Chapter Two Saraya's POV

I jerked my eyes in his direction and saw his two hands were askew. I covered my mouth to silence a gasp, lifting my eyes up, I let them trail up the stranger's tall, big frame, but his face was not visible. He wore a black hooded jacket over black leather pants. The hoodie was pulled over his head, concealing his face and the shrouded alley was an added advantage. He proceeded to be completely brutal to Gab. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him even though he was a complete scumbag. 

After breaking his wrist, he held his open palm over Gab’s mouth and stepped on his right knee with his booted foot, pressing hard until Gab passed out. And then he slapped him awake. Gab thrashed weakly on the cold floor. The show of brutal force made me crouch down in fear, wrapping my arms around myself. The stranger stood up, drawing back from Gab.  

One other of the men appeared at the start of the alley, evidently curious as to what his buddy was up to. Perhaps to see if he was done fucking me – the assholes! But then his eyes settled on me, crouching low against the sidewall, and then lifted to the big guy, standing patiently in the dark before resting on his friend’s body on the floor. I thought perhaps he was going to come at him, trying to save Gab, but he turned away ready to bolt. But before he could, the stranger marched forward to close the gap between them, grabbed him and hauled him hard against the sidewall, making him hit the concrete frame a few meters away from me. I flinched in reflex, swallowing a frightened cry. 

When the guy slid to the floor, he was unconscious. The stranger then stalked out to stand in front of the waiting car. I couldn’t help noticing the superhuman way he moved, so fast, and yet normal that it was hard to comprehend. 

He pulled the driver’s door open, jerked the man behind the wheel out of the car, and wrapped an arm around his neck, squeezing his neck until he stopped moving, then he let him go, allowing him to slump to the stone-paved ground. 

The one carrying Peggy sat transfixed in the seat until the stranger pulled him out too with Peggy. He placed Peggy, unceremoniously, on the hood of the car, topless and all and completely disoriented, and knocked the man out with a blow to the head.

After piling Gab's friends atop each other on the sidewalk, in a show of strength that was quite intimidating, he strolled back to Gab and lifted him from the floor, holding his lax body up by the chest, he pressed him hard against the sidewall. Gab let out a fit of weak cough, wheezing as he struggled uselessly like a ragged doll. 

“If not that the consequences would outweigh the pleasure, I would have enjoyed breaking every single bone in your miserable body, then claw out your stomach to spill your guts. I should kill you, son of Gala, and wait for Hades to send you a transporter and the guardians, for me, and then I will make sure I snuffed your soul out, eliminating you completely from existence. YOU. DARE!” he enunciated each word clearly in a low, forceful growl that was cold and deadly but the last two words were said in obviously constrained fury.  The other man coughed out blood, his entire form twitched as if he was about to draw his last breath. Then the stranger pulled back, letting him drift to the floor. He stood there, watching him for about a minute, clenching and unclenching his fist with his massive chest heaving before turning away.  He then marched towards me. I hunkered down in sheer terror. I thought the man was quite terrifying and spoke strange words in an unusual manner. 

He came to stand in front of me and slowly reached out his hand. I couldn’t help hesitating before I took it. Strong, gloved fingers wrapped around my forearm to pull me up. 

"Thank you…" I managed to say in a shaky whisper, darting fearful glances at his face.

"You are UNBELIEVABLE, Saraya!" he rasped in obvious anger. Shock paralysed me for about a second. I gaped at his shadowy face, swallowing like a fish out of the water before I found the courage to speak. 

"W - wait! Y - you know me?!" I said in shock. He growled low in his throat, reached forward to carry me and hoisted me over one shoulder.  "Whoa! What are you doing? Who are you?" I said in panic when he started to walk away from the scene, leaving Peggy, who was now curled up and seemed to be sleeping, on the hood of the car. I held on to his broad back to prevent my already throbbing head from swinging. I cried, "You can't leave her there! Where are you taking me?!"

"Yes, I can leave her there. She knew what she was getting into – invoking the spirit of Peitho. She got exactly what she sought. You, on the other hand, have shown, yet again, how unbelievably naive you have remained," he replied, soundly utterly enraged. I swallowed, confused at the familiar way he spoke to me. I wanted to tell him I do not know him and that he may be confusing me with someone else. Although, I couldn't rationalise how he knew my name. I thought it better then not to say or do anything to anger the big guy. Gab’s unconscious body was still in my line of view.  And he seemed delusional, I mean who the fuck speaks of someone getting possessed by some goddess of seduction in that way.

"You … uhm sound like you know me, and must be a good person if you choose to rescue us from that nightmare, but please, we can't leave Peggy; my friend,  there…" I said, then heard a police siren. My head snapped up and I looked in the direction of the start of the alley. "Did you call the police? How? When?" I stammered in confusion. When he didn't bother to respond to my query but kept walking,  I added, "Please, where are you taking me?"

"Back to your apartment, where you should have had the good sense to stay," he rasped. That statement confused me the more. How did he know where I lived? Was he some kind of a stalker?! That would explain how he knew my name! Perhaps he was a student of literature that would explain his dramatic speeches! Or a neighbour. Although I have never seen any student on campus having this kind of build, it was plausible! Right?!

"Um … you know, taking me home is completely unnecessary although I do appreciate the thought. If you let me go back to Peggy, the police would surely help us get home safe…" I said, trying not to let my fear show in my voice. Getting away from a man that weighed about 80 kg was plausible. Trying to survive this particular mountainous man would be impossible. 

"You mean, leave you there and let more men ogle your naked chest?!" He sounded pretty peeved.  I blinked, not knowing how to respond to that one. The tinge of proprietorship in his tone was thick. I swallowed a groan, wondering what I had landed into now. 

"Well… Peggy is also  half naked…"

"She is not my concern."

"And I am?"

"You know you are."

"Why?"

"If you don't have the answer to that question, Saraya, I'm not in the mood to enlighten you again."

"Again?" I said, hoping for a reply but none came. I was beginning to think I was either having another of my bizarre dreams or I have gone completely nuts this time around. The trauma of almost getting gang raped could definitely do that! I opted for the latter. "The police would wonder what happened to me when Peggy is lucid enough to tell them about our night out."

"That wouldn't be a problem…"

"No? Why?"

"Because none of them would remember this night."

"Um … except me, right? I would remember...." I said in a stammer, wondering what he meant by the strange statement. 

"No, Saraya, you would not. You are too good at it --- too good at forgetting your life and everyone in it…”

"Trust me, buddy. I have a good memory -- a great memory. A really really superhuman memory. I hardly forget anything!" I said in a form of warning. I felt him hold me by the hips as he made me straighten my spine, lifting me off of his shoulder. He held me to his face level and even though it was dark and he still had the hoodie covering his head, I could see his face now. His slightly hooded eyes were strikingly beautiful and hypnotic.  His jaw was covered with a white beard --  pure and white as snow. His eyebrows were thick and straight and his lower lip was fuller than the upper one. They were dark, pinkish in colour, blending beautifully with his tan skin tone, amazingly striking against his white facial hair. His nose was straight and perfectly formed. 

Catching his gaze, I forgot my train of thought. His intense eyes, burrowing into mine, were entirely consuming. I swallowed softly, forcing down the urge to raise my hands to caress his perfect face. I adored his features.

"Let’s put that superhuman memory to test, Saraya?" he rasped in a soft, smooth tone that was deep and calm.

"Test?" I repeated, utterly disoriented. The combination of his eyes and voice was completely overwhelming 

He let out a sigh, raising a hand to comb his fingers through the hair at the side of my head. He then drew me closer to press his forehead against mine. The gesture so gentle and simple caused a spark so profound inside me. I let out a shaky breath and twitched as an elusive memory played in my head. It felt as if there was something extremely important I should know but just couldn’t grasp.  

“Who am I to you? What is my name?” he asked in a low husky tone and drew back just a bit. 

“You … I,”  I stammered. The swell of frustration clouded my head. Something told me I have the answers. If only I could just … argh! Damn it!

The stranger searched my gaze with a hopeful gleam that was heart-rending. 

After several attempts and I couldn’t get a word out. I saw pain flash in his eyes. I felt him physically and emotionally withdraw from me. The action made my heart constrict in a painful grip so much so that tears welled in my eyes. He then blinked and the emotion was gone. 

“I will take you home now,” he said in defeat and raised one hand to gently stroke my temple. 

“Wait! Please. Please, tell me who you are?!” I said in a fervent whisper, sobbing now. 

“Never again, Saraya…” he growled with feeling, enunciating each word. His eyes were clouded with hurt. My heart shook in my chest.  

The next thing I knew I woke up in my bed with nothing on, but the heartache remained, and my face was wet with tears. When I went to check on Peggy she was asleep in her room. I let out a string of expletives. "I really should see someone about these damn dreams," I mumbled to myself, still feeling dejected even though I couldn't tell why. 

But when I went to take a shower, I saw in the bathroom vanity mirror the telltale signs that made me gasp.  I had bruises on my neck, and reddish handprints on my mouth, forearms, and thighs. My hands shook as I raised them to my face. I couldn’t tell now what was real or not and I wondered if perhaps something was truly wrong with me. Or are my dreams beginning to manifest? My heart lunged hard as the import gripped me.