Chapter One
Faye quietly lit a cigarette, its spark braking through the darkness for a brief moment before being consumed once again. She sighed, waiting patiently for the jail guard to come and tell her that smoking in cells wasn't allowed. Yes, that's when she'd spring her move.
The rustling of keys told her that the moment was coming. Knowing this, Faye deliberately blew smoke out past the bars so that the guard would notice. She smiled with pure satisfaction as he stopped and turned towards her cell.
"Faye...."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," she said, smoothly letting the cigarette fall from her fingers and drop to the floor. She stood up from the bunk bed and flipped back her purple hair, taking detailed notes on how and where the guard was watching her. Faye timed her steps so that as she walked forward, a heeled toe landed directly on the cigarette butt, putting it out immediately. She slunk over to the bars and pressed through those few curves in which she knew would get the guard's full attention. Sure enough, the guard had become fully aroused. Faye, being the con artist and stunning beauty that she was, had grown used to this sort of attention, and by now half expected it.
She warmed her voice into its richest, softest tone. "But you know, sometimes I can't help but to smoke. I get so lonely down here all by myself with these," she gestured with her hand towards the other cells, "women." She threw him a seductive smile. "Would you do me..." she paused, "a big favor and help me get rid of my loneliness?"
The guard, very willing to take Faye's offer, greedily fumbled at the keys, his fingers searching for the one to Faye's cell. She watched him with utter sympathy, knowing that the little boy jumping around below his belt wouldn't be getting any new toys tonight. Faye rolled her eyes as the key was found and harshly shoved through the keyhole.
Just as the cell bars were being shoved back, a large eruption shook the jail grounds. The guard cursed and ran off, muttering something that Faye couldn't understand into his walkie-talkie. Faye let out an aggravated sigh and let her arms drop weakly to her sides. Spike really needed to learn the meaning of the word 'discreet', she thought to herself while calmly making her way through the jail hall, ignoring the groans and taunting calls coming from the other women prisoners.
As Faye neared the exit, another explosion was heard (and felt), but this time much closer than before. Faye followed the sound, and was soon being greeted by a flurry of guards all dead at her feet. She rolled her eyes as she turned a corner just in time to see Spike shoot a guard, on the ground begging for mercy, in the head.
"Mercy is for losers."
Faye sighed. "Are you quite finished?"
Spike looked up and grinned that stupid manly grin that she found oh so annoying. "Hey! I was just looking for you."
She looked around her, eyes heavy with sarcasm and disgust. "Well obviously you were a little too preoccupied."
He laughed nervously, noticing quite well the dangerous look Faye was giving him. "Yeah. I think I went a little overboard."
"Whatever," she stated, beginning to make her way through the dead bodies. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to leave. I've been in this hell-hole for way too long." She took out a second cigarette and gestured to Spike to light it for her. He reached into the back of his jeans to retrieve his lighter, all the while looking at her skeptically.
"It was only a week, Faye."
"Only a week?" she cried, enunciating the 'only'. "Yeah, to you maybe, who hasn't been able to get out of jail for years. A week's a record for me Spike, and you know it. These goddamn jails are getting tighter security every year." She turned to head to the ship when an earlier thought suddenly came flooding back to her.
"Oh and Spike?" she added with sickly sweetness. "Since when did you think?"
Faye continued to turn and walked off, smiling at herself for leaving Spike with such an excellent that not even he could answer. Then again, she doubted if anyone could answer it. And pondering this idea, Fay never noticed the piercing eyes that scanned her every moment from the shadows, nor the beat of black wings as they dragged themselves through the air. Wings that were silent, but held deadly speed.
"Would you chill out already?!" Faye was screaming at Jet, who was, unsurprisingly, fuming at her for getting caught yet again. "It wasn't that big a con."
"Oh no!" Jet shouted back with equal force. "A con is never too big for our Faye! She can handle anything!"
"And get caught in the process," Spike added with a puff of cigarette smoke.
Faye threw him a nasty look. "You're not helping."
"Was I supposed to be?"
"Argh!" Faye had had enough. These men were starting to graze her last nerve. It was time to go.
"I'm going for a walk, if anyone cares," she stated with a huff.
"Don't come back anytime soon," Jet called after her.
"Maybe I won't!" she retorted, making sure that the door slammed loud and hard behind her. "Men are such idiots," she muttered to herself, wrapping her black coat more tightly around her body. Maybe tonight wasn't such a good night to take a walk, she thought as the sharp wind nipped and snapped at her skin.
It was a dark night for June, unnaturally dark. It was a good night for surreal activity. Faye smiled slightly. It was the perfect evening for her type of people; people who lied and stole and cheated. She could sense the tension and suspicion in the air, loving every minute of it. But there was something else, something that Faye didn't like. There was a strong sensation of being watched that had been following Faye around ever since the final night at that horrid prison. And no matter how hard Faye tried shake it off, the feeling just seemed to make itself stronger. It was stronger than ever now, and Faye found herself to be jumpy and self-conscious; two traits which normally wouldn't even been to have been found in the deepest depths of Faye's soul. So why did she feel them now? And so, wanting to be in a place that gave her comfort, Faye entered the nearest club and hoped that this treacherous feeling would soon give way.
Almost immediately feeling better once inside, Faye took a seat at the bar. Not really in the mood for a heavy drink, she ordered a shot of gin, just to keep her on her toes. As usual, the searching, probing eyes of men found their way to Faye and stayed there, seemingly burning holes into her delicate skin. Faye shrugged them off, concentrating on nothing in particular, until a sudden penetrating cold shot straight up her spine, making her go completely rigid.
"So, we meet again, Ms. Valentine."
That voice... it was so cold and heartless. Faye remembered the first time she had heard that voice. It had terrified her with such completeness that she hadn't been able to move. Almost like it did now....
"Hello again, Vicious."
Faye didn't bother turning around: she knew perfectly well what she would see. Cold fear racked her body as icy hands were placed on her bare shoulders, and then uneasiness as they slid slowly down her back.
"So...you remember?"
The small laugh she gave was horribly weak, and she was afraid that he had noticed. "How could I have forgotten?"
She could feel him smirking at her back. He slipped to her left side to take the empty seat. The black bird that made Vicious its home, rustled and shifted its position on his shoulder. Faye tilted her head to the left so she could make out the features of the man next to her.
His long silver hair hid most of his face from view, but Faye could still see the sharp nose that protruded out from the flurry of hair. The clothes that he wore were dark and undisturbed, as if there was no body that inhabited them, and they moved on their own. But what she really wanted to see was his face, and Faye knew all too well that Vicious hated to show his face, trying to hide the scar under the patch that lurked there. Any normal woman would've been too afraid to ask him. But then again, Faye was no normal woman.
"Show me your face."
"Was that an order, Ms. Valentine?"
She grew defensive. "So what if it was?"
Vicious snickered quietly, and before knew what was happening, he was up and behind her, a long, cold hand clasped firmly around her neck. He leaned in close, the breath hot on her ear.
"I don't take orders."
With that, he was gone.
Faye slowly let her breathing return to normal. Sudden claustrophobia overwhelmed her. She had to leave. She had to get out. Anywhere was better than where she was. Faye got up quickly, snapping her head from side to side to make sure no one was watching, and if they were not really caring. Faye then left the club, trying to act calm, and trying even more to clear her mind of Vicious. He filled her every nerve, her every cell. His heartbeat was her own, his blood flowed and grew strong within hers.
"Stop it Faye," she spoke aloud to herself. "Just stop it." She reached the door and stopped, taking a moment to inhale deeply. Trying to be as quiet as possible, she opened the door. Her efforts, as she soon found, were in vain.
"FAYE!"
Oh God, what'd I do now, she thought in despair, closing...and then locking...the door.
"FAYE! GET IN HERE!"
"What is it?" she questioned Jet smoothly, entering the room.
"Where have you been? Do you know what time it is?"
Her eyes automatically rolled in their sockets. "Aw, I didn't know you cared Jet. So what are you now, my mother?"
Jet growled menacingly at her, and she shook a long index finger.
"Temper, temper. You know what it does to you cholesterol level."
Why can't there be a mute button for that man?, she thought with grievance.
"Faye-Faye?"
Little Edward poked her head up from the computer. "Where ya goin'?"
Faye smiled. At least Ed cared about her well-being. "I'm gonna retire for the night. Thank you for caring Ed."
She hinted the last sentence at Spike, who hadn't even acknowledged the fact that she had returned. As if Spike had read her mind, his head lifted so that his eyes met with hers.
"Going to bed Faye? Who with this time?"
Jet burst out into a fit of giggles, while Faye didn't find the comment so amusing. "I'm going to ignore that Spike," she stated, walking to her own quarters and the locking the door behind her. Why did men have to be such dicks? Honestly, just because they had one didn't entitle them to be one. Faye shook her head and hastily stripped herself of her day-clothes and replaced them with lingerie type pajamas. She climbed laboriously over all the stray items that cluttered her floor and slipped into bed, pulling the sheets all the way up to her neck. As tired as she was, she found it difficult to close her eyes, fearing that if she did, she would miss the shadow that crept by.
Stupid girl. Just go to sleep.
Faye turned onto one side. Slowly, she let her heavy lids droop over her eyes. Just as they did, an image of Vicious, beautiful and terrible all at once, came like a jolt of lightning that pierced through her mind. Faye's eyes snapped open. The image of Vicious was still there, and it was a long time before Faye could remove it and was able to sleep.
So......whaddya think??? I'm writing the second chapter right now.....it should be up soon. At least I hope so. In the next chapter, things start to heat up between Faye and Vicious. And oh..what's this... Julia? R&R plz!
Faye quietly lit a cigarette, its spark braking through the darkness for a brief moment before being consumed once again. She sighed, waiting patiently for the jail guard to come and tell her that smoking in cells wasn't allowed. Yes, that's when she'd spring her move.
The rustling of keys told her that the moment was coming. Knowing this, Faye deliberately blew smoke out past the bars so that the guard would notice. She smiled with pure satisfaction as he stopped and turned towards her cell.
"Faye...."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," she said, smoothly letting the cigarette fall from her fingers and drop to the floor. She stood up from the bunk bed and flipped back her purple hair, taking detailed notes on how and where the guard was watching her. Faye timed her steps so that as she walked forward, a heeled toe landed directly on the cigarette butt, putting it out immediately. She slunk over to the bars and pressed through those few curves in which she knew would get the guard's full attention. Sure enough, the guard had become fully aroused. Faye, being the con artist and stunning beauty that she was, had grown used to this sort of attention, and by now half expected it.
She warmed her voice into its richest, softest tone. "But you know, sometimes I can't help but to smoke. I get so lonely down here all by myself with these," she gestured with her hand towards the other cells, "women." She threw him a seductive smile. "Would you do me..." she paused, "a big favor and help me get rid of my loneliness?"
The guard, very willing to take Faye's offer, greedily fumbled at the keys, his fingers searching for the one to Faye's cell. She watched him with utter sympathy, knowing that the little boy jumping around below his belt wouldn't be getting any new toys tonight. Faye rolled her eyes as the key was found and harshly shoved through the keyhole.
Just as the cell bars were being shoved back, a large eruption shook the jail grounds. The guard cursed and ran off, muttering something that Faye couldn't understand into his walkie-talkie. Faye let out an aggravated sigh and let her arms drop weakly to her sides. Spike really needed to learn the meaning of the word 'discreet', she thought to herself while calmly making her way through the jail hall, ignoring the groans and taunting calls coming from the other women prisoners.
As Faye neared the exit, another explosion was heard (and felt), but this time much closer than before. Faye followed the sound, and was soon being greeted by a flurry of guards all dead at her feet. She rolled her eyes as she turned a corner just in time to see Spike shoot a guard, on the ground begging for mercy, in the head.
"Mercy is for losers."
Faye sighed. "Are you quite finished?"
Spike looked up and grinned that stupid manly grin that she found oh so annoying. "Hey! I was just looking for you."
She looked around her, eyes heavy with sarcasm and disgust. "Well obviously you were a little too preoccupied."
He laughed nervously, noticing quite well the dangerous look Faye was giving him. "Yeah. I think I went a little overboard."
"Whatever," she stated, beginning to make her way through the dead bodies. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to leave. I've been in this hell-hole for way too long." She took out a second cigarette and gestured to Spike to light it for her. He reached into the back of his jeans to retrieve his lighter, all the while looking at her skeptically.
"It was only a week, Faye."
"Only a week?" she cried, enunciating the 'only'. "Yeah, to you maybe, who hasn't been able to get out of jail for years. A week's a record for me Spike, and you know it. These goddamn jails are getting tighter security every year." She turned to head to the ship when an earlier thought suddenly came flooding back to her.
"Oh and Spike?" she added with sickly sweetness. "Since when did you think?"
Faye continued to turn and walked off, smiling at herself for leaving Spike with such an excellent that not even he could answer. Then again, she doubted if anyone could answer it. And pondering this idea, Fay never noticed the piercing eyes that scanned her every moment from the shadows, nor the beat of black wings as they dragged themselves through the air. Wings that were silent, but held deadly speed.
"Would you chill out already?!" Faye was screaming at Jet, who was, unsurprisingly, fuming at her for getting caught yet again. "It wasn't that big a con."
"Oh no!" Jet shouted back with equal force. "A con is never too big for our Faye! She can handle anything!"
"And get caught in the process," Spike added with a puff of cigarette smoke.
Faye threw him a nasty look. "You're not helping."
"Was I supposed to be?"
"Argh!" Faye had had enough. These men were starting to graze her last nerve. It was time to go.
"I'm going for a walk, if anyone cares," she stated with a huff.
"Don't come back anytime soon," Jet called after her.
"Maybe I won't!" she retorted, making sure that the door slammed loud and hard behind her. "Men are such idiots," she muttered to herself, wrapping her black coat more tightly around her body. Maybe tonight wasn't such a good night to take a walk, she thought as the sharp wind nipped and snapped at her skin.
It was a dark night for June, unnaturally dark. It was a good night for surreal activity. Faye smiled slightly. It was the perfect evening for her type of people; people who lied and stole and cheated. She could sense the tension and suspicion in the air, loving every minute of it. But there was something else, something that Faye didn't like. There was a strong sensation of being watched that had been following Faye around ever since the final night at that horrid prison. And no matter how hard Faye tried shake it off, the feeling just seemed to make itself stronger. It was stronger than ever now, and Faye found herself to be jumpy and self-conscious; two traits which normally wouldn't even been to have been found in the deepest depths of Faye's soul. So why did she feel them now? And so, wanting to be in a place that gave her comfort, Faye entered the nearest club and hoped that this treacherous feeling would soon give way.
Almost immediately feeling better once inside, Faye took a seat at the bar. Not really in the mood for a heavy drink, she ordered a shot of gin, just to keep her on her toes. As usual, the searching, probing eyes of men found their way to Faye and stayed there, seemingly burning holes into her delicate skin. Faye shrugged them off, concentrating on nothing in particular, until a sudden penetrating cold shot straight up her spine, making her go completely rigid.
"So, we meet again, Ms. Valentine."
That voice... it was so cold and heartless. Faye remembered the first time she had heard that voice. It had terrified her with such completeness that she hadn't been able to move. Almost like it did now....
"Hello again, Vicious."
Faye didn't bother turning around: she knew perfectly well what she would see. Cold fear racked her body as icy hands were placed on her bare shoulders, and then uneasiness as they slid slowly down her back.
"So...you remember?"
The small laugh she gave was horribly weak, and she was afraid that he had noticed. "How could I have forgotten?"
She could feel him smirking at her back. He slipped to her left side to take the empty seat. The black bird that made Vicious its home, rustled and shifted its position on his shoulder. Faye tilted her head to the left so she could make out the features of the man next to her.
His long silver hair hid most of his face from view, but Faye could still see the sharp nose that protruded out from the flurry of hair. The clothes that he wore were dark and undisturbed, as if there was no body that inhabited them, and they moved on their own. But what she really wanted to see was his face, and Faye knew all too well that Vicious hated to show his face, trying to hide the scar under the patch that lurked there. Any normal woman would've been too afraid to ask him. But then again, Faye was no normal woman.
"Show me your face."
"Was that an order, Ms. Valentine?"
She grew defensive. "So what if it was?"
Vicious snickered quietly, and before knew what was happening, he was up and behind her, a long, cold hand clasped firmly around her neck. He leaned in close, the breath hot on her ear.
"I don't take orders."
With that, he was gone.
Faye slowly let her breathing return to normal. Sudden claustrophobia overwhelmed her. She had to leave. She had to get out. Anywhere was better than where she was. Faye got up quickly, snapping her head from side to side to make sure no one was watching, and if they were not really caring. Faye then left the club, trying to act calm, and trying even more to clear her mind of Vicious. He filled her every nerve, her every cell. His heartbeat was her own, his blood flowed and grew strong within hers.
"Stop it Faye," she spoke aloud to herself. "Just stop it." She reached the door and stopped, taking a moment to inhale deeply. Trying to be as quiet as possible, she opened the door. Her efforts, as she soon found, were in vain.
"FAYE!"
Oh God, what'd I do now, she thought in despair, closing...and then locking...the door.
"FAYE! GET IN HERE!"
"What is it?" she questioned Jet smoothly, entering the room.
"Where have you been? Do you know what time it is?"
Her eyes automatically rolled in their sockets. "Aw, I didn't know you cared Jet. So what are you now, my mother?"
Jet growled menacingly at her, and she shook a long index finger.
"Temper, temper. You know what it does to you cholesterol level."
Why can't there be a mute button for that man?, she thought with grievance.
"Faye-Faye?"
Little Edward poked her head up from the computer. "Where ya goin'?"
Faye smiled. At least Ed cared about her well-being. "I'm gonna retire for the night. Thank you for caring Ed."
She hinted the last sentence at Spike, who hadn't even acknowledged the fact that she had returned. As if Spike had read her mind, his head lifted so that his eyes met with hers.
"Going to bed Faye? Who with this time?"
Jet burst out into a fit of giggles, while Faye didn't find the comment so amusing. "I'm going to ignore that Spike," she stated, walking to her own quarters and the locking the door behind her. Why did men have to be such dicks? Honestly, just because they had one didn't entitle them to be one. Faye shook her head and hastily stripped herself of her day-clothes and replaced them with lingerie type pajamas. She climbed laboriously over all the stray items that cluttered her floor and slipped into bed, pulling the sheets all the way up to her neck. As tired as she was, she found it difficult to close her eyes, fearing that if she did, she would miss the shadow that crept by.
Stupid girl. Just go to sleep.
Faye turned onto one side. Slowly, she let her heavy lids droop over her eyes. Just as they did, an image of Vicious, beautiful and terrible all at once, came like a jolt of lightning that pierced through her mind. Faye's eyes snapped open. The image of Vicious was still there, and it was a long time before Faye could remove it and was able to sleep.
So......whaddya think??? I'm writing the second chapter right now.....it should be up soon. At least I hope so. In the next chapter, things start to heat up between Faye and Vicious. And oh..what's this... Julia? R&R plz!