Red Light District

Chapter One
Nathalie Lupine

“All things are difficult before they are easy.”
~Thomas Fuller

I stood on the corner of the street, my hand locked around the one belonging to Evangelise, my little sister, as the cool evening air rustled through my clothes.

Well, what little clothes I had on.

You see, even though I was only sixteen, and my sister only thirteen, we were forced into prostitution when we were very young.

When our parents died, we had only one choice; go to an orphanage to get adopted by an abustive paedophilic man, or go to a foster family where it would pretty much be the same thing. We didn’t like that choice.

Though, the choice we made up didn’t fair much better.

Living on the streets, it wasn’t long before we discovered that no one was going to hire a thirteen year old and a ten year old, which was the age we were when our parents died in the fire.

The house fire that took our happy lives down with it.

“Hello, lovelies... how much...?”

I was snapped out of my musings just in time to realize someone had pulled up to the curb, requesting either mine or my sister’s services.

“How much you got?” My sister questioned before I could respond.

Evangelise stepped up to the curb, her heels clicking on the concrete as the wind fluttered around her black and red mini corset dress, as well as blew through her blond curls.

The man smiled a perverted smile, causing a shiver to tear through my body.

Though all I could do was make a face.

“For you, pal... the girls aren’t available.” A different voice spoke, causing Evangelise, the man - or should I say ‘pervert’ - in the car, and I, to turn.

Walking towards us was someone I recognised, and didn’t trust in the slightest. There wasn’t one prostitute in the Red Light District that he hadn’t slept in, not including my sister and I.

I had warned Evangelise to stay away from him.

“What do you want, Drake?” I snapped, and the elusive Mister Alexander Drake merely smiled at me, strutting his way confidently over to Evangelise and I.

I sneered at him, pulling Evangelise away from the curb and half sheilding her behind me.

The man in the car, sighing in realization that Mr. Drake was going to ruin his fun, started up his car and veered around the corner, causing me to glare.

Thanks for making us loose a percentage of our survival funds, Drake.

“You’ve got some nerve, Alex, showing up here and interupting our business.” I spat, and he grinned before roughly cupping my face in his hand.

“Oh, come on, Nat... don’t be like that. You know I could pay you much more then that slime off the street could.” He told me gently.

I growled, jerking away from him.

“I don’t trust you, Alexander Drake... you’re nothing but worthless trash. I used to think I had lowered my sister and I to the lowest standers possible. But, I haven’t.” I hissed, causing Drake to raise an eyebrow at me.

“Oh, really? What might be lower then being the filthy whores that you are?” Alex questioned, amused, causing me to glare.

“The only thing lower would be sleeping with you.” I spat.

Alex’s eyes immediately darkened as he slapped me across the face like it was nothing, before stepping back and suavely brushing off his dark suit.

“Completely disrespectful.” He muttered, before yelping as Evangelise, who often got upset when I was hurt, sacked him.

“Don’t you dare hit my sister!” Evangelise demanded, and, as Drake got back up and reached to grab her, I raised my own foot, my boot complete with a deadly heel, and slammed it into his throat, pinning him against the wall.

“I would watch myself, if I were you, Drake.” I spat, before gasping as he grabbed my ankle and twisted it, flipping me over so I landed on the cold, wet pavement.

Moving my hair out of my eyes, I looked up at Alex, as he stood over me.

“No, Nat, it’s you who should watch yourself... and your sister, too.”

With that, Alexander Drake turned and stormed off down the street, leaving my sister and I glaring daggers after him.