Afterlife || irwin

[ 6 ] 2014

[ 6 ] 2014

-

"Had it been me I'd have taken a swing at him first to call us even."

-

"You can't do this, James." Paul started to protest, but the others had turned on him and were unwilling to listen to reason. 

The leader of the group of teenagers now was James, who took it upon himself to nip the insubordination right in the bud. With the butt of his diamond rose, he hit a kneeling Paul across the face, leaving him with a bright red mark that quickly appeared. The gun was made of the strongest metal around, and hunters could heal quickly but were still not immune to injuries. The blow had managed to break through the skin and there was a small trickle of blood running down his cheek. Water pooled up in his deep brown eyes and a rage burned in them too. Paul was mostly calm and serene most of the time, the voice of reason. But one thing he could not stand was to be humiliated by anyone. Especially not when he felt like the other person was in the wrong.

It was what his parents had always taught him. You're better off dying on your feet than living on your knees. It was one of the many thins Paul mad sure to live by.

Dempsey felt the same way, her words seething with venom directed at James. "Don't you fucking touch him again unless you want to lose a hand, you fucking asshole." She said through a clenched jaw. "The boss put both of you in charge, which means he is just as much an equal leader of the organization as you are. Don't you fucking forget it. And all of you should remember that too!" She shouted at the other hunters who stood behind James. Her words seemed to struck a chord with some of them, as she saw them flinch. Some like Naileah, Dieter, and Rocky. 

But to them, it was likely that she would defend him and take his side. She and Paul were in an on again, off again phase in their relationship. They were always arguing, with her mostly being the one yelling at him, and she usually wondered now if they would be together still by the end of the day. But one thing she did have for certain in her mind--that she loved Paul Medina, and she would tear anyone who hurt him to shreds. 

That was exactly what she wanted to do with James Brady. 

But Paul had to swallow his pride and be strong in front of her. Taking a brief moment to stabilize his emotions as well as his voice, he said to her in a calm manner. He could not lose his composure and then expect her to be calm as well. He still had to be the voice of reason in all of this. "Relax, amor." 

She quickly started to protest. "But Paul--"

But she stopped suddenly when he shot her a look. Please listen, he told her with his eyes. And she stood down, biting her lip hard as she still had a lot to say to the other hunters. But if Paul thought it was better to say nothing and keep to themselves, she would do it. 

"Well he amor her all he wants, but he can't shut me up." Calum said, looking from Dempsey to Paul before continuing. He looked over to James. "I'd like to see you take me on without your little minions, or are you scared? You must be scared because you know you're just a pussy without your people backing you."

James threw his head back in amusement and chuckled at Calum's words. He then revealed an observation that some of the other hunters had noticed by now as well. "I can see why the boss likes you. You kind of remind me of him, in a way. I think if you had been born a hunter, we might have been friends."

Calum scoffed at the thought, rejecting it immediately. "I think the fuck not."

"We're wasting time here." James said, ignoring Calum's refusal. He then walked around Calum and gestured for the others to follow with Jack in tow. The two that had been holding him captive moved him forward to stand by the side of Arthur's bed. Pushing Jack forward until the front of his legs hit the side of the bed, James commanded, "Do your thing, healer boy. Save the boss and then maybe we can spare your life."