Defiant Destiny Ch. 03

Layla and I climbed down the fire escape and entered my office via the backdoor. I had missed Cyrea deeply and was eager to hold her yet again and tell her what happened, but for now I decided it was best to let her sleep. I smirked and put a halt to a myriad of lecherous thoughts that were entering my mind - she'd need all of her energy when she'd wake.

In the meantime I gave Layla a tour of the factory and explained my plans for this place. We ended up at the balcony overlooking the factory floor while I finished my story. She was silent throughout my explanation, but I felt her power flow through her and I could hear her heartbeat pick up when I told her about defying the deities. When I was done, her eyes had shifted to black and she was clacking her claws together.

"Fuck yes," she growled. "Fuck them and their divine doctrine. It's high time somebody countered it."

Layla kept flexing and unflexing her claws, her power wafting off of her. I caught myself thinking I would love to battle her too one day, but filed that thought for later.

I looked deep into her eyes, letting mine fade to black.

"Will you help me succeed?" I asked her. She fiercely looked back at me - her intent palpable through our bond before she replied.

"All the way," she growled.

I smiled wickedly. It seems I had another powerful ally in my quest for defiance.

My head snapped up when I felt something I hadn't felt in a very long time - my neck started tingling and an ominous feeling gripped my chest. Something was wrong, someone was in danger. I growled and scoured the area, trying to detect anything hostile.

Layla immediately noticed my alertness.

"What's wrong?" she asked, quickly taking off her dress and letting her power flow through her in preparation for anything.

I stretched my senses, unable to detect anything.

"A bad omen," I told Layla. "Something is wrong."

Layla scoured the factory hall, but couldn't detect anything either.

Then I felt it. Cyrea was in trouble.

Panic gripped my heart and adrenaline surged through my muscles as I rushed to our bedroom where she lay, eyes blazing and claws at the ready, but found her sleeping soundly. I scented the room, but Cyrea's lovely scent and mine were the only ones I could detect. As my eyes feverishly scoured the room, I caught something from the corner of my eye that made my body tense - Cyrea's forearm was marred by a shallow pink line of a recently closed wound. Again I scoured the room, but nobody was here - how did Cyrea become wounded? Suddenly I realized it must have happened in her dream. Of course - she must be Dream Walking right now - but it came as a nasty and unforeseen surprise to me that Cyrea apparently could get physically hurt in her dreams.

Layla barged into the bedroom in her demonic form, wings spread wide and her tail swiping menacingly around her, frantically looking around for a trespasser. Also not finding any in here, she looked at me, confusion marring her face.

"It's okay, there's nobody here," I told her. "Cyrea is Dream Walking. She must've run into some difficulties," I guessed. I had no idea if or how I could help Cyrea - she was asleep and I knew too little about this Dream Walking ability to know what to do.

Layla eyed my sleeping soulmate with concern.

"Dream Walkers can sustain physical damage when they're Dream Walking," she said softly, walking over to Cyrea and letting her demonic traits recede. She knelt down at the side of the bed and softly stroked through Cyrea's dark red curls.

"They can even get killed..." Layla whispered, and I felt her fear seep through our bond.

Killed?! I didn't like that one bit, and neither did my demon. My heart thundered out of my chest, fear made my muscles tense, adrenaline made my claws extend to eagerly tear apart anyone who would hurt Cyrea. I would not let anything happen to her!

"No fucking way!" I growled, moving to wake her up.

Layla quickly swatted my hands away before they could touch Cyrea. Instinctually, I growled menacingly at her, fangs extended and eyes ablaze.

"NO! That could kill her! Dragging a Dream Walker out of their dream can tear away their mind from their body and kill them..." she sobbed.

My breath was rushing out through flared nostrils, my claws were scratching my palms, so very very eager to tear something apart to protect Cyrea - when suddenly Layla's words pierced my protective rage. Suddenly Layla's wide eyes registered in my mind, her trembling lips and the heartbreaking step backward she took from me in my fury.

Fuck!

I quickly gathered Layla in my arms and hugged her close, covering her hair and face with kisses.

"I'm so sorry, my sweet..." I whispered my apologies. "I'm sorry for scaring you... I was... I was just..."

"No, don't worry... It's okay... I understand..." she replied softly and took a deep breath, letting her body sag against mine.

I kissed the lone tear that escaped her eye and felt her fear for potentially losing Cyrea - a fear I fully shared with her.

"I am very thankful that you stopped me, my sweet. I didn't know not to wake her," I whispered, rubbing my thumb across her cheek.

My gaze shifted to Cyrea's arm, where another wound appeared and healed. I was powerless to help her - powerless to protect her when she needed help, when she needed me. Dread and rage tore at my soul, gripping my throat and tightening my chest - all I could do was to stand by and watch. My powerlessness in this entire situation threw me from rage to despair and back again. The irony of the situation did not escape me, though. I realized very well that Cyrea must have endured the same when she saw me undergo my transformation a mere two weeks ago.

Layla looked at me with compassion and fear in her eyes. Of course she felt my myriad of emotions through our bond.

"Lay with her," she said softly.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. She wanted me to have sex with Cyrea now?

Layla snorted at seeing my confusion.

"Lay down next to her and hold her close to you. Make her feel that you're with her physically. Perhaps that will give her the strength she needs to face whatever it is she's fighting."

A small breeze of tranquility flowed through the panic that stormed in my head now that I had a purpose - now that I could perhaps help Cyrea in a small way. I placed a loving thank-you-kiss on Layla's soft lips and crawled in bed behind Cyrea, scooting up behind her back and felt her tense up when a deep wound appeared at her neck. Licking it closed I wrapped her in my arms and drew her close to my chest. I let my power flow freely through my body, hoping she could feel it and that it would comfort her, knowing I was holding her.

Layla smiled as Cyrea visibly relaxed in my arms.

"Very good..." she whispered fondly and crawled in bed with us, snuggling up to Cyrea's chest, letting her arms rest on Cyrea's sides.

"We're here for you Cyrea..." she whispered softly to her sleeping form. "Please endure..."