by Layna Snow
Caleb opened his arms slowly, trying to tempt her to move closer. He could tell that she was shaking, whether it was from fear, shock, or chill he didn’t know. But he did know that he could help, if she just trusted him enough.
He continued to speak in soothing tones, hoping to urge her closer. He was just about to give up and pick her the hell up when Seth—it must have been Seth—placed a blanket over his shoulder. It was a warm, cotton one that they ordered to comfort animals, and it would be perfect. After murmuring his thanks—keeping his eyes on the cowering female—Caleb held the material open towards the little lady. “Here, Kitten. If you come closer, I will wrap the blanket around you. You can be nice and warm. I’m sure you’d like that. Wouldn’t you, Kitten? Yeah. Everything will be alright. Come on. Move towards me, little one.”
Finally she focused on him, on the blanket and nodded. Or was that just a different shake? No, Caleb realized, it was a nod. For the girl started forward. Slowly at first, reaching down with her arms to help lift her body, as she scooted forward. Caleb could have jumped up and danced. He wanted to punch the air, to yell out in happiness. But the battle wasn’t over yet.
It took a ridiculously long time, but finally she was close enough to reach. Caleb rose up on his knees, slowly as to not startle her. Just as unhurriedly he wrapped his arms—and the blanket—around her. Once she was in his embrace he casually, while murmuring comforting words, pulled her against his chest. And shit, did that ever feel good.
Caleb sighed in relief. One hurdle was done. She trusted him enough, was willing to let him help her. Now he needed to assess the damage to her back.
He let his hand move into the part between the blanket sides. He did this softly so that she wouldn’t jump. He didn’t want to accidently touch the wound and hurt her. Fuck did he ever not want to hurt her. Once touching her back, her warm pale skin, Caleb moved his hand along her spine, reaching out with his fingers, searching for the jagged wound. However all he encountered was smooth, unbroken skin. There was a little raised line. No two, close to her spine. That had surely been where the wound was. Or... had been? “Fuck!”
At the startled curse, the girl jumped. She just freaked, attempting to escape Caleb’s hold. Fuck! He had frightened her! He didn’t mean to. Obviously, dipshit. “No, no, Kitten. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to swear. I was just surprised, that’s all. It is alright. Shh. Shh. Calm down now. It’s alright. I swear. I’m sorry.” He continued, his voice as tender as his arms holding her. No way was he going to let her get away. He’d never get her to trust him again.
When she finally stopped moving, although her still body was tense, Caleb looked over his shoulder. There Seth stood, his mind clearly filled with thoughts and questions, in his own little psyche.
“Her back is healed, man. What the fu- what just happened?” Caleb asked, just managing to stop himself from swearing again.
“It’s an oddity. I came back in and her muscle was fixed. I went to look and her skin started healing. I’ve never seen anything like that. It was like weeks had past while I watched.” Seth recounted, still focused on something inside his head.
Sometimes Cay thought that he had a whole world inside his mind. One filled with file cabinets of information. It was just too fucking weird, but it was who Seth was, after all.
“Maybe it is a plant. There could be something with medicinal properties in the forest. Maybe a spore that got on her skin. Or something a doctor put on her beforehand. This could be something someone else is working on. Hmm. I’d like to analyze her and see. But I’m not a human doctor. I might have a colleague from my undergrad training who’d help.” Seth hummed in thought.
Caleb tuned him out, focusing on the girl in his arms instead. Nothing Seth said now would make much sense to him. Sure, he understood the ins and outs of a vet practice. He took animal biology and then trained to be a vet tech. But he was never really into that shit for the theoretical and research practices. He just wanted to help animals.
But while healing properties of plants didn’t interest him, this girl in his arms did. She was real. She was there. And she was in need of their help. Cay leaned in close, so that he could soften his voice. Surely it wasn’t to catch the scent of her hair. Nope. “Do you know where you are, Kitten? Or what happened to your back?” When she didn’t answer he continued. “It’s alright. You don’t need to answer me now. We can figure it out later. Right now, you need some sleep and warmth. I’ll take you to our house and Seth will assess your health there. Alright?”
When she nodded, Caleb scooped her up as he stood. She barely weighed a thing. She didn’t need to hold onto him for safety, even though she reached out of the blanket to grip his arms tightly. He wouldn’t drop her. No, not anymore than he’d kick a puppy. She was so adorable.
When he turned to leave the room, Seth stopped him, gripping Cay’s arm and moving in front of him to block his way. “Hold on a minute.” He started, surprise and annoyance written plainly on his face. And what the hell did Seth have to be annoyed at? “You can’t bring her home. We don’t know who she is or where she belongs. For all we know she escaped a hospital or a jail. I mean, she certainly doesn’t seem like a danger, but we never really know. Think, Caleb. With your upstairs brain.”
Not that Seth didn’t have a valid point, but Cay didn’t fucking care. This girl needed warmth and food. And she needed more comfort than they could provide in this clinic. Besides, Caleb doubted that she escaped from anywhere, not with those wounds. And not crossing the distance she’d need to travel to come from the closest hospital. It would take her a damn long time.
“I’ll put her in my bed. You don’t have to worry about a thing. She needs help. We can provide it. She’s a person, dammit not an animal. She needs something other than a cold metal table. And call the hospitals if you feel the need. Ask if they are missing someone with her description. If so, we will bring her there. If not, we will just have to take care of her until we find out who her people are.”
Caleb moved around Seth. He didn’t care what his friend said. This was the right course of action. Fuck, it was the only course of action.
The girl was silent as they moved out of the building and towards the gate. They’d figure out who she was. She probably had a family looking for her. Or a husband—not that he liked the thought. They would figure things out. They had to. But for now, he’d take care of her.
3
Melody was not sure what this strange feeling was. Her heart was beating quickly. She could feel every small hair standing on end. Her breathing was faster and her stomach was knotted. She felt twitchy, jittery. Like she wanted to run away. But there had been nowhere to go.
She felt this bolt of... something as soon as she awoke. The cold felt too jarring on her tender skin. It made her nipples sensitive and chilled her defenceless stomach. She had jumped up, only to find herself tethered to a stand of some kind. There had also been a man standing over her. It was too much, so she fought. Oh, she’d never felt like this in her life.
She never wanted to hurt someone just to get away. She was never worried about her own life. But since waking up, she could only think about ways to escape. Ways to live.
She had convinced a Warrior Angel to teach her to fight, but this was different. This felt different. Scary, too fast, too much. Her whole body trembled as if it wanted to run away, but even as she vibrated, she couldn’t escape.
Melody was suddenly happy that she was never granted permission to be a Warrior Angel. God must have known something she had not.
She did not notice pulling out the small needle on her arm, or how the man watched her wearily. No, her eyes had been too busy scanning the room for somewhere safe to go. There was a door on the far wall that was closed. It appeared metal and strong. It was not a viable option with the male standing between her and it. There were metal tables littering the room and against walls, with cabinets breaking up the unused wall space. The room was sparse, cold and unappealing. And ther
e was nowhere for her to successfully escape through, or to hide. The corner was the only place close enough. And for some reason she felt like it would be good to place her back there.
Help, help, help. Please God, help me! She remembered thinking, begging. She quickly recited a prayer in her mind, one that came naturally.
Her belly felt too exposed. She had not known why, but she knew she needed to cover and protect her front at all costs. And so she darted across the room, feeling the cold tiles on the bottoms of her feet. Once in the farthest corner from the man, she tucked herself between the wall and a wood cabinet, drawing her legs up.
And then another man had come in.
The feeling kicked up another notch. She could feel her pulse pounding in her temples. She could feel her body vibrating, shaking. She had to get away. She just had to.
But slowly the man, the one with the light brown hair and large shoulders, caught her attention. He had strong cheek bones and kind hazel eyes. He looked nice, sweet. And his voice was soothing. He had promised her warmth, something that she was just noticing that she lacked. He promised her help.
Maybe the Lord had heard her calling. Maybe He had sent this Warrior to save her and protect her. Just because she had Fallen did not mean He would leave her defenceless. He would not do that. He loved all His children.
This man would take away the pain in her back, which was not as sharp as it used to be. He would remove her from the hard floor that seemed to press coldness into her flesh. She remembered thinking that he was there to save her.
And the man did look like a Warrior. His thighs were strong, encased in dark denim—as she had heard other Angels call the material. It looked rough, abrasive, but would be a good fabric for a Warrior to wear. His shirt was blue as well, which made his eyes appear slightly yellow. An arresting colour.
Yes, he had looked trustworthy, and all of a sudden Melody just wanted to curl up in his arms and sleep. That image was only strengthened when he held the blanket towards her. Yes, she would go to him. As long as she could make her stiff body move.
And now she lay against his chest as he spoke to the dark one. That man looked nothing like a Warrior. No, he was something different. He watched and thought. He liked to control. This second man, the one who had stood over her, reminded her of God himself. He would do as he saw fit. He would not change his mind. He analyzed and ordered. Got lost in his passions, and always did things to the best of his ability. This man was not like her Warrior. He was much scarier and would be underestimated. He was like a commander.
“That’s it Kitten. You’re safe.” The Warrior murmured close to her ear. She could feel the vibrations in his strong chest as he brought her through the small building. She did not bother to look around. The environment did not matter very much. However, Melody did listen to the echoes of footsteps. The Commander—for she did not know his name—was following them.
She could not think of what other position that this man could fill. He was obviously the one in charge. He gave the orders and expected the Warrior to follow. He was the intellect. He was dangerous.
But in the arms of her Warrior, she felt safe and secure.
Melody did not realize just how cold the air was inside until they left the building. A wall of heat blasted her. Wet humidity pressing at her skin. It was amazing. Air could actually be felt. Before it was just nothingness that held up her wings. She had noticed her hair being swept back while flying but, they were not moving fast now. And the air was not cool and refreshing. No, it felt like a cloth, keeping actual air away. How interesting. Melody made a note to ask one of the men about that.
Now that she was not as afraid of them, at least not of the Warrior, she felt herself grow curious. Yes, this need for answers was called curiosity. She wanted to know their names. She wanted to know their relationship. She just wanted to know everything—about them and about this world.
She didn’t fear the darkness. Not within the arms of the strong capable Warrior. The darkness now closed in on them like a cocoon. It seemed now as if it were just the two of them, although she could hear the other man’s steps.
Melody smiled as she was carried through a small door of some kind. They were outside, so she did not know what the door was for. It obviously kept people from the enclosed garden and grass area. She wondered why. But she did not feel that she could ask yet. Her body, although without pain, was tired. She did not feel that she could move any more muscles, or push air past her lips to speak. Melody never knew how much energy it took just to exist.
And if she spoke the Warrior might stop walking. She felt comfort in the gentle sway of his body. It was the same feeling she got being close to the Almighty. She liked the way the Warrior’s body pressed and flexed against her as he moved. It made her take notice of the man so close to her. That feeling, however, had nothing to do with the Lord. It was different, uncomfortable in a way. She felt herself focusing on it, unable to think of much else. Sure, she was able to pull her mind from it to notice little things, like the small door and the flowers. But then her mind was pulled right back.
It made her heart speed up again. However she was not looking for a way to escape any longer. Very interesting.
But soon, her mind could not even focus on that anymore.
“It’s alright Kitten. Close your eyes.” He soothed gently.
No. She was not Kitten. That was not her name. “Melody.” She corrected quietly. Her voice raw from disuse.
“What?” He asked, a sharp curious sound in his voice.
“Not Kitten. Melody.” She managed, her eyes shutting on their own and pulling her back to black nothingness.
***
Caleb shut the door to his bedroom quietly as to not wake the sleeping woman. He knew that Seth was going to want a word with him—hell, probably a few not so nice words—and he didn’t want the girl hearing. He was sure that she would sleep for a while now, she just went through some serious shit, but he wanted to make sure. It was important not to scare her at this stage. He needed her trust to learn more about her. Well more than just her name.
Melody.
It was an appropriate name. It was a magical name for an extraordinary girl. Musical, like her laughter would probably be. Yeah, she was a beauty.
Caleb smiled as he turned to face his best friend.
Seth was standing beside the couch. His eyes were trained on the new flames in the fireplace. They had been specific when designing this place. They wanted a large comfortable space to come home to after working long hours. Caleb was really happy about how it turned out. He had never really had a home, a place to belong. Sure Cecilia’s place was their house, but Caleb never really felt comfortable in it until it was time to move out. But this was his home. And fuck that felt great.
Seth turned around, his eyes narrowing at Caleb. The man looked unimpressed. Fuck, Cay knew this wasn’t going to go well.
“I need a drink, man.” Caleb said, hoping to push this talk back a little longer.
He went across the room to the built in bar and poured himself a glass of whiskey. He watched his friend over the cup as he took a large gulp of the fiery liquid. The burn felt good, relaxing him a little. Cay managed to take another sip before he felt his friend’s patience run out.
“Alright, go on.” He murmured, moving to lounge in his favourite leather chair by the fireplace.
Seth sat on the couch close to him and signed. “Cay, this isn’t smart. You don’t know anything about her. You can’t just keep her in the house. She should be at a hospital where they can give her proper care.”
Caleb focused on his friend. Hospital? Aw shit! “Did you hear back? Did you find out she had been in a hospital?” He asked, feeling anxious at the thought. She couldn’t be missing from a hospital. Oh, sure it was possible but he just didn’t want to think of it. It actually hurt him. Cay took a drink to fortify himself.
“No. No one has heard of a girl by her description, or named Melody.” Seth responded, h
is words a big relief. “But she was really hurt. Her back was torn open. She has no wounds now but that does not mean that something might not still be wrong. She probably needs blood or medicine. Be reasonable,” he continued.
Caleb shook his head, he knew in his mind that Seth was right. But fuck, something in him rebelled. It just seemed wrong to send her to a hospital, for some unknown reason. But Seth didn’t give a shit about his instincts or protectiveness. No, he needed logic. “Her back healed itself, man. Fuck, how are we to explain that? You saw it.”
“I did see it. All the more reason to take her somewhere else. What she did was not natural. We don’t know how it happened or why. A hospital has the resources to look into it.” Seth argued while his hands gestured betraying his agitation. Caleb studied his friend. He knew Seth. He knew that he did not like to concede. But he had to in this situation, Cay wasn’t going to accept anything else.
“Oh, so she can be experimented on and dissected. Shit, Seth. You’re really that much of an asshole?” Caleb stood up, unable to sit still any longer. He placed his glass heavily on the mantle. The very idea of Melody being cut open for science made him nauseous. “Jesus, Seth. Something happened to hurt her in the first place. Do you know what it was? It didn’t seem like an animal attack. It could be a person. Leaving her in the hospital could be dangerous.”
Seth stood too, to continue to face Caleb. He was too polite to do otherwise. “At least then she’d be someone else’s problem. We don’t have time to deal with this. We have a business to run. We don’t even know how to deal with this. We almost let one woman ruin this. I won’t make the same mistake again. You won’t make the same mistake that I almost made. Think logically for once. This is someone else’s problem. Why do you have to make it ours?”
Caleb felt anger rise in him. He barely controlled himself from punching Seth. The man was his friend, his brother. But hell if only he could get his point across, but words weren’t working. Couldn’t Seth think with something other than his brain? He had done it once. And okay, that didn’t turn out well but this girl wasn’t Lucy. Besides, everything didn’t depend on logic. Sometimes things were about instincts, morals, responsibility, loyalty, or love. Not that Caleb felt love for this girl. Nope. Impossible! “You’re a fucking basta-“ Caleb stopped, hearing a surprised gasp coming from the direction of his bedroom.
