The man holding her elbow seemed preoccupied with her neck. Awareness rolled over her. She recognized the dark-haired man who had been leaning against the iron fence, watching her move in.
Again, he wore all black, but the concern on his face completely changed his ominous air. His dark chocolate eyes were warm and almond-shaped, much like her own.
"He missed your carotid artery. You'll be okay." He said.
Shirley touched her neck. Thankfully, his diagnosis seemed true. Blood simply trickled from the wound, it didn't gush.
"I saw you yesterday," she said.
"Do you live in this building?" She added.
"Nearby," he said, then he turned his attention to the other man, a tall blond with broad shoulders—also dressed in black.
"Ethan, here, is one of your neighbors. Hey," he called to the tall blond with the massive shoulders,
"Leave him to me and take her inside." He said.
"Better idea, Flinch," the striking Viking said.
His white teeth glistened as a grin spread across his face. His canines seemed larger and more pronounced than in most men. Light facial hair and a short goatee softened his jawline. He had heavy brows of the same color. His ears were slightly pointed and poked through his almost waist-length hair.
The dark-haired man called Flinch moved with lightning speed, holding down the assailant.
The guy protested vehemently. "No, please! I will do anything you ask. Just let me go."
The blond Ethan changed places with Flinch and escorted Shirley to the back door. She glided along beside him, numb, as if in a dream. As soon as she had ascended the concrete steps before she stepped through the door that Ethan held open for her, she turned and caught only a glimpse of the scene she had left behind. Flinch knelt beside the stranger and leaned over by his head.
Ethan placed his hand on her lower back and hurried her in, closing the door on a male scream that emanated from the dark alley.
Shirley left Ethan sitting at her kitchen table and strolled to the bathroom, saying, "The hydrogen peroxide is going to sting like crazy, but I know the importance of preventing infection."
She dug through the box marked Linen closet until she found some bandaging supplies. As she swabbed the area, she gritted her teeth and hissed, inhaling a long breath until the worst of the sting abated. A thin bandage did its job staunching the blood.
When she returned, she offered Ethan something to drink. "No, thanks. I'm fine, but let me get you something while you sit and relax."
Yeah, right. She sat shivering, her arms wrapped around herself while Ethan put the tea kettle on and found a mug. Soon he handed her chamomile tea with a spoonful of honey, and she warmed her hands on the steaming mug.
"This is the same comfort drink my mother used to give me when I was hurt or upset as a child. How did you know?" And the same thing I made for my father when my mother was senselessly murdered during a robbery.
"Well, you had tea bags and honey in your cupboard," Ethan said.
"Oh yeah." Her thoughts returned to the incident. "Th-that man…" she began.
"I…"
"It's been handled by now. He didn't get your clothes off, so I'd guess your virtue is intact. Right?" She nodded.
A knock at the door of the apartment startled her and she jumped.
"I'll get it," he said.
"Thanks."
Normally she'd let her guest sit and answer her door, but at the moment she liked the idea of someone else facing the unknown behind it. Her kitchen kitty-cornered off the living and dining area, out of view of the front door, but she heard both male and female voices.
Charlie led the pack and soon her tiny kitchen had filled up with several people she'd never met, all of whom seemed concerned for her safety. Ethan filled them in on what had happened.
"Some creep accosted her in the alley. She's okay though," he added hurriedly.
Charlie shook his head, wearing a grave expression. "I'll install motion sensors and spotlights back there tomorrow. I'm sorry I didn't think to do it before."
"Oh, Charlie," an older woman with short, curly, dyed brown hair in desperate need of a root touch-up said.
"It's not your fault. How could you know anyone would be foolish enough to hang around in the alley at night."
Everyone, including Shirley, gaped at her. Did she really blame her? She spoke as if instead of merely coming home from work and parking her car right next to her apartment building, she had lollygagged in the alley, waiting for trouble!
"Aunt Dotty, don't be insensitive. It's not her fault."
Thank you, Mr. Hottie. I don't care if she's your aunt or not, that was freakin' rude.
"Damn right," said Ethan.
He shot a pointed look at Dotty. "She was minding her own business—something everyone ought to do." Shirley fidgeted.
"I had just come home from work and somewhere between my car and the back door, this pervert jumped me." She nodded to Ethan.
"Thank goodness you guys got to me as quickly as you did. I don't know what I would have done if you had not been there."
"Died, probably," said Brad, her rail-thin neighbor from across the hall.
One of the attractive women who shared an apartment on the third floor threw her hands in the air. She had been introduced as Morgana. She looked nice enough, although her black-lined eyes, black lipstick, and black nail polish made her seem a bit gothic. Jet black hair and a black dress completed the image.
"Well, Brad, it looks like Dotty's not the only insensitive person in the room! Does anyone else want to take potshots at the poor girl who was just attacked?"
"I was not being insensitive," Dotty blustered.
"I just meant it wasn't Charlie 's fault in case anyone decides to file a lawsuit." Her eyes narrowed on Shirley.
"I would not sue him, Mrs. Baker. I'm not like that."
Dotty crossed her arms over her small chest and continued to cast a suspicious look her way. "Well, I noticed that one of the friends you listed as a reference is a lawyer."
"So? She's a defense attorney."
"So? She's still a lawyer." She asked consecutively.
Charlie put his arm around his aunt and steered her out of the kitchen.
"Leave the poor girl alone, Aunt Dotty. She's just been through a horrible experience." He said.