Four - Carine

Footsteps echoed in the concrete tomb as she followed the stranger up the steps and into the darkness.

Why can I only hear mine? She wondered as she ran a hand along the rough wall due to the blackness being all consuming. She walked into something hard and warm, squeaking at the surprise before she realised it was him.

“Vanadine,” he said.

“What?” Carine asked in confusion.

“My name,” he mumbled. “It’s Vanadine.”

“Oh, pleased to meet you,” she said, hearing the tremble in her own voice. “I’m Carine,” she added. “Um, where are we?”

“Inside a derelict hospital or clinic,” Vanadine stated the obvious.

“Yeah…” Carine said. “But where are we in relation to the exit?”

“Not far,” Vanadine said, his voice devoid of any inflection or emotion. “Follow me,” he told her.

“Well I would but I can’t see anything,” Carine said, inhaling the warm scent that wafted from him.

A mix of the clothing he wore and something undefinable she was drawn to on a primitive level, Carine smelled no artificial scents, no aftershave or deodorant. This was his natural smell and she revelled in it, taking strength and courage from it as well as his proximity. Something warm but rough took her hand gently and pulled her forwards. Carine followed blindly, letting Vanadine guide her.

This hand nearly choked a man to death! She thought. Even so she refused to let go, somehow knowing Vanadine was not about to hurt her in any way.

Bastards deserved what they got. A savage part of her mind said. What would they have done if Vanadine hadn’t turned up?

Carine had had an excellent idea what was going to happen with Hann and Glenn. Eventually her corpse, battered and abused, would have been found in a river or dumped on some patch of waste ground.

A minute later Carine saw the paler outline of the doorway leading outside and rushed forwards, desperate to escape. Even so she did not release Vanadine’s hand but he sped up to allow her to get to freedom.

Relief washed through her at being outside, away from the concrete tomb she had nearly died in and the thoughts of what might have happened mixed with the adrenaline and endorphins in her bloodstream bringing tears to her eyes. Her knees buckled and she collapsed, kneeling in the dirt and filth outside the building. Strong arms wrapped around her, hauling her to her feet where she stared up into Vanadine’s face.

Closer she could see he was incredibly beautiful, not handsome in a traditional sense but beautiful like a member of a K-Pop band. Smooth skin pulled over a square jaw with just a hint of stubble. A straight nose flared gently above a mouth with dark red lips that were quite full and plump.

I wonder what they taste like?

Where did that come from? Carine wondered. Almost raped and murdered and you’re thinking about this guy’s lips?

His dark eyes regarded her in turn but the light was not bright enough to see them fully and all she could make out were twin points of reflected light. She leaned forward, trying to get a better look but he held her shoulders, keeping her from him.

“We should get you away from here,” he said gently, leading her towards the fence and out into the alleyway.

Vanadine headed along through the piles of rubbish and trash, his footing sure and steady as he went, while Carine stumbled and tripped over obstacles she could not see.

Who is this guy? How is it he’s so strong? She wondered, recalling him lifting Hann from his feet and holding him in the air for at least a minute. And at arm’s length! She remembered Hann’s legs kicking futilely at the air. It’s as if he can see in the dark too. How is any of this possible?

Approaching the end of the alley Carine saw the trash piles lessen and found the footing easier. When she reached the end, she stepped out into the street light, grateful to be able to see fully. Vanadine remained in the darkness and she turned, hoping to get a better view of his eyes. Yet with his head down to look at her, they remained dark and Carine felt a sadness wash over her as she realised he was just going to leave her there. She looked down at her ripped clothing and the filth she was covered in before looking up at him with pleading eyes.

“You’re going aren’t you?” She asked in a small voice.

“I have to, Carine,” he said, her name sounding exotic in his mouth. “I’m...not a good man,” he added as if the words caused him pain.

“I heard somewhere that if you save a life, you’re responsible for it,” Carine said, trying desperately to get him to stay. “And how can you not be a good man?” She went on. “You saved me from those two.”

“You were there, I almost choked a man to death,” Vanadine said. “If not for your plea I would have murdered him and thought nothing of it,” he added. “Forget me, Carine. For your own safety put me from your mind.”

But I don’t want to! Carine wailed in her mind.

“You should go to the police,” he advised. “Report this and they can come get those animals, lock them up and the world might just be a little safer.”

“You’ll get into trouble for...Hann,” Carine said.

Vanadine shook his head.

“They’ll never find me,” he stated as a matter of fact as if confident it was true.

“But…” Carine began.

“No,” his voice cracked in the darkness. “This has to be the end of it, for your safety.”

Carefully Vanadine draped his long coat over her shoulders, the mass of cloth enfolding her and warming her with his body heat trapped in the fibres. He pulled it closed at the front, covering her nudity.

“So am I ever going to see you again?” Carine asked as she pulled his coat tightly about her.

Carine turned to look at him but Vanadine had vanished.