Frozen Flame

Chapter 50: The Mistress

Ice: Criminal Corps

Darkness shrouded his vision, filling every crevice as tired and hurting, he came to. His head thumping, hands seemingly tied together behind his back, he began to hear the faint murmur of voices.

"And he had information for me?"

The voice was soft, beautiful, elegant – words intertwined with viscous breaths that seemed like they could destroy all listening in an instant.

"Yes, yes mistress."

This voice, he had heard before. Harsh and gravelly, although attempted softness, screamed brusque and grotesque. The man... The man from the place they'd been captured.

"You're sure this information was actually important?"

"Yes, it appeared so, mistress."

"You do realise that if it isn't, and you've wasted my time, it's your head that's going to be rolling."

"Yes mistress, of course."

A pause.

Now another voice, soft and sweet, yet masculine. "Mistress, the front newcomer is awakening."

Then back to the 'mistress', "Was he the one with the information?"

The capturer, "Yes, mistress. Talia reported he was the one."

A sigh. "Take off the bag, I want to see who I'm talking to."

Footsteps approached before rustling was felt close to his head. Fingers brushed across his neck and light suddenly streamed in as the bag was ripped off his head. He squinted at the sudden and abrupt light, blinking several times before looking at the dangerous people in front of him.

A woman sat in the middle – and she could be described as nothing but a woman with her dark skin and hair glimmering in the light. Her honey eyes glared, filled with a spark as her deadliness became instantly apparent. Long slender legs wrapped around one another, relaxed as her arms echoed their gesture in front of her. Gold, shimmering and gorgeous, the garments wrapped around her did little to hide her shapely physique, accompanied with the muscles the Criminal Corps brought.

On either side of her stood two men, elegant and feminine with long hair and little covering them. However, perhaps the most peculiar thing about them was the combination of their hair and eyes – the one on the right of her had pink hair and redy-pink eyes with white eyelashes, whilst the one on the left had blue hair and slight blue pigment on the whites of his eyes.

A look of shock crossed the woman's face for an instant before a slight smile interrupted the surprise. "Jared." A perfectly poised and raised eyebrow. "I never thought I see you here again."

Jared shrugged, loosening his tight shoulders. "Ceecee. The leader of the Criminal Corps... I mean, I suspected, but I had my doubts." He chuckled. "Honestly, I should have seen it coming, with the name they kept giving you and everything... Didn't change much..."

The pink-haired one scowled, "Watch your tongue, informant! Don't you dare talk to the mistress in such a general and informal way."

Ceecee raised her hand, "It's fine. He's an old friend, and an old enemy." She looked at me. "Your majesty can talk to me however he sees fit." She clasped her hands together, bringing them to her mouth. "How about you? All the way from criminal to king, you must have done something good after you left us."

He grimaced. "Yeah, I met a great guy called Bob."

He stood up, the rope that tied his hands together, dropping to the floor behind him. Shaking his arms, he looked at the leader's two companions. "Can one of you get me a chair? It's a little uncomfortable to stay kneeling on the floor... and I'd like to talk to Cienna when I'm around the same height as her."