She gave Susan a "duh" stare. "I grew while you were in the bathroom."
"Really?"
Erika snorted. "You know, this is a serious improvement over his regular temperament. I think I like it. We definitely need to find out what it is and spike his food. "
As Susan tried to guide him back to their room, Ravyn caught the door frame with his hand and refused to enter. He gave her a harsh stare as she tried to push him forward. "I have to get back home."
"Yes," she said slowly, "it's right in this room."
"No!" he growled in a ferocious tone. "Zatira needs me. I have to go to her."
Who was Zatira? Susan exchanged a look with Erika, who looked every bit as baffled by the name as she was. "No, you don't."
He pushed her away and he started down the hallway. "I have to save her." He took three steps before he froze. He stared at the floor as if it were a TV screen. Unbelievable pain twisted his brow as if he was reliving some kind of nightmare. She'd never seen a more tormented expression.
"No," he growled, punching at the wall. "Zatira! Mom! God, no! No more blood. They're not dead. They're not!"
He raked both hands through his hair before he threw himself against the wall and slid to the floor.
Susan went to him. Taking his hands into hers, she forced him to unclench them from his hair. "Ravyn, look at me."
He did, but she could tell he didn't see her. He was still being tormented by something in his past. "Zatira?"
"It's Susan."
He rolled away from her. "I have to save her. I can't let her die. I can't."
Susan tried to hold him back as he struggled without hurting her.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over them. Susan looked up, expecting it to be Erika.
It wasn't. It was either Dorian or Phoenix.
"Get up," he snarled at Ravyn. There wasn't a trace of compassion or sympathy on his face.
"Fuck you." Ravyn tried to crawl past him, only to have his brother grab him roughly by the arm and haul him to his feet.
"Not so rough," Susan snapped. "There's no need to hurt him."
Ravyn leaned back against the wall as he stared at his brother. His face was angry and feral, but his eyes spoke volumes of pain and hurt. "You going to kill me again?"
For once, his brother's expression softened. "It's Dorian, Rave. Not Phoenix."
"Dori..." The anger faded from Ravyn's face and was replaced by a profound agony. "I didn't mean to, Dori. I didn't. You have to believe me. I didn't want them hurt." He grabbed his brother by the shirt and held tight. "I didn't mean for anyone to die."
Dorian wrapped his hand around Ravyn's wrist before he removed his grip. "I know."
Ravyn snapped his head back so hard into the wall that it actually broke the Sheetrock. "We can save them," he said, taking a step toward the door that led upstairs. "We can go back and make it right."
"What is he talking about?" Erika asked.
Dorian didn't answer. Instead, he snapped at her. "Go upstairs, Erika."
It was obvious by her face that she wanted to argue, but for once she obeyed.
"We have to go," Ravyn insisted.
But there was no reprieve in his brother's stern expression. "Don't be stupid again." He shoved Ravyn away from him.