This week I was inspired by a prompt that really felt emotional to me. I hope you enjoy the update brought to you this week by, "How many times can you wish on a star before you give up?"
Lost Inside Chapter 20
The
Tiger roared in challenge. He was big, bigger than Benny. It didn’t matter. He
crouched with his truck at his back. Under his arms and in close was Benny’s
best bet. It put him in danger, but it would also put the Tiger’s chest and
neck in reach.
He’d
have to risk getting his back sliced up. He focused his gaze on the neck,
knowing he could take the other Tiger. He couldn’t think any other way and hope
to win.
“No!”
Yuri
streaked past and slammed into the Tiger just before he hit Benny. They
grappled, falling sideways. Yuri snarled and rolled.
There
was nothing Benny could do. He couldn’t get too close; Yuri had the attacker on
the ground under him, and Benny couldn’t risk distracting him in a fight.
Benny
was trapped in a very real nightmare. His mate was being attacked and fighting,
and he couldn’t help.
“Help!”
he screamed. Someone had to help them.
A
gun. He needed a gun.
Someone
stuck their head out of the bar. Benny didn’t care who it was. “Get Dav!” he
screamed.
The
Tiger must have heard him. He began writhing frantically, trying to roll Yuri
off him. They slammed into the side of Benny’s truck, and Yuri hit his head
against the bumper.
He
cried out, and then went limp. The Tiger pulled him down and buried his face
against Yuri’s neck.
Benny
roared. His vision narrowed. He jumped over the pair and reached for the
intruder’s head. He couldn’t pull Yuri away, or the Tiger might rip his neck
out.
So
he went for the eyes.
But
the Tiger must have sensed him. He twisted and crouched over Yuri’s body,
snarling up at Benny.
“Mine,” he said in a guttural voice.
“The
hell he is!” Benny shouted. Yuri was Benny’s mate. He launched himself at the
Tiger, desperate to make him let go.
Fire
burned along Benny’s back as they clawed at each other, but he’d let go of
Yuri. He dug his claws in under the Tiger’s collarbone, creating deep gouges. Benny
used his thick leg muscles and pushed, shoving the Tiger away.
He
heard shouting, but ignored it.
They
tumbled head over feet, locked together in fury. The Tiger was too big to pin.
Benny yowled as the claws in his back slid toward his spine, tearing through
the muscle.
Time
for the bastard to die.
He
began digging his hand into the Tiger’s chest, looking for his heart. It was a
lethal race to see who would reach their target first.
Benny
spasmed, his legs going weak as he crouched over the Tiger. “Benny! Move!” The
words finally penetrated.
Dav.
He
fell sideways, letting go, trusting his friend to get the bastard before he
could hurt Yuri again.
Shots
rang out, but the Tiger, somehow still able to move, leapt around the truck.
Benny struggled to not give in to the agony coursing through him with every
breath as he lay on the dirty asphalt.
He
tried dragging his body toward his mate, but Benny’s arms gave out when he
tried to push his chest up.
Damn
it. He struck the ground with a fist, tears burning in his eyes. He couldn’t
touch his crumpled mate, and he desperately needing to know he was still alive.
“Stay
still.” Ellis dropped to his knees beside Benny.
“No,
go… check Yuri…” Benny panted.
“I
will, just a minute.” Ellis touched the wounds on his back, and Benny screamed.
“Oh,
shit! Davis, we need help here. Now!”
***
Benny
scraped his face against his pillow. “Too bright,” he muttered.
“Oh,
good, you’re awake.”
He
blinked his eyes open. “Where am I?”
A
woman in scrubs came over to his bed. She’d dimmed the lights, and he could
open his eyes without feeling like he was being blinded.
“Yuri.”
His mate lay in a bed next to the wall. A Falcon stood in the corner, watching
the room and the door.
“You’ll
both be fine, with a little more time to heal. Now that you’re awake, I’ll go
get the doctor. A friend has been waiting to come in too.”
She
bustled out and a minute later the door opened. Benny heard wings rustling. The
Falcon had a hand at his waist where he had a gun secured at his hip.
“His
reaction means the Tiger got away.” Benny looked up at Dav.
He
nodded. “Yeah. Son of a bitch must have someone helping him because you did
some serious damage to his chest and I know I at least winged him. We tracked
his blood trail but then it cut off. He had to have gotten in a car, but no way
was he in any condition to drive.”
“Damn
it.” Benny wanted it over. He kept wishing for peace, for him and his mate, but
maybe they’d never have it. “Did you find anything to discover who he might be?”
“No.”
Dav didn’t look happy. The Snake rarely missed a target.
“What
about in the alley? He came from that direction. He must have hidden next to
the dumpster.”
“No
one saw him but you two, so we didn’t think to check there. I’ll send someone
over. Maybe he left a print or something we can use. Isiah has connections. I’m
sure he can help us get them processed asap.”
“Still
gonna take days,” Benny grunted.
“Well,
you have them. Your back is not up to anything other than lying in bed, and
Yuri—”
“Has
he woken up? Is he okay?” The last thing his mate needed was another head
injury.
“I
don’t know exactly what they did. The doctors said he damaged the shunt. The
nurse said you’d both be fine; I heard her. I know they’d be a lot more staff in
here if you guys weren’t going to heal. You two will be okay; don’t lose faith
now.”
Benny
closed his eyes. “It’s not faith. It’s more like wishing in the dark, but… how
many times can you wish on a star before you give up?”
TBC
Now go check out all the other Briefers. There are SO many this week! We just keep growing. Make sure you welcome the newbies, of course. :) Wednesday Briefers site
Seriously, look at this list! Counting me, that's 21 author updates of FREE fiction. Yay!!
Awww, Cia, just when it seemed like the guys might have a chance you throw this at them. I know there has got to be a reason, but I don't like it.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, I still love you, though.
Who the hell is that other tiger? DUN DUN DUN!! The plot thickens....
ReplyDeleteBenny just can't catch a break,awww
Can't wait for more.
Awesome as always Cia, thanks :)
How can Yuri have two mates? Is that other Tiger insane? Please say yes, cause Yuri belongs with Benny. Don't stop wishing, Benny. Cia will make it right. Right?
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for more of the story and why this other tiger thinks Yuri is his mate. Yeah for Yuri being so protective of Benny!
ReplyDelete