CHAPTER TWO

“Keep quiet, I think someone is following us.” he interrupted and whispered 

Vanessa looked around, she couldn’t make anything out in the darkness, and then she saw a man raise a bow and arrow. She tapped his shoulder anxiously 

“We need to move quickly.”

He held her hand and steered them as arrows came flying one nearly missing Xavier’s head. The arrows temporarily stopped and they were quickly followed by footsteps.

Xavier listened carefully, they were just three. It would be easy. He pinned her to a tree

“Do not move, I won’t take too long.” She rolled her eyes and scoffed. He looked at her more sternly and she shrugged and nodded.

He ran in the direction of the oncoming men. She watched his accurate movements, the three of them circled him and attacked.

He ducked when a punch came, and moved sideways to avoid the jab of a knife. Xavier pulled out his sword and slit a throat. He wiped some blood from his face, he faced the remaining two.

Vanessa sat in the distance watching, he had his hands wrapped around the neck of the only man left alive, she saw his struggling hands weaken and his heart slowly stop. She stood up, dusted herself and walked to join him.

A figure moved in between the trees, he rushed towards Xavier who still had his back turned, as he turned to see what was coming towards him the man broke a jug of water in his hand and froze it and rammed it into Xavier’s abdomen. Xavier looked at the wound as the weapon was pulled out of him, he fell back to the floor clutching the wound trying to slow the blood down. His attacker turned towards Vanessa. 

Vanessa flexed her knuckles and her right hand glowed with a blue light, she watched Xavier’s blood drip from the tip of the frozen water in his hand. The man smiled at her then charged.

Before his weapon could touch her she jumped into the air, wrapped her legs around his neck and placed her glowing hand on his chest and fell to the floor as his heart instantly stopped and he fell. 

She rushed to Xavier’s side as he hobbled to his feet, still clutching his wound.

“I don’t need your help.” He stated before she could say anything.

“With the amount of blood you’re losing I have to disagree. Let me take a look at it.”

“What did you do to that man?” he looked at her.

“I stopped his heart.”

“My body will heal itself.” He said to her

“If it was a minor wound I would have let it be, the power you have isn’t enough to heal such a wound because you refuse to accept what you are.”

“You want me to be a monster?”

“You strangled a man to death, accepting your power only makes you a stronger monster.”

“I still don’t need your help.”

“If it’s any reassurance I don’t plan on killing you today. You’re the only one who knows where we are so it’s in my best interest to keep you alive.”

He nodded and slide to the floor letting out a low groan. She helped him lie down.

“Relax” she whispered

Xavier shut his eyes, he removed his hand from the wound and braced himself for the sting. Nothing came, a lazy haze took hold of his body and he gave in. he felt this tingly feeling originate from his wound and spread throughout his body making him feeling euphoric

Vanessa’s glowing hands worked on his wound, she used both hands to save time, she could feel him give in and she smiled. By the time she had finish he was already sleeping deeply.

She gathered their bags and his sword, she struggled and she was finally able to completely remove his bloody shirt. In the bag she found two itchy blankets, she covered him then sat beside him.

She draped the other blanket across her shoulder and leaning on the tree she kept watch.