The stench of alcohol invaded her nose as she looked at the man in front of her with fear. The man smiled sardonically at her showing his crooked yellow teeth. She hastily took out the pepper spray, spraying it blindly on his face. The contents of the spray stung his eyes immediately, making him yell a series of profanities. His hold on her loosened as she pushed him away from her. She turned around to run away only to come face to face with another drunkard standing behind her, blocking her way.

She could feel her soul leave her body as the second man started stepping towards her. She tried using the remaining pepper spray on him but he moved swiftly to hold her arm, twisting it around her back. The can fell out of her hand on the ground and he kicked it away, out of her reach.

The first man had recovered by now. He yanked her hair from behind, jerking her head back. His swollen red eyes glared at her with contempt. His grip tightened, It felt like he was pulling her hair out of her scalp. She screamed with pain but he grabbed her cheeks roughly, whispering in her ear, "Time to play, B!tch."

He took a fistful of her hair, dragging her behind him as he walked towards the alley. She struggled a lot to get out of his grip. Refusing to walk, she kept hitting his shoulder. "Leave me! Leave me! HELP!" Her screams echoed around the silent alley.

Annoyed of her actions, the man tightened his hold on her before he smashed her head to the wall on his side. The words got caught in her throat as the bricks made contact with her head. She felt as if she were electrocuted.

The man let go of her making her fall to the concrete. Warm blood trickled down the side of her face as she lay there, sprawled on the asphalt. The blow to her head was making her dizzy. She fought herself to stay conscious. She couldn't leave herself unattended, at their mercy. The thought made her nauseous. Tears pricked her eyes, mixing with the crimson blood dripping down the side of her face.

She tried calling for help but her vocal cords weren't cooperating. Moving her body seemed out of the question. She tried turning her head away but the movement made her skull hurt more. She couldn't bear to look at them. The first man stood near her legs, trying to unbuckle his belt. She clenched her eyes shut, praying for a miracle to happen.

Suddenly a loud thud pierced the silence of the dark alleyway. It sounded something like a body hitting the floor. The next few seconds passed in a blur. She could hear screams but she kept her eyes tightly shut. After a few moments, there was complete silence in there. She opened her eyes to find shiny leather shoes in her view. The drunkard wasn't wearing something so expensive.

She looked behind to see those two men. They were nowhere to be found. Mr. Leather Shoes crouched down coming into her field of vision. She held her breath, looking at him intently as he stared back at her with the same intensity. She wasn't afraid of his crimson orbs this time. She outstretched a trembling hand towards him trying to touch his face.

Her fingers were a hair's breadth away from his face when he held her small hand into his large one. His ice cold touch felt just as she remembered. He continued staring into her soul before blinking and moving his eyes up and down her body. He's looking for injuries. The thought made her want to smile. Is he worried? His proximity made her forget the throbbing pain in her head.

He placed one hand under her shoulders and the other one under her legs, collecting her securely in his arms. He started walking with her head resting on his shoulder. She didn't mind staying in this position for a lifetime.

"Faith."

She kept her eyes closed. She just wanted to sleep. In his arms.

"Faith. Wake up."

She opened her eyes groggilly, looking at him with her big pools of greyish-blue hue.

"Invite me to your apartment." His eyes had turned emerald again.

She scrunched up her eyebrows. She noticed he was standing in front of her apartment door.

"Invite me to your apartment, Faith." He repeated sternly.

She tried speaking but couldn't find any words. What was she supposed to say anyway? 'Oh Great Lord Ares King! Please grace my humble abode with your oh so important presence.'

She was laughing internally at her own joke when a contact with his stern green eyes made her stop. She pursed her lips.

"Faith, do I have the permission to enter your apartment?" He was getting impatient.

"Yes."

Taking the keys out of her bag, he managed to hold her with one hand while using the other one to open the door. He stepped inside closing the door behind him. He was making her apartment seem small with his imposing stature.

He stood there taking a long breath. Her scent was everywhere. He scanned for the point where her scent was the strongest. Her room, it was located at the end of the hallway.

Once he spotted her room he started walking again. She watched him silently as he dropped her gently on the bed, turning the side lamp on.

He looked etheral in the lamp's golden glow. Sitting beside her, he could be easily mistaken as a sculpture made of gold. His sharp unearthly features made him stand out amongst the crowd. The statue, that portrait, nothing did justice to his beauty. He was bewitching.

"Stop staring." She lowered her eyes. She was like a kid who got caught stealing.

He brought his hand to her head where the wound was located. A low hiss escaped her lips as he moved the hair matted with dried blood away from it.

"Not feeling thirsty today?" Her lips spoke on their own accord. She gasped when the words registered inside her mind.

"I'm full," He replied coldly. "But seems like you need it more than me right now."

He bit his wrist, tearing the flesh and pressed it to her lips before she had the chance to complain. His blood didn't taste as bad as before. She didn't resist him either. She knew it was futile. He moved his wrist away when a fair share had moved down her throat.

Exhaustion was taking over her body. She moved her hand gingerly to place it over his, staring at him with a hazy gaze. "Don't leave me, Ares."

The glow from the lamp looked like burning flames as it got reflected by his emerald eyes. "I wish I didn't have to."

She felt a soft pair of lips touch her forehead before she lost consciousness.