Only Human

.3

"Where do you think you're going this late?"

I screamed, but a hand covered my mouth. I felt like gagging. It smelled like urine and motor oil, a disgusting combination. 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," The creepy voice said, dragging me towards a nearby car. I was panicking. I had heard the stories, I had watched the news, and I knew if whoever this was got me into that car my life would end. 

I thought back to the self-defense class I took as a senior in high school and wrapped my thumb and pointer finger around their hand and bent it backward, driving my elbow into the gut of the man. He doubled over, obviously not expecting much of a fight from someone my size. 

While he was bent over I swung my right heel up and connected it with his crotch, simultaneously stabbing my thumb into his chest. I heard a grunt, but then he tightened his grip and made sure both of my hands were secure. 

That left my mouth open though. 

"BACK OFF. I DON'T KNOW YOU! I DON'T WANT TO GET IN THAT CAR!" I yelled as loudly and as calmly as I could. I wasn't going to let my voice shake. If these were the last moments of my life I was going to go down with confidence. I wanted someone to hear what was going on. I didn't want to go 'missing'. 

"SHUT UP!" The voice warned, holding me painfully tighter. I couldn't move my body anymore, but I didn't want to give up so I did the next best thing. 

I went limp. Every single one of my one hundred and twenty pounds hit him and I felt myself dropping a few inches as the man grumbled. 

"LET GO OF ME!" I yelled again as he picked me up bridal style. I tried to roll out of his arms but he slapped me in the face instead and dragged me along. I felt tears form in my eyes as the sting from the slap sunk in. 

Suddenly, there was a ferocious roar and I was ripped from the man's arms and into a muscular chest. I watched a fist from whoever was holding me fly out and smash against the face of my abductor. Amazingly enough, I think the one punch knocked him out and probably left him concussed. 

I was terrified that this other man was going to be worse than the first one, but at the same time I had never felt so calm in the arms of someone. 

"She told you to back off!" My hero growled lowly. 

"Gabriel?" I whispered hopefully. I said his name for the first time, and it was as if every wrong in the world became a right. Every bad thing was erased from my mind and filled with thoughts of him. Whispers of his name. 

He looked down at me and the anger in his eyes shocked me. He was livid. His eyes weren't even brown anymore. They were black. It faded for a moment as he tucked a strand of my hair out of my face and kissed the top of my head, but then the anger was back. 

"Mine." He tugged me tighter against him and nuzzled into my hair, taking deep breaths. I clung to him, too afraid that if I let go I'd find myself being dragged into that car again. I didn't understand what he had meant when he said 'mine' but I assumed it was something I wouldn't understand. 

"Take care of him," Gabriel ordered. I tried to peek to see who he had spoken to but I was being held too tightly. He was gently but firmly pressing me into him. It felt like he wouldn't be content until all of me was touching him. 

"Will do. Take care of our Luna," Another man's voice spoke. 

"Jump," Gabriel ordered me gruffly. I obeyed. 

In the next instant, I was wrapping my legs and arms around Gabriel as he took off running. I wasn't sure where, but I would go anywhere with him at this point.