[Jaykobell]

She ran through the streets, her heart beating faster than she could ever remember. The steps echoed against the cobblestone paths — not only her own, but that of her pursuers as well. And they were getting closer, ever closer — much too close.

When an alleyway appeared, she made a tight turn for it. It was a relief when she found it to be empty. Of course, it was still full of trash and litter, but it was free of hunters.

[Jaykobell]

She quickly looked over her surroundings. A large dumpster, a lot of cardboard boxes, a dead-end made of a thick, tall brick wall. She could try and hide in the dumpster or under the cardboard boxes, but what if those hunters came and tried to look through those things?

Unless she hid under the trash within the dumpster. Because even if she had time to pile up the boxes on top of the dumpster, they wouldn't hold her weight, and they couldn't reach the top of the wall, either.

[Jaykobell]

As she hesitated and tried to consider her options, noises echoed from behind her, getting louder, getting closer.

"You saw her going that way?"

"Keep running! Don't let her get away!"

Her heart quickened again. There was no time! She had to make a leap of faith, and hope that no one would check the alleyway and its contents so thoroughly.

She flipped the cover of the dumpster open, the plastic lid slamming the adjacent wall with a loud reverb.

[Jaykobell]

"Hey, you."

A voice calling out to her from behind made her jump and turn. The panic made her pull out a pocket knife, which she displayed towards the figure threateningly.

A large, dark Draculi stood by the backdoor of the other building on the other side of the alleyway. He looked at the Chimerantula with piercing, knowing red eyes. "Come in here," he instructed simply, moving away from the door just enough so she could have space to squeeze through.

[Jaykobell]

The Chimerantula stared, knife still at the ready. The strange Draculi seemed familiar, a figure that she should know, that should ring a bell in her memory. But whether from the darkness or from the panic, she couldn't place him.

"Why should I trust you?" she questioned, the stress giving her little breath. But she had a knife, and she had a few arms at her disposable.

The Draculi's eyes shone even within the darkness of the building. "Why not?"

[Jaykobell]

The sassy answer didn't inspire her to move.

But the growing sounds of stomping feet, and the loud voices of the chase, did.

"She can't be far from here! A little more!"

"Check the alleyways! Turn boxes and dumpsters over!"

She turned her head towards the opening of the alleyway, expecting a hunter to appear at any moment. And then, her eyes and head turned back to the ominous Draculi.

He slowly flicked his head towards the inside. "Me, or them."

[Jaykobell]

With little choice, she made a mad dash for the door. As soon as she'd passed it, the Draculi slammed it shut, and put the locks on it.

Her heart was still beating fast, hammering through her chest, her multiple hands gripping to her chest. She was inside a building, so it would be more difficult for those hunters to find her.

But was she even safe in here?

The Draculi raised a candle, illuminating some of the darkness.

[Jaykobell]

She stared at him in the darkness. Those eyes were more ominous than worthy of trust, but the Draculi hadn't tried to capture her or hurt her — not yet.

"Why?" she asked, her mind still working at high speed. And if they had but moments together, she wanted to know who this was, and why he'd helped her hide.

He blinked slowly. "Chimerantula hunters?" His question was rhetorical. "Do I need a reason to save a life?"

His answer did little to reassure her.

[Jaykobell]

"Everyone here wants my head," she hissed, one hand still clawed around her knife. "So you want some money from turning me in?"

The Draculi tilted his head. "Money?" he echoed curiously, calmly. "I already have money."

"So why?" she insisted, wanting a proper answer from this strange Draculi. "What is this place? Who are you?"

"To do the right thing," the Draculi answered, the calm of his demeanor left unfazed. "A bar, and its bartender," he explained simply.

[Jaykobell]

Due to the darkness, it was impossible to confirm if the Draculi was lying or telling the truth. "So why are you keeping the lights off?" she challenged, the candle, ironically, being more stressful than reassuring.

"So they don't try to look here," the Draculi explained — but as if on cue, the conversation was interrupted.

Loud banging echoed from outside, fists slamming on the wood.

She turned to the door, and then back to the Draculi; her eyes pleading.

[Wild Pet Found]

[Jaykobell]

The Draculi had glanced towards the door as well, and looked back at the Chimerantula. He nodded slowly, and he approached the door. "Stay back," he instructed. "The light of the candle might give you away."

After a short moment of hesitation, she obeyed. Although she had no idea where she was, nor what the place looked like, she simply stepped back slowly. She eventually reached a wall, and she pressed against it. It seemed to be enough so the candlelight wouldn't betray her being here.

[Jaykobell]

After a second, the large Draculi made his way to the door. The knocking and banging were still going on, now with a bit more vigor. Finally, it stopped when the Draculi slowly opened the door. "Hello," he greeted calmly, his voice and demeanor giving nothing away. "May I help you?"

From the distance and thanks to the shadows, the Chimerantula couldn't see the faces or the even the species of the ones chasing her. But they were all hideous, she could only assume.

[Jaykobell]

Two hunters stood in front of the door, the Draculi paying little attention to their figures besides the hungry, angry expressions their faces carried.

"We're looking for a Chimerantula," one of them growled. "Seen any?" they added, narrowing their eyes.

"A Chimerantula?" the Draculi asked innocently. "There are no Chimerantulas here."

In the back, the Chimerantula did her best to calm her thundering heart. It slammed against her chest so hard that it was almost hard to breathe; and she was terrified those hunters could hear it.

[Jaykobell]

From the door, she could see their hungry eyes scanning through the darkness of the building. In that moment, she was convinced they'd seen through the Draculi's lie despite his calm appearance and smooth voice.

"Why do you have the lights off, pal?" one of them asked, trying to tilt their head to get a better look at the inside. "Sounds shady."

The Draculi blinked slowly, and tilted his head. "Our switchboard blew a fuse," he explained smoothly, his words almost like honey.

[Jaykobell]

"Blew a fuse, huh?" one of the hunters echoed with skepticism, their eyes squinting a bit more.

"Indeed," the Draculi confirmed. "Quite inconvenient for business." He pointed upward, all the while without dropping eye contact with the hungry hunters. "A bar with no tenants is a desolate bar."

The words didn't seem to hit right away, but when one of them looked up, they shook the shoulder of the other. "Oh, wait," they said. "I know this place. I think this guy's legit."