- Gabriella -

"Tsk, now now. Look what you've done. All my hard work gone to waste." A dangerous smirk plays on the man's lips as he stood up. With a start, I realised the young boy with the matted blonde hair was all but an illusion.

Pulling his hood away from his face, the tall stranger revealed a pair of beautiful and dangerous-looking citrine eyes. Long hair falls down to his shoulders with a shade of blonde so pale it looks almost as white as snow. I breathed in sharply. I don't know what the hell is going on, but I knew something has gone terribly wrong.

As if by some sort of animalistic instinct, the man's predatory swept towards the bushes I was hiding with mock amusement. "The little one hiding behind there, show yourself before I do something to your foolish companion here." He said in a bored tone, clearly tired of playing games with us.

My panic flares even more and a slice of dread cuts my stomach. How did he know I was hiding behind here? What the heck is going on? Who is this person? What is he going to do to Daniel?

"No Gabriella, don't listen to-" Daniel managed to say before his voice was cut off by an invisible hand. He opened his mouth to warn me or to tell me something but no voice came out. "Quiet. Can't you see me talking to your pretty friend?" The stranger bared his teeth, which are sharp and pointed.

Grinning, he lifted his nose and sniffed the air. "Hmm, you smell so sweet." He flashed a wicked smile at the bushes I was hiding. "I wonder how you taste like." Oh my god. Oh my god. Am I dreaming? Is this a fucking nightmare?

His eyes seem to stare straight into mine as I clutched my sleeves tightly around myself. I tucked myself lower hoping that whatever the man is doing was a pretense. There is no way he would know that I'm here. Yes. No way. How does a person see through thick bushes as high as half of me?

I pinched myself wondering if it was a all a dream and then realising that it's all real. Praying silently that the man will just leave me alone and hopefully disappear back to where he came from, I stayed there squatting for several beats of silence.

"It seems you didn't get my message. Let's make it clear. If you won't come out when I count to three, then I will end this boy's life. One, two, thr-"

"What the hell is going on? Why am I here? You! You brought me here! What have you done to me?" The girl who was originally in a trance stared around in confusion and horror. She stood up from the bench and confronted the stranger. I trembled in fear as I peeked out from behind the bushes. She seemed to be shaken but she bravely stepped in front of the man. "Who are you? I clearly remember I was speaking to a boy about our age."

I gnawed on my lip wondering if I should take the chance to escape while the girl had his attention. Maybe I could run quickly back to the school building and ask for a professor's help.

Maybe I will be lucky enough to chance upon a security guard in one of his rounds around the school.

Hope flutters in my chest. As long as I can scream for help, maybe this man will be caught for intruding Soren's University grounds. Oh how silly I was.

"Oh it's you." The man seems to remember about her existence as he stared down at her in surprise. "My age must be catching up. It seems I'm a little forgetful today eh?" With a wave of his hand in front of the girl's face, her eyes closed. The next thing I see, the girl is slumped upon the bench, deeply asleep. Oh, gods. Please tell me this is not real. Pray tell that this is all an illusion. I rather suffer strange hallucinations than face this.

I didn't know what drove me next. The sense of not wanting Daniel to be hurt or for everything to stop. I stepped out of the bushes.

"You want me? I'm right here. So leave them alone." My legs advanced stiffly towards the three of them. The tall man, Daniel who was frozen in mid-run and that girl who is slumped onto the bench. Inside, I was screaming. What the fuck are doing? Get back instantly! Run!

The man fixed his unnerving eyes on me and spoke softly. "You and your friend ruined my fun. So tell me how are you going to pay for this."

"Pay? Do you want money? I have money. Is that what you want?" I laughed nervously at him, as I inched closer towards Daniel. I have no idea how I can help him but maybe something will work out if I get closer to him. First Daniel, then we'll think about how to take the tall stranger down together. Then get the hell out.

"Gold? Hmm, as much as I love gold, sweetheart, I have to decline this time. See the both of you have interfered with something you shouldn't and ruined my master's wishes. Now I can't go back empty handed. I want you to give me something that compensates what you've done. Maybe I should take you away as a present for my lord. And if he doesn't want it, you could be my entertainment. Yes, that would be fun." He mused as the idea struck him. He flicked his hand at me and I felt a slight burning at my chest. I squeezed my eyes shut fearfully.

A piece of news I saw this morning flashed across my eyes. "Five University students found missing." The reporter's voice replayed in my head "Another five students have disappeared into thin air. Once again, their family and friends have told the police that they had no contact with them for a week before they were found missing. There have been instances of their friends saying that they saw one of them talking to a stranger."

Pictures of the missing teenagers were flashed across the news screen. "If anyone has seen any of these missing, please report to the police immediately. Universities are now working closely with the police to strengthen the security. However, with the recent rise in mysterious kidnappings, stay vigilant and report anyone suspicious. We hope to seek your cooperation."

Hollow dread settles at the pit of my stomach. Something tells me that this strange tall man standing in front of me is the cause of the mysterious kidnappings. Oh god please not me. Anyone else but me. Please I'm begging you.

A moment passed, but nothing happened. There was no pain, no numbness and I could still move. My eyes snapped open, and I marvelled at how my fingers can open and close into fists. I shifted my legs and wriggled my toes. Nothing seems missing or out of place. Digging my nails into my palms, I dared another step closer towards Daniel. Now I am close enough to see the worry and shock in his eyes as he stared at me silently. He shook his head at me slightly. Not yet. Wait.

Confusion flashed across the strangers's eyes. "Why can you still move? How? No mortals could break out of my powers. So how did you do it?"

He stared at me, a mixture of anger, confusion, wonder and curiosity. Cocking his head, he studied me. Re-evaluating his choices and re-accessing me as his prey. "Interesting. This changes things." He muttered as his gaze travelled from my top to bottom, before pausing over my chest.

He flinched at the same time his nostrils flared. "What is that? Why do you have a ring imbued with the Old magic?" He hissed. "You're one of us aren't you?"

I looked down wondering what he meant about the ring I wore around my neck as a lucky charm, and noticed for the first time that it was glowing. It seemed to be pulsing against my skin, warm and alive. My fingers reached for it tentatively. I touched it warily, surprised to find it warm to the touch. Not scalding hot or the usual cold lifeless lump of metal, but reassuringly warm.

Touching it made me feel like I'm safe in a cocoon of protection. Inside me, something stirred at the sight of my glowing ring, slowly waking from a deep slumber. I could feel it reacting to the beat of the pulsing. It opens an eye lazily, blinking. A soft low hollow ringing started in my ears, slowly building up, getting louder and louder. It soon reached a shrill incessant ringing that refused to be ignored.

"Who are you?" The man asked me warily. He studied me again with his predatory gaze, trying to find for my weakness.

Close-up, he looks deadly beautiful. Harsh and cruel planes but with graceful movements and breathtaking beauty. His ears are elongated and pointed at the tips. His irises are a ring of pale glowing citrine, burning into mine. Not silver like I initially thought it would be. But a soft metallic citrine color. A very strange and yet unique shade. One I have never seen anyone with. He towered over me easily by a head, with a solid build hidden underneath his hood. I can tell that the man is not ordinary. My instincts are screaming that he is highly dangerous.

Suddenly, a shadow hurtled into the tall stranger. Before I knew what happened, my body went into shock and I blacked out.

***