A.N: Happy Wednesday! Thank you for the reviews and the follows', you're all such lovely people, and you made me so happy! Updates are every Wednesday and remember that although I am taking a break from writing my other Karla and Saul stories, this will feature them quite heavily. The back-story of my characters is completely fictional, I made it up to suit the story and I in no way own these characters or the Savant idea- all rights go to Joss Stirling. This is about the boys finding their soulfinders and if you have any questions, then feel free to jump up and down, waving your hands in the air. Thank you for reading and reviewing in advance, I hope you enjoy! Xxx
Chapter Seven
Saul looked at Karla hesitantly, the shivery feeling of danger washing over his body and he wrapped his right arm around his wife, pulling her against his chest. He was certain it was the woman giving off the danger signal but made no sign of this.
Saul, she makes me uneasy. Karla. Saul kissed her neck and tightened his grip.
Keep your shields up sweetie, just for now, it might just be the fever, or the case. Or both.
Trace's soulfinder Ridley, smiled hesitantly and held out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr and Mrs Benedict, Trace has told me so much about you."
Karla, ever the actress, flashed a dainty smile and said quietly "It's lovely to meet you to Ridley, I'd shake hands but I'm not feeling that well and I don't want to make you sick as well."
Saul said nothing and Karla elbowed him gently. Saul!
He shook his head and shook hands with Ridley. "Sorry, yes it's lovely to meet you to Ridley. I'd get up but, my wife doesn't want to be alone when she's sick."
"I hope you feel better soon." Ridley said smiling again at Karla. "Is there anything we can get you?"
Karla thought Ridley to be very pretty, even if she did make her uneasy. She had long thick black hair and eyes with that perfect line of eyeliner. She was tall too, even if she was wearing heels and Karla sighed enviously leaning back on Saul. She often wished she could be taller. She wore heels of course, but they only made Saul frustrated because she'd trip in them and either bruise or break something. Trace looked happy to, extremely happy and for that Karla was glad Ridley had come along.
"No," she said quietly, "no I don't need anything, just my husband." she smiled and found Saul's hand under the covers. Their fingers linked and she squeezed. He squeezed back and gently brushed the top of her head with his lips.
"Okay, I'm going to show Ridley around before everyone comes over so we can get this Anya business sorted out. Are Zed and the other upstairs?"
"Yes," Saul replied, "I'd leave them. From what we heard, they weren't okay. They'll come down when their ready son."
"They'll come down now; I want them to meet Ridley." Trace bounded up the stairs, leaving Ridley in the living room with Saul and Karla.
"I was sorry to hear about Anya," she said quietly, "if there's anything I can do to help, I'll help you any way I can. My gift allows me to see into the minds of others and control them, I wouldn't even have to touch her. If you would let me access her from yours or Trace's brother's thoughts, I could try to find her?"
"Would you?" Karla said eagerly, sitting up, all uneasiness forgotten. "Oh that would be wonderful, wouldn't it Saul?"
"Yes," Saul said, although Karla knew he was holding back judgement. "We would be extremely grateful."
"Mom! Dad!" Xav yelled from his bedroom. "Tell my jerk of a brother to leave me alone!"
"Trace!" Karla warned. Saul touched her cheek and her attention was on him.
"Xav stop being selfish! My soulfinder is downstairs and I want you to get dressed- nicely- and say hello. At least pretend you have manners for today."
"Trace, leave them be!" Saul called but it was as if Trace had ignored him. Minutes later, Zed came charging down the stairs and stopped at the sight of Ridley. He raised his eyebrows but said nothing, kneeling beside his mom and kissing her cheek.
"I hear you're sick," he said quietly. Karla smiled and ruffled his hair.
"Not sick enough to tell you to mind your manners my darling," Zed sighed and she patted his cheek. It surprised Ridley that Karla had such control over her sons, especially that one. He looked like he belonged in a gang, knifing old ladies and defacing windows.
"Hi Ridley, I'm Zed, it's nice to meet you." Zed droned, still sitting close to his mother. She kissed the top of his head and rubbed his shoulder.
"Good boy," she murmured.
I'm only down here to stop her attacking you.
Just because your father can sense danger doesn't mean I'm going to be attacked Zed, if you want to return to your bedroom no one will mind.
You're not going to lecture me because we have guests?
Son, I think we will all understand. Saul joined the conversation.
Trace won't. You should have seen the way Trace was manipulating Yves into coming down. He kept saying we were all being selfish.
Oh darling, you leave Trace to us, if you want to go, go.
No I'll stay. She might hurt you.
"Zed that's a cute name, is it short for… something?"
Cute? Zed looked at her incredulously; how old did she think he was? Karla bit her lip to stop herself from giggling and buried her face in her hands.
"It's just Zed," he said shortly. I have a confession…
Karla and Saul both looked at each other. Go on… That was Saul, a gentle brush against his mind.
I was angry and scared and I needed to get it out before I yelled at you guys. Zed said quickly. Please don't be angry, or tell my brothers.
Darling you know you can tell us anything.
I threw my Xbox against the wall… and my consoles… and I snapped all my games into a million pieces. Zed looked up at his parents. Karla cupped his cheek, hardly caring if Ridley felt left out. Saul slid out from under the duvet and knelt in front of Zed. His youngest child may have been seventeen but he was still, especially in Karla's eyes, their baby; that tiny delicate bundle born in mid-July. He covered Karla's hand with his own and made Zed look at him.
I know they were expensive- Zed began, but Saul hushed him.
Don't you worry about it son. I'm pleased you told us, and found a way to let your anger out without hurting others. And it is perfectly okay to be scared sometimes, you're only human.
Zed smiled and hugged his dad tightly. "Thank you daddy," he whispered, so only Saul could hear him.
A Basement, Location: Somewhere in Denver
Anya hated the smell of vomit. This basement reeked of it. Closing her eyes and holding her breath she could just about imagine home and her daddy and her momma and her brothers. It had been three days since Ridley had left her down here, screaming for her daddy. In that time Anya had decided they were starving her out until she decided to tell them her power, which she couldn't because she didn't even know what her power was herself.
Anya sighed and closed her eyes, curling up on the cold stone floor and tried to imagine her daddy swooping into the basement, picking her up in his strong arms and kissing her until her momma cried and her brothers whooped with joy. The image was so real she could almost smell her daddy, if she could hold that image, maybe some way it could become real.
Anya looked up as shouts were heard above, eyes widening, she realised it was her father and brothers. She banged her small hands against the door, screaming and shrieking for all it was worth.
"Daddy! Daddy! Please daddy!" She began to sob, her voice breaking. "Trace! Victor! Please help me, please! Daddy!"
"Anya? Anya? Anya? Where are you princess?"
"Daddy!" She cried out. That was who she wanted; her daddy! Oh please let him take her home and keep her safe and then find momma and be happy again. "Daddy! I'm down here!"
"It's okay baby, we've found you!" Yelled her father.
"Anya!" That was Trace. "Stand away from the door babygirl!"
Still sobbing, she moved back to her corner, feet smearing the pool of blood, staining her skin a dull dark red. With a crash the door was kicked open, the rotting wood collapsing on the ground, as if it too, was exhausted. Her eldest brother skidded down the stairs and came to a halt in front of his sister, Victor and Saul hot on his heels.
"Daddy?" Anya rubbed a filthy hand across her cheek, smearing dirt and tears. Saul smiled tenderly and came closer, strong arms outstretched in his old faded blue shirt. She began to cry again, so happy to be rescued at long last.
"Yeah baby, come here little princess." He beckoned her forward and Anya flew into his arms, winding her legs around his chest and her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. The blood on her feet stained his shirt, but he didn't care, relieved for his daughter to be safe with him, to be alive.
"Hush now babygirl, you're safe now. Daddy's got you, the nasty men won't hurt you anymore, I promise princess. I've got you, baby, you're safe, I'll protect you." Saul soothed his daughter, whispering the words she needed to hear in her ear as he carried her out to the car, rubbing her back with his hand.
There was a shatter and Anya's eyes snapped open. It was a dream…her daddy had been a dream. Anya began to sob, strangled cries echoing off the walls. Why did it have to be a dream?
"Oh, come now princess, don't you cry, Ridley and I have a little plan for you." Anya stopped and sat up. A man sat in the corner opposite her, with shaggy brown hair and a bottle of whiskey in his hand. He sniggered and Anya flinched, standing and stepping backwards. She was quite afraid of this man.
"See here's what we're going to do little princess. Once we've stolen your mommy's soulfinder and we have both of you here, we're going to do a little negotiating. You see your mommy made a deal with Ridley's daddy but your mommy broke her end of the deal. I foresaw that. I can see the future, you know. By having you two here, we can have whatever we want; money, drugs, alcohol, a big house on a beach in California…even your mommy in my bed. She will do anything we want because we have you."
Anya hadn't really taken any of this in, but she fell to the floor sobbing.
"Oh don't you cry, princess, we have plans for you too, you see, we're going to put you on a plane to a pretty city called Amsterdam, in which there is a Red Light Street. You are going to work in a large house making lots of men like your daddy happy. And that will make your daddy very proud indeed." The man smirked. "I'm Drake, welcome to the business."
"I want to go home." Anya muttered.
"Oh but princess, you wanted to come with us, you said so yourself, that's what you told your daddy."
"Well, I want to go home now! Please, my daddy can give you all those nice things, just let me go. Please, Mr. Drake, I want my daddy, please."
"You want your daddy; well we'll get you your daddy, princess, and then no more crying little princess."
Anya continued to sob and Drake grew angry. "Now, stop that!" he yelled, "I said we'll get you your daddy and that's final. Not another word from you until Ridley gets here."
"I just want to go home," she whispered. Drake dropped his bottle and it shattered. She took a step back, frightened. Drake came closer until he had her thin wrist trapped between his long pale fingers and she squirmed.
"now stop that," he said softly, stroking her hair. "Or I'll have to punish you."