The Terror Gaze: Book 2 of The Mortal Guard Series

Chapter 31 - Richard/Nick: Split/Connections

Chapter 31 - Richard/Nick - "Split/Connections"

Richard gazed at Iwai as the deer stood up out of his big rolling chair. He had a soft expression as if he was finally resting after a long day of work.  "Richard . . ."

"Hold it." Richard cut him off, getting out of his chair and walking around the desk. His tail swayed behind him as he looked up at his best friend. No, more than a friend.

"Yeah?" the stag blinked.

Before he knew it, the raccoon's slightly muscular arms were wrapping around Iwai's bigger body, his cheek resting against his chest. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Iwai said, putting a hand on Richard's head. "I think I've just been more anxious than usual. Thinkin' bout death a lot."

"Why is that? Did something happen?"

"Yeah. You. I actually have someone I've taken care of for a bit now and has blossomed into a beautiful animal. With the help of Nick, of course."

"I needed you, too," Richard nodded. "You were a formative part of my improvement."

"I know, bud, and . . . well, Death . . . I feel like I might be meeting them soon."

Richard gasped and looked up. "How do you know?!"

"Just a feeling," Iwai muttered. "But I'm not ready to leave you behind. You still need me. Y'all all still need me. I want to see how this battle with King will end."

"Maybe it's just dread," the creature hunter suggested. "You m-might live to see it."

"Hah . . . I don't think so," Iwai sighed. "It's my fault that this is happening to me, anyway. I deserve it."

Richard stepped back. "That's not true!"

"It is, Richie. I don't know who I was before, but I know that I switched bodies permanently at some point, and as a cosmic punishment, I got the Sleep Death Curse. You're not supposed to switch bodies for that long."

"They should have explained that to you before you switched," Richard fumed.

"I knew," Iwai admitted. "But I did it anyway. Apparently, before I switched, I asked them not to tell me who I used to be. Now, I find myself wishing I knew."

Richard looked down, closing his eyes and sighing. He gradually made his way back to his chair and pressed back fully against the back of it. "I know."

"Huh?!" The big deer got the widest eyes Richard had ever seen on him.

Richard shook his head. "Oh . . . I don't know if I should tell you."

"Yes! You should! I'm curious! Plus, I'm not getting any younger, hahaha!" Iwai placed himself back in his own seat, never tearing his eyes away from the raccoon.

Richard brought his hands together, fiddling with his thumbs. "Right, so . . . This is going to sound insane."

"We're in the Mortal Guard. How insane can it get?"

Richard kept looking at his nimble fingers, fumbling against one another. "You used to be a goat named Neil. Back in the 80s, you and your boyfriend accidentally killed a man that was a deer, in the woods. Because of your sexual orientation and the times, you both decided to hide the body out of fear of being caught."

Iwai was no longer smiling.

"However, the police eventually caught up with you and only your partner escaped. You were arrested and sent to prison, where the Mortal Guard found you and picked you up. You would never see your boyfriend again."