Part Six

Nate after texting Emma to meet up that evening presented her with a large box sheeted with a silk wrapping from behind the passenger seat. It nearly was the size of her two arms spread width-wise on both her sides and stood tall covering the top half of her body. She hesitated before shearing the wrapping with enough delicacy, surprised that he was calm and patient watching her unfold its contents. He wore a suit, the tall lawn of his fair hair tousled with the power of gel, each lock sleek meaning to look sharply dangerous.

Emma pulled the cover revealing right before her a lustrous satin dress with a shade as dark as blood. It was strapless designed like a tube with the front chest area laced with black, weaves of fish net replacing the lack of the silk's presence. The tube dress she could tell just by surveying its material with a keen eye ran perfectly on her slim frame, hugging most of her perfect curves and teasing the joints of her hipbone. The lower half encrusted with glitter, hanging loosely like a ruffled skirt mid thighs. She casted a glance at Nate then at the material and back her expression filled with wonder, was he going to tell her to wear this? She asked herself, what was the point when all of their clothes would be off in moments… and then it hit her like the harsh slap he had given Ruby the other day, like the one he had given her the same night. He was going to introduce her as his girlfriend in front of his parents.

"What's this for?" she pondered her tone as if she was shocked and hadn't known the purpose as to what it was for.

Nate looked amused and pleased with himself, "you'll be meeting my parents, aren't you happy?"

No, she wasn't but she passed him a wry grin and nodded, which to his accord, had leaned over the passenger seat to press a kiss on her cheek. Emma cringed to this; her eyes didn't bother to leave the dress as he did so.

"Hurry up and get changed in then," he cooed fingers flaunting with a lock of her hair he had taken a liking habit of kissing it, his chocolate irises shifting from her lips and eyes. "Unless you want me to help you get in it." There was a wolfish grin after that and Emma shuddered, hesitantly sliding the clothes she had worn over head mildly covering herself and struggled to slip inside the new ones. It was a bit itchy, the glitter not only was it flashy on the outside but existent in the depths of her skin as well, the scent of mothballs and wholesale lingered in its presence.

"Not bad." observed Nate stroking his chin in an evil villainy way after she was settled, "But that's because it comes out natural and radiant on you."

"Didn't you have a girlfriend?"

Nate looking quite taken aback looked at her incredulously, but this soon faded into something more thoughtful. "You know you're the only one Em's. That girl, I never loved her, not like you. Aren't you happy?"

"I am," Emma agreed, running a hand through her hair that had begun to come out of her waterfall of a one-sided braid and pried to straighten it. It was the least she could do to look pleasing in the eyes of his parents.

“Then shall we go?” Emma nodded again, her heart leaping nervously out of her chest as he started the ignition. The car started with a soft humming and he drove off more eager than she thought, it was weird, she had known him for being a romantic cult and she also knew that hidden under that pleasant façade was something darker and forceful. She was scared but at the same time she couldn’t help fall for him like the very first time, as if what he had done dozens of times to her didn’t matter, as if it hadn’t happen at all. Was it like what Ruby had said that despite what he had done to her, she couldn’t help but love him? Emma shook the fleeting thoughts off, thinking about him wouldn’t bring her anywhere, she was his toy, he only loved her for her body, and if she didn’t care about her mother’s safety, she would have jailed him long time ago.

Nate’s home was in the next town, in a quiet neighborhood whose homes all set arrayed in opposite sides. Oak trees and rose bushes decorated the lawns, homes decorated in patterns of pink, blue and a chalky white pallor, and surprisingly enough his was amongst those that occupied the largest of them all, a manor in the flesh of rose-tinted existence, hard to tell if it was a brick house or pure smoothened cement. A dog laid by the foot of the ornate brown door, wind chimes dangled on the upper edge, and by the head was a glass window designed to look like the top half of a three-sided clove spilling orange light from inside the homes premises.

Nate jogging to the passenger seat held the door she occupied open, taking her hands up with his like a gentleman and escorted her upfront of his turf with an arm ringed around her hip. It was definitely weird, that he was this gentle, she wondered why, was he dying... or was she dying? Did she have a little amount of hours to live? On the other hand, maybe was she going to be shocked when she stepped inside and so he had been this kind.

They stopped by the foot of the steps the dog she had spotted was in fact a large puppy " a poorly fed bulldog it’s shrimp of a tail wagging pleasingly in the appearance of his owner. Nate whose expression softened bent down to pat him in the head, mouthing the name ‘Rufus’ in the childish way possible. The bolt of the door unwounded, and appearing behind them was a short woman, probably in her mid-sixties. She had worn a navy blue gown overlaid with a white ragged apron, greyed hair pulled into a messy bun and her irises like Nate’s a dark shade of chocolate brown, slit as a cats as she regarded the two’s presence right in front of her. She stepped aside bowing slightly, “Welcome home master Nathaniel and Madame Demoiselle.” The stress the woman had in acknowledgement of her presence was throaty giving out a spine-shivering chill that ran down Emma spine.

“Is mother and father home?” Nate asked his fingers around her hip stroking Emma’s clothed hipbone and Emma winced to this. The woman shrugged, “The Magister and Madame left, they would be back soon.” A grin found its way perking on Nate’s lip. “How long?”

“Not much, but enough to please your pleasures if that’s what you intend to do for the time being.” The woman assured, expression filled with disgust as her gaze fell upon Emma.

“Thank you," Nate dismissed with a wave of his hand, "now leave us.”

The woman spun on her heels and as she did so, there was a scratching screech coming from the ragged soles of her shoes against the tiled floor. Nate with arm still on her hip pressed them forward following the woman and letting the door fall and creaked close on its own behind them, it was scary, it was like it was possessed or had a mind of its own.

The woman led them through a large corridor passing a room supposedly the living room. She didn’t dare look back at the two who were at a close tail behind her, and disappeared once Nate had abruptly put them both into a halt in front of one of the golden knobbed rooms; it was one whose door a light shade of hazel. He undid the bolt turning it with enough gingerness and held it open for her to enter, hesitantly she did and he followed behind. Emma found herself staring in contrast to what she imagined Nate’s room to be, instead of sensual posters of women hanging on every corner of the walls she found herself staring in amazement at various prints of famous art works similar to Mona Lisa and Picasso pooled by larger imprints of video games. War craft frozen thrones, Half-life, command and conquer, Grand theft auto, Halo… she didn’t even know how did she know their names but she did. She was expecting to find murder weapons as he claimed to have used if she dared tattled but instead found books and magazines " tons of them varying in similar themes - were sprawled on the floor, bed unmade and parallel to that was a large TV set by its foot was an x-box system. Nate motioned for her to sit on the foot of the bed Emma was definitely not expecting any of this, still dazed she nodded and sat on the other end, elbows supported on his twin headed pillows. Nate with a quick nod of his head crawled his way to meet her. Emma who had nowhere else to go winced as his heat brushed over her skin, his weight growing heavy above hers, and just as he was about to press a kiss on her, his elbow met one of the buttons of his remote igniting his previously shut television. It was muted but through his still hovering silhouette Emma could see the daily newscast, a red banner ran below, words she couldn’t see with her weak vision scrolled in a semi fast pace but the background without a doubt she could see much clearer. The celebrity newscaster stood by a scene of a crime and surprisingly enough it was just outside of their school’s campus, she was saying something, pointing through the spiral fence that secluded them. The camera lens quickly panning in revealed to be pointed at the direction of the shallow oak tree, it was unusually darker with the evening light casting the tree’s silhouette tall and under the foot nearly secluded by its evergreen blossoms was a body, half crumpled with one leg outstretched. At some point, the camera crew as well as the newscaster gained permission to come closer, and the lens zoomed at the body, her eyes widened in utter shock. The body revealed to belong to a girl, beautiful and so young, her brown hair unusually darker, eyes close and cheeks battered, skin paler like the last time she had saw her, in fact, she knew her fairly well: Ruby. The girl whom had hugged her earlier that day as if knowing her last breath would near had one hand rested on her belly, and she looked like she was in definite pain before she had passed her last breath, a knife protruded on the base of her chest. Nate noticing her lapse craned his head back, gaze falling like hers on the large flat screen of his TV.

“Emily I can explain,” he began, but she had shrugged him off, “you killed her!” she screamed sliding off his straddled figure and backed away from him, cautious and fearful. He got on his feet eerily approaching her and she continued to back away until her back had hit hard with a thud against the slender frame of the door.  Fumbling through the knob which had given her a hard time to pry open and give him an advantage to come closer she jabbed it hard and with little success threw it open dashing out of the room and shot through the hallway surprised by her speed and swiftness. She was more surprised at the fact that she hadn’t bumped into any ancient artifact and statues on her way. She had bumped into a large frame, it was like going through a wall and her body nearly tumbled back her entire complexity vibrating by the impact. She stepped back from the silhouette, this person was so tall and slightly slender but definitely built firm and muscular or so she thought. The silhouette of a person turned, this man was wearing a jumper suit tucked under a formal hazel coat. He had features similar to Nate’s, dark brown hair with matching dark hazel eyes, heart shaped lips that regarded her with little interest.

“Appalling your needs I see Nathaniel,” the man placed rather coolly when Nate had caught up to her, breathless. “Though I must attest, she is far more wonderful than the last one, yet cowardice with those dog eyes of hers.” The man assumingly Nate’s father had brought out a stick of tobacco, lighting it between his fingers and brought it to his mouth, puffing out a ring of smoke.

“Father,” Nate sighed ringing an arm around Emma and brought her close, “I’d like you to meet my girlfriend Emily Kemp.” He pressed a kiss on Emma’s cheek, and whispered something only she could hear and making out the words ‘sly for you to escape my dear, I’ll deal with you later’. She shuddered at the thought, and met the gaze of the tall man once more, the look of disinterest he had earlier was now full of wonder.

“Do my ears deceive me or this girl’s last name’s Kemp?” the man stressed his accent lingering between Brit-Irish, but mostly Irish.

Nate nodded, “Dad this is the girl I was saying I want to marry.” Shocked Emma pulled away from Nate who had a firm hold of her, a warning look etched on his features and she cowered.

“No,” the man sighed, “you can’t marry her.” His words were a relief to Emma’s ears, but not in Nate’s who had balled his hands into fists at his sides while still maintaining his hold on Emma.

“Why not!” He growled like a child nearing a tantrum, and Nate’s father sighed again. “You’re too young and besides, she’s like what, sixteen?”

“Seventeen!” Nate corrected growing irritable by the second, “I want her to be my wife, and whether you bless our wedding or not I’ll marry her.” Nate demanded his tone was definitely certain, and Emma couldn’t help but stare.

“Nathaniel you’re rushing things like always, head first without thinking. What will her mother… her parents say?”

“She’d bless our marriage right away.” He lied, she knew he was lying right there, in fact he hadn’t met her mother nor did he mentioned any marriage between them, so unless she wasn’t in the right page then and there, she needed to get to before she was suddenly branded Mrs. Feller to a man she did not love.

“Excuse me to interrupt,” the voice came from a slender woman, frame set short similar to the height of the woman who had opened the door on them except this woman looked pleasant to look at and her expression showed a mixture of worship, fear and love. She had dark fair hair and eyes, and if Emma wasn’t mistaken this woman was probably Nate’s mother. She regarded Emma with wonder and passed her a warm grin of acknowledgment of her presence. “Dear is this her, what a wonderful choice Nathaniel.”

“Thanks mother, she’s beautiful isn’t she?” Nate’s fury had lessened diverting his piercing gaze from his all so serious father to his loving mother. “Emily this is my mum, mom this is Emily.”

The woman who had already gotten hold of both Emma’s small hands inspected her with keen eyes, twirling the girl as if she was something so unique and delicate. “Really lovely, how are you dear, is Nathaniel treating you well?”

Emma with a skeptical look at Nate nodded, “He’s so sweet Mrs. Feller” and to this, she received a chuckle from the woman and an eased hold from Nate.

“How cute, Nate she’s such a doll!” the woman giggled still taking Emma’s hands with hers and practically dragged her into the living room, Nate and his father following behind them.

The living room as she recalled it from her slight glimpse moments ago was far larger than she had expected. Ornate scented candles rounded corners and an altar. Shades of pink drapes hung loosely on the windows, and four sofa’s " a leather armchair Emma assumed belonged to Nate’s father, two large ones with plush love seats and a comfy looking armchair supposedly for the pleasing taste of Mrs. Feller. A glass coffee table took its presence in the center of the seats with enough distance to walkthrough and a radio and television set sat across the room.

Mrs. Feller sat on one of the large sofa’s love seat, motioning Emma to sit by her side and so did Nate who took the spot parallel to them while Mr. Feller took as predicted the black leather sofa. Mrs. Feller stilled looked amused with Emma’s presence. Her grip on Emma’s fingers not once had left and she didn’t bother to stop her tall tales about her son, freely snitching on facts about him, and to Emma’s surprise, he didn’t seem to feel offended but careless, watching them coolly as he sat on his seat, a leg crossed over the other.

Mrs. Feller was going on about something about Nate, how he was a mommy’s boy and offered to show his baby pictures when one of the servants " the woman who had let them in with her ragged apron still a mess " returned to their favor with some freshly baked biscuits and tea. The woman took her cup with enough grace and offered Emma to take one too. Emma hesitantly cupping it in both hands nodded and continued her focus on the woman.

“So,” the woman began then again after taking a sip, it was as if it had only energized the woman into engaging another conversation once more. “How did you meet my dearly beloved son and how did the two of you come to be?”

Emma casted a glance at Nate who through a few exchange of words in her mind said as much as ‘you better not screw this up’, she nodded taking a sip from her cup before making an impromptu tall tale, she was better than it as she thought.

“Well Nate’s really sweet and charming, quite old school if you ask me,” she began gaining a snicker from the elder woman and a threatening glare from Nate. Mr. Feller didn’t seem to care otherwise but waited for her to go on, “he’d make up some cheesy love letter and have someone clipped them between my lockers… we’ve been acquainted ever since.” She concluded keeping it short and sweet enough for Mrs. Feller who had her dark brown eyes soft as doe, and there was squeak of “awww” from her when she was finished.

“Who would have thought Nathaniel is such a mushy lover,” Mrs. Feller teased reaching out to ruffle Nate’s hair and to her surprise the boy had given her an affectionate look, cheeks flushed and eyebrows furrowed. “So when is the wedding, any plans? Oh this is so exciting I can’t wait to have a daughter in law, you two should stay and live here, it gets lonely after Felix left…”

“Oh shut up Elena.” It was surprisingly Mr. Feller breaking his silence, “that brat’s been an ungrateful b*****d since the day he was born.”

“Melvin!” gasped Mrs. Feller, “We can talk about your issues later, right now we are discussing our bride to be and future daddy, oh I can’t wait to have little Emily’s and Nathaniel’s running around the house.”

“I said shut your trap Elena.” Mr. Feller hissed growing exasperated by the moment, “You’re fantasies are clearly unwanted.”

“Ugh what is up with you?” Hollered Mrs. Feller matching his tone she had jolted up on her feet, fist balled on her sides, “Can’t you see your son is so in love and here you are, uninterested in giving your blessings!”

“They are too young!” argued the furious Mr. Feller and he too was on his feet.

“Father!” it was Nate, he had gotten up too and Emma was left sitting in the middle of all of this. “My decision is final, and whether you like it or not I’m marrying Emily!” he jarred grabbing Emma by the arm and stormed off, dragging her out of the door and into the driveway where his car as they had left it, untouched. He had shoved her in, stumping to his side of the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut clearly flustered.

“Ugh, sometimes I just don’t understand him!” Nate exclaimed slamming his fists on the wheel, which had let out a long honk. Emma instinctively had a hand over his shoulder meaning if not to calm him then at least reassure him with her presence, her expression showed that she was startled and hoped he’d see this. Nate casted a glance at her, his expression from his earlier wrath softened,

“Maybe he’s right Nate; maybe we’re just rushing things.” Nate was incredulous, but he didn't say as much to interrupt her, “he’s your father Nate.” Emma then continued, “You have to know that he just wants what’s best for you, you know like the saying father’s knows best?”

“You don’t understand Emily!” Nate writhed slamming both hands on her shoulders and pushed her back on the passenger seat a hard thud from the impact came from below and she grimaced in pain but it was only short lived as he hovered over her. “My brother left home because dad didn’t want to bless his wedding too, they were never in good terms after and as you can see none of us were. I always hated him for dictating our lives, but you understand me, you love me too right?” He ducked in to press a kiss on her lips; this was not like his others filled with hunger but desperation.

“Nate,” she whispered, it was a light kiss yet it had brought her breathless, “why did you say that anyway, why did you tell them you want to marry me?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I love you.”

“How about Ruby?” She probed and for the first time ever he was definitely speechless a little out of words, “I didn’t do it Em’s you gotta believe me.” He mused but his eyes didn’t tell her otherwise, they were both pleading guilty. “I didn’t mean to…”

“She was pregnant Nate!” she screeched, “with your own child!”

Nate’s expression darkened, “She’s lying. She was a harlot since the beginning. You gotta believe me Emily,” his eyes twinkled as he searched for her eyes, “there’s only you.”

“No Nate, you can’t force something that wasn’t there. I never loved you yet here you are doing all as you please with me, I’m scared, scared of my life, there is never a night when I wake up from my screams, please Nate, I just want all of this to stop.” Emma sobbed and after so long the weight on her shoulders seemed to have lifted. She trembled under him yet he still didn’t seem to falter.

“You’re mine alone Emily!” He spat his grip tightening and ripped through the front lace of her dress, he pressed her hard against him, pressed hungry forced kisses on her lips and skin that nearly felt like a bite as if he were gnawing on her flesh as he fondled his way with her body. Emma kicked and writhed under him hot tears streaming off her eyes, she managed to push him off slightly but it was only short lived before he came at her again, the only words that came out before he had attacked her was “There was never an 'us'.”

Regret, hatred, anxiety and fear bubbled in her mind’s eye, hot tears drowning and soaking her sides, she was cold and trembling. Her body very much in pain in his hold, she tried to kick him off but he seemed to be unwavered, in fact, he’d grown far more stronger by the seconds that passed. She caught a glimpse of something shiny from the dashboard, it was slender and if it were fate talking to her that this was her chance, she would have bet her life on it that it was probably sharp.

“You’re mine alone Emily,” Nate kept repeating pressing heated kisses against her skin and from time to time she’d attempt to break free.

“I ” she began and broke off, this gave her somewhat of a leverage in weakening his defenses, he was looking directly at her, his dark eyes expectant. “I "” she began again and he inched closer the grip he had loosened a bit and with that she had made a deal with the devil, counting on her chances despite the harsh risk she was taking. “I love you.” She mustered feeling disgusted to have said it and he had pulled her hard against him releasing her arms and cradled her in his. They rocked in the seat and she tried to reach out for the shiny pointed object, she was this close in getting a hold of it yet still quite far. She tilted herself forward running her fingers on the line of his back working its way up to the dark locks of his hair fondling with them and letting them tangle on her fingers, she was wise to have done so, despite the loosening of his heated muscles there was no denying he was still on guard.

"I love you so much Emma." Nate whispered in between slow heated kisses, he was gnawing on the fine line of her collarbone just below her neck. Emma had pressed herself hard against him gaining some leverage and caught a hold of the shiny pointed object, she realized it was a pen of course, and she thanked mechanics. While still not removing her lips with his, she brought the point up, a firm grip on its slender frame and jabbed it hard against Nate’s neck, she winced at the ugly sound it made and Nate writhed, cussing under his breath as he fell above her. He was quite heavy but mustering all her willpower to live especially now that she thought she had angered the devil she knew for sure if she didn’t get out of there all hell would break loose and the thought wasn’t quite a pleasing one. She shoved the still writhing Nate, fumbling to get the door unlock and nearly tripped on her way out, hastily slamming the door shut and limping as far as she could get screaming help hoping someone would stop and notice and call the police.

“Emma!” Nate roared emerging from the car, he still caressed the side of his neck she had stabbed expression totally defiant, anger burning within his presence and eyes bloodshot. “You better keep running Emma coz if I get you, you’re dead meat you b***h!” his words were all hoarse and sinister and with a shudder, Emma pressed on scrambling like a loose duck trying to get away. Nate was gaining on her and she knew then that if he caught her it was the end of her.

She spotted a silhouette from a mile away just outside of her house, it was tall and slender and as she drew closer, she identified him almost immediately, that long shoulder length silky hair blown in the wind, and that dark shade of glassy irises in contrast to his greyed pallor by the moonlight sun. Jiro.

“Jiro.” Emma wailed grabbing hold of the tall boys hand, she was panting totally breathless. “Please don’t let him get me!” she screamed casting a glance at Nate, he had somewhat slowed down but there was no doubt that any minute he would emerge any moment by the horizon, “I’m really sorry for what I said, please just please help me.” She bawled sinking on her knees with a firm grip on his arm. Nate appeared then, his sneakers squeaking as he dragged them hard against the paved road.

“Emma,” he squawked like a crow, “You’d regret to have defied me.” He hissed still stroking the part of his neck that was injured he drew his fingers back and as he did so like his throat they too was streaked with blood. Emma bolted up to her feet, quivering as she hid behind Jiro.

“Don’t give me to him.” She stuttered squeezing the back of Jiro’s hand and Jiro who still hadn’t said anything since she had met his side shrugged her off.

“Get away from her,” he finally spat, it was weak and not close to a serious plea, Nate could have swatted him away just to get past him and get a hold of Emma.

Nate cackled, “Are you serious? Do you know who I am?”

“Nathaniel Feller,” Jiro fessed, his tone calm “who wouldn’t?”

“At least you’re wise enough to know,” mocked Nate and dismissively held out an exasperated hand, “give me the girl.”

“No.” Jiro bit back. Emma could see the tense lines of his back and the spine running from his neck as well as the trembling of his balled fists.

“Pathetic brat,” Nate with an expression filled with utter irritation, had started to push forward from the barricade Jiro had made. “You don’t know who you’re messing with so if I were you move or else "” he took a step closer and Jiro had blocked him, both of the two men’s chest colliding. Just by looking at Nate whose frame was built shorter and firm while Jiro was tall and slender harmless as a fly it didn't take a genius to know who had the advantage. She wished he hadn’t done that, regretted she had gotten him involved and she winced at the ugly thought that came to mind. No, she told herself, she wouldn’t let it happen if she chose to, and got between them. “Stop it,” she mused mostly glaring at Nate, “I’ll go with you.” A wicked grin passed Nate’s lips as he caught hold of her arm jerking her close and so did Jiro who took a liking of joining him play the same sort of tug of war with her body; however, his expression was much grimmer than she can imagine.

“Let her go.” Jiro snarled but it was still calmer compared to Nate who was rather irritated.

“Mind your business kid this has nothing to do with you.” Nate retorted tugging on Emma once more. Jiro did the same except with enough force and gentleness managed to pull her to his side of advantage and pushed her aside so that she was no longer between them. Nate snarled like dog enraged to have his bone taken away from him and shoved Jiro, Jiro tumbling backward but gaining leverage shoved him back. Nate had attacked him, pushing him off his feet and landed on him who had fallen on his back, an ugly thud coming from below as it collided on the damp pavement. Jiro winced falling on the defensive the moment Nate had thrown his choice of offensive punches. Nate violently shoved away Emma who tried to pry her way between them and she fell back. Nate almost immediately noticing this met her side, expression soft and the previous violence was no longer there.

“Emma, I’m really sorry.” He prodded prying to get a grip on her but she had shoved him away, his expression hurt and hers filled with shock and hatred. She had dragged herself by Jiro who had crumpled to his sides; she feared he was dead but luckily was breathing hard like one on the verge of an asthma attack. Nate pried to get his hands on her once more, but she had just swatted him away repeatedly.

“Get away,” she hissed ugly tears streaming down her eyes, “you’re a monster!” she wept and this earned her a vicious glare. Nate had straightened himself shifting his gaze from her and the crumpled figure of Jiro.

“Don’t tell me you love him!” he hissed utterly offended.

“I do!” she cried there was no hesitation it was all straightforward.

“If I can’t have you no one can!” Nate growled kicking Jiro’s side, Jiro’s body recoiled like a mollusk once it had been stepped upon and he did it again for about a few more times when a large dog whose silver fur glinted with the moonlight had leapt at him, snarling viciously and teeth protruding. Nate’s eyes widened as he fell on his back, the dog who growled in total defense, pinned him down with drool oozing from its fangs. A few drops had dripped on him and Nate pried to drag himself away, back handing the dog and got to his feet fleeing with the wind. The dog however didn’t seem to chase him, it had met Emma and Jiro’s side, a nosy cry coming from its muzzle as it licked the side of his beautifully bruised face.

“Jiro,” Emma cried pulling the boys head to rest upon her lap, but he didn’t answer, “Jiro!” she said again a crack of desperation utterly shown in her voice but there was no answer from the boy. Tears streamed down her cheeks and dripped on his, Jiro on the other hand groaned.

“Jiro?” she whispered brushing his sweat drenched tresses aside and tilting his face to meet hers, his eyes was still closed but he resigned to a nasty cough, a grin playing on his lips.

“Geez calm down, it’s not like I’m going to die.” He chuckled, “I’m still forever young.” He added and to this, he earned a suppressed giggle from her. Emma nodded and shoved him lightly for joking even at a serious time like this.

“You idiot you could have died!” she wept burying her face on his tousled hair.

“Didn’t I promise you I’d protect you?”

“Well you did a horrible job in doing it!” she rambled, “you could have died.”

“It’s better to throw my life on the line than the one I love.”

To the one I love, she repeated his words over and over in her mind. Did he really mean it or was she just imagining him having said that? She blinked, “what?”

“And you said I’m an idiot,” he coughed and weakly brought his fingers to cup her face stroking her chin with his delicate fingers and pulled her face close to his. “I love you Emily Kemp.” He said and pressed his lips with hers, his lips despite being bruised was soft against hers, slow and gentle, the perfect mixture of passion with sweat and bloody salt.

Emma drew back, her eyes soft and considerate once she had realized she was leaning hard in the support of his body, his body she could tell screaming in pain. The dog that had still lingered with them tugged on the quilt of her dress. She turned to face it her expression filled with wonder,

“Is he yours?” Emma fessed reaching out to stroke the muzzle of the mutt, and he shook his head as a no. The dog stepped closer, it was a husky canine with it’s fur a shade of grey and a dark black outline. “Well I guess he’s our hero then.” Her gaze softened like doe at the dog, which she had come in good terms with to have access into fully stroking its body from muzzle through the straight line of its fur-coated spine. “Good boy,” she teased, “you did well "” she paused abruptly unsure what to name the mutt, did it have an owner? Was someone looking for it? She turned to Jiro who had successfully poised himself into a sitting position behind her, still grimacing in pain. “What should we name him?”

Jiro shrugged weakly pointing a finger on the dogs bottom as a matter-of-factly, “he’s a she.” He pointed out. Emma furrowed her eyebrows, weaving it into an ugly worm across her broad forehead, “I was thinking of Hero…” she pouted like a child, “and Hera doesn’t sound right despite the fact that it’s a name of a goddess.” the mutt let out a nosy whine digging its muzzle under Jiro’s armpit as a support. Jiro choked a chuckle as it did so, “Hero sounds totally fitting!”

“Hero, does that sound good to you?” Emma teased tone mocking like a mother who toyed with a newborn baby, “huh boy… girl?” and the dog wagged its tail, howling happily.

“She likes it,” agreed Emma, “Hero it is!” and stroked the dogs chin, it’s tongue dangling from the left side of its muzzle.

The entire neighborhood had poured out of their homes then, apparently missing all that had happened the entire night, amongst them was Emma’s mother pushing through the loitering crowd. She dropped to her knees jaws set agape.

“Dear Lord what happened to you,” she ranted apparently distressed from her sleep and deeply concerned as to what her daughter was doing bare chested holding a bloody teenage boy on her lap and a mutt right beside them.

“He’s hurt mom, call the ambulance!” Ms. Kemp hesitated, her gaze shifted from her daughter the dog and the boy and back and then nodded, strapping her bathrobe adorning her nightgown tightly around her, she turned to the crowd, “you heard her, call the ambulance.”

“No,” it was Jiro his voice had grown hoarse, “I’m alright. I’ll be alright.”

“Are you crazy?” Emma threw her hands in the air hysterically, “you could be badly hurt, what if your parents…” she abruptly halted herself. He had no family. He lived alone. She sighed, “Fine, then at least let us clean your wounds.”

Jiro nodded, and Ms. Kemp had gotten a few men volunteers in getting Jiro inside the Kemp household.

“Just lay him gently there,” Emma instructed at the two of them she remained by his side her fingers unknowingly intertwined with his. The two men were amongst their friendly neighbors one being Mr. Rodriguez, her Spanish teacher’s husband and clearly one who was not fond of being told what to do, and the other was one of the teenage boys her age, if she could recall his name clearly, his name was probably Jake Castile indifference set in his features. After setting him down, Ms. Kemp offered some tea but they had all hurried off to their own homes, Emma who had gotten a hold of a first aid kit sat on the edge of the couch close to him, attending his wounds. It wasn’t much, just a few light bruises but what she feared was a permanently damaged somewhere deep inside his abdomen, a punctured spleen or something.

“That would be a lot easier if you remove his shirt Em’s…,”observed Ms. Kemp who had taken a liking of examining the mutt Hero. The Kemp had no pets and clearly, she was fond of this one. Emma hesitated sliding her fingers on the hem of Jiro’s battered sweat drenched shirt, and with a throaty groan, she lifted it up to his chest revealing an even far more light pallor of his skin. Was he a living zombie or what? She humored gazing upon the finely chiseled set he had for a body, it wasn’t graced with pecks and muscles but it was slender and good enough, after all she didn’t looked for bronze in a man but gentleness and warmth. The reassurance of his faith and love not lust and Jiro was an epitome of this or more like the prototype.

A grin crept on his features as she was left stunned staring at his build, “like what you see?” he chuckled his eyes were closed so she was unsure how he could have possibly seen her mooning over his figure. Her cheeks flushed and jabbed an annoyed fist on his abdomen receiving a recoil from his body like a v-clamp.

“Now, now.” Ms. Kemp warned, "Hurting a poor boy isn't lady like, though I must attest it proves affection." Ms. Kemp teased. She had just fondly gotten on her kneels kneeling in front of the mutt who had slobbered over her cheeks. Emma passed her a mocking expression and turned to face Jiro who had taken a liking in staring at her, her other hand was still on his chest and she snaked them back, her feverish cheeks skyrocketing of the charts.

"I think you're good enough," she patted him lightly on the shoulder and got up excusing herself. "Far from the immune system."

Jiro slung his feet on the foot of the sofa, wincing as he struggled to poise himself into a sitting position. "We have to report about him to the police at some point Emily," he said swallowing hard, his eyes searched for hers across the room, she had paused midway from the kitchen, body tensed. She turned back to face him expression filled with fear and worry,

"No," she said, her hands on her side unknowingly balling into fists, “I mean not right now."

Ms. Kemp formerly engaged with a small talk with the heroic mutt Hero, rose on her feet, utterly drawn into the sudden conversation exchanged between them. "Hold on I'm not in the right page here," she said exchanging a puzzled glance at both Emma and Jiro. "Care to explain why you're still not in bed past curfew," her expression was skeptical her gaze torn between them as she eyed the still exposed area of her chest, clearly Nate had done wonders with the laced fabric. "And why is there a nearly bloody boy by my front doorstep?"

 

Emma sighed pushing the material up to hide her sudden bareness, "you're not going to like what you're gonna hear mother."

Ms. Kemp furrowed her eyebrows as if to say she had said something utterly ridiculous. "I've been through all the worst things you could ever imagine missy, so you better start explaining Emily Rose Kemp."

Author's Note

I could sort of relate of Emma in mind lapses, sometimes stare at empty space, but not what she's experiencing though, mind you. Hope y'all liked this chapter. It's not perfect but if there is anything you guys find that needs some fixing don't hesitate to tell me :)