I WALKED DOWN the stairs to the ritual chamber, my lips thinned as two of my men came with me.
It was a dark night out... the clouds covering the moon and devouring it into bits of black smoke.
A couple minutes ago—while I was doing some paperwork—my friend, Nash Williams, came into my office to inform me that we had a break-in not too long ago.
A woman broke into the basement, claiming to be looking for refuge, but we all found it suspicious due to the area she broke into.
The ritual chamber... where the FireNight frat's sacrifices take place.
No normal person is supposed to enter that chamber, it's considered top-secret and only elite members of the frat could witness what went on down there.
Usually, when someone unworthy sought fit to witness what rested upon the floors in there, they were immediately discarded and tossed among all the other sacrifices.
And—sadly—this woman just met her fate.
It's happened before, honestly... a bunch of drunk girls would sneak down here without any of the frat's permission and just roam about the house. We'd have to kill them after.
Once the ritual chamber had been breached, then the intruders could not get out.
I then made it to the last step, slowing my pace until I made it to the doors of the chamber.
Clicking my code into the keypad, I pressed my finger to the scanner and let it do its work.
Once it clicked, the bell rang, and the doors rolled open.
"Where is she?" I demanded.
"She's on the far wall," Nash stated.
I thinned my lips and walked in, pulling my gun from my pocket and cocking it.
After glancing up at the window, I just realized that the glass had been shattered from the outside, some bits and pieces chipping off the window and clattering to the floor under it.
I just sighed.
She must've gotten in by those windows.
She must have a pretty small frame to fit through those, though.
And I continued forward, glancing around before my eyes settled on the victim I came down here for.
My breaths immediately stopped, and I halted in my tracks.
It wasn't a woman... no... it was a girl.
She might've been an adult, I wasn't sure. But she was short... maybe five-foot... and was curled up against the wall like a little kitten.
Her dark hair splayed on the ground under her, imitating an ink-like stream of black, and her skin was pale... almost blending in with the cement floors resting under her.
She was sound asleep, her breaths soft and shallow.
But, no... there was something wrong with her.
Her arms were ringed with bruises, looking as if it came from a grip of some sort... maybe an injury—her face, too—and her hands were bloody and torn to shreds... by the looks of it, the broken window wasn't what did her much damage.
I had to take this in for a moment.
She was hurt by someone.
"What should we do with her?" Nash asked me.
"Where did she come from?" I demanded, glancing over at him.
His lips parted before he looked up. "She broke through that window and came in."
"You said she was looking for refuge?" I questioned.
"Yes, sir."
From the person who was hurting her, perhaps.
"Sir..." Nash said gently, "are we going to dispose of her...?"
"No," I replied, pushing my gun back into my pants.
She intrigues me.
I then stepped over to her, the other men remaining at the door as I stopped at her side and knelt down.
Gently, I pushed some hair behind her ear.
She whimpered, her brows pinching her purple skin together before she opened her eyes.
She then gazed up at me.
I watched her curiously, eyes scanning her form.
She didn't say anything, just stared at me.
"What's your name?" I asked her.
She whimpered and struggled to get to a better position, sitting up. "Cameron."
It's a pretty name.
"How old are you?" I said then.
She sniffled. "Eighteen."
She's young.
"What happened?" I asked her. "Why did you break in?"
She now looked uneasy, glancing behind me to find the other guys waiting by the door.
The moment her sight locked on the gun on my hip, her eyes widened.
She immediately screamed, scrambling back in horror.
"Hey, hey," I said gently, catching her arms, "it's alright. We won't hurt you. Cameron. Cameron."
She started fighting me, her cries desperate.
I just caught her harder and pulled her forward, and she cried out when I brought her into my lap.
I tried something that I'd never done before, and I closed my arms around her, holding her to me.
She stilled; her breaths heavy when her form froze like concrete.
"It's alright, Angel," I breathed, holding her tighter. "Just breathe."
She kept her concrete-like state, but stayed in my arms, clearly unsure of what to do.
She's precious... she feels so small in my arms.
I gently let her go, finding her panting softly.
"Did someone hurt you?" I asked her, looking down at her bruises.
Her cheeks shaded over then, and she glanced around nervously.
"Cameron." My tone was stern.
She looked up at me then. "Yes."
I suddenly felt angry... angrier than I had ever been, and I wasn't sure why.
My veins were boiling, my soul crushing, and I gritted my teeth, trying to calm the rage steaming inside me.
She's too precious to be hurt by someone.
They deserve to die.
"Why did you break in?" I asked her then, keeping my voice calm.
"I was running..." she said quietly, "and... I was trying to hide."
Yes, and unfortunately, the place you found refuge in was in my house.
What was I going to do now...? It was against the FireNight code to let her loose knowing this chamber existed.
If she knocked on the front door, she would've been better off.
But... there was nothing really bad going on in here. There were no illegal activities happening here today that I would've been worried of her witnessing.
I could let her go, but...
I smiled then.
But why would I do that?
"Can I go home?" she asked me.
I just changed the subject. "Are you hungry? What are your favorite foods, Angel?"
Is she a freshman at the University? Or is she an oncoming freshman?
I want to know more about her.
She's gorgeous... and I want to know who hurt her.
Her lips pursed curiously, and she just glanced at the guys behind me before looking back at me. "I like... salmon."
"We have some salmon," I told her. "Would you like some?"
"Can't I go home now?"
No. You're stuck with me now.
At least until I find who hurt you, and can determine that you don't know too much.
She watched me then, her eyes gentle and curious.
"Come, now," I said then, helping her up and she whimpered, stumbling. "Let's get you cleaned up. We should have some extra clothes for you."
I then guided her out from the room, holding onto both of her hands as I continued out.
I then glanced over at Nash, smirking. "Mi piace e non voglio che se ne vada. Non le permetteremo di andarsene. Pronti i sedativi."
(I like her and I don't want her to leave. We will not allow her to leave. Ready the sedatives.)
He nodded at me. "Yes, sir."
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Word Count: 1280
a/n
Yello!
Finally got this one out ehehehe. I started this one yesterday but didn't have the actual chapter written until today.
To be honest, I started this book like three times and didn't like how it started the first couple times, but here's it now lol.
Starting the book is always the hard part.
What do you guys think? Is this a good start?
Anyways, thanks for reading! The next chapter will be out here soon.
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16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVxBz33ADG
