Quantum Potente

23. Favorite nurse

Music Recommendation: 'Shape of You' by Ed Sheeran

Many things come and go in Rian's memory, but the expression which adorned Shakti's face at the moment, would never leave his mind and blissfully torment him till his brain short-circuits. He was mildly confused by the nervous gleam in her eyes, as all he received from her were either glares or frowns.

Shakti tightly gripped his wound, to prevent any further blood loss. Her hands were fully covered in his blood. She seemed as confused and more dazed than him because if she had been in her complete senses, she would prefer not to stand anywhere in a five-meter radius around him. Her glasses couldn't hide the panic that rose in her eyes at the sight of blood flowing continuously from his wound. To call the experience was an understatement as the injury seemed deep, but he was not in the mood to move and disturb the moment.

"Rian freaking Peterson, are you crazy?! Who told you to play the hero and try to save me by endangering your own life?", Shakti's shaky voice echoed through the silent area. Her heartbeat was slowly coming back to normal.

"Hero? Nah. I was saving my amusement. We don't want you to be a food for the wolves, do we? Though I doubt that they would be satisfied, considering the minimal meat on your body.", Rian said with a smirk, but his eyes were anything but nonchalant. They burned due to sensations that had nothing to do with the pain he was feeling.

Shakti took a step closer and said in a barely controlled voice, "Do you think this is the time to joke? Do you think that death is a joke?" Her eyes shone with a wide range of strong emotions, but anger was the prominent one.

Rian's smirk vanished and he closed the distance between them, looking down at her with an intense look. "You have no idea about what I think. So, don't talk about something that you don't know.", he said in a low voice.

He used his abilities and sent the wolves flying somewhere far, who ended with a thud on the forest floor. Shakti flinched slightly at his sudden action but didn't back down from their staring contest. None of them looked toward the wolves, who were lying unconscious somewhere.

"Besides, weren't you disappointed that the wolf didn't do the job of knocking me out which you were desperate to do?", Rian asked, studying her face for any reaction. Shakti's eyes dilated slightly while she said in a barely audible voice, "Do you think that I want you dead? I don't even know you better to decide your true nature. What on earth made you think that I hate you?"

'So, she doesn't hate me; check.', Rian thought.

"Do you know how I felt thinking that", pause, "that something could have happened to you, in the process of saving me?", Shakti's voice dropped some decibels.

Rian felt an odd sensation at her words, but ignoring them, he teased, "I am immortal Shortie. I am a Homo potens, remember? I will not easily leave this world and withdraw my benevolent presence from the lives of people around me."

Shakti's body relaxed a bit, while she scoffed at his words. "What presence? More like a nuisance of a presence.", she muttered under her breath, but nothing could escape his sharp ears. His grin widened and he leaned to see her eye to eye. He heard her breath hitch at his closeness. Then her eyes landed on his bloody T-shirt, which made her tense up.

"If you don't want to look like a bloodless zombie later, then you better get that treated as quickly as possible.", Shakti said pointing to the brutal wound in his back. Rian traced his wound and noticed that the damage was indeed quite serious and he was losing a lot of blood. He winced when his hand landed right on the gash.

Rian brought his hand in front of Shakti's face and looked at her bloody hand. "As much as I like the red on you, I would prefer if it's not blood. Anyway, I should get something for saving your life, shouldn't I?", he uttered, flexing his hand and gazing intently into her eyes. Shakti's demeanor turned alert in wariness.