Predator

38.

Just before Neela was about to run, her head crashed into what felt like a wall before sinking down to the floor boards. She held her head and began to cry, trying to prepare herself for the abuse. Except, none of it came. Ryan's hand came to her forehead, to make her lean on his chest. Then he started kissing where her head had been hit.

Slowly, Neela looked up at Ryan to see that he was in his demon form, but his eyes were focused on the floor in front of him while he rubbed Neela's head. "Nothing's going to happen but don't look at me," he spoke with his eyes still heavily trained in front of him. Neela's eyes were begging to Gigi's, but her eyes were focused on her nephew. Her eyes were wide and her hands were out just slightly, raised just at her chest. "Go, Genevieve," Ryan quickly demanded. "Please," Neela gasped and tried to jerk herself out of Ryan's hold, but to no avail.

"He's dead," Neela cried to herself after Gigi hesitantly left the two behind to check on the rest of her family. Too many emotions were going through her head—mourning, fear, even general anxiousness from the dream. "It'll be okay," a cold droplet of water fell on Neela's head, which made her sharply intake a breath of air.

Ryan and his demon quickly composed themselves, "look at me," the demon demanded as he took his hands off the girl, which allowed her to move freely. Ryan cupped Neela's cheeks, making her focus only on his black eyes.

The demon showed true concern. He kept switching from normal, back to demon. "Don't be afraid right now," it spoke sincerely, "I'll take care of you for now, but you owe me." She nodded at his words as her closing throat let saliva travel down her throat.

Ryan's neck began twitching and got a sour look on his face. The twitching stopped after his head went from side to side a few times. Then slowly, he brought Neela's head closer to his and let their lips just barely touch, just enough to feel the fire, "from Ryan," he mumbled before letting his hands fall and passing out.

~~

Neela woke back up in the Soptic's home—she was all by herself. Lots of chatter could be heard from downstairs, so she went to the staircase to check it all out. All of Ryan's family was there—aunts, uncles, cousins, you name it. Neela aimlessly wandered downstairs until she saw Ryan. He and Landon were leaning against the counters in the kitchen, silent—while a few member of the family were offering condolences to one another.

Ryan felt Neela's stare and opened his arms wide, not letting his eyes leave his shoes. He sighed deeply once Neela made herself comfortable in his grasp. "I'll leave you both be," Landon spoke solemnly before patting Ryan on the back and leaving.

"Egin is pursuing charges, he'll be found very soon. Gigi also rejected him after it happened, he won't know where we are," Ryan answered all of the questions that Neela was thinking of but too afraid to ask. "Where is Damien's body?" Neela suddenly asked, she remembered that he had to be buried with Rin in the graveyard.

"Don't worry. You can see him later. For now, I just want to hold you."

The whole party went dead silent around Neela when she only focused on Ryan's warmth. She couldn't hear them speaking, nor could she feel their stares. Physically, she was comfortable. But her head could not stop bringing up the time Ryan's demon came to light, when he told her that she owed him.

Would the demon be present a lot more? Ryan's emotions are high, he was going through a terrible thing, Neela thought that he would be careless and let his demon come out whenever it wanted. "Can you stop thinking like that?" He demanded in her ear, "how could you think that I would let that happen after we just went through a situation so dire?" He pulled away from the hug and looked down at Neela in disappointment, "I know I wasn't the most careful in the beginning, but really? Now?" He spoke in a quiet voice, not really wanting his family to hear his complaints.

Neela spoke in an even quieter voice, "Ryan, I-" she was cut off before apologizing, "just go away right now, I don't want to hurt you. I know, big shocker," he put his hands in the air as he walked away himself.

While heaving a big sigh, Evan came and tapped Neela on the shoulder, "he and his demon are just in mourning. Now that he has you, he's actually calm when mourning now. Father had to keep him locked up in the basement for months after mother's passing—he would attack all of us." Neela and the twins wouldn't talk much, but when they did, meaningful conversations were had.

"Has he always had a temper?" Evan thought for a moment before shaking his head, "it all started after he was cursed."

After a few seconds of an awkward silence, Neela spoke up. "Are you okay? Ethan?"

Evan gave a light smile before pulling Neela into him, "I'll be okay eventually," she could hear him sniffle and his breaths become uneven. Neela's arms snapped around his waist, rubbing the small of his back. "And hey," Evan spoke again, wanting to reassure himself and Neela, "he's a ghost now, he can come around whenever he wants, just like Austin."

"Why doesn't Rin ever come around?" Neela asked after the two pulled away from their embrace. To which Evan just shrugged, "she only comes to us in our dreams, it's hard for her to navigate being a spirit. Father can help her." Another few moments passed before Evan finally asked a question, "why have you been marked yet?"

Neela shrugged as well, "I don't know how to ask him for it."

The older brother thought for a few moments while intently looking down at the younger girl, "in the next week, I'll take the rest of my brothers out for the day. He can do it then—you don't want us around, being loud, while you're wallowing in pain, right?"