Absconding with the Damsel in Distress
“The half-breeds have escaped.” Alroy snarls. “Find them now. Bring them to me.” His voice sounds like a cheesy movie villain and Quinn cannot help but laugh.
Before she can stifle her second laugh, the whip connects again to her thighs and she bites the inside of her mouth to prevent from screaming. Alroy catches a glimpse of pain in her eyes, but as quickly as it appears, it is gone. Quinn closes her eyes and tries hard to fight back tears. The pain overwhelms her and a small whimper escapes her lips.
A smile of triumph creeps across Alroy’s face. He raises the whip for another strike, knowing now she will scream. As his hand moves through the air, it stops abruptly. He turns and receives a solid punch in the face from Ciaran. Shaking his head to recover from the blow, he clocks Hayes undoing Quinn’s bondage. Before he can move to stop Hayes, another punch lands on the side of his head. Alroy stumbles backward and Ciaran descends on him, the barrage of punches not letting up.
Hayes releases Quinn and cradles her in his arms. He winces at the blood covering her body. Hayes carries Quinn out of the room. Alroy tries to fight Ciaran, but Ciaran’s raw anger is making it difficult. While Ciaran continues to pummel him, Alroy watches as Quinn leaves. Where are his men, he wonders. He closes his eyes to concentrate on calling them. The strikes from Ciaran interrupt his ability. Alroy then tries to latch on to Ciaran’s mind. He can feel the hold taking, but fire ignites in Ciaran’s eyes and the pain reflects back to Alroy. He screeches at the stinging in his head. How is it possible that Ciaran can overpower him?
Alroy gathers his strength and breaks free of Ciaran’s tirade. He struggles to his feet as Ciaran collects himself. Knowing Ciaran will start the assault again, Alroy staggers to the doorway, desperately trying to leave the room. As he makes it over the threshold, Alroy collapses. He sees Hayes tending to Quinn’s wounds on his bed. Soon, Ciaran’s hand weaves through his hair and pulls his head back. Ciaran’s eyes are pure black. He sneers as he draws his hand up, priming for his next strike. Before he can implement the blow, Hayes calls out.
“Ciaran, we have to get Quinn to a hospital.” His voice is riddled with panic. “I can open a portal, but you are going to have to carry her.”
Ciaran glares back at Alroy. He hesitates, wanting to eliminate his brother. His focus solely on destroying the one who has hurt Quinn.
Hayes cries out, “Now!”
Ciaran drops Alroy’s head and trudges to the bed. He picks Quinn up and nods at Hayes. Hayes waves his hands and a large tear opens in the air. The split gaps wider. Hayes holds it open as Ciaran steps through with Quinn in his arms. Once Ciaran clears the portal, Hayes steps through and the rip closes. Alroy is left alone, writhing on the floor.
Soon, Alroy’s men enter the room. They notice their boss crumpled in the doorway of his torture room. None having seen their boss in a vulnerable state before have any clue what to do. Alroy lifts his head and weakly reprimands them. “Help me dammit.”
Once the bewilderment at the site before them wears off, the men scrabble towards Alroy and lift him off the floor. They help him to his bed, where he collapses in a heap on top of the sheets.
Before he closes his eyes to concentrate on healing his wounds, he growls, “Find them. Find them and kill them all.”
The portal opens in the entry of a hospital emergency room. Ciaran cradles Quinn as he approaches the registration desk. Hayes stumbles to a chair in the waiting room. His body is exhausted from the amount of magic necessary to open a portal. He can barely keep his eyes open as he watches Ciaran demand attention to Quinn. His vision gives way to darkness and the last sight he sees is Ciaran lowering Quinn onto a gurney and nurses rushing her down through swinging doors.
Ciaran slouches next to Hayes and gently pats his shoulder. “Thank you, old buddy, for all your help.” Ciaran frowns. “If not for you, Quinn would probably be dead.”
Hayes shakes his head, barely hearing Ciaran’s words. He tries to form a response, but sound does not escape his throat. “It’s okay.” Ciaran comforts. “You need to get your strength back.” Ciaran removes his hand from Hayes’ shoulder. “I have a feeling this is only the beginning.”
While Hayes sleeps, Ciaran tries to determine where the hospital is located. Hayes most likely picked the first open portal spot that suited his purpose. Ciaran surmises that the hospital is in the United States, given that everyone speaks English. The accent of the staff is very familiar. It takes Ciaran a moment to place it. When he does, dread masks his face and he lets out a worried sigh.
Ciaran stares at the entry to the waiting room. He hopes he is wrong, but knows he is not. He checks his watch. How long had they been here? An hour, maybe two. That is more than enough time for him to find them. Ciaran strides to the waiting room door and cranes his neck out to survey the hallway. A large red haired man snarls at the reception desk attendant. Ciaran exhales and steps into the hall wanting to rescue the innocent individual.
As he approaches the desk, Ciaran nervously adjusts his collar and straightens his shirt. “Dad, you know I am not hurt, so why are you here?”
Hearing his son’s voice, Ainmire turns and locks Ciaran in an embrace. “Son, you knew if you were in Boston, I would find you?” He releases Ciaran and takes in his disheveled state. “Is everything okay? Why are you here?”
Ciaran squeezes his father’s hand and begins to lead him down the hallway. “Let’s talk somewhere a bit more private.”