Chapter 28 – Butting Heads


    The stranger grabbed him, and Ezekiel couldn’t understand or entirely deny the sharp arc of electric awareness that caressed him all over his skin as the man wrestled with him.


    His deceptively powerful, wiery legs wrapped around Ezekiel’s hips, while his other hand snatched at Ezekiel’s hair, tugging at his scalp. Ezekiel sensed the strike that was coming next.


    The mortal was going to stab the needle into his chest. Speed and skill brought his palm up into its path. He crushed the mortal’s hand into his own, shifting the syringe and at just the right angle to keep it from shattering.


    The mortal gasped, his green eyes widening in fear as Ezekiel nearly crushed his hand. Ezekiel could have snapped his wrist or used his strength to force the syringe to burst in his hand and cut his palm open to teach him a lesson...


    But Ezekiel could still see that the mortal was not in any shape to take more damage. He saw the cut at his temple and felt the heat on the mortal’s skin, and just faintly beneath his overpowering scent was the smell of rot still coming from the wound in his side...


    So Ezekiel used his fingertips to apply pressure to the mortals’ wrist and tendons instead.


    The soft sound of glass shattering as it hit the ground came to him as the mortal gasped in pain and released the needle. But Ezekiel ignored it. He regained his balance, shook off the mortal’s hand, and pushed him soundly into the wall again.


    The mortal tried to scream, but Ezekiel slammed his forearm into the mortal’s throat and locked it there. With a soft gag, the mortal’s head and back slammed into the wall. While his legs remained wrapped around Ezekiel’s hips.


    Ezekiel used his body to press him into the wall and hold him against it with his own hips and weight.


    “Fuck...let...go!” The mortal panted, and suddenly, he was clawing at Ezekiel’s arm. "Fuck....fuking..."


    Ezekiel ignored the sharp bite of nails on his skin as he used his other hand to capture his hands, and finally, he pushed his arm behind the mortal’s ribs. Completely immobilizing him. The mortal pushed and struggled against him, but soon, Ezekiel had his arms shackled behind his back and used the wall to hold him in place. The mortal grunted in pain as the pressure hit him in his shoulders and undoubtedly in his stomach, but instead of calming down he went into a pnaic and tried to maneuver his chin downward so that he could take a bite out of Ezekiel arm that he had over his throat, pushing him into the wall.


    Ezekiel hissed and leaned into his arm, pressing on his throat more. The mortal wheezed, choking, untamable. “Stop! Stop right there! I’ll be damned if I let you sink those vicious things into my arm again.” Ezekiel told him.


    “Let go of me you asshole!” The mortal panted, his eyes staring down as Ezekiel forced his chin up was with his forearm. Angry gossamer green eyes glared down at him.


    “No.” Ezekiel told him...still talking softly as he cast the door a look to see if anyone was coming in. So far Ezekiel could see that ....no one was messing with the door, but he knew that he had to get the mortal calm before his family came bargaining things got blown totally out of proportion. Ezekiel leaned in slightly, still speaking in a whisper he talked up to the man. “Hey, please calm down. I’m sorry about this, but I had to stop you before you hurt someone... I’ll put you down now if you can be calmer.”


    Rather than calming down, the mortal bucked again. “Why the hell are you whispering!?” The mortal tried to shout around the arm pressed to his windpipe, but he only got out a short, harsh wheeze.


    “I’m whispering because there are some people out there in the hallway who don’t need to know about you attacking me again!” Ezekiel said softly and pointed with his chin at the small pile of glass next to his feet where the needle had shattered in the carpet.


    The mortal didn’t look where he indicated; instead, he wiggled against Ezekiel’s hips, trying to push him backward but only pushing their bodies closer. “Get off of me...” He moaned. “Why do you keep trying to stop me from running!?”


    “Well, let’s not forget your part in all this; you’re the one that keeps running when you see me....and it’s kinda in my nature to chase.”


    Ezekiel said to the mortal. “Now be quiet before you cause a big scene!” Ezekiel said as softly as he could... then feeling a shiver as the stranger pushed against him with his hips, he hissed at him. “And you’re the one holding on to me now...so YOU let me go, stranger!”


    “No....you let my neck go first!” The mortal shot back. The fever on his skin bled through the contact points between them into Ezekiels body as their freams leaned against each other.


    Ezekiels tried to ignore the picture that suddenly popped into his head of two spoiled children fighting over something. But more than anything else, the mortal’s scent wanted to take him over again. And the feel of the mortal’s body laid against him and wrapped around Ezekiels hips....didn’t help him turn the strange smell aside either. He felt his lower half stirring to life and stiffening. A slight shudder of awareness kissed his gut. He tried to focus on the stranger’s eyes instead of his body heat, and in their green depths, he could see the violence simmering beneath the surface.


    “Why would I let you down?” He hissed at him. “You’re not listening to me! You’re just going to attack me again !”


    “Yes, I am! What gave it away!?” The mortal bit off, still trying to pull away from him.


    Ezekiel snarled, surprised by the mortal’s reckless tongue. Then Ezekiel hid a hiss of frustration, feeling the mortal’s legs tighten around his hips tighter and not entirely disliking the sensation. “Well, if you think you’ll get another shot at me, you’re insane. So we’ll just be stuck like this unless you let me go and quietly get back into the bed!” He told the mortal.


    “God....I need another needle, or a knife...or a gun. ” The mortal groaned and put his head back on the wall with a small thump, but for the most part, he didn’t release his hold.


    “So...I guess we’re at a stalemate?” Ezekiel chuckled softly and pulled his arm back slightly so the mortal sank onto his hips a little heavier, and Ezekiel wouldn’t have to strain to look at him directly. The position of their bodies against the wall was awkward and far too close for two people who barely knew each other. With Ezekiel locked between the mortal’s thighs and his arm on the mortal’s neck, their chests and hips brushed as each of them shifted or took a breath, and as their eyes connected, Ezekiel sighed.


    “How does it keep coming to this Stranger? We have seriously got to stop meeting like this. As first impressions go...I’ve actually had much better, you know? I’m not a bad guy...”


    “Really? I don’t care.” The mortal mused, a sarcastic tilt to his words as he glared up at the ceiling and refused to look at Ezekiel or let him go. “Just release me...”


    “All though maybe I’ve had worse first impressions....you are the first one that has tried to kill me, stab me...bite me. ” Ezekiel shrugged, ignoring his rudeness. ” And trust me, I know you’re a little bit scared right now...but no one’s trying to bring harm against you, so if you could just comply with me....”


    “Shut up! Don’t  to melie! That big man said he was going to kill me, he sent you to do it!” The mortal grunted, trying to push against Ezekiel again, but he soon found that he couldn’t make Ezekiel step back no matter how he arched his back or squirmed, he was doing a twine and a push that almost made the Shifter curse because it forced him to roll his body to mainting his hold on the man. The soft undulation of the mortals body against Ezekiels was almost shockingly arousing, and the Guardian fought his body’s reaction to the man. He fought it hard.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Fuck I must be more pent up then I knew...


    He internally admonished the Shifter was more than confused by the wicked sensations he had to push away....he was not one to be so easily tempted. The dance of the mans body against his own just made him deeply aware that he  normally had more control.


    And most of all, He knew getting a hard-on at that moment would have been an unspeakable disaster.


    “Ah... you mean Mantilo?” Ezekiel gritted his teeth, then he pushed him flat against the wall again, holding him down more heavily to make him be still as Ezekiel shook his head and focused.


    " Well, I’m told that you upset him with rude remarks. He was angry and spoke out of turn, but I can assure you Mantilo won’t hurt you. I think we can all resolve this...”


    “No! He was serious!” The mortal panted, cutting him off. That asshole named Mantilo came in here and told me to leave...but I fell asleep, and now it’s a new day, and he sent you to kill me.” The mortal said with a frantic pace to his words...that nearly left Ezekiel behind. “So excuse me for trying to protect myself, but that Shifter with the yellow eyes brought the topic of killing into this situation first.”


    “Again, his name is Mantilo, and he’s my father, but he is also a very benevolent man! You provoked him. I can assure you he didn’t mean to lose his temper!” Ezekiel explained to him....hoping to get him talking more..


    “That makes no sense! I provoked him by not telling him my name!? Screw you and screw him...” The mortal grunted at him again, his expression of inquiry at odds with the shifting and moving the mortal was doing against Ezekiel and the wall behind him as he tried to pry his arm out of Ezekiel’s grasp.


    “....Oh!” The mortal cried a moment later as he relaxed briefly, gasping for air. Perhaps realizing that he couldn’t break away from Ezekiel’s grip, he glared. “I get it now...You’re the one that he accused me of trying to kill! I stabbed you or something?” he panted slightly.


    “Yes. You did some damage with a blade you were carrying, and now you’ve attached me twice in the last seventy-two hours....” Ezekiel tried not to hiss and sighed instead as he looked at the mortal directly. “But.....” he began. “Since we’re all adults here. You could let me go, and then we could have a nice calm conversation instead of fighting like this.”


    “Can we?” The mortal said back, his incredible green eyes turning slightly cloudy. “Mr. Teeth and yellow eyes seems to want me dead. I cant trust you people.”


    “Well, can you blame him?” Ezekiels muttered more to himself then to the mortal, but he still spoke loud enough so the mortal could hear him. “You seem to have a bad habit of hitting first and asking questions later.” Ezekiel hissed at him.


    “I like hitting first....it feels good. Its fun.” The mortal stated with a cold shadow in his eyes that made Ezekiel pay attention suddenly. ” Besides, it’s better than hitting last and regretting it, I say.”


    Ezekiel didn’t like the sound of that.


    Ezekiel felt that only someone with true combat history would utter a sentence so....heavily. So seriously. Someone who was used to exchanging blows and had taught themselves to be as quick on the draw as possible. Ezekiel had witnessed the stranger’s aggression and speed already. And somewhere in there, he had identified the skill that may have existed if the man wasn’t a sickly bunch of stitches and fever dreams, but he wondered what made the stranger so wild and reactionary.


    Who the hell is this guy?


    Ezekiel thought to himself even as he opened his mouth and sneered at the man bound against him and the wall.


    “Well aren’t you just a little black hole of aggression? What are you gonna do...just keep throwing punches until you get your way?”


    “And what’s wrong with that?” The mortal shrugged or tried to but only managed to lift one shoulder.


    “WELL, for one, it’s pissing off everyone you meet! You’re being rude too!” Ezekiel pointed out with a hiss.


    “Oh, that sounded like a personal evaluation of me...Do I detect a note of anger or maybe embarrassment in your voice?” The mortal said in a sickly sweet voice that made Ezekiel hiss up at him in annoyance.


    “Anger, I get...” He said, confused by the mortal’s choice of words. “But why would I be embarrassed here?”


    “Because I totally owned you twice now! I beat your ass up and down that hallway, Shifter. So come on, lets do this...” The Mortal laughed at him softly. Goading him. “I can win again. Perhaps you’re feeling a little sore over that? Big dominant guy like you can’t keep up with me? How sad for you!”


    “OH! Is that right? Well, let’s see you try it again now? I dare you...” Ezekiel challenged back, leaning in so close that he nearly brushed the man’s lips. His breath caught at Ezekiel’s proximity, and the fire in his gaze flashed with challenge and something like amusement. His scent was intoxicating, and his eyes beguiling and profound. This guy was playing all sorts of games with his self-control at that moment. Never before had Ezekiel been so tempted to take the kiss of another. To let his dominance and aggression free, to push on the man and make him submit.


    “Your quiet? Dont back down now? I dare you to keep pushing me...Your playing with fire....but you’re pretty hopeless in your current position.” Ezekiel said, glaring in his eyes and hissing as he let his fangs flash openly before pulling the stranger’s arm and shifting it upward slightly behind his back to drive home his point. The mortal gasped in pain and arched against him as Ezekiel put pressure on his shoulder blade, then released it a moment later.


    “I could have shattered your arm by now,” Ezekiel said sharply. “But..... let’s say by some miracle you manage to beat me? I guarantee you that you won’t get out of this room alive. They would probably rip you apart in the hallway.” He finished using his eyes to indicate the door.


    As if to punctuate his words, Lander snarled and kicked the door. “What the hell’s going on in there!” he growled. “What’s taking so damn long?”


    The mortal looked at the door, and his hands tightened in Ezekiel’s as he probably realized that more people were outside the door than just Ezekiel’s mother.


    “Oh? So you’re ganging up on me? What’s the matter, little man? You can’t handle me yourself.” The mortal bit off meanly.


    Ezekiel laughed, he couldent help it, and used his hand to tilt the mortal’s face to the side. The man whimpered from the hash act, then the mortal tried to snap at his fingers, but Ezekiel didn’t let him. “Oh please, Mortal. If you could beat me, you would have done it by now. You’re all talk at this point, and we both know it!”


    The mortal glared at him, green eyes clear and sharp as the challenge seemed to hit a nerve. “Let me go, and I bet I’ll have you on the ground again in no time.”


    “You know....? For someone that’s so weak, you sure do talk a lot of shit, but all you’re doing is hurting yourself.” Ezekiel hissed and slowly pulled his arm across the mortal’s throat until his hand was wrapped beneath his chin.


    “Listen to me carefully now. I don’t want to hurt you, and in your state, you’re hardly a threat to anyone. I could have broken you apart with my fingertips if I wanted to.....” He felt a wild sense of beastly satisfaction as he suddenly snarled, snatched Brandon up against him, and carted him across the room. Once he reached the bed, he unceremoniously threw him down into it. “Now sit down and shut up before I tie you to that bed. You’re supposed to be sick! No more attacking the first thing you see, got it!?”


    “I am sick!” The mortal coughed, putting a hand to his throat. “I’m sick of you people telling me what to do and manhandling me! Ever since I woke up your ugly face is all I see!” The stranger mortal snapped at him as he struggled to sit up on the mattress, kicking pillows off the bed as he did so. “Hey, are you listening to me, you blue-eyed bastard!! I’m gonna RIP your head off!”


    He’s so angry, like a little vowle biting at my heels...Dare I say it’s kinda cute and homocidal?


    Ezekiel internally thought, watching the man rail at him in a fashion that should have been threatening but simply came off...as entertaining?


    “Please...try it, stand up and ill put you back down.” Ezekiel snarled back, his smirk thick with the cut of his front fangs and his heart dancing with a small thrill.


    The Stranger tried to stand up suddenly....but a wave of green washed over his features and he was brought back down on the bed with an agonized cry. The mortal put a shaky hand over his side, and instantly, thick red blood bled through the material of his shirt. He nearly slapped Ezekiel in the face with the smell of it.


    “I think....” The mortal panted, pressing a hand into the bloody cloth and scrunching his eyes in pain. “Shit....I think I’m about to pass out.” The mortal said as he looked up at Ezekiel from the bed; his enchanting green eyes glazed slightly, but he froze the moment he looked at Ezekiel.


    And Ezekiel knew why. He knew what he saw in Ezekiel’s gaze....eyes more like slits than circles....a predator’s eyes locked on the blood smearing the mortal’s hands. And try as Ezekiel might, he couldn’t make the beast flowing into his gums and eyes go away, so he turned away from the blood. Dangerous. Foolish. He let his control slip and knew he had to pull away quickly. His inner beast roared in anger when he moved away. He tuned out its wild desire for the man.


    “Jesus, I’ve got to get a hold of myself. It’s unnatural! I don’t fucking crave blood!” Ezekiel said softly, ignoring the beast inside that was starting to urge him to go to the bed and taste the red blossoming on the mortal’s clothing. Run his fangs and tongue over his skin...Taste him...all of him.


    Swallowing dryly instead, he walked briskly over to the door and opened it.