Kai Sweet Peril POV

8/9/2019 Kai Sweet Peril POV

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Copyright 2013 by Wendy Higgins

All rights reserved. Posted in the United States of Aeri!a.

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by la#.

(he !hara!ters and events portrayed in this boo$ are fi!titio%s. Any siilarity to real

persons& living or dead is !oin!idental and not intended by the a%thor.


2/21

)A*+A",S P-*"( - /*W

- SWEET PERIL parts of !hapters 145206

* !an,t e'plain to anyone the adness that lives inside e.

y father on!e !alled e a 7!avean8 to Anna& and he la%ghed& b%t not be!a%se

he #as ta$ing the piss. He la%ghed be!a%se he $no#s #hat * feel& nearly !onstantly& and

it,s f%nny to hi. A%sing that * fight for self5!ontrol every #a$ing oent. H%oro%s

that at any se!ond * !o%ld t%rn into a raging f%!$ing 9%st H%l$.

-nly not green. (han$ :od.

At ties *, afraid to be aro%nd Anna;afraid y fraying #ill5po#er #ill shred

#ith a single inno!ent to%!h. *t #as beyond st%pid to !hase her to the airport and beg her

to !oe hoe #ith e. * sho%ld have let her go ba!$ to :eorgia.


3/21

)ope ight have the indset of a saint& b%t #ith deoni! %rges of l%st and #rath

in his blood& the blo$e #as !apable of transforing into a rapant bear if he lost !ontrol.

Had he to%!hed Anna #hile they $issed> Had he been !aref%l #ith her or ro%gh> Ho#

%!h had they en=oyed it> A pinpri!$ of pain p%lsed behind y eyes and * reali?ed * #as

!len!hing y teeth and !lasping the bed sheets tightly #ith y free hand.

Easy, mate.Focus on now

+espite her gentleness& *,ve seen ho# her hands ball into tiny fists #hen she,s

right pissed off. And the fire in her eyes #hen she,s lost to the h%nger of her deon side.

* %nderstand that h%nger. (hat need to lose oneself !opletely to p%re physi!al sensation

#ith no regard to !onse@%en!es. (hat %rge to say f%!$ it all.

(he differen!e is& she #ants to lose herself in dr%gs and * #ant to lose yself in

s$in.


4/21

Never.

* #ant to tell her. *,ve #anted to tell her for ages. Sin!e the oent * sa# her give

every dollar she o#ned to a !oplete stranger. A hoeless #oan in Holly#ood. *,d

never #itnessed that sort of selfless a!t. Anna #as bea%ty personified in a #ay * didn,t

thin$ e'isted.


5/21

on!t think a"out the soun$s o# her moans or how you were 'ust a"out to "%ow her

ever%ovin& min$ an$ how you cou%$n!t wait to catch her when her knees "uck%e$ #rom her

who%e "o$y trem"%in& with p%easure.

e#inite%y $o notthink o# that.

:od * shoved the heel of y hand against y eye to #ill a#ay the iages.

+aned hilt. Have * entioned ho# %!h * hate that thing>

-$ay& yes& *, not perfe!t #hen *, #ith Anna. * still e'perien!e y nasty

tho%ghts abo%t every dirty& na%ghty thing iaginable. (hat,s everyday life for e.


6/21

sending e on a ission at a%%. * #ant to #ipe the fear fro her eyes& b%t * !an,t proise

her * #on,t p%n!h )ope in his dan fa!e #hen * see hi. * also !an,t proise that #e,ll

be safe in Syria. * #on,t lie to Anna& and she,s no fool.

* #ant to tell her ho# %!h it eans to e that


7/21

have been hell for e. *,ve done it o%t of love for Anna& b%t *,ve been even ore of a

bastard than %s%al.

Anna is )opano,s saving gra!e as he stands in y living spa!e all s%ave and p%t5

together;she,s the only thing $eeping hi in one pie!e. Her and the reinder that her

father #ants )opano to lead this ission into Syria. ran$ly& * don,t #ant to get on


8/21

7(here&8 * say to )opano %nder y breath. 7"ear the !orner.8 (he an loo$s over

#hen * spea$& =%st as )ope loo$s his dire!tion. 7*s that yo%& lynn>8 * as$. He,s too far

a#ay to hear %s #ith noral h%an ears. * stret!h o%t y hearing and open it aro%nd

hi.

(he an gives a single nod. 7,at,s e& ate.8 He r%bs a hand over his o%th to

hide the fa!t he,s tal$ing& and in an A%ssie a!!ent no less. 7*,ll follo# yo% o%t on this

bloody e'!%se for a bi$e and $eep y distan!e. *,ve s!o%ted the area already and there,s

a hill nearby #here * !an #at!h fro afar. aybe thirty in%tes o%tside the !ity. *,ll give

a yell if anything loo$s s%spi!io%s. (here,s three g%ards o%tside the !opo%nd& and it

so%nds li$e at least t#o inside. * don,t thin$ they,re being ni!e to their prisoner& if yo%

$no# #hat * ean.8

Ah& shite.

)opano goes absol%tely rigid ne't to e. 7We %st go&8 he says. 7"o#.8

Agreed. (he t#o of %s head for the !ar #hile lynn !libs aboard a sall s!ooter5

oped !ontraption. S%!$s to be hi.

We navigate a#ay fro the b%sy area and head to#ard a saller to#n on the

o%ts$irts of the !ity. *t feels longer than thirty in%tes on the dry& b%py road. (he !ity

lights and so%nds and s!ents of spi!es are long gone. (he lands!ape is ore barren&

tho%gh bea%tif%l in its o#n #ay. ar ahead of %s& lynn ta$es a dirt path that leads to#ard

lo# hills. *t,s d%s$ o%t& a tie of day that !an al#ays feel a bit oino%s& even oreso

#hen yo%,re entering a shady area #ith s%spi!io%s eyes pee$ing o%t fro #indo#s of

shanty s@%at b%ildings.


9/21


10/21

And * !an,t help yself. *, ipressed. aybe he too$ a!ting !lasses at Harvard.

* don,t $no#& b%t he,s bloody brilliant.

inally one of the g%ards spea$s. )ope responds& so%nding annoyed& b%t he stands

ba!$ and lifts his ars. He never lets go of the brief!ase. (hey pat hi do#n& ta$ing a

handg%n fro his #aist. * rel%!tantly lift y ars as one approa!hes e and * allo# hi

to !onfis!ate y $nives. * feel na$ed #hen the #eapons leave y body;and not the

good $ind of na$ed. * ta$e note #hen he p%ts the daggers in his left po!$et.

And #e,re in. '!ellent.

(hey lo!$ the gate behind %s and r%sh into the b%ilding #ith g%ns in hand&

strapped over their sho%lders. +idn,t anyone ever tell these inions not to r%n abo%t #ith

their fingers on the triggers> Unnerving. *, ready to get Gania and get the hell o%t of

here.

-ne of the g%ards sho%ts soething to a an #ho stands %p as #e ro%nd a dar$

!orner. (he ne# an loo$s %s over& his eyes a little #ild. He %st b%y #hatever the other

g%ards tell hi& be!a%se he gives a hard nod and yan$s his head to#ard a door#ay. )ope

ar!hes past hi and * follo#.


11/21

and she !%rls tighter. At least it,s a sign of life. )ope repeats the phrase& slo#er and ore

@%ietly this tie& and * thin$ * %nderstand eno%gh of the !onte't to p%t it together.

*+ou "e%on& to me now.

)opano ta$es her #rist and t%rns it over. He feels her thin bi!ep& !he!$ing her

!ondition. (hen he t%rns his head and gives a !%rt nod to the blo$e standing in the

door#ay. (he an !oes for#ard& sets his g%n do#n #ith a !latter and pops open the

brief!ase& !o%nting. His eyes are bright #ith greed. He sho%ts soething at one of the

other en& #ho r%ns off and !oes ba!$ #ith a bla!$ !otton dress. (he idiot starts trying

to dress Gania& yelling at her #hen she #on,t straighten her ars for hi.

)opano snat!hes the dress and #aves the an a#ay. He %r%rs gr%ffly as he

p%lls the dress over her head and !oa'es her ars thro%gh. She tries to s!oot a#ay& b%t he

follo#s and ignores her groaning protests %ntil she,s !opletely dressed.

All the #hile *, silently !hanting for everyone to h%rry so #e !an get the f%!$

o%t of this hell hole. *n the loose po!$et of y !otton pants * feel y satellite phone

vibrate. * ta$e a @%i!$ pee$ and silently !%rse. *t,s fro lynn.

Think I have a tail but they havent come in sight. Also, getting

strange looks from 2 local men.

* give )ope the 7#e5need5to5h%rry8 eye and he nods iper!eptibly.


12/21

$nives. * @%i!$ly ta$e the and follo# )ope as he passes the en to leave. (hey,re all

h%ddled aro%nd the !ash& grinning li$e they,ve #on the lottery. -ne an drags hiself

a#ay to es!ort %s o%t.

*,ve alost forgotten abo%t lynn %ntil * hear the distant so%nds. Arabi! #ords&

spo$en in a @%estioning tone. (he oped starting. ootsteps r%nning against dirt. Dells

and gr%nts. So%nds of fighting.

Shite- y pals start to s#eat. * #ant to get there and help lynn& or at least !all

hi& b%t * !an,t #ith this a!hine5g%nned ania! at o%r heels.S%ddenly the fighting

@%iets and * hear the s!ooter ?oo a#ay in the opposite dire!tion. aybe he,s es!aped.

We get o%t of the !opo%nd and into the !ar #here )ope lays Gania in the ba!$

seat. As soon as #e,re on the road * sign to )opano that lynn,s been dis!overed. We,re

trying to de!ide if #e sho%ld go to hi sin!e #e,ve got Gania in to#& b%t she begins to

oan.

7+rin$&8 she says in Arabi!.

* %ns!re# the !ap off a bottle of #ater and lean ba!$& fitting it into her hand as she

lays there. She ta$es one loo$ at it thro%gh her s#ollen& p%rpled eyes& and thro#s the

dan thing ba!$ at e. Water goes every#here before * grab it.

-bvio%sly not the type of drin$ she,s after.

*t,s !lear that #e !an,t go traipsing thro%gh the %n$no#n hills sear!hing for lynn

#hen #e,ve got an in=%red Gania to deal #ith. )ope and * agree that lynn li$ely got

a#ay and #ill eet %p #ith %s later. We hope.

* try to offer Gania soething to eat. :od $no#s she needs it. She,s ea!iated.


13/21

o%t y phone and sho# her the pi!t%res of Anna and *. She #at!hes e as * loo$ at the

photo& feeling #ar at the sight of Anna,s sile.

)ope %r%rs to her in Arabi! as he drives. * iagine he,s telling her that she,s

safe no#. einding her #ho he is& and e'plaining #ho * a. * hear hi say Anna,s

nae.

(his sees to !al her. Until her #hole body begins to sha$e and !onv%lse.

%!$. She,s in #ithdra#als. *,ve no !l%e #hat to do. She dry heaves over the side

of the seat& b%t there,s nothing in her stoa!h to p%rge. * feel a bit helpless& not $no#ing

#hat to say or do.

We get ba!$ to the seedy hotel and )ope tells her she %st #al$ on her o#n so

#e don,t dra# %!h attention. Her slo# gait is painf%l to #at!h. *t,s late. (han$f%lly the

sall #al$ fro the !ar to the side door doesn,t earn any %n#anted& !%rio%s stares.

(#o en ta$ing a battered #oan into a roo #o%ld not t%rn o%t #ell& so #e %se

o%r hearing to stay aro%nd a !orner %ntil o%r hall is !lear.

(he da%ghter of Sonellion is #re!$ed. She #al$s #ith a lip fro her in=%ries&

b%t she #on,t let %s !lose eno%gh to see #hat needs fi'ing. * r%n her a hot bath& b%t

neither of %s a$es a ove to %ndress her or try to help her in. She sits on the floor of the

bathroo sha$ing %n!ontrollably& begging for a drin$.

7aybe #e sho%ld give her one;8 * begin& b%t )ope !%ts e off.

7"o.8

She groans and begins a !hattering %r%r that ra$es y ears. :od& she,s

s%ffering.

7B%st one f%!$ing drin$&8 * #hisper to )ope %nder y breath.


14/21

7*n the end it #ill only a$e her #ant ore. She has to a$e it thro%gh this.8 His

voi!e so%nds !ertain& b%t his fa!e loo$s #orried #hen he says it.

Gania snarls soething %p at hi in Arabi!& and *, fairly !ertain she,s telling

hi #hat he !an do to hiself. He doesn,t respond.

* s@%at ne't to her. 7Please& G. We need to get yo% o%t of here before yo%r father

ret%rns. Do% need to eat soething so yo% !an be stronger and heal.8

She loo$s at e& really loo$s at e& for the first tie. 7-ne drin$&8 she says softly.

She,s so patheti!. * #ant to give in be!a%se *, #ea$ and * $eep #ondering if one #ill

really h%rt. * attept

to !hannel her positive energy before * spea$ again.

7* $no# it feels li$e that,s #hat yo% need& b%t it,s not. We #ant to help yo%.8 *,

pro%d of yself for so%nding so gentle and reasonable. * open y o%th to !ontin%e and

she #allops e straight in the eye. * have to !at!h yself fro falling ba!$ on y arse.


15/21

* e'pe!t )ope to try the gentle approa!h& b%t on!e again he sho!$s e. He spea$s

to her #ith stern& doinating a%thority.

7*t,s tie to bathe& Gania. We #ill leave and yo% #ill bathe yo%rself. We leave in

less than five ho%rs for o%r flight to the U.S.8

She #raps her ars aro%nd her stoa!h and !ries& 7Do% sho%ld have let e die8

7Do% #ere not going to die&8 he gro#ls. 7Do%r fate #as far #orse than death.8

7B%st leave e here8

7


16/21

ind yo%& that,s saying a lot.

And then another tho%ght sa!$s e and *, str%!$ #ith s%dden an'iety.

Where is lynn>

* #hip o%t y phone and try to !all lynn b%t there,s no ans#er. "e't * te't


17/21

E E E

(he rest of the trip is a bl%r. After Gania bathes and dresses she ref%ses to spea$ to

%s again. )ope ira!%lo%sly anages to get her to eat three bites of #ar flatbread fro

his fingers.

* don,t need to be a !hild of Astaroth to see there,s a bond bet#een those t#o. And

* adit *, f%!$ing h%gely relieved by it on any levels. * let hi ta$e !are of G for the

reainder of the trip& only getting involved #hen absol%tely ne!essary. He apparently

$no#s ho# to deal #ith her the #ay she needs& and * don,t !are for another bla!$ened

eye.

lynn sho#s %p to the airport all ragged and shit right before o%r flight. He,s got a

rip in his shirt& and the !orner of his beard has started to peel off. * point hi straight to

the loo to fi' hiself& glad he,s o$ay.

When #e land in Asterda later that day #e all !hange o%t of o%r Arab get%ps

into Western #ear. S!anning for #hisperers and seeing none& #e !lap lynn on the ba!$

and he goes his separate #ay.

Gania loo$s frail in her =eans& as if she !an,t anage to @%ite stand straight. Her

ars are !rossed and she taps her foot f%rio%sly as she stares into the ta'5free store at the

bottles of li@%or. )opano steps bet#een her and the glass& and she narro#s her eyes

#hi!h are no longer s#ollen. (hey,re no# big and dar$ bro#n and f%ll of fire. )opano

sees to li$e loo$ing at those eyes& tho%gh he,s !learly not at ease #ith her %nhealthy

desires.

(hey stare hard at one another as if they ight brea$ into a ro%nd of angry se'

right against the d%ty free shop. (hat,d be a sho#. * bite y tong%e against the %rge to


18/21

la%gh and say& 7:et a roo.8 Saint )opano ight die of h%iliation& a tho%ght that

#o%ld have bro%ght e =oy before& b%t no longer.

*, glad #hen o%r flight is !alled. -ne step !loser to seeing Anna again.

At one point of the flight * thin$ there,s going to be a proble. (he flight

attendant sees Gania h%n!hed over& h%gging herself& sha$ing and groaning. )ope tries to

play it off& b%t the flight attendant still sees #orried after his e'planation that Gania is

not feeling #ell b%t it,s not an eergen!y. *t !ertainly loo$s li$e an eergen!y to anyone

#ith eyes.

)ope even tries to r%b her ba!$ to p%t on a good sho#& b%t Gania yan$s a#ay #ith

a yelp. Deah& these t#o are going to get this plane landed if they,re not !aref%l. *t,s tie

for e to #or$ y !har.

* sile %p at the flight attendant fro y aisle seat and be!$on her lo#er& !loser&

#ith the #ave of t#o fingers. She,s probably late t#enties. %ropean. She s#ipes her

eyes over e and a great deal of her #orried a%ra lightens& s%ddenly forgotten. She leans

do#n and * sit %p taller to get !loser and #hisper.

7B%st bet#een %s&8 * say. 7* thin$ y ate,s lady is %p the d%ff& if yo% $no# #hat

* ean.8

Her eyes #iden. 7Pregnant>8 she #hispers ba!$.

* nod. :rin. 7(hey haven,t anno%n!ed it yet& b%t *, fairly !ertain. She,s not been

herself for a bit& b%t it,s nothing to #orry abo%t& l%v. She,ll be fine.8

* #in$ for good eas%re. (hen #et y lips. Her a%ra pops red and y body rea!ts

#itho%t perission.


19/21

No,* reind it. Soeties * really f%!$ing hate yself.

7Well& alright then&8 the flight attendant says& br%shing a hand do#n y sho%lder

and ar. y body tightens and *, holding y breath. 7*f yo% need anything& let e

$no#.8 She dips !loser. 7Anything at all.8

o away, &o away, &o away, an$ #or the %ove o# o$ $on!t touch me a&ain.

* give her a nod and she finally t%rns to go %p the aisle. A @%i!$ glan!e to the side

finds )ope and Gania both staring at e. -r rather& glaring. * s%ppose they didn,t !are for

the pregnan!y bit& b%t oh #ell. * have ore iediate !on!erns. * @%i!$ly %nb%!$le and

head to the loos at the ba!$ of the plane.

+aned "ephili %rges.

At soe point Gania nods off& still bent over& and her forehead ends %p on )ope,s

thigh.(ahahaha,the blo$e is fro?en li$e stone as he pretends not to be affe!ted. * ta$e

advantage of the oent of pea!e and ove to the ro# behind %s& #hi!h is epty. * lean

y head against the #indo# #ith y ars !rossed and iediately fall asleep.

*, #o$en soetie later fro a vivid drea #herein *, obliterating Anna,s

inno!en!e. *t,s @%ite a ni!e drea& b%t *,d rather not be having it in p%bli!. (he so%nds of

Gania,s !rying and )ope,s gentle adonishents %sher e ba!$ into reality #ith an

%n#el!oe =olt. * loo$ do#n and find that the $ind flight attendant has !overed e in a

blan$et. * ta$e the bl%e b%ndle and !ra it over y isbehaving lap. (hen * lean y

elbo#s on y thighs& bo%n!e y $nees& and press y th%bs into y teples in an

attept to !al yself.


20/21

* try to thin$ of things that are not soft and #ar. (hings that do not oan and

ar!h and bend. * thin$ of #or$ tr%!$s r%bling thro%gh the fro?en t%ndra of Antar!ti!a.

*t doesn,t help. * a !%rsed.

(hin$ing of Anna does insane things to y body& b%t it,s also the only thing that

!als e. She $no#s e and she still loves e. -f !o%rse& she doesn,t $no# everything.

*,d die of shae if she $ne# the half of it.


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Kai Sweet Peril POV