"Good.Now go get the car because once I remove my claws, there will be a lot of blood, and you'll want to be on your way as soon as possible, not have to walk to where you parked it."
Chann walked out between the trees in human form.He was dressed in a pair of jeans and nothing else, his bare feet moving soundlessly over the frost-covered ground.
"Make sure she doesn't disappear."He met Chann's gaze and nodded to Mrs.Dusan, who was rushing down the road.
Franklin let out a breath and glanced at Axar.He was pale, and his eyes were wide, but he didn't look as if he was about to interfere.
Time moved at a snail's pace.When headlights finally slid over them, Franklin allowed some tension to melt away.
Chann appeared next to the car when it stopped and opened the passenger door."Ready."
Franklin nodded, walked down the stairs while still holding Axton close to his body.He spoke low near his ear.
"What I told her goes for you, too, understood?"
Axton gave one short nod.
"It would be a pleasure to kill you after what you've done to Axar.A pleasure, I want you to remember that.The only reason you're alive is because Axar would be upset if I ripped your guts out.You don't deserve his empathy, but he's a kind man.The biggest fault of kind men is how they care about people despite them not deserving it.But I'm not a kind man."
Then he removed his claws from the flesh, and Axton screamed.Franklin helped him into the passenger seat and gave Mrs.Dusan one last look before closing the door.
When the car drove off, he blew out a breath and dropped his shoulders.As he looked toward the house and Axar, he found him still standing naked on the doorstep and hurried over.He wrapped his arms around him."Are you okay?"His skin was chilled by the night air.
"Will he live?"
Franklin held in a sigh."Yeah, I'm pretty sure he will."
Axar nodded, but he looked lost.Franklin kissed his forehead."I'm sorry."
He shook his head."No, I...eh...get it.You needed to do something to make them stop."Then his gaze traveled to Addox."He's overwhelmed.He needs to be somewhere quiet for a few days."
Elvin moved off Addox and shifted.
"Can he stay with you for a while?"Franklin met Elvin's gaze.
Elvin shrugged."I guess."Then he focused on Axar."Anything I need to do?"
Axar shook his head, then shook his entire self and stood a little straighter."No, he needs not to be touched, not to be around sounds--no music, no TV, no people, and so on."
"As if he has a migraine?"
Axar pursed his lips."I don't know.I've never had a migraine."
"No sounds, no lights, no nothing."Elvin nodded.
"He's fine with lights."
Addox still hadn't moved from the ground.Was he...catatonic or something?
"Can I touch him to move him?"Elvin's gaze moved between Axar and Addox.
"Yeah."Axar dragged it out."If you don't, he'll lie there for a few hours."He glanced at Franklin."Or we can carry him into the guest room."
Franklin smiled."Elvin lives in the middle of the forest."He gestured in the direction of Elvin's house."More in the middle of the forest than we do.There are no sounds other than forest sounds."
Axar gave a slow nod."Okay, maybe it would be better."He grimaced.
"Can I borrow your car?"Elvin looked at Franklin."I ran here."
