A Deal With The Devil

The biting woman

Benoit's POV

“Please forgive me,’' he blubbered, his pleading voice grating on my ears like nails on a chalkboard. The man pissed himself, his face a roadmap of shame and desperation. The sight disgusted me. They’re always the same: thieves who beg for mercy, groveling like pigs at the trough.

I bent down, my gaze level with his. ‘'Did you think you could steal from me and get away with it?’' I asked, my voice a low growl. He quaked like a ship in a tempest, a hapless prey caught in my web.

"Please, sir," he begged, his hands gripping my legs like a lifeline.

The sight made my stomach turn, but I couldn’t deny the thrill of power coursing through my veins. He was mine to punish, to ruin, or to spare. His fate rested in the palm of my hand.

I considered his pleas. A wife, children…they meant nothing to me. But I could use his desperation. "Stand up," I commanded.”

The darkness of the alley shrouded his figure, a bulky shadow glinting with a sheen of fear. The stench of his urine mingled with the fetid air, staining the night with a miasma of cowardice. As we ventured deeper into time, the silence became oppressive, a looming specter on my back.

A smooth stone rested in my pocket, a familiar touchstone. Thieves were no better than slime, a blight on society.

The lingering stench of his urine, mingled with the fetid alley air, disgusted me. Thieves were a plague, just like the men who’d stolen my home from me, my birthright given to my stepfather and half-brother. They were parasites, no better than scum.

“How much did he steal?’ I leaned against the grimy brick of the alley, my gaze trained on him like a predator stalking its prey. The man’s movements grew frantic, his hands fluttering like leaves in the wind. Anxiety radiated from him, a palpable thing, as he sought a way out of this hellish moment.

“Half a million dollars, sir,” Eric’s voice cut through the dark night like a knife, sending the man into a desperate flight. But his bulk hindered his speed, his sprint more of a clumsy waddle.

I snatched the stone from my pocket and hurled it with precision, slamming it into the man’s knee. He stumbled and fell, a sputtering lump of flesh, his cries echoing in the darkness. My hand closed around his collar, yanking him up until our faces were inches apart. ‘'You should’ve thought twice before stealing from me,’" I spat, my voice like ice.

“Did you really think you could run?’' I chuckled, the sound cutting through the silence like a razor blade. His audacity was almost amusing, but I was no fool. I had eyes everywhere, ears too. I was always there, even when you thought I wasn’t.

"Sir pl........"

“‘Let go of me!’ a shrieked, the voice lancing through the darkness. It was a female's, and in a flash, she sank her teeth into one of the man’s hands, the metallic tang of blood filling the air. He howled, releasing her in a flurry of curses.

I couldn’t help but smirk at her defiance. I admired it, almost as much as I admired the fire in her eyes. This one had spirit, this one wouldn’t crumble under pressure. A worthy acquisition, indeed. My gaze fell on her, like a predator sizing up its prey. '‘I see you have teeth,’' I said, my voice tinged with admiration. ‘'What else are you hiding?’'

"Who are you?" The sharp, tinny voice cut through the night, a jarring contrast to the man’s howls. Two hulking shadows dragged forward a smaller figure, her head pulled back by her hair. She whimpered, twisting away from me, but I saw her. I saw the terror in her trembling limbs, the fear in her voice, and I wanted more.

“Please,’' she whispered, her voice quaking like a leaf in a storm. Her pleas only fueled the fire in my blood. The two men shoved her forward, and she stumbled to her knees. Her hands clawed at the concrete, frantic, searching for a way out of this nightmare. But there was no escape. Not from me. Not from what was coming.

“She was lurking, sir,’' the injured man grunted, his teeth bared in a snarl.

She stood in the shadows, disheveled, her eyes sweeping the darkness like a panicked animal. "Who are you?" she demanded, a mixture of fear and defiance in her voice.

With a sigh, I snatched her arm, dragging her into the building. This day was turning into a whirlwind, and I was the eye of the storm.

“Who the hell are you?’' she shrieked, desperation lacing her words. Her short legs pumped to match my long strides, but it was no use. And then, in a sudden burst of ferocity, she latched onto my skin with her teeth.

The pain jolted through me, awakening something primal. We froze, locked in a battle of wills. In the lit underground room, her blue eyes gleamed with fury, the freckles on her flushed face standing out in stark relief.

"Did you bite me?" I chuckled, almost amused by the sheer audacity. She took frightened steps backward, but I was relentless. "You have more teeth than I anticipated, I’ll give you that." Her eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening. She was gorgeous—fiery, defiant, with strands of golden hair framing her face like curtains. And those eyes—those blue eyes, like twin pools of ice. "But I don't tolerate attacks from anyone, least of all someone in my custody," I growled, my own eyes burning with challenge.

"Take the man to the cell, and gift him with your skills,’' I commanded, casting a glance at the whimpering thief. Loyalty was a virtue I admired and rewarded.

"Who sent you?" I asked, my eyes boring into hers, searching for the truth. But she did the unexpected—she burst into laughter, her body shaking with mirth.

"You think I’m a spy?"she hiccuped, tears of laughter dancing in her eyes.