Dani's Harem [Reverse Harem]

Dani - PTSD should be named WTFNow?

The man, Nathan gives me a look. Not one that I have seen before directed at me but I am pretty sure it means he can take care of himself, which normally would be okay but I don't even know what the hell is going on and how he would even fight the monsters that took me. How did I get here? What the hell were those monsters talking about asking about my spiritual strength and birth? Wanting answers to questions I can't wrap my head around. I put that issue on the back burner and concentrate back on the situation at hand.

What the heck do I do here, do I leave now or wait till I am stronger. I know I am weak and I feel safe here. I don't understand the feeling of rightness but I know he would not hurt me ever. He is important somehow, the voices seem to murmur in agreement and I am even more confused. The silence stretches between us and I decide to sit down on the couch across from him. He gives me a nod gets up and sorts out some soup and tea for me and I wonder why he is out here on his own. He seems nice enough, no creepy vibes coming from him. Instead of asking me anything or me asking about him, we sit there in silence eating the soup. I finish and sit back feeling safe and warm for the first time in what feels like weeks now. I think over everything that has happened, still in awe and outright disbelief. I look at Nathan and see that he is looking at me curiously but still doesn't ask me anything. I am thankful for that, to have a few moments to feel normal again before I stare back down the rabbit hole.

I gather up what little courage I do have, look away from Nathan and bite the bullet.

"My name is... Dani, my name is Dani" I reaffirm.

"There are bad men after me and I don't really know why..."

After a minute I realize he isn't going to ask anything or interrupt. I don't like it now, I already feel unsteady on the edge of a cliff. My silence screams in my own ears now and I know I have no choice, not if they follow me here. Nathan would be in danger and he would need to know how far these monsters have gone and will go.

"I was walking home from work and I was jumped from behind, I think they hit me with something because everything was hazy for a while. I don't remember going anywhere but I do know that I came fully awake with a bucket of ice water thrown in my face. They had me... I was tied down to a chair and I couldn't see anything. I was wearing a blindfold and everything smelled rotten around me. It was one of the first things I noticed, the smell.

I was so afraid, I couldn't move and they didn't talk straight away but I could hear them moving around".

Jock is in my hands and I notice I have been scratching them, hard. I let go and scratch his head, he looks up at me and jumps up onto the couch and dumps his very heavy head in my lap I let out an oomph and we both chuckle. I pet him for a few minutes while staring at the fireplace trying to find the words to explain what happened, maybe even understand what was happening now.

"They started talking to each other but not in English, it wasn't anything I understood and almost sounded like animals talking underwater. I begged them to let me go, to tell them they had the wrong person. Someone would come for me, my mum was waiting for me. I wouldn't tell anyone they had taken me and would just tell my mum that I went to the shop first. They just laughed at me, copying what I was saying in a fake girly tone. I started to cry more and I couldn't stop. I didn't even hear them talking for a while because I was too scared. One of them punched me... it was, I don't think I even made a sound then. I was too shocked and pain had exploded where my lip split".

I put a hand to my lips, it was still healing but didn't sting or burn like it did that night. I heard Nathan moving around and realized he was doing the dishes. I feel stupid now, talking to him and he wasn't even listening and was cleaning up instead. Sitting back on the couch the memories were on a loop behind my eyes, going round and round trying to figure out how it all fits. A tap on my shoulder jerks me out of my memories and I scream in fright. Trying to get off the couch and shoving at Jock at the same time, he is an unusually large dog. Can't breathe. I can't breathe!

"Lass, you okay? It's Nathan. Shit, I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. Lass? Can you hear me? Fuck! DANI!!"

I jump at the sound of my name on his lips and my eyes focus on Nathan kneeling beside me on the floor with concern on his face, Jock is licking my hands again and I notice my eyes are streaming tears.

"I... I'm sorry Nathan, I am such a basket case. You scared me. I thought. I thought you were" I swallow around the lump in my throat and try to speak again but I can't. Closing my eyes I focus on my breathing and finally manage to calm down. Once I am settled again I look at Nathan who is still kneeling beside the couch and I can't read his face. His face is blank and his eyes seem ice cold. They are a blue so clear it is like looking into the ocean. A shiver of fear runs down my spine and I lean away from him. He must have realized something else was wrong because I see guilt swim into his features bringing them back to life.