Page 52 of Ruined

"You're all of those things too," she said. "Especially strong. You're also an assassin, which is the absolute coolest thing I can possibly think of. I couldn't do it. I'd probably trip over my own feet and let everyone know I was there."

I choked back a laugh. "I'm sure you wouldn't. You don't seem like the clumsy type. Besides, it's all a matter of training."

"It's more than that," she said insistently. "You're also dainty, with a face that screams 'I'm innocent, I'd never hurt a fly.' If anyone saw you walking around their house, they'd probably assume you got lost."

I shrugged. "Maybe." That was why I was chosen for the training, but I couldn't have done my job based on looks and build alone. It took years to learn how to move silently, to kill and slip away without looking back.

It was definitely not for the faint of heart.

One of the boys I trained with carried out one kill and then couldn't continue. I vividly remember the first life I took. They never knew I was there. They went to sleep one night and never woke up. Apparently his mistress found him in the morning on blood drenched sheets, his throat cut.

I felt nothing, but a fleeting moment of arousal. The power of having taken a life. The rush of slipping away right after he took his last breaths. Triumph at having a plan executed flawlessly.

After that night, I was forced to accept that part of me was wrong. Twisted, fucked up, whatever. I could have run from it, but instead, I embraced it.

"Definitely," Daze said. "Can I ask you for a favour?"

"Of course you can," I said. She was doing me a big one, I owed her after this.

"I have a daughter, Nova," she said slowly. "I wonder if she'd be a suitable candidate to train as an assassin. She's only five, but I thought maybe…"

"They're never too young to start," I said. "I'm happy to teach her self defence and some of the basic skills, and see how she develops." I couldn't promise more than that. She might not be suitable, but what I could teach her would help her to survive in Dusk Bay in particular, and the world in general. They were skills every girl should have. Skills that might keep her out of the hands of someone like Kurt.

"That would be fantastic," Daze enthused. "Thank you. Nova is going to be so excited. She loves learning new things, especially things that make her more independent. I'm sure she'll be driving the day she's old enough. You know what they say, they grow up so fast."

"I've heard that," I agreed. I'd never given much thought to having children of my own. What would my boyfriends think about it? Assuming I could get pregnant at all.

In that cage, I was too malnourished to menstruate, thank fuck. Having Kurt's baby would have made the hell so much worse. No one deserved to enter the world like that.

The only saving grace was the possibility I would have died giving birth. That was offset by the chance the baby might have survived. That was further nightmare fuel, as if I needed more.

No, thank fuck that never happened.

"It's absolutely true." She slowed the car and stopped where I indicated.

"You should stay in here," I said.

"Fuck that," she replied immediately. "I've come this far. You're not leaving me out now. It's the best way to avoid Reuben kicking my ass later. If you're dead, I better be dead too. Besides, this might be fun." She flashed me a smile and pushed out the driver-side door.

I sighed softly to myself and climbed out of the car. I hoped like hell I didn't regret not insisting she stay behind. I would have left her out of all of this if I thought I could take one of Reuben's cars and not be noticed.

Since that wasn't going to happen, I'd asked her for a ride into the city, and some help. She's eagerly agreed, saying she hadn't had a girls’ night out in too long.

"This is the place," I whispered as we approached the vegan grocery store. We kept to the shadows, moving silently in the darkness.

I glanced down at my phone. "By my calculations, he should be here in a few minutes."

We crouched down near the doorway to the gymnastics studio and waited.

The city was quiet at this time of night, just the sound of passing cars and the occasional shout. The air was cool and laced with the smell of exhaust fumes and Chinese food. Most sensible people were at home, watching the Dusk Bay Demons ice hockey team on TV, or still at the Wolf Venom concert. Not sneaking around at night like a pair of criminals.

"This is where you got to." I heard footsteps right before Gianni spoke. Lucky for him he did, or I would have stabbed him in the neck. As it was, I had my knife in my hand without realising I'd moved. The hilt was cool on my palm, reassuring and familiar. Like holding onto an old friend when you need them the most.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I whispered. I grabbed his hand and pulled him down into the shadows with me.

"I went to check up on you and you weren't in your room," he said. "Or Reuben's room. Or Damon's room. Or mine. Then I saw you sneak out the door, so I followed you. It's a real prick to drive all this way without headlights on."

"You shouldn't have followed us," I hissed. "Who's with you?"

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