Chapter 6 Supping with the Devil

Third POV

Dylan knew what he heard, the sound was unmistakable. Slowly, he turned to face the man that was the leader of it all to see that his face turned scarlet red. He looked helplessly at the men with him.

"You stupid bastards." The boss snarled. "I-I swear, that isn't what you think it is. We have a few loose animals back there." He laughed nervously and started backing towards the van as if he was trying to cover it with his body. Dylan mirrored his steps with a deadly glint in his eyes.

"Open it, or I will open it myself." Dylan said calmly, more calm that his eyes gave away.

Beads of sweat started falling quickly down the older man's face. He wiped his forehead against his sleeve and started to dig in his pants for the keys just as the banging got louder.

Each weak thud pulled the boy closer to the trunk. The man tried to step in his path and explain himself out of this, but Dylan sent him flying with a single push. He knew what was back there without having to wonder and he would tear apart each of these men if they tried to stop him from opening this door.

Dylan grabbed the handles and yanked the door off its hinges.

Immediately, he was hit with a horrible stench that made his brows furrow.

A young girl laid in the back of the van with her hands bound in front of her. She was slumped to the side with a blindfold and gag in her mouth, clearly unconscious. His eyes moved indifferently over her before they landed on the other girl, gasping for fresh air at the doors.

Her eyes were wide and wild. A bit of blood dripped from the wound on her head that she must have received from banging it against the door so many times. Her hands were also bound and bloody but her gag and blindfold were missing. She looked at the older man with pure fear before her eyes locked with Dylan.

She was absolutely breathtaking. Long dark hair and pretty doe eyes. Even in the shape she was in, she was the most beautiful girl the boy had ever seen.

His heart sped in his chest when their eyes met. Something about her was different... he knew he was meant to find her here and take her away from all of this. It was like an invisible string had pulled him here to her and he couldn't explain it, but now that he found her-it felt right. She didn't just need to be saved from here.. something else about her made him think she needed to be taken away from this world entirely.

Instantly, he became protective of her. He knew he had to get here out of here and away from these men. Anger boiled in his veins and made him want to rip the men apart for trying to traffic women on his route. They deserved worse than being ripped apart one by one. They deserved to be planted six feet under for taking girls and selling them like property.

Her small body trembled, but she knew it was her only chance. "Please, help me!" She cried.

Patara flinched when she heard a swooshing sound. When she opened her eyes again, her bounds were cut free from her wrists. The tape dangled off her skin, she yanked it off her quickly as if she was afraid that it might bind her again if it stayed.

Dylan held out his hand to her. "I'll help you down." He said.

Patara POV

This was him, the man she heard deny the ones that took her. This was who they were afraid of. Patara rubbed her sore wrists before she accepted his hand.

She gasped a little at the feeling of his rough hands. He pulled her towards him and stopped just an inch from his body. Two long fingers tilted her chin up towards his face.

What was she thinking asking him for help? She didn't know this man, what if this was the Snake King? Or someone worse?

Patara tried to move back away from the handsome young man, but he held her firm. Squeezing her chin a little harder to keep her in place. His blue-grey, beautiful eyes looked over her every feature as if he wanted to burn the image in his mind. He brushed the bloody hair from her face gently and pushed it behind her ear.

Patara trembled in his grasp when she saw the fire in his eyes as he looked at her. It felt as if he wanted to own her and that was no better than how all the other men gazed at her.

His fingers were so close to her throat, he could snap her neck if he wanted. But he was her only choice. What else could she do but be at his mercy?

"Would you like me to take you away?" He asked in a husky voice. His words made her skin litter in goosebumps. She couldn't speak, only nod desperately.

The boy smirked a little as he tilted his head. He ran his thumb over her jaw slowly. "And what do you offer me in exchange for your rescue?"

He could see the wheels turning behind her wide eyes. He put his fingers on her lips to silence her before she could even talk. "And don't offer me your daddy's money."

Patara's lips parted, she didn't know what else she could offer him. He released her and took a step back. "Would you like to follow me?" He asked with that same tilt of his head.

Patara glanced down at his outstretched hand before she looked back up to meet his blue grey eyes. Sun lit up his face and she caught a better glimpse of his features. Sharp and soft at the same time. Dimples formed whenever he talked and his eyebrows were alluring and almost made him look more sinister.

Slowly, she nodded her head and put her hand in his. She knew she was in no position to decline this man, he was the only way she would get out of this alive. She hoped.

His grip tightened around her small hand, she gasped a little when he pulled her towards him once again.

A ghost of a smile passed over his lips as he looked down at her. He took a breath before he spoke softly. "My offer is not to follow me to your version of safety. My offer is to follow me and stay at my side forever."

He was so close to her, she could smell the scent of berries on his clothes. His warm breath caressed her face as he spoke and she was almost hypnotized by all of it. Slowly, she nodded again. Her only priority was to get out of this van-but would following him be worse?

What was she doing?

The boy helped her out of the van carefully. Her legs felt weak the moment they touched the ground.

"Remember your promises," he said against her ear. She held her breath. "The last person who betrayed me got to see what his insides looked like before I slit his throat."

Patara trembled as his lips grazed her cheek. She slowly turned her face to look up at him and he only flashed her a soft smile that revealed his sharp white teeth.

What had she gotten herself into?