Chapter 1

Belle woke up to the sound of gun shots, like always. She sighed and rolled over. Another day, another deal goes down. She got up and turned on her laptop. Immediately, her music played and she opened her story. Then, she closed her eyes and the room began to shift and change. Her bedroom turned into her story. Instead of being a girl in the middle of a gang war, she was a warrior princess in a foreign world. A world, that existed only in her mind. She opened her eyes and words flew from her fingertips like waves on the shore. Ideas and creativity flew around the room like butterflies. She felt the familiar power for being able to build up and break down worlds and civilizations with just a flick of her fingers. All of the points of the story solely depended on her. It was a rush, a point of her life that no one could touch or change but her. Suddenly, there was a loud bang on her door and the magic faded and the room stayed still as the way the rest of the world viewed it.

"Belle, open this door," her father shouted.

"Coming, Papa!" She shouted, as she turned off the music. When she opened the door there was a man she had never seen before with her father. He was about six foot seven and bald. He was covered in tattoos and his ice cold stare could have frozen her blood. She met his blue eyes once and quickly looked away. An involuntary shiver went down her spine as she stood there in her pajamas. She couldn't help but feel like a piece of meat being appraised.

"Belle, this is Henric, he is a representative of Nevermore," he said. That explained the icy chill she had but it didn't explain why he was here. Nevermore is the biggest rival of her father's gang, Immortal Sun. He would have shot them on sight before he would let one walk into our home.
"Hello," I said.
"She isn't much of a talker, is she?" asked Henric.
"Will he accept or no?" Belle's father asked.
"She is a real beauty. She doesn't seem to be one to judge. If this works all of our problems will be solved," Henric said.
"If what works? Papa what is going on?" she asked.

"Belle, you have to trust me. This is for the best," he said. She had heard this all before and knew too well what it meant.

"What am I giving up now? I have nothing but my stories are you taking those too? Are they dangerous like having friends?" she accused. She was near tears, she was so angry. He always had her giving up things, but he never had to make the tough decisions.

"No, I'm not going to take your stories, Belle. You need to pack up your things. You are going to be staying elsewhere."

"Where else can I go?"

"Henric is going to take you to stay with Adrian,"
he said. Now that name she knew. Adrian was the head of Nevermore. He's the real world Boogeyman.

"No," she said.

"Belle, this is the only way. I am sorry," he said.

"No, you're not sorry. Not even a little. All you care about is making sure this deal doesn't go bad. I thought your only daughter would be more important, but I have not mattered in sometime. I was foolish to believe otherwise." She flung these words like daggers at her father and she hoped they hurt like hell. She slammed the door and packed up her few belongings knowing she didn't have a choice about Adrian. She was just so mad at her father for offering her to this stranger as if she was a piece of livestock to an altar. There was more knocking at her door and she opened it up and it was just Henric.

"Ms. Belle, we ought to get going," he said. The way he addressed her surprised her. She wasn't expecting him to be so polite to her.
"Ok," she said, as she grabbed her things. She turned closed the door and walked out of the house without looking back. It was a long and awkward car ride as they sat in silence. When they rounded the corner, the old mansion came into view. Belle's stomach sank when they pulled into the long and winding driveway. Please don't be as terrible as everyone says. She silently prayed.