Ratter Ch. 02

Again no sex. I'll just come out and say I don't know when there will be. But there will be. Eventually. This is longer than the first as requested. I don't know how many words constitutes a literotica page but this should be more than one (I hope ; ) ) I want to thank everyone who commented and gave me advice on my first submission. It is very much appreciated : D And again sorry about the no sex : )

* * *

Tears rolled down Aprils face as she stared open mouthed at the image in the mirror. She didn't recognize it. It wasn't her. It couldn't be her. She was beautiful. The voice in her head told her to be happy. She was alive and that was the only thing that mattered but she couldn't help it.

It didn't help she couldn't remember anything about how she got this way other than an intense feeling of cold. Getting out of bed had been a nightmare. Pain searing up her legs so strong she thought she might collapse. But she'd still stumbled through the bathroom door with barely a glance at her condition. Now, in front of the full length glass there was no way to ignore it.

Deep red scrawls covered her from thigh to ankle. It was obvious someone had tried to clean her up, but dry blood still clung to her on her thighs and around the knees. A nasty gash curved across her stomach and up her side, a smaller one across her breast. Bruises covered her entire body and what skin did show was sickly pale.

Taking it all in her stomach heaved and she ran for the toilet vomiting a mixture of water and blood. Sinking down on the floor she stared at the image. Hollow, sunken eyes stared back at her. The pale green color that once sparkled with life now looking more grey. And her hair! She ran her fingers over the tumbled mess. It hadn't been shorter than her waist in seven years. But now she wasn't sure if she could save it.

Shaking her head hard she bit back the fresh tears and stood. She was a survivor. She'd survived the death of two parents, the accident that took one her brothers, the cancer that threatened to take the other, and more than her fair share of abuse. She would survive this.

Turning towards the shower she twisted the taps as hot as she could handle. She just needed to take it as she always did. Break it up, and fix it one step at a time. With fresh determination she stepped inside and let the water run over her battered body. She was going to be just fine.

* * *

Seere held on to the banister like a life line. How he'd lasted as long as he did with the girl was beyond even his knowledge. Stumbling a few more steps he made it down and fell against the bench shaking. The ramifications of the night before were even worse than he anticipated and he hadn't even healed her all the way, just enough to close the wounds and fix the internal damage.

"I shouldn't have even done that much, she was too far gone" he muttered reaching over the top and grabbing a bottle of pills.

He could take the pain. But if the shaking didn't slow down, he was going to have more than the little problem upstairs to deal with. His employers had sent him the signal last night. They expected the job to be done last night. He was going to have trouble thinking of a good explanation. A mere human wasn't going to be anywhere near enough. He looked towards the ceiling and started when he felt another presence enter his home.

"Ah! You're home" a voice chirped through the first floor "now where are you?"

Seere grinned as his friend appeared on the bench in front of him pizza in hand. "So genies do grant wishes" he groaned and grabbed the box.

"Jinn brother, Jinn. Do I look big and blue and come with a lamp?"

"Well, purple anyway" he gestured to the streak of purple running through Rane's jet black hair suppressing a laugh.

He groaned "yeah Charity got a little ambitious on the weekend. Why I let her do these things to me I have no idea" he snatched a piece of pizza from the box. "Well I do have an idea but I'm certainly not going to tell you about it" he laughed.

The pizza stopped halfway to his mouth, his brown eyes turning an unearthly shade of light gold as he looked up at the roof.

"And what's this I sense? Did our little night demon find something interesting in the moonlight?"

"It's not like that"

"No?" Rane teased

"It was a call"

That wiped the smirk of his face. Rane had known about the whispers Seere had been hearing from the moment they met. At the time Seere had thought he had found an answer for what breed he was. But the Jinn were pure mischief. They couldn't heal or manipulate minds the way he could. And they phased in and out of the dimensions at will preferring to spend most of their time out of sight. Still, Rane had taken an immediate liking to Seere and even taught him how to block the whispers.

"I thought you were past that phase" Rane sighed putting down the food.

"I was. I haven't been pulled towards someone for over six years"

Rane's gold eyes flashed "I told you. I told you if you held on to these people you'd sink back into old habits"

Seere slammed down his glass his body giving one more spasm as the pills set in. He met Rane glare for glare. "it's not like I can just phase it out like you, I have to live here"

Rane's eyes flickered "yes, you do, but you don't have to hold on to the people Seere. They'll kill you. You'll live forever trying to help all of them and eventually they'll take what's left and leave you. Do you know what that looks like? Have you seen it?" he gestured towards the black stone hanging around Seere's neck "go on. See what the generations of so called heroes that walked before you paid for their mercy"

"I'm not using the stone"

"If you have it you're meant to use it" he snarled "might as well use it to keep yourself alive"

"No"

Rane opened his mouth to reply but stopped when April entered the room. His eyes shone a little brighter as he turned to look at her. Jumping down from the bench he walked forward. She stepped back at the wicked look in his eyes.

"Leave the girl alone Rane" she looked towards Seere curiously as he leaned back against the bench.

"Relax Seere, I just want a closer look at those beautiful eyes" his voice was like water over rock drawing her to meet his gaze. This time she did gasp. Colored lights flashed in front of her eyes and she felt herself falling until all she felt was cold.

* * *

She thought she was dead until the pain hit her. When she opened her eyes, she was wrapped in two strong arms. It took her a while to hear Seere's voice over the pounding in her head. But it didn't matter, he wasn't looking at her.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

Rane backed off hands raised "I was curious, I didn't know it would have such an effect. You should have warned me she'd been hurt when you found her." he smiled as her eyes met his with an accusing glare. She didn't know what he did but she did know the pain killers had stopped working.

Pushing herself out of Seere's arms she marched towards the stranger with full intention of slapping him. He chuckled, a soft liquid sound erupting from his throat. "Easy woman, I had no intention of causing you additional pain." He grabbed her hand mid-air, and with a bow, feathered a kiss across her knuckles. He smirked at the hard look on his friends face "five minutes with Seere is pain enough as it is".

She grinned and turned towards Seere. He pulled a plate out and placed it on the bench not bothering to turn around "if you're finished being an ass, maybe you can ask your latest victim if she'd like a slice of pizza" he rolled his eyes at his friend still refusing to meet her gaze.

Strange. Her stomach growled at the smell of food. Rane laughed and steered her towards the bench. Sitting on the stool she looked at the contrast in the two men now talking without her. Unlike Seere, Rane's skin was tanned to a golden hue. His lean and muscled body met Seere in height inch for inch. His black hair she figured would fall down to his shoulders when loose, presently it was tied back with a black band sparing the solitary purple streak hanging loose across his face. His eyes she could have sworn were gold before, were chestnut in color. But the irises were strange. Like two images layered over each other but slightly skewed. And right now they were directed towards her.

"I'm sorry what?" she said blushing.

He smiled "Seere was just telling me of the injustice of not asking for your name"

"Oh, it's April" she said turning to look at Seere. You ran out of the room so fast I didn't get a chance to tell you."

Rane laughed "he's awfully rude like that" he flashed Seere a teasing look.

"Or maybe he was tired after he spent all night trying to stop a castaway from freezing to death" Seere answered back sarcastically.

April's eyes widened as memories filled her head. She'd been on a cruise for her 21^st birthday. A boring obligation of upper class society made even more so by the fact she hadn't been a part of such a society in years. Her friends were more business associates desperate to rub shoulders with the runaway heiress.

Men in suits twirled her around the dance floor between discussions of stocks and sales she didn't understand. Luckily they didn't expect her to. They expected her to giggle and tease like the rest of the females that flitted about the deck. She felt like running her uncle over with a bulldozer by the time she joined her older brother Seth by the bar.

Seth passed her his whisky with a sympathetic smile "how goes the…" he narrowed his eyes drawing the dark brows together and twisted his mouth into a snarl "happiest day of your bloody life young lady?"

She laughed at his impression. Her uncle was a good man, but had no idea how to raise children. So he managed them the way he did his business. While that came with a great deal of love and care, it also came with the obligations of such assets to fulfill on the investment.

It was one of the many reasons why, as soon as she turned thirteen, she'd run away from home and disappeared without a trace. Eight years later, when news of Seth's cancer had spread to all the tabloids, she had come back. After seven months the cancer was gone, but she wasn't going to leave him again. He was all she had.

She took a sip from the glass before handing it back "I've had at least five potential proposals and the night is still young. Uncle will be pleased." She rested her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. "I don't think it works like this" she whispered.

"What?"

"Marriage" she looked up "I don't care what the papers say, it doesn't work like this. I just came back and I want to leave again" she broke his gaze and looked down.

He held her tighter "I'm your brother and I want what's best for you." He tilted her face up and pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. But if you're going I need you to do one thing for me"

"What?"

He grinned, feigning desperation "take me with you!"

She choked as a giggle escaped her mouth

"I mean it! Do you think I want to be here Ril?" he looked at her like a caged animal "you think you've got it bad with all these suits running after you? I'm the heir. I came home the other night and there was a naked girl on my bed with a note from our dear Uncle saying, in short, that she was drunk and if I knocked her up our stocks would increase by fifty percent"

April could barely breathe she was laughing so hard oblivious to the people staring at her like she was crazy. "Okay" she managed meeting her brothers laughing eyes "I'll stay"

He winked "good, there's only so much suffering a man can take without someone to share the misery"

* * *

Seere stared at April resisting the impulse to hold her as she started shaking. "Can you tell me what happened" he whispered. The glazed look left her eyes and she turned towards him fear taking its place.

"I'm not sure. I was at a party. I remember falling and I hit my head and blacked out. I guess I must have fallen overboard. All I remember is waking up for a few seconds and I was freezing. Then nothing" she looked away guiltily "how long have I been out?"

Seere's eyes narrowed "well" he turned to rinse his glass the irritation evident in his tone "I don't know how long you were in the water, but you've only been here for one night"

"And when can I leave?"

His head snapped around. "I guess you could leave now, but I wouldn't recommend it." The words carried threat and she jumped back. He winced and ran a hand through his hair. This was not going well. "Your injuries were pretty bad. You need take things slow and get plenty of rest if you're going to recover. If you go running off you might open your wounds and do more damage. It will only be for a couple of days."

He smiled inwardly as the words sank in and he turned to pick up his keys off the hook on the wall. "Make a list of the things you need and I'll pick them up later. Right now, there's the appointment I had to cancel last night." he turned to see an amused look on Rane's face "can you stay with her?"

Rane nodded and nudged April's shoulder "it'll be my pleasure"

With a nod, he turned to leave. Rane's voice echoing in his head, 'she's lying'.

'I know' he answered back and walked out the door.

* * *

With a glance at Rane, April bolted after Seere catching the corner of his jacket. "Hey!" . He paused and turned, his violet eyes dark and penetrating. Instinctively she wrapped her arms tightly around her body losing her words in the intensity of his gaze.

"Is there something you want April?"

Yes. "No. Well, I mean…" she gave herself a mental slap "What the hell is your problem"

His eyes narrowed "what do you mean?"

"It's just" she fidgeted conscious she was being petty. She hated being petty. "I don't need a babysitter. And well, I know you have a life and everything but you don't have to be so cold. I…" she could feel the tears coming and the last thing she wanted was to cry in front of him "I'm sorry if my almost dying interfered with your busy schedule. But this" she gestured around her angrily "wasn't exactly in line with my plans either"

Not now, oh god, please not now. Her voiced squeaked as the tears started to roll down her face "A-and I had plans. I w-was going to the b-best university in the country. And now the applications are c- c-closed." She burst into tears as his arms came around her. He smelled like earth and ocean and something warm and safe. She laid her head against his chest listening to his heartbeat as her body relaxed against him.

"Feel better?" he whispered.

She nodded "I'm sorry" she went to pull away but he held her tighter.

"Don't be." She looked up at his face. "You're allowed to be hysterical when you almost die." Laughing at the glare she gave him he added "and I can be a jerk."

"So where are you going?" she smiled back trying to fight the warmth spreading through her that had nothing to do with body heat

His face turned into a scowl and his muscles tightened under her fingers "work".

He released her and ran a hand through his hair. "Is there anything you need urgently? I can bring some things back tonight"

She tried to pull a list out of the mess in her head. Sensing her struggle he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a card. Dropping it in her hand he turned towards the car "if there's something you need, buy it. Don't feel like you need to hold back." He jumped in and rolled down the window. "And take Rane with you." Before she could protest he rolled down the driveway and drove off.

She shook her head and walked inside. Rane was slumped on the couch with three remotes and a bag of chips.

"Making yourself at home?" she teased.

He grinned widely, his eyes not leaving screen "you should join in at 3 o'clock when I rearrange his furniture." She walked over and snatched the bag away from him.

Rane gestured towards her hand "so his majesty gave you the key to the kingdom"

"Yeah. And you're my body guard, so you're coming"

"Ah, yes. I'm notorious for my vicious scream of terror." He winked and April laughed with her mouth full of chips. Swallowing she turned to look at the screen and rolled her eyes "an action flick? There are other genres you know?" she turned back the smile falling at the serious look on his face. "What's wrong?" April's body tensed when he closed his eyes.

They flickered open again, the same light gold she'd seen before. He pressed a finger to her lips telling her to be silent. She watched as his eyes swept through the room reflecting strangely over every detail. The longer he took, the more nervous she got.

Rane moved like a cat around the room dragging April along behind him. She was so focused on keeping up; she barely noticed the ice cold arms encircling her waist. Barely. She stiffened. Everything seemed to slow down as she saw Rane's head start to turn towards her. Her hand was torn from his grasp then she was flying back. With a dull crack she fell towards the darkness vaguely aware of a voice laughing in her head.