Burned

Had he ever truly looked at her?

Yes, on many occasions, she had always reigned him in. A moth to the sun itself, wordlessly entangled, drowning himself in the life force she emitted.

Kieren let out a soft breath, he had always been watching her, unable to look away, but this was different.

Violet, laid out in his bed, fast asleep, and truly relaxed. The sun was coming in from the window, reflecting off the waterfall and casting rainbows on her porcelain skin.

She was breathtaking, she turned to her side and with a gentle sigh nestled deeper into his embrace.

His pupils contracted forcefully, unrestrained desire surged in his blood, he took in another deep breath willing his body to relax. He knew had been much to forceful and for better or worse, she had loved it. He closed his eyes, he willed the sounds and flashes of memories away. Her voice, her skin on his… he shuddered involuntarily, giving in was proving to be more dangerous than he had imagined.

Kieren caressed her skin lovingly, suddenly he wanted to laugh. His entire life he had detested the idea that he would forced into loving one person eternally. He had been so determined to be the exception. Now, looking at the beauty in his arms he couldn't help but chuckle. This wasn't a curse, no… it was, it was the strongest curse, and he wanted to be burned and destroyed by it. It wouldn't matter, so long as she never left his side.

As if his thoughts were being projected to her Violet yawned into awareness. She looked up, "hmm, you should have woken me…. What? What is it?"

Kieren leaned down, "just realizing some… things."

Violet smirked as she rubbed circles into her eyes, she stretched out and the thin sheet covering he body slipped. Kieren eyes followed the sheet hungrily, "if your realization has anything to do with the fact that you're insatiable, all I have to say is I cannot believe you're barley figuring that out."

Kieren flipped their bodies, Violet raised her eyebrows. She was now being straddled against the bed, caged by alluring muscles and playful eyes. He lowered his face, dragging his teeth against her throat, "actually, I was just realizing…" he pressed their bodies closer, thrilled by the way Violet froze upon realizing he was as hard as a rod yet again. "I'm never going to get over devouring you."

— — —

Violet snorted in the shower, she has clearly walked herself into the lion's den. A starving lion. Thankful that the door was locked and for once he had left her alone she dried herself off carefully. Violet frowned looking at her left wrist. "What the fuck."

"Kieren?"

Kieren looked up from stove, Violet forced herself to ignore the palpitations of her heart upon such a domestic scene. Honestly, the man was making her breakfast, he was shirtless surrounded by a blinding light and looking like the food-sex god.

He flipped a pancake with ease, muscles rippling as he moved, a small smile his face. Violet curses under her breath causing his smile to grow. "Yes?"

Violet considered jumping him for a moment when the discovery on her wrist reappeared in her mind. "Put a shirt on dammit!"

He moved closer, the smile now a grin, "I'm afraid I cannot do that princess. You see, I'm still in the process of winning you over."

Violet laughed despite herself, smacking him away she held up her wrist, "what is this?"

Kieren looked at her fondly, he kissed her wrist, "it's a rune?"

Violet rolled her eyes, "glad you remembered our lesson, why is there a run on my wrist that resembles the one on your chest?"

Violet moved closer and after a pause focused on his chest, "and why.."

She touched his rune, "why has your rune changed?"

Kieren pulled her into a loving embrace, "because you slept with me."

He looked down at a surprised Violet, she seemed to be calculating her words. "So, every girl you've slept with gets one?"

He took Violet's face in between both hands, he brushed his lips against hers, "I haven't been with many, not that it matters, but no, just you."

A moment of silence passed, he looked right back into her eyes calmly.

Violet exhaled, "why?"

She watched his expression carefully, for a moment he looked, afraid, he kissed her again. His eyes filled with honest adoration.

"Because I'm in love with you."

She didn't know what to say, what would she say, if he knew, but there was no way, she wasn't meant to survive.

As if sensing her momentary panic, he brushed his lips against hers once more. "Violet, it's alright. I do not need a reply, it's my invaluable truth. Nothing will change because of the rune on your wrist. Nothing."

His gaze saddened for a mere second only to vanish and be replaced by the gentle smile. "If you ever get tired of me, you can leave, the rune will disappear."

Violet frowned, there was more to this, she leaned into his embrace. Suddenly exhausted she decided to let it do. Death, gore, pain, all topics she could handle. Comfort and love… foreign.

Flinging her over his shoulder he carried her to the table. A plate in front of her and his playful grin reinstated Violet took in a grateful breath. After breakfast he looked over, eyes pensive. "Can I show you something?"

They had driven several hours, a panicked Jace -angered that they had not come home or told him they wouldn't be coming home- had interrupted their drive only to pause, clearly astounded over the cheery quality to Kieren's tone.

Violet chuckled, she could just picture the implication dawning on Jace's face, even over the phone. "Zip it Violet!" He called out in a slightly embarrassed tone. "I want you both home for dinner. You're slated to return to the school tomorrow and I will not be chasing after the two or you like runaway high schoolers." He hung up the phone as Violet finally lost her composure.

Recovering from her fit of laugher she looked over to Kieren who was also laughing. "I swear he thinks he's my father."

They continued to drive until Kieren made an off turn into a dilapidated city. Fog and pollution lingered eerily, making the entire place look dirtier than it already was - a tough feat. She looked out onto the streets littered with prostitutes, and trash. "I would have never imagined you knew about places like these?"

He nodded, "If the Ruenen would have had their way, I would never know. Unfortunately for them, I don't often listen."

A hidden tunnel led them underground, an even grimier city, mostly abandoned lay in front of them. She looked at a destroyed corner mart. A marred and ignored body lay half in half out as rats and insects held a feast. Two children, frail, barefoot, scarred, ran past it without a backwards glance. Old news in a place like this.

A garage opened and as it closed Violet understood. "This is where you came for answers didn't you?"

Kieren draped am arm around her the steel cold glint in his eyes contrasting to the warmth in his embrace. "Yes, I've decided to find my own answers."

He led her down to a basement, Violet noted freshly cleaned walls that could not hide the bloodshed they had witnessed.

"You captured some of them?"

He smiled grimly, "I've captured all of the involved. Unfortunately, well for them, most of them knew nothing."

He unlocked a door, his voice drawled out uncaringly, "those who knew nothing didn't make it."

Violet couldn't help the proud flash in her eyes, should she be proud of this? probably not, but she would never deny that she was twisted. She kissed Kieren slightly, "nobody touches what belongs to you huh?"

He pulled her in, a manic glint in his eyes. "Nobody."

Violet looked at the man and woman tied to the walls, they were in a volatile state. Kieren had not held back and she was surprised they were alive. The woman, the rune caster responsible for Violet's near death experience coughed up a blood clot and glared at Kieren. "You'll never get us to speak. We will never betray him."

Kieren nodded, the rage in him moving like a calm ocean. He moved Violet in front, wrapping his arms around her, lips caressing her neck. "But I've brought someone who can."