Willow explained to him as she gathered all of her things from the flat and started packing.
Lothaire's fists clenched.
"You are not coming with me," he said after a minute.
"No way in hell am I leaving you. Get used to it, Bones. Your skinny ass is stuck with me," Willow said stubbornly over her shoulder as she zipped the bag.
"It's too dangerous, woman. I won't let you," Lothaire grabbed the passing Willow and held her close to his chest. His eyes looking deeply into hers.
"News flash vampire. You are not my boss. Drug me, bind me, knock me out cold vampire, but you are not getting rid of me. I will still find a way to be with you until this end," Willow said in a husky voice, his proximity doing wonderful things to her body.
Lothaire glanced at the way her chin turned upward. Stubborn to the core. He shouldn't take her with him, not after learning about the danger she will be in. However, he can't help himself but steal these precious moments with her.
Just a little while more. A few more days. He can't get the taste of her out of his mind. She is in his veins now. Lothaire didn't know when this happened, but he would be damned if he let her go if there was an alternative. But before that, he needs to know what she feels.
"Why would you risk your life for me Willow? Why? I'm just a vampire. The kind you hate. Then why risk it?"
Willow is not ready to answer that question. Not ready to face the truth that her heart is telling her. That she has fallen for this guy.
Instead, she replied, "because you are the only lead, I got on this mission. Now that Elite Parker is dead, I don't know where to go next. Good thing, you are handy. Instead of me chasing around them, it would be refreshing to be the one to lead them on a merry chase"
Lothaire tried to hide his disappointment. He knows she is not telling him everything but he doesn't have the right to probe her further when he is hiding facts from her.
"You are enjoying this, don't you?" Lothaire cocked his head.
"Not exactly. Until my dagger lands on that bastard vampire king's chest, I won't be satisfied," Willow stepped back, out of his reach, and resumed her packing.
Lothaire looked disturbing. He didn't react to her remark though. He just kept quiet, his mind deep in thought.
They then swiftly packed and left the place. Tucking everything in the truck.
Days passed in static with nothing much to do than to drive on the route the address Reagan messaged them. It is a week's drive on the road as the mage is located on the northern border closest to the werewolf kingdom.
They were constantly on the road, stopping only for food and sleep.
"You need to drink blood," Willow said, noting his pale complexion.
"I couldn't agree more," Lothaire didn't meet her eyes as he grunted.
"Do you want to stop at the blood booth?" Willow asked. Blood booths sell blood packets given by willing blood donors.
Lothaire shook his head, not liking the idea of drinking from the packet after tasting from Willow.
On the third day, Willow chewed her lip looking at him. They are parked for the night, sleeping in an abandoned shop. Nothing stellar to look at but at least they have a roof over their head when the sun rises.
She knew what he wanted. She shouldn't... but need clenched in her gut. Without any words, she got closer to him, arching her neck in an invitation.
This is the first time she gave willingly to him without him knocking on the death's door.
They both didn't talk about it as once again they found solace in each other's arms, him riding her hard, their hands moving over each other's body with a sense of urgency that is driven by something deeper than lust. Together they made a beautiful song. A song of their want.
On the fourth night, Willow felt beyond restless. As she contemplated her plan calmly now, she thought they were nothing but sitting ducks.
Sure, the place will be of their choosing but she doesn't know the enemies' plan, their number, their weapons. What if the Mage is with them?
They will be doomed. But she can't find any other alternative too. Until they find the mage that Reagan talked about, they are literally waving red flags to the enemy.
She doesn't know why the king's mage hasn't joined with the hunt yet but she will soon. If she is not already. She can sense the walls closing on them. The trap shut with a bang.
"Fuck!!" Willow cursed loudly, getting Lothaire's attention.
Lothaire, who was looking out of the window of the old building they had seized for themselves tonight, turned with a frown towards her.
"We need to reach that mage soon," Willow said, tugging on her long braid.
"We will. It is only 2 more days. If we keep the current pace, we will reach soon"
"I won't feel secure until we find something to stop them for once and for all"
"I agree. Perhaps, once my memories are restored, we won't have to worry about them," Lothaire said with confidence that made her frown deepen.
"With your arrogance, I believe we are doomed from the beginning"
"You don't believe much in me Tinkerbell?"
"Believe you? Yes. But in your capacity to kill the enemy without you getting killed yourself? Not so much. You are a magnet to the danger Bones"
"Once. It happened only once"
"Don't forget about the time when I met you. Every time I turn my back, you lay flat on the ground, dripping blood"
"What would I do without you Tinkerbell?" Lothaire whispered, close enough for her to hear.
Though he meant to say it in a sarcastic way, it didn't come out like that. Lothaire truly believes she became an important part of his life. Now, what he is going to do about it is yet to be seen.
Willow sensed the truth in his question. Her heart gave a flutter like a bird spreading its wings. She cleared her throat as tension rose in the air.
"I think it's a no-show today too," Willow checked the time. A few minutes till dawn.
"Hmm"
"What is it?"
"It's nothing"
"Bones"
"Call it a gut feeling. But I feel like we are being hunted, watched"
"You feel it too?"
Lothaire met her eyes.
"What are we going to do about it?" Willow asked to pace the room.
"Nothing. That's why they are toying with us. They knew where we were. They just want to make us wait. Make us lose our patience-"
"So that we will make a mistake. And it would be easy for them to get us"
"Exactly"
"I hate this"
"There is nothing much we can do Tinkerbell. Except be prepared"
She felt like her skin was too tight for her body. Tension coiled within her belly. She could almost taste the adrenaline. The high that will make her lose herself in the fight.
Just as the bright rays of sun touched the sky, turning it into a glorious orange, gunshots pierced the windows.
There is no time to think. Willow sprang into action, adrenaline running through her body. She picked the gun she kept handy and shot through the broken window.
"Fuck!!" Lothaire cursed behind her as sun rays entered the room.
Thankfully, it didn't cover much, but still, they didn't consider the fact that their enemies might attack in the morning. How would they? Because till now everything happened in the dark of night. The time where their kind is more energetic. It's an idiotic thing to presume. This negligence might cost them their lives.
Lothaire huddled into the dark as he looked helplessly at Willow who was shooting the bullets through the gap in the window.
Once again, he felt helpless. His hands grazed his hair as he watched the bullets fly.
"Bones, you stay back," Willow said over her shoulder.
She doesn't know if she is hitting the mark or not. At the speed the bullets are coming, she is afraid there will be nothing left of the wall.
Then what will happen to Lothaire?
No!!
Willow clutched the bomb from her Arsenal, removed the pin, and threw it out of the window.
"Boom!!"
For a second, the silence that followed the blast is the only peace. Then the pelting of bullets started with more force.
She needs to draw their attention away from the window, from this place. Willow used her power to grow thick, tall vines along the front side of the building. She made it so dense that a bullet can't pass through them. This won't stop them but it gives them some time.
"Are you ok?" Willow asked, turning to Lothaire.
"I'm sorry," Lothaire whispered. A word that he never thought he would utter with ease. But guilt ate his insides.
"It's not your fault, Bones. They just planned right. We should have seen this coming. After all, we know they are hiring werewolves. It just slipped our minds," Willow said, arming herself once again.
She doesn't know what is happening outside, what they are doing, how many of them are there. Nothing.
This is not how it should be. She thought she had it all figured out.
Soon, they can hear the chopping sounds of her vines.
"Shit!!!"
It's too soon. She turned to Lothaire. "Hide Bones. Now"
"No!" He shouted. He is not a coward.
"Don't be stupid Bones. Just hide. If the sun gets you then you are dead. Even my blood can't help you. You know it. They know it. Please Bones, for once think this through your thick head"
"I'm not leaving you Willow"
"Try to understand Bones. It's what they want. If you get caught again, then it won't be easy as the last time"
"And what if you get caught?"
"I can handle it, Bones. But you are vulnerable now. You can't step outside. You would be dead in minutes. Please, hide. I will hold them off"
Lothaire cupped her face and kissed her hard. This is the only way he knew to shut her up.
"You would be the death of me woman," he whispered over her lips.
"Bones-"
Her plea is cut short when the door bursts open. Lothaire automatically stepped back. Its instinct ingrained in him to hide from sunlight.
Werewolves barged through the open door. More than ten.
Willow aimed her gun and shot one after another, but they kept coming in.
Once they stepped completely inside the room, Lothaire jumped on them, punching, landing blows. He vented out his frustration on them.
Soon, he is being cornered by five werewolves. They circled around him, trying to duck from his flying fists.
He kicked, jabbed, his fists meeting any part of their bodies he could.
Amidst the fight, he heard Willow's loud cry.
Lothaire ducked his head from the oncoming kick and looked through the gap between the werewolves.
They have bound Willow in chains. Specially made of iron, the deadliest metal to the Fae.
Willow swayed at the sudden assault the metal is doing to her body. She felt helpless, unable to fight the werewolves' hands as they dragged her out. Out of the front door in the broad daylight.
"NOOO!!!!" Lothaire roared watching her being dragged away.