Not letting go

"Li… stay back," Eliana muttered before everything suddenly went silent and still, Lilian, who had opened her mouth to speak, froze as well. Eliana blinked when she realized what had happened. She didn't know if she was responsible for it or if it was him.

Thinking about him, she turned and found him staring at Lilian, a deep crease formed between his brows which told of his dissatisfaction. 'He is not frozen in time,' Eliana thought to herself. Just who was he?

In a blink of an eye, He stood before her and her breath caught in her throat. His gaze on her was intense and piercing, making her feel guilty as if she had done something wrong. As if she had broken an unspoken rule.

"Have you achieved what you wanted, Eliana? Are you satisfied now?" His voice was low and grim but Eliana didn't feel any threat in it towards her. Rather, she sensed frustration and helplessness in it which she found ridiculous because she did not believe that would ever be possible.

"I… I…" She couldn't find the right words to reply and just looked away from him. "How do I stop this?" Changing the subject to something which he seems to have overlooked. Those doorways were still open even after the time seemed to have stopped.

"That is your doing, find a way to close them on your own," he replied and she glared at him. "I do not go about helping others, Miss Kim, I thought, had I made myself clear before? Did you forget?"

"Then what should I do for you to help me this time? You are already helping as we speak," she gestured to the people around them. "Help me get rid of these, please," she said, looking back at the portals.

"Tell me something, little one, what triggered this… your abilities, do you know?" He asked to hear what she had to say. She had a wig on and contacts for her eyes which meant that she knew something like this or a little similar would happen. She was prepared, although barely, but she knew.

"The pill, that is the only thing that I can think of," Eliana replied, gazing up at him as she spoke. He was silent for a little while before he nodded his head. It was a slap on his ego that a substance made by humans was able to draw out her powers while he was unable to, but he just sighed, deciding to think about that for another time.

"Your disguise can fool the humans, but not non-humans present here, in this case, it is a good thing because these hunters wouldn't know who you are and realize that the pill that they fed you is affecting you. But, the disruption…" he stopped and looked behind him as a group of people suddenly disappeared from where they were. "You have seen them too, right?" Eliana nodded, and that alone proved her assumption to be correct. "Be prepared to run from them from this moment onward," he said and watched as her eyes went wide. "Give me your right hand," he instructed and she reluctantly gave her hand to him.

"What will you do…?" Her words were cut short when she felt something like electricity go through her body.

"Do not fight it, let me in," Helios instructed and she stopped struggling, her shoulders relaxed as she gave him access that he needed. Eliana paid close attention to what he was doing but couldn't feel anything anymore but the sound coming from the sound coming from the portals behind her had stopped.

He let go of her hand and cupped her face which had her opening her eyes immediately, staring accusingly at him. But he smoked and caressed her cheek.

"What are you doing, Mr Sloan?" Eliana asked when he reached his hand to her head and pulled the wig off she also felt the contact taken off as well even though no one touched them. She could see a glimmer in his eyes and for the first time, raw emotions. "Mr Sloan…?" Eliana trailed off when she saw the colour of her.

"Hella…" he caressed her cheek, leaned to kiss her forehead and engulfed her in a hug. "Come, I will get you out of here," he said in a gentle tone. His actions were gentle which Eliana didn't quite understand why, he had never been rough with her but something was different in the way he talked and treated her now.

The most concerning matter now was how her hair had turned silver out of the blue, she had fiery red hair, that was the colour that she grew up with and even before coming out here, although different, it was still red.

"You have more questions?" Helios asked, cocking his head to the side but his dark orbs never left her silvery ones.

"Yes, I do Mr. Sloan, but I can't leave Lilian behind," Eliana replied. His attitude may have changed…a lot, but he seems to be doing this willingly now, with no clauses attached to his actions.

"I am fine, Elia," Lilian said. She walked closer but maintained a good distance from them. Eliana may not feel it but she could feel the strong aura coming from that man with her. Drawing any close might suffocate her to death.

"How did you…?" She tried to walk to her but he didn't let go of her. His hand on her waist wouldn't let go even after she tapped him to release her.

"I am not letting go, Hella, not again," he refused and she blinked. This was the second time he was calling her that name, it felt familiar and not misplaced at all that he called her that.

"I am not leaving her," Eliana stood her ground and he just nodded his head.

"Then we'll take her along," he uttered. He turned to look at Lilian who was wise enough to maintain the distance. It seems that being around Eliana had heightened her senses against magic, unlike most humans. She was supposed to be frozen in time along with everyone else but here she was, walking and talking when it should not have been possible.