Tears of the Fallen Ch. 20

"Elina did kick my ass when I first arrived here," she answered drolly. "I am aware of their prowess."

The goofy grin he shot her way almost made her laugh aloud. "Oh, that was nothing. Wait until you see them spar. That's something completely different. Lily sparred with Mac when she first came here and she was magnificent. Then she sparred with Kal and it was so clear how much she had been holding back with Mac. They are so amazing they're mind-blowing. I can't wait to see what Kothari is capable of."

His enthusiasm and interest in Kothari made her feel uneasy. She hadn't seen much of the younger Vârcolac since he had arrived, but she could sense just how dangerous the boy was. One look at him and she knew that there was something very wrong with Kothari. The fact that he made Louis appear like a choirboy was a good indicator of that...and he was about to spar with Liam.

She was unaccountably afraid, so much so that she called out, "Liam!"

His expression was quizzical when he turned to face her, but he halted his progress into the main sparring circle to allow her to hurry over to him. "What is it?"

"Remember what you learned when we dream walked in your mind. You are a multifaceted being, Liam. Do not favour one aspect of your personality over the other."

His brown eyes became more confused, and he reached out a hand to gently place it again her cheek. His expression lightened a little when she didn't automatically pull away. "What are you trying to tell me, Reasa?"

"Do not trust him," she hissed out, her eyes never leaving his. "He is dangerous, Liam. Do not let your guard down."

"Kothari is my friend. He would never deliberately hurt me," Liam countered, totally confused by the fear on her face.

"Listen to me, Liam andhear what I am saying. That boy is the most dangerous being I have ever come across and I have come across many scary things in Europe. He may be your friend, and he may notmean to hurt you, but he is walking a very fine line, I can see it in his eyes. Bring your vampire forward, and don't rely on your wolf. Now is the time to meet fire with fire. Now is the time that you must be whole."

There was so much foreboding in her voice that for a moment Liam considered cancelling the sparring match. She was truly afraid that something bad was going to happen and the only way to dissuade that fear would be not to fight with Kothi. He couldn't understand why she was so worried though. He couldn't understand what it was she was seeing when she was looking at his friend. The only way to prove to her that there was nothing to worry about was to show her.

"Okay, I will do as you ask, but there really isn't anything to be concerned about, Reasa. It's just a friendly sparring match."

'Just a friendly sparring match,' he'd told her barely five minutes ago and now he was lying panting on his back as Kothari circled in a slow, wide movement. What the hell was wrong with him? His friend had come at him like a demon possessed, kicking, talons slashing, fangs biting every which way he turned. Liam had been so unprepared for the ferocity of Kothi's attack that he'd taken blow after blow until he was knocked down and fighting for breath.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall," Kothi laughed, but there was no humour in his words, instead, there was a trace of malice.

Liam groaned and pulled himself up to his knees, his eyes narrowing as he glared at his friend. "I thought this was supposed to be a mock fight," he growled.

"I am fighting, and I am also mocking you, so I would say it was," was the sarcastic reply he received, and it only served to send a spike of anger flooding through him.

"He's a cocky little shit," his vampire whispered in his mind."I think you need me, Liam my boy."

There was something very disconcerting about having his other half address him as if it was a separate being. Liam wondered if this was what insane people experienced as the norm. Shaking his head, he rose to his feet and took a deep breath. "If you want a fight then I guess it's time to give you one, Kothari."

As soon as he'd finished speaking, he quickly coaxed his wolf into a more submissive stance, ignoring the frustrated growl he received from it. Strength surged through his muscles as his vampiric side rose up sharply, and his fingernails turned to wickedly, sharp talons.

"Oh, Liam has a vamp does he?" Kothari laughed again, moving at supernatural speed before he had stopped speaking. He cursed loudly, spinning away as quickly as he'd attacked, holding his side as blood seeped through his fingers.

"Yes, he does, Kothi, and he very much wants to play with you." Holding up two fingers, Liam made a come-hither gesture, his grin turning to one of pure malice. "Let's dance, little boy."

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." Lily swallowed hard as Liam and Kothari crashed into each other, talons flashing wildly as they barrelled into the treeline. Reasa was sitting forward, her gaze intent on the two sparring males.

"Glorious," she muttered under her breath, causing Lily to turn her gaze from her friends to watch her expressive face.

Thereasa was riveted to the ongoing contest, her expression rapt as she tried to follow the speed at which Kothi and Liam were moving. For a moment, Lily thought she was watching them both, but after a few seconds she could see that Reasa was tracking Liam more than Kothi.

Realisation dawned, and Lily felt a sense of hope building up inside. This was what Reasa knew, what she was most comfortable with. Liam's display of his more vampiric side had caught the former vampire's attention and she was liking what she saw very much. Her friends may come out of the sparring match feeling like they'd been run over by a truck, but Liam was giving his mate the one thing that she needed to finally connect with him; his vampire.

Reasa cried out when Liam swiped his talons across Kothari's face, forcing the younger man to stumble backwards and run a hand across his eyes to clear them of blood. Their wounds healed instantly but their blood got in the way at times. Liam followed up his swipe with a kick to the midriff, catching Kothari off-guard and sending him crashing to the ground.

"Yes!" Reasa jumped up, throwing her fist up high. "Go, Liam!"

Her cry distracted him and Kothi was back on his feet, cutting the legs from the larger man as his head turned to look at his mate. Liam rolled agilely and leapt back up, managing to avoid the fist that was aimed at his neck.

Kothari was wild, attacking him in a flurry of movements so fast it was hard to avoid them. Liam managed to, but it took all of his concentration so he tuned out all external sounds around them. He was panting heavily; feeling the effects of the long days spent sitting by the hospital beds. Kothari didn't have that level of fatigue to slow him down, and he appeared intent on taking Liam's head.

"Kothari!" Liam called to his friend, but he didn't appear to hear him. Talons found purchase in his body and he groaned as they sank into his side. "Kothi! Stop!" He tried again, as he felt his knees buckle under another attack. This time his friend had snapped his left leg and there was nothing to hold him up.

*****

Annoying sounds...buzzing around his head and fuelling his rage.

"Go away!"

His prey was weakened...he was almost there. Another moment longer, a quick slice to the femoral artery, and his prey would bleed out so quickly it would be enough to divert his attention. Then his head would be his. Then he would be victorious!

Kothari's talons whipped downward, scythed through flesh to find the artery he required. The sounds were buzzing louder, the noise unbearable as he closed in for the kill. All breath left his body, as he was suddenly catapulted backward, landing hard in the dirt, the largest deep brown wolf he could remember seeing landing squarely on his chest.

A huge jaw wrapped around his neck in an instant, and he froze where he was, waiting for the inevitable moment to come.

"Kothari!"

The name resounded in his head and he tried to shake it away.

"Kothari, you better fucking answer me because I don't want to have to explain to your parents why I had to take your head. Speak to me! NOW!"

"Kallum...?"

The cold haze of fury that had enveloped him began to clear, and he realised that it was his friend with his powerful jaws around his neck. What the fuck had happened? One minute he'd been teasing Liam and the next he was a hairsbreadth away from death. It was only as the fog continued to clear from his mind that he noticed he was pinned down on all sides by wolves, and Karn and Mac were crushing his legs.

"Kallum?" This time the words croaked out of dry lips, and the large wolf moved away, shifting form back into his friend.

"He's back," Kallum announced, his expression grave as he rose up to tower over Kothari.

It took another moment for the others to release their hold and move away, their expressions distrustful as they watched him keenly.

"What happened?" Kothi asked, though inside he was quivering with fear. Deep down he was only too aware of what had happened. He had lost control. "Liam..." Panic filled him, fear clawing at his gut as he sat up to find his friend.

Liam was sitting up gently disentangling Lily and Reasa from his large body. "I'm fine. No harm done," he grinned, though his clothes were drenched in blood that could only indicate that he'd had a severe arterial bleed.

"You almost killed him," Kallum ground out, fury dancing across his face as well as concern. "What the hell were you thinking? Does anyone matter to you at all? Is there even one person here that you give a shit about? You've crossed the line this time, Kothari. Rafe is going to have to be informed about this."

"I didn't...I didn't mean to hurt Liam. Kallum, you know how I feel about everyone, about the pack. You're my family." Always before he could count on the Vârcolac to keep him in check. They always had his back no matter what. Now Kallum and his other pack members were looking at him with such distrust. If he lost them...if he didn't have them as his anchor...

"I remember a time not too long ago when we once sparred together, Kal. It got a little out of hand that time too." Lily's quiet words were the only sound for what felt like forever and then her brother let out a long sigh.

"Touché," he muttered, though he still didn't look very pleased.

"There is no harm done," Liam repeated, coming over and reaching a hand out to Kothari. "We're good."

Kothi hesitated for a moment and then tentatively accepted Liam's hand, allowing him to pull him up. "Kal is right. Rafe needs to be informed of what happened. I think it's best if I head back to the pack."

Lily gave him a reassuring smile, laying a hand gently on his arm. "That sounds like a good idea. Why don't you catch up with Dara while you're there. Have her keep you company for a little while. Don't spend too much time on your own, Kothi."

The thought of possibly losing control again and in front of Dara wasn't one he was willing to risk. No, he would speak with Rafe and see what advice his Alpha had to offer. Then he would go home, lock the doors, and stay there until his parents came home. When they did...he would tell them everything. Maybe they would be able to help him. Maybe he didn't have to fight this thing alone...

Turning away, he took off running, flying as fast as he could away from the tragedy that had only barely been averted. He wasn't safe around his friends any longer. He wasn't safe around anyone any more.

*****

"I told you not to trust him."

Liam blinked slowly, watching Reasa pace up and down their room. He couldn't deny that it had been a close call with Kothi but that wasn't what had his full attention. Reasa was concerned about him. Oh, she was berating him and telling him what a fool he was but he didn't mind in the least, because with every word that escaped her lips it was clear that she cared.

"He didn't mean it, Reasa. Things just got a little out of hand."

"A little out of hand?" She stopped pacing to glare at him, her voice deceptively soft. "Just when I was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, my fear of the Vârcolac was unjustified I see that boy almost rip your stupid head off. And all you can do is sit there and say things got a little out of hand?"

"Reasa, I'm fine. You can stop worrying now," Liam sighed, rising and crossing the room. "I'm not concerned about Kothari in the least. Yes, he walks a very fine line and nobody knows that more than I. Ihave been shadowing his mood swings all our lives. Kothi teeters on the edge but the one thing that always pulls him back is his love for the pack. The fact that Kal got through to him so easily is a testament to that."

She still looked doubtful but that didn't stop a wide grin crossing his face. "You're very vociferous in my favour," he commented, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Startled eyes met his and her tongue snaked out to wet her lips. It was the wrong thing she could have done as it fixated him on her mouth and recalled the memory of kissing her. Liam had relived that moment so many times in his dreams but had been careful about keeping his distance. Oh, he hadn't given any quarter when it had come to sleeping with him. No, he had been quite determined that they would not be separated after spending all day helping the Praetorians.

He had wanted Reasa to be comfortable in his presence, to know and come to expect his touch without fear that it would come to mean some form of sexual advance from him. He had wanted her to get to know him, to see him as a person first and come to trust him. From her reaction to his fight with Kothi, it would appear it had worked. She was concerned about his well-being. She cared.

"Don't try to change the subject, Liam Eriksson. We are discussing your lapse in judgement here."

She looked totally adorable as she tried to remain stern when all the while she was slowly backing away from him, her hands twisting nervously together. His wolf growled softly and he could have sworn he heard his vampire laughing with glee. They were both enjoying their prey backing herself into a corner.

"Were we?" he asked, a smile teasing at his lips. "I'm more interested in why you feel the need to tell me off. Were you worried about me, Thereasa? Were you really that concerned that Kothi might genuinely hurt me?"

"In case you haven't noticed it does take both of us to help bring back the Praetorians," she countered, emitting a gasp when her back hit the wall. They had been here once before in her room at Freya's home, and that hadn't gone too well in her favour.

"If I recall correctly, weren't you shouting 'Go, Liam.' when I was fighting? Did you like seeing my more vampiric side? I remember he liked you very much when we were talking to him."

"Liam..." She swallowed hard, her eyes darting away from his.

"Yes, Reasa?"

"Liam..."

He couldn't have stopped himself from kissing her if he tried. She was so beautiful, so intoxicating. Liam claimed her lips in a soft kiss, lightly running his tongue along her bottom lip. Her mouth quivered under his and then she sighed and her lips parted, allowing him entry into the sweetness within.

She tasted heavenly, all hot and spicy, and sweet, sweet Reasa. His hand came up to the nape of her neck, holding her in place so he could plunder her mouth in a kiss so full of passion it felt as if an inferno had ignited between them. His heart kicked up a beat, and his body hardened in an instant as he lost himself in the heady intoxication of his mate.

Reasa tried not to respond to him but it was impossible not to wind her arms around his thick neck and pull his mouth onto hers. Her emotions had been chaotic ever since she had watched Liam fight with Kothi. She had gone from exultation to abject fear in a fraction of a second and her head was still spinning from it.

That had nothing to do with the way Liam's lips teased against hers, the way his tongue flicked inside her mouth and she felt she was being devoured from the inside out. No, her spinning head was from fatigue and too many extreme emotions in such a short period of time...it was.

"Liam." Oh Lord, had she just moaned his name like a besotted woman lost in the throes of passion? Surely that hadn't been her. Surely she wasn't luxuriating in the feel of his hard, well-muscled physique pressing her back against the wall. It was her and she couldn't deny it any longer. She was attracted to Liam; she was more than attracted to him. He had somehow managed to creep past all her defences until there was nowhere she could hide from him.

He knew secrets about her she hadn't shared with anyone else. He was aware of the ugly truth that haunted her days and he still cared, he still treated her with respect and what she now had to concede was the inescapable truth...love.

Liam, in return, had revealed his own secrets. He had trusted her with what he considered his deepest shame. He was so unlike anyone she had ever known, so free with his thoughts and feelings, hiding nothing behind defensive walls. He stood before her, a gentle giant with so much empathy he had lived his entire pack's pain and joy his entire life. Still that hadn't dissuaded him from opening up to her, from revealing everything and trusting she wouldn't hurt him.

Why was she still fighting him? Why wasn't she just letting him in? She had thrown her lot in with his pack and the vampires here. She had to rely on them for protection as she was human now. It was just the tiniest of steps to accepting Liam's claim on her, and the way he made her feel was proof that it wouldn't be such a bad thing. So, why couldn't she just take that final step...

"Liam." This time his name came out completely different and he responded instantly to the feel of her withdrawal.

Raising his head up, he captured her gaze in his, a query shining in his deep brown eyes. "I know you feel what's between us, Thereasa. Why do you fight it so much?" There was no condemnation in his tone, only open curiosity.

"You know why...you just don't want to deal with it," she replied, pressing her hands against his wide chest, feeling the drumming of his heart against her fingertips. The temptation to curl her fingers against his flesh, to feel his skin against her palms was strong...instead she pushed gently and sighed with relief when he backed away, giving her the space she needed.

"I can't deny that I am attracted to you, Liam. If nothing else, I will always tell you the truth from this point forward. I can't deny that the Vârcolac are not what I first imagined them to be...Kothari notwithstanding. But we cannot forget Pietro in all of this, no matter how much you may wish to believe that it will all work out in the end. Things will come to a head with him and when it does...one of us will most likely die."

"I will not let him hurt you." Liam hissed out the words, fury replacing the sleepy passion that he'd still be lingering under.

"You cannot hurt him, Liam," she countered, walking over to the bed, and sitting down, waiting for him to take a seat beside her. "If you do you will most probably send Cassia rogue and you can't live with that. You will never be able to bear the burden of hurting her, of possibly being the cause of her death by your actions. You know that. You just don't want to face it."

"Then we'll go to Europe and live there. It is your home, what you know."

She wanted to shake him and hug him at the same time. He was so obstinate and clearly not thinking straight. "I'm human, Liam. I would be dead within a week of setting foot on European soil. I have made too many enemies there and you're completely ignoring the fact that Louis will be sending someone here to kill me, if they're not already here."