Shadowed love

The past

Gasping as a truck barreled down the street, it came to a sudden halt and Ace froze. Drayce strode infront of the truck from the drivers side, shotgun leaned on his shoulder and looking more than furious.

Ace slid the knife across my neck just as Drayce fired a round off at him. He collapsed across me, a pool of blood quickly forming around his head. I could hardly wrap my mind around this. It happened too quick but Drayce was instantly by my side, rolling him off me before cupping his hands around my face. " Oh angel... What has he done to you?"

Scooping me into his arms, he cradled me, ignoring the fact that I'm soaked in blood and mud. It was actually suprising to see him be so gentle and careful as he got me in his truck. It's unfortunate that darkness consumed me multiple times the way home. I hardly even caught glimpses or sounds as I teetered in and out of conciousness. Although i thought I heard Drayce and someone else but I was out again before I could even see...

It felt as though as soon as I was asleep, I woke again. I instantly became aware of the burning and pressure on my neck as well as my face and chest. The pain stung so bad that it made my head spin. I mean, the throb in my head added to the pain but over the loud ringing in my ear from the shotgun, at least I could make out a voice... Drayce. Drayce!

" Well look at this." A voice chuckled. Wait. That is not Drayce... " It's not everyday I wake up to see an angel in my bed."

Huh? I opened my sore eyes and found Cam's figure by the doorway. He smiled gently but I felt too vulnerable for even that...

" Do you have any idea how creepy that is?" I muttered, shutting my eyes again.

" Why? It's my room."

" That I'm sleeping in. Go away. I'm hurting."

" You look pretty awake to me." He chuckled. The floor boards creaked under his weight as he strode in.

I didnt reply. I don't have anything to say anyway. All I know is I'm in pain and I want to go home. I feel like im about to die and I want it to stop. I also want to destroy Ace's minions so they can't take his place and finish me off... It just doesn't make any sense. I thought he was dead.

Letting my eyes open again I found Cam still staring at me. Ugh. " Why are you still here?" I asked, hugging my arms to my chest.

" Because I care about you, you asshole."

I'm the asshole? I just got the snot kicked out of me and he just walks in like I'm fine but I'm the asshole? What'd I do? Seriously. " Why am I an asshole?"

" Because. You just stroll in one day and suddenly everything becomes about you. Everything is changing because of you."

I sighed, reaching up and massaging my temples. Right now I just want to sleep and then I'm going to kill Ace's clan and everyone who has a problem with me. I'm so done! I don't even want to get into this with Cam.

" This is getting out of hand." Drayce said hitting a cord in my heart. " If you hadn't run off then you wouldn't be bleeding out..." He glanced at me, eyes sad for once. " But... I should have double checked that he was dead."

He made his way over to me holding his hands out for me to take. In a swift pull I was up on my feet and nestled in Drayce's arms. A kiss pressed on the top of my head and I felt tears burning in my eyes. Okay, maybe I was wrong to be mad at him. Yeah he was in the wrong so we're both at fault here.

Question though. Why was I in Cam's bed? " Why didn't you take me home instead of coming here? And how'd you find me?" I asked curiously.

" You were literally bleeding out. Cam's place was closer and I followed you. I mean you stormed out on me and I don't like that so obviously I'd hunt you down and get this shit sorted but man. How the hell you got yourself in a jam is beyond me."

I let out a small laugh. " I am a hero after all. Bad guys don't like me."

" Except me."

My lips tilted up in a smile.
" Yeah... Except you... Sometimes."

He let out a laugh and hugged my head. Ooh ouch yeah still tender, I winced.

" You know you love me."

I guess. Okay who am I fooling, I kind of actually do. Yes we fight and stuff but what was I really expecting? We've been hero x villain for what, 2 years? It's not going to be easy to sort this out but we can make it work if we try hard enough.

***

Leaning on the bathroom counter finally back home, I let out a breath. I really do look as bad as I feel, I can't deny it... My face still thinly dribbled with blood and so did my neck and chest. The blood soaked through the bandaging on my forearms unfortunately making it stink like rotting blood.

Drayce's reflection appeared behind me holding clean clothes and a towel. " Need some help?" He asked, gently brushing a crunchy and dirty lock of hair behind my ear.

I sighed softly, turning to face him. Much to my growing horror he grabbed the bottom of my now ruined shirt and pulled it up and over my head.

" Wha-"

He chuckled. " Relax angel, I'm not going to jump on you." His grin grew as much as my eyes did. " Unless you want me to."

A small gasp escaped making him laugh. My voice was nowhere to be found as he helped me out of my bloody boots and shorts then into the shower. As soon as the water hit me, I let out a gasp of pain. It burned the cuts so bad!

The water swirling down the drain tainted pink from all the blood running off me. It only got worse when Drayce took my arms and unwrapped them.

They just wouldn't stop bleeding, it was everywhere, dripping like a leaky faucet. Worriedly I glanced at drayce, unsure about what to do. Much to my confusion he rummaged through the cupboards and grabbed some vaseline. Smearing it all down my arms, it seemed to act like a barricade.

" Sit, I'll wash the blood from your hair." Drayce instructed, waving to the bottom of the tub.

Carefully sitting down, I held my arms away from the water so it didn't wash it off. Closing my eyes, he worked the shampoo through my hair and rinsed it. I did the rest, washing off the stuck on blood and vaseline.

Drayce wrapped a towel around me and I sat down on the edge of the tub so he could bandage my arms. This is not going to look good to my brothers when I see them tommorow... Oh boy...

I guess I should introduce you guys to them, huh? Alright, well. Kyle is a typical car guy who thinks hes a bad boy. He low key reminds me of a less scary Drayce actually and sort of is a bad boy I guess. I won't lie about that. I should also mention he is very protective of me. He used to argue with me and demand he come when I take down criminals. He was like my hero when we were younger even though we don't have a huge age gap. Now Cody? He's not exactly a tough guy. Skate boarder? Yes. Always high on marijuana? Also yes. Is he protective? Well, not as protective as Kyle but he'd kick some ass if needed.

I just... We have a broken family. Our moms never around and our dad... Well... He abused us as kids. He'd beat Kyle until he could hardly stand. He always tried to protect me. I still remember when dad was in one of those moods and he started coming after me. Kyle grabbed me, locked his door and we hid in the closet together. Cody stayed out of the house as much as possible so it was usually just us.

There was this one night where dad lashed out at me. He took a 2 by 4 to my back and hit me twice with it then Kyle got in the way and took the last few hits while sheilding me from him.

If history dares to repeat itself, I'm going to lose it on him. I've grown up and become stronger so if he wants to try, then I'm dishing out some karma.