His protection.

"Why would you kill witches?" Her aunt had done nothing but help her, why would someone like that be hated? Yes, she didn't know much of her past but what she'd seen was good.

"Witches are unnatural,"

"Because we have magic,"

"Exactly," Damian said, "humans shouldn't posses magic,"

"How do I know you won't do the same to me?" She didn't believe in you're special and the others aren't. People changed.

"The moment you feel unnatural Kelly, I will. I have no qualms about it," he said

Kelly smiled, "I'm supposed to accept that?"

"I am a whisperer, I have clans under me, accept and I will protect you. Don't?" His eyes glowed.

Kelly hissed when felt pain on her wrist. Her jaw dropped, claws! Blood dripped, his claws pierced through her skin,

"I'll be one of the many that hunt you," he said, "choose,"

His claws hadn't left her skin and they hurt. Out here in the middle of nowhere; if he hunted her, she'd lose.

"Can you give me time, to think about it?" She didn't know what being under his protection meant. She needed to ask Davi.

A low growl rumbled in him, Kelly's heart sank when light glinted off a pair of fangs,

"You're a witch who cannot cast spells, do not test my patience. Choose,"

"I..." Kelly frowned. If he was already this frightful, what horrors would she endure under him?

"I don't know what it means to be under your protection. I can't tell if it's worse than being hunted," the words came out weaker than she wanted, something about fangs caused a shudder down her spine. Her mother's body had marks like them except her's were bigger and worse.

Kelly gasped when her back hit the roof, his claws aimed at her throat;

"I accept!"

Like sun out on a rainy day, a smile spread on his face. His claws instantly receeded, he said,

"Good," and ruffled her hair, "you're mine now. Don't worry, I won't break you,"

What?! Kelly was in a daze when he jumped down. What did he mean he wouldn't break her?!

He got back up with a first aid, delicately dressing her wounds. He was bipolar, wasn't he? One second he was terrifying, the next he was like this.

He'd kill her if she ever felt unnatural; how would she even know when that happened?!

Adding that to his strange nature, he could turn on her at any moment. A shiver snaked through her spine when he lifted his head and smiled.

"Take off your cast," he said.

Kelly obediently followed, the shriveled hand came to view. He took it gently, warmth spread from the tips to her shoulder.

How was he doing this?! She hadn't felt anything there in days!

Color returned to the shriveled hand, and then weight. Soon, it was back to normal. Kelly continued to examine her hand in awe when Damian held he chin,

"There are benefits to being protected by me," he said, "you chose well,"

"I didn't have a choice," she said.

"Death or your freedom: that's a lot of choices," he helped her down.

"Thank you, for the hand," Kelly said. She wasn't sure what else to do about it, Davi even suggested amputation, she shuddered.

He opened the door for her, as he got to the other side, his phone rang. That language... It was the same as the one from treasures.

"Bad news?" She asked when he put the phone down.

Damian started the car, "some people just won't die," he said, and floored the acceleration.

They'd gotten on the road when he asked a strange question,

"Why were you at Ravens Creek?"

Kelly explained her mother's death and the body found in Cline property.

"Clines..." Damian muttered with an eerie smile.

___

"Mr Whyte, was it?" August asked as he dusted smoke off his ruined suit. He tapped down a spot of brewing fire. Behind him was a ruined and burning airplane. That bastard ruined his car and his jet.

"I'm going to kill him,"

"You can do that when you arrive," Jeffery's voice came from his cellphone. "Do you wish to trek to the runway? You're not far,"

"Not funny, Jeffery." August quipped.

"A car, it is. Return quickly, there's a lot you've missed," the butler said before the call cut.

August flinched when the plane blew up behind him. His mind reeled for a moment. He tried desperately to control his troubled breathing and managed to shake the dreaded thoughts free; now wasn't the time or place.

He took off the jacket and placed a hand at the necks of his air crew. They were alive, good, humans were far too fragile.

Anyone who was willing to go this far couldn't be spared, right? There were over half a dozen people on that plane, and he was willing to kill them to get to him. He wouldn't be reprimanded for killing someone like that.