The Villainess Doesn't Want to Deal With This Shit

Chapter 6- New Friends and New Enemies

(Warnings for mentions and shown results of child abuse, sex trafficking)

I'd been worried about all the wrong things. I was so focused on not humiliating myself in front of my new grandmother that it didn't even occur to me to be worried about the people who would be accompanying her.

The man from whom the game Celeste inherited her cruel streak and a trafficking ring from, stood in front of me, not a duke like in the game, but a Marquis. He only showed up in portrait form at the end of Celeste's arc, but here he was, in all his living, breathing, slimy glory. There was a calculating look in his eye as he trained them on me. Like he was considering how much I'd be worth in one of his black market sales.

Beside me, Ruger's hackles were raised. I felt my power rise in him in response. If Ruger decided to lash out due to my distress, this could be bad. I fixed a smile to my face and placed a trembling hand on his ruff in an attempt to calm us both.

Dropping into a curtsy for the second time that day, I murmured, "You must be my aunt and uncle. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Lies. Lies. All lies. It was the furthest thing as it could be from a 'pleasure'! This was the worst thing that could happen.

The woman, a spitting image of what I would look like in the future, came forward and swept me into a hug much like her mother had. I forced my arms to return the embrace. Hugs were fine. Hugs were good. Hugs didn't end in strangulation, normally.

"I see our grandmother's genes are just as strong as ever." Alexandra said over my head to my mother, who laughed.

"Yes, she could be your daughter instead of mine with how much the two of you look alike." The woman pulled back to study my face with a bittersweet expression.

"Yes, if I had had a daughter, I would have liked her to be so beautiful." She sounded sad, and I remembered that my mother told me that she was infertile. "But luckily, the gods were willing to give me a son! Marcus, come here, come meet your cousin!" She held out a hand for the sullen looking boy to take.

And wasn't this just a day full of bullshit? I knew who he was, without them having to introduce us, though his last name would obviously be different. In the game he was Marcus Blackthorn, Celeste's older adopted brother and a capture target.

He would be roped into helping his adoptive father, and then later Celeste, run the trafficking ring due to his intelligence and way with numbers. A genius trapped in the life of a criminal. And he wouldn't even get his promised reward of becoming the next Duke, because Celeste would kill their parents and inherit the title herself. Poor boy.

Alexandra beamed at her son, "Marcus, this is your cousin Celeste. Celeste, my son Marcus Gray Chavagnac."

I held out my hand with a tentative smile. "Nice to meet you." I said as calmly as I could. Hopefully I can save you. I thought.

Lunch was a raucous affair, with grandmother, my mother, and Aunt Alexandra each talking over each other trying to make up for lost time. At the head of the table my father was listening to the Marquis talk with a strained look of forced interst on his face.

I glanced at Marcus from the corner of my eye, the silence between us at odds with how loud everyone else was. It was then that I saw something peeking at me from his collar.

"Oh!" I couldn't help but exclaim as the tiny kitten stared at me. "Is that your familiar?"

The boy nodded, scooping it out from its hiding place so I could get a better look. It was a tiny calico, much smaller than Blizzard had ever been. "My powers awoke just before we set out, so she's still very young." He told me in a quiet, subdued voice.