Chapter 11 - Scarlett
Scarlett
I practiced my training out in the drive, just in front of the house.
Going through moves, stretching, ‘dancing’ as Havoc had put so eloquently many months ago.
As I practiced, I listened to the trees whisper, humming to their tune, and thought about the Queen of The Beat.
She didn’t have an ounce of tar in her eyes, not even a drip.
She had ink on her skin, which shocked me even though I wished it wouldn’t.
Nobody was allowed to put such permanent things on their skin in the church, but especially not women, yet she had one right on her face.
She gave women their power just like Azrael had given me mine. Letting them dress the way they wanted, dance in front of men willingly. They chose to do it. Chose to give men erections.
Havoc had told me that it was similar to manipulation. They were using sex to get money.
I didn’t need money, I had no use for it, but sex did make me feel powerful, so I suppose I did understand why they did it.
“You still wearing that mask, doll?”
I beamed and spun around, my dress spinning with me. Alaric and Havoc were walking out, something gripped in Alaric’s hand. “It’s my very favorite thing in the whole world.”
“I have to admit, no one has ever looked as good in a mask as you do,” he replied, coming to a stop in front of me. “Are you waiting for Az?”
I shook my head, glancing to the road that led down to the main one. “No,” I turned back to him. “He looked upset when he left this morning.”
Havoc nodded. “He found out on his way out that someone hit The Beat early this morning, killed one of V’s girls.”
I straightened, my brows pulling together. “Thomas?”
He shook his head. “No idea. From what I saw during your ceremony, it didn’t seem like any of the people there were capable of killing anyone.”
I frowned. “We are nothing to them.” I straightened. “Was her body found or did they assume she was dead?”
“She didn’t show up for work, blood covering her place.”
“Blood splatters when you lash someone,” I told him, watching as his eyes darkened. “Azrael probably already figured this out but—”
Havoc took a step forward. “Where are we going?”
My heart skipped a beat. “We?”
“We’ve got nothing better to do today and he left you here for us to use. What better way to train you than to take you out?”
Azrael left me here today because he was going to see Father Dearest, and it wasn’t the right time to introduce us.
I had been a little disappointed, but I understood.
Timing was everything in a world such as this, and the others had made countless mistakes over the years because they hadn’t been patient enough.
I knew that mistakes were inevitable, but that didn’t mean I was going to be as careless as to throw a tantrum because I didn’t get to go today.
Besides, going out with Havoc and Alaric? That could be lots of fun.
I nodded in excitement. “Okay, are we going to find that woman?”
“We are, and you’re going to take us to where you think Thomas might have taken her. We might not be able to save her,” he said in all seriousness.
My shoulders fell, sorrow touching my heart.
“I know, but locating the target is also an important part of the mission.” I learned that studying the files too.
Greyson, Jack, and Everett didn’t often locate targets without killing or saving them, but it did happen.
That’s why patience was so important. We might find her today, but saving her?
It was a choice we may not have, and I felt sorry for it, but the cost was heavy, even in our Hysteric Wonderland.
“You won’t be wearing that mask either, Scarlett.”
I frowned. “I have to protect my identity.”
“Protecting your identity also looks like this,” he gestured to himself. “Azrael went to church without a mask. He went out without a mask. You have to pick and choose the right occasions to wear it, and if we’re going to the city, it isn’t the right time.”
I touched the edge of the mask, already feeling vulnerable without it. “A lot of people will see me.”
He smiled devilishly. “You’d be surprised at how invisible people are in the city. But before we go anywhere, Alaric has something he wanted to give you.”
I was already untying my mask, but at the mention of a gift, I ripped it off, pulling at strands of my hair, feeling a smile stretch from ear to ear. “A gift?” I signed haphazardly.
Alaric gave me the barest of nods and held out the deep violet box wrapped in a gold ribbon.
“I’ll take that for you,” Havoc offered, holding out his hand.
I handed him the mask without hesitation and reached for the box, thanking him over and over again as I did.
I pulled on the ribbon, watching the silk fall away only to quickly gather it and flicked it over my shoulder. It was such a beautiful gold, I wanted to keep it.
Removing the lid, I held it out to Havoc and felt my lips part at what rested on the satin purple pillow within.
It looked almost exactly like the brush I had gotten.
Silvers and golds woven intricately in the most beautiful design.
The blade of the forearm length dagger shined in a beautiful silver, reflecting the purple surrounding it.
The hilt was absolutely beautiful, twisting and turning until it reached the end where the gold and silver broke off, wrapping around a crimson red heart shaped jewel.
Beside the dagger was a black strap of some sort, but I dismissed it quickly, reaching for the blade.
I stepped back and held it out, watching it catch in the light. “How does it feel?” Havoc asked.
I gave him a nod in reply, my smile wide as I moved it back and forth, testing the weight of it in my hand.
When they had trained me on blades, they had trained me on all different sizes and typers.
From small throwing knives and stars, all the way up to blades as large as the one Azrael used. This one was absolutely perfect.
Alaric stepped forward then, taking the box from my hand. He pulled out the strappy thing and gestured for me to straighten up.
I did as he asked, watching as he got down on one knee and reached for my right leg.
I trusted him. I trusted all of them, so when Alaric went to slide my dress up, I didn’t even blink. What was he putting on me? Would it be fun?
He tightened down whatever it was, the snugness not at all uncomfortable, and stood, gesturing to the dagger.
It was for the dagger?
I pulled up my dress and inspected the device, seeing that there was a shape on the side of it that looked exactly perfect for my new dagger. I slid it in, feeling it clip into place easily.
A smile hit my lips as I found both pairs of eyes. “It’s beautiful! Thank you so much, Alaric.”
He gave nothing more than a nod.
Havoc beamed. “You look great, doll. Now come on, you’ll be riding with me. Sun is setting, so his museum should be open by the time we get to the city.”
I nodded, the seriousness filling me again, my smile shifting into something sharp.
Havoc gestured to the right as he walked by me, Alaric on his heels. “We’ll take the bikes. Don’t worry, Az left your helmet just in case.”
My smile fell then, and I took in my outfit. No jacket, no tights, and I was a little concerned riding with him with what happened with Azrael. I didn’t want that feeling with Havoc. He wasn’t mine.
Havoc looked back when he got to his bike, my helmet already on his seat. “You’ll be fine, doll, Alaric will braid your hair, he likes doing that,” he winked, “and my bike isn’t like Azrael’s. His is modified.”
I glanced at Alaric who was waiting for me between their bikes. After a moment of hesitation, I headed for them, studying Havoc’s bike as I joined them.
Alaric stepped up behind me and started working his fingers through my hair, causing my skin to flood with goosebumps. His bike did look different. There wasn’t a ridge on his seat, and it didn’t have as many switches.
“Ours are also a bit different. We upgraded Azrael’s to a Kawasaki Ninja H2R which is what I have, but we had to downgrade a few of the options to make room for everything we thought might make it fun.
Ours are upgraded, but to enhance the bike’s performance,” he explained, giving me a secretive look.
I didn’t understand anything he just said, but I liked them. His was all white with a few dark purple accents. Alaric’s had that same deep purple with black accents, and Bishop’s bike was mostly black with gold accents and dark purple handle grips.
They were beautiful bikes, but I still wasn’t wearing what Azrael had put me in—
“Here,” Havoc said, holding out a leather jacket just as Alaric finished with my hair. “It belongs to someone, but I’m sure she won’t mind you wearing it.”
My brows pulled together. The jacket looked about my size, black and sky-blue, but I had never seen anyone it would have belonged to.
“Don’t worry, you’re the only doll in my life.”
I gave him a look, rolled my eyes, and took it. I wasn’t jealous, and it was ridiculous to think that I was. I just wanted to meet her. I liked having sisters, and other than Poppy, I hadn’t met any of mine yet, but the idea of having another made my heart zing.
I pulled it on, the scent of creamsicles filling my nose. I loved creamsicles.
I pulled it on and zipped it up as he grabbed my helmet and turned back towards me. “You’ll need to tuck your dress under your ass or else Alaric will see that beautiful ass of yours while we ride.”
I glanced his way, seeing him already settled on his bike, helmet on, pulling on his gloves. It was long enough to tuck, but what about my legs?
I turned back to Havoc and raised a brow. “My legs?”
He slid my helmet on and buckled it. “I’ve got gloves and chaps we can clip around your waist and knees. They aren’t great, but it’ll do fine for the drive.”
I found out what chaps were a few moments later. They weren’t the most comfortable to wear, but I didn’t mind. Just another thing to keep the vibrations from the bike from setting me off.