I ran my fingers through my hair as I stared at myself in the mirror. Finally I'd had the time to do what I'd been meaning to since getting back to Gabrian, and as I ran my fingers through my newly dyed hair, I was happy to have those dark locks gone.

My hair was no longer the color of night but instead back to its caramel color, a shiny brunette that I hadn't grown to appreciate until it was gone. After giving it a thorough wash and blow dry, it was soft and sleek between my fingertips.

Wrapping my bathrobe tighter around my body, I opened the door, Finn's empty bedroom greeting me. Padding across the carpet on my bare feet, I wandered into the hallway. Noises from the kitchen made me smile, especially when I turned the corner.

Finn was making eggs and bacon on the stove, a glass of fresh orange juice already waiting for me on the kitchen island. I slid onto one of the bar stools, picking up my drink to take a long sip.

"Nice shower?" He asked me, not even needing to turn around to know when I'd walked into the room.

"Hmhmmm." I responded, setting my glass back down on the counter. Taking a breath, I looked up at the back of Finn's head. "I dyed my hair back."

This made Finn turn completely around, his lovely blue eyes resting on me. He flashed me a brilliant smile, walking around the counter towards me. I turned in my chair towards him, Finn stopping in front of me as he ran his fingers through my waves. "My gorgeous girl."

I tilted my head up towards him, giving him a smile. "You like it?"

"I'll love your hair no matter what color it is," He replied, kissing my forehead. "But this is the color that makes you the happiest so I like it the most."

I wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my head against his chest. "I love you, and I'll never be able to say it enough."

"Well, I never get tired of hearing it." Finn said, running his fingers along the back of my hair. "And never will I not mean it when I tell you that I love you too, baby."

I slid off the chair, standing up straight to capture Finn's lips with mine as I pulled him against my body. He let out a groan, his strong hands digging harder into my hair as his wings wrapped around my body to push me tighter against him.

"I've... been trying to let you rest." He said against my lips.

"You don't want me?" I asked, leaning my head back.

"The opposite." Finn responded with a growl from his clenched jaw. "You don't make it easy for me to behave."

I smirked, my hands coming up to the knot in my robe. With ease I undid it, letting the ties fall from my fingers. The fabric of my robe slid apart, exposing everything in between my shoulders. Looking up through my lashes, I said, "does it look like I want you to behave?"

"Sweet Fate, what you do to me..." He snarled, his hands roughly yanking my face to his. His lips collided with mine with a force he hadn't revealed to me before, my moan only challenging him to ravage me.

I was backed up against the counter, his body weight pressing down on me as I wrapped my arms around his neck for support. There was hardly any air in my lungs, the sheer need to kiss him more important than oxygen as his hands which had slipped into my robe ran up and down my body.

"It's been so long... since I've had you." Finn growled, his fingers sparking electricity across my skin as he leaned in to kiss my neck. "I hope you came prepared because I'll be on my worst behavior. I won't hold back, my mate, and you're going to like it."

"I want you..." I managed to whimper as Finn lifted me onto the counter, sliding my robe off my shoulders while my hands were making quick work of discarding his shirt on the floor.

He pushed me back, lying me flat on the marble before yanking me back towards the edge. Finn kissed up the inside of my leg, making me quiver. Those beautiful eyes of his flashed as he looked at me, "tell me how much you want me. Tell me or else I'll make you regret it."

His words sent shivers up my spine, his fingers drawing a moan out of me when they massaged one particular place between my legs. Words were spinning inside my head, his hands and the heat of my own need turning them into another language that I couldn't speak.

Before I could try, a quick knock echoed from the door, and seconds later a second knock made Finn and I both groan in disappointment. I managed to stand to my feet, the itch at my core only reminding me of how badly I wanted more alone time with Finn.

He'd found his shirt, pulling it over his head as I tied my robe back up. I cleared my throat, making him turn his head. "We are not done. Remember that for later."

"You don't have to remind me." Finn replied, giving me a cheeky smile. "You're so sexy right now."

"What? All hot and bothered?"

He chuckled darkly, a sound that did more to me than I wanted to admit. "Something like that. Tonight maybe it's time to reenact some of your kitchen fantasies."

I felt my face turn red, making Finn give me a wink as he went to the door. Pulling it open, a wilted guardian walked through the door, collapsing on Finn's couch with a muffled sob.

"Cybele?" He asked, any amusement he had on his face dried away as he kneeled by her side. She didn't answer, only burying her head into the pillows more deeply. "Hey, come on. Talk to me. You know I can't stand to see you like this."

"He... He..." she turned her head, eyes red and cheeks stained with tears. Cybele choked on a sob, clamping her eyes shut as she curled into a ball. "He said he didn't want to see me!"

"Nocen?" I asked, my eyes widening.

Cybele only cried harder. "Why... why doesn't anyone... want me in their life? I can't..."

"He and I will have a chat." Finn said under his breath, standing to his feet.

I shook my head, "no, I'm not letting that happen. You have the Commander look on the face, and I'm not letting you beat him up." I tapped my fingers together before lifting my head. "The three of us are going down there right now, and we will make him explain himself."

Turning on my heels, I rushed into Finn's bedroom to throw on clothes before we headed to the hospital to find out what exactly had happened to Nocen Shay.

Cybele was distraught, tears flowing down her cheeks and utterly silent as we made our way to the hospital. No one asked about what was wrong with the General because frankly it seemed that no one had ever seen her that way before.

I hugged her as much as I could when we made our way into the hospital, feeling her flinch when the nurse said that I was cleared with Nocen to come through.

He'd see me, but he wouldn't see her, and I could tell that was a punch to the gut. I only squeezed her hand in mine as we walked, praying to Fate that this was all some large misunderstanding.

Coming to Nocen's door, Finn and I turned to Cybele before looking at each other. I spoke first, "on how good of terms are you with your brother?"

"Not good enough right now for him to tell me what the hell is going on." Finn replied.

"Well then you stay with her. I'll talk to him and figure this out." I turned, opening the door to Nocen's room and sliding inside.

He was sitting upright in bed against the headboard, his complexion pale and almost ghost-like as I walked towards his bed.

"How are you doing?" I asked, his head not even lifting to look at me as he stared at his hands.

"Terrible." He responded softly, his voice almost hoarse.

I blinked, taking a seat on the edge of his bed. "Why? What's wrong, Nocen?"

"Everything." He responded. "Everything is wrong."

"You know that isn't true."

"It is pretty damn true because the most important things in my life have gone to shit." He snapped, eyes flashing black like night.

"This is about Cybele, isn't it?"

Nocen snarled at me, "I don't want to talk about her."

I narrowed my eyes, "she's your mate. What's wrong with you?"

"She needs to stay away from me, and I'm trying to keep my distance. It's better for us to be... apart."

Shaking my head, I touched his arm. "You believe that? Really? Even after how much you wanted to see her when we got here in that plane? You don't love her?"

"Keep her away from me, as far as you can." Nocen snapped, his veins turning onyx as his face began to crack with them. "I can't be around her. I just can't."

The door swung open, seeing Cybele's pained face enough to make me grimace though I couldn't bear to look away. Finn was trying to guide her back into the hall but she wouldn't budge, her glossy blue eyes fixed on Nocen who had gone utterly rigid like the dead.

"You... can't be around me? You don't... love me any longer?" She stuttered, tears dotting her cheeks like stars.

"No, I could never stop." Nocen responded, his voice soft and sweet in a tone I could tell he reserved for her.

I stood up, sliding off the edge of the bed as Cybele came closer. She wasn't sobbing any longer, her eyes trained on the demon as she stopped a few feet from his bed side. I backed away from them, standing by Finn at the door.

Nocen swallowed before he spoke, "you have to know that I love you, that I always have and always will."

"Then why can't you be with me?" She said, her words making me shiver.

"Because you deserve better than me."

Cybele only snorted, "you are the best for me. You're my soulmate; who else could ever be you to me?"

Nocen only shook his head, "you've always deserved better than me, especially now that I've gone and proved it."

"You haven't proved anything. You've been gone for years..."

"And I wasn't faithful to you!" Nocen said, his voice coming out as nearly a scream.

Cybele took a step back almost as if in surprise, Finn wrapping an arm around my shoulders to pull me back against his side. Nocen was panting now, digging his fingers into his bed sheets as his dark eyes took over and black coils began to run up his arms.

"The memories all came back, the ones from when I was with Felix and Noxia. They all came back a little bit ago, and I... I hate myself for all that I did! I fucking despise, loath myself! Cybele, I... killed so many people. I tortured them and sucked away their souls. I slept with... Penelope more than I can count, and I'm so damn sorry. I'm so fucking sorry; you deserve more than that, more than me!"

No one said a word except for Finn, who nudged me before whispering, "I think the two of us should go."

I nodded my head as the two of us retreated out of Nocen's room and into the hallway. Shaking my head, I sucked in a breath, "I should have seen this coming. Penelope told me that she'd been in love with Nocen. Fates, of course they would have... but it isn't his fault either. He didn't seem to even feel emotions, Finn. For the love of Fate, he watched Felix torture me and now he wants to rip him apart so his feelings have obviously changed. I don't know..."

Finn wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against his chest and I gladly accepted his hug by snuggling into him. "I don't know either, Kate. All I can tell you is that the man who slept with Penelope is definitely not my brother."