Brennan could feel her pulling away from him, even if not physically. He was the one single-handedly pushing her away. Driving her away with his fickle attitude and too damn stubborn to let her see just what was going on in her head. Once upon a time, it might have worked, but not now. Was it really the woman's fault for moving on? Not when he had seemed like yet another casualty in a world that had abandoned her. But the real kicker was that he had no intention of leaving, not ever. Such a commitment from the man had once seemed laughable, but for her, with her, anything was possible. Or at least he had once believed with whatever his scarred heart allowed.

The sea serpent of jealousy coiled around his heart left him bitter. He spat the harsh words, but at the same time, they were honest. He noticed that frown and almost immediately he felt the pang and the hurt nearly met his silvery blue eyes. "Not that my boat is much these days. I've been drowning in books. It's like a fucking bookworm exploded. It is not an appealing state. So, it is probably for the better." He buried his own hurt in the mud with his mischievous Irish lyrics. How his little minx was the only one that could wound him with only a bat of those pretty long lashes. They might as well have been daggers.

Why did he think he was enough to leave her pretty boy hunter? He was from the wrong side of the tracks, whatever made her stay as long as she did before being cast away was beyond him. He would never be good enough for the witch, maybe there was a time he thought he could convince her that he was. In reality, she would have caught on, eventually.

However, those ugly thoughts were bombarded by the comment of his scent that seemed to exude from him. Yet even as he brought the fabric from his clean shirt he couldn't catch a hint of the smell. God dammit, that putrid scent must have fucked with his sense of smell, or maybe he was cursed with the inability of smelling himself. He explained his mishap and the cringe upon her pretty face was evident.

Finally, there was an admittance declared upon his lips as to why he was here. Really there was no reason lying about it. Any reluctance seemed futile. Besides, she would have seen right through his bullshit like always. She had an uncanny way of doing so too. He hardly wanted her wrapped up in his shit and yet, he wasn't really keen on sending her away. With no dark hunter in sight, maybe he could delude himself for one more day.

His admittance had only made Serafina so riled and frustrated, bringing her fingers to his temple. She was sexy when she was angry, and he could hardly help that sinful smirk upon his lips as he shamelessly soaked in all in. How familiar it felt. Even with her frustration directed at him, he didn't skip a beat as he took any moment he could to get closer to the raven-haired witch. He had worse odds against him. There were also no witnesses.

Lust and admiration danced within the warlock's eyes. He caught a glimpse of her own and perhaps he felt maybe a glimmer of potential. He knew that look, he knew her body and its tells. He quips at her, claiming that she used to enjoy his brand of havoc. He may have fucked up, but he surely made up for it in spades. Her words were like a knife to his chest, yet he refused to let it show. "Have you really changed that much, Sera? I know you still feel something.." It was a blind man's impossible stab in the dark but he could have sworn he saw that gleam in her stormy eyes.

He led the way toward the portal, at least the direction from memory it wasn't far. You could tell from the gnarled trees and the lack of life. That eerie stillness intensified. A trail of death seemed to kill off the trees and foliage. Not a single living thing lived, not a sapling or bush. It was impossible how large the expanse went on for. Still, he trudged through the forest. If there were any creatures waiting for them they would have known for the potent scent of witch blood was a fragrant one and apparently, Brennan stunk as he showered in thick, potent skunk cologne.

His mood shifted, his thoughts in his head were like competing tumultuous waves crashing upon itself. He gave her a sideways glance to see if she was following. He hid his face from her, not one for speaking of emotions. But it would see he had begun words he had no intentions of finishing. It was not like he could change things now. He huffed out a sigh, shrugging his shoulders to relieve some of the tension that lingered there. "I know it doesn't matter now, but you should know.. I always saw forever with you, Serafina." He looked down at his feet, climbing over a decaying log. His hand seemed to idly hover over where his inner breast pocket lay. It was the resting place of that ring he planned to propose to her with. How long ago it seemed, how much had changed.

He turned slightly to peer at her. "We are here.." He declared, almost grateful for the distraction. He took that hand that held that ring and gestured toward the rippling, transparent portal. It was difficult to see, but anyone that was even slightly sensitive could have felt it. If using eyesight alone, it would appear one was gazing at nothing until it rippled from an idle breeze or a brush of something on the other side. He crouched, grabbing a stone from the ground just below his feet noticing an impossibly large footprint beside it, his callused fingertips toyed with the cold grey pebble. He stood before idly tossing it through the portal. The stone disappeared and the whole thing seemed to shimmer and pulse and swell all at once. There was no sound of that stone meeting the ground on the other side. It was merely gone like it never existed as though it were swallowed whole. His eyes never left it, his body tense and ready in case something angry and menacing were to come shooting through it. His powers flowed through him, ready to flare to life at a moments notice.

Brennan O'Connell