Balancer's Soul (32 page)

Connor,

I had to go into town for
some shopping with Mother. I will be home at around three. Please
meet me at my parent’s with the wagon.

I love you

He folded up the paper and slid it in his
pocket.

Sitting up, Connor pieced together the last
few hours of yesterday before sleeping like the dead. He remembered
a massive amount of cranial pain as Jack read his mind, losing
strength quickly as he reassured them that he wasn’t taking Sarah
away. Then waking up on the floor feeling as weak as when he
obtained the brand on his chest. He looked around her room to see
Sarah’s parents laying at either side looking completely
drained.

When they eventually got home and he was
finally able to manage to get into the shower brought back
delicious memories. The water was so refreshing that it relaxed
every muscle in his quivering body until he noticed Sarah in the
shower with him. She really did look like a goddess. Her perfection
couldn’t be matched by anyone, but that was the extent of his
memory of yesterday. He didn’t even remember the dinner that she
made. Connor felt so tired and that was the first dinner she had
made for him.

Pulling himself out of bed Connor still felt
weak, but much better than yesterday. He walked to the closet and
put on a brown sleeved shirt. He then felt very hungry. Walking
into the kitchen he ate four bowls of cereal and five bananas.
Feeling full he eventually meandered into the bedroom, opened up
Sarah’s boxes and his cases and put clothes in the dressers and
closet. He decided to leave the delicates box closed and sealed for
his own safety.

About two hours before meeting Sarah, it
started to get hot in the house. Connor made the decision and put
on the chest harness and pulled the wagon outside. Still feeling
weak he simply walked into the forest at a reasonably slow, but
measured pace.

It took over twenty minutes before reaching
Jack’s house and it proved to be truly exhausting. Connor took off
the strap and placed the wagon next to Jillian’s fire engine red
sports car, in the garage.

He knocked on the garage door to be greeted
by Jack.

“Connor? What are you doing here? You should
still be resting in bed like I told you before you left.” His azure
eyes were filled with worry. Connor dug out the folded letter and
handed it over. After Jack read it he looked up. “Connor, come
inside you look like you’re overheated.”

“I am Jack, and thank you.” He led Connor
into the living room and helped him to lie down on the sofa. “Hey
Jack? Can you please bring me a gallon of water?” Jack knew that he
literally meant a gallon.

He went into the kitchen and brought a gallon
jug of water. Connor drank slowly, knowing if he gulped the water
down his stomach would be liable to ache and everything might come
back up. Jack sat down in the opposite seat. “I’m sorry about my
actions yesterday…”

Connor sat the now half empty jug down on the
table between them while cutting him off. “Listen to me. I would
have done the same thing if I was in your position.” He looked
directly into his azure eyes. “Just please explain one thing for
me?”

He looked relieved to know that he was
forgiven. “Name it.”

“Could you explain what you did when I was
unconscious?”

He smiled and tossed his silver hair behind
his neck. “Of course I can. When I used too much power entering
your thoughts, your mind couldn’t handle the force I generated to
get past your defenses. Your body tried to protect itself by going
into a coma because you were losing energy too quickly. It is a
natural survival instinct that all creatures have. Lesser creatures
die instantly.

“I didn’t realize how much power I used until
we saw you collapse on the floor and hit your head. Jillian and I
had to act quickly. We have only recharged another person about
five times during our lives together. We failed once and the person
died.

“A Balancer’s power comes from the energy
within us. If it was a smaller person I could have revived you
myself, but because of your size… my mate and I had to work
together to funnel our combined powers into you. And I have never
seen the look on my daughter’s face as she watched you fall...” He
looked up at the ceiling and closed his ageless eyes. “That’s
enough for now. Tell me of your current symptoms.”

“I feel exhausted and I have a small headache
from that fall you mentioned. The trip to get here was difficult as
you can clearly see. By the way, where has your other half gone
with Sarah today?”

He looked down and laughed. “For the first
time Jillian, Sarah, your sister and your mother all went shopping
together… It looks like we are both in mortal danger.” He smiled
again, but it was a genuine smile between worried men.

“If that isn’t the understatement of
this millennium.” And they both laughed easily at their
misfortune.
“All of the women together have
never been a good sign for any man since the dawn of
time.”

Jack stood up and slowly and walked around
the table to stand in front of Connor. Looking up he said “I’m
going to help you out a little bit. Stand up, take off your shirt
and turn your back to me.” Jack held his hand out and helped Connor
to stand. He took off his shirt as ordered and sat it on the
table.

“What’s going on?” And he silenced Connor
with a simple stare. Connor felt him rest his hands over each of
his shoulder blades. Moments later, his palms began to heat up and
a comfortable warmth grew slowly within the core of his body.
Connor’s headache went away and he finally didn’t feel so
disoriented. Jack removed his hands and sat on the couch Connor sat
at. Connor turned to look at him. “Thank you for that. That was…
refreshing.” The silver haired Balancer looked only slightly worn
out when he smiled. Connor put his shirt on and sat down to finish
the remaining water.

They sat in silence, both resting their eyes
until they heard the garage door open. “Father, we’re home! Is
Connor here yet?”

“In here, Princess.” He surprised himself at
how strong his voice felt and the ease at which the rest of his
body reacted as well.

His beautiful princess walked in wearing a
white shirt that barely revealed a dark bra underneath. Sandals
protected her feet and black shorts gripped her heart shaped
posterior. Her green eyes lifted his spirits even higher and her
voice was heavenly. “Connor, you look so much better today. Are you
feeling any better?”

He stood up saying “Yes, I do especially
after your father’s latest treatment.” Connor hugged her and she
beamed.

“What kind of treatment?” Jillian walked in
with several bags full of food and clothes. She sat the bags down
to look at them.

Jack also stood by his side. “I just gave him
a little more stamina.”

Jillian came up and then kissed him on the
cheek. “Thanks, My Love. I was going to go over today and do it
myself, but you beat me too it.”

Sarah let go and hugged Jack and the look on
his face was priceless. He went completely rigid and his face went
nearly sheet white. It was like he never had a spontaneous hug from
her before. As she pulled back he spoke quietly. “What was that
for?”

“Father, that was for helping Connor to feel
better.” She hugged him again and he softened. “You saved him.”

He finally chuckled. “Hey, I can’t let my
son-in-law die when we are just getting to fight with each other.
There is still more punishment I’ve yet to deal.”

Connor laughed and everyone turned to look at
him. “Hey that’s the best compliment you have given me yet.”

They all began to smile like idiots.

An hour later after the car was
unloaded Connor asked Sarah “What
have
you been up to today? Did you leave the
store anything in stock?”

“Shopping.” She answered simply, wearing that
kind of grin meant he was in dire trouble.

“What
did you
buy?” He asked in a cautious and guarded voice.

“You will find out when we get
home
.” She smiled even brighter at
saying it again. And it was then that he really felt that danger
loomed overhead.

After everything Jillian bought was put away,
Jack helped Connor out by putting everything Sarah bought into the
wagon. The wagon looked like a muffin that mushroomed over the
sides and top of it. It was heavy yet light enough for him to drag
home.

Sarah held the sides of the bags as they
forced the wagon inside the front door of their home. As he sat
down in the kitchen he said to Sarah “Last night was the first meal
you cooked for me, but I forgot what you made me. I’m sorry.”

She walked over and sat on his lap in the
kitchen. She looked at him with a wry, playful smile that was
spirit lifting. “We had meatloaf. And I don’t blame you for
forgetting. You probably had something else on your mind.” She
rested her head on his collar bone.

Feeling playful Connor said lightly “Yeah, I
saw a living goddess blushing at a raging erection.” Her head shot
up and looked at him before her face flushed. Unexpectedly she
wrapped her arms around her neck and pulled him to her lips. Her
kiss was even more rejuvenating than getting energy directly from
Jack.

“I was so worried about you after what
happened last night.” Her eyes started to fill with tears and her
voice quivered. “When we got home I saw how drained and weak you
were. I wanted you to have something good for you to go to sleep
with.” Tears spilled down her cheeks.

Using his thumb to wipe away her tears he
said “Sarah, just being with you keeps away all of the nightmares.”
And Connor thought of a way to get her mind off of himself. “You’re
lucky you know that.”

“How was I lucky when you were the one to get
hurt?” Her voice strengthened and her eyes began to harden.

“If I wasn’t so tired, I wouldn’t have been
able to restrain myself in the shower with you. We’d be mated… or
did you already forget my… reaction?” And it worked perfectly
because she stood quickly and her face went red.

She looked around for something to take her
mind away from the thoughts in her head while he enjoyed making
them. “Umm… Umm…Connor, go to our room and I will show you what I
bought.” He stood, walked over to kiss her head and then followed
her order to reside in the bedroom until she came in.

Connor heard her quick footfalls in the
kitchen along with the refrigerator door opening and closing a few
times. With the sounds of the pantry door closing ten minutes
later, she knocked on the bedroom door. He said “This is our home.
You never need to knock.” She came in bashfully, holding two large
bags of clothing. She handed over the two bags. Opening them he
smiled up at her.

“These are for you, Connor. Please try them
on for me?” She looked a little uncomfortable. Perhaps she was
still daydreaming as he was.

“Before I do can I ask you a personal
question?” She looked up at him with those soul searching eyes. She
nodded, still slightly flushed. “Why did you choose to be a
teacher? I suspect that you don’t need the money because these are
top of the line designer clothes.”

“I hoped you wouldn’t notice that little
detail.” She sighed “Why should I be surprised now? You notice
everything.”

“Only because I am in love with the woman I’m
noticing.” And he tapped the bed and she sat next to him and looked
at the floor.

“This subject doesn’t leave this room. Not
even Father and Mother know the exact reason why I’m a teacher
these days.” Connor said “Ok.” and she went on by saying “Yes
Connor, I do not need any money whatsoever. I have saved and
invested much in my lifetime. But if I didn’t teach, I would never
have met you.” She looked up at him with a happy smile and matching
eyes. “I teach because it keeps me close to normal humans. I like
meeting new faces and personalities. Since I have lived for over
seven human lifetimes, I’ve noticed just how truly short life is. I
need to feel like I can give something to my students during their
short terms in this unjust world. I know it sounds foolish…”

Connor put his arm around her. “It is
foolish…” She looked at him like he was making fun of her. “But
it’s one of the things I love about you. You help while I protect.
There will never be a better combo than the two of us.” He kissed
her temple and she fell silent.

Connor stood up, carrying the bags she
bought. “Where are you going?” He held up the bags and walked to
the bathroom. He tried on all of the clothes she bought and
remarkably they all fit comfortably. And Connor never thought he
could look this good when he saw his reflection. She knocked on the
bathroom door and asked “How do they fit?” She walked in and went
speechless.

“You have outdone yourself this time.” He
walked up and kissed her.

She shook her head to clear her mind and her
hair went everywhere, but it was still so amazing just to watch.
She mumbled “Greek God.” and looked up to say more clearly “Sit
down.” He sat on the commode and she pulled out a pair of scissors
and a cloth from the drawer beside the sink. She wrapped the cloth
around his thick neck and gave a haircut. After she finished she
left and walked in the living room with a pleased expression.

Following her he noticed on the table all of
the graded papers she put on hold this weekend for him. “Princess,
I have work around the house while you do your teacher thing…” and
she laughed at his wording.

Later that night they slept soundly in each
other’s arms.

Waking up early Monday morning and
feeling normal again Connor put on his newly purchased clothes
after he shaved. She bought all dark clothes and they were all
mostly black, but all of the shirts were sleeveless and all of the
bottoms were shorts along with boxers. Looking in the mirror he
smiled at the reflection and thought
“Wow!
Is this really me? My arms are huge and so are my legs! This short
haircut really makes my jaw more defined, but how will others react
to my eyes? The armlet fits perfectly. I look like a hulking
shadow.”