Daring not to close his eyes, he kept those brown optics alert and ready. Any movement, any shadow, any pair of eyes could be an enemy. He felt himself a bit unnerved by all of this. How had he turned into the monster he never wanted to be so quickly? Surely there had to be some sort of an antidote for this? For the death of his lover, the wound on Asa's leg... Everything. Why was he forced to take a path he never intended on taking? Why was he being pressed closer to the brink of suicide, yet being pulled away at the same time? No one would answer these questions. For simply, there was no answer.
He followed her directions. Moving in a straight path, his two good legs made up for her lame one. He held her tightly by her waist, pulling her even closer to keep their steps in a better rhythm. Step-by-step seemed to be a bit strained. Her extra weight was only furthering to exhaust him. The short rest he'd taken hadn't completely returned his strength. He was finding his muscles more and more like jelly. His movements were sloppy, careless, but his eyes were not. He was determined to get her out of the forest. And he would do that with her safety intact.
When she clutched him suddenly he felt a bit surprised. Caught off-guard, he stumbled to his right, accidentally pulling her with him. Blinking in slight confusion and clearly startled, he found his gaze pulled to her eyes. Those beautiful, perfect, gorgeous eyes... His own optics fell to her lips. They were lush, rosy, and for a moment he wondered if they were virgin. Then, with a pain in his heart, he remembered Edward. He must've been her lover in the past. She would have kissed him thousands of times. Who could blame her? He was rather good-looking and strong. Everything Phayte wasn't. Well... That was a lie to himself, but he was convinced he was ugly, ever since that bite.
Her question gave him a bit more to think about. It was like adding more broccoli to his plate as a young boy. He would pout about it, mourn over not getting his way, and after a long and weary battle he'd be forced to surrender by the maid and stuck it into his mouth. He had always loathed dinnertime. His parents were never there, the large dining room empty. He was the only one in it. It stayed that way for many years. Until a plane crash tore his family away and he was left even more alone than before.
"About me? I don't really know where to begin..."
He took a breath, browsing through himself as if he were a library. Each information he found he would discard as useless or boring. He'd have to start with the basics.
"My name's Phayte. My last name... I don't really recall. My age? I don't know. Hopefully nothing over 30. I grew up in Harrisville. My mother and father died when I was 14, I was left in the mansion to run everything. I rather enjoy plants. Flowers especially. My favorite season is spring. Favorite color is blue. I have an outtie belly button and a rather odd birthmark on my left cheek." He didn't mean his face. "I got chicken pox when I was... hm... 7? Yes that sounds about right. I got to miss school. When I was well again I put small dots all over myself to fake it but Ms. Pruess - She was our maid and my nanny - was always there to shove me out the door. My ideal meal is a nice bacon cheeseburger with extra pickles, a bit of rice soaked with chicken broth, some chicken in the rice, a chocolate chip cookie, and a bit of wine on the side. I loath meeting new people, but I love animals. And... hm... Right now I have a strong desire to pee."
He turned to her, meeting her eyes with his own. A smile played over his lips. He realized his hand had risen considerably from her waist to her higher ribcage. The tips of his fingers grazing the warmth of her chest. He blushed brightly, replacing his hand to her side and staring back at the shadows, realizing he'd grown careless. But who couldn't? She was tempting. Damn tempting...
"Anything else you want to know?"
With a sheepish smile, he turned his eyes back to her. The blush still covered his cheeks, but thanks to the night it was hidden by the gentle kiss of the shadows.