Bat Country

In half a second, the nest was in chaos.

Zacky had shoved Brian back with a sudden burst of energy and was baring his fangs into Brian's face as Johnny and Rev grabbed onto Brian and began dragging him away from Zacky.

There was so much growling that it was hard to distinguish who it was actually coming from and all Isabel could do was stand back. She wouldn't stand a chance right now and all she saw was the other males in the nest sinking their teeth into Brian's tanned flesh and him roaring in pain.

He was older than the others, so he was able to hold his own for the most part, but Isabel started to panic as Zacky wrapped his arms around Brian's head. Brian's eyes, full of panic for an instant met Isabel's but there was nothing she could do to seriously help him but her instinct was to jump on top of Zacky and get her own arms around his neck.

Zacky was older than she was, and flung her off with relative ease as he went back to trying to rip Brian's head from his shoulders. As soon as Isabel crashed to the floor, she looked up, hoping that something would stop this, and almost as if by a miracle nothing but a blur came through and sent Johnny and Rev crashing into the next room and into the furniture before removing Zacky from Brian.

When everything settled, Brian hopped up from the floor and stood up, staring at Alexis in front of Zacky, her hands over both of his wrists and crossing his arms over his chest as she pushed him against the wall, her teeth bared.

"Why?" Alexis asked in an angry tone that made everyone else cower at her. Every part of her was stronger, better designed to kill anything that she deemed fit to die, and it was evident here.

Zacky said nothing, just stared wide eyed at Alexis, and her eyes were still completely normal. He was dumbfounded, his chilled skin pressed up against the wall. He shifted his eyes and bolted to get away from her, but she caught him swiftly, her hair in a wild mess as she threw him by one arm to the ground and pinned him there.

"Don't touch him again." She commanded, slowly rising up to lock her eyes to Johnny and Rev who looked back at each other then Zacky then averted their gaze to the floor, acknowledging that this was her command and they would pay dearly if they disobeyed.

Isabel sat on the floor, covering her mouth with both hands, her legs pulled up to her chest. Alexis's reaction was so strange. Isabel's eyes flickered to Alexis who was quickly analyzing Brian's wounds. Brian was pretty torn up but Alexis wrapped her arms around him and they both walked away with Brian glancing over his shoulder at Zacky who laid on the floor still, propped up on his elbows, unsure of what to do with himself.

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"You scare the shit out of me. It's something new every day with you, Brian." Alexis was still groggy, but awake, sitting in Brian's room with him, cleaning his wounds. Brian was shirtless, and silent as Alexis cleaned him. He was watching her as she moved, the cheekbones, the brows, her long lashes. He was studying her.

Alexis glanced up into Brian's chocolate eyes then pursed her lips and went back to her chore. She had tried to coax Brian into talking but he wouldn't, so she just kept talking.

"I think I scared them pretty good." Alexis chuckled, her teeth gleaming and framed by her full lips.

When no response came, Alexis just gave up and went back to cleaning Brian's multiple wounds. They were healing bit by bit, but some of them were pretty gruesome.

"They would have killed me, Alexis." He was delayed, but it was a response, and Alexis stopped and looked up into his eyes without lifting her head. This shadowed her eyes and made her look almost scary to even Brian. It was like the thought alone was enough to enrage her.

"And when I found out about it, I'd have killed them." Alexis's eyes fell and she turned and rinsed the rag in the sink full of water.

She hovered there for a moment and said nothing, Brian said nothing either, just stared at her as she stared at the pink water that filled the small basin.

"You kissed me..." Brian said softly, and almost inaudibly.

Alexis's eyes came up a bit, but she didn't turn to face Brian, instead she wrang out the wet cloth and looked back down at it. "Yes." It was almost a shame in her voice, and she felt as if she crossed some boundary Brian had and she was truly ashamed at how much she had wanted to do it, and still did. But she masked every emotion except her slight fear. Finally she brought her eyes up to Brian's.

"Why did you do that?" He asked, his voice so calm and full of what sounded like sadness that it nearly crushed Alexis inside.

"I...just...I'm sorry, I don't know...Brian, you make me feel...feel so nice. Like I still have someone that cares." Alexis raised her eyebrows but brought them together as she looked into Brian's eyes, it was a timid look, an innocent one and it crushed Brian like his words had crushed her.

Brian remained silent for a moment before he reached out and brushed the back of his index finger across Alexis's cheek.

"I do care, Alexis. I care very much." There was so much more he wanted to say, but he stopped it there and took his hand back. They hung there in the silence until Brian resumed. "Come on, let's get you to sleep." He put his arm around her and led her out of the bathroom and through his room to the door. As he turned the handle and opened the door, he began to lead Alexis out when she put her hand on the frame to stop herself before she whipped around and looked up at Brian.

"Please, Brian. Please, can I sleep with you tonight? I don't want to sleep by myself. I can't." Alexis clung to Brian, her arms wrapped around him and her hands clamped to his flesh.

Brian looked down at her and found himself powerless to say no. Wrapping one arm around her, he closed the door and bolted it shut.

Alexis released him and got into the bed first, scooting over as far as possible before Brian followed her. He pulled the blankets over them and settled in, facing away from Alexis, but it wasn't long until he felt her snuggled up to his back. He rolled over onto his back and looked at Alexis.

"I like touching. I know I practically die when I go to sleep and it scares me. This helps me not panic so much." Alexis explained herself quickly, feeling embarrassed again.

Brian said nothing, but nodded and lifted his arm and pulled Alexis onto his chest, and curled the arm around her as she settled against his body, wrapping her arm around him. This was unfamiliar territory for him, but it felt nice, in fact it felt perfect.

"Thank you." Alexis murmured against his still bare chest.

"No, thank you." Was the final thing Brian said before he felt Alexis's leg intertwine and lock to his before they both fell asleep.