Dominion Ch. 13

Ever since Aryn was taken from the dungeon, all Joel ever did was pace back and forth inside of his cell. He could hardly focus on anything but his worry for her. What was Nora thinking? What did she want with the girl? Did she know who Aryn really was? For all Joel knew, Aryn was already on her way back to Ylatm, trapped and afraid as she was forced to be subjected to the Brotherhoods whims. He ticked in frustration, running his fingers through his hair as he tried to figure out what to do. He was absolutely useless down here, and he was going mad with the possibilities... Every one of them being completely out of Joel's control.

He couldn't help but curse himself even more. His stupidity is what had him trapped in this wretched dungeon in the first place! If he wasn't such a blundering idiot, he would have the freedom to actually protect her as he wished. Instead he was sitting here, caged and useless, while his little bird was out there alone. The world seemed to be against them both, and the thought simply drove him mad! How many days had it been now? He had no idea. It felt like it had been an eternity since she was taken away from him.

Kara watched the half-breed pace with a frown. He looked like a caged beast... Well, he was a caged beast, but that wasn't the point. She could feel the tension rolling off of him, and she knew it wouldn't be long until something set him off. The wrong tone of voice from a cellmate or guard could easily cause his thin veil of control to completely snap, and she worried that it would get him into trouble if he didn't blow off some steam. An idea occurred to her, and she crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall.

"Will you quit your damn pacing, mutt?"

"I'm not in the mood fer yer gripin', Kara," Joel turned to face the Tourik, scowling in irritation at her smug expression. "What I choose to do with my time is none of yer business, whether it irritates ye' or not."

"Yeah well, you're pining like a love sick puppy, and it's pathetic to watch," she snickered, standing from her place on the bench as she sized him up. "I almost wish they would bring the little bitch back. I'd rather deal with all your whispering than have to deal with this."

"Call her a bitch again, lass, and I'll remind ye' why the Dominion fear Kyaga half-breeds so much."

"I don't understand why you even like the cunt. She looks like a little girl," Kara taunted, swaying on the balls of her feet as if preparing for a fight. "Unless, of course, you like that sort of thing. I wouldn't put it past a mutt like you to prefer children. An animal would relate better to less... Developed minds."

She ducked as Joel reached out to grab her shirt, checking him in the ribs with a swift fist before feinting to the right to avoid another grab attempt. She slid to the right and threw a kick into his knee, but before she could land it he dropped to a crouch and caught her ankle in his hand. With a sharp yank, he pulled her off balance and she fell onto her back with a huff. He had her shirt fisted in his hand before she could react and dragged her up into a sitting position. Grinning mischievously, she reached up and wrapped her finger around his wrist, pressing on a pressure point that made him lose his grip on her shirt. With a fluid motion, she brought her other hand up in a fist and clocked him right in the jaw before scurrying away and hopping back onto her feet. He recovered quickly, returning to a standing position and staring her down with a tick in his jaw. He was fighting his temper, but Kara wants about to give up yet.

"You're going to have to do better than that, mutt," she spat with disdain. "I didn't end up in here from wearing dresses and attending tea parties."

"Don't make me hurt ye' Kara."

"As if you ever could, boy. You've grown too soft laying around this dungeon like a family pet, lounging all day and waiting to be fed," she laughed as she backed up as far as the cell would allow and reared up for another attack. "I don't think you have any fight left in you. Besides, you're too chicken shit to hit me. You know I'll kick your fucking ass."

"Gods, I needed this," he muttered as he cocked back and hit her square in the face. Her head jerked back as she landed into the wall behind her, and he quickly reached out to catch her before she fell. She used the deception to land a fist right into his stomach, and with a sly grin, reached up and wrapped her hand around his throat.

"You hit like a little girl, Joel."

Her hand tightened threateningly, but when he reached up to pull it away she wasn't strong enough to resist his iron grip. He shoved her arm against the wall above her head and worked quickly to catch the other one. She struggled futily against his strength, but the fierce growl that escaped the back of his throat stilled her movements. She looked up into his eyes and saw the predatory stare of the dire wolf she had only encountered twice in her life. The bracelet held it at bay, but she knew it's massive strength simmered just beneath the surface. She could feel it's wild, dangerous energy seep through Joel's composure as he regarded her in silence. His eyes were practically glowing with a hunger for violence, and she wasn't sure if she might have taken things a little too far.

After only two brief encounters with that wild beast, she knew without a doubt she was no match against it. As a Daegra, he was a frightening force. She had seen him fight first hand, and when he let the beast inside of him free, the feral untamed side of his nature was a force to be reckoned with. Very few truly understood just how greatly the two natures between Joel and his spirit animal differed. The dire wolf inside was a fierce hunter, driven by nothing but a carnal ferocity and instinctual need for violence. It thrived on fighting and killing, and though the power suppressing bracelet held it's physical form at bay, it's personality could push through to the surface even in his human form. The Daegra may be primitive in their lifestyle, but they were very strong willed, and wildly unpredictable. Even the powerful magic of the Kyaga's suppression cuffs could not fully diminish their strength.

Even more dangerous was the Kyaga blood that flowed through Joel's veins. The fire that fueled his temper and aggressive nature was nearly impossible to contain. The self control he exercised over his emotions had only been obtained through years of vigorous practice. It was difficult enough for a Kyaga to control their fiery nature, but the barbaric nature of his Daegra heritage was like dry grass in a wildfire. Even with his age and iron will, he was unable to fully tame the creature that shared a body with him. It was a wonder that he was still sane, trapped in this prison with that beast held captive inside of him. There was no doubt that it had become restless and frustrated. Cornered animals were always the most vicious, and this animal had been restrained for far too long.

Lowering her eyes in a submissive manner, she waited quietly while he framed her face with his nose, breathing in her scent as he held her firmly in place. His tree gifted senses were unparalleled, and she was certain he could read her fear easily in the scent of her pheromones, in the rapid fluttering of her heart and her shaky breathing. Long moments passed as he continued this strange, instinctive display of dominance, growling in approval when he was satisfied that she was finished with her childish rebellion.

Finally, his breathing slowed and he gained control of himself once more. She watched as the fire faded from his eyes and the iron control he had of his temper returned. But the tension wasn't as evident in his features, and he appeared more relaxed than before. He pushed away from her, releasing her arms as he found his center again. She looked up at him with a sheepish grin, and he frowned at her obvious uncertainty. He had frightened her, and he was afraid of what might have happened had she not been smart enough to surrender when she had.

"Feeling a little better?"

"I am," he sighed and closed his eyes against the bruise forming under her right eye. He shouldn't have hit her like that, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I knew what I was doing," she shrugged off his apology as she returned to the bench she had been sitting on. "I provoked you on purpose. Besides, I've been hurt worse than this before."

"That doesn't make me feel any better," war maiden or not, she was no match for him in hand to hand combat, and to lose control on her like that was juvenile. He could have severely hurt her. "Ye' shouldn't rile the beast in me, Kara. It's dangerous."

"Maybe I'm hoping you'll finish what you started the last time we met on the battlefield."

"I wouldn't kill ye' then, and I won't do it now."

It was true, and she wondered why he never did. Even fully fazed in wolf form, it seemed the dire wolf was just as uninterested in killing her as he was. In most cases, even the slightest scent of fear would send him into a frenzy, but it hesitated each time it had a chance to finish her off. Then again, it seemed the creature remained completely subdued in the presence of Aryn, so maybe it just didn't sit right with the creature to kill a female. Now that she thought about it, she'd never seen Joel kill a woman, even out on the field of battle. She found that fact to be strangely amusing, but in the same breath she was grateful for it.

Although, he didn't need to know that.

"Hey, a girl can dream, right?" she chuckled, leaning back against the wall. "Anything is better than this place. Even death."

Joel huffed in irritation, but didn't argue. It wasn't like he could blame her. Being stuck in this damnable cell for the rest of their lives was a shitty way to live. There were plenty of moments when he considered death over waking up to these cold, metal bars every day... And he hadn't been here half as long as she had. Once, years ago, he was on the other side of the bars, and his relationship with Kara was a very different one. Compared to the dynamic of being her interrogator, he could say that they were nearly friends now. He wondered how different things would be, if he and his brother hadn't been discovered by the dominion. If his parents had fled to the Republic like many of the other mixed families did, he and Kara might have grown up as allies.

He was pulled from his thoughts as two guards lead a new prisoner into the dungeon. He was traded into their cell, and Joel wondered why he was here. He seemed antsy, his yellow eyes fluttering between the other prisoners before landing on him. His plum colored hair was long, and it fell in loose tendrils around his face and shoulders. Joel scowled as he stared back at the dingy Naugu. He always found their kind to be a creepy, nasty race, and with his new knowledge about Aryn's past... He couldn't help but hate them even more.

There was something in his mannerisms that just stood out to Joel somehow. He seemed out of place, yet in the same breath it was like he was here for a reason... Like he was deliberating something. It seemed like he was trying too hard to be inconspicuous in the way he lounged by the door, but his Joel knew better. The bastard was up to something... He just couldn't figure out what it was.

His question was quickly answered when the Naugu stepped up to Joel with a cruel grin, and leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"The Brotherhood sends their regards," his sharp voice cut through the air as he buried a shiv into Joel's chest.

It took a moment for Joel to process what had happened, as everything seemed to move in slow motion. His body began to numb, and he lost muscle control. He couldn't speak or even lift and arm to grab the man responsible. In a blur of movement he was laying upon the ground, Kara leaning over him with a terrified expression on her face. The wound was painless, and he was vaguely aware of a strange sensation that was spreading over his body. He was having trouble keeping his eyes open, which frustrated him because he wanted to know what was going on.

"...Was poisoned..."

"...Can't do anything with this damn cuff on..."

"...It's too late... It's spreading too quickly..."

His vision began to blur in and out, and black spots filled his peripheral. He couldn't seem to make his limbs work, and his throat was too tight to breath, let alone talk. A loud ringing filled his ears and everything else began to fade out of existence. His head was throbbing with a strange kind of pressure, and it was all he could do not to pass out from exhaustion. As his own conscious mind began to fade out, the animal within him roared to life, and for a few short moments his body seemed to run on pure adrenaline alone.

Everything was painted in a shade of deep crimson as he wrenched himself at the unsuspecting Naugu with a feral snarl. The shocked look on the mans face caused the wolf to sneer as he tackled the thin man. He was screaming something about the poison not working right, but he was cut off as Joel ripped his throat out with his own teeth. He could feel the subtle elongating of his jaw and his fangs emerged as he tore the man apart, the pain of the bracelet numbed by the poison and his adrenaline. His claws ripped open the flesh of his preys chest, and all he could think about was how good it felt to feel the terror in his victim as he murdered him in cold blood. The violence sated him, and he hummed in relief as he slumped lifelessly onto the mangled body. Everything seemed to fade away as he lost consciousness. He was floating in a dark void, and he wondered if this was how it felt to die.

A soft light fell across him and he looked around in confusion. Where was he?

Was he dead?

"Joel?"

He turned around and found Aryn standing across from him. Her eyes were wide, like she couldn't believe what she was seeing. He slowly stood and turned to face her, ashamed at the way he must look all covered in blood. He was a monster, and she should never have to see this side of him. She was such a sweet little thing, and he never wanted to scare her again. But as she looked him up and down, there was no fear or revulsion in her expression. She showed nothing but concern as she took a step toward him.

"What're ye' doing here, little bird?"

"What happened Joel? Why are you... No..." her voice softened to a hush as she realized what was happening. "You're... No. No you can't die. You can't! I won't let you!"

She threw herself into his arms, and he took the moment to breath in the clean scent of her hair. Nora must have allowed her to bathe. How considerate. He reminded himself to thank her the next time he saw her. Aryn began to cry, and he hushed her while brushing her hair back from her tear dampened face. Why was she crying? And why was she touching him? He would only get her all dirty, when she should never have to feel dirty again. But he couldn't let her go, his need to comfort her overriding his need to push her away.

"Why are ye' crying, little bird?"

"I'm going to sing for you, Joel. I'm going to sing, and you're going to wake up," she hiccupped, wiping her face with the palms of her hands as she looked up at him. "Kara is going to heal you, and you're going to wake up, and everything is going to be fine."

"Kara can't heal me, little bird. The cuff restricts her power."

"She's going to do it anyway, you'll see."

"Little bird..."

"She will! I'll make her do it!" she shrieked at him and he took a step back, regarding her sudden vehemence with confusion. When did his little bird grow fangs? "I'm going to sing for you now. You always love hearing me sing."

"I do," he murmured softly, pulling her back into his arms as her soft voice carried through the void they were standing in. He watched as the black veil of darkness around them began to swirl with soft colors. "I don't know if I'm gonna get the chance to tell ye' this again so-"

"Tell me the next time you see me, Joel," she whispered as she pushed him away. He could feel himself floating through the air, and he tried without success to push his way back to her. "Tell me when you wake up."

"Wait, Aryn! What're ye' doing? Don't leave just yet, I want to spend more time with ye' before I-"

"You have to go if you're going to wake up," her broken voice carried across the space between them, and he wished he wasn't so far away. He wanted to wipe the tears from her eyes. "You're going to wake up."

She was so damn stubborn, his little bird, but he didn't have the heart to argue with her. She continued to grow smaller in the distance, and the fact that he would never see her again cut him very deeply. How much of his life had he taken for granted? Years upon years when she hadn't even existed in his world? There time had been so short lived, and how he couldn't even savor the final moments they had together. Why would she push him away? All he wanted was to be with her, was that so much to ask? Maybe... Maybe she was afraid. He could understand that. For the first time in a long time, she had been safe. That was yanked out from beneath her all over again, and she would be alone now. It seemed luck would never be on their side. He took in a deep breath and decided, against her wishes, that he would tell her the words he wanted to say anyway.

"I love ye'!" he shouted to her as loudly as he could manage, shaking his head in frustration as he floated so far away that he could barely make out her features anymore. "I love ye', Aryn."

"I love you too, Joel."

As the darkness consumed him, he relaxed into the feeling of utter relief. What was the point of fighting it? Living was too much work as it was, and after everything that happened he just didn't have the energy to keep up the struggle. He just wanted to rest. It had been such a long time since he had decent rest. The sound of her voice Serenaded him as he drifted away, and it only increased his desire to simply relax and welcome what was coming. Smiling to himself, he decided that this was the best way to die. He just wished he could have had more time to show her how he felt.

He wished he could have held her, just one more time.