Aesa agreed to his suggestion about building up her foundations. She had a fairly good stream of steady customers. Two ten people sized classes for beginners. There were a few one on one classes for more advance students. She was covering her bills, but she would very much need to have excess put back to make the expansions and changes she'd eventually make. It wasn't something that would happen fast, but she'd get there in time. "I appreciate that you think so. And yeah, I'm working on getting what I have now stable and being able to keep it there. The only thing I'm spending on right now, other than the mortgage, is repairs and upgrading some of the equipment a little at a time."
As she spoke, he made his way over to her. A smile curled her lips and she put her hands on his arms where they wrapped around her. They felt as strong as they looked. "I've got several on the towel rack in the bathroom. You're more than welcome to use the shower." She couldn't help but laugh at his 'forward' comment. Using her own words against her was hilarious. The laugh faded and her eyes went from his to his lips and back up again. "I think a kiss would be a good place to start... and see if that inspires you to expand on showing me how grateful you are."
*Fading to black here*
Time passed. It was more than a night and most of a day later. A series of cooperative Aerobic exercises, a jaunt through the town, and a splash in a lake. They were good memories that Gerwulf crafted with Aesa. Having finally dropped her off at her studio to decompress, he went off to complete his own errands. He had said that he wanted to check out the nearest VA shelter in the town, moving off toward it at a reasonable cruising speed. He spoke to old vets, sharing stories of his 'Grandfather' who fought in the wars, making sure each soldier he met was alright in their own way before making a generous and anonymous donation.
A few other errands played out throughout his time away from Aesa, having secured a place to stay with her for at least a couple more days, if not a tiny bit longer. The memory of Aesa calling him Evil for what he did to people was something that brought a smile to his lips as he looked through antique stores and then made some phone calls. One of the many reasons that he wanted to drop Aesa off before going on his lone adventure was the individuals he needed to meet. Shady arms dealers and fixers, trading news as well as certain items that he needed for his work.
The hidden patches within his car held weapons, which required questionable kinds of ammunition that the local gun shops wouldn't stock. That, along with more esoteric items that required hunting down a witch's shop, alongside explaining why he needed it without causing bloodshed. Looking at his phone, he wondered what Aesa was doing, having given her his card in case she needed to find him. Or, if he was locked out of her place after Gerwulf's exploration of the town at large. Driving on by to a florist, he picked up a potted plant, as silly and unoriginal as the peace lily was, it would be a fine gift.
Aesa had gone up to her place, running a warm bath and soaking for a good while before she got up and began to do chores around the house. She hoped Gerwulf was enjoying himself and having fun exploring the area. Perhaps it was selfish, but the less he liked it here the more likely he would be to leave and she was enjoying the company. She managed to start the laundry, washing pillows and blankets from the day before. As she was working, the downstairs bell went off. Aesa frowned, not sure who would be knocking this time of night. It had happened before, people looking for help.
Going to her nightstand, she took out a small pistol, tucking it in the band of the jean shorts she'd put on after her bath. Headed down the stairs, she went slow, trying to get low enough to peak out and see the door. A young woman stood there with a small boy. She rung the bell again, looking around afraid. Aesa sighed, some tension leaving her body. Hurrying down the steps, she unlocked the multiple ones on the door and cracked it open.
"Can I help you, miss?"
"Someone said you help people. I need some place to lay low for a day or so. Until my brother can get here to pick us up." The woman had been crying, her face red from both the tears and what looked like a hand print.
"Of course. I have a room you can use. It's not just me here. I do have a friend staying, but you're safe here." Aesa stepped back, motioning her in. As the woman walked in, she turned to look at her, reaching blindly for the door to close it. "Do you need anything? Clothes? Bathroom things? Toothbrus-"
Her words cut off a hand tangled in her hair and jerked her backwards onto the ground. A grunt left her as the landing knocked the air out of her lungs. She began to retaliate with some of the same defenses she taught others. But the gun pressed between her eyes made her still. Her eyes followed the arm up to the person holding it.
Griffin. His brown greasy hair was pulled back tight, the leather of his MC vest filled her nose. He looked even bigger than normal from this angle.
"How?"
"You grandfather has some connections at the DMV." He smiled. "You've got two choices. You come home or I blow your brains out on the sidewalk."
Aesa needed time and she needed the gun off her head. "Alright. Alright. Fuck. Can I pack some shit first? I know you're going to want whatever money I have and its all upstairs."
Griffin pulled her up by her hair making her curse loudly. Then he shoved her forward. "Smart girl. Now walk. I'm right behind you, which this trained on you."
Aesa looked at the woman. She had likely been roughed up by Griffin, so she couldn't fault her. Huffing, she headed up the stairs, Griffin, and three others that had been outside following her up the stairs. She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn't bother telling him not to look. He wouldn't listen. She stormed into her bedroom, grabbing a bag and starting to get clothes. He stood at the bedroom door, arms crossed. He didn't know she had the gun in her back waistband. Thankfully, the safety had kept it from going off when she hit the ground. Aesa put her hands on her hips, turning to look around the room. Griffin barked an order at someone else and she pulled it. Without waiting she pulled the trigger. The way he was standing, she didn't get a lethal shot off. He twisted and it took his shoulder.
Part of her had assumed that he'd not really kill her. That her grandfather wanted her back home in one piece. When he lifted his gun and shot, she tried to dive out of the way. The bullet tore through her abdomen. She cried out as she landed on the far side of the bed. She gasped for air, trying to lift up and fire again, but the pain was blinding. Griffin sent one of the other men in after her, dragging her out into the living room. Griffin knelt down and began to beat her across the head with the butt of his pistol. Darkness ate at her vision and she prayed to whoever might be out there to let her pass out before they killed her. More blows to her body came. She was too disoriented from the blows to her head to tell up from down, let alone register what all was being done to her.
It all stopped as sudden as it began. "I'll tell your grandfather that you jumped off the building, like a coward. Tell your brother hello in hell." He let her head drop. She was right on that edge of consciousness. When silence settled around her, she managed to get her phone out of her pocket. Aesa had put Gerwulfs number in her phone when he'd given her the card. She knew she'd lose it otherwise. Every part of her hurt as she rolled over pressed a finger on the screen to pull up the assistant on the phone. "Call Wulfy." She had to say it twice to get it to hear her. When he answered, all she got out was 'help', before her body gave up trying to stay awake..
That moment, when you think the world is too calm, something pulls at you and tells you that you're wrong, that fear and anger should be gripping you. That type of thing doesn't really happen. You just go through the motions until it all changes. In this case, it was Gerwulf getting a call from Aesa. Having just come out of a liquor store with some bottles, fiddling with his keys to open the door of his car, he called out on the phone, "Hello, gorgeo-" cut off by what he heard. 'Help', the gasp and loss of consciousness, the sound of barely heard breathing, and a faint heartbeat.
Throwing everything into the car, he turned the key and burst forward onto the road, running a light in the process as he weaved his vehicle through the town toward Aesa's place. Hopefully, she was there, his voice calling out over the phone, "Aesa, stay awake, tell me where you are." He cried out as he travelled. Slamming on the brakes and swerving to a stop in front of the store, he pulled the key as he hopped out. The front door was partially open and unlocked, pushing through, he glanced about as he ran, finding the scent of strangers and no one that he could spy.
Once upstairs, he found Aesa, blood trailed from the bedroom, a pool of blood, and a bullet wound that was leaking from her abdomen. "Fuck..." He growled out, moving down and placing his hand over the wound. "Wake up, Aesa," he murmured. She was going cold, her heart beat barely there, and pale. Eyes almost sharpening and the temptation to spread his curse, however, that was no life, and dragging her to the hospital. Aesa may die on arrival or on the operating table. None of the packs were close enough; those with magic were too far away. Then something clicked in his mind. Sighing, he moved quickly to grab a towel. Winding it around Aesa, he hoped she was durable enough to survive the journey.
Picking her up, he rushed to the car; all he needed was to get to the closest patch of trees. Placing her as gently onto the passenger side, he drove like a bat out of hell. There was a small park between the bar and Aesa's home. He skidded to a halt outside it, grabbing her from the passenger and darting into the small copse of trees. "Come on, Aesa, stay with us." Another call, as he found two trees an arms stretched between each other. Apologizing in a whisper, he scooped some of the blood and marked the two trees with an odd symbol. Then pulled out his phone, calling something which could help. "I need a favor, pathway marked," gritting his teeth as not a moment later a portal tore itself into reality between the two trees, and Gerwulf walked through with Aesa in his arms.
"Why, Hello Mercenary. You said you needed a favor..." A tall, thin man with an angular face stated in a hiberno-English accent. Thin lips were licked as piercing blue eyes spied Aesa, Gerwulf growling in response as he held the unconscious Aesa away from the black suited man. "Friend, not food. Save her and we'll talk details," Gerwulf stated gruffly, before the odd man motioned through another portal to what looked like a laboratory. "Of course, let's see what I can do for this tasty morsel," the gentleman laughed as he moved through before Gerwulf followed.
Hours later, Aesa would feel as if she were floating in gelatine. Which, in a way, she was. She'd be in what could only be called bandage wrapping made from something silken, her hair tied up in a bun while surrounded by glass in what looked like a horror-filled laboratory, body parts and creatures floating nearby in similar devices. She'd also notice tubes sticking out of her back and arms, flowing with blue liquid. Blood-soaked everything on a table nearby. The liquid was in her lungs, though she would find that she could breathe. Beyond the surgical table stood Gerwulf, covered in blood, and a suited man motioning toward Aesa. The glass would part near her face as the gel began to drain through tubes as Gerwulf crossed the distance. "Hey... Um, good news and bad news?" As he let her cough up the gel and perhaps respond. "Bad news, you're alive..." The suited man jested with a smile that was a little too wide.
The sound of him calling to her was like hearing angels sing, or she suspected it was. There was no strength or air for her to respond to him. She silently mouthed the answer, not conscious enough to realize the words weren't actually leaving her. The last thought before darkness fully took her was 'please hurry I don't want to die alone.'
Aesa was out cold by the time he arrived. It wasn't long, but her body was in bad shape. It didn't have the strength to keep her awake for any longer. He did get a groan from her when he lifted her. The pain enough to draw a reaction from her even if she didn't come fully awake. If she had been when he stepped through the portal, she would have wished she wasn't. Though when she did begin to wake, confusion was the first clear thing that she experienced.
The floating sensation was weird and seemed wrong. If she was in the hospital she should be on a bed or on an operating table perhaps. Slowly, her eyes opened. Whatever was wrapped around her was comfortable against her body. Soft. Silky. It took a moment for her eyes to make sense of what she was seeing and she immediately wished she hadn't. Was this a nightmare? What was this place? Who had her? She moved her head slowly, her body not responding as fast as expected. The tubes sticking out of her made her heart rate spike. What in the fuck had happened to her? The last thing she remembered was Griffin leaned over her before everything went dark.
The tubes and the way the gel distorted when she moved finally made her mind connect that she was floating in a liquid. Another moment of panic hit her as she struggled to breath for a split second before she realized she was truly breathing fine. Her eyes lifted, finding Gerwulf. She started trying to move, to get his attention, but he was already moving her way. She had no idea who the other man was, but something about the vibes he gave off made her nervous. The glass opened and the gel began to drain away. She tried to speak when he spoke to her, but she had to cough for a moment or two, spitting out the gel as her lungs replaced it with normal oxygen. "Good and ba-" The new man spoke though and she frowned at him. How was that bad news? "If that's the bad news what is the good news?" She coughed again, looking between them. "Gerwulf? What's going on? Where are we?" She needed to thank him, but this situation was distracting at a bare minimum. "Why am I hooked up like this?" If the gel drained all the way out, she'd let her feet touch the floor, not thinking she wanted these tubes pulled on.
Her mind was struggling to process everything and she couldn't only assume it was possibly something to keep her calm or free of pain. The places where the tubes were, stung and burned. She tried to stay still, trying not to pull anything or hurt herself. "And who is this person?" She looked back at the suited man, then back, finally noticing Gerwulf was covered in blood. "Is that... mine?"
