Chapter 5

Air, clean and cold filled his lungs as he fell through the door, driving her scent from his nostrils. Stumbling he made his way to the side street and slumped against the wall. What the hell was wrong with him? His blood still boiling and body still vibrating he threw his head back and cursed his life. He should leave but he couldn’t. A precipice that’s where he was, if he left her now, she’d be fine but he wouldn’t. There was no way he could tear himself away from her, if he could have he would have left when he first saw her, first in hailed her, he had her scent and he would track her , there was no way that she could run or hide from him now. If he didn’t stay away, which he thought was a fate worse than death, he would sign her death warrant. So he’d fight every last mother fucker out there for her, he’d tear anyone to shreds for even looking at her the wrong way. He’d keep her alive, if anyone came for her they would be so lucky. So thats it then, he was going to make her his. There wasnt really any other choice that he could see, no way could he leave her for someone else, they might hurt her. Or worse she might love them, oh no way was he going to let her go, she would be his whether she liked it or not. He smiled to himself, yes she would be his.

Rowan left the club after scrubbing her face clean and changing into her jeans and elbow free jumper. She was exhausted after tonight and just wanted to crawl into her bed and stay there, under her covers she would be safe and alone, just the way she liked it.

Walking home she got the feeling she was being followed, and picked up her pace to an almost run. She wasnt normally this jumpy but coming face to face with a living memory had her on edge, every fibre of her was on high alert, a feeling she didn’t like.

“Rowan” a voice drifted to her on the breeze, wrapping around her like a caress. She stopped and looked around, nothing. No one was anywhere near her, but the goose bumps prickling her neck told her otherwise.

“Who’s there?” she blurted out, her voice betraying her. She felt like a deer caught in headlights, she wanted to bolt for it but couldn’t decide which way to go.

“DON'T run.” The voice purred, it's tone low and gravely which she felt all the way through her, like a lovers spell it held her immobile.

“Wh..o, Who’s there?” she asked again. Not able to run even if she knew what that was right now, her brain felt scrambled, unable to comprehend what was going on. Was this how people felt when they were attacked? Was this why women didn’t run from attackers? She couldn’t find her legs, although she knew they were holding her up. Her whole body felt numb, like it belonged to someone else and she was just here for the view.

A dark shape stepped out from the shadows and Rowan felt a scream bubble up but get stuck. She couldn’t breathe, and as screaming required breath, she had no hope of getting help to her, she was going to be killed she felt sure of it, and yet she couldn’t do anything.

“It’s your time Rowan.” The voice said calmly stepping towards her. Why couldn’t she run, scream, something, anything. Instead her body felt safe, her mind was screaming at her to get away, far away, but she just stood there unable to do anything.

Her eyes started to sting, with unshed tears of fear no doubt, but not even they were able to leave her body. Then they started to burn with an intensity that made her want to scream, yet even that scream didn’t leave her. Blinking her eyes against the pain, she noticed she could see things, things she shouldn’t be able to see. Everything magnified and illuminated.

Totally freaked out by her stalker and now her vision was so good that she could see in the dark like it was daylight. She had always had 20/20 vision but this was crazy, like bionic vision or something, colours were brighter, details finer. Is this what happens when you know you’re going to die? Was she about to see her life flash before her, in true Technicolor?

Her heart pumping extremely fast- dangerously fast – if this stalker didn’t take her life, surely her heart was about to explode anyway, either way she number was up.

The breeze picked up, ruffling her hair, spinning unconsciously around in that direction, now how come she could move, just not off this spot? Still she saw no one, but she was definitely not alone. Her heart fast approaching explosion, sweat trickling down her spine, muscles vibrating, fear so profound she felt dying would be easier than continuing with these feelings, she couldn’t wait anymore.

“Come get some fucker...” she shouted out, since she couldn’t get her body to move she would get him to come to her, then she might be able to do something. Hopefully her body would kick into flight or flight instead of paralysation as she was currently experiencing. She would kick him in the balls and then run for it. Good plan now she just had to get her body to want to survive this night.

“Rowan” A new voice interrupted her planning. This one cool, with a hint of urgency to it. “RUN!” He shouted.

She felt her body spring to life, she took off a full speed, not needing anymore invitation to get out of there, until her body slammed into an invisible wall. Her back arched, her head thrown back, arms hanging at her sides unable to move again. She had the distinct impression that she wasnt even in contact with the ground anymore, a puppet on a sting is how she felt, suspended and held at an uncomfortable angle. She felt like she was floating yet in incredible pain at the way she was being held, her back almost a breaking point she screamed in pain, the first scream that had been able to leave her. She hit the ground hard as sounds of fighting broke out behind her; all she could make out were blurs of movement.

What the fuck was going on here? This was not real, it couldn’t be. Had her drink spiked tonight? Did Penny think she needed something to get her through that second dance? She rather hoped that it was something like that, because otherwise she had lost it, gone crazy, one sandwich short of a picnic and the memory of Jake had sent her over the edge into full on madness?

The blurs continued, grunts, lightening, blood splattered across the ground. She really did have a good imagination when delusional, but why couldn’t she be delusional about having a loving family life instead of this, this... whatever it was. Slumped on the cold ground, her eyes on fire, had the stalker thrown acid in her eyes? it sure felt like it but her face wasn’t burning only her eyes were. She managed to crawl away from the fighting behind her, who ever had helped her out was on his own, she couldn’t take anymore tonight and she wouldn’t be able to help him even if she did stay. Feeling slightly bad for her rescuer but not bad enough to stick around and watch she left and went home.

***

Adrian had followed her and thank god he had, someone else had followed her too, one of his kind. He had managed to release her from the pull and now was locked in a fierce battle that he had no intention of losing, he only hoped that Rowan wasn’t able to see what was going on. He threw everything he had at the guy, he was strong but Adrian suspected that on one on this plant wanted Rowan more than he did, so no way was he going to lose this fight. As he pounded the guy into the ground, his mind was working out how this guy knew who she was. This had been her first night shift so he hadn’t seen her before tonight and he was sure that this guy hadn’t been there tonight, he would have notice him. Only one person was going to walk away tonight and it would be him. After having to leave the club before tearing everyone apart for just looking at her, he was now taking it out on this guy. He shuddered at what this guy would have done to her.

Breaking both the guys arms and slicing open his gut, he pulled him away from the street and pinned him to the wall, needing to get information before he finished this.

“Who are you and why are you after her?” He growled while holding his knife at the guys heart. “If you don't answer me, I will make you wish for death buddy, my patience is thinning, so hurry up.”

“Fuck you”

“nine, eight, seven” Adrian pushed the knife through the ribs.

“Six, five, four” the knife went in further.

“Orion, I'm Orion and she’s marked, you have no claim to her” Orion chocked then grunted out, spluttering blood in his face.

Adrian wiped his face in disgust.

“By who?”

“I would tell you if I could, I don't like pain, but if I do then I die anyway, I'm bound by magic.”

“Hmm, well, if that’s the case you’d do well to remember that I can take a very, very long time to kill you, I can keep you alive for years and pull you apart piece by agonizing piece. So chose, die now or die every day for as long as it takes me to get what I want.”

“Please I'm just her guardian”

“WHAT”

“She is marked, I told you and I'm her guardian”

“Humans don't have guardians, and she is Very human, so tell me why you’re lying”

“She is... I can t tell you, I can't tell you anything about her or I'm toast”

“your toast anyway Orion, but I'm giving you the chance to end this”

“No, I want to live”

Adrian started cutting Orion’s fingers off, one by one. “You really should consider that Orion, I will get what I want”

“No”

Adrian hit Orion’s pressure point in his neck and Orion fell to the ground unconscious. He couldn’t do this here, it was too public and he had to check on Rowan.

 “Shit,” He cursed as he rounded the corner, she had left.

Adrian grabbed Orion and dragged him home, Sooner or later he would get the information he needed. Rowan was in danger and he was the only one that could save her, but if he didn’t get information about who had marked her, he was going to be starting a war without knowing who he was after. Patience was not one of his virtues’ but for her he would wait and not kill the fucker who thought to take her.

Rowan was his, He would destroy the workd for her, if thats what it took.