Shadow Soul (Narun Book 1) Read online

  “That’s pathetic. Drink properly.”

  Who put him in charge?

  I lifted a hand to hover over my mouth as another wave of nausea gripped me. “I need the bathroom.” I hauled myself upright, my feet tumbling onto the floor. The world had turned into a carousel.

  I flinched as Leo’s arms came underneath mine. “What are you doing?”

  “Taking you to the bathroom. I’d rather you throw up there than here.”

  “I don’t need help.” I pushed at Leo’s general direction. “Get off!”

  He backed off, hands in the air. His mouth twitched as if he was physically restraining his tongue.

  I gave Leo’s one-bed apartment a hasty scan. It was plain, non-imaginative; probably came furnished. The kitchen was a small square opposite the bed. The bathroom was a few meters away.

  My stomach turned as I caught a whiff of the smell of blood and sweat coating my clothes. Few meters too far. The dizziness wouldn’t let me make it.

  I scrunched my face and head shaking, Leo hooked an arm under my right shoulder. “It’s okay to ask for help, you know.”

  My balance steadied against him as he pulled me up. Uh. I pressed my lips tightly shut as my feet dragged along the floor like lead.

  I lurched down to the toilet barely in time. Without a word, Leo held me steady as I pinned my hair back with my fingers.

  Once the contents of my stomach were out, Leo let go and I clutched the rim of the sink, head hanging.

  “I’ll get you some clean clothes,” he said as he left the bathroom.

  I cupped water into my palm and washed with shaky hands, revelling as the tainted water disappeared down the drain. The dried blood on my knuckles needed a little rubbing.

  This wasn’t how I’d planned for the night to finish.

  The mirror on top of the sink was as accusing as Leo’s expression had been. My ashen skin emphasised the blackness of my hair. Messy, messy hair.

  “These should do for now.” Leo appeared from behind me and placed a pile of clothes on the floor. “I’ll be outside the door if you need me, okay? Unless you want me to—”

  “No!”

  I waited until the door clicked shut before plopping down onto the floor, head seeking rest on my knees. Seriously, hadn’t the night been bad enough without the humiliation that this was? Who handed me that drink in the first place?

  I waited for the thumping in my head to calm before slowly changing into Leo’s black sweatpants and a grey jumper. I tucked my tank-top under the trousers and pulled the strings tight. Snail-speed, I pushed up on all fours, onto my knees, and reached to the sink. I scooped more water, raking my hands through my hair. The good thing about dead-straight hair was that the knots fell out easily.

  Now if I could just get out of here and fall into my own bed.

  I pushed up straight, heavily relying on the sink, and called for Leo. It wasn’t two seconds before his head popped in. His crooked smile irritated me.

  “Don’t you look like a million.” He leaned against the door-frame, hands in his pockets.

  “I’m ready to go home.”

  Leo’s head cocked to the side. “Oh, really now? And who shall I ring to come take care of you?”

  Ring? I patted my pockets instinctively, although the truth had already dawned on me. I’d left my phone at the fight club.

  “You didn’t happen to grab my phone when you brought me here, did you?”

  “What? No, sorry.” Leo’s forehead creased from the sudden change of topic. “I’ll get you a new one.”

  “I don’t think so, sugar-daddy.” I wafted a hand in the air; a lost phone wasn’t the most pressing matter. “Anyway, I don’t need anyone to look after me. I’m fine on my—”

  “I’m not leaving you alone. You can barely stand.”

  “I don’t need to stand.” I took a laboured breath. “I need to rest. In my bed.”

  Leo’s stare was intense, uncomfortable in its scrutiny. Again, he held his tongue.

  “Fine. I’ll make you a deal. If you can walk to the front door without tripping over, I’ll take you home.” Leo folded his arms in front of him.

  My knuckles bulged from clasping onto the sink. Sadly, my ‘gift’ was never wrong: I could walk a few steps, and stumble over. My ego had suffered enough irrecoverable damage as it was.

  I huffed and extended a hand. “Help me to bed?”

  Using Leo as a human crutch, I wobbled over to the bed, climbed under the duvet and propped myself up. A glass of water emerged in front of me as I settled. This time, I drank the contents in small, audible gulps.

  “You feeling any better?” he asked as he took the empty glass from me.

  I shook my hand in the air, palm facing down.

  “They must’ve given you too heavy a dosage. Or didn’t take into account how skinny you are. When was the last time you ate?”

  My thoughts flew to the hike with Jill. Was it still the same day? “I had some fruit for lunch.”

  “Some fruit?” Leo perched on the end of the bed and I pulled my legs in to avoid physical contact.

  “I wasn’t hungry.”

  He gave me a look of disbelief and—pity? “I have to admit, you’re the hardest person in the world to look after.”

  “I never asked you to look after me. That’s all you butting into my life unannounced and unwelcome.” I noticed the tick on his jaw and regretted what I’d said. I was being unfair. He had saved me from ending up in a trash can and watched me throw up not five minutes ago. Even if I didn’t like to admit it, this wasn’t the first time he’d saved my life.

  Leo lifted his thumb to his eyebrow and let it slide along the length of it. “Do you want some more water?

  “Please. If you don’t mind.” I watched him head toward the kitchen. “Leo…?” I waited for eye contact. “What’s your real name?”

  A pleased grin flickered across his face. “Elikai. That’s my real name.”

  “Well, thank you… Elikai.”

  “Anytime.” With a wink, he walked into the kitchen.

  Elikai.

  Chapter 18

  “What did those men want with me?” I placed the drink on the bedside table. The chair screeched along the floor as Leo dragged it by the bed.

  “They thought you were playing foul.” He slumped into the chair. “Fixing the fights. They wanted to know who you were working for, who was cashing in, that sort of thing. If you ask me, they needed to get you out before the crowd went crazy.” Leo rolled his head back, inspecting the ceiling.

  “Should’ve guessed. It’s not the first time I’ve been accused of that.”

  “Somehow, I’m not surprised,” he muttered. He intertwined his fingers behind his neck and tilted his head back again.

  “So, were you there the whole time?”

  Leo’s head snapped upright to throw me a disapproving eyeful. “Yup.”

  I shrugged it off. “Then I’m surprised you didn’t stop me earlier.”

  “I should’ve, but I thought you needed to blow off some steam and I figured if I kept an eye, you’d be okay. My bad.”

  “Hey, if it weren’t for being drugged then everything would’ve been fine.”

  “Yeah, taking drinks from strangers—not a stroke of genius,” he admonished. “But that’s not what I meant. If I’d known how sloppy you’d got at fighting I never would’ve let you start.”

  “Sloppy?” How dare he? Sure, I wasn’t at the peak of my fitness level, but I knew how to fight.

  “Yeah. Sloppy,” he repeated.

  “Excuse me, but I crushed three men—”

  Leo burst out laughing. “Crushed is a little optimistic. Those guys had two left feet and technique like a pirate. Even then I bet you used your gifting to finish them.”

  “Oh, please.” Great defence. I flattened the duvet around me. Truth was, he was probably right.

  An unwelcome cramp tightened my stomach. The drug would take some time to wear off.

 
; “So,” I forced the queasiness away, “not saying I agree with you, but what’s so wrong with my technique?”

  “To begin with” —Leo leaned forward, elbows on his knees— “you have to put weight on, and muscle. You’re lacking in strength.”

  In protest, I launched a pillow at Leo. It flopped on the edge of the bed, hardly grazing his knee.

  “Nice of you to prove my point.”

  I grinned involuntarily at my drug-induced arms.

  “Anyhow, that’s not all. Your reaction’s slow, your focus needs improvement and you’ve picked up some nasty habits. Granted, the foundation is there but the last years have taxed. As soon as you’re better, I’ll start training you.”

  “Ha! Is that so? Why would I need to train if I have no intention of going back?” He didn’t need to know I was trying to undo the Blood Debt.

  “Because I don’t think you want to lose the skills. You like the rush like I do.”

  He was right. Again. Annoyingly. “There’s no real use for them here.”

  “You sure seem to find some.” Leo scoffed, and I tried to hold back a grin. “It’s really not something to be proud of, Rosebud.” He lifted a foot on the edge of the bed, his face growing serious. “Plus, I want you to be able to take care of yourself. I think there are people out there after you.”

  “I’m sure I’m not that sought after of a partner,” I said dryly. “Tony mentioned someone tried to mug you. Hope you went easy on them.”

  “Yes, I’m fine by the way. Thanks for the sentiment.” Leo balanced on the back legs of his chair for a few seconds, and then let the chair slam back down. “It wasn’t a mugger; I only said that to Tony. To be honest, I’m not sure who he was, but he was trained.”

  “What makes you think he was after me, then?” The corners of my lips pulled down as the off-feeling returned.

  “It’s not the first time I’ve seen people following you.”

  “You sure you weren’t looking at your own shadow?”

  Leo ignored the dead-pan. “Like I said, I get the feeling someone’s after you, but I don’t know why. Which is even more reason for you to sharpen your skills and get your head in the game. Let me train you.”

  “I hardly—” Saliva gathered in my mouth and I curled on the bed, arms hugging my stomach. “Bathroom. Throw up.”

  This time I accepted Leo’s help without a grumble but insisted he leave me to it. Although clearly not thrilled with the idea, he let go, and I shut the door on his apprehensive face. I paused to gather composure, flicking the lock with my trembling fingers before bending over the toilet.

  I flushed the toilet, feeling like my stomach had been carved empty. Rinsing had never felt better. I spat, holding my fingers under the running tap, my gut hurting from wrenching up nothing but water and air.

  “Kalika, you okay? You don’t sound good,” Leo called through the door.

  “I’m fine.” I gestured at the door behind me for no one to see. “Stay there!”

  I washed my face, rubbed toothpaste into my gums, and straightened up. Instantly, I realised I was in trouble. My vision faded, and it felt like a rush of wind swept me. Hopeless, my hands searched for a steady surface.

  *

  A loud racket brought back my consciousness. Someone was kicking and shoving against something.

  “Kalika! Are you okay?”

  I lifted my head from the floor. Oops. I had locked the door.

  “I’m—I’m fine. I just…fainted.” My limbs were sprawled in every direction. Based on the ache I had landed mainly on my right elbow and forearm.

  The racket behind the door stopped. Only the door handle continued to move up and down.

  “Did you hurt yourself?”

  “N-no.” Nothing worth mentioning.

  A short silence fell behind the door. “Well, could you open the door, please?”

  I scrambled to all fours and paused. The dizziness had eased but the rest of me resembled a jellyfish. I crawled to the door, reached for the lock and flicked it. The next second, Leo was inside, crouching in front of me. His facial muscles were wound tighter than barbwire.

  “You locked the door.” He clasped my sides. I held the whimper as his fingers dug into a bruise on my side.

  “Sorry. Force of habit.” I pushed his arms off and fell backwards, sitting half on my legs. I attempted a smile, but Leo snatched my chin, his thumb lodging in the dent on it, and glowered for several seconds.

  “That’s it. I’m taking you to the hospital.” He scooped his arms underneath mine.

  “No, no, no, wait!” I resisted with the little fight left in my body, as useless as the effort was.

  “You need to be checked.” Leo seized my wrists and gently twisted my arms down. “I should’ve taken you in straight away.”

  “No, please. There’s nothing they can do in the hospital, trust me. You know I know my body better than they do.” I dug my nails into Leo’s shoulders, but he didn’t even seem to notice. “I need rest, and I need food. That’s why I fainted, I need some food.” I searched his eyes, willing to find anything else than pure resolve.

  Unforgiving, Leo forced me to my knees, making my face level to his. “They can feed you there.” His grip tightened around my resisting arms.

  “Leo, I’m begging you. I’ll do anything. No locked doors. Please, don’t take me in.”

  Leo’s composure gave in a little, his thought-process flickering across his face. Then the spark lit up in his eye. “On two conditions.”

  “Sure, anything.”

  “You promise to stay here until I deem you feel better?”

  I nodded furiously. “Fine.” Anything but the hospital. I couldn’t risk seeing Anita, or the other nurses.

  “And whilst under my roof, you promise to do as I say?”

  My nose crinkled. “Well, within reason—”

  “Anything. Or the deal is off.”

  “Fine, yes, done.”

  Leo’s chest widened as he inhaled his approval. “I gotta say, you sure don’t sound like someone who’s followed orders for most of their life.”

  Of course, he was right. I was a shadow of my former self. “Help me up?”

  I joined my fingers loosely behind Leo’s neck as he pulled me against his chest and lifted me in his arms with ease.

  An awkward moment later, he lowered me onto the bed. “You really need to get some meat in you, young lady.”

  I was about to comment when I glanced at his face and took note of the tension in his jaw and the blazing frustration shining through his blue eyes. Guilt took me off guard. He wasn’t as bad as I’d made him out to be and he deserved some manners if nothing else.

  “I’m sorry, Leo. I’ve not been the nicest person to be around. I don’t deserve half the things—”

  Leo lifted a finger and left me staring at his back as he strode into the kitchen. After a quick rummage, he marched back, a bucket in one hand, water bottle in the other.

  “If you need to throw up, use this.” Leo placed the bucket on the floor, and the bottle on the bedside table. “Finish the water within the hour. Anything else you need, let me know.”

  I drew my shoulders in, unable to ignore the tugging in my conscience. It was the first time I’d seen Leo look—defeated? “Why do you bother with all this?”

  “Because, believe it or not, I actually care about you.”

  I met his eyes, taken back. Before I had a chance to comment, he continued, “Anyway, you said you needed food. Fancy some Chinese? Can you hold it down?” He looked at me as if already second-guessing his idea.

  “I’d love some. I don’t feel sick anymore.” I rested my head back; the pillow was a dream. “Just starving.”

  “Alright. There’s one down the road.” Leo tucked something into his pocket, pulled on a jumper and fastened his shoes. Keys jingled in his hand. “You going to be okay on your own for twenty minutes?”

  “Of course.” I turned my head to the side, sliding my cheek against th
e cotton as Leo vouched for his quick return. My eyelids were growing heavy as each blink drew longer.

  I startled as Leo gently pinned my shoulders.

  “If you get any ideas of moving from this bed while I’m gone, I swear I’ll beat you up myself and then you will have a reason to go to the hospital.”

  His sense of humour verged on borderline.

  “Relax.” I blinked lazily. “I’m not going anywhere. Your bed’s too comfy.”

  Still pinning me down, Leo measured my face. He then let go, swiped his finger along my cheek and marched out as determined as he’d walked in a few seconds ago.

  Back to me, he lifted his hand in the air. “Just in case, I’m locking the door, Miss Rebel.

  The sound of a key turning in a lock made me come to. I must’ve dozed off as soon as Leo left.

  “I’m back! Too late to climb out the window,” he called from the door.

  I wiped drool off my chin. “What time is it?”

  “Around one a.m.”

  The smell coming from the plastic bag hooked on Leo’s finger took command of the room. I shimmied up and adjusted the pillow behind me. Leo fetched plates and cutlery from the kitchen and sat on the chair by the bed.

  “Smells amazing.” The one thing Narun had missed: Chicken Chow Mein. “I’m surprised they’re open this late.”

  “Only on the weekends. I ordered beef. You want any?”

  I shook my head. Leo scraped the contents of an entire tub of Chow Mein on a plate and handed it to me, a fork sticking up from it. It seemed days since I last ate a warm meal.

  “Can I ask you something?” The forkful of noodles never quite made it to my mouth as Leo gestured me to go on. “What do you think of this world?”

  He chewed, in no hurry to give his reply. “There are things I don’t agree with, or that puzzle me. But there’s a lot of good in people. We’re not that different from one another.”

  “Could you live here? Permanently?”

  “If I had to. But my heart is in Narun.”

  “Then you should be doing what you love, not hanging around here, waiting in vain.” The last word clipped off my tongue and an awkward vibe fell into the room. “You must have family and friends who miss you.” I shoved a helping of noodles in my mouth.