Chapter 23

Lilith POV

Darling rushes Augustine, red mana covering his whole body. As they fight, Darling pushing them back farther and farther with the woods, I hear screaming. The sound of unfiltered fearful screams. Faintly, I hear ripping bones and the smell of vomit. Katherine and I trade, feeding Grant, letting him regain his strength, Though he was still healing from the first Trails, and this wound being close to it, it reopened.

"Katherine," I look her in the face. "Take Grant back. HAve the nurses check in case, something was on the spearhead. "

"I'm not leaving," Grant rebukes.

"I can get him to come back, I promise," I search his eyes, sending calming vibes through our bond. "Trust me, Love. We'll be right behind you."

"Oh, he's so dead, when I get my hands on him," Grants huffs, a deadly glare within his eyes. "You make sure that you both come back safely. We're not home, so keep your guard up."

I nod, watching as Katherine and Grant make their way back.

"Grant and Katherine are heading back to you," I shoot down the bond to Theo.

"Got it," he responds, quickly.

'Have some nurses check Grant, he was injured.'

"I've got them already waiting. Elizabeth went to help them get here faster.'

'Good, I'll see yoou soon.'

Focusing more on the outer world, I race to the fight, seeing Rowan peel Augustine's fingers back. Darling is so focused, he doesn't acknowledge that I'm here. He breaks Augustine's arms, kneeling on them, and pries his mouth open. Noble's fangs come in various ways, however there's always two sets on the top.

"Stop," I advance, walking calmly to him.

Still Darling reaches in, grasping a lower fang. Augustine starts to thrash violently, fear reeking from him, souring the air. Darling slowly pulls the fang out, prolonging the pain, as Augustine screeches bloody murder. After the fang is tossed away, Augustine faints.

I shudder, cringing at the sight. It's known through the immortal world that the defanging of a fanged creature is a fate worse than death. The act itself will cause such intense pain, it's like a soulmate dying, and like a permenant death, the fang doesn't grow back. Well not by a means that everyone can get to, even Nobles have a scrarcity of supplies to help with the growth, and they are always weaker than the previuos ones.

Darling grabs Augustine's hair, slamming it down furiously into the ground. That wakes himup, although dazed.

"He's done, Darling," I try to reason. "Let's go back." I place my hands on his shoulder, muscle bulging under my fingers. Any other time, I would want them to be wrapped around me.

"HE HURT SILAS! GRANt," Darling growls, not looking away from the dazed Augustine. "THE BASTARD HAS TO DIE."

Darling grips the other bottom fang, chipping the fang, so he has to dig it out. Augustine tries to plead to Darling, tears rolling from his eyes, but it falls on deaf ears. Just as the fang is discarded, five hooded figures appear from the tree line-- the place we stand now a clearing with all the fighting happening. They each have a golden pair of wings, a symbol of the Griffin's house--the main house--, stitched to their left shoulder.

"We've come for our master," one of them speaks, monotoned.

"Tak-"

"He dies," Darling interrupts me, finally looking up from Augustine, only to look at the hooded-figures.

"Peasant, know your place," Another, more feminant, scoffs. "My master could have your head, with a single word."

"He's too weak," my Darling retorts, quickly, a glint in his eyes.

"Hey," I squeeze he shoulder. "Come with me. If you love me. . .you'll come with me." my words trailling off, as i pull back, turning to walk away.

WIthout hesistation, Darling gets up from the ground, following right behind me, before picking me up in his arms. I squeal, unprepared, holding onto his neck, and I look into his eyes.

He doesn't say anything, but I can see a little flame in his eyes, a warmth that is more than a spark.

'Thank you,' I whisper down the bond, leaning into his chest.

'For you, anything. For my luvs, I'll give anything," He vows, looking deep into my eyes.

He carries me all the way back to the manor, jumping from the trees branches. it takes us a bit to get there, since the fight was pushed farther out, however when we get there, Liam greets us, a grim look on his face.

"Silas," he starts. "He needs you."

That's all he has to say before Darling ightly puts me down rushing inside to Silas. Walking inside the room, being faced with this sight, makes me want to kill Augustine myself. SIlas is laid on his stomach, naked for the whole world to see, with bandages wrapped all around him, however they seem to benhavong a problem. His legs a bent, propping is ass in the air, while he thrashes around, irrationally.

"LEt me GOOO!"

Darling rushes to his side, wiping Silas' hair from his sweating forehead. SIlas, a bit dazed, can tell that its Darling, as he leans into his touch. Distracted, the nurse thrusts a long tube down SIlas' ass.

Silas' eyes widen, blood falling from them, as a silenct scream escapes him before he takes a breath and actually screams. Darling pins him down, trying to not hurt him, as the nurses rush to push different liquids down the tube. I cover my mouth, clenching my fist with my left hand, my eyes watering themselves. Augustine was too cruel to do this to Silas, to anyone.

"I'm sorry," Silas roars, twitching around, trying to escape. "Just stop this,Please!!"

Darling cups his face in one hand, forcing Silas to focus on him.

"I'm here," he spoke. "It'll be over soon, little one."

"B-bu-but I can't. I-i'm scared," Silas grips tightly onto Darling's shirt.

"I know, bud. But you are brave, the bravest person i know in fact," Darling coos.

"N-n-no I'm n-not," Silas cries, trembles raking his body.

"You are so brave, little one. You did what you felt was right, and believed in me to get you, when you didn't have to," Darling reasons. "You are strong. This is only for a moment."

SIlas shakes his head.

"There's only one more we have to do," A nurse informs, softly. "But it will hurt, though it will help with his recovery much faster."

Darling turns fromher, pulling Silas to his chest.

"One more, that's all, bud."

"I-i-I can't," Silas rambles, holding tight to Darling, like his life depends on it. "I-it's going to k-kill me!"

"I won't let it," Darling rocks them gently, rubbing his back. "Listen to my heart, and breath, okay?"

Silas hugs him tight, tension in his every bone. Darling looks at the nurse and she silently, walks up behind Silas, putting the medicine to the tube's opening, and squirts to large amount of liquid. Silas bits down on Darling's arm, tears falling rapidly. Darling just coos at him, telling him he did so great. He lets Silas drink from him, focusing only at the task at hand.

Katherine, Grant and Theo stay silent the whole time, watching, with angry in their eyes; Elizabeth long gone with Liam, who couldn't bare the sight. The nurses ease the tubb from Silas, leaving ointment and plenty of badages for us to use. Silas keeps drinking, dazed, as if he's compartmentaling the pain away.

"Darling," I worry. "Silas will drain you dry, let-"

"It's fine, Lilith," he refutes, head watching only Silas. "I. . .I can't protdct ya'll like I want. I shouldn't have let this happen."

"This is not your fault," Katherine argues. "Everyone starts off somewhere. You, by far, is the strongest newborn I've ever met. To stand against a noble older than you and defeat him? Not anyone can do that."

"She's right," Grant grunts. "You don't have to protect us all the time. We worl together, and we watch each other's back."

". . .I want to be strong enough where you don't have to worry about that," Darling insists.

"Someone will always be stronger than you, in some way or regard," I admit. " There's no way around that, Darling. And until we find that answer, that power, we watch each other. We have each other's back."

Darling bites his lip, blood trickling down a bit.

". . .Think about it," Grant goes on. " If you are always watching our back, who will watch yours? Or are you going to step into the background because you think that's where you work best at?"

"I-"

"News flash. We never would've made you our soulmate if we didn't want you beside us, every step of the way.," He blushes a bit. " Yes, the relationship started off rocky, and yes we're not perfect no matter how the fairytales make it seem, but a little bit of work and patience can work things out."

"And a dash of love," I smirk.

"I think it's too late for that last one," Darling mutters. "I don't think I can go back, even if I wanted to."

Grants face face blows steam, blood rushing to his head,, while Katherine gives a soft squeal. Theo and I chuckle at them too.

Silas shuffles a bit, wincing at the movement, however tiny. Darling small smile leaves his face, instantly.

"Drink some more if you need to," Darling offers.

SIlas slowly climbs up to Darling's neck, biting down hard. Darling holds Silas steady, keeping pressure off his buttock, as he feeds. He leans back against the headboard of the bed, letting Silas get comfortable. Silas sighs, pulling back a bit before resting his head on Darling's shoulder.

"I didn't tell him anything," Silas mumbles. "Even when he made me look into your mind."

LIke a light, SIlas is off, drained in all senses, however, Darling seems to be tensed. His body stiffen like a wire being struck with lightning.

"That little bastard," He growls. "He tried to use Silas to get inside my mnd while I was sleep."

Realizing, my eyes widened. With Darling sleep, he wouldn't be able to guard his mind, seeing as even older immortal have trouble with that. SIlas must've saw somethings within Darling's mind, and Augustine was going to use that against Darling. But since Silas didn't tell him, he instead tortured him.

"He's done," Grant snarls, realizing the same thing as me.

"Stop," Darling whispers. "Leave it be for now... If you leave, I don't know if I'll be able to control myself, trials be damned."

No body says a words, feeling the waves of killing intent rolling off Darling's body. The air around him seems to heat up, giving that blurry look around him. His eyes hold a deadly glint in them, promising vengance.

I can't say that I don't find him sexy, but I can feel the shudders of fear if I was on the opposite side of his wrath. He's going to be a force to be reckoned with. I can only wish 'Good Luck' to the people who stand in his way.