3 - Escape

*POV=DABERE*

We jumped, and all the air in my lungs disappeared. I unconsciously held onto him as we fell. I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe as the wind slapped against my ears and face.

But suddenly, I started hearing a sound as we slowed. It was a brutal, stone splitting crack, followed by a jagged, grinding scrrrrrkkkkkk that scraped deep into my bones. Like someone dragging a rake down a wall made of bone and gravel.

And it felt like he was holding onto something that was gently lowering us to the ground. But there wasn’t a metal railing or a rope in sight…and that sound…

Suddenly, I felt us stop. I was still grabbing onto him, too afraid to even open my eyes. But he gently lowered me to the ground and I stood, too terrified to speak.

How on earth had we survived falling down from a five story building?? How the hell were we still alive???

Suddenly, my eyes landed on the wall of the building, and I saw large marks like claws that had scraped against the wall from where we’d just fallen.

My mind blanked out for a second, struggling to understand how on earth that had gotten there just now. I instinctively looked at my savior’s arm and it appeared normal. Larger than life, but normal regardless. Then I noticed the left arm of his jacket was ripped to shreds.

I could’ve sworn his jacket had been normal moments ago. How had the fall just now ripped it that badly? What the fuck was happening??

“You okay?” He suddenly asked, peering down at me, his golden eyes searching my face.

His question caught me off guard and I flinched. But for some reason, his eyes seemed to have a calming effect on me.

“I’m fine,” I barely breathed out, still terrified. “T-thank y—”

“They’re alive!!”

Panic pierced my soul as I heard Cain’s voice from the top of the building. He was staring down at us, with the most vile look in his eyes.

He aimed the barrel of his gun down at us and pulled the trigger. A crack split through the night, but the man pulled me away from the building before I could blink, and the bullet pierced the concrete.

“Get them!! Don’t let them escape!!!”

Cain’s voice rang through the still night as we both ran. I could already hear their footsteps chasing after us in the distance, but the man’s grip on my arm remained unflinching as he pulled me with him.

Suddenly, we got to a dark alleyway and he shoved me against the wall. I almost let out a yelp before his hand covered my mouth.

“Sshhhhhh” he whispered, staring down at me before looking into the open streets. I watched as Cain and his men ran past us, fuming at the mouth and so enraged that they didn’t even bother with hiding their guns. 

My breathing quickened as panic swelled in my chest, but my savior seemed to notice because he suddenly turned to stare down at me, his eyes even more golden than before, and far too bright for the darkness that surrounded us.

I stared back, unable to look away. How the hell was he doing that?

He suddenly leaned away from me and let out a breath. 

“You should be safe now,” He muttered, barely panting despite the fact that we’d practically been running for miles now. I knew because I recognized this street, we were dangerously close to my home.

My breath suddenly quickened. Ohh god, what if Cain was going to my father? What if he was going to kill him??

“I have to go,” I said in panic as I made my way past him, the only thought in my head being the image of my father.

“What?” He asked. “You can’t. It’s too dangerous right now.”

“They’re going to kill my father.” I cried, already running out of the alleyway.

“No, wait!”

I blinked and suddenly, I saw the barrel of Cain’s gun pointed at me. It took a few seconds for the sight before me to register. 

“I knew you wouldn’t be stupid enough to run home to your old man,” Cain said as he forced me back into the dark alleyway. “I knew all I had to do was watch closely and you’d pop out when you thought the coast was clear.”

Fear tore my being to shreds, and I instinctively turned around, only to find that my savior was no longer standing where I’d left him. I stood frozen in place, unable to move or make a sound as I stared at the empty space behind me.

He was….gone?

Gone??

My body trembled, despite the fact that it was like the realization was refusing to register. 

No. No. No. I’d just escaped. I’d just—he was right here. He…he couldn’t just disappear into thin air…no he couldn’t just be gone like that.

Suddenly, the dark alleyway filled with Cain’s men. They’d been cackling before at the laundromat but now, they looked like they were past the point of rage.

“Looks like your boyfriend left.” Cain said, stepping closer. “I was hoping to riddle his brain with bullets, but you’ll take them in your pretty legs instead, so you never walk again.” He ran a hand through his hair as his lips curled into a menacing grin. “Got a guy to throw a few punches and run away huh? He runs fast, I’ll give him that. Shame he won’t be fast enough when I make you my bitch and force your old man to watch.”

Cain made to grab my arm, but I slipped on the concrete in my attempt to dodge it. I expected to land on the floor when familiar large arms caught me by the waist and held me there.

I looked up as hope and fear burst in my lungs, and found myself gazing at the golden eyes of my savior, and he wasn’t even looking at me.

“Y-you’re back?” I barely whispered. 

“Never left,” He replied, his gaze still fixed on Cain and his men as he pulled me behind him. 

Cain’s face twisted in rage as he immediately pulled out his gun, aimed it at me, and fired.