Born of Blood

Chapter 22

The sound of splashing water filled the
bathroom.

"My name is Orion Sendöw, and I am your mate." He whispered, the body sponge soft in his hand as he ran it over her back.

He squeezed the water over her bumpy and ropy flesh, washing the suds from her skin. Her scars were still purple, though not as dark as usual as the warm water heated her delicate skin. She sat with her chin on her knees, staring at the wall ahead of her. Her hair was drawn over her shoulders, resting down by her sides to expose her back. The water and suds covered her above her waist, and Orion was tentative  in his cleaning of her back. The last think he wanted was to cross a line with his mate, especially with her already traumatized state.

She hadn't spoken still, and Orion couldn't get her to move to the bath room those days ago. He gave her two days of her silence, waiting for her to grow the strength for bathing. Sitting beside her bed, listening to her silent tears hitting the pillow beneath her head, he spoon fed her, when she would allow it. The third day he had finally had enough, his instinct to care for her overcoming his need for her comfort. He had no qualms lifting her tiny frame in his large arms, it made him feel stronger. Like in some way, by carrying this (practically) stranger, he could carry their relationship as well, until she was well enough to carry it with him. And when she could communicate, they would go from there.

"I know the bond is new, and you may not trust me, but please know I would never do anything to hurt you," the sound of splashing water echoed in the tiled room, "or betray you." The sponge dipped into the water again to swell with liquid and be brought back to her shoulder.

Orion felt her flinch, as he moved closer to her upper back, where her scars seemed to have accumulated the most. They varied in age, showing this had been a punishment received more than once, though with the frequency of the heavy purple scars he could presume she had received a terrible lashing recently, and it had been the worst even he had seen. He mumbled an apology, lifting the sponge from her skin in fear of hurting her delicate body.

"Doctor Novache told me that your name is Scarlet." He spoke softly to her.

Though she wasn't speaking, didn't mean Orion would keep himself from trying to comfort her. He would talk to her, because he hoped she was listening. He would care for her, because he loved her despite knowing her for so little time. And he would help her become the woman and mother he knew she could be, because he would hope that if the situations were reverse she would do the same for him. He wanted nothing more than for her to find happiness and to be a strong woman, not for his selfish motives, but because this was the woman the Goddess blessed him with. She was his hope, his salvation, his call for help finally being answered.

She was the lighthouse to his lost ship.

He hesitated before placing the sponge in the same place, noting no flinch he squeezed the warm water down her back.

"I think that is a beautiful name, strong name." Her back was almost cleared of all the grime that covered it and he slowly moved with her reactions to finish cleaning it.

"I can imaging your confusion as to where you are, or how you ended up here." He sighed.

He placed the sponge to the side, before reaching for the shampoo on the counter beside the tub where he kneeled. "I'm going to wash your hair while I speak with you, Scarlet. If you get too frightened, we can stop." He spoke softly, pulling himself to her face to see if she had any reaction.

Her crystalline blue eyes stared vacantly ahead, tears welling along her waterline and traveling down her cheeks as she stared at the white tiled wall.