V Y X E N

2.

Berbease International Airport

24 hours earlier

Unknown onlooker

24 four hours earlier a private plane rested lazily after its three-hour journey, it was the final plane for arrivals in the Berbease international airport and it was ready to be unloaded.

Airport workers rushed to get the passengers off board and he stood leaning against the iron door frame, placing the butt of a cigarette between his chapped lips, glad his shift would soon be over.

he inhaled, feeling the smoke settle on his chest

The night was without mercy, slicing the air with harsh cold winds not taking into account the scrawny fingers in nothing but their thin airport suits scattering like ants.

Four men descended the jet bridge, black bags in their iron-like grip, they were huge men, with stoic faces, he let out a breath damn, what kind of breed were they? He wondered stepping on the asphalt of the airport.

A dominant presence swept across the expanse of the runway, the men visibly stiffened.

A dark figure exited the plane, standing feet about an inch apart staring unblinkingly at the, now three figures lined out at the foot of the stairs, everyone was gone the man noticed, heart racing.

The man at the top of the stairs casually placed one hand in the pocket of his expensive-looking suit, but his stance was everything but, he made the mistake of inhaling sharply and dark luminous eyes flashing red snapped towards him, but before he could move a strong muscular arm wrapped around his throat, trapping the smoke in his lungs, a mop of red curly hair could be seen in blur of his parallel vision as he struggled.

"wrong place wrong time human" someone growled.

Present

Olivia crashed into her, just as the monstrosity raced forward "move!" Olivia growled angrily as she pulled Arisa toward the door.

"Mom" Arisa whispered as Olivia dragged her, "wait, I have to get mom!"

just as Olivia pulled her over the threshold black trucks came to a screeching halt on her front lawn, the grass her mother had obsessed over crushed under its weight, Men in military type uniforms raced forward and Arisa froze in fear, tears already brimming in her eyes.

"no, No!" she turned to run up the stairs

"Arisa, don't go in there" Olivia screamed at her as she tried to break free, The men breezed past her, she could see some racing upstairs while others faced off with the thing.

Its white eyes were still fixed on her and she threw up a little in her mouth, warm hands touched her face, such a harsh contrast between the cold that bit and froze her tears that she turned in alarm meeting worried silver eyes.

"Arisa" a wave of calm rushed over her as she stared at the strange man, an odd sense of familiarity and curiosity overwhelming her

"you have nothing to worry about", he moved her hair from her face and she tried to fight the emotion that made her want to trust him, his voice brought her back to the times when her Mother was of sound mind and they'd take trips towards the waterfront next to a loud Nigerian food market "wait here" he said firmly before leaving just as quickly as he came, the smell of wood and earth following him.

The air smelled strongly of Earth and rain and ground spices. it was as intoxicating as it was alarming, anything that gave off such a strong presence should be feared, or that's at least what she wanted to tell herself. it still didn't answer her question though, friend or foe? her mind was on overdrive.

"Don't lose any of them, they will all answer to me" her flesh burned with a new kind of heat as the deep angry voice boomed across the yard, she turned to the sound, dark haunting eyes, sharp, defined jaws, and an angry mouth filled her vision.

Her heart began to race for some unknown reason as they gazed at each other, he seemed to get angrier the more he looked at her and Arisa recoiled, static and murmuring before he spoke into a small device by his collar "I'll handle that, Jeremy will take them home"

He speared her a wild, hungry glance, The full moon highlighting his harsh beauty and the fire in his eyes and even after he and two other men ran towards the trees that surrounded her house, long out of the sight, his image still replayed in her mind, already an imprint in her memory there for her to replay over and over in wonder.

"What's going on Olivia" Arisa whispered weakly, her best friends gaze was fixed on the hallway as the men closed in on the creature, it didn't move, just remained, staring at her with unblinking white eyes, Arisa still couldn't believe what she was seeing. He smiled at her just as the men closed in raising their knives that gleamed under the light of the moon before descending on their target, a grunt, then nothing but dust.

she couldn't move or even take her eyes off the horrific scene, the men turned towards the stairs, faces determined and respectful "Beta" they bowed.

She hadn't realized just how tall he was as he descended the stairs, he had a bundle of sheets in his hand that, which with a gasp she noticed was her Mother, she ran forward, just as Ms. Kang came down the stairs, Fedrick braced against her.

The unknown man's arms tightened around her Mother and Arisa frowned, her words stuck in her throat "she passed out, it was too much for her to handle" came his voice, she looked up, meeting stormy grey eyes and again a wave of calm washed over her.

strange

"I never thought I'd get to meet you, Arisa" she took a step back, looking from her Mother to the strange man before her, then Fedrick, Ms. Kang and the eerie silent men all in black, heads bowed.

"what's going on? how do you know my name?"

He seemed flustered as he cleared his throat, "Right, you must have a lot of questions, and we'll answer them as soon as mom wakes up"

"Mom?"

someone was crazy, and it wasn't her.

Everyone seemed to shift uncomfortably "Ms. Kang?" she turned to the woman who had been in her life since before she could remember.

"You must be so confused" came Ms. Kang's soft voice "but don't worry as soon as your mother wakes up we'll go over everything" Ms. Kand bit her bottom lip, something she always did when nervous, it was the same with her daughter, it made Arisa uneasy.

Stan whined from the steps and she found it surprising that he wasn't causing a ruckus around the strangers in his living room.

odd

She looked at him once more, the kindness in his grey eyes made her even more nervous "where are you taking my mom?"

"Home, Arisa, we're going home"