A Greater Good Ch.3

Three weeks later, Kayli was the happiest she had ever been. School was going great, sports were fun and she had no cares in the world. Cody had been with her at least three times a week and often waited for her during her sports practices, just to be with her afterward. They were very close and loved to take walks with each other to talk and sometimes just to be with each other. One night, the two were walking through the beautiful wooded area around Bemore Pond, their little town's version of Central Park. Kayli was in heaven as she rested her head on Cody's broad shoulder, his arm holding her close to him, almost protectively.
"How was your day?" he asked her conversationally.
"Fine, how about you?" she replied softly.
"It wasn't the best, but it's exceptional now."
"How's your night gonna be?" she asked, smiling.
"Even better," he replied, smiling at her before kissing her ever-so-softly.
She pulled back looked at him before smiling mischeiviously.
"You want me?" she asked in a husky, low voice.
"Always have," he replied, his eyes following her every movement, hanging off her words.
"Then come and get me, stud," she told him, prancing off down the trail.
He smiled and chased after her at full speed. She looked back at him bearing down on her, shrieked, and took off. He quickly caught up, being the better runner, and wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug as she laughed. He backed her up against a tree and kissed her much more passionately than he had just moments before. She returned his kiss and ran her fingers through his dense mahogany hair. His kisses moved down to her neck and she tossed her head back as his lips sent waves of hot and cold over her body. A cold voice broke through her pleasure like a knife through soft, supple flesh.
"At it once again, are you Roxy?"
"You always were an amazing tease," Cole voice laughed evilly.
"You should probably leave, Cody," Kayli said quietly, looking at the ground.
"Yes, please do," Damien said snidely.
"Are you sure?" Cody asked her, looking into her eyes.
"She's sure," Damien said, walking towards them.
"Just go... please," Kayli pleaded to Cody.
His eyes never left her face, but he nodded and backed away before turning away and walking slowly down the path.
"What do you want?" Kayli asked, turning back to the two men.
"Well, Roxy, we could tell you..." Damien said, coming into her personal space and running his fingers down her chest.
"...or we could show you," Cole finished, also approaching her.
"Hey!" a voice rang through the trees.
The two looked for the person who'd spoken and Kayli attacked. A swift, full swing punch to the nose sent Cole to the soft earth, but Damien had time to react before she got to him. He pushed her away from him and faced her fully, a sharp knife surfacing in his hand. She wasted no time and rushed at him, deflecting a killing blow from the blade with her arm, sliding it off with only a long scratch to show for it. She quickly aimed a kick to his groin and he fell to the earth beside Cole, holding his package and moaning in pain. Kayli kicked in first in the stomach, and then in the head. He looked at her with murderous eyes before she finally planted a foot in his cheek and his eyes closed and did not open. She proceeded to kick Cole once in the stomach, more out of anger than defense, before bending to check their pulses. She let out a breath of relief when she felt the steady, if slow, pace of their blood. They were not dead and she was not a murderer.
Fast paced footsteps in the forest made her head whip around, her fists ready for a fight, but she only saw Cody, running for his life it seemed. She sighed, dropped her fists, and shook her head to rid herself of the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
"This was supposed to be over," she told the unlistening forms at her feet.
She walked back to her house and down into her room, where she closed the door, leaning on it for support a moment, before rummaging through her closet for a cell phone she'd hoped never to use again. She quickly dialed a number and held it to her ear as she assessed the damage to her arm. Not a scratch, but an actual cut from Damien's blade. About five inches long and already running slick with blood. She was lucky to have made it home without anyone noticing the wetness on her long-sleeved black T-shirt. She thanked the unknown forces that she'd worn such a shirt. Otherwise, she would be in the hospital, being stitched up and interrogated by very worried parents. They, of course, knew of her past accounts with Cole and Damien, but if they knew that the two demons were in town, they'd want to uproot themselves from the town that they'd grown up in.
"Hello?" a rough male voice answered gruffly.
"Gutter? It's me, Kayli. They found me," she said, her voice slightly thick, but otherwise flat.
"Kayli? Are you okay?" the voice immediately grew to that of a concerned parent.
"Just a scratch, the bastards. I'm going to have to leave, aren't I?" she said, making the question into a statement.
"That would be best, hon. Any witnesses?"
"Just one, my boyfriend."
"Can't off him, then, huh?"
"Not a chance. I just hope he won't go to the vests."
"Kayli, I hate to say this, but it's often the closest ones that'll sell you out first."
"Yeah, yeah. Can I talk to Mama?"
"Tired of me already? Figures with you young people," Gutter said before yelling for Mama.
"Gutter, you're only thirty, aren't you?" Kayli asked in surprise.
"Thirty one now, but for people like us that's ancient," he laughed in the background as a soft, worn voice came on the phone.
"Kayli, dear. Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Mama. I had a little run in with my two favourite rapists, but they're lying on the ground now. I'm fine for a day or two," Kayli said, her voice warm with affection. The old lady had been there for Kayli since the beginning and as everyone who knew her did, she'd become very fond and protective of the woman.
"Are you sure you're not injured?" the voice asked, laced with fear.
"I have a cut, but it's minor. How soon can your people get here?"
"They're your people too, Kayli, and we'll be there before those young idiots can come close to you. Tomorrow, if I don't run into any problems," the woman said hotly, her voice taking on an edge as she spoke of Cole and Damien.
"It's not them that I'm worrying about."
"There was a witness?"
"Yes, but I'm hoping..."
"Don't hope, dear. As hard as it is, prepare for the worst. We'll be there for you, don't worry."
"Mama? You're not coming, are you?"
"Of course I am, dear."
"Oh, no. Mama, I don't know if they have a gang or if the police here have an account of my defense down there, but I won't let you put yourself in danger for me."
"Excuse me, young lady. In case you didn't know, I've been holding my own for nearly forty years now. I can definitely protect myself if I need, too."
"I know, I know, Mama. I seen you in action, but I don't want you down here, all right? For me?"
"Dear, you've been taught well about manipulation. I'll stay and monitor the airwaves, but if you're caught, do not expect me to show up with everyone else to break you out."
"Okay, Mama. Thanks. I'll see you soon," Kayli laughed.
"Love you, dear."
"Love you, too, Mama," Kayli said before hanging up and sinking to the floor.
She was leaving the town she was born in, being chased by her rapists and, sooner or later, probably the law. She began to pack her things, before going upstairs to tell her parents the bad news.
"Mom? Dad? Can I talk with you in your bedroom?" Kayli said sadly.
Her parents came quickly, sensing the pain in her voice. She closed the door and looked to them, refusing to let the tears escape from her eyes.
"You remember when I... had trouble in that movie theatre?" she began haltingly.
"Of course, dear. What's happened?" her mom said, holding her shoulders.
"You remember the people who helped me when no one else would?"
"Yes. An old lady... Mama, was it?" her dad said, his voice a little thick. He knew what was coming.
"Well, those two men who attacked me... attacked me again today. Don't worry, I took care of them, but they're not dead, and seeing as they came all the way here, they'll probably try again to get me. That means they might trace me here, and that can't happen," she said, looking each parent in the eye to make them understand that she had to do this.
"Where will we go?" her mom said, hugging her daughter to her.
"You can move to another house, if you feel the need to, but I'm going to live with Mama and her people," Kayli told them quickly, holding up her hands to fend off any arguments, "I have to, Mom, Dad. Mama has money and a mansion, so I'll be living well, and I'll be protected by other people who love me just as much as you do."
"Nobody can love you like your parents," her father said slowly as a tear fell from his eye.
"Dad, I know, but it's better than me running off to hide. You know what will happen if the cops get ahold of me."
"Why can't you just tell them what happened?"
"I'll still go to jail for numerous charges, Mom. Resisting arrest, assault, who knows what those two have said. It's too late for me to turn back," Kayli said, her voice firm and unyielding.
"And if you go to jail? You'll be safe there," her father said hotly.
"Cole and Damien told me they have friends in the system. I don't know if that's true or not, but I'm not willing to find out. I am not going to become one of their toys, Dad!"
"So you're leaving us to flee from them? What about us? Where will we find you when you need your family?"
"I have another family, Dad," Kayli said quietly.
"Of criminals and outlaws? You will not live with the garbage of society, not while I have a say in it," her father erupted, throwing a book across the room.
"They are NOT criminals and outlaws, Father, and you do not have a say in it anymore. Mama is coming to get me tomorrow and I will disappear without a trace, unless we are interrupted by the vests," Kayli told him without raising her voice, but with the strength and stubborness of a rock.
"Andy, she's right. We can't protect her here, and the police would throw her in jail before asking questions. She has to go away," her mother said, slumping onto the bed and covering her face in her hands.
"We're coming with you then," her father said quietly, sitting on the bed next to her mother and holding the sobbing woman.
"You can't. You must stay away from me from now on. I'll visit you guys whenever I can, but otherwise, I can no longer be a part of the family," Kayli said, sitting between them and collapsing against them as her body was racked with sobs.
The three sat there for thirty minutes, just crying together. They made up a story about Kayli leaving for an exclusive boarding school far away to tell her siblings. She sat with each of them for a half an hour, just talking about life, before giving them a long hug and telling them she loved them.
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