The Puppeteer

3. Familiarity

Chapter 3

The young man looked to be in his early twenties, his black tousled hair curling behind his ears slightly, his eyes a light shade of stormy grey.

I gaped for a bit, simply admiring his handsome facial features. Before he could notice my awe, I slid my gaze to Lilith, who stood beside Arthur with a heavy scowl on her face.

"What should we do with her?" Said the frowning raven-haired female. She lay her hands on her hips.

Arthur pondered, rolling his eyes down my form. I hesitated to turn away, embarrassed and uncomfortable. "Make a deal." He'd step forward.

"A deal?" I'd gulp.

"Yes, an arrangement." He'd step close enough for me to reach my arm out and touch him. "Forget everything about the night of your attack. Forget about us-"

"Arthur! Just kill her!" Lilith stepped forward, interrupting him.

"Lilith, this is not your problem to solve!" He'd turn his head to the cloaked girl, his voice threatening. Lilith growled lowly, crossing her arms as she watched me with burning hate.

I checked my phone discretely for any missed calls or texts. None.

Where is she? Mom, please hurry. Please, please hurry.

I considered calling the police, yet I could somehow predict how explaining a gang of cloaked students wanting to kill me sounded strange enough for it to be ignored.

The handsome young man looked back at me, sighing. "Charlotte, listen-"

I stepped back, "I don't know you, how do you know my name?"

He stepped forward "I-"

"Stay back! Or I'm calling the police!"

Maybe I should, anyways?

Lilith chuckled dryly in the background. "And tell them what? As far as they know, we haven't even hurt you." She paused. "Yet."

"Y-You threatened to kill me! That counts for something!" I waved a pointed finger at her, pulling it away quickly once I figured it was shaking, much like the rest of my trembling body. Was it the cold, or the fact that I was scared to death?

Lilith snickered slightly in her hood, turning to Astrid, who hadn't moved any part of her body whats so ever from her standing position. The tall raven-haired nudged her head towards me. "Kill her."

Astrid gave a quick nod, moving forward in fluid steps, only to be stopped by Arthur's arm.

"Lilith, if you hurt her, you will answer to me." His voice held promise.

My heels dug into the ground, my body unable to move. I could feel the unevenness of my breathing, almost as if I was beginning to hyperventilate. I was panicking.

Who are these people? Where is my mom?...This is a dream?

Astrid looked up to Arthur, then back to her 'master', who quickly let out a frustrated scoff, turning on her spiked heels. "Very well, I'll leave you to do the dirty work." Her heels clicked away from the scene, Astrid following closely behind.

I hastily shifted my gaze to the young man, nervously pulling down my sweater over my hips. He seemed to follow the gesture with his eyes, then traveled his gaze up to land on mine.

"Are you scared?" He asked.

"Do you know where my mother is?"

Arthur sighed, reaching behind him to pull the hood of his cloak over his head. "Go home, Charlotte. Forget this happened."