A Scarlet Kingdom (Scarlet #1.2)

2. "You complete me, Farren"

Ne-yo - Never knew I needed

The human world is so much like Scarlet Crown, but at the same time it's absolutely nothing like Scarlet Crown. There were couples, families, stores, and restaurants. It reminded me of my hometown. It didn't show up to be flat out of a fairytale, but it had it's charms.

Caelum and I sprayed some Mystical Philter before we left for Italy; supernatural creatures lived among the humans, and Caelum thought it would be best if they didn't know we were here. He took me to a place in Italy called Brera, Milan. It was amazing, we went to a little restaurant, where we had the best pizza I've ever tasted "Do you want ice-cream?" he asks as we stroll down the stoned path, passing an ice cream store. I nod, we turn around and walk into the ice-cream place. His ringing phone echoes through the store, he pulls it out and I see Gideon's name flash on his phone. It must be important "Take it" I tell him. He grabs some money from his pocket and places it in my hand. He walks out of the store to take the call.

A girl with black hair, dark skin and brown eyes appears behind the counter "Ciao, cosa posso offrirti?" the girl asks with a smile. I return her smile, but I have no clue what she's saying "Uh, Ciao" I greet. She laughs "I'm so sorry, you speak English" she apologizes, her accent thick "What can I get for you?" I glance at the English side of the menu "I'll have a pistachio ice cream in a cup" I tell her. "Great" I pay for the ice cream and she turns around to put the ice cream in a plastic cup. My phone dings, I take it out to see a message from Mila.

"How's the date going?"

"It's going good" I text back. A group of four guys my age-two with black hair, one blond, and one brunet- enters the store just as I'm about to put my phone back into my pocket. Two of them sit in front of a wooden table in seats, while the other two stand near me. The blonde guy calls out to the girl "Elena," and she stiffens at the sound of his voice, turning around with a disingenuous smile "Cosa vuoi, Fabio?" she sounds annoyed. The boy frowns "Non mi piace quando ci parli così. Ti piace, Angelo?" he says, turning to the boy with brown hair, the brown head boy shakes his head. The girl, whose name I assume is Elena, turns to me and hands me my ice cream, but before I can accept it, one of the guys with black hair rises from his seat and snatches it from her grip.

I turn furiously to him "Hey! That's mine" I grit through my clenched teeth, the four boys turn their attention on me, the guy who has my ice cream throws it into the bin on the side, my mouth falls open "How about I buy you a new ice cream, at another place, bella ragazza" he says to me. My face twists in displeasure "No" I turn to Elena "Can I get another one please" I ask her. The black haired boy yanks my arm "Oh come on, I'm being nice to you, bellissima"

I pull my arm back, about to say something, but Caelum walks back into the shop, his domineering presence making three of the boys take a step back. He doesn't spare them a glance, he stands beside me, pulling me into him by the waist "Did you get what you want?" he asks me, I shake my head "No, not as yet"

My attention goes to Elena "One pistachio ice cream" I say, pulling out more money, she rejects the money "No, on the house" she goes back to putting the ice cream in a cup, the boy with black hair isn't bothered by Caelum's presence, or at least he doesn't show it. He grabs my hand "I asked you a question, bellissima"

Caelum pulls me back against him and looks at the boy "Perditi, ragazzo" he tells the boy. When the boy doesn't go away, he lets go of me, walks to the boy and grabs him by the collar "Non mi piacciono i bambini che non mi ascoltano. Sai cosa gli faccio?" he growls "Li faccio a pezzi e faccio fare alle loro famiglie una caccia al tesoro per trovare i pezzi del loro corpo. Ma chissà, forse la tua testa sarà in una scatola davanti alla porta di tua madre" he straigtens the boy's collar, and the four of them look at him with wide eyes. I turn to Elena who dropped something in shock of what Caelum said.