15. The Shots

2.29.20

James's POV (a week later)

I was tossing and turning in my bed when a light tapping sound came from the window. It has been raining for a few days at the least, so I assumed it was a projectile hitting the glass. The tapping occured again, so I climbed out of my bed. It was totally black in my room because the moon didn't shine through the clouds, and I had no clue what could be banging on the glass.

I opened the window to be hit by wind, rain, a blast of cold, and something solid slamming into me. I just managed to slap the window shut before I was pulled towards the ground. Every question that I ever had was answered when calloused lips pressed against mine.

"You shouldn't be here, Kody," I muttered against his mouth.

"I can't just leave you alone. I won't be caught, either," he reassured. It was still too dark for me to see him, but his body was wet and shivering against me.

"Where will you sleep?"

"With you. As long as your father doesn't come in, we'll be just fine."

All of my caution flew from my mind with the thought of his comfort, and I obliged to his demand. Who knew that such an elementary mistake could tear me apart straight to the core.

***

I awoke in the morning surrounded by Kody's smell. I didn't know what woke me until I opened my eyes. I realized that his warmth wasn't next to me, and when I sat up, my father had him in the corner with a knife against his throat.

"Put the knife down," I commanded urgently.

"You cannot be with him! He is the enemy, and he isn't even your pairing," my father responded sadistically.

"That doesn't mean that you have to hurt him."

"Well clearly it I don't then he'll sneak into here. This behavior is unacceptable, James. This little fling ends here and now."

"I don't care what you do if you don't hurt him! I'll do anything!"

"Quit playing the savior, James. It's your fault that this boy is in this position. If you had just listened to me then he would be safely on the streets. If you had just killed him the I told you to, none of this would have happened."

"You're right. I would still be unhappy. I would still crave care from anyone and anything. I would still feel utterly rejected. You're a bad person, father, and that light is shining through right now."

"I have so much leverage over you now. One flick of my wrist and his blood will stain the floor." Kody's eyes locked with mine. His were filled with fear, but strangely there was a serene look to him. He wasn't scared even with a knife against his delicate throat because he trusted me too much. He believed that I could save him even though I didn't.

"Don't do it, please. I'll be your slave if I have to, just let him go!" I begged.

"Too late. He was always destined to wet himself with blood since the day I saw him," he laughed darkly before sliding the knife across Kody's throat. It wasn't deep enough to kill him right away, but that was probably because my father's sadistic mind wanted him to suffer. Nononono, this isn't happening!

I pulled the self defense gun from my waistband and clicked the safety off. Before my father could think enough to move or fight back, I had put two bullets straight through his skull.

I crawled up to Kody with a lot of tears flowing freely from my eyes. "James... If I die, I love you," Kody murmured in my arms. I was frantically trying to stop the bleeding, but he was already weak and the blood wouldn't stop flowing.

"You will live! Kody, you're going to live!" I shouted forcefully while ignoring his weakening pulse. Natalie burst through the door with a doctor, and I temporarily praised her.

"Please stand back," the young female doctor commanded.

I crawled back because I knew he would be in better hands with a doctor than with me. Suddenly my mother burst through the door to see everything happening. She let the doctor through before walking up to my kneeling form. She hit me hard across the face, and I turned up to see a caustic look in her eyes.

"You killed your own father for someone worthless!" she shouted loudly.

"He was never a father to me. Honestly, Kody's dad was more of a parent to me in two days than either of you two in my whole life."

"I have half a mind to make sure Kody dies in there."

"Don't," I murmured while timidly lifting my gun.

"Now you're going to shoot me too? Do it, I dare you."

My hands shook horribly. "I won't just kill you without a reason."

"Oh I'll give you a reason!" My mother shouted before running out. I quickly stood and ran after her, and she stopped in front of the place that Kody was being treated. She shoved the door open and barged in while looking for any way to destroy my pairing's chances.

I caught her and dragged her from the room. I pulled my own mother down the hall, and took my aim. Bang!

As soon as she wasn't breathing, I just collapsed in the corridor. Nat was walking around looking for me, and when she found me, she sat me up.

"You need to get a shower, you're covered in blood," Nat murmured.

I stood up strongly and walked myself to my bathroom. Standing under the spray I thought about everything. Strangely I didn't regret killing my parents at all. The only thing I regret is not shooting my father sooner. Maybe Kody would still be alright if I did.

"James, whenever you're done, the doc has the results for you."

I immediately shut off the water and got dressed to be comfortable. My dead parents couldn't pester me over my appearance now.

Nat lead me to the doctor, and her grin face made me nervous. "He is currently in a medically induced coma. The blood flow to his brain was shut off for too long and it caused damage. I don't know when- or if- he will come out of it, but I will monitor him closely if you allow."

"Whatever it takes," I responded sadly.

"Pardon me for asking, sir, but it's important for if he needs something. Are you two paired?"

"Yes ma'am we are."

"Okay. He's in that room over there. Feel free to look at him and touch him, but don't pull any of the wires obviously."

I was next to him when I got a phone call. "Hello?"

"James!" Marcus shouted into my ear. "Have you seen my son!? He disappeared a week ago and I haven't seen him since?"

"Yeah, I've seen 'im."

"Where is he!?"

"Right in front of me, almost dead but clinging to life like the fighter he is."

"How did he almost die."

"My father slit his throat. Don't worry, I handled it."

"You say that so casually."

"Hasn't really taken effect yet, sir."

"Just call me dad."

My heart warmed up at those words, and I offered, "If you want, you can come see him."

"I would love to. I'll be there in two days."