The scream of a man pierced the quiet, chilly night of downtown Chicago as he ran to escape the monster chasing him. His breaths came out in puffs of white fog as his legs—short and fat as they were—carried him at an impressive pace through the empty back alleys. He looked over his shoulder as he rounded the corner of one of the many vacant buildings. He was no longer being chased, but he still hurried to hide himself in the darkness and collapsed against the brick wall. His hands clawed at his neck tie, loosening it to make his deep breaths easier. The following moments were tense as he listened for the footfalls of whatever was chasing him—of whatever tried to grab him as he was walking through Lincoln Park on his way home from the pub. …show more content…
Now that he was at a standstill, his mind drifted back to the scuffle; he couldn't help but swear that his hand had pressed against a woman's breast when he had pushed the person away. Quickly though, he discredited what he thought he had felt. There was no way a woman could have been strong enough to subdue him for as long as his assailant had done. Several more quiet moments passed—no footfalls or breathing from anyone but himself. He allowed himself to relax even more against the wall, his body unused to anything that wasn't a brisk walk. With a deep breath, he pushed himself off the wall and headed towards the end of the alleyway, deciding to go the opposite way he had entered just in case the lunatic was waiting for him near the entrance. It wasn't until he was getting ready to turn behind the building and exit onto a side street that he heard a viscous snarl from behind him. Slowly, his heart catching in his throat, he turned to face the beast standing at the mouth of the dingy …show more content…
We could get you a nice bath once we return home." Reaching up to touch the girls hair she added, "And comb out this hair. I am certain you have such beautiful hair underneath the blood and dirt." Wordless, Lillian just nodded, not sure of what else to say. She did not dare turn down the offer because it had been so long since the last time she had bathed and slept in an actual bed, since she had felt the warmth of a fire. Isabel continued to smile brightly. "Good! I am very happy to hear it. Now, let us get back to the carriage, it isn't very far from here." Lillian was shuffled towards the mouth of the alleyway and the main pathway, the two women following only a few steps behind Marcus's massive form until they reached the road. Turning, he looked back at them. When his eyes passed over Lillian's form he sighed and unbuttoned his cloak. Slowly, revealing his fine evening clothing, he removed it and handed it to her. "Cover yourself. You are hardly dressed proper." Quickly taking the cloak from his hands, she wrapped it around herself, regaining a semblance of modesty when she pushed her arms through the billowy sleeves. Buttoning only enough buttons to hold it closed, she lifted the hem so it would not drag on the ground and fray. She looked back to Marcus. "Thank you," she told him