Seb looks up, bobbing his head in acknowledgement as I step quietly over to the other side of the bed, taking the seat that’s by Seb. I start tucking back into my food, finding Kia’s eyes closed.
I run my eyes over her body, taking notice of her skin which is looking healthier. It has a different tone to it than all of ours. It’s hard to pinpoint, as it seems to change depending on the light, but with the sun going down behind us, and the only light in the room coming from the lampshade on Seb’s bedside table, her skin tone seems to match Seb’s. A bronze tan covers most of her body, with darker spots in places around her face and hands.
I finish off my plate, setting it carefully on the side table, before speaking to Seb through our connection. “Brad says Kia was on the roof?”
Seb looks up at my words. “Yeah. One minute she was sitting by Rolland, the next minute she was off.” He looks back at his laptop but continues to talk silently. “All I saw was her foot disappear. By the time we’d got out the window, she had vanished. Brad’s bedroom window was open, so instead of taking the short way and disturbing Gerry with the noise, we went the long way.” He flicks his eyes up at me, then looks back at his laptop and continues typing. “By the time we got into his room, she had taken off out of Brad's window.”
How was she able to recover so quickly? I think to myself. “Then what happened?” I ask perplexed by his words.
He takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Brad said he saw her disappear up, so we took to the roof via the chopper pad and found her sitting on one of the chimneys. Rolland had a slight panic attack seeing her up there and he thought she was going to jump. I went over to her and she seemed so at peace. I hated taking her down, but Rolland was nearly spewing, and her back is still too raw, it would have attracted bugs and whatever else. When I told her Rolland was worried about her, she moved across the ridges as if she did it every damn day. She was quicker than me.” He glances over at her and then back to his laptop before he continues to tap away. A few moments later he shuts it down, putting it away in the bedside drawer.
My thoughts return to Brad and his behaviour in the kitchen. Why does he think this is so normal? Maybe he sees something that we don’t? I look up to Seb to see him resting his head back, but his eyes are open, staring up at the ceiling.
“What are you thinking, Seb?” I project.
He pulls his head forward to look at me. “You want to know what I really think? He moves forward and slides his legs off the bed so he’s facing me. “I think we need to stop expecting her to behave like a human.”
I flick my eyes over to Kia. Every part of her looks human. Except when she opens her eyes. Her eyes are not the normal colour and her irises are always changing. Even when her emotions aren’t all over the place, they still seem to move.
“She isn’t human, and we need to stop expecting her to behave like one. Even Jack said she’s acting on impulses right now,” he emphasises.
My mind thinks back to her kissing Rolland, Seb and me. How she has no care for her body being on show. The fact that she was pulling me into her mind for several months should be enough, but seeing her small body sprawled across Rolland like it is, seems to trick the mind into thinking she’s human. Shaking myself from my thoughts, I look back at Seb.
He raises his eyebrows and heads to the bathroom. “What I mean, Matt, is don’t lull yourself into thinking she’s not strong enough,” he continues to talk to me while in the bathroom. “She’s scared, and rightly so, but I can see something else in her eyes. A determination, and the need to find the veracity in everything.” His words seem to nudge at something deep within me.
Noises come from the bathroom and then Seb emerges. He stalks over to the foot of the bed, watching both Rolland and Kia. “And then there’s the attachment she has with Rolland. You’d think they had known each other for years, but that could just be his gift and her abilities combined,” he pauses, folding his solid arms over each other, pulling his lip into his teeth, deep in thought. “But the way she looks at him sometimes, with so much affection. It worries me.”
I stand and step over to watch him, taking in his dark stubble which is coming through, making him look even more ominous than he usually does. He has the complexion and features of a Persian, with light brown eyes that deepen at times.
“What are you on about, Seb?” He doesn’t answer straight away but nods his head for me to follow him. Bugger. This can’t be good.
We walk through the house, but he doesn’t stop like I think he would at the front door, rather he continues through into the kitchen. My heart rate has accelerated slightly, and my stomach starts to churn. No one’s in the kitchen thankfully, and Seb heads over to the tap, to fill a clean jug with water.
I wait for Seb to speak, but he doesn’t. “Seb! What is it?” I demand, trying to keep my voice down.
“Jack said-” he looks up at me, and then over to the kitchen door, “Jack said that there are others like us, which wasn’t a complete shock. But when we are in large numbers, our collective energy is like a beacon.” He brings his gaze back at me, placing a stone into the jug. I can feel my face screwing up. What has this to do with Kia?
“Jack and others like him watch over small groups of us. Keeping us separated. In the past when large groups have sought each other out, it’s always ended in death,” he explains, then heads over to the cupboard, pulling some clean glasses out before letting out a deep breath. His head remains dipped low as he says, “when Kia has recovered her full amount of energy, it will be like ten of us standing in the same room.” My heart feels like it’s stopped, and I can’t find room in my chest to breathe. “He said that he would find somewhere that can mask her energy, but very few places like that exist.”
My vision seems to blur, and I don’t think I’ve taken a breath yet.
“Matt?” Seb’s voice tugs at my attention.
I drag air into my lungs. What the hell is wrong with me? I barely know Kia, but it feels like she’s a part of me. “Seb, I can’t,” is all I can get out as I look at him.
“I know. I don’t think Rolland, or I could even take that possibility into our thoughts right now,” he laments, running a hand through his dark hair, pulling on it slightly at the back. “We’ll figure something out. I just wanted to tell you,” he sighs, picking up the glasses and water jug then makes his way over to the door, pausing beside me.
“I haven’t told Rolland yet. I was going to earlier, but then I healed Kia’s knees and Rolland told me that his connection to Kia has deepened,” he speaks quietly, keeping his eyes on me. “He’s falling into her mind and getting stuck there, just like she does. And I honestly don’t know if it’s going to have any long-term effects on either of them.” He finally drops his gaze to the jug in his hand. “But I’m not willing to take the chance of letting them be separated to find out.”
His words lay heavy on me as he heads out of the kitchen, leaving me at a loss for words. My thoughts turn to how we’re going to keep Kia with us if it means her being in danger. Even without us around, she’s going to be attracting them.
Who was Jack referring to anyway? I go over the conversation I just had with Seb and he definitely didn’t specify. I head back to his room in the hope of finding some answers. What are we going to do?
Chapter Thirty
Rolland
Feeling Kia’s energy seeping through my chest where her body is touching me, I know I could stay here all night. Somewhere deep inside, it feels like she’s healing a part of me I didn’t know was broken. The weight of Kia’s pain has become slightly heavier, but her emotions don’t seem to leave me at all now.
“Sleep, Rolland. I happy here.” A smile plays across my lips hearing Kia’s voice trickling through my mind. Her words are clear, though they still sound as if the words are slightly foreign to her.
“I am sleeping, and you are dreaming, sweet Kia,” I say back to her softly. Confusion comes from her, making me laugh, which seems to have
a knock-on effect, creating desire within her. I try to focus on something else. Count to ten, Rolland. One, two, three -
“Rolland, that silly. Why I dream you counting? I would dream more happy things if you with me.”
I expect to feel more desire, so I’m confused when an image of beautiful trees, higher than any skyscraper I’ve ever seen, flash across my mind followed by the feeling of what I think home would be like. The image fades as quickly as it appears, and it slips like a dream from my mind. I feel pain wash through me from Kia’s head. I pull it to me, then feel confusion and sadness flow from her.
“Hey, what was that all about?” I ask, my voice coming out groggy. Keeping my eyes closed, I stroke a hand up her arm releasing some comfort into her. She begins to lift her head away, but I’m still not ready to wake up fully yet, so I feel for her head and pull it back to my chest. “You said sleep, remember?” My voice is barely audible, even to my own ears.
A noise pulls at my awareness and I hear footsteps coming up the hall. “Arrgg, they’re coming to wake us, Kia, make them stop,” I mumble to her. She turns her head and I feel her laugh. Finally opening my eyes, I lift my head to look at her. “Did you just laugh?” She shakes her head at my sarcasm, with a full smile on her lips. Stunning, it is simply stunning - there are no other words for it. I vow to myself that I will make her smile like that – Every. Damn. Day. “You did. You got my joke!” I’m beaming with happiness and push every ounce of it into her.
Another image of a man’s face flashes across my mind – platinum blonde hair, and features like Jack, but nowhere alike in resemblance. Pain shoots through her head again, which causes her to frown momentarily. More confusion flows from her before she pushes herself up from my chest.
Seb and Matt walk in and happiness floods from Kia once again. She’s up on her feet before I can even sit up. Damn, she’s fast. She throws herself at Matt, but being unprepared for her, he falls back a few paces and goes to grab her back. He stops his action at the last second, making his arms windmill so he falls backward with Kia. She acts faster, displacing her weight on the ground and grabs for his shirt, stopping him from hitting the floor. A noise comes from Kia and I think she’s trying to talk. I feel her remorse, but a small amount of humour simmers up. Oh wow, she’s going to be a handful when those bandages are off.
I pull myself up, swinging my legs around, continuing to watch the little gem of trouble.
“How are you both feeling?” Seb asks from the other side of the bedroom.
I rub a hand over my face, stretching out my muscles, watching Matt and Kia right themselves. She tucks into him with her arms around his waist as Matt looks over at Seb. Even from here I can sense his worry.
Matt places a hand over Kia’s head and one on her waist, then leans down to speak in her ear. “Did you miss me?” He has a playful frown on his face as she turns her head and kisses him. He kisses her back, and like every other time she’s kissed him, no jealousy surfaces.
“Much better thanks, and I think the little minx has found some energy too,” I say to Seb as he makes his way back over. Kia looks to me with raised eyebrows before she kisses Matt again, then heads off to the bathroom.
Seb sits down on the bed beside me. “Jack should be home within the next few hours. I also think it would be wise to get a good night sleep before we do any more healing on Kia, or mind work with Jack.”
He’s right. As much as I want Kia healed, and to sleep more soundly, there’s no point in working the body and brain to the edge of exhaustion.
“Agreed. Though keeping Gerry out of here for that long isn’t going to be easy,” I say as I look over at Matt who’s still standing over by the door.
“I’ll sit up for a few hours, but I won’t manage the whole night,” Matt sighs heavily.
“We’ll take it in turns. Matt can stay up for the first few hours and then I’ll take the rest of the night,” Seb offers. Fine with me, I need more sleep than them.
I nod, then head to the bathroom to wait for Kia to come out. Leaning against the frame, I listen but don’t hear any noise. She hasn’t shut the door completely, though she didn’t the last couple of times. I roll my eyes at my thoughts. Why do I expect her to do things normally?
I tap on the door lightly, but I don’t feel any of her emotions trickle back. “Kia, you okay?” I call through the door. I don’t expect to hear an answer, but I would think she’d push some energy my way. “Kia, I’m coming in,” I call again as I push the door open, but she’s not there.
My heart skips a beat and falls through to my stomach. Taking a deep breath, I force myself to calm as I make my way through to the pool. I find her sitting on the top step with her feet in, leaning her weight back on her hands as she looks out over the water. Her emotions filter back to me before I’ve reached her and there are so many are coursing through her at once. Calmness is most prevalent, but curiosity, worry, confusion and desire are all swirling together like a painter mixing his colors.
I step behind her and squat on my haunches so I don’t get wet and have to change again. She knows I’m there, as she can feel me like I do her. Happiness blossoms through her emotions, making me smile.
Leaning forward into her ear, I speak quietly to her. “What has you thinking so hard, little miss trouble?” I move forward an inch, nipping at her ear.
Desire hits me hard in my cock as though she aimed straight for it. Sucking in a quick breath, I’m not prepared for her to move so fast, as she grabs me, pulling me around and pushes me into the water, but doesn’t join me. Damn, she’s strong.
Fighting my way to the surface I find my feet and stop on the third step. When my eyes clear, it’s to see her laughing. She’s bent over, holding her stomach, trying to look up at me through the hair that falls across her face. She’s trying to fight it because it hurts her throat, but her eyes are sparkling, and her cheeks are full of colour, warming my heart. All I want to do is keep her smiling like that. She’s so beautiful and I know a part of me is falling harder for her.
A small noise comes from her throat, and even though it’s hurting her, she carries on. I’m soaked and I want to soak her back. She sees the thought cross my vision and runs for it. I take off after her, running through the en-suite. Shit. This could go so wrong but seeing her laugh like that- so worth it.
Matt and Seb look stunned as I pass them both sitting on the bed, but I don’t stop to explain. Following her wet footprints along the dark solid wood flooring, they take me right out of Seb’s room and along the corridor, then past the front door. Her footprints are still visible though they’re wearing out as the water dries up. They come to a stop at the bottom step, but a few drops are still noticeable... on the handrails? What the fuck? Is she WALKING ON THE FUCKING HANDRAILS?!
Seb and Matt’s footfalls come up behind me. “Rolland, we're supposed to be keeping her in the room, not chasing her out of -”
“Shh-” I cut Seb off. “She’ll hear you.” They must think I’ve gone mental. Then again, maybe I have.
The house is still light as the late evening sun trickles through the large window on the landing of the staircase, which has two flights and bends around in the shape of a U. The droplets are still distinguishable across the solid dark wood handrails, but they vanish at the landing entirely.
Reaching the second floor; left takes us to Gerry’s and Jack’s rooms, and right brings us to Brad’s and my room. Thinking logically, she wouldn’t go to my room because she’d think I’d check there first. I start my mission left, to see if she’s gone poking into Gerry’s or Jack’s room.
Stepping lightly along the corridor in search of her, I come to the hallway which has four additional rooms between the bedrooms. One room is for Matt’s computers, one is a storage room for additional equipment that we couldn’t fit in the cellar, and there are two other spare rooms that have been kitted out for Gerry’s boys when they’ve stayed.
Keeping my eyes peeled for any more droplets as I make my wa
y past the rooms, I hear a creak from behind me. I turn and glare at them, and then see all the water I’m dripping over the floor.
“Rolland, this is-”
“SHH!” I say to Matt, glaring at him. I turn back to my mission and spot a single droplet of water outside one of the spare rooms. I tiptoe up to it, putting my hand on the handle to open it.
A door from behind me bangs open so I whip round to tell them to shut up, except I find Gerry standing in the door way of his room, looking incredibly pissed. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Light streams into the dim hallway and noise from his tv fills my ears.
“What’s going on?” he asks, his tone hard and his electric green eyes glowing slightly as he looks me over in absolute bewilderment. He looks right, but Matt has disappeared, just Seb and I remain. “What are you doing dripping wet outside my door?” he demands, stepping out of his room and eyeing me up.
I know if I say anything, he’ll know I’m lying. So, I stand there and say nothing.
“Who’s behind the door, Rolland?” Gerry presses. I run my eyes over him, glad to see him looking better than he did last night. He’s wearing his comfortable black slacks and a dark hoodie, making him look slightly warm, a stark contrast to the death glare he’s giving me.
Thinking fast I tell myself she’s not there. She could be anywhere. “No one?” it comes out more of a question that an answer.
Gerry’s face screws up as he regards me curiously. “Move so that I can see for myself then,” he challenges, his shoulders stiffening.
I can’t move and my heart drops to my stomach. Gerry raises his eyebrows at me and steps closer, squaring up to me. From the corner of my eye, I see Seb’s hand point in the other direction, and he takes a small step back.
Faking giving up, I move aside and let a breath out. “Sorry, Gerry, I was erm… I don’t know…” I take another step back. “Drying off a bit?”
Gerry just stares at me and then looks at Seb. My heart is pounding. Gerry moves his gaze to the door and then he opens it to walk into the room. I take my opportunity and sprint off the other way.
In Pursuit of Light Page 21