Chapter One
Little Witch
No Rest for the Wicked-Lennon and Maisy
The wind whistles around my ears and I shut my eyes to savor every wisp that thinks to caress me. It's been getting colder and colder out here and that means girls are going to start falling soon. It's going to matter who stays standing and I'm determined to be one of them. My skin is almost an ungodly heat at all times, so I don't foresee any problem. The streets I'm on are littered with trash, including the girls that line the concrete walls in their skimpy clothes; including me. I'm dressed up in my Sunday best; a teal leather jacket, a black cut-off shirt that's basically a bra, and a white flowy skirt that attracts guys like moths to a flame. They're suckers for the school girl type. A black mustang pulls up in front of me and I'm quick to walk up to the window, leaning my arms on it after the man inside lowers the glass.
"Hey, sweetie. You looking for a little fun?" I ask sweetly, smiling innocently at the salt and pepper haired man in the driver's seat. He only has a couple wrinkles and is most likely just forty; younger than my usual clients. He smiles to show off perfect teeth and looks me up and down like a meal.
"What can you do right here in this car? I've got no time to take you anywhere." He tells me in a surprisingly high-pitched voice. It's hard not to cringe from the grating sound, instead I wink and open his door, smoothly sliding myself onto his lap and shutting the door once again. My hands gently lay on his shoulders and my skirt flutters over his lap to shield his growing erection.
"I can do everything right here in this car. Just name it." I tell him with a smooth, low voice.
"You're already in the right position." He grins again and affixes his lips to my neck as I stare blankly at the ceiling of his car, going through the motions like every other time. When he's done I'm quick to get my money and get out. Men usually appreciate a girl who knows not to linger. The cold air hits me like a slap to my face, but I force myself down the sidewalk anyway as a tint of yellow light colors the sky. Going against the wind is hell, but it's the quickest way back to my apartment. My lips form a macabre grin when I think of my greeting when I get there, my earnings from today tucked into a hidden compartment in my jacket making me feel warmer than the rising sun. I've almost always been his favorite. I bring in the most money out of all the girls because of my young age. There is no end to the perverts in this world and my paycheck depends on it. Everyone other than the boss man hates me because I'm the best, as well as the fact that I can steal their clients. I don't feel guilty about it. It's kill or be killed out here and I'm glad I don't have any friends to distract me. Well, except the little black cat outside my window. Caught up in my musings I run smack dab into a man in a long black coat. In my defense, he seemed to pop up out of nowhere.
"Hey, watch it fucker." I snap instantly and move around him.
"Excuse me?" He asks and I can tell by the clarity of his voice that he's turned around toward me. Sighing, I turn towards him and look at his face. Bright blue eyes, surprisingly long, shiny, black hair, and sharp fucking cheekbones.
"Look, I'm tired and sick of men. Walk away, trench coat." I command and cross my arms on my chest. His eyebrows go up when he actually looks me up and down, then turns completely towards me.
"Aren't you a bit young to be a whore?" He asks in a tone of complete interest. His question shocks me into a moment of silence and he takes the opportunity to walk closer to me. When he's a foot away from me my body instantly reacts by shoving my hands out in front of me. They shake violently, but they're the only thing that's moving. The man has completely frozen. The wind blows but not a hair on his head moves and his coat remains still instead of flapping around him like mine. I take a breath and lower my hands, already backing up quickly. I know from experience that this won't last very long.
"Old enough to trick you, sweetheart. Don't worry, it'll wear off." I flick him off and turn around, rushing away as fast as I can go in my heels. Luckily, my apartment is just around the corner. Sighing in relief, I shut the black door behind me and head to the right where the bosses room is. He's everyone's first stop when we get in. I knock lightly on the green door, the only one in this place that doesn't have chipping paint, and step back to wait. A minute passes, then another girl answers the door and gestures for me to come in after she steps out. I can practically feel the heat of her hate radiating from her blue eyes and she makes sure to flip her blonde extensions before flouncing out and shutting the door.
"Is that my favorite girl?" I hear the deep voice of Strike coming from behind the thin shutter doors cutting across the middle of the room. He'd taken over two rooms down here, one for meetings adorned with leather couches, televisions, and bars. The other is his personal room equipped with a bed and desk. If he's in that room, it's bad news for me. I swallow and put on my most convincing smile, then head to the shuttered doors.
"Yes, sir. I've got a little something for you." I say coyly through the door, hoping he'll come in here instead of inviting me in.
"Baby girl, I've been waiting for you to get back. Why don't you come on in with your gift and nothing else?" He asks and I shut my eyes in dread, but instantly strip as per his instructions. Grabbing the money from my jacket, I open the doors and smile. Say what you will about Strike, he is not an unattractive man. His curly, caramel colored hair is always tousled from sex and his thin, pink lips are usually stretched into a satisfied smile. He's tall as well, at least six foot one and has always been fit. Right now, he has on pressed black slacks and a completely unbuttoned white shirt to show off his chiseled chest. His green eyes fix themselves on me and have always reminded me of a snake's scales, or perhaps that's just the man behind them. "Hello, gorgeous. What's this gift you have for me? Other than your lovely presence, of course." Strike asks in his signature smooth, soft voice, sliding off the bed lithely and heading over to me. I do my best not to flinch when his hand glides down my cheek. See, what the other girls don't understand is that I'm not Strike's favorite because I bring in the most money. I'm his favorite because I fear him the most and he knows it. I hold up the wad of money in slightly trembling fingers and he grins in a way that could be mistaken for affection. I know him too well for that.
"It was a good night tonight." I tell him simply as he slips the money out of my fingers, then takes my index in his mouth. He sucks and pulls off with an audible pop, as if licking a delicious sauce off my fingers. Perhaps he can taste the fear pouring off my skin and feeds off it like a leech. I let my hand fall back to my side, but don't dare wipe his saliva off yet. His hand falls a little further down and he lets his thumb rest on my jugular, so I know he feels it when I swallow nervously.
"Ah, this is perfect. Thank you, sweetheart. You've always been my best girl." He coos and squeezes my neck just enough to be vaguely threatening. I make sure to keep a smile on my face as I stare into his eyes. Strike lets the wad of cash gently skim over my collar bone and in between my breasts as he bites his lip. "Unfortunately, I don't have time to enjoy you this morning. I have business to attend to." He laments and I do my best to pout instead of sigh in relief. The next thing I know his lips are on mine and his tongue is violating my mouth. Instantly I return the kiss, patiently waiting until he's done. We part and he sighs, his spicy breath staining my nose as well as my mouth with his scent. "Since I'm so happy with you today, I'll give you two hundred dollars. Now, get your fine ass some sleep." He slaps my ass for emphasis and smiles when I yelp. I'm quick to take the money he offered and get out, barely slipping my clothes back on before going back to my room. The best girls are on the same floor as the boss, so my room is just down the hall in the back-right corner.
I sigh in relief once I'm inside and immediately scrub my hands and rinse my mouth with a shot of tequila. Next, I change into a comfortable dress. Rule one of being here, no matter where you are or what time it is, always be ready to see the boss. My room is small and cozy. The one safe place I have in my crazy ass life. Walking in, all one can see is a narrow hallway that leads to a miniscule sitting room furnished with just a couch, coffee table, and television on the half wall that cuts the room in half. On the other side of that wall is my bed and a floor to ceiling window that leads to a small alley not even big enough to fit a grown man in. The wall itself is actually a built-in bookshelf that I just use for clothes. Across from my bed is a bathroom that's probably the same size as my couch. I'm just thankful for running water and an unclogged toilet. Some of the girls have to share a bathroom and I'm immensely glad to have mine to myself. Beside the bathroom is a kitchen of the same size that has almost no counter space, but has a fridge, oven, and microwave. The walls are mostly white, other than the chipping where some of the walls meet. My bed spread is a dull grey and my couch is tan. Really, the only color in my entire apartment are the clothes I have stacked in my bookshelves and the only lights are can lights. I kneel down on the wooden floors and tap in a little circle for the loose board. The hollow knocking sound alerts me to it's hiding place and I put pressure on the other end, causing it to tip up. I tuck the two hundred into a cleaned sauce jar I use for my savings. I've got to have collected a couple thousand by now. Quietly, I put the board back and head to the kitchen to grab a can of tuna. After opening it and mixing it around, I head to the window and open it with a scrunched-up nose from the smell. My little kitty appears instantly, letting out one small mew before coming inside.
"Hi, Ghost. How's it going?" I greet him affectionately and set the tuna down by the door, tickling his cute little black butt. He blinks his amber eyes up at me then starts eating happily. While he eats I head into the kitchen to fix myself something to eat before crashing. Ham and cheese is my go to and I basically scarf it down before collapsing on my bed and instantly falling asleep.
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*Loki's POV*
"You were bested by a young, scantily clad, girl?" Thor asks me once again and I'm forced to nod, causing his booming laughter to echo through the room.
"She had magicks, you oaf." I hiss, irritatingly staring at the pictures on Stark's screens as he flips through them, clearly withholding his own laughter.
"Ah, so you were bested at your own craft as well?" Thor teases me once again and slaps my shoulder when I don't respond. "Perhaps you're slipping, brother." He hypothesizes, but my attention has passed from him and is completely on the screens in front of me.
"I don't understand why the hell you were in that neighborhood anyway. Alone. Especially at five in the morning!" Tony adds and I roll my eyes at the two of them.
"There!" I exclaim as soon as the young girl's face appears on the screen. Stark freezes the image and taps on her face so it takes over the entire screen. "Found you, little one." I whisper with a grin.
"Alright, Friday, could you pinpoint the exact location of our Matilda?" Tony asks as he heads over to where Thor and I stand.
"Yes, sir. Right now, she's in a building of, if I may say so sir, ill repute." The screen focuses on a tall red brick building and brings up a picture of her at a tall window.
"God, she can't be older than sixteen and she's working the streets?" Stark asks with concern as I stare at your face curiously. How can you possibly have magic? Magic powerful enough to stop me for over a minute?
"We should retrieve her." I postulate and step back, crossing my arms over my chest. Stark and Thor stare at me in surprise.
"I'm shocked to see you showing emotion towards another person, Reindeer Games." Stark comments and I smirk.
"Ah, yes. Because you're an expert on feelings, Stark. Especially mine." I shoot back before Thor can scold the both of us.
"Calm down, the both of you. Now, I agree with Loki. Let us retrieve this girl and question her." Thor surprises us both by backing me up, but I take the support when I can get it. My eyes drift back to the little girl on the screen.
"I'm coming for you, little witch."