The Owner Himself (3)

"Let's not ruin my party whoever the hell you are. You aren't Vin Diesel." He roared, nails extending and swinging it down towards Alaric.

Pulling some kind of go-go dancer move, Alaric swung his legs around, tripping the man and rolling on top. The punches were so fast to the white haired man's face, it looked like blurred lightning. Only a few times did the white haired man get to block before he ended up having his beating heart in Alaric's hand. Alaric bared his teeth and yelled in his face while looking him in the eyes as he died.

The twin sister screamed. Her ivory hair levitated as she went for Ari. "You bitch, guards." She yelled, grabbing Ari by the throat and swinging her in front of her.

More men burst through the door. "By the gods, you are a pain in my ass." Alaric said. But through the roof came Benjamin and Rafael. Kicking and punching.

One man hit Benjamin in the face and Rafael snapped their neck from behind, then spit on them afterwards.

The twin of the dead brother went to twist Ari's neck and Alaric knew he couldn't make it. Her hand moved but another person appeared within a blink of an eye, tearing her heart out just as easily as Alaric did her brother—Zadkiel. "There's no fighting in my mother fucking turf." He had a lion's roar, flicking his hand in the air.

Blood flew off in beads. Like red diamonds catching sunlight. "Why are you here Alaric? She's taken. Claimed. Isn't that right Ari?"

Between the blood and gore, the hoards of people suddenly bursting into the room she was too shocked to answer. There was blood everywhere: hands, gaping holes in chests, the woman's dripping from her cheek, a crimson tear for the overwhelming scene. She'd just witnessed both men ripping hearts from their rightful place nestled beneath bone and sinew. There was only one right answer though.

The prayers she sent had been answered. They were there to save her. "I told you before I'm not something to keep!" Her gaze went to Alaric, eyes wide and watery with unshed tears. "What took you so long, asshole?" She sniffed, fingers trembling while trying to hastily unfasten the collar. Nearly tripping over her own feet to get to him. "You can't just claim people. I'm not some slave or pet or your precious."

Zadkiel jerked his hand back and the collar tightened around her neck, yanking her back across the floor towards himself. "I can and I will. You know, Alaric's father was good at that too. Wasn't he?" He said nonchalantly, curling his fingers towards the palm of his hand. A loud ringing would roar in Ari's head, one that brought her to her knees and felt like her brain would explode any second.

Alaric stepped forward. "Let her go or I'll show you what else my father never hesitated to do."

Zadkiel stayed there for a long moment, then he laughed beneath his breath and released the hold he had on her collar. When she flung more down, the collar went the other way into his hand—the headache gone. "No need to have a fit. Go ahead. She's all yours. But remember, she doesn't belong in this world.... Or does she?" He glimpsed down at the collar in his hand and walked off.

Rafael and Benjamin helped Ari up by each arm. "It'll be okay." Rafael cooed.

Ari grabbed onto Benjamin's hand, hiccuping, unable to hold back the tears that flooded her from relief. "I knew you'd come." Her hands were shaking from disbelief. She was afraid that if she let them go or let them out of her sight that this would just be another sick game. "How did you find me?" There was no care that she had been nearly naked or that she'd been too close to being caught between crazed twins.

"Someone left a letter after a day of us searching for you." Alaric moved in front of Ari, bending down so the other two could help her onto his back. "Don't cry, you'll wet my shirt." He teased her in a soothing raspy voice that differed from his usually snarkiness. They walked her through the halls, which everyone moved out of their way, then they reached a parking lot where their car was.

He helped her inside, pulled the seat belt across her chest and put it into place before getting into the driver's side. "What happened? Who kidnapped you? Well. Brought you here?"

She wiped her eyes trying to stem her crying. There were so many feelings tangled up inside her but more than anything she was just happy to see that stupid smug smile again. "When we went to the mall to get the clothes, the blonde lady took me back to try things on and made us some coffee."

Her lips pursed knowing that he'd chastise her for being naïve. "And don't lecture me. I already dealt with the consequences. We were talking about the missions when she said that you had enemies and that I would catch a nice price. Next thing I know I'm waking up in a cage, chained, and in the dark." She paused to take a sharp inhale to keep herself from having another gross crying fit right then and there.

Alaric gripped the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles white as they drove through the streets of Seattle. It was dark and a slight rain started pelting against the windows. It hadn't taken long when they were back at his place.

There were a thousand things running through his head when they rode over the line bridge that hung across the dark waters. Here the skies were always darker and gloomy with clouds that seemed to hold heavy with water. He put the van in park and stepped out, then helped Ari out as well.

"You two leave us." Alaric said.

Benjamin and Rafael nodded their heads and left them alone as requested.

"Did they hurt you?" Was the first thing he asked.

Ari avoided his gaze. Shame finally catching up after all else fell away. They were alone and she had to face it. "I'm okay." Beyond the busted lip, chemicals injected into her veins, and being tossed around like a ragdoll she was. Mostly.

"You're lying. Someone like you wouldn't cry if everything was okay." Alaric shook his head and lifted her up like the first time he saved her in the bathroom of the night world. He carried her up the stairs and to her personal bedroom, a door over from his own. Laying her down carefully, he went to grab a wet cloth. Once he returned, Alaric dabbed her lip with it quietly. "What did they say or want?"

Ari was grateful for the window that looked out onto the garden. Along with the gentle tapping of rain and the smell of home, it helped soothe her nerves. Why was it so hard to admit what happened? Her eyes closed for a moment while she took a deep breath to tame the lingering fear.

Alaric saved her. She was out. No collar or abuse or name calling. Seared against the back of her eyelids were faces in the dark. Ryan who had tried to be kind to her. The child with her broken fingers pointing every which way.

Her throat constricted. "They sent me to the lab first to test my blood. Apparently I'm rare," She tried and failed to smile. "Zadkiel claimed me. I think it was a perk for him that he knew I worked for you. He said you would never keep a doll much less someone like me. I don't understand the things that I saw or what really was happening."

Gently she grabbed his hand, keeping him from moving again. "I knew you would come even when they told me it was hopeless."

Alaric paused for a moment when she said the words rare and grabbed his hand; his jaw tightened. "You aren't rare. They don't know what they're talking about. It's my fault you were there."

Forcing his hand from her grasp, he dabbed at her busted lip next. "Don't praise the person who put you in the mess. It's foolish, miss Ari. If you want out. Say the word. I'll let you go with the money and all. In truth. I had no reason to keep you here but for my own personal reasons in the first place."

Pressing the cloth into her hand, he stood, tugging on her legs gently so she was laying down. Alaric slid the sheets beneath her chin then sat back down on the edge of the bed, watching the rain make streaks on the glass.

"I don't blame you. I signed up for this job, I read the fine print. You didn't ask for her to drug me." Not once had that thought crossed her mind while she was there. If that's what he wanted then saving her would have been a waste of time.

Sure, they'd done it to spite him but that wasn't in either of their control. Her arm slipped from beneath the cover, placing her hand on his back and patting gently. "You're an asshole but a pleasant one," She tried to joke.

"Rare or not doesn't matter to me. I'm safe now." Again the starkness of his silhouette struck her as impossibly lonely against the gray backdrop of the world outside. She grabbed his shirt, pulling on it. "It's cold." Ari hadn't realized she was freezing until her teeth began to chatter. The room hadn't been overly chilly.

Maybe the trauma was just catching up to her now that she was in a place where she could grieve without backlash.

"You say that, but I can feel it in my being the fear that comes with this job. You don't want to be alone." Alaric said, his accent slightly thicker than usual. It was strange that despite all that she'd seen, she hadn't once asked him about what he or any of those other people were. Only that she knew what she had signed up for. Others before her left, though it could've been the fact she didn't have a choice but to stay.

Why was he even pondering about things like this? He didn't care if she saw him for what he truly was. Mr. Draconis slipped beneath the covers beside her and scooted up against her back side, slinging an arm around her. "I'll stay here for the night. Don't get any ideas."

The door opened and Benjamin stepped inside, kindling the fire in their room while the storm's rain tapped on her bedroom window. The old structure always allowed the cold chilling winds inside. Even if it was sunny beyond the residence, it always rained or was cloudy here; a curse many claimed hung over the household.

"Please stay warm Madam, call me if you're needy. Tea, coffee, heated towels. Surely his cold hearted self can't warm you up." He teased, and as he went out the door, he whispered. "Unless you choose to find warmth by other means."

Rafael's laughter echoed from downstairs, a surprise he could even hear what his beloved had said. Alaric narrowed his eyes and muttered, "Idiots."

Ari turned in his arms to face him, burying her face into his chest. The familiar scent of him was a comfort after the ordeal she'd just lived through. "You overestimate yourself if you think those are the kind of things crossing my mind right now." Even though she snuggled closer, even daring to nuzzle her face into the crook of his neck.

Despite all that had occurred since their meeting: cracking her head open, getting kidnapped, having things injected into her, she felt safe with Alaric. Every time she prayed to be rescued or cried for help he appeared.

Sure he could have been some creepy stalker hellbent on inserting himself into her life but at this point he was the only one who hadn't hurt her. Plenty of weird things happened around him and sure there was some weird death cult that she didn't want to think about–maybe she was in denial–but none of it mattered.

Ari had found solace in Alaric. Even if he was an asshole. Her arms wound around his waist and she placed a small kiss on his throat. "That's for coming to my rescue. Again."

"You don't have to thank me, it was also written in the contract you'd be under my protection." Alaric said, his chin resting on her shoulder as she turned to face him. The small kiss Ari had placed on his throat had left an odd sensation coursing through his body. "Close your eyes, don't get all soft on me." He found it in him to say jokingly.

She scoffed at him in disbelief. "Like I'd ever be a softy for you." With the warmth of his body pressed against hers and the soft potter patter of rain outside Ari finally allowed herself to relax.

The tension she'd been holding in, waiting for something to break the peace, eased away; shoulders drooping as she sighed. Her eyes closed and she forced herself to focus on the present instead of the awful things that could haunt her. Not the shackles that bound her or the dark thoughts that her life would be spent at the whims of others.

Once she fell asleep, he slipped from the bed and made sure the cover was tucked close to her body. "Sleep well, Miss Ari." And then he was gone to handle some affairs.