Livia
Incoming group call
Nina answered the call, "Hello, darling."
"Where are y'all?" Percy asked. We could hear music blaring in the background.
"Being fashionably late. Relax." Nina responded.
Percy sneered. "It's fashionable if you look good. Otherwise, you're late and don't respect others' time."
Nina rolled her eyes. "Rude."
"No, what's rude are those busted stripper heels you're probably wearing."
She gasped, "Never disrespected my Christian Louboutin stilettos. They make my calves pop, and this ass voluptuous."
This time Percy was the one to gasp, "Ass? Since when?"
These two are constantly at each other's throats. "My gosh, Percy. We just pulled up. Where do you want to meet?"
It went silent. Livia thought the call had dropped. "You did not just call me by my name."
"I'm sorry, but can you tell me where to go."
"Come to the back. We reserved a spot for you." He hung up the phone before I could say anything.
"Somebody's in trouble." Sandra razzed.
I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. Percy is the type to hold grudges and likes to plan out his revenge no matter how long it takes. So the moment you let your guard down, he attacks.
I jumped at the sudden knock on my window. "Dammit, Percy, you scared the hell out of me." See, like that.
He laughed, bringing me into a hug. "Sorry, Liv Liv, but I had to get you back for calling me by my name."
"Your real name is shorter than your pet name," I argued.
"Doesn't matter, I am your Little Prince, and you shall call me as such."
"Alright, fine, but you must stop seeking revenge for everything, my Little Prince." I scolded.
"Well, if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black."
I sighed, seeing the person I both love and hate. "Alaric."
"Livia."
He outstretched his arms. "Are you going to give me a hug, or do I have to tackle you for it?"
I smiled, running into his arms. "I missed you, bro."
"I guessed I missed you too, my girl. Just a little bit." he teased.
Before meeting my sisters, I crossed paths with some compelling people. However, nothing short of fate guided me down that dark alley.
It was March 20th, 2013, three days into spring break. I could never forget it. I was fifteen then and had just returned home from tutoring at the local orphanage. I only wanted to dive into bed, but panic arose once I saw my room ransacked. It looked like someone was searching for something important, and I saw the shoebox. I knelt. A single dollar was left. All the money I had saved from tutoring and doing odd jobs. Gone. My escape deposit from this prison of a home was gone. Two years of saving are gone. I was walking rather than paying bus fare. Sacrificing meals and sleep was all for nothing.
I was livid!
There is only one person I know who would do something so vile—my father. And knowing where he possibly could be at this time of the night with my money poured fuel on the flame. I put on some sneakers and clipped my pocket knife on my pants.
"How could he do this to me?" I ran down the stairs through the backdoor of our alley house.
Down the street was a sketchy pub called Foxies. A place where gamblers, druggies, alcoholics, and gang affiliates mingle in one place. There he was, surrounded by trashy women gambling my money away.
"DAD!" I yelled, gaining the attention of everyone there.
"Who let a kid in here?"
My father angrily walked up to me. "Livia, what the hell are you doing here?" I shoved him.
"You are a fucking low-life jerk."
He gripped me by the arm. "Have you lost your mind disrespecting me like that?"
"Oh, is the disrespect not adequate for you? Perhaps I should ransack your room and take the money you busted your ass to save."
He laughed. "So that's what this is about. As a responsible parent, I checked your room, and to my surprise, I found a shoebox filled with cash. I thought you had no reason to hide all that money from me. So, I took it, and now I'm using it properly. It would be best if you were thanking me for taking such responsibility off your hands. I did leave you a dollar after all."
He can't be serious. "Cut the crap, Dad. You are only feeding your addictions and gambling my money away."
"Your money? Nothing belongs to you as long as you are under my roof."
A guy appeared from behind my father. "Ray, is this your kid?"
"Sadly, Sir."
"How old is she?" he weirdly looked me up and down.
"15."
"Hmm, fresh. How about we make a deal?"
"What kind of deal?" Dad asked, intrigued.
The man smirked. "Give me your daughter for a night, and I will forgive all your debts."
"Deal." my father agreed without thinking twice.
Before he could touch me, I took out my pocket, aiming at him, "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME WITH YOUR FILTHY HANDS."
"Livia, put the knife down."
"Ray, it's okay." He held up his hands, sauntering closer to me.
I swung the knife, making him pause his steps. "STAY BACK."
"Feisty, I like that." he quickly knocked the knife out of my hand and pulled me closer.
I tried to break free from his embrace. "Get off of me."
"Shh, little one." he cooed. "How about after our night, you work for me?"
I nearly gagged from the alcohol on his breath. "You can't be serious. Do you not hear how wrong this is?"
Gently stroking my cheek, "Become my muse, and we can rule the world together."
I kicked him between the legs as hard as I could. "Run." I thought, darting to the door.
Ray knelt before the man. "I'm sorry, Mr. Myers. Would you like me to go after her?"
He laughed. "No, let her be. She is quite the fighter. Her father would be so proud."
"How is he?" Ray asked. His stomach churned, remembering the night he helped destroy a family.
Myers glimmered in victory. "Bonded."
I took big gasps of air. I can't believe that just happened.
"What's a little girl like you doing on this side of town?" I flinched at the sudden voice. Eight masked boys were standing in front of me. There is no way I will be able to fight all of them.
"Livia?"
I know that voice. Two boys came forward, taking off their masks. I was stunned at who I saw. "Blake? Percy?"
"You guys know her?" one of the taller boys asked.
"Yeah, we sometimes see her tutoring at Sunrise Orphanage. So we became pretty acquainted." Blake explained.
Percy stepped up to me. "Now, Livia, tell me why you aren't home at this time of night."
I sighed. "My father just tried to trick me out."
"WHAT?" Percy yelled, checking her body. "I knew the guy was an asshole, but that's just, wow." Percy looked at Blake pleadingly.
"Malakai, can I talk to you for a second? Livia is the prospect I have been talking about. She's smart and a victim of child abuse. I think we should take her with us,"
"What makes you think I would go anywhere with strangers? Besides Blake and Percy, I know none of you."
A boy came up to me, reaching for a handshake. "I am Heath, the youngest of the group. Luca, Asa, Jonah, and Alaric. But, of course, you already know Blake and Percy."
"What about him?" I asked, referring to the guy that was talking to Blake.
"Oh him? He's-"
"Malakai, the leader of the Night Walkers." he exuded confidence and didn't seem to be too much older than me.
"So what? You guys are like some type of gang?"
He chuckled. "Something like that."
Great. "Thanks for introducing yourselves, but this still doesn't change anything."
Malakai tucked his hands in his pockets. "I have a few reasons why it should. One is the safety of a young girl walking the streets this late. You will be the perfect target for sick people who prey on fragile girls like yourself. If you decide to go home, who's to say that guy isn't waiting for you? What would you do? Do you think you will be able to fight him off again? What other option do you have but to come with us where you would be safe and cared for?"
He's right; there's no way I am going back to that house to risk my father being in a drunken rage or that sicko waiting for me. "If anything happens to me, I will ensure my spirit haunts you for the rest of your lives."
He chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. "We wouldn't want that now, Ms. Livia?" Malakai gave me a warm brotherly smile that made me feel safe.
Maybe following them is the right decision.
Livia I take it back. I am still determining exactly how long we've been walking after roaming through an abandoned train station that led us to a hidden tunnel. We now stand in front of a weird door that I have no clue what's behind it. Alaric opened the door to pitch darkness. "Ladies first." he gestured for me to enter. I looked at the hole and then back at Alaric. "Find it." He furrowed his eyebrows. "Find what?" "Your mind. Clearly, you have lost it if you think I will willingly crawl in there. You guys brought me here; you go first." I said, backing away but being halted by a hard chest. Jonah looked down at me. "There is nothing to be afraid of." "Oh yeah, then why don't you do the honors of going first." Jonah and Alaric glanced at each other before I knew it; I was being lifted in the air. I started to kick, punch, and grab anything I could. "Ouch, got damn it, Livia, stop pulling my hair. Alaric, stop laughing and help me." Alaric tried to pry my hands out of Jonah
Malakai "I was like you once. A neglective father that blamed me for all his life problems." he looked off to the distance, reminiscing, "Do you know what it's like to never feel your mother's love." "Try not having any recollection of ever having a mother. I guarantee it's a far worse feeling." Livia thought. Malakai continued with his painful memory. "My mother died during childbirth. My father took it upon himself to instill that I murdered my mother. He constantly reminded me of how I took the love of his life away from him. In his words, if my wife didn't have such a big heart and terminated the pregnancy after knowing the risk like I told her, she would be here with me, and I wouldn't be stuck with a curse." A curse? Did his own father call him a curse? Livia balled her fist in anger. "How can he blame you for that? You didn't choose to be born." she burst. "And if your father loved your mother the way he claimed, he would have loved you with a mother's heart, not a stranger.
Percy "Black silky hair placed in a high ponytail, red lipstick, black leather pencil dress, Lady Kay's black gloss pumps rung through the corridors as a signal to the gates of our hell opening. She was a gorgeous woman in her early thirties who doted on Blake and me." "Before she took over, the orphanage was once a loving home by the original House Mother, Lady Blossom. But soon after, turned into our living hell. We were Lady Kay's most prized assets." "According to her, Blake was very cunning and luring, which made him very appealing. In addition, I had a playful innocence that made me desirable to be a teenager." "She was a true devil that wore Prada. We were there when the devil walked into our lives with fiery greetings. We witness that same fire smother innocent children, our friends. House Mother was no mother but a monster." Blake's face was contemned. "Lady Kay resented her mother for paying more attention to the orphanage children than her. That neglect turned Lady Kay v
Livia Livia furrowed her brows. "Okay, and what's the big deal about that?" "What's the big deal!" Luca yelled, making Heath flinch from the sudden outburst. "L-Luca, pl-please d-don't y-yell." Hearing Heath's shaky voice, Luca quickly walked over to him. He had his head down with his hands over his ears, hyperventilating. Luca quickly embraced him. "Clam down, kiddo. Deep breaths. Your airhead is so sorry." "Take him to get some fresh air. Then, we will meet you guys in the garage." Asa told them. As the both of them slowly made their way to the elevators. "Is he okay?" Livia asked. Asa held his lips in a tight line. "The sentiment of someone being okay is subjective. Everyone has faced something that has impacted their lives, some for good, others for the worst. Do you know that 46% of children under seventeen are exposed to trauma? In addition, 16% of those children develop PTSD, and 4%-7% go underdiagnosed." "No, I didn't know that, but what does that have to do with Heat
Livia Walking into the place I have only dreamed about felt surreal. "Good morning, ma'am." the receptionist welcomed with a smile. She had to be at least in her late 50s. She dressed elegantly and had years of experience finding what worked for her body. Her grey hair was pulled into a clean low bun, and side bangs made her off-white pearl earrings. The matching single pearl necklace added sophistication as the Apricot Ruthe Round-Neck Peplum top elongated her neckline. It makes one wonder what kind of shoes she's wearing. Black leather pumps? Ankle boots? Or lambskin flats? Livia, you're mind is a daydream. Stay focused. Glancing at her nametag, "Good morning, Sarah. I am Livia Moon, here for the 8:30 interview." She briefly looked at her watch and then back at me, surprised. "Mr. River told me to send you to his office as soon as you arrived, but I wasn't expecting you to be 30 minutes early." "Well, I have some very strict mentors that wouldn't tolerate me being on time. Acc
Livia I am going into my third week at Apollo Enterprise. It was a lot to take in at first. Still, thanks to Secretary Sarah Campbell catching me on all the latest hot gossip, I could grasp the company's culture. Let me tell it's some shady business relations going on. Apparently, Jake from sales is having an affair with some fresh hotty in data, and what's more vexing, the new hotty is his wife's cousin. Yeah, like I said, some very shady business relations! However, during my first week, there was an incident with one of the older male managers. On more than one occasion, that mannerless jerk groped and made less-than-appropriate remarks regarding things he wanted to do to my body. To his luck, Parker caught that old jerk in the act and intervened. He was fired and blacklisted due to the company's strict policies against sexual harassment, but that wasn't satisfying enough for me. I wanted to give him endless pain before putting a bullet through his head, but that would be too muc
Livia I scrunched my nose in disgust, watching the disheveled man stumbling over his feet. I could smell the alcohol emitting from him. Another victim turns to alcohol to solve their problems. Something I knew all too well. I sigh, looking up at the sky. "You are drunk. Please leave my way before I make you regret laying your bloodshot eyes on me." A shabby-looking guy circled me. "Ooh, this one has a smart mouth. I think we will have fun taming her," he smirked. I really don't want to resort to violence tonight. "Didn't anyone ever tell you to mind what doesn't concern you?" "You should watch your mouth, girly. Girls with attitude are the ones I have the most fun putting in their place." This guy was above average height, with piercings and tattoos, tossed his cigarette out of his mouth, and stood toe to toe with me. Unlike the other two, he didn't seem as drunk. Besides the cigarette between his lips and the two lightweights next to him, he would be my type. Something about a
Livia Gunshots rang in the air. Dead bodies and blood were everywhere. A little girl sat in a corner, rocking back and forth with hands over her ears. The people with no faces are there again, protecting her. "Run" was the last thing she heard before everything went black. I awoke from my dreamland panting and soaked in sweat. "What is that dream? Is it a nightmare? Is it a memory? Who is that girl?" questions I have been asking myself for years but never seem to find the answers to. My phone started ringing. "What?!" I yelled in an annoyed tone. "Woah bitch, what's with the attitude?" I sighed. "What do you want, Alicia?" She let out a nervous giggle. "I am here with Zoe, Nina, and Sandra." "Good morning, Liv." I heard them yell in the background. A smile tiptoed on my face, but I knew something was up. "Morning, ladies. Alicia, answer my question." "Which one?" she asked cheekily. "The only question I have asked so far. Obviously, you want something otherwise; why bother rin