When Lance and Ciaran arrived at the apartment, they opened the door to find Delilah crying and holding Morian's unconscious body in her arms.
Ciaran rushed to her side right away.
"What happened ? Who is he?"
Ciaran inquired as he clawed her off the dead body and cradled her in his arms. When he saw her bloodied outfit, he shuddered at the thought of what had happened.
Lance met Delilah's gaze, which was filled with horror. He then turned to face Ciaran.
"Take her and leave; I'll deal with the body," Lance said as he knelt next to it.
"What are you going to do with him?"
Delilah asked finally piecing together words through tears.
"Delilah, I think you have more immediate matters to worry about. Go with Ciaran I will take care of this."
Lance tossed his car keys to Ciaran.
She nodded and followed Ciaran.
They walked to Lance's car.
"I do not know how to use one of these," Ciaran said as he looked at the car.
Delilah smiled, "give yourself time Ciaran, you will adjust to life. Humanity has advanced greatly since you were last born."
"I can see that." Ciaran said as he handed the car keys to her.
As she reached to collect the keys, he held her hand. She looked up to his face meeting his eyes.
"Mortala, I'm so happy to be back with you. we havent had time to truly talk, but i'm hoping we can finally."
"Yes, ofcourse Ciaran. Lets go"
Speaking to Ciaran, who was inhabiting Kim's body, was unsettling for her, she was mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. Her life had become a horror film with no end in sight.
They got into the car and drove away.
They arrived at Lance's house in the bayou. Ciaran led Delilah to the living room, she was still shaken by what had happened with Morian. Ciaran was in the dark, but he wanted to comfort her if she would let him.
She had been avoiding him since he last saw her; he had longed to spend time with her but hadn't found the right moment until now.
His gaze returned to her blood-stained clothes, and he began to wonder if she had killed.
"Would you like something to drink or a change of clothes Mortala? Sorry I mean Delilah."
"No thank you." She didnt look at him, she just sat with her arms crossed against her body.
She was traumatized.
Ciaran sat next to her.
"Who was that man?"
Her body tensed up at his question.
"Delilah?"
He reach to touch her hand and she got up immediately.
"What is the matter?"
"Please don't?"
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No, Ciaran ofcourse not."
"Then why have you been avoiding me?"
"I am not avoiding you, I have just been occupied with my life."
"You have been avoiding me. I arrived to see you holding a dead body covered in blood. You just evaded my touch, you wont even look me in my eyes when we speak, something is wrong. I know our circumstance is very strange and weird but im trying to be patient with you and give you time to adjust but I cannot continue knowing that you are distant from me in every way."
Delilah took in a deep breath and met his eyes.
"I am in agony Delilah, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. To see you and barely be able to touch you when all I want is to hold you, to lay in your arms. When I was imprisoned the only thing that gave me solace was that I would escape and find my way to you again. That i would get to kiss you and finally find peace and safety in your arms."
Delilah fought through tears to speak again.
"Ciaran, you have done nothing wrong, its all me, I am the one with the fault."
"Whatever do you mean?"
She couldnt bring herself to speak, She couldnt bring herself to tell Ciaran the truth.
"Please Ciaran, I just dont want to talk about it."
"I have spent eons trapped by Mori, I spent every minute in that god forsaken realm dreaming about the day I would finally be with you again. And now you wont even look at me, has Mori won? Has he succeeded in erasing me from your heart?"
"No."
"So tell me delilah what the problem is because I am lost."
She looked in his eyes and broke down crying, he rushed to her side and held her in his arms.
"its ok, i'm here mortala, and i am never going to leave you, whatever burdens you, you can share it with me, you dont have to fight these battles alone let me shoulder what ever bothers you."
"I do not deserve your love Ciaran, not after what I have done to you."
"You havent done anything to me, do not blame yourself for what Mori did to me."
She pushed him away and walked to the other side of the living room.
"Mortala, please let me in so i can help right now i do not understand." he walked closer to her, reached for her hand and pulled her closer to his body.
"does this body displease you? is that it? i could talk to lance and we find another."
"i am not the woman you think i am Ciaran, i have done something unforgivable."
"Thats impossible, nothing could ever make me hate you. My love for you is eternal," he said as he gently brushed her face with his finger. "I love you with every fiber of my being Mortala. I always have and I always will."
She looked up at him, and his kind eyes returned her affection. She drew him into a kiss and closed her eyes. It was transcendental, their lips meeting in the flesh after centuries apart. The kiss was passionate, fiery, and eclipsed both of their senses. Ciaran paused the kiss, looked her in the eyes, smiled, and pulled her into another kiss. He carried her into the bedroom in his arms.
"You should sleep my love, i can sense you are under alot of stress" Ciaran said as he laid her on the bed in his room. he turned to leave and she held his hand.
"Please, stay." He looked at her hand on his, then in her eyes, which were lost and sad. He gave a reassuring smile.
"Of course." He climbed into bed with her and cuddled her, holding her in his arms.
"I never want to lose you again, Ciaran. I wont survive it."
"You will not, because we will be together forever. I assure you, "He kissed her on her forehead.
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
All her worries and stress vanished in his arms, and she fell asleep.