by RT Lucas
“Youngling, are ye hurt?” he shouted to Alicia over the screams and howls whilst keeping a hold of Teodora.
Alicia's head slowly lifted as she heard her friends voice, her face was stained in her blood red tears. “My wolf ate Xavier! I can see him inside of him.” Her sobs were now turning to hysteria. “I had him in my bed and he ate my High and Mighty like he was some meal!”
Shuggie could feel Teodora tugging on his hand to release his grip. When she kicked him hard on the back of his knee, he let go but whispered, “Any danger tae yer health ahn we’re gone lassie.” He was on full alert as Teodora walked past him slowly, towards Xavier and Alicia.
Teodora’s heart was hammering against her chest as she took the gamble of her life. Approaching Alicia slowly she took the frightened females hands into hers. “Alicia, look at me, I need you to look at me and listen to what I have to tell you.”
Alicia’s head snapped up quickly as she stared at the Doctor. “You need to leave, he’ll eat you and Hugh next!”
“Alicia.” Teo’s voice was calm as her thumbs rubbed soothing circles on Alicia’s clammy hands. “The wolf you see over your shoulder in the most horrendous pain? My darling that is Commander Raige! I don’t want you to be scared. Look into his eyes. He is stuck, afraid and cannot change on his own – but I know you are the only one to help bring him back. Can you try for me, yes?”
Helping Alicia to her feet, Teodora gave her hands a small squeeze and with a gentle nudge pushed Alicia towards where the wolf was howling and writhing on the floor. Teodora turned her head to look at Shuggie through the glass. She mouthed, “Get supplies, we shall need supplies Warrior.”
Shuggie watched in admiration of his geekie lassie as she tended to Alicia, and how she was helping his Commander. Trusting her judgement, he left them in the corridor and flashed to away to gather emergency supplies, before returning, and placing them beside Teodora on the ground. He didn’t say a word – she was in control of the entire operation.
Alicia moved slowly to where Xavier was on the ground, his form was contorting between the wolf she adored and the male she was in love with. Crouching down gently on her knees, her shaking hand moved out slowly and she gently patted his head, her voice was quiet as she spoke. “Xavier…Xav can you hear me?”
His own screams were drowning out all other noise…until he heard her voice. Her voice.
His Sweetcheeks. “Mine.” In an ethereal growl his voice uttered the word, and his body started to slow down the change. “Help…Me…” Although the shifting wasn’t as manic, he was still out of control and on the verge of being lost. Xavier reached out his hand and a paw touched Alicia’s arm.
Feeling the paw touch her arm, Alicia shifted from her crouching position to sitting with her legs crossed. Gently lifting the wolfs head from the floor she settled it in her lap, her left hand gently stroking his fur on the side of his face as she stared down into his neon green eyes. “Come on you Prick, come back to me, I miss you…yeah!” The tears were flowing freely down her cheeks the droplets of blood splashing onto Xavier’s fur. “I miss you, as much as I fucking adore the wolfie, I want to see my Commander Prick. I even promise to behave…for a while.” Alicia gave out a half laugh hoping that she was getting through to Xavier.
Shuggie had Teodora in his strong arms, and they were both holding their breath as they watched the youngling with the Commander. There was nothing more they could do but wait and see if Teodora’s advice to Alicia would work.
Nestling his head in Alicia’s lap, Xavier started to control his breathing – the pain was excruciating, but her voice was soothing to him. The more she spoke, the more he could feel himself slowing the Shifting process on his own. It was as though she was his anchor, grounding him to her. When she placed her hands on him, his body relaxed, and he let her words wash over him. Finally, he was back in human form, curled around Alicia in the foetal position, naked and shivering. His voice was raw as he managed to speak, but only Alicia could hear him. “Don’t...want...anyone to...see me...like...this,” he was pleading with her, not from vanity – but from a deep-seated vulnerability and need to be alone with his saviour. His female. His Sweetcheeks.
Alicia’s fingers were gently brushing Xavier’s hair away from his eyes as she looked up, mouthing to Shuggie, “Leave us for now.” She caught the blanket that he threw to her and she made sure that Xavier was covered up, her voice was low and soothing as she looked back down at him. “It’s just us now just you and me. I’ve got you, you're safe, just rest okay?” Her fingers never left his hair as she looked down on him, watching and listening to every breath he took.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Shuggie lay holding Teodora to him on his bed, processing what they had just witnessed. “Ah am so proud o’ye, lassie – ne’er huv ah seen that afore. Ye were magnificent.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, lingering for a few moments. Teodora had saved his Commander and been able to calm the youngling, in a way that had astounded him. He had always respected her in her profession, but this was way more. His reverence for her in every aspect was unconditional.
Teodora’s body was still trembling as she lay in the arms of her Warrior, her gamble of going into the room with an out of control wolf and his mate was a very dangerous act, but saving lives was her duty after all. Lifting her slightly to look up at Shuggie. “Love is what saved them tonight, the love they have for each other.” Teodora’s eyes quickly closed, she did not want Shuggie to see the envy that they held. She had been falling for Shuggie for some time now, but when they made love earlier she had well and truly tripped and fell for her Warrior.
“And dae ye think yer love cud save an ancient Warrior like ma’sel?” Shuggie held his breath as he waited for her to answer. Teodora had made him believe in the possibility that his cold heart could heal and warm once more, but he also knew not to take anything for granted.
Teodora’s eyes flew open as her body jolted up so that was looking down at Shuggie, his red eyes were stunning to her as they moved in their circular motions, her slender finger raised as she lowered it to gently trace the outline of his lips. “I love you Shuggie, my Warrior. Let me love you, yes?”
“Let ye?” Shuggie laughed as he brushed Teodora’s hair from her face. “Ah cannae dae anything but love ye – ah’n if ye are wanting tae love me back? Fuck, Teo – ah’d be the happiest man alive…well…undead!” he laughed louder, before lifting his head to kiss her slowly and possessively. “Ah love ye, mah wee lassie – an waited an eternity fur ye, ah’ll no be lettin’ ye go.” As he vowed in his heart to protect her for every day of her mortal life.
Teodora kissed Shuggie back with passion and fire. The evening had been a traumatic one but this was the beginning of their happily ever after and she couldn’t have been happier. Pulling back, she wriggled her slender body down Shuggie’s a little, resting her head on his bare chest where the exhaustion from the day’s events consumed her weary form and she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
Singing an old lullaby from ancient times, Shuggie lay still, watching Teodora as she slept. His voice whispered in the wind as he sang, bringing back memories, regrets and loss. Her mortality was playing on his mind, and he regretted that they had not met sooner, when he was still a young mortal Warrior full of fire and optimism. He had seen too much, experienced the worst of mortal men and knew the horrors of the Supernatural world. He wanted to shield her from all the shame, hatred and spite in the world, cocoon her in a safe existence. He also knew that was unrealistic, but she was The One. The one he had been searching for all these centuries. He would watch her grow old, he would witness her last breath, he would bury her in the earth and then spend his immortality mourning her passing.
Shuggie’s lullaby had turned to a lament, and he started to question whether he was just being selfish, wanting Teodora for his own. Would she find a fuller life with a mortal like she was? She would make a wonderful mother – he could see her with a large family, and being
Queen of her household. He could give her all the treasures in the world but he couldn’t give her that. As the moon rose, and the wind blew gently into the bedroom, Shuggie clutched at his sleeping lover tightly. He didn’t care that he was being selfish. All he knew for certain was that he couldn’t let her go.
****
“How about we move away from here? I don’t want you sleeping alone tonight.” Not ever, she thought. “Can you stand for me and we’ll go to my room?” Alicia looked down at Xavier. They had sat still, motionless for the last hour just staring into each other’s eyes. His eyes were a shade of light green that she hadn’t seen before – another shade to add to her ‘Xavier eye/mood’ chart.
Standing up, Xavier scooped Alicia up into his arms, nudging the side of her face with his forehead. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten – you promised to behave, Sweetcheeks yeah?” He smiled against her hair as he carried her on unsteady legs towards his own quarters.
Alicia totally forgot that Xavier’s quarters had been given an up to date makeover as they slowly walked to his room. “How about you lie down and I’ll run you a shower? You must be aching and stuff.” She could feel Xavier’s body getting even more unsteady as he carried her.
“Let me down Xav, you’re exhausted you fidiot!”
“I fucking am not,” he protested, then laughed, easing her onto her feet, but wrapping his arm around her shoulders – needing to keep constant contact with her. “But a shower does sound goo…” he stopped talking as they reached his bedroom door.
“What’s wrong?” Alicia’s voice was full of panic thinking that the wolf was about to break out again. It wasn’t that she was afraid of the wolf, she just never wanted to see Xavier in pain like that ever again!
Xavier watched as Alicia had kicked his door open with her pink Doc Martens. His room was unrecognisable to him. It was like something out of Men’s Health magazine – plasma screen TV, leather Lazy Boy “...Fuck!” Today was a day for firsts. No one had ever done anything like this for him before. Hell, no one had ever done anything just for him before “Sweetcheeks – did you...was this...is this what you’ve been up to since you got here? Did you do all of this for me?” He was standing naked in the corridor outside his bedroom and was almost dumbstruck.
Grinning, Alicia, without thinking what she was doing, raised her own hands to cover Xavier’s that were hanging over her shoulders. “I’ve done the whole place but here and your office are my masterpieces, I just wanted to…you know?” Her usual snarky attitude was now filled with emotion. “...wanted to say thank you for all you have done for me and wanted to surprise you when you woke the fuck up.”
Xavier was humbled. “It’s fucking awesome!” Grinning as he grabbed her hand and dragged her into the room. “And a fridge for my beers? Where’s the scotch?” His face looked years younger, and he was darting around the room, pulling Alicia behind him as he went. “This is – Alicia, this is…” He couldn’t verbalise how he was feeling, so instead he stilled and tilted Alicia’s chin up with a finger, dipping his head to kiss her. His kiss was slow and intense, he tugged on her bottom lip before swiping his tongue over her mouth. Forcing her lips to open for him with his tongue, he duelled with hers, growling low as he tasted her. His hands were either side of her face, holding her in place and he could feel her pressing against his hard body.
Alicia’s arms snaked up and around Xavier’s neck. As she pulled his neck down to get closer to him, she was straining on her tiptoes. Their tongues collided with each other’s. His taste was like a drug to her, she could feel the high coursing through her veins and couldn’t get enough of him. The sensible part of her was screaming at her – why after one hundred and fourteen years it decided to taunt her now was anyone’s guess – but she reluctantly pulled back slowly. “This is your Commanderess talking and her orders are shower then bed!” Alicia gave a wink as she pointed to the en-suite. We have all night to talk and get to know each other a whole lot better…yeah?”
Groaning, Xavier rested his forehead against Alicia’s “When the fuck did you get so sensible?” He knew that he was pouting, but every part of him – mostly Xav Jnr – was aching, but not from the ordeals of earlier. “Just for the fucking record, we would have gotten to know each other damn fine if you’d not pulled a Shuggie on me.” Laughing at Alicia’s confused expression he added, “The notorious Highland cockblocker.” He waggled his brows, stole another quick kiss from her and then walked through to turn on the shower. He hoped it was artic-ice cold.
She shouted from where she had belly flopped onto Xavier’s bed, “I’m not a slug Commander…I like to take my time! Now you just chillax in there and I’ll get your scotch ready for you.”
“Chill being the operative word,” Xavier mumbled petulantly as he stood under the freezing spray of the shower, trying and failing to push out images of what he wanted to do with and to his Sweetcheeks.
Padding out from the shower with only a towel wrapped low on his hips, Xavier winked to Alicia “Getting comfortable on my bed, Sweetcheeks?” He felt refreshed and alive again, but was still hurting both physically and mentally after his ordeals. The knowledge that she had waited for him, cared for him and ultimately saved him seemed to take all the weight off of his shoulders. As he tied his shoulder-length blonde hair back in a leather tie, the towel slipped a little, showing the start of the fine line of blonde hairs from his navel and leading to the ‘V’ shaped dip at his hipbones. He was too busy watching Alicia to even notice.
Alicia turned over from where she was lying on her stomach to where she was hanging upside down, her head hanging over the edge of Xavier’s new king-sized bed. Her brown eyes were huge as she drunk him in. She knew Xavier had a fine body, but duck a fuck she thought…he was magnificent as he stood with the towel hung low on his hips, his body was sculpted in all the right places. His torso was covered in old scars and angry looking red marks – and didn’t that just bring her body to life!
“Hey you…Nice shower?” What the fuck Ali? Nice shower? Go you! Unable to take her eyes away from him, she stayed in her upside down position just ogling him.
“It was alright, yeah?” He grinned then walked over to her, leaning over. His towel was brushing dangerously close to Alicia’s face as she lay with her head hanging off of the edge of the bed. Reaching between her legs, he retrieved his fatigues and walked back to the window. Shoving them on he said, “At least I don’t smell like Satan’s armpits.” He flashed a grin as he threw the towel to the linen basket, and then sat down beside her on the bed.
“Just cos you’re a vamp, doesn’t mean you have to hang like a bat, Sweetcheeks.” Xavier’s laugh boomed through the room.
“Bats are so cute! I had some as pets once, way back in 1920, I kept them in my loft.” Alicia grinned as she propelled her body upwards so she was sitting straight. “Here, I got this as a welcome awake gift.” Alicia crouched to grab the bag that was on the floor and handed the bag that contained box to Xavier. “Welcome back Commander Prick.” Alicia moved off the bed and grabbed the bottle of Scotch, standing with a cheeky grin on her face, she waved the bottle in her hand. “Miss this?”
“Welcome awake gift?” This was the second time that he was dumbstruck that Alicia had done something just for him and he didn’t really know how to handle it. No one was ever nice to him without wanting something in return, except Shuggie, but that was different. Taking the bag, he held it unopened and looked over at Alicia as she held the scotch. “Is that the last bottle that you didn’t shoot?” referring to the time she had been out in the garden taking pot-shots at his collection that was stored at the window. “There’s a lot I’ve been missing, Sweetcheeks.” His voice was suddenly quiet. Opening the bag, he took out the present and inspected it...then burst out laughing. “Is this your way of telling me to fucking shave, Sweetcheeks?” He took out the electric shaver, throwing the box and instructions into the trash bin. “Never used one of these bloody things before.” A grin was plastered on his
face. Not even when he was a child did he receive birthday or holiday gifts. He was embarrassed to admit to her that this was the first present he’d actually been given, so he stayed quiet.
Alicia didn’t know how she knew – well yes she did, she knew Xavier inside out – she had studied him and paid attention to the male from the day he ran her off the road and refused to apologise! So she knew that Xavier Raige was never quiet or lost for words. She may not know anything of his background, but from the look on his face this male was not used to getting gifts. Alicia was slow in her movements as she approached the bed and decided her usual witty self was the best approach for now. “You look like a hobo with that beard.” She shrugged her shoulders playfully. “And for your information Commander, I went out and paid for the scotch and that razor from my own money.”
Xavier wanted to lift her up and squeeze the life out of her. He wanted to kiss the breath out of her – then he noticed that his thoughts were decidedly ‘serial killer’ material when something good happened to him and mentally gave himself a slap.
“Alicia...Sweetcheeks…Thank you.” It was all he could think of to say as he looked curiously at the shaver, then licked his dry lips eyeing up the Scotch. “Well don’t just hover like a fart in a spacesuit, pour us both a fucking drink.” As he walked over the full length mirror, he jutted his chin forward and turned the shaver on, running it over his jaw and chin, but keeping one eye on Alicia through the mirror.
Alicia scrunched her nose up. “I hate scotch, it’s a male’s drink. I prefer vodka although the last time I drank that, I was dancing on top of the box.” Alicia carried on pouring the amber liquid into a glass for Xavier as she produced a bottle of Prosecco and walked back over to the bed where she climbed up and sat with her legs crossed, drinking her wine from the bottle. “What was heaven like?” she asked quietly, her eyes were full of wonder as she sat patiently waiting to see his gorgeous face without all that hair.