Chapter 3 – Medusa
MEDUSA
Blinking awake, I try to move, only to discover I’ve been bound. My head snaps up as I'm instantly alert. I’m wearing a massive white shirt, I’m in a strange living room, and I’m tied to a chair. My hands are in front of me, in shackles, but ropes wrap around me, keeping me upright in the chair.
Mistake, assholes.
I flex, fully expecting to break whatever the hell has me tied down, but it doesn’t budge. I try again, feeling the metal cut against my wrists, but nothing happens.
My heart starts pounding, filling my ears. How is this possible?
“She’s awake!” My head jerks to the man in the doorway. He's the blond from my door.
“You’re going to pay for this,” I snarl at him.
He has the good grace to look guilty.
Another man squeezes past him. This one is just as big, but a little taller. He has breathtaking hazel eyes, messy brown hair, and a slight beard.
Every muscle in my body tenses as he walks toward me. “So, do you usually have to tie up women to get them to your place?”
His eyes narrow. “Are you Medusa?”
I smirk. “It’s pronounced Melissa.”
“Cut the bullshit,” he growls. “Are you her? The woman of legend?”
I shrug the best I can while bound to a chair. “Most legends are bullshit made up by people with tiny brains and too much time on their hands.”
He comes to stand just above me. “Are you her?”
I give him a look I know is arrogant-as-hell. “I’m Melissa. A woman you and your buddy apparently kidnapped, so I think you’re the ones with some explaining to do.”
He leans down and puts one hand on the chair’s arm. With his other hand, he reaches out and grabs the side of my glasses.
My pulse races. “Don’t do that.”
“Why not?” he challenges.
“Don’t!”
“Why?” he starts to tug them down.
I squeeze my eyes shut and fight against my bindings.
He pulls the glasses off. “Open your eyes.”
“No!” I struggle harder, my heart pounding.
I don’t want to kill anyone. As much as everyone thinks I’m a monster, I hate it. I hate it down to my very soul. Killing assholes in alleys haunts me in quiet moments, but I can’t imagine killing these two. For some reason, the idea makes me feel hollow inside. Gutted.
“Open your damn eyes!” He commands.
Frantic words bubble out. “I am Medusa. Please, put on my glasses. If I look at you, you're dead, do you understand me? Put my glasses back on!”
I expect him to obey me right away. Instead, everything grows quiet.
After a moment, I hear the blond speak from near the doorway. “I don’t know many monsters who work that hard not to kill two people who kidnapped her…” His words are quiet, almost angry.
“What kind of game are you playing?” The man above me growls, leaning so close I can feel his breath on my face. “We both know what you are, so open your eyes and prove it.”
I shake my head. For some reason, I can feel a panic attack coming. I cannot have a panic attack in front of these two men.
His hand is suddenly resting on my knee. “Open your eyes.”
I freeze. “No.”
His hand starts to move up my inner-thigh.
“What the fuck are you doing?” The blond says from across the room.
The dark-haired man keeps moving higher, and I’m suddenly horribly aware of the fact that I’m not wearing anything at all beneath this giant shirt that flops everywhere.
And then, he’s ripped away. I hear something crash to the ground, but I still don't open my eyes.
“What the fuck!” the dark-haired man yells. “Harold, I was just trying to get her to show who she is.”
My glasses are suddenly clumsily placed back on my face.
I look up into the face of the blond guy, who’s apparently named Harold. “Thanks.”
He looks… like he wants blood. I would have never thought the sweet, blushing guy who stood at my door could look so frightening, but he does. I guess I’m not a good judge of character, because I didn’t think he’d be in on a kidnapping either.
“I’m sorry for Byron’s behavior,” Harold says.
I turn to look at the dark-haired man. He’s getting up from the floor, where a table and lamp have been knocked over. Blood runs from his nose, and he looks pissed.
“She wouldn’t open her eyes!”
Harold spins to face the other man. “So you made her think we intended to violate her?” He crosses his arms in front of his broad chest. “We were sent here to get a monster, not become one.”
His words seem to vibrate through the room.
At last, Byron wipes at the blood on his nose, and the energy in the room changes slightly. “Next time you handle it.”
The blond giant nods. “I will.” Then, he turns to me. “So, you’re Medusa?”
I nod, feeling wary.
He holds my gaze with his intense one, and for a minute I’m lost in the depths of his eyes. I feel lame, because a stupid thought floats into my head. I’ve never seen that color blue before.
The giant kneels down in front of me. “Well, Medusa, we need you to come with us.”
“No way in hell.” The words come out before my brain can process them.
Diarrhea of the mouth is a special gift I have.
He winces. “We… uh… need you to.”
“Thanks for the offer,” I say, “but I think I’ll pass.”
Byron snorts behind the other man. “You’re really handling this better than I did.”
Harold shoots him a nasty look before he turns back to me. “The thing is, we need your help. And actually, you’re the only one who can help us.”
They need help from a monster? No one needs that.
“Why?” I ask, suddenly intrigued.
He takes a deep breath. “I can’t tell you.”
“Okay… well, then for how long?”
He gives a pained look. “We’re not sure.”
“Helpful.” I sigh. “And where do you plan to take me?”
He shifts awkwardly. “Uh, we can’t tell you that either.”
I stare at him until he blushes again. “You make a compelling case, but I think I’m going to have to give an absolute no on this.”
The dark-haired man comes up and puts a hand on the other man’s shoulder, then draws him back. Suddenly, I’m face-to-face with this Byron.
My lips curl. “I hope you enjoyed feeling me up, because if you ever touch me again, I’ll cut off your hands.”
His eyes narrow, and he leans closer. “Two things, monster. First, I know what you are. You might have gained some sympathy with my friend because of that whole I won’t open my eyes crap, but I know what you are.
And two, I don’t want to touch you. Just the sight of you makes me sick. So, no need to worry about that.”
A thousand moments flash through my mind of times when people called me a monster. Days when people told me I made them sick, when men broke my heart when they found out my identity.
I act without thinking and smash his nose with my forehead.
He cries out and falls back. His hand touches his nose, his eyes widened in shock. It starts to bleed again.
“You—“
The other man cuts him off. “Medusa, we’re sorry. We wanted you to come with us by choice, but time is of the essence, and the fate of an entire people rests on getting you to our destination.”
“So,” I swallow the bitterness in the back of my throat. “You’re taking me against my will.”
He nods, looking apologetic while he helps his friend to his feet.
The dark-haired man glares at me as he holds his nose, then goes to the window and throws it open wide.
“What, are we going out the window?” I ask sarcastically.
Byron smirks at me. “Actually, that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
A sinking feeling grows in my belly. For some reason, it’s like reality is finally starting to settle in. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I’d been sure this situation was temporary, that these two couldn’t possibly hurt me. I’m an immortal monster, for God’s sake.
But… something feels off, and I have a feeling escaping from them might not be quite as easy as I thought.