Her words hit me like a brick, the dream flooding back in and paralyzing me temporarily. I knew her pain, I knew her fear intimately yet I still couldn't just let her go back to that hell hole.
Pulling into the lot I turn to her, capturing her attention, trying to sound as sincere as possible while butt ass naked illuminated by the parking lot lamp I had parked under.
"I fully understand your fears little one, we will find them and I will help them too if they're still alive, but right now we need to get you in and safe. Those men know you're gone by now and they will come looking for you. I promise you they won't kill them because they need something to hold over your head. that's what men like that do"
Getting out of the truck I walk around to her side and open the door. With a wry smile I look down at her as her pointy ears are illuminated in the light and her silky red hair shines like jewels atop her head. Memories of another flashing before my eyes, forcing me to be gentle and patient.
"I'm going to pick you up now, because: 1 I don't feel like chasing you should you decide to run, and two, somehow you're actually wearing more clothing than I am and I need the covering"
Shaylee
It was like a train wreck, I tried to look away, to keep my eyes averted but they kept popping back up and seeing the very thing that they didn't want to see.
"You don't know that..you don't know they won't kill them, they killed my brother like it was sport! Let them find me, I'll help them as long as mama and dad are safe!"
Tears were threatening to spill over, hot and full of fear and anger and the helpless feeling I had drowned in for so long. They spilled down silently as he hosted me in the air. I didn't fight, too afraid of what I might brush against if I even breathed too heavy.
Xander
Lifting her I pulled her in, wishing I could offer some sort of comfort as her small body shook with her emotions, no doubt completely overwhelming her at this point. I held her in my arms as gently as possible, afraid to hurt her or scare her more. Brushing back her hair from her face I ran a thumb across her cheek and lifted her face to look at me. "No one is going to hurt them little Fae, you are safe now, and I will make sure they are too" I assure her gently as i reach the door.
"Hey how's it going?” I hear, followed by a gasp and a giggle behind me.
Holding up a dismissive hand I will the bitch to leave, annoyed and the intrusion. Snapping a glower in her direction I quickly open the door and carry her inside.
Shaylee
I scowl as I see another woman, who seemed very familiar with him, waving as we enter the apartment. Not sure why I scowled even, or why it felt like an intrusion. It made sense he would have a partner; he wasn't exactly young.
My eyes flitted around the interior trying to figure out what kind of person had taken me. The place was simple, the decorations warm and almost, comforting, in an oddly familiar way.
I wished I could believe him, but it was a nearly impossible task to protect my parents.
"How can you protect them, I don't even know where they are..and..is..is that your..girlfriend or something? She seems to know you."
Why I felt the need to ask the ridiculous question I would never know, it made no difference to me, and was the least of my concerns.
Xander
My face contorts itself into questioning amusement as I watch her scowl, wondering what I had done to deserve such a thing. Shutting the door behind me with a foot I walk to the bedroom turning on the light and set her down on my California king size bed with its four posters and mirrored ceiling. Walking to my closet to get clothes my eyebrow arches at her question. Stepping out of my closet as I finish buttoning my jeans with a grin on my face, I finally answer her.
"No, my wife died about 60 years ago, I'm about as single as a man gets." I say dryly, amusement gone for a moment.
"And I have my ways, if anyone can find them I will. I swear to you that. You just have to trust me little fae."I say as I throw her a black tee shirt.
"I really need you to put that on." Walking to the bathroom I grab my black silk robe and throw it in her direction, suddenly averting my eyes as my erection began to rise as I noticed every silken curve her outfit did little to hide. "And that! Put that on too." I say as a low growl slips between my lips.
Shaylee
"I'm sorry about your wife.."
I was too, I saw the deep sorrow that clouded his gaze as he spoke of her, I knew the pain of loss now, the ache that never went away."
I was relieved to see him finally clothed, looking at him no longer staining my pale skin unsightly shades of pink and red. Snatching the shirt from him, I scrambled back towards the bedroom sized bed, the thing was large enough to sleep my entire family in with room to spare I was certain.
Sliding the gossamer skirt down my legs, I slip the t-shirt on, taking off the itchy bra and panties after the soft cotton covers my body, feeling somehow..cleaner and more covered without them.
The shirt hung past my knees, but the robe was just as ridiculous, the tie wrapping multiple times around me, as well as the silk material, hanging down almost to my ankles, my red hair in stark contrast against the black material as I curled into the middle of the gigantic bed.
"I can't even tell you where to start..I don't know where we lived even..I was unconscious when they..when they carried me away from home."
Xander
The demon in me was somewhat disappointed seeing her dressed in clothing that completely covered her from neck to damn near toe and wondered if he would ever see her delicate pale skin in his bed for his own purposes.
The thought stiffened me as I stared dumbly at her as she crawled to the center of my bed, doing little to dissuade the demon from thinking his demon thoughts.
Sitting on the edge of the bed I look down at her, placing my hand on top of hers, needing that contact as I tell her about the dreams, if not for her, then for me.
"This is going to sound crazy, and I can't explain how or why, but I’ve been dreaming about you for the last 2 months, since I came topside. I didn't understand them until I met you tonight, but I know I can find the place you were taken from, just like I found the playground tonight."
Laying back on the silk covered pillows I close my eyes for a moment, the Wolf waking from his slumbers longed for her body to be next to his. No, correction, under his in a completely protected position so that nothing could hurt her. Thankfully the rational side of me knew better than to lay on top of this poor girl before I even knew her name.
With a sigh I turn on my side, facing her and open my eyes to find her staring.
"What's your name anyways little Fae, I'm Xander."
Shaylee
My brow furrowed as I listened and scooted just a little further away shaking my head in slight disbelief. Not because I didn't think these things existed, I was a faery, I knew that the world was full of the unexplainable, but why would I be part of any of it?
There was something about him, something that made me want to trust him, and something that frightened me, it wasn't his wolf, although it should frighten me most of all, mama use to tell scary stories of wolves that ran off with misbehaving faeries, having them for dinner. This wasn't that though, no matter how I tried I couldn't place my finger on what it could be.
"Shaylee, my name is Shaylee..and you’re not sleeping here are you? In..the bed? I mean..you should sleep somewhere else don't you think?"
Xander
My eyebrow raised with a smirk as she attempted to kick me out of my own bed. She had some nerve, I had to give her that. Something told me when this was nothing but past memories and pain that she was going to be a little spitfire, a beautiful redheaded spitfire, with pointed ears I had learned long ago I had a weakness for.
"Shaylee fits you, I like it. However, Shaylee I don't trust you're not going to try to run on me, and I'm too tired to want to take the chance of having to get out of this bed to chase you so we are both sleeping here tonight."
I stand and turn on a soft lamp, assuming pure dark would probably terrify her and she would welcome the soft glow of the warm bedside lamp meant for romantic lighting as I head to the switch on the wall and turn off the overhead light. Heading to the kitchen I yell over my shoulder for her to stay put as I open the fridge and pull out ingredients for a quick BLT. As I lay out the ingredients I hear her featherlight movements dancing across the carpet heading into the cold tiled kitchen. I walk over to her before she sets foot on the floor sweeping her up and setting her on a bar stool in front of me, before going back around and start making the sandwiches.
"Are you a vegetarian? I know some Fae are.."
Shaylee
My lip puckered out in a pout as he announced his intention to sleep in the bed, and I shook my head in disagreement to the sleeping arrangement.
"Well you should sleep on the floor then, in front of the door if you must."
It was less than ideal, and would make my plans to run much more difficult, but not as difficult as if he was in the same bed as I was.
I didn't hesitate to follow him, my feet slung over the bed's edge and sinking into the bedroom carpet, before the orders were even completely out of his mouth. I mapped out the apartment as I made my way towards the kitchen, my idea of exploring a bit further thwarted as he became aware of my movements, plopping onto a bar stool in the brightly lit kitchen.
"We ate meat..mostly fish, but..I ate whatever I was given..at..there."
I couldn't spit the name of the vile place from between my lips, and just the mention of it, sent shivers of dread and disgust spidering through me, causing me to wrap my arms tighter around myself.
Xander
I make her sandwich with bacon on the side so she could choose how she wanted it and got out two bottles of the Naked juice I had in the fridge, setting one in front of her and downing one of my own. As I made myself 3 sandwiches with extra bacon, I periodically glanced up at her as we talked about nothing really, the diet of a Fae and her food preferences, keeping the conversation light and meaningless hoping to lull her into a sleepy state. The sun would be rising in a few hours and I needed sleep and I could tell by her red rimmed eyes and frequent yawns she was tired as well.
Finishing up the meal I picked her up and carried her back to the bedroom, Setting her back down on the bed. I was fully aware she was capable of walking but I needed an excuse to feel her body in my arms and I knew she probably just assumed I thought she was going to try to run. Of course, I was fairly certain she wasn't going to try that until after I was asleep.
Smiling to myself I walk to the bathroom and warm a soft washcloth under the faucet and bring it into her, gently removing her makeup so that she could sleep without the gunk on her face, and also... probably because I wanted to see what she looked like underneath all that paint.
Shaylee
I nibbled at the bacon tentatively at first, not sure what the fatty crispy meat was, the salty smoky flavor quickly had me hooked and piling the rest onto the sandwich he had prepared. The chatter was mostly light, as I spoke of how we found our food, living off what the land could provide.
Yawns peppered my words more and more as my stomach was filled and my eyes grew heavier than I wanted, forcing me to fight keeping them open as he carried me once more to the bedroom. The warm cloth stroked softly against my skin, removing the heavy oily gunk that covered it leaving me feeling as fresh as I had felt in ages.
I snuggled under the covers, telling myself I would nap lightly for a bit, just a moment to rest and recharge and let him fall into a deep sleep, then I could run.
"Do you want some of the pillows for your bed on the floor?"
I managed to mutter out sleepily as I buried deeper beneath the soft bedding, my lips parting in another yawn, my eyes barely opened.
Xander
Tucking her in, pulling the covers up over her shoulders I resisted stroking her soft hair once more. Instead I grabbed a pair of more comfortable pants and did the bathroom thing, brushing my teeth before walking back out.
I look at her pointedly with a crooked grin, still refusing to reply to her ridiculous statement as i shove the blankets to her side, creating a barrier before climbing into the silk sheets myself. A deep sigh escaping as I finally closed my eyes for a moment.
"Will you be okay if I turn out the light, or should I keep it on tonight" I ask sleepily, reaching out and draping an arm over her from on top of the covers
Shaylee
"Leave it..leave it on please.."
I scowl again as his arm drapes over me and he clearly ignores my suggestion of him sleeping on the floor. Giving a slight huff as I dig feet under the bedding that separates us and into his side, trying to give him a shove out of the bed, hoping for the element of surprise to be on my side. It was useless though; he didn't budge even an inch.
With a full-on pout on my lips, I huffed, blowing strands of hair out from my face as I flipped over onto my side facing away from him. I would figure out how to get back tonight..just as soon as I took a nap. My eyes really were heavy, so heavy I couldn't keep them open any longer. The bed the softest surface I had felt in a very long time, sucked me down into a quick and deep sleep where even my nightmares couldn't bother me at least for the moment.
If you do anything wrong, the standard apology is to buy tea for the rest of Q-Branch. Preferably Earl Grey but that depends on how terrible your mistake was.
No matter how good looking they are, stalking and filming certain senior operatives during the lunch hour is frowned upon and pointless. They are MI6 agents after all. Although any successful and/or humorous videos must be shared with the rest of Q-branch.
