Crown Of The Damned (Damned Book 1) [On Hold]

Chapter 7

I followed Daemon into what looked like an old run down shack. It was clearly a tavern when you walked inside. I didn't get a look at the name though, the name had fallen off the building and was somewhere else. I continued to follow him until he reached a table with some men sitting around it drinking and gambling. Stopping, I looked down at the gold coins on the table. They were shinier than any others I had seen, even shinier than the ones my brother had kept with him. 

"Vinnie."

A man looked up from the cards in his hand and pulled his hood back. "È lei Daemon? Haven't seen you in forever!" Setting his cards faced down, he stood up to hug him. I saw the man that was sitting next to him try to peek at his cards. Typical. He saw me looking at him and left them alone.

"Chi è questo? Your girlfriend Daemon?"

"Don't be ridiculous. This is Mira. A royal." 

Vinnie, looked at me like I was trash. Scoffing at me. "A royal? Like a princess? Che cosa ci fa lei qui?"

"She's here with me." Sitting down in Vinnie's chair, he began to tell everyone about me. I just stood there staring down at the table. He told my life story in a few minutes then they all looked at me. A man with dark eyes began to speak. "That happened? All in a few days? Damn..." 

"Mi dispiace, princess." Vinnie stood up and attempted to kiss my hand, I pulled my hand out of his grasp and looked at him. 

"I'm no princess. Not any more at least. Treat me like one of your own."

"Ah. Se lo si desidera, principessa." Pulling Daemon from his chair, he sat back down and picked up his cards. "Where is the princess staying then? Not with you I hope."

"Of course she is. Where else would she stay?" Looking at me, he continued on, "she's without family and doesn't want to lead her life like before. And she certainly doesn't know any of you."

"Davvero adesso? It isn't like she knows you any better, brother." Glancing up at me, he flashed me a smile. Brother? Now that I looked at him, Daemon and Vinnie did look rather similar. I hadn't known that he had a brother until now. It wasn't really shocking or anything, I didn't really care. Breaking into their conversation, I pulled up a chair and sat down, setting my feet up on the table.

"I'll stay with Daemon. He won't bite."

"Che tu sappia. My brother is capable of many things. You've to keep an eye out with him."

"I can protect myself. I can use weapons." I crossed my arms and looked at Vinnie. He wasn't as attractive as Daemon but it was easy to tell they were related.

"If you say so. I'm positive that something will happen. Something always does." I heard a few of the others mumbleindistinct words. I didn't bother asking what they said. I heard one of the others speak, he had an extremely heavy accent. I had no idea where it was that he was from.

"Você deve ter cuidado. He's a tricky one." Looking towards him, I realized he seemed different from the others. He had tanned skin, dark, slicked back hair the colour of the night, andgrey eyes the colour of mist. He was definitely from a different country too. I could tell Vinnie was Italian. I knew little Italian and could understand a couple words spoken here and there.

"I know he is. I've had a slight.. experience, with him already."

"Nada aconteceu? You're ok?"

"Yes. I'm fine. It came out of nowhere." I watched as they began to play cards again, gambling. I didn't know anyone who still gambled. I began pondering about what Robert would say if he knew what kind of trouble I was getting myself into right now. What mother and father would say if they were here. Pushing my thoughts aside, I reached over and took away Vinnie's cards when realizing he was loosing even more money than he even had. I had never seen a shittier hand in my life. Pulling out some cards under the table, I waited until nobody was looking and switched them out. A full house. Setting them down on the table, I looked towards Vinnie and the other man I spoke with earlier. Daemon seemed shocked as well.