Page 46 of Chasing the Night
“Get them to the jail,” Messiah growled without raising his voice past its usual whiskey tone. He hadn’t told me not to move, but his eyes were fixing me to the counter. A couple of working women huddled in the back, gawking and whispering amongst themselves.
“Business is closed tonight by the Dock Authority. Out.” He hitched his thumb toward the door,all the while walking toward me. The counter keeper was surveying the damage to the tables nearby. “You deaf or daft old man? Out.”
The proprietor looked to Messiah and then gave a final wide-eyed glance toward all the damage again.
“Sir,” he hesitantly agreed.
Messiah stalked him all the way to the door without moving a muscle. When he did, it was to crane his neck back toward me.
His hazel eyes flashed with so many things. Incredulity, anger, was that… fear? His jaw and mouth waivered back and forth between concern and undeniable rage. Every time he shook his head, the long draping dreadlocks rolled and settled somewhere new.
“Messiah…” I started but never made it passed a strained whisper.
“No.” His arm shot out and his palm stared back at me. He tipped his head and shook it one more time while sucking on his teeth. “Get. Just get to the jail, before anyone else sees.”
In my mind, half of me had already leapt to my feet. The other half was trying to further cement itself to the counter. I was sure he would snatch onto me or rattle me around like he had Reverie. Fuck, even Ender and Keifer had been little more than dolls in his hands… and at the same damn time.
My mind screamed to get out. For a taste of fresh air and a chance toward… freedom… to run to the house where he, too, slept? Panic swallowed me, heat flooded me, and goosebumps broke out on my flesh.
“It wasn’t a suggestion, love. I’m asking as the Dock Authority. I need you to go now. Quietly, please so there is no further disgrace toward House Krypt.” Yes, he was asking nicely, but I couldn’t move. Not even my lips. I sat silent, staring blankly at him.
“Chalice. Please. Don’t make me arm myself to escort you. Please.” His voice dipped with each plea. His jaw, however, was still set firm. I saw a tug of war being played behind his hazel eyes, and it only fueled the tension and determination in his expression. “I will not arm myself against you, Chalice. Go... I’m warning you…”
Something in me snapped. Not in that violent explosive way that it usually did after I had stayed quiet so long. No, this was something else entirely. It began as a sharp bark of laughter, that transcended into a giggle and mask of disbelief.
“Warning me?” I laughed, trying desperately to restrain it.
That fucking Cognac. Damn that Cognac.
“Fuck me,” he scoffed over a groan while reaching for his pants. He began to undo them, and I couldn’t help it, I slid from the counter, compelled by the urge for a closer look at whatever it was he intended to negotiate with.
The sound of leather zipping through the loops of his britches wasn’t exactly something I would have wasted time on… but I wouldn’t complain about how he got there.
While I stood in anticipation of the laces being plucked, he looped the belt through itself and slid it down until it was wrapped securely about his hand.
This crazy goon meant to hit me with that thing?
I didn’t realize it until he gave it a second tug and pointed toward the door. I was already shocked and rocking about on my spiked slippers from the drastic change in my fantasy. I tried to think of something clever to say, but damned if I didn’t open my mouth and Ender crawled out.
“Enough with the performance,” I mimicked, laughing on a sigh as I recalled the performance Ender had given. He had really cut Klarissa down to size. Quick too.
“Perform…” He laughed on a scoff. “Oh, I’ve got a performance for you, alright.
He was quick, too, I realized much too late. His belt bit my legs, and that was all it took to send me stumbling in the damn fancy slippers. I kicked them off and tried to keep putting distance between us.
“Unpin that fucking dress before you hit that door… so help me,” he bit out. What the fuck was he talking about? I reached about my neck to check the ties and the leather bit me again. “Your legs are bared before the Mountain and everyone on it, for fuck’s sake.”
I jerked the hem wildly and scrambled to my feet.
“Bastard,” I hissed, not without speeding up, of course. Every dozen steps or so, I glared back at him and tried to determine if I had enough distance to run. I didn’t want to know what fate await me at the jail. I didn’t want to know what Atticus might say.
I didn’t want anything more to do with any of it.
“Why are you putting us in jail? Your own family?” I hissed back, loud enough for him to hear.
“What the fuck else choice do I have? Neither of you fools gave a thought to how many witnesses were present. I will look incompetent and be replaced if I look the other way with something like this,” he growled once he had closed the distance a bit. I started to trot but slowed when I saw him putting his belt back on.
“Do you have any fucking idea…” he began, only to grow quiet when we topped the hill.