Bloody and Wild

Dark Depths

A/N: CherryPlayingII, the video on the side is just for you ;-)

"You do?" Lauren was thrown for a moment before outrage engulfed her. "Then you have to stop her!" She exclaimed stepping eagerly toward him. Ryder's look stopped her mid-step. His cool gaze was calculating and made her feel uneasy. "Who is she?" Would Ryder protect a mass murderer? From the little she knew about Ryder, he didn't have anything like a moral core.

"None of your concern" his voice was as hard as steel and he didn't even look in her direction as he answered. Lauren's tempered flared.

"LIKE HELL IT ISN'T MY CONCERN!" She screamed. Swiftly Thorn released Ryder and stepped forward to restrain Lauren. She glared over Thorn's shoulder, feeling everything she had tried to suppress and control consume her like a tidal wave. "In the passed weeks I have been shot at, drugged, kidnapped twice, nearly mauled by bear, chained up by a congealing corpse and nearly blown to pieces! I think I've earned the right to get some answers now!" She was out of breath and panting hard by the time she was done but her hands were still balled in fists that she would dearly love to swing in Ryder's direction.

Ryder's neck had turned pink the longer she had shouted at him and his nostrils flared angrily.

"And what will you do with answers? Will you run to your brother and tell them to him?" He accused, glowering down at her. Thorn looked uncertainly between the two of them, hands held out to prevent them both from striking.

"I'd do something. I wouldn't just run away and hide in a pit!" Lauren snapped. Thorn opened his mouth, aghast at her words whilst Ryder's eyes widened.

"Is that what you think I'm doing?" He choked, his pride wounded.

"Isn't it?" She countered, gesturing to the abandoned scrap metal surrounding them. Ryder's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Fine then!" Ryder's strike was the sudden bite from a viper as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him before Thorn could reach out to stop him. Lauren protested as Ryder's iron grip bruised her skin but he ignored her. She expected Thorn to intercede but one look from Ryder and he backed down.

*

Thorn got into the truck. Ryder had instructed him to join Michael in ensuring any people injured from yesterday's attack were cared for outside of a hospital and weren't taken by the authorities. Once Thorn was out of sight, Ryder dragged her off in the opposite direction. They stopped in front of a sleek, black sports car. Ryder let her go and opened the boot up. Inside there was a jumbled mess of jars, candles, knives and other instruments of dark magic.    

"What are you doing?" Lauren asked, eyeing a curved blade that looked particularly nicked and nasty.

"Something," he snapped, his thoughts still dwelling on her earlier cutting remark. When he turned to face her, his eyes sparkled with murky mischief. "We're going to pay a visit to your parents."

"What have they got to do with the Werewolf Keeper?" Lauren protested, her eyes widening in alarm. Ryder turned back to the car and began collecting a couple of jars, closely examining each of the labels.

"I'll tell you when I trust you." He retorted absentmindedly. Lauren scowled and crossed her arms under her chest.

"When you trust me not to 'run to my big brother'?" Lauren's tone was sarcastic, a product of her rising irritation. Ryder raised an eyebrow and turned to partially face her. His gaze lingered on her chest for a moment before returning to her bright eyes. His tone softened as he spoke next.

"He isn't the man you think he is," he warned. He handed the jars to Lauren and closed the boot shut. Lauren examined what she was holding. The jars seemed to contain various powders and herbs.