Blood Bind (Feitan x Reader)

Chapter 14

"We're leaving," you said, pushing past Shalnark to get upstairs. Waiting for them to follow was useless. You needed to move immediately. There was barely time to think; you needed to act and figure it out as you went. "Give me twenty minutes and -"

"Wait," Feitan said as you were halfway up the stairs. Clutching the bannisters, you turned and slipped down a step. "Plan first. You agreed nothing stupid."

Feitan scowled with his hands in his pockets. Shalnark stood pleasantly, like he was enjoying the sudden strife.

"That was before you said they know where my brother is," you said, pleading, knowing you were pleading with him and knowing it would be useless. Feitan was a sentry in the sea, moving only when instructed by forces more powerful than you.

"Feitan's right," Shalnark said. "Moving before we have the full context would be stupid."

God you hated it when they ganged up on you. This must have been what it was like for Feitan when you and Phinks teased him so mercilessly when you'd first met. It was a different world than the one you lived in now.

"We don't need more context, we need action," you said, pulsating sounds roaring in your ears. You could wrap your hands around Marco's throat and strangle him today.

"Know where he was yesterday," Feitan said, approaching you slowly, like you'd bite if he moved too quickly, "not today."

"Fei," you whispered as he stepped up to meet you on the stairs, "this is the first real lead I've had in seven months." You swallowed back the lump in your throat. Feitan gripped your hip and dragged you against him. The crash of adrenaline slowed and the buzzing in your ears settled as you felt the bond snap, like his emotions were impacting yours. "I can't lose this opportunity."

"Acting rash will lose our opportunity," Feitan said in a more reasonable tone than he could have.

"They took my research, my notes, my family, my whole fucking life." You shook, your emotions wavering between calm and so furious that you felt calm. He'd agreed - kind of - not to get in your way. And now he was at the earliest opportunity. Possessive asshole. "They took everything from me. I have nothing left," you whispered and you swore you saw a level of sadness in his eyes, like he thought he didn't qualify as anything to you. "I can't let this go."

"Don't want you to," Feitan said, pressing his nails into your side like he was setting you in place.

"Then get the fuck out of my way," you said, gripping his shoulders to keep you up as your knees wavered like they'd drop if you weren't holding him. Oscillating between the urge to yell and the urge to cry, you just pressed into Feitan harder, hoping it would abate the pain. Maybe if you tried to move, he wouldn't let you and you could relinquish the decision to act. But now moving felt too difficult, anyway. The sharp pain of loss and visceral hatred pried open your chest and you could do nothing but let Feitan hold you.

"Threat to you is threat to me," Feitan said like it was obvious. He gripped a hand in your hair, forcing you to watch him for what he said next. His gray eyes smoldered so dark, you could drown in them. "I protect what is mine."

Now you really wanted to cry. Especially because Feitan was right. Asshole. Why did he have to be so reasonable? Wasn't he a murderer? He should be wild and crazy and free; not reasonable.

"I didn't ask you to do that," you said softly, resting your chin on his shoulder, and he didn't stop you, "but thank you."

"You are as bad as Phinks." Feitan tried to sound angry but you caught the teasing undercurrents in his voice. "Run into things blind."