From The Ashes.

Chapter 6

I don't know if it was the urgency in my voice or the look of panic on my face but neither of them hesitated when Zak gathered the kid into his arms and Caerun pointed us towards the old, silver car he'd parked beside my apartment building.

"Where are we going?" Zak demanded as he leaned into the back seat to strap in the kid. I swallowed, trying to build up enough moisture to answer.

"The cafe." I croaked out and he nodded, jumping into the front seat as Caerun expertly swung the car onto the road. I tore at the hem of my shirt, I knew Caerun was speeding but the car seemed like it was going at snail pace and I bit down on the need to tell him to hurry up.

"What's happened Princess?" Zak twisted in his seat to look at me. For a moment, my voice caught in my throat, months of keeping this a secret making it hard to open up. But, I didn't have a choice. There wasn't a doubt in me that these two would follow me the moment we got to the Cafe and they had the right to know what was likely going to happen.

"My best friend, Rachel, you met her the other day-"

"Yes, I remember, the redhead." Zak interrupted and then looked apologetically at me. I swallowed a lump in my throat and nodded.

"Do you remember that man that came up to us? I pushed you away before he could see you?" Zaks eyebrows furrowed but he nodded. "He's Rachels boyfriend. The bastard is abusing her but she refuses to leave him." The two men were silent for a few moments as Caerun swung the car around a corner. Zak studied my expression and sighed.

"She called you because she's in trouble, didn't she?" I didn't reply as the car finally pulled into the cafes parking lot. The car was still moving when I pushed the door open and took off down the side of the cafe.

"Tera!" The heavy footsteps of Zak following me echoed behind me but I didn't stop as I turned the corner to see my red headed best friend choking on the ground as so called boyfriend stood over her with a sick smirk twisting his features. I didn't hesitate, using my momentum and the fact he hadn't seen me, I spun on my heel and sent my foot slamming directly into his stomach. The asshole choked, all the wind knocked out of him as he was thrown backwards, landing on the concrete with a loud thud.

"Tera." Rachel called, grabbing my hand she pulled me down to her level. For a moment, I could only blink at her. It was like the world slowed down as I studied the bruise that was quickly forming on her face, her eye already so swollen she could barely see out of it. There were bruises the shape of fingers starting to appear around her throat. It didn't seem fair that someone as hard working and honest as Rachel had ended up with a bastard like him. Something cracked behind me and I spun around as everything sped up again, my arms flew up in front of my face as I flinched away from the fist barrelling towards me... only nothing happened. Hesitantly, I opened my eyes to find Zak standing above me, his fingers closed tightly around the fist centimetres from my face, glaring at the man towering over Rachel and I.

"You okay, Princess?" He asked, his fingers growing tighter around Ceres' fist. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak as I pushed Rachel away from the two men when a loud bang made me flinch. I turned to find Ceres sprawled out on the ground with Zak standing over him.

"Fuck off, this has nothing to do with you." Ceres scowled and pushed himself off the ground. Zak watched him intently, his posture seemed casual with his hands in his jacket pockets but I could see he was ready to move at a moments notice.

"This has everything to do with me. You're the one threatening the girls." It was silent for a few moments as the two of them stared at each other before a creepy smirk began to spread across Ceres' face.

"The girls? Since when were you so close to them?" A sudden sharp pain in my arm made me flinch and I looked down to find Rachels nails digging into my skin. She watched the two men, her dark green eyes wide with fear and I sighed. She wasn't scared for herself.