Page 98 of A Soul to Touch

Her face grew flustered due to the lack of blood and oxygen in her head. Her eyes bowed in confusion in his direction.

Faunus was above her with his fangs parted in a ferocious snarl, threatening and warning, with his orbs a crimson colour of menace. Mayumi’s legs kicked, finding no purchase beneath his three limbs supporting him as he pinned her down.

She slapped at his hands before trying to pry at leastonethick and long finger from her. It was useless. He was too strong.Shit!

The burning ache in her chest intensified the longer she couldn’t take in a single breath, saliva collecting and pooling in the back of her mouth. Her throat made a clicking sound as she tried to take in oxygen.

He’s going to fucking kill me!Mayumi tried everything, but nothing helped. She couldn’t speak as her trachea and larynx were crushed.

She tried to look for a weapon, but there was nothing within reach.

Then Mayumi started to relax, her vision growing dim as black dots swirled. Her head was on fire, like it was going to combust.Sh...it.Her mind swam.

A rush of oxygen came into her lungs the moment his hand flung away, and he fell back. His orbs were white. She’d at least seen that before she rolled to her side and started coughing wildly.

He tried to choke me!

Faunus rushed forward, practically straddling his massive body over her much smaller one. She fit easily between histhighs as he placed his hand on the side of her face with more care than usual.

A whimper came from him. “I am so sorry, Mayumi.”

“Get the fuck away from me!” she yelled as she smacked his hand away. It came out as a hoarse whisper, since her windpipe and vocal cords were injured.

She knew it was going to bruise. He’d literally been squeezing the life out of her.

“What the fuck, Faunus?!” she yelled, only to go into a coughing fit. Her lungs stung on each intake of breath.

She fell onto her backside a small distance away from him. Her features were twisted into one of disgust and disbelief.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he responded, like his damn apology was enough! “You startled me when you touched my face.”

“That still doesn’t give you the right.” She rubbed at her throat to feel it swelling already. “Either explain yourself or get out.”

Faunus was shaking all over her. His trembling hands reached towards her before pulling back. His orbs were whiter than she’d ever seen them.

She didn’t care. Nothing permitted anyone to choke another person. He was a Duskwalker. She wasn’t blind to the dangers she faced – and that was part of what turned her on.

He’d warned her of blood, so if he attacked her for that reason she could forgive him. Especially since he’d openly explained that it would mean he wouldn’t be in control. His hunger took over his mind, clouded it so completely that he’d eat anything and everything in sight.

But this? There had been no blood. She’d done nothing more than tenderly stroke his face.

She hadn’t deserved it.

“I... thought you were someone else,” he said weakly. His snout pointed to the ground when he looked down, his positionon his knees utterly defeated. “I was confused. You know I would never intentionally hurt you.”

“Not good enough.”

Something had obviously happened to him in the past, but she wasn’t going to be some choking pole for his trauma. She had her own baggage, and she refused to take it out on him, or anyone, for that matter.

She wouldn’t allow a human to do this to her. Actually, she was more likely to chop a man’s nutsack off or punch a woman’s pubic bone if one dared to lay a hand on her – he would be given no wiggle room on this without a good explanation.

He was silent, his fangs opening and closing. Then he turned his face towards her... and she knew. He didn’t need to wear skin for her to know.

He’s not going to tell me.

“Get out,” she said, gesturing with her nose at the door. “Get out and don’t come back. If you can’t even respect me enough to give me an explanation, then I don’t want you here. Don’t protect me anymore, don’t watch me anymore. Go somewhere else.”

Her own words made her heart clench. She didn’t want him to leave. Just a few minutes ago, she was thinking about how much she wanted him to stay, but she wouldn’t budge on this – even if it was heart-wrenching for herself.

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