I begin with drawing the spider webs on each jaw and the corner of my forehead in black. Next I work on the skull’s eyes, cheeks, and nose. The pattern flows from my hand like my mind knows it’s part of my heritage. I paint a blood red rose on the top left corner of my forehead, right above my eyebrow, then apply the same colour to my lips. When I’m done, I sit back and admire my work. It’s frighteningly beautiful.
I get dressed in black leather pants and a matching corset top. Around my neck I wear a satin choker with a knife pendant hanging in the hollow of my neck. Every detail matters because after today, every motherfucking Head in that room will know to fear me.
“You look so fucking hot.” Vin groans from the bed as he reaches inside his pants and strokes his cock. “I feel so morbid.”
I laugh at him and blow him a kiss, “when I get back, I’ll mess up this makeup all over your dick.”
There’s a quick knock on the door and then I hear Trent’s voice, “Ember, I have to escort you to the meeting.”
I open the door and revel in the quick flash of fear in his eyes. He covers it and smirks, “that’s a bit fucking creepy.”
“Trent,” Vin calls from his place on the bed. “Make sure my fiancée makes it back here untouched.” The threat in his voice is clear.
“Fiancée? Congrats.” He nods, “I’ll have her back here without so much as a hair touched on her pretty, evil head.”
I follow him out the door and down the hallway to the large double doors that house the Head meetings. “Are they all here?”
“Yeah, just as you asked. You are the last.” He turns before opening the door and looks at me, “you remind me of your father, I know you hate hearing that but you do. I can also see how you’re different but it’s slight. It’s not a bad thing to be like him, he was tough, respected, and feared. He ran an empire that one man shouldn’t have been able to command all on his own and he killed like it was his favourite hobby. All I’m trying to do is warn you, don’t let it fuck with your mind. That’s where he was weak and in here.” He taps his chest over his heart. “Continue to love the people around you and never let the pleasure of killing embrace you like an old friend, the more you revel in the high, the longer you stay there.”
I’m not offended to be compared to my father, I already accepted it a long time ago. Maybe even before I met the asshole. I understand what Trent is telling me and I appreciate his words. Not many people I surround myself with knew the man and Carm refuses to speak of him. So it’s good to hear how not to turn into him completely.
“Thank you, Trent.” I tell him genuinely and he pats my back before opening the door.
I walk inside slowly and let everyone get a good look. The hushed conversation stops abruptly and everyone’s eyes slowly widen as they take in my face and attire.
“I’ve been more quiet and subdued for the last few meetings. I’m new and wanted to get a feel for the position and the people I am now associated with.” I stand at my usual spot at the table, directly to Carm’s right and lay my knife down on the polished wood. Then I walk to the head of the table and stand behind Carm, his shoulders stiffen a bit but he doesn’t move. “Most of you are straight forward and call things how you see it.” I place my hand on his shoulder and move on to the man next to him and do the same.
“Some of you are more ruthless than others and like to play with your food before you eat it.” I get to my fat fellow Head, the one that disregarded me in the beginning until I told him I killed his mark. “We may be leaders in our area but in this room we are equal, not one of us is any better than the other.” I stop behind Wade and place my hand on his shoulder. He doesn’t move and if anything he seems completely at ease. Cocky fucker. “We should protect each other and help each other. Because a win for one is a win for all.”
I squeeze his shoulder and the guy finally stiffens. “You tried to have me killed, Wade.”
“What?” He has the audacity to sound shocked.
“You set me up to fight one of your guys. Who even knows if he was actually plotting your death.”
“This is absurd!” He tries to stand but I squeeze the pressure point in his neck until he sits again.
“You gave him a knife and when he was almost beaten, he pulled that on me. He slashed me across the belly and if he had been less than an inch closer, my entrails would have been splattered across that mat.” Carm’s face crumbles into a look of pain.
“I did not give him that knife.” Wade says, sounding completely sincere as he looks up into my face.
“Yes, you did.” Carm’s voice rings out loud. “My guard confessed to accepting payment from you to do so.”
“Which guard?” Wade bellows, “bring him in here so I may question him myself.”
“He’s been taken care of. I do not house traitors.” Carm smoothly replies.
“Convenient.” Wade sneers then turns his sight onto me. “How do you propose we correct this?”
“I propose a fight in the cage.” I keep my face free of any emotion even though my lips fight to form a grin.
“Fine, I cannot refuse unless I want to be portrayed as a liar. Tell me Blur, what are the stakes?”
“Black Slaughter.”
