Sequel: Queens of the Night ›
Kings of War
Shaun
His fury hadn't ebbed, although the fact that she hadn't tried to make any stupid excuses had stopped it from growing. Besides, all of his anger wasn't for her-- part of it was at Stephen, and part at himself for not seeing these things beforehand and stopping them. How was he to acknowledge things that he didn't know about? There were plenty of explanations for bruises. People fell, people bumped into things-- it hurt that she hadn't come right out and told him. He didn't think he'd done anything ever to make her think that he wouldn't do something about it. Going over his actions again and again, looking for any time where he might have made her feel that way was frustrating.
He dropped his arms, staring down at her for a second before he rubbed his hand over his face. Goddamnit she made it hard sometimes. He was a man who was extremely picky about people who he allowed himself to care for. In some way, he cared for Xander. Then there was Elizabeth, although he didn`t spend a lot of time with the petite blond, he was quite protective over her, perhaps a little bit on Xander`s behalf. Eli-- well. he loved her. He had always loved her, but the words wouldn't come out when he tried to tell her. He wasn't a man who felt easily like others; he found feelings to be horribly counterproductive. You cared and the person inevitably left you. It was the way it had always worked in his life, and Eli had only proved it. he let himself love her, and she disappeared without a word or a trace. It had been awful, coming home and finding...nothing. Not Eli, not their son. Nothing.
He'd run out of things to yell at her about, and for a second he just stood there, still panting from the exertion of...well, of beating the shit out of Stephen. His heartrate had begun to slow down to it's normal pace and his anger was slowly dwindling. She wasn't getting out of this, though. He was still mad, and he would be mad for a while. She had been a fucking idiot to do it, to think for even half of a fucking second that he wouldn't punish Stephen. Even the thought of his name made hot anger spark in his belly. He wished he could bring him back to life just to kill him all over again. He was certain he would be getting words from Xander, but to be honest, he didn't give a shit. He didn't have an ounce of regret. Besides, when Xander saw the finger shaped bruises on Elizabeth's upper arm, he wouldn't argue.
She hit a soft spot when she brought up Jason. The last thing he wanted to do was bring that shit up again, make Jason worried or insecure. He hated it when she was right. Narrowing his eyes at her, he crossed his arms over his wide chest. "Fine. But if you think you're getting out of this, you're crazy. This conversation isn't over. You're choice-- you gonna talk with me now, or are you gonna wait and see if I cool down a little bit?" He looked down at her, frowning.
Maybe it was better that she let him cool off. Everytime he thought about it, he got angry. Even if it had been on the downswing, just the notion made him furious all over again. He wasn't sure if time would help or not, but he didn't want to scare Eli, and something was telling him that his yelling was starting to frighten her.
He dropped his arms, staring down at her for a second before he rubbed his hand over his face. Goddamnit she made it hard sometimes. He was a man who was extremely picky about people who he allowed himself to care for. In some way, he cared for Xander. Then there was Elizabeth, although he didn`t spend a lot of time with the petite blond, he was quite protective over her, perhaps a little bit on Xander`s behalf. Eli-- well. he loved her. He had always loved her, but the words wouldn't come out when he tried to tell her. He wasn't a man who felt easily like others; he found feelings to be horribly counterproductive. You cared and the person inevitably left you. It was the way it had always worked in his life, and Eli had only proved it. he let himself love her, and she disappeared without a word or a trace. It had been awful, coming home and finding...nothing. Not Eli, not their son. Nothing.
He'd run out of things to yell at her about, and for a second he just stood there, still panting from the exertion of...well, of beating the shit out of Stephen. His heartrate had begun to slow down to it's normal pace and his anger was slowly dwindling. She wasn't getting out of this, though. He was still mad, and he would be mad for a while. She had been a fucking idiot to do it, to think for even half of a fucking second that he wouldn't punish Stephen. Even the thought of his name made hot anger spark in his belly. He wished he could bring him back to life just to kill him all over again. He was certain he would be getting words from Xander, but to be honest, he didn't give a shit. He didn't have an ounce of regret. Besides, when Xander saw the finger shaped bruises on Elizabeth's upper arm, he wouldn't argue.
She hit a soft spot when she brought up Jason. The last thing he wanted to do was bring that shit up again, make Jason worried or insecure. He hated it when she was right. Narrowing his eyes at her, he crossed his arms over his wide chest. "Fine. But if you think you're getting out of this, you're crazy. This conversation isn't over. You're choice-- you gonna talk with me now, or are you gonna wait and see if I cool down a little bit?" He looked down at her, frowning.
Maybe it was better that she let him cool off. Everytime he thought about it, he got angry. Even if it had been on the downswing, just the notion made him furious all over again. He wasn't sure if time would help or not, but he didn't want to scare Eli, and something was telling him that his yelling was starting to frighten her.
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Shaun has a anger.