She finally finished, opened her eyes, and squealed as she jumped onto him. Their lips smashed onto each other, and she looked like she was a monster trying to devour him whole. Someone in the crowd yelled out, “We don't need royal babies just yet!” Everyone laughed and they reluctantly pulled away from each other, clutching each other's hand like someone was going to try and rip them apart. It was disgusting and beautiful all in one depressing package.
I flicked my eyes to see my mother’s reaction. She was smiling, but I could tell it was a mild one which meant she was okay with the outcome, but she wanted more. I opened my mouth, “See, everything worked out.”
She scoffed. “Yes, she has an idiot mate, but that is all he will be. Just a big dumb oaf. I can work with that, but it will take a lot of effort on my part. Why couldn't she be mated with someone who had little brains?” Before I could even blow out a breath, she continued. “Once this is over, I will go and do the closing speech. You will need to head to the reception hall to make sure that everything is in place. Now that Gwen is mated, I’m going to guess that she will be too preoccupied withhimto take care of her duties.” Then she rolled her eyes before turning to the crowd and smiling widely.
Sometimes, I found it hard to picture my mother ever loving my father. The story was that as soon as my mother came home from going to college on the mainland, she did her ceremony, and my father ran up to her on stage, almost tripping over his feet. It was said that my mother was always the one to keep things like that private and had this awkward scene of hugging my father when he tried to kiss her.
My father died when I was only a one-year-old, so I don't remember anything about him or what he was like. I only know that he loved my mother so much that others would rave about how crushed they were for my mother when he died.
I always thought it was weird when they said howtheywere crushed, never that my mother was upset or grieving. When I asked my uncle, all he said was that my mother was queen and didn't have the luxury to grieve. It was one of the reasons I kept telling myself all my life why my mother was so hard on me or why she couldn't be affectionate like other mothers. Then after the incident, I let go of that silly notion and realized that my mother just didn't like me. It was a hard pill to swallow, but after some self-reflection and killing some people horribly for doing bad things, I felt better. More at peace with myself.
As soon as everyone was done and my mother stepped forward, I snuck off the stage and went to the reception as fast as my feet could take me. Even though the ceremony was outdoors, it was getting a little stifling, and I needed a break ASAP.
As soon as I got to the reception, I checked to make sure the food was almost done, the tables were set, the mood was romantic, and the decorations were plentiful and all over. I found out that a few of the older ladies had already started in the morning and were now fussing over the finishing touches. I realized very quickly that this was another of my mother’s manipulations. Get me away from the people as they proceeded up to the reception, as well as keep me busy so that I didn't have an excuse to leave early. That sneaky bitch.
Before I could do something about it, all the people started to flow through the door, and the hall filled up quickly. I had a few people who came up and talked to me, telling me how beautiful and wonderful Gwen was. How she is making us all proud. Gag.
I suddenly heard a buzzing sound, and we both looked down into our clutches. My phone lit up, and I quickly grabbed it. It looked like it was Glen. I quickly excused myself and went outside to answer and get away from the DJ that had just opened.
“Hey-” I barely got a word in before he rattled off.
“I’m sorry that I am interrupting you. I know this is your annually scheduled day off, but we got a lead on someone who is trying to pick up where Marcus Rodriguez had left off.”
“Already?” I just killed this guy not too long ago.
“Yes. Apparently, as soon as his death was discovered, some of the more unsavory characters ganged up in a few hours to take out the Tenzo family. It was a bloodbath. Now they are making moves to take over the drug trade channels. We are lucky that we even got a tip from our informant.” I don't know who the informant was, only Glenn did, but I knew it was someone high up in the organization, and the intel could be trusted.
"It seems that this new financial backer is keeping their identity a secret for now, but we got word they are picking up all the old channels and seeing how valuable they really are. As such, we got the news that the Fanger Bangers were going to be at some biker club on the coast tonight to make some deals with some locals." The Fanger Bangers were a vampire biker gang on the West Coast that handled most of the running for illegal stuff. Drugs, women, guns, and exotic goods; they are usually the transporters.
"Did you hear me?" His voice woke me up from my thoughts, and I cleared my voice.
"Sorry, I didn't catch that last part."
Glen tsked at me before continuing, "I said that since all of us are in New York right now, and you're on the west coast…is there any way you could head over to that club tonight? I know you have-"
"You got it!" I rushed out. This sounded like a work emergency, and I could use that as an excuse with my mother. Plus, I got all the stuff done that she wanted me here for. She didn't need me.
"Are you sure? I know that tonight is impor-"
"Nope!" I smiled as I opened the door to the hall and searched for my mother. "Work comes first."
I hung up and made a B-line for my mother. After quickly getting out of these clothes, I was going to tell her and then take a sailboat on my own off the island. I can just pay the tugboat man to bring it back with him in the morning. It would be pricey but more than worth it.
I was dying to shed this island off me like snakeskin and go back to the world that I was most comfortable with. A world where I was strong and capable.
Chapter 3
AssoonasIgot on shore, it was around eleven pm, too late to go to stores for clothes, and too early to head over to the club just yet. That age-old saying of nothing good happening after midnight was more like a criminal world agreement. No one met or did anything terrible until after, which meant I had enough time to try and figure out a better outfit.
I left all the fancy clothes on the island and only came with the jeans and a T-shirt I was wearing now, and the pencil skirt and blouse in my duffle. I have a townhouse not far from here, but it’s for stashing high-grade weapons and quick clothes. None of the options I had were acceptable for this setting. Which just meant that I was going to need to use my five-finger discount skills.
Every once in a while, when I didn't have a high-tech team behind me, I would need to put some of my criminal skills to use on the job. When I first arrived on shore, I didn't have much to my name, not ever having worked a job on Siren Island. In order to survive, I had to do some unsavory things. Used my magic to grab wallets and mist over cameras, just like I was going to do now.
I quickly walked the streets, being a woman on a mission, and found a small shop that had outfits that looked like they would work in a biker club. I walked around the building and down the side alleyway. Before I walked to their back entrance, I scanned the area for any security cameras.
I saw it screwed above the door. I grounded my feet before I pulled at the air around me, quickly sorting through the particles and pulling out the water. Instead of pulling it together, I kept it in a loose mist-like form and pushed it to cover over the camera lens. This way, when they looked at the footage, it would just look like a foggy mess.
I made sure the mist held like a swarm of bees around the camera, and I darted forward. Once I got to the door, I assessed the lock. I was glad it was a regular door without a deadbolt or a keypad, as that makes my job easier. I flicked my fingers and pulled for more water, making a thin card shape in my hand. I put it up against the spot where the lock was and told the water to move forward through the slot. Once it caught on the lock, I maneuvered it around the lock and told the water to push. The door clicked open easily, and I went inside.
