Page 34 of Inhuman Nature

He banged on the door, hoping the racket would hurry Lawrence up. “Please, Master, I’ve done what you told me.”

Lawrence made him wait. After what felt like an age, Shaun heard Lawrence’s light footsteps as he neared the door.

Shaun readied himself. One chance was all he had.

As Lawrence walked into the room, momentarily distracted by the sight of the woman covered in blood, Shaun sprang. He timed his jump perfectly, landing on Lawrence’s back and throwing the chain around his neck.

As Lawrence tried to pull the chain away, his claws scratched deep scores into Shaun’s forearms. When Shaun tightened his grip, Lawrence lumbered backwards, smashing them both into the wall so hard that Shaun’s head cracked against the stone. If he were still human, he had no doubthe’d be dead from the blow. Even as his vision blurred, he held firm.

All he had to do was break Lawrence’s neck. He hadn’t thought it would be this difficult.

Shaun’s back screamed in agony as it scraped against the wall, reopening the unhealed wounds Lawrence’s whip had left. Gritting his teeth, he forced Lawrence’s head up into an unnatural position.

Lawrence screeched as Shaun pulled harder until there was a sharp snap. Then, silence.

Lawrence went limp, dropping them both to the ground.

Shaun moved as quickly as he could. He wasn’t sure how long Lawrence would be out, but it wouldn’t be long. Running to the woman, he scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder.

He deposited her on the sofa in the living room before running to his room to dress. He could hardly run around the city all bloodied and naked.

When he came back downstairs, he wrapped her in a blanket, relieved when she stirred. Concerned she still might die, he ran them to the closest hospital. The numerous wounds his body sported slowed him down, but he managed to stay out of sight of any humans.

By the time he laid the woman down near the hospital entrance, she was awake. She looked up at Shaun with a mix of horror and revulsion and then passed out again. He hoped someone would find her soon.

He retreated to the closest park, hiding in the shadows as he watched the lightening sky. Leaning against a tree to keep himself upright, he wondered where the hell he wassupposed to go now that he couldn’t go back to Lawrence.

Maybe he should just let the sun take him. It would be a far quicker death than Lawrence would grant him.

Before he had time to decide, a weight crashed into him, throwing him off his feet. He twisted on the ground to see Lawrence swinging a fist at his face. Shaun threw up a hand, blocking the blow.

Lawrence bared his fangs in a snarl. “I’m going to make you regret you were ever born.”

Shaun tried to buck Lawrence off where he’d pinned him down, but Lawrence was so much bigger. Despite the dire situation, the urge to fight—tosurvive—rose in Shaun. If he was going to go down, he’d go down fighting.

Lawrence scraped his talons down the side of Shaun’s face, close to his eye. In retaliation, Shaun dug his claws into Lawrence’s neck, right over the chain-bruised skin. Lawrence had recovered fast, but he’d still be vulnerable there.

With a cry, Lawrence jumped backwards off of Shaun, pressing his hand to his bleeding throat. “You’re such a disappointment, Shaun.”

Shaun got to his feet. Exhaustion clung to him, but he ignored it as best he could. “Fuck you.”

Lawrence snorted. “I doubt you’ll be saying that when I rip you limb from limb.”

Shaun chanced a look at the skyline. “Well, you better get a move on. It’ll be light soon.”

Lawrence hesitated. “One day,” he said. “You get one day’s reprieve and then I’m coming for you.”

“I’ll be gone by then,” Shaun said, trying to goad Lawrence into staying outside for longer.

“I’ll see you tonight.” With that, Lawrence sprinted off.

Shaun did the same, not knowing where his feet were taking him until he sped down a familiar street. He had only a matter of minutes. So, decorum be damned, he ran right up to the door and pressed the buzzer for the flat on thesecond floor.

Chapter Nine

Rake

There was a bee in Rake’s room. He cracked an eye open to see if it was anywhere near him, but he couldn’t spot it. DJ shuffled beside him on the bed, burying himself deeper under the covers.