Chapter Eleven
I listen intently, trying to push some of my magic into my ears so that I can hear better. We’ve come out through the woods and on to yet another wide dirt track. It twists and turns in a winding path with large trees lining either side of the road.
As we approach the bend in the road raucous laughter suddenly sounds out along with the sound of several male voices and hooves. I listen harder to see if I can hear anything else and I swear I can hear the sound of soft sniffles like someone is crying and trying to hide it.
“Be ready to draw your weapons.” Levi says.
“Hoods up we don’t need another battle now.” Kysen adds.
“Yes boss.” Hunt answering Levi for all of us. “Good idea Kysen.”
Just before we round the corner and come face to face with the rowdy group Hunter tilts his head and inhales sharply. Whatever he scents has him letting loose a low and threatening growl that has the hairs on the back of my neck standing up on end.
“Hunter what. . .?” Levi starts to question him but he doesn’t get much further as Hunter launches himself from his saddle, his horse not startling as he transforms into his wolf mid air landing on all four paws gracefully before he stalks forward alongside the rest of us.
Whatever he smelled obviously makes them a big enough threat that Hunter has deemed it necessary to skip trying to act non-threatening himself.
I tense slightly before forcing myself to relax.
I quickly run through the weapons that I have on me and how I’m going to draw them.
Planning which ones I’m going for first if I need to.
“Do not let them corner Sage. I know you can take care of yourself Sweetheart but these men do unforgivable things to women.” Hunter says through the Bond link.
“What the fuck!?” Kysen startles and I’d be willing to bet that he just heard Hunter’s projected thought.
There’s no time to ask for certain though as we come face to face with six greasy and dirty looking men pulling a cart.
I can’t tell what kind of supernaturals they are apart from one who has bright green skin and tiny little horns.
He looks a bit like a goblin. As I get a closer look at the cart I see two young girls only fourteen or fifteen tied to the back of it and stumbling along behind it.
Both of them look worse for ware, covered in cuts and bruises with their dirty and worn clothing torn in a way that lets me draw the same conclusions that Hunter came to.
A knife strikes the goblin guy in the middle of his head before anyone can make a sound.
Everyone turns to look at me shocked as I draw another one.
“Like fuck am I letting them live after what they’ve obviously done to those children.” I say letting the knife fly and striking another one in the chest.
“God I love you.” Kai exclaims before charging into the fray his sword drawn.
“Wh-hat did he just say?” I stutter.
“Later Sage.” Kysen grins and I shake my head he’s right but holy fuck.
Hunter has already taken one of the guys out and now that they’ve finally shaken off their shock the ones that are left are starting to fight back.
Not very well. The guys obviously have this under control so I hop off of Dave and slowly make my way towards the cart and the two utterly terrified girls.
I keep my distance knowing that they’re going to be wary of strangers.
I toy with allowing my hood to drop but I don’t want to frighten them even more.
“Don’t worry we’re not going to harm you.” I say softly holding my hands in a universal gesture that means peace and hoping that they understand it. “You’re safe now.” I promise. “Can I untie you?”
“O-o-okay.” The older looking of the two answers shakily.
I slowly approach making sure that I keep my movements slow and calm.
“I’m going to have to cut the ropes ok?” I say making sure that I tell them what I’m doing as I do it.
Their eyes widen in fear but they both nod once.
I start to saw through the ropes and soon have them both untied.
They hold onto each other like it’s the only thing keeping them together.
I feel my anger rise for the men that did this to them but my men have already taken care of them and I took two out myself I guess I should be satisfied with that.
I look over my shoulder at my men all keeping their distance but not taking their eyes off of me.
“They won’t hurt you I promise. They will keep their distance though.” I start. “Can you tell us where you’re from and we’ll take you home?”
“It’s not too far from here. They only had us for a day.” The older one once again speaks her voice timid. There’s a strength behind her words though that fills me with hope.
“Ok, that’s good. We’re headed that way anyway.” I start. “Mother fucker.” I yell as pain pierces through my shoulder.
I push the pain away instinctively and look for the threat.
“Sage!” Levi yells as they all rush towards me their weapons drawn.
“Wait Thomas don’t hurt them!!” One of the girls yells positioning themselves in front of us.
“They stole you!”
“They saved us you idiot and you just shot one with an arrow!” She says angrily to the guy as he and one another ride up.
“Fuck I am so sorry.” He grovels.
“Levi, it was an accident.” I say through gritted teeth.
“He hurt you.” He bites out and the two guys share a wary look.
“I know but they thought we stole the girls.”
Levi just growls in reply but stays where he is which I take as a good thing.
“We’re honestly so sorry. Thank you so much for rescuing my little sister.” The guy who shot me says wincing as he looks at my shoulder.
“No worries.” I say and watch as they load up the girls and make a hasty retreat.
“Fuck.” Kai growls.
“How the fuck are you not screaming like a fucking banshee?” Kysen asks curiously as he walks around me to inspect the wound. “Well it’s gone straight through.” He says.
“I have a high pain threshold.” I reply.
Understatement of the century. The guys look at me worriedly.
“Little Star?” Jax says softly.
“I’m still here I’ve just muted it that’s all.” I try to reassure them I know they’re worried that I’ve completely turned it all off again and won’t be able to turn it back on. “Can someone get it out of me?”
“Fuck. I don’t know how to deal with arrows! We got trained how to take care of bullet and knife wounds but not fucking arrows.” Maverick says starting to panic.
“Hey!” I say loudly cutting through his panic. “It’s ok Mav, I’m ok.”
He frowns but the panic recedes slightly from his eyes.
“Can your friend the one with medical knowledge help?” He asks Kysen suddenly.
“I’ll check.” His eyes glaze. “He says you need to cut the tip off of it. Pull it through then immediately apply pressure on either side. He recommends that you bite down on a leather belt or something.” Kysen winces.
Jax
I wince as Kysen explains what needs to be done but like usual Sage just steels herself and nods.
“Alright lets get this done then. It hurts like a bitch even though I’ve got it dampened.” She says trying to lighten the mood.
I don’t think any of us are going to completely relax until she’s switched her emotions or feelings or whatever it is that she does completely back on.
I’m not too man enough to admit that it absolutely terrifies the shit out of me when she does it.
I’ve had nightmares about what could’ve happened if she hadn’t been able to turn it all back on after the Brent thing.
She didn’t feel anything, she could’ve easily walked away from us all.
I stay lost in my thoughts as Maverick and Kai prepare to get the arrow out of Sage’s shoulder I can’t watch properly.
I hate seeing her hurt. Levi’s not the only one that nearly lost his damn temper.
I was ready to call my water and drown the mother fucker who shot her.
Speaking of tempers I don’t think I’ll forget the shock that ran through me when I realised that she was the one that threw the knife that killed the vile green fucker.
She’s an intriguing mix of incredibly strong and capable but also vulnerable at the same time.
It’s because of that vulnerability that we’re all trying to hold back on saying I love you to her.
Apart from Kai of course, the look on her face when he said it earlier was absolutely priceless and it gives me hope that she’s finally getting used to being truly cared for something that has been severely lacking in her life.
It seems to be when we do something that shows her just how much we care about her she starts to freak out.
She didn’t look like she was freaking out earlier though.
I want to tell her I love her.
“Ready Beautiful. On the count of three I’m going to cut the end off of the arrow. It’s going to jar the wound.” Kai says seriously.
All of the usual mischief is missing from his handsome features and although I love that spark of mischief he normally carries with him there’s just something about his serious facade that I find incredibly attractive. Realising where my thoughts have taken me I force myself to focus again.
Ever since our supernatural sides were released feelings that I have been successfully burying for years now are suddenly resurfacing and refusing to go back down.
Sage is facing me and I try to offer her a reassuring smile.
I want to comfort her, get her to squeeze my hand as hard as she can whilst Kai the end off but Maverick’s positioned in front her.
My gaze drifts over Sage’s shoulder to Kai, completely uncontrollable.
My eyes are drawn to him as often as they’re drawn to Sage.
Kai’s already looking my way though and instead of darting my gaze away like I have been doing I refuse to this time. His eyes heat and he smirks winking at me and shocking the hell out of me.