Bound Trilogy: Bound: A Supernatural Story (WLW)

Chapter Eleven

Kuba's daughter slept in her hospital bed and Xenia kept up her long paces from one end of the hospital bed to the other, fully aware of the eerie quietness in the room. Despite trying to wake her, the woman hadn't opened her eyes for three whole days. Aside from leaving for the ceremony preparations and the first ceremony itself, Xenia hadn't ventured far from the room. All necessary business, anything she must address, had to be brought to her in that hospital room.

The only time she and Pen hadn't been at the woman's side was during the ceremony and despite her definite want to see the first of Xenia's ascension ceremonies, the sheriff had volunteered to stay with the woman that night. It was now morning and nothing more had happened.

The hybrid hadn't even stirred from her position the entire time and looked to be in the most blissful sleep possible. She must have really needed it. Her eyes were dark beneath and her skin pale like she hadn't been able to replenish her strength in days. Perhaps even weeks. At least, not to the fullest extent.

What was more unnerving was that Pen had refused to tell Xenia the woman's name when asked and stated that she needed to see the hybrid 's eyes open once more to confirm it, whatever that meant. She knew Pen had to know her name after reaching the protective stage of their soul bond, yet that was another thing Pen didn't seem very eager to discuss unless she brought it up.

Also, Xenia hadn't been able to discuss her bond with Jules either -- she had entirely too much to do everyday as her new responsibilities began to add up in spite of the fact she wanted to be at her step-sister's side day and night -- and she knew it had become more. Or at least...she felt it had, but she was terrified to breach the topic if it hadn't developed as much as she hoped. What if it took away from the understanding rather than adding to it? What if it sent her on a backtrack and--

The hospital room door opened and Xenia turned toward it to find none other than Jules walking in. An ache raked across her chest and she waited for Jules to make her way towards her. After last night's ceremony...things within her felt different. Every emotion she felt was exaggerated and she needed at least one good answer. One solid thing to keep her tethered to the ground she stood on when everything else was only making her strife and worry worse.

"She tuckered herself out last night during the celebrations, huh?" Jules gestured toward Pen who sat in the chair next to the hybrid's bed. She wasn't touching her, yet still only just centimeters away. Her hands were so close to the woman's and even in her sleep she moved closer to her as she lay over the side of her bed. Xenia gazed back at Jules with a smirk. "I warned her of just how lively our parties could get, but..." She and Jules chuckled and Jules reached up, running her thumb along Xenia's cheek. When she pulled it back, there were dark smudges of the ceremonial paints along the pad of her thumb and she glowed with admiration. "You did very well last night, Vixen."

"I think it may have been more that her mind was elsewhere last night, Jules. She just wanted to be here." Xenia waved back toward the bed, then turned back toward Jules with fondness. "And thank you."

"True. And Pen also said people don't bond on different stages in her tribe." Jules rubbed her thumb clean along the tail of her dress. "Perhaps, this is just too much to handle and her only way of making any sense of it all is by being at her side."

Xenia nodded and took one of Jules' hands in her own. "Have you...been distancing yourself from me, Jules?"

"You know I can't lie to you, so that's a dirty trick, fox." She pet the side of Xenia's face and sighed. "Yes. I was a bit worried by the bond you and Pen have now and--"

"Whoa! What?" Xenia hurriedly cupped her face in her hands and rested her forehead along Jules'. "That is what we told her. She's my familiar, Jules. Not my mate." She pulled back and looked into her eyes. "Were you really that worried about that?"