Free Dare by T.A. Foster Page B

right.” He reached for his belt buckle.
    “These used to be khakis, right?” I tried to joke, but I wasn’t sure it was working.
    Zac winced as he slid the pants to his knees. I couldn’t watch him struggle. “Let me help you.” I eased them over his leg, careful not to let the fabric scrape the wound.
    His eyes were locked on me as I concentrated. I didn’t want to hurt him.
    “So are you going to tell me how you got this?” I started to unwrap what used to be my shirt from around the wound. It was easier to access now with the shredded pants on the floor.
    His legs were muscular, defined by ridges along his thigh and tight tendons at his knee.
    “I don’t know if you’ll believe me.” His eyes were fixed on my hands as I cleaned the gash.
    “Try me.” The bleeding had almost stopped.
    “You promise not to tell anyone?” he asked.
    “I promise.”
    “I saw her.” He grimaced. I wiped a little too hard on the cut.
    “Saw who?” I tried to focus.
    “Her. The she-panther.”
    “Did you hit your head too?” I tried to joke.
    “No, it was the second time actually. The first was two nights ago. She saved me, I think.”
    “From what?” I asked.
    “The beast that did this to me. He attacked me Thursday night and gave me these.” He unbuttoned his shirt, revealing scratches that were still freshly pink. “She jumped between us then, but tonight it was like he was taunting her. She was there, but he ripped into me anyway.”
    I was amazed that he had been able to pick up on my exchange with Noah. Of course, he didn’t understand our language, but he knew we were arguing.
    I took the tube of glue in my hand. I wasn’t sure this was going to work. “So you think the she-panther saved you from another enormous cat in the woods in Sullen’s Grove?”
    He grabbed my hand. “I know she did.” He let go and let his head fall back on the pillow.
    “So, you’re not going to file a report or tell the police?”
    “No, why would I do that? Then they’ll just start looking for her or lock me up in a loony bin.”
    I breathed a sigh of relief. “But you’ll stay out of the woods, right?”
    “Hell, no. I’m going to find her.”
    “What?” I dropped the glue on the floor.
    “She’s not an urban legend. She’s real and I’m going to find her.”
    My head was spinning. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. I didn’t want him to get hurt again, and I didn’t want him hunting me.
    “Right now, I think you need some rest.” I checked my handiwork. It wasn’t pretty. I started to blow on his leg, helping the glue to dry faster. If the seal broke, he would bleed all over the couch and I might not be able to stop it a second time.
    “Thank you.” His eyes drifted toward mine.
    “You’re welcome, but this doesn’t mean I don’t think you should see a doctor. This is a serious injury, Zac.”
    “I know.”
    I looked around the room. There was a recliner. I grabbed a pillow and another blanket.
    “What are you doing?” His eyes were heavy with sleep.
    “I can’t leave you here alone. You could bleed to death.” I adjusted the pillow and curled on my side. “Just wake me up if you need something.”
    “This probably isn’t the second date you were imagining.” His words were slurred.
    “You get a do-over.” I smiled.
    “Good.” His head rolled to the side as his eyes shut.
    Tonight could have gone so many different ways. Instead of making sure Zac didn’t bleed to death, we could have been watching a movie after the festival, getting to know each other better like people do on second dates. I wouldn’t be worried that the Tribe had created this scenario to turn the people of Sullen’s Grove against me. I wouldn’t be trying so hard to ignore the way I had felt when I saw Noah strike at Zac. But tonight didn’t go that way.
    I waited until I heard his breaths grow heavier before closing my eyes.

    I stretched my entire body, arching my back until I felt my muscles ease. I