed her fingers down to the bottom of his scar and stopped. “Because it’s right here, it’s you.” She finally raised her eyes to his. 

His eyes had widened and they were full of adoration as she found them, it made hers water as she gazed at him.

He cupped one of her cheeks as he watched her, his breath catching as he stroked his thumbs tentatively over her soft skin. Her heart clenched at the tender touch and the way he was gazing back at her. 

“Then I suppose it makes sense that you are my whole world,” he softly whispered. “The only thing that exists in my own personal universe, you are everything to me. My stars, my galaxies, my world. The only thing that exists right here,” he covered her hand that was still on his chest and flattened it there, right over his heart.

“Munroe,” she hushed softly as she sweetly took his jaw in her hand and pulled him towards her.

He groaned as his fingers gently bit into her head and murmured as his lips brushed against hers, “Sorcha.” 

The kiss was soft and tender as their hands gently skimmed over each other. Munroe gripped the bottom of the top she wore and slowly slid it off her as his fingers tentatively roamed her body, he tossed it to the side as she pulled his belt off and began unbuttoning his jeans. He quickly removed them, not caring where he tossed them either as he lowered himself back over her. 

Sorcha took his face in her hands, gently tracing every part of his face as she took him in. He hummed out a soft noise at her tender touch and they both gazed at each other for a long moment, just taking each other in. He gently swept stray bits of her hair out of her face as his other hand traced small teasing circles all over her body, starting on her hips, then stomach, up her waist to her collarbone as if he was mapping every part of her. 

She decided to give him one more part of her as she looked at him, she wasn’t ready to face how she fully felt but she could give him this. 

“You’re mine,” she breathed out as she dragged her fingers down his jaw towards his neck. 

He let out a shuddery breath as a delightful shiver danced down his spine at her words, “yes, I’m yours.” 

She gently tugged him down to her, her legs parting further for him as he slid deeper between her legs. Their lips finding one another desperately as he started to enter her, a soft moan escaping her lips as he slid deeper within her. 

She tilted her head back, sliding her lips to his ear as she sweetly murmured to him, “And I’m yours.” 

The noise that came out of him was husky and desperate as he moved deeper in her, harder, claiming her as his lips caressed her jaw. 

“You’re mine,” he growled as he nipped her jaw. “All mine.” 

And with that she was utterly lost to him, she didn’t think after earlier that their sex could be anymore earth shattering but he proved her wrong as their bodies twisted into one, it was almost like they couldn’t hold each other close enough and that if they tried hard enough they could become one. 

When they were both finally spent and breathless, they lay caressing each other as if they were still trying to learn and memorise every inch of each other or perhaps they just weren’t quite ready to let go of one another just yet. 

And as Sorcha nestled herself into him and he wrapped himself around her, she knew she was safe, safe in his arms. Finally she was where she was supposed to be, that tug had been leading her here all along. Sorcha finally felt like she belonged somewhere, she finally felt like she was home for the first time in a long time. 

Chapter Text

58.

She was woken up when she felt Munroe shift below her as he started to slide from the bed, she grumbled in protest making him chuckle, she felt his chest rumble. She peeked an eye open and glanced at the darkness outside, letting out another disgruntled noise as she closed her eyes. 

“It’s too early,” she hissed out in her sleepy state, yanking the covers around her as he sat up, groaning at the cold that nipped at her from his movement as he shifted the covers.  

“Don’t worry I’m not asking you to get up,” he murmured softly as his hand softly stroked against her hair. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he whispered as he placed a soft kiss on her temple. 

She heard him get up and pad towards the door, Athena leapt onto the bed as soon as he was gone and curled up at her feet, Sorcha smiled when her feet instantly heated. She could hear Munroe go into the bathroom as she tried to lull herself back to sleep but she felt like she was awake now, they had gone to sleep far earlier than they normally would have, perhaps she should just get up. 

She heard the shower click on and a wicked thought crossed her mind, she could join him in. She was also very ravenous for food she realised as her eyes opened, she didn’t know what she wanted to do first him or get food, she supposed he’d make food after. 

That thought had her sitting up, the dog threw her a dirty look, she clearly didn’t want to wake up yet, not that Sorcha was going to make her get up. 

Sorcha glanced around for something to put on and found his shirt lying on the bottom of the bed, she tugged it on and started doing up the buttons. She couldn’t stop smiling as she did them up, her skin was still tingly from yesterday, she was a little miffed he’d been holding back on her. Maybe it was just the shift between them that made it feel different, she couldn’t tell as she rose from the bed. 

She also realised she still had to tell him that Ailith would be paying them a visit soon, she wasn’t particularly worried about his reaction but Ailith might take her throat out for her change of heart. She sighed, they’d deal with it together. 

It really was early, she realised as she spared a glance towards the window as she passed it. She wondered why he was up at this hour, not that she could actually tell the time but she guessed it was nearly dawn if he was up. 

Silently she padded down the hall, steam was twirling out of the bathroom door that had been left open just a crack. She rubbed at her eyes as she went, she stilled her movements as she heard a series of high pitched clicking. She held her breath as she tried to figure out where it was coming from, her eyes darted to the bathroom but that didn’t make any sense, was she imagining it? 

Slowly she slid up to the door as more clicking came from inside, she nudged it carefully and waited, nothing happened but something was telling her to stay quiet, she wasn’t about to ignore her instincts again. 

“English please,” Munroe sighed from inside. “I’m far too tired to translate.” 

Her brows furrowed at that as she slid closer to the door, her heart was racing as she edged closer. She nearly jumped as she peered around the door, there was an angry click just as her eyes skimmed the room. 

Munroe’s back was to her and he was facing the mirror, she couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary until she focused on what he was doing. 

“Very well,” a strange grating voice called through the odd looking radio that lay by the sink, she’d never seen that before. 

She watched in horror as Munroe slid a finger into one of his eyes, she had to bite back the gasp that threatened to escape her as she clamped her lips shut and watched as he plucked a contact lens out of his eye. She slid a hand over her mouth as she registered that he did have the same brown eyes underneath but what lay in the middle of them made her want to scream. She felt sick at the sight of that gold ring encasing his pupil, she watched as he plucked the second one out. 

Her knees nearly buckled at the sight, he was a mutt. She wanted the ground to swallow her up, part of her wanted to curl up in a ball and never unwind from it again but then her other instincts were kicking in, the ones that kept her alive and she wanted to find the largest knife she could find to embed right into his throat. She knew that was her being irrational and if she was going to try to fight another mutt she did not plan on throwing herself at him in a fit of rage, that would get her killed, she wondered if he would kill her or worse perhaps he would keep her captive if she didn’t win against him. 

“Agent 1078,” that grating voice hissed, it sounded exasperated but she couldn’t be sure. “We require an update on your situation in sector Alpha.” 

Munroe sighed and Sorcha’s eyes snapped to him, he was glancing down at the alien device. She couldn’t tell what was going on as she watched him, she wondered what update they were looking for and she wondered why he had a number. 

“Everything is normal,” Munroe replied as his eyes shifted back to the mirror. 

Sorcha was glad she still had her hand over her mouth as he pried off a cap from his teeth revealing a very sharp canine underneath it then he removed the second cap as she tried not to scream again, those teeth had been at her throat many times and other places, had he wanted to sink his real teeth into her when he’d nipped at her?

God she had bit him, his blood had been in her mouth, she tried not to gag at that thought. Then dread coiled in her stomach, not only had it been in her mouth he’d given her a blood transfusion, she was tainted with his blood.

“And the human female in your care?” The voice crackled. 

That made her tense, what had she to do with this? 

Munroe didn’t respond to that, his hand gripped the sink tightly as he took a deep breath, he was staring at the alien device again. 

“Has there been any progress?” The strange voice sounded annoyed this time, “I know this one has proven difficult for you… we could always take care of the situation–”

“No, I've made progress,” he grumbled as he started pulling things from the cabinets.

She felt utterly sick at those words and at the fact that from the sounds of it there had been other women before her, what the hell was this? What the hell was going on? She was trying not to spiral into panic, so she could take in as much information as possible. 

“So she is breedable and on her way to being impregnated?” 

“Yes,” Munroe’s reply was short as he ripped open a fresh packet of contact lenses. 

“Good, we worked hard to set up that crash. It would've been a waste if you couldn’t get her to comply,” the voice sounded like it was chuckling. 

They’d set up the crash and he’d been part of it? Of course he had, he was the daring hero and he’d played his part well. 

She couldn’t listen to anymore of this, she glanced down at her stomach as she pulled her eyes from the bathroom. Had he impregnated her? She resisted the urge to touch her belly, she’d deal with that later she told herself as she quietly made her way back to the bedroom. 

She was such a goddamn fool, nothing good came from this world but she had stupidly wanted to believe it. She was just some broodmare to him, no better than how human men look at her. The only difference was he was the smarter predator out of the two, he’d handled her with care from the first moment and made her feel like he didn’t view her that way at all. 

He’d really made her believe that he’d saved her and Athena when they’d caused it to get her to him, she bet the Voleux he’d allegedly killed weren’t actually dead, including the one who’d tore her open. Had that been part of the plan too to keep her here longer? 

She was reeling with all this information that she didn’t know what to do with, the only thing she knew for sure is that the aliens' plans for earth were obvious now. Breed humans out of existence with their mutts, they were far more fertile than humans… she really didn’t want to think about that right now, it made her sick to her core as she slid back into the room. 

Athena thumped her tail as Sorcha passed her, she didn’t have it in her to greet the dog. She wanted to tear the whole place down around her, maybe get out and burn it to the ground while he was still in here. She knew he’d survive that, mutts were hard to kill and she certainly wouldn’t get away with laying a trap for him, although one would work on him but pulling it off would be tricky. She’d need a knife near their bed to pull it off while he was otherwise engaged, she didn’t think she could stomach him touching her again after finding out what he was. She felt utterly violated that he’d lied about what he was to seduce her. 

She let out an exasperated sigh as she spun around to face the door, her knee hit off the bedside table making her hiss as it clattered loudly, she had to catch the lamp from falling off it. 

“Sorcha?” Munroe called from the hall as the bathroom door opened, his voice made her shudder. “Was that you?” 

She took a breath and put a mask on as she sleepily stumbled to the door, yawning as she leaned against it and rubbed at one of her eyes. 

“Yeah,” she mumbled as she twisted her head towards him. She tried not to freeze when she found him peering out of the bathroom at her, the contacts back in and his teeth looked flat again. “I got up too quickly and hit my knee on the bedside table,” she smiled softly at him. 

“Are you ok?” His brows furrowed at her. 

She nodded, “I was to busy thinking about what’s for breakfast that I didn’t see the table.” 

“What would you like for breakfast?” He smiled at her, she tried to ignore how warm and soft it was. 

“French toast,” she shrugged thinking it would be a ridiculous request. 

He nodded, “I’m just going to finish up in here and then I’ll sort that for you.” 

“Sounds perfect,” she sighed. 

He slid back into the bathroom and she let her face drop, she had to figure out what to do but playing pretend would at least buy her some time. 

She quickly grabbed her pack, dropping the clothes in it that she had folded to move into his room and then headed for the kitchen, she dropped her pack and opened the first cabinet she came to and started pulling out tins of food, dropping them into her pack as she went, she dropped four in, she could still hear the shower but she wouldn’t risk more so she filled up the kettle and turned it on. It started to slowly boil as she scooped up her pack and slid into Munroe’s room, she placed it by her usual side of the bed and moved the clothes to hide the food below them. 

She slid back into the kitchen and started making up a cup of tea just as she heard the shower click off, she tried to slow her heart as it started racing. She’d get out of this, she had to. 

Just when she’d thought she’d found where she belonged, she squeezed her eyes shut, something else she’d think about later. She couldn’t become emotional right now, it would help nothing. 

She sat on one of the high chairs and sipped her tea as she tried to stay calm and when the bathroom door opened she slid that mask back on, she tried not to tense when she heard him come down the hall towards her. 

“You didn’t have to get up,” he purred in her ear as he wrapped his arm around her. 

She hated how good that felt, his lips brushed her cheek and she hated that she still liked the way it felt. 

“I was hungry,” she shrugged. 

“I better sort breakfast then,” he chuckled as he started to turn her face to him.

She pulled away from him and he blinked at her in surprise, she tried not to wince as she looked into his eyes. His fake eyes, the real ones hiding underneath and she tried not to look at his teeth either. 

“Sorry, I feel a little sick.” She lied. 

She swore his eyes flicked to her stomach and it took everything in her not to lunge for one of the kitchen knives, she’d have never noticed the intention behind that small glance before. 

He slid his hand over her forehead, “maybe you should go back to bed.” 

She shook her head, “no it’s maybe just coming up to my time of the month.” She could only hope that it would come, not something she often hoped for. 

He just nodded, “take a shower see if that helps. I’ll make breakfast,” he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. 

She slid off her chair as he started pulling things from cupboards, she didn’t look back as she stepped into the bathroom and took a shower. She didn’t know when she’d get the chance to take another when she got away from here, she just had to be smart about getting away. 

She’d pretty much scrubbed herself raw by the time she was done, no amount of scrubbing could make her feel clean ever again or wash away the betrayal she felt. She kept the towel close to her as she headed for his room, he gave her a lazy smile as she passed and she hoped she gave him a convincing one back. 

She quickly got dressed, she eyed the weapons on his desk. It'd be suspicious if she strapped them to her right now, she had a plan though. She dropped her jacket on the end of the bed and took a deep breath before entering the living room, a convincing smile on her lips as she leaned on the kitchen island and watched as he tossed some meat to Athena. 

The dog was wide eyed as she watched him, her tail swishing all over the kitchen floor. She was going to have a serious discussion with the dog when she got out of this, how had she not sensed what he was? Perhaps due to both of them being injured it had affected the dog and by the time Athena was fully awake Sorcha had deemed it to be an ok place to stay, she supposed it had been her who had thrown the dog off kilter. And him feeding her had surely helped his case to win the dog over, Sorcha couldn’t be mad at her when she had fallen for it too. 

As he turned his back to her to sort the food, she allowed herself to glare at him as she stalked towards the chair she’d occupied earlier and slid into it. 

She couldn’t deny the food smelled amazing, she didn’t have to fake enjoying it at least as she slid the mask back on when he’d turned back around and slid a plate in front of her. It was utterly marvellous and she hated him for it.

While he cleaned up after breakfast she glanced towards the window, the sun was now just starting to rise. 

“I need new books, I’m running out of ones to read.” She hummed as she brought her cup to her lips. 

“I can get you some when I’m done with my work, there’s a library–”

She shook her head as she set her cup down, keeping her hands around it as she glanced at him. “I’d like to pick them and I do love libraries, I always found myself exploring them–” she smiled at that. “I just wouldn’t mind going as well is all,” she shrugged nonchalantly. 

“Are you sure you're feeling well enough?” His eyes dragged up and down her, assessing her.

She nodded, “I think the food helped a little.” 

“Ok then,” he gave her a soft smile. “If I take you, you have to promise to stay in the truck while I do a sweep?” 

“I could help?” She cocked a brow at him but then gave him a slow smile. “But fine if that’s the condition then I’ll wait and stay in the truck.” 

He left after showing her where the library was on the map, he told her it wouldn’t take long to sweep it and she was glad to know how much time she’d have. Now that Sorcha was alone, she was trying not to freak out as she sat staring at the door.

Slowly she got out of her chair and started to sort what she’d need, first braiding her hair back before finding her leg straps, sorting which knives she’d need and then slid her gun into her jacket when she put it on. She still didn’t have her rifle but she’d make do with her knives and hand gun, she didn’t have time to look for it. 

She found her swiss army knife in one of his drawers and grabbed that along with a spare large knife that she hid in her pack, she also gently slid Kadon’s bear to the bottom before closing the bag up. Her eyes landed on the music box that was left on the bedside table, she wanted to throw it against the wall. She wouldn’t be taking that with her, she dragged the bag through to the living room and waited as she ignored the hurt building in her. 

It hadn’t taken them long to get ready when he’d come back, he’d sorted lunch while she put their packs in the truck. He’d offered but she’d insisted as sweetly as she could while he was making lunch, he planned to take her somewhere after they were done to eat, not that she’d be hanging around to find out if her plan went smoothly. 

It wasn’t long before they were in Kingussie and outside the Badenoch library, if it wasn’t for the worn sign Sorcha would’ve thought it was a church. She’d have totally bypassed it without knowing what it was. 

“Stay in the truck,” Munroe murmured as he gently stroked her cheek.

She smiled at him, “I promise I won’t leave the truck.” 

He nodded as he leaned into her, she pulled back and an awkward laugh bubbled out of her.

“You better not in case I am sick, you’ll catch it.” She placed her hand on his wrist, she tried to ignore how warm it was. 

“I’ll take that risk,” he chuckled as pulled her lips to his. 

Her hand tightened on his wrist as she kissed him back, her lips parting for him as she leaned back into him. Her body was utterly treacherous as it revelled in him, she hated that she could still want him like this. It was just her body reacting, she told herself. 

“I’ll be as quick as I can,” he murmured softly as his hand reached for the door. 

Sorcha nodded as he slid out and she watched as made his way towards the door, she was mentally kicking herself for allowing that to happen but if she hadn’t he’d know something wasn’t right. She watched as he slid into the building and counted a few breaths before she climbed into the driver's seat. He'd made it far too easy for her, she thought as her eyes landed on the keys still in the ignition. 

She glanced at the doors, they weren’t swinging open so he must not be looking. She twisted the key, shifted the truck into gear and hit the gas as she got herself out of there. She glanced in the rear view mirror, again the doors weren’t swinging open so he must be deep inside by now. That’d give her some extra time to put miles between them, her eyes darted down to the fuel dial and she was in luck it was full, it’d take her as far as she wanted. Not that she knew where that would be, just far from here. She had something else to deal with first before she went too far. 

Athena poked her head up as they hit open road, she glanced at Sorcha then at the empty seat before twisting to look out the back window. How could Sorcha explain to her what had happened? She couldn’t, she just had to hope the dog would trust this decision.

Sorcha found what she was looking for in the next town and pulled over, she had to be quick, she was sure he’d know by now that she was gone and she didn’t know how quickly a mutt could track. 

She let Athena out and made her way up the steps to the pharmacy, she gently knocked on the door and waited. Nothing stirred so she tried the door, luck was on her side today she thought as the door swung open and she made her way inside. 

Athena stuck close as Sorcha skimmed through the shelves, she didn’t think she was going to find what she needed when she accidentally kicked a box along the ground and watched as it slid down the aisle. It was what she was looking for, she scooped up the morning after pill and took a deep breath as she turned it over in her hand. 

She hoped this would work, it was less effective the later you left it she knew that but she didn’t think she was pregnant and if she was it wasn’t far along, so she hoped this would prevent it. 

She stopped at the counter and placed the box on it, she stared at it for a long moment. This was probably going to make her sick from how out of date it will be but the alternative wasn’t an option for her, they’d had a lot of sex, she wasn’t stupid to think she could avoid the outcome that she really didn’t want if she chose not to take this. She couldn't risk it, she hadn’t been able to keep her hands off him, although she had thought he was infertile like all men and didn’t think there was any risk but he wasn’t human and the virus the Voleux spread didn’t affect them or their mutts. 

She ripped open the box and glanced at the leaflet that came with it, it was the one that was effective up to five days after. She shoved the leaflet to the side as she picked up the pill packet and popped the pill out into her hand, she didn’t even think about it as she tossed it into her mouth and swallowed. 

She spotted a pen by the counter and plucked it up, scribbling on the inside of the ripped open box to find that it worked. She wrote a note in it and glanced at it when she was done: better luck next time, mutt!  

She smirked at it as she dropped the empty pill sheath beside it, the leaflet was still on the counter as well. If he did track her she wanted him to find it, she hoped it hurt when he did or pissed him off. 

She helped Athena back into the truck and it wasn’t long before she had them back on the road, again not caring where she was going, just driving as far as she could go. 

She tried to get Munroe out of her head as the world blurred by her, she didn’t know if she was pissed or upset. She knew she wanted to hate him, the thought alone sent an ache through her chest. She did hate him for dangling something so beautiful in front of her… it was just an illusion though, a beautiful lie he had woven her and she hadn’t tried to pick it apart because she desperately wanted to believe it, even now she wanted to believe it wasn’t a lie. 

She saw the life they could've had there and it was ripped from beneath her in an instant, tears rolled down her cheeks and splatter on her jeans. She tried to blink the tears away so she could focus on the road and she wondered if like Paisley if she had known from the start would she have still grown to care for him? Maybe if he’d told her himself she’d have gotten over it. Sure she’d have been scared, angry… she shook the thoughts off. 

They were pointless to think about, she'd never know now if she could’ve gotten over it and what did it matter anyway, he didn’t have real feelings for her. She doubted if he had told her about him that he’d mention the breeding program, she couldn’t escape from being seen as a broodmare. She wondered if this was her punishment for opening up and allowing herself to feel something for someone else when she had told herself once before that she was allowed to feel nothing but pain, she had to endure, that was her penance. Munroe being a mutt had to be her punishment for allowing herself to feel more than she should’ve, she supposed she deserved this pain. 

Chapter Text

59.

She grumbled as she pushed herself up, her mouth was unbelievably dry and she was very warm. She had to wipe her face off with her sleeve, there was that much sweat dripping down her face. She glanced down at herself, she was damp all over, she was going to have to change her clothes before she moved them on. 

She glanced out the window as she took some deep breaths, the sun had just started rising. They’d stopped somewhere in Cumbria, she’d crossed the border and just kept going. She didn’t know exactly where she’d stopped, just that it was near the Lake District National Park. She’d maybe drive back and forth across the country to see if that kept him off her scent. If he was even following her that is, she’d play it cautious just in case.

She quickly found a bottle of water and took a deep drink, she really shouldn’t. She should save it but she was desperate for a drink and she was glad he’d left the cooler in the truck. She had some fresh food to last her a few days thanks to that. 

She gasped for breath when she twisted the cap back on the bottle, it had to be the pill. Did that mean she was pregnant? 

She didn’t want to think about that as she pulled a sandwich out of the cooler and a tub of meat that must be for Athena, she dropped the meat into the front for the dog which made her very happy. She’d taken the back while Athena had curled up in the front, it had taken the dog a while to settle down, she had clearly been looking for Munroe which made Sorcha sick with guilt but it also gave her something else to hate him for, for allowing Athena to become attached to him. 

She unwrapped her sandwich and tucked into it, for once she couldn’t finish it all. She’d eaten half and then forced herself a few bites of the other half before tossing it to Athena, her stomach twisted and she just hoped that she wouldn’t throw up while she tried to get changed.

She only changed her top, it had been a struggle. She was still sweating and the sick feeling was making her dizzy, she would move on and then try to get changed tomorrow. For now she wanted to get moving, she let them both out the truck to take care of their other needs and when they were done she got the truck back on the road. 

The sick feeling grew as she drove, the world blurring around her didn’t help. She had to keep wiping the sweat from her face and she was starting to panic that she really was sick, perhaps it was the pill working but she didn’t think it was supposed to do this. 

She needed to pull over before she got worse but the threat of Munroe finding her kept her moving, she was getting hotter and hotter as the miles passed by and she was sure it wasn’t the sweat blurring her vision anymore. 

She groaned as her stomach lurched violently, she started skimming the road ahead for somewhere to stop. She spotted a car park sign and pulled into it, she swerved the truck everywhere and found it difficult to find the right pedal to stop. She ended up hitting a tree as she breaked, it wasn’t hard but it did jolt her which just added to how sick she felt. 

She was boiling now, she was sure she had to be on fire. She glanced at her hands but no flames lay there, she needed to find something cold and she needed fresh air. She slid out of the truck and shut the door behind her, Athena watched her from the back seat as she leaned against the truck. 

She was just going to be a moment, she thought as she took a heaving breath. The cool breeze ruffled her damp clothes, she glanced down at the fresh shirt she’d put on earlier, it was already soaked through. She couldn't tell it was wet from how much she was burning, she couldn't see the fire so it had to be under her skin. 

Her eyes couldn’t focus as she crumbled to the ground, the rocks hard on her knees but the gravel was cool on her hands so she didn’t care as she peeled her jacket off and lowered herself onto the ground. She swore it sizzled when he cheek touched it, she let out a sigh of relief at the cold now biting into her skin. 

She wasn’t sure if she’d passed out as her eyes fluttered open again, just that she was now forcing herself up onto all fours as her stomach rolled and then she was emptying it onto the gravel.

She spluttered as she pushed herself up and wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand, she was gripping onto the front of the truck when she stumbled. Something caught her foot and she went crashing to the ground, a hysterical laugh bubbled out of her as grass tickled her shoulders, the trees stretching out above her before her eyes fluttered shut while she blacked out again, that fire dragging her back under. 

“Sorcha,” a soft, gentle voice called to her.

“Hmmm?” She could only muster a small hum, her eyes still clenched tightly shut.

“Sorcha, you have to wake up.” That voice whispered as fingers gently skimmed over her cheek.

“No,” she croaked, her throat and mouth drier than the Sahara desert currently, she guessed she hadn’t drank enough earlier. 

“Sorcha,” those hands skimmed her face. “Baby,” he murmured as the voice started to become more distinguishable. 

Tears slid down her cheeks as her eyes slowly opened, Kadon was smiling down at her as he held her face, his golden hair was glowing, all of him was glowing she realised and she wondered if he was the source of the heat she felt. 

“Kadon,” his name was a broken sob on her dry lips. She tried to reach for him but her hands wouldn’t move.

Boom, boom, boom, boom. Sorcha’s brows furrowed at the loud, sharp noise nearby, she couldn’t make out what it was.

“You have to wake up,” Kadon urged her. “Wake up Sorcha before you join me.” 

More tears as she sobbed, “t-that d-doesn’t sound b-bad to… to m-me.” 

She still couldn’t move, she longed to touch him, to pull him to her, those deep blue eyes softened as she gazed at him. 

Yes, be with him, be with him again, that’s where she belonged. 

She’d ached for this, ached for him, had ached for him to touch her like this for a long time. If only she could make her useless hands move to hold him back, to embrace him finally.

Boom, boom, boof, boof, boof. That noise started to shift into something else, Sorcha wanted to shut it out, she didn’t want to acknowledge it, she just wanted it to be her and Kadon. 

“Listen. Sorcha, you have to listen to what’s going on.” Kadon whispered desperately to her.

She shook her head as more tears burned her face, just let me be with you, she wanted to scream it for the world to hear.

Boof, boof, woof, woofwoofwoof. That was barking, a dog was barking nearby. 

Her stomach tightened as she realised… Athena! But Athena never barked so something was wrong, extremely wrong. 

Sorcha wasn’t sure if she’d thought the dogs name or screamed it, she just knew that barking grew much more frantic after she’d thought the dogs name.

“Ath–ena.” She croaked out.

Where was she? Was she safe?  

Sorcha rolled her head to the side, the world was fuzzy and there was the dog frantically pawing at the window, she was a blurry black blip in Sorcha’s vision.

“Stop,” Sorcha sobbed towards the dog, she was scared that Athena was going to hurt leg if she kept going. “St-stop!” 

“Sorcha,” Kadon whispered urgently. “Sor-shhh-aaaahhhh.” His voice twisted into something raspy and hissing. 

The hissing turned into a raspy, croaking groan. As she twisted her head back she could hear teeth snapping and she realised it wasn’t Kadon above her. Her fever had made her hallucinate, that made more tears stream down her face, she had wanted it to be him. Instead it was a dead one hanging over her in some sort of trap. A trap she must have triggered when she tripped, its fingers occasionally scraped at her face from where it dangled. 

She tried to shove herself away but she was so weak from whatever fever coursed through her and she couldn’t even move herself an inch if she tried, she heard rope snap above her and the snapping dead thing fell a little closer.

Dead… she was dead, she slid her eyes shut and began to embrace the possibility of it, she was done for this time, the fight was gone from her and there was no getting out of this one on her own. 

Then something began pouring onto her, disgusting, cold, thick and foul smelling liquid spilled onto her neck and chest. The dead thing above her went still and then disappeared just as she looked up at it again, Athena went silent before a very low warning growl erupted from her.

“Ah, there you are.” A deep male voice drawled, he sounded slightly cheerful. 

“Mun-roe?” She whimpered as she blinked up at the trees. 

“No sweetie,” the voice chuckled. “I’m afraid I don’t know anyone by that name.” 

She didn’t have the strength to look at the source of the voice, she’d be dead soon anyway.

“So this is the source of all that noise?” A woman laughed as some branches snapped. 

Boots crunched to a stop above her head, her eyes flicked up to see a white haired woman peering down at her with a soft smile on her face as her hazel eyes lit up. 

“Careful,” the man snapped. “She’s very sick.” 

“I can see that, Jackson.” The woman snorted. Her voice was soft as she looked back down at Sorcha, “don’t worry we’re here to help.” 

“Athena,” Sorcha whispered. Her fingers twitching towards the truck, they were the only part of her she could make work right now. She didn’t care about herself, the dog, they had to help the dog.

“Yes the dog too,” the woman soothed.

Sorcha huffed in relief, the sky was spinning as she glanced up at it. 

“Ohh that’s a nasty discolouration on her neck,” Jackson tutted. 

“Never mind the bruise look at her veins,” the woman gasped. 

“Shit Vee, are they turning black?” Jackson hissed as he stepped closer to Sorcha. 

Vee bent down over Sorcha’s head. “Have you taken something?” She asked gently, Sorcha just nodded. 

“I suspect she’s been with a mutt and tried to take care of the byproduct herself,” Jackson let out a deep breath. “Petra is going to want to know about this… we should wrap this up, I don’t doubt the barking attracted some unwanted attention.” 

“Ok,” Vee muttered as she placed her hand on Sorcha’s head. 

Sorcha groaned in relief at the coolness of it, she wanted to know how they knew what she’d done. 

“Can you get the dog out?” Jackson laughed nervously, “I think she’s going to eat me alive.” 

“Big baby,” Vee hissed. “Be gentle with her then, she’s in a very fragile state.” 

Jackson made an annoyed noise as Vee stepped away from Sorcha, she hissed in pain as Jackson scooped her up. Her eyes fluttered shut as pain coursed through her, she tried to ignore every jolt of lightning that went through her as he walked with her in his arms. 

It wasn’t long before she was being manoeuvred into what sounded like a vehicle from the sliding door and then she was being laid out on a bed and strapped to it, she wanted to open her eyes and look but they didn’t want to open and he’d placed a blindfold on her after he’d strapped her in. 

She heard a bag being thumped down and then a plastic thump, her pack and the cooler she assumed. 

“I don’t know what you were worried about,” Vee teased. “That dog is a sweetheart and I even got the bags with no fuss.” 

“Yeah I’m not buying it, I’m going to stay safe upfront in the driver's seat.” 

Vee laughed and then made a kissing noise, Sorcha heard Athena leap in. A weight settled beside her as the dog leapt up and lay against her, she let out a grumble then at the strange person. 

Sorcha shushed her as her fingers reached for the dog, she wasn’t sure where they were going. She wasn’t strong enough to fight what was happening, they might have doctors and she knew she desperately needed one. Pain coursed through her as the vehicle started moving, the road was bumpy and she ended up falling into darkness when the pain became too much. 

Chapter Text

60.

MUNROE

Munroe swiftly made his way into the library, he’d given the doors a good thump before entering. He didn’t find anything lurking inside even with the contact lenses limiting his sight, not too much that he couldn’t see, they dulled his sight to be more like how a human would see. 

Not that he really needed to rely on sight alone, his sense of smell would warn him of anything rotten long before he saw it and his hearing would pick up even the softest scrape nearby. He sensed nothing to worry about in here, still he moved around the building just in case anyone or anything was lurking in here, he wouldn’t allow any threat near Sorcha. 

He knew it was ridiculous, she could handle herself, she’d more than proven that but his instincts were roaring at him to keep her safe no matter how well she could defend herself. 

She had smelled off to him this morning so he really didn’t want to take the risk, he wondered if she was getting sick. The smell she had around her was like the one she had before she jumped off the dock, not as strong and there was something else to it that he couldn’t place. Perhaps she was about to bleed like she said, he hadn’t detected it the first time so he wasn’t used to that scent quite yet and she’d been in the bath when he’d found her that day, the lavender soap had covered the scent of what her onset smelled like. Regardless of what was wrong with her, he’d ensure this place was safe before she set a foot in here. 

He glanced around at the stacked shelves when he’d deemed the place clear of any threat, she really was going to love this, he smiled as he walked through the rows of books. 

His heart stumbled and came to a stop when he opened the door, the truck was gone and her along with it. His heart picked up then and started pounding wildly as he strode over to where he had left them, taking in the scents all around as he went. 

Nothing, he could detect no other scent but hers and Athena’s. So what had happened? Why was she gone? 

He picked up the direction the truck left in and followed it, perhaps she’d seen some dead ones in the distance and led them off, not that he could sense any had been nearby, he’d find her and find out what had happened. 

His heart steadied as he calmed himself by tracking her, he tracked her to the next town over, stilling as he caught her scent. Not her scent masked behind the truck but her, she’d gotten out here the trail was much stronger. He followed it into a pharmacy, trailing the path she had taken. Stopping at some very bare shelves, he looked up to see if there were any labels to find what she had been looking for but the signage had long been ripped from the place. 

Anything she needed he could get, so why had she come here? He knew she wasn’t here anymore but he wanted to know what she had been looking for, so he followed her scent towards the front counter. 

He froze when he took in the box that was lying there, it had been torn open and an empty pill sheath lay beside it, the leaflet was tossed carelessly to the side. 

His blood chilled as he got closer and spotted what was scribbled inside the box, he was going to sick. She’d left him, she said she was going to stay and she left him, she had said she was his and he was hers. His heart was shattering in his chest at the realisation that she must’ve heard his conversation this morning. 

He thought he’d heard something in the hall earlier but had waved it off with the shower being on and he hadn’t scented her out there, his shirt must’ve masked her scent and after barely letting go of her last night she’d smelled very strongly off him. He did like when she smelled like him, it settled him in a way that it probably shouldn’t be able to. 

He had to explain, if she'd heard that conversation with his commander then he really had to explain. His eyes flicked to the box again, was she pregnant? He hoped she wasn’t, he didn’t think that was the other scent on her. He had hated having to answer those questions but it was necessary that they believed he was still staying the course, he didn’t want Sorcha to end up in their clutches, he was trying to keep them off his back. He’d felt disgusted with himself even saying he thought of her as breeding stock and if he had gotten her pregnant and if she heard him then she really wasn’t going to hear him out.

Sure he had been raised to see human women as nothing less, he hadn’t questioned it until her. He’d been unbelievably territorial of her from the start, Lachlan being around her had set him on edge from that first moment in the lodge. He never batted an eye before around him but he found he did not want to share Sorcha, he had told himself it was simply because he hadn’t tasted her yet and he didn’t want the charming blonde to ruin his chances. 

But then there was the Voleux on the farm, unlike the ones at the crash the blood on his face had been real. They’d stupidly asked to mate with her, baited him that they wanted their turn and he’d lost it. Lachlan and Ailith had been utterly horrified at him for it but they helped him cover it up nonetheless. He'd never been territorial in his life to snap like that, he told himself it was because of the amazing sex they were having and that he was fond of her. It took him just to keep his hands off her and he’d convinced himself he just didn’t want anyone else to experience her like he did. A male getting territorial was rare but it did happen amongst his kind, he had told himself it was bound to happen at some point. 

His eyes slid to the empty pill packet again, he really was going to be sick. If she was pregnant, taking that wasn’t going to end it, it was going to make her very sick, the foetus would poison her for trying to kill it. It was their defence mechanism to keep its host from removing them. The foetus’s itself, even as an embryo, could choose what it would take in and in turn release a toxin if it detected anything that could cause it harm. 

Fuck he should’ve told her what he was when he was going to, when he thought she had just decided to go before he found her at that campground, he was going to tell her then. Until she led him to Euan and he’d been absolutely terrified at what she could do, Euan wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed but he was extremely violent, one of the strongest hybrids he had known and his tiny little Sorcha had felled him. He hadn’t felt confident enough to tell her then, he’d been a goddamn coward and it had cost him. 

He had to find her if she was with child because that pill would kill her and if she didn’t want it, then he’d remove it from her womb, safely. 

His knees buckled and he sank to the floor, anger and dread flooded him at his current predicament. 

His heart was still shattering in his chest and he didn’t know what to do about it, he had fallen for her, that much he knew. He didn’t know exactly when, it had crept up on him and now he didn’t even know who he was anymore without her scent encasing him, without her consuming him heart, body and soul. He belonged to her now, she had shattered and unmade him.

And then she had remade him, awakening that part of his being that he thought was long gone and yet he loved her, loved her when he shouldn’t be capable of it at all anymore. A part of him that his father had tried to stifle, his finger reached for the scar on his neck. He had never shared that with anyone, not to the extent he had with her, even if he did miss out the part where his father wasn’t human.

His father had taken his throat out for loving his mother, he’d killed his mother for trying to taint his prodigy. It was his life he had truly wanted to take but when his mother had begged for him of course that alien bastard had wanted to make an example of her and had beaten him into submission afterwards until he believed emotions didn’t exist. 

They didn’t exist in the Voleux, at least not emotions like humans whose emotions were vast and deep. Voleux felt pride, bloodlust, disgust, lust and anger. Any other emotions were useless, so they ensured their hybrids didn’t feel more than they were meant to, forgetting they were part human too. Emotionless is what he told himself he had to be, he had hated his emotions at least until he met Sorcha and she’d made him question his whole being. 

What his father would do to him for being brought to his knees over a human woman, a human woman that he loved with every fibre of his being.

It dawned on him as he sat there, tears steaming his face, what she was to him and why he was beginning to unravel at the thought of her not being near him. What he had denied that she was because he didn’t think it possible between his kind and a human, it rarely happened between Voleux as they weren’t designed to be attached to one another for the rest of their lives but it did happen occasionally. 

He had suspected after last night, it had felt like a claiming and he’d wanted to sink his teeth into her, to mark her as his, to make her entirely his. It would’ve sent him into a mating frenzy if he had claimed her like that, he wasn’t sure how it worked in humans, if it would’ve caused a frenzy in her but he wouldn’t have been able to keep his hands off her and it would be worse than how they already were if she was what he believed her to be. 

He had wanted to sink his canines into her a few times, he’d never wanted to bite a female in his life, it was far too intimate to share with just anyone but when she’d bitten him, he’d nearly bitten her back then. And thanks to his father ensuring that the scar on his neck would remain there as a reminder of that awful day, he knew how to make sure that her bite would scar so he had set that bite with chlorine. He had told himself it was because he needed her to believe he was human but it was because he wanted the reminder that his wild little human had marked him so viciously with her flat little teeth, his fangs strained against the caps at the thought.

He was hers and she was his, he’d find her. She was his pülk flam, he was sure of it and if she was his heart flame there was no place he wouldn’t go to find her.

He pushed himself up and grabbed the box with her note in it, shoving it into his pocket as he tried to control his shaking and his breathing then did the one thing he didn’t want to do. 

He tugged out his radio and informed his commander that he’d need someone to tend to his sector, his ‘asset’ had gone missing and he had to find her, he left out the part about her willing running away, he lied and said a supply run had gone sideways. 

She’d found out in the worst way possible about what he was because of his cowardice, he had been too scared to lose her if he’d told her and now he had lost her. He had to explain, he’d tell her everything, he’d even grovel if that’s what it took to get her to hear him out then he’d deal with the possibility of her maybe carrying his young, he’d do whatever she wanted with it as long as it meant it wasn’t going to harm her. As Munore started following the truck's trail again he ignored the sharpness in his chest, the remaining fragments of his heart cutting him deep as he began his hunt for his mate. 

Chapter Text

SORCHA

The sick feeling grew as Sorcha drove along the open road and away from him, the world blurring around her didn’t help the nausea that she felt. She had to keep wiping the sweat from her brow and she was starting to panic that she really was sick, perhaps it was the pill working but she didn’t think it was supposed to do this to her.

She needed to pull over before she got worse but the threat of Munroe finding her kept her driving, her temperature kept rising and rising as the miles passed by and she was sure it wasn’t the sweat blurring her vision as she struggled to fully keep her eyes open.

She groaned as her stomach lurched violently, and she started skimming the road ahead for somewhere to stop. She spotted a car park sign and pulled into it, she swerved the truck everywhere and found it difficult to find the right pedal to stop. She ended up hitting a tree when she hit the break, it wasn’t hard but it did jolt her forwards which just added to how sick she felt.

She was boiling over at this point, she was sure she had to be on fire. She glanced at her hands but no flames lay there, she needed to find something cold and she needed fresh air right this instant. She slid out of the truck and shut the door behind her, Athena watched her from the back seat as Sorcha leaned against the truck.

She was just going to be a moment, she thought as she took a deep heaving breath. The cool breeze ruffled her damp clothes, she glanced down at the fresh shirt she’d put on earlier, it was already soaked through. She couldn't tell it was wet from how much she was burning and sweating, she couldn't see the fire on her skin so it had to be beneath her flesh.

Her eyes couldn’t focus as she crumbled to the ground, the rocks hard on her knees but the gravel was cool on her hands so she didn’t care as she peeled her jacket off and lowered herself onto the ground. She swore it sizzled when her cheek touched it, she let out a sigh of relief at the cold now biting into her skin.

She wasn’t sure if she’d passed out as her eyes fluttered open again, just that she was now forcing herself up onto all fours as her stomach rolled and then she was emptying it onto the gravel.

She spluttered as she pushed herself up and wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand, she was gripping the front of the truck when she tried to stumble up. Something caught her foot and she went crashing to the ground again, a hysterical laugh bubbled out of her as grass tickled her shoulders, the trees stretching out above her before her eyes fluttered shut once more and she blacked out again, that fire dragging her back under.

“Sorcha,” a soft, gentle voice called to her.

“Hmmm?” She could only muster a small hum, her eyes still clenched tightly shut.

“Sorcha, you have to wake up.” That voice whispered as fingers gently skimmed over her cheek.

“No,” she croaked, her throat and mouth drier than the Sahara desert currently, she guessed she hadn’t drunk enough earlier.

“Sorcha,” those hands skimmed her face. “Baby,” he murmured as the voice started to become more distinguishable.

Tears slid down her cheeks as her eyes slowly opened, Kadon was smiling down at her as he held her face, his golden hair was glowing, all of him was glowing she realised and she wondered if he was the source of the heat she felt that burned her. 

“Kad-don,” his name was a broken sob on her dry lips. She tried to reach for him but her hands wouldn’t move.

Boom, boom, boom, boom. Sorcha’s brows furrowed at the loud, sharp noise nearby, she couldn’t make out what it was.

“You have to wake up,” Kadon urged her. “Wake up Sorcha before you join me.”

More tears as she sobbed, “T-that d-doesn’t sound t-terrible to… to m-me.”

She still couldn’t move, she longed to touch him, to pull him to her, those deep blue eyes softened as she gazed at him.

Yes, be with him, be with him again, that’s where she belonged.

She’d ached for this, ached for him, had ached for him to touch her like this for a long time. If only she could make her useless hands move to hold him back, to embrace him finally.

Boom, boom, boof, boof, boof. That noise started to shift into something else, Sorcha wanted to shut it out, she didn’t want to acknowledge it, she just wanted it to be her and Kadon.

“Listen. Sorcha, you have to listen to what’s going on.” Kadon whispered desperately to her.

She shook her head as more tears burned her face, just let me be with you, she wanted to scream it for the world to hear.

Boof, boof, woof, woofwoofwoof. That was barking, a dog was barking nearby.

Her stomach tightened as she realised… Athena! But Athena never barked so something was wrong, extremely wrong.

Sorcha wasn’t sure if she’d thought the dog's name or screamed it, she just knew that barking grew much more frantic after she’d thought the dog's name.

“Ath–ena.” She croaked out.

Where was she? Was she safe?

Sorcha rolled her head to the side, the world was fuzzy and there was the dog frantically pawing at the window, she was a blurry black blip in Sorcha’s vision.

“Stop,” Sorcha sobbed towards the dog, she was scared that Athena was going to hurt her leg again if she kept going. “St-stop!”

“Sorcha,” Kadon whispered urgently. “Sor-shhh-aaaahhhh.” His voice twisted into something raspy and hissing.

The hissing turned into a raspy, croaking groan. As she twisted her head back she could hear teeth snapping and she realised it wasn’t Kadon above her. Her fever had made her hallucinate, which made more tears stream down her face, she had wanted it to be him. Instead, it was a dead one hanging over her in some sort of trap. A trap she must have triggered when she tripped, its fingers occasionally scraped at her face from where it dangled.

She tried to shove herself away but she was so weak from the fever coursing through her body and she couldn’t move herself an inch if she tried, she heard rope snap above her and the snapping dead thing fell a little closer.

Dead… she was dead, she slid her eyes shut and began to embrace the possibility of it, she was done for this time, the fight was gone from her and there was no getting out of this one on her own.

There was another snap above her and the dead thing fell closer, its nails digging into her shoulder this time, she let out a painful yelp as she tried to move away but her limbs wouldn’t obey her as the dead one clawed its way into her skin. She groaned in pain as her shoulder tore open, tears slid from her eyes as they slid towards the truck to see a very frantic Athena biting at the plastic beneath the window, the dog's mouth was bloody as she frantically attacked the door.

Sorcha let out a sob just as the sound of rope finally snapping cracked through the car park and the dead thing was on her, her sob was quickly stolen from her as her throat was torn open.

It hurt but she couldn’t make a sound as it ate into her, its hands clawed into her abdomen. Blood poured from her and stained the ground she lay on as it pooled around her in a thick dark puddle.

She was struggling for breath now as the zombie tore into her collarbone, the pain was twisting away and soon she was floating, she let her eyes flutter shut. She’d be with Kadon soon enough, there was no surviving this, she hoped Munroe had followed her if only to find Athena.

Athena… She wished she could hold on to find out the fate of the dog but she knew she couldn’t hold out long.

Slowly she turned her head and reached towards the truck the best she could do to point him in the right direction, her fingers stretched towards Athena inside the truck as she slowly faded.

She’d lost too much blood, she could feel the thing tearing at her but she’d lost so much that it didn’t hurt she was just aware of it. When her eyes finally found the dog watching her, Sorcha smiled at her loyal companion.

“It’s ok,” she mouthed even though no sound could come out.

More tears fell as Sorcha took her final breath, she was gone.

G̸o̸n̵e̴
      ḙ̷͗͑
        e̷͙͔̰̣̿̎

         ę̴̨̛̯͖̖̦͎̳̠̋̅̎̉̕͝

 
          é̸͙̂̎͜͠͠͝n̶̮̭̘̻̫͋

            e̶͔̪̘̹̲̯̊̈͐͒̄̉͋͗̿̎̊ṅ̸̨̢͕͍͇̲̙̭͈͈͍͋̑͜͝o̷̪̝̲͒̐ͅ
                ȩ̵̛̳͙̪͉̈̏͐͗͐̀̽̈͋̍͋͘̚̕͝͝n̵̨̬̘̖̳̟̦̟̣̤̰̙̹͕̉͒̈̃̇͜͜ͅǫ̷̡͚͖̣͇͎̍̆̀͆̈̉̈́̍̆́͋͘Ģ̶̧̢̣̰̭͙̮̣̺͕̬̞̤͇̓̀̉͗̔̆̾̏̈́͛͘
                      G̵̢̳͙̍͑
                      Ġ̵̡̻̹͔̩͚͙̬̪̪͍̟̞̲̫̙̘̗̔́̇̊͌̌̍̅̆͗͒͂͆̾̕ͅͅͅo̵̢̧͓̺̺͔͕̯̦̝̠̲̟̫̦͎̞̙̝̩̟͙̙͉̞̰̺͚̾͆̀̄̽̆͛̀̓̄̀̆̐͛̄̋͋͌͗̑̈́̇͆̋̈́͗̀̑̃̐͒͘͘͜͝͝͠͠
                        G̷̨̧̛̩̦̣̭̫̩̤̬̗̠̬͓̼̜̭̫̰͔̤͖̻̯̰̥̞̞̲͔͑̍͒̒̐̇̒̓̇̒́̏̔͐̈̃̏̍̀̌͜͜͠͝͝ͅơ̴̡̙͚͕̻͔̥̮̪̘̯̼͖̣̈͊̐̂̾́͒̿̒͋̔̎̍̈̋̾̅̈́̓͘̚͝͠͠n̶̢̨̡̛̛̝̝͎͍͎̫͔̮̩̹͎̦̣̬͚̼͙͖̠̮̩̱̥̣͕̝̖̪̭̭̳̙͔͚̠͑́͘͜  
                            G̸̢̧̬͙̝̲̻̦͎̖̬͖̜̺̲͙̯̼̼͓͚̫̘͇̠̑͋̉͆̊̐̆̒̌̈́͂̚ͅo̸̢̡̢̡͎͉͔̣͚͕̹̠̱̯̯̗̪̠̲̥̹̞̞͕̩͔̘͉͙͖̥͍̱͎͓͔̙̜͕͖̠̠̱̹̯̬͈̩͑́̑́̑͒̇͒̑̾̐̿̐̈́͂͊͛̽͑̕͘͘͜͝͠͝͝ͅn̶̢̡̡̨̛͔͙̮̻̞̤̘̖̠͈̱̱̝͔̙̪̠̫͎̝̙͇̳̼͚̹̬͗͒̈́̾̓̓̄̽̀̒̀̋̈̑́̈̆̎͒̐̈͊͌͛̓́͂̉̂̓̂̂̀͊̕͘͘͘͝͠͠͠ē̴̡̨̨̡̧̢̢̨̨̡͎̠̺̺͕̤̺̻̝͎̰̠̹̙̮͈̭̦̺̼̫̮͉͓̳̦̦̝̗̻͔̖̦̖͕͖͚̍̏͊͗̋̉͑̈́̎̓̓͝ͅ      

Sorcha Anne Robertson was no more even as her eyes opened anew when the dead one was finally done with her, they were no longer her eyes that looked out into the world completely void of colour and soul, an empty and hungry creature lay behind them now.

MUNROE

He knew he was getting closer to her now, but he refused to let the exhaustion get to him, four days of walking was nothing he told himself but with barely a few hours of sleep it was definitely starting to weigh on him.

The GPS on the truck had stopped after the first night and hadn’t moved from that location, he checked his communication device which just looked like a walkie talkie but it was alien coms-tech disguised to look that way.

He slid the back panel open and the dot was still there and unmoving, he knew she wouldn’t be waiting but if it had run out of gas following her scent and finding her by foot would have been easier than trying to flag down the truck.

Only a few more miles, he told himself as he clipped the device back onto his backpack strap. He pushed himself forward, a new determination set in as he picked up his pace, he focused his ears listening for any threats as he kept moving.

His device vibrated once against his chest letting him know he was getting close, there was a sign for a car park up ahead and he bet she pulled in there but his stomach curled with dread instead of excitement for some reason, there was a hollowness slowly settling inside him, one he had started to feel three days ago but had ignored.

The feeling was numbing and overwhelming, his feet dragged even though he wanted to stride forward, and he felt cold. He could smell decay, blood, her blood… it was everywhere, the hollowness threatened to swallow him alive, his instincts screaming at him not to turn the corner but he had to know—no.

No.

His eyes closed, opened, closed, opened.

It didn’t change it, didn’t fix the milky silvery dead eyes staring at him, watching him with undead hunger as her teeth snapped, her body was half before she turned… he couldn’t look at it, he wasn’t sure if his heart was breaking or if the hollowness prevented him from feeling it.

He took agonising step after step towards her, it hadn’t touched her face but she was so pale, this was his doing he told himself as he dropped to his knees before her.

Her undead hands clawing at his trousers as he leaned towards her snapping teeth allowing the emptiness to guide him, he took her cold hands in his to stop her from tearing his leg open, he held them firmly but with reverence as he exposed his throat, he would not stop her from devouring him, he was hers, hers to devour and he had caused this.

He did not want to be here without her, he still couldn’t tell if his heart had broken, perhaps it had stopped beating entirely he couldn’t feel it to be sure.

“I am so sorry Sorcha,” he croaked as he squeezed her hands.

There was no understanding, she was gone, only a hungry shell of her remained.

“Watashi o tsuretette, watashi o oite ikanaide, watashi wa kimi nashide wa sekai ni sonzai dekimasen.” He murmured as if she could hear him.

He could feel her cold breath now on his throat as he shut his eyes, a soft scratching noise behind him caught his attention, such a small weak sound but he turned his head towards the truck and stood gently letting go of her hands as he walked to the truck.

He was breaking the window open before he knew what he was doing and reaching for the exhausted dog, he hadn’t even thought about it when he spotted her splayed on the seat, she was panting heavily and clearly exhausted. He was quick to get the water out of his pack, she couldn’t lift her head to drink so he helped her by holding her head up and letting her lick from the bottle, he was still numb as he worked to cool her down.

“Athena,” he murmured softly as he stroked her.

The dog's tail wagged softly as he tentatively set her back down, he soaked a spare top and placed it over her warm belly, the cool fabric helping to take her temperature down. He stepped back and looked at her as he focused on her vitals while brushing the glass from the back seats, the sound of her breathing and heart had levelled out now.

His eyes shifted to Sorcha again and the memory of her nearly bleeding out in his truck hit him like a bus;

“Please,” she gasped, stifling her sob. “Athena, you have to–” tears dropped from her chin onto their hands, “please look after her.”

“You're gonna do that yourself, you aren’t going to die.” He squeezed her hand a little tighter, his eyes never leaving the road.

“Just promise if I do-” she tried to squeeze his hand. “Please.”

“I promise,” he murmured.

He gulped as he glanced at Athena and then Sorcha, he didn’t want to be without her, he couldn’t… couldn’t exist without her—‘Please,’ her voice in his goddamn head made him insane and break all at once. ‘I promise,’ his own reply screamed through him.

He cursed himself as he gently shut the truck door, the window smashed open letting air in for the dog as he stumbled back over to Sorcha, if he was going to live for Athena he could not leave her here like this.

Tears rolled down Sorcha’s cheeks, they were his tears dropping onto her as he finally broke, joining her would be too easy it seemed, his punishment was to live with this horror.

Her dead hands beat at his chest until he took them in his once more and she was so cold, his eyes blurred from the tears.

“I… I… promised.” He placed a soft chaste kiss her forehead before driving the blade in, her fingers no longer trying to tear his chest open and he roared in despair. He knew she had gone long before he had got here but feeling her go limp was what had done it for him as he held her and that thread that tethered him to her snapped, it ricocheted through him and finally, he could feel his heart breaking, shattering, it beat uselessly in his chest like it deserved to do such a thing without her.

Munroe was on one knee at the edge of the dock with his eyes tightly shut, his hand gripping the boat tightly as if he didn’t want to let it go just yet, he barely recalled getting back here. The drive to the cabin had been a blip in time, he couldn’t focus with her body in the back, he’d been delicate in covering her and placing her inside and then it was a blur, the world, his mind, all of it.

He released a breath, a painful sound, he hadn’t been able to breathe fully since he’d found her and as his eyes opened they focused on her lying in the boat that he’d filled with wildflowers, wildflowers from the meadow just beyond the shore, they were in her hair like they had been the day he’d shown her the beautiful little spot and the colourful blooms cushioned her body in the boat as he laid her upon them and had surrounded her with them.

He’d zipped her jacket back up to cover the parts of her that had been devoured, he’d thought of changing her, putting her in something beautiful but it hadn’t felt right to parade her in some flowery dress his mother once wore. He took a shaky pain pain-filled breath as his eyes pooled with tears, the salty beads threatening to spill over. She’d come to him dressed as a warrior, it was not his place to take that away from her in death, he’d left her hair unbound however as he’d placed the flowers in her dark waves, he couldn’t bring himself to braid her hair and keeping it down hid the wound he’d inflicted to end her.

His knuckles turned white as he gripped the boat tighter, he couldn’t let go, he had to but he couldn’t, not yet. His tears finally fell down his cheeks, he flinched at a soft brush of silk under his arm. Athena’s warm brown eyes stared up at him as she rested her chin on his thigh, that had been enough to make him sob aloud because he did not deserve her comfort nor did he deserve her, he did not deserve either of them.

Athena put her paw on his thigh and whined softly as she looked over the edge and into the boat, she knew and he knew that the dog was well aware that Sorcha was gone. He could not stop the onslaught of his tears as he used his other hand to sink into the dog’s fur, “I’m sorry.” He whispered it would never make up for it, never.

The dog slipped away from him and lay at the edge of the dock, her paws hanging off the ledge as she stretched her head towards Sorcha’s still form and her nose pressed to her cold pale cheek. The boat shook gently with the way Munroe was trembling as his tears wracked through him, he wasn’t ready to let go. How could he let go… he couldn’t but he had to, he owed her this even as his whole being screamed at her to stay… Stay.

Stay.

Stay.

Stay.

Even if not with me, just stay right here and I’ll go in your stead.

His thoughts could not change this, prayer would be useless and he knew because he’d tried, there was no medical or technological advancement of his father's race that could undo death's final embrace. 

He took several calming breaths as his head dipped down, he owed her this much, he owed her everything and more but he would never be able to give her that now.

“Jūbun ni fukai shazai wa arimasenshi, watashi ga yurushi o ukeru ni ataisuru yōna kotoba mo arimasenshi, tonikaku watashiniha yurusareru shikaku ga arimasen.” He managed out in a whisper through his aching throat, it felt far too tight as he raised his head to look at her while his bottom lip trembled.

His fingers tightened, and her stillness pained him to his very being, hollow was his body and soul. He’d felt magnetised towards her, it was still there but the thread was quite as if urging him to join her but the soft whines of Athena drew him back to why he couldn’t, not yet.

With gritted teeth, he pushed the boat out, “Tsuki ga kirei desu ne.” He murmured as he shifted from kneeling on one knee to both as he watched her float out over the water, Athena’s ears flattened on her head as a low whine came out of her as she watched the path of the boat.

“Koukai shite imasu,” he whispered sincerely as he pressed his hands to the dock and bowed deeply until his forehead touched the wood, no apology or amount of regret could make it for it and Gods how he wanted her to charge out of that boat and yell at him, he’d take all of her ire, all of it if it meant she was still breathing, still existing.

Slowly he sat back onto his heels, his face burned with the hot tears that had soaked into his skin, his eyes focused on the boat on the water as it slowly started to submerge itself in the loch. He’d put a hole in it to lay her to rest with him… to send her back to the one who was truly deserving of her, he wanted to ensure they were together in this way and though he did not know where Kadon had been laid to rest he knew all water found its way to the sea, she’d find him because Munroe was sure Kadon would be waiting for her and he’d do the right thing by sending her to him, if it was him he also would’ve waited for her to find him once more but he knew when his time came she would not waiting and he did not expect her to.

Whatever remained of his tattered heart and soul shattered completely as he watched the boat go under, the flowers he’d placed around her floating up onto the water's surface where she had drifted down below.

He hadn’t been sure how long he knelt there staring at the flowers as they scattered across the surface, the darkening sky making the light petals look like stars coming out to play in the loch as the surface of the water turned dark along with the sky, the irony was not lost on him that those flowers had made up a starry night sky on the loch’s darkening surface.

Munroe only got up when Athena nudged him, he followed her back to the cabin, of course, he knew the way but he didn’t have it in him to think or care about where he was going, nothing felt right anymore with his chest hollowed out because his heart sank to the bottom of the loch along with her and he willing let it go down with her.

Athena curled into the armchair that she always occupied with a sad huff, she was doing much better in health now from being stuck in the truck for days but she didn’t eat nearly as much and he’d tried but knew the dog would be grieving in her own way because Sorcha was all she’d known. He gently stroked her before pushing the door open to his room, he froze when his eyes landed on that music box.

His eyes closed and his jaw tensed, his knuckles turning white on the door’s handle as the metal dug into his palm sharply and for a brief moment he thought about shattering the box against the wall from the pain that had sliced through him but slowly he walked towards it and took it into his hands as he dropped onto the bed. His thumbs stroked the engraving on the lid that he’d renewed, tentatively he opened it and the delicate tune danced around the room while he set it on the bedside table.

He dropped backwards on the pillow, her pillow, and her scent encompassed him, he gulped from the emotional pain that tore through him but he welcomed it, he deserved it after all as he allowed himself to drown in the agony. The scent would fade so he’d let it tear him apart over and over again as he took in her soft vanilla scent, hints of lemongrass and cinnamon woven in with her scent, he knew that the spicy scent had come from him because she hadn’t smelled like that until she’d been with him and gods how he’d relished in the addition of his scent to her soft sweet one, it was a bittersweet thought now.

He sighed letting out the breath he knew he’d been holding since he walked away from the dock, his eyes closing as he wallowed in their bed—his bed… he corrected himself but it didn’t feel right, when he’d thought of it as theirs even if it had been brief it was hers to him as much as it was his.

His eyes snapped open when he felt the bed dip, his heart had stopped hoping for one stupid moment it was her but a wounded sound came out of him as Athena slumped beside him, her chin dropping onto his chest as she huffed out a whine.

“Sorry girl, I thought—” he gulped and let his words trail off as his fingers slid into the soft dark fur of the shepherd's neck.

This is who he was surviving for, he’d do it for Athena because it’s what Sorcha had done and would do, he’d live to keep his promise to her. He looked down at the dog as her warm brown eyes sleepily started to close as she settled herself into sleep, she hadn’t gotten much of it so he didn’t move as he allowed her to get comfy. And once his promise was fulfilled he could let go like he wanted to, but for now he’d live for Athena as she needed him.

“Watashi wa anata no tame ni ikimasu,” he murmured to the sleeping dog and he understood his new place in this godforsaken world, he was done with it all but for now he’d watch over her.

Chapter Text

Christmas Bonus

Munroe was panting heavily by the time he appeared in the clearing that revealed the rustic little cabin in the forest, her ridiculous demand was being dragged behind him. He’d made a mistake in mentioning it was almost Christmas, he’d been rather good at tracking the months during the seasons changing, so she’d sent him out for a tree. 

He huffed as he got to the door and swung it open, he blinked at the sight before him. She’d brought the cats in and her arms had been shredded by Basst whom Sorcha was wrestling a Christmas jumper onto, the cat skirted away as fast as she could when she was released and glared her annoyance from the kitchen island, it appeared Artemis had been far more willing. Athena was grumbling in the corner with hers on, he didn’t even want to know where she found them as she grinned at him. 

“I have some for us too,” she patted the two red jumpers at her side. 

“I’m not putting one on,” he glared as he dragged the tree inside and shut the door. “Besides you already made me get a goddamn tree and your arms are about to be painted red in a moment from the mess of them, so you aren’t going to need one.” 

She rolled her eyes at him, “she barely scratched me.” 

He scoffed as he sought out the first aid kit, “I’m not wearing one Sorcha.” 

“Not even when I’m going to be wearing these underneath mine,” she pulled up a bag and pulled out something red, lacy and see-through.

He gulped as he looked at them, “You can’t bribe me.” 

“Not even if you get to unwrap me out of them later?” She purred seductively as she dropped them back into the bag. 

He groaned as he sat beside her and took her arm, starting to wipe her arms. It turned out they weren’t as deep as they looked, he wouldn’t have to cover them. As he finished cleaning up, he turned to look at her, a glare on his face. 

“Curse you, woman,” he snarled as he gave into her, yet again as he held his hand out. 

Her face lit up as she handed him a jumper and he tugged it on, she smiled as she started to do the same but he grabbed it. 

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” He growled as he glanced down at the bag. 

She gave him a slow smile as she curled her fingers around his neck, “oops.” She nipped his jaw and he groaned as he snaked an arm around her waist, “Do I really need them though to work you up?” 

“Definitely not,” he whispered as he tugged her closer, his mouth lowering to her.

“Seen as you’ve been very good,” she murmured against his lips before pulling away and picking up the bag. “Put the tree up properly, I’ll be right back.” 

And she slipped into his room to change, so he indeed moved the tree to the stand she’d left out marking where she wanted it and then sat back down on the couch glaring down at his jumper. He huffed his annoyance when he read what was on it, ‘I’m sexy and I snow it’ with a snowman underneath. 

He heard the door open and close, that glare landing on her. She had reindeer with bells on them, she jingled as she walked towards him. 

“I’m not wearing this,” he hissed as he gestured to what was written on it. 

She stopped at the back of the couch, “it’s already on.” And she lifted her jumper slightly revealing that red lace, “Take it off and I’ll take this off.” 

“Are you blackmailing me?” He muttered. 

“Maybe but,” she leaned into him and whispered into his ear. “I’ll let you do whatever you want to me later if you continue to be good to me.” 

He dragged her over the back of the couch and onto his lap, “I can think of a few things…” 

“Mmm,” she hummed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Do your worst,” she hushed as she pressed her lips to his. 

He moaned as her soft lips brushed his and he pulled her closer as he started to deepen the kiss, she pulled away and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. 

“We still have to decorate the tree,” she shook her head at him as she slid from his lap.

“With what?” He sighed in frustration as he watched her practically slip over to the tree. Who’d have thought she liked Christmas? 

He was smiling at her as the door was flung open, Munroe had to adjust himself quickly as two figures slid in. 

“Santa’s here,” Lachlan had a shit-eating grin on his face as he entered. 

Munroe narrowed his eyes at the jumper he was wearing, it read ‘festive as fuck’. 

“I wonder how you knew to wear a Christmas jumper?” His glare slid to Sorcha and she gave him an innocent smile. 

“Looks like we have another Grinch,” Lachlan sighed and glanced at Ailith, who wasn’t in a Christmas jumper. “Looks like you have a friend, sit with the other grump.” He shook a box at Sorcha, “I found some decorations!” 

He and Sorcha tore through the box as Ailith slumped down beside Munroe, tipping a flask to her lips and then handing it to him. He took it and drank, he was going to need more alcohol than that to survive this madness.

“I hope you have more,” Ailith hissed as she took her flask back. 

“Of course,” he chuckled at her. “We are going to need it,” he glanced at the chaotic duo now decorating the tree. 

He shook his head as he stalked over to the kitchen and pulled out some whiskey and glasses, sticking them both on the table as he sat back down. He whistled Athena over who curled up beside him, still in a mood about her jumper. He could sympathise with the dog. 

“I’m sorry,” he muttered softly as he scratched her chin. 

“Oh Ailith,” Sorcha suddenly said. Making everyone look at her, “I figured you wouldn’t wear one so I got one for you.” And then she tossed a jumper at Ailith. 

It landed in the redhead's lap, the two men held their breath as Ailith picked it up and looked at it, it read ‘sleigh bitch’. Ailith huffed out a short laugh before shoving it on, she didn’t say anything about it. 

Lachlan and Sorcha were nearly done with the tree, she was just trying to put the topper on when Lachlan plucked something from the box and held it over her. 

“Look what I found,” he wiggled his eyebrows at Sorcha as she took in the mistletoe. “You know what that means?” 

She was blinking at him when he closed his eyes and leaned down with his lips pursed, a hand stopped him as it covered Lachlan’s whole face and she felt Munroe slide up behind her. 

“Seriously?” He hissed at Lachlan. 

Lachlan grinned as he shoved Munroe’s hand off him, “You’ll do if you insist.” Lachlan winked at him. 

“Don’t let me stop you,” Sorcha grinned menacingly as she took a step back. 

Munroe gripped her arm tightly and growled, “Don’t you dare.” 

Sorcha laughed at that, “fine.” She rolled her eyes at Munroe. “Stop messing around,” she gently shoved Lachlan then rose on her tiptoes, her hand on his shoulder as she placed a small kiss on his cheek. “Merry Christmas,” she murmured as she lowered herself back down.

Lachlan blinked at her, his cheeks turning pink as she shifted her eyes back towards Munroe and slid her hand onto his cheek, his hand slid over hers as he gazed down at her. 

“You did stand under the mistletoe with me as well,” a fiendish smile spread on her lips. 

“I did,” he growled softly as he wrapped his other arm around her and kissed her. Softly, gently kissed her. 

“Now help me put this up,” she whacked him gently against his arm with the star as she pulled away.

“Fine,” he grumbled as he placed another soft kiss on her forehead. 

His fingers curled under her jumper and onto that lace, reminding her of what was to come later for all this nonsense. She gave him a simmering, knowing look as she turned, his arm gripped her tightly around the waist as he hoisted her up. Lachlan wandered away and was messing around with the TV as Sorcha slid the star on the tree, she smiled as she twisted in Munroe’s arm. Her arm slid around his neck as she kissed him again while he put her down. 

“Ugh, that’s enough of that.” Ailith hissed as she began pouring the whiskey for them. 

Lachlan flung himself in the nearest armchair as a Christmas movie started playing, the volume barely audible but with the subtitles on. Then she recognised what the movie was; The Grinch and she gave Lachlan a look.

“I couldn’t leave them out, they're both a pair of Grinch’s.” He pointed at Ailith and Munroe. 

“Lachlan,” Munroe sighed as he sat on the couch. “Shut up.” 

Ailith moved to the other armchair when Sorcha sat down, not wanting to be near the couple if they started necking again. 

Sorcha grabbed her glass and raised it, “Merry Christmas everybody. I know it’s not the same as it was before the fall but I’m glad that we are all still here to enjoy these small, special moments together.” She smiled at them all.

They all leaned forward and took their glasses, all four clinking them at the same time as they wished each other a Merry Christmas before taking a sip and settling down to watch the movie together. 

Munroe glanced down at Sorcha as he wrapped her to his side, she was fixated on the movie. He rested his head against her with a sigh and she nestled herself into his side as he did, sliding her hand into the one that was wrapped around her. He hadn’t been a fan of Christmas before but he was enjoying this one and he had a feeling it had everything to do with the woman at his side. 

Chapter Text

Just straight up smut,

not even gonna lie.

It hadn’t taken her long to find what she was looking for in the old campground, the picture was secure inside her bag and she was rummaging through the reception area for anything that might be useful. She paused when a shadow appeared in the doorway before her, her body tensing and her fingers gripping the knife on her thigh but she quickly relaxed when Athena ran towards the figure with her tail wagging frantically, it was Munroe.

His eyes were locked on her and it was obvious as the light in the room washed over him that he wasn’t happy that she’d had disappeared on him, he briefly looked away to let Athena before she trotted away pretty happy with herself. 

“I thought you’d left for good,” Munroe growled as he leaned against the wall behind him.

“I was coming back, I’d have left with so much more if I was going to actually leave.” She folded her arms over her chest as she glared at him. “Do you actually think that I’d have left without saying goodbye?”

He let loose a deep breath, “I don’t know Sorcha, all I saw was that you were gone and a very vague note about you going somewhere.” 

“I realised there was a camp nearby when you’d left the map out… I had been here with my family before the fall,” she shrugged nonchalantly, feeling like it sounded foolish now that she was speaking it aloud. “I came to find a photo we took here… it’s silly–” 

“Did you find it?” His face softened as he looked her up and down, almost as if assessing her for injuries. 

“Yes,” she sighed before her brows furrowed in suspicion. “How did you find me?” 

“I’m a decent tracker, remember?” He raised a brow at her. 

She just nodded, he had shown her how he tracks deer, “I guess I don't cover my tracks that well.” 

His lips twitched at the corners in amusement, “you're not the easiest person to track, it’s easier to track Athena’s trail.” 

Sorcha looked down at the dog who wagged her tail at the attention, “So you gave us away, huh?” 

“Dog hair falls off easily especially if it snags on something, it’s not her fault.” Munroe chuckled as he pushed himself off the wall and strode towards Sorcha, his hand cupping her cheek as he stopped in front of her. “Come find me next time, tell me that you want to go and I’ll come with you.” 

She leaned into his touch, her hand gripping his wrist like she was unsure if she wanted more or if she wanted to push away. “I wasn’t going far, I didn’t want to bother you.” 

“You never bother me,” he murmured as he lowered his lips to hers.

She melted into that kiss, her arms wrapping around his shoulders as he wrapped her into him. He moaned when she parted her lips for him, his hand slid down to her ass and squeezed her teasingly, it made her gasp and his tongue stroked into her mouth as she did. She was already far too consumed by his touch, she thought of nothing but him and when he pulled away she tried to tug him back to her lips because she was not finished, not yet. 

He chuckled at her impatience before brushing his lips gently against her forehead, “So needy for me.” 

Suddenly he spun her around by her hips, her hands frantically gripping the desk that had been behind her but was now in front of her thanks to his quick manipulation of her position. Munroe’s arm slid around her waist as his lips grazed her ear, gently biting her lobe, the soft ache made her push herself into him while he was behind her. 

“Do you want me right now?” He snarled quietly into her ear, “Do you want me to take you right here, Sorcha?” 

Oh god help her, she groaned internally at the way his voice lit her skin on fire, at the way she’d just soaked her underwear and at how desperately she needed to feel him inside her, it was maddening. 

“Yes,” she whispered, scared to say it any loud in case it gave her away. “Munroe I need you.” 

“I know,” he growled almost desperately before he bit down on the crook of her neck, his tongue flicking against her skin in time with her pulse that was now racing. 

Her thighs clenched as her core grew wetter from that tender bite, she should stop this, messing around out in the wilds was utterly reckless but he was pressed up against her back, she could feel every hard inch of him pressing into her ass and she could feel how much he wanted her right now, he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. 

His hand skimmed down her stomach reaching for her jeans, he swiftly undid her belt, however, he took his time with the button, torturously slow he undid it before he finally and gently slid the material down her thighs and leaving them bunched around her knees. 

“Bend right over the desk,” the command came out as more of a growl while he was undoing his belt. 

She whimpered with need as she glanced over her shoulder and watched him while she did just as he commanded, her bare ass now presented to him. 

“That’s my girl,” he purred as his hand stroked over her ass and up to the small of her back, his fingers gently stroking the two dimples between her hips. 

He gently nudged her feet apart with his foot, as far as they’d go with her jeans still around her knees, he positioned himself behind her, his thick tip pressed to her wet entrance before he slowly sunk into her. She gasped at the way his length slid into her, his girth stretching her in a way that made her eyes roll back into her head. 

“So fucking wet for me,” he moaned breathlessly as he watched her wet heat swallow every thick inch of him. 

“Yes,” she whimpered as her fingers clawed at the desk below her. She was and there was no denying it, the moment he’d kissed her she couldn’t stop the heat that had started to pool between her legs, she found the more they fucked the more she wanted him and needed him. 

“You're so goddamn beautiful like this Sorcha, taking every single inch of me like you were fucking made for me,” he groaned as he slid his hand over the curve of her ass tenderly before gripping her hip. “Hold on tight, Koibito,” he growled before his grasp tightened on her.

Her fingers curled around the edge of the desk when he slowly dragged himself back but not fully out of her. He thrust back into her, hard and deep before the pace turned utterly punishing, her fingers bit so hard into the wood beneath her that they went numb as he pounded into her, and the sound of their skin slapping together reached her ears. Her ass stung with each of his punishing thrusts, she was moaning without restraint as he hit each beautiful spot inside her and his own unrestrained moans sent her spirling further into that building pleasure within her because he sounded so goddamn good as he practically lost his mind over fucking her. 

“You feel so fucking good,” he groaned as his fingers sunk hard into her hips digging into her flesh. 

The desk was biting into her thighs as he fucked her into it, his guttural moans of ‘yeah’ and ‘oh Gods’ had her eyes rolling and she swore they might never come down after this, he felt and sounded so good that it was driving her utterly insane with need. 

His hand wrapped around her throat as he leant into her, his chest now flush against her back while he still fucked her desperately as if he was never going to fuck her again, he moaned right in her ear when she pressed back into him, and she bit down on her bottom lip at that beautifully addictive sound in her ear. 

“You like hearing me enjoying you, don’t you?” His teeth raked her jaw sharply.

“Yes,” she breathed out as she tried to hold onto her sanity. “Oh fuck yes you sound so good,” she mewled as she wiggled herself further onto his cock while he relentlessly took her over the desk, her thighs screaming at the edge biting into her flesh but she didn’t care, the desk, however, was protesting squeakily. 

He chuckled and bit her jaw harder before murmuring against her skin, “You take me so fucking good, don’t you? So perfectly.” 

“Yesyesyes!” She moaned and it was probably incoherent due to how whiny and desperate it had come out of her throat. 

He sucked two of his fingers into his mouth, wetting them before dipping them between her legs and finding her clit pretty instantly, then when she screamed out he tightened his hand around her neck. She groaned as he lightly choked her, his fingers putting pressure on the arteries on either side of her neck making her feel breathless. 

He hushed her but his pace and fingers never slowed, “quiet Koibito, we don’t want to attract any unwanted attention.” 

She clenched her lips shut and closed her eyes, her stomach tightened with each stroke and each curl of his fingers on her bud pushing her closer and closer, each deep thrust of his cock into her wet folds and every slam of his hips on her now pink ass cheeks had her clinging onto the desk even harder. 

Munroe tentatively released his hand from her throat and slid it up to her jaw before burying his face into her neck, groaning deeply as he rolled himself into her, he peppered hot open kisses over the flushed pink heated skin of her neck. She tightened around him then, her toes curing making her rise slightly, his hand softly covered her lips as she cried out and he bit down gently on the crook of her neck, her walls clamped down on him hard as he buried himself deeply within her before he filled her. He moaned deeply as he came right along with her, the sound vibrated across her heated skin where his lips were touching her. 

She whined into his hand when his fingers kept slowly circling her now overly sensitive clit, his hips still gently rocking into her as he came to a gradual stop while easing her down with him. He released his teeth from her neck, his hot breath fanning across her now sweat-slick skin making her shudder. 

“Gods Sorcha, you make me utterly insane.” He gently kissed her jaw, his fingers sliding away from her mouth letting her catch her breath. 

She turned her face to look at him while he was still buried within her, her nose brushing against his. “Good,” she breathed out, her breath curling against his lips before he leaned in and kissed her softly, and a little fiercely before pulling away. 

He cupped her cheek, his thumb gently stroking over her now heated cheek. “Are you okay?”

“I’m good, more than good even.” She purred as a smirk graced her lips. 

Munroe smiled and kissed her forehead, “Stay here. I’ve got a handkerchief in my pack.” He murmured tenderly before pulling out of her, he quickly did up his jeans. 

She did as he said, not moving from her position on the desk and could hear him rummaging in his pack behind her. She took some calming breaths hoping her heart would come back to normal from how intense that was, slowly she uncurled her fingers from the desk, groaning as she straightened out the stiff digits from how hard she’d gripped the edge of it, if she’d had claws she’d have probably punctured the wood. 

“This is a ruse to see more of my pussy isn’t it?” She teased as she looked over her shoulder at him just as he was standing back up.

He smirked his eyes raking over the curves of her smooth buttocks before dipping his eyes between her legs at her wet folds and the dark hair that framed them, he gently teased her wetness with his fingers when he slid beside her.

“Hmmm as much as I’d love to relish in the sight of you flushed and wet and satiated, it is not my intention, I figured you’d rather not walk around with my cum in your underwear when it drips back out of you… though the thought definitely does something to me,” he murmured as he moved his hand away from between her legs and laid out his shirt on the desk. 

She blushed at that, a perverse part of her was most definitely turned on by that thought. “No… you're probably right,” she whispered as she sucked in a breath when he gently started to clean her up, he shifted her to sit on his shirt so gravity could do all the work. 

He discarded the handkerchief when he finished, he gently slid her panties back up her thighs until they were securely back in place on her hips before then doing the same with her jeans.

“I can dress myself, you know?” She huffed slightly when he started to button her jeans back up. 

He smirked slightly before brushing his lips against her cheek, “I know, I just want to take care of you, Sorcha, if you prefer I won’t do it again.” 

She blushed and looked down cause she hadn’t expected that, “no… it’s fine…” 

“I know you love to argue,” he groaned almost like he was annoyed, more likely just teasing her as he wrapped his hand slowly around her back, his other hand slid into her hair as he pulled her against him and breathed her in like she was the best thing he’d ever smelled in his life. 

“Shut up!” She hissed at him and half-heartedly protested as he pulled her in, she sighed as she sunk into his warm body, her arms wrapping around him in return, he was right she did like to argue, she was a glutton for self-sabotaging herself.