Shattered Skye (The Skye Chronicles Book 3)

by Anna Moranski

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Do we tell her?” Gary asked sitting in the living room the following morning. No one in the cabin had really slept. Skye was the only soul able to sleep, but that was due to the healing process her body was undergoing.

  Maddox had stayed outside the cabin all night long. He sat under Skye’s bedroom window listening to her breathing. He took comfort in the fact that she was alive, but when he tried to imagine what it would be like when she awoke he was terrified.

  “Not right away.” Cloud answered. “She needs to sort out her feelings first. When her memory comes back about what happened to her it will be hard enough to handle. Knowing that her own grandmother did that to her?” She shook her head. “She will need time. No one breathes a word to her until she’s ready.” Cloud said firmly.

  “I agree. Add to the fact that we don’t know how she will feel about Maddox, it’s best to see how she reacts to him as well.” Kel added. Buck stood by the window looking outside where Maddox was still sitting under her window. Buck shook his head.

  “There’s no way what they had was fake. I saw it. I felt it. He loves her more than he has ever loved anything or anyone. I know she felt the same way or still does feel that way.” Buck said still watching his cousin through the window.

  “I hope so.” Mike said surprising a few people. “She chose him twice and is going to have his baby. It would be tragic for them not to be together.”

  “Mike, your maturity still amazes me.” Kel said.

  “Thanks I think.” he said as he walked out of the living room.

  “Dr. Carroll is coming back to check on her and the baby. We’ve explained to him that he cannot tell her about the pregnancy yet. He doesn’t like the idea of that but he knows she needs to heal first so he agreed.” Gary said. “He should be here sometime today.” Gary sat back on the couch wrapping his arms around Cloud and pulling her close to him.

  “She’s going to be okay.” Cloud said. She hoped that she was right.

  “As if we don’t have enough to worry about there are still those out there that plan on attacking her. Supernaturals of all kind are planning on killing our daughter. That also means our grandchild.” Gary whispered closing his eyes.

  “We need more reinforcements.” Buck said turning to face them. “We have people here that are loyal and willing to fight and die for Skye, but it’s not enough. They could have a huge army. We are not enough.”

  “Who? Most supernaturals are terrified of her! Who is going to be willing to help?” Evan asked. Buck frowned.

  “Luke.” Gary was on his feet before Buck could even blink.

  “You want to bring here the man who first infected my daughter? The man who helped get rid of me so I couldn’t be here to raise her? Are you insane?” Gary shouted at Buck. Buck didn’t flinch. He only nodded.

  “He is the one who told us it was Evelyn that was the traitor. He loves Maddox and wants his son to be happy. He doesn’t want Maddox to lose Skye and feel what he felt when he lost his wife.” Buck answered.

  “How in the world are we supposed to trust that man?” Cloud asked.

  “If Maddox can trust him then we can. I think we should ask Maddox. I also don’t think Luke would let anyone harm his grandchild. He may be a monster, but he loves his family.” Buck said not backing down from Gary’s angry stare.

  “He’ll help.” Maddox said interrupting the apparent stare down between Buck and Gary.

  “Maddox, that’s risky.” Kel said.

  “He will help and he will have reinforcements that we couldn’t imagine to get on our own. It’s the only way to save Skye.” Maddox answered.

  “You would put Skye’s life in his hands?” Cloud inquired.

  “I would put my life in his hands. Skye’s life will be protected by all of us no matter what. I’ll take responsibility for my father. I’m not here to say he is a good or even changed man, but I saw him in the woods and he was different. He was genuine with me. He will help if I ask it of him.” Maddox replied.

  “Do it then.” Cloud said quickly. Gary looked to her shocked. “To save Skye, I’m willing to risk it.” She said answering Gary’s look of puzzlement.

  “Not to be crass, but grandparents can’t always be trusted. I mean it was your mom who tried to kill Skye in the first place.” Kel said with a shrug.

  “Yes. She proved to be a true monster. If we need another type of monster to save Skye then so be it. Call the beast.” Cloud said to Maddox. She got up and walked to Skye’s room to sit with her for a while.

  Maddox nodded and walked outside of the cabin once he knew his powers were the best way to reach his father. He found a quiet spot in the woods and sat silently, waiting.

  Maddox let out a sigh of relief when he saw Luke in his mind. Luke turned seeing and feeling the connection with Maddox.

  “Maddox?” Luke asked inside of Maddox’s head.

  “I need your help.” Maddox said. They were words he never thought he would ever say to his father. Luke looked as amazed by the words as Maddox felt saying them.

  “What happened?”

  “Skye’s grandmother took her hostage and harmed her. She’s healing right now but…” Maddox felt his arms shiver as goosebumps covered his body.

  “But what?” Luke asked concerned.

  “She’s pregnant Dad. It’s mine. Every supernatural creature is out to get her and she is carrying my child!” Maddox couldn’t hold back any longer. Tears fell down his cheeks. Luke froze at the sight. Maddox hadn’t cried since his mother had died. Normally Maddox held his emotions in check, but when it came to Skye he could hold nothing back.

  “What do you need?” Luke asked without hesitating.

  “We need an army to protect her. To protect them. I’m asking for your help.” Luke looked at his son and felt a connection with him he hadn’t felt in a long time. Maddox was facing the same fate that Luke had once suffered. Luke knew he wasn’t a good person. He also knew he wouldn’t allow his son to hurt the way he had all those years since his wife had died.

  “I’ll gather them. Will your company allow us there?” Luke had to ask. He knew his reputation was bad and he knew he deserved it.

  “They aren’t exactly happy, however they are willing to do anything for her. As am I. I’m putting my life in your hands Dad. She is my everything.” Luke wished that this connection between them would allow them to touch. He yearned to wipe the tears from his son’s face and to take him in his arms. Instead, he nodded.

  “We’ll be there tomorrow.” Maddox let out a breath of relief.

  “Thank you.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Skye opened her eyes to find her mother sitting beside her on the bed. Skye smiled, stretched, and groaned when her body felt heavy and sore. Skye looked down at herself. There were cut marks all over her body that were still healing.

  “What?” Skye asked looking at herself. Cloud touched Skye’s hand gently.

  “You were hurt, but you are safe now. You’ve been sleeping so your body could heal.” Cloud explained. Skye looked at her then back to her own body.

  “I don’t remember that. Wait, was anyone else hurt?” Her eyes shot back to her mother.

  “No. We got you back safely. You don’t remember anything?” Cloud asked her.

  “I… no. Everything is fuzzy.” Cloud smoothed Skye’s hair out.

  “It’s fine. It’ll come back eventually. No need to rush it.” Skye knew by her mother’s tone that she wanted her to forget something.

  “Mom, what aren’t you telling me?” Cloud looked in her eyes feeling weighed down by sadness.

  “Nothing so important that it can’t wait until later. Right now you need to eat and drink to gather strength. You’ve been sleeping for a whole day just about. You must be hungry.” At the mention of food Skye’s stomach rumbled in response. Cloud laughed.

  “I guess I could eat.” Skye started to move, but Cloud stopped her.

  “You should stay in
bed. I can bring you food.” Cloud insisted. Skye shook her head.

  “No. I need to move. My body hurts just laying here like this.” Skye said with a weak smile. Dr. Carroll walked into the room with a nod.

  “I agree, she needs to move. Just a little at a time though. You can walk to the kitchen to sit and eat.” Skye looked surprised to see him.

  “I didn’t know you were back.” she said.

  “I could not miss checking up on my favorite client.” He winked as he walked to her side to help her stand up. They made it to the kitchen slowly allowing Skye time to get used to her legs again.

  “I can’t believe how wobbly I feel. My legs are like jelly.” Skye said with a roll of her eyes. Once in the kitchen, Skye sat down at the table with a loud sigh. “That wore me out.” She shook her head. “I should be stronger than this.”

  “Everyone needs time to recover. You’ll be strong in no time. For now you’ll eat, drink, and take time to heal.” Dr. Carroll instructed. Cloud busied herself making a quick meal for Skye along with some milk to drink it down.

  Skye’s mouth watered at the sight. She couldn’t believe how fast her mother could make pancakes, bacon, and eggs. Skye took a bite of the pancakes covered in syrup and moaned at the sensation in her mouth. It tasted like heaven. She opened her eyes to see several people staring at her amusingly. She covered her mouth and blushed a bit.

  “Sorry. I didn’t realize I was that hungry.” She said softly. Buck and Kel smiled as they sat down beside her.

  “Your mother cooks like an angel so I understand.” Kel said with a wink. Skye devoured the food quickly and chased it down with two glasses of milk.

  “As great as that was, no more comas for me because if I wake up that hungry every time I’ll get fat in no time at all.” Skye joked. No one laughed. She looked at them raising an eyebrow. “Just a joke.” They smiled politely at her in a bit of an unnerving way.

  “How are you feeling?” Cloud inquired.

  “I’m fine. Sore still, but better. I just don’t understand what happened.” Skye looked from her parents to her friends and none of them looked like they were willing to talk. “I’m not so fragile guys that I can’t handle the truth. I don’t want to be kept in the dark.” Skye frowned when they still didn’t respond.

  Skye stood up about to leave the table when Maddox walked into the kitchen. They both froze when their eyes locked with each other. Skye gasped. She was a bit shocked to see him there with everyone, but a part of her felt she had known he was there. However, knowing and seeing were two different things.

  “Skye…” Maddox almost whispered. He said her name as if it were precious to him. Skye looked at him a bit taken back.

  “Um, I suppose you and your demons have been helping us out. Thank you for that. You didn’t have to nevertheless it is most appreciated.” Skye said sounding way too formal for Maddox’s liking. She was treating him like a stranger. To her, Maddox basically was a stranger.

  “Anything we can do, you just let us know.” The intensity in Maddox’s stare was unsettling for Skye. She felt a heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach just looking at him. It was as if he were looking at more than just her body, like her soul perhaps. She knew that was silly, but it sure felt like that at that moment.

  “Well, I need to take a shower. I feel sticky and gross.” Skye glanced at her parents who merely nodded. Skye walked around Maddox carefully so as not to touch him. Maddox closed his eyes. It upset him the way she seemed to almost fear him. After they heard the bathroom door shut Buck spoke to Maddox.

  “Give her time man.” Buck murmured.

  “I am. I’m trying. Did you see the way she looked at me? I feel like I have spent a lifetime loving her and she doesn’t even know me.” Maddox shook his head upset.

  “Her vitals are strong and now that she has an appetite, we are going to talk with her about what happened. Not everything of course,” Dr. Carroll said, “but we will let her know what happened with her grandmother and Nancy, as well as informing of her past with you and Mike.”

  “She needs to know so that she has time to process it.” Kel muttered. “No one should be left in the dark like this. I hate not being able to tell her the truth about everything. We will all keep an eye on her even more to make sure she doesn’t do anything that would harm the baby.” Kel whispered.

  Everyone nodded in agreement. Maddox let out a sigh as he walked out of the cabin to be alone. He thought he had known torture in his life. Maddox had been hurt, hunted, and had his fair share of physical pain. None of that amounted to anything when it came to the love of his life, the woman carrying his child, not even knowing him.

  “Skye is stronger than you are giving her credit for.” Evan’s voice broke Maddox’s concentration, or more so his pity party.

  “I know that.” Maddox said gruffly. “I know her very well. She may have forgotten that, but the rest of you would do good to remember it.”

  “Testy. I’m sorry I interrupted your ‘pity party for one’ but you are acting like you will never get her back.”

  “Evan I might not! She may not love me enough to be with me. She may chose Mike. Again.” Maddox wanted to hit something but resisted. He knew Evan wouldn’t hesitate to use magic on him and Maddox wasn’t in the mood to be turned into something that came out of Evan’s twisted mind.

  “You doubt that she truly loved you?”

  “No!” Maddox yelled. “Yes.” He whispered. “I don’t fucking know and that is what is killing me! Demon toxin is powerful. I’ve seen slaves believe they loved their masters with such passion before.” He hated the images in his mind, but he knew how easy it was for someone to lose themselves in something like that.

  “When those slaves were drugged with the toxin did they ever fight their masters? Did they ever back talk them?” Evan inquired.

  “No, of course not. They knew better.” Maddox answered. Evan smiled.

  “Did Skye ever make it easy on you? Did you two never fight? Did she never talk back? I happen to know her very well too and I know she was the same with you as she was with anyone except the whole ‘in love with you’ thing. She was still Skye.” Evan’s words gave Maddox hope. But hope was a bitch. Hope could destroy you.

  “Have you ever been in love Evan?” Maddox had to ask. Evan laughed humorously at the question.

  “I am in love actually but my lover just isn’t here right now.” Maddox raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

  “Why not?”

  “They are busy… things to do.” Evan was very evasive with his answer driving Maddox to question him even more.

  “They? I’ve noticed you don’t say ‘him’ or ‘her’. Is there a reason?” Evan smiled wider at Maddox’s question.

  “I like my privacy.” Maddox scoffed.

  “You like privacy yet you are in the middle of everyone’s business around you? Not really fair.”

  “Didn’t anyone ever tell you that life isn’t fair?”

  “Oh, no. Never. The woman I love more than life itself is carrying my child, she is naked in a shower, and yet is completely untouchable to me. Life seems totally fair to me.”

  “Wow, you do have a sense of humor.” Evan smirked.

  “Stop changing the subject. Who is your lover?”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “Evan, are you ashamed? I mean if you’re gay, then you’re gay. I won’t judge you man. I don’t care who you love.”

  “Then why are you so intent on finding out?” Evan said with a smug smile.

  “Okay. I don’t necessarily care but I am curious. What is your type?”

  “I’ll just say that you are not my type. Neither is anyone else that is here. That’s all I’ll say. That’s more than you deserve for an answer so I hope you like it.” Evan winked walking away. Maddox laughed despite himself.

  “Bastard.” he muttered.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Maddox had been careful to avoid Skye. He had to give her time to adj
ust to knowing he was there. To be near her was driving him insane. Days had passed since Skye first woke up after the attack. When her family told her what happened she denied it. She fought against it. Raged even. After the anger came and went, the sadness and guilt set in. That was just about the hardest part for Maddox. He wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her it would be okay. He wanted her to stop blaming herself for killing Nancy. He knew how heavily that weighed on her. It was nearly killing him to not be at her side.

  She had her family and friends there. She also had Mike by her side. Constantly. Skye seemed to follow Mike around like a puppy dog. Maddox reminded himself that it wouldn’t be helpful to snap Mike’s neck but he was having a hard time convincing himself of the fact.

  Luke had showed up just as promised, but stayed outside with the legion of warriors he brought with him. Maddox had been surprised at the welcoming reception everyone had given his father. Well, everyone except for Skye. She could not understand why he was there. Skye was still trying to figure out why Maddox was helping so when the man who had supposedly murdered her father came to help, she didn’t believe it. Maddox couldn’t blame her. Even though he trusted his dad, he wasn’t stupid enough to not keep an eye on him.

  Maddox was growing impatient though. No one had told Skye about their relationship yet. He understood keeping her pregnancy under wraps for now. With a horde of supernaturals after coming for life, it was better for her not to worry about that as well. In his mind though, if she was well enough to chase Mike around, then she was well enough to know she belonged with Maddox.

  Maddox walked towards the cabin after leaving his father to check on any signs of trouble. Luckily, things were still quiet. Somehow that unnerved Maddox even more. What were they waiting on?