Natalie #5
The man surprises me by taking off his mask, his dark brown, almost black hair is slicked back, he has a small scar across the bridge of his nose.
His big brown eyes burn into mine full of something like hatred .
Removing his jacket, I see a similar cerberus tattoo like Julians on his right bicep, he keeps on his black leather gloves as he rustles through a box under one of the seats.
“Do,” I look deep into his eyes, “do I know you from somewhere?”
He looks at me with a confused expression, yet fury fills the air. “Did we meet when we were kids?” I question . He rolls his eyes and stands, before sitting in the seat beside me.
“Just because I helped you today, doesn’t mean I have to like you.
The only reason why we had to do what we had to today was because you don’t know how to answer a fucking text.
I’m never going to be your friend, let’s get that out there now.
We are never, ever going to be friends, Natalie.
” He tells me. “Now let me see your head.”
“O-okay.” I lean towards him where he is sitting on the chair opposite mine. “What’s your name?” I ask .
His eyes meet mine, eyebrows furrowed in confusion before he looks away in anger. “Dante.” He scoffs. “Please stay quiet while I patch up your wounds, we have nothing to talk about.”
He cleans the blood off my face and puts gauze on the cuts.
I want to ask him what I did wrong, why does he hate me already when we have only just met?
But I stay quiet. I was almost killed, I don’t exactly want to piss off another dangerous man.
Yet, there's a comforting aura about him. I don’t feel afraid, even after he says he basically hates me.
After a few minutes we hear a knock against the van, Dante puts his mask back on and opens the door.
The others are all there waiting, Julian has an unconscious Howard flung over his shoulder.
Dante moves me from the seat by the door to the seat furthest away, one facing the doors.
Peacock sits on one side of me while Bull sits the other.
It’s not uncomfortable. And again, I feel safe with these people.
These strangers. A stranger who is taking one of my hands in hers, the other finding a blanket from one of the drawers and wrapping it around my shivering shoulders.
Julian gestures for Dante to come out, before he throws Howard on the floor of the vehicle.
His taped up face lands beside my feet. I notice his arms are tied up behind him, and his legs are also tied.
There's some tape holding together his gunshot wound on his shoulder. Blood seeps from a cut on his forehead.
What did they do to him after I left, and what happened to Xander?
“ Don’t worry, he won’t be able to touch you again .
” Peacock tells me while Julian slams the doors shut.
Peacock and Bull both remove their masks as soon as the overhead light comes back on.
She smiles at me slightly, her short dark red hair falls to just below her ears.
Her pretty green eyes check the gauze on my head, double checking Dante's work. She has to be around the same age as me. “Typical, he’s done it all wrong. May I?”
I nod once, she stands and takes some things out of one of the drawers. Bull starts removing the gauze Dante applied. “Stupid question, but are you okay?” He asks.
“I will be.”
“Stop trying to be fucking brave.” Julian's voice makes me jump as he calls from the front seat. “You broke your promise.”
“No,” I whisper, “no I didn’t. Xander was still there.”
“He could have left and you wouldn’t have known.” He snaps. I start shaking out of fear. I’ve angered him again. He told me he has a temper and I can’t exactly escape. I’m fucked. I close my eyes and lower my head, Peacocks arms wrap around me tightly,
“Julian!” she yells. “You’re scaring her so either apologise or shut the fuck up.”
Bull starts giggling beside me, I look up at him and his grey blue eyes meet mine.
“She’s one scary bitch ain’t she.” He drawls .
“Don’t worry darlin’, she will protect you from these guys.
You tell him Pea.” His smile is contagious, he seems older than the others.
Maybe somewhere in his mid thirties. His stubble is long enough to almost be a beard , his nose is wonky, probably from being broken so many times.
The engine roars as one of them starts the ignition.
Julian stays quiet, refusing to apologise to me, not like I deserve an apology.
Once Peacock finishes redoing my dressings, Bull double checks them before shuffling across to another seat.
“Try to rest up darlin’,” he wraps another blanket over my shoulders, and Peacock taps her lap. “We have a pretty long drive ahead of us. Don’t worry though, we’ll look after you.”
Peacock taps her lap again, I lay my head on her thigh and she starts to stroke my hair.
Quiet humming comes from both Peacock and Bull, the melody is the same as one of the lullabies I used to sing to little Gustin when he had his nightmares.
All the remaining energy drains from my body, my eyes start going heavy and I find myself drifting off to sleep.