2. VANYA: THE TALK OF TOWN

Vanya

My body was stiff but the slightest movement made pain shoot through my body. It took me a while to get my hazy mind working and after some of the fog faded, the memories came rushing back.

I had almost died.

Opening my eyes, I winced at the suddenly bright light that made little lightning bolts shoot through my eyes into my skull. I blinked rapidly and once my eyes had adjusted, I glanced around the small hospital room. I was surprised that my father hadn't made arrangements for something fancier.

My eyes dropped to trail over my body and lingered on the needle tapped to the back of my hand to keep it in place. The memory of touching the knife flashed through my mind.

I gripped the sheet and pushed it away before I started tugging the hospital gown up to get a look at my stomach. A square bandage covered the wound a few inches above my hipbone. I hesitated for a few seconds and then gripped the edge to peel it back.

Nausea made my stomach turn as I stared at the stitches. I pressed the bandage back in place and swallowed.

The door suddenly opened, making me scramble to push the gown back down but it only resulted in pain shooting through me. With a gasp, I dropped back against the pillows and squeezed my eyes closed.

I felt the gown being pulled down and then the sheets up to cover me again. When the pain had somewhat faded, I opened my eyes and blinked up at the man hovering over me. I wasn't expecting to find him next to the bed smiling down at me.

My eyes instantly dropped and color flooded my cheeks. I've seen him around their house once when I helped a friend out, and then sometimes at my father's parties, but I've never been so close to him.

"Vanya," he said softly. "How are you doing?"

"H-hi," I croaked. "I'm fine, thank you. Were y-you the one who r-rescued me?"

He shook his head and took a few steps back. "Ezra heard you screaming."

Ezra, what a strange name. "Can you thank him for me please?"

His smile widened. "You can thank him yourself when he comes to visit you."

"H-he's here?"

"Yes. I spotted him when I was on my way up here."

My eyes darted over him as he moved around the room. He was taller than I expected him to be and a lot more muscular. His black hair was messy and his skin tanned. Up close I could make out the exact colour of his eyes; I always thought that his eyes were a dark brown, but they weren't. His eyes were the most amazing colour I've ever seen and so inhuman-like.

"Do you mind if I ask you a few questions, Vanya?" he questioned as he turned to face me again.

I nodded. The man sure didn't beat about the bush. He didn't start questioning me right away, though. Grabbing one of the chairs that stood against the wall, he dragged it over to the side of the bed and took a seat.

His bluish-green eyes locked with mine for a few seconds before darting over my face. Was it my imagination or were his eyes lingering on my lips? I licked them and winced. I had completely forgotten about my split lip.

"What exactly happened last night?"

I swallowed and turned my head to stare at the door across the bed. "I went out for some . . . fresh air." No way was I telling him that my underwear was giving me wedgies. "I heard a sound and when I turned around the man was there behind me. He grabbed me before I could run and dragged me further into the darkness."

"You tried to fight him?"

"Not until he started touching me." My eyes dropped to my lap. "I saw the knife when I saw him. When he grabbed me, he pressed it to my neck and it made me freeze."

"Did he—" he stopped and cleared his throat. "You said he touched you. Did he rape you?"

"No." My eyes darted up to his but quickly dropped again. "He started groping me and that's when I started fighting."

"You didn't see his face?"

"No. I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for," he said softly. "I'm glad that you are okay."

The chair creaked when he moved but he didn't get up. He only leaned forward and stared down at the floor with a frown. It didn't look like he was in any hurry to leave and somehow I liked it.

My head snapped up when the door opened and my eyes widened.

"You're awake," Ezra exclaimed with a big smile. "Thought I might get you something to cheer you up."

He walked over to the bed and placed a plastic bag on my lap before stepping back. Biting back a smile, I opened it and stared at the contents. He had gotten me two chocolate bars, three packets of Jellybeans, and something else I've never had before.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, sugar plum."

"Sugarplum?"

"Is there something wrong with me calling her that, Devrim?"

My eyes shot over to the man in question. His eyes were filled with amusement and his lips were twitching.

"No, there's nothing wrong with it." Devrim's eyes darted between us. "I just don't see her as a sugar plum."

"Then as what do you see her?"

I held my breath as I waited for him to answer. Devrim shifted in the chair but he kept his eyes locked on me. His lips slowly tilted up into a smile. I waited and waited for him to answer but he never did. He stood when his phone started ringing. One glance at the screen had his smile slipping and his eyes narrowing. Muttering something under his breath, he swiped his thumb across the screen and pressed the phone against his ear.

"What did he do?"

I looked at Ezra when he moved. He was watching Devrim with narrowed eyes. My eyes dropped to his mouth when he started nibbling his bottom lip. His teeth were all white and straight—no sign of any sharp teeth. Another memory hit; one where he had his body, well animal body, pressed against mine. Chest to chest with his body vibrating against mine as he purred.

"You can purr." I snapped my mouth shut as soon as the words fell from my lips.

I needed to tune my brain-to-mouth filter before I utter something else that would embarrass me or someone else.

Ezra smiled at me. "I can do a lot of things."

"Like what?" I questioned before I could stop myself.

His eyes were a shade darker than Devrim's but they were similar in height, although Ezra was a little less muscular and his hair a bit shorter.

"Is he your brother?" I asked.

"Who? Devrim?" I nodded. "No, we're not related."

"You seem close."

His smile slipped slightly. "We are. When you go through what we've been through—" he broke off. "I'd die for him and I know he'd do the same for me."

I didn't know what to say to him so I only gave him a small smile and looked away. I had two Hybrids in my hospital room and one of them stood within touching distance. Why wasn't I scared or freaking out like most people usually did? Maybe it had something to do with one of them having saved me.

"Ezra?" His eyes were already on me when I looked at him. "Thank you for rescuing me."

"I'm sorry I didn't get there a bit sooner."

I swallowed when he moved closer and reached out. I almost had a heart attack when he gently cupped my cheek and swiped a thumb over my injured lips.

"I should've killed him," he muttered to himself.

I leaned into his touch, unable to help myself. "I'm glad you didn't. They would've locked you up."

"It would've been nothing new."

Ezra dropped his hand and stepped back just as Devrim turned back towards us. His eyes darted between us before locking on Ezra.

"We need to go."

---

"Girl!" Charlene exclaimed, drawing out the 'L' as she stormed into the hospital room.

I gave her a small smile but it quickly faded. Smiling was the last thing I wanted to do. The Hybrid had to leave, much to my disappointment. I wanted them to stay so I could ask them all the questions everybody else was too scared to ask them. Once they left, the room felt so damn empty and a feeling I couldn't explain had filled me.

Neither my father nor Joy nor anybody else had come to visit me which wasn't something out of the ordinary. I knew better than to expect my father to drop everything and visit me in the hospital. My father was a very busy man.

"Are you dying?"

"Not yet," I told her. "Aren't you suppose to be at work?"

She rolled her eyes as she took a seat on the bed near my feet. "I'm on my lunch break. I would've come to visit you tonight so I could stay longer but then I saw this."

I stared down at the folded newspaper she held out towards me before looking up at her with a raised eyebrow. When I didn't take it from her, she sighed and unfolded it before throwing it onto my lap.

"Your name is on everybody's lips."

"Are you serious?"

I stared down at the newspaper in dismay. The talk of the town? I hated being thrown into the spotlight. Everybody knew my father which meant that I couldn't do anything without word getting back to him. Like that one time when I got caught in Bobby's truck after prom.

The headline on the front page read:

***MAYOR REEVES'S DAUGHTER RESCUED BY HYBRID

Beneath it was a photo of Ezra holding me against his chest. I was unconscious with the knife sticking out of my stomach and my dress soaked in blood.

"I heard he was completely naked," Charlene muttered. "Apparently the man's hung"—she made a crude gesture—"if you know what I mean."

My eyes widened. "You can't be serious!"

"I kid you not," she said. "I heard from Joy herself." Charlene pulled a face. "Well, not from her directly but I heard her talking to her friends. The man was completely naked when he carried you into the room.

I stared at the photo. What she was saying could be true based on the photo. His torso was bare but that was about it. Whoever took the photo didn't include the lower half of his body. I can't believe I missed it!

"He was in . . . animal form when he attacked the man," I said.

She gasped and leaned forward. "You saw him in animal form?"

"Not r-really." I placed the newspaper aside. "It was too dark to see anything but I heard him."

"Tell me everything."

I told her most of what happened but kept out the part where he had purred. That part and the one where he called me 'sugar plum' and brought me candy.

"I can't believe you met them."

"Neither can I."

Charlene stayed for a few more minutes and filled me in on all the town gossip before she left. When the door closed behind her, I picked up the newspaper again and stared down at it.

Photos never did them any justice.

Blowing out a breath, I folded the paper and placed it on the bedside table. What else was being said about me? What was father making of all this? What were they saying about the man who rescued me?