Saved by the Master (De La Cerna #1)

PROLOGUE Save Me Zaheera “Love is not painful. It is vengeful. And if you encounter a vengeful person, hug them. They need it more than you’ll ever know. Love them. Cherish them. Don’t kill them.” I sighed as I glanced at the singer when he started singing after a heavy introduction. I took the last sip of my tequila and placed the caballito on the bar counter, pushing it forward to the bartender for a refill. The bartender looked at me pitifully and had second thoughts about whether to give me another. I had already drunk 10 tequilas. Although I have a high tolerance, I’m a bit tipsy. “Just…give me another shot,” I said, a bit irritated. I turned around a bit while I waited for my drink to watch the singer as he sang the most depressing song I’d ever heard. Or maybe everything was heartbreaking to me. My heart clenched every time I was reminded of a past event that had happened just a few days ago. There are so many questions clouding my mind… so many questions that even I don’t have the answers to. Why did he do that? Why does he have to do that? We were so in love… or was it just me? I thought we were okay. I thought we were happy. For as long as I can remember, Coven loved me. He always says that with such an intense gaze in his eyes. He’s the most understanding person I know—the most patient. Or maybe he ran out of it all. Perhaps it’s I who’s the problem. Maybe he wants to end things between us. He just can’t say it properly because he knows I won’t agree with that and will always find a way to fix everything… to fix our relationship. Maybe that’s why he chose just to ruin me, because it’s the easiest way. "Damn," I cursed, quickly wiped away my tears as I suddenly remembered all the memories I had shared with Coven. The laughter we shared. The kisses. His touch. His dark brown eyes. I’ve been crying for the past few days, but it seems to never end. They never stop, and I’m tired of it. When I felt that the bartender had placed my order, I quickly got it and drank it, and then asked for more. Thankfully, he obliged immediately. I took the caballito and turned around again to watch the performance, but I instantly regretted it. Men who passed by me quickly stopped and looked at me intently. Then one of the men gasped and chuckled dangerously and pointed at me. My breath hitched when I figured out what was going to happen next. My heart started beating faster and louder. My hands were also shaking. “The girl in the video. It was you! Right?” said the guy with amazement in his eyes. His friends gasped loudly and laughed so hard that they caught the attention of the people nearby. I was shaking my head nonstop when they started walking towards me, their eyes full of evil lust. I roamed my eyes looking for my best friend, Louella, but she was nowhere to be found. I tried asking for help, but no words came out of my mouth. I pressed my body against the counter, hoping that they wouldn't reach me, but their footsteps were getting near. “Hey, how much for one night?” the same guy asked. Lust was visible on his face, and he was eyeing me from head to toe as if I were naked. Panicking, I dropped the caballito, causing the tequila to splash to the floor and the glass to break into pieces. My sight became blurry, and my head was spinning. I couldn’t see the people around me anymore. All that I could hear were the voices of men and people bashing and calling me names. “Please, stop…” I pleaded, my voice cracking, and my lips were shaking. "Come on, just one night," the man said. I can even see the devilish grin on his face. Before they could even come near me, I ran fast and went to the bathroom. After confirming that I was the only one in the bathroom, I managed to lock the door with a shaky hand and went inside the cubicle, locking it. I squeezed myself beside the toilet in a curled position, hugging myself. “Please, stop…” I plead continuously. However, the voices never stop. They just become louder and louder. My cry becomes louder as well, hoping to overshadow the voices in my head, but it doesn’t make any difference. I even cover my ears with my hands. I can’t think of anything positive now. So I resorted to my last option. So far, it has been very effective. This helps me calm down. My hand is still shaking, and I can’t hear my sobs anymore. All that is left is my mind blank, hurrying, so my pain will stop… temporarily. I don’t even care if I can be heard outside. I go to my pocket and get my phone when I hear a loud bang on the bathroom door. “Oh my god,” my body jolted in shock. I quickly removed the phone case. I took the blade that was hidden in the phone case. With my trembling hands, I placed the blade on the part of my hand where I usually play. “f**k you, Coven. f**k you for ruining my life,” I utter in between my loud sobs. The loud bang continued, and my sobs grew louder and louder as I prayed that someone would come and save me. “Don’t come near me, please!” “No matter how many times I’ve explained myself, you don’t believe me!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. I exclaimed when the door made a loud sound, which meant it had broken down. “Please, don’t come near me...” I begged as the blade pierced my skin and blood streamed down to the floor. I covered my mouth with bloody hands, stopping myself from letting out even a bit of a whisper, and sobbing when I heard footsteps inside the bathroom. But I was startled when I saw a pair of shoes standing in front of the cubicle I was in. I kept shaking my head and squeezed my body into the corner of the cubicle. My scream was deafening when the cubicle door opened. I kept my head down and hugged myself while shaking my head continuously. “No, please. Don’t touch me. Don’t come near me,” I begged. “It’s not me, I swear!” I keep saying that phrase, praying that they will have mercy on me. “What have you done to yourself, Miss?” a baritone voice said. I stopped for a second, but my sobbing never stopped. I moved my head up and saw a man standing in front of me. I scrunched my eyebrows and tried to remember the name of the man’s familiar face. "My friend can’t even use the bathroom because of you," he then stated. Still, I remained silent while I intently looked at the man with my blurry sight. My blood was still dripping. The cut was pretty deep, so there was plenty of blood coming out of it. “Do you think your life will be better after you’ve done that?” the man asked. It won’t, but it will calm me down for a few hours. I wanted to reply, but I opted not to when I suddenly remembered the man's name. Instead, I called his name. Save me... “Vyrxon…” was the last word I uttered before I was consumed by darkness.