Tears Of The Neko - 14. Chapter 14

Kayden sat idly on the window sill in Damien's office, his tail flicking lazily. Several days had passed since his master had said he loved him, and Kayden had never felt so content--although he still hated the boots and shoes his master had made him wear outside the last time they walked. His master was still a little cautious when they curled up in the bed together, always making sure that Kayden was secure.

Kayden smiled at the thought of the last few nights in his master's arms, reveling in the memory of his master's hands sliding over him, pleasuring him. After Kayden was sated, Damien would unobtrusively take care of himself, never expecting Kayden to reciprocate. And while Kayden had hesitantly touched his master's chest and abs, he was still nervous to explore much further. Damien hadn't tried to touch him like the others had, which helped Kayden relax in his touch, knowing that his master would never hurt him like that.

So, currently he was enjoying watching the spider in the bush outside trying to spin a web amongst the branches with a silly smile on his face. Even though it was cool outside, the sun made the window warm enough. And while he hated the shoes, he loved the socks that had arrived with all of his new clothes.

His master was talking with Oliver Druet and another man, his attorney, Kayden thought. He really didn't pay that much attention to the men anymore. He'd become more comfortable around them, now that he knew they wouldn't hurt him. And most had been rather nice about his presence in his master's study, seeing him as more of a pet than an intrusion.

They were currently talking about some dinner party that was going to be happening tomorrow night. Several important people were supposed to be there, but Kayden didn't really care. He smiled over at his master when he caught his gaze, and Damien smiled back.

He was leaning into the window, almost falling asleep, when he heard his master's voice calling him.

"Kayden," Damien asked, "do you mind going to the kitchen and asking Ysmenia to send in some tea and sandwiches. We're going to be a bit longer."

He nodded, as was his habit around others. He only spoke around Damien, and Damien seemed to enjoy that Kayden's voice was gifted to him alone.

Kayden made his way silently towards the dining room, to get to the kitchen door. He preferred this entrance to the kitchen over the servants' hallway, which always seemed to be busy.

Strangely, he loved the kitchen. He didn't think he would like it much with so many people coming and going. But perhaps because there were so many people, no one hardly paid him any attention, except the chef, Ysmenia, and Ellis. When his master was away, he felt safer here. He'd once found that odd, because too many people used to mean too many hands that could hurt him, but he was slowly learning that none of these people in the kitchen meant him any harm. The only time he'd felt threatened here was around the tobacco-smelling one, and with so many people in the kitchen the man had never tried anything since the night in the storeroom.

When he stepped timidly into the busy kitchen, the chef glanced up at him. Kayden caught the brief smile on Garin's face before he turned to Ysmenia, feigning irritation.

"Yas," he called, "The kit is here. His grace must want something. Hurry up, so he can get out of my kitchen."

The pleasant older lady playfully smacked the chef on the shoulder. "Oh, stop it, Garin. You know you like the boy. You sneak him the best cuts of meat whenever you can. And let him curl up here by the fire when the master's gone so he isn't lonely locked up in that little room."

Garin just grunted but winked briefly at Kayden before returning to peeling vegetables.

"Oh, don't worry about him," Ysmenia petted Kayden's hair. And, honestly, Kayden didn't feel afraid of the grumpy chef anymore. He'd gotten used to the man who didn't like nekos in his kitchen, but Kayden had found that, if no one was watching, Garin would let him sit by the fire in the kitchen while he waited for whatever he'd been sent for. He had gotten used to the movements of the other slaves and servants by now, and none of them seemed inclined to bother him, much less hurt him. He even nodded and smiled when they greeted him now.

"So, his Grace wants tea?" Ysmenia guessed.

He nodded.

"Just tea?" she knew she had to basically play a guessing game with the boy, since he'd only nod or shake his head or sometimes point.

Kayden shook his head.

"Hmm, so tea and sandwiches?"

A nod, then he held up three slender fingers.

"For three? So the master and two guests?"

Kayden smiled and nodded.

Ysmenia grinned back. "Good. I'll get it together and bring it in shortly. Why don't you go on back to your master?"

Kayden nodded and turned to go back down the short hall to the dining room. He was passing by the large buffet that lined the back wall for more casual serving, when the scent hit him.

Tobacco and citrus.

He froze as Roman appeared in the doorway, blocking his exit.

"Well, well," Roman stalked closer, "What do we have here?"

Kayden backed up, his spine hitting the buffet, rattling the vase of flowers sitting on it.

Roman suddenly slipped his fingers under the front of the neko's collar, twisting it slightly, tightening it against the back of the boy's neck as he pulled him up off his feet. Kayden hissed and tried to claw at the arm, but the man's clothing protected him. As the collar gripped the back of his neck painfully, he started to kick wildly.

"Shit!" Roman snapped as the boy's knee landed next to his groin.

He abruptly shoved the neko roughly against the buffet, causing the vase to tip and water to spill across the floor. As Roman dropped him, Kayden felt a burst of pain as the back of his head hit the edge of the buffet. His head exploded in agony as he slumped to the floor.

"You little brat!" Roman sneered, leaning in close enough that only Kayden could have heard what he said. "Just wait till I get rid of Damien. Then you will mine."

Kayden vaguely saw the back of the man disappear out the archway of the dining room, and then out the front door before he let the darkness take him.

--Neko--

Ysmenia appeared at the door of the study with a tray of tea and sandwiches. As she quietly set them on the side table, she noticed her master break from his conversation and frown. His gaze cast around the room.

"Thank you," he said absently. "Did Kayden stay in the kitchen to eat?"

Ysmenia looked confused. "No, my lord. I sent him back right away."

Oliver noticed the tense concern that crossed his friend's face. "Maybe he just decided to go to bed. He did look sleepy."

But Damien didn't look convinced. "Maybe. Ysmenia, can you have someone look for him?"

"Of course, sir. Right away."

Ysmenia darted out of the room back to the kitchen in a slight panic. Maybe the boy had come back in the kitchen, and Garin had fed him. When she burst into the kitchen, she started to accost Garin, wondering if he'd seen the boy, but stopped upon seeing him conversing with one of the other masters.

The men looked at her anxiously scanning the room, her hands wringing in her apron.

"What is it?" her master demanded.

"Um, pardon my interruption, my lord," she said nervously, "but I wanted to ask Garin if he'd seen Kayden."

"Kayden's missing?" Harrison frowned.

Garin looked surprised. "He left when you told him to go back to his Grace. He hasn't come back in here."

"Which way did he go?" Harrison demanded.

"He usually goes through the dining room, to avoid getting in the way of everyone," Garin pointed to the other exit.

Harrison turned, with Ysmenia following him.

As soon as he strode into the diningroom, he noticed the tiny figure curled up on the floor.

"He fell asleep in here?" Ysmenia asked incredulously. "I knew he could sleep anywhere, but really--"

"No," Harrison interrupted, noting the odd way Kayden was laying. It wasn't his normal curled up sleeping position. And while the boy did seem to be able to curl up and nap just about anywhere, this didn't look normal. His tail was splayed limply behind him, not curled in contentedly. His body seemed contorted oddly, not curled in comfortably.

He knelt next to the boy, stepping in the water. The little neko looked even younger and more innocent than usual laying limply on the floor.

"It looks like he may have slipped and hit his head," Harrison surmised, his hand gently tucked behind the boy's head.

"Oh!" Ysmenia gasped worriedly. "I'll go get help."

When his hand touched a knot on the back of the neko's head, Harrison heard a hiss and the green eyes fluttered.

"Kayden?" Harrison asked. "Kayden, can you hear me?"

The boy felt tense under his hand, until he opened his eyes and focused on Harrison's face. The small hand fluttered to his neck and he coughed slightly before nodding. Harrison watched the boy struggle to rise.

Harrison abruptly lifted the practically weightless boy in his arms, eliciting a surprised yelp from the neko. Kayden briefly struggled in his arms.

"Shhh, it's okay," Harrison soothed. "I'm just taking you to Damien."

At the mention of his master's name, the boy settled down. Harrison rose with the thin body in his arms, striding toward his brother's study, as Ysmenia returned with John Drystan in tow.

"Sir, is everything alright?" John asked anxiously, knowing that Lord Damien would be seriously angry if anything happened to Kayden.

"Yes," Harrison said shortly. "Ysmenia, can you get the water cleaned up in the dining room before someone else slips on it."

"Yes, sir."

As she hurried away, John followed Harrison to the doorway of the study. Conversation stopped as the three men noticed the young count standing there with the thin figure of the neko in his arms.

Damien was on his feet instantly, striding to meet Harrison as he crossed the room.

"What happened?" Damien demanded, practically grabbing the boy from his brother's arms, curling the neko's body against him.

"I think he fell on some water in the dining room, hit his head," Harrison supplied, with John hovering nervously behind him.

Damien carefully put Kayden on the couch, feeling gently behind his head, through the strands of ebony hair. Kayden hissed when Damien pressed on the bruise on the back of his head.

"Is that what happened, kitten?" Damien said soothingly, worry darkening his azure eyes.

Kayden's glance around the room to the other men and his squirming on the couch made Harrison aware of how nervous the boy still was around so many people, especially knowing he wouldn't normally be allowed to sit on the furniture in their presence.

Almost imperceptible, Kayden shook his head.

Everyone frowned. Damien leaned closer, gently petting the long strands of hair.

"What do you mean? Did someone hurt you?"

Kayden glanced away, not meeting his master's gaze. But then he forced a slight nod, his body trembling.

"Who?" Damien demanded, his eyes flashing in fury.

But the neko just buried himself into the couch. Damien abruptly grabbed the boy's chin, turning it back to face him, his face taunt with anger.

"Kayden, tell me now," he ordered.

Damien felt the boy shiver under his hand.

"The o-other master," came a hoarse whisper.

Damien straightened suddenly, unable to comprehend what Kayden was implying. "What?"

Both Harrison and Damien exchanged a shocked look at the boy's accusation that their brother had been the cause of Kayden's accident.

"Roman?" Harrison frowned. "He wouldn't."

Damien stared down at his young lover for a long silent moment.

"Drystan, find Roman," Damien said carefully, and the young servant darted away.

Oliver Druet rose. "Damien, be very careful," Oliver warned. "Even if he is your brother, you are accusing a Marquis of the realm on the word of a slave."

Damien nodded carefully, controlling his temper. Kayden had to be mistaken--Roman knew how much Damien cared for the boy, he would never risk Damien's wrath by doing anything to harm the boy.

Harrison flicked his gaze from the neko to his brother in shock. "It has to be a mistake," he breathed. "Maybe he just thought it was Roman."

Damien was nodding his agreement, pacing, his hand running anxiously through his hair. This was his brother they were talking about.

The attorney quickly made his excuses to leave, sensing the gravity of situation, leaving Harrison, Oliver, and Damien to wait in thick silence.

"What the hell is going on? Why did Drystan here drag me from the stables?" Roman demanded, as he rounded into the study, his eyes quickly taking in the neko curled on the couch and the dark look on his brother's face. His mind began to race.

"Roman," Damien started slowly, choosing his words carefully. "Kayden was hurt earlier in the dining room. He says you had something to do with it."

"Ha!" Roman laughed. "The little tiger can't even speak!"

Damien frowned slightly at his brother's response. It wasn't an outright denial. "I assure you, Roman, Kayden can speak. He chooses to only speak to me."

Roman stilled, then his body tensed with rage. "I don't know what that little tiger told you. He's probably told you any number of lies about me. You know he hates me. He's just trying drive a wedge between us."

"Roman," Damien frowned, "Kayden's not trying to do anything like that."

Roman scoffed.

"Roman, maybe if you weren't so--" Harrison started placatingly.

"See! He's got Harry turning against me too!"

"Roman, no one is against you. You are our brother. It's just that something obviously happened to Kayden. Maybe you accidently bumped--"

"I was out all day," Roman snapped. "John got me from the stables," he ground out, pausing to gather his words. "I took Opal out to the pasture earlier. I've been out with her training all afternoon until just a couple minutes ago, when John came to get me." He stared defiantly back at his brothers, daring them to question his word.

Damien cast a glance at John, who nodded verification that that was where he'd found the Marquis.

"So, you're saying that you've been out in the pasture exercising your horse until now?" Oliver clarified helpfully.

There was a slight hesitation as Roman glared at the little neko. "Yes," he said through gritted teeth. "Ask the stable master, I was just there letting him know that I'd left Opal in the pasture for the afternoon. So I couldn't have been in here, doing whatever he says I've done."

Damien was nodding, looking slightly relieved that his brother wasn't guilty of hurting someone he loved for no reason.

"So that's it then," Oliver sighed, grateful that the situation wasn't escalating out of control.

"But the boy was still hurt," Harrison said.

"Then it must have been a mistake," Oliver offered, wanting to drop the accusations before the brothers were at each other's throat. "I'm sure the little thing was just confused. Maybe someone who looks similar to Roman startled him, and he slipped in the water and hit his head. He probably just didn't get a good look at the person and thought it was Roman."

Oliver was nodding as he spoke as if it made perfect sense and explained everything. And Harrison and Damien had to concede that it did seem plausible. Kayden was easily startled, and if someone looking like Roman had approached him, the boy would probably freak out. They wanted to believe that their brother wasn't capable of hurting someone like that intentionally.

"Okay, then," Damien said as if the matter were settled. "Roman, I'm sorry for disturbing you," he said dismissively. "Harrison, thank you for helping Kayden. Oliver, if you don't mind, we can finish things tomorrow after the dinner party."

Each man nodded slightly in deference as they exited. John made to move away as well, even though he hadn't been officially dismissed but sensing that his master wanted to be alone.

"John," Damien halted the servant's retreat. "Get me a cool rag, please."

"Yes, sir."

"And John--" The servant turned back at his master's voice. "After you do that, have Geoff check with the stable master about Roman's horse."

John faltered a step, hesitating. He realized that his master wasn't taking Roman's word for his whereabouts. "Yes, sir."

--Neko--

Damien had Kayden back in their room that evening, pressing the cool cloth to the back of his head. Kayden was glaring at him.

Damien sighed. "Look, Kayden," he began, "It's not that I don't believe you, but the stable master verified that Roman took his horse out at noon and didn't come back to the stable until after three, where John found him after your fall. He was out with Opal all afternoon."

"Which means you don't believe me," Kayden sighed quietly as he rolled sullenly away from his master.

"No, no, I believe that you think Roman may have hurt you. I just think maybe you are mistaken. And I'll try to find out who it may have been that you mistook for my brother," Damien said softly, gently stroking the boy's arm. "Kitten, he is my brother, I've lived with him for over twenty years."

Kayden nodded against the pillow. "I understand. He's family."

Damien sighed. "He is family, but he's not more important to me than you. You have to understand, he's a... well..." Damien faltered, "Well, he's a Marquis, and ...."

"Yes, sir. I know. I'm just a slave."

"No, kitten, you are so much more than that--to me. But I can't accuse someone of his standing without--"

"Yes, sir, I know. He can do what he wants."

"No, he can't."

Kayden rolled into the mattress. He already has, he thought. "Yes, sir. I'm sure I was just mistaken," he reluctantly conceded to appease his master who apparently was desperately trying to believe his brother wasn't capable of such duplicity. "I'm sorry."

Damien pressed a kiss to Kayden's forehead, but the boy buried further into the pillows away from him.

Kayden felt betrayed. He'd finally gotten the nerve to speak up about Roman, and no one believed him. They thought he had a grudge now, that he would lie to get the noble in trouble. He had known before he'd spoken that the Marquis would deny it. He should have kept quiet; he should have known better. He'd just hoped that Damien would know that he'd never lie to him.

He slowly rolled further away from his master, hiding the tears that rolled down his cheeks. "I'm tired, sir," he muttered.

He heard Damien sigh before he rose from the edge of the bed. Kayden felt the covers slide up over his legs, a kiss pressed to the side of his temple, and he heard Damien retreat to the other side of the room. He rubbed the back of his neck, sure there were now bruises under his collar, wincing as he swallowed at the soreness of his throat. Kayden knew he was being a bit petulant and sulky, but he didn't care. He just wanted to be left alone tonight.