A/N: I take it that you've read the warning last chapter. No? Please do check it out first.

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Damn. This was not good. They looked… suspicious. From her spot, she could see the men wearing a worker’s clothes, but it was the glint in their eyes that told her otherwise. They looked a lot like goons instead. She glanced around, and found the pan but dismissed it and lunged for the kitchen knife. If push comes to shove…

‘Please, just leave,’ she silently prayed and gripped it tighter.

“Oh hello, beautiful lady. Are you alone here?” The long-haired, brawny guy in front of the group said. He seemed to be the leader of the goons.

“May I help you?” Tamara’s voice was even, and Lia was in awe. If it was her, she would be shaking.

The men laughed, and Lia cringed at the way they eyed Tamara. “I wonder if you have food and drink for all of us?” He gestured his hand to the four other men behind him. “We’ve been walking in this mountain and we’re starving.”

“I can give some. But I advise you that there is more food in the town and they were just at the foot of this mountain.” Tamara sighed.

The leader leered as he looked up and down at Tamara. Lia sweated, gripping the knife tightly in her hand.

“But I think we prefer foods in the mountains.”

Lia thought that they were not talking about foods anymore.

“Then I’m afraid that you’d be disappointed.”

The man smirked and cocked his head for the other men to come closer and tower over Tamara. Lia had the urge to come and help, but instead, the leader noticed her movements, and his smirk grew into a full grin.

“What do we have here?”

Tamara blocked his view. “If you’re going to cause a ruckus, then please leave.”

The leader did not seem to hear her and continued talking to his friends. “Two beauties. Aren’t we lucky?”

“Leave!” Tamara roared.

“Or what? You’re not scary as you think you are when you glower, lady.”

Tamara threw the door wide open and brandished a machete she concealed behind it. If she struggled with it, she didn’t show it. She pointed it to the men in front of her. “Leave.”

“Oof, that’s dangerous, lady. Put it down and we can all have a --”

Tamara thrust her weapon, but the man caught her wrist, and in their struggle, the shawl came loose from her hair. The men stopped as they gaped at her.

The man at the back pointed his finger at Tamara, his malicious look was replaced with horror. “Hey, that hair…”

“Shit, it’s true. There’s a witch here. And here I thought Big Boss was shitting on us.”

The men switched moods fast, from perverted predators to blood lusted killers. The man in front held Tamara’s wrist tighter, causing the machete to fall on the ground. “Too bad lady. I had wanted a good time, but orders are orders.”

Lia came up behind Tamara, ready to fight back, however futile it might be, when cries of pain erupted.