Chapter One
I swear God hated me that day. A Sunday to be exact. I was walking, walking! Only toward the biggest jewelry store in town. There was a nice diamond in the window. I mean who puts a diamond in the window and doesn’t expect me to try and take it? All I wanted to do was hold it……or steal it. I was doing great until this dude decided to ruin it. I just barely opened to door or picked the lock. I sneak in and flash the lights on. I stand admiring the rows and rows of beautiful glass cases that stretched far across the store all full of jewelry. Then my eyes scan the room landing on the diamond in the window. “Come to daddy.” I carefully cradle the jewel in my hands and look at the beautiful patterns of light as I twist it around. I amaze myself every time.
“Sylas I presume?” I turn narrowing my bright ice blue eyes at the black figure that stood leaning in the shadows. “Nice to meet the best thief around. I’d like to ask you something though. If you’re as good as they say then why didn’t you hear me coming?”
“I’m not good, I’m great.” I sneer then begin moving the diamond toward my lock picking bag.
“I wouldn’t……if I were you.”
“You’re not me.” He stands up straight.
“Think fast thief.” He chucks a knife in my direction. I catch it only inches from my face.
“That all you got?” I smirk as I twirl the knife in my hand. He shows himself but all I get is two dark brown eyes surrounded by black. I get ready for what’s to come.
“The hero can catch a knife.”
“Hero? I’m the villain.” I stuff the diamond in my bag. “Come and get the diamond if you want it. “
“Who said I wanted the diamond?” He disappears into the darkness. As I look around I realize there was none. The store was lit up, all the lights were on. Then they shut off. D*mn! I blink, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the moons dim shine. Suddenly I’m kicked from behind. I stumble forward and into a glass case. Gold bracelets, sliver necklaces, and rings. Not the time Sylas! I turn around and barely dodge a hit to the head. I trip him and flip onto the glass case. He jumps to his feet as he takes a sword out of nowhere. I jump three potential hits to my calves then run following the case as it circles around the store. He jumps in front of me and swings. I duck and slide under his legs grabbing an ankle in the process. He flies forward and face first into the glass. From behind all I hear is a scream and shattering glass. I turn as I stand.
“So who’s the great one now?” I throw the knife aiming for his back but suddenly he turns and deflects it with his sword. I squeak and duck the speeding knife. I glance over my shoulder as it stabs the wall and sticks like glue. There goes that weapon. The one day I steal something and don’t come prepared. He slices at me but misses every time. I back flip down the row and land near the hanging knife. I pull it out and chuck it. He catches it holding it by the blade. I gulp. He chucks it back. I try to catch it but end up with a sliced hand. “F***!” He laughs.
“What was the question thief?”
“So you want to play big deal.” I utter smiling. “So do I.” I duck to pick up the knife. He swings at me but I manage to jump.
“Fight thief and stop procrastinating. Is this all you do? Talk your foes away?” He swings. I duck and stab his left side. He drops the sword.
“You were saying?” I twist then push and last pull it out and watch as he falls to his knees and face first to the floor. I place my hands on my sides as I admire my handy work. That’s what he gets for messing with Sylas. I pull my new diamond out of my lock picking bag as I walk toward the door. So you’ve heard I’m Sylas. A good guy killing, child murdering thief so what it’s a living. Besides it keeps me moving, keeps me alone, and it keeps me in charge. My life my rules. I’m seventeen, blue eyes, blonde shoulder length hair. I wear all black, I mean what thief doesn’t. I’ve been doing this for about four years. In that span of time I’ve killed, destroyed, stolen things, and most of all stayed clear of everything and everybody. My mission is to stay away from human contact, communication, and many other things that involve that s***. And if someone gets in my way they die simple as that. No one messes with Sylas, and I’m great not good. So off I go people to kill, things to steal and places to destroy. I walk out of the store the door’s small bell ringing softly as it closes behind me. I smile as I turn the diamond back and forth in my palm satisfied with the small glow it creates as the moonlight hits it. Suddenly someone from behind grabs my arms and knees me square in the back. I yelp in pain as the diamond slips and hits the floor with a small cling.
“Get inside he’s injured,” The male behind my orders.
“My doing hey what’s up?” He knees me again but harder.
“Shush thief!” He pulls my arms behind me and cuffs them. I hear the small bell on the store’s door ring as it’s pushed open and closes slowly.
“So was this the plan? Have a sorry punk get killed as you kindly cuff my hands behind my back?” He knees me again.
“Shut up if you know what’s good for you.” I smirk.
“Thing is, I don’t know what’s good from me, just what’s bad for you.” I elbow his face and jump over my cuffed hands. “Anything else you got?” He gains his balance from the stumble. Again all I see is the eyes and the rest outlined in black. The only difference is the eye color is dark green not brown. He growls. “Threatening.” He charges but I just sidestep. I didn’t expect him to grab my arm and pull me down with him. I land on him and he quickly rolls me onto my stomach with him on me his knees straight in my spine.
“You got anything else thief?”
“Ha ha my sides are splitting.” He cuffs my ankles then pulls me to my feet. The door opens and again the bell chimes. I glance over my shoulder to see the same guy I just stabbed standing leading the other two out.
“So we good?” The male holding me nods.
“What is this, a new thing with the men in black? I assure you I’m not the alien you’re looking for.” They laugh and I roll my eyes. “Not technically a joke.” He pushes me forward toward a black Ford Mustang parked in the street.
“So you okay with taking him?” The dude with the dark brown eyes nods. The guy stuffs me into the front passenger seat and closes the door. The dude that’s still supposed to be lying on the ground in that jewelry store jumps into the driver’s seat and starts the car. He rolls the window down only enough to say a few silent words to one of the guys that went in the store to get him then starts driving off. I glare at things outside the window not paying attention to the guy in black.
“You know if you didn’t act as big and bad as you think you are then you wouldn’t be in this situation.” I groan.
“I am big and bad okay! Don’t make me pull this car into reveres so I can see your a** get hit!” He glances at me not one bit threatened. I moan and look out the window again.
“To tell you the truth I wasn’t looking forward to this mission. I’m an assassin and you’re a thief almost the same but we don’t kill innocence.” I chuckle.
“Whatever. So why don’t you undo these stupid cuffs and kick me out of the car. You say we’re so much alike so go ahead bro cut the string and let me loose.”
“No can do. Sylas we’ve heard a lot of things about you.”
“Oh goody.” I roll my eyes.
“Not as bad as you think.”
“When I’m a celebrity to goody goody assassins that’s bad.” He laughs softly.
“Not that goody goody. Sylas we know what you can do. I’ve seen you fight……from experience you are very skilled for someone your age especially without getting any training.”
“What do you want with me?” I glare at him. He quickly looks at me then back at the road. “I’m sure I did nothing to you.”
“That’s right you didn’t do anything.” I whine.
“Then what’s the reason for cuffing me and stuffing me into a black car?!” I clench my fists.
“It’s not what you did it’s what you do.” I lift an eyebrow.
“What?!”
“Sylas……think you can kill a person within the span of one minute. Me for instants. The reason we came to get you is because we need a leader like that.” I bust up.
“A leader?! You came to the wrong guy. I work alone.” I turn my head toward the window again.
“Are you sure because I’m sure it wasn’t that way when we were young.” I look at him again.
“Who are you? Let me guess I have an older brother my parents never bothered to tell me about before they died?” He shakes his head.
“Sylas, I’m surprised you don’t remember the person you hung out with most of your childhood.” I moan.
“That’s what I try to forget.”
“So you really don’t remember your cousin?” I look at him closely.
“For your info my cousin died.” He shakes his head again.
“For your info I decided to take care of myself.”
“Whatever! So you and your posse want me to lead what?” He glances at me only for a second.
“A small group of assassins to help out an old friend.”
“An old friend? Tell me what this is about or I say no.”
“So you’ll say yes?” I growl.
“No I never said yes!”
“Sylas-”
“Stop calling me that!”
“Thief…what do you say we make a deal?” I lift an eyebrow.
“A deal?”
“Yes you lead this small group and we’ll give you whatever you want.”
“Really?” I lean in.
“But a castle or huge city. You also can’t ask for us to steal, kill, or destroy anything.” I moan as I slouch.
“But that ruins it.”
“How about half of what our friend offers if you succeed?” I think about it.
“But what would he give?”
“Riches. Anything gold, silver, bronze, metal, diamond, anything you name it he has it.” I smile evilly. Maybe a huge diamond in a stores window was worth it.