“Kiss me.”
I glanced around the circle. Everyone seemed overly interested in how I was going to respond.
“Tongue optional,” he added. “I’ll leave that up to you. Although, I’d bet a few coins that you’ll slip it in.”
Eleanor gripped my forearm. “You don’t have to. I’m sorry, I should have never?—”
I brushed her off and stood. “You want to kiss me so damn bad, well, let’s have at it.” I smacked my chest. Riot stood slowly and stepped over to me.
“Show me, pretty boy, what made Eleanor run away with you.”
I took hold of Riot’s face and yanked him to me. I crushed my lips down on his and pulled away an instant later. I held him for a moment and then suddenly, the room around us disappeared, and it was only Riot and I. His eyes were a hazel that was more green than brown. He was handsome, and rugged, and— my mind went blank as I closed my eyes and kissed him again.
Riot’s lips were different than any woman’s; they were soft, but his stubble rubbed against my stubble in an interesting tickle. His lips parted and my mouth matched his movements, my tongue darted between his lips, searching for his. They tangled in a delicious mess. He tasted of liquor and cigarettes. I groaned and pressed my body against his. I was hard. I couldn’t help it. The memory of his mouth on my cock earlier returned to the forefront of my mind.
I vaguely remembered that we weren’t the only ones in the room, but I didn’t care. I suddenly couldn’t give two thoughts about what Eleanor was thinking, or if she was upset. Right now, I needed more of Riot. Finally, someone cleared their throat loudly and we pulled apart.
I took a deep breath and looked at Riot. We were the same height. I loved that. He was my equal in every way, and I couldn’t wait to?—
“You hurt her feelings,” Bonnie said, her tone mocking.
I blinked and looked around the circle. Eleanor was gone.
“What?”
“You were too busy making out that you didn’t see your little real life doll run out of the house.” Cherry rolled her eyes. “Jesus, Riot, what are you doing?”
“Mind your fucking business, Cherry,” Riot grumbled and shifted his jeans. I adjusted my cock as well and stormed out.
“Eleanor! Come back and let me explain!”
“Go away!” She cried off in the distance. I started in that direction, calling to her, begging her to stop running. I could see her shadow heading into the junkyard. She pushed through the creaky gates, and a low growl came, followed by a pair of glowing green orbs.
Two pairs.
They blinked and moved fast.
“Eleanor! Stop!” I screamed, but she didn’t listen. I looked around, searching for something to use to fight whatever was in the junkyard. Against a stack of milk crates was a baseball bat. I snatched it up and examined it. The bat had barb wire wrapped around it tightly; this could work.
I sprinted after her, the bat over my shoulder, prepared to swing.
“Eleanor!” I called again. But I couldn’t hear her moving anymore
Had the beasts already gotten her? What were they exactly? Where was Riot or Boone? Why hadn’t they followed me?
I broke out in a cold sweat as I tried to avoid sharp metal while still moving fast through the junkyard.
Nothing in here was organized. Tools and parts were everywhere. Wheels and motors were strewn randomly, and puddles of oil were every few feet. I was slipping left and right; there was no way that Eleanor could navigate this in the dark.
A low growl made me freeze and look up slowly. A beast with black fur and green, luminescent eyes stared down at me. Slime that matched his eyes in color dripped down and hit a piece of sheet metal beside me. It sizzled, smoked and ate through the metal, dripping to the ground and creating a hole in it. If it did that to metal, I couldn’t imagine what it’d do to flesh.
I inhaled deeply, trying to relax myself without taking my eyes off the beast.
“What are you?” I asked low, tightening my grip on the bat. I pulled back, ready to swing. It arched its back and hissed, exposing a row of rotting fangs. It lunged and I swung.
The bat collided with the furry beast with a thunk! It yelped as it hit the ground, but rolled to its feet and lunged for me again. I swung a second time. This time, it went flying into the air, hitting a car window. It shattered and the beast fell onto the seat. I crept over to it, carefully looking around for the second set of glowing eyes.
I peeped into the car. The beast was waiting for me. It saw my face and lunged. I swung, missing it completely, and instead hitting the steering wheel. In an instant, I was blown back by a loud explosion. I lost grip of the bat as the air bag deployed just as the beast was passing. Its yelp was cut off abruptly.
