The Hollow Moon (Downworlder Series, #2)

Chapter Thirteen: Part Two: Stitches

"What do you mean caught?" His gaze instantly turned to calculating and I pushed passed him, walking stiffly to the kitchen area. I was hungry and I was done looking at him.

"Caught as in some douche guy knowing where I live and taking all my shit or murdering me, caught. Also know as 'caught up'." I threw the words over my shoulder, trying to ignore the harsh pounding my heart was now doing. "Its slang, stinky. You need to really catch up on it because you look ridiculous." I didn't want this conversation to go any further. I shouldn't have said anything.

"Your deflection isn't working. What the fuck have you gotten yourself mixed up in?" There was a heavy growl to his voice and I waved my hand flippantly in the air.

"It's not your concern if I got myself caught up in anything or not." I didn't want him thinking anything about my past or private life was okay for him to stick his nose into. I could just imagine how chummy he and MacIntosh were. My past with MacIntosh was not something I wanted to have him ever know.

He let out a heavy laugh, one that was completely over the top and had me tensing, "Yes, rat. You're right about that. It isn't my concern." I looked over my shoulder at him to find him standing with his legs spread and his arm crossed over his chest, "Who gives a fuck if you get stabbed again? Or maybe whoever's after you will make a pretty little piece out of you. You're good with a knife, so I'm sure you know all the creative ways you could find yourself sliced and diced."

I watched him as he took a step towards me. I lifted my chin slightly, I wouldn't back down to his elitist bullshit. I knew more than anyone what type of creatures lived out there. "Been there, they've tried that. I'm still standing, aren't I? You have no idea of what I may or may not be in and I'm not saying I'm in anything. You are just jumping to conclusions like always." I rolled my eyes at him as I turned around and opened the fridge. My hand went to my wound as if instinctively.

He let out a low growl at my remark, "And you're trying to deflect with your endless chattering. It is an old trick and I grow tired of having to decipher the truth of your words. Either you are mixed up in something, or you are not." I rolled my eyes once more as I pulled out the eggs from the fridge.

"Deflect? A deflection would be me asking you if you want your eggs scrambled or over easy?" I set the eggs on the counter before grabbing the cheese and putting it beside the eggs. "However I was simply replying to your reiteration that people want to kill me. As if I didn't already know that. I am a filthy little rat after all." I closed the fridge as I moved towards the stove.

I could feel his heavy stare on my back as he watched me closely, "Yes, there are lots of people that would like to see your blood painting the streets of this slum." I could hear the calculative tone in his voice. I could practically hear the wheels in his brain turning.

I let out a small snort of derision as I pulled the frying pan from its hiding spot. "No shit, Sherlock. Wanting to go finger painting with them using mongrel blood?" I flicked on the burner and gave a humorless laugh as I set the frying pan on it. "Who knows, maybe that asshole I gutted was one of your finger painting buddies. Should I apologize for it or are you just gunna give me a lecture about little rats in traps that poorly disguises the fact you worry about a filthy blooded mongrel?" It was becoming glaringly apparent he did. I was in pain and my mind was fuzzy at times but I wasn't stupid. Anyone who gave lame excuses to keep me alive and grew that angry at me for not coming back to the apartment was worried.

He let out a snort, "As if I would spend time with a fucking monkey. I am a solo artist, rat. My works are one of a kind and I am the only one allowed to take credit for them. I don't let others paint with me, especially not baboons who walk around with their thumbs up their asses all day." And there was a Grade A deflection if I had ever seen one. I wondered if that deflection was Revan speak for 'You are right but I will never fucking admit it.'.