Enemy Mine

Chapter 5

The first punch woke me up. Or maybe it was my head hitting the limestone that did it, and my attacker gave me zero time to prepare before my jaw absorbed the second impact. I didn't have a clue where I was, and darkness contributed to my disoriented state, but I had a hunch I'd been sleepwalking.

"Fight back, bitch!" My assailant shouted as I took a heel to the stomach. The solid wall kept me from falling, but falling would have been preferable to the punch that followed it up. When I tasted blood, I knew it was time to take my attacker's advice.

"Stella! Stop!"

The cry came from my left just as I balled my fists, and strangely, I recognized the voice. Christoph appeared in my line of sight as he shoved Stella into the opposite wall.

"Get off me, Christoph!" Stella growled. "The bitch deserves to get her ass kicked. She called me... She called me something."

"What did she call you?" he said.

"She called me sylvie! I don't know what a sylvie is, but I'm sure it's something foul."

"My best friend," I said as I chuckled. The chuckle had been unintentional, but I was still in the process of waking up.

"What?" Christoph turned to look at me as I swiped a finger across my bloody lip.

"Sylvie is my best friend. I was sleepwalking. I must have mistaken Stella for Sylvie."

Christoph continued to stare at me as he released Stella and dragged his hand through the bristles of his short hair. "Sleepwalking?"

"She's lying," Stella argued. "She's using it as an excuse to come in here and spy on me. It was probably her plan all along."

"Why would Reese want to spy on you? She doesn't even want to be here."

"I don't know why she was doing it. Hybrids are sneaks and liars, just like gollums."

"Go back to sleep, Stella." Christoph turned his back on her and reached out to me, pulling my hand away from my mouth. "I'll take you to the clinic, Reese. You're bleeding."

"It's okay. It doesn't hurt that bad."

The hallway soon filled up with curious bodies, but just as quickly, the crowd dispersed when Austin appeared. He examined my bloody face first, then he pegged Stella with an angry scowl.

"Please, tell me this wasn't your doing?"

"It wasn't my doing. She started it."

Stella pointed at me and Austin's eyebrows reached to his buzzcut. I didn't have to offer my alibi. Christoph did it for me.

"Reese was sleepwalking and apparently wandered into Stella's room. I can vouch for her. Heath told me Reese used to sleepwalk when they lived together."

Austin offered an imperceptible nod before dealing with his ornery daughter. "Back to bed, Stella. We will talk later."

Stella crossed her arms over her chest and followed this up with a loud snort as she stomped into her room. After which, Austin resumed staring at me and Christoph.

"I need to talk to you two," he said. "In private."

"We're sharing the room at the end of the hall." Christoph motioned in that direction, but his lips pursed when he noticed me rubbing my chin, feeling for the spot Stella had introduced her fist to. "Are you sure you're okay, Reese?"

"Yes, but my jaw will probably complain tomorrow."

Christoph didn't look happy as we walked back to our dorm room, and he started wringing his hands when he sat on the cot next to me. Austin spent the next few seconds scrutinizing us from above.