Lanoir jerked up suddenly, her light rest breaking as her body protested the sudden movement. Her stomach was sore and was painful as she breathed in and out. Her face was swollen and colored in dark purples her lips where chapped and bleeding lightly.

Heart hammering loudly in her chest, even as exhaustion pulled at her, she blinked at the darkness, trying to look into it. She didn't see anything or anyone, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't alone. 

Maybe it was just her mind playing tricks on her, maybe she wanted him so badly she started to smell his scent.Closing her eyes she thought of his dark musky scent that made her feel like home.

Suddenly, the hair on her neck stood up causing fear to shoot through her. Stiffening, she blinked her eyes open again, ignoring  the tug of her eyelids, and peered into the darkness just as someone stepped beside her. Lanoir looked up, unable to see anything except for the outline of the uniform boots she had seen the others wear, and panicked.Had they decided to kill her early? But if that were so, why was only one guy there? Why not the cavalry and their creepy leader?

Or maybe it was the green eyed creep from early coming to take what he wanted from her before she was murdered? That cause her heart to race with fear. She was weak but she wouldn't allow herself to be taken advantage of. Pulse skittering as fear and fight flamed inside her, Lanoir saw an outline of a  gloved hand as it came into view, and her body shook as she strained away from it.

And then the gloved fingers traced down the side of her face down to her lip and traced the shape of it.  Only one person had ever did this to her.

'       

She closed her eyes as tears leaked out freely, her jaw trembling uncontrollably, sobs heaving as an emotion rising inside her. All the pain and anguish came rushing out of her as she sobbed against her gag. She felt the chains being removed from her skin,Hissing in pain as the metal pushed against her raw skin. Not having any strength to hole herself up she fell. But was caught by his strong arms.

Her mouth hurt from being opened in the same way for so long, her jaw ached and felt sore, but the tears kept pouring and the trembling never stopped.She looked up into the darkness, trying to see his face but unable to, and her chapped lips quivered.

"You came."

She whispered hoarsely, her throat hurting, her voice raspy from disuse, sobs heavy in them. Her chest hurt with each breath she took .

He stilled completely before softly pulling her face to his chest, and Lanoir inhaled her first deep breath, his woodsy scent, his familiar, beautiful scent, strong so close to him. His heartbeats were loud against her ear, fast, and she knew her own matched his. His face turned into her neck, burying in her hair and Lanoir felt him shiver as he held her, careful not to jostle her sore arms and legs.

She felt his breath ghost over her skin, and his arms came around her completely. Lifting her into his arms.His safe, muscular arms. Arms that she had never thought she'd feel again. Arms that were home even in this dark and dreadful dungeon. Muted sobs, just laden with tears, her arms by her side regaining sensation, unable to hold him.

She felt his lips press against her head, planting kisses over her ear as he held her, as he let her break, his chest heaving. Lanoir cried into him, finally moving her arms, ignoring the pain, and held on to him, feeling his own arms tighten around her.

His lips moved to her ear as he whispered sweet words into her ear the words that had kept the darkness away. Those five words he always said to her.

"I'll always come for you."