Cynophobia

☠₁₈☠

  I sat on Vincent's bed nervously. He had thrown me here then shut the door while he administered anxiety pills to Claude. I wish I had some of the pills too right now, I had to hug myself to stop the shaking. What was he going to do? Smash Loki? Send us into the city with bombs?

The door eventually opened, Vincent walked in. His white tank top was covered in the blood of his fellow Remnant members. He shut the door behind him then just stood there with his arms crossed. "Where do I start?"

I looked at the floor.

Vincent strode over to the bed. He leaned over me, pushing me down against the covers. His hands pinned my wrists down, I could feel his quick pulse. I couldn't tell if he was angry, scared, or both.

"Why were you running away?" he asked breaking the silence.

"Because I needed to do something," I responded.

His glare was like a wolf staring down a sheep. I was trying to keep my heartbeat down. "Stop being vague, why were you running away? What's wrong with this place? Did you want to get yourself killed?"

"No, I just didn't want to be locked up here. I needed to get out to find a way to kill the Cynoids," I said.

"We found a way, electric bullets," he growled. "Why did you really leave? Are your just trying to protect your friends from getting in trouble?"

"No!" I defended. "It's the truth!"

He rubbed his thumbs against my wrists. "Then why is your pulse so quick?"

"Because you're..." I grumbled trying to push him off.

"Scary? Smothering you?" he asked. "Well if you are a... you know, like James said you should be enjoying this."

"You of all people should know we never slept together," I snapped.

Vincent got off of me and sat on his bed. "Do you hate me?"

I tried to sit up, I was still sore from when Alpha tackled me. "No." I couldn't exactly tell him I was afraid of him.

"Then why did you want to leave me? I thought I was starting to make progress on you. Was it the brothers' execution? You know I would never send you out there, even after you tried to run," he whispered.

"Its not that you killed them, you tortured them beforehand. If you weren't going to tell anyone about that to spare Liam there was no point in torturing them," I argued. "Alpha is after me now, I can't stay here. I'll just cause more death."

"I was mad, alright? They tried to murder you and Claude," Vincent admitted. "I came around the end of the Robark's speech, don't give into its demands. Those things will come here regardless of where you are. If you stay here I can protect you. I don't care how many people die as long as you and Claude live."

"That's the other thing, you need to focus on the Remnants. You can build a new society, but you won't be able to focus on them if you're always worried about me," I argued.

"That is not your choice to make on what I can focus on. I'm always going to have to focus on my little brother, you just make my job easier. This is twice you've saved him. I care about you Cynthia, I felt the spark when I first saw you. The moment you protected Rose reminded me of how my own mother protected me and my brother," he said looking into my eyes.

"Promise me you won't hurt Loki or my friends," I murmured.

His expression became more serious. "Loki is a Robark, Cynthia. He is built to kill humans."