Protected

Chapter One

Striking, almost electric blue eyes stare into mine from the darkness. I move towards them, my feet involuntarily carrying me towards feeling of familiarity given off by the eyes. A voice, barely above a whisper, calls my name.

"Tell me who you are," it whispers roughly. I stop as confusion washes over me.

"W...I'm sorry...do..do I know you?" I shake my head quickly. I'm rewarded only with a soft sigh. The eyes fade along with the voice, and I'm left alone in the darkness.

.................

The pillow beneath my head is damp with sweat, my hair matted to my face. My breath comes in short bursts. I will myself to calm down as I pad over to the bathroom to shower. I lock the door behind me and think back to the bright blue eyes that invaded my sleep.

The water is warm as it crashes onto my bare skin and soaks my hair. I close my eyes and lean farther into the stream of water to relax before I quickly clean myself off. I step out of the shower and throw on a fairly simple outfit. A plain grey tee under a plaid flannel and washed out jean shorts. I slide on basic grey tennis shoes and dry my tangled hair before dragging the brush through it, wincing a bit as the bristles get caught in my knots.

After my ginger hair, tinted with golden highlights, is free of tangles and knots, I pull the long, thick mess into a ponytail. My long side bangs hang messily by my face, too short to stay up with the rest of my hair. I apply a thin layer of natural makeup to my face and walk back into the bedroom. A quick glance at the clock tells me that it is four A.M.

I grab the key ring from my cluttered bedside table and make my way towards the door, a single thought filling my mind. Mama needs a drive. ______________________________

My hair whips wildly around my face, music blaring from the old speakers of my crappy little car. I sing along, quite badly, to the music and tilt my head out of my open window. The dark morning sky is littered with stars. My eyes veer from the road, and I have to quickly swerve to prevent a head on collision with a mailbox.

A small giggle of excitement passes my lips. A cheap looking diner catches the corner of my eye. I pull into the nearly vacant parking lot and shield my eyes from the bright neon lights. After a quick flick of my wrist, the keys are swinging around my finger and I'm nearing the glass doors of the simple diner. I push open the door and roll my plaid sleeves halfway up my arms.

Inside, a small group of professional looking men sit solemnly, paying little attention to the plates of untouched food on their table. On the other side of the diner, two men in plaid flannels and canvas jackets sit hunched over a small laptop. I throw a quick glance down to my own outfit and chuckle to myself. With a sudden burst of confidence, I walk to the men and sling my arms over their shoulders.

"What're we looking at, boys?" I feel them tense under my fingers as the taller man slams the computer shut. They both watch me with wide, alert eyes as I slide into the seat across from them. They share a look and a small nod before looking back to me.

"Who the hell are you?!" The shorter, more intense man asks, glancing at our similar apparel. I blink, the unexpected wave of confidence already drained from my system.

"I-I'm Livi Carter," I stumble over the words and bite my bottom lip. "And you are?"

"I'm Dean," says the shorter man. "This is my little brother, Sammy." He jerks a thumb at the taller brother with a raised brow. I nod towards Sammy, being rewarded with a sheepish smile.