The Changed: Origins

The New Me

    Kennedy walked closer to him, "He's ok. Really. He's the only reason I'm here, and him too." He motioned to the table. "It would have been a lot easier for Stephen to leave us both behind but he insisted on getting us both home safe." He looked at Stephen with pride.

Stephen lowered his head and mumbled, "I wouldn't have left you."

"I know, I know!" Kennedy patted him on the arm and turned his eyes to me, "Besides, I think I am going to need some help with things," he stood up straighter and winced, "Like walking and breathing."

Stephen moved quickly to Kennedy's side and placed a hand under the big man's elbow. He didn't appear to have any serious injuries. Colin evidently didn't think so either, "You two should get some food and get cleaned up. But I expect you to rest like you were told Kennedy."

Kennedy laughed between panting breaths as he and Stephen started for the main hall, "Sure thing boss, sure thing!"

Kennedy had been right about me being tired. I had slept nearly an entire day but I felt ready for it again. Mel returned through a door between the library and the bar.

"Celia says everything's ready. " She walked over and joined Colin at the table. "Want me to take him up?"

Colin nodded, "Yes, please. David will be staying with him for a while."

    David had been in Ben's corner but joined Colin and Mel at the table when he was mentioned. My mind must have been working a little too slow to really hear what was being said because what happened next took me by complete surprise. Mel, pale, petite Mel, placed one arm under the injured man's neck and another under his knees and picked him up. There was no effort on her part, none. She picked up a man that must have easily weighed a hundred pounds more than her like picking up a baby. She started to move toward the stairs but as she passed she looked up at me. There was something in her dark eyes that made me step back. A challenge? A threat? She continued up the stairs closely followed by David.

"That girl likes her abilities a bit too much if you ask me." I hadn't noticed that other's had entered the room. Nate was there talking quietly with a blond woman. The man who had spoken stepped quickly over to me and offered his hand.

"Cooper. Cooper Ward. And you must be Jemma. Nate has been telling us about you." He was formal, and not just in his manners. He spoke quickly and his movements had an almost military esque efficiency to them. His black hair was perfectly combed, not a hint of stubble showed on his face and his crisp white shirt and grey sport jacket looked like they were fresh from the cleaners.

"Um...yes. Hello." I felt underdressed.

"Well, good to meet you." He turned to Colin and inclined his head, "Nate was just filling us in on what happened here tonight. Do you have anymore details?"

Colin shook his head, "No, I will talk more with Stephen and Kennedy tomorrow, but I have a good enough idea from what little I heard already."

The blond moved closer to Colin, "So you think they were using a Phoenix as bait? They were ambushed?" She was stunning. Big blue eyes and a full mouth and rosey cheeks framed by thick blond hair with just a hint of red. There was a trace of baby fat in her face but it just added to her appeal. She was average height but perfectly formed in all the right places. I snapped my mouth shut and tried not to stare. I was suddenly very aware that I hadn't brushed my hair today.

"I think so, yes," Colin moved to one of the high back arm chairs and sat down with a sigh, "It was bound to happen eventually. They know we are hunting and we're beating them to the punch more times than not. They don't know how we are doing that and I imagine they very much want to find out."