Clan of Redemption (31 page)

“
Jayden, I am so glad to finally
see you after so long, you turned out as beautiful as I imagined,”
Xavier said with a smile.

“
I do remember you. I am very
happy to see you alive, I know how much this means to Logan. What
about Sam, does she know that you're alive?” I asked.

“
Yes, Sam knows that I’m alive,
she wasn’t happy that it had to be this way,” he said.

“
I know that I’m not supposed to
be angry, but I am, how come you had to hide all these years?”
Logan asked.

“
After your Mom died, I realized
that there was no one else that could look after Jayden. I had made
a promise to Sam that I would protect them both.” Xavier said as he
bowed his head.

“
But why couldn’t you just come
back after Grace died, didn’t you think that I needed you too?”
Logan asked.

“
Logan, we have a lot to discuss
but right now, let’s eat. I think we will need our strength.”
Xavier said as he patted Logan on the shoulder.

When the food came, it was almost
calm and pleasant to be around my Grandmother, she seemed like a
different person, laughing and smiling with others.

I don’t remember Blake coming in
the room, but when I looked down to see my grandfather I caught
Blake starring at me. I wonder how his night was with
her.

While I was thinking about Sully
and wondering if she was ok, Blake grabbed his chair, walked it
down past Catherine, and pushed his way in between Logan and
me.

“
Excuse me Logan, I’m going to
just put my chair right here.” As he slide Logan over like he
didn’t weigh but as much as a feather.

Logan didn’t say anything he just
glared at Blake with dagger eyes.

“
I don’t think he appreciated that
much,” I said while I stuffed my face with this pasta that was so
yummy.

“
Well if you ask me, I would say
that he is preoccupied, and I don’t think a princess should ever be
ignored,” he said as he looked over his shoulder back at Logan for
a reaction.

“
He is your Dad too, aren’t you as
happy to see him?” I asked.

“
I’m glad that he's alive, but I
didn’t grow up with him around. He’s like a stranger to me,” he
said as he watched me shuffle more food into my face.

I’m eating more than I normally
do. I wonder if being a shifter takes more energy?

“
This could be your opportunity to
have a relationship with him. I mean, if that’s something that
you’re wanting?” I told him.

“
I appreciate your concern, but I
have other things on my mind that are of more importance than
trying to have a relationship with someone that was never in my
life,” he said with a glare.

“
Oh really like what?” I asked,
still wondering why he wanted to come on this trip.

“
Well, you of course,” he said,
like I should have known that.

I was about to ask him about shape
shifting, realizing that I hadn’t thought about the fact that since
Xavier is a shape shifter, that would mean that so is Blake, and I
wouldn’t think that Grandmother would allow him to stay if he
wasn’t part of our society. I wonder how many none shape shifters
are allowed into our world. It sounds weird thinking about me and
my family as being its own people, apart from the rest of the
world.

Before I could get out my
question, I choked on an olive that I hadn’t had a chance to chew.
I knew it was stuck but I thought I could get it out. I tried
taking a breath but couldn’t get one, and it just made the olive go
deeper. Panic hit me hard, I flew out of my chair like lightening,
trying to figure out how to get this out of my throat. Everything
that you learn in CPR class seems like it would click into place
when the time arises that you need it, but pure panic was
overwhelming me. All I could do was call for help in my mind, and
hope that someone heard me.

Blake was right at my side, trying
to figure out what was wrong with me. It wasn’t making me feel
better, just a bit more panicked.

“
Jayden, are you alright?” Blake
asked me as he put a hand on my shoulder. through his hand off
trying to not panic so bad.

I motioned towards my throat and
tried to mouth choking while I was flailing around.

Blake grabbed me around my torso,
squeezed, and pulled me off the floor with all his might. I felt a
rib crack, and that’s when my defenses went up. I knew in the back
of my head that he was trying to help, but as soon as the pain of
the rib set in I threw up my shield as fast as I could and it threw
Blake about 20 feet back and he crashed into the wall at lightning
speed.

Logan was at my side before Blake
hit the wall.

He grabbed my face with his hands
with a gentleness that stopped my mind for a moment, “Jayden, you
need to let me in, if you don’t you will die…do you
understand…please, you don’t have much time. Think about life and
what it means to you, try to calm down and I can help you.” He
reached around and was able to secure his arms around my middle. As
soon as he did, he grabbed me just like Blake did and tried the
same maneuver and was successful without cracking a rib. The olive
shot out of my mouth like a cannon. I took a huge breath and
started choking uncontrollably at the same time. I fell to the
ground with relief and pain, the pain from the rib. Every breath I
tried to take hurt worse than the one before.

“
Blake...if you try something like
that again…well you might get more than a blow to the wall. Stay
away from Jayden,” he said as he helped me up and into a
chair.

“
I think one of my ribs is cracked
or broken or something, it hurts pretty bad,” I sobbed.

I could see the anger in Logan’s
face as he watched my pain stricken face.

“
Logan, it was an accident, he was
trying to help…..it would have worked if I hadn’t put up my shield.
You can’t get mad at him,” I said as I was hoping to stop a fight
that seemed to be brewing for some time.

“
Jayden, it’s ok, he has the right
to be mad at me. I could have put you into more danger by trying to
help you. You’re more familiar with Logan and would more than
likely let him help you. I am very sorry that you’re hurt. I think
we need to get you some help,” he said.

“
I’ve already taken care of that.
I’ve contacted Sydney. She should be here in a few minutes,”
Grandfather said as he knelt down by my side.

“
Well take her to the Solarium. At
least…I don’t want her whimpering in pain in front of me.”
Grandmother said as she stalked out of the room.

Wow, what a nice Grandmother. No
wonder my Mom left and never came back.

“
I’m not whimpering,” I said
softly as Logan carried me through the house into a glass-lined
room with millions of different kinds of plants and flower, so
brilliant it took what was left of my breath away. He laid me down
on a soft lounge sofa. I always wanted my own green house, this was
awesome.

Logan and I were alone for just a
few minutes and as we laid together. I didn’t let go. I hugged him
as tight as I could without screaming out in pain.

“
I really missed you, I’m sorry
that I wasn’t the nicest to you at times, my emotions have been all
over the place and taking orders from a dog is really difficult.
Also, thanks for saving my life again back there,” I said as I let
go of him and looked into his eyes, eyes I had thought I would
never see again.

“
You don’t have to say you’re
sorry, your world has been turned upside down over that last few
weeks….I would be in shock too. And as for the olive thing, well
you’re not leaving me that easy,” he said as he kissed me on the
cheek.

I think I was blushing when
Grandfather walked in with Sydney at his side, with Blake and
Xavier following.

“
Miss Jayden, I see that you
haven’t managed to keep yourself out of trouble,” she pulled up a
chair and sat next to me.

“
I try my best,” I said with a
smirk while holding my rib in place, I realized if I breathed in
sallow I could handle the pain.

“
If I gave you a couple of days I
think this would heal nicely, but I’m afraid you don’t have that
much time,” she said as she started to lift up my shirt.

“
Could you gentleman please leave
us alone for just a few minutes,” Sydney asked as she waited for
them to leave before she lifted it up all the way.

“
Are you risking yourself by
coming here?” I asked, hoping her answer was no. I didn't want
anyone risking their lives for mine.

“
I would risk everything for you
Jayden. We might not know each other very well, but the love that I
felt for your Mother is there for you. Plus I don’t want you to
worry about me like that anyway; it’s you that needs to keep
yourself alive,” she said as she opened up this jar of green goo
and smeared it on my right side.

“
What is that stuff, it smells
like…salty…it stinks,” I said as I realized that it felt cooling on
my skin.

“
This is an old recipe from some
friends that spend a lot of time in the water. It might not smell
good, but you’ll feel much better in a few hours,” she said as she
put a bandage over the sap to keep it from ruining my
clothes.

“
It already feels better, thank
you. How come I was able to heal Logan once, but I can’t heal
myself?” I said, as I was able to sit up without the stabbing
pains.

Sydney started to walk away and
stopped before she reached the doorway.

“
Who said you can’t? Jayden, don’t
worry about Sully she will be fine, but you need to start to see
things for what they are and not what you want them to be. This
life is a big choice to make and you need to make that decision
before it’s made for you. Maybe what you need to do is read a
little. I bet you could find something interesting….,” she said as
she walked away.

I didn’t get a chance to ask her
what she meant and reading, but I had a feeling that I knew that I
could have healed myself, but I knew that she wouldn’t have told me
anyway. These people have a way of beating around the bush, or at
least they do with me.

“
Find something
interesting to read….what the heck is she talking about?”
I thought to myself as I looked around the room
and admired all the beauty, and the smell alone is almost
intoxicating.

“
Are you looking for something to
read, you mean you don’t have enough on your plate to think about
right now?” Logan asked me as I looked up to see him and his father
walking in.

“
No, it’s just….never mind,” I
said as I tried to stand up. Logan walked over and gave me a hand.
The pain was getting duller by the minute.

“
Now don’t think that it’s just
going to heal in minutes, she’s good, but not that good,” Xavier
said as he took my other hand.

“
I know, but I hate to be any
inconvenienced to anyone and I wanted to look around, this
room…is…” I couldn’t finish my sentence.

“
Stunning, I know. It was your
Mother’s favorite place besides the beach. This is all her, it’s
just been kept up by Art,” Xavier said as he walked with me through
the maze to look at all the glory.

“
I have added a few things myself,
plus they don't take care of themselves,” a voice spoke from behind
a rose bush.

“
Forgive me Art, of course you
have. I was just showing Jayden your master piece,” he said, trying
not to offend him.

“
Well I will admit that Grace gave
me a great start, but I have grown some spectacular hybrids. Have
you seen this one, it’s my newest creation. He walked over to a
long necked flower that looked almost cosmic. It had petals that
were a mixture of blues and grays, but so alive it looked almost
painted.

“
It’s striking Art. You really
have a green thumb. I can’t keep anything alive. I either over
water it, or under water it,” I said as I stroked the petals on
this brilliant creation.

“
It doesn’t take a green thumb,
you just have to treat them with the same love that you treat
yourself with,” Art smiled.

When I first looked at Art I was
taken aback, I didn’t expect him to be so….so macho I guess you
could say. He was wearing coveralls with no shirt on underneath,
which made it even more difficult to keep my eyes off him. He
looked almost Aztecan, with a skin tone a dark olive, and his
muscles; they were so defined and big. I wanted to reach out and
touch him to make sure that they felt as hard as they looked. I
haven’t seen a man this in shape since I watched old Arnold movies
with my Dad.

“
Close your mouth, you might catch
a bug,” Logan said as he punched me on the back of my arm, right
under the arm where the skin hangs just a bit.

“
Ouch, that hurt. I think you
might have bruised me,” I said as I scowled at Logan.

“
Hey, if you want all the men in
the pacific Norwest to feel your hormones, then by all means, lust
away, but remember your emotions are felt by everyone when you're
not reeling them in,” Logan whispered.