Flames and Starlight

13🌘

Laura

Nick and I paced back and forth in the waiting room at the hospital, waiting for the doctors to come out and tell us what was happening. After we managed to fight off the Silver Cross Gang, three ambulances and a couple of cop cars had arrived shortly to deal with the aftermath of what just happened.

I had a few scrapes and bruises from the fight, but the gang members had gotten the worst of it considering they were dead on the ground. 

I thought killing someone would've eaten at me, would've caused me to feel sick, but surprisingly I didn't. Those assholes would've probably killed me and other supernaturals and could be the reason why Ruben might die. I'd acted out of self-defense and they deserved every ounce of suffering they received for shooting Ruben with the enchanted bullet. I hoped they'd rot in hell.

I was relieved Nick and I were fine, but Ruben, however, looked like he'd been on the verge of death as he lay there in the parking lot beside his dad's truck, still in his lion form. His eyes had become black as the enchanted bullets those miserable bastards shot at him took effect. Fortunately, the paramedics at the ambulance were working to get the bullet and its effects out of his system before it could kill him.

Nick and I were rushed to the hospital as well even though we only had scrapes and bruises. We kept insisting we were fine, but they wanted to make one hundred percent sure that we were unharmed and didn't have any underlying injuries.

Luckily, Nick and I were fine. We were questioned over and over by the police about what happened until they were finally satisfied with our statements. By the time they were done, I was ready to scream at them to leave us the hell alone already. The police officers called our family and they were on their way. I knew they called Grandma, but I didn't know if they called my parents or not. They probably wouldn't care that much anyway.

After getting checked out and giving the police our statements, Nick introduced himself to me. He was Ruben's friend, a fellow shapeshifter, and had already graduated high school; he was two years older than Ruben and I and was attending the nearby community college. He told me he and Ruben had been friends since they were kids and he was near the coffee shop when he saw everything going down. He seemed like a nice guy and I could tell he was a loyal friend from how worried he was about Ruben.

We were both worried about him and prayed he was going to be okay. The paramedics assured me he was going to be fine and they'd be able to get the bullet out of him, but the tight knot of worry in my chest wouldn't lessen. I wasn't going to be able to relax until I went in there and saw him myself, sitting up and talking and not looking dead. I was also feeling extreme guilt as well. It was eating away at me at the thought that he may die because he was trying to save me. It had been me those assholes were about to drive away with. He'd been trying to save my life and nearly gotten himself killed for it. If he died, I wouldn't be able to ever forgive myself or those bastards. He'd given his life for me and I wouldn't be able to move past that, and because of those bastards, he might die. If they weren't already, I'd kill them all over again. 

Nick paused his pacing and looked over at me. He brushed his shaggy blonde hair out of his eyes as he said, "Laura, Ruben is tough. He's going to be fine." Despite his words, his voice was still laced with worry and his tanned face couldn't mask the concern he was feeling for his friend.

I paused as well, running my hand through my tangled, greasy hair. "I'm still worried sick about him. It's my fault he's -"

Nick suddenly shot his hands out and gripped my arms, startling me. He stared right into my eyes. The fierceness in his green gaze nearly took my breath away. "Laura, listen to me. None of that was your fault. It wasn't your fault at all. He would've done that for anyone and he would gladly save you all over again. Don't blame yourself because if you do, he'll kick your ass for it."