Rabid Nights: Book Two

17|Arryn

Arryn gave herself a time limit of ten minutes as she helped Austin into the employee's breakroom. Any longer gave their pursuers time to catch up. The last thing they needed were more delays. After six months of searching, she'd be damned if she let her friends slip away when they were so close to finding them.

"They just had to ruin my good shirt, didn't they?" Austin muttered in between strained breaths. "This one only had minimal bloodstains."

"Maybe we can get you something clean in the gift shop on our way out," she suggested. She eased him down on a wooden chair by a dust-covered table. In the flashlight's beam, she saw a moldy, half-eaten sandwich on a plate. Flies swarmed the unfinished food, the incessant buzzing of their wings driving her half-mad.

Beads of sweat trickled down Austin's face as he grimaced. She moved the flashlight to focus on his chest. Blood had soaked through his green shirt, making it difficult to see the wound itself.

"Take off your shirt," she ordered.

He raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you gonna buy me dinner first?"

She rolled her eyes. "Just do it. I'm going to get something to clean your wound out. Surely they have a first aid kit somewhere around here."

She left him just as he shed his brown jacket, his fingers slipping beneath the hem of his shirt. Fire rushed to her cheeks as the thought of seeing him shirtless again popped into her mind.

"Focus," she whispered to herself.

The breakroom itself wasn't huge. There was a small lounge area on the opposite side of the room. Next to the table where Austin sat was a kitchen. Magnets held up handwritten notes on the fridge door.

Steve, PLEASE remember to lock the tiger's cage before you leave. The last thing we need is for them to get loose.

                                                                        --Thomas

Cas, make sure the monkey's cage is being cleaned regularly. I've received several complaints in the past week of the foul smell coming from the primate area.

--Thomas

While highly intrigued by the zoo drama, Arryn tore herself away from the notes and found the bathroom. Sure enough, a first aid kit hung on the wall. Inside, she found various medical supplies she could use on Austin. She gathered as much as her arms could carry and rushed back to Austin.

Blood dripped down his abdomen from the gashes across his chest. The wound itself appeared to be relatively superficial, but the skin surrounding it had turned a bright red.

"Well, are you gonna sit there and gawk at me or are you gonna fix me?"

"Hold your horses, cowboy. I was assessing the wound."

He laughed. "You were totally checking me out."

Arryn shook her head and sighed, opening an alcohol wipe. "You're so full of yourself."

"I am n––OW!" he hollered as Arryn brushed the wipe against his skin. "Do I not get a warning?"

"Careful, this may sting," she replied sarcastically, wiping the wound again.

A hiss of pain sounded above her. Glancing up, she found Austin biting his bottom lip, his eyes squeezed shut. She held back a laugh and continued cleaning the area.

She went through several wipes before she felt comfortable moving on to the next step. Pulling out a few pieces of gauze, she applied pressure on the cut. His heart beat against her palm. She suddenly realized how close they were.

Focus, she thought.

His hand slipped over hers and a shiver ran down her spine. Goosebumps formed on her arms. Her gaze flicked up to meet his.

"Thank you for helping me," he said.

Was it just her or did his heart just speed up? Focus, Arryn. Time's ticking away.

"Someone's gotta keep you in one piece." She offered him a nervous smile, breaking away from his hypnotic gaze. "Now let me finish before our fan club catches up with us."

His fingertips brushed the back of her hand and another shiver rushed over her body like a jolt of electricity. She wondered if he had felt it too. If he was dying to take that next step between them but was holding back because of her. She kept telling herself she wasn't ready to open up to someone in that way again. Losing Lincoln had destroyed her. The hole he'd left behind was something no one could fill. But Austin wasn't trying to fill the hole. He was trying to repair it piece by broken piece.

She should let him in. Let him fix her.

But the thought of losing him scared her too much.

"Arryn?" He waved a hand in front of her face. "Ground control to Major Tom."

"Sorry, I zoned for a moment," she answered sheepishly.

"Fantasizing about all this?" He wiggled his eyebrows, motioning his hand to showcase his body.

She scoffed. "In your dreams, Romeo. Hold the gauze for a moment so I can finish patching you up. We need to get a move on."

He did as she asked, and she quickly applied the bandage. At least now the bleeding had slowed. She wished there were some antibiotics laying around somewhere. When Oliver scratched her, she needed some to stop the infection. Hopefully the disinfectant alone would be enough for Austin. If not, they would find something. They'd made it this far together.

"There. Good as new." Arryn tucked away the rest of the supplies into her bag.

"More like used, but still in okay shape. Thank you, Arryn, again."

"Don't mention it. Now, let's go save our friends."