Realm of the Rogues

Chapter XXIII

- - [POV: Athena] - -

I stand for a moment unable to move. My whole body is stiff from fear. He was here. He is real. We need to leave.

I feel someone tuck at my sleeve, so I slowly turn my head to see Hera with a chunk of my shirt in her mouth trying to pull me with her. I can see the fear in her eyes as well. I get up and follow her and meet up with Kai, who is also in his wolf form. Kai doesn't even shift but instead starts running off back to the entrance of the motel. When I catch up, pathetically slow with my human legs, he is already shifted back and fully clothed.

"You okay?" He asks, but I can feel that he isn't really interested in my answer, he is too shaken. I just nod, which he doesn't see, as he is busy adjusting the collar of his shirt, which I realize must be a nervous kind of tick.

"Let's go," he says, not waiting for our approval before sprinting off down the road. Hera is right behind him, but I slack painfully far behind. I try catching up for a couple of minutes, but it feels like my lungs are bleeding from being punctured by a thousand needles. I try to yell at them to stop, but I can't find my breath. This enhances my anxiety as I mentally go through the scene I have just played a major role in;

The dude from behind the counter had pulled me back into the kitchen, where he asked me to help him take out the trash. I felt a weird vibe but imagined that he couldn't possibly hurt me. As I had emptied two trashcans and tied off the bags, he showed me to the backdoor leading to an alley with a big container. He opened the lid, and I tried to throw the bags up into it, but they were a lot heavier than I had imagined - or maybe I'm just a lot weaker than I believe myself to be.

As I struggled, he became irritated, or maybe it was just arousal since he then forcefully grabbed my jaw with his hand and pushed me up against the wall, making me drop the bags in the sudden movement. He put his head all to way down to mine and suddenly I realized how tall he actually was. In the dark, he felt very big and intimidating. He pulled back his lips as he snarled;

"Ain't so strong now, huh? How easy it is to act big, and how easy it is for me to destroy your confidence as I use you as I see fit." He put his head down to my neck and took a deep inhale. His hand moved from my jaw down to my neck. He started to put his weight into it as he choked me. He put his right hand down to my ass. He forcefully grabbed it and bit my earlobe. I tried screaming, but his hand flew up and covered my mouth. He shook his head and shushed at me in a condemning manner.

I could feel the tears in my eyes as he removed his hand from my mouth and grabbed me between my legs firmly. He smiled with a scary smile as he forcefully pushed me back into the wall, causing me to fall to my knees. He unzipped his pants, which fell down to his knees and proceeded to pull down his underwear just enough for his stiff member to emerge out from the lining. He took a handful of my hair as I tried to fight back, fully prepared to bite off whatever he would force in my mouth.

Nothing, however, could have prepared me to see his lifeless body being thrown into the container at the very next second. And before me stood my very own stalker. This somehow scared me more than anything that guy could have done to me.

Now I realize how weak and inadequate I am. I couldn't defend myself against a literal human. How would I ever survive alone in the supernatural world? I am only bringing down Hera and Kai, and I refuse to be at fault for their death...

Finally, Hera turns her head and notices me painfully struggling to keep up. She stops and waits for me. I catch up and fall against her body unable to breathe, and I feel so ashamed by how feeble I am. I hate this. More than anything. I look up at Kai with determination in my eyes.

"We are going to find those druids now. I don't care about the vampire, I can't escape him like this anyway, so it's just a question of time before my weakness results in our deaths". Kai just nods.

"You're right. We can't outrun him, especially not in your... condition." He doesn't look at me while saying this. Is he embarrassed by being with such a weak creature like me? Honestly, I can't blame him, I'm embarrassed to be like this.

"I don't think we will get any closer to finding the druids by leaving the city. I suggest we stay for the night and figure out what to do in the morning." Hera and Kai don't come with any objections, so I turn around ready to return to the motel. My lungs still feel like they are trying to drown me in my own blood.

"I demand that you guys help me train and become as strong as I possibly can in this state I am in. I will not accept being this weak anymore," I say firmly while walking. Again no objections.

"So, where will we stay?" Kai asks after a pause. "I don't want to return to the motel, it's too obvious." I turn around to face him, now walking backward.

"It's the easiest; there won't be anyone to stop us, since that guy is dead, and no matter where we go, he will probably find us anyway." I can see that Kai doesn't like the idea, as his face wrinkles in doubt and uncertainty. I turn back around to signal that it isn't up for discussion.

If I should be completely honest, I kind of want to meet the vampire again. I doubt that he actually wants us killed. He could have ended us a million times so far if that was his wish.