Bad Blessed Boys

by Kailin Gow

  “You know how it is in the heat of the battle,” Brax said. “I was fighting too close to a young and inexperienced slayer. He accidently slashed my arm as he was attacking a demon.”

  Lux smiled. “Just your luck.”

  “Tell me about it,” Brax said. “The poor guy spent the next five minutes apologizing until I finally told him to just shut up and fight.”

  Lux chuckled softly and the guys laughed.

  “Lucas,” Lux said as she looked over her shoulder at him. “Are you injured, too?”

  “Only a few minor scrapes and cuts.”

  Lux then noticed the tiny bandages over his arm, up his neck and two on his face; his cheek and his forehead just below the hairline.

  “I told the doctors here that I was fine,” Lucas lamented. “But they insisted on patching up every little cut.”

  “Yeah,” Sully said. “You should see his backside. He could appear in an ad for those tiny bandages.”

  “Moore?” Lux said.

  “I’m right here, baby,” Moore whispered in her ear. “I’m all good. Perfect, and good as new… thanks to you. But it kills me to see you this way. Knowing that it’s all because of me doesn’t help.”

  She glanced back at him and grinned. “Don’t get so full of yourself,” she said. “I did it for very selfish reasons. I wanted a human… not a succubus.”

  He offered her a warm smile. “Well, I do appreciate it, all the same.”

  With Asher’s fingers still raking through her hair, she turned to him and squeezed him tight.

  “And how are you doing?” she said into his lap. “Did you make it out of the battle unscathed.”

  “Almost,” Asher said.

  Lux looked up to see him holding a singed lock of hair. “I was standing a little too close to one of the demons when he went aflame.”

  “Ah, Asher,” Lux said with exaggerated sympathy. “Your lovely hair.”

  He laughed. “It’ll grow back.”

  “At least you didn’t have to spend an hour being patched up,” Lucas said.

  Smiling, and finally feeling sleepy, Lux ran her hand over all of theirs, momentarily squeezing and patting each of them.

  “Stay with me,” she whispered as she drifted off to sleep.

  ***

  Lux woke up to the sound of birds singing just outside her window and the early morning sun coming through the leaves of the trees. She felt the warmth of her guys around her. Smiling, she opened her eyes to find that she was literally surrounded by them. They had all crawled into the large bed with her, keeping her warm and keeping her safe.

  Asher brushed his fingers along her cheek. “Good morning,” he said softly.

  The guys around her shifted, yawned and slowly woke up.

  Lux shifted over onto her back and sat up but felt something strange on her leg. “What’s going on?” She pulled the sheets back to find the lower part of her leg in a heavy duty plastic cast.

  “The surgeon was ready to see you this morning around two,” Lucas said. “We brought you to the operating room, they fixed your leg, and we brought you back here.”

  Amazed, she looked at her leg. “How long do I have to keep this thing on?”

  “Six weeks,” Lucas said. “Five if you’re really careful and you don’t ever put any weight on it.”

  “Good thing we’re here to take care of you,” Sully said with a teasing grin.

  “I guess I really am lucky,” Lux said.

  “I’m starving,” Sully said.

  “You’re always starving,” Lucas lamented.

  “I could use a bite to eat myself,” Moore added.

  “Yeah, I’m kind of hungry, too,” Lux said.

  Brax stretched out his cramped muscles and got up. “I’ll go down to the kitchen to see what’s cooking.”

  “No need.”

  Everyone turned to the door to see Romeo pushing a breakfast cart laden with eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, waffles and muffins. On the lower shelf of the cart was a large carafe of coffee, some mugs and some creamer.

  “Romeo?” Lux said with uncertainty. She thought she was seeing things… or maybe she was still sleeping, and it was simply a dream.

  Ida came in behind him and Lux sat up.

  “Romeo,” Lux said. “Is it really you?”

  Smiling, he brought the breakfast cart to the foot of her bed. “It’s really me, love.”

  “When I saw his limp and lifeless body,” Ida said. “I knew I couldn’t just leave him there. There had to be something I could do. I had him brought here, and I’ll admit, he was initially brought to the basement… the morgue.”

  “Yes,” Lux whispered. “He was dead.” She looked at him. “Obsidian… he was merciless.”

  “Yeah. I remember getting quite a good beating,” Romeo said with a grin as he rubbed his head.

  “I had some blood left over from your wing,” Ida said. “I filled a bowl and brought it down to the morgue. To tell you the truth, I didn’t think it would work at first, but I knew he was important to you and had to try.” She patted Romeo on the shoulder. “Fortunately, he still had some life in him. Just a few drops of your blood, and he gasped for breath.”

  “Wow,” Lux said. “This was truly a miracle.”

  Everyone stared at Romeo for a few minutes. Some of the guys looked skeptically at him, while a few couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

  Finally, out of hunger, the guys got out of bed to check out the breakfast cart, while Romeo came to the head of the bed and sat besides Lux.

  “It’s been a long night,” he said. “Each breath was torture for the first few hours. Every part of my body ached. Every part of me was broken. But what kept me going was my heart… my love for you. If I had a chance to come back and spend my life with you, I had to take it. I had to make the effort and push through the pain to make it back here to you.”

  “I’m glad you did,” Lux said, putting her hand over his. She instantly felt his warmth. Not the heated passionate warmth he’d always had, but a soothing, loving warmth that had always eluded him. She looked up into his eyes. “Romeo?”

  “Yes,” he said with a knowing smile.

  “Are you…?” She grabbed his hand with both of hers and squeezed his flesh. “You’re human!”

  Romeo smiled as he nodded. “Completely human, love. Thanks to you.”

  Lux reached out to hug him.

  With a warm waffle in hand, Lucas looked up to them as he prepared to take a bite. “Human?” he said with a frown.

  Sully also stopped eating to look at them, his lips pressed into a tight and unhappy line.

  Chapter 19

  “Guys,” Ida said. “After you’ve eaten, we’re going to need a hand downstairs. A lot of the slayers who came in from across the country want to go back home. I’d appreciate it if some of you could drive them to the airport.”

  “Sure thing,” Lucas said as he headed to the door. He shot an unhappy glare at Romeo.

  “Lucas,” Lux called to him. “Can you come here a second?”

  Frowning, he came up to her side.

  “What’s going on?” Lux said. “The moment Romeo said he was human, your demeanor completely changed. So did Sully’s. We should all be happy that he’s now completely human.”

  “Happy?”

  Lux nodded.

  “Romeo had quite a hold on you this past year. We all know that, and I don’t think any of us are eager to see him possess you again the way he did.”

  “I appreciate your concern, Lucas, but it won’t happen again. He died fighting Obsidian to save me. He’s not a succubus anymore, but human. He’s literally changed.” She reached out to squeeze his hand. “I assure you of that.”

  He pouted slightly, then nodded and squeezed her hand in return. “I guess I’m just jealous, but it seems he had changed. I just care so much for you, Lux.” He kissed her. “I’m not afraid to show how I feel about you anymore, but I’d better go help. I’ll be back later.” He turne
d to his brother. “Come on, Sul.”

  “I’ll just grab another pancake and get to it,” Sully said, rolling the pancake and eating on his way out.

  The others all nodded and headed out to help.

  “That’s quite a cooperative bunch,” Ida said once she was alone with Lux.

  “They’re a great bunch of guys. I don’t know what I’d do without them.”

  “How are you feeling this morning,” Ida said as she came to sit on the edge of the bed.

  “Much better.” Lux took a bite of the muffin she’d picked out from the tray of food. “I was hoping to get out of bed but… She looked down at her leg.”

  Ida smiled. “We’ll see about getting you out and about soon enough.”

  “Is my father still here?” Lux said. She hadn’t seen him since leaving the Academy.

  “No,” Ida said with regret. “Unfortunately, he and Hector had to leave. He did come in here early this morning to see you. He wanted to say goodbye, but he didn’t want to wake you.”

  “Has he gone back to Shadowlight Hunters Academy in Las Vegas?”

  “For the time being, yes, but he will be going to Italy afterwards. Although all reports point to an end to the spontaneous openings of all these portals, he wants to go and verify them all himself.”

  Ida was silent for a long time, as if reluctant to say more.

  “So, it may very well be all over?” Lux finally said to break the silence.

  “For now.” Ida took Lux’s hand. “If all goes well, we may be lucky enough to have a few years of peace. Unfortunately, at some point some demon will take Obsidian’s place. At some point he will grow hungry for world domination. At some point he will seek to destroy all of humanity.”

  “And then we’ll start all of this over again,” Lux finished for her. She set the rest of the oversized muffin down on the bedside table and clapped her hands free of the crumbs.

  Ida nodded. “I’ll wait until the boys get back,” she said after a while. “But, I, too, will soon have to leave.”

  Lux nodded as she took a small sip of coffee. She’d expected it. “I understand.”

  “Do you?”

  “Of course, I do,” Lux said honestly. “I’m not saying I’m happy about it, but I understand.”

  “Although it’s been rather tumultuous,” Ida said. “I’m glad I finally got a chance to spend some time with you.”

  Lux smiled and squeezed Ida’s hand. She realized that she’d been hard and cold toward the woman who had left her behind. But she also knew that the decision could not have been an easy one. In this world of demons and slayers, of good and bad, there could be no other decision.

  “I’m glad I got to spend time with you, too,” Lux said. “I’m glad I was able to see you in action, to fight along side you. I think a part of me has always known that I was strong, but seeing you… It makes it all so clear and obvious. I’m your daughter. I have you blood, your genes. How can I be anything other than strong? And you helped me find the faith in myself, faith in all the powers that have been bestowed on me.”

  Ida smiled and actually blushed. “I’m touched.” She stood and looked down on Lux. “I’ll leave you to rest a while, but I’ll be back to say goodbye when the boys get back.”

  Lux sank back into the pillows and watched her walk out. She had so much to be thankful for, and so much to be proud of.

  Yet her heart was torn in so many directions.

  She tried to sleep, but every time she started to drift off, she would awaken with a start. There was still too much to contend with, and she knew she would have to deal with it sooner or later.

  As she struggled to sit back up, Brax came in.

  “Hey,” he said with a cheery grin. “Am I the first one back?”

  “You are,” Lux said. “You’ve always been a speed demon.”

  “Hey,” he said with playful reproach. “I object to your choice of words.”

  She laughed as he came up to her and kissed her.

  “Do you need anything?” he asked, touching her face gently, gazing down at her. “I can’t believe I’m finally back with you, and as a human… I want to give you the world, Lux. I love you so much.”

  “I could use a sip of water,” Lux croaked, her throat too dry to talk.

  “Right away.” He headed into the bathroom and emerged with a small glass of water. “Here you go.”

  She took the glass and emptied it just as Asher walked in. Moments later Romeo and Moore arrived, and finally Sully, then Lucas. While everyone seemed happy, the Good brothers were rather glum.

  “What’s up, guys?” Lux said.

  “We’ve been asked to return to Las Vegas,” Lucas said.

  “Since our work here is done, Mother thinks it’s best that we get home,” Sully added.

  Lux looked at them, her heart breaking. She didn’t want them to leave. She didn’t want any of them to leave.

  “When will you have to leave?” Lux said, feeling choked up.

  “Tonight,” Sully said.

  “Tonight?” Lux repeated. “But…” She wanted to tell them that she wasn’t well, that she needed their help, but she knew that all she really wanted was for them to stay with her.

  Lucas forced a smile as he nodded. “In the meantime, is there anything we can do for you, Lux?” He sat at the foot of her bed and started to gently massage her legs.

  “Well, that’s a good start,” Lux said with a loving smile.

  “You boys are still here?” Dr. Good said as she walked in. Dressed to travel in sexy black sweatpants and a formfitting grey hoody, she looked expectantly at her boys.

  “You said we didn’t have to leave until the end of the day,” Sully said, coming to quickly sit by Lux’s side to take her hand.

  “I’ve changed my mind,” Dr. Good said. “I’d like to be home before it gets dark.”

  Lucas and Sully both turned to sadly look at Lux.

  “I’m sorry,” Lucas said, looking down at Lux’s leg. “I hate to leave you like this.”

  “Me, too,” Sully added. He leaned in to kiss her, a gentle, lingering kiss.

  “Actually, boys,” Dr. Good said. “My change of heart is about you.”

  “What do you mean?” Lucas said.

  “I mean,” Dr. Good said with a smile. “I think you boys are needed here a little more than at home in case the Kingsley portal opens again. We need to keep an eye on that one. Sully, since you are so good at sealing portals, you can help Brax watch that portal. Lucas, since the portal surveillance app is set up here, can you keep an eye on things and alert each team around the world when something’s up?”

  “Sure,” Lucas said, a wide grin forming. “I’ll keep an eye on things from here.”

  “And I’ll help keep an eye on the Kingsley portal with Brax, too,” Sully said happily.

  “Good,” Dr. Good said. “I’ll take the next flight out.”

  Sully smiled. “Really? That’s great.”

  Lucas looked thoughtfully at his mother. “Are you sure, Mom?” he said with a reluctant grin.

  “Absolutely.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Good,” Lux said. “I really do appreciate having the guys here.”

  “I can see that,” she said. She opened her arms wide. “Can you boys come give me a kiss goodbye? Or, better yet, do you think you can take the time to bring me to the airport?”

  The boys went to her, both nodding and both eager to help her out.

  “We’ll be right back,” Lucas said as he looked back to Lux.

  Dr. Good waved to the guys in the room and looked at Lux. “Bye everyone. Take good care, Lux. I know you’ve got the best guys around you.”

  “Bye,” Lux said.

  Soon after they left, Brax and Romeo were called upon to help with the few remaining slayers, while Moore went to check on things in his own home.

  “Looks like that leaves just us two,” Asher said.

  Lux held her hand out for him to take. “This has been such an
extraordinary experience,” she said.

  “And we all made it through,” Asher said.

  Lux wiped the sweat from her brow. “Can you open the window a little more?” she said. “It’s getting stuffy in here.”

  “Want me to turn on the air conditioning?” Asher offered.

  “No,” she said. “You know I don’t like those things. All those HFCs. You cool off the room, but you warm up the planet. Doesn’t make sense. Besides, I like the scent of the fresh outdoors. Air conditioners don’t do much for all that stuffiness.”

  Asher smiled as he walked to the windows and pulled them up completely open. “I have another idea that might help you cool off,” he said.

  “What’s that?”

  “How does a nice cool bath sound?”

  “Ah!” she said with surprise. She’d been feeling clammy and dusty, but hadn’t dared ask to be brought to a bath. “That would be great! Are you sure you don’t mind?”

  “Mind?” he said coming back to her. “I insist.”

  She looked at him with an erotic grin. “Really?”

  He came to her and gently pulled the sheets off her legs. She was only wearing a night shirt. Whose shirt, she didn’t know, but it was big and long and had the image of an angel printed on the front.

  “Cute,” Asher said with a grin.

  “I think it actually belonged to a slayer from Ohio,” Lux said.

  “Ain’t it funny how things get around sometimes?” He scooped her up and brought her to the private bathroom where he sat her down on the small cushioned stool by the bathtub.

  “What would you prefer, milady?” Asher said, holding up two bottles of bath oils. “Floral or fruity?”

  “I think I need the pick-me-up of a nice fruity scent.”

  “Fruity it is.” He turned on the hot water, then a little bit of the cold water, and poured in a generous dose of the sweet, fruity scented bath oil.

  “I’m not even in the tub yet, and it feels good.”

  “Imagine how you’ll feel once you’ve soaked in it for an hour or so.”

  When the tub was half full, Asher helped Lux to stand on her good leg, and pulled the nightshirt up and off. Careful to keep her bad leg out of the water, he picked her up to set her in the scented hot water.