It’s been...what two days...no wait three… definitely… three since I’ve had a decent meal. I’m a little lightheaded, but I need to ignore that and the sounds my stomach keeps making. I’ve got to get to the fights. It’s my chance to earn some money. And when I earn some money, I can buy food to shut up my stupid stomach. So, I hurry along the sidewalks of Oxford to make it to where the fights are tonight. I’d learned long ago my best bet was to keep my head down and not draw attention to myself. When people notice my scales or my snake eyes, they either want to hurt me or ignore me. Most people ignored me anyway because, well, that’s human nature, right? Ignore problems. Ignore social issues. Ignore those things they wished weren’t there. And I happen to be that. I’m a homeless teen. And more than that, I’m a meta-human. They would prefer to think there isn’t a homeless problem in Oxford, let alone the UK.

Well, I was sore as hell, but I had won. That means I could get something small to eat tonight and keep money aside for either the next fight night or another meal sometime. I didn’t count my funds as I shoved the bills into my front pocket. I’m no fool. I know better than to count money in a place like this. Someone like me would try to steal it.Over the speaker, I heard the crackling calling of the next fighters, and my ears perked hearing the name ‘Mason’. I headed closer, wanting to see if this was the Mason I had met or someone else. And then I saw him. It was the Mason I had met, alright. He was handing his pocket watch, I was right, to his mate along with his tee.I watched him as he passed me. I’ve come to these fights on and off for a year now, since

I’d just cleaned up at the fights, but my good mood was being dragged down, feeling that I was being followed. Sore losers, I was sure. But screw them. If they don’t like that they lost to a girl like me, that’s on them, not me. I won my fight fair and square. And just got lucky with bets. No big deal. Leaving the latest location for the fights, I stuck to the back ways hoping to shake them. "We should find that little snake and turn her into shoe leather for hustling us out of our hundred quid." one murmured to the others. "Yeah. Show her that she can't mess with us. I think she went this way." another said.  Hustled? Bullshit! They underestimated me, which is on them, not me damn it.  "Then what are you two idiots standing around for? Let's get her!" the third ye

I’m left dumbfounded. He not only steps in to save me from those goons but now… now he gives me money insisting I seek medical treatment? I couldn’t wrap my head around it. I’ve never known anyone like him before.  I looked up from the money he pushed into my hands and saw him looking back at me. I smiled just a little, and I can’t even understand why. Why does he want to look out for me, to take care of me? And why does that make me smile? Hell, why does him looking at me like he did make me smile? I shook my head and hurried away. Well, not hurry too fast. I am injured, after all.  Between what I won at the fights and the money Mason gave me, I could get a local doctor to check me out. He’s been known to tend the homeless, but he’s no saint. No, he usually wants payment, and if you don’t have the money, you have to make a trade which often means h

So far, I was already on edge about this. His house was way too nice for the likes of me to stay in. And while Andy and Oliver seemed nice, I wasn’t sure yet. Ashton certainly hadn’t been pleased to see me. Which honestly, pissing him off might be reason enough to stick around the whole week. And now Mason was acting like everything was normal, showing me around. He is far too good of a man to be my friend. But I don’t think if I tried to distance myself, it would work. He found me that night that he saved me. I don’t know if it was just fate or he was looking for me. But he had been there. And every time I tried to forget about him, to even leave Oxford and give up keeping an eye on him, I couldn’t. I can’t explain it, but something about him draws me to him. Now so far, everything about this house seems okay. It