As I step deeper into the water, I hold Kia to me tightly with my left arm and thrust the right one down low, grabbing Rolland’s arm. Kia gasps in pain as her body dips into the water with me. I haul Rolland’s massive body to the surface quickly, dragging him over to the top step, then feel along his neck for a pulse. Fuck, it's barely there. Kia is still shaking hard and her arms tighten around my neck even more.
“Kia, you’re okay. I’ve got you,” I speak into her hair while rolling Rolland onto his back with my right arm. “I need to get the water out of Rolland's lungs, but I’m not going to put you down.” Her heavy breaths are laboured, and I begin to worry she took water into her lungs too. Placing my hand on his chest, I push my energy into his lungs to force them to move and expel the water. He coughs it up but doesn’t move or open his eyes. I check for his pulse again and sigh with relief as it beats strongly under my fingers.
Kia’s body is still shuddering as she moves in my lap to face Rolland. Letting go of me, she moves to sit next to him. Resting against his broad chest, she places her hands on either side of his head, and I see a small blue light glowing from her palms. Kia slumps to the tiles as Rolland jerks awake and I manage to catch her and pull her into me before her head hits the floor. Fuck. She’s passed out, and I send out a silent prayer that she’s not retreated into her mind again.
I turn to Rolland to see him trying to catch his breath. He looks pale and in need of time in one of the healing chambers. “You okay?” I ask, leaning over to him slightly.
“I’ll be fine,” he rasps, running a hand through his tangled locks before turning toward us. “Is SHE okay?” His deep voice scratches as he tries to catch his breath.
“She pulled you from unconsciousness, then collapsed.” I flicker my eyes over him, watching his shoulders shake as they continue to heave in deep gulps of air.
Rolland moves so he’s sitting out of the pool altogether. “I don’t understand how it’s possible, Seb. She’s so small, and she’s been carrying all that pain and fear for fuck knows how long. The fear alone is so overwhelming that the other emotions that trickle through are like grains of sand in comparison.” The crackle in his voice eases slightly.
“Jack said she’s stronger than all of us put together, so don’t be so hard on yourself,” I try reassuring him. He rests his head in his hands for a moment, causing his shoulder-length hair to fall over his arms. Suddenly, Jack appears in front of us, covered in dust and grime and looking like he’s been walking through ankle deep mud. Where the hell was he? There’s not a spot of dirt on his face, though, nor is there a hair loose from his tie, yet his fingers are layered in soot. This man is a never-ending puzzle.
“Speak of the devil,” Rolland mutters as he turns to look up at Jack’s tall frame.
Jack lowers himself to his knees, bringing him to eye level with Rolland. “Be ready,” he says, the only warning he gives before he places his hand on Kia’s forehead and gets to work pulling her back. Rolland laces his fingers with Kia’s as he rests his head back down on his knees.
I glance up at the clock on the wall and watch as time drags by slowly. Minutes pass like hours, yet there’s still no movement or sound from either Kia or Jack. How long has Jack been in there now? Something's not right. When I look over to Rolland, it’s to see him watching them curiously.
“What is it?” I ask.
“I can feel her. Her emotions… I don’t usually feel them until she wakes up. At first, I thought they were my own but now…” He moves closer, so his shoulders are nearly touching Jack’s, then closes his eyes. “She’s confused and lost.” Rolland takes a deep breath, relaxing his shoulders. His face calms and I see his hand tighten slightly over Kia’s.
A few seconds later Kia lurches up and tries to scramble from my lap.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, I got you, sweetie, I got you,” I soothe, encouraging her back down. “Look, Rolland and Jack are here too.” Thankfully Rolland still has a hold of her hand, but as I look to Jack, I find he’s already up on his feet with his back to us and his shoulders heaving like he’s just run a marathon. That can’t be good. He starts to make his way distractedly out of the room. Wanting to find out what happened and make sure he’s okay, I carefully hand Kia over to Rolland and follow after Jack’s receding back.
Chapter Eight
Rolland
“That didn’t go so well, did it? How about we take it real slow this time?” I say quietly into Kia’s hair. She’s curled up into me, with her head buried in my neck, legs draped over my right leg, and her arms wrapped around my waist. Her emotions are all over the place, but they don’t feel like the heavy weight they were before, they almost feel like they’re a part of me. She’s trembling, but for the first time I think it may just be from being cold. Worry, and that feeling of being home, safe and secure, roll off her. I push comfort through to her and I feel it come back.
Jack and Seb have left the room, so I inch us forward, shuffling on my butt to the pool. I put my feet in the water but stay on the top step so that our bodies aren’t submerged.
“I want you to do this yourself, Kia, but take it slowly, okay? One foot at a time.” She gives a small nod and starts to ease one foot in. I can feel her pain bubble up, but it’s followed closely by pleasure. As her other foot goes in, another wave of pain rises, feeling much like salt on a friction burn. Her feet must be blistered or burnt in some way. Kia begins to turn forward in my arms, causing another influx of pain to rush over me. That will be from her broken ribs. Stopping her movements, she looks back up at me.
“Maybe we should keep turning to a minimum till Sebastian returns and heals your ribs?” I suggest. Her eyes are swirling more than they have since she woke earlier, and the silver stars begin to return. Disappointment simmers through as she dips her head to look down at her lap. “I have an idea how to make this easier, but I need you to trust me.”
She turns her head up to me, and I watch as her eyes swirl faster, and the blue begins to deepen. They roam over my face as if looking for something, before stopping on my lips. She opens her mouth to speak, but all that comes out is crackle of sound. Her brow creases in frustration, but rather than try again she just gives me a small nod. Making sure my arm is securely around her, I begin slowly sliding us into the pool, allowing the water to lap at her back gently. Her pain swells through me, but it’s manageable without the intense effort of keeping her fear at bay.
Once we're deep enough into the water and away from the steps, I stand up slightly to give me more room to maneuver her fragile body. Letting the water take her weight, I slowly turn her to face me completely, sliding her legs around my waist as she moves her arms instinctively up to my shoulders. Her eyes are still watching me, and the silver specs within them seem to be sparking more.
The pool seems to have done its job and relaxed her muscles because she settles easily into a more comfortable position as I shift us over to the left wall, where I can sit back and relax my own body. Looking down at her, I see her eyes are once again focused on my lips. Up until now, I’ve had no room to feel anything other than HER emotions. There’s no room for desire - or lust - when my mind has been focused solely on the task of redirecting her pain and fear. Maybe it’s the pool, or it could be because her emotions don’t feel so heavy, but there’s no denying the desire that’s building within me.
My gaze locks on her mouth and I become more aware of my hardness. Her desire floods into me and it’s as if we're caught in a bubble. Each of us waiting for the other to make a move. Neither of us blinking or moving a muscle.
Her eyes draw me deep into the blue swirls, daring me to look away.
I’m not sure who moves first, but I suddenly find her soft lips pressed against mine, curious at first. I’m stunned for a second, as Kia stills and retreats slightly.
Checking to see that I still have a firm grip on her pain, I pull her head back to mine, reclaiming her lips. Her desire shoots a fever of need and longing through my body, fueling m
y own wish to have more of her. Trailing my left hand up her thigh, I feel her tighten her legs around my waist, drawing us closer together.
Thank fuck I’m wearing trousers.
Another surge of desire slams through me, full of hunger and urgency as I slide my tongue along her lips, asking for entrance. One of her small hands tightens on my shoulder as the other slides up into my hair before she opens her mouth to me. The sound of someone clearing their throat comes from the archway to my right, startling us both. Reluctantly, I pull away from Kia’s lips, but her eyes pin me to the spot, holding my gaze. Loss and disappointment flow from her, but thankfully she doesn’t look hurt. I check my grip on her pain levels and am glad to find that I still have a good hold on them.
“Rolland?” Jack’s controlled voice tries to pull my attention away, but I can’t release myself from Kia’s gaze. Her eyes swirl faster, and a few more specks of silver appear.
“What’s going on, Rolland?” Seb’s questions in my head, but I still can’t look away.
“Seb, see if you can distract Kia for me,” I ask.
Seb lowers himself into the pool beside us and stands behind Kia’s back. Dropping his head to her ear, he whispers something only she can hear. Whatever he said doesn’t seem to work as we stayed locked in the strange trance that neither of us seem to be able to break from.
“I don’t think she heard you, Seb,” I say sarcastically.
Seb moves his hands, but I can’t see what he’s doing. He whispers something again, and Kia finally blinks as whatever compulsion was holding us falls away.
Kia turns to Jack, and then to Seb, bringing a small wave of pain from her broken ribs.
Rubbing a hand over my face to shake myself free from the last of whatever energy Kia was using, I turn to face Jack. Kia’s head settles wearily against my chest as I see Jack watching her curiously.
“I would advise keeping Kia in Sebastian’s room for a few nights at the very least. I will bring down a tray of food for when you are done here. How are you fairing?” he asks as his crystal blue eyes turn to me, searching my face. I start to tell him I’m fine but stop. Jack will know if I’m lying, he’s a bloody walking lie detector, for fuck’s sake.
“I was running on fumes for a while, and I think my body shut down, but since you brought her back from her last head trip, I’ve been fine,” I explain. Jack gives nothing away in response as he nods and walks out, as though I just told him the time. I look over at Seb inquiringly, but he just shrugs. Damn, that man can be a pain in my arse.
Chapter Nine
Sebastian
Looking Kia over I can see four deep gashes going down the length of her back, still open, but not bleeding. Several more can be seen underneath those, but they’ve begun to heal. Her right shoulder has scarring that looks like it may have been caused by a branding iron, and small puncture holes are scattered all over her skin.
Images from the dream I saw her in, flash across my vision, and the need to destroy something surges through my body.
“Seb, you good?” Rolland regards me with understanding.
“Let’s get some of these bones healed so you can breathe easier, Kia,” I offer.
She lifts her head to look over Rolland’s shoulder at the far wall, needing something to focus on, then nods for me to start. Rolland’s eyes meet mine, full of apprehension. “Healing the wounds shouldn’t be painful, but it will be draining on her body,” I project to him. Rolland nods before resting one hand comfortingly on her head and the other on her lower back.
Carefully I trace my hands around her waist and up her belly. I hear her breath catch, and at the same time Rolland makes a strangled noise in the back of his throat. I assume that is due to his concentration. Easing some energy into her torso, I find three broken ribs on her left side that have started to set, so I focus there first. But as I begin, Kia startles a bit and tries to move away from me. I glance at Rolland questioningly but don’t stop what I’m doing. I feel Kia stiffen, then relax under my hands.
“Is she okay?” I ask Rolland tentatively, flicking my eyes over his face.
“She’s trying to take the pain herself. I didn’t even know that was possible,” he answers, his strong, chiseled jaw grinding slightly.
Once I’ve healed the three ribs I was working on, I move my energy to the broken ones in the back. Kia’s focus has moved from the wall to look down into the water to her right, and she pulls her lips hard into her teeth. I gently ease more energy into her back, focusing on her bones and not the gashes that are screaming at me to heal them.
As I finish up, Kia takes a full, deep breath and sighs in relief as she relaxes against Rolland's chest. I hear him take a deep breath as well, as he settles his head back against the tiles. After a few restful minutes, Kia sits up straight in Rolland’s lap and starts to turn to face me, a smile flickering on her lips briefly, before the open gashes on her back cause a whimper of pain to escape. Rolland sits back up in a flash, carefully but quickly turning her back into his chest.
“Are you okay for me to start on your back, Kia? I could sit here for hours healing every inch of you, but your body will need to rest after this,” I ask hesitantly.
Taking in Rolland’s face as he studies Kia, I notice the golden colour of his skin seems to be fading slightly around his cheeks, worrying me a little. Kia doesn’t move or nod, and I begin to doubt she heard or understood me. Rolland’s expression shifts to one of concern, as he lifts Kia’s head away from his body so that he can see her face.
“Kia, we don’t have to do your back now. Do you want Sebastian to work on your throat, feet, or any other part that hurts?” he coaxes, as he assesses her. She shakes her head slowly as she raises a hand and points to her back.
“Are you sure about this, Kia?” I confirm tentatively. She nods her head in affirmation. “You ready, Rolland? This may trigger some bad memories,” I warn.
“Ready as I’ll ever be. Just take it slowly... please.” Damn, he asked rather than demanded, he must really be exhausted.
Placing my hands gently on her shoulders, I begin to trickle energy down her back. Her shoulders tense up under my hands and her breathing becomes more rapid.
I take a quick glance at Rolland, and I see he’s in the same trance he was in earlier.
“Everything okay?” I ask carefully.
Rolland doesn’t reply so I continue working at Kia’s back, hopeful that the gashes seal before it becomes too much for her. Suddenly, her breathing stalls, and her shoulders slump.
“Shit,” I hear from Rolland.
Kia whirls around on me with feral eyes, as Rolland tries to keep a hold of her. Not being prepared for her onslaught, I’m shoved under the water by her weight, but she’s quickly dragged off me as I push myself to the surface. Taking a step back to give her space, I rub the water from my eyes to see she’s still trying to scramble from Rolland’s arms.
“Kia, it’s Sebastian, look -” His words are cut off as he takes an elbow to the face, yet he manages to pin her arms down and pull her tight to his chest. “Kia, listen to my voice, it's Rolland,” he grunts as he closes his eyes in concentration.
Kia’s still squirming to get free as her eyes, wild and black, stay solely focused on me. I genuinely think she would try to kill me if Rolland let her go.
“Kia, please… It’s just Sebastian. There’s no one else here. Just you, me, and Sebastian. He’s not trying to hurt you.” Rolland tries to appease her, but she’s not hearing him as she continues to struggle in his arms. I begin to worry about how much more damage she’s causing her frail body.
“Rolland, I think she’s more worried about you than she is herself.”
“What?”
“Just tell her I’m not going to touch you, trust me.”
“Kia, he’s not going to hurt me, or touch me, sweetheart,” Rolland’s speaks firmly to her. There’s a small pause, but she continues to try and buck herself from his grip. I step back a few more paces slowly and he
r struggles ease. Seeing it seems to be working, I continue to back up until I’m at least halfway across the pool. She stops in the battle to free herself but continues to glare at me.
No one moves. All I can hear is Kia panting hard and water dripping. Slowly her face relaxes and it’s as if someone has lifted away whatever it was that was triggering her reaction. Her eyes begin to lighten from the dark pits they were and the blue returns as they start to swirl. She slumps back against Rolland as her body collapses and tears slide down her flushed cheeks. Suddenly she lunges away from Rolland again but in the direction of the steps this time.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, where are you going?” Rolland’s soothes as he drags her back to his chest. She’s crying hard now and can’t seem to catch her breath. I wade over to them, grabbing one of her hands. She stops fighting Rolland and peers up at me with remorse and shame. Without a second thought, I pull her to me, careful not to touch her back and she comes willingly, wrapping her arms around my neck. This pushes her lush warm breasts against my chest and forces my body into a state that’s simply not appropriate for this moment.
I feel her burrow into my neck, and I dip my head down into her shoulders, breathing in her exotic scent. She leans back slightly to peek up at me so I kiss her forehead reverently, hoping she understands I’m not upset with her. I look to Rolland and see he’s resting one hand on Kia’s leg and the other is rubbing his eyes.
“That was unexpected,” he says as he watches us, lost as to what to say or do.
“Do you want to get out, Kia, or shall we try your feet?” I suggest as I study her face. She lets go of my neck, easing her way back into Rolland’s arms. Shit, we really need to get some clothes on her.
In Pursuit of Light Page 7