The thump of music followed her out onto the road, the slam of the door containing it back inside the club. Outside, the air was thick with smoke, and
Leona's nose wrinkled with disgust. It took her a few steps to realise she'd stormed out without grabbing her jacket. Looking back at the door, she shrugged; she would pick it up tomorrow night. If it went walkabout between then and now, it wasn't a huge loss; it wasn't one of her favourites, and everything she needed was squeezed into the tiny pockets of
her shorts.
It probably wasn't the smartest idea to walk through London at night, especially dressed as she was, but honestly? Leona was passed caring. In just over a month, her life would be over, her destiny no longer her own. A dangerous part of her welcomed whatever the late night threw at her; it wasn't going to be any where near as dangerous as what the Academy had in store for her. Plus, storming out didn't have the same effect when you walked back in to grab your jacket. She was in a particularly dark mood as she made her way to the nearest bus stop, pulling her phone out to pull up the tracker. Being dumped tended to do that to a girl.
She looked up from her phone as a red blur passed her. Shit, that was her bus. The bus that came once an hour. Fingers scrolled through her apps to check, yup, there were no cars available. Not a surprise on a Friday night in the middle of the summer holidays. That left her with one option: the underground. Further than she wanted to go on her own at this time of night. At least it was warm, the waxing crescent moon shining bright in the sky. This far in the city, the stars were difficult to see, the North Star winking, and Leona took the opportunity to throw a wish to it.
"Starlight, Starbright, first star I see tonight," she murmured, "I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight." Her eyes scrunched close for a moment.
Save me from my fate, don't make me go to the Academy.
The universe didn't answer, it never did, and she kept walking, patting down her pockets in search of her headphones. Panic seized her for a moment before she found them, her mood lifting at the sight of them. Just as she fit one in her ear, she heard it: a cackle that made her blood run cold. A group of men on the other side of the road were staring at her.
Booted feet began to move that bit faster, her fight or flight response triggering.
Just keep going, they'll get bored. Ducking her head, Leona was cursing herself for letting her emotions get away with her. She
should have gone back into the club and grabbed her jacket to cover
her corset. Should have sucked it up and waited in safety while she waited for a car to pick her up, or sat her ass down at the bus stop for an hour.
'Shoulds' weren't going to do bugger all against the group trailing her, the heavy sound of their footsteps, and their jeers announcing that they were right behind her. Her back was itching from the intensity of their gazes, igniting the newly tattooed skin at the base of her spine. Abruptly, she turned down a side road, hoping to put some space between them. Instead, she nearly ran into someone. Dropping her phone, it went skittering across the pavement hard enough to make her wince. The figure in front of her lunged for her, and she backpedalled with the sudden realisation that they'd herded her here.
A glance over her shoulder told her that they were hanging back, eyes drawn to every part of her bared flesh, but they didn't attempt to touch her. The one in front of her was the ringleader, and she backed away as he loomed closer, a wicked-looking knife flashing in the moonlight. Leona hit a wall with a grunt, panic surging through her along with indignation. Well, the universe had answered, it seemed. Death in the darkness instead of death training to be a vampire's pet assassin.
Her hands scrambled for her bank card, holding it out to him. "Just take it," she told him, hating the pleading in her voice.
He cocked his head, looking at it before grabbing it and tossing it to one side. Her throat bobbed beneath
her choker, her pulse racing when he loomed closer. He slammed a hand next to her head, and she jerked away. His other hand landed next to her head, trapping her. Fuck this. She brought her knee up to slam into his balls, and he avoided it easily, pressing himself against her.
"Why would I want money, darling, when I can have this?" he asked, his hand reaching to stroke her cheek. Leona flinched, turning her head away with a jangle of
her earrings. He chuckled and looked up, head turning to his companions before giving her his full attention. "Be a good girl and you might even enjoy this."