Shifters

Chapter 48

When they finally made it down the long, winding trail, Adam had broken into a car, and all five lobains crowded into it. With the roads empty, he drove as fast as he wanted to the hospital, crashing straight into the emergency room without worry of consequence. They helped themselves to the medicines and bandages. Damian made himself comfortable in a room, slowly lying back on a bed and treating himself where he could with his pre-med knowledge. Adam went in to help him with the rest, while Kayla got the gash on her face and chin stitched up, and the ant bites treated. Anthony proposed they stay there for some time to recoop, and he went back to the farmhouse to gather up a sniveling Travis.

While he was gone, Kayla worked up the courage to enter Damian's room, with a glass of water to offer, as an excuse. His eyes rested on her when she walked in, but neither of them said anything, even when she stood right by the bed and placed the water on the nightstand.

She tried to lighten the mood with an icebreaker. "I guess we're sort of even now?"

"Even how? As in you saved my life cause I saved yours? Or your help with Kevin forgives the 90% of Serius lives lost?" He snapped coldly.

She frowned, instantly regretting her attempt. His words were ice picks to her chest. "Forget what I said."

He was remoreseful over it immediately, and quickly shot out his hand to take a hold of her arm before she could walk away with such sharp words. Her skin was like sandpaper, he adjusted his grip and caught sight of the piles of bites over what had once been porcelain smooth skin. His spirits dropped, and he involuntarily ran a thumb over them soothingly with sad eyes for what she had to face, because of him. She still smelled of death, they both did. He wanted to kill the entire colony of ants that had targeted her like this. She yanked her arm away roughly and took a step back.

"How did that happen?" He asked.

"I was hiding." She replied evenly, looking towards the door. "They were hungry."

"They'll pay for that."

She turned to him with narrowed eyes cynically. The light in them matched the gold setting sun outside perfectly. "What are you going to do? Hunt them all down?"

He nodded determinedly. "And I'm going to line them all up and make them apologize to you."

"All of them?"

"Every. Single. One." He swore, gazing at her with true sincerity.

Her heart kicked, she cracked a small smile and looked outside with folded arms. He wanted very badly to rest his chin on her shoulder, and cross his arms over her while looking at the sun as well. But it was best for his broken rib and bruised body if he didn't move, so he watched the light pale from a blazing orange to a fading blue over her face when the sun disappeared.

"You should get some sleep." Kayla said, "You need your rest."

"So do you." He murmured.

Neither of them moved for a moment. They were fixed on remaining within reach of each other for as long as they lived. Unfortunately, though, they were very far from being within grasp of each other. The distant look in his green eyes, and the gruff voice of her father speaking to Adam and Raul when he returned with Travis proved it.

She took a deep breath, as if mustering up all her strength and courage.

"Goodnight, Damian."

"Goodnight, Princess."

She paused at the door, her golden eyes rested on him for a brief moment, he couldn't read the light in them. Was it sadness? Heartbreak? She didn't give him the time to study it, she left without a second to lose. He wanted to call her back, he had so much to say to her, and nothing to say at all. He wanted her there, he wanted to clear the air, yet, he wasn't sure if there was anything to clear up. Confusion rumbled through him and he wondered if she felt the same.