Lady of the Night (Downworlder Series, #3)

Chapter Seven: Of Princes

She was just as stunning as the first time I saw her. Her curls were pulled into a bun but it didn't stop a few strands from escaping, making her look frazzled. I glanced around to the five children around her, I knew that having that many children around would make anyone frazzled. I only ever had Isabelle and she was a handful on her own. My gaze flicked to the taller male of the group. My beast and I sized him up but disregarded him nearly as quickly. He looked too much like her to be anything but a sibling.

"Hola, bonita." I smirked at her and I watched as her cheeks darkened with a blush and she immediately looked down at the ground. The children looked between us before looking up at her, curiosity in their gazes. I shifted my grip on the boy's shoulder. "You part of this group, amigo?" I gestured to Quinta's little group with my head and his expression darkened.

"I have nothing to do with them." He hissed the words out, crossing his arms over his small chest. The smallest of the little girls inhaled sharply at that, her tiny chin trembling as she held onto Quinta's leg tightly.

"Jovan!" Quinta hissed the name and I narrowed my eyes as I glanced down at the boy.

"Shut your mouth, Quinta!" There was a faint rumble to his chest to let me know just how old the boy was before I reached up and pinched his ear.

He let out a yelp and I started walking towards Quinta, pulling him along beside me as he whimpered and whined. "Little amigo, there are very few things in this world that are not necessary and this is one of them. You will never disrespect your familia like that again." There were many things I didn't like in the world but disrespecting someone who was caring for you was near the top of that list. My abuela showed me that. If you did not respect your loved ones then who would ever respect you?

"Let me go! I don't have to respect her! She's just a whore!" He shoved at my hand and I pinched harder, a deep and threatening growl rumbling my chest that had him immediately going limp. He would not be allowed to speak of her like that. No one would ever speak of her like that.

I let his ear go and crouched down, grabbing his arms before giving him a small shake. "Listen to me, little amigo, and you listen carefully." His lips were pressed into a thin line and his chin set into a stubborn position. "If you do not respect others why should they respect you?" He shifted his face from mine, unable to hold my gaze. He was just a juvenile, he had no clue about the dangers that lurked around every corner.

"You want to be a little ganbanger? You want to throw your life away in the slums because of a bottle of swill or some drugs? You want to disappoint those who love you?" He kept his head down and I grabbed his chin forcing him to meet my gaze. "You think that running away from your problems will solve them? No one out on these streets will ever care about you." It would be a hard lesson for him to learn and one that I would do my best to prevent him from having to learn at all.

He scowled darkly, his little chest rumbling with a beast that was too young to make itself known. "I have friends!" He puffed himself up, trying to look bigger than he was. "They promised me that if-"

"No, little amigo." I shook my head slowly. "They will promise you the world if it gets them a little drug runner. Do you want that life?" People thought they did but then the reality sunk in and by then they were in so deep they couldn't get out.

He deflated slightly. "Its better than this one." The words were muttered and I heaved out a heavy sigh as I put down my helmet.

"Is it?" I raised an eyebrow as he looked at me. I grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled it off. "Look at these." I gestured to the harsh scars that rested on my skin. Each one had a story of simply trying to survive. This was the reality he wasn't willing to see. People got hurt and the lucky ones left with scars and the others... well they left in body bags. "I have been stabbed, shot, and beaten out on these streets doing what I can to survive. Some of them were from people I thought I could trust. The streets owe you no favours and they will not go easy on you because you are young. I have seen men die over a packet of drugs and a few marks. This is no life for you, little amigo." I watched as he scanned the scars, his face slightly white.