“Hey, Polly, want to suck my dick? You don’t have those boys here to protect you now.” Bobby laughs.
“What are you doing here, Bobby?” Polly’s voice shakes, and I hear her swallow hard, letting me how scared she truly is. “Go home,” she begs.
“Oh, but I want to see where you sleep so you can fuck me all night long.”
“No. Now go home.” She tries to move away from him, but Bobby grabs her arm again.
I can’t take it anymore. I realize that I’m not supposed to bring heat down on the club, but I can’t and won’t allow a woman to be hurt by a predator. Polly manages to push him off and slaps him across the face before running in the opposite direction of the camp. I can assume that she doesn’t want to bring trouble to her friends. Bobby’s expression goes from anger to amusement in a matter of seconds. His laugh is a sinister one, and I know when he catches up with Polly, her life is over. He takes off after her.
Bobby runs past me, not realizing the danger he is in. I needed him away from the camp and other people. When I know he’s alone, I jump out of my hiding spot and snarl before sinking my teeth into his neck. I drag him back into the bushes where my claws start tearing into his vocal cords, preventing him from alerting anyone close to us. I rip his limbs off slowly, hearing the breaking of bones, tasting the metallic blood as I swallow. I tear his skin and muscles. My nose twitches from the scent of blood, sweat, and Polly.
Polly is standing here looking at me as she whimpers then lets out a blood-curdling scream.
268
Polly Lawrence
I move back toward the encampment when I no longer hear Bobby following me. Did he give up on me? I hope it is safe to go back to my tent for the night.
As I return to the camp, I hear a commotion in the bushes and smell blood. I hear a growling noise as well as something that sounds like someone cracking their knuckles. Searching, I see green eyes staring back at me with Bobby’s arm in its mouth. I scream at the top of my lungs and take off in the direction I came from. As I peer over my shoulder, this huge panther, which seems bigger than a normal one, leaps out of the bushes. I’d heard rumors of animal attacks in Detroit but didn’t believe any of them until now. My lungs burn, and I’m panting, trying to get away from this monster.
Suddenly, my toe catches a rock, and I start to fall, but I feel a pair of arms wrap around me.
“It’s okay.” I hear a deep masculine, calming voice. “I got you.” I turn around to stare into those eyes I’ve been dreaming about for a while.
“We need to get out of here and go to the police.” My voice trembles. “It could be coming after us, too.”
“It won’t hurt you. I promise. Let me get you somewhere safe,” he declares, and all I can do is nod. We rush toward the city, and I continually look back, but Green Eyes keeps reassuring me that we’re safe.
“Thank you. I don’t even know your name.” I don’t know how long it has been since Green Eyes rescued me, but it feels like hours since that panther was coming after me.
“Jackson Hughes,” he states.
“Nice to meet you, Jackson. Are you not scared of that animal?” He shakes his head no. “But Bobby was torn to shreds!” My body trembles as I cry. He doesn’t say anything. Why is he not more worried about that beast? “Where are we going?”
“My place.”
I stop dead in my tracks. “I’m not fucking you for protecting me from the panther.” My voice is harsh and direct. I cross my arms, staring up into his eyes.
“Did I ask you for sex? No. I don’t take it from anyone. If I want it, I’ll ask someone willing to give it. It’s a place to stay, no strings attached.” He sighs. “You’re freaked out, and I figured a nice bed and warm place to stay is what you needed. But hey, I can pay for a hotel room if that would make you more comfortable.” He begins pulling cash out of his wallet.
“I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be ungrateful, but Bobby was trying to rape me earlier. That panther had an arm in its mouth and was chasing me. If you hadn’t come by, I don’t know what would’ve happened. My nerves are shot. I’m scared.” We continue to walk in silence.
Once we get to an apartment building, Jackson enters the code to the door. We step inside and take the elevator to the sixth floor. Jackson discloses to me about buying two apartments side by side so he can have a large space without worrying about bothering any guests who stay with him. We go in, and it’s all open concept. We walk around the place, and I take notice that the only doors in this apartment are the three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
He explains our sleeping arrangements, “There is a bedroom down there that you can use. My bedroom is on the other side of the apartment. The main bathroom is near yours. I have my own, so there isn’t a chance of us running into each other.” I smile, realizing Jackson is trying to make me feel safe.
“Thank you. Do you have anything I can wear to sleep in?”
“Let me get you a t-shirt and a pair of boxers,” he offers, and I nod. He leaves to grab them, and comes back, handing them to me. “There’s stuff in the bathroom if you want a hot shower. I have some things to do at the bar, so I’ll be back in
