Untouchable ~ A Jared Leto/MARS Fanfiction

Chapter Six

We stare at one another through the gloom of darkness. Jared's brother presses a hand to his neck, his eyes wide, his nostrils flared, his fury only slightly tempered by fear. "You almost killed me," he growls through clenched and bared teeth. "I'm bleeding!"

"I—I'm sorry. I didn't know who you were," I stammer. Swallowing hard, I rise on unsteady legs. Shannon shrinks back and tenses, clearly preparing to spring to his feet and bolt. "Let me look at your neck," I add.

"Oh!" his voice drips sarcasm. "You know who I am now. That's great. That makes it all better! What, do you go around assaulting people like this on a regular basis? And like hell I'll let you look at it!" Still clutching his neck, he puts out his other hand to ward off my approach. "You stay the fuck away from me!" He scrambles in his pocket and produces what looks like a cell phone.

"Thank God, one of you had the sense to bring a phone out here," I mutter under my breath, as I turn and stoop to gather my knife and gun. Sheathing the knife and tucking the Max in my waistband, I toss my hair back over my shoulder and hold my own hand out to Shannon, saying, "Get up. You've come to find Jared, and I'll take you to him."

Shannon's eyes grow round, before they narrow into tiny, deadly slits. Even in the dim light I can see his face darken as both terror and rage again fill his expression. He scrambles to his feet, keeping a wary eye on my weapons.  "What the hell did you do to him, bitch? Where the fuck is my brother?"

I withdraw my hand. I haven't ever seen pure hate aimed at me like this, stabbing into me like twin poison daggers. Not even from Todd. One thing about the Leto brothers; they both know how to use their eyes to incredible effect. I hold myself stiff, resisting that murderous glare and do my best to appear unruffled under it. But my voice carries a slight tremble as I reply, "Follow me." I turn and set off down the hill toward camp. There's a loud crunch as Shannon bursts through the undergrowth behind me, staying right on my heels down the hill toward the clearing.

The hut is still dark, and is silent. I wonder if the commotion of my encounter with Shannon was loud enough to be heard here. My heart racing, I head across the clearing to the low doorway of the hut.

"Seriously?" Shannon growls behind me. "He's in that thing? If this is a trap, lady, and if you did anything to him, I swear to God—"

"Jared?" I whisper into the hut.

"Yeah?" he replies softly. "Who is that? Is everything okay?"

I withdraw my Max and slide it into my pack just inside the doorway. At the same time, Shannon cries, "Jared? Is that really you? Oh, my God!  Where are you? I can't see you! Get your ass out of there!"

He tries to shove past me into the hut and I block his way with a sharp elbow to his hard-as-iron chest. "Shhhhh! You're gonna wake my daughter and scare her!"

"Shannon?" Jared's voice carries a note of disbelief. "Holy shit, Shannon, what are you doing out here?"

"I've been looking for you!" Shannon again tries to bolt into the darkened hut and again I hold him back, visualizing him charging in like a bull and plowing right into Jared, further injuring him. "Let me in, you crazy bitch!" he roars.

"He's injured, damn it!" I hiss.

"Injured? What the hell did you do to my brother?" Shannon demands, grabbing my arm in a painful grip.

"Mom?" Shelby's voice is sharp and alert. In a flash she's at my side, the starlight reflecting in her dark eyes, which blaze with fury as she stares up at the stranger, her hands in fists in front of her in a fighting stance. "Don't you ever call my mom a crazy bitch again, you stupid asshole!"