The Joker's Princess

Chapter One

The sound of tapping keyboards, the shuffling of papers, and the clicking of a stapler can be heard around me. I internally groan as I glance at my watch. Only a few minutes have passed since I last checked my watch. Could this day get any slower?

I've only been working at Gotham's bank for a few months, and I was already tired of it. I had a degree in accounting, and the only available position they had was to be the assistant to the bank manager. So after spending four years in college, I end up sorting checks and getting the big man coffee.

I sigh deeply, putting the last check into the previous envelope. I roll my neck, reaching up to scratch my soulmate mark. I've had the mark since I was born, signaling that my soulmate was older than me. I just hope they weren't much older; my parents had always teased me about ending up with an older man. I've always wanted to know who my soulmate was; who they were and what they did as a living. I wondered if they were eager to meet me and if they here in Gotham or across the other side of the world.

The mark was odd; it consisted of the four suits in the playing cards, all in a diamond formation. My peers would always poke fun at me, claiming that my soulmate was a poker player or a magician, but I would have taken either or after today.

It was around three o'clock when the sound of the first gunshots rang like loud fireworks, causing me to jump and crouch to the ground. Was this happening right now? Thankfully, I was in the backroom, away from all the action.

But even as I huddled to the ground, you could still see me through the glass. The back of my neck flared up, something it had never done before. Is my soulmate here? Oh god, please don't tell me my soulmate is either the robber or someone who was about to get shot.

I peered up from behind the desk to see clown masks covering the robber's faces, and I instantly felt my blood run cold.

Ugly clown masks fun flash by as three shooters.

I decided I shouldn't just sit there helplessly as the bank was being robbed so I crawled out of sight, pulling out my phone and quickly dialing 911.

"911, what's your emergency?"

I calmly told the operator what was going on, but before I could spit out any more details, my neck burned severely, causing me to hiss in pain. Just then, the door to the back office was kicked in, revealing a tall man in an ugly clown mask.

I screamed in panic, trying to move out of the way as the man launched forward towards me. He quickly grabbed my ankle with a gloved hand, pulling me towards him.

"My my, look what we, uh, have here," the man purred in a high-pitched nasally voice. I feel him reach up and pull my shirt down were my soulmate mark was. I could feel his stare burning into the throbbing mark. My heartbeat was thumping loud in my ears, and I prayed to God that this man was not who I think he was.

He takes off his glove and rubs it gently across the mark, sending shivers through my body, much to my displeasure. "Looks like I hit the jackpot." He cackled, reaching down to lift me to my feet.

This could not be happening right now! "Let go of me!" I screeched, struggling against the robber's strength.

His voice turned from high and nasally to deep and dark. "I don't think I will, baby doll."

He gripped my arm tighter and pulled me out of the room and into the crowd of people. I looked around at my co-workers, begging them to help me. They just stared back with pity in their eyes, and I began to lose all hope.

He walked towards the other men, his gun swinging back and forth as he gazes around.

Suddenly, a loud gunshot rang out, and a bullet went flying into one of the clowns. The man who held me dropped to the ground, pulling me along with him.

"Not in my bank!" A voice I recognized shouted from behind us. It was my manager's voice, and a tiny bit of hope swelled in my stomach.

That hope was cut short when my clown shot up and quickly placed a bullet in his thigh. Tears were now escaping from my eyes as the scene unfolded in front of me. My manager went stumbling to the ground, the shotgun falling out of his hands.

Pulled to my feet, I was forced towards the big bags of money. Another clown had carried them in.

"The boss said no souvenirs," the other clown growled, pointing his gun at me.

I could feel his body momentarily stiffen, his hand on my arm gripped painfully tight, and my soulmark burned with anger. He cocked his head to the side, stepping to the right with me.

"I bet he told you to kill me," the other robber went on, his gun now pointed at my captors mask.

"No, I, uh, kill the bus driver," my clown said in a calm voice, taking another step to the right.

"Bus driver? What bus-," he was cut off with a loud crash coming from the side of the building. A bus came bursting through the bricks, hitting the robber and killing him on the spot.

I screamed, twisting my body away from the rubble.

Another guy in a clown mask hopped out of the back of the bus, immediately throwing the bags of money up into the seats.

Once they were finished, the last guy in the mask turned to him and looked me up and down. "Is she a take-home?"

Before he could say anymore, a bullet was lodged deep into his throat.

"Sorry, she's not on the menu." He chuckled, pulling his mask off to reveal a more horrifying face.

I began to ball, realizing that not only was I currently in the arms of the dangerous Joker himself, but he was, in fact, my soulmate. Stories about the new criminal had spread like wildfire, and never did I believe I would be face to face with the Clown Prince himself, much less be destined to be with him for the rest of our lives!

"Time to go, sweet cheeks!" The Joker giggled, pushing me towards the bus. "And if you don't comply, then I'll just have to blow this bank sky high!"

Fearing the lives of all the innocent, I reluctantly complied, hopping onto the bus. I felt like I was in a hideous nightmare that I would never wake up to, and maybe that's precisely what this was.

I look back at the people in the bank, making eye contact with my manager-who was surprising still alive before the bus door was slammed shut.

The Joker dragged me up by the front seat and placed me in the one to the right. He jumped into the driver's seat and began to drive off, joining a group of other school buses just as the cops arrived. My heart raced, and I wanted nothing more to do than run out the back door and alert the authorities. But the threat of blowing up the bank still lingered in my mind.

I turn my attention back to the man who I just witness rob and murder. My soulmate still tingled, and it made me grimace in disgust. Out of the seven billion people in this world, it had to be HIM.

My thoughts were interrupted by his surprisingly high and preppy voice. "What's your name, doll?"

I stayed silent for a moment, not too sure of what to say. When I didn't answer, his eyes flash up into the mirror, and my soulmate mark burned with irritation. I answered him, "Diana"

A loud chuckle burst from his throat, making me jump and cringe away. "Like the princess! Hey, I like that. From now on, uh, you'll be MY princess."

I give him a bewildered and fearful expression. Was this really what my life has come to? Kidnapped by the psycho clown who just so happened to be Gotham's latest criminal and not to mention my freakin soulmate. Did he know about that? Or did he just kidnap me for the hell of it?

I didn't want to question him about it; in fact, I didn't want anything to do with him. I pushed myself tightly against the window as far away from him as possible. My knees came up to my chest as I huddled in a tight ball. I was sure my makeup stained my cheeks from where the tears had leaked, but I honestly didn't care. I just witnessed someone die, and my mind was whirling a hundred miles a minute.

I stare out the window, watching as the buildings pass by. I prayed that the authorities were on their way, or even the famous Batman that was Gotham's so-called hero. My eyes flash to the Joker anxiously, and I quickly wonder what he must be thinking right now. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he hunches forward while focusing on the road intensely. He must have felt my eyes on him, for he looked up in the mirror at me. I averted my eyes and bit my lip, a slight blush spreading across my stained cheeks.

He spoke then, his voice much calmer. "So, my little princess, it seems you and I, me and you, have something in common."

So he did know, I thought. "It would seem that way," I mutter out, reaching up to rub the tingling soulmark.

The bus suddenly takes a sharp turn, and I end up falling over to the size. "Oops! Sorry doll, you better hold on tight!" He giggles as his foot slams down on the accelerator.

I suck my teeth as I grip onto the seat for dear life. The sound of sirens could be heard faintly, and hope began to rise once more. He suddenly pulls into a back alley, parking the bus and standing. He turns to me, and I look at him fearfully. "It's time to, skedaddle princess!"

He leans down to grab me, and I push away from him. "Don't touch me!" I spit at him, causing him to growl and launch forward.

He grabs hold of me tightly, bringing me up to stand as he brings me close to his face. "As much as I love the fight in ya, right now is just not the um, time." He licks his scared lips, causing me to grimace. "What's wrong, darling? Is it the scars?"

I close my eyes and turn away from him, and he laughs in response. "Get used to them, sweetheart; you'll be seeing them a lot from now on."

I could hear the sound of another vehicle pulling up, and I open my eyes to see a white van pull up in front of the bus. Another group of clowns jump out and wake their way to the back, opening the bus and grabbing the money stacks.

I look back up at the Joker, who was staring down at me with a gaze I could only guess was filled with lust. I swallow, and my stomach swirls with anxiousness. "Now, you can either come willingly, or I knock you out. Your choice."

I looked around, realizing that it would probably be the latter option if I didn't choose quickly. I nod in compliance, and he grins madly at me. "Then your chariot awaits, my princess."

I scowl but follow him off the bus and into the van. The back didn't have windows, so I could not see where we were going, but wherever it was, I knew it would be a place I won't be leaving anytime soon.

ALYALYALY

I am BACK on fanfiction, can you believe it? Let's see what's happened since the last time I've been on here.

I had two babies, got married, and started Univeristy again!

I'm not going to lie, I started writing here when I was about 14 years old. The grammar mistakes, weak characters, and unstable plot lines were due to a lack of maturity in my writing. That is why I have re-written my stories so many times and have taken them off and republished them. Now I'm ready to try again, and give you all some decent work for your entertainment!

With that being said, hope you enjoy or re-enjoy The Joker's Princess!

Lots of Love

Alyne