Divine Savior (12 page)

“
Yeah, buddy, for just a little while. I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to stay long, all right? I have another job to go to tonight. Here, I brought you something to do. That’s really great about the other stuff.”

They played around with the little car for several minutes, completely ignoring the other woman, before Shade stood to leave again.

“
I want you behave yourself, okay? Your momma, has she been here today?” Shade was relieved when Brent shook his head no. “Remember what I said. You have one of the nurses come in here if she does. They know what to do if you call them, okay?” She pulled Brent in for a hug, which he returned with enthusiasm.

Shade pulled another plastic bag out of her coat pocket and handed it to him. He opened it and was so delighted by the Matchbox car; one would have thought that Shade had given him the giant toy box that Sara had thought to bribe him with earlier today.

~~~

As the two of them marveled once again over the cars and Shade read him the description from the back, Sara looked at the young girl. Shade’s coat looked to be about three sizes too big. It looked about as warm as a light jacket that would be made for much warmer weather. Her tennis shoes were worn at the toes and the laces needed to be replaced, as they were knotted together in several places on each shoe. Her jeans had the knee out on one leg and the other was just a few threads away from the same predicament. But everything about Shade, her clothes, her face scrubbed and her hair pulled back into a tight braid that hung down her back, was clean and tidy. And she smelled like soap. Not the fancy soaps like the ones Sara had begun to use since becoming mated to Aaron, but plain old Ivory soap. Shade hadn’t been eating well, probably hadn’t for some time, but she had a healthy glow about her, Sara noticed.

Sara herself knew what it was like to have very little money for food. She also knew what it was like to give up everything to protect someone that you loved at all cost. Sara had protected Mel in much the same way that Shade was protecting Brent. She thought again how much the two of them had in common.

“
Good-bye, and you behave. Remember what I said, especially the part about your momma, okay?” Shade and Brent hugged again, then she made her way to the door.

“
Yeah, I gots it. Will you come back tomorrow? I really miss you. You don’t gotta bring me anything, I just miss ya.”

“
I’ll be back sometime soon, Brent.” Just when Sara thought Shade was going to leave and ignore her again, she looked directly at her and whispered through her mind.

“
I know that you are immortal, but you hurt him and I will take all that you are away from you, understand?”

“
Yes, I understand. You understand this, Shade Doe; we will meet again, count on it.”

After Shade left and Brent was settled down again, Sara asked him about what Shade had meant about his momma.

“
If she tries to take me outta here, I’m to scream bloody murder. I didn’t know what that meant. So I asked Shade. She said I was to scream like there were a hundred bad guys after me. I told her I would. Shade is my very best friend. Momma said she kilt Becca, but I know she wouldn’t do that. That bad man did it; I know it.”

Brent turned away from Sara then and held his cars close to his heart. She could tell that he was crying, his thin shoulders shaking. She let him have his privacy, knowing how important a man’s dignity was to them. Men were men, no matter how young of age they were.

Mel showed up a couple hours later. Sara and Brent had fallen asleep in their respective places. Sara came awake quickly, having been startled by Aaron calling to her through their bond.

“
Aaron and Dominic are on their way in. Colin was going by restaurants again to see if he could find Shade. I’ve told them she was here today, that I talked to her. Aaron is going to contact him and have him come here.”

“
You talked to her? Sheesh! That’s great, so when is she going to talk to Colin? She’ll meet with the big guy, right?” Mel sounded so relieved that Sara almost hated to tell her no, she wouldn’t even discuss Colin, but she knew she would find out sooner or later.

“
No, she isn’t. And if you’re really as smart as I know you are, I wouldn’t mention it if you happen to get the chance to meet her. Shade is pretty adamant about not getting to know her better half just yet.”

Sara had thought about it for a long time after Brent had fallen asleep. Something wasn’t right here; there was an animosity that should not be there for two people who were going to be mated, at least she didn’t think so. She would have to talk with Aaron about it then Colin walked in the room and she decided to ask him.

“
I can understand that given what I’ve done to her, but I at least want the chance to tell her how sorry I am. I can sense her; she was here for a while. Hello, little human, how was your day?”

Colin looked at the little boy with such intensity that Brent squirmed a little. He didn’t say anything to him, just clutched his car closer and glared. It would have been very funny had the look not been the same one Shade had pinned on Sara before she had left.

~~~

Colin left a short time after the introductions were made to Brent. Brent really was a sorry-looking thing, especially for a human. He knew, however, that looks could be deceiving. Strength was measured in ability and character, not necessarily muscle tone.

Colin followed Shade’s scent for nearly three miles before he came upon her. It wasn’t as difficult as it had been to trace her. Shade’s scent was stronger now; it was still fresh for him. And he didn’t have to try and sort hers out from others. He knew hers as well as he did his own.

Shade was working in the back room of a small restaurant, doing dishes. Hiding himself in a shadow gathered from the darkest corners of the room, he slipped into the kitchen. He reached out to her mentally and felt her pause in her work and look at him. She looked right at him for all of a second, and then turned back to the dishes.

“
What do you want, bloodsucker? I’m too busy to fuck with you now.”
She spoke to him mentally; something his kind could do only through a blood exchange. But at least she was talking him, he thought. At least for now anyway.

“
I wanted to see you, to tell you how sorry I am that I hurt you the other day. I was wondering if you’d meet me somewhere? I’d like to talk to you, please.”

Colin could sense her pain and her wariness of him. He also could feel her anger, though not all of it was directed at him, but mostly at herself. That gave him pause—her heart was so pure. What did she think she might have done to be so angry with herself?

“
No. Now go away.”

Frustration boiled through him. She wouldn’t even turn to talk to him; she just continued to wash the pots and pans.

“
We have many things to discuss, you and I. You are my mate, and I want to protect you. I need to protect you, Shade. I can take care of things for you, and help you in so many ways. You won’t have to work like this anymore.”

Colin had practiced what he would say to Shade when he found her, and thought that he had done a great job so far. He had been articulate and calm when every part of him wanted to demand that she stop what she was doing, turn around, and talk to him. But he should have known that she would see right through him.

“
This is a good job, you arrogant ass. And as far as you taking care of me, fuck you! I do just fine by myself. Now get the hell out of here before I blast your stupid ass out on my own. And where do you get off thinking you could demand anything of me? Huh?”

He felt her move through him, over him, her anger like heavy syrup pouring over every part of him. His anger for her spiked and he snapped at her. “
You will talk to me, damn it! I’ve had enough of this stupidity on your part. You’re hungry, cold, and you live in a hovel without heat or a proper door to lock. Damn it, woman, you’ll come with me now. I have a place you can stay at. Now, Shade, I want you to…”

He should have taken a deep breath before he spoke, stopped to think first. Especially in light of what had happened the other day. Thinking about what he was about to say would have been very smart, but hindsight was always twenty-twenty.

Her magic plowed into him, taking his breath away for the second time. He chanced a glance at her just before everything went black. She hadn’t even turned around or stopped what she was doing.

~
CHAPTER ELEVEN~

Aaron had been regaling a story to the young Brent about the Civil War when he felt Colin’s distress. The story had been very true; Aaron had just made it slightly less gory for Brent. Although, Aaron suspected that Brent would have loved it told the true way.

“
Colin is in trouble. I have to go to him!” Aaron had felt the loss of Colin’s connection throughout his entire body—it was immediate and profound.

The connection between the two men was very strong. Aaron was not only Colin’s master and friend, but he was also Colin’s maker. As soon as Aaron had lost the tight connection, however brief it was, he felt it as if it were his own heart that skipped a beat.

Aaron could sense that Colin was alive and not really hurt or in danger, but he had been rendered unconscious. The power that had poured into and over Colin had been strong, very strong, as it would have been for a vampire with his strength and age.

Aaron materialized just outside the kitchen just seconds after leaving the hospital. Colin was lying in a heap. His friend was being fanned with a dishcloth by a young waitress when Aaron entered the kitchen by the back door. He didn’t know what the girl, Shade, looked like so he touched Sara’s mind and found what he was looking for. He saw her standing over a sink full of pots and pans, not even looking at the man lying on the floor, seemingly unconcerned about Colin’s welfare. Aaron’s energy powered into Shade, hot and heavy. His terror for Colin’s well being made the force of his anger stronger than he had felt for some time. The only indication that she felt him was a slight stiffening of her shoulders.

“
You will turn and you will look at me now!”

The command that demanded her compliance roared through his voice and into her head. Shade, however, gave no indication she had heard or felt him scream in her mind. She finished washing the large pan before she turned around and glared at him. What he saw tore through him.

She had been beaten, and badly. She was leaning on the sink, but he thought that it was more that she needed to, rather than to show defiance toward him and his order.

“
Who did this to you, child?”
His voice now full of regret and concern; pity and sorrow gently moved into her. If anything, Aaron saw that his gentleness affected her more than his order.

“
I don’t need your help or sympathy any more than I want it, Fang Face. I’m guessing that you can see what I don’t let the others. It is of no concern to you, or to him. I’m here to work. I need to work. Take your friend and go. No one here will remember either of you were even here; I’ll make sure of that. Tell him to stay away from me. He requires too much of my energy and strength to keep telling him no.”

Aaron could see what it was costing her to be defiant to him; she was weak and hurt, barely able to stand. He opened his senses to her and moved through her, taking inventory of her injuries. They were numerous and some of them very serious.

Shade had two broken ribs and three others that were cracked. There were several deep bruises in the large muscles that had to hurt her enormously. Shade’s nose was broken and there were two teeth loose. Several deep cuts to her arms and her torso had her losing blood at a manageable rate, he guessed. Aaron wondered how she was even standing. He had known grown men that would have been felled by only half of what she had to be enduring.

“
You’re injuries could be healed by Colin if you would just allow him to help you, Shade. Just allow him to show you what he can do for you. Please, I cannot keep him away. You mean too much to him to walk away. Talk to Colin, please.”

“
No. No, no, no! Do all bloodsuckers have a problem with that word? It isn’t that complicated, just two letters. No. I don’t want to talk to him. I’m...I don’t...”
She turned slightly away from Aaron, tears forming in her eyes that he could see glistening on her cheeks even from across the room.
“I’m damaged, and a freak. I want him to stop trying to do whatever it is he thinks he needs to do. I...I have failed enough people to last several lifetimes, many more than you’ve lived. Becca died because of me, tell him...yes...tell Colin yes, that he was right, I did kill her. Now, I want you to leave here before I lose my job, something I can ill afford.”

He nodded to her once; Aaron was overwhelmed by the emotions Shade had let him see. It tore at his soul, very much like Colin had done so many centuries ago. He felt his beloved mate touch him, sending her love and concern for him and for the girl. Sara knew what Shade had said to him; her link with him was so strong.

Aaron gathered up his friend, picked him up and slung him over his shoulder as if he didn’t weigh nearly three hundred pounds of pure muscle and bone. With a single wave to Shade, he disappeared. After Aaron had gone, he swept through her mind once more.