Thicker than Water

Chapter Fourteen

Fear began to settle into me as the symbol burned into my mind, and the searing pain that came with it cursed through me.  Searing pain, like I had been burning in hell.  Haden grabbed my wrists and shook me.  "Rogue," he said and scrunched his face at me.  I took a deep breath and looked around the room then back at him.  Shit.  He shook me again but this time a little harder.  He looked worried beyond believe.  His panic spilled into me and I looked at the scar again.  The one that I knew all too well about.  "Hey, what is it," he asked me, pulling my chin up so I can look him in the eye.

"Where exactly did you get this scar," I asked him quickly.  He gaped at me like I had just avoided his question entirely.  I glared at him and snapped, "Tell me.  It's important."

He stared at me like I had seven heads and then he squinted at me, his eyes showing suspicion.  "In Lien," he said, "some cult that did black magic and stuff.  Rogue, how is that important?  It's from a year ago.  It isn't anything, it's just a -"

"It's actually important," I corrected him, stood up then pulled up my tank top just to reveal my left hip.  "This is why," I grumbled at him.  An identical mark lied on my hip, but was a much older burn mark than his.  It was smoother and darker, looking like a fading henna tattoo that never truly went away.  He touched it gingerly and tried to speak, but was too shocked.  "Originally, I thought it was a birthmark," I admitted as he compared the two.  His touch on my skin made me shiver, but I ignored the sensation and sat back on the bed. "But looking at yours, I'm certain it's a burn now," I told him.  "Now I remember.  When I was four my father along with this cult branded this into my skin.  Damn it, I thought it was a dream that my mind made up about a birthmark."  I pulled my shirt back down and laid back.

He looked at me painfully, his sadness seemed to tug at the strings of my heart.  I could vaguely recall my father at that time.  But, it was enough that I knew he was the reason for this.  Instinctively, I touched the scar on my hip.  "Why would someone brand us," I said aloud as tears rose to my eyes.  Haden moved to lay on the bed next to me and he leaned over me.  I traced the mark on his ribs again.  I could picture him in the same position I had been so long ago; chained down to a marble table as people watched me suffer.  It was like a child who dumped salt on a slug and watched it burn.  The cult had enjoyed it.  But it was awful and should scar a normal person's psyche.  The very idea that he could have endured that pain made me sick.

"I'm fine," he told me then kissed my lips lightly to covey his feelings.  Before he could part, he pulled my hand to his chest and pressed my palm to his heart.  He smiled down at me painfully.  "It's fine," he promised me.  "Because the only mark that matters is the one you gave me."  I glanced down to my hand.  I blushed and began to sob.  He stroked my cheek and pulled me back to the way we were laying earlier.  I rested my head against his arm as he petted my back with the other.  He breathed in my hair  as I silently sobbed into his chest.

"Listen to me," he whispers.  "I'll be fine.  But are you okay?"

I couldn't speak, so I merely nodded and buried my head closer into him. 

He sighed heavily and brushed my hair from my face.  "Tell me, please."

I bit my lip for a moment in thought, then said quietly, "Do you remember it?"

"Yes.  But, I'm fine.  I'm only worried about you.  We'll sort out everything tomorrow."  He kisses the top of my head.  "I'll protect you.  If that's what's worrying you, I will always be here to protect you.  We'll figure this all out -together.  You just need to believe in me, okay?  I promise, I won't leave you ever again.  And I will never let anyone hurt you."  His other hand moved and rested on my hip with the mark.  "You can trust me," he said quietly and I tilted my head up to look at him.  He pecked my lips one more time then said very softly, "Go to sleep."