Deadly Desires

Crimson kisses

Maria threads the final string of silver into my hair, I raise my eyes to the mirror and a small gasp escapes my throat.

Marissa told all of us exactly twelve hours ago we were invited to one of the most prestigious galas held in New York. We weren't meant to be killing anyone there but she had encouraged all of her assassins to bring weapons just in case.

She'd also encouraged us to look our best so we could persuade buyers to invest in Lotus, you'd have thought if that was our purpose she'd have asked the best prostitutes to attend this function instead. But men always seemed to gravitate to women they couldn't understand or control.

And while prostitutes' jobs were to serve a man's every desire an assassin's job was to snuff them out.

"Oh Ivy, you'll be bringing in millions..." Maria whispered, I shifted my gaze to her as she smiled at me.

I wore a silver gown that sparkled under the light to give the impression that it was made entirely of glitter and sequins, it hung off my shoulders and dipped low enough just to allow the tops of my breasts to peak out.

Maria, one of my closest friends, had braided silver string through my hair in an elaborate crown hairstyle, the silver contrasted with my red hair perfectly.

I'd never looked so expensive in my life, I looked regal.

"Thank you, Maria," I said, rising from the chair and walking towards the door. She handed me my holster that had a gun and a knife attached to it, it would fit around my thigh and luckily my dress fanned around my legs enough that it didn't look bulky or out of place.

I wore small tear-drop earrings that twisted open, they were filled with cyanide.

"Be safe, be alert and do have a glass of champagne for me," Maria said, blowing me a kiss. She was one of our assassins but she wasn't attending tonight. It was her day to look after her baby, Isaac.

I nodded with a smile as I slipped out of her house and climbed into the limo. The driver, one of our own, winked at me as we drove off into the darkness.

New York at night was breathtaking, especially now in January the streets were covered in a soft blanket of snow. I loved snow, and I was so glad we had gotten it this year.

Twenty minutes later, we were pulling to a stop and I was climbing out of the limo and heading inside the mansion that loomed over me. It looked old, like it had stood here for centuries. I wonder how many young girls in beautiful gowns had excitedly walked inside these very oak doors, prepared for an enchanting night.

The rooms were crawling with people. Women liked me dressed in gowns and diamonds and men looked at them like they'd seen an angel. I smirked as I weaved through the crowds, I wondered how all these gentlemen would react knowing half the women here had a body count that neared triple numbers.

And not the fun kind of body count.

Marissa turned away from a group of gentlemen crowded around her and grabbed my arm, yanking me into the conversation.

"And this is Ivy St. Claire, she's one of our best." She said with a twinkle in her eye, I tried to not let my face falter.

"Wonderful to meet you all," I said, putting a slight ariness to my voice. It helped mask my discomfort.

It wasn't unheard of in other organisations, as well as Lotus, for assassins to be...forced into other work. Most of the time the girls had to do what we were told and didn't have the luxury of saying no. It was the job. If Marissa told you to take an older gentleman upstairs and persuade him to invest that's what you did.