“This little thing is someone I should fear?” she scoffed as she extended a finger towards me. An electric bolt shot from her fingertip, and I felt like I was struck by lightning as my body convulsed uncontrollably in pain. My hands went out from under me and my face connected with the pavement this time.
I gasped in pain as the residual effects of her gift wracked my body. My vision was doubled. I felt a warm stickiness running down the back of my head and neck from my original fall. My whole right side of my cheek was already swelling. It made it even harder to look out of my right eye.
“Knock it off, Static,” another voice reprimanded her. “The boss wants her in one piece.”
Real original nickname, I scoffed inwardly.
“She will be,” another male voice said with chilling glee. I braced myself for more pain as I felt my body engulfed in ice. I felt like I was being plunged into freezing water. “Just slightly broken.”
I felt so close to blacking out as I looked up at the billboard. I was unable to focus on any of my gifts. The pain in my body was too great. Jaxson! I screamed.
“Blake, what’s wrong?” his voice came to me immediately.
“Help,” I gasped. “Billboard.”
I thought I was being offered a moment of respite as the ice left my veins. “Is that all you have,” I mumbled. My voice sounded slurred even to my own ears. I couldn’t access my gifts, but I needed to stall for as long as possible. I knew they were here to get me. There was no way in hell I was going to be separated from my family and friends again.
I heard another female laugh to my left. “She’s got balls, but mine are bigger,” she said smugly before I saw weeds from the side of the road begin to crawl towards me. The long vine-like foliage wrapped themselves around me to the point that I could barely breath. The vines constricted painfully around my chest and throat.
When I felt the vines finally recede from around me, it felt like everyone was so far away. It felt like I was seeing everything through a blurry tunnel. I thought I saw Drake as a force field was erected around me, successfully separating me from my tormentors. I heard the chaos and shouts, before I finally allowed the pain to take me away
I came to as I was being carried into the bathroom. I looked up at Drake and was instantly lost in his blue eyes. He should take his glasses off more often, I thought. I reached up and touched his face. He hadn’t shaved today so the blond and light brown stubble was rough against my palm.
“You found me,” I breathed in relief. My body was still riddled in pain.
A look of sorrow and regret entered his eyes. “I was done with my swim and found out you went out by yourself. I tried to catch up with you, but I was too late to stop the worst of it. Luckily, Gavin, Jemmy, and Rachel were on their way home. Then Micah showed up to teleport you back here, while we went after the people trying to get you.”
“Why the hell was she out by herself?” I could hear Will curse from my bedroom.
I was unable to hear their response as Noah came into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Drake had turned on the shower and was waiting for it to warm up as I lay naked in his arms. He gingerly walked me under the warm showerheads. He was carrying me like I was make of glass.
Noah stripped down to his boxers. “We’re so sorry Blake,” he muttered as he stepped in front of us. He methodically started to lay his hands on my face, my hands, my arms, and I sighed in relief as that pain receded. He touched the back of my head last. “Anywhere else?”
Drake cleared his throat as he slowly lowered me. “Her back and hips,” he said his cheeks stained red.
I should have been more self-conscious being naked in front of them, again, but I was still shaking from the shock of the morning. They were stripped down to their boxers, and I felt no shyness or embarrassment. They were my connections.
Noah placed his hands on the only physical areas that hurt.
I sighed in relief once more and leaned in closer to Drake, wrapping my arms around his middle. I saw Noah reach around Drake and grab my shampoo. I almost groaned in pleasure when he massaged my scalp with the shampoo.
“You have blood in your hair,” Noah explained as he gently worked it through my hair.
“It’s becoming an awful habit,” I tried to joke.
Noah groaned as Drake began to run his hands up and down my back. “Don’t quit your day job, Blake. You really scared us this time,” he murmured with regret lacing his voice. “We’re never leaving you alone again.”
I could still hear the muffled shouts of Will through the bathroom door. “I was careless.” I sighed. “I should have been paying attention, or taken the route on the property, but…”
“You were too worried about Remy, Jace, and Jaxson.” Noah reached around us to grab the conditioner. “Troy and I have already told Jace and Jaxson that we need to air everything out…but…”
“Jaxson still misses his aunt and mom, even if they abandoned them,” Drake finished quietly. “And Jace thinks he’s been coping with it correctly.”
I tried to shrug, “I understand why it’s hard to talk about our demons, but I wish they could talk to me about it, if or when they felt the need to. I feel like my life is pretty much public knowledge, but not theirs.”
“That’s not necessarily true,” Noah hedged.
“Oh yeah,” I said slightly upset that it seemed like he was defending them. “Who in your circle of friends doesn’t know Molly is Remy’s cousin? Does anyone in your lives not know Jax and Jace’s mother and another significant female in their lives, are still alive?” After a moment of silence, I continued. “Just as I thought,” I said bitterly. “The person that should probably know these things, doesn’t.”
“They will,” Noah sounded contrite, and then he said confidently as he ran his fingers through my hair with the conditioner, like a comb, “When they’re ready.”
I had to stifle the growl of frustration. I counted to ten and then I nodded. “I can accept that.” I closed my eyes, feeling beyond tired. I couldn’t let my anger and hurt fester. “I just don’t want to always be in the dark. I feel like you guys know pretty much everything about me,” I finished quietly.
Noah finished washing my body with my loofah and body wash. I was nearly sleeping on my feet by the time they were finished.
I woke up sometime later in my bed. I felt like I was in a vice grip, before I realized it was Jaxson cuddled against my chest. He was asleep, his long black lashes fanned across his cheeks. I reached up and caressed his cheek.
He slowly blinked his eyes open. A look of relief spread across his face. “Hey beautiful,” he croaked huskily, his voice heavy with sleep.
“Hey there,” I responded quietly. “What time is it?” I asked looking around. All the curtains were drawn, making it difficult to see what time of day it was.