In Pursuit of Light

by Sarah B Meadows

  “I’m fine, just need some more food.”

  “He went over to his car and called telling me to meet him on Sanders Street. He parked on the opposite street and ran through the alley. Someone tried to shoot him, but he threw up a shield. They shot the truck with a tracker, but we pulled over and destroyed it thirty miles out from our road,” Brad’s summarises, his face looking as concerned as I feel.

  He looks over to Kia again. “Once we get to Seb’s room, I can take those cuffs off for you. That’s what the blade is for,” he jests with a pointed look. A small amount of affection trickles from Kia, but her eyes remain steady.

  Deciding it would be best to hold off talking about this more until Matt has woken up and can give us more details, I continue making my way through the house in the hope of making it to my room within the next hour.

  We finally get there without any more stops, thankfully, so I head straight to my cabinet to grab a few clothes. A couple of moments later I hear a noise behind me. Turning, I find Kia lying flat on her belly on my bed, pulling the dark green bed covers in close to her body. Stunned, I just stand there for a moment and watch her. She seems to be breathing in the smell of my covers, making little noises as she does, then goes still and I wonder if she’s fallen asleep. I glance over at Seb and Brad to see them wearing the same expression as I am sure is on my face - wonderment, and a slight amount of worry.

  Grabbing a book, my charger and few other bits, I step over to Kia, running my hand down her legs. So many bruises and cuts still run all the way up both the backs and the fronts. Gauging a feel for her pain levels, I find she’s got a good grasp of them and isn’t letting go. Peace and the sense of home flow from her. I wish I could curl up with her, just where she is.

  “Kia, come on. Let’s go back to Seb’s room,” I encourage softly, continuing to trail my fingers over her legs, but she doesn’t move. “Stop ignoring me. I know you’re not sleeping,” I prod playfully, pushing some desire into her legs. That desire slams back at me, but it’s ten times stronger.

  Practically shuddering, I take a deep breath in before letting go of her leg. Shit. I’m in so much trouble. I take a step back, unsure of what to do.

  “What’s wrong, Rolland?” Seb asks with concern from just inside the door. “Is she okay?”

  I look over to him, unsure of what to say. “Errmmm… maybe?” I chirp, looking back at Kia, wondering how to get her up without this turning into another session of Rolland losing his shit like a teenager.

  Seb prowls further into my room and over to the bed. “Kia, come on. Let’s go back to my room and you can listen to more of Matt’s music,” Seb speaks softly.

  She turns her head to peek at Seb, and when he pulls a breath in, I know we’re in trouble - well, Seb is anyway. I turn my gaze away, keeping my eyes on Seb, not daring to look at her.

  “See,” I clarify, glad to have him see my point.

  Seb doesn’t look at me, keeping his eyes on Kia. “Not here, Kia. It’s not warded,” he says, trying to be firm with her, but his voice wavers and cracks toward the end.

  “See! Try having that thrown at you for the past twelve hours or so,” I point out, still not daring to look.

  I can see Seb trying to pull his face away, losing the battle. “How about we take the blanket with us?” Seb suggests hopefully, moving his hand down his trousers to adjust his obvious arousal.

  Finally looking down at Kia, I see she’s turned her head into the blanket again. I watch as she takes one final deep breath before letting it out with a big pouty huff. As she gets up, she winces with her movements, so I take her hand, drawing the pain into me. I watch her face relax while Seb takes the items I was holding from me, enabling me to pull Kia fully to my chest. Readying myself for another hit of desire, I’m perplexed when I feel nothing but quiet peace and warm affection instead.

  Stepping away from me, Kia starts toward the door and Brad moves out of the way, looking slightly concerned.

  “You’re fine, Brad,” I tell him playfully as we near. “Unless she takes a real liking to you, or you threaten one of us, she’s completely harmless,” I say with a smile.

  Brad laughs, shaking his head before starting off towards Seb’s room.

  Seb and I exchange a look. “What was that headshake for?” Seb asks curiously, looking at Brad’s broad back.

  “Nothing,” Brad replies with mirth in his tone, but with his back to us, I can’t see his face.

  I’m not buying it, and neither is Seb. “What happened when she came into your room?” Seb’s asks.

  “Nothing. She just took the knife and then climbed out the window.”

  I still feel like I’m missing something, but unfortunately, I'm reminded of what she did, and it jars my stomach, making me nauseous. Yet almost immediately I feel Kia pushing comfort to me. This girl may truly be the death of me....

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Brad

  Trudging through the house to Seb’s room, I wonder how much Kia knows when it comes to combat and self-defence. The way she held herself, and the agility she must possess to get up onto the roof so easily, demonstrate how well she knows her own body. That being said, I’m still surprised she managed it with such little body mass, and I’m even more surprised she’s able to even stand given what she’s been through.

  Then there’s her energy, which is incredibly unique, reminding me of the tranquility and peace I found in Scotland. A few times I think I’ve seen her eyes change colour, but it could’ve just been a trick of the light. And on top of all of that, there’s whatever happened back in Rolland’s room. I felt it from where I stood at the door - curling around my legs like a caress, stirring a part of me that I’ve craved answers to for as long as I can remember.

  Passing a few more of the paintings that I’ve had commissioned over the past hundred years or so, my gaze hones in on one of my favourites - a mountain I kept dreaming of many years ago. Looking over my shoulder as we pass, I see Kia keeps her eyes on it as long as she can, then turns to find me watching her. I turn my head back around, so I don’t walk into any doors as we round the last corner to Seb’s room.

  The bay window is still open and there are bowls stacked up on the bedside tables. His bed is unmade and there’s stuff scattered on the floor. I halt in my tracks, but Seb and Rolland just meander around me. Seb, the neat freak, has a messy room. I’m in shock and I want to laugh.

  Seb looks up at me from where he’s bending down to pick up clothes from the floor, rolling his eyes. “You have no idea, Brad, you really don’t,” he excuses. A smile pulls at my lips, but I say nothing.

  Rolland heads into the bathroom as Kia stalks over to the window, but Seb stands in front of her with his dark eyebrows raised. “Behave,” he reprimands playfully, before he walks around her and heads out of the room with the bowls in his hands.

  I watch as Kia sits on the window seat, then winces when she turns.

  “Kia, I’ll be right out. Just sit or stand still, and stop moving,” Rolland’s warm voice comes from the bathroom. Kia ignores him, positioning herself onto her knees, resting her head on a hand.

  I still haven’t moved from where I stand at the door as I’m enjoying watching her, studying her body language and getting a better feel for the energy that flows from her. She fidgets again, her back clearly causing her discomfort. Even from here I can see the patches of blood leaking through the bandages. The top edge of one of the wounds is just visible and looks like it’s starting to heal.

  Her breathing becomes slightly erratic as her shoulders start to tremble a little. Almost like she can’t take a full breath.

  “I’m coming, Kia,” Rolland soothes as he comes out the bathroom. “Sorry, sweetheart.” He strides quickly over to her, brushing a large hand over her head before he sits down to the right of her. She leans against him, taking a calming breath and I notice Rolland seems to do the same thing. What’s going on with the two of them?

  Rolland rubs a hand over his
face as he tries to wake himself up before he snakes an arm around Kia’s waist, tugging her closer. I head over to the cushioned chair that’s between the bed and window, pulling it around to face them. Kia still has the knife, but it won’t cut through the cuffs without my energy behind it.

  “Would you like me to remove the cuffs, Kia?” I ask gently. She sucks a breath in, looking to Rolland.

  He frowns at her. “I’m sure it will be fine. We can just take it slowly,” he reassures her. I frown at Rolland’s comment. Does she think I’m going to hurt her?

  Kia turns fully in her seat and I see them both wince. Rolland opens his mouth to say something, but Kia glares at him, to which Rolland then shuts his mouth before looking back to me. I pull my lips in to stop myself from laughing.

  “You think this is funny?” Rolland asks lightly with a smile of his own. “Just you wait. It will be you next.” I frown at him having no clue what he’s on about. “Four down, two to go. I’d say she’s winning.”

  Shaking my head a little, I return my focus to Kia and find her studying the knife with longing, as she runs her tiny thumb over the handle.

  “You’re welcome to keep it once I’m done,” I placate, knowing it’ll give her some comfort. She looks up with a smile which reaches her eyes.

  “Yep. Another one,” Rolland says with mirth. I look at him perplexed, but he just tilts his head and smiles broadly.

  I move my chair forward, so I’m nearly touching Kia’s knees - they’re the only part of her legs that aren’t covered in bruises. Seb’s footsteps return, followed by the sound of him tidying up the room, though he’s not being loud about it. Kia raises her sapphire eyes up to Seb and then looks me right in the eyes. It’s like we’re back in my room, with her studying me again, searching me for something.

  Silently, I hold my right hand out and she hands me the blade. Then I open the other hand and wait for her to come to me. Building trust with an abuse victim is always about confidence. Letting them make the first move is a major key point especially with something like this.

  Kia doesn’t do anything at first, she just stays focused on me, running her eyes over my face and shoulders. It’s not fear that’s holding her back. It's nerves.

  “We’re going to go slowly. Just raise your other hand when you want me to stop, okay?” I console softly, keeping my gaze steady on her. She nods, moving her right wrist into my hand.

  Energy runs through my hand and it feels almost like a heating pad, soothing the skin where our hands are connected. The cuffs are small but tight against her delicate skin, making red marks where they’ve been rubbing on the bones. Bruises from the pressure on both sides are visible, though they look to be fading to a light yellow.

  Encouraging some energy into the blade, it starts to glow a deep blue, similar to Kia’s eyes. She leans forward to watch as I push against one side of the cuff. The metal blade gets to work, cutting through the cuff in just a few seconds. I take a quick glance up, but she’s not looking at me now.

  Turning her tiny wrist over, I do the same to other side and the cuff falls off, hitting the solid wooden floor with a clank. I watch as the pieces pulse an electric blue just once before they settle to black again.

  Kia takes an audible breath in, pulling her arm against her chest before turning her head into Rolland. He strokes her hair as he kisses her crown as he takes a deep breath of his own. She then turns back to face me, a tear running down her cheek, but a smile lighting up her beautiful face. She pushes her other hand into mine eagerly, so I repeat the process. The cuff pieces fall off and onto the floor and I watch as they glow as the other ones did. I pick them up as Kia shakes her wrists out.

  Before I can process what’s happening, Kia leans forward and places a kiss on my cheek. Warmth spreads through me, trickling down my neck and I assume what I’m feeling is her energy. When she leans back, I find her eyes are swirling, like crystals flickering in the moonlight. Kia sits back further on the window bench and looks to Rolland and then to me again.

  “She’s eternally thankful,” Rolland’s says seriously with a small amount of sarcasm. He hasn’t even looked at her, and I don’t think he intends to just yet by the look in his eyes. She’s still looking at the side of his face, like she’s trying to tell him something through her smile.

  “Can you hear her?” I ask him curiously, flicking my eyes between them.

  “I’ve heard her a couple of times now, but her feelings are loud and clear.” Rolland's mouth pulls into a deeper smile. I run my eyes over his face, taking note of his pale skin colour. The warm undertones of his skin are barely noticeable, and he looks incredibly tired.

  “I’m fine, just hungry,” he says with a deep sigh, knowing I’m analysing him. I narrow my eyes at him then hand the blade to Kia as promised. Just as I stand to leave, Rolland speaks again. “Would you grab my phone from the chopper? I haven’t looked at it in nearly twenty-four hours,” he appeals, leaning forward against his knees.

  “You shittin’ me?” He’s going to have a large number of messages from the farm. It runs itself, but he usually checks in every morning to see if it’s all running smoothly.

  “No, my mind has been elsewhere.” He finally turns to Kia, who stops looking at the blade and tucks it into her boxers.

  “Yea, no worries, I’ll go grab the phone for ya now,” I say as I head out of Seb’s room, my thoughts still on Kia. I wonder how else I can help make her feel more at ease....

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Matt

  Waking up and seeing the sun begin to set, I wonder if Jack has returned yet with the stones to ward the house. I haul myself out of bed, then take a quick shower before tugging on some dark, loose-fitting jeans and a white Henley. Feeling refreshed and slightly more awake than I did a few hours ago, I glance over at the clock and I find it’s just after eight pm.

  I head down to the kitchen in the hope of finding some food, keeping as quiet as possible. With any luck, I’ll be able to avoid Gerry for a few more hours. The kitchen is empty except for the smell of food cooking. I’m delighted when I discover some cooked meat in the slow cooker, along with cold rice in a large dish on the countertop - my stomach rumbles at the sight. Oh, Sebastian, you’re a god in your own right. How this man cooks and keeps on top of everything is a miracle. Heating up some rice and serving some of the still warm meat, I tuck in, not even bothering to sit.

  Brad lumbers in a few minutes later and heads over to the fridge. “You’re looking better than ya did a few hours ago,” he comments lightly, pulling a beer out of the fridge. He’s changed into his running gear, which consists of loose shorts and a tank top. The tattoo that stretches the whole of his back is visible when he turns his back to me. Scriptures in various languages and symbols cover both arms, none of which I have a clue of the meaning behind. I think most are either from the ancient books he reads or they’re his own design, which he usually bases on something from a dream.

  “I feel it,” I say after swallowing my mouthful. “How are Rolland and Kia?” I ask before taking a scoop of rice. Looking up from my food, I see him grab some snacks from the cupboard. He has a huge appetite, but then again, he’s the biggest of us all. His broad shoulders and solid build give him the appearance of a gentle giant, but there’s not an ounce of fat on him. In contrast, his short-buzzed dark hair and tattoos give him a very rough look. How he gets those abuse victims to stay in the room with him is rather odd. Perhaps it’s part of his gift? His skin is completely impenetrable by bullets, flame, blades, and every chemical that he’s tried testing on it. Then there are his copper eyes that almost look amber at times, which have a warmth to them that seems to settle something within others when he speaks in a certain way. He used to do it with Gerry all of the time when he had no other coping mechanisms.

  Brad’s eyes skate up to mine but return to the crisps in his hands. “After Rolland and Seb got Kia down from the roof, I took her cuffs off without any problem,” he comments evenly before sho
ving more crisps into his mouth. The roof? What was she doing on the roof? I feel my eyes bulging. “Rolland looked a little better after eating something, though he still needs more rest,” he says flatly, bringing his gaze back to me.

  “The ROOF! WHAT was she doing on the roof?!” I don’t mean to raise my voice so much, but it just kind of happened.

  Brad pulls his lips in to stop himself from smiling. “Yea, she climbed into my room, grabbed the blade, then took off again before I could get a hold of her.” He stuffs even more crisps into his mouth and takes his phone out of his pocket, acting as though her behaviour is completely normal. Am I going nuts? She could barely stand when I left this afternoon. How is she climbing rooftops? More to the point, how did she even climb the side of the building?

  Needing to see this for myself, I take my plate and head out of the kitchen, though I catch Brad’s smirk as I pass. How can he be so cocky about this?

  Poking my head out of the kitchen door to see if I can hear Gerry, I breathe a sigh of relief when no sounds come from upstairs. Carrying on through the house to Seb’s room, I keep my steps light.

  Ambling into Seb’s room, I find him sitting up against the headboard on the far side of the bed with his laptop open. Rolland is lying flat on his back with Kia sprawled across his front. She’s got her head turned to Seb, so I don’t know if she’s sleeping, but Rolland looks passed out with his face turned toward where I stand at the door. Some of the colour has returned to his skin and the dark circles under his eyes have faded slightly.