The hand that wasn?t littered with glass shards cradled her ribs as she stumbled towards the campsite. Just a little further? Keirra coached herself, her body trembling violently as she shuffled forwards. It wasn?t long before she made it back to her camper, and collapsed just outside. Her head reeling back as she tried to swallow down what was coming up. There was absolutely no fighting it, and soon she was creating a puddle of vomit right outside her camper. Her back tense and twitched as her stomach emptied its contents. Soft whimpers left her lips as her twitching body writhed. None of this wouldn?t have happened if not for the booze in her belly?not just the vomit, everything.
A gentle hand would find itself on her back as Mason kneeled beside her. He hadn?t yet fallen asleep, and her shuffling had stirred him from any chance of it. Once her retching and whimpering was heard, he was up and on the move.
Eyes went wide as she felt foreign digits fall upon her protruding spine. The earlier events of the night played over inside her traumatized mind. Keirra heard his condescending words and felt the pain all over again. Panic was quick to shock its way through her system. A hoarse yelp left her dry, cracked lips, and she began throwing her arms, twisting around and swinging at him. ?Don?t you touch me!? she hissed and threw a few weak punches.
The reaction was enough to surprising him, and then she was striking him. Mason had certainly been through worse, so instead of the natural reaction to hit back, he caught her rangy wrists and held them in place. ?Easy? Easy!? was hissed through his teeth, ?You?re going to wake everyone up? Calm down, kid??
Gasping inwards as her gaze settled on Mason. Her struggle had ceased the very instant she found the familiarity in his features. A quivering breath was let out; a single lyric rang over it, ?Mason?? Keirra said helplessly and stared with wide eyes. She began to pull her wrists free and settle down onto her butt. Part of her wanted to lean in and seek comfort in a warm, friendly embrace. That sort of weakness wasn?t in her nature, though. She was better than that. ?What?re you? A f-cking ninja?? she asked in a hoarse tone littered with sarcasm and bitterness.
The question was enough to make Mason chuckle softly, ?No, you?re the ninja? You?re supposed to be, anyways? What happened to you?? When she started to pull, he released her wrists only to take her chin in his hand. ?You look like you got into a bar fight.? A bit of concern took over his handsome features as he turned her face from side to side to examine it.
Keirra?s hand came up to shove his entire arm away from her face. Part of her considered telling him the truth, but the attacker?s words rang into her cloudy mind. ?Stop?? The girl whispered with a slight amount of annoyance. ?I did get into a bar fight,? the lie rolled off of her tongue as casually as the chorus to her favorite song.
Mason wasn?t buying what she was selling. He would have believed her under any circumstances, but a bar fight didn?t make people freak out at a single touch. A bar fight didn?t put that kind of fear in one?s eyes. It was fairly obvious that she was attacked, but that would be something he?d eventually have to run by Mark?because he had his theories. For now, he?d focus on getting her bandaged up because when she moved to push him away, he noted the bloody hand. ?C?mon, kid? I have some bandages in my tent.?
It would have been easy to be stubborn, to stumble into her camper and slam the door in his face. The guarded girl looked at him with all the hesitation in her eyes, before giving a slow nod. ?I?ll wait here?? There was a distinct wariness in her tone as her good hand held the wrist of the injured one.
Not an ounce of offense was taken, because he knew how she was?even on a good day, she was guarded. Standing to his feet, he nodded. ?I?ll be right back, stay put and take off that glove,? he told her and then moved for his tent. It wasn?t as if he had much to look through, so he was back in a moment with rubbing alcohol and bandages. ?I don?t have much, but this should get it cleaned out. Lemme see,? he said, patting his bare knee.
Extending her hand, she rested her knuckles on his knee and showed him the wound. Wolfish, crystal eyes stared him down as she waited for the pain. A bottom lip was taken in between teeth and feasted upon.
Mason watched her expression, uncapped the bottle and dumped it. The only thing he?d felt was the cold liquid hitting his knee, muddled with her blood. The sensation was enough to make him tense up, so he knew it would hurt the girl. Instead of coddling her, he took up her wrist and began wrapping it up. ?I got my share of injuries in my fights? I used to hate this part.?
A hiss left her lips the second the alcohol was applied to her wounds. Why was something so amazing causing her so much pain? Something snarky was held on her tongue, but it stayed. When the pressure of the bandage was applied, she seemed to visibly relax. ??thanks.? There was something weary in her eyes as a dizziness settled in her brain. Then she was beginning to slump over.
?Woah,? he said, trying to steady her. A hand slapped her face in a gentle fashion, but to no avail. He pulled her against his chest and leaned on the camper, brushing her hair out of her face. ?If I find them, I?ll knock their asses out,? he promised her, and then stared up at the sky.
A gentle hand would find itself on her back as Mason kneeled beside her. He hadn?t yet fallen asleep, and her shuffling had stirred him from any chance of it. Once her retching and whimpering was heard, he was up and on the move.
Eyes went wide as she felt foreign digits fall upon her protruding spine. The earlier events of the night played over inside her traumatized mind. Keirra heard his condescending words and felt the pain all over again. Panic was quick to shock its way through her system. A hoarse yelp left her dry, cracked lips, and she began throwing her arms, twisting around and swinging at him. ?Don?t you touch me!? she hissed and threw a few weak punches.
The reaction was enough to surprising him, and then she was striking him. Mason had certainly been through worse, so instead of the natural reaction to hit back, he caught her rangy wrists and held them in place. ?Easy? Easy!? was hissed through his teeth, ?You?re going to wake everyone up? Calm down, kid??
Gasping inwards as her gaze settled on Mason. Her struggle had ceased the very instant she found the familiarity in his features. A quivering breath was let out; a single lyric rang over it, ?Mason?? Keirra said helplessly and stared with wide eyes. She began to pull her wrists free and settle down onto her butt. Part of her wanted to lean in and seek comfort in a warm, friendly embrace. That sort of weakness wasn?t in her nature, though. She was better than that. ?What?re you? A f-cking ninja?? she asked in a hoarse tone littered with sarcasm and bitterness.
The question was enough to make Mason chuckle softly, ?No, you?re the ninja? You?re supposed to be, anyways? What happened to you?? When she started to pull, he released her wrists only to take her chin in his hand. ?You look like you got into a bar fight.? A bit of concern took over his handsome features as he turned her face from side to side to examine it.
Keirra?s hand came up to shove his entire arm away from her face. Part of her considered telling him the truth, but the attacker?s words rang into her cloudy mind. ?Stop?? The girl whispered with a slight amount of annoyance. ?I did get into a bar fight,? the lie rolled off of her tongue as casually as the chorus to her favorite song.
Mason wasn?t buying what she was selling. He would have believed her under any circumstances, but a bar fight didn?t make people freak out at a single touch. A bar fight didn?t put that kind of fear in one?s eyes. It was fairly obvious that she was attacked, but that would be something he?d eventually have to run by Mark?because he had his theories. For now, he?d focus on getting her bandaged up because when she moved to push him away, he noted the bloody hand. ?C?mon, kid? I have some bandages in my tent.?
It would have been easy to be stubborn, to stumble into her camper and slam the door in his face. The guarded girl looked at him with all the hesitation in her eyes, before giving a slow nod. ?I?ll wait here?? There was a distinct wariness in her tone as her good hand held the wrist of the injured one.
Not an ounce of offense was taken, because he knew how she was?even on a good day, she was guarded. Standing to his feet, he nodded. ?I?ll be right back, stay put and take off that glove,? he told her and then moved for his tent. It wasn?t as if he had much to look through, so he was back in a moment with rubbing alcohol and bandages. ?I don?t have much, but this should get it cleaned out. Lemme see,? he said, patting his bare knee.
Extending her hand, she rested her knuckles on his knee and showed him the wound. Wolfish, crystal eyes stared him down as she waited for the pain. A bottom lip was taken in between teeth and feasted upon.
Mason watched her expression, uncapped the bottle and dumped it. The only thing he?d felt was the cold liquid hitting his knee, muddled with her blood. The sensation was enough to make him tense up, so he knew it would hurt the girl. Instead of coddling her, he took up her wrist and began wrapping it up. ?I got my share of injuries in my fights? I used to hate this part.?
A hiss left her lips the second the alcohol was applied to her wounds. Why was something so amazing causing her so much pain? Something snarky was held on her tongue, but it stayed. When the pressure of the bandage was applied, she seemed to visibly relax. ??thanks.? There was something weary in her eyes as a dizziness settled in her brain. Then she was beginning to slump over.
?Woah,? he said, trying to steady her. A hand slapped her face in a gentle fashion, but to no avail. He pulled her against his chest and leaned on the camper, brushing her hair out of her face. ?If I find them, I?ll knock their asses out,? he promised her, and then stared up at the sky.