Raven (Assassin #1) | On Hold

Home Sweet Home

It was quite a while later that both of the sisters walked out of the large opulent building, carefully avoiding all the security cameras as they strode towards the sleek blue car waiting for them a little way down the street. Reyna had already changed out of her bloody ballgown and into something far more comfortable, though she hadn't been able to do too much about the blood clinging to her like a second skin.

"I'm driving." Ruby said, whipping the keys out of her pocket, twirling them around her finger.

"Aww."

"You didn't bring any of your driving licenses, did you?" Ruby said, raising an eyebrow at her sister. "Not to mention you're looking rather murderish..."

"Pft." She grumbled, plopping herself down in the passenger seat, swiftly stealing the driving licence. "Jenna Roberts..." She smirked, staring at the fake licence. "That's the usual one you use, isn't it?"

"Yep." It was her favourite identity by far, though she didn't really have many. Her and Reyna were the youngest two of the Deryn family at the ages of sixteen and fifteen respectively. Jenna Roberts was a nice normal name, especially when compared to her appearance. She'd been diagnosed with albinism at a very early age, and it was that which made her stand out compared to the rest of her dark-haired sisters. Her older sisters had always liked to make fun of her when she'd been forced to wear her clunky glasses, but thankfully for her those days were over.

The drive was long and, coupled with the car change halfway through, had led to them being home later than their parents which was saying something.

It also meant that they were waiting for them when they arrived back in the wee early hours of the morning, the pair of them trying, and failing rather epically, to sneak stealthily into their home.

"Reyna." Her mother, Millicent Deryn, smiled, her eyes closed as they entered through the window, which would've been sweet... had it not been for the deadly intent radiating off her in waves that were practically visible.

The youngest Deryn blanched.

"Good luck, kiddo." Ruby patted her on the head, brushing past her, walking into the next room. She grinned, her eyes gleaming as she left her sister in the claws of the beast they called mother. "You'll need it."

"Well..." Her father stood, smiling weakly as he glanced at his youngest daughter, mouthing the words 'good luck'.

"Papa..." Reyna whispered, making a break for the door. She didn't get far though, thanks to the hand that clamped down on her shoulder. Breath brushed against her skin, reminding her of a dragon breathing down her neck – though the only experience of that had been watching one on TV.

"And just where do you think you're going?" She was still smiling, her eyes still closed, not even bothering to look at her trembling daughter. "I told you not to leave on another mission."

At that exact moment in time, another of Reyna's sisters came down the stairs, glancing at her white-haired sibling sprawled out on one of the large white sofas. Cries of pain could be heard from behind the closed door that led to the kitchen.

"Rey?" The brunette tilted her head, glancing towards the source of the racket which'd woken her up.

"You guessed it." Ruby sighed, red eyes locking on the dazzling green ones that belonged to the second oldest Deryn child – Blaise. "Who else would knowingly put themselves in the wrath of that dragon?"

"Rube..." Blaise trailed off, staring at the black-haired woman standing behind her sister.

A hand clenched, inky locks writhing in the slight breeze floating in through the open window. "And just who are you calling a dragon...?"

The albino froze, shivers wracking her spine as she felt the green-eyed stare boring into her back. Her mother was stealthy as ever. A fact she hated in that instant.

The loud bang that followed woke the entire Deryn Household, two more siblings appearing down the stairs, a set of grey and green eyes curiously surveying the Ruby-shaped hole in one of the living room walls before their gaze fell on their youngest sibling limping in from the kitchen.

"What's with all the racket, mum?" The middle child – Lillian – asked, her green eyes boring into her mother's matching ones. "What did they do this time?"

The small black-haired girl soon regretted asking that question, though, thanks to the eyes that bore into her own like lasers. "Reyna decided it'd be a good idea to go out on a little job." Their mother smiled, casually crushing her youngest daughter under foot as she sat on the sofa, watching as Lillian's face paled to an unhealthy shade of white. "I specifically asked you to keep an eye on her." Millicent smiled, closing her eyes yet again.

Which was why, when Ruby climbed back through the hole she'd made in the wall, she was met with the sight of her two sisters being used as footrests. Disappointment clouded her expression, her eyes narrowing on Lillian as she winced in pain.

"Stop looking so jealous, sissy." Rogue, the eldest Deryn child, sighed, ruffling her sister's fluffy white hair, somehow managing to stop herself from sighing in contentment.

Her sister's hair was as soft as ever.

"Mum won't do that to you." The oldest sister said, smiling slightly as their father laughed quietly in the corner, trying to cover the sheepish expression on his face, already knowing what his eldest child was about to say. "She knows you'd enjoy it far too much." Rogue continued, ignoring the way her sibling was salivating at the sight in front of her. "Besides... She's already rewarded you for taking care of Reyna's mess, so now she's pun- telling you off for calling her a you-know-what." She said, carefully avoiding the word she'd learnt never to call her mother along with the word that'd have her sister purring like a contented kitty.

"Well..." Their father, Jason, smiled softly. "Seeing as we're all up, how about a movie?" He said, picking out a movie he'd purchased on the way back from the job he'd been on. "I saw this, and immediately thought of you, Milly."

All of the Deryn children blanched, having spied what was on the cover.

Dragons.