Valen: A Collector's Item

To Eat

Valen's hand hovered over Peter's shoulder as a group of men with various degrees of color, facial features, skin types, and numbered extremities came to a halt in front of them.

They all stayed silent as Valen and Peter sized up their kidnappers, making mental plans for how to handle it.

Movement started from the back as the men moved out of the way for who Valen presumed was their leader. She noticed his blue skin first, but it was darker than Laufeys'. Her eyes made their way up to his head, which was bald except for his red Mohawk. Only, the Mohawk wasn't hair. Valen couldn't tell what it was, but she knew it wasn't natural.

The leader ran his bottom lip along his teeth while pointing back and forth between the two. "I didn't order two."

"And I'm not a delivery option." She spat back as she mapped out a fight plan in her head.

"No, no. You're the right one." He stared at a device in his hand seemingly comparing whatever was on it to Valen. When he was content, he slid his eyes over to Peter. "You on the other hand."

Valen slowly stepped in front of Peter. This made the leader laugh, which made the rest of the group laugh too. "You poor boy need a woman to protect you?"

Valen smirked. "He doesn't need me to protect him. But you're gonna need him to protect me from you."

The girl turned invisible and ran straight for the leader. Right as she was about to stab him, she heard a whistle and something flew by her ear, leaving a thin trail of a red glow behind it. She turned to look at Peter who had bent backwards to dodge the arrow, but as he stood back up, he forced himself into a statue-like stance.

"Valen?" Peter's heart raced as only his eyes dared to move down to his neck. He couldn't see it, but he could feel the tip of something pressing against his jugular.

The leader couldn't see Valen, but his smug smile suggested he knew he won before the battle even began. "I'd be changing back now, girl, unless you want lover boy to go to sleep."

Valen carefully took a few silent steps back next to Peter before unveiling herself. Her knife was gone, and her hands were in the air, but the arrow pressing against Peter's skin remained. However, Valen's worried gaze turned into something unexpected. She dropped her hands down to her side and shook her head.

"Valen?" Peter whispered, not knowing what her aim was.

She relaxed her whole body. Even rolled out her shoulders. "Kill him."

"What are you playing at, girl?" The blue man asked. He looked at Peter hoping to see if he could read what her play was from him. But Peter's wide eyes were on her.

"Valen?" His voice rose an octave with more urgency.

"Do it." She crossed her arms over her chest, staring deep into the leader's eyes, daring him to make a move.

"I ain't joking."

She smiled smugly at his words. "Neither am I. I've been needing a good vent for a while anyway."

He whistled and the arrow pulled back. A different tone and it raced toward the middle of his forehead.

Peter squeezed his eyes, anticipating his death, praying that it was quick. Valen stood as steady as a rock.

The leader studied her, waiting for any sign of hesitation. When there was none, he stopped the arrow right as a drop of blood fell from Peter's forehead onto his nose.

"Ah. You've got some balls, girl. But I'm warning you, I won't hesitate the next time you try to pull something funny." The blue turned around toward his men and nodded his head before walking off.