Anaesthetic Heart

My back hit the frozen ground with tremendous force, making my body slide back several feet and air slam out of my lungs. I tried to pull myself together, but the stinging pain on my face and the burning desire for air took over my lungs. Cibrian had hit me with such force he had knocked the wind out of me.

"Insolent girl!" Cibrian bellowed above me, making me cower into the ground as I gripped my throbbing cheek. I could hear his feet thud down the ice covered steps as he loomed over me, "I'll teach you a thing or two about respect!" His voice was furious and loud as he grabbed me by my hair, tearing my face up to meet his.

I cried out, "Let go of me! You bastard!" My voice was high pitched and shaky, tattle-tale signs of fear slipping through each syllable.

"Make me," He seethed, gripping my hair tighter, forcing my back to arch and my face to contort in pain. I was forced to stare into his keen eyes, the green colour colder and harder edged than I remembered. He leaned in a little closer, a wicked sneer curling his lips in obvious anger.

I spat directly in his face, as I ground out the words, "You cocky ass."

He shouted in anger, slapping me hard across the face again, before throwing me down and slamming me back into the icy sidewalk. My body erupted in cold pain, as I felt like a million stabbing needles paraded across my face and down my chest.

"You impudent bitch!" Cibrian's voice was filled with rage, as I felt his foot connect with my abdomen, sending shooting hot pain through me. His foot struck again and again, as I struggled to pull myself away from him and scramble across the ground. My fingers burned from the snow as I dug myself into a position on my hands and knees, my exposed skin numb or in pain. Cibrian yelled louder, striking me again in the stomach then swiftly stomping on my back forcing me face down into the snow.

"Daddy!" I screamed out in agony, my lungs burning for air as I coerced the words from my throat and into the cold air, "Help! Anyone, ple-"

"Shut up you stupid girl!" Cibrian cut me off, his voice demanding, as he grabbed me once more by my hair.

I heard a roar of anger belonging to somebody else, deeper and stronger than Cibrian's had been as his hand suddenly slipped from my hair and I fell back to the ground, my face lined with frosty tears. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw dark figures fly over my head and topple into the snow ten feet from me. I gasped as I pulled my face up to see a large black wolf pinning Cibrian to the ground.

The enormous creature's midnight coat barely hid the rippling layers of muscle and strength, as he moved with stealth and precision, closer and closer to his target, missing on purpose only to repeat the cycle back to the same spot of attack barely grazing the surface aimed for.

I felt hands wrap around my bicep, as someone gently but swiftly pulled me to my feet where I swayed on spot before collapsing into the chest of the person who had helped me. I turned my face, surprised to see the straight mouth and gentle eyes of Faron.

"I got you," He half whispered, as he swung my legs up into his arms and cradled me close to his chest. The prickling feeling I had grown used to surrounded me, and before I could complain in protest, my stomach burned fiercely in pain making me hold tightly to Faron. I looked back to where the wolf played with his prey, tormenting him over and over again. Faron bent his head closer to my ear, "Don't worry, you're father has him." I sharply pulled in my breathe, that's my Dad?

I looked back into Faron's face, only now noticing the difference I hadn't been able to see before. His light eyes that were normally streaked with darker grey seemed alive, the streaks now moving and wispy, making his irises dance in the light. His dark red hair now seemed more vibrant, instead of the flat red I remembered it looked like the glowing embers of a dieing fire, and the deep plum of ripe fruit. I was mesmerized by the subtle changes, and only noticed that he had brought me away from danger and to safety by the change in temperature from the outside air to inside.

"Danielle, where would you like to go? I should probably check you over." Faron whispered in my ear, sending chills down my spine. I mumbled a response, as he slowly made his way to the stairs. For a boy of medium build, he had surprising strength as he carried me up the stairs and to my room without a single sign of struggle. He placed me gently on my bed, causing me to wince in pain as I clenched my stomach. "Lay back, let me look." His words were softer than I had heard in the past while that we had been bickering.

I pushed myself down, and let Faron's warm fingers pull off my hoodie leaving me in a sports bra, and push down the hem of my sweats. I felt heat flush to my face, as he traced his fingers across my navel and pushed against my ribs, I gasped in pain as he felt above my hips. "I'll be right back," Faron's voice was worried, as he rushed from the room only to return seconds later with Gran.

She clucked in anger and concern, pushing gently against my cold skin and fighting her own apparent sadness, "Do you think you can stand?" She asked, her brows tight and face lined with panic. I nodded, and let Faron help me up by the bicep. Gran and Faron guided me out of the room, but my mirror that hung on the wall caught my attention. I stopped abruptly, staring at my battered reflection. My stomach was bruised and red from cold, my cheek showing the faint purple outline of Cibrian's hand with a small cut resting high on my cheekbone, my lip swollen on one side, and my hair sticking up and messier than before. I was a wreck. Gran's voice pushed me on, as we walked across the hall, "We'll just get you cleaned up, then I better go help your father before your mother gets involved."

Faron led me over to the counter as Gran searched around for a first-aid kit, "On three," Faron looked me steadily in the eyes, placing a hand on each of my hips as I braced myself, "One, two th-" He took me a little off guard and hoisted me onto the counter top before he finished counting, "Sorry." He mumbled, keeping a firm grip on my hips. His hands felt warm, and a little tingling feeling moved through his palms and across my torso.

Gran came over and busied herself around my face, wiping up my small cut and placing a bandage over it. She took a odd smelling ointment and rubbed it roughly into all of my bruises, "Otter liver and ox piss," Gran chuckled when I wrinkled my nose, "Works wonders for healing. Mrs.Affer down the street mixes it."

"She's a coffer," Faron whispered under his breathe as confusion swept across my face, mingled with contorted pain as Gran continued to grind the stuff into my skin, "It's like a shaman, or medicine man. "

"All done, " Gran sighed, her eyes looking at me and registering home all the pain I had just been put through. She quickly looked away as her eyes flooded with tears, "Faron will take you to your room," She flew out of the bathroom like a bat from hell.

"Come on," Faron slowly slid me forward and off the counter, placing one of my arms around his much taller shoulders and wrapping his arm around my waist. Each step we took made me feel like my torso was on fire, and the rancid smell of the ointment made me want to gag. Faron got me to my bed, and gently put me into a half sitting position on the edge, "Would you like to change?" He awkwardly asked, rubbing a hand behind his neck in the gesture I had grown to notice when he was uncomfortable. I nodded, and he turned to leave.

"No! Don't go yet!" I grabbed onto his arm, and he turned to look back at me. I bit my lip, "I don't want to be alone yet." He nodded and moved slowly away and to the corner of my room, shutting himself off from any view of me as I changed. I quickly snatched a pair of pajama shorts off the floor and replaced my drenched sweats with them. I left my sports bra on, and scrambled under the covers of my bed. "You can turn around now," My voice was very quiet.

He slowly faced me, then hesitantly came over and sat down on the edge of my bed. He cleared his throat, "I'm sorry for everything, you know." He looked at my face briefly, "For fighting with you and for what you have to go through."

"It's okay, " I half smiled, staring at Faron as I let the warm embrace of my bed surround me, warming all ice away from my bones and anger from my mind.