The Golden Rule

Chapter Twenty-Three: Silver Plate

JAMES

James' skin bubbled. It fizzled like the surface of soda pop, tickling his skin numb. This time, when he resurfaced from the blur of visions, he didn't even think about leaving the bed. A stunt like that would earn him a first-class ticket to eating the floor.

Just barely, James opened his eyes, but he couldn't untwist his face. There was a flash of another vision, someone crying in the corner and James flinched. A whimper escaped his lips as his whole body tightened up, ready for another beating. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't. No more visions. They bludgeoned his head and bruised every inch of his brain. He was a pair of jeans thrown into the dryer one too many times and then, he was beaten with rocks, ripped up by scissors and thrown into a flaming pile of garbage.

"Are you awake?"

It was Elias again.

"Fuck off," James muttered. If he was forced to suffer, he'd rather do it in silence.

"I deserve that."

"You deserve my hands around your neck."

"That too."

James groaned, insanely annoyed by how agreeable this guy was being. He just wanted to shake him. Turning on his side, James could face Elias, who was leaning against the wall. He had his arms crossed as he bore holes into the ground. His blue eyes had their sparkle.

James sighed. "Haven't you done enough Elias? Just leave me alone."

They were quiet at first. Elias hadn't looked at James once since he woke up. He kept his eyes pinned to the side of the room. Chewing on a thought, Elias tightened his grip on his own arms. He finally said, "Back at the hotel, you assumed that I was a vampire. That's not true... I'm- I'm a werewolf." He shook his head. "Just not the usual kind with a pack and a family and a bond to the Moon."

"Is this your way of telling me you're a lone wolf?" James remarked, and Elias shook his head with a half-hearted laugh. Finally, he met James' eyes.

"Threatening to mark someone else's mate is a disgusting form of evil. It's not been my intention to pick sides. I just wanted to survive, like I've always done. I've been doing this job since I was a teenager. Back then, it made sense, but I... I can't do it anymore and I'm ready to retire, after one more job."

Quirking his brow, James found the strength to sit up. He shifted against the wall just, so he could dump all his weight there. He slumped. "Congrats. Why are you telling me this-?"

"How much do you have on you?" Elias said suddenly.

"Uh," James mumbled, reaching for his pocket. He named everything he felt, "I have my tic-tacs for kissing Eric and an old receipt for grocery store wine."

"You're an adult and that's all you have?" Elias huffed and swiftly turned around. He ran his hands through his hair, looking up to a God that may or may not be watching. All the other times, in different lighting, James could never put an age on Elias until now. He was a young man. It was his eyes that confused James. He had tired eyes, but in that moment, his baby face was showing.

"Help me anyways," James spoke up and pushed himself to the edge of the bed. Despite passing out, it was as if he hadn't slept in weeks. Every muscle in his body begged him to lie back down, but he fought it and took to his feet. All the weight in the world sat like a boulder on his back. "Start your new life now and help me just because it's the right thing to do."

James wasn't ready. His knees gave out, but Elias was there in a flash with a curse on his lips. "Dammit it. Dammit it all," Elias huffed and sat James back on the bed. Of all things, Elias chided James as he shrugged off his jacket. "I have an Oracle that can hardly stand with no shoes and a mate that'll probably kill me when he sees me and he says he wants a freebie."