People belonging to Paragon flooded out the doors with their sheets of paper, eager for their quick cash injection.
Now free, I merged into the flow with Vinnie, staring down at the sheet as we walked out the gates.
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YojfYP41c
I was refreshed from the hot shower and change of clothes earlier. Leaving the chains in the dressing room for someone else to collect, I had been busy packing what I could out of all three of the Stars rooms into Vinnies car when I heard we were being summoned for something huge.
I didn't expect it would be a literal head-hunt for the escaped Stars. The lucrative amount of cash only made it more thrilling.
Five grand could cover all my bills and then some. I'd be able to finally float above the red warning line that threatened to kick me out onto the streets.
I didn't have a car to sleep in like Vinnie did. All I had was that horrible house and my shitty situation.
Finding myself on the streets, pregnant, and unable to warm myself on the freezing nights would be a death sentence.
I needed that money. I was beyond desperate for a break like this.
Adding it to the shoebox I had stolen from Tawn's room and packed with more cash from Avery's, I would be able to finally take a breath.
I had ripped every blanket and sheet off the beds that I could find. Scooping out extras from cupboards and drawers, I felt more relaxed knowing that I finally had something to help combat the cold swirling through my house and dark bedroom.
I had chargers that I could try and trade for something older. Even still, with the money offered for bringing back a single Star, I could buy a whole new phone that fit them.
I could eat tonight. The bread and butter pudding ingredients were in the dock fridge, but with money now, I could afford something hot that would calm my always growling stomach.
I could pay Vinnie back for the Barbra. We could stay afloat together happily. We had really gotten lucky tonight with Tawn's room, Avery's too. Nisha's had been mostly empty already, indicating he had more time to prepare his escape.
Tonight was in my favour.
Cars swerved their ways out of the col-de-sac on the sprint to be the first to bag the cash. People sprinted for friend's cars, behind for rides in exchange for a chunk of the prize money.
Vinnie and I stuck to the footpath on the way back towards his car.
"Who do you think we should go after first?" Vinnie spoke up as he checked his sheet under his phone's torchlight "do you even think they'd be hiding out at those addresses on the back?"
I peered over at them, our heads squeezing together as we both surveyed it.
"Highly doubt it" I dismissed them "Avery, maybe with Falak and Maisie. Nisha could be with either Benji or Orson. He seemed to like them best."
"And Tawn?" Vinnie slid his eyes up to mine.
"Francie is the best bet" I pointed to her name, tapping it "she took care of him before shows. He didn't really interact with the others."
"So, what about the front?" he turned the page back over.
"Avery is with Adrian, no doubt about that" I scoffed "Alowyn can fly, so he wouldn't be making the hike all that way on foot."
Vinnie nodded, checking on the others rushing past us.
"Nisha?" he poked the name.
"Come on, he was obsessed with Lumi" I stared at Vinnie blankly "I've never even heard of this Simi person."
He nodded, tapping Tawn's name.
"We know he isn't at mine, and Loreen was upset that she hadn't seen him either, which leaves the boys. But which one?"
"Could be either" Vinnie shrugged "only thing is, all of them are venomous. One bite and we are fucked."
I agreed, wringing my shaking hands.
"We know where Tawn is, but it's too dangerous. Should we go after Nisha or Avery?"
"I'll search the addresses on my maps" Vinnie offered as he folded up the sheet so we could continue towards his car "it all depends how far they live from here. It's going to use too much fuel just driving on a hope they'd still be there."
I frowned, turning to him.
"Why wouldn't they be? No-one would have tipped them off."
"The birds could have with Avery. All he has to do is ring the others and they'd be who knows where."
I smirked, shaking my head.
"None of them were friends with each other. They only tolerated each other for the shows. I don't think they even have each other's phone numbers. Avery was focused on the show and Nisha was almost choked out by Tawn."
"Fair point" Vinnie tilted his head and made a little noise "so, we should just wing it? Seems we are just going in blind."
It was very much like that. Rummaging for my phone, I beamed at my contacts.
"I still have Tawn's number. Maybe we can get him to meet us somewhere? Play it up I need his help?"
"That's sneaky" Vinnie grinned at me, crossing the road to where his car was "it could wor...."
His face fell and his feet froze when he turned to look at his car. The back window had been completely smashed in to blanket the back seat in fragments of thick glass.
"What the fuck?!"
Vinnie sprinted to his pride and joy, staring in disbelief down at the back seat where we had dumped everything.
"Someone took the stuff" he almost whispered to me when I stood beside him to survey the absolute carnage beneath us "the bag is wide open.
We had to dump Vinnie's clothes on the floor of the car so we could use the black garbage bag to hold all of the extra clothes and manchester we had snagged for ourselves. Everything else was just piled next to it to sort out later.
My heart seized when I saw the lid of the shoebox was visible under the clothes I had hidden it beneath. Reaching a hand in, I tugged it out to open it.
"There's money still here" i frowned at the crumpled notes, running my hand through them "most of it is gone, but they left some behind."
"Maybe they couldn't carry it all?" Vinnie suggested, equally confused.
Picking through the notes, I noticed the ones remaining were mainly smaller ones of fives and tens.
Out of it all, I had about sixty dollars left. After everything....
"Mother fuckers!" I snapped the lid back on and shoved it into Vinnies arms "they st..."
My anger was caught in my throat when I noticed blood across the bottom of the window. Leaning close to inspect it, I scoffed at how obvious it all was.
"He's still shedding" I turned to Vinnie with a bloodied scale in between my fingers.
"Tawn?" he breathed, rushing over to check the window and pull up another wedged in the frame "how the....?"
Flicking it, I checked the darkness for him. I couldn't see anything but rushing people and the lights of their cars revving into the traffic.
Now would be a really good time to be born with heat senses.
"He wouldn't be here. He's bleeding. He'd be with the boys."
"So, we go there" Vinnie huffed, groaning at the sight of his window "he's damaged my car!"
"And you don't think that he's not going to attack you when we get there?" I hissed back "you'll have the shakes for the rest of your life or be dead. Avery is the easiest. He's got a broken arm and doesn't put up a fight."
Vinnie scoffed, moving around to the other side of the car to check the intact windows.
"You saw the same bloodied face inside when he attacked the other guy, right?"
Right. Avery's only weapons were his nails and teeth. That was a hell of a lot better than Tawn.
"What about Nisha?" I leant across the roof as Vinnie mumbled and huffed when he got out his keys "guy has no survival skills. He's got no claws, and he sure as shit can't bite anyone to save his life."
"And everyone will be going after him since he's the closest" Vinnie slid down into the driver's seat, refusing to look at the showered glass in the back "fuck me, it's going to take forever to fix that window!"
"Vinnie" I snapped to move his attention back to me "we just have to bring one back and we are set. Let them deal with Nisha, we can take Avery."
"I'm really not looking forward to having my blood all over his face too" Vinnie whimpered, starting up the car.
"We'll figure something out on the way" I reassured him, poking to the sheet "let's go get paid."
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDqFtDsyBK
Avery was the furthest of the three.
Tawn was the closest, going off the nearest address listed under Levi's name. Nisha was second, bundled up at some hotel under Lumi's name, and Luke came up just a bit further than him, as Tawn's possible second hideout.
But Adrian.... he lived out of the city. About an hour according to the map guiding us further from what was familiar.
It seemed like the perfect spot to hide a bird. From what it looked like, the place was in the middle of nowhere.
Avery had to be there. There was no other explanation as to why he wouldn't be.
But Alowyn lived somewhere not recorded. Would he have the brains to hide Avery at his nest or tree or whatever grass patch he lived in, and then still turn up to Paragon?
He could just be throwing us off. But would have someone tipped him off to Bruce's plan too? He took off pretty quickly after we were dismissed.
Someone told Tawn. He had been under our noses and everyone had been too blind not to see.
Him breaking the car proved that. His scales were pierced by the glass when he slid his hand into the back seat to rummage for the cash.
Why not take it all? Was it really what Vinnie had said about not having enough space?
"This is bullshit" Vinnie veered off yet another road to follow it as the cold wind whipped through the car "he better be there."
"He's not going to leave Adrian" I replied "when have you ever seen those two separated?"
Vinnie hunched over the wheel, trying to see through his dim lights.
"Fucking bullshit" he mumbled again "I want more for this."
"And you think Bruce is going to do that?" I laughed back "he's stingy. I'm surprised he even offered a couple of grand tonight."
"So, what are we going to do with it?" Vinnie glanced to me "whose going to claim it?"
"Either one of us" I smiled back "we can split it, fifty-fifty."
He lifted his brows, grinning.
"Sounds good to me" he chuckled "two and a half each."
"That's a late dinner sorted" I snorted.
Vinnie laughed, nodding.
"I'm getting the works" he beamed "and have enough to get a new window, maybe."
"Or you could just get a cheap car" I offered.
"This is a cheap car" he patted the wheel "no use trading for something that runs the same."
Logical. Fix what was broken first.
My bills would be covered. I could start saving for that dumb van and mattress so I didn't find myself in this dire position again.
"Still...." Vinnie leant back to glance at me "how on earth are we going to get him in the car?"
"Threaten Adrian?"
Vinnie was unsure, grimacing over the wheel to express it.
"He'll go wherever Adrian does" I pointed out "if we get Adrian in here, he'll jump right in."
"And how are we supposed to do that?" Vinnie scoffed back "I'm not exactly built like a wrestler, Sweet Cheeks."
I paused for a moment, thinking of all the times I had seen Avery with Adrian. Things had been troublesome lately when...
"Alowyn!" I snapped my fingers.
"You mean, Onyx" Vinnie joked, shaking his head.
"We can say something happened with him! Say....oh! That Bruce wants to cut his wings off! He's so sensitive about that shit, he'll be running straight for the car!"
"That....could work...."
Use his weakness against him. He'd run straight through the front gates and Bruce would be so grateful that he'd slap that cash straight in our palms.
Paragon would keep going. I wouldn't lose my job. I would still have a source of income until I got out of there after I gave birth to these damn wriggling snakes.
Win-win.
Avery could just escape again. Maybe we'd work out a deal that I'd help him escape so we could bring him back in for the money? It sounded like the perfect existence.
It was going to pay better than being pregnant already.
"It'll work out" I smiled to Vinnie.
He shook his head, blowing out a breath as he focused on the darkness ahead.
"Damn, I hope so."
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4pjr1bex1
Concern rose the closer we got to our destination.
For one, card were speeding off in the other direction. For another, it looked like a person in one of them was clutching their shoulder that was drenched in blood.
We crawled up the dirt road leading upwards. When another sped towards us, honking their horn, they skidded to a stop and frantically gestured for Vinnie to wind down his window.
"The guy is fucking insane!" the stranger inside gasped, their blue eyes wide "turn around! Get out while you can!"
"Go, Pria!" another urged from the back, gripping their arm tightly.
The car skidded as the tyres spun on the gravel before shooting it down the hill.
"Maybe we shouldn't...." Vinnie whined.
"Keep going" I hardened, leaning forth.
He whimpered, crawling us onwards.
Another car honked as it shot past us, followed closely by another that did the same thing, screaming for us to turn back.
"They're just overreacting" I scoffed to Vinnie's terrified face "it's just one b...."
Turning the corner, we were met with splatters of blood on the gravel. A darkened car was pulled off to the side of the road with it's doors open. Ahead of it, others were parked to box it in.
Then, right there with his hand tightened around the throat of the person beneath him, washed in the light from our car, was Avery.
Only, it wasn't. He wasn't the same guy who let others push him around and was a little too easy to fluster. He was something else entirely. He still had on a hanging shirt that was dripping with blood, and pants which has been smothered in dirt around the ripped knees. His arm was in that bright pink cast that still didn't have a single signature on it, like he wanted.
Other than that, Avery wasn't the soft-skinned human I had grown to know. His curved arm was equipped with long black scythes for nails. The skin had been torn off to sprout with small white bristling feathers instead.
And his face... what even was that? How come it was speckled with more feathers down the front like that? Why were his teeth jagged like some sort of predators? Why was he hunched over like.... a beast?
"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Vinnie squealed at the sight of him letting the terrified person scrabble away for their car, snarling at us "OH, NO! NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!"
He lurched for his gear stick. I clamped my hand over his to stop him throwing us in reverse.
"Let me out."
"But, El" he glanced to me, turning back to Avery who screeched out bloodied saliva at the others undecided on how to handle the situation "he's going to kill you!"
I unbuckled myself, opening the door so I could quickly slip out.
"You can go if you want to, but I need that money" I breathed, slamming it shut.
"El!" Vinnie squealed out his window at me "it's suicide! Look at him!"
"I've got this!" I slapped the car and rushed forth.
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8Ij51oxNK
Avery locked his cold blue eyes on mine when I approached. Turning only to snarl at someone else who rushed him in his moment of distraction, he lowered his head and charged them instead to throw them on the ground, swiping across their chest.
Blood flung through the air. It dripped off the claws shaking it free.
"LEAVE!" he screeched at the three others who darted over to try and help their friend "GO AWAY!"
His bristled stumps looked like extra arms, the way they hung over him. His actual ones grabbed the screaming fallen person by the arm to throw him back to the others, slicing through the skin in the movement.
The person wailed, writhing in the dirt. The other three helped pick them up, giving a wide berth as Avery watched them hobble for their car.
Again, he focused on me. He panted, spitting out blood and wrinkling his nose at me.
He had been beaten around too. Blood dribbled from his brow to blind one eye on the way down his cheek. His pink cast was more red around the bottom. There was blood gradually staining the side of his pants, up on his thigh. The hilt of a knife was protruding from it, slimy from where his hands had clutched in agony.
Someone had actually stabbed him?
And not just once. Another was buried up at his shoulder blade, sticking out next to his stump. He had a deep gouge at the base of one stump where someone had tried to cut through it.
He paced, showing off his damage. He splattered blood as he did, solely focused on me, even though others were frozen behind him.
"Leave" he growled at me, flexing his fingers.
I turned to see one decide to listen, darting for their car. The friend remained, torn between listening to the cries of their partner and the call of greed.
"ALL OF YOU!" he spun around to address the others, glaring at them all in turn 'LEAVE ME ALONE! I'M NOT GOING BACK!"
Avery's curled hand moved down to grip the knife in his thigh. With a curdling scream that bordered something feral that shook my insides, he tore it from his body.
The blood spilled to the ground from the blade that gleamed in the wash of the headlights. His own thigh bulged blood so dark that it didn't look real.
His hand returned to tear off the hem of his shirt, stuffing it deeply into the wound to try and clog it.
He growled in pain, screaming out again in the same warbling horror.
"Fuck this!" a voice cried, and the friend finally abandoned his place to bolt for the car.
"I'm going home" Avery huffed, turning again so he could see all widened eyes fixed on him "and if you are going to keep stopping me..."
He gripped the blade tighter, flicking the blood onto the ground.
He was actually going to kill someone! There was no stopping him now.
"El" I felt Vinnie cowering behind me, grabbing my arm "come on. Let's just go. The others will be easier."
Avery's eye snapped on me again. He turned, snarling and pointing the knife in my direction.
"They are only wanting to go home too" he hissed to Vinnie, growling at me as he took a step forth "why would you stop that?"
"W-why i-in-indeed?" Vinnie squealed back, laughing nervously as Avery took another step, then another "h-home!" he jerked a thumb behind his back "w-we were go-going home t-too!"
Vinnie tugged on my arm, whimpering.
As Avery still kept advancing, he backed away while still trying to pull me. The knife hung down at his side, ready to snap up in a moment's notice.
I yanked my arm from Vinnie's clawing hand when Avery loomed over me. His hard eyes bore into mine and his hot breath mixed with my shaking one.
He still had the knife held so tightly. My eyes darted down to it briefly when he changed his grip on it so the blade was facing me.
It was like I was looking up at Tawn again after he turned on me. The same violence surged through Avery; the same shaking fear through me.
Only this time, he wasn't going to back down and beg for forgiveness when humanity returned. Avery had the eyes of a monster who would murder his way to freedom.
The knife lifted to slip up my quivering shirt and glide gently across the bottom of my tilted chin.
I felt my skin burn when he cut it. My blood snakes through my small scales, betraying me.
His eyes lingered there. They flicked back to my tearful ones, searching.
He was going to fucking kill me....
Instinctively, I pressed a hand to my front. I knew it would do nothing to stop a knife slicing through me and killing my babies, but there was nothing else I could do. The reality of it all was making me sob up at those horrible eyes.
"Please..." I breathed "don't."
The tip of the metal pressed against the back of my hand, drawing blood there. It was also gentle, but unlike the cut to the chin, the knife remained aimed at my middle.
With one push, he'd kill them all.
For the first time, I felt helpless. I wanted to protect them, not because my wallet demanded it, but because my life did.
"You betrayed him" Avery spoke, looking down at my hand, turning the blade slightly to bite into my skin "and you betrayed me. Are you going to betray Nisha next?"
I shook my head, swallowing. I whimpered, trying to breathe.
"Don-don't k-kill th-em."
"What do you take me for? Some kind of monster?" he let out a cold chuckle as his eyes moved to mine, darkening "like you?"
The knife lifted from my hand I pressed my other to. He turned his back on me to walk back to the others.
I could have done something, anything, but I couldn't. Even with the other knife now within reach, I was frozen in fear. Even Vinnie didn't try to get back in the car. We sobbed softly, paralyzed.
"This is your last warning!" he called out, holding the knife out as he turned around to survey everyone "I will kill you if you attack me again! Go home! Go back to Paragon! I just want to see my family again, like you do."
His voice whimpered on the last words. Sniffling, he pointed the knife to the ground.
"There's already been so much blood lost. Do you really want to lose your life over five grand?"
My heart stopped. I swallowed, forcing myself to breathe again.
He knew. He knew everything.
"I will kill" he growled, turning the knife so the blade was facing the nearest person who glanced around nervously "now is your chance to leave before i start adding bodies to this road."
The one at the end of his blade took no time in moving out of the way so he could run. Others scrambled too, slamming the car doors and speeding off as Avery moved out of the way.
It was just us and one other.
"I need my knives back" they panted, one hand clutching their torn side while the other was held out.
Avery advanced on the person, swivelling the knife handle in his grip.
He paused before them, like he had with me. Reaching up to grab the other one in his shoulder, he grunted as it was yanked out; not wanting to falter in front of the one who had stabbed him.
"Take them."
Avery stabbed the first knife into the outstretched palm, piercing it right through. Their voice pierced the air, bellowing in pure agony. Avery held them up to stop them from doubling-over, promptly plunging the second into the side of their shoulder with a grunt.
Releasing them, the person crumpled to their knees; shaking hand trying to grip the first knife gingerly.
Avery kicked them, having them scrape their face in the dirt. He kicked their arse, laughing when they tried to claw their way up again.
"Run! Avery followed behind them when the person staggered and heaved themselves upright after flailing across the ground "RUUUUUN!"
He huffed, panting after his bloodied scream. The person struggled with their door, hauling themselves in to slump against the wheel as they tried to fumble for the keys.
His eyes found mine again. He grinned, showing off his pointed teeth.
"Why are you still here?" he tilted his head, approaching me.
I dragged my feet back, feeling them scrape across the ground like lead.
"Are you really going to keep trying?" he smiled coldly, pointing a claw at me.
He only paused when the car sped past, the person inside screaming threats at Avery who just glared back.
"We were going" Vinnie pulled up beside me, tugging again.
We got this far. Without anyone else here, we could be the first back. He was bleeding badly from all the wounds he had sustained from the others. It was only a matter of time before he grew weak from blood loss.
I needed that money. I needed electricity to stay warm during these cold nights. I could feel it nipping at my fingers now the adrenaline was staring to ebb.
"A-Alowyn" I started, swallowing when he kept slowly approaching "h-he..."
"El" Vinnie whispered "no. Just leave it."
"No, no" Avery shook a claw at me "tell me. What did he do?"
He stopped just a metre away. He looked so sure of himself now no-one else was going to hurt him. He was smiling.
"H-he...." I swallowed again "Bruce wanted to.... c-cut his w-wings off. So- so....you should j-just come with u-us."
He tilted his head, snorting. He began to laugh loudly.
"He was going to cut them off?" he snorted, wiping his eyes "really?"
Why was he so uncaring towards his friend? He should have held some level of concern for someone like him going through what he did.
"Y-Yeah?"
"Oh, Elgress" Avery shook his head, taking a step forth "if you hadn't of been so late, I might have actually believed you. That's a good one."
He kept coming. I backed up, now that I found my legs again.
The front of the cold car burned into my legs. I turned, seeing I wouldn't be able to move to the side and reach safety in time.
Turning back, Avery was right in my face. He grinned, dribbling blood down his chin.
"See, the thing is, Tawn warned me about you" he whispered, leaning forth when I leant back "he told me you would try to trick me, the same ways you tricked him; that you might use the ones I care about to get your own way. Sound about right?"
I remained tight-lipped. Staring into his eyes I didn't answer him.
"Using Alowyn is low, even for you" he breathed "have you been using Vinnie too? Is that why he's out here?"
He turned his head, glaring at him.
"We're in this together" he drew himself up, trying to appear tough.
"Hmm" Avery looked me over before fixing on my middle again "if you weren't pregnant, I'd have your guts on this ground for even thinking...." he paused, breathing deeply "....about hurting me or Adrian. But him...."
He turned his head towards Vinnie, grinning.
"I gave him a chance."
I grabbed onto Avery's arm when he lunged towards Vinnie, giving him a chance to dart out of the way as his claws scraped along the metal.
"Go, Vinnie!" I squealed after him.
"I'm not leaving without you!" he gasped from the side of the car he cowered behind.
Avery yanked his arm from my grasp easily, turning on me. I fell down in the dirt trying to back up, avoiding the claws that had been aimed for my face.
"Avery!" I begged, scurrying back as he stood over me "I'm sorry! Don't!"
"Avery!" Vinnie shouted, throwing himself onto his back so he could hold onto his stumps.
Avery staggered, turning to try and throw him off. He doubled over and twisted, snarling as his claws tried to snatch for his hands.
"Avery!" I begged, still dragging myself back as his feet stomped forth "please don't hurt him! Leave him alone!"
Avery lined up with the front of the car and slammed himself into it, crushing Vinnie's legs. Screaming, Vinnie let go, falling to the dirt in a wailing heap.
I crawled forth as Avery lifted a hand up, claws curved for a killing blow.
I threw myself forth, trying to get my legs to work without staggering me.
"Avery! WAIT!"
Vinnie lifted his hands to shield his face, screaming as Avery swung straight for them.
"AVERY!"
He turned his head and retracted, nicking Vinnie's fingers in the momentum. Vinnie wailed, smothering his hand between his legs as he groaned in pain.
I turned to see Adrian standing beside the only car remaining. He favoured one leg, his eye almost swollen shut on the same side.
"They're all gone" Adrian spoke as clearly as he could "let's go home."
Avery turned back to us, growling down at Vinnie right before him.
"Avery" Adrian pleaded "it's been a long night. They aren't going to come back."
"Right" Vinnie groaned, nodding through his pain "not coming back."
Avery's eyes landed on me, waiting.
I nodded too, grumbling at my lack of success.
At least Vinnie was still alive. That was worth more than any amount of money thrown at us. There was no way we were dragging Avery anywhere past this road without being skewered.
Avery kicked Vinnie's leg, flicking dirt up at him. He approached me, spitting bloodied saliva onto my face before he walked back to Adrian.
The thick saliva plastered to my cheek, flecking across my lips and eye. The chunky wad slid downwards; grimey and smelling like sharp sweat mixed with copper.
"Fucking foul" I grunted, lifting my shirt to smear it "arsehole."
"Hey, at least i've still got a hand" Vinnie lifted his fingers up, showing where they had been cut down along his fingers that still bloomed fresh blood.
Avery hunched over Adrian, hugging him. They spoke to each other, Adrian touching his arm and making Avery draw his attention to the feathers he felt between his fingers.
His head turned to mine to focus on it. Adrian drew him away with a gentle hand to the side of his face, speaking something else.
"Oh, they're smashing" Vinnie commented, chuckling.
I lifted myself up, shuffling over so Vinnie could be pulled up too, flexing his fingers to make sure they weren't severed.
"Want to call it a night?" I tilted my head to the car "take our sixty and get a well-deserved dinner?"
"As long as I can get a cold drink for my hand, I'm set" Vinnie grinned.
We moved to the sides of the car. Pausing at the door, I watched Avery slump inside the passenger side of the car so Adrian could promptly take the wheel and roll them onto the road leading further upwards.
"Well, so much for that" Vinnie sighed as we sat in the car, watching them leave "sorry we couldn't get that cash."
"The way things went here, I doubt anyone is getting it" I shrugged "lets just be glad we aren't like the one who got stabbed."
"Yeah, fuck that" Vinnie snorted, shuffling in his seat to face me "are you ok? How is your hand and face?"
"The least of my worries" I held it up to show the dribbles leaking down from the top of my hand, wiping the blood on my chin.
The car started and we sat there a little longer, just staring at the blood pooled and sprayed across the road.
"Back to yours?" Vinnie suggested "if there is anything left of it?"
My gut churned at the thought of everyone having free reign to my home while I was out hunting the Stars. They'd see the horrible way I lived and be free to shame me for it on social media. They could steal anything they wanted, if there was anything worth taking.
They'd see my stained underwear drying out the front. My overdue notices left in the mailbox. My birth tracker magnetized to the fridge.....
"Lets avoid that for now" I grimaced "lets just go get some food."
Vinnie agreed, turning the wheel to face us back the way we had come.
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwXTxCYqxy
Pulling into a Fasties, it was well into the night. The carpark outside the lit building was mostly empty. There was a camper van parked in the far corner with curtained windows. On the opposite side another car sat at the edge of the lot, the light on between the couple eating their meals. Between them, in the middle of the lot was a familiar car; the light turned on and the faces of three snakes smiling and laughing together.
"What are the chances?" Vinnie huffed as he entered "you want to go somewhere else?"
"No, it's alright" I gestured for him to enter "let's go park up beside them."
"Beside....?"
"It's an empty lot" I smirked "and this is the closest we will get to them tonight. I don't want to run out of chances, I just want to talk."
Vinnie grumbled, slowly weaving around to do just that. I saw Levi in the front seat glare when we pulled up level with their window.
I gestured for him to wind his window down as I did mine. He snorted, doing as he was told.
Luke and Tawn glared from the back seat. Between them, they had the top of some white thing covered in Nisha's hammock I had snagged.
Well, that just confirmed it all.
"Nice window" Luke scoffed to us, leaning on his bent elbow at the other side of the car "wonder who did that?"
"I wonder" I glared back to his smug smirk, checking his arm for blood, just in case.
"What are you doing here?" Tawn snapped from the back seat closest to us "come to try and get us to come back to Paragon?"
"Fuck no" Vinnie leant forth, reeling back when Tawn hissed at him, followed by the other two "w-we already tried that."
"Ah" Tawn scoffed at me "so you are a baby killer, a liar, a thief, and now a gold digger. You're collecting those titles like you collect paychecks, Elgress."
The other two chuckled. Tawn smirked, promptly taking a sip of drink.
"So, why are you here?" he asked again "thought you'd be all over ripping up Levi's family home with the others?"
So, he had been with him after all. Had they escaped before that happened? Other than the cut the length of Tawn's arm, he had no other new injuries. The old ones on his face had been opened to let air, gleaming pink under the brightness of the fast food chain and car park street lights.
The boys looked fine too, other than some reddening of their eyes from crying. None of them had been in a fight.
"We just came back from Adrian's."
"So, you tried to take on a broken bird?" Luke sneered "fucking low."
"He's more than ok" Vinnie bit back now "he stabbed someone! Twice!"
Tawn looked impressed. Levi and Luke cheered for their friend.
"It wasn't you was it?" Tawn asked me, swirling his finger "in the back, maybe?"
"Yeah, yeah, ok" I rolled my eyes, smirking when they laughed "very funny."
"So you aren't here to take us back, and you aren't here to return what you stole either, so you just decide to park up beside us for a chat?" Tawn asked, scanning the broken window in the back "or did you just come here to show off what you stole? Brag about it?"
I peered at the seat still covered in glass, grimacing.
Maybe it did look that way, but that hadn't been my intention.
"I'm sorry about that."
"Sorry doesn't undo it all" his eyes hardened on me before they snapped onto Vinnie with a snarl "i don't appreciate filth like him laying on my bed either."
Of course he would have figured that out. Vinnie did it so smugly too, saying that Tawn wouldn't know.
He did, and he was pissed.
"I thought I told you no painkillers" he snapped to me now, flaring a little.
"I didn't take any" I bit back "I only took the packet just in case I need them after all this."
He rolled his eyes at me, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Why the fuck would you rob me? After I helped you? After I told you what to do about the bleeding and pain? Why would you rat me out and send people to Levi's?"
"Hold on there!" I held up a finger, making him snarl "I had nothing to do with his house. I had no idea where you were!"
"Bullshit" Levi snapped.
"Believe me or not" I sneered back "all I knew was that he was with one of you after we met up. I didn't know anything else."
"My mum was home!" Levi hissed to me, stabbing a finger "she's been trying to have more kids for years now. How do you think I feel when my own mother calls me in tears, saying people form the place I worked; the place she loved, barged into her home and threatened to smash her eggs?"
Levi choked up, tears dropping down the side of the car he leant out of. He pulled himself back inside, wiping his eyes and taking a shaky breath.
"I swear, I had nothing to do with that" I whispered back.
"I can't even trust you on that" his hateful glare stabbed through me on muttered words.
"You still stole from me" Tawn pointed a finger to the backseat.
I looked, sighing.
"Yeah, I did" I admitted "but I had to."
"Liar" Luke scoffed.
"Arsehole" Levi added.
"Her power has been shut off" Vinnie leant forward again to address the car "and who knows when the water will go next? She just needed some things to stay warm, for the babies."
"Like my skin?" Tawn laughed coldly "my eye drops? Is she going to make a little fire out of my clothes and use the shower cleaner to keep it going?"
"You don't have to be such a cunt about it all" I glared back "everything helps. I'm freezing out there! I could use the blankets and clothes! The lotions would help with washing the blood out of my clothes, and the money would have got some Sensola!"
"You didn't get any?" Tawn narrowed his eyes.
"With what money?" I replied blankly "you left me sixty dollars."
"And you left me nothing" he flicked a finger "the boys need to eat and I need what I saved to get out of here. You didn't leave a cent behind. At least I left you something."
Something. Yeah, something that would cover dinner and drinks and leave me with scraps again while they ate like kings beside us.
"Why did you?" I frowned back.
"Leave you money?" Tawn scoffed "unlike you, I have a heart. I'm not doing it for you, I'm doing it for Ezra. You are carrying his babies now; I'm only making sure you have enough to keep them alive."
That was the real reason. It wasn't because he was too greedy, after all. He was still thinking about me, even when he wasn't.
If he wasn't such a prick, I'd be flattered by the small act.
"You did get the Barbra though, didn't you?"
"I did."
I saw relief through the little smile before he hardened again.
"Can we just sit here and pretend people aren't trying to kill us?" I sighed.
"You afraid Avery is going to swoop down from the sky?" Luke jeered, pointing a chip at me.
They all chuckled together at the absurdity.
"He's different" Vinnie replied "he was covered in white feathers and had teeth like a shark! The guy was bashing people in on the road, threatening to kill everyone! He almost killed us, see!"
He showed his cut fingers, making the others whoop and laugh.
"You might need surgery for a cut so deep!" Tawn roared.
"Do you still have feeling in them?" Levi sniggered.
"How did you drive here with an injury so severe?" Luke whooped.
They were all so proud of themselves at seeing Vinnie shrink back and shamefully hide his hand again.
"He was going to kill us" I glared to them.
"And rightfully so" Tawn pointed his drink at me "what do you expect; walking into a territory like that, attacking his mate? You thought he'd just take it? The more....struggle....the better."
Territory? Mate? The words sounded weird coming from Tawn. His eyes glazed over on his emphasis, a grin coming over his face before he pushed the straw between his lips.
He always had an odd fascination with things that battled against him and broke. The rats, Nisha, Bruce, the snakes, Avery's arm, me....
He's a snake. He's going to find struggling things exciting. He just said that it was fine if Avery wanted to kill me. He was becoming more wild by the day.
"Can we eat beside you or not?"
"I guess you can" Tawn shrugged "we need to hang out somewhere until the raids are done."
"How annoying" Luke mumbled.
Levi shared his distaste in the situation, grumbling.
Well, at least it wasn't an all-out war yet.
Tawn fiddled with a paper bag, crumpling it up and throwing it through the window at my head.
Catching it as it rolled across the dashboard, I opened it up to see he had shoved two fifty dollar notes in the bottom for us.
"Take the trash out while you are over there" he smirked when I crumpled the top of the bag shut "try not to fall in."
Luke and Levi giggled. I smirked, thankful for his gesture.
His mouth was acidic but his actions were caring. I was just grateful I had more cash now to get the Sensola for when I needed it.
At least we were at some sort of truce, even if it was just for tonight.
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIKl1Vewyx
The sound of wrappers and straws tugged through drink lids were the only noise between our heated cars.
While Luke and Levi ate as much as they could, Tawn didn't touch the food, favouring drink instead.
He has more than enough to feed himself, so the avoidance was strange.
On the other hand, Vinnie and I couldn't get enough of our burgers, chips, and nuggets sat on the middle console between us.
Somehow, it tasted better than it usually did.
The salt and pepper were heavenly in my mouth. The little cubes of minced onion combined with the spices to make it taste like something out of an actual restaurant. The cheese didn't have its usual chemically taste. The breath of lettuce looked fuller. Even the beaten patty felt bigger between the squashed buns.
Everything was better after tonight. I didn't know if I was going to enjoy another hot meal and cold drink like this when I was face to face with Avery and that dripping knife.
The heat that washed over me from the vents helped beat back the cold swirling alongside our open windows. I could feel my fingers again as they peeled back more wrapper.
I was warm and starting to get full. Right in this moment, right in this dark parking lot beside a car of venomous snakes, I was happy.
If only I could always feel this stretching of my stomach every night.
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Tawn started to collect the rubbish together when Luke and Levi slumped back happily. I saw my opportunity and did the same, waiting until he was out of the car to open my door.
He eyed me, pausing.
"The bin is over there" I pointed to the front of the locked gates on the building "I've got to go too."
He just huffed, walking ahead.
I ran to catch up so I could join his side.
"Look, I'm sorry about earlier" I spoke up, glancing to him actively avoiding to look at me "about taking your stuff. I figured you were already gone, and I really needed the extra things."
He shook his head at me, his hand tightening around the top of his bag.
"I'm more annoyed you let him in there, after everything he's done" Tawn jerked his head towards our car "he helped you every step along this way you've chosen, and you thought it was ok to bring him into a space I thought was private."
Was that why he was so upset? Because of a stupid bed Vinnie laid on?
"We had sex in there, Elgress" Tawn pushed open the bin to throw his bag in, keeping it open for me "we made plans about the future in there. We cried together and told each other things would get better when they really didn't. That was my home, and you let the bartender who helped kill our babies treat it like his own."
Tawn stood there, looking me directly in the eyes now. I saw him slide his hand from the bin to drop by his side now.
"You've betrayed me in more ways than one" he almost whispered "staying with him is the worst kick in the guts. You should be with Ezra, wrapped in his arms and learning from him, so you don't make the same mistakes you did with me."
I shook my head, forcing myself to try and smile through the pain.
"It's not the same thing. I can't just go up there and be like we used to. He's not you. He's not going to understand a thing I say or help me like you did. He's going to be there for the birth so he can be the first to take them from me. I can't have him do that."
"And you need to rely on him, not me" Tawn folded his arms "he's your partner. We are just strangers."
"Tawn" I whimpered back "we were more than that."
He turned his head from me, huffing again.
"Were."
I nodded, folding my own arms to stop the warmth escaping my body.
"You should go back to him tonight" he spoke as his eye slid back to mine before his head followed "not back home with Vinnie to freeze in a dark house and sleep together; up to that roof to keep warm under the lights with Ezra. You need to take this seriously. For the next couple of weeks, you have to be building a relationship with Ezra. Even if you leave him after the birth, at least spend the time making it easier on yourself leading up to it."
Befriend him in twenty seven days, starting tomorrow. That sounded completely out of reach.
"You need to be with him before he gives up and goes back to Silera" Tawn warned "if he does that, you are screwed. You need Ezra to keep you safe from Bruce, and to help you when you have his babies."
I grimaced, picturing a massive snake waiting with open jaws as I dumped out the slimy bodies into that pit of glowing flowers.
"You can't have them at Paragon either."
"Why not?" I breathed back "it's worked every other time."
"They'll be drawn back to their birthplace" Tawn hardened at me "like I am with home. Do you really want them to be pulled back to that shit hole their whole life? To walk through those gates, only to be bent over a table upstairs when Bruce promises them better things?"
He waited for my answer, deadly serious as I squirmed uncomfortably.
Would Bruce even still be around when they were old enough to return? Would Paragon still be open then? Even so, Tawn was blowing it out of proportion.
"It's not going to happen like that...."
"And who says it won't?" he shot back "I didn't think it'd happen to me until it was too late. Even if you still don't want them, you have to at least be concerned for the ones that might be out there and do anything they can to return back where they think it's safe. Don't let it happen to them, Elgress."
His eyes dropped to my middle. Fully facing me now, I saw the remorse in his face when it lowered to mine.
"Please, find somewhere else" he whispered "let Ezra help you."
He closed the gap between us. Leaning over me, I felt my breath leave when his soft eyes didn't move from mine.
Maybe I had made the wrong choice after all? Tawn was still so worried for me, even though he had claimed we were nothing anymore.
He cared for these babies, even when they weren't his. He still wanted to make sure I was fine, for someone else.
What if it had been because of us? He'd still be this devoted if I kept carrying my pregnancy with him. We'd still be together, bundled up in that room where it was safe.
I couldn't pine for that anymore. I had to move on and face the reality that Ezra may very well be my best shot at all this. For one, he was where there was power. There were only so long I could go without warmth.
I felt the tears when I nodded. Sniffling, I realized I had to focus myself on what would be optimal for the best outcome.
As much as I loved having him around, Vinnie wouldn't be the comforting support I needed when it came to the live birth of snakes. Even if I had to fight off Ezra when that time came, I was going to leave with something after all this pain and suffering.
"I still can't understand him" I fretted "as soon as I'm up there, he might...."
Don't think about the pain; the way I had been lured into the storage room and split open for him.
Tawn pulled out his phone, the light illuminating his face. Tapping and scrolling, he nodded to himself as he pocketed it again and returned with a handful of notes from his pocket he sorted through.
"A good translator is about one-eighty online" he flicked through the plastic, uncrumpling a few "in stores it should be about the same, if not cheaper. Get yourself one this time. Don't..." he paused as he handed me a wad of cash, pulling back when I went to accept it "don't spend it on food with him. I want this to go solely on something that will help you with Ezra, ok?"
"Ok."
He went to place the notes in my hand, looking at me sternly in a warning to remain true to my word.
"Two hundred should do it" he spoke as he stuffed the rest away "already, you are adding to your purse again."
I laughed, seeing him smile a little.
"No-one asked you to pay for dinner for us."
He shrugged, looking back at the cars.
"Don't know what you mean."
Oh, so now he was going to play coy? The idiot.
"Seriously though" he pointed to my hand that gripped the notes I pushed into my own pocket "a translator will help you, not only with him. Most snakes don't speak English. If you are going to leave Paragon, you'll need it out there."
I smirked, wandering by his side.
"You make it sound like I'm going to go after another snake."
His lip lifted and he looked over in interest.
"You aren't? Going to find someone warm-blooded then?"
"I think I'll stay just me until the right one comes along" I shrugged "who knows? I think after this, the only snake I want to see will be in gummy form."
Tawn let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head at me.
"You're stupid" he shook a finger at my cut scales "you can't keep denying what you really are and hiding it from everyone."
"And I'm going to be the thing my family spent generations breeding out" I retorted "so, I'm not hiding anything."
"Right. Your loss."
I doubt it was such a big one.
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We kept walking, stopping only when we were at the back of the cars.
"So, are you just going to hide out in this carpark for the rest of the night?" I frowned to theirs still lit up inside.
He looked to it too, then back to me.
"Might as well. I've got nowhere else to go at the moment" he replied "I'll watch over the boys and make sure no-one tries to hurt them while they are sleeping."
"That's...." I paused, feeling myself smile at his gesture "really nice of you."
Tawn waved me off, making a noise.
"I just need to make sure I don't need to break any bones before I leave. Got to see if anyone messed with those eggs."
There it was. Of course.
"The usual" I noted.
"Well, if you don't go back to Ezra tonight, I'm going to make sure you don't lay a hand on the car at all when that sun comes up."
Turning to it, I laughed out in disbelief at how defensive he was suddenly being.
"After we just made up at the bins?" I pointed.
"Oh, no, I was being polite" he flicked a finger at me "I'm helping Ezra, not you. Don't get it confused. We are still nothing."
But, he had been so nice! We laughed over there! Was he just stringing me along to turn on me now?
"I suggest you tell Vinnie to drop you off so he can go home" Tawn tilted his head towards him "we had our chat, we sat beside each other like you wanted; now, I've got no reason to have you so close to this car or anything else inside it. You've both said you went after Avery tonight, so what would stop you from coming after me?"
Pursing my lips, I felt the frustration rising at his stern face.
"Nothing."
"Exactly" he smiled falsely, gesturing for me to leave again "so, go to where you are wanted; enjoy the night with your scaly mate and wait for all of this to blow over."
Blow over? I didn't even know if my house has been destroyed tonight or not! Who knew what I would walk into when the sun rose again!
"You arse" I hissed.
"Shaa hs eishaessa" Tawn flickered back smugly "translate that."
Huffing, I turned to march down between the cars. Tawn followed, opening up his door to laugh at me as I did the same.
I saw that the white thing I had glimpsed earlier was, in fact, a giant egg. Nestled inbetween Tawn's and Luke's seats, the thing had Nisha's hammock wrapped around it into some knotted sling.
Tawn saw me looking and glared, stepping over to block my way.
"Go" he snapped "if you are going to keep refusing, I'm going to have to get serious, until you get the message."
His hood billowed a little. I got the message and quickly slipped back inside Vinnie's car to close the door.
Tawn did the same, still eying me.
"Drop me off at Paragon" I turned to Vinnie leaning over to try and see what was going on.
"What? But y..."
"I've got to go back" I snapped now "drop me off and go do whatever you want to do."
He looked at me, then narrowed his eyes at Levi who was staring from the driver's seat.
"Did Tawn say something to you again?"
"That's beside the point" I grumbled "please, Vin. Drop me off so I can sort shit out!"
I heard how I snapped at him on my last words that growled out. Surprised, Vinnie buckled in and started up the car.
"Remember!" Tawn called to me "don't come back here!"
"Oh, you don't need to worry about that!" I snapped back, winding my window up to muffle him if he tried to speak again.
Levi honked the horn to get both of our attentions. Leaning forward so that Vinnie could see too, he flipped his middle finger up at us.
"Basic bitch" Vinnie scoffed, rolling his eyes as he flipped him off too.
Driving us forward and down to the exit, all cold eyes from inside the car tracked us leaving; intense and unbroken.
"So, you really want me to take you back to work?" Vinnie asked when he was on the road, glancing "you don't want to go home and face the music? Hang out your laundry while you are at it?"
I groaned, knowing that would never get done as long as I had things to keep me from ever doing a proper load.
"You can stay there if you like, but I've got to go to Ezra. I've got to get him on my side before he becomes another Tawn."
"Urgh, gross" Vinnie shuddered, clicking his tongue "it sucks, but I get it. You do you, Boo."
Smiling at him, he beamed when he glanced to me.
"I've got a soft couch with your name on it" I tempted him, only making him dismiss me.
"I should probably face my own problem tonight and deal with the Old Man. He's probably itching to call me a fag since he hasn't had the chance to in a few days."
I winced at the horrid conditions Vinnie would have to deal with when I was gone.
"My house is always open" I offered.
"Which is super dangerous" he joked back "seriously though, I'll be fine. I've got to sort out the mess in the back seat anyway."
He flashed another smile that faltered. I didn't question it, just facing the lit road ahead washed in the yellow lights of the street; slowly dissolving into the flashing and demanding neon circus that was the nightlife of the bustling city.
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEZVEs8rom
With a pillow and change of clothes bundled into a pillowcase, and a blanket rolled under my arm, I slinked my way back into Paragon.
Since mostly everyone was out still hunting for the Stars, I only passed three others on my way through the dressers and up to the second floor.
Pausing at the costume department, I peered through the window to see Oliver leant back in a chair, hand- threading the jacket made of scraps.
The window was wide open and he only had one light turned on above him. The rest of the area was shut down and vacated.
Knocking on the glass, Oliver instantly got to his feet. After seeing it was just me, he relaxed; dropping back down to lift the jacket up and show me.
He tilted his head to come join him. I refused with a smile, pulling up my blanket and pillowcase instead.
Oliver smirked and waved me away. Leaving the window, I continued along to the wall I pushed aside so I could access the ladder.
Hauling the blanket around my neck like a heavy scarf and gripping the case in my teeth, I started the climb.
Instantly, I realised the metal was tacky under my own skin. Peeling a hand up to inspect it, I noticed the black scales that cling to my own.
Huh. So this was the way he took to escape. And no-one saw him?
Peering over, it seemed unlikely. I was right in sight of the main area of Paragon. We had all been filling those seats in the lower and upper areas.
He must have had more friends than I realized.
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzRKWFZaKZ
Reaching the top, I tried to wipe the layer of dirt off my arms I used to heave myself onto the boards. The glint of watching eyes opposite me instantly had me freeze up.
Last time had been horrible. There has been so much mess....
Peering down at the floor as I slowly approached, I saw it had been wiped down in the middle area where Ezra has tracked my blood and our cum along the wood. I could see the swiping motion of the cleaner when they ran a path up to the door I quickly turned my head from.
Ezra waited until I was halfway across the void to start moving. He unwound his body and remained in place, waiting for me to approach.
What did I say or do? It wasn't my idea to come back so soon after last time. The guy was far too tall and unnerving, especially in the dark where I couldn't see him properly.
The only light on was the one on the other side of the roof where the other snake was coiled up. I saw their eyes reflect back at me from the shadows being cast over them. On top, the grey bird that has spoke before was sitting. It watched me, lowering its arms from a bright phone it held.
I really didn't want an audience. It only made my trembling walk all the more shameful.
"Um, hello again" I began when I stood before Ezra, who glanced to the others "uh, I know we haven't exactly talked since....well, the thing.... but I think I should come and be your.....partner?"
He glanced again, unsure. I followed, grimacing.
He didn't even understand me. I put myself on the spot for nothing.
The other snake hissed and snapped. Ezra listened, frowning down at me, before responding.
The ferocity of it made me back up. Having him sound like he was going to strike me really made the shaking in my hands surge forth.
I clamped them around the blanket, waiting.
"I need somewhere to sleep" I mumbled around his rattled hissing "and since my house is on the list, I kind of only have you."
He stopped, turning back to me. I stared back, unsure if he was just doing so because the other snake had instructed him to.
Ezra folded his arms, circling a hand the same way someone would if they were trying to think of something to say.
He moved past me and waited in the vacant area between the rooms. He tilted his head to the door.
Oh, no. I wasn't going near that thing again. I wasn't being tricked twice!
"I'll stay here" I scanned the area for a suitable place to set up the blanket "um, I can sleep here, maybe?"
It was a bit close to the edge, and when people arrived in the morning, I didn't want them to see me using the floor as my bed.
Ezra's body curled around the area when he returned to pause before me. He looked down, holding out a hand for the blanket.
He wasn't going to try and communicate with me this time, now that he knew I didn't understand him.
The lack of speech from him had me nervous. It felt like he was deliberately ignoring me and I was being guilted for doing something wrong.
Did I, by coming to him?
Dragging the blanket back to where he had been resting, he pressed a hand to the wall there. His tongue flickered when he looked it over, flapping the blanket to lay it on the ground nearby.
He pointed to it, jerking his head for me to approach. I saw the rest of his body moving and curling around to let me through.
Slowly inching over, the pillowcase was crushed in my arms. I hugged the softness when I looked up to the Naga waiting with folded arms.
He gestured to the blanket with a hand, glancing across.
Was he worried of the other one? Or just looking for approval from something like him?
"T-thank you" I kept my back facing the wall when I slid over to drop down to the blanket and fold it over myself and instantly feel the warmth radiating from the wall at my head "oh, this is nice."
His body whipped across to block my view of the long walk leading to the other mass of scales smothering the corner. It moved to fill the area between the wall and my head, slipping around to reform a loose coil with me inside.
I felt my breath escape me. Ezra continued to move and pile himself upwards until his human torso dipped inwards so he could lean over the topmost section and give me a little smile to try and comfort me.
His body was everywhere. I didn't want to stretch my legs or move, just in case he tried to attack me or thought I had dropped my guard enough to drag me off to the room behind my head.
I could smell the dirt on his scales, just like the first time. There was sunbaked tar and stale river water that had been dried into his skin.
The moving segment of body above my head leached the warmth, making his scales heat up in response. I felt him re-adjust, closing the distance between us on the sides so he was just on the edge of my blanket.
He allowed me to turn towards the warmth so I could huddle against it out of hesitant need. I felt him constrict further, moving so I could stretch out comfortably, but not have any extra space behind.
I felt his scaled body touch my back when it readjusted for his torso. It remained there, gently and unintentionally making contact.
Even though I was frozen in the anticipation he could crush and choke me, Ezra started to relax again. I felt his scales adjust to every little movement, even flinching when I ran a finger along the warm segment my face pressed to.
"Hesh se asihe" he finally spoke, a little edge to the hissing words.
"Sorry."
I retreated, sinking into the comfort of my pillow while I stared at the wall of scales.
I only had to get through this tonight. After then, I could figure out a more comfortable way to sleep rather than on a floor, surrounded by scales.
Yawning, I didn't try to fight the weakness folding through my arms and legs. I had the blanket over me, so I'd feel if he tried anything while I was out.
I just had to trust this snake who was supposed to be my new mate. After all, he was the only thing who could save me if things got bad again.
Ezra mumbled something when he yawned back, slouching over himself. I waited until I heard his breathing fall into a quiet rhythm of sleep before I let myself start to do the same.
I had a full stomach, a somewhat comfortable place to sleep, and warmth to keep me from freezing through yet another night.
This forced union was a step in the right direction after all. Only twenty-seven more days to survive it all.
ns 15.158.61.16da2
