Page 15 of Cry of the Damned
“So…” Bethel glanced around. It was her first time being out in the city during the light of day. As she took in our surroundings, she appeared unimpressed. “Where do they keep the most money? Nosh mentioned… banks?”
I almost choked. Nosh had grown up in Georgia and only later in his life came to our lands. He had told everyone all kinds of stories about living in the big city, but clearly, Bethel had gotten the wrong idea.
“We’ll end up in jail if we go anywhere near a bank,” I said.
Ila blinked. “Really?”
“She’s exaggerating.” Bethel waved a hand in the air. “What do you suggest, then?”
I really had no concrete idea of how we would get money. I was hoping that maybe we could find odd jobs to do for people. Though I didn’t think that would be easy or make us enough money. Also, it might call unwanted attention in our direction.
As we turned the corner, we ran into a man wearing a flannel shirt and heavy work boots. When he caught sight of Bethel, he did a double-take, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. He recovered quickly, however, and immediately went intoassholemode.
“Hey, gorgeous,” he said in a husky voice. “Looking fine this morning.”
Bethel stopped and gave him a once over.
I grabbed her arm and tried to pull her away, but she stood her ground, scanning the man as if he were a rare creature, the type she found repulsive.
Mistaking Bethel’s perusal for interest, the man smiled widely, puffing his chest. “Interested in what you see?” His eyes fell to Bethel’s bare stomach. “Because I’mveryinterested in whatIsee.”
One of Bethel’s black eyebrows went up. “You are? And what would you do about it?”
The man’s smile turned downright sleazy. Licking his lips, he said, “I would give you the greatest night of—” He stopped abruptly, cleared his throat, and tried again. “I would make sure you—” Again he stopped.
Behind her back, Bethel’s fingers were moving in what must be some sort of choking spell.
I snorted.
The man flashed me a dirty look.
“What’s the matter?” I asked. “Performance issues?”
Bethel and Ila frowned at first, but when they caught my meaning, they both laughed. The man turned red with anger and stomped away, throwing daggers at us as he escaped.
Still laughing, we resumed walking. At the next corner, I checked left and right, trying to figure out which way to go.
“Twenty, forty, sixty, one hundred and ten,” Bethel counted.
I glanced over at her and found that she had a wallet in her hands and was counting the bills inside it.
“Where did you get that?” Ila and I asked in unison.
“One hundred and thirty. Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three.” Bethel pulled the dollar bills out and dumped the wallet into a nearby trash bin. She pocketed the cash, then said, “I got it from that offensive city rat back there. It’s the least he deserves for his dirty thoughts about an innocent girl like me.” Bethel put a hand on her chest and batted her eyelashes. “Let’s find our next victim.” She sashayed across the street, flaunting all her wares to unsuspecting jerks.
I felt kind of bad because it was stealing, but we had a greater cause—one that would ultimately also benefit the people of Lux City.
A few hours and fourassholeslater, we had enough money to cover rent for another week and buy more groceries.
“That was too easy,” Bethel said, handing me over a roll of bills. “It kind of spoils the fun.”
I quickly put the money away, leaving a twenty-dollar bill out. “I think we deserve a treat for our hard work.”
Bethel twisted her mouth to one side. “Our?”
“We helped you spot the creeps,” Ila put in. “Sheela’s particularly good at it.”
As an initiate, I spent most of my time inside the Academy. Though, I visited the city enough times to learn how to tell the dodgy guys from the decent ones.
