Here we go, the final chapter of Fire and Demon, hope you all liked reading this almost as much as i liked writing it. I'm not really sure when the next installment of Bonds will be up, I've got a lot coming up personally and i have to focus on my other projects so i hope all of you will stick with me while i try to sort out the chaos that is my life. Happy reading.
Chapter 10-Be By My Side
When he first found out the Diabolico was gone, that he had been killed by someone he had regarded as useless creature that his Queen Bansheera and then of course Vypra were smitten with all Ryan could feel was amusement: he had always warned his 'father' about the baby demon and the power it held which would lead to his downfall if not careful. But then after a week or so that amusement faded and was replaced by fear as he realized what his fellow teammates did not: this demon had been able to take down a demon lord that had sat on the throne for hundreds of years and had inspired fear in many, that could only mean that this new demon was just as bad maybe even worse on some levels and that had made his amusement quickly turn into dread.
Carter seemed to have the same understanding because when the older Hybrid saw his mate a week after the announcement that Diabolico was no longer alive the red ranger had come into the mess looking paler than Ryan had ever seen him before-and he had looked after the red ranger when he had been poisoned which meant that was saying something-and when he had confronted his lover about it the red ranger had told him that he knew how strong Diabolico was that the demon kings blood ran through his veins like a virus he could never scrub clean and that if he only held a fraction of his power and sometimes felt like the power was going to overwhelm him then how much power would it take to kill him?
Before that conversation Ryan had been a little worried but when Carter had confirmed his fears-and then some-his fear had turned into full blown terror: how could they destroy something that had easily killed the demon that they had been struggling to kill for so long, it didn't seem possible and yet the other members of the team and of Lightspeed base didn't seem to have gotten the memo that this wasn't the best thing to have happened to them in fact it could most probably be one of the worst things to have happened to them.
When he had gone to his father with his worries-it was still really weird to believe that he had a father who loved him instead of what he had been lead to believe his whole life-the great Captain Mitchell had said that he was thinking about it too hard and that he should join in with his teammates and relax. Of course after that he had tried to talk to his sister who had brushed him off-she was still a bit bitter that he was the one that ended up with Carter he could tell-and told him to stopping worrying and if not then to leave her alone so he didn't put a dampen on her good mood. After that he didn't even bother trying to tell the other rangers and instead became a sentry and took watch over Carter who seemed to be going through withdraws or something without the constant presence of his blood donor still alive.
He himself had been through a similar withdraw when he had first felt Diabolico leave this plain of life, but he was lucky considering he had more of Queen Bansheera's blood running through his veins than Carter who had more of the demon kings running through his own. His withdraw had made him sick for a day or two and had made him a little weak for a few hours but Carter-who was still a baby in Hybrid time-hadn't been able to drag himself out of bed since he had revealed his fears for him and he had been running a fever that not even Vypra's poisoning attempt had been able to produce. When Ryan had first seen his Mate when his withdraw had begun he had almost felt his heart stop in fear at the image his lover had made.
It was shattering to see the man in that state once again: covered in sweat breathing heavily while holding back groans of pain that were wracking his body what was worse was when he had tried to comfort his lover the red ranger had to force his way past him into the bathroom so he could heave what little he had eaten in the past few hours into the toilet while he could only sit by his side and rub his back comfortingly humming lightly while Carter gripped the porcelain bowl like it was a lifeline. As he watched his mate fight his body Ryan could only hope that maybe his own body wouldn't react the same way once the Queen Demon finally died because he didn't think he would be able to deal with the about of pain that Carter seemed to be going through and still keep his sanity.
Once Carter seemed to feel good enough that he could be moved back to his bed Ryan hadn't wasted anytime and quickly hoisted the younger Hybrid up into his arms and placed him on the bunk lightly before crawling into the bed with his mate so that Carter could snuggle up next to him and take what little comfort he could give him-although in Ryan's mind a small bit of comfort was better than none-and if the way Carter sighed in relief was any sign of just how well he was comforting his lover then he was doing a great job of it.
The two of them sat in total silence that if they had been anyone else would have been very uncomfortable, but that was one of the best things about their relationship in Ryan's mind: they were so at ease with one another, there was no fuss, no problems and they didn't need words to convey anything, they didn't need to fill in the gaps with mindless chatter and were perfectly content with just sitting in pure silence and just being with the other. It had been three days since Carter had first gotten to the withdrawal stage of his bond with Diabolico and now the red ranger was at the worst of his state and hadn't been able to leave his bed let alone his room so Ryan was once again lying on the red ranger's bed with the sick hybrid curled up on his chest.
Leaning down to nuzzle Carter's hair to try and quell the whimpering that Carter had unknowingly started only a few moments ago Ryan began to hum the demon lullaby that Vypra had always sung to him-you'd think that the same Lullaby that had helped changed him into a Hybrid which was the whole reason he was in this mess wouldn't give Carter comfort but then again Carter was a little strange-while pressing a kiss to Carter's freshly cropped hair. When he had seen the shorn haircut that Carter was now sporting he had felt his heart almost stop beating, he had always liked Carter's hair, he liked playing with it when they laid together, but then the red ranger had told him he had wanted to change it because he wasn't the old Carter anymore and needed to show the others that.
"I'm scared" Carter whimpered out suddenly shocking Ryan more than anything, it had been so long since Carter had actually said anything, normally all they did was lay together not saying a word.
But ever the respectable demon he was Ryan didn't falter for long and soon pulled back so that he could gaze into Carter's pain muddled eyes that were gazing back at him sadly "What are you scared of my love" he said foregoing the demon compliment, despite how much Carter had learnt since becoming a Hybrid the young man hadn't really learnt that much and Ryan didn't want to stress the sick boy out even more.
Carter buried his face into his chest that little more and sighed in what sounded like contentment before he opened his mouth to talk "I'm going to lose you" he said shocking the older Hybrid into silence-a rare thing-before he gathered all his strength and leaning up to look up in Ryan's eyes once more "I don't know what I would do if you weren't here with me Ryan"
If he wasn't sure that he was in love with Carter before Ryan was pretty sure that lying there with the sick ranger curled up next to him telling him that he'd be lost with him that he was irrevocably and undeniably in love with the red ranger. "Carter you're never going to have to find that out" he said softly leaning down to place a sweet kiss on his forehead "Because I'm never going to leave you" he whispered against the burning skin of his mate's fevered forehead.
"What if this new demon kills you" Carter said his voice weak and fear laced making Ryan smile sadly.
He knew that since Carter was unable to go into battle that he was terrified that he himself wouldn't come back-which was stupid in Ryan's mind but he could understand because he had felt the same way whenever he had seen Carter leave his side during battle. It wasn't completely unfathomable that this new demon lord would kill him; hell if it really came down to it and Vypra got the opening she needed, the poisonous demoness could kill him-scary thought.
Chuckling lightly and nodding he placed his hand over Carter's heart which gained him a questioning glance from the red ranger who he just kissed lightly on the lips "I could die in battle like a glorious warrior" he whispered leaning his much cooler forehead against the flushed skin of his lover and nuzzled their noses together "But I would much rather prefer to die by your side together"
Carter smiled and closed his eyes and leant forward to kiss him lightly which was shocking because since he had begun his withdrawal phase Carter had been less physically affectionate but Ryan still leant into the kiss a little taking what he could get. "I love you" carter whispered making Ryan's heart swell.
Despite the two of them being Mate's and Carter wearing his mark for everyone to see neither one of them had said those three little words to one another, it wasn't that they didn't it was more he didn't really know how to say the words and he kinda got the feeling that Carter was a little insecure about that kind of thing so hearing Carter say it made him suck up his own courage "I love you too" he whispered making Carter beam up at him and then kiss him with a little more force.
While the renewed vigor was pleasant and Ryan would love to take what Carter was so blatantly offering, the older Hybrid knew that his lover wasn't quite up to that kind of activity which was why he detached himself from the kiss earning him a confused and almost hurt look from Carter "I want this" he quickly explained smiling at the other lovingly-which in turn made Carter blush a little-before cupping Carter's cheek tenderly "You have no idea how much I'd want to…but I know you can't"
Carter looked up at him shock and then looked down at the floor almost as if he was ashamed "I just wanted to give you something…for staying by my side" he whispered making Ryan chuckle and then pull him down to rest against his chest kissing the top of his head lovingly.
"Silly Hybrid" he said as Carter snuggled down into his side trying to capture the warmth that Ryan radiated "I love you…I don't need anything as payment for doing this" Ryan said tilting the others face up so he could look deeply into his eyes which were glowing with affection that the titanium ranger knew was directed at him. "Carter I love you and I want you to be by my side forever do you understand that?"
The red ranger nodded and then cupped Ryan's cheek lovingly "I understand…we have an everlasting bond" he whispered as Ryan leant into the touch slightly "And Ryan: I'll stay by your side, if you swear to stay by mine"
Ryan leaned forward and pressed his forehead to his mates and gazed right into Carter's "I swear"
Read and Review please: it's the final chapter.