Free Blood of the Pure (Gaea) by Sophia CarPerSanti Page A

him.
    And there, the creature was, too, just a few steps away from Michael’s group, standing with his back against a tree, watching them just like I did. I simply stood there, not knowing what to do. I recalled that Steph hadn’t been able to see him, but, even so, seeing him so close to Michael left me terrified. That same dark smile touched his lips, confirming my fear, and his purple eyes glowed with a crimson light. I watched as he raised his head to look at the treetop and, panicking, watched as a thick heavy-looking branch start shaking, almost like someone was jumping on it. And I knew immediately what he was up to.
    I ran again, not even thinking about what I was about to do, and bumped with all my might against Michael, pushing him out from harm’s way just in time; the heavy branch falling with a loud thump right where he’d stood a second ago.
    For a moment everything was quite and all I could hear was my own breath. But then worried voices started filling the air.
    “Michael! You OK?”
    “How in hell did this thing fall?” asked another boy, kicking the branch that was so heavy it didn’t even budge.
    “Hey, Michael! You’re bleeding!”
    I looked at him in alarm and noticed the thin thread of blood trickling down one of his cheeks. He swiftly cleaned it away making it easier to see the small cut on his skin.
    “It’s nothing,” he answered and looked back at me, smiling gently. “Hmm, thanks. You’ve probably saved my life.”
    A wave of warm blood ran through my body. I hadn’t thought of doing something as heroic as that. In fact, I really hadn’t thought of anything at all.
    “Ah ... it was nothing,” I murmured. “I was just walking by when I noticed ... I acted without thinking,” I confessed, feeling too embarrassed for being the center of attention.
    “Michael! You better go and disinfect that,” one of his friends advised. “You say it’s nothing, but it won’t stop bleeding. Stop acting the hero and come with me to the infirmary!” he practically commanded, holding him by an arm and helping him up to his feet, dragging him towards the north building. Michael laughed, filling me with that warm happiness that made my heart soar, and followed his friend obediently.
    “See you later,” he told me at the last moment, peering over his shoulder to wave at me, and I raised a hand, trying to respond but too entranced to do it properly.
    “Were you hurt?” asked a boy, who had been present during my shameful moment the day before.
    I blinked returning from my dream world. “Um, no, thank you,” I answered in an almost inaudible voice, standing up.
    He smiled politely. “Good. Well, I’ll see you later.”
    “Ok,” I answered once again, not knowing what else to say as he, too, walked away.
    The sound of a low laughter quickly erased all the feelings of warmth from my body. However, my anger spoke louder, overthrowing my fear, and I clenched my fists turning to face him.
    “What in hell do you think you’re doing?” I demanded, probably too loudly, since everyone that looked at me would see me arguing with a tree, and his laughter was replaced by an amused smile.
    “Really, really interesting.”
    “Didn’t you say we had a Contract? You tried to kill him!” I accused him, furiously. That he would kill me, I could accept. But someone else getting hurt because of me was simply inadmissible.
    “Oh well, so much drama,” he complained with a tedious sigh. “Let’s be real, shall we? If I wanted him dead he’d be dead,” he claimed with complete conviction. “I only wanted to see what kind of Human he is. On the other hand, as you so well put it, there is no Contract until you’ve accepted its terms.” He released the full intensity of his presence over me and, once more, I felt like I was being crushed to death. “But really. A Human like that ... you have quite the bad taste in men. Can’t see why any woman would want a man like that. However, it makes