Touch of Flame

Malachi came back home with Ruskan, covered in blood and stuffed with bullets causing the worst kind of pain. He knew one was obsidian, but what the hell was the other one that made him unable to use his leg normally? It reminded him a little of the one Ravina shot him with.

Aaron and Joel who were lurking in the dark appeared upon his arrival. They looked at him with shock and concern. “What happened?” Joel asked.

Aaron looked at his wounds. “Humans? Where did you go?”

Joel rolled his eyes. “You went to look for her. You want to get yourself killed for a woman?”

Malachi was not in the mood to talk and went inside.

“The woman is his breedmate,” Aaron reminded as they followed him in.

“Well then, I hope I never find mine if one turns into a fool,” Joel said. “Let’s take care of your wound. Or where is your breedmate physician?”

“Let’s not wake her up,” Malachi bit off, as he tried to fight through the pain.

Mara and Nako came to the hall upon hearing their chatter. Their eyes widened and Malachi raised his hands motioning for them to stay calm. “Bring me a knife and some alcohol,” he told them. “You two go home,” he told his brothers.

“I think you might need help pulling those things out. If you are not going to wake her then we have to stay,” Joel said.

Malachi turned to them. “Don’t force me to say another word!” He threatened.

They flinched back and retreated. Malachi went upstairs with pain threatening his vision. He went to his room, taking off whatever chemise he found to wear to the hunting occasion that was now covered with blood and dirt.

Mara came back with bandages, alcohol, and a knife. He motioned for her to put it on the bedstand. “Is Ravina sleeping?” He asked.

“Yes. Do you want me to wake her up?”

“No. You two have stayed awake. You can go home now.”

She frowned. “I should at least help you then.”

“I will be fine,” he assured her.

Hesitantly she retreated as well.

Malachi went and sat on the edge of his bed, just taking a moment to breathe before he could begin the painful process. Meanwhile, he could hear Nako and Mara downstairs contemplating if they should wake Ravina or just leave.

People really had to be difficult and not listen. Eventually, they left. Malachi reached for the knife, soaking it in alcohol before standing up to go to the mirror. He looked at the wound on the right side of his stomach and stabbed himself with the knife to pull it out.

After twisting and turning it and almost losing his vision from the pain he pulled the knife out again. This wasn’t working. He took a moment to breathe and recover before deciding to use his claws. He needed to grasp the obsidian to pull it out. It was more painful and he had to bite on a cloth as he dug into his flesh, opening the wound even more and causing the floor beneath to get covered in blood.

Oddly, he couldn’t grasp the bullet. It seemed to be moving around. He pulled his hand out, now exhausted from the pain. These people were getting better with their weapons. The bullet was deep inside. That was an improvement.

But who were those dragons? He couldn’t stop thinking about what he saw. And the human male fired at him as soon as he mentions white hair and blue eyes. He knew of such a woman? But again, she wasn’t with them at the moment.

Something was going on in this fight that he needed to find out more about.

“Malachi?” He was startled when he heard his name.

He wished she didn’t wake up as he was not in the mood to explain. He could hear the change in her heartbeat as he turned around. She looked at all the blood beneath and then at him. He had almost clawed out the entire side of his stomach and she was horrified.

“What is happening? What are you doing?” She stepped inside.

He went to his bed and sat down before he could faint in her presence and scare her even more. His head was spinning. “Nothing. Just trying to pull out a bullet. You are an expert, perhaps you can help.” She was already awake so he might as well get it over with.

He knew that she wasn’t fazed from blood and wounds, or even biting or shedding skin. She was odd.

She put her cane away and walked over. “A bullet? Where were you? Where is everyone? Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“It is just a bullet. Maybe if you pull it out first, you can ask questions later.”

“Right.” She said looking around for something. “Lay back and… wait. I need to bring some more tools.”

She left walking as if her leg wasn’t injured. Malachi lay back, his head swaying. His leg was numbing from the pain that shot up to his hipbone.

He took the beer he was using as a disinfectant and drank it to stay sane for the torture coming up. As he heard her footsteps getting closer, he prepared himself. She came to loom over him with a tray.

Malachi just noticed she was wearing a robe. He could see the small skirt she wore beneath but otherwise, she wore nothing else. The golden silk robe looked lavish against her skin.

“I don’t have optimal tools, so you will have to endure a little more.” She explained. She put the tray beside him and went down on her knees beside the bed.

Malachi moved his arm out of the way and she began by cleaning the wound first. “Is it obsidian?” She asked.

“Yes.”

“Alright, I am going to dig now,” she warned before the pain came again. He could feel the cold metal burning in his body, twisting, turning, cutting.

He shut his eyes, his jaw clenched so hard a muscle could pop out, and then it stopped.

“Is it out.” He breathed.

“No. It seems to be deeper inside. I might hurt you if I go deeper.”

“Just do it. I will heal.” He growled.

He wasn’t angry with her. It was just the pain speaking.

“I will try,” she said.

She began to dig and his head began to sway. His body shuddered and prickled with cold sweat, he could not help himself but jerk away from her.

“You have to be still,” she said apologetically but he couldn’t.

“Alright, just a moment. Malachi…” he wasn’t focusing anymore. He wanted to get away. His body wasn’t listening.

As a last resort, she surprised him by climbing on top of him as if she could hold him down even if she tried. She kneeled on his thigh to hold it down and then the pain shot all the way back to his spine.

“Oh God,” he could hear her say. “I am sorry.”

Malachi held himself back, afraid he would throw her off the bed if his body moved and then the pain lessened.

“It is out now,” she said not sounding relieved for some reason.

He couldn’t think about why at the moment. He just breathed in relief, knowing one bullet was out. The other one would be easier as it was located in his thigh.

“Will this heal?” She wondered.

He looked at her through the clouds covering his eyes. She stopped kneeling on his thigh and sat between his legs. She was looking at his stomach. After digging he could imagine what it looked like.

Wanting to assure her, he tried to speak in all the numbness. “It will,” he said.