Love story

Untitled Episode

Iranasfast asmylegscould carryme,clutching the tornbackpacklikemy

lifedependedupon it.Actually,mylifediddependonit.Themenfollowing

mewerenosaints-actually criminalsif I didn't know anybetter.

TwodaysbackwhenIstrolled inside the abandonedbuildinglookingfora

shelterand accidentally discovered thebasementwhere the stash of drugs

waskeptandguarded,IthoughtifIcouldstealsomeformyselfitwouldat

leastbeabletopayformyfood forthenextmonth.So,Iwaited foracouple

of daysfor anopportunity andmanaged tosteal fewpacketsso that I could

sell some.

Iwasn't a drugaddictbut I knewthatsellingthesewoulddefinitelyearnme

some bucks.

And Ineeded them,desperately.

Ihadbeenhopingfrom homelesssheltertoshelterforthepastyear,hiding

from thepolice and every goddamn personwhowere eager toexploit a

seventeen-year-oldgirl.Imight havebeenan orphan and homelessbut I

wasnt helpless.

At anearlyageIlearned itinahard way that fairy tales didnt exist,theres

noknight in shining arimor and Hogwartsmagic only existed in J. K.

Rowling books.

You only helpyourself andsaveyourself-nooneelsewascomingtosaveyou.

And hereI was-running formy life to survive another monthwithout

starving.

Iwasrunningon autopilotbynow,completelybreathlessandfrantic.Afew

minutes ago,Iwas shiveringincoldandnowbeads of sweat crowdedmy

forehead as I sprinted through the alley.I hadnt realizedhownumbmy leg

muscles were until I suddenly slammed into a human wall of solid muscles.

AndbeforeIcould evenglanceup,omething pungentwaspressed aganst

mynose and theworldwentcompletely dark.

The next timeI woke upIfound myself on the cold floor,the backpack of

stolengoodsgone.Forcingmyeyesopen,astheblurrinessclearedIlooked

around.Theplacewaslikea prison cell,except too dirtyandreekedof

knifeslashed the shin ofthelegof theman.Hetumbled down,clutchinghis

legs.Anothermanbehind himwasa tad fasterthan theprevious one,

though.He quickly grabbed my free hand but the oneholding theknife

sliced through hisbiceps,drawinglittleblood.

But I didn't get one more chance at escape.

Thethirdman clutched thewristofmyknife-hand in adeath-grip and

twisted it sopainfullythat theweapon slipped away.Hewasted no time in

kickingtheknife away across theroom andfar awayfrommy eyesight even.

AndnowIwas absolutelypowerless and defenseless.

"Getmy brother,now!he gritted at the man who was bleeding from his

biceps.

My captive's attention snapped backtome aswrithed andstruggled toget

away from his clutch.It wasimpossible-likeI was trying tomove some

mountain.He towered overme,glaringmewith hispiercingblue eyesasI

thrashed at his armwith myfree hand.Andwhen it was established that I

was nomatch to his strength,I stopped.

Breathing hard,mykneesgaveawayand dizzinesskickedme down.Forget

food,Icouldn'tevenrememberthelast timeIhad drankaglassof clean

water.Cold and thirstparchedmymouthinside out.Whateverlittleenergy I

hadsailed awaywhen the adrenalinekicked in and I lost thefight.

"Dominic,what happened?”Another toweringfigure ofmuscleswalked in

with ablackleatherjacketasIglanced through myeyelashes.

"Wehavea tiny problemhere,Viktor,themanwhogrippedmywristinone

hand and whose name was Dominic,Isupposed,said coolly.

Viktor,theblackleatherjacketguystrolledalittlecloserandsparedmea

look.Whatis this?"he asked in disgust,almostignoringthefactthat I was a

humanbeingand notmerea bagof flesh.

"Little thief,Dominicmuttered,lettinggo of mywrist.Shewasfound

stealingour drugsfrom thesouthernwarehouse."

Imentally snorted.Hesaid'ourdrugsasif itwassomelegitimatething.IfI

was a criminal,hewas too.Except hewas a better one.