Strange Love

Black... Cold emptiness...

Jos watched as Ry and Russ were led through the corridors ahead of them. The parade of guards leading and flanking their small group didn't speak, didn't acknowledge anything outside their own orders. Their only interactions with the group at all was after they had halted in front of a door a typed in a code to unlock it. They stood aside for Ry and Russ to enter. Her eyes shot to Russ's stoic face as he paused in the doorway and glanced back at her. The briefest of emotions flashed across his handsome face before he quickly turned and headed into the room, all but slamming the door as he went.

Blinding pain...

Jos clenched her hand into the front of her shirt as throbbing pain radiated through her chest. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. Everything she'd worked so hard over the past five hundred years had been lost in the course of six months... no... really it came down to one night. Everything had crashed down around her the second Russ had opened the bedroom door tonight. His rage and her mistake of ever getting romantically involved with him had set all the other events into motion. The sloppiness of those rapist bastards, Raven's involvement... Isha's, the suffering Shelly had been through... it all fell on her lonely shoulders.

Familiar arms pulled her into a tight hug as soon as the doors to their new room was closed. "We'll figure this out." His husky whisper did little to warm her.

She pulled away. "I'm going to take a shower." She whispered. As she stepped away from him, the wolf's troubled eyes came into view. Jos lowered to her knees and gave the wolf a tight hug then kissed her head. "I love you." She whispered against the wolf's ear. Jos kissed her furry cheek and whispered. "I'm so sorry for all of this." She pushed to her feet and headed for the hallway, grabbing the handle of her rolling bag that had been brought to the room earlier.

Shelly exchanged a worried look with Arei as they both watched Jos disappear into the bathroom. Arei let out a heavy sigh and glanced over at the clock on the stove. It was now four in the morning. "Do you want a snack or anything before bed?" He asked. When the wolf only nodded to the hallway, he chuckled. "My cooking really that bad?"

Shelly nodded, a wolfish grin spreading across her lips as she followed him to the room at the second bedroom. The new apartment only had two rooms. She watched as Arei pulled down the sheets and fluffed both pillows before pulling a stool over to the bed. He turned back to her and asked. "Do you need anything? If not, I'm going to go put up the food and head to bed myself."

Shelly shook her head and watched as he nodded and turned back toward the door. When he moved to shut the door, she barked. Arei nodded. "Alright open it is, good night." He sent her a warm smile as he turned down the hall.

Arei paused by the bathroom door, he could hear muffled crying drown out by the steady flow of the shower. Letting out a heavy sigh, he forced himself away from the door and into the kitchen. He caught himself glancing back to the bathroom door several times as he put up the refrigerator items. Letting out an irritated huff, he murmured. "Stop wasting time and just go to bed, Arei... she's probably avoiding you anyways." He berated himself. He stomped off toward his bedroom, pausing briefly to stare at the bathroom door again. "Idiot." He scoffed to himself as he shook his head and forced himself to close the door.

Numb...

The heavy steam created by the nearly scolding water cascading from the overhead shower faucet encompassed Jos's crumpled form. She had collapsed onto the floor of the shower, one arm clung tightly to the knees she had pressing tightly into her chest. The fingers of the other hand trembled around the single blade between them as heavy sobs rattled her body. The broken fragments of the women's disposable razor littered the floor around her. She forced her blurry vision to focus as she released her knees and turned the forearm of the arm that had been holding them over. Her hand quaked as she brought it closer to her wrist. "Ahhhah!!!" She cried out as the sharp edge pierced the delicate flesh. She turned her head and squeezed her eyes tightly shut as she jerked the blade upwards... It was done... A calm fell over her as she watched the blood bubble from the open gash. The blade fell from her other hand as it collapsed to her side. {All the pain I have caused... All the horrible things I've done... My suffering for all these years... 2668 years of pain, abandonment, and betrayals will finally end...}

The metallic twinge of blood assaulted Shelly's nose as the wolf sucked in a deep breath. Her ears perked instantly, and her eyes shot open. She shot to her feet on the large empty bed, her eyes quickly scanning the room. {JOS!} Her brain yelled! She leaped from the bed, ignoring the discomfort to her joints the move had caused. She followed the metallic smell to the small hall bathroom. {OMG JOS WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!} She pounced against the door, barking as loudly as she could over and over until a large shadow came over head and a massive, tattooed hand came into view.

Terror seized Arei's chest as he realized something must have happened. He shook the knob furiously. "JOS OPEN THE DOOR! What's going on? Are you alright?!" He yelled out as he continued jiggling the locked door. He glanced down at the wolf who was still digging frantically at the door herself. "Step back." He said. The second the wolf was out of the way; he kicked the door open. His eyes widened in raw horror as his eyes fell on the fogged glass of the shower. "F.U.C.K!!!" He quickly jerked the shower door open and scooped Jos's limp body into his arms.

Nausea coursed through Shelly as she quickly stepped out of the way of the hulking man. Her eyes were pinned on the bright red water streaming down the drain. Yelling from the living room brought her attention back to the now empty bathroom. She made her way quickly toward the commotion.

"I don't need EMS! Make yourselves useful and get the f.u.c.k out of my way!" Arei yelled as he pushed through the two large guards at the door.

Shelly struggled to keep up as the massive man stormed through the halls of the Embassy. She stopped only long enough at the room Russ and Ry were sharing to scratch and bark a few times before running down the halls toward the man carrying her best friend.

"Get the f.u.c.k out of my way or I swear to the Gods I'll kick you through the mother f.u.c.kers!" Arei growled as he stormed toward the guards at the front doors. The terrified men darted to either side just as Arei's large bare foot kicked through the reinforced glass. He moved quickly across the broken glass not stopping until he was far enough away from the Embassy for the full powers of Poseidon to take effect. Heavy clouds began to roll in and small trimmers shook the ground as he held one arm up toward the heavens. The heavens above opened up over his head. The clouds churned angrily around the round opening as it unleashed a tidal wave of sea water down from the sky, soaking him and Jos both.

Shelly stood frozen on the steps of the Embassy only able to stare at the sight before her. It took her brain several seconds to process it as Ry and Russ rushed out past her.

Thunder rumbled all around as Arei held her tightly. When hazy aqua eyes fluttered open and met his, he released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. His hand flew to her face, wiping at the soaked hair that clung to her face. "Kitten?" He searched her face before moving his gaze to the wrist resting against his bare chest. When the deep wound was no longer there, he let out another heavy breath. "Thank the Gods!" He squeezed her tightly against his body as he dropped to the stoned road. "You're alright..." He whispered hoarsely against her damp hair as he clasped her head tightly into the bend of his neck. "Thank the Gods, you're alright..." His words broke with emotion as tears streamed down his already wet face onto her. He pressed several kisses to the top of her head. "What were you thinking?" His gravelly voice, low and even more emotional.

"Jos! Jos!" Russ Yelled as he dashed toward the two people crumpled in middle of the road.

Arei's eyes shot up to Russ and Ry as they neared. "Keep him the f.u.c.k away!" Arei yelled toward Ry.

Ry stopped cold in his tracks as his brother's blazing jade eyes met his. "Russ, stop! Leave them." Ry ordered, but the boy ignored him.

Arei snarled his teeth as he pressed Jos tighter against him. The clouds over head thickened and darkened, dumping down heavy rain. Thunder rumbled loudly overhead and the ground around the Embassy rumbled. "Get him the f.u.c.k away, Ry or I warn you, I'll f.u.c.k.i.n.g kill him. The council be damned!"

Ry ran over and wrapped his arms around Russ, holding him back tightly as the kid tried to wrestle out of his arms. "Stop fighting me and leave them alone. He's not playing right now." Ry growled.

"But is she okay?" Russ yelled out concern heavy in his voice. "What happened? Just let me see her!!!" He continued struggling against Ry's steel-tight grip.

Shelly forced her legs to move and she ran past her brother to Arei and Jos. She approached with caution, but when the giant man loosened his grip on Jos and lowered her for Shelly's worried gaze, she hurried forward.

He carefully moved his hold on her, giving Shelly access. "She's alright..." He pressed his forehead against the wolf's as she stepped her front paws up onto his thick thigh. "You saved her..." He whispered as tears ran over his chiseled cheeks. "YOU saved her." he repeated, gratitude heavy in his graveled voice.

"Stay here." Ry whispered to Russ. "Trust me, he's done everything in his power not to hurt you thus far... He'll not hold back this time, and you're not within the protected confines of the Embassy either." When Russ stopped struggling, Ry released him. He held his hand out. "Stay right there, don't move." He repeated as he walked toward the three bodies huddled in middle of the road. His eyes trailed over what he could see of Jos's n.a.k.e.d body. If there had been an injury, it was now completely healed. He pulled his now soaked tee shirt over his head and handed it down to Arei. "What happened?" He asked softly.

Arei gritted his teeth as he glared over the two heads he now wrapped protectively in his arms. "She tried to take her own life!" He bit out, sending a hate filled glare at Russ.

Russ's mouth dropped open, Arei's words hit him like a punch to the gut. His feet began moving of their own volition.

"I said keep him away!" Arei roared as Russ approached.

"I just want to see-" Russ's words died in his throat as the demi-gods harsh glare pinned him.

Arei gently released Jos and Shelly as he shot to his feet. "You are the f.u.c.k.i.n.g reason for this! You!" He pointed a finger at Russ before clamping his hand shut. This time when he opened it and pointed the palm of it toward Russ, the ground below him rolled violently knocking him to the ground. Arei straddled his legs and glared down at him. "Get the f.u.c.k out of my site and out of this town tonight." He growled. "Any business you still have here can be done by mail or online. If I ever see your f.u.c.k.i.n.g, pathetic face near her again, you will see the full power of a son of Poseidon and Gaia."

Anger flared, and Russ could feel the involuntary ripple of a shift. "At least let me see her-"

Arei lowered, curling the fabric of Russ's tee shirt into his fist as he pulled the kid to his feet before lifting him into the air. "Shift... I dare you!"

"Give it a rest!" Ry yelled as he ran toward his brother. "Put the kid down. He is only a kid, after all."

Arei snarled as he dropped Russ to the ground. "Get him out of my sight." Arei didn't look back toward his brother or Russ, instead he walked back to where Shelly struggled to hold Jos's weak body upright. He bent and scooped Jos up. "Can you walk?" He asked Shelly. When the wolf nodded, he turned back toward the busted doors of the Embassy. He glared at the guards as they stood there gawking, Prometheus and Pavato standing just inside. He met Prometheus's questioning eyes. "Bill me..." Was all he said as he walked past them down the hallway.

Prometheus shook his head, his lips curved downward into a long frown. "I warned these boys years ago, they would be consumed by the beast and would each lose something. That one..." He nodded to Arei. "Has been consumed by the beast twice over now. He has lost his freedom for her once now and I fear there will be a second... all because of the one thing he lost that he'll never get back..."

Pavato's image blurred in and out of human form. "And what has he lost?" The man's staticky voice asked.

Prometheus frowned. "His heart... It's why Poseidon pushed so hard for the two of them to wed so long ago... He couldn't stand the thought of losing one of his favorite sons."

Pavato arched a static brow. "Obviously, that didn't work."

Prometheus let out a heavy sigh. "No... No, it did not..." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#*trigger-alarm*_51358384980545090">#*trigger-alarm*_51358384980545090</a> for visiting.

Pavato shrugged. "He's freed now, what stops him?"

Prometheus shook his head. "I'm not sure. He is more careful than the others. I have never been able to read him."