CONTAINS CONTENT:
Action violence, minor sensual content, brief language, death.
{{Unedited}}
Valorant was supposed to be a quick stop to refamiliarize everyone with the base- not much more than a warehouse with an office room containing flickering fluorescent lights, and a few rodents and spiders that had to be cleared out; it had been a while since anyone had actually seen this place, a few months at least.
They had left Austin, Marielle, John, Jamie, Klara, Tayane, and Sabine back at the Air BNB rooms. Klara and Tayane were to work on things, including narrowing down places and signatures.
Mateo, Liam, and Kirra made use of their time by getting some brooms from a closet and clearing cobwebs and spiders from specific rooms, while everyone else searched the building, making sure that it was clear of anything else deadly or questionable.
Vincent and Tala went into a wing that wasn’t very big, but quickly discovered that the lights weren’t working there.
“Is this normal?” he asked, pausing a moment near the switch after having tried it a few times.
“I’m honestly not sure, I wasn’t here the last time they were,” she whispered, lifting a little flashlight that they’d taken from an office closet. Vincent had one, too and he shined it on her face.
Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, he lifted his hand, pulled a card from his wrist, and flung it down at the doorway that led into this wing. Trademark landed and began spinning, searching the area for any movement.
The space smelled musty and old, and something about it felt off… He couldn’t put his finger on it, and as a result it put him on edge. Then he paused before he took another step, and took in a deep breath. Something was on the air; something vague, but he knew it well. He knew this smell. His eyes widened a little. He knew who smelled like this.
A look of horror spread across his face as a bullet came through the air at him. He had anticipated it, whirled, and took hold of Tala’s wrist to yank her back toward the others who were all down stairs. He let go, and she amped her speed up, and ran, creating a fast lane wall that lasted for a few moments, and protected them as they dashed to the end of the hall. “Go, go, go,” under her breath as she sprinted.
“We’re not alone!” Vincent cried, raced down the stairs right after her.
Eight figures in black with motorcycle helmets; shields down stepped from the shadows, slowly coming after them. One was obviously the leader, and he gestured for the other men to go before him before lifting a pistol.
There was a railing that ran along the hall that they were moving down, and it looked out over an open area of the warehouse. Vincent snapped his hand shut, taking trademark back.
The Leader moved slowly along the railing, taking precise aim at Vincent as he darted across the warehouse space and out the door, attempting to usher the others out of the building. He fired. Vincent snapped, and teleported outside the building as the others followed him, and began taking positions around the debris littered lot. Then he sucked his teleporter back up into his arm, thankful that he’d remembered to drop it there.
He turned to Chamber who was right behind him, now with Headhunter in hand.
Both glanced around the area- the space had been disguised as a junkyard, and as a result, there was a myriad of storage crates, barrels, some cars, and other random debris.
“I seriously have to figure out how to change the cooldown on that thing,” Vincent said with a long sigh.
Chamber stood, glancing over the top of a Chevrolet that they were ducked behind, and dropped back down to a squat, “Not doable, at least not safely. The entire reason for the thirty seconds is the fact that we almost killed ourselves teleporting the first few times that we did it.”
Vincent remembered. Those were not fun days.
He pulled Tour De Force from his wrist. “It’s going to be the death of me,” he growled. Then he checked the gun and bullets before lifting it, ready to fire.
“It was a good time to attack,” Chamber noted. “Everyone is exhausted, we’ll have to rely mostly on tactical.”
“Less talk, more focus,” Sasha said, lifting an arrow, and firing it back towards the building. “Revealing area,” he added as the sonar arrow blinked yellow where it landed, showing the location of three of them. The attackers all backed away from the sonar.
Jamie broke into the line. “Okay fam, if any of you die I’ll be vexed so just keep alive, yeah?”
“Should I run?” Tala asked into channel zero.
“No, no,- Mateo, Han, protect her,” Vincent insisted into the earpiece.
“I don’t need protecting!” Tala protested. “I can do it!”
Liam broke in, “You’re the youngest of us, and the most inexperienced. I’m responsible,” he growled, “you stay as out of it as you can.”
Tala rolled her eyes.
“What about me, boss?” Kirra was asking.
“Stay hidden for now. You’re our only healer.”
“Roger, mate.” She went quiet for a few moments, “I’ve taken position in a car leaned against a storage crate. I don’t think they’ll see me.”
There were other ways into the lot, and a shot came from behind them all. “South, south!” Liam was crying into the open channel.
One of the masked attackers had made their way to the top of an open storage crate to try and pick them off, and Han was already flying up to the top. “Get out of my way!” She cried, using her throwing knives on him. He was dodging each and every one of them. A myriad of bullets burst through the top of the crate where she was standing, and her reflexes were just fast enough to cause her to dart off the top of it before the line of holes reached her, and to the top of a nearby car.
Mateo and Jamie stayed on both sides of Tala.
A flurry of pops came from the east, upper window of the building. “Heaven!” Liam cried, directing everyone’s attention upward.
Vincent and Chamber skidded along the top of the Chevrolet, and Chamber gave Vincent a wide-eyed glare as they pushed themselves down against the ground, avoiding the array of bullets.
“Think they’re angry?” Chamber quipped. Both were taking note of where each body they could see was. “Get on the leader?” Chamber asked with a shrug.
Vincent shook his head looking at a scattering of quickly moving feet as they rushed out of the warehouse, “Dismiss him for now.” He aimed and fired at a pair of lingering feet, and a black figure went down, at which point Vincent stood, aimed, and fired before the bleeding man could shoot back.
The others were fast and dodging into their own cover spots, and positions.
“Uh, guys,” Klara’s voice broke in from the rental, “Looks like you’re not alone,” she finished.
“Thanks, a little late,” Vincent said back into his piece.
“Sorry…” Another bullet hit near Vincent’s head, luckily, he was bent a little. “Anything we can do from here?”
Vincent shook his head, and turned to Chamber with a shrug. Chamber shrugged back.
Sasha came up behind Vincent and urged him east with his head. Sasha and Vincent advanced, going around the truck, and moving in closer, with Liam and Chamber right behind.
“Is this Kingdom?” Sasha asked.
“Seven of them are,” Vincent growled under his breath, with a small eyeroll. He sighed heavily, and he gestured, giving Chamber, Sasha, and Liam direction.
All four men proceeded toward two of the men who were hiding, and started a shootout.
The space came alive with bangs and thunks as the bullets smashed into sheet metal, or put a clean hole through a car door. Chamber snuck around the side of the nearest crate, and waved, catching one of their attention. The black clad figure turned, aiming, and Vincent fired into the distracted man’s back. “One less!”
“Seven of them?” Sasha asked.
“Yes, the leader, at least, is one of us,” Vincent explained as a bullet ripped through the air, nearly striking Vincent in the side of the head. It caught the crate instead.
“Are you sure?” Chamber asked.
Vincent nodded, “pretty sure,” he said almost dismissively.
Vincent motioned with his head for the four of them to advance again, and they all followed, moving around a stack of crushed vehicles. The guy who they were currently tailing wasn’t so easy to kill- he had been trained.
A few pops sailed through the air from Liam and the masked man dodged them, moving behind a crate; maybe inside, it was difficult to tell from their angle.
Chamber threw down Trademark and put Headhunter up at eye level, scanning the upper area of the building quickly as they advanced on the guy playing hide and seek. The leader was still in the warehouse somewhere.
Chamber was keeping his focus there, and when a shadow popped briefly into a window, Chamber fired and missed. “What?” He boomed. Everyone glared at him, shocked.
“Yup… that just confirmed it,” Vincent sighed.
Han brought up their tail as they zigged through more piles of debris and broken-down cars. She faced the other way, watching and walking backward slowly. When one of them popped around the pile of junk they were walking along, she fired, hitting him, but it wasn’t a kill. Growling, she continued her backward walk.
Another bullet came from above. Vincent had seen the flash from the gun and jerked his head back behind some metal. “Where is this guy?” Liam growled.
“There,” Vincent pointed.
Liam turned to Vincent, “He seems awfully focused on you.”
“He has a reason,” Vincent said in a sing song tone, lifting Headhunter and aiming it at the open window that the leader was shooting from.
All of them used a broke down school bus as cover.
Han shot and killed the man still trying to follow them. “One down!” She cried. Then she threw a cloud of smoke toward the end of the alley of wreckage. “Blocking sight.”
“Jamie, are you behind us?”
“I am, I am!” A reply from the earpiece.
“Can you watch that smoke?”
“I can.”
From behind they heard him call, “Watch your eyes!” And sudden panicked movement occurred around the back of the bus. Jamie ran in through the smoke and the shooter began to fire and miss, staggering backward a bit.
Jamie sprinted forward, and tried to shoot, but the black figure got him first. Jamie took a bullet straight to the chest- his body went up in a blaze of gold and orange and his entire form disappeared. Then he reappeared where he’d left his marker and dusted his collar off; he was fine, and as he peeked around the corner again, he was able to shoot the figure. He thrust a fist into the air, “Skrra!” Han’s smoke vanished.
“That’s four, and the leader,” Chamber said with a nod.
Bullets erupted, and everyone darted in different directions.
Chamber still ended up with Vincent, and they guarded one another, back-to-back. Vincent’s watch beeped, and he turned and threw down his teleporter behind a car.
“Next time I drive?” Chamber quipped with a shrug.
Vincent rolled his eyes, and popped up long enough to take a shot… miss. He shook his head, recalling what he’d said the other day in the training room. People didn’t act like bots. They weren’t as predictable.
Vincent glanced around, “Now that we’re alone, I wanted to get your opinion on something.” He realized that Liam was with Sasha and they were running to get a better angle on the guy who was tailing them. However, they were too far away now to do anything about it, as they dashed to the back of the junkyard. He didn’t know where Mateo, or Jamie, or Tala were now.
“Shoot,” Chamber replied keeping an eye on the windows again, he accidentally bumped into Vincent’s back.
“Marielle…” Vincent began. Chamber looked over his right shoulder. “Do you want her?”
Chamber scoffed, and kept his weapon high. Neither of them knew where the leader was now. “Of course, I want her. Look at her…” A pause, “and I’m you.”
A bullet flew through the air and struck Vincent in the shoulder, “Shit!” he cried, briefly ducking to examine it; it wasn’t that bad. The bullet had nicked him, not gone through.
Both ducked out of sight for a moment. Vincent calmed his breathing, “She and Austin…” his voice trailed off.
Chamber looked down at him, waving Kirra, who was poking her head around from the car, over. She came quickly. “Some things are just fate, Vincent.” Vincent looked down, shifting uncomfortably. The pain shooting through his arm wasn’t helping. “Can you accept fate?”
Vincent flashed Chamber a hot glare. “Not in this particular instance.”
Kirra reached them, and bent to him, “I’m sorry, I was trying to stay hidden for a moment.” Vincent waved a hand as if to say not to worry about it. “I’m not being a coward, here, I just thought that if anyone needed healing, I probably needed to stay-”
Vincent shook his head and again waved a hand before wiping some sweat from his brow. He clasped it over hers as she touched him. “You’re fine, Liam told you to,” he reminded with a gentle smile.
“When attacks occur, they tend to go for the healers first. It’s strategic. Keeping you hidden makes sense,” Chamber said, and he’d reached up, putting his fingers into Kirra’s red hair and was gently pulling them through with a smile at her.
She didn’t have time to consider his actions. She proceeded to regenerate his cells, and the wound closed. Then she stood, determined to help fight now that she was in the open.
Vincent tried his arm, rolling it before standing. “I mean look at you, you’re arguing with yourself. And generally speaking, you are the more sensible of the two of us, but in this case, I would have to say I’m the sense of reason, here,” Chamber said.
Vincent chuckled, shaking his head at Chamber, “Do you mean voice?”
“Mon dieu! Whatever.” The two stood back-to-back again. “These therapy sessions bring an entirely new meaning to the term self-care.”
Another bullet came through the air, zipping inches past Vincent’s face. “He’s pretty angry at you,” Chamber growled. He kept looking down the sights, but he couldn’t see anyone. Vincent urged Chamber forward signaling that they were going into the building, and Chamber nodded, following closely behind, and flagging the windows. “Too bad we don’t know who these guys are until they take their masks off,” Chamber hissed, and both frantically scanning the windows.
Vincent stepped over the body that he’d taken down from under the truck, noting the weapon that lay next to his body. Some of the others weren’t armed, “gun here,” he called into the earpiece, gesturing. Then the two of them leaned against the wall on either side of the door in, peeking around into the building. “I know who it is,” Vincent replied dejectedly. Vincent jerked back, taking Tour De Force with him against the wall, and pulling it against his body. He glanced up looking for anywhere that the leader had a lookout, or perch. “Size, shape, speed, accuracy, extreme focus on me…” He paused, maybe for dramatic affect as he looked around the corner- there was no one. “It’s Austin,” he explained, in a tone that sounded half doomed, half excited.
At that, they heard Liam’s clear tone, “Molly!” And a grenade flew over the top of a heap of trash about thirty yards toward the back. Debris flew in all directions as did a masked figure. Vincent and Chamber watched him fall to the ground like a failing kite.
Then turned back to one another. Chamber paused, incredulous. “Wait, wait, what are you talking about when you say accuracy… he only hit you the one time.”
Vincent sighed, “That’s because I’m me, and he’s him. We’ve fought many times… rarely hit each other. He’s trained to anticipate and dodge bullets. So am I.” Vincent put his fingers up to his earpiece and spoke, “Guys, remember that they’re all slightly weaker due to their illnesses,” he said hoping it would give them some encouragement. He turned Chamber, “Let me take him.”
Chamber cocked his head to the side, “Are you sure?”
Vincent looked up at the building and nodded. “It needs to be me.” He sucked Tour De Force up into his arm, and traded it for Headhunter. Then he threw his teleporter down near the opening of the warehouse, took a deep breath, and cracked his neck on one side, then the other.
Chamber snapped and vanished, and Vincent stood albeit a bit shakily as adrenaline coursed through his veins and wandered into the warehouse again, forcing himself to breathe easily.
“Austin?” he cried. It echoed. No answer. He took a few more steps in, cracking the silence with the sound of his shoes against the warehouse floor. “I know you’re in here.”
There was a black blur, a sickening pop rattled the air, and Vincent teleported, missing the bullet, sucked the teleporter back into his arm, and immediately turned to run back into the building.
The moment that Vincent cleared the threshold, both men began to fire, dodge, and proceed to march on, toward each other.
Step, bullet… step, ricochet, step, pop… Fifty feet closer, forty-five feet… they continued. A bullet hit something metal and a spark caused the black figure to jerk his head to the left. They kept coming… bang, step, bang. Fifteen feet, ten…
When they reached one another, Vincent was down to one round, and Austin reached out, grabbed Vincent’s golden pistol, jerked it to the side with one hand as it fired, and used the other hand to punch Vincent in the jaw.
Vincent recovered quickly, retrieving Headhunter into his arm, and the two began a series of strikes at one another.
Austin was helmeted and shielded, and infighting was an area where he had the advantage over Vincent.
Once they were moving, Vincent was even more certain that this was Austin. He had a specific way of doing melee; a mixture of martial arts, like Krav Maga and street fighting. He put both fists up like a boxer, and swiped an elbow at Vincent’s face.
Vincent took the blow, but kept coming back for more. Austin wrapped an arm around Vincent’s shoulders, and whirled at the same time, putting him on his back. Vincent thrust a leg up, kicking Austin back, and the dark figure smashed to the floor.
Vincent pulled a tube from his pocket, jabbing it into his arm, and quickly reloaded Headhunter; he knew what was coming next.
He tossed the glass vial, and prepared.
Austin flipped back up to standing position, removed his gloves, and began pulling icicles from thin air and hurling them towards Vincent like throwing knives, who used Headhunter to blast every single one into a watery burst. He glanced at the ground, tracking the eight distinct wet spots.
Austin pulled his tactical knife, and flung it end over end at Vincent, who used his left arm as a shield for his face, catching it there with a wince.
He yanked it out, rivulets of bright red pouring down over his elbow and arm, and quickly rolled that sleeve up, hoping to catch some of the mess. Austin pulled a second knife, advanced, and again the two began a dance around one another, slashing and trying to make punches connect.
Both men knew each other too well, so nothing hit, they simply continued their dance until Vincent whirled and pulled Tour De Force again. Austin lifted his hand and threw a patch of ice on the ground, causing Vincent to slip, but from laying on his back, he sat up and aimed the gun at Austin’s face.
Austin raised both hands a little as if conjuring something, and an intense storm surrounded both men, engulfing them in freezing temperatures. Vincent felt himself go numb, and he was suddenly unable to move.
Austin advanced, when suddenly he heard a familiar snap, and from a few boxes, just to his left, Chamber appeared between the two of them in a flurry of colors, putting a barrier between Vincent and Austin who was practically on top of him now. He put the barrel of Headhunter against the helmet, between Austin’s eyes. Austin froze and the three were silent for a moment, panting adrenaline.
Austin cocked his head at Vincent. Vincent couldn’t read his expression but he got the impression that it would have been saying, ‘you cheated.’ “Where is she?” A hollow voice from behind the helmet.
“Somewhere safe,” Vincent growled, his teeth chattering, his skin starting to go white.
Chamber continued to train the cold barrel of Headhunter between Austin’s eyes. The helmet tilted back a little as if Austin was looking off, distantly. “Then she’s with me…”
Vincent knew he was in trouble; his body was going into shock. “I’d kill you, but he said you were his to end,” Chamber said, looking over his shoulder at Vincent. “What do we do with him?”
For how little Vincent could move, he still had Tour De Force trained on Austin’s helmeted face, rage building inside of him as pointed it, his finger hovering over the trigger.
“Vincent…?” A voice from deep within him. “Love…” Vincent blinked once or twice…
***
He was back in the hospital, Marielle’s white, boney hand thrust out towards him. It had shocked him through his sobbing; she’d done almost nothing but sleep for the last twenty-four hours and death himself was hanging over head, caressing her hairless, sunken face.
He went to her, and took her hand. “Yes, love,” he forced a smile through his tear-soaked face. She was speaking again but any minute now she’d be gone, wouldn’t she? He prayed he was wrong. “What do you need?”
“I want you to make me a p-promise.”
He wiped his face clean with his hand, making it obvious that he was listening to her, “Anything. Anything, love.”
She gave him the softest ghost of a smile. “Don’t kill Austin,” she said weakly. He narrowed his eyes at her, confused. She looked off, distant for a moment as if going into death’s warm embrace.
His mouth trembled and he squeezed her hand, bringing her back. “He’s s-so lost. He’ll either destroy himself or someone else will. But don’t let it be you.” it came out so thin and hoarse. “Let him be. His purpose isn’t done, yet.” Her eyes were starting to glaze over.
“Masin?” he asked, concerned. “Masin…” he called. She was lifting… “Masin.” He squeezed her little hand, gently; trying to feel whatever life was left in it; trying to keep her. It was a losing battle.
“You’ll never forgive yourself,” she whispered, her eyes locking. “And I love you too much to see you like that. Promise me.”
He knew he had to speak now. “I promise,” he nodded, tears streaming. “I promise.” He threw himself over her, “Just don’t go anywhere!” he sobbed. It was too late; death was holding her closely, now, taking her away. “No, no…”
***
His yell from that moment when she passed from his world blended with his yell, now. His rage filled bellow was followed by him sucking Tour de Force back into his arm, and putting his face briefly into his hands. He couldn’t feel his legs, or anything below his waist.
This was when several bullets rang out, briefly causing Chamber to turn away from Austin’s face, and Tala ran into the building, trying to get away from one of the masked figures; a trail of yellow and blue flames creating a wall behind her.
Austin turned, aimed, and fired at the little blue haired girl.
Time froze.
A spray of blood shot out from both ends of her body, and she stumbled.
Vincent, and everyone who had followed her into the room, attempting to help her, watched in horror as her body arched, her chest heaving upward, and then the blue haired girl collapsed like a doll to the ground.
Austin had punched Chamber’s gun upward, causing Chamber to drop it, and Austin darted.
Several of the others weren’t far behind, and they killed the man who had been pursuing her, then began a crossfire with Austin.
Vincent didn’t realize that he was yelling as he pulled, and aimed Tour De Force, attempting to shoot around Chamber with a loud gong sound.
He stopped yelling and froze, shivering against what was left of the cold, “You son of a bitch!” He wailed. Austin was already halfway out the back and returning fire over his shoulder. Then he was gone. They heard the sounds of a motorcycle a few moments later as it sped away.
Kirra rushed to Vincent, quickly healing him for a second time, but the moment that she was done, she fell flat against the ground utterly drained.
Vincent crawled to Tala whose head was already in Chamber’s lap. Once he got there, Chamber looked up at him and shook his head.
Vincent leaned back on his knees, a silent scream in his mouth.
Kirra slid over to her, putting her hands to the side of her face… there was nothing left. “Tala, Tala, come on, honey!” She shouted; not even brain activity.
Mateo, Jamie, and Han all ran up to the situation, and stood in stunned silence for a few moments. Han covered her mouth, turning away and crying. Jamie cradled her under his arm whispering, “it’s okay… it’s okay.”
Mateo fell to his knees next to her and Chamber, and slowly put his arms underneath her legs and back, lifting her small body up as he stood. Wingman stood at his feet, his head hung down between his shoulders, a sniffle coming from his little nose.
Mateo’s tear-filled eyes found Vincent, “She…” he licked his lips, “she just asked me out…” he stuttered in shock.
Liam straightened his back and marched to Mateo, arms sturdy and strong as he took her small body from him. Then he turned, and slowly walked her out of the building as statuesque and like a soldier as he could for the fact that tears were streaming down his stolid, red face.
Vincent fell to the floor and punched it several times. It echoed against the sounds of cries, shushing, and Mateo falling to his knees where Wingman patted him on the back.
***
Austin was pacing. Knock on her door? Ask her out? Turn the fireplace on, and stare at it… ask if she wanted to make out in front of the bright flames with him? He paused and smiled, knees going weak. Too far… but nice thought- one that he bit into for a few moments with desire; the warm glow, their mouths dancing on one another’s, their bodies in one another’s arms, grinning like they were in high school and sneaking away to kiss.
He loved holding her, and she let him hold her almost from moment one like he was more than a friend. If nothing else, he craved that constantly; his arms around her. That’s where she felt like she belonged. It was obvious to him.
He smiled boyishly, and shuddered in a good way.
He went to the fireplace and bent. There were matches sitting at the base, and he used them to turn it on. Within moments, there were soft orange and yellow flames, and they slowly started to grow and engulf the log of wood laying just under the flue.
It was lovely and romantic, and he wanted her laying in front of it in nothing but a soft blanket, asking him to join her.
He started pacing again, anxiety overtaking his core. He went to the wall where he’d heard her shower earlier, and gently put his fingertips to it. With a sigh, he cleared his mind and listened. -What do you want, darling? I’ll do it. Nothing.
He took a deep breath and put his hands behind his head, lacing his fingers together, and stretching backward for a moment.
That’s when the voices started to creep up each vertebra in his spine.
Sweetness… you just need release.
“Already done today, remember?” He thought about the plane after Marielle had jumped up and ran to Vincent just after he’d spoken in Italian. He’d had to. He was going to go nuts otherwise. “Leave me alone.”
Her voice caressed the back of his left ear. Just put your crown on, you need it.
He turned away from the fireplace. “I don’t,” he growled. “You need to stay in your grave,” he hissed, wrapping his arms around his knotted midsection as he realized that he had no piano here. He was missing that terribly right now.
Listen to me, sweetness! You’re in the most romantic country in the world… you’re home, Austin… remember who you are.
“It’s not me anymore.” He ran his fingers through his hair, grabbing and wincing as he tried to shut her out.
Her laughter came back cruel and he saw her red lips curl in his mind’s eye. Ha…Ha ha…! I made you. She hissed, and once again her voice was shifting from deep, sensual, and lovely to demanding, scratchy and demonic. You’ll never be anything but what I turned you into. What was her name? That last one? Isabella? You’re in the country of love, Austin. Now go find a woman… or a man, and be a lover. You have the numbers still, right?
Austin snarled, and ripped his address book from the back of his black jeans. “Oh, is this what’s bothering you?”
NO!
Austin went to the fireplace and threw it in, watching it engulf in flames and burn slowly away.
You’re going to be sorry you did that, Sweetness.
“And you’re going to be sorry if you keep talking to me like I’m still your little eleven-year-old bitch! Leave me alone! I’m done with you, mother. I’m never listening to you again.”
Austin… It was a whisper. You’re talking to yourself…
The voice faded out of existence.
He stood in the middle of his room for a moment, looking off distantly. Yes. He was talking to himself. This was crazy. He was crazy. He just needed to get ahold of himself and stop responding to the stupid voice. Entertaining it would lead nowhere good.
For a moment, he enjoyed the warmth of the flames lightly glowing behind him. He needed a reason to see Marielle, he needed to stop being alone with the way his mind was tempting him. He could feel his hand starting to shake and knew that any moment now, he’d try to convince himself to open some tabs on his cellphone, or worse… leave to go find a prostitute or head to a club when he had a job to do.
That job was sitting in the room next to him and she wasn’t a job, she was the woman that he officially had feelings for. The one who held all the cards right now; the one who had more control over him than he’d ever let any woman have.
Brushing his teeth was a good idea; anything to keep his mind straight. When he was done, he retouched his pine tree cologne, slapping a little around his collarbone and neck.
He was hungry… that was it.
He armed himself with his gun, threw a jacket over his shoulders, put his earpiece in, that was important. Then he put the fire out, and went next door to knock.
When she opened the door, he took her in for a moment. She was dressed in black pants and a tight, long-sleeved backless shirt with open shoulders and a perfect V that accentuated her breasts. He instantly wanted to push her back into the room and throw her against her bed. He glanced down. He was always subconsciously looking for the color red; she never wore any.
–Dammit. I keep forgetting that you can read my thoughts now.
She paused, leaning on the doorframe. It seemed like maybe she hadn’t heard any of that. “What do you want, Austin?”
After the plane and what had happened there, her tone confused him and made him feel vulnerable and anxious. He took in a deep pull of air, and let it out slowly, trying not to make eye contact with her. “I’m hungry.” He sighed, “I also really want to get in to trouble right now and shouldn’t be alone. Walk with me?”
“Walk with you?”
“Yes, Marielle, walk with me.” She bit her lip and looked back into her room as if considering what a bad idea it was to leave. He extended a hand to her. –Vincent told me to protect you, and I plan on it. Look at me. She did. -I won’t try anything, I promise. I won’t do anything that you don’t want to do. I won’t touch you inappropriately, or try to seduce you. I know how confused you are right now. I’m confused too. It’s okay. We’ll figure it out together. I promise, Marielle. I won’t betray your trust. I just need to protect you, and I just want to be with you. She swallowed hard, searching his eyes. -I just…want…to be with you. I’m being honest, here. I just want to be with you. And I need food.
She took his hand and turned to close the door. That shirt was backless all the way down to her hips and the full beauty of her skin; the tattoo shone as she turned. Her beauty made his throat go dry. He always thought that it was interesting how Marielle was becoming more and more lovely to him- all the women that he’d spent time with in his years of playing around (except for perhaps Erin) were always overly done up and he liked that because that kind of woman screamed sex and provided fantasy for him. They wanted it, they were asking for it. They’d say that they weren’t, of course, but the moment that he leaned in their direction even a little, they were gasping his name in the alley, or the back of his car.
Marielle was not some simpering, needy sex kitten… She didn’t always wear makeup; she wasn’t wearing any right now. Some might have called her plain, but her piercing green eyes were big, and innocent. She didn’t have giant breasts or enormous hips. Her mouth, though… oh how he wanted to taste her mouth. Her lips were so full and gorgeous, and their natural plump pout made her look even more innocent and desirable to him.
He noticed something new about her face or body every time he saw her. Right now, it was the way the back of her neck connected so perfectly to her shoulders, and the bone structure there, which revealed the tattoo.
“So do I get to see all of that, or-?” he gestured to her back.
She swallowed nervously and looked one way down the empty hall, then the other. Then she grabbed his tie, and yanked him back into her room by it.
He grinned wildly, liking where this was going.
“Oh, stop,” she said with a sigh, and she turned away from him. He froze, telling himself to stay in control and not go to her as she pulled her arms out of her sleeves one at a time. She held the front of her shirt against her breasts, but let the rest fall away so that her back and the undersides of her arms were bare now.
He was stunned by her, and the smoothness of her skin, even through the silver markings.
He came closer to her and lifted a trembling hand, gently brushing the beautifully crafted wingspan over her left shoulder blade. He was having trouble breathing- the tattoo was magnificent; the woman was equally so. “That’s incredible,” he whispered, fingertips trailing down to where the feathers began to turn into liquid like drops. He pulled his hand away, wanting to keep moving downward. “Vincent is quite the artist.”
“I know, I love it.” She could feel his breath against her skin, and winced a little. “It hurts so bad, I’m about to go mad,” she said pulling her shirt back over her arms and turning back to him, now covered again.
“Why don’t you just ask me for help?” he asked gently.
She shrugged a shoulder, “I’m stubborn?”
The left side of his mouth curled up a little, “Obviously,” and as he said this, he reached around behind her and pulled cool air from his fingertips, soothing her aching, seared skin. She stepped in a little closer to him and, for a moment, they were both looking at one another in silence.
He was so much taller than her and his gaze downward made her feel small and helpless as he continued to ease her pain. Him, trying not to notice what the chill had done to her, her not caring so much, but knowing that they had to leave the room soon or things might get dangerous for them both. They were standing far too close to the bed.
She moved past him to the desk, put her ear piece in, and went to the door, prompting their departure. “Do I need anything, or… It’s a bit colder than I expected,” she said.
“I’ll keep you warm if you want my jacket,” he explained. She shook her head at him; so damn charming, and out into the hall they went. He slightly bowed, “Mi’lady,” he said, offering her his arm. She took it and gave him a soft smile. “You’ll be okay.” He patted his side as if to tell her that he was armed.
He led her out onto the street, and into the brisk night air, and they strolled under lamplight on cobblestone. For a few moments it was cool and quiet and the chill in the air actually made her ache a little less. “Are you going to tell me what you said on the plane?”
“No,” he replied quickly, then he flicked a mischievous eyebrow at her. “That’s for me until further notice.”
She rubbed her own arms a little, and silence passed between them briefly. “Can we talk about any of this?”
He shrugged, hands in his pockets, “I guess.”
“I am confused, I have been for a long time now,” she admitted.
“I know. I’ve known that for a long time now, too,” he replied pausing for a moment, then walking again. “I do want some food, are you- are you hungry?”
–For you. How he didn’t rush to her and clamp down on her mouth with his, he’d never know. But he remained frozen against those words echoing in his mind. She shook her head. “I’m sorry… controlling our thoughts isn’t easy, is it?”
He was a bit red in the cheeks. “It isn’t, no.” He swallowed and looked at her, “I think… I think you should know that I could hear you earlier… in the shower?” he explained.
“Well, the walls are pretty thi-”
He cut her off, “No, I mean… your thoughts,” he bit his lip, and a few tendrils fell into his eyes making him look so young and attractive in the lamplight.
“Oh,” She looked genuinely lost for a moment. “I don’t remember what I was thinking in the shower. But you could hear me?” He was still biting his lip; that kiss always on the edge of his mind. He nodded at her. Her embarrassment made her voice deepen a little, “What did I say?”
He finally stopped that lip biting, “That you can’t love him?” She looked like she was thinking, “Me or Vincent, Marielle?”
“Vincent,” she replied quickly, trying to walk ahead of him a bit.
He shook his head and said with a deep saddened sigh, “Why are you lying?” She paused, and crossed her arms over her chest, protectively. Then she kept on, signaling the end of that part of the conversation. “You also called for me, you know? Said my name?” He fell in beside her and looked at her, “and I’m here.” She looked off, avoiding his strong gaze. “I just want you to know that- I’m here. In whatever capacity that you need me in. I’m with you.”
His voice was so deep, smooth, and gentle that it made her head swim. “I mean – like I said on the plane this is… just so complicated.”
“It is,” he agreed. “But if we’re actually going to talk about it, why don’t we just talk about it?”
“I thought you were hungry.”
He took in a breath, briefly glancing at her body. “Oh, I am,” and it was certainly in response her last internal thought that he heard.
She beamed a little, looking away again. “What would you like to…” She stammered. She knew if she said eat, this would turn more sexual with him. She stopped, and grinned, unable to think of any better way to put this. “Uh.”
He was grinning, too. “Uh,” he gestured- “there’s a little place down the road I saw on our way in.” He flicked his gaze at her, “Do you know anything about Italian food?”
“A little.”
He smirked, a breeze stirring his hair. “I don’t know, I’m just glad to be home, you know?”
“Home?” Her eyes narrowed at him curiously.
He nodded, “Yeah, I was born here.”
“Here? Like- in… where are we?” She stopped looking around. She knew they weren’t in Venice, there was a long stretch of street that took them into the city; the drive was over an hour or something to that effect. She couldn’t remember the exact timeframe that Vincent had quoted.
“Oh, no… You’ll have to let me take you to Turin someday, I was born and lived there for over eleven years.”
Her heart sped up… that name rang a bell. The shroud of- No, that wasn’t it… wait… Her honeymoon… what?
She looked to him, and he knew her mind was circling the drain, trying to work something out. “Why do you look like you’ve just seen a ghost?”
“Because I think I have,” She growled, looking off.
“What is it?”
She was realizing in this moment that if she ever wanted to keep anything from him ever again, she was going to have to let everything go in her mind. “I know you want to know, but…”
“You’re going to keep it from me.”
“For now,” she reached down and actually took his gloved hand and squeezed.
He sighed, desirously. “You brat, you know how to make me forget about things that are important to me,” he chuckled lightly in his throat. He met eyes with her. “Tell me,” he insisted. She shook her head, forcing her thoughts quiet, in fact, she purposefully started thinking about food and what might actually be available at the place they were going to. He nodded. “I understand, you want to protect yourself.”
She nodded. “I’ll tell you later,” she explained again, and again, her hand found his, and she squeezed. She was about to let go, but he kept her, interlocking their fingers. If she was going to touch him, he was going to touch her right back.
“Tell me to stop,” he dared. He paused mid step, forcing her to as well, “tell me to stop,” he reiterated a little more slowly. She bit her lip and looked down. “When you gonna wear red for me?” he whispered, low and personal like he might kiss her. He didn’t try or move in.
Her heart sped up a little. She shook her head, “Never?” She swallowed, she knew that might be a lie, “when I know anything more about you than that you are super horny and sexual, and that you’re a government spy?”
He grinned, boyishly, “What are you talking about? You know everything about me. You know more about me than Erin did.” He glanced down, “You know more about me than anyone does…”
Their hands were still locked together, and at this, she let go, and continued on towards the restaurant, leaving him behind for a moment. “No, I don’t, Austin.”
He caught up to her, wanting to reach for her hand again, but knowing that he was pushing it, if he did. “Okay, I’ll tell you something about me that you don’t know if you tell me one of your fears about this,” he gestured between them. “You’re obviously afraid, and holding back, why?”
Her jaw tensed and she continued walking, “We’ll continue this in the restaurant.”