The Shadow Wraith (A Gone AU)

Chapter 1 (Part II)

  A thick iron chain wrapped around the doorknob and everything around it, making it impossible for her to open the door. It would take her at least five minutes to untangle everything. A quick glance at the backdoor revealed the same thing.

  That's why the fight was so quick, Pearl thought bitterly to herself. Drake always knew that she won't escape today.

  Footsteps stopped behind her. Pearl turned and pointed her gun at Drake.

  "Let me leave." She snarled.

  "Or what? You'll shoot me?" She saw the shark smile right there. Not a smile but simply pulling back his lips, the cold light still shining in his eyes. She shivered.

  "Both of us know that you won't pull that trigger," Drake continued. "So put that away and save us some time."

  She hated the way he said it. She hated the words. She hated him. But most of all, she hated that he was right.

  With a sigh, Pearl put the gun into her big sweatpants pocket. She hadn't even flicked the safety off.

  She walked into the living room and snatched her phone off the table. Pearl quickly fired off three texts to her best friends Addison and Ember, and her boyfriend Zac in response to their increasingly-panicky texts sent hours ago. Then she folded herself unto the couch and watched Drake sit across from her.

  "So tell me, what do you know about...?" She gestured around, at a loss for words

  "Nothing new. You found out everything in that three hours you were out." Drake replied.

  "Hmm. And would you like to explain why you kidnapped me?"

  "I didn't kidnap you."

  Pearl raised an eyebrow.

  "I can't have you running around and everyone knowing your powers. You, Pearl, are going to be my secret weapon in my secret agenda."

  She burst out laughing. "Okay. First of all, secret agenda? You've been following Caine for years now. What could you possibly want?"

  "Do you really have to ask that?"

  "Power." She counted off her fingers. "Hurting people. Killing them. Anything else?"

  "No." Drake smirked at her. "You know me so well."

  "What about-" She felt her body change as she darkened and curled her hair, changed her eye colour, and her flesh morphing into a new shape. "Diana Ladris?" She said in her voice.

  She saw the gun that appeared in Drake's hand within a second. She knew that her ability was one of the few things that could shake him, might even scare him. She had to keep reminding him of that.

  "Change back." His voice was low and dangerous. "Now."

  Pearl rolled her eyes and obliged. "So, what kind of stuff would I do as your secret weapon?"

  "Oh, you know. Run a few missions, spy on some people, send a few warnings."

  Pearl tilted her head. She highly doubted that it was as harmless as Drake made it sound.

  "What, you want me to be your assassin?"

  "I believe that your power is useful, Pearl. You're powerful. I would rather we work together than, let's say, killing you."

  She scoffed, not missing that Drake didn't answer her question. "Kill me?"

  She looked across the room at those eyes and didn't question it further.

  "And what would I get in return for this?" Pearl asked.

  "I know you think that you can leave, but think on that. Where would you go? You don't know how long this is going to last. How're you going to get food? Water? Especially a few months later, when chaos breaks out?"

  "Point taken." She replied.

  "So how about you stay here in this nice place, with running water and all the food you stole. No one would dare rob this house. You help me and I'll help you." Drake was looking at her now, waiting for an answer.

  Right again. She hadn't thought it through when she ran; she just wanted to get away from this house. But this was a different world. She knew she won't survive out there, and would much rather stay here. Everything dangerous about this place was gone. Most would fear her stepbrother, but she could predict him just fine after 11 years of living together. Bad memories were a small price to pay for essentials and protection.

  There was the small matter of using her power as a service. Her power won't help her in a fight, but it sure would be hard to catch her. A new face on every mission, she would never be captured or even identified.

  She realized that she wanted to stay. Not just for this house, but because she wanted to be in the action. She wanted to be a part of whatever was going on. And there was a small part, very small part of her, that wanted to be dangerous, too.

  "Deal." She said.