Annabelle lay in her bed silently, curled up on her left side. She closed her eyes and swallowed, taking a shaky breath. How do I get used to this? Annabelle wondered. She was spooked, sleeping in the mansion here. It was bringing back all sorts of memories of her Meknikov Mafia days. The days she spent taking business lessons, and fighting lessons--which never actually set in, since she sucked at it--, and the ballet lessons and any other lessons her father could spend money on. He had treated her like a caged bird, calling her his "Princess". In truth, if he died, she was to be the next head of the family.
Annabelle swallowed and rolled over, forgetting about her shoulder. She gasped as pain lanced through it. Annabelle frowned and sat up. She ran her other hand through her hair. Annabelle moved and grabbed her phone from the table, clicking the screen on. Still no service. No wi-fi either. Annabelle's brow furrowed. She was a little glad to be here with her best friend, but something just didn't feel right. She wasn't sure if it was the room, or the world...or because her bed was so cold, for some reason. Annabelle sighed and moved, turning her music on quietly. She lay back down and closed her eyes, trying to focus on the song as it floated from her phone and into the room.
She opened her eyes, staring up at the ceiling, having remembered the face of Blood Dupre, the man who's mansion she was staying the night in. Her eyes softened. What is it about him? She wondered. Annabelle sighed and closed her eyes. I need a vacation. With a black sleek piano, and a private room. No one to disturb me, but Rina is there listening to me play. Annabelle frowned. Something about that doesn't even feel right....isn't that normally what I always imagine as an ideal vacation? Just spending time with my best friend?
Annabelle lay still, remembering how she and Rina had ever even met. Charles Burgundy was a man that the Meknikov Mafia had been trying to hunt down for years. He'd kidnapped girls and tortured them, the latest at the time having been the younger Rina. Annabelle clasped her fingers over her stomach. She remembered how, when they'd busted into his home, where he was supposed to be located, all that was found was a simple not that said "Catch me if you can". It was his stupid catchphrase he'd used to haunt police, the media, and the Meknikov mafia all the time. Every time they hunted him down, they were too late. He was gone, there was the dead body of his latest victim, and then there was the same note. Annabelle's eyebrows pinched together. Her best friend had been chained to the wall, her hands up by her head and her body thin with lack of nutrition. Annabelle was the one who saved her, willing to get up close.
She remembered her partner, Chloe Bing, had been too scared to go near the body. Then again, the younger girl had only just come into her wings as a Meknikov family member. She was related to Annabelle distantly, and her father had pushed Chloe onto her. He'd insisted on Annabelle being the one to train Chloe. They'd gone over the case files forty times over, and each time Chloe had seen so much as a picture of a dead body, she'd screamed and been grossed out. There they were, face to face with a tortured Rina, and Chloe was screaming her head off saying "Ew, please don't be dead." How disrespectful, Annabelle had thought.
When Rina had looked up at Annabelle, Annabelle knew that this girl would become her friend and responsibility right away. Rina had no family left, and so the Meknikov's took her in. She was originally the reason Annabelle left the family. It was two years after helping Rina get back on her feet, and then Rina told her something that changed her life.
*Flashback*
"Hey Rinaaaaaaa!"Annabelle called as she walked into their shared apartment. She beamed at her friend, who was in the kitchen working on something. "Oooh, that smells yummy. What is it?" Rina hummed and turned. She paused, spotting the scratch on Annabelle's cheek.
"Another bullet scraped you?"Rina asked. Annabelle blinked. She touched it and then smiled.
"Yeah, but I'm fine."
"Doesn't that kind of thing....I dunno, scare you?"Rina asked. She turned and continued with her cooking.
"Well, only a little but...my father wants me to do it so oh well,"Annabelle replied. She sat down at the bar, having dropped her bags on the couch.
"Do you want to do it?"Rina asked. Annabelle paused. Rina looked up, pausing in her mixing. Rina turned and looked at her. "Is it what you want to do? Be in the Mafia, I mean?" Annabelle was at a loss for words. She opened her mouth, surprised at the answer that left it.
"No."
Rina gave her a smile.
"Then don't."
*End Flashback*
Annabelle sighed hard. Rina. Always one of those kinds of people, helping others even though you yourself are suffering. Annabelle's eyes opened. I guess you're not suffering anymore... She yawned and rolled over on her side again. Her eyes slowly closed, listening to the words of her music.
"All the things she said, all the things she said, running through my head..."
*****
When Annabelle woke up, she was met at her door just as she was about to leave. Rina had her hand prepared to knock on it, but stopped, blinking at her friend as the door swung open. Annabelle smiled at her.
"Hey,"Annabelle greeted. Rina smiled, crossing her arms.
"You're about to head out?"She asked. Annabelle nodded. "Let's go ahead and get you your map, then." Annabelle nodded again and followed her out. She flicked the light off and turned, closing the door. Rina watched her, waiting until she turned to face her. They started down the hallway. "Sleep okay?"
"Yep...shoulder gave me a bit of pain though,"Annabelle told her. Rina hummed as they walked down the hall. "I guess that's to be expected." Rina rolled her eyes and made a "duh" face at her best friend.
"Well, you did dislocate it and pop it back in place,"Rina huffed at her. Annabelle laughed. She shrugged at her friend and moved, crossing her arms behind her head. Annabelle smiled to herself. "Did you bring your gun here?" Annabelle hummed.
"I'm not really trained well if I go somewhere without my gun, am I?"Annabelle asked. She stuffed her hands in her pockets, her bag resting on her shoulders. She moved and adjusted it so too much pressure wasn't put on her right one. "Nightmare let me grab a bag of things." Rina hummed once. Annabelle swallowed and looked down. She sighed suddenly. "Hey...where would you stay?" Rina paused and turned, blinking at her.
"What?"
"Where would you stay? If you were me right now..." Rina gave her a troubled look.
"Well...I don't know about you, but if it was me and I didn't have Elliot....I'd stay away from here." Annabelle's eyes went wide. Rina turned, stopping in the middle of the hallway. She gave Annabelle a serious look. Annabelle frowned. "I can't tell you why, but just trust me." Annabelle jolted, her eyes going wide. She tightened her grip on her bag straps. "And Blood...I work for him, so I can't say much against him. But...Annabelle...he could hurt you. Don't fall for him" Annabelle looked up in surprise. Like Justin?
"Really?"
"Not like Justin, I mean.... Blood is different than that, I'm sure he would never hit a woman. But...he's tricky. He plays with people,"Rina sighed. She turned so her back was facing Annabelle. "Take it from me, who was once an Outsider in this world...Blood will play with whatever and whomever he wants." Annabelle felt her chest go cold. Her brow pinched together. Alright then. "The Clover Tower...staying with Nightmare is your safest bet." Rina started walking again. After a moment, Annabelle hurried after her, catching up to her friend. When they reached Blood's office, Rina knocked twice.
"Enter." Rina opened the door and let Annabelle in behind her. Blood looked up from his desk. He smiled at Annabelle and her heart leapt in her chest. Does he really toy with people? She wondered. "Ah. Annabelle." Annabelle paused, hearing her name roll off his tongue with ease. She closed her eyes and offered him a smile.
"Just Annie, please,"She told him. Blood hummed once. She opened her eyes.
"Alright. Here's your map,"Blood spoke, holding up a piece of paper. Annabelle started towards him. He startled her by getting up from his desk and placing his pen on the desk. She paused in her movement and he stopped in front of her. He offered her a smile, holding it out to her. She went to take it from him and he quickly lifted it from her grasp. She blinked at him. "It'll cost you." Rina stiffened from her spot. Cost her? He's playing one of his damned tricks again, Rina thought. She mentally sighed. Brush him off Annie, you don't need that kind of turmoil in your life. You've already got a full plate getting over Justin and everything. She watched Annabelle from the side, silent while she was sure Blood was flirting with her.
"Oh...how much?"
"A kiss,"Blood teased. Annabelle's cheeks went bright red. Rina frowned. He never ceases in his teasing, does he?
"W-W-W-"She stuttered, not sure how to answer him. Rina huffed and moved, slapping her friend on the back of the head, knocking words out of her. "What kind of joke is that?" Annabelle huffed and looked back up from her head being slapped. She rubbed it, sending Rina an annoyed look. Blood was blinking in surprise, seeing Rina slapping Annabelle. She just enjoys slapping, doesn't she? Annabelle sighed and closed her eyes, irritated. "Can I please have the map?" Blood's lips curled back up into a smile.
"Why, yes of course. I was merely teasing,"He told her. He held the paper out to her. She took it.
"Thank you,"Annabelle told him. She looked down at the map. Blood held a finger up.
"I will take an extension on my payment,"Blood told her. Annabelle gave him a slightly annoyed look. He grinned down at her in amusement, spotting that she had more to her than innocent smiles. He moved and pointed his finger on the spots of the map. "This is Clover Tower...the man who brought you here owns the territory. These here..." Blood traced his finger over the little house icons. "Are all small towns and villages. Here's the Mansion." He pointed at a hat symbol. Annabelle slid her gaze around with his finger. "And here is Heart Castle."
"Oh...okay,"Annabelle replied. She smiled and looked up at him from the map. "Thank you." Blood smirked down at her.
"I would see you out, but I have work,"Blood told her. Annabelle nodded at him once. He turned and walked back to his desk. As Rina and her walked out, he caught sights of a holster beneath Annabelle's shirt, a gun resting at her hip. His eyes went wide just after the doors shut. Did Rina give her a gun? Does Annabelle even know how to use a gun? Blood frowned to himself. He sighed and turned his attention to his paperwork. What do I care?
****
Annabelle sighed, pausing on the path. She lowered the map in her hand and looked around. Though the time had been day-time originally, it had suddenly shifted to night-time. She was too far, now, to return to the Mansion. Annabelle frowned. I guess those survival instincts will come in handy, Dad. Annabelle moved and sat down off the path, taking her spot on a log. She crossed her legs in front of her, sitting and waiting. Her arms were crossed in front of her. At least I doubt there are dangerous things here in the forest. I mean, honestly I could use my phone flashlight and keep walking, but.... Annabelle sat still for a moment. Should I continue? She moved and pulled out her phone, turning it over in her hand. Annabelle shrugged and stood up. It's not too dark. At least I'm not tired...I haven't been awake long enough to feel tired yet.
As Annabelle started forward, she felt the ground shake beneath her. Annabelle's eyes went wide. The ground seemed to shift. Annabelle blinked in shock as the ground on her left side started to go down. Annabelle squeaked in fear, her instincts forcing her to crawl over to the right side, holding onto the side of the cliff as it slowly rose up. Shit! she thought. Her right arm ached, and shook, threatening to give out. The cliff kept moving higher and higher, pulling up into the sky. Annabelle breathed hard. Just pull yourself up...come on, all those years of pull ups and drill instructors screaming at you to do them...you should be able to do it! Annabelle let out a noise of pain as she tried to pull up on the cliff. She breathed hard. God, my arm is never gonna heal if I put it through shit like this!
Annabelle, tightened her grip on the cliff. The rocks stopped moving, part of the earth crumbling and falling to the ground below her where the path was. I hate life! Annabelle huffed. She tried to pull herself up again. Annabelle moved, trying to lift her leg. She groaned in pain as her arm throbbed. Annabelle pulled herself up enough to where her boobs were squished to the ground. She scrambled, trying to pull herself up with her legs. As she did this, her feet slipped off the side of the cliff multiple times. She suddenly paused, feeling the ground she was holding onto start to crumble. She looked forward at it and shook her head, moving to try and pull herself over to the other side. Annabelle swallowed. Clumps of dirt tumbled to the ground below her, busting open and audibly scattering. That could be my brain. And so, as fate would have it, she suddenly felt the worst happen.
The ground broke off around her hands and she started plummeting backwards.