Lost Little Angel

noah was on his way back to the chateau when he spotted angel on the bench. normally he’d leave someone at work alone, but it wasn’t often he got to see her under tranquil circumstances. “hey angel.” he greets, taking it upon himself to sit on the opposite end of the bench, curious gaze falling onto her sketchbook. “i never got the chance to thank you for that dc motor the other day — it worked.” 

angel looked up when she heard her name and smiled up at her friend. “hey noah! how are you?” she asked him, turning slightly when he sat on the bench. she waved off the apology and smiled. “oh it was nothing. i knew you’d enjoy it. but i’m glad it worked and that you obviously had fun with it.” 

The princess took a drag on her cigarette and sighed, using her vampire speed so that she was perched on the bench. The girl tapped ash from her cigarette and then gave a playful at the human “Angel? So, you a good one or a fallen one?” she wondered.

angel jumped a little when the other used her speed to move next to her, only from the sudden movement. she tilted her head and blushed slightly. “well. evangeline but i like angel better. well i like to think i’m a good one. just don’t ask my mom,” she chuckled. 

“Or viewing it. Tell me then, what’s your type of villain. Evil for the sake of evil or cold and misunderstood?” He wondered, the vampire noted her blush and almost chuckled at it “Then you don’t sound like a true mechanic and that makes me curious almost….It tells me that it was a career thrust upon you, afterall- how does a human find herself such trusted work?”

angel nodded. though she hadn’t seen as many stories. she mostly had read them. she chewed on her lip in thought for a moment. “i think cold and misunderstood. there always seems to be more to their story that way. evil for the sake of being evil can sometimes be a little simplistic,” she replied with a small smile. her smile fell and shook her head. “no i am. i love what i do. i love getting to work on cars and engines. i just...i was taught early on that if i ever left the garage that i was supposed to clean up. that people didn’t like a dirty human,” she explained. “i lived on an estate with my mother. i was graciously allowed to learn from their personal mechanic.” 

“At least not a good story, especially if it becomes the ‘they are their own villain’ cliche.” Caspar agreed “So, you’re telling me that you an fix cars and yet still somehow not come off as a dirty little thing?” He wondered, gesturing to the fact she looked somewhat decent before him.

“i guess you have to have some kind of conflict to make a good story. otherwise what’s the point in reading it?” she asked with a small smile. she blushed, looking down at herself before blushing and nodding. “i don’t...i don’t like leaving work until i’m at least a little presentable. though sometimes i miss some grease smears on my cheeks,” she replied. 

“A shame, I always enjoyed villains…They are always the most fun part of any story” The man said simply, giving a little flourish with his gloved fingers. “And just what is it that you do for work, hm?” He wondered, arching an eyebrow at her. 

angel relaxed a little and offered a smile as he explained that he liked villains. at least she wasn’t in trouble. “well i guess there usually isn’t much of a story without a villain, right?” she asked. “oh i’m a mechanic,” she replied with a smile. she was proud of what she did. 

“Oh god, can’t you move any faster? Stop talking and just do what I told you to,” he complained, watching her hesitate every single step. When she finally picked it up he nodded. “Good, now throw that out and you’ve finished a single task.” He pointed to the trash can a few steps away. “Congratulations, you’re one step above useless now,” he shouted afterward. He mockingly clapped as if it were that great of an achievement. 

angel blushed and ducked her head. she moved more quickly, hoping she didn’t anger him any more. she’d never really been in trouble before. she nodded, quickly finding the trash can and throwing the piece of paper away. she nodded silently, not looking him in the eye. 

“It’s beautiful. I’d love to see more of your work…I’m Reed by the way.” 

His hand unconsciously went to touch the new collar when he noticed the woman’s gaze on it. “I am…” Reed admitted softly. “For the first time in a while actually.”

angel smiled brightly up at him. “thank you! i wish i got to do it more but working and such. i’m angel,” she told him. angel tilted her head head and nodded. “well that’s good. i mean that you’re happy,” she told him honestly. 

“Goota say, you’re a cutie” Andie announced, giving a smirk at the red head and then winking. The vampire slipped a lollipop past her lips, looking the other over “I’m Andie, though I imagine you probably know that?”

angel looked up with wide green eyes when she heard a voice near her. she blushed softly and smiled at the other. “oh. well thank you,” she replied with a tilt of her head. “yes m’am. i’m angel.” 

“Finished work?” Alex scoffed. “I don’t understand my father’s policies with evenings and days off. You humans never complained during the serfdom days where you would be worked from sunrise to sundown,” Alex muttered, clearly annoyed. “Now get off the bench and do something actually useful will you?” He pointed to the piece of paper he had just tossed onto the ground. “Pick that up and throw it in the garbage.”

angel shrunk into herself as he scoffed at her. she wasn’t used to being in trouble. she usually did all she could to stay out of trouble. “i didn’t mean to offend anyone,” she muttered, chewing her lip. she stood, hesitantly, unsure of what exactly he wanted her to do that was useful. should she go back to the shop? she clutched her things to her chest as she bent down to pick up the discarded sketch. 

“What are you doing?” Alex asked, his face twisted in confusion at the girl’s drawing. He wasn’t even graceful as he yanked the drawing out of her hand and shook his head. “Do we not work you slaves enough that you have time to draw terrible art?” Without even bothering to wait for an answer, he scrunched up the paper and tossed it aside. 

angel’s eyes went wide as he looked down at her drawing. she hadn’t meant to do anything to displease anyone. she’d just wanted better light. angel couldn’t help the whimper that left her lips when he yanked it out of her hands. “i just finished work. i just wanted to draw a little,” she said softly, lowering her head, her eyes following the now scrunched up drawing. 

After the auction, Reed was elated. Jae’s new collar was perfect and he wore it with such pride. No longer property of the city or in that raggedy old collar the human finally felt safe. He could hardly believe it and it all had almost felt like a dream. Hopefully, no one would pinch him. More cheery than he’d ever been around the Hive, he wandered the outside after offering his first tutoring lesson in the library. Reed stopped when he saw the woman with the sketchbook. Always pleased to meet a fellow artist, the human watched for a moment. “You’re really good…”

angel looked up when she heard a voice and offered a smile before looking down at her sketchbook. “oh. well thank you. been working on it for a couple of days now,” she said happily, looking back up at him. “you seem like you’re having a good day,” she commented with a tilt of her head, her eyes falling to the new looking collar around his neck. 

“That’s a good thing to be usually,” Dylan said with a nod. “Safer than being honest.” She glanced down at the other girl’s body. She was beautiful but Dylan could understand why she felt exposed. “You and me both. But at least we’re not naked, if you want to look at the bright side.”

angel nodded back at her. “yeah that’s what i was taught too. never be too honest,” she agreed. her mother had made sure she knew that growing up. angel felt a slight blush on her cheeks as the other looked at her. “well that’s true. definitely a bright ish side,” she chuckled. 

“And it also sounds like you enjoy it. I envy that,” Julian confessed. “I used to enjoy my job a lot more but now I’m actually considering quitting so that I can finally do what my parents always wanted and take over the family business.” He had no interest in being Duke. The paperwork required to manage an entire area was much more vast and boring than what it took to manage the airforce–but he was bored and maybe needed a challenge. “Don’t tell my mother though. If she even has an inkling that I may be ready, she’ll lock me away and ensure I do it,” he joked, giving her a playful wink. 

she smiled at him and nodded. “i do, actually. i love it. it’s like a puzzle. make sure that pieces fit together to make something beautiful work like it should,” she admitted honestly. she tilted her head. “what do you do, if i may ask?” she questioned. she hoped it was alright. they were having a nice conversation and she was curious. she’d always been that way. she let out a soft laugh and nodded. “i promise your secret is safe with me. i think it’d be a shame to lock you away,” she assured him. 

“And just what do we have here, hm? I’m always intrigued when someone is on their lonesome. They are usually a villain to watch out for on the silver screen since they hold mystery…” Caspar said flamboyantly as he came to stand beside the unoccupied slave, an eyebrow arching at her.

@cagedxangel​

angel jumped slightly, looking up with wide eyes when she heard a voice come up next to her. she clutched her sketchbook to her chest before blushing slightly. “i was just on my way back from work,” she replied. “i’m not a villain though,” she offered with a meek chuckle.