The Risen - chapter sixteen

Kaydence

My head felt dizzy as it tried to process everything. It seemed like just yesterday I couldn’t stand to be around Sebastian and today I sat by his side for what felt like hours waiting for him to wake up. I had called Gaderal multiple times, and much to my frustration, he was still radio silent. And as if only to add to my frustration, everyone was crowding me and Xander as we carried him in, and I finally had to yell at all of them to give us some space.

Thankfully he was awake now which took a huge weight off my shoulders, and when he asked to be alone with Xander, a separate weight settled. Francis. I looked at Xander who nodded, replying, “In your room.” Odd, I hadn’t seen him come in. He must have slipped in while I was surrounded by everyone else and focusing on Bash.

I looked over Bash’s body, bruised and broken, deciding I would need to care for his wounds at some point before opening the doors to my room. My eyes landed straight on Francis on my bed, and I quietly closed the door behind me. I pushed my hands in my back pockets, moving my eyes to avoid his fixed gaze. I walked over, sitting next to him on my bed, eyes on the ground.

He gently lifted my chin, turning my face towards his. I continued to avoid eye contact, ignoring the butterflied that danced in my stomach when his lips were this close to mine, just like in the forest. “Kaydence, are you okay?” He asked, concern heavy in his voice.

I finally brought my eyes to his lips, parted and full. I quickly changed to his eyes, before moving my head out of his grip, “I’m fine.”

He sighed, “I’m sorry, about earlier, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I just, well,” He looked at me, “I’ve been trying to resist it but I feel a magnetic pull to you, I can’t explain it but I don’t think I can stop it.”

My heart felt like it was thumping so loud everyone in the house could hear it. I tried to focus on it to steady my thoughts but it seemed to be just as sporadic as they were. I can’t do this. Francis moved his hand to my thigh, and it seemed to sizzle at the slightest touch. I wanted him.

“Please don’t,” I whimpered, finding it hard to keep my self-control. He moved his hand, and I immediately regretted asking him to take it away. “I’m sorry, I just can’t. I can’t do anything with you. Sebastian is back and-”

“Oh and he’s your boyfriend or something?” Francis interrupted, standing up and looking down at me.

“No, it’s not like that, I just,” I started, not sure how to explain.

“Kaydence, what does your heart want?” Francis got down on his knees, meeting my eye level, staring into them intently.

I gnawed on my lip, not sure what to say. I felt electric when he was this close to me. Why had I never noticed it before? I was so worried and focused on Sebastian that I blocked everyone else out, and now that he was home, why should I continue to deny myself of everything?

I placed my hands on his cheeks, and he leaned closer to me, our lips inches apart. Slowly, ever so slowly, they grew closer and closer, the suspense counting down the seconds like fireworks.

My whole body seemed to vibrate when our lips finally touched, a blissful release of energy flowing out of my body into him. It was more passionate than before, needier. He picked me up and laid me on the bed, crawling on top of me while never losing contact in our lips.

He trailed down my jaw to my neck and I took this time to catch my breath. I want him, I want him, I want him. His lips trailed back up to meet mine, craving my taste. I pulled his shirt off, losing contact with his lips for only a moment, before meeting again. My hands trailed everywhere on his body, feeling his muscles contracting.

“Sounds like you guys haven’t done shit since I’ve been gone!” I heard distantly. Sebastian.

“Wait, wait, wait, stop,” I said, sitting up as Francis rolled off of me, “this is a mistake, oh my god, I can’t do this what am I thinking?” I got up, not waiting to see Francis’s reaction to my statement. I brushed down my hair with my fingers, knowing it was probably a mess before walking quietly into the living room.

“What the hell is going on?” I say loudly, surveying the room.

“This son of a-” Indie raised a finger at Bash, but Xander interrupted her.

“Nothing, it’s done now. Let’s go Indie.” He grabbed her hand and walked to the room, Indie stubbornly following along behind him.

I frowned, “You’ve been back for a couple of hours and the whole house is already fighting.”

“I didn’t do anything, it was Indie that came at me like some psycho bitch accusing me of shit I didn’t even do,” He answered, rolling his eyes.

“You both sound like children. Can we please keep it together? I promise I will talk to Indiana if you promise to try not to react when she says things. You know she doesn’t have a filter,”I said, trying to find some middle ground before the whole house fell apart. I walked over to the chair where Xander had been sitting, trying to think of how to tell him about Francis.

“Kaydence, I promise you, I didn’t abandon you. Any of you,” He looked towards Aileen and Archie who I had not even noticed where there until then. Aileen quickly put a hand on my shoulder, and an overwhelming calm rushed through me, I smiled at her gratefully.

“We know Sebastian, we were all worried sick, even Indie although she doesn’t want to admit it,” Aileen replied quietly.

I let Aileen’s power flow through me, gathering the strength to introduce Francis, the one we took in while Sebastian was gone, the one I had just kissed while he was missing, the one I was falling for instead of worrying about him.

“What is it?” Sebastian asked, probably noticing the silence.

“There’s someone you need to meet,” I replied as steadily as possible, “Francis? Come here please.”

Francis entered, shirt in hand, into the living room. I sent him a glare and he smiled back, putting his shirt back on only after Sebastian had noticed. Seriously? “Sebastian, this is Francis, Francis, Sebastian,” I motioned between the two of them. Francis offered a smile and a handshake, which Sebastian just glared at in return. Great.

“Um, we met when I was fighting a demon at the store,” I started, to which Bash raised his eyebrow at me, I ignored it. “He has powers like us.”

Sebastian stayed silent, what was he thinking? Francis sat down, folding his hands, still smiling at Sebastian as if he was blind to Sebastian’s obvious distaste. “Yeah, I can focus electricity, I mean, I guess that’s what you would call it,” he said, and the lights all flickered.

Sebastian continued to stare at him with no reply. I felt anxious like this would set Sebastian off. I wish Xander would come in and tell me what he’s thinking. I thought, hoping Xander would get the message, but seconds passed and Xander never came out of his room.

“Where does he sleep?” Sebastian asked, monotoned.

“Uh, well, he was sleeping in your room, actually,” I replied nervously, scared of what he might think, “But I guess he’ll have to buddy up with someone.”

“I like that idea, you got some room in your room Kaydence?” Francis chuckled, and I glared at him just as I’m sure Bash was. “It was just a joke Kaydence, don’t worry.”

I rolled my eyes, he was just trying to set Bash off, why? “He can room with me,” Archie offered, and I smiled at him.

“Thank you, Archie, sounds perfect,” I replied, “Actually, why don’t you start moving your stuff now, Francis. I have to get Sebastian cleaned up anyways.” I sent a pointed look towards Francis.

“Of course,” He replied, standing and turning towards Bash’s room.

“Do you think you’ll need some help cleaning Sebastian up?” Aileen offered.

“I think I can do most of it but I’ll call for you later to make use of your healing abilities,” I smiled, standing and walking towards Bash.

He sent me a crooked smile, starting to sit up. I quickly moved my hands to his bare back, helping him up. We silently worked together to help him stand, and then walked to the bathroom on the other side of Bash’s room. I sat him on the side of the tub, wincing as he groaned in pain.

“I’m sorry,” I said gently.

“No, you’re doing me a favor, thank you,” He replied. It was so weird for him to be so nice, it was almost like an entire personality flip. What happened to him? I began the water, trying to get it at a nice warm temperature. I then grabbed a washcloth and gently started to rub at the dirt and blood that covered him, careful not to irritate his wounds.

I tried to focus on the task of cleaning, but I couldn’t help my mind wandering. How could he go missing for months without remembering a single thing? Could I trust his word? What if he remembered more than he was letting on? I shook my head, I wouldn't go there. But why not? Is that so unlike him?

“What’s on your mind?” He asked, raising his eyebrow at me. My eyes met his, and I wondered if I should speak my mind. He’d usually get mad when I did, but since he was acting so different, maybe I should test it out.

“It’s just, well, you’re acting so different,” I shrugged, returning my focus to cleaning him. It was weird, some of his cuts looked like he had tripped and fell, but some looked deeper, almost as if they were inflicted with weapons.

“I feel different. I don’t know how to explain it,” He sucked in a breath as I started to clean a deeper gash.

“How can you disappear for months and not remember anything?” I shook my head, “It just doesn’t add up. Someone must have wiped your memory. But how? A demon with powers? Have they evolved even more?” I rambled.

“I don’t know, I wish I could remember as well. I feel like it was just yesterday we were in the woods together,” He paused, probably noticing my grimace. “I don’t know Kaydence. I’m just as in the dark as you are.”

I moved to the other side of him, starting on his lower back and working my way up like I had the other side. Most of the cuts and scrapes were on his back and arms, his chest and stomach only bruised. He looked like he had gotten jumped by some kind of gang like in the movies. But this wasn’t makeup, it was all very real.

“I have questions for you, actually,” He started, and my stomach turned. I knew where this was going. “Francis, why do you trust him?” He asked, and I avoided eye contact.

Why did I trust him? “Well,” I started, thinking as I moved to his arms, “I guess he’s never given us any reason not to,” I replied.

“Oh, and that’s a good enough reason to let him into our lives? We’ve never let anyone in Kaydence, for a reason. I have a bad feeling about this guy and I think we need to ditch him before he does something to kill us all. You don’t even know where he comes from! Did he tell you where he’s from? How did he just happen to come across a family of people “like” him? It’s quite frankly stupid to keep him around,” Bash scoffed.

I stayed quiet, not sure what he wanted me to say. I trusted my judgment on things, and Francis felt right, felt okay. He was nicer to everyone than Bash had been and he had come at such a perfect time. I finished cleaning the last wound, standing and throwing the washcloth in the sink.

“Aileen, he’s all yours!” I yelled, and with that, I walked out of the bathroom.

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chapter word count: 2,098

total word count: 27,129