Chapter Seventeen

 

 

“Honey, I’m home.”

Saffron turned her head to look at Richard. He was standing there with a silly grin like he expected her to turn over, get up, run to him, and greet him with a kiss. Damn sick male.

“I brought some friends with me because you look like the fighting type.”

Two tall, muscular men made their way around him to look down at her with a sneer of condemnation on their faces.

“No wonder you want to rip it out of her. She's definitely not from the master race.” The other one grinned before he bent over and picked her up by one of her arms. His friend grabbed her other arm. They stood far enough apart that they were pulling at her shoulder blades. That didn’t stop her from struggling.

They carried her up the stairs and into a different room, then she went wild on them. She was thrashing so hard they almost dropped her. The door was wide open, and if she could roll through it, maybe someone would see and help.

“She’s struggling like she’s animal.”

What did they expect? There was an electric chair set up in the living room, she was sure they intended to use it on her.

“Bullets weren’t enough for you? Now you want to fry my body?” She was screaming at Richard even as his goons untied her hands and sat on her to hold her down while they locked her in.

“Now, now sweetness if I’m right you won’t die. If I’m wrong well, I was already going to kill you.”

“Don’t do this. Maybe Xander will spare your life if you leave now.”

He looked at her and laughed flipping the switch. She lit up like a Christmas tree with bolts of electricity going through her body.

She watched as the shadow approached Richard and his eyes widened he ran out the room leaving her there to die.

Xander will kill him was her last thought until she heard a roar of pain.

My poor warrior, her heart stopped.

He used his claws to tear the bonds holding her to the chair before he picked her up and held her close to his body. The electricity going through her body leached into his lighting him up from the inside.

“Xander.” His brother was yelling his name.

He wanted to tell Caden to stand back, but he couldn’t say a word. His body was shaking as electricity ran through his veins turning his blood to flames, and still, he held Saffron. She needed to live. He needed to know he left love alive in the world. The current disappeared, and they fell to the floor.

 

*~*~*~*

 

“I swear if this is heaven, I want more furniture.” Saffron was trying to lift her upper body, but it felt plastered to the bed. Instead, she moved her hand out until she touched Xander’s warm body.

“Xander, are you awake? How am I still alive?”

“He took most of the current going through your body. We’re not easy people to kill, but that almost did the trick.”

“Xander! I can’t move Cait, help me move I have to see him.”

“Stop struggling Saffron, you’re in restraints to keep you still. You kept waking up trying to get Xander up. He’s in a healing trance that Tristan and Caden had to help me put him in.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a way we can help to heal our bodies when we have gone through a major trauma. His cells tried to come apart from what he went through. If he comes out too soon, he will die.”

Saffron settled down. “Can you let me up, so I can see him?”

“Only if you promise to encourage him to sleep. If he thinks you’re in danger, he will fight against the trance, and he’s strong enough to break it. He wouldn’t go down no matter what I did until he was convinced you would live.”

“You have my word.”

Cait walked over to her and undid the restraints she wasn’t able to see until they were held in Cait’s hand.

She got up and realized she was wearing one of Xander’s shirt. It should have been in the bin to be washed.

“His scent calmed you down.”

She turned her head to see her nightgown lying next to his cheek.

“Your scent kept him calm.”

She smiled, they were so much alike. That’s one of the reasons she loved him. She loved him. Any other day she’d throw a party at that revelation, now the only thing that mattered was him coming through this alive. Saffron slipped back under the covers placing her head on his chest.

“You are so brave. I don’t know another person who would have picked me up and drew that current from my body. That’s one of the reasons you must live. Living means staying in this trance until you're healed. I’ll stay by your side. It’s Xander and Saffron against the world. The two of us.

“I’ve got a secret to tell you but not before you're totally healed. Hey, we’re also going shopping for furniture. Now that I live here we have to represent both of us.”

She told him random things that popped into her mind along with how it felt to grow up with one parent.

Cait waved goodbye a while ago signaling that she would be back later. She nestled against him and fell asleep.

When she woke up, she was held tightly in his arms. He was still in his trance, but she bet he woke up enough to make sure she would wake up in his arms.

There was a knock on the bedroom door.

“Who is it?”

“Sage.”

“Come in.”

“I wanted to see how you are doing. Caden is cooking, and he’s worried about you not eating.”

Her stomach rolled she was hungry but didn’t want to leave Xander alone.

“Caden mentioned that we could take that small table in our hallway and bring it in here. Then he could bring in dinner, and we could eat in here. That way, Xander would feel our presence even though he was in a trance.”

“I love that idea.” She went to hug Sage and pulled back. “That was close.” With the extra current she felt in her body she was scared she’d hurt her.

“I think we have to practice together. This way we’ll have complete control and touching won’t be such a risk. If you had total control of your abilities, they wouldn’t have been able to touch you. So, after Xander is well I hope we can start.”

“I agree. It’s time to take Richard down. Everyone who has been killed have all been doing his bidding. Maybe if we cut off the head of the snake, the body will die.”

“I’ll go tell Caden we’re having dinner in here.”

“I’m going to change, Xander. No worries I’m keeping on the shirt but adding a bra.” She sighed, there were days she was sure a bra was man’s way of torturing women. She put one on and grabbed a pair of leggings. Nice, easy, and comfortable. She should dress this way more often. She went to the side of the bed and twirled for Xander.

“I’m wearing your blue button up shirt. It’s like a dress on me, but the cotton is so comfortable that I think it may become my new nightgown. I paired it with a pair of black leggings but the surprise is the cherry red bra, and panty set I’m wearing just for you. A little incentive to hurry up and get well I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve made love to you.”

There was a knock at the door. “Shh, don’t tell them what we're talking about.”

She laughed as she went to open it. Caden was carrying a table while Sage was carrying throw away dishes.

“Can I help carry something?”

“No, you stay with Xander, I got this.” Caden was out of the room while Sage carried in a chair.

“I told him we were going to eat on these, and he almost had a fit.”

“These are the thick ones, nice.”

“That’s what I said, but I think they remind him of war.”

“After so many years, you would think it would be a blip in my memory, but it’s just as vivid as the last day I fought.”

Sage went up to him and hugged him tight. “Sorry baby, I didn’t mean to bring it back to you.”

“You didn’t. Tonight, I cooked something different. Since we never got a chance to eat Ven’s lasagna, I made some.”

“I can’t wait. Did you make those rolls?”

“I did.”

“I feel like I haven’t eaten for years. How long was I out?”

“Ten days,” Sage told her.

“What?” her hand was hovering over a roll, she snatched it back remembering the last time.

“It was touch and go for a while for both of you.”

“Why is Xander still out while I’m up?”

“Cait said your body was made for electricity; Xander's wasn’t.”

“The why is he still alive?”

“You’re his mate.”

Saffron snarled in frustration.

“Yes, that’s Cait for you, and that’s all she would say like it solved every problem.”

Saffron ran her hand through her hair noticing it was getting a tad long. She needed a haircut. At least, it was long enough for her to pull.

“That won’t work I tried it several times.” Sage picked up the bowl with the rolls in it and held it out for Saffron.

“Thanks.” She took two then got a healthy slice of lasagna. They ate in silence.

“Is there anything you wished you had done or hadn’t done in your relationship?”

“I wished I had told Caden I loved him sooner. It’s not like I didn’t know, but I kept it to myself. I really don’t know why now, but then it made sense.”

Saffron looked back and forth between them. It was obvious that they were in love. It was also evident that Caden thought the sun rose and set with Sage’s schedule.

“Saffron?”

She shook her head, she didn’t want to talk about it. It seemed so obvious when you looked at other people but such an obstacle course when you looked at your own life.

“Caden, you’re a great cook.”

He looked at her waiting. “But?”

“I think Xander has you beat.” She winked at him.

He leaned back in his chair and laughed.

“That’s why I love you sister.” He stood and gave her a brief hug.

“Don’t worry Saffron, I know you have to say that.” Sage went over to Xander. “Get well soon, please.” She said softly.

“Let’s get the room cleaned up and make a date to go shopping for furniture for both of us.”

“It’s a date.”

They got the room back in order, and she finally closed the door leaning against it after her goodbyes.

“That was fun.”

“It was.”

“Xander, go back into that trance right now. I can’t lose you. Please.”

“I’m fine wild cat. My body woke me up naturally. I may need a little rest but not a trance.”

“Cait needs to look at you.” Her heart was beating fast with fear. She couldn’t lose him.

“I already reached out to her; she's on her way. Come lie with me.”

She crossed over to the bed climbing in next to him.

The knock on the door interrupted the kiss she was giving him.

“Come in.”

“Cait, Xander woke up. He said it was naturally. Will you check?”

“I will, but Saffron, I don’t believe he will ever lie to you.”

She turned to look at Xander and knew Cait was right. He would always be honest with her.

She waited until Cait was finished. “How is he?”

“Better than I expected. He needs to be calm for the next week or two. Nothing that will get his heart rate up.” She stopped to stare at Saffron. “Do you understand?”

Her cheeks heated up, but she nodded her head.

“Wait a minute.”

“Would you like to be forcefully put under again?”

His eyes slid to Saffron who was standing with her hands on her hips.

“Calm, I understand.”

Cait walked out.

Saffron joined him on the bed. “Guess you’ll have to wait awhile before you see my cherry red panties.”

He groaned, but she laughed because he was alive.