Everything is Better in the Morning

Pain. That was the first thing Aidan felt. It burned through her aching body, but the second thing she noticed was the salty smell in the room. Heavy as her eyelids were, she forced them apart to take a glance at the blurry world before her. She winced at the light in the room only to realize it was the lamp. Why was it on? Mumbling something under her breath, she glanced around to find the room was completely empty. No one was there. However, she could have sworn a second ago she felt someone... a being next to her. Shaking herself mentally, she rolled over only to hiss lowly. Her muscles screamed for her to stay still, but she ignored it as she sat up. Her naked body leaned against pillows before laying her head back. Closing her eyes, she breathed through her nose until the throbbing stopped. Once doing so, her fingers combed through her hair and pushing the strands behind her ears. What happened last night? Everything was so blurred. She remembered crimson, then Deirdre... and then...

Aidan's eyes snapped open as everything came back to her in a rush. No... could she have? Her face bloomed red as she threw the sheets from the bed and turned to stand. However, as her feet touched the ground she stopped for a second to catch her bearings. The images flashed before her eyes... him on top of her... slamming into her again and again. The feel of his lips on her skin, his claws along her back, and his tongue... oh god his tongue. He had taken her so many times, that halfway through she had been unsure of reality and dream. He had flipped her onto her hands and knees... against the wall... Every single inch of her had been claimed again and again by him. Every single time she had thought he would release her, he had dived on her small body again. The last thing she could recall was his head between her legs... and the low moan that vibrated from his throat as he tasted her.

Swallowing hard, she stood up on shaky legs and did not dare look at the sheets. She instead walked over to the bathroom where she glanced around the large open shower or the large bath. To her delight, Aidan saw it was a whirlpool bath. Thus, she turned the water on to start filling it up. Searching the cabinets, she found bath salt but decided to skip the bubbles. Adding some bath salt, she stepped into the hot water where she hissed low in her throat again. She had not dare to look in the mirror yet nor did she want to. She was happy just to take a long soak before gathering the nerves to find the lion who had taken her for a ride. "Damn him." Was all she could mumble while she leaned back as the whirlpool begun to massage her with the jets. She had no idea how she felt about this, but she damn sure was going to figure it out.

---

Deirdre McGunner had woken up early. He always woke up early from nightmares, but today he had woken up from a dreamless night. It was a rare thing for him, and it made him worry about the fact he had accepted another being next to him in slumber. Although, at the moment, he had other things to focus on. While he had left Aidan at his hotel, he had gone back to the club for business. There were things to be done considering he was no fool on who had fired that shot. He knew it seemed to be directed at Aidan, but it was meant for him. A bit of investigation, he found the bullets belonged to a gun only sold in the Kingdom of Flame, which meant it belonged to Nickalos's men. Despite his efforts to keep her out of sight, it would seem it did little. Hunter had talked, which had not surprised the man. He simply had thought he went overboard. Deirdre did not believe himself to care for Aidan nor believed he had any attraction to her. She, in his eyes, was a plaything.

However, after last night, he realized that may not be true. He had not been able to stop himself. He had taken her again and again... unable to quench his thirst. Even now, he wished to be buried inside of her. It had been difficult to pull himself away this morning... even more difficult that he knew soon the truth would come out, and he would find himself tasked with crossroads on what to do with her. It was not a position he wished to be in. Clenching his jaw harshly, he leaned back and glanced over at the work on his desk. They were the numbers for the week, but he had been focusing on how to approach the situation at hand instead. Deirdre normally could proceed easily, yet this situation was different. He had no power when it came to his master.

Frowning deeply, he narrowed his eyes and leaned forward to place his hands along his desk. His long silver hair fell around him... veiling him as the darkness closed in. His hair brushed along the long black trench coat he wore which had a simple white shirt under it along with a pair of jeans. He wore no shoes today, not that he was going to be on the floor much today anyway. He welcomed the idle time, yet soon he was interrupted. A knock sounded making blue eyes glance over.

For a split second, he thought of dismissing them. He knew better though, and barked for them to come in. It was Hunter who walked in. Blue eyes narrowed at the man. They darkened and seemed to swirl as cold rage. He scanned the male slowly to access the black shirt, dirty brown pants, black belt, and black leather boots. Brown had was pulled back neatly, but nothing held it in place. Calm as ever, the male came in with his hands shoved into pockets. "Well?" The male challenged Deirdre with a slight smirk.

"Good, you're not as stupid as you act." Deirdre praised. It would seem Hunter understood that his actions would not go unpunished. There was a reason he trusted no one. There was a reason everyone was a foe, not an alley in his eyes. That or a tool. Hunter had been the one he had thought would be an alley, but now? He was a threat, and he got rid of threats. Standing slowly, he stepped around the counter as Hunter watched him closely. His eyes were unreadable. His very being was relaxed, but that did not hide the friction within the room. Once so calm, it was not full of static, cold, and sinister. With purposeful graceful steps, Deirdre made his way over to Hunter.

There, Deirdre leaned down and smirked against the male's lips. "I think its time for you to join your brother."

Hunter's eyes widened and jerked back in confusion. "My brother-" He froze and looked up at Mr. McGunner. Once confident and calm, the male shivered as the warmth was sucked from his body. His brother, Hugh, had been assigned to Deirdre when he was first brought back. He was said to be killed in action on a mission overseas with Deirdre. It was a trafficking ring that Deirdre had been assigned to run, and he had done well. He collected the necessary products, trained them well, and he had begun to create a client base. It took him a mere three months, but he had taken a special liking to a certain product, Marcus. He was due to be sold off though to a friend of Nickalos, however after the last call in by Hugh was when it happened. Not long after, it was said that Hugh had been snatched by a rival mafia in belief he had information. The body.... they could not even recognize him. The only person who could confirm it had been Mr. McGunner himself, yet not even once was a sorrow spoken from his lips. He was unfazed, almost uncaring. That...No. "You killed him."

"No one touches what is mine."

Hunter could not process what was happening at the moment nor could he understand the words that had been spoken. Nothing made sense to him. He had known that this man was trained by Nickalos, so why had he not seen it? How did he miss the obvious right in front of him? Not only that, but how did he miss the fact Deirdre would react this way? Nickalos was a wolf, but this man was the devil himself. Reckoning would be paid. Hunter's eyes in that moment saw red as he yelled and lunged towards the devil, but he never got his chance to connect. Hands snatched him from behind to jerk him back. Yelling out, a boot connected against his stomach before he understand three men had entered the room. He turned his eyes up to Deirdre, but he had crossed he room to sit back at his desk. A moment later, Hunter was yanked by his hair and forced onto his knees. He spit at the ground in protest. Deirdre seemed to not even notice.

"I won't kill you though." The male said as he folded his arm and leaned his cheek against his fist. His elbow came to rest against the desk as he watched Hunter carefully. "You still have your uses." Yes, he had plans for Hunter... even if he deserved death. Nickalos had declared war, and he had every intention to fight back this time. This was the one time he refused to back down. Thus, he leaned back and folded his hands into his lap.

"Screw you!" Hunter screamed and jerked against the hold. "I hope you burn to the ground! You and that whore!" Rage laced each word as he bared his teeth.

Deirdre's eyes narrowed and darkened as he nodded at the group. The male that held Hunter's hair gripped it tighter. It was then Hunter realized what was happening. "No! Stop it!" Screaming, he jerked against the hold, but it did nothing for him as a knife slashed across the strands. The brown hair scattered against the ground, and that moment the man seemed to almost go limp. The hair that he grew out for his brother now laid on the ground... scattered and being stepped on with little disregard for its meaning. The rage became void as the cold returned leaving him unable to function.

"Get him out of my sight." Waving his hand, the three men huffed Hunter up and did what they were told. It was only when the door closed behind them was Deirdre able to relax. Breathing deeply, he closed his eyes and leaned back. His hands had clenched against his pants as he tried to shake the image away... the screaming and yelling. The sick pleasure of it bathed over him making him thirst for further action. He had wanted to skin the male alive slowly... carefully for telling Nickalos about Aidan. However, he knew this day would come. War would now have to be declared, which angered him further.

Cursing, Deirdre barely heard the knock on the door. "What?" He snapped. For a second, there was no response, but tenderly the door was cracked open to reveal two colored eyes and black hair. Peeking in, Aidan searched the room until finding him. Deirdre's eyes softened at the sight of her. It did not calm his tension though while he watched her move into the room. Her tiny body seemed to large in the space, but it fit her. He liked her there.

Forcing blue eyes from her form, he looked down at the paperwork in front of him. He had so much to do. "What is it, pup?" He asked flatly, but there was no response. For a second, he thought she had left.

However, upon glancing up he found her standing in front of him. Her hands placed against the desk as she leaned over to watch him carefully. "Mr. McGunner."