Chapter One Saraya's POV

Gaining consciousness, I let out a sigh. The familiar feeling of hollowness gnawed at me inside. I knew that feeling very well. I knew what it meant.  I was not engulfed in an unusually warm embrace nor were there any signs of me being anywhere near any woods, a cabin on a mountaintop nor were there impossibly tall creatures riding a fucking four winged horses, least of all crows. It was just a strange dream I had had countless times. I supposed one of the demerits of having an overactive imagination. And as a student of literature and an avid reader with a dream of becoming a writer one day that was understandable --- weird but understandable.  A quiet groan escaped my lips. My head was pounding as if it was going to explode and I forced my eyelids open, slowly coming into cognisance of my surroundings. I was in motion and in the back seat of a moving … um car? A confused frown furrowed my eyebrows. 

A forceful tug of my legs made me lower my eyes to my thighs. I found a tan male hand nestled in between my legs, trying to force them apart. I swallowed as my heart lunged against the wall of my chest. I noticed another arm was draped over my shoulders, and the owner was literally pressed against my side with his hand slowly stroking the swell of my breast. I was wearing a sleeveless body-hugging gown which made it easy for him to stroke my skin. I had worn a short cashmere jacket over the dress and that was nowhere in sight now.

The smell of stale breaths, reeking of alcohol assailed my nostrils and the low rumble of metal sound effect rang in the background. I gingerly looked to my left and met the gaze of a white male that I have never seen in my entire life. My eyes darted hurriedly in their sockets as I searched his leering gaze. He regarded me like one would a dessert. I could feel my skin literally crawl. I shut my eyes, hoping I was in another dream then turned my face to the right. A pair of dark grey eyes returned my scrutiny. I took a slow, calming breath, realizing I was sandwiched between two strange men in a moving car.

"What is happening?" I mumbled.

"Oh, see who decided to join the party," a voice said from the passenger seat in front I looked in that direction and that was when it hit me. 

Peggy, my roommate, was straddling the man sitting in the passenger seat. They were both topless and all over each other. Peggy giggled in between kisses and with the look of it, she looked completely wasted. I felt my heart literally drop. 

‘Shit!’ the word sounded in my head as memory assailed me. Peggy had talked me into going to a new club downtown with her to meet up with a man she met on F******k! And the only reason I had agreed to follow her was that she mentioned she needed backup in case the man turned out to be a pig. And by the look of things, it didn’t look like I was much help. Being in my final year at school with all the experience accumulated over the years spent in Uni I should have known better than to accept drinks offered to me by guys!

"Andrew?" I called hesitantly, trying to be certain the man in the front seat was the same one that joined us earlier at the club. I couldn't recall him coming in with friends though. 

"Yes, darling, having fun back there?" he said over his shoulder. 

'Son-of-a-bitch! Why? Oh, why did I choose to trust this asshole?! I should have suspected he would try something shady like spiking our drinks. My God!' I thought, silently admonishing myself. 

"Cupcake," the man to my left said, reaching forward to cup my chin and trying to draw me closer for a kiss. Bile rose to my throat. I gagged and immediately raised my hands to cover my mouth. The man recoiled with a displeased frown. 

“Sorry,” I muttered and said a bit louder, “I think I am going to throw up.” 

The one driving the car let out a curse and said, “Not in my car!”

“Please, stop the car,” I managed to say.

"Come on, cupcake, that is not sexy at all," the man to my left said as he continued to shove his hand up my thighs.  

"Please!" I croaked, deliberately removing my hands and acting as if I was going to throw up on the car carpet. The car suddenly swerved to the right, causing everyone to curse loudly. The man to my right pushed the door open and stumbled out. I followed him instantly, rushing to the sidewalk. I retched loudly. Everything I ate that evening came out. It felt like I was dying. 

The two men who exited the car to flank me, let out a disgusted growl. 

With chest heaving. I discreetly looked around to see if I could get help. But the street was deserted. I wondered what time it was. A chilly breeze blew against my frame. 

The men were obviously up to no good and I knew what would happen if I got back inside the car. Getting gang-raped was not something I was going to just let happen.

One of the men came to place a hand over my back and offered me a bottle of water to rinse my mouth, and tissue paper to dab at my lips. 

"Thank you," I croaked and did as if I wanted to throw up again, he immediately stepped back. 

"We need to get her and go, someone might come along!" the driver said from inside the car. 

"Oh, nothing is going to stop me from fucking this sexy thing tonight. She is quite a looker," the one who offered me the tissue said. He came to stand behind me and grabbed my waist. I let out a gasp as he rubbed his groin against my bum. His arousal was quite evident. 

"Please stop," I managed to say in barely a whisper. My head was killing me. 

"Come on, cupcake, let's do it here … you know you want it." 

"Didn't I win the lucky dip to have her first, Gab?!" another voice said. 

"I can't remember any such thing, man," the man behind me replied, rubbing harder against me now and grunting hard. At least now I know his name. It might help to look less stupid explaining this to the cops much later. I just have to survive first. 

"Hey! People might see!" the driver yelled. 

"I really don't care at this point. This little hot mama got me all painfully stiff," he replied. Then I felt him stagger backward when his friend shoved him by the chest, causing him to lose his hold on me. I thought to use the chance to run, but he grabbed me in a bruising grip and at the same time swung a punch at his friend in the face, jerking me about like a doll. The other one let out a pain-filled grunt, staggering backward, and then threw a punch in our direction. His fist connected with Gab’s jaw and he let out a curse. I jerked away and screamed for help. He covered my mouth instantly with a strong brawny hand, muffling my cries as he yelled threats at his friends. 

Lifting me up, he carried me to an alley just a few meters from where we stood while his friends yelled at him to get back and in the car. 

I could feel the man shaking against me. He was either high on some drugs or delirious with lust. He ignored the rest of them and upon getting into the alley, he pressed my back to the wall and started to rip off my clothes, pressing me painfully hard against the wall with his hand held firmly against my mouth.

“Gosh! You are beautiful. You are going to be worth every single minute of this… I think I might keep you. What do you say I make you my girl?” he mumbled incoherently. 

I saw a shadow move from my right and my eyes held a pair of gold-rimmed hazel eyes for barely a second before the man pinning me to the wall was pulled back from me. 

I crumpled to the hard ground, panting with fear, grateful for the reprieve as I hurriedly grabbed the shredded front of my dress to cover my exposed lacy bra. The stranger lifted Gab up, stuffing a white fabric into his mouth before he could make a sound, and then I heard a snap and Gab let out a muffled growl.