Moon Goddess (2) Werewolf Romance

09. Kings of the arena - Erik

His back was still one big aching flesh wound and they hadn't come any further with any plan.

After laying delirious with fever for one week on the brink of death, he clawed stubbornly to life, he just couldn't die like that, so far away from everything he knew, from his childhood and from Mila, wherever they might be.

In that week he saw things he didn't imagine he ever would. Kiril, pale, aching and sleep-deprived guarding his side, so that it would not occur to anybody to kill him, because the lanista certainly had discussed disposing of him if he would not get better in foreseeable time.

In his delirium he kept seeing Mila in the red dress she wore in their last encounter. She was frightened and was calling for him, she was so frightened she was even calling for Kiril and most of the time she was swallowed by earth or by blinding light. In the last dream though before the fever sank he dreamed of Samira that was hurting terribly and was calling for him too and this time he knew it was not his imagination because even if Samira could not control it, her mage power, besides traditional witchcraft was to dream walk.

He couldn't help fearing and wondering what was happening on the other side of the time breach, if Michael and the pack were well, if Michael was hating him for the responsibility he dumped on his shoulders.

"Halfling, we thought you were going to die, you surely used up one of your seven lives this time. And my goodness, Northman was guarding you like a dog, are you two lovers? I wish my wife was so devoted to me."

Marcus wouldn't stop talking, that was his damn talent to talk an endless stream of nonsense, but this time he got a bit of the very strange essence of what was going on. In all this time, however, Kiril didn't talk to him more than was necessary. It was not like they were building pillow forts and sharing secrets before but somehow this silence of his was worrying.

Erik couldn't help wondering about Kiril's might and strangeness these past days. He knew very well he was not doing anything out of the goodness of his heart and everything was cool, calculated strategy but every time he was putting a cold cloth on his forehead to help sink the fever it just felt so unreal like the very unexpected feeling of slightly unwanted brotherhood that was developing between them.

"We are certainly not lovers, now let me train," said Erik knowing he needed to make up for the lost strength because in two weeks they were going to fight in the arena before Octavius the Emperor of Rome.

That night laying on the hay beside Kiril, Erik involuntarily let his gaze linger on him, on the fine-featured face with ivory-colored skin, the now shaggy and unkempt white hair that used to be braided with silver beads in the twenty-first century, a trademark of his slightly flamboyant look and last on the alpha markings on his chest and the scars that tore the moon into pieces. He must have hated her so much if he sliced his own skin in that symbolic act. He... he might have been the only person in the world that seemingly understood and even shared his feelings for Selene. It would have been life-changing in a way if they ever would have had the chance to meet and talk on neutral grounds. For that kind of conversation, they needed to trust each other though and they never did... so far.

Erik had to admit that it might have prevented quite some casualties, they also might have never met Mila, none of them, but at the end of the day, it would have been better for her too.

Kiril was not that much older than him, he was most probably also a deeply hurting and confused youth when he had to deal with major tragedies like his father losing his mind and eventually dying a horribly violent death before his eyes. And after that, he had been completely alone.

Rasputin was a rogue, not part of any pack, and seemingly Kiril grew up alone too, hidden from the world. A little boy that could hear people's thoughts, as if the things people say are often not frightening enough.