FORTY

Word Count: 1872

~Tove

I catch a glimpse of light spilling onto the water logged street from a few steps away, signalling refuge.

"Come in here. We need shelter from the rain."

Grabbing Mary's arm, I pull her along, pushing through a glass door and into a bar. The bartender flinches at our sudden interest, nearly dropping the glass they are polishing.

Looking down, I see my sleep clothes plastered to my body like a second skin. Feeling the gaze of the single patron slumped at the bar, I quickly peel the fabric off me as much as possible.

"I can't believe that happened..." Mary gasps out, sweeping back her dark wet hair with both hands before she falls into the booth.

I join her on the other side, stunned. "Yeah, me either."

"Did you get a look at who did it?" She asks, shuddering. Thankfully it's warm in here, considering how wet we now are.

I close my eyes, trying to piece together as much as I can. Nothing about that person felt familiar, which gives me some kind of solace. What I regret most is not hurting them before I got out of there.

"No, it was too dark," I tell her.

I bring my fingers up to my neck, the phantom feeling of those hands wrapped around it haunting me.

"They wanted me dead. They weren't trying to kidnap me, or to send a message. They were trying to kill me," I breathe, swallowing thickly. I feel the edges of panic, but I'm too numb to acknowledge it.

Mary shakes her head. "You bested them. Don't worry. And it's not like they are here, right?"

I look around, noting that the drunken person at the bar has lowered their head again, and the bartender is busying themselves with cleaning. We aren't at risk here, and unless the person who attacked me has transportation powers, we should be okay.

"They will find me again," I remind her, shuddering.

"You have Keo."

"And what if he isn't around?" He's not here now, although he will become aware of the danger soon. He has keen senses, and the fact that I am his mate makes it even more likely he will be able to track me here.

"Then you have your own power. You're an Angel-blood...you are nothing to be scoffed at." Mary is being optimistic because she is scared, and doesn't know what else to do.

"I'm sorry I put you in danger," I breathe.

"They didn't want me." She shrugs, although her fingers are trembling. "I feel safer than ever around you. You got me out of there."

I almost laugh. I wasn't even thinking, I just did what I had to do. At least I got Mary out of there, because even if she wasn't the target, they would have gone into her room after and dealt with her also.

"I need a drink," I mutter, looking toward the bartender.

"Where's Keo?" Mary asks, as if the thought of his presence is comforting to her. That's definitely a change...

"I suspect he will be here any minute now."

Not even a few seconds later, the doors to the bar are pushed open all the way, Keo sweeping into the bar.

His dark hair is plastered against his forehead, the rest of him just as soaking wet. His eyes, frantic and alarmed, search the place until they land on Mary and I, his shoulders relaxing.

"Tove-"

"I'm okay," I assure him, sliding out of the booth as he hurries toward me.

He grabs my shoulders, inspecting me. The way he looks at me, it's as if he can't believe I'm alive.

The bartender has vanished in fright. He would probably be followed by the other man if he wasn't so drunk.

"Are you injured?"

"No, I'm fine," I assure him, brushing him off. Thankfully I came out with no injuries, because it could have gone a lot worse for me.

Keo's expression drops as his eyes fall to my neck. With the gentlest touch imaginable, he brushes his fingers along my neck. I wince at the sudden, unexpected pain.

"Your neck," he breathes. "It's bruised."

"Oh...I..."

He looks up at me with widened eyes. "Who attacked you?"

I realise suddenly that he probably didn't know what happened to me. He may have sensed my fear, but he wouldn't have known why. It could have just been a nightmare for all he knew, and yet he still came to ensure I was okay.

"I don't know. I couldn't see them," I mumble. How bad is the bruise on my neck? Clearly it's confronting enough, because Mary now averts her gaze from it, and Keo can't take his eyes off it.

"I'm going to find them, okay? I'll find out why they did this and I'll deal with them," he tells me firmly. I believe him.

"You'll kill them, won't you?" I whisper.

I don't think I care about their fate once Keo gets a hold of them, but I want one chance to look them in the eye and ask why they wanted me dead.

"They hurt you. You, Tove. My precious mate." Beneath his soft tone is anger that is building. He's trying to direct it away from me as best he can.

"Keo, I'm okay," I assure him. I'm breathing, aren't I?

"Let's get you home."

He grabs my hand, and then Mary's before he transports us away. Once again, I'm leaving Territory One, and this time, I'm grateful for it, even if I'm returning to the same Territory I was attacked in.

This time, though, Keo isn't going to leave my side.

Keo is talking the moment we arrive back in the familiar Territory Two estate. "We should talk about something that may be related to what happened to you."

I sigh, tired. "Alright..."

"We think we found a connection to Vail's death," he explains, looking wary to continue. "We think it has to do with your mother."

My breath catches in my throat as I process that information.

My mother, the Demon Hunter, killed Vail. Now that Keo has said it, it makes perfect sense, and I feel foolish for not thinking that first. She killed Vail, a perfectly innocent guy who never harmed anyone.

"She killed Vail?" I breathe, having to say his name out loud for it to feel more real.

"Perhaps. Or it may have been someone she works with. We aren't completely sure," he says, rubbing the back of his neck.

I can feel Mary's look on me, knowing how sensitive my relationship with my mother has been. And now, Keo is insinuating that my mother may have been involved in my attack.

"She didn't attack me. It was a man, I could tell..." I insist.

"If she did have something to do with it, then she may have sent someone to do it for her." Keo says each word with an uncomfortable expression on his face, concerned about overwhelming me.

"That's a horrifying thought," I mutter.

"We will find her, Tove. You don't need to worry." He rubs my arm, although I don't feel comforted.

"Then what? You will kill her?"

I've never cared about my mother in any capacity, and yet, the thought of her dying is overwhelming. She was not in my life for a long time, but I always knew she was alive and out there somewhere, and somehow, choosing not to contact her gave me comfort.

Knowing I may never have a chance to know her causes an ache to grow inside me that I'm not sure I can quell.

"It's a difficult situation, considering your relationship to her," Keo muses.

"Don't forget how she treated you your entire childhood, Tove," Mary cuts in, drawing my attention. "If she deserves to be punished if she tried to kill you."

Keo smirks. "I agree with Mary."

"Of course you do." I roll my eyes. "Just try to bring her into custody and I'll talk to her."

"Tove saved my life, you know...She transported herself out of that situation, got me and took us to Territory One. All in a matter of seconds," Mary says, looking up at Keo.

A genuine smile curves at Keo's lips as he gazes down at me in wonder.

"Well done. It seems your training has been put to some use," he murmurs.

"Yeah. Just not in the way I wished it would," I muse. I can't help but think of the time Keo threw me off the balcony and told me to transport myself to safety. If he hadn't done that, I may not have had the thought to get myself out of that situation so quickly.

"I should have been there. I should have known you were in danger," Keo mutters, screwing his nose up. I wonder if this will haunt him...if he will think about what would have happened had I not escaped with Mary.

I certainly will.

"Why? Why would my mother target me when I'm an Angel-blood?" I question. She has dedicated her life to eradicating all Demon's, and never spoke about harming Angel-bloods.

Keo's gaze darkens. "Because you're working for Demon's."

"Let's not forget that Relm wants me dead," I remind them. Relm could have come to kill me, since he's been talking about it, and I'm still wilfully ignoring his warnings.

Keo seems to consider that notion, then shakes his head.

"If he wanted you dead, he would have killed you already," he tells me. "And he would have gotten the job done."

"Comforting..." I mutter.

He looks over me, noticing I'm shaking slightly. Mary too, is shuddering, cold from being damp.

"You need to get some rest."

I nod. Now that the adrenaline has worn off, I feel exhausted, and guessing by her drooping eyelids, Mary feels the same way. I think we are both going to sink into bed and sleep for hours.

Mary goes off to her own room, upon Keo's instruction. My mate, however, follows me all the way into my bedroom, and I don't protest. If he feels the need to be close to me after my near-death experience, I can accept that.

Without a word, I wander into the adjoining bathroom and turn the shower on.

Keo sits on the edge of the bed, lowering his gaze as I start to undress. If I wasn't so tired, I would probably be more shy, but right now I don't care, even if my mate is trying to be respectful.

"This will never happen again, do you understand?" he says lowly, looking up at me through dark lashes.

I touch my neck, swallowing.

"I do."

He gets up as I step into the shower. He isn't looking at my naked body, but right into my eyes, expressing the intensity of his promise.

"No one is going to hurt you. You do not need to be frightened," he tells me steadily.

The warmth from the shower, the surety in his voice all combine to melt away my worry. I'm alive. That is what is important.

"I feel okay, actually," I admit. "I saved myself tonight. I did something I didn't know I was capable of."

Keo smiles before slipping his own clothes off, stepping into the shower with me. The water rains down over his head as he clasps either side of my face in his hands, leaning forward to press his forehead and mine.

"You are my saviour, Tove. You truly are," he breathes.

I close my eyes. He may believe he is my saviour, but I'm starting to think he is mine.

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