Crystal Mayhem Part 1

Chp 31

 Zen awoke staring at a dark blue ceiling. She slowly rolled to her side and winced at the burning pain she felt under the patch that stretched along her wound.

"They had to take the thread and staples out, and do a whole cleansing for the coagulating poison, before lasering the wound shut," said a surprising voice.

Zen eyes gazed at the familiar blue hue she thought she wouldn't see for ages. Well, two weeks. "How long was I out? Wait? Lasered! I didn't want that!"

"We don't always get what we want," Stephan chided as he turned around to face her. "Hey, aren't you glad to see me? He asked pouting, arms crossed and lying against the footboard. She was in a small bed with bars on each side holding her in. She was also connected to an IV. Her eyes traced the tubes connected to her left hand. Scoffing, she wriggled uncomfortably and started to take the IV out. Stephan grabbed her hand and kissed it making a blush spread like a rash all over her face.

"Don't touch that. You don't want to be poked again," he muttered setting their hands down on her stomach.

"H--How did you get here? Is Edlin here?" she asked wincing as she moved briskly and her wound ached.

"Stop that," he muttered, raising his other hand and caressing her cheek. She stopped struggling, leaning in slightly to his hand. "No, Edline isn't here. The way I came was--unusual. I actually gave everyone a fright when I materialized inside the pool," he laughed moving his hand to the free hair that was bunched under her head like a halo. His fingers carted from her roots to her tips and back up in a soothing motion. Zen's eyes were closing again. She yawned and he chuckled.

"What way is that?" she asked.

"Water travel. I can teleport anywhere my element is in abundance. I could never teleport like Marco or Edline, so I sought a way around that weakness. One day my mom found me practicing, and she was quick to capitalize on my ingenuity. He paused in his petting, a foreign look in his eyes she couldn't place. "That's when I ran. I wasn't helping BEI become even more monstrous than it already was," he said shrugging.

"She hurt you, your mom," said Zen.

"She hurt all three of us. She has three kids and none wants to return to her side," he sighed bending down and kissing her forehead.

Zen smiled and gazed into his eyes lost. They drifted closer and when they were inches apart ...the door banged open and Isaias grabbed Stephan around the neck, tossing him towards Marco who had entered beside him and was sighing at his partner's behavior. Marco caught his younger brother from tumbling into him.

"Thanks," Stephan grumbled before water raced from his fingers to Isaias, and wrapped around his neck squeezing.

Isaias choked and Zen sighed. "Can't you guys get along?"

"No," stated Stephan with a grin as he squeezed a little more.

"N-ev-er!" choked out Isaias wrestling with the water tentacles around his neck.

It was Marco who intervened. "Okay, Stephan. I know Isaias is awfully cute, but he's spoken for so go flirt with Zen."

"Marco!" groaned Isaias while Stephan made a disgusted face and let Issaias go. He walked back to Zen's side and kissed her cheek.

Zen blushed and touched her cheek, turning to him. "What was that for," she stuttered.

"Marco got one thing right. I should be flirting with you," he said winking.

Isaias growled. "Pirate lay off her," he warned watching as Stephan grinned and kissed Zen's forehead. Shadows began to collect under him, around him even on the ceiling.