Greg silently watched Ambrose, Raven, and Barbara interact with each other. He didn’t pay much attention to what they were saying. He was more interested in the smaller, more telling details. Their general comfort level with each other. Their clear feeling of friendship, despite Raven’s occasionally disapproving tone.
He observed the very obvious love between Barbara and Ambrose and made careful note of it.
He focused on just Ambrose.
Ambrose laughed and said something teasing to Raven.
The sound of his laugh made Greg’s claws emerge involuntarily. The sensation surprised him, even if he couldn’t quite explain why. Maybe he’d thought that they’d been broken along with his knuckles. Maybe he didn’t realize he had any. He didn’t know.
He raised his hands and examined them. His fingers were bent all wrong and second place to useless. His claws, however, were absolutely perfect and strong. The sight took his breath away.
Greg marveled at their length, their width, their perfect arch, their perfectly sharp tip. They’re so…beautiful.
I need to find a way to get my hands fixed. I don’t know if it’s possible, but I need to find out. I need to find the possibility. I want my hands back. I want them to be the way they used to be. I want them to be as beautiful as these claws.
A knock on his window startled Greg out of his personal Claw Admiration Society. He looked over.
Raven stood outside his door.
Greg gave him a belligerent look and made a “What do you expect me to do?” gesture with his mangled hands.
Raven took the hint and opened the door. If he was shocked by Greg’s injuries, he had the good manners to not show it. “Hello, sir. I am Raven.”
He sized up the red-eyed vampire before replying, “Greg Innoway.” His claws retreated back into his fingertips.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, sir. Do you need assistance in getting out of the car?”
Greg frowned as he tried to break through the dull numbness encasing his body. He imagined it was like a swaddling blanket, meant to make him feel safe and protected. And it had succeeded. It protected him from feeling the maddening hunger that had possessed him in the beginning.
But it also meant that he had no sense of how his legs felt. Maybe they hurt. Maybe they didn’t. Maybe he could walk on his own. Maybe he couldn’t.
Maybe he was paralyzed.
He didn’t know.
He shrugged.
“Very well, sir. I will assist you, if you have no objections.”
Better you than Ambrose. It was an ungrateful thought and he knew it. He looked down at his hands. But it’s the truth. I don’t want Ambrose to touch me ever again.
“Do you have any objections, sir?”
Greg shook his head.
“Very good, sir.”
***
It took a lot of fumbles and wrong starts and finally Ambrose’s help, but Raven eventually got Greg out of the car. He held the injured vampire in a very secure bridal carry.
Greg kept his head up. He didn’t speak, but he glanced around, clearly on high alert.
“You have nothing to fear, sir.” Raven carried him towards the house. “I will protect you.”
Greg focused on him with his one good eye.
Raven held him closer. “I will take care of you. I will keep you safe.”
Greg didn’t respond, but his expression relaxed.
“I promise, sir.”
ambroseandelsie 