Fate's Pawn: Four Horsemen: Chapter Thirty - Famine's Return

The sloth's face was screwed up as if she had a sour lemon stuck into her mouth. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'll be retreating, for now. But don't think you've won, any of you." She found Holly with her crimson eyes once more. "And if you do make Lust shed a single tear, I'll follow through the rest of my promise. You can be sure of that."

Dagon scowled as the sloth vanished. "I should have known that sloth would be a coward here too." He turned his attention to Holly, completely ignoring Angel. "Are you okay? She didn't hurt you did she?"

Holly shook her head. "She was obsessed with Eros. A bit more than I expected. We should keep an eye on him or she might go after him."

Angel snorted. "Good riddance."

Holly turned toward him. "Excuse me?" she demanded.

Angel blinked. "Good riddance to a Sin?" he responded. "Come on, you can't be soft for him too. I dealt with enough of that when it came to Acacia! The sins are evil, you can't trust them."

"I don't trust you, you came out of nowhere and saved me. For all I know you just did that so I would trust you. I have no reason to trust you."

Angel's jaw hung open. "I'm your protector, your mentor, I'm always by your side!"

"No, Eros is my protector, he's been trying to keep me safe int his crazy world, though I didn't agree with his methods, and he's always been my by side as my cabbit companion. To me you look like the copy."

Angel scratched his long ears with his hind legs. "Listen, I know you've been fooled, I'm late getting here-"

"And whose fault is that?" demanded a cool voice. Tydeus stood in the doorway his beautiful blue orbs narrowed on the black animal. "You better have a great reason for being so late."

Angel backed up. "Tydeus? I didn't expect to see you here-"

"Because you're supposed to get here first. You failed this time, Angel. You weren't here to help with her magic, you weren't here to protect her, you've never been this late," he was growling by the end as he bared his teeth. "What happened?"

Angel shifted in front of her. One moment he was that sour looking cabbit and the next he was a gorgeous, but still sour looking man. He ran a hand through his coal black hair. "I stayed with Acacia because she asked me to. I stayed with her until she passed on."

"What?" Tydeus roared the words.

Holly took two steps backward and Dagon put his arm around her shoulders. "Will you two cut it out? If you're going to fight, do it somewhere else. You're scaring Holly."

"I'm not scared," Holly responded as she raised her chin. "But if they're going to start a fight I won't be caught in the middle of it."

"You're already in the middle of it," Tydeus sighed. "This is Angel, your mentor, your protector, and despite my warnings, he's still madly in love with you."
"In love with the soul," Holly corrected. "He doesn't know me." Was Quix up yet? She wanted to be far away from these guys and a place where she could think on her own.

"You all are just so loud lately. How am I supposed to make my bold entrance with the rescued damsel if you are arguing like this?" Famine had returned with a sleeping Ruby curled next to his chest.

"I don't care about your warnings," Angel continued. He didn't even bat an eye at Famine. His eyes were locked solely on Tydeus. "You are the one that doesn't understand her soul. You keep claiming you're in love with her but you've never been in love with any of her selves yet. You've slept with one, and that's it. If you loved her how come you've never stayed at her side?"

Tydeus took a step back. "Because I'm not so short-sighted about this battle. If it wasn't for Dagon, Dagon of all people and Eros, a Sin, need I remind you, she'd be dead already. You weren't here, she was in danger. I leave each version of her so I can save her ultimate soul. I'll help her destroy every Sin so she can be free."

Angel snorted. "That's the lie you tell yourself. If you really loved her you wouldn't be able to be away from her. You don't know the agony I'm going through being here. I held Acacia's hand as she drew her last breath after enduring the torture of purifying her soul night after night."

Holly left them in the middle of their argument and walked over to the scowling Famine. "Thank you."

A flicker of a smile appeared on his lips. "I hope that means I get to spend some alone time with you and get to know you a bit better."

Like one Tydeus, Dagon, and Angel turned around at this. "No!" their answers overlapped each other.

"Yes," Holly replied with a glare. "I'm not going to have any of you decide what I'm doing with my life. Famine put himself at great personal risk to get Ruby back, and look, she's here and she's safe."

"More fodder," Angel flapped his hand. "It's not worth putting yourself in that type of situation, Holly."

Famine set Ruby down on the plush velvet couch and faced Angel. "You are new, you weren't here before. Another suitor for my brother's fiancee?"

"That will never happen." Tydeus interrupted. "She's not marrying Dagon."

Angel didn't argue this time he just stood with his arms crossed and pouted at the events. Holly could make out some of his mumbled words that consisted of fodder and trash but she had no idea what he was talking about.

"I'll decide who I marry, I think I've told you all this before. I'm not a pawn for you guys to control on a chessboard. I am my own person and you can believe I'll do what I want, no matter what any of you try to decide for me." She pointed at Famine. "He brought my friend home safe and sound and all he wants is time alone with me, done it's going to happen and no matter how much you others argue, I won't hear it."

Famine smirked. "Before I go spend my time with her, will any of you be watching over our poor rescued damsel? Or will you spend all your time arguing with each other and creating more barriers with her?"

Holly crossed her arms over her chest as she studied the group. Famine was right. Angel was new but not her favorite out of everyone she met so far. Did he have to be so mean and pushy? How could anyone like that? "If anything happens to Ruby because you guys refused to take care of her, I'll never forgive any of you."

Famine held out a hand to her. "Shall we?" he requested with a warm smile.

Holly put her hand in his. "I promised," she agreed with a nod.

She ignored the others, they could get over it. She was tired of dealing with their pushiness anyway. "As long as you don't try to push me or think that you can control me," she pointed out.

Famine's lips split into another soft smile. "I wouldn't dream of that," he agreed. "I just want to find out more about you and this amazing soul you possess."

Holly resisted the urge to roll her eyes. If she could strip herself of this soul and separate it from her she'd do it in a heartbeat. This was far too tiring for her.

"Wait up," Tydeus requested before she left. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for earlier, and you don't have to worry about your reaper friend. I"ll keep watch over her myself until she wakes up again." He glanced over at Famine. "She will wake up again, won't she?"

Famine shrugged and held out his hands. "I can't say for sure. I only rescued her and when I did she was knocked out like that. She hasn't said a word but at least we know that she is undoubtedly alive."

Alive but was she really okay? Holly wanted to know what happened to her friend. Thus this whole time with Famine thing seemed the best way to get the answers she so desperately wanted. Besides, he didn't cause her a sense of unease like the others did.

She paused once more before leaving with Famine and glanced back at Dagon. "Could you do me one more favor, Dagon?" she asked soft.

"Anything," he offered. Tydeus glared at him and the prince of hell only smirked.

"When Quix wakes up if I'm not back yet, will you let him know Ruby is okay? I know he's been really worried about her too."

Dagon smiled and nodded. "You've got it," he agreed.

Holly grabbed Famine's hand once more and let herself be led out of the room and away from the others. She didn't know what this prince wanted with her exactly, but before this little chat was over she'd find out.