Isaac felt pathetic. He’d lost her. The blondes got to her first. He remembered walking to her apartment to find the door ajar and pushed it open carefully to see inside. The apartment was trashed as if there had been a major struggle. He managed to look ahead to see a broken window before he realized the apartment was filled with baby powder infused disciples.
He knew that the woman wasn’t there and there were too many slayers so he ran. Four had followed him and he made it halfway to the car on foot before knowing the fight was coming. He ducked into an alley and finished them. Then he went to his car after collecting wallets and drove straight home.
Where could they have taken her? What could they be doing to her now?
He growled to himself. It didn’t matter what they were doing to her. It was his fault.
“Was the address any good?” Damian asked as soon as he got home.
“There were signs of a struggle and the apartment was full of disciples. I got away and killed four but she wasn’t there,” Isaac reported. “I couldn’t tell if they had taken her or she got away.”
Damian cursed before pulling out his phone. “I let the Doc know the score since that night. He’s been working non-stop to find a possible reversal. Seems he’s got theories.”
“Anything promising?” Isaac asked.
“He’s gonna set up a work lab here. The others are out getting him a few test subjects.”
Isaac nodded with a sigh. “Now we just need to find her.”
“We’ll find her, Isaac,” Damian assured him after a pause.
Isaac felt his hands fist as he turned away from the King. “I’m going to my room,” he said, planning on fogging shit up with smokes.
He knew it was a filthy habit that often stunk his clothes but it helped when he was off. His mind was in an uproar and all he could think about was that woman in the hands of the hunters. Tearing at her skin… ripping out tuffs of her beautiful hair as they dragged her about… her green eyes widening in fear… again.
With a curse, he slammed his door shut and dove for the wooden box by his bed. He grabbed for a rolled cigarette and a lighter, flicking it until the flame lit. He took a deep drag and held it as he dropped the lighter back in the box. He then turned and sat on his bed, finally exhaling slowly.
“Wow,” Zeke’s voice interrupted his peace and his eyes snapped open to glare at his brother.
“Close the door,” he growled when he heard soft footsteps behind him.
“Uncle Isaac!”
Zeke immediately reached for a small child who nearly pushed into the room beside him. “Ah, LeeLee, let’s give your uncle a few minutes. Daddy needs to talk to him.”
Leela’s wide eyes looked from Zeke to Isaac as he hastily hid the lit cigarette behind him. “Are you in trouble?” she asked.
Isaac let out a quick laugh. “No, darling. Do as your daddy says. I’ll go help you draw in a few minutes.”
Leela smiled. “Really?”
Isaac nodded. “Go get your paints and papers ready so we don’t make a mess. Your mom will kill me.”
“Okay!” Leela’s smile grew impossibly wider as she hurried away.
Zeke stepped further into the room and closed the door, locking it. He turned and eyed his brother as he took another deep drag. “Don’t give me shit.”
Isaac smirked. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Zeke rolled his eyes. “How long until I live it down? C’mon.”
“What could you be referring to, brother mine? You’ll need to explain further… daddy,” Isaac shrugged.
“And there it is!” Zeke pointed an accusatory finger at him, his muscles rippling.
Isaac grew serious and looked at his younger brother. There was a time when they were considered twins… centuries ago. Now, their differences outweighed. Isaac was built bigger but that was years of training and taking care of himself. His brother had been more destructive with himself, hating himself for centuries. Of the monster he couldn’t seem to control. Then she came along.
“How’s Bonnie?” he asked and Zeke rubbed the back of his neck.
“She’s everything I couldn’t dream up on my own. She’s too amazing,” he sighed. “Motherhood suits her.”
“Just as fatherhood suits you,” Isaac pointed out.
“Hardly,” Zeke eyed him and crossed his growing arms. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
Zeke nodded toward the smoke. “Haven’t seen those for a while.”
Isaac shrugged and took another drag. He let the smoke escape as he spoke next, “Felt like it was time.”
Zeke moved closer. “Heard about what you found at the female’s place. You should have taken back up.”
Isaac waited for his unasked question.
“Why didn’t you?” Zeke didn’t let up the eye contact.
“I didn’t expect the hunters to beat us to the location, did I?” Isaac snapped and took another drag. Finally, the smoke was affecting him. He could feel his mind calming down and focusing on his conversation instead of imagining her green eyes stained with tears as they tortured her. His smoke was almost out. He needed another after this next drag.
"We're concerned about you," Zeke started. "The Brothers have noticed how you've taken point on this. Your attention is causing a lot of concern and questions."
"What? Why?" Isaac asked.
"Cause you're actually getting invested in a human!" Zeke frowned.
"I am not getting invested in a human," Isaac defended. "I'll set the Brothers straight."
“Fine, you do that. But between us, you’ve been acting weirdly with this one,” Zeke muttered as if not wanting to be heard.
“I don’t want another hunter against us. Pretty sure that’s our job, brother,”
Zeke frowned. “Why do you feel responsible for this one? Is it because she’s human? Or because it’s a female?”
Isaac froze as she flashed in his mind again. He took in her stance and the regret in her eyes as his arm flopped about, useless. “Why would I feel anything for a human?” he asked, pulling himself back to the present. “I could have any female. I don’t see your reasoning.”
"I think you see something in this human female. I just hope you don't lose sight of our duties. For the good of the species,"
"For the good of the realm," Isaac finished. "Are you truly asking for the good of the Brotherhood or because you have a female for yourself?"
Zeke’s frown deepened but he didn’t reply and Isaac took this moment to finish his smoke.
Isaac was about to reach for another one when there was a soft knock on his door. It was a small fist that knocked. He sighed and closed the box, standing up.
“I wish you would also settle down, brother,” Zeke muttered after a sigh. “I should not be the only one who is happy.”
Isaac froze and met his brother’s eyes. After the centuries of neglect on his brother’s side, the only similarity they had left was their eyes. Golden brown eyes were rare even among their kind. Everything else was nearly so different, no one would think them related.
“Yeah, I’ll get right on that,” Isaac muttered as he patted his brother’s arm and moved to answer the door. “Is that my niece who calls upon me?” he called before yanking it open to meet her large honey eyes.
“Can we draw now?” she asked sheepishly.
“Of course, fair lady. I am your humble servant,” Isaac offered his hand and she gladly took it. “Direct me to our workspace for I would surely be lost without your guidance.”
“You talk funny,” she giggled and pulled him along to the library.
Without looking back, Isaac followed his niece, pushing his brother and the woman from his mind.
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