Notes: Again, not so much action, but very much necessary. Enjoy ;)
Chapter 4
I woke up in a way I had never woken up before. Voices en shouts were all around me – nothing new.
Bodies moved around me busily, all with haste and purposes – nothing new there.
I felt endangered and threatened – I had woken up that before.
But there was a gun pushed against my temple. That was new.
I opened my eyes, feeling scared and hating it. The first person I saw was the man sitting on top of me, the one holding the gun. He had a grim expression on his – utterly handsome – face.
While staring straight into his eyes, I knew I couldn't do anything. I was completely vulnerable. So I analyzed the situation and, especially, my captor. His skin was smooth and light, his chin was pointed. His cheekbones were high and stood out handsomely. His nose was straight, his eyebrows arched. His hair was black and slicked back in a way that I normally didn't like, but it suited him.
But the most handsome and strangest of all were his eyes. They were red with traces of yellow in them. They were just as beautiful as Dante's crystal eyes.
Dante!
I tried to look around, but the man (he was in the end of his twenties, I guessed) put his free hand under my chin and held my head still. 'Don't move.' His voice was deep and calm. In fact, he emitted a calm aura which kept me from feeling completely frightened.
Yes, I was still scared. What would you be?
I started to get annoyed, as well. What was going on? Why was I being forced to lay still like this? What did these guys want? Where was Dante? Was he okay? So many questions, but the answers weren't likely to come soon.
The man on top of me shifted a bit, but the gun never left my skin. I stared up at him with anger in my eyes, but he kept responding to my glare without expression.
One of the guys scurrying around the bed walked up to us. I didn't shift my gaze, but I heard him come.
'Sir, we found what you were looking for.'
The man (obviously in charge) kept staring into my eyes. Frankly, it was quite unnerving, to say the least. But I didn't want him to think I was weak by looking down.
'Excellent,' mister stare-down responded. 'Then we are done here.'
Yes! Now get off me! But that pleasure wasn't to be mine immediately. Mister Boss smiled a small, crooked smile at me and blinked for the very first time. 'Now, will you behave like a good girl and come with us without struggling?'
I was stumped for a second. What did they want from me? They had obviously stolen something from me, and I immediately suspected that damn tablet. Never before had I been kidnapped because of some object I carried. It had to be that cursed thing.
I considered my answer a little before smiling sweetish and blinking a couple of times. 'Can I put on my clothes?'
The man stood up in a fluid movement, and again, the gun didn't leave my temple. This guy was dangerous. 'Yes, you may. Be careful.'
As if I needed the warning. I knew I wasn't skilled enough to deal with this right now. There were just too many of them, and I wasn't going to do anything life-threatening until I figured out the goal of these men, and their skill level.
I sat up slowly, showing my hands and what I was doing. I was very glad I had kept on my bra while sleeping, because I was obviously not going to get any privacy. I pulled on my customized shirt, a black t-shirt based item with hardened padding protecting me from sword cuts modestly. It was one-sleeved and let bare my right shoulder because that way I could easily grab and swing my sword, usually sheathed on my back, but not now, obviously. I was proud of the shirt, and planned on customizing it with a plate of metal somewhere in the close future, but I guessed it had to wait.
Next I pulled on my pants, which were very comfortable and stretchy enough to let me do athletic movements without ripping them.
My boots were dark red and zipped, no heels, comfortable and practical. I wore one glove on my sword hand, a fingerless glove. Unlike Dante and Nero, I didn't have a cloak. Sure, they looked nice, but they were very annoying if you couldn't fight with them. I couldn't. So, I had a leather jacket, black with red and dark green finishes.
I put on my clothes sluggishly, giving myself time to think. Was Dante alright? He can fend for himself, I thought while tugging on my boots. He must be here… Is he captured? Will he be taken too?
Some of the men (my abductors were all men) started to lose their patience. I was shoved hard in the back. A few men laughed and started to make remarks I won't repeat, which raised anger in me. When I got the chance, they would pay.
As soon as I was done dressing, Slick Guy took my arm and guided me to the living room, the gun in his hand loosely. And in the living room was –
'Dante!' I gasped softly. He was surrounded by four men and they had put handcuffs on him. Handcuffs! Normally he wouldn't let that happen!
He wasn't wounded as far as I could see, and his stance was relaxed and unworried. But close friends of him could see the strain in his jaw and his slightly clenched fists, and knew he wasn't feeling as comfortable as he looked.
When he saw me his eyes opened in alert. 'Are you okay?' His voice was as normal as can be, as if we were having this conversation over a pizza.
I nodded. 'Are you?'
He smiled. 'Couldn't be better.'
I closed my eyes in relief. Dante was alright. But why had he been captured so easily? How?
Slick Guy pulled me over to stand across from Dante. Then he gestured with the gun to me. 'Remember, half-demon, if you try to escape, she's hurt.'
Dante's eyes flashed in rage for just a second. Then he regained his calm expression. Now I knew how they had captured him. They had threatened to hurt me. Dante would never be impressed by a threat to him, because he was very hard to kill. He could take several bullets in the head and survive without a scratch. Same with Nero. Nero had once had a sword right through his stomach, and seconds later three lances in his chest, and he had survived easily. Demon blood had some advantages.
I, on the other hand, couldn't take those things. Put a bullet in my skull and I am dead, no doubt about it. That's why Dante had surrendered so easily. Not for himself, but for me.
I felt tears well up when I realized this. This was my fault… If only I wasn't such a weak human!
I bent my head and closed my eyes to hide the tears. I wouldn't let them see them. I wouldn't give them that pleasure.
'Say, friend, why are you taking her?' Dante asked, tilting his head a little. 'What purpose is so unimportant that you would let a valuable half-demon go and take a mere human?'
I tried not to be offended, and thankfully succeeded. Dante was trying to persuade them to take him with them as well... so they weren't planning on taking him? Of course, he was too dangerous. He could break those handcuffs without blinking. Just let his demon blood kick in. Then what were they going to do with him? And with me?
'No, brother,' my captor said. I started to wish I knew his name. 'You know we can't take you with us. You will be a nuisance.'
That almost made me laugh. Dante? A nuisance? This man either was very powerful, or very stupid. I was afraid it was the first.
But then he lowered the gun, seemingly deep in thoughts. I looked up at his face. Was it on purpose or just plain stupid?
I made myself ready to jump up and kick the gun out of mister Slick's hand. Mentally playing out the move in my head I glanced at Dante, willing him to understand what I was doing, so he could pitch in –
But he shook his head. It was a very soft, very slight shake, but he unmistakably shook his head. I let go of my held-in breath. What? Dante knew more than I did.
The man beside me chuckled and pointed that stupid gun to my head again. 'Your friend is very considerate.'
I stared at him with fear in my stomach. He had caught that? He had seen that little wordless exchange? He was even more dangerous than I thought!
'Now, no further delay, you're coming with me,' he said to me, a smile in his voice and eyes. I almost felt relief when I saw that smile, it was so calm and sweet. But then he gently laid his hand on my shoulder and softly but firmly pushed me towards the door and I again realized that this man was very dangerous and that he was abducting me for unknown reasons.
How the hell was I going to get out of this mess if I didn't really know what got me in?
Notes: Let me know what you think of our mysterious abductor. I'm not sure I know all about him yet, but I wonder what you think. What should happen with him? Tell me your suggestions, please ^^
