Radiance Ch. 93

Raymond's mind began to whirl like a maelstrom, what in the name of hell was happening here, what was this?

It was like someone had flipped a switch in Lia, she'd gone from supremely confident and powerful Claw to gentle and compassionate caregiver in what felt like a heartbeat.

"I-I-I am a monster Lia, I see it in every set of eyes that look at me," Raymond stammered as the walls of his mind didn't so much crack more and began to crumble into dust.

A large scaley hand reached around his chin and turned him so that he was looking up at her as she leaned over him and looked down at him, "So what? How is that a bad thing?" she said and Raymond's brow furrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean? Who the hell would want to be a monster?" he exclaimed.

"Well me for one," she said and now he was even more confused so she continued.

"I am a Claw and I am proud of it, humans and many other races see us as mindless monsters who will kill you as soon as look at you which is fair enough given that a great many of my feral breathern can be aggressive and given how fearsome we must look to something like a human it is understandable, but that doesn't mean I am any less proud of being a Claw, if anything it makes me prouder to be a Noble Claw one of the lucky few who have a a true mind to call our own, a mind capable of compassion, understanding and most importantly love, it was something I finally understood when I first set eye on you but I could also see that there was a massive conflict within you, something that you needed to face to break free of it, to see who you truly are and to accept it so you can move forwards that's why I initiated the claim duel and yes you were right technically I did not need to do so because you had already accepted me as your mate, so I could have just let it be, but I knew you needed to see who and what you truly are and to see that not only do I accept it but Ido not fear it or you, you let truly loose on me and did I run or cower from you even when you screamed hurtful things at me?" she said.

Her words stung Raymond's heart now and a wave of guilt hit him as he truly saw what she had been trying to do and he also felt like an absolute shit for doubting the intelligence of a being who grew up in a pack of Claws, Lia truly saw more and understood more than he ever could.

"I'm sorry for saying those things Lia my anger blinded me and I wanted to hurt you for what you were making me do but despite my anger, I knew I could not use my fists to their true potential because I did not want to risk truly harming you, so I just said the first things that came to mind, fuck I'm so fucking sorry," he said and she shook her large horned head.

"I am glad you are and I thank you for those words but you do not need to be sorry Raymond, that was the whole point, it was to try and get you to let go and to lose control to see that even at your worst and most out of control that I was still there with you, going toe to toe with you, without fear of you because I love you and I trust you and by the looks of it by what you've just said it turns out my heart was right o the mark in you because even at your worst you still couldn't bring yourself to truly hurt me even though you had countless chances to and even I know that hell I know in my heart that as proud of a Claw and as good as a warrior I am if you had truly let go you would have taken me down and out easily," she said.

Her words shocked Raymond and in his mind, it was like someone had just picked up the pieces of his broken and shattered heart and reforged them into something far stronger and more whole than it ever was before because now it was solid, it was not fractured or damaged, it was whole, he was whole and it was all thanks to this wonderful young woman.

Raymond ignored the flaring pain in his chest as he turned over to face her and Lia gripped him tightly and held him as she looked at him right in the eyes, "Thank you, Lia, thank you so so much for this, no one has ever gone so far for me like ever, I thought you didn't understand me that you were simply doing this to satisfy some Claw tradition at my expense because I am strong enough to be able to resist you but that was never the point and I see it now, it doesn't matter what I am only who I am, if people are going to judge me on what I look like then there's nothing I can do about it other than show them how very wrong they are by my actions," he said and a large fang-filled smile lit Lia's face from horn to horn.

"Exactly and no you truly see who you are you will also see who you can become and what you can do as well, because no matter how hard or bad things get I will be right here where I'm meant to be, at your side, always," Lia said reaching up and stroking his cheek with her large claw-tipped fingers.

Raymond couldn't help himself, he just had to show her exactly what that meant to him, he reached up and clasp her large hand in his and brought every single finger to his lips to kiss each one before entwining them together in a knot of unity, "Thank you, Lia, you have no idea how much this and you mean to me right now, I don't know how I'm ever going to be able to thank you for this," he said and she smiled.

"Oh but I do, more than you'll ever know big guy, now come on we gotta get that rib of yours sorted out and then we can start planning you your thanks," she said climbing to her feet before reaching down and hoisting him to his feet by the armpits so she didn't put too much weight on his rib.

Raymond looked at her in surprise and she gave him a grin, "What you thought I didn't notice your rib break? Trust me it took literally all of my strength not to stop the duel there and then when that happened, it's why I got so angry all of a sudden but it wasn't with you, it was with myself for hurting you, if it wasn't for the fact that you were so close to breaking through your shell I'd have binned it there and then, but for what it's worth I am deeply sorry for it Raymond, now come along and we'll get it sorted out, I want my man comfortable for tonight," she said reaching out and gently placing a hand on his chest above the fractured rib but placing no pressure on it so it didn't hurt.

"Thanks but it'll be alright ain't the worst I've had," Raymond said and Lia gave him a sly smile.

"Did it sound like I was giving you a choice big boy? Did you forget the rules of the duel, you lost and that means for twenty for hours I get to do exactly what I want with you and right now that heals and pamper you so get your big green tailless rear end up those stairs to the bedroom before I put you over my shoulder and carry you up there," Lia said in a rather commanding but still playful tone.

Raymond sighed and then chuckled to himself while shaking his head, once a Claw girl always a Claw girl, "Yes ma'am," he said and she grinned as she fell into step behind him.

As they were walking back Abigail appeared again and it was obvious that she had been listening in to them, both their fight and their conversation as she was holding a large tub of an odd-looking hot liquid that was white and grey in colour in both hands while over her shoulder she had large fluffy towels, while she was also carrying what appeared to be a med kit of some kind.

"Whew you two that was quite something, I could hear you both from all the way up here and that basement is triple reinforced and soundproofed because I've been told that the stills can be quite loud, but anyway I figured you'd need these, this is a restorative balm of my own making good for dealing with bruises though how it'll work on scales I don't quite know but I brought these too just in case, human stim packs but given a little more oomph by our smart little doctors, these will fix that broken rib right up in no time," she said holding out the lot to both of them.

Lia beamed at her and took the bowl, towels and the little kit bag from her, "Thank you so much Abigail you are a truly good person, your kindness shines like a beacon," Lia said and the large hen fluffed her feathers and smiled at her.

"Thank ya kindly dearie but I just know a good woman has to take care of her man even when he doesn't know how to take care of himself and that's why it's up to us to help him find his way," she said giving the large Claw a knowing smile that told Raymond she had heard every word spoken between them and was now acting on it.

"True words indeed Abigail and don't worry this one is in good Claw right now and he always will be, I won my heart Claim and now I'm always his," Lia said and with that, they continued off up to their room.

"Right, on the bed, sit and take your shirt off and don't even think about arguing or I'll clip it off you with my claws," Lia said in that commanding tone again.

Raymond followed her order without any complaint but he winced hard as he lifted off his shirt and outer clothing for his upper half, as he threw it down he saw Lia eyeing his bare torso with a very hungry and predatory look in her bright eyes, well that was until they locked onto the large ugly dark bruise on his side and chest where the rib had gone, then it morphed into a look of concern and sadness before becoming one of determination.

"Right human stim pack things first and given how quick these things work on the humans in our group I'll bet they'll work far faster on you given how resilient mutants are," she said drawing one of the large injector guns from the little leather kit bag and trying to figure out how to put her fingers through the little hoops of the injector gun before settling on using her claws and thumb to do it.

She jabbed the needle into the muscle of his chest making him wince but no sooner had the gun injected the medicine within than the pain vanished, this mixture must contain a very powerful painkiller to boot because a warmth spread right over the damaged area like she'd stuck a hot poultice to his flesh.

"Better?' she asked upon seeing his change in expression.

'Much, thanks," he said and she nodded placing the injector down on the table next to her, next up she got one of the sponges that had been wrapped in the fluffy towels and dipped it in the oily liquid so that it soaked some up, then she crouched down in front of him and looked him right in the eye.

"Tell me if this hurts and I'll stop at once," she said and he nodded before the hot sponge touched his skin and added a second layer of heat to him.

Lia's touch was gentle and precise and she was diligent in her work coating not just his wound site but his entire upper torso in the soothing warm oil that seemed to sink into his skin while also leaving it with a freshly waxed-like sheen.

When she was done she stepped back and admired her handiwork, "I like you shiny it makes you look even more handsome, make's it damn hard for a girl to keep her claws to herself you know?" she said and he chuckled.

"I think I get it, it would be like if you had a light bulb on the tip of your tail, would make it damn hard not to reach out and grab it," he said playfully and she grinned at him.

"if you did it I'd pounce on you, if anyone else did it they'd lose an arm," she said and he laughed.

"Alright now the lower half so lose those aggravating bloody covers you insist on wearing," she said and he raised an eyebrow at her but he did as he was told, lifting up his legs so that he could remove his boots before wriggling himself out of his trousers and his underwear and by the purry growl that escaped Lia she very much liked what she saw.

"Looks like I'm going to have to take extra long to do this half, after all, I wouldn't want to miss a single inch now would I?" Lia said in a deep throat and very sultry growl that sent a shiver down Raymond's spine.

"N-No I guess not," he said feeling his heart hammering harder and hard with every step she took closer, oh boy this was going to be a hell of a night he could already tell.