The Silent Killer (A Finnick Odair Love Story)

Chapter Two

I'm herded into the Remake Center, camera flashes blinding me. I'll never get used to those.

My prep team doesn't need to do much to me. Just a hair and skin softening treatment, as well as washing and conditioning my hair.

"How's the voice? Can you talk yet?" Gill asks and I shake my head. "You will, don't worry."

I smile up at him. Gill has always been my favorite member of my prep team. He's not strange-looking and he's kindhearted. He's good company.

"Alright. I think she's ready for Evangeline," Fiona smiles, stroking my hair.

So they send me into the silver room and I sit on the metal table, patiently waiting for my stylist. My nails are painted silver and sharpened into claws. My hair is permanently dyed vampire red, my signature look. I look pretty, I guess. Maybe not gorgeous or anything similar, nowhere near beautiful, but pretty is valid.

Evangeline Rosen walks into the room, her spray-painted silver hair catching every light it possibly can. Small diamonds glitter at the ends of her incredibly long, colored icy blue eyelashes. Her lips are painted a frosty pink and her inch-long nails are perfectly painted white with a clear glitter coat, crystal bows adorning them.

Evangeline wears a strapless, white dress that's tied with a bow. Along the neckline and the bottom, there's a line of black lace. Her heels are four inches tall and are studded in every gem imaginable.

"Asphodel!" she exclaims excitedly, hugging me tightly. "Dear, I'm so sorry you've been chosen! But you're going to love what I've created for you!"

I smile slightly and nod, showing her that I agree. Evangeline always designs such great clothes. She pulls out a covered dress and pulls the cover off it. I'm immediately faced with a dark blue dress with lighter blue lines, so it looks like solar panels. It's strapless and the skirt is full, several layers of tulle underneath it. There are silver sparkles shooting up, looking like electricity.

It's beautiful.

She helps me change into it and once it's on my thin frame, I realize just how beautiful it really is. It hugs my body perfectly and hangs just right. I slip on a pair of glittery silver high heel sandals. Evangeline does my eyes up in shades of black, gray, silver, and white and applies a shimmery white lipstick to my lips. She curls my hair into perfect ringlets and lets them fall down my back, then places my Victor's crown on my head.

"There," she smiles. "You look beautiful."

More importantly, I think, I look powerful.

"Shall we show the others?" she asks and I nod, smiling thankfully at her.

We walk out to the chariots and I feel eyes on me. I look over and see Finnick Odair, smiling. He's always seemed friendly enough, even though I've never had an actual conversation with him. He congratulated me when I came to Four on my Victory Tour, though.

"Asphodel," he smiles, coming over. "It's nice to see you again. I'll admit, you look terrifying in that getup. What happened to your innocent pink bows?"

They didn't suit me, I think bitterly. I write it on the small notepad an Avox gave me and he laughs.

"No, they certainly didn't," he agrees. "Anyway, I was thinking we should be allies. I saw you fight in your Games. You're smart, you're stealthy, and you're fast. So what do you say?"

I shrug as if to say 'I'll think about it.' He nods.

"Well, let me know when you decide. I think we'd make a great team," he says, looking directly into my eyes. He gives me a friendly kiss on the cheek and a smile before going back to his chariot.

"What did Finnick want?" Ryder asks, coming up to me. I only shake my head, telling him it's not a big deal.

An alliance, I write. Ryder looks at me, impressed.

I notice he avoids looking in my eyes. Everyone does, except for Johanna and Atom. My eyes are shattered and they appear haunted. It terrifies people. Finnick didn't avoid my eyes, though. He looked right into them, his sea green irises piercing my soul.

I shake my head and steel myself as the chariot starts up. I will not wave, I will not smile. I am District Five's first female victor in history and I'm famous for being sly and cunning, inexplicably brave. My strategic planning has made me famous.

I won at age fourteen because I was cunning and able to lie smoothly, as well as able to detect lies. I was able to perfect myself with my weapons. And here I am, alive.

I will win these Games. For myself and for my district.

We rolls out into the sunlight and I feel everyone's eyes on me. They scream, they cheer, they chant my name. I hadn't expected that part. My hardened, glaring, stone-cold face is shown on huge screens. My body is rigid. I hold myself like a queen. I look prepared to win.

Throughout the entire parade, my name doesn't stop slipping from their lips. I had no idea they loved me this much.

The chariot rides back into the Training Center and the entire time, I feel Snow's beady little eyes staring at me. Once I'm obstructed from his view, I catch Katniss Everdeen watching me.

Looks like the girl on fire finally met her match.