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Healer

Jayden stumbled into the house, kicking the door closed behind him. He removed his coat, laying it over the back of the couch. He walked into the kitchen, groaned as he lowered himself into a chair. Dropping his head into his hands, he tried to ignore the fact that his face was throbbing.

"Norman…?" He heard Lydia say from behind him. He sighed softly. She approached him and he lifted his head to look at her. She gasped. "Oh, my God! What happened?" She moved to fill small plastic bags with ice. "Here, to take down the swelling." She pulled a bottle of pills out of another cabinet and filled a glass with water. He took the meds and downed the water.

Lydia's fingers ran over a large bruise that took up most of his right cheek. Her touch was so light that he almost didn't feel it. She sighed and picked up one of the bags. He braced himself for the cold.

"So," she pressed, "what happened to you?"

"I guess our guy was relieving some stress." Which was fine - if the killer was stalking him, then that meant that he was leaving Lydia alone.

"That's not funny."

Jayden looked up at her, "Don't worry so much about me. He caught me off guard. This was my fault."

"How did you get away?"

"I shot at him. I think I got his shoulder."

"What's going to happen?"

Jayden shrugged. "He could lie low for a while, nursing his wounds. The encounter could have him angry enough to go on a rampage – but if he does that, he'll most likely screw up along the way."

Lydia bit into her bottom lip, placing the bag of ice on the table. "Do you feel like eating anything?"

"No," he answered. "Not right now." He watched as she began to wring her hands and pace. "Lydia…" he murmured, dragging a hand through his hair.

"Have those pain meds kicked in any?" she asked suddenly.

"Yeah. I feel a little better. Thanks." Though, he kind of wished he could lose himself in a drink…

She wrapped her arms around herself as if she were cold. Against his better judgment, he stood. She looked at him with those wide, fearful eyes. "Lydia," he said her name again.

"I know, I know," she mumbled. "I need to calm down—"

Jayden shook his head. "I wasn't going to say that. You're upset, as anyone would be." She continued pacing. "But," he started, "I want you to know that you and your brother are safe. I'm here."

That seemed to get her attention. She stopped moving, looked at him with her haunted eyes. She stepped close to him, her gaze searching his for…something. He couldn't know what. She sighed softly, reaching up to touch the scar that marred his face.

"I will consider us the safest people in the world, then."

She couldn't say that while touching him! He grabbed her wrist and was reminded of how small and fragile she seemed to be. He pulled her hand away, holding eye contact. There was a definite connection that neither could deny, a "pull" that seemed to keep drawing them together when Jayden knew that it wasn't exactly smart – or safe – to get closer.

Lydia gripped his tie and tugged a little, dragging him down to touch her lips to his in a sweet kiss. He hesitated briefly before his hands found her hips, bringing her closer. He deepened their kiss, running his tongue along the roof of her mouth. That earned him a little giggle.

"I've never done anything like this before," she let him know. Oddly enough, that didn't surprise him. He questioned whether or not he should continue, but she made the decision for him. Her fingers burrowed into his hair and she kissed him – hungrily.

Her insides felt as if they were on fire. She ached for him, was desperate for him. It was a strange sensation. One that left her wanting to seep into him and never leave. She'd forever feel safe and loved. And that would be something, considering she hadn't felt that way in a very long time.

Jayden lifted her suddenly, making her gasp. She wrapped her legs around him and crossed her ankles, afraid to fall away from him. He nuzzled the side of her face and then showered her neck with kisses. She bit into her lip to keep from making strange noises.

"I can walk up the stairs," she whispered into his ear. But he was already ascending them, and they groaned loudly under their combined weight. She slid down his belly as he moved and that's when his hands found her bottom. Heat rushed to her face all over again when he readjusted her. Her eyes widened, but she doubted that he could see that in this darkness.

"You can open the door," he said, following her example and keeping his voice down. She felt behind her with one hand, found the doorknob and eased the door open. He walked into the room and closed the door with his foot.

When he was close enough, he placed her on his bed. "I'm going to turn the light on," he told her. She didn't object. He turned on the little lamp beside his bed. She wouldn't meet his gaze now, quickly becoming shy and…a little embarrassed. She hadn't exactly been wearing a ton of clothes to begin with. All that kept him at bay was a large shirt and her panties.

She figured that this was her last chance to call it off and high-tail it back to her room. She could go back to simply fantasizing about his intense eyes and his strong hands and his…intoxicating kisses. She bit into her lip to punish herself. She would be daring. She would be sexy. She'd be…whatever he needed her to be. She hoped.

Lydia watched as he removed his jacket and tie. His socks and shoes followed. Her eyes followed his hands as he unbuttoned his shirt and peeled it away, revealing taut muscles. She almost allowed herself to think that she was ugly when compared to him; she had become somewhat of a ghost recently.

She jumped when he touched her arm. "You looked distracted…"

"Sorry," she murmured before she sat up, looking up at him through her dark lashes. "I can…touch you, right?" Even as she spoke, she was reaching for him. His stomach quivered under her fingers. One of her hands rose to feel his heart race in his chest. All the while, her eyes were trained on something else. She questioned whether or not she'd be able to fit him.

"Ah…" She removed what little she had on, allowing him to see her. Now she really couldn't look him in the face! How would he see her?

Jayden moved closer, hiding his face in the curve of her neck. She fell back, letting him blanket her body with his own. He nuzzled her breast, placing little kisses here and there. "Gorgeous," she thought she heard him mumble against her skin. She gave a sigh of bliss as he started to place kisses along her collar bone and then her neck.

Smiling, she wrapped her arms around him and turned her head to kiss his temple. All she needed was bravery. She could manage. Tons of women had.

"Take me," she whispered. Take me…

Her whole back felt hot. Before she knew it, everything burned. Her flesh started to char, her hair was singed and she couldn't breathe due to all of the smoke. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out.

"Help me!" she cried. "Oh, my God! Somebody, please—"

A new pain raced through her arm and she looked down. Blood oozed from a long, jagged cut. Metal splinters flew around her and she lifted her arms to protect her face. She crouched, her body forming a ball. She let out a long scream as those metal shards embedded themselves deep, making her resemble a morbid porcupine.

"Lydia!" a child called out. "Lydia!"

Konnor! Lydia tried desperately to move, but she found herself incapable. "I'm coming! I'm coming to find you, Konnor! Don't worry, baby!"

"Lydia!" His voice was so full of fear, so ear-splitting that it brought tears to her eyes. "Lydia!"

Her eyes snapped open and she sat straight up, panting heavily. She was sweating, despite how cold it was. She dropped her head into her hands, shuddering as she sobbed – as quietly as possible, as she feared waking her little brother. "God, help me…!" she whispered.

"Lydia…?"

She gasped, her eyes immediately landing on Jayden. She'd forgotten where she was for a moment. He wasn't awake, she realized when she took a closer look, but he was aware on some level that she was in distress. She wondered for a moment if that was because of his line of work, or if he was just that in tune with her. The idea brought a small smile to her face.

A miracle-worker, she thought as she settled back into the bed. She pulled the covers closer as she nestled into the man beside her. He wrapped an arm around her, surprising her. His body curled around hers protectively and her smile widened.

He was a miracle to her. Before, she'd simply been living. Konnor had been her only reason for being. But Jayden brought her broken body back to life, he eased her mind without even speaking, managed to make her laugh and feel. She wished that she was facing him; she wanted nothing more than to wake him with kisses.

Instead, she relaxed against him. On any other night, her nightmares would have prevented her from sleeping. With him, she was lulled back to sleep by the sound of his breathing, comforted by the warmth of his heart.

Chapter end!