Deprived

Chapter 29 - An Improba's debt

Friends that he didn't seem to recognize.

That didn't deter either Serena or Elijah in the slightest. Both talked to Jesse in warm and calm tones, reminding him of their past, the tears of laughter that had flowed due to Jesse's shenanigans, the frustration he caused when he had hidden Serena's files, or when he had encouraged to get sloppy drunk and express his feelings to a coworker.

There was a tiny flicker of recognition in Jesse's eyes, the slightest twitch of his lip. Serena gave his cheek a gentle squeeze, smile turning motherly as she said "There you are. We're here for you Agoraki mou."

Tears welled in Jesse's eyes as he sniffed. Everyone could see how the poor pixie was torn between wanting to hide away and crawl into their embrace.

Serena and Elijah opened their arms and Jesse broke down in agonizing sobs, falling in their embrace. Xavier averted his eyes, both to give them a moment of privacy and to try and fight his own tears back from flooding over.

Finally. Finally they were starting to make a tiny bit of progress.

Jesse still hasn't spoken to any of them, and Xavier was starting to worry more and more about his health, physically and mentally.

Xavier had hoped that, with the presence of Jesse's friend Lucca, would've been enough to draw Jesse out of his catatonic state.

And it had. For a moment. For a small brief window of time, Jesse had opened up, only to relapse. The pixie still allowed Lucca to touch him and talk to him, but besides muttering the incubus' name once, Jesse hadn't said a single word.

Well, except if Xavier wanted to count in the screams at night when Jesse was having a nightmare. He shivered and pushed the thought aside.

It was the sad truth for the Deprived that there wasn't an easy fix to their wounds. Not one Deprived was identical to another and each case had to be looked at individually, scrutinized to the core of the cause.

Healing a Deprived was an impossible task, as the only cure was to regain their mating bond. And seeing how all of their original mates had rejected them before being forcibly killed in front of the poor Deprived...

And given what happened to them during their captivity, the chance of the Deprived even considering a second mating was zero to none.

The bond of a secondary mating, not between True mates, was weaker than the original. It had to be nurtured, treated like the valuable thing it was.

And even then, there was a high chance that the Deprived would reject it, merely because their bodies craved for their one true mate.

Now wasn't the time to even consider the remote possibility of second mates. Xavier knew as well as anyone that first Jesse needed to heal.

The pixie needed to be able to process and place what happened to him. The road to recovery was going to be long and gruesome, where ugly wounds would have to be ripped open before they could heal.

A deep and troubled sigh escaped him, eyes flitting over what he could see of Jesse. The boy was nearly hidden within the soft cotton shawls wrapped around Serena, his sobbing having slowly stilled to stuttering breaths and snivels.

Xavier could even sense the two Improba draining what they could of Jesse's torment. The Deprived relaxed slowly in Elijah's and Serena's arms as formerly tense muscles drooped after months of nightmares.

Eventually the pixie was softly snoring, rested in Elijah's arms while the elves slowly gathered closer.

"Joseph is going to flip his shit." Elijah murmured softly, leaning against a nearby tree more comfortably as to not disturb Jesse's slumber.

Xavier raised a questioning eyebrow, to which Serena amended. "Jesse has a special place in all of our hearts but especially Joseph's. Jesse reminds him a lot of Joseph's son, who died during the Salem hunts."

All of them cringed. The Salem witch hunts had been a dark time for the supernatural realm. Most of the times the humans caught other humans into their traps, sentencing them for crimes not committed.

But, some of the supernatural species had thrived of that agony and fear and had pointed the humans to actual supernatural creatures.

They were a lot harder to kill after all. Xavier listened with difficulty as Serena and Elijah slowly recounted the tale.

A few demons that had been jealous of Joseph's family and fortune has led the mob of angry humans to Joseph's son. They had helped subdue the young Improba and tortured the boy relentlessly.

When Joseph caught wind of the torment, he had rushed to save his son but had been too late.

A young life lost, all thanks to a century old family feud.

But Xavier could also see why Joseph was going to loose his cool when he saw Jesse. From what he had been told, Jesse had once been a very lively Pixie.

He had danced, laughed and enjoyed life to its fullest potential, always treating others with love and kindness. For someone as pure as him to be twisted and abused...

A subject that hit so close to home for Joseph would surely loosen suppressed emotions.

"Well, I'm not known to sit on my hands when I'm needed. Where do you keep the files on your patients?" Serena said as she pressed a gentle kiss against Jesse's temple before pushing herself up.

Xavier smiled warmly as he too stood up, both the Improba helping Elijah on his feet, carefully balancing Jesse against his chest.

"I'll bring you there after we've laid Jesse in his room for a full rest. First, let me introduce you to my head of security, Fabian. He'll show you around, introduce you to the guards and provide you with the necessary supplies."

Fabian, who had silently approached but kept his distance while Jesse and his two friends had their moment, now approached with a polite smile.

He shook both of the Improba's hands before instantly warning them. "Even though you're here to help, I have to warn you of some of the possible reactions your presence might provoke from the Deprived."

"Understandably so." Elijah sighed, shaking his head so his glossy brown curls danced around his head. "They have every right to be scared the second they even smell one of our kin."

Fabian nodded seriously, glad that they instantly understood. "Whilst Serena takes care of the Deprived's mental state, I'll try my best to work on their physical wounds, along with Joseph." Elijah said, eyes saddening when they glanced down at Jesse.

Even whilst the Pixie was asleep, his throat, collarbone and neck were riddled with deep scars. Some neat pinpricks, other's where fangs had viciously tore into skin and ripped the surrounding tissue, not caring about the pain they caused.

"I can only do so much but, with Joseph's medical expertise, I'm certain that we can rid some of the scars." Elijah said softly before quickly adding, "if the Deprived are willing to do so."

Xavier hummed thoughtfully. Some Deprived would instantly want to get rid of any scar left on their body, but he also knew of a few who wouldn't be able to do so.

And even if the physical scars were gone, the mental scars were not so easily removed. But, if they could remove the physical reminders of what happened, it could be easier on the victims.

Yet, Xavier also knew that some of the Deprived drew strength from the scars. It was a reminder for them of what they had been through.

What they had survived. Whatever struggle they were going through now, paled in comparison with the horrors they lived through.

And now, it was due time that the Improba gave back to those that their species had wronged.