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Tristan
The second guy reaches out, his fist clenched and hits me in the ear. Before I can react, he hits me again in the stomach. He obviously has spent time in a ring and is no stranger to fights. I was never into sparring⸺never really saw the point. My video game experience isn’t any good here. It is much easier to hit a series of buttons and have your character respond how you want than to get your body to do that. Especially when you are faced with an opponent who is beating the crap out of you. Getting punched hurts and trying to keep my wolf from shifting so I can rip into his throat with my teeth takes as much concentration as protecting my body.
“Stop!” Rebby screams. “Leave us alone.”
A well-aimed kick to the jewels has me crumpling to the ground, followed by a spray of burning liquid that causes me to scream as it sears my nose. My eyes water and I sneeze to get it out of my nose and snot runs down my face.
Through the tears I can just make out a man dragging Remmy to the silver van and pushing her into the open door.
“That should keep them down for a while,” one of the men says. “Master will be happy to have the girl back. Her escape could have ruined everything. Imagine a human finding her.”
“Shut up, you idiot!” the guy near Theo snarls. “They can still hear you, and the people in the diner are watching. Get into the van; we’re leaving.”
Trying to stand, I look over to see Theo in a ball, his face swollen and turning some nice shades of blue and purple. With our advanced healing it won’t take too long for us to heal.
“Sweet Mother of Monkey Milk! Are you okay?” The waitress runs out of the diner. “I saw it all and called the police.”
Snorting, I pant, “Did you just say, ‘sweet mother of monkey milk’? That has to be the weirdest saying ever!”
“Shut up, Tristan!” Theo pulls himself to a sitting position. “We have to go after her.”
“You boys aren’t going anywhere like that. It’s amazing that you can even see anything.” The waitress opens the door. “Mitch! Get out here and help these guys inside.”
I really should make it a point to remember the name of our waitress . . . I feel bad not using her name, even in my thoughts.
The waitress leans down and puts her shoulder under my arm, helping me to stand up. “Come on, honey. Let’s get you inside and cleaned up. I don’t know if we have any soap gentle enough for around your eyes, but we can get it off the rest of you.”
“Thanks,” I manage between sneezing fits. “We will be okay, just need water and towels.”
“That we have plenty of. You’re lucky that we aren’t busy right now. Who we foolin’...ntil the campground opens for the season we might as well close. Those two thugs who beat you up won’t be welcome back here again.” I can hear a bit of steel in her voice and worry about what she might do, and more how they would retaliate.
“No,” I say quickly. “Don’t do that on our account. Really, we are fine.”
“Sure, you are, honey. You look fine with your bloodshot eyes that have tears running down your face, your snotty nose that keeps sneezing. And don’t get me started on how your skin looks like you spent too much time in a tanning bed.”
“That bad?” I groan.
“Worse. Not sure your own Mama would recognize you. But don’t you worry, Patty will get you all healed up.”
That comment makes me realize that she isn’t supporting me so much as pressing her ample breasts up against my side. It does nothing for me or my wolf that a beautiful woman is pressed up against me. I try to discreetly ease away from her, but she is like a leech, holding on for dear life.
“Sweetie, you can barely see through those tears. Let me help you,” she coos in my ear, her hand creeping closer to my ass.
“Um, thanks but I think I can make it from here. Plus, the men’s room isn’t anywhere for a lady like you.” I pull away again and this time she lets me go.
“Well, if you are sure.”
“Thanks, Patty. But I think I have it from here. If you could just have Mitch bring those towels, we will be right as rain.”
Hands out in front of me, just in case my vision is worse than I think, I make my way into the bathroom. Leaning on the sink, I look in the mirror. The watery image that is reflected back must be something like I would look with a hangover.
“Shit, this stuff stings.” Theo enters the bathroom.
“Yeah it does, and we don’t look great.” Turning the water on, I splash it onto my irritated skin. “Let’s wash up and then get back to James. He is going to be pissed.”
“Not more than you or me. I saw them leave, didn’t think anything of it.” Theo puts his head under the sink to flush his eyes. “How could I be so complacent?”
“Hey! It was both of us. She has us in knots, that comment of the three of us together. It messed with us.” I soap my hands up and scrub my face aggressively.
“Yeah. Remember our promise?” Theo asks, before he follows my example and scrubs his face as well. Nothing we can do about the spray that got into our nasal cavities.
“Friends before girls, always,” I throw back at him. “You done prettying up that face of yours and ready to get down to business? We have a girl to save and a war to thwart.”