Crownless

Chapter 13

Time is such an interesting, yet annoying thing. I've spent centuries on this earth, saw many things, horrible and beautiful alike. I've been in every career possible, jack of all trades. I've done very good things, and I've done very terrible things. Some people would call me a mercenary, some would call me a villain. People pay me to kill for them, and while I'm out I kill the people I deem a nuisance to society.

I was probably the richest human being to walk the earth, stacks of money tucked away in my underground bunker. I resided in a forest in Alaska, hidden from society. I had it decorated beautifully, chandeliers and gold everywhere. I had my own private library, where I kept my journals over time. I travel the world constantly tracking down the families of the witch that slaughtered my family. I waited for them to grow to adults, and kill their sons and daughters. I've watched colleagues, and friends die, I've had children outlive me. My heart is frozen solid and I've learned to work alone and be alone.

I sat in my study thinking of my children and how I miss them, I would raise them until the age of five, so they wouldn't raise suspicion of why I don't age. I always kept up with them, visited with them and became friends. I finally had common sense enough to get a hysterectomy, and my heart shattered even more than losing my crown. My anger grew at the sun, we had such a love-hate relationship, but I needed her power.

I got up and began packing, heading out to New York for a lead on a descendant. I loaded the car and went back inside to sleep for the trip ahead. I awoke the next day, heading toward the airport. The sunrise was beautiful this morning, shining through the windshield. I breathed in the cool air, letting the wind blow through my long curly hair. I listened to the birds chirping as I drove by, horns blowing filling the air. I finally made it to the airport, breezing through security. I have weapons buried all over the earth, so when I need to do jobs I wouldn't have to deal with security checks. I boarded the plane sitting next to an elderly woman, and a chunky Hawaiian man in his thirties. He greeted me kindly, and I returned the gesture. "Where you headed?" He asked with a mouth full of peanuts.

I sipped my water, gulping the sip as he asked. "Manhattan." I replied placing the cap on the water bottle.

"Work? I'm here for a business trip, traveling makes me uneasy, but hey I have a family to feed." I downed the rest of the peanuts. I studied the man's actions, he seemed so harmless, a rarity in the world.

"Yes, I have an important meeting." I lied, putting one earbud in my ear. He nodded and rambled about his children and his work. He was so polite, chattering a mile a minute. Finally, the flight attendant announced that we have landed. The man was nice, but he was beginning to be annoying. I waved him goodbye and called a cab. I booked a hotel and unloaded my bags into the room. I ordered some room service while I mindlessly channel surfed the tv.

The sound of someone knocking hard on the hotel door, made my body shout up in surprise. I groaned as I sat up, a little dizzy from moving too fast. "Housekeeping!" A woman with a Spanish accent called, I slipped the complimentary robe on and opened the door. I grabbed my clothes and headed into the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. I brushed through my wet brown hair and slicked it back into a low bun. I brushed my teeth and washed my face. I applied my everyday makeup and threw my clothes on. I called a taxi and went to get a rental car. I rented a black range rover and made my way to a high-end cafe. I ordered a short stack of pancakes and a side of bacon. I sipped on my black coffee, scrolling through my phone.

The cafe was nice, a little on the hipster side. I looked around at its edgy aesthetic, impressed at how eccentric it was. The bright neon signs glowed all around as the modern mixed with vintage decorations hung on the walls. It smelled heavenly of fresh bread and an array of coffees.

I looked down at my chest as it started the familiar sting. My pendant glowed as a group in their mid-twenties came through the front door, laughing and joking. One of the kids in the group was a descendant, and I fought the urge to burn the whole cafe down. I locked eyes with emerald green eyes, and my heart fluttered. That was him. A mixture of hatred and chemistry filled the air. He shot me a kind smile, making me gulp. I looked away with a blush on cheeks, burning red. I cleared my throat trying to regain composure. Get it together Audrey.

I looked back up to see him staring at me. There was a strange pull, something definitely iffy going on. I wonder if he had inherited powers, as some of the descendants did. It was rare and maybe a hundred or so had them. I bit into my bacon taking in the behaviors of his group of friends. It was a blend of people, they all looked intelligent yet silly.

I watched as the boy threw his head back in laughter, mouth full of pearly whites beaming. His skin was like butterscotch, rich and light. He had short curly brown hair, facial hair framing his handsome face. He was the most attractive descendant yet. I rolled my eyes at my thoughts, He is my revenge, not my plaything. Well, I could have both right? I finished my breakfast paying the bill and followed the group out, trying to keep up without being directly behind them. They went to the parking lot, all gathering into a van. I jumped in the Range Rover, slipping my black shades on my face and began trailing them.

They pulled into a school I didn't recognize. Manhattan School of Music is where they got out at and they all came out of the van with black cases, instruments I assume. Great, looks like I better get good at music. I pulled out of the parking lot as soon as I saw all of them go inside. I pulled over at the park and sat down on the bench. I googled what the easiest instrument to learn. Ukulele, no. Harmonica, check because I already know how to play that. Bongos, hard no. Piano, Yes. I smiled as I made way into a Pawn shop and there sat the most beautiful, shiny, piano, I've ever seen. "I'll take it." I wrote a check. Now I'm going to have to buy an apartment.

I got refunded by the hotel and settled on a hole in the wall apartment. It luckily wasn't in that bad of shape so I was able to clean it easily. I ordered some bullshit furniture and then began practicing. I searched on youtube and took online classes on how to read and play music. Harder than it looks, that's for sure.