{ Seven Hours Later}
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The old wooden door gave way as Rena pulled the knob to a curve.
The space revealed was quiet, dull, devoid of even the slightest light.
Rena walked towards the switch and turned it on.
After living here for almost a year, it was easy as pie to trace the way even in gloom.
She dropped her bag in a corner and made to take off her shoes.
No matter how small or insignificant her house was, she wasn't so slovenly to walk around in dirty wears.
But as she changed to her slippers and walked to her room, she paused at a strange sound that reverberated in her ears.
 'What the...'
It was of someone walking.
Confused and shocked, she made to turn back, to perhaps hide when suddenly a hand approached and slammed her to the wall.
 "Ahh!"
A lips, humid and soft crashed on hers, rashly sucking, swallowing and numbing her breath away.
Rena was in a daze.
Her head felt muddled, her limbs for a moment languid, her bones soft.
That was for a while until she felt a tongue tease hers as if obliging her to reciprocate.
That was when she realized.
Someone was kissing her.
Not just someone, a stranger.
She could tell he was not Herman. The scent emitting off him was minty, tasting like a refreshing coolness on her buds.
His hands were strong, so strong she could tell even though it had come off as a passing blur when he had reached out to grasp her.
Rena panted, horrified.
But even that escaping breath was devoured by the beast before her.
Her chest heaved, her veins bulged as she pushed, using whatever remaining strength was left of her.
But the man didn't move an itch.
Seemingly annoyed by her resistance, he pinned her tighter, pressing a leg against her kicking ones.
 'Damn... Bastard'
Rena was getting suffocated and more weak.
But how could she stop in her struggles?
The thought of avoiding an assault, especially one sexual was boosting her adrenaline, keeping her going.
And so she managed a scratch on his tongue.
She tasted little blood â the metallic reek of it mingled with saliva rolling down her throat.
Again the man didn't stop. Didn't flinch. Didn't even wince.
His pace only slowed for a second before resuming as fiercely as ever.
His arm grabbed her neck, tilting her head slightly upwards before holding her jaw, preventing her from taking another bite.
His tongue, although subtly wounded, caressed her interiors gently, so tenderly as if asking for an apology then resumed his usual roughness as if he couldn't afford to care.
 "!"
Rena heard a door opening.
It was indubitably the living room's which proceeded an entrance to the house.
Rena didn't need to look to see who it was. From the subtle brash opening and loud foot sounds, it was undeniable.
It was Herman.
She was baffled.
What was he doing here? But was it so surprising? She had messed up the airport date so he might as well would have wanted to come directly to her.
But the fact it wasn't the right time...
She felt her heart pound. A fear of being misunderstood beclouded her.
The lips against hers was yet ravaging so, unstoppable.
She felt tired, sick to her core.
A wave of disgust made her stomach churn, repulsed by the act being committed against her will.
If possible, she even wanted to throw up in his mouth to make her repugnance evident.
But that didn't happen.
When Herman came to, the scene before him abruptly halted his steps.
Rena before a man, shadowed before his build, surrendered to his lasciviousness.
The sight obviously lewd surged a deep fury within him.
Rena's jaw was held securely so she couldn't turn over but from her peripheral vision, she saw Herman freeze, clenched his fists so hard it cracked and turned around to leave.
It was apparent he misunderstood, it was plain he thought wrong.
A urge to go after him and explain enveloped her but how could she do so?
Could she even move an inch?
The truthfulness of it made her mad.
Again she struggled frantically, making the man before her to frown, displeased.
His momentary distraction caused his cinch on her jaw to loosen.
Rena enraged took that chance and bit down on his lips.
Chop.
Lester shifted backwards, his lips stinging terribly.
Rena showed no mercy. It was a cruel deed.
His lips were painted a phlegmatic red, some impelling down his chin, staining his shirt.
His lips, especially the lower part held deep wounds, teeth marks that would have made him groan if not for his tolerance.
And as if that was not enough, a slap painful enough to hurt landed on his cheek, causing his face to turn aside slightly.
 "Cough, Cough, you scoundrel!" Rena gasped for air, saliva and blood trailing fine lines, dripping onto the floor as she bent, almost retching.
Her mouth felt numb and no matter how hard she spat out the contents embedded in there, she could still taste the scent of him â a minty, cool fragrance, weirdly overwhelming.
She wasted no time.
Her brain and senses previously listless were now on caution, aiming to defend herself against anymore attacks.
She didn't know who this man was. All she knew was how formidable he was and how crucial it was to avoid him.
So she moved.
Her legs earlier restrained now freely ran towards the kitchen.
The plan was simple.
Lock the door, hide in there, collect as many weapons as needed and call the emergency services.
Escape through the window if necessary.
It was a clever idea but the difficult â extremely difficult fraction of it all was evading him.
Cause the moment she attempted, he only moved two steps before catching up with her.
 'God...' She stiffened.
He pressed her back onto his front, his head on her shoulder, greedily inhaling her scent.
His breath made her skin tingle and goosebumps to spread.
She didn't give up, she couldn't.
She made again to kick, to fight when suddenly a voice rich, laced with amusement and pleasure flooded into her ears.
 "Ha... you now are so tough, you even dared bite."
 W-what?
She was confounded.
The words held a strange meaning and that voice...
She gulped.
She didn't know what felt more peculiar.
Was it the familiarity of it or the friendly tone employed?
She didn't think much.
She didn't struggle anymore.
It was useless to.
He had her caged again. It was best off to preserve her strength and wait for a favourable opportunity.
She gritted her teeth.
Recalling Herman's expression was aggravating her rage.
Her voice when it came out was thick, cold, edged amply with a fire enough to burn.
 "Let go of me or I would call the police."
She portended but the stranger chuckled, unbothered.
If Rena was facing him, she would have seen the smirk gracing his face.
Pointing randomly at a corner, he muttered with a taunt.
 "Your phone, isn't it on the couch?"
It truly was, unfortunately.
Infact Rena knew that. She had only said it to frighten him, not that it would work.
Even if she had the phone, would he even let her use it?
The jeer nonetheless infuriated her. It felt like a mock to her helplessness.
With heated eyes and a scowling visage, she cursed outwardly in patent resentment.
 "Jerk!"
A crease appeared on Lester's forehead.
He couldn't take it anymore.
Turning her over, he said seriously, his desperate gaze boring into hers.
 "Rena." He began. "Do you not remember me anymore?"
And as he spoke, as Rena saw his face, that face, that...
She felt her blood run cold.