Chapter Five

“Caden?” She called his name as the emptiness of the house swept over her.

For six days, he had taken care of her made sure she took her medicine and cooked for her. She went to sleep every night with the feel of his good night hug helping her to rest and woke every morning to his bright smiles. They spent time talking and laughing getting to know each other. It felt like she was in a bubble that would never bust. Now she was alone and didn’t like it.

Shaking off the feeling of betrayal Sage walked to the kitchen. Her medicine was laid out waiting for her. Dutifully she picked up the pills and took them. Then she sat closed her eyes and listened to her chest the way he taught her to do. Her breathing was better now, and she didn’t need a treatment. If she were honest, she was feeling more like her old self. Did that mean he was going to leave?

A shower was what she needed. She pulled out the one pair of jeans she had in her bag along with a cami and a sweater. She needed a job, then she could buy some clothes. Once in the bathroom, she decided a soak would be better. She found some bubble bath and a radio. The radio was playing a soft song as she got into the tub and immersed herself in the bubbles.

When the water began to cool she washed and got out. She wrapped a towel around her as she hummed a song before drying off and dressing. If only she could live here forever. The moment she left the bathroom she knew she wasn’t alone. Her hand covered her mouth as she saw a tall figure emerge from the second bedroom.

“I won’t hurt you.” His voice was loud. He stood still and lifted his hands so that she could see they were empty.

Either he was alerting an accomplish, or he was talking loud so she would know he had nothing to hide.

“Who are you?”

“Ven.”

Ven what? Ven who? She waited for him to say something else, but evidently, he thought his name was sufficient.

“Are you the one that Fire told me about?”

“That’s my Godmom.”

“Wow. I didn’t realize. What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to get an arrono from my old room.”

“A what?”

“An arrono.” He took a small box out of his pocket and showed it to her.

“What is that?”

“It’s like a speaker or even a phone but better.” He moved to the coffee table and placed it there before he took out his phone. Music started playing through it. Before she could breathe a sigh of relief, a band appeared playing the music.

“You can program it to show the music video.” The scenery changed to a video, she was sure it went with the song it played out in front of her. “Or you can have it use a made-up band to do other videos or interactive videos.”

Creatures she had never seen before took the bands place. The instruments changed, then one walked up to her and fell backward when he hit her hip. Ven laughed and watched the creature try to go through her again.

“Are you hungry?”

The hope in his eyes floored her.

“Ven, your eyes are beautiful. I’ve never seen a blue that shade before.”

“Thanks, they come from my biological mother. My father has green eyes and my real mother; Deja has brown eyes.

“She doesn’t mind if you call her Deja?”

“No, she says I can call her Deja or mom it’s up to me. I prefer mom though. I went a long time without a mother.”

“I know how you feel.”

“Are you hungry?”

“I am.” She couldn’t help but smile. There was something about him that was good to his very core.

“We have a panini maker at home. If you come with me, I’ll make you a sandwich, and we can drink soda.”

“Leave the apartment?” She didn’t want fear to slip into her voice, but this was where she was safe. Out there, she glanced toward the window, was a world she didn’t know. Where was Caden?

“Did Caden send you?”

“He asked me to keep an eye on you.”

That bit of news took her from thinking Ven was safe to knowing he was safe.

Ven reached into his back pocket and brought out a piece of paper that he unfolded and gave to her.

“I think I was supposed to keep this a secret so you wouldn’t be scared, but I would want to know.”

There was a picture of her with ‘have you seen this woman’ on the top. The number on the bottom was one of Jim’s throw away cell phones. He was looking for her. She waited for fear to come or even the desire to run but both stayed at bay. The reckoning was coming, and she knew it, but this time she would face it.

“So, where is this panini maker and soda?”

“Caden said you were strong and pretty too.”

“That was nice of him to say.”

“I don’t think he said it to be nice. Your hair is like fire, and your eyes are as green as his, besides you have a banging body to be so old.”

He led her to the door, and she couldn’t even protest. Half of her mind was rejoicing that some kid called her body banging while the other half was protesting that she wasn’t old.

We should have a kid like him one day.

Alien say what? Be quiet!

There was too much going on for her to think about children, but now all she could see was a child with green eyes and Caden's dark hair or maybe her red hair.

“See, the walk wasn’t long.”

The house wasn’t that far from the apartment, she could see it out the window.

“Won’t your mom be mad you brought a stranger home?”

“No, wait till you meet my mom you’ll love her.”

“Ven is this place real?”

She was in the kitchen looking around. It was large, but it felt comfortable and lived in. The kind of kitchen she always dreamed of.

“What do you mean? Sit down, I’ll get the ingredients out.”

“I mean am I dreaming this. Am I somewhere dying and I’m just coming up with a place that makes me happy before I breathe my last breath?”

“I don’t think so. I’m real, all the people here are real. We’ve been here for over four hundred years. Not mom though she just got here maybe a year ago.”

“Four hundred years. I am dying.”

“Don’t be silly if you were dying, I’d have Cait come save you.”

“This is my mom Deja. Mom this is Sage; Caden asked me to look in on her.”

“You brought her home for a sandwich.”

“Yeah, do you want one?”

“Of course.” She took the chair across from Sage.

They sat smiling while Ven made sandwiches and gave them drinks.

“Where’s yours?” Sage asked him.

“I’m going to go for a walk. I’ll be back soon.” He looked at his mother, she just nodded her head.

She sat there and ate her sandwich while she waited for Deja to tell her what was on her mind.

“I’m glad to see that you’re feeling better.”

“I am thanks.”

“What do you think about our compound?”

“I haven’t seen it. This is the first time I’ve been out of the apartment. I have no plans to hurt Caden just so you know.”

Deja got up and cleared off the table. “I’m the beta around here. In the world we come from that, and five dollars might get you a cup of coffee.”

“Yum designer coffee.”

“These males are special to me. They all have my heart. When I first came, I was in trouble and didn’t realize it. They stormed the house I was being kept in like it was a military operation and rescued me.”

“I can see Caden doing something like that. Are you going to tell me?”

“No, that’s up to him.”

“It’s only been six days. Most of the time I was sick, lying on the couch, lying in his arms and all we did was talk.”

“It’s a good way to get to know someone.

“I agree.”

“Sage, give him a chance. I know part of what you’ve experienced. No one should have to go through that, but everything different isn’t always evil.”

“Deja?”

“In the kitchen. He knows exactly where I am, but I’ll let you figure that out on your own.” She got up and greeted her mate with a kiss.

“Fire, Declyn you just missed sandwiches.”

“I don’t sense Ven?” Fire stopped and closed her eyes like she could sense who was in the house.

“He made them and went for a walk.”

“I’ll have to have him make me one later. Sage, I’m glad to see you out of the apartment.”

“Ven asked me over for brunch.”

“He’s my Godson. He loves using the panini maker. I hate to see what happens when his mom teaches him how to make lasagna.”

“We’ll be having it at least twice a week.”

Enzo and Declyn groaned. Deja bumped up against Enzo while Fire reached out and took Declyn’s hand.

“If we’re patient, I think he may become a chef.”

“I don’t think so camire, he likes action too much for that.” Enzo drew Deja closer.

“Alright what aren’t the three of you saying?” Deja looked at them before she stared at Sage.

“If it’s about me, I can take it.”

Fire nodded before she sat down next to Sage.

“I got a phone call two days ago from Detective Baker. I swear he thinks we're friends. I had some problems not that long ago that he helped me with. He got a call from a Jim Butler saying that he thought his girlfriend had been kidnapped. He fingered me as a suspect. The detective doesn’t believe him but has to follow up on all leads.

“There are missing posters with your face plastered all over them. Of course, I told him that I didn’t kidnap you. His response was if I knew where you were it would be in my best interest to tell you to come into the police station so he can verify your health and welfare. What you decide to do is up to you.”

She stood and went to stare out the window over the sink. She wrapped her arms around herself. The reprieve was over sooner than she thought. She had hoped maybe even prayed for a few more days to get to know Caden. If only she could be back in the apartment answering his questions about Wonder Woman tucked in the blanket with her head resting on his lap.

She turned around to stare at them. Two couples that looked perfectly happy, and she was ruining their chance to be together in peace. It was unacceptable to her to place the people who took her in when no one else would in jeopardy.

“I’ll show up, when does he want to see me?”

“Whenever I set it up for.”

“Set it up for tomorrow at eleven a.m. please.” She would make sure it was during the day, so her new friends didn’t get hurt.

“Fire I want to thank you for taking me in and allowing one of your people to care for me.”

She laughed.

“As if we could have stopped Caden from caring for you. Besides you’ve never seen Caden and Xander when they make war.” Declyn shivered. “None of us want to be on the receiving end of that.”

“Caden’s a sweetheart.” She walked out the door to get ready for the death sentence that was facing her.