Thieves of the Forsaken, L.M.A. Z.S [grave mercy .TXT] 📗

***

She felt cold and tired. The stone floor was very uncomfortable, the air was like in a tomb and there was almost no light. Pretty ironic that usually she felt quite comfortable in such places. But not this one. No, she tried really hard, but couldn’t imagine anyone who would feel comfortable in a prison. For, what seemed like a thousand and third time she thought of her possibilities for escape, and again, like all the times before, came up with nothing.

She scanned her surroundings with a cold gaze. In the cell across hers, the inmate froze with fear - he has been looking at her for almost three hours, wondering why is a corpse kept in a cell, not in cemetery. Now he was wondering if that corpse truly moved it`s eyes…

The man was not to blame. She really did look like a corpse in such poor lightning, not mentioning she was pale from cold, and had naturally defined cheekbones, that normally gave her almost aristocratic look, but now served as enhancer of her dead look.

She listened. And heard nothing except her own slow breath and even slower pulse. She didn’t like the silence. Usually did. But not this time. This time her moment of solitude seemed awful and she longed to hear something. A howl of a hound. A cry of a tortured inmate. Anything. But there was nothing.

Suddenly, somewhere opened a heavy door. It echoed through the dungeon, followed by footsteps of one person. She listened. It was the guard. He was coming in their direction. She heard the rattling of keys. Maybe she will be lucky enough and will be able to steal the key to her cell?

The footsteps stopped near her cell.

“You the one named Neelah, thief?” She turned her head. “Someone is waiting for you.”

***

“What the fuck happened here?” said Elzebess the boss of this club. She had a good figure, big breasts, wide hips and luscious lips. As always, she was wearing richly adorned clothes from dark purple fabrics.

“Nothing, Elzebess.” Tamire answered her question, turned away from her and pretended to apply makeup on her face.

“I asked..” She asked again menacingly. “What happened?”

“Okay, well.. Roxanne's boyfriend came to me, paid for one lap dance. Roxanne saw that and get jelous. Then she slapped my face two times. Now I have red cheek which is not good because of clients.”

“Whore!” whispered Roxanne from the corner of the room wiping tears from her cheeks.

“As far as I know it`s my job to satisfy paying customers. All I did was my job.”

“Yeah, right!”

“Sorry, but that`s what..”

“Bitch, shut the fuck up! I don't give a shit what you are saying.. All I know is that you are a big cunt, that steals boyfriends.” Roxanne screamed and moved aggressively towards Tamire. Tamire stood on her feet. Now they were standing close to each other.

“You better fuck off or else..” Tamire said slowly in threatening voice.

“Or else what? You gonna fuck my brother too? ”

“You don't want to test my patience you dumb hag. I’m sure you don't want to know what I`m capable of.”

“I`m not afraid of you.”

“I`m capable of killing, you know. I have done it before. Or I could just sell you to some maniac, rapist or killer so that my hands won't get dirty.”

“Yeah right!”

“Once, I peeled skin from a guy that tried to rob me. They never discovered who did it.”

“I..”

“There was another time, when I stabbed a knife in someone's eye just for looking at me.”

“Please..”

“Tamire! Stop. She needs to calm down before getting on stage.” calmly said Elzebess who was just standing near them, leaning against the wall and watching the whole show.

“Thank you, Elzebess.” quietly in gratitude said Roxanne and then ran away fast as she could.

“Come back you little wus. Let`s talk some more.” She yelled at the running girl. When she disappeared out of the sight, Tamire turned to Elzebess. “Why did you have to do that? I had so much fun scaring that little cunt.”

“You will play again with her soon. But now, let`s go to my office. We need to talk.”

“About what?” Tamire asked confused and with suspicion. Little bit scared too. Elzebess was the only person on Earth she was afraid of. And what she has to say. At least for now.

***

Neelah was staring at the figure before her. First she gets found. Found! Neelah, the uncatchable thief! Now this fancy looking man comes and offers to bail her out and give a contract! There was something fishy, but at least she will get out of chains and from that point forward, she will make sure not to be caught again.

The girl smiled. Well, it would not be called “smiling” by a normal person, more like a “grin of a hungry monster, ready to devour”, but it was closest to a smile she could muster.

“So, you accept the contract, miss Neelah?”

Fancy-pants was impatient.

“Yes,” she replied calmly, “Of course, I will, if it gets me out of here.”

The man looked a bit confused for a moment, but then laughed: “Great! I`ll make sure they release you and give back your belongings. After that, open this envelope, there will be all the details you need.”

Thief looked at the snow-white piece of paper before her. So clean, so ...expensive, so pure, so out of place. She picked it up. “How ironic,” she bitterly thought, noticing how her fingers instantly left traces of dirt and blood. What was ironic? She could not tell, her mind did not want to work at this moment, but there definitely was some trace of it.

The sound of a door closing echoed through the room and her mind. The man was gone.

***

“So? What did you wanted to talk about?” Tamire asked when both women were sitting. Elzebess on one side of the table, Tamire on the other.

“I wanted to warn you about something.” Elzebess said and then stood up and looked out of window behind her.

“About what?” Tamire asked being curious. When Elzebess didn`t answer for a minute she asked again but this time anxiously. “Elzebess! Tell me. Warn me about what?”

“Today, in the morning, I received some rumors from one of my field agents.” Elzebess went to pour herself whiskey in glass. “Do you want some?”

“No. Just talk. Don`t keep me in suspense.”

“I don't know much but.. There is a man who wants to capture you. I don't know why or what he is planning to do. Just.. I would like to say that you need to be careful. Therefore, this will be your last day in this job. I think it would be for the best.” She drank from her glass then continued talking. “Tonight you will pack all your belongings from here and home. Let`s say.. Let`s call it a vacation. Trip around the world.”

Tamire frowned. “No.”

“No?” Elzebess sounded surprised. Girl’s throat became dry, but she continued.

“Yes. I don`t give a fuck about some dude that will try to steal me, kill me or whatever. How I said to Roxanne before - I`m capable of things. All I said was true and you know that. I will stay here. Earn some money. Deal with intruder if I need to. If there will be one. But I don't think I will get caught here. On the way home maybe, but he won't succeed.”

“Tamire..” Elzebess sounded worried. “Please.. Run away while you still can! When.. If.. You are the best of all the girls that work here.” Elzebess stopped talking, drank from glass and wiped tear from cheek. “Also.. You are like daughter to me. I care about you. Please.. Listen to me this time.” Elzebess took another pause and then continued sadly and quietly. “Do it for me.”

Tamire stood up, went to Elzebess and hugged woman from behind putting her head on her back. “Okay. I will run. But..”

“Tamire..”

“But I will disappear only for a week. After that I will be back.”

“Honey..”

“Bessie, look at me for a second.” Tamire picked up her head, took Elzebess by elbows and turned her to face Tamire. “Everything is going to be alright. You should trust me on this. I will make sure of that. After week I will be back, that guy will be dead, we will drink wine and laugh about all this. Okay?”

“Okay.”

***

Her eyes hurt. She was not very fond of daylight in the first place, but after her time in prison, where only light you had is a torch on the wall around the far corner, the light burned her sight and she almost wondered if she had gone blind…

Neelah went to one of her hideouts as soon as she got back her stuff and was released. Of course, all the money she had on her in the moment of arrest, was not returned. At least she always had some hidden. She gave a small, bitter laugh, as bruised places of her body demanded attention. A week ago she didn’t know guards were allowed to beat up prisoners at their whim. Now she knew that from the first hand experience.

She stepped in the shower, quickly washing off everything, hissing in pain, as water ran over more gruesome bruises and cuts. Fuck, she had missed showers!

After a half an hour long shower she returned to the room and sat down on the bed. Her gaze caught the sealed envelope - she still had not opened it. A little tremble found it’s way into her fingers, as she ripped open the white piece of paper. Inside was a page with instructions. She squinted her eyes and tried to make sense out of the “neat” handwriting.

Halfway through she almost couldn’t believe her eyes. She had to steal.. a person. And not some random fuckwit, but someone she knew. Well, someone she had stalked, but those are details… Her target was a girl. A very pretty girl named Tamire. The part with information about target she skipped, she knew all that, she has been a good stalker after all, and proceeded to part with where and when the stolen goods has to be handed over.

Finishing reading, she exhaled. This is going to be interesting.

***

After talk Tamire went to her room, dressed up in disguise and went into club main room. She stood in corner and watched everything that happened there. So many men that gazed with amazement at half naked girls, women on stage dancing like they were doing it for their men, a music with a good beat that created and enhanced this sexy atmosphere...

Tamire stood there and thought about what Elzebess said. She wasn't afraid of that, of course. She has seen and done many things that she`s not proud of. But knowing that someone wants to catch you for unknown reasons and not knowing when it`s going to happen was frustrating to her. “I just need to be more careful for some time.” She thought to herself and went back to make-up room for dancers.

While Tamire were sitting near her make-up station getting ready for her tonight`s show, there were two people who were watching her. First of them was Elzebess. Her stare was full of concern and fear. The second one - Roxanne. She was staring in anger and jealousy. “I will repay that bitch.” She thought to herself and turned to face her mirror image.

In the mean time Tamire was almost ready only her outfit was missing. She went to wardrobe and put on swimsuit like bodysuit with deep neckline, cuts on the sides, gloves, high boots and web like stockings. Not to mention that everything was in color of black and wine red. “I would hit on me if I was a man”. She looked in mirror once again and went backstage.

Tamire inhaled and exhaled deep breath. She heard first chords