Hello my pretties!
I know I used to update rather frequently when I started this story and I want to let you all know that the gaps between the updates now has nothing to do with my waning attention to a story I absolutely have fallen in love with writing. No in fact my husband and I own our own business which I was not working in when I first started, but recently we have needed my abilities within the company once again.
So between work and kids, my mind can get a bit cluttered and I like to have a fully fleshed out chapter in there before I set my fingers upon a keyboard. Don't ask me why, but I seem to write best that way. Anyways, I will always try and have a chapter a week at least for you..but I'm sure there will be a time here and there where I can post one quicker.
So anyways…here it is..the next chappie.
She drove slowly down the dirt road. It was rough and bumpy and to drive any faster would mean their heads would be hitting the roof of the car. Marcus had yelled at her to drive faster at one point so she gunned the engine. The result was quite humourous for her in fact. The loud thump as his head hit the roof caused him to curse up a storm which ended with him yelling at her to 'slow the fuck down'. Being a wizard, he did not quite get the concept of seat belts, so while Hailey and herself were buckled in tightly he was flying about in his seat.
Hermione understood fairly quickly why Marcus was left back a grade in Hogwarts. It took a few knocks to get it into his head that the contraption that the girls were wearing was in fact preventing their noggins from being hit like a piñata by the roof of the car. She couldn't help but play with him when he tried to figure out how to fasten the belt properly, but finally she had to stop the car and show him how or suffer a bruised cheek from a blow of his fist.
Their drive was quiet for the most part, but Marcus couldn't help but throw in some smart ass comments here and there. Leave it to one of the less intelligent Slytherins to taunt someone when they are down to make them feel more powerful then they really are. So it was that Hermione's mind tried to work overtime in trying to figure out a way to escape for both her and Hailey.
It eventually became increasingly difficult for Hermione as they drove. Light was starting to break through the darkness as dawn approached and she had been deprived of sleep for close to twenty four hours now. The adrenaline in her system was starting to run low and the car was starting to swerve slightly as Hermione felt her eyelids growing heavier and heavier. Flint cast a few Ennervate spells on her to keep her awake, but his frustration at having to do so was becoming quite evident.
"Dammit woman, you are trying to kill us all aren't you?" Flint growled at her.
"You maybe, but not Hailey and I." Hermione stated.
"Bitch." Flint responded.
Hermione couldn't help but smirk slightly with satisfaction. She listened to him grumbling to himself until he eventually settled on a decision.
"Fine then, we are going to stop and get a room." He stated.
Hermione's head turned and she glared at Marcus. "What? Looking forward to getting me in bed?" he asked when he noticed her looking at him.
"In your dreams Flint." She growled in response.
"Mmm yes, well you shall also be in my bed today it seems as well." He purred.
Hermione turned to look back at the road and gnashed her teeth together audibly. Hailey's eyes flickered back and forth between both the adults as she sat quietly in the back seat.
"Stop here." Flint pointed with his wand and Hermione pulled into the driveway in front of the hotel. A doorman walked up to the vehicle and opened the door for Hermione with a smile and a word of welcome. He walked her to the door of the hotel and proceeded to open it for her, letting first her walk through and then Marcus and Hailey. The young girl was being pulled slightly by the tight grip that held her arm, but she refrained from crying out in pain lest she cause her and Hermione more problems then they already had.
A pretty girl behind the counter lifted her head as they approached the front desk and greeted them both in French. "Bonjour et bienvenue au Trianon Gare De Lyon. Comment est-ce que je peux vous aider?" Hermione started to respond, but Flint being the prick he is interrupted her.
"Do we look fucking French lady? Speak English." He growled.
"I'm sorry sir. Good morning and Welcome to the Trianon Gare de Lyon. how may I help you?" The girl repeated in English. Hermione noted a slight tightening of the jaw line and really could not blame the girl for being irritated.
"Right. We need a room for the night. My wee poppet here is tuckered out and we need a nice warm bed to snuggle up in for a good long rest." Flint said as he wrapped an arm around Hermione, causing her to stiffen. She frowned as he pulled her against him and he tried to flash what she figured was to be his handsome smile at the young lady. Hailey watched her toes, not wanting to attract any attention so as to make Flint upset.
The girl behind the counter gave them an odd look for a moment before her false smile returned. "Of course monsieur, I will just need your credit card and I will have a room ready for you promptly."
Hermione raised a slender brow as she gave Flint an amused look, but the man took out a leather wallet and pulled out a plastic VISA card to hand to the girl. She was shocked for a moment until she noted the Gringotts logo in the top corner of the card.
When Arthur was appointed as the new Minister of Magic one of his first tasks after the downfall of Voldemort was to make the line between muggleborn wizards and witches and purebloods more blurred. For this he felt that to introduce certain muggle customs slowly into the wizarding world would help to make purebloods feel more adventurous to see what other differences lay outside their world, and for muggleborns to have more ease when entering the wizarding world for the first time.
So came about the Gringotts VISA card. It really was a handy item to have as any wizard and witch could save themselves from having two separate accounts in two separate worlds. When one used their VISA card for muggle items, the amount was automatically exchanged and paid for out of the vault associated with the card. They were far handier in fact then the muggle form of plastic payment, as the charms put on the cards automatically identified the owner of the card when held and allowed the payment to go through without difficulties. Should someone not authorized to use the card try to use it, the card would immediately read as stolen.
Flint used his muggle/wizard form of currency and a room key was delivered into his hands. He gave the girl behind the front desk another one of his leerish grins before turning to Hermione. "Well poppet, looks like our love nest awaits."
Hermione could not stop the shiver of disgust that rippled through her body. She realized though that his comment was nothing compared to the firm kiss he planted on her lips shortly after he spoke. Bile burned her throat as her stomach heaved slightly. Her hand itched to scrub at her lips to try and rub off the taste of him, but she knew if she did that then they would both be in more danger than they were already in.
"Come luv, I hear our bed calling our names. Our darling girl must be wiped from our long drive here and she needs her rest." He said as he placed an arm around Hailey's shoulder, pulling both woman and girl into his sides and leading them towards the elevator.
Simone watched the people walk towards the elevator and once they were inside the car she reached towards the blackberry that was hidden under the counter of the front desk.
Her eyes studied the screen for a moment. There was no question that the woman was the one the family was on alert for.
One would wonder why a girl like Simone who was a beautiful girl with a great paying steady job would be a member of the family, but in fact it made complete sense. Tourists were one of the largest ways for the family to make their money, as they usually had their heads tilted up to look at the top of the Eiffel tower instead of down to guard their wallets. It was up to the members of the family that had managed to get themselves employed within some of the larger hotels to spot the ones that carried the most on hand cash and then alert the family with a broadcast with a full description and picture of who to look for.
Simone was one of their best and the poor blighters that stayed at her hotel usually managed to lose their precious wallets while pondering the smile of the Mona Lisa, or gazing up at the majestic beauty of the Champs Elysees.
Simone pulled up a phone number and pressed send.
"Hello Mouse, it is Simone. She is here."
Mouse's voice responded through the phone. "One moment. Renee, it is Simone with a sighting."
There was a slight pause on the other line and then a masculine voice could be heard. "Simone, is she alright"
"Yes, but we may need to act quick..the man she is with does not look very pleasant and I doubt the child with them will stop him from doing something to hurt her." Simone stated.
"I'm on my way."
Renee hung up the phone and gave a grim look to Mouse. "Call the upper council. They are our best. Let them know I'm on my way and that Rielle is in charge until I get there. I will contact the others to set up a perimeter around the hotel. This man will not get away with Mione. To think, I get to save the princess from the tower." Renee allowed himself a little chuckle of amusement.
Mouse nodded while she flashed him a shy smile and picked up the phone to contact Rielle and the rest of the upper council.
dancing in rain – My muse. Thank you so much for being there for me to bounce ideas off of, and letting me be all Slytherin and evil and loving me for it. lol Love ya hun.
moonyNZ – Thank you so much for the review. I'm honoured that you get excited to see my updates. As for Narcissa…I suppose we will find out in time. ;)
Raspberri13 – lol I live in Loretto Ontario, which is just about 10 minutes south of Alliston. Great to see another Canuck round these parts! Thanks for the review.
Wobble – I forgot about those cells in Buffy, but yes I can see the relationship between them and mine. Actually the cells were very similar to those written by Kelley Armstrong. She writes The Women of the Otherworld Series that includes the following titles: Bitten, Stolen, Dime Store Magic and Industrial Magic. If you haven't read them, I highly recommend it. The cells and one wee scene will seem very similar to something seen in Stolen. I'm glad you are enjoying the story!
Rane2920072 – Here is your update hun! Heh I'm glad you like the story!
Martini – MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA (maniacal laughter for the pure evilness that is me.) First I would just like to say I'm a horror movie nut. The gorier the better for me. Heh I don't expect everyone to like my story, and I understand if people graze over certain content because it might turn their stomachs or make them feel uncomfortable. I see this as a complete compliment really, as I must have been able to describe a scene well enough to manage to turn a stomach or two. The rating is as high as it can get and clearly stated why though. I don't see the story continuing with the amount of violence and bloodshed there has been so far, but I can't promise you that I won't hold back on it if the time seems appropriate for it. From now on I will put a warning at the start of the chappie though to warn that there is graphic content in the chapter for those that wish to skip over it.
Remus Gurl – I'm sorry it took so long for my last chappie. This one managed to come out a bit faster at least. Thanks for the review as always hun and I'm glad you are still enjoying the story.
JTBJAB – Thanks! I really appreciate the review.
cjBlack – Wow..thanks for the compliment. I never really considered writing as a profession really. I enjoy playing with existing characters too much I think…I'm just not afraid to make up some of my own to mingle with them. Heh Thanks so much for the review!
NO such things as HAPPY songs – Thank you!
Synister Fate – Thank you very much. I'm thrilled you are enjoying the story and I hope you continue to in the future.