The Murder Of Willowstream

Ch.27. Like A Fish Back In The Water

The fuse had hissed to it's ignition point, and everything exploded. Before there was any room for explanations, or hesitation, Alaric had shoved Rhys with the full force a creature of the night such as he was capable of.

Alice barely intercepted in time. She leaped forward, putting herself in between the wall and Rhys, sending them both slamming into the solid rock surface that crumbled to meet them.

"Alaric, what the fuck!?" Lily screeched at the hissing Vampire.

Storming across the small distance, she stood as a 5'2'', red-headed barrier between Alaric and them. Blustering with all the rage she could manage in to a look so reprimanding, it could shake the very Gods to their core. The thoughts of Alaric's deal completely consumed her mind in this instant, and she had no idea if she could stop it. Lily had never attempted to stop a deals effects before, she'd never had the time, they were usually instant. But this time, she was determined to find a way, and if that meant sacrificing herself to a Vampires wrath, than so be it.

Marshal hurried over to Alice and Rhys, pushing aside the few rocks that had tumbled upon them, and rolling them to the floor before gripping Rhys by the hand and forearm, and heaving him to his feet with a groan of protest.

"Are you alright? Alice?" He called out, guiding Rhys to the side before offering his had to her. Alice refused. Pushing herself up with strength, she clicked her back and stretched the muscles that were beginning to burn with the few grazes that marred the skin of her shoulders. Werewolves couldn't heal as fast as Vampires, but they were accustomed to pain in a manner like no one else, and this was nothing.

With her eyes burning like small orbs of fire, she hopped the debris and stormed over to the scowling Lily, and the infuriatingly, apathetic Alaric. She couldn't help but feel a slight pang of spite at him. He had gone from an emotional break through, straight back to his cold self at the drop of her hat. And she was tired of his games.

Alaric locked eyes with her. He was no fool of course, despite what he felt like as of late, and he was shocked when he discovered that at this moment: he was sizing each of his friends by how much of a threat they were. Alice, came out on top by a large margin.

"He could've gotten us all killed." Alaric said coolly. He had failed to protect them, the one thing he thought was his purpose in life. Now justice would have to suffice. Vengeance.

"But we're not dead, are we?" Alice growled, her speech somewhat effected by the fangs that had previously been teeth, taking up more room in her mouth that would normally allow for proper enunciation.

"For now. We've no way out, and neither you nor I are capable of moving rocks that large. Or have you forgotten, we're trapped inside a fucking cave thanks to him?"

"And how exactly is what he did, any better than what you've done? What you've promised to do?" Alice spat in retort, immediately calling a hush to the steadily increasing frustration of the atmosphere. She wasn't sure what Rhys had done to put them all in fatal danger like this. But what she was willing to bet her life on, was that it wasn't done with any malice or malcontent. An accident at most.

"Are we really doing this? This cliché? Two children of the night, A Vampire and a Werewolf, are going to fight?" Alaric countered. She had caught him on the back foot with that comment about what he'd done. He really was no better than Rhys, and he knew it. But he took a small comfort in justifying that it would only be one of them who died. Not all of them if it was his sin against Rhys'.

"If you so much as look at him with the intent to kill, then I guess we have to. We're not doing this. Not now. The only way we're going to get out, is by working together." She replied, beginning to relax the tension her body held, while still keeping her stance strong. Just so he knew she meant business.