“Is that what you think? Can I kiss you?”
“What?”
He leaned over and pressed a kiss against her lips.
She closed her eyes enjoying the thoughts that skipped around her mind telling her she’d never been kissed like that before. She fell asleep with a happy smile on her face.
*~*~*~*
Sage woke up early wishing she had time to say thank you to Jessie and Cait for all they had done for her. She’d loved to see Ven’s smile one more time and watch Deja be protective of those she cared for. This compound was a community, and from what she had seen they take care of each other. If things had been different, she might have been able to stay around.
She showered putting on her nicest pair of jeans and her best shirt before she went into the kitchen wondering if Caden would make her one last meal.
He told her that learning to cook had been his salvation. He was so focused on making sure he didn’t accidentally poison himself or Xander. It took time, but he slowly healed, and so did his brother, but together they became more lethal than they ever were, so he continued to cook.
“Eggs, croissants, and sausage.”
“You spoil me.”
“Only you would feel that way. Take a seat.” He placed the food in front of her along with the last of her medicine. “Cait says she’ll take a look at you tonight to make sure you don’t need anything else.”
“She’s a little strange, but I like her.”
“Cait has done some things I never thought we would be capable of. She’s proof that we have a future here.”
“Here as in America?”
“Here as in on this planet.”
“Yep, that’s what I thought you meant.”
He placed both hands on the table, so she could see them and waited for her to make the next move.
“When I first started dating Jim, he was a nice guy.” Her voice was soft. She pushed back her plate and looked everywhere except at Caden. “We were compatible, not in love but a woman could do a lot worse than him. I thought finally something was going my way. I could have married him, given him children and been slightly miserable but no one would know except me.
“One day he came home happy. I was happy for him too. I’d never seen him that excited. He told me he met a man. I thought that meant we would be going to church more often, or you know he met a man, one that rocked his world. It meant neither.” Pulling her plate closer, she finished eating in silence as she watched Caden.
“I believe that there is evil in infinite forms on the Earth. All of it didn’t originate here. After spending time with you, I also believe that there is good on the Earth, all of it didn’t originate here.” She stood up after she was done eating and went into the other room.
He sat back in the chair listening to her walk around the apartment as she spoke softly to herself. He still hadn’t told her that he wasn’t human or what he was, but he was getting there, while she convinced herself every day that no matter what he was she liked him. Standing, he stretched it was time for the confrontation.
There was a knock on the door, and he went to let Xander in.
“Who’s at the door?” Sage asked coming into the living room.
“This is Xander, my brother.”
She walked up to him and threw her arms around him.
“Thank you for being alive and doing everything you could to help heal your brother.” She whispered into his ear before stepping back.
“You’re welcome baby sister.” He flashed her a smile before looking at his brother. “Are we ready to go?”
“We… Go? Where are we going?”
“To the police station.” Xander gave her a look that said where else would we be going.
“Fire is going to drop me off, and I’ll talk to the detective.”
“Change of plans. Not really a change, I just didn’t tell you the plan.” Fire walked in with Declyn by her side.
“We never leave our people alone. Not even if we think they’re dead.” Declyn spoke up.
For the first time, she could feel the strength and dominance that rolled off Declyn and Fire. If she had to call them something, it would be a power couple, but there was more than that. There was love and compassion. They cared about what happened to their people, and somehow; she was now one of those people.
“I can’t allow you to risk your lives for mine.”
“Then it’s a good thing we didn’t ask.”
“Xander, are you driving?”
“I have the jeep outside.”
“Jeep?”
“In case we have to go off-road.” Caden stretched out his hand and waited.
She looked at his hand and watched as he stood there as if he had all day. Taking his hand would be consenting to whatever plan he had. She blinked her eyes before she looked around the room. No one had moved they were all waiting on her. Her fight had been with Jim for so long that it felt impossible that someone else would be willing to stand with her, but Caden was.
One look at Xander told her he would always back his brother up. She looked at Safire and understood what it meant to keep one’s word. It was up to her now. She could keep going it alone, or she could stop and let someone help her.
Her teeth worried her bottom lip as she reached out to take Caden’s hand. The warmth of his palm made her belly roll with sensations as her breasts tightened. She was going to stand and fight and be thankful that she had people, or aliens, not that she was thinking of that, to have her back.
They led the way out the door and down the steps. When she got to the jeep, she just stopped to stare.
“Who owns this?”
“I do; Caden has one almost like it. The colors are just reversed.”
She was staring at a four-door jeep with large tires that looked like it was outfitted to take on any terrain. It was black with purple accents. She didn’t know much about Xander, but his jeep was someone’s wet dream.
“Get in.”
She got in the back seat with Caden sitting beside her. Ven climbed into the front seat next to Xander.
“He hates to miss the excitement,” Caden whispered in her ear.
“Youth,” Xander said before he started the Jeep.
She turned around to see Declyn and Fire in a charger with Enzo and Deja sitting in another charger behind them.
“Is that Jessie and Cole in the third car?”
“It is and Cait and Tristan, in the car behind theirs, just in case there is trouble.”
“But why?”
“Because we take care of our own.” Xander winked at her making her want to laugh despite how serious this was.
She slid her hand into Caden’s and squeezed as Xander started the jeep and took off.
“This is the barrier if you look back after we cross, it will look like a solid wall.”
“How do we get back in?”
“It recognizes us and lets us in. Now it seems to recognize certain females and lets them in.”
“Do you feel that?”
“Feel what?” Caden turned to face her.
“The cold breeze. What’s happening to the weather? When I came here, it was cold looking like snow.”
“I’ve been paying attention to the weather; the reporters are saying we are having unseasonable changes in temperature. They speculate this happens every several hundred years, but none of them are certain. They all seem to think it will pass and are encouraging citizens to remain calm.” Ven turned around in his seat to tell her.
“Calm? This isn’t right. What touched me?” She turned around in the seat. The seat belt tightened on her.
“There is nothing back here to touch you except me.”
“Caden something touched me, and it was cold. It dragged its hand or finger down the side of my arm.”
“Sage—.”
“Don’t Sage me; I know what I felt.”
Caden met Xander’s eyes in the rearview mirror. They had a bigger problem than they thought.
Chapter Seven
Sage opened the door and slid out the car landing on her feet. The police station was in front of her a big building made of concrete and blocks. This wasn’t her first time seeing it, but it was her first time going inside.
She had flashbacks to officers coming to the apartment she shared with Jim to see what all the noise was about. How many times had she looked an officer in the face and lied? ‘I’m fine I just fell.’
They weren’t stupid, but her life depended on pretending. Some days she wondered what would have happened if she had just taken the help and used it to get as far away from Jim as possible. Probably this same thing. She’d be back here about to confront the monster in her life.
“If you need help call me, no hesitations.” Xander’s voice was rough with affection.
He was going to wait for them by the Jeep. She turned knowing she should let them have this moment, but she needed to be part of it, to see what was happening between them.
She was expecting to see them shaking hands or as twins to see them do the brother hug. Instead, their right hand was on the other's chest. It couldn’t be on their hearts because it was a little too far to the right and several inches lower than it should be. Palms pressed firmly fingers spread. It looked like she could see their hearts beating against their chests showing her the movement between their spread fingers.
Sage turned her head and shook it. That was impossible.
It’s about time that you start grasping on to reality and stop living in the dream world you created. Caden and Xander are not human, and they’re not your enemy. The alien voice inside her head spat the words out as if tired of putting up with her denial.
Here’s another word of wisdom for you. When you walk into this station, you better know where you stand if you want to walk out of there alive. It’s time for the games to stop. All your denials had better come to an end before you vouch for the person trying to kill you. You are no longer a child Sage grow the hell up!
“Sage?” Caden was in front of her looking worried.
“Sorry, I was having one of those conversations with myself that define the rest of your life. You ever have one of those?” Please say yes, tell me I’m not losing my freaking mind.
“I think it may be mandatory, no matter what species you are.”
Thanks, remind me you’re an alien, but that’s a conversation for later. She stood a little taller, proud that she said and thought the word alien without turning into a puddle and melting onto the ground.
“Are you ready?”
She nodded, “I am let’s go.”
Squaring her shoulders, she walked beside him across the lot and up the steps. There was a desk when you first walked into the station, and that’s where they stopped.
“Hi, we’re here to see Detective Baker. I’m Sage Stewart; we have an eleven o’clock appointment with him.”
“Have a seat, I will let him know you’re here.”
They turned around and sat on the chairs not too far from the desk. She concentrated on taking deep breaths. All she needed to do was let the detective know she was fine, and then she would be able to leave with Caden.
“Ms. Stewart, Detective Baker will see you now.” A different officer was standing by her side.
She got up with Caden standing too.
“Just Ms. Stewart.”
“I’d like him to be with me.”
“I’m sorry, but there is a possibility that he is your abductor. The detective only wishes to see you.”
“Will her past boyfriend be in there?” Caden asked the officer.
“I’m not at liberty to say.”
“Then I’m not at liberty to allow her to place her life in danger. I understand why the detective doesn’t want me in the room. I believe that is wise and Jim should be kept out of the room for the same reason.” Caden took her hand, and they sat back down.
The officer went over to the desk and used the phone. He turned around to make his call before hanging up.
“Detective Baker agrees that is wise. When he brings Jim in, you will also be allowed to come in.”
Sage stood, “Thank you.” She followed the officer through the station until they came to an office with Detective Bakers name on the door. He escorted her in before he left.
“Ms. Stewart, it's a pleasure to meet you.” He stood up to greet her.
“Please detective, call me Sage. It is also a pleasure to meet you.”
“Have a seat.” He motioned toward the chairs in front of his desk sitting after she sat.
“I was beginning to think you weren’t going to show up.”
“I’ve been sick with a bacterial virus. Safire chose to wait until I was on the mend before she told me about what was happening and your desire to see me.”
“She does seem to have her own way of doing things. I received a complaint from your finance that you were missing. He felt that maybe Safire, the woman who lived on your floor in the apartment building was somehow involved in it.”
She held up her hand and wiggled her fingers. “No ring and no ring impression. Jim and I have never been engaged to get married. In fact, at this point, we are nothing to each other. I took the first opportunity I could and ran from him far and fast.”
“Why would you feel the need to have to run?”
She stood up and turned around. “So, I would never have to experience this again.” She pulled up her shirt enough to show several burn marks as well as whip marks.
“Are you saying that he did that to you?”
“Yes.” She pulled down her shirt and retook her seat.
“Why didn’t you come here?”
“What would you have done detective? It is my word against his. From what I’ve noticed the world is more inclined to listen to the being with balls. That leaves me high and dry.” She shook her head and clenched her fist.
“Ms. Stewart that is not the way I operate.”
“Detective Baker you are in the minority.” He shook his head in agreement.
“Do you wish to press charges?”
“I want to be left alone.”
“For the record, Mr. Butler says you were abducted. How do you answer that.?”
“I left him of my own free will, and I am choosing to stay away from him with that same will.”
“He has asked for a meeting with you. Are you agreeable to that?”
“Yes, but I ask that Caden is in the room.”
“I will have them brought in.”
She sat waiting. Her fingers were drumming on the arm of the chair. The thought of seeing Jim again was enough to make her want to throw up. It was the only way to be free of him, but facing her past wasn’t making her happy.
The door opened, and Caden walked in. He stopped in front of her and went down on his heels. “How are you?”
“I’m fine, Detective Baker and I spoke, I told him I have no plans to leave with Jim or ever be with him again.”
“Alright, then we will find a place for you, or you are welcome to come back with me.”
She smiled at him as he stood and walked to stand behind her. She turned around to find him standing with his legs spread and his arms over his chest. He looked like an enforcer the kind that would keep her safe. When she turned back around, she was breathing easier.
Jim walked in, and she pushed her body against the back of the chair without realizing it. Her eyes were glued on his hands. They were so big they reminded her of sledge hammers. How many times had he hit her?
“Sage, sweetheart, where were you? I was so worried.” He walked straight towards her.
“Mr. Butler, remember no touching.” The detective stood and placed his hand on his weapon.
“Are you threatening me?”
“No, I’m reminding you that we talk with our mouths and not our hands.”
“Are you ready to go home?”
“No, that is no longer my home, and we are not in a relationship. I thought my leaving you w
ould have clued you into that.”
“Think carefully about what you’re saying. Once you think about it, you will remember your place is with me.”
“No, I’m never coming back.”
He pulled back his arm and swung at her before the detective could reach for his gun. Caden caught his fist and twisted until he was on the floor.
“Give me a reason not to break your arm. Try to convince me that you were not going to hurt Sage.”
“I love her; I would never hurt her.”
“Liar. You hit me and beat me. You made my life miserable by threatening me. I hate you!”
The words rang throughout the room like a bell. It echoed off the wall as the venom in her voice acted like a poison keeping everyone still.
She shook herself all she wanted to do was leave. “Caden, let him go. Please, I just want to leave.”
He looked at her before he dropped his hand and moved back. He moved to touch Sage, but the smile on Jim’s face stopped him. There was a tingling on his hand from where he came into contact with Jim. It wasn’t doing anything to him, but he would bet it would affect Sage. Biowarfare, he dealt with this in the past.
“Detective Baker may I use your sanitizer?”
“Of course.”
He used the hand that hadn’t touched Jim to pump it out before he began to clean his hands.
“What are you doing? Are you so prissy that you have to clean your hands after a fight?”
“Sage, pump more into my hands but don’t touch me.” He used it four times before he felt like he could touch something without passing the contagion.
“Detective I can’t prove it, but I believe he placed something on his hands that is contagious. I suggest not shaking hands with him. Whatever it is I believe it was meant for Sage.”
“He’s crazy, don’t listen to him. What happened to the no touching rule? I want to press charges.”
“I’ll leave him to you detective.” He turned and left the office with Sage following him.
“Do you really think there was something on his hands?”
“Yes, I could feel it on mine. Whatever it was didn’t work on me.”
“Excuse me, could you direct me to the nearest men’s room?” The officer told him where to go.
Caden (The Wolves Den Book 4) Page 5
