Ravenna

Chapter 46

    The world is big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark...

   
    .Niklaus.

     I'm startled awake by the repeated buzzing of my phone. Stretching out my hand to find it on my bedside table, I attempt getting in a few more minutes of sleep. When my hand makes contact with it, my eyes are forced open and I take in the darkness seeping in from my transparent window. It was like in the middle of the freaking night.

      My hand swipes to accept the call, not taking a glance at the called ID.

       "Klaus?" A panicked Raven suddenly comes up from the other side.

       I immediately bolt upright hearing the inconvenience in her voice. "Raven? Where are you? Why aren't you..."

        "Klaus, I'm hurt and I have absolutely no idea where I am. It's so fucking dark and I just..." Her voice breaks off when she sniffs and I can tell she's been crying.

        "Calm down. Can you just try to find any sign? I need to figure out a way to get to you." I ask, slipping on sweatpants and a white shirt. I stuff my feet into the first footing I find which happens to be my Nikes palms.

         I hear shuffling in the background as I dash out of my room and head straight out the front door.

        "I can't find anything..." Her voice sounds choked now. "The last thing I remember was stopping by Isabelle's apartment..."

        "Can you send me her address?" I ask, getting into my Jeep. I ignite the engine to life and drive off, not minding the fact that I could be bothering the others.

        "O–Fuck!" I hear her scream and that has my heart thudding against my chest.

         "Raven?!" I yell and look to my screen, just to come to the realization that the call had come to an end.

        Anger and frustration courses through my veins as I hit against my steering wheel. This could not be happening. She was fine. She had to be. I needed her to be. Grabbing my phone, I try tracking down her location and I'm satisfied when I have no trouble with that.

      The entire drive, I find myself reeling with anger at the thought of what could actually be wrong with her. She had to have been drinking again. Something bad always happens when she does. The closer I get to her location, the more my rage heightens.

      I finally find myself parked in the middle of an almost empty neighborhood. One which gave me the chills again. Also, one that seemed way too familiar.

        "What do you think Jack? Have a little fun with her?" I hear a rough voice say, just at the same time I hear coughing and gagging. I trail into the closest alleyway and come to the sight of Raven being held up by her neck by some hobo wearing dirty ripped jeans and an even dirtier what I assume to be a white shirt. He has an accomplice, a younger guy with a crooked smile, watching as Raven struggles to get out of the man's grip.

     Their attention shifts to me when I come into sight and the younger guy eyes widen. "Nick?" He pronounces my name in the most American way possible.

         "Put her down." I growl, my fists clenching at my side as I give the younger guy no attention.

        "Or what?" The older guy spits out a toothpick. "You're going to beat me up Nicholas?"

      My brows furrow as I wonder how these individuals seem to be so familiar with me.

         "If it comes to that, I will." I reply, jaw clenching.