No one? This is getting a little too easy. Are these guys noobs?
I really shouldn't be jinxing myself here, but these guys just kidnapped me for some million-dollar deal and really assumed I'd be sleeping the entire time. Jeez, people loved to underestimate us humans, even our own kind.
Shaking my head, I began to make my way down the stairs, realizing I was on the 25th floor. Thankfully going down flights of stairs was easy than going up. Not like I'd struggle much either way with my level of endurance.
I reached the ground floor but decided going to the basement would be another smart move. I'd be able to find a way outside, versus on the ground floor, which could be swarming with guests.
As for Dumb and Dumber, who thought I was the perfect bait to kidnap...they weren't wrong...I guess?
Grasping the whole kidnap thing made me feel like a complete idiot. I grew up with elite supernaturals and I fell into this trap the moment I let my guard down. It would be immature of me to blame the guys or even Otis for all of this, but I was still a little bitter about the 'We're ditching you' bomb.
I was getting mad all over again, which wasn't a good idea when I'd yet to escape captivity.
Entering the basement, I was immediately hit with the smell of the ocean.
"These guys weren't kidding. This hotel is right on the water," I mumbled and made my way along the wall while keeping low.
When I found the perfect place to lift myself up and get to the opposite side to the outside world, I didn't delay. Not so gracefully, I dropped to the ground on my ass.
Ouch! Jeez. I should have done fewer squats, so my booty was cushier.
"Where the fuck is she?!"
I flinched at the loud scream, pressing my body against the wall and making myself as small as possible.
"You fucking lost her? Are you two mad? You expect us to pay for this? Fuck off! We can get her ourselves."
"Wait! We didn't lose her. She's in the room."
"My men just checked there. You two truly thought because she's a human that she'd sleep all night because of some leprechaun magic?! Humans. You guys are complete idiots."
"Hey! It's not our fault we don't know the rules of your damn world. This used to be our turf!"
"Yo. Settle down. He can kill us."
"So what?! He's insulting us and just going to ditch after all the hard work we did getting that girl. Our heads are on the line now that the word is spreading that the girl's been kidnapped!"
The word has been spreading? Shit. The guys already told the authorities.
"No shit?!" the yelling man shouted. "She's human on the surface. The moment you guys whisked her away, someone caught it on camera and sent it to the authorities. You thought kidnapping Cassandra Fucking Thorn was a good idea."
I frowned, unsure how this random guy knew my name. Yeah, I'd been in a few tabloids and magazines as of late due to my closeness with the guys, but they usually never stressed my name.
It was always the side chick, friend, friend with benefits, manager. Basically, any title or nickname they could give to confirm I was more of a groupie than someone romantically connected to the four elite gods of supernatural success.
"She's a human puppy. She just follows around those powerful guys."
"We did our research."
"Research?!" The man laughed hysterically at the comments from the two kidnappers. "You two dimwits don't know shit. Humans. You love to watch with your eyes but don't use your senses."
"Stop insulting us!"
"Man, chill. We can't face him."
"We're fucked anyway. I'm not going to let him stand here and insult us like we're stupid."
"Oh boy, but you are," the man, who I was now sure was the dealer, whispered. "Let me let you in on a little secret."
He quietly chuckled before he carried on. "Do you truly believe a human, a being like you, would be able to withstand being around a set of Alpha supernaturals?"
"Well...she has," the kidnapper defended, his voice shaking.
"Why is your voice trembling?" The guy's voice was even lower now, and I hugged myself in an attempt to not shiver in fear. There was a heaviness to it, but I was more afraid of what would happen to these poor men.
"You're...scary. It's also getting a tad hard to breathe."
"Like we're suffocating... You're...the one doing that, right? Or maybe the world is ending."
The man chuckled again; the menacing sound could make anyone run for the hills. Or jump in the damn ocean.
"When humans are around us supernaturals for long periods of time, a number of things start to happen. It gets hot, harder to breathe, and a lot easier to be influenced by their magic and presence. She'd become a puppet to anything they asked and wouldn't project that confident vibe that she does in the public eye. Unless...she's a supernatural herself."
I swallowed the lump in my throat, goosebumps crawling up my arms as I involuntarily shivered at his words.
Me? A supernatural? Impossible.
"That's not..." The first guy trailed off, and I flinched at the sound of something falling to the ground. "Hey. Buddy? Hey!"
"Oops. Guess you have higher endurance than your friend over there."
"No...he's...he's not breathing! Help! No, man. You can't go! We're supposed to be millionaires together. You gotta pay for your daughter's medication. C'mon! Wake up!"
"Too bad." The dealer sighed. "Could have been useful henchman."
"Please...don't kill me. I...I'll find her. She couldn't have gone far."
"Don't bother." The dealer sounded bored. "Now that it's been reported she's missing, I'm sure there will be a fight to get her. A human on the surface and supernatural beneath. Wouldn't that be the perfect tool to get rid of some of you disrespectful rats."
"We...we didn't mean—"
"I wasn't done talking," the man interrupted before a gurgling scream followed.
"Gah-ru." It was like someone was choking on their own saliva, but I knew better.
He was choking on his own blood.
Maybe he's being strangled...nah. The dealer wouldn't leave his fingerprints on them.
"Cassandra Thorn. From what I've recently discovered, she is the only daughter of the Thorn family. You know, those human rich folks. If only they knew what their daughter possesses. They would be searching every bush and corner for her and begging for her safe return."
There was a long silence and another thumping noise followed.
"Too bad," the dealer said, and I heard the flicker of a lighter. A deep inhale followed, and a long sigh rode the air.
"They actually thought I'd give them a million dollars. Why are humans so gullible? It's 2055 for goodness's sake. They never learn."
There was suddenly a bursting noise, similar to a mini explosion. I felt the heatwave that followed, and I was tempted to look behind me.
"They should be happy I gave them a proper cremation." The man laughed manically before his footsteps began to fade away.
I need to go. Now!
I'd never burst into a full-on sprint like this in my life, my heart already pounding rapidly as my nose picked up the scent of smoke from what I knew was a burning pyre behind me.