One
Rin
Aheavy thump jolts me from my slumber and I fumble to turn my bedside lamp on. The dim lighting adds more shadows than anything, but still, it’s enough to illuminate the fact that I’m not alone.
Shit, shit, shit.
My back presses against the headboard as my heart slips into overdrive, hammering away when it becomes abundantly clear that the closest thing to a weapon I have is a lamp that’s far too awkward and heavy to be of use, or a book.
Bigger than a housecat, but not on par with a jaguar, his shoulders roll as he stalks closer. I slide my legs beneath me, getting ready to sprint from the room, when he falls to his side on the next step. Every second feels like a lifetime as I wait for him to get back up, to pounce and tear into my throat like the stories. Instead, he barely makes a sound, his breathing labored.
Tentatively, I inch closer to the edge of my bed, eyeing the beast with caution. Blood pools around him, large gashes torn into his side. I get to my feet, sidling along the far wall and nearly trip on the chair he knocked over near the window. My door seems a million miles away, but the further I get without him moving, the more my fear starts to ebb, giving way to cautious curiosity.
Glancing back at the open window, I keep one eye on him while craning my neck. Out on the street below, a few people are clearly searching for something, or rather, someone. There’s no way I can tell who they are from this distance, the branches of the tree obscuring things more than the night sky.
I bite my lip, warring against the rational side of my brain telling me to run. But my father’s opinions on shifters are black and white, never willing to listen to a word in their favor. If I scream, he’ll bust in here and put him down, no matter what skin he’s wearing at the time. He’ll drag it out and make it a show in the middle of the street for all of his friends.
God damn it, I’m the stupid chick that gets murdered in the movies. I’m going to get my face bitten off.
Still, I inch closer to look, because I’m not a monster despite being born to one. If the wounds are fatal, despite how it will destroy a piece of my soul, I’ll grant him a mercy killing. No one deserves to die lying in agony for hours on end alone.
“Did you attack someone?”
Logically, I know he could lie, but as I meet his golden eyes, all I see reflected back at me is pain and vulnerability. A soft shake of his head, ending with a hiss of pain.
I sigh, not doubting that he crossed paths with the wrong bastards. This section of town is violently bigoted against shifters, and most of the men around here are grade A assholes to boot.
Cautiously, I finish crossing the distance between us so I can see the full extent of the damage. He doesn’t flinch or lash out despite the pain, remaining as still as possible. Whether it’s from his injuries or to put me at ease, I won’t know until he shifts back and can explain himself.
It’s hard to see in this light and with as much blood as is coating his spotted fur, but I’m impressed he was able to scale a tree and leap in here in this condition. Adrenaline is a funny thing though, and if someone were carving me up, I’d risk anything to escape too.
“If you bite me, so help me I will drop your ass,” I warn, meeting his golden eyes so he can see my conviction.
I’m sure my thundering heartbeat gives away my fear, but if he thinks to abuse my kindness, that’s on him. I’m the one that has to live with myself, and a part of me would always regret not trying to help, but that doesn’t mean I’ll go down without a fight.
Gently, I scoop him up and he yowls in pain, but doesn’t thrash around. No doubt about it, he’s over forty pounds, and I have to adjust my grip so he doesn’t slip. I do my best not to jostle him more than necessary, making my way to my attached bathroom and easing him into the bathtub.
“Corinna?” My father’s voice reaches me along with his gentle knocking at my bedroom door.
“Shit,” I hiss, frantically pinning whoever the hell this is with a look. “If you want to live, don’t make a sound.”
I dart out of the bathroom, gently tugging the door closed behind me and taking a few steps into my room the same time as my father pushes open the door.
Carson Harlow is an intimidating man to say the least, and even in a t-shirt and pajama pants, he looks like he could rip your throat out. Not a single dark hair is ever out of place, even now as he was pulled from bed with the noise. The same set of gold flecked, emerald eyes that I inherited look back at me, but they widen as they take in my disheveled appearance.
“What on earth happened? Are you alright?” he demands, storming into the room.
I glance down at the animal blood staining my tank top and cotton shorts, as well as the floor. “This is embarrassing,” I ramble, bullshitting an explanation on the fly. “My, um, period came early. A bad one.”Smooth, Rin, not transparent at all.“I’m probably going to need to buy some new sheets, and-“
He cuts me off with both hands held up in surrender, looking disgusted. “I don’t need details, as long as you’re sure you’re alright.” He speaks firmly, shutting down that conversation before it can gain any traction. “If you’re feeling well enough tomorrow, I’ll send you with some money to get what you need, and if not, I’ll arrange for someone to take care of it.”
Holy shit, that worked? Though I suppose the last thing he’d suspect is a man bleeding out in my bathtub.
“Thanks, Dad, you’re the best.” I give him my best smile. “Sorry I woke you up…falling out of bed. I’ll get this mess cleaned up before it stains; hate to have to explain it to a carpet cleaner. That’d be embarrassing.”
It works, my father shuddering and heading back towards the door. “I’m glad you put those silly notions of moving out on your own out of your head; I don’t think I’d ever get a night’s rest. A young girl can’t be on her own in this world.”
I sigh, because it always circles back to this. “I can’t live here forever. I’m twenty-three, Dad. Children aresupposedto move out, you know. If real estate prices weren’t so obscene this year, I would have already done it, but I’m not about to throw away money for something overpriced. I’ll wait until there’s a dip in the market this winter, but come spring, I plan to be settling in somewhere.”
