Our Price: Of Shifters and Rebels

Chapter 15: Guests

The candle and the girl moved quietly through the hallway in slience. It was the middle of the night and she rubbed her tired eyes as she made her way soundlessly towards his room. The candleholder grew heavy in her hand, but she moved forward steadily through the pitch black hallway. As far as she knew, the rest of the house was sound asleep.

The door to the room was slightly ajar and she pushed it open quietly. Slowly, she made her way around the bed. She could discern his tall figure, sprawled out across the bed, asleep. He had fallen asleep on his ledger and on top of the still-made bed covers. Oh, the poor man must be exhausted after today. I hate to wake him.

She set the candleholder down on the small bedside table. The light cast shadows across the walls that seemed to move hauntingly in time to the flicker of the candle. A quiet moan escaped him as he slept.

She reached out to shake him awake.

Before her fingers could touch his arm, he suddenly erupted in an explosion of movement, his swords swinging through the air towards her.

Hannah screamed.

---

"Sh." Bec whispered. "Sen, turn on the light, but dim it."

He had sat up on the bed, and she still stood in front of him. Hannah stifled her whimpers as she covered her mouth with her hands. The lights turned on and she squirmed in place as she viewed the blades hovering near her neck.

As he saw who it is, he slowly lowered them. Hannah let out a gasp and slowly lowered herself to the ground, tears quickly spilling on her cheeks.

Damn, he thought. Bec ran a hand through his hair and looked at the girl crouched against the wall. He stood up and filled a cup with water, before handing it to her. She held the cup in a death grip as she stared blankly at the opposite wall. Hannah quietly sipped the water as Bec sat down on the bed. He resheathed both swords and watched her.

"I'm sorry," he finally said. "I didn't mean to. You caught me off guard. I'm not an easy sleeper. I never was."

She simply nodded. He extended a hand to her and she took it. Bec hoisted her to her feet, but she didn't let go of his hand. "What did you do to them?"

Oh shit. You know, I really need to stop shaking people's hands. "Nothing, just a few scratches." He didn't even look down at his hands. "What did you wake me for?"

"Milo wishes to see you. Now show me your hands."

Bec was already grabbing a sweatshirt and his belt. "Really, it's nothing." He pushed past her towards the door.

"Come here!" Her commanding almost furious tone startled him.

He froze. She walked up to him and he silently held them out to her. She closed her mouth as she viewed the soaked bloody rags he had used to tie them.

"How come we did not see them bloody at dinner?"

"I slathered this lotion all over it. It stopped the bleeding, but just hurt a whole lot worse, burned actually. When I finally returned to my room, the first thing I did was wash the stuff off. It's continued to bleed. A lot, by the looks of it."

"Why hasn't it clotted. It must have been more than 9 hours since the fight."

"I don't know."

"Here. I'll get Layla and we will dress them properly."

"No! She's sleeping let her sleep. It's fine, I told you."

Hannah pursed her lips and said nothing. "Come with me." She didn't wait for his response, but walked right out the door.