At some point, the Demons had shoved a cloth in his mouth. Dexter ran his tongue across the annoying fabric, choking for a glass of water. His shirt was missing. He was pretty sure all the skin on his back was missing too. Everything hurt. He had given up speaking a while ago, but the gag was to muffle his screams. He understood. His own screams had started to grate on him. They started using magic to torture him. One of the Demons was good with hallucinations, making it feel like there was something underneath his skin. Another Demon was a shape changer. That one was fun. Claws was having a ball, using Dexter's body as a scratch post. He was tied with his hands above him again, his feet on the ground thankfully. A Demon punched him in the stomach, which he wouldn't of minded if he didn't have a few broken ribs. He really wanted to double over, to release the pain and tension in his back and torso. That's when the fire started. The Demon looked at Dexter. "Don't move." It said, and Dexter actually managed to conjure enough strength to glare at it. More Demons were rushing into the room, and Dexter was trying to back away as much as he could from the flames. The smoke was billowing, getting into Dexter's eyes, and making it increasingly difficult to breath. There were shouts of curses and confusion. Then screaming. Dexter shifted, trying to fight through the pain. But he couldn't catch a breath. He was going to die. He didn't have the strength anymore. Too many things hurt too badly. He couldn't focus on anything else but the pain radiating from his back, chest, stomach, face, head, arms, legs. Everything. Then he felt soft, gentle hands on his face, one on each side. "Dex? Dex? C'mon, Dexter, please don't die." Said a soft, panicked voice. He opened his eyes and nearly started crying. Ezra was easing the gag from his mouth, her blue eyes wide with fear and concern. Dexter leaned forward, hissing at the shift, and pressed his head against Ezra's. Her neck was a maze of scars that would never go away, but she was still the most beautiful thing Dexter had ever seen. Skulduggery and Ghastly were by the door, demolishing anyone who dared come close. Ezra went away and Dexter, much to his dislike, whimpered. But she was back almost immediately, dragging a chair with her. She stood on it, and burned through the shackles. Dexter collapsed to the ground. Ezra gasped and leaped from the chair, turning Dexter over. Her eyes were full of tears. "Don't cry, Ezzy." Then Dexter Vex passed out.
His eyelids fluttered opened, then shut again. Too bright, he thought stupidly. His whole body was in pain, varying from dull aches to sharp stabs. He couldn't feel his back. He moved every limb, he had to know what hurt how bad and how damaged he really was. He had bruised bones, from the broken ones, and the cuts and burns were still pretty damn sore. But he wasn't in agony. He could breathe. He wasn't going to die. He opened his eyes again. He was in the medical wing, no doubt. He looked around and his heart lurched. Ezra. She was half on, half on the bed. She was sitting on a chair, but her head was on the bed. She was asleep, her forehead resting on her arms, her golden hair sprawled out. She was still wearing his jacket. Her Escrima stick was leaning against the chair on which she at. There was a small table next to the bed, and there was a plastic cup of water on the table. And he needed water. His arm had been relocated, but it still hurt. He picked up the cup, managed to get it half way then dropped it, his hand shaking so much. The water spilled, some of it splashing onto Ezra's hair. The cup clattered to the floor. She jolted awake, sitting bolt upright. "Dexter." She said urgently while opening her eyes. She looked at him. He looked at her. His face still had those claw marks, but the bruises had healed. He was shirtless, laying on sheets Ghastly made for him so they wouldn't agitate his raw back. Tears sprang to her eyes. This is all my fault, she thought, numb. She sat on the bed, facing him. "I'm so sorry." She said, barely above a whisper. She poured him another glass, held it to his lips. She knew that if anyone else were here, he'd brush her off by making some joke. But he'd seen her at her weakest. Now she'd seen him at his. He drank, the water feeling like heaven. When she took the glass away and set it down, he spoke. "Why are you sorry?" His voice was soft, it didn't quite sound like his own. "None of this would have happened if it wasn't for me." Dexter sat up, ignoring Ezra's and his body's protests. He held her hands on the bed, not trusting himself to lift them. "I'd rather go through that a million more times and have you in my life, Ezra." Ezra went to hug him, then stopped. She was too scared to touch him. But he pulled her towards him, and wrapped his arm around her lower back. She carefully and cautiously placed her arms around his upper back. He hissed in pain, tensing, and she pulled back, but he pulled her closer. "It's fine." He murmured, burying his face in her shoulder.
Valkyrie and Skulduggery were no longer worried. Dexter had to be out for a week and a half to undergo multiple surgeries. That whole week and a half, Ezra had stayed there, 24/7. She wasn't sleeping, wasn't eating. She was pale. Skulduggery stayed with her a lot, and when he didn't, Ghastly or Valkyrie did. No one wanted her to be alone though. Because she didn't want to be alone. But now that was over and Dexter was up. Ezra was always in his room still, but she was happy and perky again, calling people, helping out with anything she could while staying in the Sanctuary. Clarabelle made her Dexter's head nurse, even though that wasn't really a thing in the Medical Bay. Dexter had been up for a week now, and hopefully would be able to come back to work. Lord knows they needed him, and Ezra. "What hell are you- get out!" Dexter was yelling as they neared. Ezra was walking down the other way, a worried look on her face. The three of them met in the middle and walked into Dexter's room. He was standing, Nye remarkably close to him. "Is there a problem?" Skulduggery asked coldly. Nye looked at them, eyes lingering on Ezra. "I want to study him." He said.
"And I want to have wings. No." Ezra spoke first.
"That's what I tried to tell him." Dexter grumbled. He reached over and got a shirt. His back was still a mess, by far the worst. He slipped the shirt on. "Fine. Let me study her." He said, pointing at Ezra. She looked mildly disgusted. "No." Skulduggery said.
"Your friend would be dead if it wasn't for me. The claw marks won't scar and his back won't get infected. He has no more broken bones, burns or cuts. Don't I get a reward, a payment?" He asked in a high pitched voice.
"Sure you do," Ghastly said, walking in with Erskine, "We won't let either of them kill you for trying to 'study' them."
"Well, surely one of them? One has been tortured by Demons, the other has been drowned in a pool of magic. Skulduggery is off limits because he'd no doubt hit me if I asked him." Dexter nodded, then swung. His fist connected with Nye's right cheek, then he hit him again on his left cheek. "That's a no from me, and a no from Ezra." Valkyrie couldn't help it any longer, she burst out laughing. Dexter was grumpy. This grown man was literally grumpy.
"I see." Nye said, then squeezed by and walked out. Dexter swayed slightly then sat heavily on the bed. "I need to stand more. I've been down for too long."
"You just hit one of our officials." Erskine said, trying to hide his laughter. Dexter shrugged. "I hit Skulduggery all the time."
"It's true, he hits me a lot." Skulduggery confirmed. Erskine turned to Ezra and Dexter. "Agents?" He started hopefully.
"Oh boy." Ezra replied, "This'll be good."
"How would you feel about being, uh-" He was cut off by Madame Mist gliding into the room.
"Mr Vex and Miss Bloom, we require your skill set. Given that we have given you our medical support and utmost attention, we highly suggest you agree." Dexter raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to say something, but Ezra beat him to it. "That last part wasn't necessary, we'd be thrilled." She said, smiling tightly. She tapped something on Dexter's arm and he nodded once. Valkyrie couldn't blame him, she disliked Madame Mist just as much. "Be ready, in gear, in an hour to meet with us three Elders. Which is what we are, Mr Vex and Miss Bloom. Don't you forget it." Then she turned on her heel and walked out.
"Whoa." Ezra said. Ghastly jumped in. "I don't care if you work or help us, we would have given all the medical attention in the world to you both." Erskine sneered towards the door. "She's not even Grand Mage." Ezra shrugged. "This'll be good, right? Get us both back on our feet." She said, the eternal optimist. Skulduggery clapped his hands together. "The good news is, Miss Cain and myself will be joining you." Both Ezra and Dexter grinned.
This is my tenth chapter, I'm a little too excited! Thanks for reading! Please review!