Page 13 of Cultivating Caden
“Thank you for what you did. If I’m honest, I shouldn’t have survived, and knowing what happened, I probably wouldn’t have wanted to. You literally gave me my life back, so I can’t tell you how grateful I am. What can I do for you?”
“Some juice would help” was the whispered reply.
“Anything you need.” Caden stood, went to the refrigerator, and grabbed the whole container. He snapped off the lid and brought it back to Ten, who took it with a shaky hand. He held it to his mouth, his throat working as he drained what was left in the bottle. It fell from his grip as Ten’s eyes shut.
“Is there anyone I should call? Your parents?”
“Both dead. Everyone in Sanctuary takes care of me.” He groaned. “Maybe you should call Mr. Martin. I don’t feel well.”
“I don’t have a phone.” He scanned the room and saw a phone, but he didn’t have the number. He looked at Ten, who seemed even more pale than he had a few moments earlier. Desperate, Caden rushed to the door and slammed his palm on it. “I need help! Ten is sick. Where’s Quade?”
The lock clicked and the door opened wide. There wasn’t anyone on the other side, and Caden wondered briefly if the door had let him out because of Ten. Caden hurried into the hall, looking around wildly. He needed to find someone who could help Ten. He started pounding on other doors, hoping to hell people lived there. On the fifth one, the door opened and a disheveled looking Quade peered out, his dark hair stuck to his head.
“How the hell did you get out of your room?” he growled, clamping a hand on Caden’s bicep.
Caden jerked away. “Let go of me, goddamn it. Tennyson is sick and he needs you.”
That brought Quade up short. “Ten? Where did you—“ He sniffed the air. “Never mind.” Quade pulled out his phone, punched a button, and held it to his ear. “Desmond? Something’s wrong with Ten. Meet me in Caden’s room. No, I don’t know why he’s in there, just move your ass.”
Quade hung up and zipped ahead of Caden. Now would be the perfect time to look for a way out, but Tennyson had helped him, had trusted him. No way could he walk away when the boy needed him. Caden rushed after Quade. When he walked into the room, Quade knelt by Ten’s side, stroking his face.
“What did you do, you dumb bastard?”
“He was trying to help me. He said my dreams were hurting him.”
“Shit.” Quade scrubbed a hand over his face. “Shit, shit, shit. He’s never supposed to do things like that without having the doctor with him.”
Quade put his hands on Ten’s shoulders and shook him gently. Seeing the fear on his face, the desperation as he tried to wake Ten, Caden’s anger toward Quade melted. He honestly cared for the kid.
Images flashed in Caden’s mind: Quade and Ten sitting outside and staring up at the night sky. Ten moving a bit closer until his elbow touched Quade’s. How Ten put his head on Quade’s arm and sighed at the closeness.
More and more images rolled on like a movie. Quade buying Ten ice cream, then sitting together and enjoying it. Quade tossing stones onto a crystal-clear lake, with Ten laughing as they plopped into the water instead of skipping over the surface. Quade holding Ten in his arms as he carried him back into Sanctuary. Caden had thought Quade was an asshole. Still did, sort of. But now he was seeing him in a different light, one that showed how deeply he cared for Ten.
Loud voices echoed down the hall, and a moment later, three men burst into the room. They pushed Quade out of the way, picked Ten up, and placed him gently on the rolling table they brought with them. The doctor reached into a black bag and began to take out various implements. First he listened to Ten’s chest, thumped it twice, then took out a light and flashed it into his eyes.
“How long has he been like this?”
Quade looked to Caden, panic in his expression. “How long?”
“Five, maybe ten minutes.”
“And what happened right before he passed out?”
“He said he was helping me because my dreams were hurting him. I didn’t know he wasn’t supposed to do things without someone else. I’m sorry.”
The doctor sighed. “It’s not your fault. Ten’s always been headstrong. He’s just a boy, but sometimes he forgets that the rules apply to him too. Especially to him.”
“Will he be okay?”
“If he’s not, I’ll kick his ass.” Quade leaned over Ten’s body, grabbed him by the shirt, and hauled him closer. “Do you hear me, kid? If you’re not okay, I’ll beat your ass so hard, you won’t sit down for a month.”
The voice was hard, but the words came out with a tremor to them. After what he’d seen, Caden knew the truth. Quade was terrified.
The doctor pulled the plug off a needle, inserted it into Ten’s arm, then hooked it up to some kind of IV drip.
“He’ll be fine. He overtaxed his abilities is all. He worked a full shift in the clinic, and instead of resting, came in here and kept pushing himself. Damn kid, always thinking he has to shoulder the weight of the world.” The doctor brushed a red hair from Ten’s forehead. “Get him down to the infirmary. Tell them I want a guard on him tonight, and if he wakes up, he’s not allowed to use his powers at all.”
“Yes, sir.”
