MIDNIGHT JASMINE
[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: BLINDNESS ~ SOLE
The ride was a very quiet one, as Raven's mind was filled with thoughts of the young woman. He didn't know what he was going to do with her; it was as if somehow she attracted trouble because every time there was danger, there this girl was. And she looked very tiny and fragile, easy to break. Out of frustration, Raven honked his car, then he heard a small gasp that escaped the girl's lips. He turned to look at her for a brief moment, then his focus went back to the road.
She was sleeping, but her hand clenched in small fists as if she was trying to protect herself even in sleep. Raven, holding the wheel with one hand, raked his finger through his hair. He never got easily angered, but for some reason, he was just so mad at himself and he couldn't just tell why.
He finally left the outskirts of town where the truck was found, then he got to the main city. It was already evening when he arrived, yet the streets were still bustling, street lights illuminating the road.
Raven parked his car near an alley, thinking of what to do with the girl. He had never found himself in such a situation. In fact, he was someone who never cared about people. Why had he bothered himself with the girl who somehow always got entangled with his business, looking like she needs to be protected?
Raven sighed, "Fuck!" he cursed under his breath, reversing his car, he drove straight to his own house. Driving inside his gate, he parked at the garage and finally stepped down. He opened the back seat door, but the girl was still sleeping. Raven pulled out his phone, turning on the light, he checked the girl's ankle.
Just like he suspected, it was sprained, a part of it was looking purplish black. The injury looked like something old that had been left untreated. He pondered how long the girl had been like that. Crouching on his heels, Raven grazed his slender finger on the girl's ankle that had now turned warm.
This touch startled sleeping Lily; she instinctively moved her leg away before jerking up, moving away from the man who was staring at her unblinkingly.
"Won't hurt you, now bring your leg, let me take a look at it," Raven remarked in a low voice that was cold as usual.
Lily shook her head, moving herself away from the man. She didn't trust him, no, she didn't trust anyone at all. "Don't help me, I won't give you anything in return," she muttered, her hands trembling.
Raven raised his brow by default, tilting his head to the side. He wondered what could make the girl think of such; why would he ask for something in return? He finally got on his feet, dipping his hand inside his trouser pocket, he said to the girl, "You already accepted my help, don't you remember?" he asked.
Lily bit her lower lip, which was trembling. All she could think of was the man who had tried to take advantage of her back at the underground, all because of a piece of doughnut. Her throat turned dry at the thought, and she clasped her hands together,
"Please let me go, sir, please. Thank you for saving me, but don't take anything in return," she begged, her body shaking terribly from cold and fear.
Raven twitched his lips at that girl's plea. He didn't know what she had gone through that made her think every help comes with something in return, but she needed to know it wasn't always the case. He nodded his head, "You can go," he drawled before bending over to meet Lily's face.
Placing his hand on her side, he held up her chin to face him. "Just know that the next time I get to help you, you will become mine, and I'll be your master. Yes?" the devil asked in a tone that sounded more alluring than the whispers of sirens.
Lily gulped. What was the possibility of her getting into trouble again? It was very low. All she had to do was find Victoria and live a low-key life until she was better and ready to fight for her brother's release.
The offer was not so bad and sounded great in Lily's ear; she would never be owned by this man. She quickly nodded in acceptance. Unbeknownst to Lily, fate had other things in store for her.
Raven's lips tugged at the end, but he didn't smile. He moved back and made way for her to leave the car, watching as she limped out, trying to remove the jacket he gave to her.
Raven stopped her, "You need the jacket; I'll take it back when you return," he remarked, giving the girl an eerie smile.
More than her situation, Lily was scared of this man; she gulped softly, thankful that he didn't take the jacket which was protecting her delicate skin. Lily limped as she walked out of the gate, she sneezed continuously while leaving the place.
Raven stepped out of his garage and watched the girl leaving the building. The gate opened as she got nearer, and soon the girl disappeared. The man sighed.
"Why did you let a woman in distress leave like that?" The whirring sound of a robot was heard as Lucy moved to stand not far from Raven.
Raven rubbed his temple, "A stray cat must be trained to only trust its new master. First, it has to learn that it has no place as home other than where its master resides," he remarked in a nonchalant tone.
Another whirring sound was heard when Lucy moved its head to the side. "But no stray cat was detected, just a female human," the robot replied, scanning the area again to be sure it didn't miss anything.
Raven grinned, "Lucy, it seems you're losing your touch. I should get your battery checked, yes?" the man asked casually.
The robot moved away from its master, "I will get your coffee ready in two," Lucy replied.
"Make it in five; I have somewhere I need to be," Raven replied, leaving the house.
Currently, Lily limped gradually away from where the man lived; just like expected, he lived far away from the main street, in an isolated place. Just like the devil would, the girl sighed. When she remembered something, she stopped in her tracks and looked back at the house she had passed.
"Be my master, as in I'll be a pet? Does he not know I'm a human? He wouldn't... obviously, he doesn't know what a human being means," the girl said to herself, exhaling softly.
When she passed the small road, she finally saw a group of cars and light. She was free! All she had to do was dial Victoria's number or even better, Officer Jeffrey, and she would be fine.
Getting closer to the men, Lily noticed one of the men had a bandage on his face and he looked very much familiar; she couldn't place where she saw his face. Then ding! It clicked, like the bell back at the entrance of the flower shop.
"Bambi?" Lily muttered under her breath; the same man that his head was smashed on the mirror at the boutique. Lily quickly made a turn before she could be noticed, but she was too late.
"Hey, stop there."