Blue Blood, Eliza Wards [ebook reader txt] 📗

a brilliant idea." She walks away after patting my cheek and goes to tidy up. "Sometimes, I wonder who is looking after who."

"We take it in turns," I grin at her. She's got ten years on me, but I feel like she is more like my sister than my Aunt.

Bumblebee

 I keep my promise and we have a night in by the log fire. We drink until our laughs echo off the walls. We play games and reassure one another that all is ok in the world, as long as we have one another.
Maggie doesn't ask, nor do I inform her of my whereabouts of the following night. We both know, we just don't talk about it. I pull on a dark blue leather cloak that ties from my hips to my neck and then tug on special gloves which enable me to climb and punch someone because they are padded on my knuckles. I tie my boots, slipping a knife in there. I touch my knives on my legs and I feel at ease.
I swing myself out of my window and I disappear into the night. I use my special gloves to scale to the wall. Once I'm on the roof I stay low, knowing my neighbours are nosy and will report anything out of place, more out of fear than respect for the Officers.
I jump across the gap and land quietly onto another roof. I swing and slide down a pipe. I know where I am heading and I don't need the heights to hide me. I have the shadows of the night covering me. I pull my hood up and I lift my scarf over my nose protecting me from the cold, but most of all so people don't recognise me.
I turn a corner and follow my ears to the local brewery. The shouts and drunken cries can be heard from a distance. I eye the pub and notice a few rowdy men outside but they are not who I want.
I scan the street, looking for the best place to hide, and still be able to see everything from. I find a building perfect for what I am after. All the buildings this side of the Kingdom are rundown and sagging. Some buildings have even collapsed or lean on another structure for support. That or it wants to take as many buildings down with it.
The house I have chosen for tonight is leaning but not enough to cause alarm or worry. I can see people still living there, they get accustomed to knowing the level of how unsafe a building is. They don't have any other choice.
I run and jump, I bounce off the wall opposite and jump up and grab a ledge. I pull myself up and scale the rest of the way. I manage to get myself up and onto the roof without much effort.
I pull my hood back up after being knocked down from the jerk of me running. Broken items no longer needed lay strewn about the roof. I hunker down next to the wall of the roof and a metal box which was once used to generate electricity. But, not everyone can afford it or knows how to get it working.
Just the way the King likes it. The more you do for the King the more things you can have. Further education. A name worth something. More money. Women. More human rights. Your word is worth more.
All you have to do is sell your soul to him.
The King doesn't work with only money, he works with favours and blackmail. He bleeds you dry and then tosses you to one side once he's done with you.
Everything about him makes my skin crawl.
I focus on the job at hand and make myself comfortable. Up here, I am unseen from the world, as I watch it go by.
I check my watch as each hour trickles along. Eventually, the man I'm after comes stumbling out, an air of smugness and pleasure oozes from every pore. A girl comes running out after him.
"Sir, you forgot your hat," she calls and runs after him in her tall heels and a face full of makeup. I can see her goosebumps from here. I ignore the part of me wanting to sort her out with warm clothes.
"Have you come back for more, shug?" I hear him say. He pulls her in and kisses her without her consent. She plays her role because she has too, she doesn't have the same rights as he does. He is an Officer and she is a lady of the night. More like a girl, I think to myself. I watch as he pulls away and she smiles broadly at him.
"Go back to your wife, otherwise we will have a problem, sir." She kisses his cheek and then nibbles his ear, saying sweet nothings to him. He grabs her by the waist. His want for her is clear as day. He pushes her against the wall. His hands exploring areas that shouldn't be explored in the middle of a street. Even if it's outside of a brewery.
She whispers into his ear once again, his body craving hers and yet he pulls himself off her.
"I'll see you next week," he calls, as she walks inside. A thought pops into my head, but I push it to one side for later. I watch as he stands there trying to find his composure and then starts walking home looking pleased with himself.
I jump from roof to roof as silent as an owl gliding through the night sky.
Following him.
Stalking him.
Going in for the kill.
When I find a suitable dark alleyway, I jump from a good height and bounce off the opposite wall and then land on the ground without a stone being disturbed. Not even a whisper of a sound. I slide into the shadow of the alleyway and move under the bridge.
I wait.
He passes me and I can taste the stench of him. Just like before.
I breathe in, calming myself. Pushing all thoughts out of my head as I breathe out.
"Excuse me, sir?" I call, putting on the same tone as the girl from the brewery.
He turns, he grins from ear to ear. "Yes, darling? How can I help?" He asks, the smugness dripping off every word.
I slowly walk to him, taking his form and height in. "I was hoping you could help me?" I ask, trying to keep my tone easy going and soft.
"You'll have to do something for me first," he demands.
"I'll do anything," I call. I keep my hood up and the scarf around my mouth.
"Come here, my little beauty." He coaxes, his eyes betraying his eagerness. His disgusting nature of thinking he's better than everyone else.
I watch as he underestimates me. He thinks he can have me. Oh, how wrong he is. I keep my slow pace and as I enter into his arms reach, he grabs me. Pulls me in his grasp.
I was expecting him to. Hoping he would.
My knee goes up and I hear a satisfying, crunching sound. His breath goes out of him as he crumples to the floor. I pull his knife off him, a pathetic piece compared to mine, I throw it out of his reach.
With ease and years of practice my knife is twirled around and is pushed against his neck, "you will pass my message on and I'll do something for you too." I lean in, pressing my knee right into his sensitive area I just crushed.
I hear his whimper of protest as he tries to protect himself. I push the knife and pierce his skin. "I won't kill you," I whisper menacingly to him.
"What's the message?" He stutters between gasps of pain.
"Tell the King to sort his men out or I will."
"What do you mean?" He asks trying to stall for time so he can turn the situation around.
"If I hear of another incident where an officer grabs a girl without her permission, I will make sure he can never use his manhood again." I grin wickedly at him. Knowing I need to disappear already.
"And why will the King listen to you?" He hisses.
I force my knee down, applying more pressure. "Tell him you met Bumblebee." I use the hilt of my knife and knock him out.
He doesn't deserve me sparing his life. Whether he passes my message on or not isn't my problem. I'll track him and if he doesn't listen to my warning, that's his fault. Not mine.
I leave him in the gutter where he belongs. "Have a good sleep, Paulson," I call silently into the night. Hoping I will see him very soon.
I run back to the spot on the roof facing the brewery. Aunt Maggie is going to kill me if I'm not back soon.
Most girls and boys who work there, live next door together. Safety in numbers. The brewery has private bedrooms for people who want to pay for a good time and an escape but the workers don't stay there.
I wait for the girl from earlier. She comes out of the brewery and my heart goes out to her. Her shoulders sag from the long night or tiredness. Her clothing is minimal, she has nothing on to protect her from the bitter wind. She makes her way to her house. I'm glad she doesn't have to go far. Otherwise, I'd be tempted to steal the coat from Paulson, who most likely is still in the gutter.
I tell myself I don't care. I don't care for the girl or anyone. I look out for Maggie and that's it.
I watch her walk in and call out to a few different ones. She makes her way upstairs and lights up her candle. I wonder if she shares a room or whether she has managed to pay enough to get her own room.
I swing down the drainpipe and moments later I find myself climbing up to her window.
I don't realise until later, how creepy I could come across.

Breaking In

 

I listen by the window and I'm not sure if she's on her own or not.

I pull myself up to the roof and allow half an hour to pass.

The streets quieten down a little, but in this part of