Don't Let Them Catch You

Rayne was nowhere to be seen.

Skye hadn't returned either, meaning she was still looking.

The angel had asked around and searched through the entire compound, but to no avail.

She had long given up and begun to assume the worst, betrayal, when Tanya found her perched on a velvet window seat inside one of the smaller tower libraries.

The angel had been gazing at the crimson tinged skies beyond the wall, watching as the smoke gathered above the trees.

How much time did they have left?

Aura had often seen this room but never felt inclined to stay there as it was usually occupied, though a mere glance at the peaceful quiet it bestowed in contrast to the chaos outside convinced her to stay for a moment.

One look at those silken wild tresses bounding towards her with the energy of a puppy, and the angel felt something like a smile tug her lips.

There was something impossibly adorable about Tanya, despite everything.

Her bright lavender eyes wide with awe as she looked at Aura as though seeing her for the first time.

"It explains why I'm so drawn to you." The red head breathed, breaking the silence between them. "You're an angel."

It was natural for those with kind hearts to feel at ease around celestial creatures, so Aura wasn't surprised to hear her say as much.

Aura merely smiled in response, feeling her cheeks warm sheepishly.

"Well, I'm not going to question why you didn't say anything as that is self explanatory... would've been nice to feel like you trusted me with that information though." She sighed, throwing herself onto the velvet seat beside Aura. Tanya tucked her legs into her chest and relaxed her face against one of the cushions, her strands leaking onto the window like liquid orange gold.

"What are you doing up here though? After such a beautiful speech." She wondered. "I would've expected to find you amongst everyone else going through strategy."

"I was looking for Rayne." Aura mumbled, resting her own chin against one of the cushions. "Because of her heritage I just wanted to poke her for information... but I don't know where she is."

"That's strange." The girl mused, "Finding that woman is always easy, hiding from her however..."

They laughed for a moment, picturing it. It was nice to laugh despite everything.

After settling, Aura wondered aloud, "Do you think she's betrayed us?"

"I highly doubt it. That woman has an unhealthy obsession with the Alpha, she would cut off her left toe for him." Tanya grimaced.

Curiosity spiked, "What is the history between them?"

"I heard they were something like lovers... a long time ago. But apparently Markus couldn't stomach her cruel nature anymore and the rest is history." Tanya's eyes glittered at the idea of such an unlikely love, "I can't imagine it. Not really. I mean anyone with eyes can see how insanely beautiful the woman is... but anyone with a heart would run for the hills the moment they got to know her. But to mate with her? Markus was crazy."

"They were mates?" Aura gasped.

"They are," Tanya corrected. "You can't exactly break it off, once you choose each other, you're stuck like that forever."

That must have been really hard for Markus, Aura thought, feeling her chest ache with sympathy for him.

There was a subtle rustle between them as Tanya repositioned herself to rest her head against Aura's lap.

She flipped onto her back so to gaze at the angel with the same admiration she had before.

"Your boobs look really nice from here."

Aura barked laughter, and heard Amos cough his own in the corner of the room.

"No seriously." Tanya grinned, closing her eyes and settling her head against the angels stomach. "Since we're not going anywhere any time soon can we just take a nap.... let everyone else do the work for now."

Aura felt inclined to argue but the girl on her lap was already falling asleep.

"Watch my back," Tanya mumbled under her breath, "I'm trusting you enough to be this vulnerable. Protect me servant."

It wasn't long before her soft breath filled the room. Aura ran her fingers through her soft ginger curls, massaging gentle circles into her scalp as she worried for her future.

It wouldn't be long until the mermen came for her...

At the pang in her chest Aura noticed with a stifled groan that she was slowly breaking one of Markus' most revered rules.

Somehow, the small purple eyed girl taking a nap on her lap had managed to worm her way into Aura's heart.

The angel was fond of her, protective of her fragility.

"Thank you," she whispered, gazing at the girls thick lashes fanning her freckled cheeks.

Aura wasn't entirely sure what for... but her heart knew, and it felt as though it had to be grateful for something.

~

Skye bounded into the tower library in a mess of white fur, startling Tanya awake.

Her blue eyes were wide as saucers, as though trying to convey a silent message to the angel.

Aura nudged Tanya up and shot to her feet with understanding.

"What's going on?" Tanya exclaimed, pushing off the window seat to go after them. She matched Aura's speedy pace as they raced out of the room and very nearly flew down the tower steps.

"Something is wrong."

Aura had sent Skye out to find the instructors, and the leopard returned to her panicked. Whatever could cause the beast to rush to her like this was worth immediate attention and anticipation pooled low in her gut as she began to assume the worst.

The group raced across what felt like the entire perimeter, passed the pits and beyond the compounds main library to enter the northern wing.

The northern wing was the most vacant section of the entire base, full of empty rooms Markus was trying to occupy with new recruits. As a result, it's lack of occupants meant it often went unvisited as it wasn't home to any of the necessities.

The air in the corridor the leopard was leading them through felt impossible to breathe in, though Aura couldn't tell if that wasn't just the anxiety choking her throat.

Skye led them to a single door at the end, it was locked. There was nothing out of the ordinary at first glance.

Do you smell that? Amos' voice echoed in her mind.

At first she didn't because she was too overwhelmed by her thoughts to notice, but then it hit her. It hit her hard.

Aura rushed to the handle to apply force, beating against the door with her body until it gave way.

She pushed passed the splintered door to raise a trembling hand, reaching for the light switch.

The angel already knew what she was going to see.

A light bulb illuminated the empty, unfurnished room to reveal a body separated into sections as though something had torn into it to feast.

Tendons and entrails scattered across the ground, there was so much blood it felt impossible to identify who it was.

"Aura!" Tanya gulped, raising a bronze hand to her lips as though to hold down the bile in her throat. She used her other hand to point to the decapitated head in the other corner of the room, staring straight at them with glassy green serpentine eyes, a forked tongue lolling out from behind her crimson lips.

Aura vaguely heard Tanya exit the room to keel over and vomit her lunch.

"Now I know why I couldn't find you." Aura sighed, her brows tugging into a frown.

"We need to get Markus."