(MxM) Tales of a Shifter (P4)- The Blood

Chapter 46 - NO MORE

Chapter 46

Twenty minutes after Jacob and Ezekiel and the rest of his family disappeared off into the forest, Brandon had had nearly worried himself mad.

Brandon spent some of his time with Erin and Drin as Ezkeiel had suggested...still the hours crawled by like slugs on his brain.

He spoke fleetingly with the two Mates about the baby and shared some small talk, but it was soon obvious that the two youngest Guardians were feeling the pressure just as much as he was.

After three games of go fish, eating a small breakfast, and more small talk, Brandon was a little on the jittery side. Drin sympathized with his worry, and advised him to go and take a bath to sooth his nerves.

And realizing that he wasn't making the wait any easier on himself by worrying himself to death....Brandon excused himself and went to his room to bathe and be alone with his bubbling thoughts, his mild pain...and the ever incessant need to feed the Flame.

But just as Brandon was stepping out of the bathroom, newly dressed and hair still dripping wet....everything went to shit.

A terrible scream split the air.

A single beat passed before Brandon realized that it was Erin's scream.

"Erin!? Erin! Drin!!" Brandon shouted.

Feeling the pit of his stomach fall to the bottoms of the earth Brandon slipped on the rug in the bathroom as he rushed out and dashed to the bedroom door.

Muffled, but coming from the hallway, the sound of screaming and snarling ripped the house apart. The sound of glass shattering cut across the home and...the tumble of bodies and banging and movement.

An arrow of ice and apprehension slammed into Brandon's soul as he ripped the door open and....froze in abject disbelief.

"Hello Lil One..."

The strong baritone...the instant influx of warmth and calm that tried to touch him almost made Brandon want to scream.

There Jacob stood.

The Shifter looked more like a beast on the edge then a man. His eyes were slit and blazing a sharp yellow. Jacob front and bottom canines were long, white, and flashing as they overlapped his top and bottom lip like mini-daggers. His chest was splashed with fresh sprays of blood....and his claws were nothing but crimson soaked scythes which rushed towards Brandon the moment he opened the door.

Jacob was seconds from tearing Brandon from the room.

Brandon didn't even have a moment to think or be scared. Or consider whose blood was staining Jacobs's claws.

Because Brandon knew that all he had was a hand full of seconds to act. So instead of jumping back in fear he planted his feet and sent a solid jab strait into Jacobs face.

Brandon's fast attack barely connected with flesh, his knuckles simply grazed the area next to Jacobs's nose, as Jacob dogged backwards with a speed and grace that was frightening.

But rather than focus on these things Brandon quickly jumped back, and slammed the door close between them with a thunderous smack of wood.

The door would be like a twig beneath Jacobs's fists, but Brandon wasn't expecting the door to hold the Lion off.

Brandon looked around and easily realized that he had no weapons he could use to defend himself. And in a hand to hand fight....he was nowhere as fast as Jacob.

So Brandon knew that his only chance was to escape...or call on the Flame.

He could use the terrible power inside to make him faster and stronger. He could use it to fight....but in exchange....Brandon would be left with the terrible hunger to contend with.