Crash and Burn (1)

i just want you to come for me, not kill for me

♚ ♛

"IT'S NOT MINE, LACE," Soren sighed, even as I cradled his head, my fingers raking through the cold blood coating the locks of his hair. "It's not my blood."

"Yo- you could have a concussion." I blinked frantically, and the blood smearing his tan skin blurred with tears. "Oh shit, oh shit."

"I'm fine, Lace. I'm fine." He placed one hand on my cheek. "I'm fine. Don't cry." His eyes caught mine and I felt myself sink. They were back to that light green that I was always hoping for. "¿Besos?"

A broken chuckle left my lips, but I leaned down to kiss him without hesitation. Soren tasted like blood.

"Bloody kisses," he breathed, licking his lips when I pulled away. "Who knew you could make those good?"

Echoing his motions, I tasted the small amount of blood on my lips. Soren's blood. It sent another wave of panic through me. "Get the fuck up, Calloway. We have to go back to the apartment. The first aid kit is there."

"Mmm yeah. I know. I know." He heaved another breath and pushed himself up with a groan.

Tossing his arm over my shoulder, I helped him stand, trying to ignore his grunt of pain.

"Rival gang member, huh?" I asked as we started walking. Did this mean that they were all after Soren?

Breathe.

Fuck. My breathing quickened, but Soren lolled his head to the side to look at me lazily. "They're all trying to kill me, Lace."

It was so nonchalant that it made me want to hit him. Like he didn't care. Like it wasn't a big deal that every gang member in the fucking city was trying to kill him.

"They can't," I snapped, despite the way my heart dropped at the thought. "They can't kill you."

It would take a fucking army.

A dry chuckle from Soren only made me clench my fists. "They can always try."

Breathe.

Minimal injuries. He only had minimal injuries.

Breathe.

"Is your hand okay?" Soren asked quietly, though there was amusement laced in his tone. "You did get him good."

Sighing shakily, I glanced at him. "You're lucky I didn't hit you, Calloway. What the hell happened to 'no hesitation'? You were going to hand him off to me?"

"Never," Soren suddenly snapped, a fierce edge in his tone. "You should know me better than that, princesa. I'm not handing you off to anyone."

I nodded silently. Survival was a tricky thing. If you could get out of a situation unscathed, you'd be surprised what you'd be willing to do. But I trusted him.

"You really thought I was going to give you to Rocco?" Soren shimmied out of my hold and stepped ahead of me hastily. "You thought I was going to let him fuck you?"

Everything in my body locked up as I caught the dark smear of blood on the back of his neck.

It wasn't his. It wasn't his.

"You didn't say anything, Soren!"

Breathe.

"No, I just mangled his face for talking about you," he snorted. "No big deal."

I narrowed my eyes before pushing forward and pulling his hood over his head. "Put your hood on, you're covered in blood!" I hissed quietly and then tugged him closer to the building.