I awoke in the same bed as last time, except now Hornet was there, bathing my forehead with a cool cloth. Scipio and Prosper were also there, sitting and watching me, worried expressions on their faces. I slowly leaned up on my palms and watched their expression turned to amazement. I looked down and realized that I was only wearing a tub top around my breasts (which was uncomfortable for me, seeing as my breasts are unusually large) and my stomach was bare. I watched Scipio trace my blue dragon tattoo with wide eyes, as if he knew who I was by just a tattoo. Prosper just look impressed, while Hornet looked at me with raised eyebrows. Suddenly Scipio stood up, and spoke to Hornet and Prosper in rapid Italian. They both left, and Scipio came and sat directly on my bed, right next to me.
"Look" he said to me. "I don't know who you are, but if the cuts on your back and the tattoo on your neck is any indication, you need serious help. Would you like to stay here? I know that you just met us, but we would love it if you could stay and become part of our family" He said in one big gush. I stared at him, wondering if he was insane. Of course I couldn't stay with them. I would put them all in danger. However, somewhere to live, a nice bed to sleep in, and food did sound extremely nice. My gaze softened as I broke my cardinal rule—never except help from anyone. I nodded.
"Great" Scipio said, smiling at me for the first time. "There is one catch though—you have to tell me your story. You aren't Italian, yet you seemed to be intertwined in some deep Italian affairs. I'll tell you ours, then you tell me yours"
Again, I nodded.
"Okay, so we are a small group of thieves. We steal from the rich, sell to the shopkeepers, and keep the money to buy food, clothes stuff like that. I'm Scipio, but I'm also the Thief Lord." He said to me. I stared back, willing myself not to laugh. I couldn't help it.
I laughed, softly at first, then bellows, it ricocheting off the walls, causing Prosper, Bo, Mosca, Riccio and Hornet to come into the room, staring at Scipio and I.
"What did you do to her?" Hornet asked him, coming towards me and feeling my forehead.
"Nothing" he said. I told her that I was the thief lord, and she started cracking up"
"Stop!" I gasp out. I froze. I hadn't meant to speak, for my voice has a tendency to draw people to me like flies to honey, and that was the last thing I wanted right now. But it was to late. Might as well keep going.
"I mean, stop saying that. You the "thief lord." Seriously? I could steal things from a hole blindfolded before you could take something from a room. Oh fuck I'm sorry. I tend to babble when I get frustrated. Oh fuck, there I go again. Damn, I really got to stop doing that."
I quickly shut my mouth. They all stared at me, different looks in their eyes. Ricco's held disbelief, Mosca's shock, Hornet's pride, Bo's admiration, but Prosper's and Scipio's…theirs I couldn't read.
