Chapter 7

                                    

                                          
     Siva hefted Grayson from the car and ignored him as the boy tried to push away from his hold. "Settle down. Do you want to fall in front of your sister?" He whispered as the girl got out of the car and followed them silently up the walkway toward the house.
Grayson gave in and allowed the Faery King to help him.
    Siva sat him down on the couch and hurriedly disappeared up the stairs. Sarah knelt down in front of him and moved the shirt away from his face to inspect the damage, while Dani collapsed into the nearest recliner and fell asleep.
    "I'm so sorry, Gray." His sister whispered, fresh tears welling in her eyes.
    "You have to stop being so stupid." Though his words were harsh they were also feeble and she could not bring herself to react defensively.
    "I'm sorry." 
    "I'm not going to be around much longer. You're going to have to wise up and stop putting yourself in those situations." 
    She knew it. Of course she knew it. But she had not yet come to terms with the sad fact that her superman was leaving her. Maybe that's what had driven her to Ricky's, the need for one more rescue. It was hard to tell what she'd been thinking, especially now, as much alcohol as she'd consumed. All she could do was cry. 
    "Sarah." Siva called from stairway, first aid kit in his arms. "There's a guest room here, to the left of the stairs." He pointed. "It has it's own bathroom. There are clean linens on the shelf above the sink. Please, you and your friend, make use of them." 
    She looked at her brother, at his ever-paling face and his tired eyes. She didn't want to leave him, but she wasn't any good to him drunk as she was and she'd already caused enough trouble. "Dani is out." She murmured, glancing over at her unconscious friend.
    Quietly, Siva came over, setting the kit on the coffee table. "I'll be with you in just one more moment, Grayson." He sighed, lifting the drunk girl from his favorite chair and heading back toward the stairs. "Come on, Sarah."
    "Have him come and get me if-"
    "I'll be fine. Go on." Gray whispered, giving her a painful smile with his busted lips. She hurried to follow after Siva, not wanting to be seen crying again.
    Siva laid Dani down gently on the large bed and was about to go to Grayson when he turned and found Sarah looking up at him with large brown eyes so like her brother's. Reaching out, he placed a large hand on her head and ruffled her hair, sending a wave of peace throughout her. "I will not let him die." He promised. "No need to worry."
    "How?" She whimpered, swaying. She suddenly felt so sleepy. This mans presence was like a blanket, a fog around her already muddled mind.
    "I can, and I will."
    "That doesn't make sense." Her lids began to close and she grabbed hold of him to keep from falling. He swept her up and laid her beside her friend.
    "I will simply hold on to him, until death gives way to me." He smiled. "So, no more tears."
    She closed her eyes and he remained there until he was certain she was asleep, before turning and descending the stairs. Grayson was sitting on the couch where he had left him, his head resting on the back of the couch, the bloody shirt in his lap, eyes closed.  His chest was rising and falling slowly, weakly. A pang of fear, like a knife, twisted in his soul and he couldn't shield the fright laced in his voice.
    "Grayson? Are you alright?"
    Gray opened his eyes and blinked slowly up at the ceiling. "Sorry you had to see that." He sighed.
    "Nonsense." Siva breathed, removing alcohol wipes from the first aid box and beginning to wipe the blood away from Gray's face. "Sverre and I have killed many men for my sister's honor. You did what was necessary. I only regret human justice does not allow vindictive murder. In which case I would have let you slay him."
    "I can do that." Grayson said, reaching to take the wipe from the other man's hand. Siva avoided his fingertips and continued.
    "That boy must have been wearing a ring." He muttered, touching Gray's busted lip gently. "Do you think it would cast suspicion on you if he were to be found dead in the morning?"
    "Yes." Gray snorted. "So, the Fae murder one another often, then?"
    "No. Well, not in Seelie. Unseelie is pretty ruthless. My sister is beautiful, and many men have accosted her. It is our right as her brothers to protect her however we see fit. Woman are holy in Faery and are treasured greatly. They excel in the healing arts, my sister is the greatest yet. That's why I am sure she can help you."
    "What's she like, your sister?" Gray kept talking, though he was exhausted. Deep down, he feared sleep. He felt so weak, he did not have confidence in his ability to wake again.
    "Much like yours. Kind-hearted, strong-willed, though Avalbane is louder, and more aggressive. She's older than Sverre and I. We tested her patience a great deal as children. It's a wonder she didn't kill us."
    Siva was happy to find that beneath the blood, Gray's face was not nearly as bad off as he'd thought. Discarding the soiled wipes onto the coffee table, he removed Gray's bloody button up and then attempted to help him up.
    "I can crash here." He mumbled. "Don't worry about it."
    "You will sleep better in the bedroom." Siva insisted, "If you're too weak to walk, I can carry you. If you want a shower, I can help with that too."
    "I can do all that myself." Gray insisted, spurred into action by his pride as the other man looked down at him with pity in his verdant eyes. Slowly, he rose, and pushed gently past Siva.
    Siva understood the need to maintain one's ego, so even though Grayson moved as though he could collapse at any moment, he did not interfere. It pained him to watch how gingerly the boy moved, and he wished he could do more for him. Sadly, sharing his energy and easing pain and swelling was the end of his white magic expertise. He'd concentrated mostly on Glamour and the fighting arts as a child.
    He stood in the doorway as Grayson staggered to the bed and sat down. It felt as though he were intruding, even when it was his room. The boy looked so forlorn it felt wrong to look upon him, and even worse to turn away. 
    "What time is it?" Gray asked, breaking the silence as he slipped off his shoes and lay down.
    "Ten." Siva responded softly. "You should get some rest." 
    As the boy rolled over and closed his eyes, Siva turned to leave, not wanting to injure Grayson's ego any further. He was about to close the door and descend the stairs when Gray called out to him. 
    "Siva." 
    Never had two syllables said so much. Though it was only his name, Siva heard the plea there, the words unspoken. To him, they screamed 'help me', and cried 'stay'. So, he did. 
    Approaching the bed purposefully, he lay down behind him and wrapped his arms around him, consuming him in a peaceful haze. Even having lived through the melodrama that was his life, this was one of the hardest things he'd ever done. He'd only know this kid for a few days, yet the curse that had been cast upon his soul was rending his heart to bits. Loving someone, if this obsession could be labeled as such, was hard as hell. 
    "That song you were singing..." Gray mumbled, nearly asleep. 
    Siva pulled him closer, until Gray could feel the thundering of his heart against his spine. "Want me to sing it?" He whispered into his neck. The answer came as a feeble nod. Smiling against his smooth skin, Siva began the joyful tune as requested, while slowly pulling the ache from his bones.