"Nineteen."

"Twenty."

"Twenty-one."

I counted each stick, the rough edges cutting into my soft palms. Clutching the firewood to my chest, I walked through the manmade path towards our home. The sun fell and only a soft orange glow lightened the damp soil as my boots pressed against the soil.

The ache across my cheekbone felt like a bitter reminder that one stick short would soon become a burning purple and yellow reminder of my failure. The wind danced through my slim build, if it wasn't for the silly voices in my head, I would've sworn I heard my bones rattle. They called it psychosis; I knew it better as bliss...

A rumble of thunder crackled against the tall trees; lightning twirled across the quickly darkening skies. I hurried my steps, breaking into a small jog. Mamma would not be happy with tardiness.

Pushing through the back door of the small log home, I stepped out of my boots. My footsteps remained silent against the timbre floors, softened through thick bamboo socks. Good, mamma wasn't home yet.

I placed the wood down by the fireplace and began to stroke the flame, winter seemed to sting a little harder this year. There was extraordinarily little to love in Cedar Creek, even less when my mother could not travel into the city for her newest fix. I preferred summer when the roads were clear, and she would be gone for weeks.

Warming my thin fingers, I waited for the shudders to leave my body. Then I walked into the kitchen and began preparing supper. Tonight was important, mother had fallen into a whirlwind romance after my slip-up two months prior. They would be returning from the courthouse any minute now. 

My thoughts drift back to that god-awful night...

~ Two Months Prior ~

It was dark, shadows winked from every alleyway as I passed them with hurried steps. Masculine chuckles came from the darkness, eerily taunting as I made my way home. It was once I'd left the small town and started the two-kilometre trek down the forest-lined road to our secluded street, that I realised I wasn't alone.

A hundred metres behind three men trailed, chuckling and catcalling. I dropped my books and ran, my lungs spasming against the harsh rain that came from the sky like a sick fucking joke. The laughter became louder, fear ran goosebumps along my skin as I forced my legs forward.

Maybe it would be a blessing in disguise, a little pain for the ultimate gift of death... It wouldn't feel as selfish then.

As the thought crossed my mind, moss-covered cement became my downfall. Losing balance, I fell hard against the wet earth. Pain strikes through my ankle as I crawl to my hands and knees, looking behind.

The men's cruel faces became known under flickering streetlamps.

It was fruitless to move, they'd come for her. One of them crouched down, his slurred words forever tainting her brain, "such a silly fucking slut, already on your knees."

I pushed away from him, my throat closing. The scream seemed lodged, traitorous tears broke free. "Oh no, you're crying, are you scared little girl?" The second man leered, he reached out and gripped my long red hair, and with a hard yank, he ripped my head back up to meet his.

"Fuck, I can't wait. Let's do it here." The third man grinned, pulling a knife and unzipping his mud-covered jeans. "No one comes through these roads."

And fuck it if the bastard wasn't right. Only locals and those few people passing through the small town to the city used this road. Even then, they used it during the day. The visibility was low currently, perfect hunting ground.

Somewhere in between their unwanted, forceful hands and the removal of my clothes, I found my voice. "Make sure you fucking kill me, don't make the mistake of leaving me alive." I spat the bitterness at the man who gripped my ankles.

"You're fucking crazy," the first man laughed, "I'd shove my cock in that mouth, but you'd fucking bite it."

Yeah, I fucking would.

The guy at my ankles growled, "hurry up, I want a bit of her pussy."

But before his friend could rip the last piece of material from my waist, bright lights came at us with blinding speed.

Startled the men remained frozen in their positions, holding my body down with their slimy hands.

The lights belonged to a black sedan; they remained on as a figure emerged from the driver's side. He was big, his shoulders wider than anyone I'd ever seen. His features remained hidden, only a silhouette walking towards them with slow, confident steps.

"Such a fucking shame." The stranger spoke, his voice deep and gravel-like.

The idiot at my ankles stood up, waving the knife, "get the fuck outta here man!"

The stranger chuckled, he fucking laughed while I began thrashing my cold, almost naked body. Finally, the scream tore through me.

"And miss the fun?" The stranger asked, his voice noticeably void of emotion.

Dread filled my body for a fraction of a second. The stranger moved quickly, his large muscular arm shot out and gripped the idiot's wrist that waved the knife. Without pause, the stranger cracked the man's forearm back until the knife plunged into the abuser's neck.

The cream shard of bone sticking out of his arm wasn't missed by the two sick men who continued to hold my body numbly.

The stranger pushed the injured man to the side and stepped toward me. I felt my tongue dry when I caught sight of the man's features. The Grim Reaper seemed a lot more handsome up close.

He cocked his head to the side, taking in the scene. Black eyes looked straight through my icy blue irises, right into my fractured little soul. It was the cruel white glint of his sharp teeth against his even sharper jawline, which had both men releasing my body.

"Hey man, we mean no harm." One said before they rushed to their injured, quickly dying friend. They lifted him and scurried away,

I wrapped my arms around my chest, trying to trap what little heat I had left in my body. The stranger dropped down, mimicking my attacker's position, he however kept his hands to himself. He watched me shiver.

"Get up," He commanded.

The look in his eyes told me not to argue, so despite the pain, embarrassment, and discomfort, I stood. He stepped forward and suddenly, I was lightheaded. The strong scent of smoke and whiskey invaded my senses, if this were death then I would welcome it with open arms.

Not a single thing in my life could have prepared me for the moment the stranger touched my pale skin. The warmth, the desire, the need all fizzled into one single notion, devotion. He'd saved me from the hands of those decrepit men.

But it begged to question, was he the safer of the two evils? Something told me, no. This man would be my corruption, but corruption from lips as taunting as his seemed like a good way to go.

He was strong. He lifted me into his arms and the pulsing heat of his body seeped into mine, suddenly the chilled night air felt like heaven. He walked us to his car, keeping me somehow close and yet far from him. The position was intimate, yet not an ounce of affection loitering in his view.

That was the first difference, the first taboo.

The stranger was older than me, practised, mature, he knew exactly what he was doing. I, on the other hand, had just turned eighteen, barely could differentiate between which voices were real and which were not... Hell, I had almost been raped and killed on this god-forsaken moss-covered road.

My starry-eyed gaze did not affect the man, he simply dropped me down in the passenger seat of his car and walked around to his side.

He walked as if he hadn't just deposited my panty-clad ass in his car.

I watched him cautiously, now within the small, confined space of his vehicle I truly felt vulnerable. Maybe death and torture from clumsy hands were better than that of skilled. And somehow, I was willing to bet my last dime that the man next to me was beyond skilled in the art of torment.

That woodsy scent lifted between us once more as he reached into the backseat. A thick, large coat dropped on my thighs.

I blinked.

Then I looked at him, my arms bound tightly to my chest. "Put it on." He grunted, starting the engine, not paying me any attention whatsoever.

So, I did.

It was warm and held the strong mix of his scent. "Where are we going?" I asked.

"Where do you live?" He asked, pulling back out onto the main road.

"Six Riverhills Road," I responded.

He did not reply. Just drove in silence.

I took the time to appreciate the man. From the small tick of his jaw as if he were one inconvenience away from snapping. To the darkness of his eyes, which seemed completely black, void of anything pure. Then there was the river of veins as his hands flexed against the wheel, I wanted to lick them...

"What is your name?" He asked absently, not looking the least bit interested in knowing.

I swiped my tongue over my bottom lip, "Vaela." More silence. So, I asked, "Who are you?"

"Alaric."

I hadn't noticed the car stop moving, not until he turned to look at me. "Thank you," I spoke.

And when he did not respond as I expected, I smiled softly and turned to open the door. Stepping out back into the frigid air, my little bubble popped, and I was brought back to my grim reality.

What I did not anticipate was the sound of his door opening and closing with a dull thud.

"Walk," Alaric said.

I obeyed once more, how could I not when his tone held such conviction over me. I crossed the distance from the curb to the small wooden home. He followed closely behind. I'd lost my keys at some point during the attack so hesitantly I raised my hand and knocked.

There was a flare of curiosity that graced his face momentarily at my weariness. I looked away and forcibly held back from recoiling as the furious face of my mother appeared before me.

For the second time that night, I thanked the stranger, as his presence saved me from another abusive hand. My mother's eyes lit up bright as she took in the man beside me, a seductive curl wrapped around her red-stained lips...

Unknowingly, that was the night I introduced my mother to my soon-to-be step-father...

* * *

a/n: this will be a Wattpad exclusive story with weekly updates.

Hope you enjoy and as always don't forget to leave me your thoughts.

With all my love,

J.