~ 20: The Mystery Man - Part 1 ~

The giant's shadow towered over my head, intimidating me more than usual. Perhaps the dark exaggerated his height, but I wasn't sure until he came to stand very close to my back. I gulped down the little fear that was caught in my throat. I didn't understand what had caused it — whether it was his height or his voice.

I stood still, completely frozen in my spot. I tried to concentrate on my racing heart and calm it down by taking in gulps of air.

"I guess I found my prey for tonight," his husky voice purred in my ear, making me flinch.

Now, I had lost control of my panic attack. My mind went blank, and there was nothing I could sense.

'Breathe,' said a deep voice, just like the last time. 'Breathe in deeply.'

I was compelled to obey the overpowering, commanding voice. It was like I was being controlled, and at the same time, not entirely as I did it because that was the only available solution at present.

'Calm down,' I told myself. 'Let's play along. At least we can get in there and rescue Mel out.'

"A prey for what, sir?" I questioned innocently, turning my head slightly to my right. "I'm not that sweet for anyone's tastes."

The man, whose nose nearly met mine, was wearing an eyepatch. The other eye had a pitch-black iris which held no reflection. With his jet black hair and pale face, one could get the illusion of an attractive ghost. I stepped back but found his arm around my waist, pulling me close to him.

"Isn't that for me to decide, darling?" he purred again, tracing my jutting jawline and chin with his gloved hands. "After all, the prey I chose never fails to impress me."

"Who's there?" a man cried out from a distance. His burly body and tattooed face gave the impression of a thug. Or maybe he was one with the manner in which he had spoken to us.

He flashed his strong searchlight on us, earning the dangerous glare and the tick of annoyance of the adonis's jaw. When the security thug saw the eyepatched man supporting my waist, he retracted his outstretched hand holding the searchlight and raised his eyes wide in fear.

"Sorry, sir," he uttered quickly. "I heard someone come through and didn't expect it was you."

"It was my sneaky little girl here," spoke the predator who had laid his eyes on me. "Now, if you don't mind, I have my business to deal with, including my supper."

The words chilled me to the bones, causing goosebumps to rise on my smooth skin. He was referring to me, wasn't he? Just what trap had my mind thought it was happy to play along with?

He hauled me to the wall with such force that momentarily, I thought my death had come. His hands snaked around my back and legs, making me repulse at the way things were proceeding.

"Scared?" he asked, tilting his head with a complacent smirk lighting up his scarred face.

"Not in the least," I replied with a smile, putting my arms around his neck like he was my lover.

This was a game on a battlefield, and I was entitled to free my friend. I was going nowhere until I was done with my job.

"This is my first time having such a submissive prey. You still haven't told me why you are here."

"I was looking for a little bit of trouble and fun before I landed here. I must have come to the right place after all."

A large sly smile spread across his lips. I asked myself if I was digging my own grave or if I was coming out of the dark abyss.

"Tonight is going to be a grand night," he declared, taking in my scent. "It's nice to have an obedient little lady to have fun with if she is willing."

He licked my lips and neck, making me recoil in disgust inside. I had to deal with this now that I had brought it upon myself with my ingenious brain.

"Maybe today was the day you were looking forward to in all your dark days," I spoke, threading his hair between my fingers.

'Keep it up for now,' a small voice said. 'Bear it for now.'

But it was just getting more impossible by the minute. He picked me up and hung me on his shoulder. My heart did a somersault, nearly getting knocked off from my ribcage.

'What have I done?' I screamed in my head. 'I only stepped harder on the peddle.'

"Whoa, sir," I squeaked out anxiously. "Am I that light to carry?"

"You are a feather on one's hat," he answered. "You are light as a feather, yet important for my survival. Hopefully, you'll be a delicious meal."

I hoped and prayed that me being his meal wouldn't bring me to any harm. And that I should be able to save Melissa before anything goes wrong.

He carried me all the way to a room in the basement through the half-open shutters. He placed a shaky me on a chair. Then he crouched down to have a better look at my face after tipping over my hood.

The light was right above us and I could finally see his attire. He wore an all-black shirt, pant and a long coat. Across his chest was a strap attached to a scabbard that held a longsword and on his waist, a cleverly crafted dagger was secured.

"You're a pretty sight, and a very familiar one too," he said, after staring at me like I was some sweet dish of his. "Are you from around here?"

"No, sir," I responded politely.

"It's Lucas. Did the brave girl suddenly become timid?"

"Maybe a little nervous. Your very countenance is terrifyingly handsome."

He threw back his head and laughed, sending the echoes to magnify them. Every other thing I had told him was a white lie, but this one was the truth. His pale face glowing in the dark made one afraid to meet his eye.

Suddenly, he came right at me, banging his arms on the armrest of the chair. Instantly, I removed my forearms from there and leaned back, afraid of everything that was to unfold. The chair would have tumbled over if his strong arms hadn't come to rest where they were now.

"You dare to lie to me," he whispered in my ear, making my heart fall. "It wouldn't even take me a fraction of a second to twist that pretty face of yours and bring the pallor of death upon your body. Tell me the real reason you are here before I make something else out of you."