Inked

Chapter One

Chapter One

My hand was beginning to go numb against my cheek, my fingers cold from the pressure of my clenched fist. With the rain streaking against the dark, I couldn't see out the window. It would take only three hours to arrive at my destination. I could see my reflection in the glass. Short dark brown hair almost black in color, large hazel eyes that changed to different hues depending on my surroundings. I was often told as a child that I looked like a girl. Most people usually laughed at me when I told them that I was actually a guy. Even though I was twenty years old, I was still short compared to most men. You could put a wig on me and I could probably pass as a girl. I currently had the worst expression on my face. It looked almost like a scowl and sob combined. It was actually rather ugly.

Huh...maybe I should fix that...

Then I remembered where I was, and the scowl stayed put.

Those three hours felt like forever, and forever, where I was going, was not the amount of time you would wish to stay. Or so I was told.

Only twenty more minutes, I reminded myself. Twenty more minutes and I would be there.

I sighed, taking my numb hand away from my cheek and shaking it out. The woman sitting in the seat across from me laughed aloud, her eyes glittering with blatant mischief.

"Your first time, dear?" She asked, her hazel eyes flashing lightning white before turning back to a normal brown. I hated to be called dear by someone who looked younger me, but her kind always looked young. For all I knew, she could be older than my great-grandmother; she had that ageless look about her. Her long blonde hair was pulled into a tight ponytail, leaving her pale, expressive face clear for all to read.

She wore a tight red halter, no bra from what I could tell and tight black jeans scrubbed white from use in some places. She also wore thigh-high leather stiletto boots; they were almost a grey color, lighter than her jeans. Now her eyes were a normal color, a human color, not the bright white, deep red, or neon yellow of her kind.

I tried to smile and failed. "First time, and I wish my last." I thought about what I said and, realizing that this was her home, quickly apologized. The woman just laughed her wicked, cheery laugh that sent shivers down my spine.

"It is okay, dear. The first time is always the worst, as your kind says." My kind. It wouldn't end well if I told her that she was also my kind, that somewhere along our family trees, we shared the same ancestor.

I turned back towards the window only to realize that sometime during that short conversation, the conductor had pulled the line that dropped blinders along all windows.

There were reasons for the blinders, but I could never remember them. One of the main reasons was so outsiders couldn't find their way back when they left. On the other hand, as some people said, the blinds were there so you couldn't find your way out. I looked up at the woman; she grinned, closed her eyes, breathed in deep, and watched my reaction for the station call.

"Now arriving at...," a warm, automated female voice announced.

"Tartarus Station." An automated male's voice finished.

The woman across from me laughed, it turned into a malicious sound, her eyes changing to that unearthly white, her hair changing to a deep red. Her body seemed to stretch until she was tall and thin with black horns resting on the crown of her head, a narrow tail curving around her waist like a belt. She grinned, showing razor sharp teeth and a forked tongue.