Page 63 of Secrets & Sake

“Yes. Yeah. Anything. But are you okay? Can you drive?”

“Yeah. Almost there. C-can see your place.”

Fuck. Shit. Fuck. My heart’s beating out of control, trying to escape out of my chest. “I’m coming. Okay? I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Don’t hang up. Stay on the line.”

“’Kay…”

I’m already running. It’s started raining. I don’t know what’s pounding harder, my heart or my feet on the pavement.

“Raiden? Still there? I’ll be there soon.” Not soon enough. Every second feels like a minute. “Raiden? Come on, talk to me, say something.”

“Mmm,” he grunts, panting through the pain. “S-scared.” He laughs weakly. “Don’t wanna die, Sunshine.”

He’s scared. The strongest, most intimidating man I know, a goddamn werewolf… is scared. My heart’s about to break.

“You’re not going to die, baby. I promise!” I pant as I run. “I’m coming to get you. I’ll be there soon! Keep talking. I’m on my way.”

Please. Let him be okay. I can’t lose him.

I round the corner so fast, I almost crash into a couple walking arm in arm. There’s no time to apologize as I pelt past them. A familiar Mercedes is parked outside my apartment building. And there, lying crumpled in my doorway is—

“Raiden!”

He’s not moving. God. Is he dead? Please, no.

I kneel on the wet pavement and grab his soaking-wet suit. I haul him upright. His face is ghost-white, and his lips are an unhealthy purple color. When he opens his eyes, I breathe a sigh of relief until I see how unfocused they are.

“Raiden? Hey! It’s me.” I frame his damp, cold face in my hands, wiping away the rain.

“Sorry… about this. D-didn’t know where else to go.”

I kiss him, curling my hand in his hair. “That’s fine. Hey, you know you can trust me. Right?”

Raiden closes his eyes, chin slumping to his chest.

“Get up. Come on, let’s get you inside.” I drape his arm over my shoulder, and on the count of three, I stand.

Once we’re upstairs, I unlock the door and heave us both through the threshold. My brain is buzzing, chest tight with panic, hands shaking. What do I do? I can’t call an ambulance. The police will want to know what happened, and Raiden could get in trouble.

“What can I do?” I escort him to the couch. “Is there someone I can call?” Once he’s sitting on the sofa, I take his hand. “Raiden? Hey!” He’s on the verge of passing out. And that’s when I see it, a black hole in his forearm. His sleeve has been ripped off, bearing the grisly injury. Black veins crawl up toward his shoulder.

“R-Raiden?” I whimper and clear my throat. “Uh. That doesn’t look good.”

“S’not. Aconite.”

“Wolfsbane? Isn’t that deadly to werewolves?”

He nods stiffly.

Oh, no. I rock back on my ankles, heart racing out of control.

“What do I do?”

“Gotta get the b-bullet outta me,” he croaks. “Or I’m dead.”

“Sh-shouldn’t a professional do this?”

“No time.” He shakes his head. “Gotta be you. Once the bullet… is out… my body will do the rest.”

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