The sounds of Evey's climbing rang in his ears. Aidan didn't dare look up. If he did, he would try to stop her. If he did, he might not be able to control himself, might lash out and this time really hurt her.
It was clear that scare tactics weren't going to work. Had they any chance, she would have left after he'd broken the door. The fact that he knew that meant that the deepest part of him knew that. The part that wanted to survive at all costs. The part that would do what it needed to do in order to keep the blood she was trying to find.
Aidan felt like he was two people, him and that darkness. The darkness had control most of the time right now. It was lying to her. It was keeping him from helping her. But at least he had the power right now, in this moment, to keep himself seated.
"It's your rodeo." He said into his hands.
He knew that she had the bag. Had heard the weight of it slide along the wood. The jostle of it as she pulled it down. Her flesh rubbing against the canvas of the strap. The blood was in bags, but he'd been messy when he'd been filling them, and when he'd been throwing them into the backpack. Whispers of Leeloo remained.