Page 25 of Primal Bonds 1
“Did you, now?” she asked, her brows raised. “You mind if I ask how often that was?”
“About once a month,” I said. “They said it was to give us supplements or something like that.”
“I see,” Frances said. “When was the last time you had the injection?”
I wasn’t sure why she wanted to know or if it was to keep a health record. I suppose I should answer her honestly.
I said, “About a year ago. I can’t remember the exact date though.”
“Approximate is good enough,” Frances said. “Thanks for telling me. Keeping a good health record is very important, especially for us beastkin. Right then, let’s get some blood tests done.”
By the time Frances took about six tubes, with different color tops, of my blood, Chase returned. He whistled when he saw the tubes.
Frances snorted. “You did say a general checkup, so I’m testing everything under the sun that’s general for a beastkin.”
Chase chuckled. “I’m surprised you didn’t faint, Shiro, with that much blood taken off you.”
“I don’t think I faint that easily,” I said. Except for when I was being fucked and beaten relentlessly by those clients and the street gangs. “And the tubes are small, so there isn’t that much blood in them.”
“I was joking,” Chase said, chuckling. “Now then, let’s get that X-ray done, and then we’ll let Janet take care of your injuries properly. Adam did a lousy job at it.”
I couldn’t help but smile at that comment. But I thought Adam did a great job at patching me up.
9
Adam
As he wandered through the back alleyway of this neighborhood—a small part of the Sullivan Clan’s vast territory—Adam wondered if it was always this dark and shitty. Granted, he and his team had never paid much attention to this section of their turf simply because it wasn’t profitable, but it was still their domain and they had kept it under check.
There were homeless here and there, curled up in their chosen spots, their beds for the night, keeping whatever small belongings they had close to them. Most of the ones here were beastkin, which wasn’t surprising because the Sullivan did not reject them, as some in other territories did. For beastkin, it was regarded as a haven here, if they could endure the constant hassle they received daily from the street gangs that had only recently become very active.
The street gangs that must be put in their place, Adam decided. Just because he walked out didn’t meanthey could go free rampaging about the neighborhood as though they themselves were the king of the territory.
As he strolled along the maze of alleyways, he was whistling his favorite tune, ones he made up to sound both pleasant to the ear yet eerie at the same time. Tunes he had always used when he went onbusinesslike this one.
A few homeless must have heard him—the urban legend that was The Beautiful Monster—approaching, and they poked their heads out, perhaps out of curiosity. The moment they saw him, they gasped in terror and hastily scurried back to their dark spots, hidden away in alleyways. Adam didn’t pay them any mind and continued on his merry way. Soon, he rounded another back alley. There, he headed toward the three gang members patrolling the site.
Since the street was dark, from a distance, one could only see the silhouette of his tall, lean frame, and the moment the gang members saw him, they were on the defense. One asked, “Hey! Who are you and what the fuck are you doing here? This is private property. Leave if you don’t want to get beaten up into a pulp.”
Private property? Yes, of course this was private property.Hisproperty. Beaten up into a pulp? He wanted to laugh at that. We’d see who would get beaten up.
Adam raised a brow. “I’m wounded you don’t recognize me.”
The man snorted and then said, “Recognize you?” He laughed. “What, you a celebrity or something. Why should I recognize you?”
Adam smirked and then said, “I’m no celebrity, butyou should at least recognize my favorite tune, idiot.” He marched forward, and with a swish, he slammed his mighty fist into the man’s face, sending him to the ground in one blow. Blood spurted out from the man’s nose as he lay there on the ground, already unconscious.
Adam turned to the other two, who looked damn shocked at what had just transpired. For sure, they hadn’t seen Adam strike, just him walking toward them and then…
One shouted, “You!” and lunged forward.
Adam was ready and easily evaded the oncoming fist by sidestepping. He then sent his own fist onto the man’s neck, followed by his leg to the man’s limbs, striking the man in one powerful blow and breaking the man’s bones in the process. As that one fell to the ground, unconscious, he swiftly swung his elbow back and smashed the other man’s face as he advanced on him. Adam rotated and kicked the man in the chest. The violent attack thrust the man back to slam against the wall of the building.
As the man slid to the ground, unconscious, Adam was already heading to the door. Inside, as expected, it was dark and dingy and smelled of alcohol and cigarettes. He descended the stairs to the underground basement, a typical place for street gangs to gather.
Here, Adam noted about thirty members. There was a group playing cards while others were doing cocaine and drinking and chatting and making jokes. There was another group located in the far corner of the room, cheering among the loud noises of chattering and thepounding of music, and Adam knew exactly what was happening there.
He had no doubt Shiro had been here before, at least once, and assaulted by these men, just like those two beastkin youth. One was a catkin and the other a rabbitkin, both tamed and weak, easy targets for these bastards.