Golden Keeper Ch. 06

"What are you?" he heard her mumble.

"What are you?" he countered, ignoring her question.

"I'm… I'm an…"

"Exactly. You're an angel," he finished and pulled her face up by her chin to drop a kiss on her lips.

He meant it to be a short kiss, a foreshadowing of what was to come later, but she placed her arms on his broad shoulders and had no intention of letting go. Grant backed her up against a tree, with one arm behind her so he wouldn't crush her wings. He ferociously attacked her pouty lips as his other hand moved from supporting his weight on the tree to clasping her porcelain face.

He felt her hands wander down his neck, his chest, his stomach, until they reach the bottom of his shirt. She tugged at it, frustrated he was still wearing one. He chuckled lightly against her lips and began to unbutton his shirt when he heard heavy footsteps coming closer and closer through the woods.

___

She was melting under the flames of their passion. She would've given herself to him against that tree if he'd only asked. May was reluctant to release his lips but she felt him stiffen and growl. Only this time, it was a warning growl, not one from pleasure. She leaned back, asking him, "Grant… what's wrong?"

"Someone's coming…from the east…behind you. MOVE!" he told her, picking her up and placing her behind him so he could get into a defensive stance in front of her.

Since Grant was so much bigger than she, May could barely see over his shoulder into the forest. She almost fell over when he started backing up and his hand wound backwards to hold her steady. Deciding that she wanted to see what was going on, she wriggled out of his grasp and floated up and over his head.

Peering out into the trees was hard during the nighttime, even with her extra sight and altitude advantage. But she could hear it, the bounding of feet coming their way, faster and faster. It sounded more animal than human though. Giving up, she sunk back to the ground behind Grant, who had relaxed.

"Now what's going on?" she asked him, exasperated.

"It's okay, honey. It's just Jase. Go back to the cabin, please," he said, a hint of urgency still lingering in his voice.

"What… why?" she asked, confused at his request.

"I-uhh… I don't think you'll want to see this."

The footsteps got closer and she moved, curious, but Grant held her back. "Really, Charamaine… go."

"No," she said, chin up in defiance. "What's the big deal?"

May could see Grant's mouth open to argue with her when, he came crashing out of the forest.

She never had the chance to look around Grant to see the new person… Or persons, she thought, since she heard two additional sounds of labored breathing…but only one more heartbeat.

"Grant… Grant who's there? Stop it! Let me see!"

She struggled to move around him and once she had, he firmly clasped his hands over her eyes. She clawed at him, but he was persistent. "Oh, come on, Grant. What is it?!"

"I don't want you to see. Jase, take him to Doc."

When Jase and the mystery man didn't move, he growled out, "Now."

May was getting seriously frustrated not knowing what was going on. He was treating her like a three-year-old! She stomped down hard on his foot and flared her wings, pushing him back. She spun around, only to see the quickly retreating back of some kind of giant beast carrying the limp body of her best friend.

She didn't know whether to cry in relief, anger, or mourn. "Grant! What the hell!?"

"Baby," he said, restraining her tiny, balled fists with his hands and pulling her to him despite her protests. "Chara, he wouldn't want you to see him like that. I know."

"What do you mean?"

"He's not the same as he was before… give him some time."

"Give him some time?" Charamaine asked, now in tears. "Time for what?"

"To get his strength back…mentally and physically. He's been through a lot. I'll take you to see him tomorrow, baby, I promise."

May struggled to get out a comprehensible sentence. She didn't understand. She allowed him to scoop her into his arms as she thought, Why aren't they letting me see him? Why would he need to go see Doc first, unless…

"Grant…" she began slowly as he carried her up the stairs to his cabin. "What's wrong with Emmett?"

Grant didn't answer her. He just clenched his jaw and walked into his home.

"Grant…" she said again, poking his chest. "Grant, what's wrong with him!"

His muteness sent her into another round of hysterics. "Oh no. No… no, no, no. He's not dead. He can't be. Not Emmett. Not my Emmett!" She wailed and squirmed against him, trying to get away to go see her friend.

Grant's eyes widened as he looked down at her, "No, baby, no. He's not. He's…fine… to a certain extent. Or, at least, he will be. You can see him tomorrow, I promise. Get some sleep, Charamaine."

The moment he said this, May felt completely exhausted. She was still extremely pissed off, but now her tiredness overruled that. Yawning, she closed her eyes and tried to relax, thinking that tomorrow she would go see him, whether Grant let her or not.

___

He placed her on his bed, tucking her under the covers. He stroked her soft, supple body and feathery wings until she drifted off to sleep. He released her fingers from their tight grasp on his still half-unbuttoned shirt and stood. Watching her sleep so easily in his bed affected him more than it should have. Sighing, he ran his hand though his long, dark hair and left the cabin, closing the doors quietly behind him.

He stepped out of the cabin and turned to see Madeline watching him. She was always scaring the living shit out of people.

"Hey, Mads," he said after his heart slowed down.

"Grant," she responded, eyeing his cabin.

"She's asleep," he answered her unspoken question. "What can I do for 'ya?"

"Your father… he wants to see you."

He nodded. "Could you do me a favor though, and watch her just to make sure she doesn't get up? I don't want her—under any circumstances—to leave the cabin. Okay?"

"On it, Mr. Boss-man." She mock saluted him and sat down on the steps, leaning her slight frame against the railing.

Grant chuckled and thanked her. He may have been in charge, but she was still well over one hundred years older than he.

Grant changed forms and sped through the clearing on four paws. He knew that his father's guard, Rhodes, would have a change of clothes waiting for him, so he didn't worry about leaving his jeans a ways behind him.

As he approached his father's massive 'cabin,' he saw Rhodes come out to greet him. Rhodes may have a little shorter than Jase, but what he lacked in height, he made up in pure muscle. He was the epitome of fit… and then some.

Grant caught the fabric tossed to him in his teeth and put it on the ground while he shifted. They weren't necessarily shy about nudity around there; in fact, most flaunted their perfectly sculpted bodies. But in the presence of their Ancient Leader, one always had to look their best.

Grant thanked Rhodes with a nod and walked through the double doors. Even though his parent's home neighbored his own, he rarely visited. He liked his humbler cabin more than his father's mansion, so he tried to get them to visit him instead of the other way around. But since his father illness, this trip to the castle–as he and Finn had called it as children–was inevitable.

Grant passed the marble foyer and climbed the dark-wood stairs two at a time. He made a right down the nearest hall and saw that his mother was waiting for him at the end. He smiled at the older woman, but it was not returned. Worry sprouted in Grant and he hustled over.

"Ma, what's wrong?"

She looked at Grant with loving, amber eyes, filled to the brim with fresh tears. He caught her in a fierce hug and questioned, "Its Dad, isn't it?"

"He's getting worse," she said in agreement. "He just wants to talk to you, but be quick about it…he needs his rest."

He squeezed his mother tighter and kissed her hair before he strode through the intimidating doors of his parent's room.

___

May awoke in the middle of the night to feel a strong, warm body slide into bed next to her. She lifted her head up to see him through the fog of sleep she was still under.

"Go back to sleep, Charamaine." His deep voice echoed around his room and she cherished the sound.

"Mmm," May mumbled and snuggled closer to him. "Grant, where'd 'ya go?"

"I was at my parents," she heard him say tiredly. I need to call my mother too… tomorrow…

When she didn't respond, May felt him chuckle, "I'll tell you about it later, little one. Sleep."

As if on command, May's heavy eyelids snapped shut and she sighed, stretching and entering her world of slumber again.

___

It was the late morning, maybe early afternoon, when May woke again. The sun was warming her skin and the blankets seemed too hot. She stretched her body lazily and kicked the covers off of her, down to her feet. She opened her eyes to the bright room, sunlight streaming through the window, soft blankets underneath her.

She rolled over to face him and saw he was still sleeping. He had dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he just went to sleep. He probably needs the rest. May sighed quietly and laid down, scooting towards him. She draped her arm possessively around his torso, closed her eyes, and waited.

At some point, she must have fallen asleep again. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted with the masculine underside of Grant's chin and neck. Both knew the other was awake, but neither said anything.

He trailed his fingers, feather-light, in whorls down her spine. May shifted, her body now pressed intimately on top of his, and propped herself up by her elbows on his wide chest.

"Good morning," she stated after clearing her throat of any remnants of sleep.

May looked down into his face and saw he was smiling at her, that crooked smile that consequently gave her heart palpitations. "What's on the agenda for today?" she asked him as she wrapped a strand of his shaggy, black hair around her slim index finger.

"Not much," he told her, his voice still husky from sleep.

May could feel the beginnings of her wetness start to spread in her panties—well, the ones she borrowed from Rage, anyway. She leaped up, hiding her arousal, and went to look out the window. It was strangely calming to look out the window and see the forest that was once so frightening to her, bathed in sunlight. She could hear the birds, the small animals, the breeze rustling the leaves through the open window. May inhaled deeply, taking in the smell of woodland, sunshine, and…Grant. She turned to find him right behind her, his large hands on her hips.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she said, indicating the outside world with her head.

"Yes." He nodded in agreement, his eyes never straying from hers. He bent down to give her a kiss and almost lost himself in her heat. When he pulled away, May felt empty and she whimpered.

Grant chuckled. "You want to see Emmett today, yes? Lets get moving."

Although the question was rhetorical, May squealed. "Oh, of course! Of course! So he's okay? Where is he? Does he know I'm here? I hope he's okay…"

May continued to ramble while Grant passed her clothes—holes pre-cut into the shirt—to change into. She was so absorbed in her concerned thoughts about her friend; she failed to notice the way Grant had stopped to admire the way her ivory skin glowed in the sunlight. When May finished dressing, she ran out of the room, somehow navigating around the cabin and ending up outside on the front steps.

"Come on, Grant! Hurry!"

Grant chuckled again. "Relax, he'll be here all day. You don't want breakfast first?"

Her stomach growled then, as a reminder and she chewed her lip, undecided. "He'll still be there later, right?" she asked Grant as he took her hand and led her to the Dining Hall.

"Of course. Don't panic. He'll be glad to see you any time of the day." He kissed the top of her head and they continued their walk.

___

May shoveled down her food, eager to finally see Emmett. She was practically running out of the Hall when she finished, only one step away from taking flight…

"Charamaine, really," she heard Grant say from behind her, and she stopped to match his agonizingly slow pace.

"He's okay, right? He's exactly the same?" she asked for the hundredth time, expecting the same answer.

"Actually, Charamaine…" Grant pulled her to a stop in front of Doc's cabin, one she knew well. May recognized his tone and became increasingly worried.

"What? What is it?" she asked, trying to tug him along, but he stayed rooted.

"I think he'll want to tell you exactly what happened, but I do want to tell you that while he may act the same, physically…" Grant let his sentence trail off.

"Oh," May gasped. "Oh."

It doesn't matter, she thought confidently, he'll always be my Emmett.

"Okay, then… let's go." She slowly walked up the front steps, suddenly not as eager as she was before.

Tears sprung into her eyes the moment she walked into the room Emmett was resting in. Sure, he was still extremely tall; his golden hair flopped in his eyes. But he was thin… way too thin. Frail-looking. His skin was so pale.

May held up her own hand for reference as she got closer to the bed. He was, if it was possible, paler than she. What happened to him…and why is it so dark in here?

The light was off and the shades were closed, but still, it seemed too dark. May went to go turn on the light when Grant stopped her, speaking in hushed tones.

"I wouldn't do that."

"Wh-Why?" she asked, bewildered.

"It will cause him pain," he answered mysteriously.

May felt her own face crumple as she thought of Emmett—happy-go-lucky, never a care in the world, always laughing, Emmett—going through something other than his normally perky emotions. May slumped her shoulders and sat down beside his bed, her wings folded neatly behind her, almost invisible in the darkness.

"Will he wake up?" she asked Grant in a small voice.

"He was up earlier today, though I don't believe he was very aware of his surroundings," he answered. "He should be awake soon."

She sighed and reached out to hold Emmett's hand while she waited.

___

Such a vivid dream… or I guess nightmare would be more appropriate, he chuckled to himself. Is Caden still here? Not that I'd mind of course… I'm always up for round two. But I know May will be angry if we broke something…

With the reminder of her, he was jostled out of his thoughts. He felt oddly drunk, though he hadn't been drinking… His body felt strangely heavy—he couldn't move his arms.

What the fuck?

He could tell it was dark there was no light beyond his eyelids. He felt a pressure at his hand…someone was holding it? He knew he wasn't laying on his bed back home, this one was too thin. Okay, where the fuck am I?

As if on cue, all of the memories from the past days, weeks—months?—flooded his brain. He winced internally.

Did that really happen? Where's May? Oh shit. Charamaine?! Shit! Shit, shit, shit. But I'm lying down now… and I have a pillow. This is certainly above the hospitality I received from…him. Maybe I finally died? That wouldn't be so bad I guess, an end to all that fucking pain.

But wait, didn't that dude come and get me? Nah…he killed all of those other women, why would he save lil' ol' me? So I must be dead then. That's unfortunate. But, if I'm in a coffin, why is someone holding my hand? Geez, stop it with the rhetorical questions, alright, Em? He urged himself.

Well, if I'm dead, might as well open my eyes and thank God. He snickered to himself at his lame joke.

___

She looked on as her friend flinched and shifted on the hospital-like bed. His eyes were still closed, so she had no idea if he was awake or not. She heard him sigh a few minutes later and she shot up, her wings flared out behind her. May watched for any signs of consciousness in Emmett when, all of a sudden, his eyes snapped open.

___

Damn. I really did die, he thought as he took in the angel before him.

Her features were sharp, refined. Her eyes were light gray-blue, her hair a silvery-blonde. Like corn silk…like…

"May? Oh, no, May. I'm so sorry. We're both dead now? God dammit." Looking upwards, he whispered, "Excuse that."

He felt wetness splatter on his right arm. He watched as the moisture slid down his arm… then up to its source. May's eyes were filled with tears. "Oh, May-May, I really thought you'd escaped. That's what I'd heard. Guess not." He felt another drop of moisture. "Why are you crying, girl?"

"Emmett, I missed you! Oh, Emmett!" May leaned across him and hugged him fiercely.

He heard a distinct growl and stiffened.

"Don't mind him," May stated, "he's being annoying."

"Annoying?" Emmett heard a deep voice say, mocking her.

He lifted his head up a little and May immediately stuffed some pillows behind him. He looked up as the man came into view, towering over Charamaine and himself.

"Grant," he said, as introduction.

"Oh! Yes… Emmett, Grant. Grant, Emmett." She made the appropriate gestures and both males chuckled, making her cheeks turn a delectable shade of pink. Emmett swiped his unruly curls out of his eyes and he heard May gasp.

"What? What is it?" He tried to sit up, but he still felt like his own body was restraining him.

May composed herself before answering him. "Y-your eyes, Em. They're… different."

"How so?" They don't feel any different.

"Grant, go get a mirror."

The man turned and fled with an inhuman speed to do May's bidding.

"Got yourself a slave there, huh, May-May?" he joked.

"It's good to have you back, Emmett," was her simple response, followed by a forced smile. When Grant returned with a mirror, it had pieces of plaster stuck to the back of it.

Emmett laughed. "What'd ya do, rip it off the bathroom wall?" He laughed again.

Grant actually looked sheepish and May rolled her eyes…

Maybe he did?

"Alright, hand 'er over." Emmett was still smiling, but by the time he took in his appearance, his almost-always constant smile was wiped clean from his face.

What… the… hell? I look… sickly, he thought, as he pushed his hair back again.

He grimaced when he saw an angry scar at his hairline. Better leave the hair down…

His skin looked deathly pale, his cheeks hollowed out. The circles under his eyes were so dark they resembled bruises. But his eyes, those were a wake-up call. His left one was still green, the same emerald it'd always been, only brighter somehow… glowing, even. But his right eye… it was…

"Well, it looks like Christmas," he said, jokingly.

Leave it to Emmett to find humor in something so serious. He looked up to find May staring, bug-eyed, at his apparently inappropriate comment. He gave a small grin.

"An Italian Flag?" he offered. She was still staring at him. "Bangladeshi?"

"Emmett. Be. Serious," she managed to choke out.

He sighed and looked again. Well, I guess I really do look hideous. His right eye was a blend of green and red.