Chapter 2

I sat in the car as it rolled through the town, it started raining and I was fascinated by the splatter of rain drops on the car window. I was even more entranced on the stars I could see sparkling where the few wisps of clouds were void. I stared in wonder at the stars and I thought for a moment that I could hear a far off voice talking, casually to me. Rika stop staring at the stars, I promise you they'll still be there tomorrow night. No matter how bad you feel, the stars will still be there for you when you go to bed, just like the sun is there for you when you wake up.

That soft feminine voice made a curious twinge go through my chest. That was odd, it wasn't so much a pain like being hit but it made my breathing hitch for a single moment. Who did that voice belong to? Oh look another raindrop… My thought process was all over the place, Don always told me 'never think to much, don't focus your mind on anything unless I tell you to.' That was okay, I owed Don, he cared for me, raised me, gave me a purpose, I didn't mind obeying him. Besides we all had to obey someone right? Whether it was The Law, King or Queen, or even someone called God, my master was Don. The rather happy, chubby man who was sat in the seat next to me, going through the precious little gems he had picked up, examining them with a critical eye and gloating to Leon and Mark. They were all laughing, nothing unusual there, they found it funny whenever I obeyed Don and the person I was sent after tried to fight back. The car came to a stop outside a big house. I liked the look off the oak beams on the decking that stretched around it, floor to ceiling walls decorated the dining room showing the huge expanse of floor used for dancing and the tables full of people eating and laughing, there was a lounge section I could see on the other side of the room, it had a few children playing in there.

"I cant believe that fucking idiot actually tried to take on Rika, he pulled out a fucking gun for Christ's sake, bet he pissed himself when she dodged that bullet." Leon laughed as he pulled out the keys and got out. Mark got out of the passenger seat next and opened my door for me and held me by the arms as he helped me out.

"Hey boss, we going in for a reason?" Mark asked as he rested a hand on my back. I looked across at Don who was lighting a cigarette.

"Nah, we're just going in to have a few drinks, Erika said she might come by here as well. Come on lads lets have a pint, my treat." Don was in a very happy mood, maybe I had done well today.

"What do you want us to do with Rika here?" Mark asked.

Don looked at me with a sharp eye and had a sickly smile light up his face. "Bring her inside, I think she deserves a treat and we can sort her out, her face is bleeding and so are her knuckles. Come on lads."

Without asking anymore questions we walked in, Mark keeping a grip on my upper arm and a hand at the small of my back. When we walked through the doors, I guess we were at the reception, this was an inn and a hotel in one. We passed the huge sweeping staircase and ignoring the lounge and dining area, we sat at a table in a corner near the bar. Leon went up to get the drinks and pay with Don's money I just sat there trying to see the people dancing, it looked like fun.

I tilted my head curiously as a man wrapped his arms around a woman's waist, she smiled up at him and swayed slightly and whispered something in his ear which made him smile and laugh a little. She turned her head and walked away smiling, she cradled her over large stomach and leaned against a table as a group of more women surrounded her. She must be pregnant. And some of the other women were as well, two of them held a baby each. They seemed so happy, the man who had been with her before was now talking too a group of three men, they seemed to look a lot alike, tall, muscle build, dark eyes, long black hair tied neatly at the nape of their necks. Actually two of them looked exactly the same, twins, the one that looked deep in thought trying to explain something to the one who had been dancing with the woman had, had slashing silver eyes that seemed to take in everything around him.

There was something powerful about them, something strange that most people wouldn't notice. Was it just me or did these men seem to move with a purpose when everyone else in the world seemed to wander through life? I was intrigued by the strange aura that surrounded these people, yet at the same time I wanted to back off cautiously my hair was standing on end and I could feel a growl building up.

"Rika!" Don's sharp voice pulled me to awareness. I looked at him with a quizzical stare.

"The girl is lost in her own mind boss, chuck her a bone and she's happy. Isn't that right Rika? You don't mind what anyone does do you? Not as long as you keep your collar on and obey Don." Leon started chuckling as he drank his pint.

"Shut up you idiot. Rika , focus now." Don pushed a glass of water to me that was full of ice cubes. "Now then I want you to take this and wrap it around your knuckles." Don instructed as he put a few ice cubes in a napkin and pressed the bundle into my hand. I slowly slid off my leather fighting gloves to reveal bleeding and bruised knuckles. It hurt and one of my knuckles came out in a weird bump, hmm maybe I broke one or it was just swelling. I silently pressed the ice filled napkin over my knuckles and watched as Don dipped another napkin in the water and wiped the dried blood on my forehead. The curious glances we got were warded off as Leon and Mark threatened and gestured aggressively to the other patrons.

"There we go Rika, all better just keep that napkin on your knuckles. And here comes the lovely Erika gents, make room for her guys." Don said as he pulled a chair up next to him as a tall, thin with short re hair that framed a heavily made up face of thick eyeliner and rouge lips.

"Hallo gentlemen. What's the pleasure for tonight?" Erika asked as she sat cross legged next to Don in her short denim skirt and halter pink top with matching hot pink heels. Her attitude was just as flashy as her outfit.

"Lots of alcohol, a diamond jewellers shop and whatever you got on the menu sugar." Leon smirked as he leaned forward in his chair.

I ignored them as they talked, flirted and spoke about whatever they wanted. I was more interested in the group of women who were laughing and smiling without a care, the children ran around them playing. One of the twins held a tiny baby girl and handed it to a tall graceful woman, she smiled at the baby and turned to the girl next to her.

They were the two people from the jewellers, the teenage girl with black hair, bright blue eyes and dressed in a simple flowing skirt and blouse. The girl called Skyler. She turned and glanced in my direction, she locked eyes with me in surprise and quickly turned back to the woman with the baby and spoke to her. Was she still afraid of me? What was fear? I….. wasn't sure I knew what it was, or if I even felt it, did I feel things, was this a feeling? A emotion? And if it was what was it called?

"Helloooooo? Anybody home? Rika try and keep your sanity girl." Erika laughed as she raised her hand in front of my face. Her and the others were laughing.

"Here Erika, this is a little treat for my precious girl." Don said as he handed out a diamond flower ring. She gushed over it and put it on all of her fingers until she was happy with leaving it on her middle finger.

"And for Rika, a little something for you." Don said as he took my hand and wrapped a silver plated bracelet around my wrist, it was dotted with a few rubies and threw the light in blood red beams. Not as petty as the stars.

"What do you think Rika?" Don asked with a smirk.

I blinked at him and turned away to look out the window at the light falling raindrops. "The stupid bitch doesn't even know how lucky she is to have a gift like that, I appreciate it all Don." Erika leaned forward to kiss Don's cheek.

The sound of a door slamming and stalking footsteps snapped my attention to the entrance. I hissed as I saw three of the bodyguards who had been at Dean's shop. A hiss raised in my throat as I clocked them walking towards the bar and taking a seat facing us.

"What's wrong with her now? Does she need to be taken for a walk or something?" Erika asked snidely as she got up with Leon to get more drinks.

"Rika what has gotten you so…" Don's voice trailed off as he saw where I was looking, The three bodyguards were moving towards Leon and Erika, one of them slid on a pair of brass knuckles as he moved silently through the crowd.

"Ah it looks like Dean isn't going to give up that easily, that miserable sod must need a more harder lesson taught. Come on Rika." Don said as he got up with Mark dragging me by my arm.

Erika screamed and everyone's attention turned to her and Leon who were being pinned with their arms twisted behind their backs. The music seemed to stop and people were unsure whether to help or stand by and ignore it. Skyler and followed us on the opposite side of the room and tugged on one of the twins arms pointing at me.

"Now then lads, your disrupting a lovely afternoon, ruining these peoples evening and your pissing me off. So let those two go, or you'll regret it like your boss did." Don warned trying to appear the good guy.

"You think I'm afraid of you, you little bastard? Well lets just see-" I didn't hear the rest of what he said, because Don quickly clicked the latch on my collar so it swung off. And his two words were all that I registered before my mind went blank.

"Get 'em."

I lunged forward, not really seeing much as my iris' expanded then readjusted to normal size, blazing a slight amber as I grabbed the man holding Leon forward by his tie, choking him and kicking him in the back of his knee caps so he fell forward in pain, I spun out and flung my hand at the face of the man holding Erika. I dug my nails into his skin and raking them across his eyes. Erika ran out of his reach and as he blindly reached for her, I kicked out into his hard muscled stomach. Someone was hitting me behind, so when the man in front of me dropped to the floor gasping for breath, I spun around throwing my fists into the leaders face.

As he fell sideways, I kneed the one I had first attacked in the face as he began getting to his feet. He fell down unconscious. A chair came crashing down on my back as the leader brought it down with bone crushing force, I spread eagled on the ground, I could feel a burning anger building inside of me.

I spun on my hand so I could twist as I flipped myself up and over back onto my feet, he lunged again and I saw the glint of metal, dodging sideways I felt the bite of the knife go into my side, I ignored it and pounced on his back, slamming his head into the hardwood floor, repeatedly.

"Stop Rika." Don said, I didn't get up until the collar was clicked securely around my neck.

When I straightened up I noticed my surroundings. A few police officers were rushing through the doors, the crowd of people had all taken steps back to keep out of the way of the fight, and shocked blue eyes stared at me in horror. Well not at me, lower, by my side. I looked down to my ribs where they were aching, only to see my top soaked and dripping with blood. My knuckles were bruised as well, a few definitely cracked, the napkin I had wrapped around them was long forgotten on the floor. My back was aching and I was certain fresh bruises were blooming across my cheeks and body. Don would be angry that I had let them mark me.

"Officer these men have been threatening my niece Erika here, please arrest them, Rika tried to help her but they got violent, she attacked them in self defence." Don said in a fake shocked voice.

Looking at one of the police officers, I remembered him. He was the chief of police, Don had met with him a few days ago to have dinner, he was being paid by Don to keep the law out of his way.

"Please sir, go with my colleague and we shall take a statement, we do not tolerate thugs or gangs in this country. We will take care of this." The Chief of police patted Don on the shoulder and I saw Don slide some notes into his pocket. These three men would be dead by morning and no one would know a thing about it.

Erika ran to Don's arms pretending to be shocked by what had happened, I knew her sobs were really peels of laughter.

Mark grabbed me and walked me away in the hustle of people, trying to keep me away from the public eye. But I could see Skyler trying to follow me outside dragging along two men with her.

Out the door Mark walked to the parked car and left me leaning against the bumper as he went into the glove compartment to get the First Aid kit. I watched curiously as Skyler came over with a nervous twitch in her movements. Now what's going on here?

"Rika, next time Don tells you to get 'em try to not get hurt so much. We got another appointment tomorrow and you'll need to be in great condition. Don hates it when you looked messed up." Mark called as he rummaged through the glove compartment.

"Rika do you remember me?" Skyler asked quietly as she stopped a few feet away from me.

I nodded my head as I took in the stances of the two men with her, one of the twins I had seen holding a baby, and the one with shining silver eyes that made me want to hiss and challenge.

"It's okay Rika, they aren't here to hurt you. We just want to-"

"Who the hell are you?" Mark's hostile voice made Skyler take a step back and the two men took a step each in front of her. Mark pulled me by my arm so I was flush against his side. He must've had a shock when he realised we weren't alone.

"We saw that the young lady was hurt, we wanted to know if she was all right and maybe if you needed any help." The twin said with a deep voice that reminded me of music. It was a trapping voice."Thanks for the concern, but we don't need no help." Mark turned to face me and block me from their view at the same time, as he pulled up one side of my top and dabbed roughly at the bleeding knife wound. I winced a little at the pain.

"You are hurting her." That dark voice warned as well as informed.

"Stay out of stuff that isn't your business." MArk snapped as he added pressure to the wound and tried to unwind a wad of bandages one handed.

"Mark they mean no harm-" I tried to ease the situation but I only seemed to make it worse.

"Shut the fuck up Rika, you know what fuck this. Get in the car, I'm taking you back to the Cage, Don will deal with the cops." Mark roughly shoved me towards the car and I heard a growl go through the night air.

I spun back around to find Mark pinned against the car door by the man with silver eyes. I stumbled a little with dizziness and exhaustion. How much blood had I lost?

"That is no way to treat a lady." The man with silver eyes growled.

I felt a part of myself try to turn wild and run, to fight and hiss, to do something but it was stopped for some reason. Held deep within me by some unknown force.

"And what the fuck would you know about treating women? Rika get 'em! For fuck sake someone take the collar off of her, Rika do something for fucks sake, chew this guy a new ass hole or something." Mark struggled against the silver eyed Carpathian and kept trying to reach for him.

He was an idiot, I didn't listen to him, only to Don. The an with silver eyes uttered something and all of a sudden Mark fell silent. A strange buzzing filled my ears.

"Rika please will you come with us? We can take you somewhere safe." Skyler asked gently with a raised hand, I noticed though that she didn't take a single step away from the twin.

"You are right Skyler she is psychic, she has a very strong shield." The man with silver eyes turned his attention to me, letting go of Mark but Mark still sat there quietly. He took a step toward me.

"Gregori, maybe that is not the best action to take." The twin cautioned.

I hissed and backed up, edging closer to the forest. I didn't like this, there were more of them, men with power that it made my skin tingle, they were coming from around the side of the inn, I felt a need to run, frantic to hide and escape.

So when Gregori took another fluid step forward I hissed in a warning, feigned a lunge and when he moved out of the way slightly, I spun and ran full pelt into the forest. I heard swearing and quick feet following me. Were these the people Don had warned me about? The ones who would take me and use me, the ones Don was trying to protect me from? I had to get away. That was my only thought as I ran deeper into the forest.

A/N Pretty please review and let me know what you think. XD