The Defias

Chapter 1

   "Jake?" I looked up from sharpening my dagger and saw the ringleader.

   "Yes ringleader?" A faint smile tugged at his lips.

   "Go scout out the area. If you find anybody, bring'em their death." He paused. "Unless it's a girl. Kinda can't kill them. If you find a girl, bring her back here. Been awhile since the boys had themselves some fun." His eyes glinted and I sighed quietly. He sat down next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Jake. You know I wouldn't let that happen. Don't get so down." I looked over at him and sighed again.

   "Ok, I'll be back...... Dad....." I got up and  walked into the alley. As I proweled the maze of streets and alleys, I heard a scream. I knew instantly where it came from. In less than ten seconds I was there. I watched the person from the shadows, then saw that it was a girl. Shit. She was running from something, something I couldn't see. She ran into a dead end alley and I stepped out of the shadows. I slowly walked to where she had turned and saw blood on the wall. I looked on the ground and saw a trail of blood. I walked to the girl who had collapsed on the ground. She was breathing unusually fast. I put my hand on her head. She was burning up. I sighed and picked her up. I jumped from roof to roof back to the Defias hideout. My father was there to greet me. He saw the girl and his face hardened.

   "Come." He led me to our room and had me lay her on the couch. "Get some cold water and a sponge." I quickly got a bowl filled with cold water and grabbed a sponge, as well as washcloth. When I got back, my father was examining the girl.

   "Is there... Something unusual about her?" I asked him. He looked up at me.

   "Just making sure nothing serious happened to her. I can't really tell though." I set the bowl by him and he grabbed the sponge and dipped it in the water, letting it soak up some water. He gently wiped away some of the blood and dirt from her face. Her skin was really pale. I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms, watching as he slowly cleaned her off. He found bruises on her neck and cuts on her body.

   "Was she.....?" I didn't even want to finish my question.

   "Raped." He got a disgusted look on his face. The girl shifted and curled up into a ball. She then started to slowly wake up. She looked afraid at first, but when she felt my father carefully cleaning her off, she relaxed. I continued staring at her. She shifted and I saw a mark on the back of her neck.

   "Isn't that mark.... The mark that the.... the..."

   "Royal mark that all descendants of royalty have?" How the hell does he do that!?

   "Y-yeah..." The girl looked up at us.

   "M-master...." She spoke very quietly. "Master will be m-mad..." Father's hand froze.

   "Who's your master?" Jarrod.... 'I've got the best little slave-girl.'

   "M-master.... Will be upset..." Father grabbed her shoulders and her shirt slid to reveal more of her back. I twitched.

   "Who's your master!?" Father was yelling at the girl, but she seemed to be in a trance.

   "Master will p-punish me...." Her eyes were empty of all emotions.

   "Father, look at her back." I pointed to her back. "It's the crest that Jarrod has on all of his slaves. He showed it to us, remember?" My father stood up abruptly and strode out of the room, thrusting the damp sponge into my hands. I sighed and sat next to the girl. She instantly focused on me.

   "Please help me," she whispered. I stared at her and she shakily reached out and touched my cheek. I tensed up slightly and she continued staring at me with her bright blue eyes. Footsteps sounded just outside the door and her eyes dimmed and lost all emotion. She then pulled her hand away from my cheek. The door slammed open and I wiped some of the dirt off of her forehead.

   "Jarrod is nowhere to be seen," father growled, punching the wall. I sighed and stared at the girl. She wasn't focusing on anything, but I could tell that she could see me though. Father sat down on his bed and rubbed his temples. "How's she doing, Jake?" The girls eyes focused in on me.

   "Jake..." she whispered quietly, so only I could hear her. She smiled weakly and closed her eyes, drifting to sleep.

   "She's ok so far." I wasn't about to tell him what happened before he returned. I brought my hand up to my cheek and stared at her. I then wet the washcloth and lie it on her forehead. I then stood up and turned to walk away, when I felt her hand brush against my arm. I turned back around and looked down at her. She looked afraid.

   "Please don't leave... He's going to come and get me..." She looked terrified. I sighed and sat back down on the ground. She was shaking. I sighed again and picked her up, lying her on my bed.

   "What are you doing, Jake?" Father looked at me confused.

   "She's afraid. And I'm tired." He nodded and got up.

   "I'm gonna go tell everybody to keep a look out for Jarrod." I nodded and watched him leave. I then grabbed a book off the shelf and my glasses. I sat down on my bed and looked over at the girl. Her shaking had subsided. I lit a candle and opened my book, silently reading. She cuddled against me and fell asleep, her head on my lap. I set my hand on her head and gently pet her. She smiled and purred quietly. I yawned and took my glasses off, closing the book and lying it and my glasses on the nightstand. I blew the candle out and lie down, the girl shifting and lying her head on my chest. I sighed quietly and closed my eyes, wrapping my arm around her.