The crow and the beast - Kaz brekker

Chapter 21 - save him

"inej? Jesper? What?"

the horses came to a halt in front of Cara and both jesper and inej jumped off and gave Cara a hug. Jesper took the lead in explaining.

"oh Cara it was all a misunderstanding! Kaz never meant what he said at that meeting, it was to protect you and the dregs! The other gangs threatened that they would attack us to get rid of you. Kaz was only protecting you."

Cara looked at jesper, not fully believeing him. inej saw this and stepped forward.

"Cara its true, kaz has been miserable for days. he misses you a lot, he hasn't been able to sleep."

Cara was still to shocked to answer but turned to the sound of her uncle from behind.

"kaz must be the boy that send me the letters, he has been trying to find me for a while. But as you know I don't like company much here on my property. if he really is the boy that send me the letters he really cares about you Cara."

Cara turned back to jesper and inej. "so why hasn't he come himself?."

suddenly jesper and inej seemed to remember why they came in the first place and inej took the word again. "the other gangs are attacking the dregs tonight! It was rollins plan all along to get rid of you so he could attack the dregs and get rod of kaz for good."

Cara knew inej wasn't lying. She debated for a moment until her uncle spoke again. "you have to go Cara, save that boy. Don't be afraid anymore."

Cara nodded her head and made up her mind. "uncle will you take care of the horses?" her uncle nodded.

"jesper, inej I want you to get on and hold on for dear life. If we are to make it back to ketterdam by tonight we will need all the speed we can get and I cannot have you falling off.

Jesper and inej looked at each other confused but when they looked back at Cara she had transformed into her wolf form. But she seemed different. Bigger than she was before. Her black fur glistering in the sunset.

Peter laughed. "what you guys didn't think she was still the scared little wolf she was before right? She is her fathers daughter, one of the strongest shifters in the world. And she finally found her power."

Cara laid down before them so they could get on. Inej sat up front with jesper behind her. they both held on to anything that they could, inej grabbing a handful of fur while jesper grabbed inej and took his hat off.

Cara turned to look at peter one last time as to say thank you and he nodded. Cara took off running. Faster than any horse. They weren't far before they could hear a wolfs howl in the distance. Cara knew if was peter and she felt pride. For the first time in her life she was proud to be a shifter.

they ran over the fields instead of through the woods, Cara did not care anymore if anybody saw them. there was only one thing on her mind, she needed to get back to Kaz before it was to late.

They ran for hours. Cara's paws hurt and her legs were burning. But she refused to stop and rest for if she came to late she would never forgive herself.

Just the thought of kaz getting hurt gave her new energy. It had long turned dark by now but her eyes had adjusted to the darkness and she saw every obstacle from good distance away. She would warn inej and jesper of a jump with a growl.

Cara felt like she had been running for her whole life before she saw ketterdam in the distance. Finally seeing her destination gave her even more energy. Once they got close she heard gunshots in the distance. They were only a few miles away now.

Without slowing down her pace she threw her head back and howled. A signal to some, a warning to others. When they reached the gate she slowed her pace slightly as to not bump into buildings.

"Cara they are at the slat!" Cara made her way towards the slat, bumping and even running over people who were not smart enough to jump away. They were only a few streets away when she saw dime lions running towards the same destination and she growled.

it was jesper who spoke. "We will take care of them, go to the slat" Cara slowed her pace so jesper and inej could jump off.

once she saw them get off she took of running again. Just one more corner she thought. She could hear the gunshots loud and clear now. She hoped, prayed that kaz was alright.

She turned the corner and all she saw was chaos. She came to a halt looking for kaz in the crowd. The dregs were outnumbered at least 3-1 and they were losing pretty badly.

She shifted into her monstrous form and roared. This wasn't just a roar, it was the loudest roar she had ever produced. It could be heard over the whole of ketterdam. It echoed between the buildings. The fighting before her seemed to slow down and some people completely stopped fighting all together.

as soon as some people saw her they ran, but not the dregs. It seemed to have given the dregs more strength to continue the fighting.

She threw herself into the mass of fighting people. Slashing and biting every person that she knew was not part of the dregs. Shots were fired and she could hear the pang of them hitting her armor. But did not feel anything.

The fighting continued she had at least gotten rid of a dozen people but still she did not find kaz in the fighting. She threw another dime lion against a nearby building breaking his bones, when she turned her eyes fell on something glistering.

it was kaz's cane. Blood on the crow head. She felt rage creep in but instead of beinf afraid of it she embraced it. She roared again. More people ran for their lives into nearby streets and did not dare to look back.

The fight had become evenly matched by now. She slashed and threw more gang members of the dregs until she spotted him. He was on the ground and she saw the man on top of him punching him.

She moved fast jumping to the pair. She grabbed the man off of Kaz. lifting him up in the air. She knew this man. Pekka rollins.

She brought his face towards hers. "you" her voice had a deep growl to it, it sounded damn right scary. the fighting seemed to have completely died down around her.

"Cara don't kill him." She glanced at kaz who had managed to stand up and was now leaning against the wall to keep himself steady.

"I won't" pekka almost grinned at her. "yes be a good girl and listen to your master"

Cara growled and snapped her teeth shut next to him making him flinch.

"he is not my master, nobody is. ... but i won't kill you tonight."

she glanced at the other dregs and the other gangs in the street. They were all listening now.

"but if I ever see anybody of your gang or any other gang on dreg territory again I will kill them, and everybody they love."

The fear was clear in pekka's eyes but he did not respond.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!"

Pekka almost whimpered. "yes, yes I understand"

She threw him away and he landed against 2 other dime lions. As quickly as they could they stood up and ran.

The dregs cheered and taunted them as they ran. Cara walked over and took the crow cane from the ground. Then walked back to kaz, he couldn't hide the relief on his face. She leaned down and he took the cane from her.

"you are different" Cara tilted her head slightly. "in a good way I mean." He quickly added. She took a step back and looked around once more, she saw the dregs carrying and helping their hurt gang members inside the slat. Seeing that there is no more danger she shifted back to human.

when she turned back to kaz she immediately felt his strong arms around her hugging her tightly. He buried his face in her hair as she heard him whisper. "I am so sorry, please forgive me" she returned the hug. "I already did"

they broke the hug and saw jesper and inej running into view. Inej was the first one to hug Cara and jesper followed soon after. "you are the most amazing person I have ever seen" jesper said. Then he jokingly added. "you have completely ruined horse riding for me to by the way".

Kaz looked confused at jesper and when jesper only giggled inej tookt he word. "Cara carried us all the way here, she never stopped once." Kaz took a step towards Cara but he hissed in pain and almost stumbled.

Cara put her hands on his chest to steady him. "we should get you cleaned up." She draped his arm over her shoulders as she helped him to his office downstairs. Jesper and inej stayed back helping the other dregs.

once kaz and Cara were in his office She put him down on a chair and went to get a bowl of water and some cloth. She kneeled before him. "do you want to do it yourself or?" when he shook his head Cara dipped the cloth in the water and went to clean a cut on his eyebrow first.

"Cara I should have told you." Kaz began but Cara stopped him. "jesper and inej explained everything to me. I am not mad kaz. I have already forgiven you." Kaz reached his gloved hand towards her face and placed it on her cheek getting her attention once again.

"I want you to know that I don't think of you that way, you are the best thing that ever happened to me." Cara smiled at him. she dipped the cloth in the now slightly red water once again and wiped the blood on the corner of his mouth away carefully.

"I never stopped loving you kaz brekker." She said almost in a whisper. Kaz wasted not a second before he released his cane making it fall to the ground and cupping Cara's face with both of his hands. "I love you to" he brought her face to his and kissed her.

Cara felt all of his emotions in the kiss, it lasted only a few seconds but that was enough. When she pulled back she saw his smile again, the smile she loved. He removed his hands from her face and took one of her hands in his instead. "thank you for coming back."

she finished cleaning his wounds and made him one of her herb tea for the pain. He drank it quickly and Cara helped him to get upstairs to his bedroom. She sat him down on his bed. "goodnight kaz" she said as she turned away. He was quick and grabbed her wrist.

"please stay" he said. She turned back to him surprised. "I want to be able to hold you tonight" he said quietly. Cara saw how hard he was trying for her. "okay kaz, I will stay" He grinned at her and released her wrist.

Cara quickly went to the bathroom to change into her pajama's. when she returned kaz was laying on his back in bed, staring at the ceiling with his arms behind his head. She got in next to him but kept some distance. He turned his head to look at her and stretched his arm towards her inviting her to come closer.

she put her head on his chest, she could hear his heartbeat speeding up slowly. "I thought I lost you." He said. It was rare for kaz to open up to her. "I won't leave you again kaz, not until you specifically tell me to."

he released his arm around her and sat up in bed with his back against the headboard. Cara did the same but her body turned towards him. "when you were gone, I have never missed somebody more in my life, I never missed somebodies touch more. I tried to focus but I just couldn't, my mind kept wandering to you. The feeling of your skin, instead of cold and dead like my nightmares warm and alive.."

Cara reached her hand to his face but reconsidered before touching him. he did not have his gloves on anymore, he was dressed in a shirt and long pants. This was kaz brekker without his armour and she did not know if it was okay to touch him.

but he surprised her by placing his hand on top of her pressing it to his face. His eyes closed for a moment seemingly enjoying the touch. When he opened his eyes again they were filled with adoration and love.

he slowly placed his hands on either side of her and guided her until she was straddling him in his lap. She opened her eyes in shock but kaz smiled at her. his hands slowly trembled but not from his trauma but out of fear that she did not want his touch.

She locked eyes with him and smiled, kaz closed the gap and kissed her. the kiss was deep and passionate. Kaz moved his hands to her back and moved them up and down over her back. As he did the fabric slowly pushed up and when his hands were on her skin instead he gasped.

he took a second to regain his composure but then started to move his hands again slower this time. He pulled back from the kiss and buried his face in her hair. Cara hands were on his shoulders slowly massaging them. he slowly moved his hands up and down the bare skin of her back a few times until he released a sign.

"I have missed you" his voice was deep and rough filled with emotion. "I missed you to kaz." he stopped moving his hands and hugged her instead. Cara placed her arms around his shoulders as well and enjoyed the warmth the man under her was radiating.

a few moments later kaz pulled back so Cara did to. She saw a single tear on the man's cheek. She knew he had fought an internal battle and won. She wiped the tear from his face and lightly kissed his forehead.

"lets get some sleep, your friends are heavier then they look and I am exhausted." Kaz chuckled. How she loved that sound. She officially made it her personal mission to bring joy to this man as much as she could from that moment on.

she moved off of him and went to put her head on the pillow and pulled the covers up. kaz did the same but pulled her to his chest as he laid on his side. Instead of just draping his arm over her he placed his arm firmly around her, the other underneath her pillow.

He made sure Cara was comfortable and then released a sign "hmmmmm" his voice deep and content. Cara smiled and told herself this was her new favorite way to sleep ... ever.