They’ll skin you alive.
I remembered Dale’s words before I left to sneak into one of Scorpios’ warehouses. A warehouse filled with weapons and belladonna, a demon drug that sold well in the market. Dale, the man I worked for was my only option of employer at the age of eleven. He provided me with a roof over my head and enough money to put food in my stomach. And because of how young and tiny I was, no one questioned me. I could slip in and out of places without anyone discovering me.
But today…I’d been cornered.
Huddled in a crate, holding my breath, praying to anyone who would listen, that they wouldn’t find me.
They’ll skin you alive.
Dale’s raspy voice haunted my thoughts as I bit into my palm.
Scorpios, a group of powerful demons that ran New York City, were known for their ruthlessness, their callused hands snapping necks and ripping organs out for pure enjoyment.
And they were the ones I had been sent to steal from. It was supposed to be simple, get in, take some of their supplies, and get out. But black shiny cars had shown up just as I was about to leave. Men in crisp, black suits had entered the warehouse, their shoes clicking against the concrete floors.
Now I hid, small enough to crouch in a crate filled with packages of belladonna. The low-class craved belladonna, but Scorpios was the only one who supplied it and Dale had said their prices were too high.
So I was to steal some, and he’d resell it for a cheaper, more competitive price.
I’d rather return empty handed to Dale then face the wrath of Scorpios. Dale would beat me black and purple, but he wouldn’t kill me. I was too valuable for his business.
These men, however, would.
All I could make out were murmurs and soon they grew louder, closer.
I peeked through the tiny holes in the crate and could make out a pair of black pants approaching.
Oh God.
I squeezed my eyes shut when the footsteps suddenly stopped, bending my head, hoping somehow if I made myself smaller all of this would vanish.
Then brightness flooded around me and I felt a whoosh of air on the back of my neck.
I didn’t need to look up to the eyes of whoever had found me, drilling holes in my skull. I could taste their anger and anxiety on my tongue as it filled the warehouse. A con of being a souleater: I could taste people’s emotions—strong emotions.
And this man above me was angry.
“Up,” he snapped.
I took a deep, shaky breath and lifted my head, willing myself to sneak a look at my would-be murderer.
The man above me had features in-between a man and a boy. Still young, but not youthful. His mouth was twisted into a scowl and his heavy, dark brows furrowed.
His gray eyes narrowed at the sight of my face.
I wanted to pat my hair down, knowing how tangled it was. Dale only allowed me to shower once a week and he didn’t own a brush so I had to use my fingers.
“Up,” he repeated, but this time his voice was low, controlled. It had lost some of its initial vicious bite.
I stood and stepped out of the crate, my entire frame shaking.
I was going to die.
He was going to snap my neck like Dale had said.
After a long silence, I braved another look at him.
He stood in front of me, his hands curled on either side of his body, his head held high.
Moving closer, he asked, “How old are you?”
I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt nervously. It was far too long and wide for my tiny frame. A man’s shirt, not a girl’s. It rested at the middle of my thighs, covering half of my tattered and frayed jeans. Not the best clothes, but they were the only ones I had.
“Eleven,” I whispered, dropping my gaze.
The man brought his hand to his jaw and rubbed it, scanning me and then cursed. “Eleven?”
I nodded, unsure if I should speak.
He scanned me again and this time, I saw his sorrow for me. I tasted it on the tip of my tongue. His eyes narrowed farther, his mouth pinching into a deep, dissatisfied frown.
“Tensley,” another voice called, walking up behind the man. His focus snapped to me and he frowned. “This is the one that’s been stealing from us?” He scrunched up his nose and I had the urge to punch him.
Not that it would do much damage to a man his size.
The first man, Tensley, didn’t look at him. His attention was fully on me as he worked his jaw.
“Should we get this done here or take her out back and do it there?” the man asked, his hand going to the inside of his jacket. When he pulled his hand out, a knife was clenched in his grip. A long blade with a worn handle.
My chest tightened.
“Put it away, David,” Tensley hissed, glaring at him. His eyes darted back to mine. “She’s just a child. We’re not killing her,” he tsked. His eyes seemed to search the place, after a beat, a muscle feathered in his jaw and he added, “If she managed to get all the way here unnoticed, and more than once, she’s good. She could work for us.”
“What?” David asked, shaking his head. “She’s just a kid. You just said so yourself.”
Tensley faintly grinned. “Exactly. I imagine this is why she was hired in the first place. We never would have suspected a child to be the one stealing considerable amounts of our supplies. Clever bastard, whoever hired her.”
David scowled and looked back at me.
“Working for you?” I asked, afraid to move.
Tensley nodded. “Unless you’d rather we kill you.”
I shook my head with vigor.
“Go start the car, David,” Tensley ordered. David rolled his eyes and walked away, leaving the two of us alone. Slowly, Tensley moved closer and I straightened my back, trying in vain to appear taller. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
I wrapped my arms around my middle. So many people had said that to me in the past, but then they always ended up hurting me in the end anyway. Emotionally, mentally and physically.
“What’s your name?” he whispered, so close I could see the faint stubble on his jaw.
I bit my lip to keep it from trembling. “Alexandra.”
He smiled. “Alexandra, I’m Tensley. I’m the son of the Dux and I promise you, you’ll be safe with us. I’ll make sure of it.”
He lifted his hand and held it out.
My gaze traveled between his relaxed features and his hand. “Why…?”
His brows wrinkled and he sighed. “Because you can help us and we can help you in return. Keep you safe. You’re too young to meet your end already, don’t you think?”
I fidgeted again with my shirt, my mind going wild. “I’m a souleater.” Most people liked to know first what I was. Souleaters were considered of lower ranking to incubi.
He shrugged. “We’re all demons. Bastards in different ways.”
Again, my eyes went back to his large hand, a few faint scars lining his palm.
And slowly, I let my hand reach out and drop into his grip.
“Do you have parents, Alexandra?”
“No,” I replied after a moment, my heart squeezing at the thought.
“Good,” he smiled, and it was warm. Friendly. “Welcome to Scorpios.”
I wanted to be safe.
I wanted to be strong.
I wanted to be loved.
With Scorpios, I would find a new beginning, but also my ending.