Chapter 1 #2
“Treat me like a poor street urchin who’d spread their legs for a single coin,” she growled into the pillows and my eyes narrowed.
Yeah, she was just like all the other entitled arseholes who resided in the inner rings of the city, living up in her castle and looking down on the rest of us, always ready to celebrate when one of us dropped dead.
Fae like me were scum to Fae like her. But the feeling was mutual.
I placed the vase back where I’d found it with a sigh as I was forced to end my game by the practicalities of needing to rob this bitch blind, and pushed my black hair out of my eyes as I observed the room.
Aside from the four-poster bed which currently contained the countess and her less than enthusiastic fuck buddy, the room was richly decorated.
Heavy pieces of dark furniture inlaid with gilded detail filled the space and thick rugs covered the wooden floor.
I gave the countess and her husband a mental thank you as I used the rugs to my advantage, creeping further into the room and feeling the rush of the job building in my veins.
There was nothing better than this. Reappointing the wealth of the aristocracy to the neediest citizens in this cesspit of a city.
The neediest citizens being me and the rest of The Forty – but mostly just me.
Because I needed these riches, fucking ached for them.
Not because I had some poor, sick grandmama to look after or any nonsense like that.
No, I needed riches for the best reason of all.
Because I wanted them. I wanted the freedom they granted and the luxuries they provided.
I hated the people who had so damn much because I was determined to prove that I was better than them, and I would do it in the simplest way I knew how – by being the man who had more.
One day I’d live in a gold-plated palace where I fucked my way through the most beautiful women a man could ever desire, while I grew fat being hand-fed all the best food Osaria had to offer.
That was the life for me. And until I could afford it, I’d keep stealing from arseholes like this and saving up for it with a smile on my face and a knife in my hand – ready to stab any fucker who tried to take what I’d earned.
I silently slipped across the floor, pausing at a huge dressing table and lifting the countess’s jewels from it, filling my pockets with necklaces, rings, bracelets, and brooches.
I didn’t waste time checking them over too thoroughly, but I spied diamonds, rubies, sapphires, the works.
Egos, mean bastard that he was, would be more than pleased with this haul.
That should keep his wrath off of me for a while.
I crossed to the door, pausing for a moment to make sure Balthazar held the countess’s full attention while he continued to slam his cock in and out of her and she clawed at the blankets, calling him a villainous rogue.
I grinned tauntingly at him again as I left him to keep her busy and his scowl deepened. He was probably getting off on the idea of beating the shit out of me a whole lot more than he was getting off on the feeling of that saggy cunt around his cock right about now.
I may have just earned myself a bout in the ring with him for my mocking, but it was worth it.
I’d remind him of this conquest as often as physically possible for the rest of our miserable lives.
And I’d happily fight him in the ring ten times over in payment for that gift. I’d kick his arse anyway.
I slipped out into the corridor of the enormous manor house, glancing up at the white stone walls designed to help keep the heat out, and headed across the wide landing, managing to stay silent despite the wooden floor and pitch darkness of my surroundings.
But then they didn’t call me the best because I was easily thwarted by creaky floorboards.
My Affinities kept me in tune with my surroundings unlike any other Fae I’d ever met.
I was willing to bet I could find a silent route across broken glass on clay tiles if I cared to try it.
And I’d go double or nothing that I wouldn’t so much as cut a pinky toe on my way across it barefoot either.
And that wasn’t even the best of my gifts.
I’d never actually been tested, but it was pretty fucking obvious to me that I was something special.
Not that the rich bastards of this city would ever recognise it.
At least not until I made my own fortune and forced them to see my value.
And when they came knocking on my golden door, pleading to be my friend, I’d have a man usher them inside and bring them to speak with the rear end of my finest horse.
Then, after it farted up a gust in their pompous faces, I’d show up to laugh them back out the fucking door.
A thick, curving banister lined the stairs and I grinned as I leapt onto it, sliding down quickly and bypassing any groaning steps like the pro I was.
I landed on my feet like a damn cat and almost swore aloud as I realised no one had seen it.
Where the hell was Pip when I needed him?
If ever there was a time to have that kid’s adoring gaze fixed on me, then it was when I did something awesome like that.
It was half the reason I’d recruited him in the first place.
Dammit. I was going to have to come up with something else to impress him and get my little ego boost for the night before we headed back to The Forty.
Maybe I’d do a backflip off the roof or pickpocket a royal guard on the way back.
Something impressive. I’d keep thinking on it.
I slipped across the hallway, heading for the back of the huge house so that I could let the other thieves in.
The sound of voices carrying to me from outside made me pause before I could open it though, and a shiver raced down my spine as my instincts set me on edge.
I stopped beside the closed door, moving closer to listen as my skin prickled and I tuned all of my senses on to the area surrounding me.
I may have had some damn impressive Affinities, but that wouldn’t mean shit if a guard caught me and ran a sword straight through my heart.
The days when magic could be wielded to heal shit like that were long gone, and for Fae like me, capture meant death of the most agonising variety.
The voices carried to me again and my brow pinched as I tried to figure out who was out there - the rest of our gang wouldn’t be stupid enough to make noise like that.
Not to say that most of them weren’t as dumb as a bag of rocks, but they were all damn good at this one thing.
I guessed most of them must have had Affinities which helped them in their illegal endeavours, especially when I considered the fact that outside of thievery, some of them were hard pressed to even string a simple sentence together.
“If there’s anything else I can get you, My Lord, then please just send word,” a male servant said sweetly. One thing worse than being poor? Being poor and working for the rich. I had no idea how some Fae stomached that shit. I’d rather cut limbs off than brown nose upper Fae to make a living.
“No, I only require my bed tonight. That was a long journey but no doubt my wife will be pleased to have me home early. All I wish for now is a restful sleep.”
Well, fuck, it looks like the count cut his trip short.
I pressed my back to the wall beside the door just as it swung open, sinking into the shadows and willing them to keep me hidden, feeling them creep closer with the aid of the ancient magic which clung to my blood as the use of my Affinities made my heart thump harder.
The carved wood almost collided with me, and I gripped the dagger at my belt as the count strode into his house.
“Why is it so dark in here?!” he bellowed and I held my breath as he turned back towards the door but he didn’t notice me where I hid in its shadow, my skin tingling as I called on my innate power and worked to keep myself concealed.
Adrenaline trickled into my veins and prepared me for when I was going to have to run.
I hadn’t gotten far enough to let the rest of the gang in through the back and I silently thanked my luck.
If the count was home, then he’d no doubt be bringing his servants along with him and getting the whole gang out undetected would be a lot more difficult than just getting my own arse clear of this place.
I was going to assume that the other thieves had already realised that this haul was a bust and had run for it – it was every man for himself out here after all, and I knew not one of them would risk their necks for my sorry arse.
Balthazar’s cover was solid and unless the count decided to kill him for defiling his pig-ugly wife, he should be able to run with his britches around his ankles before they ever realised I’d relieved them of their jewels.
And as Balthazar was at least thirty years younger than the count, a foot taller, and twice as mean, I wasn’t too concerned for him if it came to a fight.
My stomach rumbled in protest as I prepared to run out into the night. The kitchen should have been my next stop, but it made more sense to take an opportunity for escape than it did to try and hunt for a solution to my empty stomach.
There’s always broth waiting back at The Den. Which may or may not have been bulked out with rat meat this week...
Of course, I’d never been one for sensible. And fuck eating that shit if there was an alternative available.
The count slammed the front door but didn’t notice me as he turned away sharply and strode across the entrance hall to the spiralling stairs.
I watched him go, half tempted to follow and see his face when he found Balthazar’s cock buried in his wife, though I really should have been taking my chance to run.