Bad Blessed Boys

by Kailin Gow

  “She’s been running around as if everything was okay,” Brax complained.

  “Adrenaline can make you do some strange things sometimes.” He smiled. “Sit tight. It shouldn’t be long.”

  “Funny how our minds work sometimes,” Lux commented to Brax. “Now that I know I actually have a fracture, it hurts like hell.”

  He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her. “You have a bit of blood along your hairline.”

  Smiling, she took the handkerchief and wiped the blood off. “Are you trying to distract me from the pain?”

  Brax laughed and squeezed her hand.

  As they sat there, they watched the stream of slayers come in. One by one the less injured slayers were tended to and released, but she’d yet to have news about Moore.

  “How’s your leg feeling?” Lucas said when he returned twenty minutes later and sat beside her.

  “I have a fracture,” Lux said, gazing down at her leg. “The moment the surgeon is available, she’ll fix me up.”

  Indignant, Lucas shot back out of his chair. “That’s ridiculous. They can’t leave you here waiting like this. I’ll go see what’s holding the surgeon up.”

  “No,” Lux quickly said, gripping his hand and pulling him back. “I’m in no rush to get to surgery. I’m eager to hear how Moore is doing. I want to know he’s okay before I leave here.”

  Gritting his teeth, Lucas looked down at her, then finally nodded and sat back down. “Whatever you say.”

  “Thank you,” she said softly.

  They sat in silence waiting, and while Sully, and then Asher joined them, still they had no news about Moore.

  “Something isn’t right,” Lux said.

  The guys were all seated around her, all eager to hear news about Moore.

  “They would have told us something by now if everything was all right,” Lux went on, her fingers constantly wrapping and unwrapping the handkerchief around her fingers.

  Ida came into the room and came to sit by Lux. “I need you to come with me,” she said quietly.

  Lux shook her head. “Is it the orthopedic surgeon. I’m not ready to go in yet. I want to wait. I need to hear how Moore is doing.”

  “Lux, please.”

  “I want to wait until I have news about Moore,” she said more firmly.

  “Please, Lux.” Ida said. She glanced at the guys who were also all waiting, then held her hand out to Lux. “Come with me.”

  Lux was about to argue, but when she saw the look in Ida’s eyes, she nodded and wheeled herself out of the waiting room. Out in the hall, Ida turned to her.

  “Moore has been set up in a private room upstairs.”

  Lux smiled. “Really? Well, that’s great news, isn’t it? I’ll go tell the guys.”

  “Lux, wait,” Ida said.

  She turned to look up into her mother’s eyes.

  “He’s weak,” Ida told her. “Weak enough that we’re now concerned that he may become vulnerable to temptation.”

  Lux’s gaze fell to the floor. She’d known that his succubus side might cause complications, but she hadn’t considered the possibility that he might succumb to any temptation to suck out a soul.

  “The need to feast on a soul is going to tempt him more and more,” Ida said. “He’s not going to have the strength to fight it.”

  “So, what are we going to do?” Lux said.

  Ida smiled. “Dear, the question is, what are you going to do?”

  “Me?” Lux said. “How can I help him?”

  “Your angel blood,” Ida said flatly. “I really believe it’s the only thing that will save him.”

  “My blood?” Lux said reluctantly.

  Ida pressed her lips tightly together and gestured that they head down the corridor. “Come see him for yourself and then you can decide.”

  Lux followed Ida down the wide hall that brought them where a few private rooms had been set up for those in need of more long-term medical care.

  Though not fully equipped like a hospital, there was more than enough supplies to tend to the types of injuries most slayers came across.

  They arrived at Moore’s room and Ida pushed back the door. He lay in bed, his eyes closed and his breathing shallow, but regular. Lux tried to get closer, but Ida stopped her.

  “I have to know, Lux,” she said. “Are you prepared to give your blood to save him?”

  Without even considering the consequences, Lux nodded. “Yes. Anything. Everything. Whatever he needs.”

  “The angel blood must be retrieved from your wings,” Ida said. “Think you can…”

  “Bring out my wings?” Lux said. She wasn’t sure she could. “I’ll try.”

  “Come,” Ida said, taking Lux by the arm. “I’ll help you out of that wheelchair. Sit here on the edge of the bed. I’ll have better access to your wings.”

  Using her good leg, Lux stood, and with Ida to keep her steady, she hopped to the bed where Moore slept.

  “Okay, now,” Ida said. “Get your wings out.”

  Lux concentrated, and thought hard about her wings, about the importance of unfurling them. She thought of Moore, and how much he needed her. She wanted more than anything to be able to save him.

  Then she heard the sound of fabric tearing and knew that her wings were emerging.

  “You’re doing great,” Ida whispered. “Just a little more. They need to come out completely.”

  Lux continued to concentrate and as her wings continued to pierce through, she felt stronger, purer and knew that this was what she had to do. She closed her eyes and knew that her wings were completely out, and completely unfurled. She could feel them behind her. She felt their weight, but also felt their strength.

  “You’ve done it, Lux,” Ida said proudly.

  Lux opened her eyes and glanced over her shoulder. The feathers of her wings were of the purest white she’d ever seen.

  “They’re fabulous,” Ida said, marveling at the wings as Lux turned to her. “You know, the purity of your soul is reflected by the absolute whiteness of your wings. It’s incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “Really?” Lux said, surprised.

  Ida smiled. “You’re as pure as they come, and that’s exactly what your friend needs.”

  “Then let’s get to it.”

  Moore mumbled in his sleep and shifted around on his large bed.

  “I think he’s waking up,” Lux said.

  Ida pulled a golden dagger out of her sleeve.

  Staring at the dramatic instrument, Lux reached out to run her finger along the edge of the gold blade. “I’ve never seen such a beautiful dagger. So intricate. So delicate,” she said. “The handle…”

  Ida turned it over in her hand. “The angels represent purity and the powers that purity brings. The doves represent honesty and integrity; qualities every slayer should have. And the snake represents the constant temptations of all the evils that surround us.” She closed her hand around the handle and looked up to Lux. “And, it has all been blessed by a higher power, which means that this procedure will go well.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Ready to begin?”

  Lux nodded and that’s when she noticed the tray set beside the bed. It was filled with gauze, bandages and antiseptic wipes. She pulled in a long deep breath and wondered how much it would hurt.

  “Turn around, sweetheart,” Ida said. “You can lean forward a bit.”

  Lux turned her back to Ida and held her breath.

  “Relax and breathe,” Ida said.

  Lux tried, but her breaths refused to come at regular intervals. As Ida gripped one of her wings, she pulled in a short, sharp breath and held onto it.

  “I’m going to have to pull out…” Ida hesitated as she counted. “I’ll pull out four or five feathers.”

  “Okay,” Lux said with an anxious nod as she let her nervous breath out.

  “This might hurt a bit,” Ida said.

  “Ow!” Lux let ou
t as the first feather was pulled out.

  “I told you it would hurt a bit,” Ida said.

  “A bit is the pain you associate with plucking your eyebrows. This is like plucking out… Ow!”

  “A feather?” Ida said, clearly amused.

  “Well… yeah.”

  “Here’s the other.”

  “Ow.”

  “And another.”

  “Damn!”

  “And this can be the last one.”

  “Ouch!”

  “That’s it.” Ida paused a moment and grew more solemn. “Now for the slightly more touchy aspect of this procedure.”

  Lux held her breath again.

  “Now… this is sure to hurt…”

  The sentence had barely been uttered that Lux felt the excruciating pain of the golden blade cutting through the thick skin under the feathers that Ida had removed.

  “Oh, my God!” Lux let out as tears flowed down her cheeks.

  “Hold steady,” Ida said as she continued to cut through.

  Lux threw her head back and involuntarily leaned forward until she was almost lying over Moore.

  “Don’t move, Lux.”

  “I can’t,” Lux cried.

  “Yes, you can.”

  “Ow!” she cried out, louder and louder. “Ah!”

  Soon, she saw Asher and Brax standing at the door.

  “Are you okay?” Brax said. “We heard you scream all the way down to the waiting room.”

  Though every part of her wanted to yell at him that she was in intense pain, she looked up to him, forced a smile and nodded. “I’m okay,” she croaked.

  “You sure?” Asher said as he glared at Ida then looked at Lux again. “You don’t sound okay.”

  Lux nodded again as tears spilled down her cheeks. “I’m giving my angel blood to Moore. He needs this. He needs my blood to curb the succubus in him. To curb his temptations to suck… Ah!”

  Through her tears, she saw their encouraging gazes and knew she had to be strong. Then she noticed that Lucas and Sully were also there.

  “Don’t give up, Lux,” Sully said. “I’ve heard of this procedure before. It’s painful, but it works.”

  “You can do it,” Lucas added. “Have faith in yourself.”

  “I think the worst of it is over,” Ida said as she held a chunk of the wing. “Now, all we have to do is get Moore to ingest it.”

  Lux looked at Moore, still unconscious. Ida brought the chunk of bleeding wing to his lips. At first the blood simply dribbled off his lips and down his chin, but then he licked it and swallowed it.

  Ida kept the piece of wing over his mouth and when Moore’s lips parted, the blood dripped straight into his mouth. Soon his eyes opened, and he looked up at her with a weak smile.

  Lux smiled back and reached out to take his hand.

  “You’re going to be all right,” she said.

  His smiled broadened and he squeezed her hand, but then his smile disappeared, replaced by a grimace. He let go of her hand and grabbed her chest, then brought his hands over his throat.

  Choking, he tried to sit up as his eyes bulged out and he struggled to breathe.

  “Moore,” Lux cried as she shifted up to be closer to him. She turned to Ida. “What’s going on? What’s wrong? Why is he getting worse?”

  Lux didn’t give her a chance to answer but looked up to the guys. “Get a doctor in here.”

  “No,” Ida said as she glared back at the guys.

  “No?” Lux shouted. “You said my blood would save him. Now look at him.”

  When Ida reached out to him, Lux violently slapped her hand away. “You’ve done enough. Stay away from him.”

  “Lux,” Lucas said softly. “Give it time.”

  “Time? Look at him. Get a doctor in here!” But as she spoke, she felt pressure on her arm.

  She looked down to see Moore, his eyes open and his natural color coming back to his face. He smiled. “Please stop shouting, honey,” he said softly.

  Laughing, Lux put her hand over her mouth and looked from Moore to Ida to the guys at the door. Glancing back at Ida again, she offered her an apologetic smile that Ida accepted with a silent nod.

  Moore sat up and pulled Lux in for a passionate kiss. “Is that your blood I feel flowing through my veins?”

  She nodded. “How does it feel to have angel blood?”

  “Good,” he said with a nod. “Great. I feel cleansed.” He held her hand. “It feels like I’m being forgiven… for so many things. For everything.” Tears filled his eyes. “All the horrible things that I’ve done. I need forgiveness for the things I’ve done. I want forgiveness.” He looked to Lux. “But do I deserve it?”

  Lux clasped her fingers around his hand. “Of course, you do.” She kissed the back of his hand, then brought his palm to her cheek and held it there. “The horrible things that you’ve done weren’t really you. You know you had no real control over it.”

  He sat up, smiling and looking like his old self. He was suddenly full of life, so vibrant, so healthy, and his eyes shined like never before. The darkness that had held him for so long was gone.

  “Do you think I’m fully human?” he said.

  Lux leaned back and pulled the sheets off him. Holding her hand out to him, she invited him to stand. “Let’s see. Let’s see if the darkness has truly left you, completely.”

  He stood, solid and strong, but there was something that had not been there before. A glow. A brilliant light that radiated from him.

  Chapter 18

  “You don’t know how wonderful it is to see you so full of life, so full of joy,” Lux said as she sat on the bed looking up at him. But as the joy of seeing him return to human filled her, so did a sudden sense of lightheadedness. Her legs went numb and a dense fog seemed to suddenly envelope her.

  “Lux, are you okay?” she heard one of the guys call out. But his voice was strange and distance, as if caught in that fog.

  “Lux?” another one called.

  “She’s lost too much blood,” Ida said, her strong voice coming in clearly. “Lay her down on her stomach. Just be careful with her leg. And give me that bandage.”

  Lux stared blankly at the white wall of the small room. She could feel the pressure that was being applied to her wing, the pressure pushing the wing against her back.

  But she could also feel the wet warmth of her blood as it oozed over her back.

  “I need more bandages,” Ida called out. “And some antiseptic and compresses.”

  “I’ll go find some,” Brax said, his voice tense with concern. “Should I bring back a doctor? Or nurse?”

  “No. This is something I have to take care of myself,” Ida said. “Just bring more bandages.”

  Through the fog of semi-consciousness, Lux saw Brax rush out of the room. Everything had flipped around so fast. One moment she was strong and holding Moore’s hand, the next, she was in his bed feeling so incredibly weak.

  “Come here,” Ida said to Lucas. “Hold onto her wing just here and apply pressure.”

  Lux felt the warmth of Lucas’s touch. Then Sully came up to her side and held her hand. Asher walked up to the head of the bed, pushed the pillow aside and sat where the pillow had been. He tucked his lap under Lux’s head. With gentle motions, he ran his fingers through her hair over and over again.

  The sweet, loving sensation brought Lux partially out of her fog. She was acutely aware of them.

  Though she couldn’t see him, Moore was on the other side of the bed, patting her back with a soft terrycloth towel to soak up the blood.

  “Here you go,” Brax said as he returned with an armful of bandages.

  Ida tore open the paper package and applied several compresses to the open wound. “I’m going to have to wrap the entire top portion of her wing.”

  Brax stayed at the foot of the bed, rubbing Lux’s leg.

  “You guys hold her steady,” Ida said. “This might hurt a bit and I don’t want her moving.”

 
They all remained where they were, but simply held on a little tighter to her. Then the pain came. As Ida applied even more pressure to the compresses, Lux wanted to cry. And when Ida pulled the soaked compress off the wound to replace it with another, the pain was excruciating. But finally, after a half dozen compresses, Ida began wrapping the wing.

  “I think we finally have control of the bleeding,” Ida said softly.

  Feeling a bit stronger, Lux wrapped her arm around Brax’s waist, pulling her face further onto his lap.

  “How are you feeling?” Ida said. Wiping her blood-soaked hands on a white towel, she came around the bed to look at Lux. “You’re so pale, sweetie.”

  Lux forced a smile. “I’m feeling a bit better. Just tired.”

  “Well,” Ida said. “It’s been a long day for all of us, but especially for you.” She reached out to squeeze Lux’s hand. “I think we could all use a good rest.”

  “Can we stay with her?” Asher asked.

  “I insist that you do,” Ida said with a smile. “She needs you now.”

  “All of us?” Sully said.

  “All of you.” Ida gave a final pat on Lux’s hand. “Shower her with love, boys.”

  “Now, that’s an easy thing to do,” Asher said, and the guys all nodded and muttered their agreement.

  “Call me if her condition changes,” Ida said. “But she should sleep through the night.”

  And she left.

  Lux closed her eyes. She could feel the warmth of her guys from all around her and it comforted her.

  “You deserve a good night’s rest,” Sully said as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

  Smiling she opened her eyes. “I’m tired; exhausted really, but I’m not sleepy. I’m just so thrilled to have you all here with me… safe.”

  She tried not to think of Romeo but was profoundly pained by the loss. Looking for a distraction, she focused on the bandage just below Sully’s ear.

  “What happened to you?” she said, pointing to the bandage.

  He smiled that boyish crooked smile of his. “I let one of those tiny minions get to close. The damn thing nearly pulled my ear off.”

  She shifted over slightly and looked down to Brax who still clung to her leg. “And you?” she whispered as she saw the huge bandage that nearly covered his entire left arm.