Her Quest : Magic in the Blood
Chapter 31

"Ian, I - I can expl-"

But her words were cut off and her breathe knocked out of her as Ian slammed her against the brick wall, her bagpack colliding, quiet hardly, with the wall.

"Ian you'll hurt her," Gage said from somewhere behind him, but Sonia's eyes were transfixed on Ian's face

His face held a guttural expression, his eyes pitch black. Low growls were coming from deep within his throat.

Sonia tried to take in a breath but faltered as he leaned in close to her.

"Don’t fool with me," his breath whispered in her face, making her eyes widen more.

She shook her head a little, not understanding what he meant.

Ian bared his teeth and she winced back, tears filling her eyes.

"Don’t you dare show me your fake tears," his grip on her shoulders tightened, making her clench her eyes shut.

"I, we, made it clear to you to stay away from that bastard," he spoke loudly, "didn’t we?"

When she stayed the way she was, eyes shut and face turned away, his temper flared.

"Answer me damnit!" He punched the wall next to her face.

Sonia whimpered and was instantly pulled away from his agonizing grip and into Gage's arms.

"Ian!" He warned, his voice low but imposing, "I won’t have you hurting her."

Sonia tried to reel in her sobs, tried to control her trembling as she hid in Gage's arms.

"Oh really?" Ian's voice dripped with malice, "then ask her what was that scum doing if not caressing her!"

Sonia shook her head and Gage got her silent implication.

"You don’t know the whole thing, Ian. And we did saw her take a step back."

"Aye. And you believe that?" Ian threw up his hands, "Ask her what was she doing meeting up with him at this hour."

Gage's arms around her tightened, "Enough!" He bellowed at Ian.

"No no no no. You don’t get pissed off at me. It's her you are angry at," Ian spoke making Sonia stiffen.

She tried to move away from Gage but he simply held her back.

"Stop it Ian," he whispered, "Just let’s go home," this he said to Sonia.

Behind her, Ian snorted, making her wince again. She moved a bit and looked at Gage.

Immediately, Gage raised his hand to wipe away her tears bit she jerked and shook her head. Gage stopped, frowning in confusion.

Sonia took in a shaky breath and mouthed, "Birthday party."

She saw as the realization sunk in and Gage's eyes widened as he looked over at a still fuming Ian.

He nodded once, "Let’s get home," he said again, smiling at her.

Ian huffed and walked away to get back on the bike. Quietly, he started the ignition and sat there.

Sonia merely let out a breath, "Please go."

Breaking away, she looked down at her watch, "Its already 11:45. Just go. I'll be there," she said taking a step back, her smile wobbly.

"But-" Gage started only to he cut off as she turned away, "Sonia?" He whispered.

Her shoulders hunched as she shook her head, her back still facing him, "Need to be alone."

Gage nodded, "Just come home soon, okay?"

Sonia nodded and without looking back, started walking ahead. A moment later, she heard the bike speed away. Knowing what she needed, Sonia turned directions and made a run for the place she wanted to be.

***

"Calm down a bit, mate," Gage mocked Ian as he slapped him on his back.

"Fuck off," Ian muttered and pushed open the front door.

The house was eerily quiet and shrouded in darkness. Ian's brows knit in confusion as he made his way to the living room. Frowning, he flicked the light switch on.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

"What the fuck-" Ian jolted at the sudden blast.

Behind him, Gage burst out laughing, "Happy birthday bro," still laughing, he pulled Ian into a hug.

Gage released him and almost instantly Caroline pulled him in her arms, "Happy birthday, my love," she gushed.

Ian pulled back, a huge grin on his face as he looked around the beautifully decorated room

"Bollocks! I forgot my birthday!" He chuckled and went over to give his Dad and Uncles a hug, all looking quiet goofy with their silly happy birthday hats on.

"Yeah. But Sonia remembered. And it was she who arranged all this," Dim said as he slapped him on the shoulder, " birthday, champ."

Ian's smile faltered a bit. Turning around, his haze met a grim faced Gage.

"But where is she?" Ray asked.

"She said she had to go collect his gift from somewhere. Should have returned by now," Jake said as he rolled in a table holding the cake.

"Whoa," Jack breathed taking in the sight of the elegant two tier cake, "Where did you get it from?"

Jake grinned as he made a show of presenting the cake by gesturing with his arms, "Ladies and not so gentle gentlemen. I present you this wonderful-" he stretched the word, "masterpiece by none other than our Miss Sonia McKinnon and her humble assistant, yours truly, Jacob Richards," he bowed down deep as rounds of applause went around.

"Show off," Gage muttered smiling.

"She made me a damn cake," Ian whispered from beside him.

Gage nodded as he looked at him, "And you screwed up. Happy birthday again, mutt," he grumbled.

"Ian!" Katherine called him over, "Lets take some pictures till she arrives."

"Err, Mom," Gage cut in, "Actually she texted me a while ago-"

"Texted you?" Dim asked, eyebrow cocked.

Gage turned to him, gulping down his fear, "Yeah, sh-she just -" he looked down at his phone, scrolling over, pretending to search the message.

"Aye," Jake moved to him and placed a hand on Gage's shoulder, "She called too, on the kitchen phone. Said she'll be late and so will meet up directly at the pub."

"Pub?" Both Gage and Ian asked together.

"Yeah," Jake shrugged, "you cut the cake here, then our entourage, that is we guys, head over to our regular pub. Sonia arranged everything," he added the last sentence, looking Ian straight in his eyes.

Ian looked away.

"Let's get started. It's already 12:15," Emm said, his tone hard.

Ian shuffled to the cake and blew out the candles. Somehow, he felt as if he had blown out all the light from her too.

***

Sonia ran, her feet knowing the way through the darkness. She looked up at the sky. The moon was visible through the branches of the dense trees.

Looking back down, she pushed herself, wanting to get over to the place as soon as she could.

She burst out from the trees and into the clearing with the stone circle. Not sparing it a glance, she rushed over in the direction of the spring. The moment she got near it, she felt as if all the energy had been drained out of her.

Taking off her backpack, she dragged it and herself over to a tree just a few feet away from the bank.

Slumping down on the ground, she leaned sideways against the tree as she watched silver moonlight dance upon the pitch black water.

Taking in a shaky breath, she looked around at the big tree roots on the ground around her.

"To reach the sky, one must have their roots deep in the soil," she whispered, looking up at the huge tree. Shuffling a bit, she stretched out her arms and hugged the tree stump as much as her arms could hug.

"Do you mind?" She asked, her voice soft, her cheek resting against the rough bark, "I just need to be close to someone," she sniffled, "I don't wanna cry. They are nice. Good, in fact. It's just, life's harsh," she shrugged, "but there's nothing I could do about it, can I?"

She stayed like that for a while, tears running down her cheeks but she refused to cry.

"I'm so tired," she mumbled as she cozied up at the base of the tree, "You wouldn’t mind if I spent the night here, would you? It’s just that home right now seems to be quite unreachable,"

She mumbled, her eyes drooping close as sleep engulfed her in its arms, "You love me, don't you?" were her last words before darkness covered all her thoughts.

***

Everyone was overflowing with fake excitement. Ian took in another breath as he watched the ever composed Emm laughing way too much over nothing in particular, as Dim listened with fake attention to the bartender. Even the guy seemed to be bored by his own talk. Jake seemed to be out of control as he twirled two girls on the dance floor right in front of Ian.

"Why does it feel as if they are taunting us?" Gage asked from beside him, sipping on his beer.

"Because they are," Ian grumbled and turning away from Jake's show, shifted to the bar.

A growl left his lips as his eyes met the person standing in the line of his vision.

Gage noticed where Ian was looking and he felt his muscles stiffening, "Fucking sonofabitch," he growled.

Eric jerked his head in the direction of the exit and walked away. Ian felt his temper rise.

"He wishes to be dead," he growled and started in his direction.

Gage gestured the others over before following Ian. Ian burst out of the door and looked around. Spotting Eric, he made a run for his throat.

Leaping out, he was about to wrap his fingers around Eric's neck, when Emm pulled him back.

"What?" He snarled.

"We are not fighting," Emm growled back, his nose almost touching Ian's as they both waited for the other to look away first.

"Whoa whoa guys," Eric spoke up from behind him and Ian rounded back to him, his teeth bared.

"Hey!" Eric held up his hands in surrender but held his ground, "Easy mate. I'm here to just talk."

"You wouldn’t talk without the other bastards," Gage spat.

"Aye, because they are not in this," he replied to Gage and then turned his eyes to look right into Ian's dark orbs, "I am."

"Speak what you have to mongrel," Ian said lowly.

Eric took in a breath before speaking, "It wasn’t Sonia's fault."

In a blur, Ian's hands grabbed his lapels, "You dare bring her name to your lips?"

Eric pushed him back, "That's what you did there, you fool. The hatred, the feud, it’s between us," he waved a hand pointing to both of them, "No need to drag her in it."

Ian took a step towards him again, but this time it was Dim who held him back, "What do you imply, Black?"

Eric looked at Dim, his head cocked, "I always did admire your calmness. But a thought does come to mind. How calm will you be when I tell you of his doings? Or has he already said everything and you still don’t give a damn?"

"Speak what you came here for," Dim said lowly, as he pulled Ian beside him.

"Sonia was in the library today. It was quite late but she came in - rosy cheeks, puffy breath-" Ian growled but he continued nonetheless, "breath takingly beautiful. And she asked for a package."

"Ian's gift," Jake murmured.

Eric smiled at him, "Yes. I was there to fetch a couple of books," he took out his wallet and fished out his membership card to show them. Shrugging, he took it back once Dim had a look at it, "Just so you know I'm not stalking her."

Dim nodded and Eric continued, "Apparently, she had forgot to order it gift wrapped and the librarian had some paper with her. So I offered to wrap it up and she was in such a hurry that she simply rushed out, her mind focused on getting that damn thing in her bag, and so she forgot her jacket."

Ian's shoulders straightened in realisation at what was to come next.

"So I followed her out and helped her with the jacket," Eric held up a finger, "Mind you, she didn’t ask for the help," he shrugged, thrusting his hands in his pockets and looked away, "But then a blush covered her cheeks and she looked so angelic that I couldn’t help myself and I touched her cheek," he sighed as a series of growls sounded around him, "You would have done the same," he snapped, looking at each one in their eyes, "Don’t lie to yourself guys. Don’t you feel getting pulled by her pure heart?"

"What happened after that?" Emm cut in, his fists clenched by his sides.

Eric chuckled as he raked a hand through his hair, "Then Ian happened," he gestured to Ian with his hand, "He swooped down from across the street after having seen the rather 'intimate' -" he made a quote symbol with his fingers, "- scene between us and being the knight in shining armour, bee lined straight for my throat. But Sonia jumped in and before I could explain the situation, she - being wary of his dark mood - pleaded me to go away. And I left." He threw up his hands, "I'm just here to say that what all you spewed at that poor girl are false accusations," he pointed a finger at Ian, "She was not there to meet me at that late hour and she certainly was not showing you her fake tears. If you still not believe me then go and search for her. I guarantee you won't be able to replace her."

Dim released Ian's hand but he stood still.

In a blur, Eric grabbed him by his collar and had him pinned to the brick wall, his hands on Ian's throat, his face close to Ian's. The others made no move to stop him, everyone rooted in their spot.

"Now do you know how it feels like to be slammed against a wall?" Eric squeezed his neck a bit more, "Now do you feel the pain? Just imagine how much she must have endured. And fake tears?" He growled, "God! She's so pure, she fakes smiles and you treat her like this?" He slammed Ian once more before releasing him.

"Just once more," he held up his index finger in warning, "Hurt her just once more and I swear I'll tear your fucking limbs apart in front of your brothers," he spat before turning around and walking away.

Ian stood slumped against the wall.

"Where would she be?” Jake asked.

Ian looked up and frowned at his black eyes Noticing his expression, Jake chuckled darkly, "She helped me unlike you, mate."

Emm shook his head in disbelief, "I can't believe you hate her so much!" He pulled at his hair as she walked to and fro, "Your hatred turned her away. Nobody knows where she is," he wiped a hand over his face.

"She was concerned for you even after everything," Gage whispered.

Ian looked at him and he nodded, "Aye," he replied, looking lost in his own body, "Even after the way you treated her, she wanted you to be happy. She made me leave her alone and take you to your damn party. She smiled even after you crushed her."

Ian's feet gave away and he slid down to the ground, the scene playing over and over in his head. How he had sneered at her, how he had harmed her.

"What have I done!" He whispered, holding his head in his palms.

Dim walked to him and crouched in front of him, "I gave you a chance," he said softly.

Ian looked up nodded once in agreement.

Satisfied, Dim got up and offered Ian his hand, "I'll give you one again," he said pulling him up to stand before him, "Don’t make me regret my decision," he added before turning around.

Ian kept looking down. Dim stopped after taking a couple of steps, "And Ian?" He called out.

Ian looked up from his feet and his face jerked back as Dim punched him. Ian stumbled a few steps to his right, holding his bleeding jaw in his hand, "Happy birthday brother," Dim wished and walked away.