“You can’t run forever!” the voices echoed down the various alleys and swirled with the wind. “We’ll find you, and when we do…”
Octavia turned and darted through random streets. It was dark now, the night was silent, and she knew as she knew anything that she could not escape. With each step she took, the going became harder. Each turn she made, and her chest hurt from the exhaustion. There was nobody about, nowhere that she could go…
A sudden sharp turn appeared at the end of the alley, and she took it. As she did, she dared a glance over her shoulder and –
“Oh!” she yelped as she ran headfirst into the wall.
“Easy there,” a deep voice commanded, just as a pair of strong hands took her by the arms before she tumbled back.
It wasn’t a wall at all! Rather, it was a man whom she had charged into.
He was much taller than Octavia. His body was wide, his chest thick, and those hands, which continued to hold her steady, were strong. She looked up to find his eyes, and she gasped because they were dark pits that seemed to swallow the night. Handsome too, with a strong jawline and sharp features, she could not make out his face fully in the dark… just as she could not look away.
“I… I am sorry,” she stammered. “I did not see you.”
“Clearly,” he said with a deep voice. “Although I cannot imagine that you saw much of anything, running with your head down as you were.”
In ordinary times, Octavia might have felt fearful to be in the presence of a man like this, alone as they were. She glanced quickly at his clothes, noting the black cloak he wore, not shabby and mistreated, but not fine either. He was a businessman, she guessed, perhaps a member of the gentry.
Whatever he is, he is far better than those who are chasing me…
“You must help me,” she said quickly, even as he continued to hold her steady. “Please, you need to hide me.”
“Hide you?” He frowned as he looked at her; those eyes were unblinking, and she could not pull away from them. “From whom?”
“I am being chased,” she said. “By dangerous men. Please, they will be here at any moment.”
“Is this a scam?” His eyes flicked down her body, noting her dress, which was common, no doubt. “A trick to try and rob me?”
“What? No!”
“I –”
“We’re coming for you!” Marcus’ voice broke through the night, close now, just around the corner.
“Who is that?” He turned to follow the voice.
Octavia’s pulse still raced. Her breathing was still heavy. And her entire body trembled with fear… most of which was on account of Marcus and his bullyboys, some of which was from this dark stranger. He still hung onto her; she felt small and frail in his arms, but a decision was made quickly, and Octavia did not have time to decide if it was a good one or not.
“Here!” With all the strength that she could muster, Octavia wrenched herself backwards, tearing her arms free. The sudden movement caught the stranger by surprise, and he turned and started. She then lunged for him.
Her hands took him by the shoulders; she pulled with all her strength, and he stumbled forward, falling onto her, his bulkwashing over her like a tidal wave and throwing her against the wall of the alley.
Octavia’s back hit the wall, and the stranger’s body pressed and covered her. He was strong and agile, able to push himself back just enough so that he did not crush her. But before he was able to step away, she took hold of his cloak, gripped it tight, and pulled him into her.
“What are you –”
Her hands went to the back of his head, groping through his thick black hair, just as she pulled his face downwards. She then buried her own face into his chest, an arm around his back, her leg lifted, and wrapping his body like a vice.
“Please…” She whispered into his ear as she held him. “I beg you…”
Time stood still. Octavia and the stranger’s bodies were entwined. Her head was buried in his neck. He smelled better than she thought, a strong musk that made her head swim, and her legs tremble. His hands moved to her waist as if to push her away, but he held her instead, gripped tight, those strong hands owning her so that she was as helpless as a newborn babe.
“Where is she?” Marcus’ voice breached the alley. “I saw her –” He stopped, and Octavia saw out the corner of her eye the three dark figures pull up when they found her with the stranger.
“Thought she went this way,” one of the other men said.
“You thought! You thought!” Marcus snarled. “Come on, must be this way.” They turned, sprinted down another alley, and their footsteps slowly faded into nothingness…