Page 3 of Breaker

Chapter Two

Breaker

I walked through the dimly lit alley, my senses on high alert as I navigated the shadows. The night air hung heavy in the early pre-dawn hours with the stench of decay and desperation that clung to these backstreets like a second skin. My boots echoed against the cobblestones, each step measured and cautious. I didn’t know what made me come this way. Something had pulled at me, as if an unseen force were guiding me. I’d never really believed in such things, but I wasn’t about to ignore my instincts screaming at me to walk through this alley.

Suddenly, a soft, pained whimper pierced the eerie silence, freezing me in my tracks. I scanned the darkness, my hand instinctively reaching for the knife at my belt. There, huddled against the soot-stained brick wall, was a small figure trembling in the gloom. Wedged into an alcove, I’d have never considered it might be a person. It looked more like trash dumped, much like the rest of the garbage littering the ground in this area.

I approached slowly, muscles tensed and ready for anything. As I drew closer, the figure’s features came into focus -- a young woman, barely more than a girl, her dark hair matted and her pale skin smudged with grime. She looked up at me with wide, frightened eyes, like a cornered animal poised to flee.

“Hey, easy now,” I said softly, holding up my hands in a non-threatening gesture. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”

She flinched as I knelt beside her, pressing herself farther into the wall. Up close, I could see the fever-bright sheen of her eyes and the way her slight frame shook with each labored breath. Gently, I reached out and brushed my fingers against her forehead, feeling the searing heat of her skin.

“Shit, you’re burning up,” I muttered, my brow furrowing with concern. She looked so fragile, like a strong wind could shatter her into a million pieces. What the hell was a girl like her doing out here all alone?

“P-Please,” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. “D-Don’t… I c-can’t…” Her words dissolved into a fit of painful coughing that wracked her entire body.

My chest tightened with a fierce surge of protectiveness. I couldn’t just leave her here, not like this. She needed help, and fast.

I shrugged off my leather jacket and wrapped it around her trembling shoulders. “I’m gonna get you out of here, all right? Get you somewhere safe.”

She blinked up at me, confusion and fear warring in her glassy eyes. “W-Why are you h-helping me?”

I paused, the question catching me off guard. Why was I helping her? Maybe it was the way she reminded me of a frightened kitten, all wide eyes and fragile bones. Maybe it was the memory of my own desperate times on these unforgiving streets. Or it might have been the flicker of something I saw in her gaze -- a glimmer of hope.

“Because you need it,” I said finally, my voice gruff with emotion. “And because it’s the right thing to do.”

With that, I scooped her into my arms, cradling her against my chest as if she were made of the most delicate glass. She let out a startled gasp, her fingers instinctively curling into my shirt. I could feel the heat of her fever radiating through the thin fabric, a stark reminder of how dire her situation was.

As I carried her through the winding alleys, my mind raced with a thousand questions. Who was she? What had happened to her? And most importantly, how could I keep her safe?

The weight of her in my arms felt strangely right, like a missing puzzle piece clicking into place. I tightened my grip, my determination growing with each step. I didn’t know what the future held, but one thing was crystal clear -- I would do whatever it took to protect this girl.

The familiar outline of the Hades Abyss compound came into view after nearly a half hour of walking. I strode through the gates, my boots echoing against the asphalt. It hadn’t been a good night for a walk, yet here I was. And right now, I was thankful I’d felt the need to explore the town on foot.

Curious glances followed me as I made my way across the compound, my brothers pausing in their conversations to take in the unusual sight. I could feel their eyes on us, the unspoken questions hanging heavy in the air.

But amidst the scrutiny, I caught a few nods of silent understanding. They knew me, knew the kind of man I was. If I was bringing a stranger into our midst, there had to be a damn good reason.

I climbed the steps to my house, shouldering the door open with a grunt. The warmth of the interior enveloped us, chasing away the chill that had settled deep in my bones.

“Almost there,” I murmured, my voice softening as I glanced down at the girl in my arms. Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow and labored. A fierce wave of worry crashed over me, tightening my chest. I needed to get her fever down, and fast.

As I carried her toward my bedroom, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this moment was a turning point. That by bringing her into my world, I was setting something in motion I couldn’t even begin to fathom. I laid her gently on my bed, her dark hair fanning out across the pillow like a halo.

A knock at the door jolted me from my thoughts. I turned to see Dread stepping into the room, his weathered face etched with concern. Despite the chaos swirling inside me, his calm demeanor was a reassuring presence.

“Heard you were carrying someone into your house. What’s the situation?” he asked, his voice steady as he approached the bed.

I ran a hand through my hair, my words coming out in a rush. “Found her in the alley, burning up with fever. She’s in bad shape, Dread.”

Dread nodded, his eyes already assessing the woman with a professional intensity. He pressed a hand to her forehead, his brow furrowing. “She would have died before the night was over if left outside in this miserable weather.”

I watched as he checked her pulse, my own heart hammering against my ribs. The sight of her like this, so fragile and vulnerable, stirred something deep within me.

Dread straightened, his gaze meeting mine. “We need to get her fever down. A lukewarm bath should do the trick.”

I felt a flicker of discomfort at the thought, my instincts warring with the logical part of my brain. The idea of undressing her, of seeing her in such an intimate way… it felt wrong somehow. Like I was crossing a line I had no right to cross.

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