[ As the hands start grasping for him he locks his own arms around her, determined to keep her unharmed as long as he can even as nails break skin, sending growing rivulets of cold blood down his back. There's a noise of shredded cloth and then flesh, a pained cry lodged like porridge in his throat and he refuses, plain refuses to give in. Not while he got her. He could throw her to the hoard and run, but that would just leave him on his own and if they have to go, if they really have to.
He'd rather not she go alone.
So he holds her, desperately tight as the darkness spills in, head buzzing like a hive full of bees. ]