Blood red love
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Charlie was sitting by Caine’s bed, he was still sleeping and she hadn’t moved from his side except for short runs to the toilet. Tyson and Huxton looked in on them now and then, provided her with food and drink. The twins had made a visit to cuddle and brighten her mood a little. It had been almost a day since she had got Vidars texts telling her they were heading into battle. Since then it had been quiet. In an attempt not to go mad, she had tried to work. She had continued to work with her software. PRAM, as she had started to call it, had quickly started to evolve into something bigger than she had envisioned from the start. But as she saw what it could do and saw there was a high demand, she adapted it and watched it slowly morph into a new tool. Charlie heard the front door opening and frowned. It was too early for Huxton to be back. Then she registered the breathing and the fresh scent and she was out of the armchair and sprinting towards the door. Vidar was waiting for her in the hallway, he looked tired but unharmed. With a sob she threw herself into his arms. Her arms went around his n*ck and she squeezed him so tight she was almost afraid to break him. Vidar’s hold of her was just as strong and he lowered his head to put his nose into her hair. Charlie felt him take a deep breath and his exhale tickled her.
“Vidar,” she sighed. She was desperately trying to hold back her tears, but they spilled over and ran down her face.
“Sweet, sweet lynx, it’s okay,” he murmured and k*ssed her. With the k*ss, Charlie’s world balanced itself. Everything would be okay when Vidar was back. Charlie heard Tyson come walking. Vidar and she broke apart and turned to him. He was standing, watching them with the biggest smile on his face.
welcome home, Vidar. It’s nice to see you,” Tyson said. Vidar smiled.
“Thank you, Tyson. It’s good to be home. Where are the twins and Huxton?” he asked.
“My husband is at work and the little devils are napping with the third member of the trouble. squad,” Tyson informed him.
“What?” Vidar asked.
“Shadow and the twins have developed a symbiosis. He pushes the cookies and other treats off the counter so they can get to them and they give him cuddles,” Charlie explained. Vidar
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laughed. It relaxed Charlie to hear the sound.
“Do you want something to eat? We ate lunch about an hour ago but I can make something.” Tyson offered.
you
“Thank you, but I had something on the plane,” Vidar said. Tyson smiled and nodded.
“Then I’ll leave you to it,” he said and disappeared towards the kitchen. Vidar pulled Charlie in for another k*ss.
“How’s Caine?” he asked as they let eachother breathe.
“Still sleeping. I had no choice but to make him take the sleeping potion, he was hell bent to go after you,” she told him.
“You did the right thing,” he said, k*ssing her hair. “I had to do the same when you went missing. He is stubborn, even worse than a donkey.” Charlie smiled at the love in the words.
“He is,” she agreed as they walked to Caine’s room. Vidar walked up to his friend and felt his forehead for fever and Charlie watched his every move, she couldn’t take her eyes off him.
“I called and asked the healer when the bandages needed to be changed. But she told me they were magical and could stay on until he has healed,” she said. Vidar nodded. Of course it wasn’t news to him, she thought. “How about you? Any injuries?” she asked. He walked back to her and embraced her.
Some small nicks that healed within an hour. Nothing to brag about,” he said. She nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder.
“You look tired,” she told him. She felt him chuckle.
“I haven’t slept in twenty five, or twenty six hours,” he confessed.
“A nap it is,” she said. Then she hesitated. She wanted to go with Vidar, but doing so would mean leaving Caine alone. Vidar must have understood her hesitation. He walked them over to the armchair, sat down and pulled her into his lap. He put his feet up on the bed and Charlie snuggled in. She felt Vidar relax and soon she heard his breathing change as he fell
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asleep. She smiled and followed his example. She woke up a couple of hours later and looked into Caine’s eyes. Charlie smiled. ‘You are awake‘ she linked him, not to wake Vidar that was still asleep.
‘I am. It looks like I missed all the excitement,‘ he answered, looking at Vidar.
‘I think we both did. He hasn’t told me what happened. He needed to sleep,‘ she replied. He nodded and Charlie saw he wasn’t flinching at the movement. ‘How do you feel?‘ she asked.
‘Better. The pain is the muscles feel a little stiff and sore. But a couple of days with
gone,
straining will fix that,‘ he told her and Charlie rolled her eyes at his statement. She felt Vidar moving under her and his breathing changed as he woke up.
“Feeling any better?” Charlie asked Vidar.
“A nap was just what I needed,” he said.
“Sleeping in the middle of the day, you are getting old,” Caine remarked. Vidars eyes shot to his friend and his smile grew bigger.
“Look who’s talking,” Vidar chuckled and put his hand on his friend’s shoulder.
“Yeah, I definitely need to get up,” Caine grunted and moved to sit up. Charlie panicked for a moment, but Vidar just continued to smile and since he didn’t object, Charlie did her best to rein in her fear and let him sit up. His movements as he sat up was stiff, but she didn’t see any signs of pain.
“How about we all freshen up and then we can sit down and I will fill you in on what has
happened,” Vidar suggested.
“Sounds good,” Charlie said, getting up from his lap. “You’ll be okay on your own?” she asked
Caine.
“I’ll be fine,” he insisted. She nodded and walked out of the room with Vidar. She headed for the kitchen to see if she could help Tyson with the kids while he cooked.
“Where are you going?” Vidar asked as he took a hold of her hand.
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“The kitchen.”
“Why?”
“To see if Tyson needs my help while you and Caine shower,” she said.
“I thought you would join me.” he told her and hugged her from behind, nibbling on her earlobe. Charlie wrapped her arms on top of his let herself enjoy the moment.
“Too many people awake and home, she told him.
“I think they will understand.”
“Not the twins,” she objected.
“We’ll be quiet. Charlie laughed at what he suggested.
“Vidar, of all things we are good at in the bedroom, being quiet is like at the bottom,” she reminded him.
“True. But I want you close.” She sighed.
“I want to be close to you too. But it’s only for a short while. You’ll be done in no time and then you can come to the kitchen. I’ll be waiting for you,” she said. Charlie turned around. k*ssed Vidar and then k*ssed his nose and detangled herself from him.
“I’ll be done in no time.” he promised as he walked towards their room. In the kitchen. Tyson was in the middle of making dinner as the kids sat on the floor and played with an array of ladles, spoons and other fun things. Shadow was sitting on a stool by the breakfast counter and watching Tyson intently to see if he could steal something worth eating.
“You look a lot better.” Tyson told her as she picked Shadow up and cuddled him.
“I feel a lot better. Caine has woken up as well. They are both freshening up. What can I help you with?” she asked.
“Nothing. I just need to layer the lasagna and then put it in the oven. It should be done in about an hour, just in time for when Huxton gets home,” he told her. She walked over to him, keeping Shadow away from all things edible, and k*ssed his check.
“You are perfect. My brother doesn’t deserve you,” she told him. They both chuckled. “When Vidar and Caine are done we…
go upstairs to talk for a bit. Just say our names if you need help with anything, we will hear you,” she then said. He nodded.
“Does this mean there won’t be a doomsday?” he asked her.
“I don’t know yet, it’s what I need to figure out. But Vidar seems relaxed so I would say it’s looking good.” He nodded and continued to work. Vidar and Caine walked into the kitchen almost at the same time. As the three of them walked upstairs, Shadow jumped down from Charlie’s arms arid climbed up on Caines shoulder. He was getting too big to be able to comfortably lie on one shoulder, so he wrapped himself like a scarf around Caine’s n*ck. Caine reached up and scratched Shadow under his chin, Charlie didn’t know if he was aware he did it. Vidar dragged Charlie down into one of the couches upstairs and pulled her close to him. Caine took the couch opposite of them and relaxed back. Charlie remembered what he had told her and she felt a pang of sadness.
“So, how did it go?” Caine asked Vidar.