Page 36 of Don't Bite the Boy Next Door
“Which is why you need to rest now, since you almost had yours ripped off.”
“Almost, yes,” I smile weakly. “If it had come all the way off, I’d be dust now.”
“Right,” he shakes his head. “Look, I’ve had about as much strange shit as I can take for a lifetime. I’m going home now unless you need me to take you to some kind of supernatural hospital or…”
“No,” I shake my head slowly, “no hospital. You and I will both heal given time and blood – and you are, of course, welcome to take all you need. My fridge is full, and I receive deliveries every week. But if I could use your phone, I would appreciate it.”
“I don’t have a phone,” he snorts, “if I did, I would have called rather than just coming over.”
“Why did you come over?”
“I wanted to apologise for what I said in the hospital and to thank you by way of offering to do up your attic. You said it was the only thing you hadn’t finished. I came at night because it seems like the time of day when we are both at our best, and frankly, I was finding the sunlight painful since my well accident. Of course, then it all went to Hell.
“Turns out, though, I did need the help of a neighbour-friend,” I smile wanly.
“Yes,” he sighs.
‘So, you changed your mind, you wanted to be friends after all. I’ll bet you sure as heck don’t want to be now.’
“If you need a message given to Pru or someone, I’ll go and use the payphone in town.”
“Please,” I smile weakly, “I’ll write the number.”
“Just tell me,” he shakes his head, “I have a good memory.”
I sit on the edge of my bed and recite the number, and the brief message I need him to give Serena. In a crisis she is the one I need by my side. Pru is always able to cheer me up, Charlotte I love and admire. But when I’m hurt, when I’m scared, when I need a firm arm around me and to feel really safe, I need Serena.
He repeats my short message to ensure he has both it and the number correct, and nods.
“I’ll see myself out.”
“Wait, Ryan,” I hold my hand out, “please,” I whisper, “I’d like to explain, to tell you about...”
“Like I said, I don’t need to know anything else. Goodbye Tess.”
He doesn’t wait for a reply, and I lay carefully down on the bed, my tears spilling.
It is fully dark when I wake from a fitful sleep to hear bustling downstairs.
“Serena?” I call weakly.
Heavy treads on the stairs indicate it is not my sister. For a moment I feel another bolt of terror that I have a new intruder, before the door opens and Ryan enters, carrying another three blood bags on a tray. My heart skips a beat when I see him. He’s wearing a tight black t-shirt and black army pants, complete with all the little pockets that Pru loves so much.
On his hip is a black belt containing two knives and a handgun. Another gun is strapped to his hard, right thigh.
I’ve never seen him look sexier or stronger.
“I thought you left,” I smile wanly as he comes close and inserts the straw into the bag for me.
“Your friend, Serena, is taking a private jet from Switzerland.”
“The Berrington jet,” I nod.
“She will be here by tomorrow night. She asked me to stay with you until she can get here.”
“Ryan, no,” I frown. “If Serena is worried more enemies are coming for me, then I don’t want you here – it isn’t safe.”
“You don’t have to worry about my safety,” he shakes his head. “I’m ex-special forces, a trained killing machine and apparently, according to your friend, fucking immortal,” he snorts derisively, “and I’ve been whittling all afternoon.”
