Page 11 of Starlight

CHAPTER SIX

Akai waited for the man to disappear from view as he went to his truck and hopefully returned. The rifle was propped up against the chair, so it was unlikely that the human was going to fetch a different weapon. That didn’t change the way he wanted to get up and disappear into the shadows.

Which was where he should’ve stayed.

Ugh. He’d nearly gotten shot the last time he’d been seen by a man with a rifle. To be fair the man had surprised him, and he’d barely had time to crouch and fake being a wolf. This time, he had surprised the man…

He should know better, but he thought the human might be open to watching the meteor shower together since he was aware he was being watched. What were the odds he was the kid from the car wreck?

The idea had never crossed his mind.

He twisted a little and smothered a whimper, trying to see where the bullet had clipped his arm. His fur was stained dark with blood and was burning unpleasantly. His wing was worse, as the bullet had ripped right through it. Every time he moved, his wing hurt. He didn’t know how bad it was, only that he wouldn’t be able to fly.

He lowered his head to the dirt. Even if he got up and hid in the shadows, he couldn’t go far. How would he get to Yellowstone? He’d miss the solstice party and catching up with friends, and he wouldn’t be able to sell his jewelry. He closed his eyes, trying to come up with a good option. Calling one of the monsters who lived nearby was at the top of the list.

The man’s footsteps reverberated through the ground as he stomped closer.

Akai tried to relax and pretend he was dying. It felt like he was, as his entire plan for the summer had gone up in smoke. All because he’d gotten too enamored with a human man. He couldn’t tell another monster. He’d never live this down. He wasn’t even sure what he’d been hoping for, only that he needed to be closer to the man.

Maybe he should’ve approached in his normal form instead of pretending to be a wolf. Though he wasn’t sure that would’ve made any difference.

The man kneeled next to him. “I didn’t mean to shoot you. I only have the rifle for protection, not to hunt.”

That didn’t change the outcome…though it was kind of his fault as wolves didn’t fly. He should have run back into the woods the way a wolf would’ve. If the human could accept he had done the wrong thing, so could he. “I shouldn’t have scared you.”

“I thought you were a hungry wolf…now I’m not sure what you are or what you want.”

“I am a mothman, also known as an owlman or harpy, depending on where you’re from. And I all I wanted was to watch the sky with you; you always seem so lonely.” The man gave his arm a prod, and Akai let out a hiss of pain.

“It’s a scratch. You’re not dying at all.”

Akai lifted his head and said mournfully, “The bullet went through my wing. I may as well be dead.”

“Oh.” The man was silent for a moment. “Does that mean you can’t fly?”

“Of course that’s what it means.” Akai rested his cheek on the ground.

The human frowned. “I don’t know how to fix that.”

“You sew it back together. I can’t see my own wing, but it doesn’t feel like anything is broken.”

The human considered him for several seconds. “Okay. I can sew it, but it’s going to hurt.”

Akai rolled his eyes. “It’s hurting now.”

“Can you take human painkillers?”

“I’d rather not. I have some in my bag.”

“Where’s that?”

“In my nest. Up in the trees.” Akai pointed with his other hand.

The man looked in that direction. “It seems like a bad idea for me to be climbing trees in the dark because if I fall, we’re both fucked.”

That was a good point. He also didn’t want a human in his nest.

“Why don’t I help you up and…and…” The man seemed confused about what came next.