It's Wednesday again! That means another installment of Lost Inside! Today's chapter employs the prompt: "It was only a joke." Now, if you missed it... I posted a mid-week update! If you haven't read it yet, go here first, then come back and read today's flash update. Enjoy!!
Lost Inside Chapter Four
“Fuck off!”
Benny crossed his arms over his
chest and raised one eyebrow. “No. I told you to let him go. He’s working, not
here to dance, and I heard him tell you that himself. Now I’m telling you it’s
time to leave.”
The new bartender yanked his arm
back, and the drunk idiot who’d grabbed him let go. He scurried back around the
corner. Benny didn’t move, not even to flick an ear. He’d walk this guy out, if
he didn’t leave on his own.
Well, the moron would make it
outside. Walking was optional. The icy drizzle could cool the hot head down. “Are
you going to make a stupid choice right now, or do I get to have some fun?”
Benny yawned, exposing his fangs. He’d enjoy this.
The human’s face turned red and
he clenched his ham hands into fists. Nope, he wasn’t going to take the easy
way out. Benny might stand a head shorter than the pudgy bastard, but his
shoulders were just as wide. And Benny’s bulk was created by bands of thick
muscle he maintained by his two hour a day workouts, not guzzling a six pack
every night.
Of course the human swung and
missed. Benny stepped to the side, grabbed the man’s wrist in one hand, twisted
and slid behind him, yanking the man onto his toes and threatening to dislocate
his shoulder. The human bellowed.
“Tsk, tsk…” Benny stretched his free
hand next to the man’s face, his razor sharp claws glowing red in the bar
lights. He dropped that hand onto the bastard’s shoulder and began shoving him
toward the door. “You should have just left. But then, I wouldn’t have had any
fun at all.”
He grinned evilly at Jerret who was
manning the door. Benny’s younger brother shook his head and didn’t move from
his stool. Benny slammed the drunken mauler into the door, using his face to
open it. The man howled and began to struggle. Benny dug his claws in and slid
them down the man’s back, tearing his shirt and leaving shallow scratches
behind as a reminder.
“You can’t hurt a human!” Benny
rolled his eyes. He hadn’t broken the man’s arm or dislocated his shoulder,
which he could have, easily.
“I didn’t hurt you. Besides, I
highly doubt you classify as human. Don’t come back,” he hissed in the drunk’s
ear, ignoring his blubbering. “Or my claws won’t just get a taste of your skin.”
Benny shoved the man forward. The
human didn’t try to come back at him, though Benny was ready for it. He sighed.
The coward was barely any fun at all. The cold air felt good under the
overhang. The rain had increased into a steady drumming. Benny stepped aside
for two guys heading into the club.
Maybe tomorrow would be better.
The only glimpses Benny’d had for the last week of his mate were through the
big window Yuri liked to sit in, reading or watching the rain from the safety
of the Falcon home.
It wasn’t enough.
Benny was going to go crazy, one
of these days. Maybe even one day soon.
***
Ellis sat at the bar drinking a
cranberry and vodka. Davis was in his office doing something or other. Benny’d
been working for two weeks straight without a single incident. He’d worked out
for hours in the early hours of the morning after his shift to wear himself
out.
A nervous energy had grown inside
him. He fidgeted on his stool next to Ellis. He wasn’t technically working, but
if anyone was stupid enough to hit on The Snake’s mate Benny would get first
dibs on punishing them for their temerity.
Ellis glanced at Benny when he
wrapped one foot around the leg of his stool and tapped his toe on the black
metal bar at the base.
“Ants in your pants?” Ellis
shouted over the music.
“No,” Benny snapped.
“Geez.” Ellis snorted. “It was
only a joke.”
Benny sighed. “I know.” He
stilled, his hands falling into his lap. “Sorry.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
Did he? Benny wasn’t sure if he
could, much less wanted to. But since he’d mated Davis and fought in the attack
against Mishtar, Ellis had changed. He wasn’t quite like a Snake, though he had
fangs and venom, but he was more than human.
“It’s too loud in here.” Benny
didn’t want any ole asswipe hearing about his problems. They were his.
“Let’s go up to Dav’s apartment.”
The Snake had practically moved out to live with Ellis in his apartment, but he
kept his apartment above the club.
Benny followed Ellis past the
dance floor and up the stairs in the back. He collapsed on the couch Ellis
gestured toward. The slender man took a seat in a chair.
“So, tell me how you feel.” Ellis
tented his fingers under his chin and blinked owlishly.
Never in his dreams had Benny
imagined he’d bare his feelings… and laugh first. Ellis grinned.
“You know, I’ve never seen you
laugh before. “ Ellis cocked his head.
Benny sobered; his smile faded. “Not
much to smile about in a while.”
It had been a year since he’d
lost his mate. Yuri still lived… but Benny wasn’t sure he was anymore. It was
like the world existed in a fog around him, except for when he was angry. Then
everything was sharp and clear.
But even that was getting harder
and harder to feel. Ellis listened when the dam inside Benny finally broke and
everything spilled out. It was supposed to be cathartic.
But he didn’t feel any better.
Tears shone in Ellis’ eyes when
Benny fell silent. “I get up for him. To see him each day. I eat, drink, and
breathe for Yuri. Because I see him happy sometimes, so I have to just deal.
Right?”
Ellis shook his head. "No. No, you shouldn't have to just deal. I'm going to find a way to help you."
TBC
Now check out the other Briefers. You can use the links here, or go to our central site and get a 100 word preview of each update along with a link.
He healed the killer whale, Bob if I remember correctly. He can heal Yuri. *crosses fingers*
ReplyDeleteHmm... you remember well! :P How exactly this comes about, whether with the doctor or something Ellis can do, or the 'special' ways he helped Bob... well, we'll have to see what Ellis comes up with. Thanks for reading and commenting Harmony!
ReplyDeleteYay! I'm so excited that Ellis will help Benny. Benny seems like such a sweetheart underneath his gruff exterior. He deserves his HEA.
ReplyDeleteMost men are. LOL :) Ellis definitely will bring in a new element to the story. Thanks for reading, CoffeeLover!
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