Predator

13.

Landon came into the house swinging his fists at Ryan. "Boys! If you're gonna fight, do it outside!" Landon shrugged and grabbed Ryan by the back of his hair so he was bent over at the waist and started outside. Landon has seen Neela in that kind of situation too many times, the nausea and anger of seeing a scene like that would never go away; no matter how many times you saw it.

"He's gonna get a real lesson about battling," only Caleb could hear what was said by Landon, everyone else could only focus on Neela's limp body. "Why did this happen?" Sean asked the universe as he picked up his sister to take her back down to the hospital.

Damien begin looking around the living room to see if there was any damage to family heirlooms. He found the letter that was sent by Egin. "We have to get out of here! Pack!" Damien yelled while running to his own room to pack his clothes. Right behind him, ran the twins and Caleb.

"Little pricks," Damien growled while stomping downstairs and going outside to Landon and Ryan, "break it up!" Damien made a motion with his hands that made the boys be flung away from each other. "We have to leave now. Pack all the essentials, we're going to Romania. You're packing Neela's bag," Damien spat at Ryan and walked back inside the house.

~~

"He really tried to heal you himself?" Sean chuckled to himself while puncturing Neela's skin with a surgical needle, "he should've known it wouldn't work. He will only be able to heal you once he's marked you again."

Sean hated seeing Neela like that, it pained him, it pained them all. But, Sean's the healer, he has to keep Neela well so Ryan doesn't lose full control of himself. And Sean was so proud of Ryan! He was changing for the better, he actually believed in his brother!

"The funny this is when he does mark you again, the spot will never bleed no matter how many claws or knives you take to it. Also, it will just feel cold all the time," Sean put a new piece of thread through the needle to begin stitching up a new cut, "that part of your body is just dead. The best part of that, though, is that your neck wouldn't be glowing to demons anymore, you could blend in with us."

Sean was sizing Neela's arm for a new cast when Damien came down to check on the progress of everything. "My beautiful girl," Damien sighed as tears begun to well up in his eyes. Neela's hand bruising was beginning to become  yellow, indicating that it was healing. It really was. They were back at square one with the healing that day. "You'd think that it gets easier the more you see it but no, as their relationship progresses, it hurts more to see her injured by his hand." Damien couldn't even speak of Ryan's name without feeling a burning sensation in his stomach.

"He tried to heal her but she's not marked yet, it did nothing to help." Damien nodded while he kept his eyes locked on his daughter, "we both always wanted a girl, your mother and I. I think Neela was always meant to be just my little girl," he smiled fondly at the girl sleeping in front of him.

"Couldn't you help heal her?"

Damien hated seeing Neela in pain, he didn't believe that she'd even be able to see after she woke up from the immense swelling that occurred on her face. So, he bit the inside of his forearm and approached Neela. Just like how Ryan did, Damien had to guide Neela's mouth to open and latch onto his skin. Even though she wasn't drinking, Damien still knew that droplets of his blood were raining into the back of Neela's mouth.

Damien and Sean could both easily tell that the swelling was beginning to diminish. "This may be the only thing I can heal. Remember, I'm not her mate, I haven't marked her."

"That's fine," Sean spoke while stroking Neela's face, "we only need her to be able to see so she's not too scared when she wakes up."

"When you're done patching her up, come get me or one of the twins while you go to pack your stuff," Damien held onto his sons arm while looking him in the eyes with intensity Sean's never seen. "Why are we packing?"

"The council, they want us, we're going to go to Romania for a while. Someone reported Ryan and they're going to either take Neela away or damn him. Bring your mate if you want, but we have to leave quickly."

~~

Damien was in his office, he wanted to write letters to his family, to let them know that he and his little family would be safe, that they would be contacted if he needed help, to contact him if they needed anything.

My family,

Life has been wonderful to me and all seven of my children. Which is why we've decided, as a family, that we'll be taking a vacation out of the realm, out of America.
We will all be safe. Please don't ask where we will be staying, either. We just want to be to ourselves. You could try to find us, if you really wished. However, it is unnecessary to do so.
If we are in trouble, we will contact you all again, believe you me. If any of you are in trouble, we will be there for any of you receiving this letter.

Your brother, your uncle, your cousin, Damien

"Father?" Ryan stepped into Damien's office, to which Damien only stared back blankly. "May I go see her please?" Damien spoke no words and got out of his chair to lead Ryan downstairs.

Neela was still asleep when they reached her, the three men around her were all thankful for that. "Did you all pack?" Damien asked while his eyes stayed glued to Neela's normal face. "Yes, all of our luggage is in the living room."

"Why is her face normal again? It was swollen." Ryan was smart, even though it wasn't him who attacked Neela, he still wore the gloves, he still cared about Neela more than he did himself.

"I healed it. That's all I could heal. You'll be able to heal her whole body once you mark her again," Damien tried to make Ryan cheer up but he knew that nothing would help him right now. "I can't believe I remember doing it. What kind of boyfriend am I?"