Chapter One

It took me a long time to get away from Cape Dominic, The man who has held me captive for months, Exposing me to different kinds of experiments for his profit.

I had to fake a headache and he allowed me to leave to get aspirin from the car. I hated him and I hated his guts.

He watched on while I was chained to a wall and tortured. He watched on while I screamed out in pain in my shackled and bloody helplessness, He even took pleasure in the experiments carried out on me and laughed at my pain.  

   

   As I studied the group of obnoxious and drunk Executive Directors, I decided I'd rather be somewhere else, With complete silence and serenity. I'd run from Dominic if I could, But I've tried many times and he's always found me and inflicted pain on me once again, Each one more intense than the last.

I have no money to pay him off, I have no power to scare him away, and I'd probably be with him forever or till my body finally gives up fighting. 

  

     I pushed through alone to the slap and sting of sunlight outside the building, Intoxicated with the exhilaration of freedom. I suddenly wanted to be a bird and feel my wings as they soared through the sky. With patience, I looked around for a shed where I could shapeshift and prepare to spread my wings. I was midway through the shapeshifting process when a man walked in on me. With fear, I quickly reversed the process and walked out Hoping he didn't see anything. 

He looked tall and he had sharp features. He was very handsome and young. I tried to walk past him confidently and as I strode past him, I quietly celebrated my victory, The victory of not being seen, But before I could fully bask in the glory of my "victory", He stopped me with his words. 

"I see you're a shapeshifter" He spoke calmly, with all tension absent from his speech "What were you trying to shapeshift into back there? A bird or an ostrich, I'm sure I spotted some wings there, Were you trying to ruin the party ?" 

Taken aback by his quick observation, I immediately tried to defend myself 

"I don't know what you saw back there sir but I can assure you that I'm not a shapeshifter, You might be hallucinating" 

"I can assure you I don't hallucinate, I have the healthiest pair of eyes" He shot back

I stared at him warily and he shrugged back at me with a smirk on his face. 

"What's your deal? What do you want from me?" I muttered, Glowering at him. 

"Let's go inside first, Shall we, The sun's coming out," He said and then proceeded to move into the building

"No! No! I can't go with you" I snapped back in response to his command. 

There was a momentary pause and I hesitated when he came forward to clutch my sleeve

"Look, I know you're hesitating because you're here with Dominic, Cape Dominic but Dominic won't do anything to you when I'm by your side" He announced with a frown and an arrogant reassurance. 

"And who are you to scare off the mighty Cape Dominic ?" I asked unsure of his status, He seemed rich but I needed to know what kind of power he possessed before I went on with him, I couldn't risk getting electrocuted again, My body couldn't take any more torture today. 

"If you must know, I'm Lucio Delevonte, Executive Director of Delevonte's Law Firm, Follow me if you want to escape from the life of torture you're used to" He declared waving one of his hands to me. 

He then turned to leave. 

I weighed the options before me. I could go back to Dominic and be his experimental slave for the rest of my life or I could go with the powerful Executive Director Delevonte, Owner of the biggest law firm in the world, and beg him to take me in. He is aware of my secret anyways. 

Afraid I would lose my only chance at freedom, I immediately hurried after the Executive Director and clutched his hands tightly. 

"Let's go," I said to him. 

He frowned and shrugged my hand away from himself, I thought he had dismissed me and I was about to cry knowing Dominic was watching me, I thought about the torture waiting for me in s house but just then when I had lost all hope, He outstretched his hand and nodded to me to take it, I beamed in relief as I took his hand and held him tightly as we fully went into the building. We encountered Dominic, Who had an ugly scowl on his face. I knew he couldn't wait to get his hands on me and the look on his face motivated me to go harder on my pleading with Delevonte. 

"Mr. Delevonte, I see you've met Lisa," Dominic said, introducing me to the man with a laugh. 

"Yes, I want to talk with her, So I'd be very pleased if you leave the road" He growled out in n a low voice 

Immediately, Dominic left the road for us and bowed in fake respect as we passed, I looked back at him and he signaled death to me. I prayed silently that Mr. Delevonte would listen to my pleas. 

We entered a dark large room with a fragrant smell of orange. The lights were immediately turned on by a maid whose presence I didn't even notice and my attention was soon directed at the beauty of the room, The paintings on the wall, The ancient tapestries, The furniture, and the magnificent chandelier. I was for a while distracted from my actual goal and I marveled at the beauty of the room, But I was soon brought back to consciousness when Mr. Delevonte cleared his throat in an attempt to bring me back to focus on the reason he called me to the room. 

"Mr. Delevonte, I have something to plead with you for" 

**

He tilted his head to the side and furrowed his brows in confusion at her utterance. 

"You know I'm not kidnapping you, Right ?" He said with an amused smile "I'm here to make a deal with you, I'll offer you something and you have to give me something in return" 

I furrowed my eyebrows in Ignorance, What did he want from me? 

"Listen Carefully, I'm sure by now my name rings a bell in your head, I'm the Executive Director of the world's largest and most successful Law Firm" He paused looking at me to see if I could hear him "Being the Executive Director of Delevonte's Law Firm comes with a lot of responsibilities and threats as well, On the average, I receive thirty death threats in a month, And Several Murder attempts are Carried out by my competitors, In hopes that they find me dead the next morning" 

I couldn't answer him, I was in a solemn mood as I silently sympathized with him. I looked at the faces around me; faces struck with alertness and tiredness. In the eyes of some, I saw smolders of shame -shame coming from their inability to protect their boss to the best of their abilities- and for the first time since Lucio Delevonte had started speaking, It occurred to me what he wanted me to do for him. 

"What do you want me to do about it?" I asked feigning Ignorance and a Nonchalant attitude. 

"Here's my deal, I'll protect you from the crazy scientists with my power and money, In turn, you have to use your shape-shifting abilities to protect me from preying competitors" 

The room went silent and one could easily hear a pin drop. I weighed my options for the second time since that day began and I decided that I'd do anything other than go back to Cape Dominic. 

"Will you provide a place for me to stay ?" I asked hopefully 

"Of course, You'll stay with me in my Penthouse. That's how I'll protect you from Dominic and the others, You'll also get paid generously for your services. Are you in or would you like a few days to think about it ?" He asked, Searching my face for answers

I was shocked and I was quiet for a while. After seeing how perplexed and shocked I was, Lucio stood from his seat and dropped his business card on the table. 

"My address is written on that car, Give me a call when you've decided what to do" 

I grew tense and strangely fatigued as he proceeded to open the door. I had to give him an answer immediately otherwise I'd have to go back to Dominic. 

"Wait! " I screamed out and stood up to hold his hand to prevent him from leaving. He looked back and looked at me in a way that made me feel small.

"I accept the deal, Take me with you" I breathed out quietly. 

He wiggled his hand out of my hold and stretched his hand over to me 

*Then shall we?" He asked 

"Yes, We shall" I answered and took his hand, Allowing him to lead me outside the room. As soon as we stepped outside, The guards inside the room filled out and arranged themselves in a formation that completely covered us from the eyes of the outsiders. 

As we moved to the car, I caught Dominic's scowling face from the crowd. It gave me a rush of intense pleasure to get away from him. Three years. At first, I thought it was impossible to endure the man's torture. Yet three years had passed and I still had the privilege to be alive. 

"Look ahead Lisa, He can't do anything to you, He can't harm one hair in your skin as king as you're with me" I heard Lucio Delevonte whisper to me. 

I took his advice, I looked ahead and prepared for a new life with The Executive Director of Delevonte's Law Firm, Lucio Delevonte. 

When we arrived at his house, I was in complete awe at his Penthouse, We walked in and walked to the Marble receptionist desk

"She's an inhabitant of this place, Starting now, She is to be known as Miss Lisa" He informed the receptionist with such strict authority that amazed me.

"Yes, Mr. Delevonte" The receptionist answered with a bow. 

He Led me into the glass elevator and we were elevated to the top floor of the Penthouse.

As we went into the Penthouse, I felt out of place and stood in a corner waiting for instructions from Lucio Delevonte

"Make yourself at home" He let out as he beckoned her to sit down. 

He then gave her a tour of the Penthouse to prevent her from getting lost. 

"This is your room," He said "Go and take a shower, I'll bring clean clothes for you to wear, Tomorrow, We'll go shopping"

I nodded in affirmation as he exited the room, His broad back being the last part of him to disappear from my sight. After I took a shower, I put on the clothes he had left for me on the bed, A T-shirt that had the inscription "10,000 hours" and a pair of basketball shorts. The t-shirt was too big but the basketball shorts fit me almost perfectly. After wearing the clothes, I found my way to the main room, Where he sat watching the television. At the sound of footsteps, He turned his head to me and looked at me with his hooded eyes. I felt tiny under his gaze. 

"You should get some rest, You've had a long day," He said, casting a small smile at me. 

"Before I go to bed, I just want to thank you for today, I will forever be in debt to you"

"You're not indebted to me, We're even, You're going to save my life too, Right ?" He asked 

"Yeah" I answered after a while

"Good Night, Lisa" 

"Good Night, Mr. Delevonte"