Tears Of The Neko - 22. Chapter 22

At Damien's heart-wrenching cry, Harrison shot to his feet, stumbling around the bed to see his brother collapsed next to the body of the little neko. Damien rolled Kayden to his back, and Harrison gasped at the sight of the limp body of the little neko.

"Doc!" he shouted, as he took in the sight of the blood that glistened across the belly of the small boy. Bloody arms fell lifelessly away from his abdomen as Damien rolled him, head lolling listlessly.

"Oh, shit, Kayden!" Damien's hands fluttered over the wound before grabbing the boy's chin in his blood-covered hand. "Come on, kitten, wake up!"

He gathered the limp body in his arms, tears now streaking down his face. Kayden's body felt heavier, his head falling back and his arms flopped lifelessly to the side, tail hanging inert.

Damien clutched at the boy's body, burying his face in the boy's cool neck, wishing he could feel the rhythmic throb under his cheek.

As he rose to his feet with the little body, a collective gasp rose around him as the household servants noted the blood-covered body in his arms. His tear-filled eyes met Harrison's whose eyes were wide in horror.

"God, Harrison," Damien sobbed. "He's--he's ...my kitten--"

"Get him on the table now!" Dr. Reid yelled, snapping Harrison from his shock. "I need light!"

Damien just stood there, clutching his boy tightly. The boy's blood seeped into his clothes.

"Now!" the doctor demanded. Then he cast his look at Harrison when he saw that the Duke was in no condition to listen. "Harrison, the table."

The blond hesitated, looking at the lifeless figure in his brother's arms. "But isn't it too--"

"Let me at least try," Dr. Reid snapped.

With a quick nod, knowing it wouldn't hurt if the doctor at least looked at the neko, Harrison reached to take the boy from his brother.

"No!" Damien cried, unwilling to release his love even in death.

"Damien!" Harrison snapped, "Give me the boy, now!"

Something in Harrison's tone caused Damien to obey and loosen his hold. He watched Harrison sweep Kayden from him, limbs flopping lifelessly. He could only watch in grief-stricken silence as Harrison laid out the body of his love on the low coffee table by the couch. Servants were hovering with torches as light for the doctor.

His eyes widened in shock when the doctor suddenly seemed to beat on the boy's chest.

"No!" Damien yelled in horror, lurching forward to stop the madman from abusing his lover's dead body. "What the hell are you doing?"

Harrison managed to grab Damien before he could attack the doctor. Though it seemed odd, the doctor didn't seem to be angry, just determined.

Then Dr. Reid opened Kayden's jaw and pressed his mouth over the young neko's. Everyone watched in stunned horror as the doctor breathed air into the still lungs, causing a rise in the thin chest.

"Just--just let him be," Damien begged, crying, unable to watch the abuse on the boy's body anymore. "Just..." He gave up and sank to the floor, crying, letting go of his grief.

Harrison wiped at his own eyes as he shielded his brother's view of the doctor forcing more air into the thin lungs before he returned to pressing again on the middle of the boy's chest. A glance around the room showed tears slipping down the faces of all of the normally very reserved servants, although Ysmenia's sobs rivaled Damien's.

"Fuck," Harrison cursed as he wiped at his face. He saw the blood-covered claws of the neko as his arm sprawled out to the side. The boy had fought with his life to defend his brother, and for that he would always be grateful. But he had come to love the little thing, not in the same way as his brother of course, but the cute young neko had quickly become a part of their lives--his brother's life. He wondered how his brother would survive with the boy gone.

He almost turned away as the doctor started another round of blowing air into the boy and pounding on the chest.

Damien sat at his feet, lethargically leaning against the end of the bed. Harrison worried that his brother was going to pass out, his breathing was so fast and erratic. He knelt next to his brother, his hands on the broad heaving shoulders, and rested his forehead to the top of Damien's, attempting some comfort, to let him know he wasn't alone.

"There, yes!" Dr. Reid's excited voice floated over them, and he heard a gasp from a servant. "Come on, boy, breathe."

At the soft tone of the doctor, Harrison's head shot up. The doctor was holding the boy's jaw in his hand and watching the blood smeared chest. Harrison watched in shock as the thin chest expanded on its own, barely.

Harrison's eyes darted in wide wonder at the faces hovering over the boy. He saw apprehensive smiles starting to form around him. Then Dr. Reid looked up at him, his face splitting into a wide grin, before he turned to John.

"Get me my case. Let's get this wound stitched up before he loses any more blood," Dr. Reid snapped at John Drystan.

Harrison's fingers tightened on Damien's shoulders, snapping his brother from his daze. Damien looked up in wonder first at Harrison and then followed his gaze towards Kayden. He groaned at the sight his lover's bloody body, starting to rebury his face in his hands.

"No, look," Harrison urged.

Damien turned listlessly, taking in the unnatural stillness of his boy's body. The hands, the tail--wait, did the tail just move?

Damien twisted suddenly to get a better look. Sure enough, there was a little flicker in the end of the sleek black tail hanging over the table. Damien's breath caught in his throat.

The fingers twitched.

Damien scrambled to his feet, looking wide-eyed at the doctor, questioning.

Dr. Reid smiled up at him. "He's alive, for now," he announced. "I got his heart going again, and he's breathing on his own now," he explained, pulling sutures, needles, and disinfectant out from his case. John was currently pressing a cloth to the wound. "But he's losing blood. I've got to get him stitched up."

"He's--he's alive?" Damien whispered, dropping to his knees next to the table, staring at the still face.

"Well, at the moment," the doctor reiterated, then he indicated for John to move the cloth. "Help me by holding the skin together."

John barely flinched as he pinched the pale skin closed. The doctor poured disinfectant over the wound.

"Shit!" John shouted as the body under his fingers jerked and there was a loud hiss.

"Kayden!" Damien exclaimed as he grabbed at the boy's hand, gripping it tightly, staring for signs of life in the boy's face.

The beautiful features scrunched up in pain at the burning stinging pain of the alcohol, his mouth gasping wide.

Damien's tears of joy flowed freely, dripping onto his boy's shoulder. Hands were holding the boy still as the doctor quickly pierced the fragile skin with the needle. Damien felt the tightening of the boy's claws against his hand at the pain, but he just held tighter, conflicted--wishing he could take the pain away but knowing the pain meant the boy, his boy, was alive.

Kayden's body tensed again as he gasped in the pain. Damien could now see his eyes moving under the eyelids. The lashes fluttered, trying to open. Damien gasped in hope as he saw the bright green eyes flash at him.

His hand petted over the top of the boy's sweaty head, wiping back stray ebony strands. "Oh, god," he sobbed as he leaned forward and placed a kiss on Kayden's brow. "Kayden, thank god."

He vaguely heard clapping around him as the servants bounced for joy at the sight of the young neko showing signs of life.

"Oh, thank god!" he heard Ysmenia cry.

"Ma--mast--" a bare whisper came against his cheek.

"Shhh," Damien soothed. "Don't talk. Don't move, kitten."

Kayden's eyes were searching the depths of Damien's dark blue, confused, worried. A slight frown creased his brow.

Damien felt a slight feathering pressure on his cheek and noticed Kayden's thin fingers seeking answers in the distressed planes of his master's face.

His eyes fluttered and rolled as the doctor pressed a tight bandage to his side.

"Kayden!" Damien yelled, drawing the boy's attention, helping him fight for consciousness.

When the eyes slowly refocused on him, Damien sighed and smiled. "It's going to be okay. You were hurt, you--you--" Damien couldn't bring himself to say out loud that he had actually died. "You were hurt pretty badly," he finally said.

Kayden's eyes looked worried. "You--?" he croaked out.

Damien choked out a strangled sob. His boy was worried about him? He smiled down at Kayden, blinking back tears. "I'm just fine. You are going to let me take care of you this time. Okay?"

Kayden nodded tiredly, his eyes closing softly, and Damien took a deep shuddering breath. Then he looked up at Dr. Reid.

"I--I--" he stuttered, feeling the emotions welling up again. "I don't know--... How did you--"

The kind older doctor smiled as he and John finished wrapping a bandage around the boy's thin body to hold the dressing in place. "It's okay," the doctor accepted the pseudo-apology. "It's a little technique I picked up in my travels last year. It doesn't always work, but at that point, it doesn't hurt to try."

Damien nodded gratefully, finally finding his voice. "Thank you." He cleared his throat as he voice came out cracked and weak. "Thank you so much."

Dr. Reid smiled and nodded again, gently patting Kayden's thigh. "You're welcome. He's a strong little kit. I think he'll be fine with lots of rest. I'd put him in his own bed so he stays still." Dr. Reid smiled gently. "I'll get some medicine ready and more dressings..." He rose, patting Damien on the shoulder.

Harrison and Dr. Reid exchanged glances, both watching as Damien stared at the young boy's chest, eyes intently watching for the soft rise and fall.

Dr. Reid whispered to Harrison, "Why don't you get someone to bring some water and rags and maybe we can clean up the boy a bit and next time he wakes, let's get him to drink some water?"

Ysmenia instantly darted towards the washroom. Harrison turned to John. "Why don't you bring in the boy's bed and put it here in front of the fire?"

"Good idea, my young count," the doctor praised. "That way we won't have to move him much."

Damien barely heard the movement around him, vaguely noticing as Ysmenia knelt on the other side of the table and gently began washing away as much blood as possible, tears streaking down her face. He took one of the rags and gently wiped the blood from Kayden's face and neck, where his hand had smeared it.

After the bed was settled and ready to accept the little neko, Damien finally rose, sending the others scattering with a glare. He leaned down, lifted the light body, and moved it carefully to the bed, slowly tucking blankets around the shivering body.

"So," the doctor smiled breaking the heavy tension of the room as he gathered his items. "How many lives does that leave him now?"

Harrison snorted in laughter. "Fuck, let's not see how many he has left, shall we?"