The Place Where

by Rodion Pretis

  Kayden, without thinking, instantly teleported and closed the girl who appeared from nowhere with his body. Three bullets slammed into him almost simultaneously, and hellish pain threw him to her knees at her feet. Through the veil of darkness and pain, he heard her desperate cry, "Kai!" And found the strength to say:

  “Everything will be fine with me, lagoons, it is not so easy to kill me,” but he already felt that something was wrong here. With difficulty turning his head, neon asked the Destroyer: “What is your weapon loaded with?”

  - I don't know, but something serious. Xander gave a clip, - that answered.

  “That's how it is ...” Kayden breathed. - Not expected ...

  “Don’t die,” Alexei knelt beside the man and looked into his eyes. “Please, Kai, don't die!” - suddenly her pupils widened sharply, and she, clutching her hands behind her head, collapsed to the floor in convulsions.

  - Trainin, please, no !!! - forgetting his own pain, the man bent over the girl, praying: - Just not again !!! Not when I can't help. Daden, take this Simeon and his damned little sister! - he pulled Alexei to him and, as soon as he touched her, she calmed down. “Maybe it's just a memory return,” he thought and gently called out: “Alyosha ... Lagoon, can you hear me?”

  The memories were returning, but it was so painful that she could not even scream. Memory has returned: everything to the last trifle, to the last second. The pain was still there, but it could be pushed aside. Alexey opened her eyes and met Kayden's alarmed gaze. Despite the fact that he was mortally wounded and knew that if he did not receive help in the next few minutes, he would die completely and irrevocably, the man gently held her in his arms and did not let anyone else in, creating a protective field around him.

  “I remember everything,” the girl answered his dumb question.

  “I'm glad,” his smile, addressed only to her, was full of warmth and tenderness.

  Questions ... she had more and more of them, but they could wait a little longer. But Kayden could not wait, she literally felt with her skin how life flows out of him second after second.

  “You need help, Kai,” Alexei was alarmed, “he was weakening too quickly.”

  “Late.” He smiled sadly and lost consciousness.

  The girl raised her eyes to the Destroyer:

  “Are we still renting the same number?” - and, having waited for his affirmative nod, she continued. “Meet me there,” a second and she teleported, taking Kayden with her.

  * * *

  The wolf absentmindedly watched the night lights of the city through the huge living room window, when he suddenly felt a light psi-clap of teleportation in the center of the room, he turned around and froze, unable to believe his own eyes: Alex, wrapped in a black sheet, tried to put a bleeding man on the sofa ...

  “Alex ...” breathed the Wolf.

  “I need help,” the girl turned to the sound of her voice, and the man noted her incredible pallor and dark circles around her eyes, “he is dying ...”

  “I'll call an ambulance,” suggested the Wolf, laying the stranger on the sofa.

  “They won't have time,” Alexei shook her head. - Call the guys, let them free a large table and bring my first-aid kit. Only very fast, and while I get dressed ...

  - How are you? - The wolf lightly touched her hand, and pain and a sea of questions splashed in her eyes.

  “Alive, then the rest,” the girl slid into the shadow of her room.

  - Nick, the player! Run here! - the man called and again heard a psi-clap: the Destroyer, Anastas and Xander literally fell out on the carpet.

  “It was tough,” Anastas chuckled.

  - Alex? - The destroyer looked questioningly at the Wolf, slowly rising to his feet.

  “She returned,” he answered.

  “Has Alex returned?” Where's she? - Nick and Player breathed in one voice, hurrying to the call of a friend.

  “At home, changing clothes,” answered the Wolf.

  - And who is this? - the player looked at the blood-drenched man.

  “All questions later,” the girl left her room, already pulled into a jumpsuit, tying her hair into a “tail” on the go. “First you need to save Kai,” she crouched beside him and hardly felt the pulse - uneven, weak ... but still he was.

  “Player, Nick, throw everything off the table,” the Destroyer went up to Alexei and squeezed her shoulder slightly. From her eyes, he realized that it was very important for her to save him. - Wolf, first aid kit. Anastas, drag clean sheets from the closet and lay on the table. Xander, what was in the clip? - the guys rushed to carry out the orders, and the former dey shrugged and gave the catchy name of the chemical formulas.

  “Can't you say it easier?” - the Destroyer was indignant, carefully lifting Kayden from the sofa and transferring him to the table.

  “The only thing that can kill neon.” Xander rubbed his whiskey. - Once he told me about it and gave some clips.

  - How to deal with this? - Alex took the scissors from the first-aid kit brought and already cut and pulled off a shirt from Kayden.

  “He didn't say ...”

  “Then let's go the usual way,” Alexei took a deep breath and concentrated. - So, the blood in the analyzer. Now you need to get the bullets ...

  The girl did everything possible and even impossible in an attempt to save the wounded. Finally, she succeeded, correctly formulating the antidote, to stop the blood, sew up the wounds and apply bandages. It would seem that everything was already behind us, but the problem of large blood loss remained - Kai was very weak, and regeneration was too slow. Alexei insisted that neon be transferred to her room and arranged on the bed.

  - Alex, how are you? - The destroyer, not one step away from the girl, supported her when she swayed.

  “Tired,” she breathed, leaning gratefully at him.

  - I am not talking about that ...

  - Everything is fine, Shi, nothing irreparable happened to me.

  “Alex ...” the men crowded in the doorway of her room, not daring to enter and at the same time eager to find out if everything was okay with her.

  “Guys, I'm too tired for the long version of events,” Alexei sighed doomly, realizing that she would have to lay out at least a short one right here and now. - But in short: they stunned me and captured me, which was then I remember quite vaguely, apparently they gave me some kind of drug. I remember the fights ... and that I won. Then Kai appeared ... he saved my life ... I came to my senses already ... And then you yourself know everything, ”she shrugged.

  - And the full version? Xander asked a little hoarsely, realizing that she had let go of many moments.

  “My head will calm down,” the girl grimaced and rubbed her temples, “and then maybe.”

  - Do you need a doctor? Anastas asked evenly, knowing full well that the club owner would never have missed such a girl as Alexei.

  - What for? - the girl snorted in surprise. “A couple of pills and a rest is all I need.” So guys, everything is the way out.

  “If you need anything, just call me,” the Destroyer was the last to leave, “I'll be right outside the door.”

  “Thank you, but something is unlikely to be needed.” Better go get some rest, you look tired.

  “Who would say,” the man grinned, closing the door behind him.

  Alexei went to the bed and checked the bandages once more, watched the pulse of neon for a couple of minutes. The man was very pale and was barely breathing, but his condition was finally stable. With a sigh of relief, the girl straightened the blanket with a slight smile and gently removed her hair randomly falling into Kayden's eyes, squinted at the large armchair that she asked to be pulled to bed, then waved her hand and settled on the unoccupied side of the bed. And as soon as her head touched the pillow, she immediately fell into a dream.

  Chapter 25

  Waking up, Kayden felt that a flexible female body was easily pressed against him through a blanket, and his arm lay on his bare chest. The man slowly opened
his eyes, through his eyelashes trying to see where he is and who is sleeping nearby. The unfamiliar room did not greatly surprise him - he remembered very well that he was mortally wounded and had lost consciousness, and since he was alive, he simply could not be with himself. Neon frowned slightly: even at rest, the wounds responded with dull pain. “So, no more than a day has passed,” he decided, and carefully turned his head. Her heart skipped a beat - next to her, cuddling gullibly, IT was asleep.Unbelieving in his own eyes, he blinked and gently covered her hand with his, pressing it even closer to his chest, enjoying her touch. His eyes slid over her face, admiring the chiseled features, the fringe of her eyelashes, the attractiveness of her lips ... the dark circles of fatigue around her eyes sobered the man, who was ready to press a kiss to such attractive lips. .. Gritting his teeth, he got out of bed so as not to wake the girl, with an effort of will to suppress a groan - the wounds hurt just hellishly, gently covered her with a blanket and gently, barely perceptibly stroked her hair. Alexey smiled and buried herself deeper in a blanket. After watching the sleeping girl for a couple of minutes, Kayden forced himself to leave the room and quietly close the door behind him.

  The first person the man saw when he left the bedroom was the Destroyer, who was obviously dozing in an armchair before.

  - How are you feeling? - The destroyer woke up instantly, from the barely audible movement of the door.

  “Alive,” Kayden hissed through his teeth, almost falling into an armchair while trying to sit down, but Dey managed to catch him and helped him get settled. “Thank you,” neon thanked.

  “Well, why did you get up?” The Destroyer frowned as he watched Kayden try to cope with the pain and catch his breath. - Alex will be angry.

  “Suppose that the main thing is to get enough sleep at first - it's just necessary for her now,” neon closed his eyes - the pain grew stronger every second. - Do you have pain medication?

  “I'll bring it now,” the earthling brought a bottle of pills and a glass of water.

  “Thank you,” Kayden thanked, washing down a couple with water and a couple more just biting. “If you distract me with conversation, then I owe you,” he once again suppressed a moan.

  “We are all your debtors to Alex,” the Destroyer took the seat closest to the neon. “Chatting is the least I can do.”

  - The fact that I am now in your room, I already understood, but how did I get here? - Kayden clenched his teeth, waiting for the pain from trying to get comfortable in the chair.

  - Alex teleported you ...

  - WHAT ?! - Neon jumped up sharply and fell, but once again was picked up by the Destroyer and seated back.

  “Don't twitch like that,” the earthling showed his head disapprovingly. - The seams will open. Alex will have to impose them again.

  “You mean that she not only teleported me here, but ...”

  “Yes, she tormented you for a long time, but nevertheless she was able to save it,” the Destroyer confirmed his hunch, and after a little hesitation, he added. - Despite the fact that Xander could not say how you could be helped.

  - She's unique ...

  “To whom are you telling,” the earthling grunted.

  “No, you just don't understand,” Kayden protested, “it's very rare for someone to partially regain their psi abilities after the Anda, and as a result of long and hard training. And Alyosha ... it's just a unique case. She managed to break through the protection of my house, despite the fact that more particles of anda are present in her blood.

  - Xander seems to be saying something about the fact that we broke through the breakdown in the defense of the house when we jumped after you.

  “I wonder how she had the strength ...” neon thought for a moment.

  “Any surprises can be expected from Alex,” the Destroyer shrugged philosophically.

  “Oh yes,” Kayden smiled slightly dreamily at his thoughts on her kisses.

  “I don't know something?” - Cheekbones sharply appeared on the face of the earthling, and the body was constrained by tension.

  - Who are you to her? - Neon was wary, wondering how many more opponents he might have.

  “Friend,” the Destroyer caught and held Kayden's gaze. “So what I don't know?”

  The earthman's gaze was piercingly scanning and unusually firm. He did not flinch for a second, crossing his eyes with his. Such physically tangible and heavy looks were possessed only by neons and some selected half-breeds. Kayden caught himself thinking that the Destroyer the farther, the more he likes.

  “She will tell everything herself,” neon sighed, “if she wants, of course.”

  - She ... her ... her ... - The Destroyer could not say it out loud, but the word "violence" literally hung in the air.

  “No,” Kayden shook his head. - Simeon did not reach her.

  - And you?

  - What? - the man froze.

  - And you? The earthling repeated fearlessly.

  “You think she would save me?!” And then calmly fell asleep with me in the same bed?! - only the hand of the Destroyer did not let him jump up.

  “Sit,” he said, “don't twitch.” I saw how she treats you. Answer how far have you gone? I would not ask if the memory to her had not returned before my eyes. When Alex appeared, she was not her own.

  “You appeared when we kissed,” Kayden answered very frankly. - Satisfied?

  “Completely,” the earthling relaxed. - Since you heard us, you yourself have already stopped. I did not want to use her helplessness. And they say that neons are completely and completely unprincipled.

  “This is absolutely true,” neon closed his eyes.

  - So why?

  - I do not know ...

  “Well, okay,” an understanding flashed for a second in the eyes of the Destroyer. - You'd better lie down, look lousy.

  “Are you implying that I can return to her bedroom?” - surprised Kayden, struggling to his feet.

  “It's your business,” the earthling grinned, helping him get to the door of Alexey's bedroom.

  “Kayden,” the Neon Destroyer called out softly, already on the threshold, “thanks for saving Alex.” Twice ...

  * * *

  Simeon drank another glass of earthly whiskey in one gulp, tore off his tuxedo jacket and threw it on the floor, followed by a butterfly, splashed his shirt buttons ... Fury and pain overwhelmed him - a crystal glass flew into a peacefully burning fireplace , and light bulbs exploded from an instant emission of emotions. But this did not help, and he swept around the room like a wild beast in a cage. But even this did not bring relief - for several days now he could not calm down in any way: every second the image of the rebellious dugout stood before his eyes. Cursing himself for being stupid, he collapsed into a chair and, grabbing a bottle, took a few big sips.He could never even have thought that Kayden could find an approach to HER ... if he could even suggest such an idea for a moment, he would never offer THAT a bet. If he only knew that he could feel such pain from the fact that HER was not nearby, that he could not see HER ... having drained the bottle with one gulp, he closed his eyes with a groan. If he could only know ... he would never try ... Toli felts burst from the man's chest, wheezing felts ... now he was ready to beg Her to just see her, be near, touch ... Alcohol roared in the blood, and Simeon dreamed, dreamed about her tender smile, mysterious eyes, soft touches, magic kisses ...

  “Simi,” Sai lightly shook her brother's shoulder. - What's happening? What's the matter?

  “I lost her, Sai.” Simeon could not focus his eyes on his sister's face. “And it hurts ... so painful ...”

  “Is that because of that dugout?” - the woman's surprise knew no bounds. She loved her older brother very much, but at the same time she was well aware that for him there were never principles, rules, or affections.

  “I miss her so much ...”

  “Well then, find her.” It will not be difficult for you.

  “She won't want to see me,” the man shook his head doomly. “
I did her so much harm ...”

  “Symi,” Sai was completely disoriented: was her brother still capable of any feelings. “Symi, look at me,” she asked, and, looking into his eyes, winced at the pain that lived there. “Do you want me to find her?”

  - What for? I already know who she has.

  “You could talk ...”

  “She will not talk to me,” the neon laughed bitterly. “Yes, and Kayden won't let me in to her.”