IN FULL COLOUR - Dark Fantasy

Gabrielle

This time, I didn’t knock. He obviously needed medical attention and was too proud to ask for help, so I did what any future Luna would do. Step in and offer my assistance.

I followed his intoxicating scent mixed with a heavy pang of blood and found him almost immediately in the bathtub. If it wasn’t for my nose, I would have found him just as easily, since a trail of bright crimson had been left behind where he had moved.

The moment I stepped inside the tiny bathroom, his muscles went taught and items from a little bag he had clutched in his hand, clattered to the floor, one of which being a small plastic bottle with a clear, brown liquid inside.

The bottle slammed into the ground and rolled across the floor until it collided with my shoe. Although I was looking down at it, I instantly felt his gaze burning into me, travelling up my legs and lingering on my dress as I bent down to retrieve it.

When I looked up, he had already turned his face away and I could see his jaw ticking.

Axel had discarded the pants he had on, which now lay in a crumpled, bloody mess on top of the crisp cold tiles next to the bath. The bottom half of the tub was tainted with thick, red lines of blood running down towards the plug.

For a second, my heart skipped a beat, my wolf and my body protesting at the sight of our injured mate.

“Please,” he growled, “not now.”

I heard his words, but it didn’t affect me. My primal need to care and nurture propelled me into swiftly moving forward and kneeling next to the tub. Next to him.

“Wh-what are you doing?” He stuttered, eyes wide and trembling fingers digging into the edges of the white enamel.

I have never heard him stutter before but decided to ignore it, avoid his gaze and busy myself with tending to his wounds.

“You need help,” I simply said, reaching for the hose and turning the water on. I kept the nozzle low in the bath as I adjusted the water’s temperature and rinsed away the red streaks, watching it dilute and flow out into the drain.

“I can take care of myself, there is no need for you to-” he objected.

“It is my duty,” I said, finally looking up to meet his blues.

He opened his mouth to say something else, but simply closed it again. It was obvious that he didn’t know what to say and the conflict clearly showed on his face. I understood this, since he didn’t know me, didn’t trust me, but did in fact need my help. Some of the wounds were in the back of his thighs, well out of his reach. Not to mention that animal inflicted wounds always ran a higher risk of infection, and judging by the look on his face, he knew that too.

Finally satisfied with the water’s temperature, I lifted the nozzle and began gently spraying water over his wounds. The clear aqua instantly ran in red streaks down his legs, but soon enough, I was able to see the severity and depth of his puncture wounds.

I shook my head and moved from one leg to the other, being extra careful not to touch him.

Mansoor’s were filthy, unpredictable creatures, who were usually kept well away from us, deep within the caves of Lighthaven, Locke’s father’s kingdom. Its entrance hidden cleverly somewhere in the pit of the mountain ranges lining three sides of our borders. Dire Mountain pack was nestled in the arms of these harsh mountain terrains, with the only opening towards the east.

Towering, unforgiving rocky mountains, formed a large ring around our borders, aiding in protecting us from any enemies at our back and enforcing our defences, like a fortress carved out of nature itself.

Technically, Mansoor’s belonged to the Fae Kingdom of Light and Lightning, but they did not reflect light in any way. They were ugly to look at, driven by instinct and had the minimum brain capacity. High Fae, such as Locke, usually used them as guardians, watching over herds of livestock, such as sheep or cattle. Almost like a shepherd dog, if I had to compare them to something.

The Mansoor’s were taken away from their mothers at a very young age and the pups raised alongside the herd’s young. They grew up and played with the lambs like they were one of the same, the only difference was the lambs still had their mothers with them, so whenever a Mansoor got too rough with one of their young, the ewe would put him back in his place, affectively making them fear the adults within the herd. It seemed cruel, but it was a necessary process to help the Mansoor bond with the herd and make them believe they were one of them. By the time the Mansoor reached adulthood, it was ready to take on a lion to defend the sheep, would risk its life without hesitation to protect its herd.

They weren’t able to speak themselves, but they could understand their master’s, the High Fae. I never really asked how, but it probably had something to do with fae magic.

The claws of a Mansoor retracted into its toes, much like a cat’s. It was long, slightly curved and razor-sharp, perfectly designed to inflict pain and puncture flesh.

Axel unfortunately had been at the wrong place at the wrong time. He knew nothing about Mansoors or how to react towards them. Had I been in his shoes, I probably would have acted the same way.

“It is deep. I have to disinfect the holes, make sure it won’t get infected.”

Axel nodded reluctantly and pointed towards the tiny bottle with the brown liquid I had placed onto the counter, “you can use that. It is a remedy from my home pack.”

I smiled on the inside but masked my face to hide the relief flooding through me. He was allowing me to help him.

“Just prop the spout into the wound and squeeze,” he said, trying hard not to look directly at me.

I unscrewed the white cap and studied the opening for a moment before aiming for his leg.

“Here, let me show you the first one,” he said holding out his hand to receive the bottle.

I handed it to him, again being extra careful not to touch his skin. He showed me how to use the medicine by pushing the front end into the closest puncture wound, making sure the tip went into the tender flesh and squeezing gently, letting the brown liquid mix with the water and blood inside the hole.

My face must have gone pale, and I visibly flinched when he pulled the nozzle back out because a crooked smile found its way onto his handsome face.

“Are you squeamish?” He asked with a cocked brow and the most beautiful smirk I had ever seen.