***AUTHORS NOTE***

G

THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS GOREY SCENES THAT MAY DISTURB SOME READERS

***END AUTHORS NOTE***

I still was having issues with wondering if Xai'an was even real right now. The mind can do some crazy shit when it's traumatized enough. Though when the pain returned to me worse than ever and he was still here, I never felt so thankful before. Was it possible to fall in love with someone in a situation like this? Because I think that's what was happening.

I hadn't been able to keep my eyes off of him since he started escorting me out of that fucking closet. He was utterly beautiful to me with his black scales, both the rough and soft. The dreads that bounced and clicked around his hips as he walked was like a comforting lullaby, but the purr he produced from deep inside his chest made me want to snuggle into him and never let him go.

His purr suddenly turned to a growl and the fact I could tell the difference now made me beam with pride. I looked down at the crimson painted floor and it took me a second to realize that it was blood. Lots of it. Bodies littered the floor, some not even intact. I recognized one of them as Smith. Fucking justice. "Did you do this, Xai'an?"

He nodded once and knelt down to look at the boot prints much too small to be his own. Then he looked down the hall, chittering in thought. "Oomans close."

I frowned and looked back down at the bodies. He had ripped two of their heads off. I say ripped because I could see where their flesh stretched and tore. I felt nothing. Nothing. "I'm sorry I doubted you then Xai'an. I hope you kill every last fucking one of them."

He nodded and stood back up, cradling me a little more with his arms. Xai'an was careful as he followed the trail of blood. When he reached the edge of the hall he momentarily cloaked to peer around the corner. I was amazed by it because it seemed like I was floating in mid air.

When he phased back into sight he hurried down the hall, but he stopped to place small black circular objects in the wall, opposite of each other. A mass of red lasers checkered across the hall and I could only assume this was to prevent anyone from coming up behind us.

When he turned into the room where they had tortured me, I couldn't hold back a strangled groan. It was too soon to be back here so I just closed my eyes and hoped he'd tell me when it was over.

I heard him chittering as he moved me into one arm again so he could reach for the bomb on his wrist. A few beeps and I could hear it giving a steady tone. I think he tossed it to the floor because it clattered and skid. Then we were moving again.

"STOP!"

I opened my eyes to see we were in the hallway again. Behind us was the grid of lasers and in front was a small mass of men, including my torturer. He was smiling arrogantly and it lit a fire inside me. "He killed Danny. He's the one who broke my arm." I told Xai'an knowing good and well it would piss him off.

And it did. Xai'an roared over whatever that fuck face was trying to say and pushed me back into the medical room so he could charge them. Fear stole my breath when I heard shots, but I couldn't get up even if I wanted to risk the bullets. I was in so much pain.

Then I heard the screams and the slick sound of something wet slapping a solid surface. "WHY WON'T HE DIE?"

There were more screams as Xai'an roared and I watched as a body was tossed through the air, blood raining down on the floor with thick plops. Soon, all the gun fire ceased along with the screams.

Only a faint choking gurgle was left and it was coming closer. I managed to push myself up to a sitting position just as Xai'an came into the room, dragging my torturer in, leaving a bloody trail behind him.

I felt no remorse for the tears he tried to hold back as I stared into those eyes. In fact, I felt myself smile and it wasn't pleasant. "Awwww... not so smug now are we? You're lucky I don't have time to enjoy watching you suffer because Danny deserves that sort of retribution. Men like you always try to say the harm you cause is for the better of human nature, our country, whatever. But in reality you're more a monster than he ever will be."

Xai'an reached for a dagger at his side and moved to sink it into the man's throat. "Wait! Xai'an! Let me help."

I think my request shocked him because he just stared at me for a moment before he pulled the groaning man closer to me. I had almost thought I would rethink my choice to personally kill him, but I still felt nothing. I was blissfully happy about it when Xai'an handed me the blade and covered my hand with his. He chittered softly over my shoulder before sinking in the blade.

I'll never forget the sound it made when his flesh pierced from the cut, nor the bubbled gurgles he made as he choked on his own blood. When you hear about seeing the light die from someone's eyes as they pass away was true, yet didn't do it justice. It was almost like you could literally see the soul leave them and turn the thing at your feet to nothing more than a doll.

I blinked back tears as thoughts of Danny filled my head. I got justice for him, but this wouldn't bring him back. If I could bring this fucker back just to kill him all over again, I would.

Xai'an sheathed his dagger and picked me up. "Must run. Will hurt. Running out of time."

I just nodded. "Get me the fuck out of here."

And he did. I barely had time to even register the blood bath he left behind because he was moving so fast. When he got to the stairs, he didn't even take them. He just fucking jumped up three floors and pushed out. The halls here were also a picture of bloody modern art. I realized then that this was indeed Xai'an's brother's doing. They had used him as a decoy so Xai'an could sneak in to get me. I could kiss them both if I didn't think Xai'an would rip his brother in half.

It was indeed painful as fuck as he ran, but I didn't blame him in the slightest. I just gritted my teeth and bore through the pain as best as I could without crying out. I'd be out of here soon enough.

Xai'an finally hit the door that led outside and I groaned when I saw the morning sun bright as ever. How could the sun shine so bright today after what happened to Danny? I thought it bitterly. It was just another cruel reminder that the world didn't care if you died. If it was deserved or unfair.

I hissed in pain when he suddenly launched into the air and landed on something metal, even though I couldn't see what it was. A few steps up and it all came into view. We were on a ship!

It amazed me at the intricate writings on the wall even though they were made of a bronze like metal. Xai'an walked down the hall that led into a circular room. I couldn't help but notice a shelf of sorts, built into the wall of the ship that held what looked like various skulls. Just glancing I counted roughly 50 different kinds.

"Are these yours?" I asked.

He growled. "No. Mine better."

I laughed at his boasting. Something told me he didn't do it often and it made my heart flutter that he cared enough to want to. "Then I can't wait to see it. I take it this ship doesn't belong to you then?"

He shook his head as he kept walking into another tunnel. This one led to a smaller room that looked like something between a kitchen and a dungeon. The middle of the room had a cocoon type thing that had a glass window. Xai'an approached it and pressed his claws into a keypad on its side. It hissed open to reveal a large leather padding inside. "Z lay down. Pod help sleep and heal."

I bit my lip. I didn't like the idea of being stuck inside another box, but I trusted Xai'an explicitly. "How long?"

He gently lowered me inside and his dreads spilled inside with me, "Not long. Hours. Under normal average for ooman sleep cycle."

A normal human sleep cycle? That was eight hours. If I was just sleeping, I could handle that. I think. "I'm not very tired though, Xai'an. I hurt pretty bad." My fingers found those rubbery dreads and ran up the length of them. He shuddered at the touch and it occured to me that he actually felt that. Unlike human hair, his was a live part of him.

"Pod help you sleep. No matter pain." I watched his chest take a deep, slow breath, as if he was trying to calm himself.

"Okay...Sorry if my touching your hair hurt or something." I motioned to the dreads.

He laughed at me and it made me smile that I recognized it. "Not hurt. Feel good."

"Ah!" Thank you for sending what little blood I had left in my body up to my face, Xai'an! "Okay then."

His hand went to my face, cupping my cheek. His thumb ran over my lips and despite the pain I was in, my body reacted with such need it stole my breath. "Never leave Z unsafe again. Promise."

The butterflies did a rollercoaster of twirls in my stomach at his words. "I'll hold you to that." I breathed out.

Xai'an sadly pulled back and I watched him close the pod over me. There was a 'whoosh' of air as it locked tight. Had I not been able to see Xai'an as he worked the pad, I might not have been as calm about it.

There was suddenly a sweet smell, almost floral and sugar mixed together. It smelled so nice I took a deep breath and that's all it took for me to fall asleep.