“You… you really think you could beat me up with your little human body? My dog weighs more than you,” I say.
He smiles at me, and I’m happy to see it reaches his eyes. “Good. I like it when you’re a dick.”
“That’s just because you’re a pervert.”
“At least I didn’t show up in a crop top.”
I look down and realize that I’m still wearing the shirt I’d ripped to tie up his arm. It’s showing a good span on my stomach. “Just wanted to feed your fetishes.”
“Good. Thank you. I like having my fetishes fed.”
He pulls open the car door and sits on the seat. When he thinks I’m not looking, he pulls his right leg in before tugging the door shut. By the time I get inside, he’s already damn near making out with my dog. Artemus hates everyone yet here he is, stuffing his head into the front seat, tail whapping against the back seat.
“I don’t know what you’ve done to my dog, but he hates it,” I say.
“He does not,” he says as he continues to kiss Artemus’s wiry-haired muzzle.
“I’m sorry I left you alone. I should have stayed with you.”
Finn looks over at me with a raised eyebrow. “Seriously? That would have just been stupid. If you managed to flush him out, I could have grabbed him.”
“Yeah, but after that.”
“What, when you went to figure out how to get the sprinkler on that kept more people from dying? Marcus… I’ve been like this since I was sixteen.”
“You lost your leg too, didn’t you?”
He hesitates. “You can tell?”
“Just because I was paying attention.”
“Yes… I did. But… I made it through training like this. I still went through all the same assessments as everyone else. I proved that I could do it. So don’t treat me like I’m glass.”
“I won’t,” I say as I back out of the driveway. “What happened?”
“Car accident.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. I promise I’m fine like this. I can still do my job. I’m still strong enough to do it all.”
I stop at a light and turn toward Finn, noting how tightly his jaw is clenched. “I know, but I’m still going to tell you you’re just a human and should be playing with other humans.”
“Good. But I won’t. I’m stubborn as fuck.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“So… did you get any more info? How many casualties?” he asks.
“Seven dead… six humans and one vampire. I’m not sure if I’m shocked about their deaths or that there are only seven after that. Many more have been wounded, but I think it was such chaos that the vampires didn’t have time to just latch on to one victim. It also looked like most were really fighting it. Two of the dead were killed by the humans that started it, we believe. I did manage to stop the man who I believe is working with Grady, but during the chaos, he was attacked by a vampire and lost a lot of blood. They transported him to a hospital, so hopefully he’ll come out of it so we can interrogate him.”
“Good! I’m glad we at least got something out of this mess.”
“Me too.”
I pull into the driveway of his house and shut the car off.
“Oh, I’m fine. Thanks for driving me. Bye, sweetie pie.”
For a moment, I think he’s still talking to me until I realize he’s cooing at the dog and making out with him some more before pushing the door open.
Finn pulls himself out and just stands there for a moment, right hand gripping tightly onto the door. There’s a clear look of pain on his face. I ask, “Do you mind if I let Artemus stretch his legs?”
“No, go ahead,” he says, so I get out of the vehicle and let Artemus out. I don’t know if Finn realizes it’s an excuse to come over to his side of the car. Artemus is excited to be out and frolicking around in a new yard as I walk over to the other side of the car.
“Can I help you?” I ask quietly.
“No, I’m fine.”
He’s such a stubborn man. I’ve literally never met such a stubborn and pesky human in all my years.
I fold my arms over my chest as he defiantly looks up at me. “What if… now hear me out. What if I put you in a fireman carry with my shirt off?”
He stares at me for a moment before his expression breaks and he starts laughing. “You’ll carry me in with your shirt off?”
“If that’s what it takes.”
“Really, I’m fine. Just sore.”
I grab the bottom of my torn shirt. “It’s too late. The shirt is coming off.”
He doesn’t seem too heartbroken about this. “Fine, the shirt can come off, but you’re not carrying me.”
I slide it over my head and tuck it into my pocket. “Eh?”
His grin is good to see. “Okay, you do look stupidly nice. Like, do you work out at all?”
“No, I don’t need to. I was born perfect.”
“Ew.”
“Now what’s it going to take?”
“I want you oiled up first,” he says, his grin broadening.
“Well, I guess we have to go find some oil then,” I say as I reach for him, and before he can complain, I swoop him up into my arms.
“Why do you even smell nice? We just battled frenzied vampires!”
“I just smell amazing all the time.”
He sighs like he’s annoyed. “Do you ever just get tired of looking perfect all the time?”
“No, I actually just can’t help it. I’m just beyond perfect.”
“Then we get to your personality,” he says as I carry him onto the porch with minimal struggling on his part.
“I don’t know… I think I’d rather have a shit personality than be the size of a fifth grader for the rest of my life.”
“I think you are pure evil. I had this hypothesis before, but I was never really sure, and now I’m positive,” he says as he reaches over and puts the key in. I step inside and he waves to the living room where I set him on the couch.
Artemus rushes over to the couch and climbs right onto it like he owns the place.
“He thinks everything is his. Artemus, get down.”
“He’s fine,” Finn says as he wraps his arm around the dog and turns to him. “I like you.”
My phone beeps and I look down and see a text from an unknown number.
Unknown: When you drop Finn off, make sure he takes his prosthesis off. If he doesn’t listen, pin him down and force him.
“Your doctor is messaging me.”
Finn looks up in a fit of fury. “Why?”
“He wants you to take your leg off.”
“That’s just a suggestion.”
“I… I don’t think it is.”
He turns that look of fury onto me. “I can handle myself, thank you.”
I sigh. “Do you want anything to drink?”
“No, you can leave.”
“Since it’s so late, I was thinking I’d just stay here.”
“It’s nine.”
“Yeah, I don’t like driving in the dark.”