Kayla inched forward.
"Hello", she said quietly. "I'm the Pelisian heir--"
"I know who you are." The woman said softly, wrapping the bathrobe around her and stepping outside. She seemed kind and immensely worried. "What on earth are you doing so far from your territory?" Then her eyes landed on Scott, clinging tight to Damian with a smug smile on his face. "And this child, where did you get him from?"
Before Kayla could answer, the woman's husband came outside. He glared at Damian. "And what are you doing traveling with a Serius?" He grumbled hatefully.
"We were taken by hunters." Damian replied shortly, looking up and down the street. "We only ask for refuge, just for the night, and that you take the boy someplace safe."
The Dragonian man lifted his nose up at him, comtemplating on shutting the door on them. His wife rushed forward and took Scott from him, brushing the boy's red hair and looking over him for injuries.
"Please?" Kayla asked in the most innocent voice that she could muster. Damian wanted to barf. She had put on a pretty face, and all her self-deserving attitude had evaporated. She transformed into an injured angel in seconds, and it bothered him, the way she victimized herself in order to manipulate the couple into helping them. He felt that they should do it because creatures of bermuda ought to look out for each other. Unfortunately though, the Dragonian husband seemed a bit stiff, so he held his tongue and let Kayla do her work.
Finally, the man nodded and opened the door. "Come inside, quickly." He only looked at Kayla when he said it, so she limped up the steps feebly. Damian was never invited in. He hesitantly followed close behind her, only to get a glare from the man.
When they were inside and the door was closed, relief consumed the lobains. The house was warm and inviting. It was narrow like most San Francisco houses, but extremely comfortable.To their right was the living room, decorated in a traditional way. Down the straight hallway they would find themselves at the kitchen, and the staircase which lead down to the garage or up to the bedrooms. The woman sat Scott down on a sofa and invited him to watch cartoons on the TV, he obliged happily. Her husband peeked out the curtains to make sure no one had seen them, and then shut them tighter than before.
"Oh, look at you." The woman said beginning to fuss over Kayla. "You are an absolute mess." Her husband stood nearby, offering his own bit of silent sympathy.
Kayla soaked up the attention. "The past couple days have been a nightmare!" She cried, the whites of her eyes were bloodshot with fatigue, and stress. "It was prom when they abducted me, and my beautiful dress that my poor father spent a fortune on was destroyed! My cousin was beaten to death, and I can't even imagine how terribly worried my family is! I'm afraid they might believe that I am dead."
"There, there." The woman soothed, pulling Kayla into a hug. But she wasn't done with her pity party.
"I woke up in these horrid mines, just outside this city. We barely escaped with our lives!"
"Calm down, just take a seat." The man said, gently guiding Kayla to the couch. The woman hurried to the kitchen where she poured a glass of water and grabbed a damp towel for the Pelisian princess. Kayla took a deep breath and finally composed herself.
The ruckus had caused Scott to turn away from the television. He watched the scene unfold with interest, and seemed to be missing a bowl of popcorn. Then his hazel eyes fell on Damian, and the boy smiled warmly. He had taken an immense liking to him, and he promptly patted the space on the couch next to him. The Serius heir accepted it, he felt a stiff ache in his legs as he strode across the living room.
Just as he sat down, Kayla began to apologize to the couple. "I am so sorry for this. It's not safe to have us here, but please, if anything, find a safe place for the kid."
The woman hushed her quickly. "It is no problem. We are honored to have the Pelisian heir staying with us, and are only hurt that it has to be under such circumstances." She looked to her husband in plea and he sighed.
"Please, do stay with us as long as you need." He invited. "I, Victor, and my wife, Nora, open our home to you."
Nora stood up, "It's late." She informed. "I'll get the bedrooms set up for you and the little one. We'll talk details of what to do tomorrow morning, after breakfast."
Damian felt like a ghost. He didn't hear himself be mentioned at all, in fact, no one besides Scott had so much as glanced at him since the front door closed. He cleared his throat, the room went silent as they all reluctantly ackowledged his existence.
"Oh, dear." Nora said, biting her lip. "I'm afraid we don't have a room for you to sleep in."
"It's fine, I can take the couch." He suggested as politely as possible, though they still seemed extremely uneasy with him.
"How about the garage?" Victor muttered under his breath.
His heart sank. He realized quickly the Dragonians had no problem caring for Kayla or Scott, it was him they were disturbed by. He was used to taking hate from Kayla's pack, he'd grown up with that. He'd even admit that he may have even fueled it at times, with teasing and cruel jokes, that he participated in against her people. However, it stung from complete strangers. He was in just as much need as Kayla, yet they treated him as if he were at fault.
"If that works best for you. I'm your guest." Damian murmured. The way they looked at him made him feel ashamed in his own skin, it made him angry. He didn't give in to his stiffening anger however, partly out of exhaustion, and partly because he knew that they'd no sooner throw him out if they found any symptom of hostility in him. He would have to be their rug for as long as they were there.
Nora and Victor nodded to each other before heading off to prepare their house. She went up the stairs to the spare bedrooms and prepared one for Kayla, and one for Scott. Her husband marched down the stairs bitterly and set up a cot in the garage for Damian to sleep in. While they were gone, Kayla sat up proudly.
"See?" She said. "I told you they'd like me and be quick to help us."
"Us?" He inquired, lifting a brow skeptically.
She shrugged, "Well it's not my fault they don't like your family."
"It's not my fault either." He growled.
She frowned. "Just be glad they didn't leave you outside." She lifted a finger. "Also, let me do the talking, I don't want you to offend them, you're on thin ice with them as it is."
He sucked in a swift breath but kept his mouth shut. This was wrong on so many levels, he could feel it.
"We leave tomorrow." He commanded, quickly changing the subject and looking to the brighter side when he could carry himself with dignity again.
"No way!" Kayla scoffed. "I am way too beaten to only get rest for a night, and I'm sure you are too. Don't try to hide how weak you really are after the past events. I think we need at least a week to recuperate and decide our plan of action from here."
"It sounds to me like you just want a week of being pampered, Princess."
She straightened up. "That's always nice, but no. Maybe you don't need a week, but I do. Besides, I can call my father from here."
"No, you can't. The hunters are probably scanning the city phone lines, that's exactly what they expect you to do."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Wow, you know so much. It helps when your brother is behind this whole thing, doesn't it?"
He wanted to snarl at her, in fact, he wanted to strangle her at that moment. But Scott's innocent eyes bouncing between them as they talked kept him glued to the spot. He quivered indignantly.
"Three days." He said in a crisp voice. "Anymore than that put's them in serious risk." He indicated to a picture of the Dragonian couple on a shelf.
Kayla huffed in a pitchy voice. "Fine."
They sat in silence after that, too tired to even glare at each other. Scott gazed at Damian in evident admiration, not even noticing that the Serius heir was fuming. To him, everything about Damian was amazing, anger or not. At least someone in the house appreciated his presence. Damian ran his hand through the child's red hair affectionately. He was glad that he had saved the boy, he didn't want to think of the horrors the kid would've faced if he hadn't been taken out of the mines. Moments later, Nora came down the stairs. She scooped Scott up carefully, and Kayla followed her up to the bedroom.
The bed was soft, and the covers were clean and fresh. They smelled amazing, on a desk by the bed, a fresh set of clothes had been laid out. And it was a classy set of clothes too, not trashy like what she was wearing now. Also on the bed, was a set of pajamas. She was encouraged to use the bathroom down the hall, and was delighted by the fact. Though she was tired, she forced herself to wash every piece of grit and grime off. Only then did Kayla feel good enough to slip into the fresh undergarments, wiggle into the soft pajamas, and sink into the covers of the bed. She was deep asleep in seconds.
Nora gave Scott a quick wash in the master bedroom's bath. He fell asleep as she dried him, so she carried him to the bedroom adjacent to Kayla's and gently fit him into some clothes. She was grateful that she had some of her nephew's stuff in the house. He, and Scott, were about the same age, and about the same size. She tucked the boy in with motherly virtue, and kissed him on the forehead. She had already realized what became of his parents, and it broke her heart. She would do everything in her power to help him, maybe even keep him, if she could get her husband up to it, she had always wanted kids of her own.
Damian's experience wasn't quite as tender. Victor bounded up the stairs and harshly led him to the worn out cot in the corner of the garage. There were clean clothes, and the blanket was nothing but a thin sheet, but that was fine since the garage was extremely warm.
"Try not to sweat all over it." Victor mumbled. He pointed down a dark hallway, "There's a small washroom you can use down there. I'm pretty sure it works, but I'm not certain. Just deal with it." He gave Damian a serious look. "The door next to it leads to the media room, it's locked, so don't get any ideas of breaking in there and messing with my equipment."
Damian nodded his thanks stiffly, and with that Victor climbed up the stairs and closed the door. The click of a lock spelling distrust. He strained his pained thighs and stumbled down the hallway to the washroom. The water was either too hot or too cold, he had to alternate. Nearly giving himself hypothermia for five minutes, and then boiling himself for the next interval. It hurt him, but he knew the shock of the contrasting temperatures would help his muscles heal faster, and it kept him alert. When he felt clean, he changed into the new clothes, and tossed the others ones out in the dumpster after soaking them in water for a long time to erase his scent.
He shut the lights off and laid himself down on the springy thin mattress sorely, both emotionally and physically. It was difficult for him to sleep, he couldn't help but feel like he was in a prison.