Page 218 of A Soul to Steal

They launched forward.

The moment Emerie snapped the end of her whip around Ingram’s neck, she ran up his back to quickly loop her rope around it as well. Ingram didn’t notice her there, but shewas bucked off the moment Aleron managed to get out from underneath him.

Aleron jumped back, just as Ingram did. Emerie flung one end of her rope around a tree, and the other end around itself, tethering him to it. The action seemed practised, as if she’d done it before.

Gideon took that as his chance. Especially since Aleron had stalked closer on limping hands. Running between them, he threw his hands out while facing Aleron.

A small amount of doubt stabbed his gut when his friend and lover sprinted for him like a rabid creature. A snapping snarl chomped from Aleron’s fangs, just as he lunged.

Within seconds, Gideon was below Aleron, with the Duskwalker’s chest pressing him against the thin layer of snow. Claws crunched into the earth, one wing upright in aggression, the other drooping from an injury. Blood coated Gideon, and the heat coming of Aleron was so intense, he thought it’d fry his skin.

Gideon knew what was about to happen when Aleron’s fur and feathers lifted. Instead of letting him leap for Ingram, who struggled at the end of his tether to attack his own brother, Gideon grabbed the thick furry collar around Aleron’s neck. Gideon yanked himself along the ground until he was below Aleron’s skull, sat up, and threw his chest against his bony face.

He clung to his horns when Aleron tried to bring Gideon back down to safety underneath him. Hoping his chest blocked Aleron’s sight and the ability to smell by being pressed against his nose hole, he refused to budge.

“H-hey darling,” Gideon grated out, trying not to grunt from the strain of being pulled. “I need you to calm down for me, okay?”

He pressed his face against the feral Duskwalker’s bony forehead and rubbed against it. Gideon attempted to ticklehim with his stubble – a strange and animalistic desire Aleron seemed to be obsessed with.

Aleron fought to get Gideon below him. Claws nicked him, but they never dug hard enough to truly do any damage. Even when enraged, this Duskwalker’s desire to protect him was just too strong.

Snap out of it, Aleron.Cloth tore as his shirt and jacket were ripped apart at his back and sides.

Just as his arms were about to give out, both quaking against Aleron’s strength, the Duskwalker stopped tugging. A rippling, full body shudder wracked him and even his wings flapped – although the damaged one barely moved.

Then short, sharp whines echoed from Aleron’s chest and between his fangs. They twisted Gideon’s gut, and he wrapped his arms across the base of Aleron’s skull to hug him comfortingly. Gideon continued to nuzzle him with his cheeks, chin, and nose, hoping to ease him a little.

A shaking, obviously injured hand gave out.

“Gideon.”Curling his elongated arms around Gideon’s torso and arse, Aleron lowered to his belly. Aleron cradled him while placing his bony head on top of Gideon’s partially straight legs.“It hurts.”

“I know it does, darling,” he cooed, eyeing down his spine.

Difficult to see the true extent of Aleron’s injuries in the dark, he could mostly tell by the thick clumps of fur and feathers – many of which were missing. The slowly rising moon made the blood covering him glisten.

Ingram continued to struggle with rabid snarls and a chomping beak. Peeking over his shoulder, Gideon watched Emerie slowly approach with her hands up in order to calm down her own Duskwalker. Ingram never attacked her, and tried to pull her under him as well.

As Aleron’s whines grew louder when the aggressive tension truly seeped out of him, Gideon patted his neck, only to immediately regret it. He touched wet wounds, so instead he quickly focused on the part of him that was unharmed – his beautiful skull.

“Did we hurt you?”Aleron asked, trying to shift his head back enough so he could look up.“I was holding you.”

“No. I’m alright.” A small lie, but whatever was wrong with his right ankle and knee was nothing in comparison.

As if he’d known Gideon wouldn’t be truthful, the pain dulled and eventually faded.

Gideon let out an annoyed sigh. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Apparently pleased with himself, Aleron held Gideon tighter and subtly rubbed against his stomach.

A similar conversation happened behind him, and he peeked to see Ingram had collapsed to his knees to hold Emerie. Even his tail wrapped around her ankles as he let out his own whines and whimpers.

“Not quite the greeting we were expecting, were we?” Gideon said with a soft, yet saddened chuckle.

Aleron just shook his head and squeezed tighter.

Humour spiked in his chest.Five minutes ago, Aleron was a mindless, rabid beast, now he’s being a giant sook.He found that so endearing and cute that a cyclone of tenderness swirled within.

“Aleron?”Ingram called, coming forward since Emerie must have released him from the rope she’d placed over his neck.

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