Before she could process what she had just heard, another loud howl echoed. She looked around but was interrupted when he suddenly put the helmet on her head.
"Hey!" Gabby frowned, but he was already on the motorbike. "What werewolves are you talking about?" Was he talking like those creatures in the novels and on TV?
"Hop in…"
Gabby looked at the motel, frowning. Somehow, she could feel a slow, static heaviness wrapped around the area. She debated if she should just run away from this man, but there were no other people around. Besides, she was certain that his bullet would outrun her. Sadly, she was not that desperate to die either.
"Now!" he hissed, his voice dangerously cold.
Gabby hopped on the motorbike just as another loud howl echoed. This time, she was certain that it wasn't the usual sound of a dog; it was more guttural and wild. The howls seemed to echo through the darkness, easily creating an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach.
The stranger revved the engine just as growls and snarls joined the haunting chorus. The noises seemed to come from all directions, making it impossible to pinpoint the exact location of these mysterious creatures.
Confused, Gabby tried to turn around, but the motorbike had already shot forward, leaving the parking lot behind.
Gabby stole a glance at her shoulder, half-expecting to see some shadowy figure chasing after them. But she saw nothing but a blur.
Gabby closed her eyes as she tightened her grip on the man's waist, the helmet muffling the sounds around her. The night became a blur as they sped away into the night.
She half expected him to take her out of Chicago, but instead, he took her deeper into the city. Wasn't he afraid that she would take the helmet off and start screaming for help? But the mysterious man stayed silent, steering the motorbike through the city's streets as if he knew them by heart.
The howls soon faded into the distance as they ventured deeper into downtown Chicago. The cityscape glittered with Christmas lights, decorating the buildings like scattered constellations. The streets were alive with the energy of the holiday season.
The man maneuvered the motorbike through the crowded streets, weaving between cars and pedestrians. The sidewalks were dotted with people bundled up in winter coats, carrying shopping bags filled with last-minute Christmas gifts and for a while, Gabby started wondering why her luck had been so terrible lately.
It was Christmas Eve! She was supposed to be in her lab with her vials and experiments. Yet, she was in the arms of a stranger with a gun.
The motorbike roared to a stop in front of this old-looking pharmacy. It had a creaky sign that swung back and forth, making a soft, rhythmic sound. The stranger cut the engine, and they both got off.
Before she could ask more questions, he grabbed her hand and pulled her inside without even removing their helmets.
The bell jingled as they walked inside.
The place smelled like old wood and some kind of herbs. An older Chinese man was sitting at the counter, wearing glasses and reading a newspaper. Behind him, there was a small TV hanging on the wall.
Gabby couldn't help but notice the news on the TV – it was about the explosion at the motel they just left. The images showed smoke billowing from the building, and the reporter spoke urgently about the incident. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach.
She had a feeling this explosion had something to do with the man.
"Sebastian…" the Chinese man called out. So, the stranger's man is named Sebastian?
"Lilo…" Sebastian said. "Is he in?"
"Hmmm…" the man named Lilo nodded and gestured for them to go to the back. Again, Sebastian pulled her inside without giving her the chance to ask questions.
They walked through a narrow corridor at the back of the pharmacy. The walls were lined with shelves containing dusty bottles and mysterious-looking herbs in jars. The flickering light overhead added to the dimness of the passage. The floor creaked beneath their steps.
Gabby maintained her silence as she followed behind him like an obedient puppy. She was already thinking of fighting against him, but she knew her five-foot-four ass would never be able to overpower his body.
As someone who dislikes pain, she did not want to risk having a broken bone or something that would stop her from touching her experimental tools for a month or so.
Soon enough, the two arrived in another room with the same flickering lights.
"Agustin…" Sebastian said.
"Seb…" a younger blond man immediately called out when he saw them. "Why are you—" the man stopped in his tracks when he saw Gabby behind Sebastian.
"Frank Gomez is dead…" Sebastian said. "I'm wounded."
"Wounded?"
"Wounded?" the man and Gabby asked at the same time. Gabby was surprised to hear that. She looked at him. Since he was wearing black, she could not actually see any sign of blood.
"It's already healing, but the bullet is made of Aetherium."
"Oh…" the other man simply nodded. "Let me take it out then."
"I can do it myself…" Sebastian said. "However, she needs new sets of clothes and identification."
"She's— she's human." The man named Agustin seemed surprised. "You don't run around with humans."
"She was studying Aetherium along with Gomez."
"She's his student?"
"The one and only…" Sebastian snorted as he removed his shirt, showing his perfectly muscled back. Gabby blinked before she noticed that both Sebastian and the man named Agustin were staring at her! Did they just catch her staring at Sebastian's body?
She cleared her throat. "While it is true that I am Mr. Gomez's student. I know nothing about this Aetherium. We have been trying to study it since we got it six months ago, but we don't have any luck. Even Mr. Gomez said that—"
"She can use Aetherium…" Sebastian said.
"Huh?" Agustin's face immediately turned ugly. "Then that meant…"
"They are going to kill her soon…" Sebastian said.
"Are you telling me that the Packs are after her? Sebastian, why the hell would you take her to this place?"
"Give her a change of clothing. We will be leaving once you give her a medallion."
"You are taking her to Aetheria? Are you out of your mind?" Agustin asked.
Soon enough, the two men started arguing about the names of places that she did not quite understand or have even heard before. Soon, the two started speaking in another language. While she did not understand what they were saying, she was certain of one thing; they were making decisions about her without even asking for her opinion.
"Excuse me…" Gabby called out. However, the two continued arguing. "Will you just close your mouths?" she raised her voice.
Luckily, this finally attracted their attention. The two men stared at her, each with their own expression. One looked angry, the other looked scared.
"Can someone explain what is going on here? Who are you people?" she glanced at the wound on Sebastian's chest that seemed to have gotten smaller since she saw it earlier. This means that he was healing… at an inhuman pace! She met his gray eyes. "What the heck is Aetheria? What is Aetherium? Why would Werewolves want me dead?"
Agustin looked at Sebastian. "She doesn't know a thing," he mumbled. "Did you— Did you kidnap her?" Realization finally sat on the blonde's face. "You actually kidnapped her?" he asked. This time in an exaggerated manner.
"Finally. Someone said it." Gabby crossed her arms across her chest. Then she lifted her chin towards Sebastian. "I was taken without my consent. If that is not kidnapping, I don't know what is!"
"I saved you."
"Then you better start explaining everything to me."
In response, he sighed. He suddenly took a knife and used it to remove the thing that hit him. She quickly realized that it was a bullet— a freaking bullet that was stuck in his arm! This man simply removed it without even flinching!
This quickly made her realize that not trying to run away was the right decision– a very smart decision.
The absence of blood from the wound surprised her, but what surprised her even more was the fact that the wound started healing in front of her very eyes.
Gabby blinked. Unable to process everything that just happened. Was she hallucinating? How could someone heal their wounds that fast?
She took a step back, her eyes wide.
"I am Sebastian…" Sebastian finally spoke. "A Lycan."
For a few seconds, his words rang inside her ears. Then she asked. "A… A what now?"
But before she could bombard him with more questions, a sudden loud explosion rocked the room, and a blinding light swiftly followed, throwing Gabby's body somewhere.
At that moment, everything seemed to move in slow motion. Her body collided with something solid, and almost instantly, her vision faded into darkness.