by C. R. Jane
"Good. I'm sure when I pass along the news Father will be happy. Are you ready to tell me about it?" he asked, loosening his tie.
My stomach rolled. No. I wasn't. Strange how I could kill a man, or woman for that matter, and not be as disturbed as coming back and reliving this ritual over and over again.
"Whatever you want, Sir." I wanted to vomit, but the words sounded nonchalant and betrayed none of the emotion I felt inside as I desperately tried to shove it down once again. He couldn't know how I felt, what I thought. He could never know, or he would kill me.
"Good girl. Why don't you go and get in position?"
I nodded my head and began to peel off my jacket. When I reached for my top he said, "No, leave it on, just unzip," just like he always did when I was fresh from an assignment. I swallowed and pulled the zipper that ran down front toward the base, far enough so that he could touch what he wanted, but not far enough that the top would come loose.
My hands went to the buckle on my holster and unclipped it so I could take it off. I laid it on the table in front of me, exactly how he liked, and pulled the weapon I'd used for the night from its holster. The garrote wire still had blood on it as required. I unrolled it and laid it out above all the other weapons.
Next was my pants. In movies assassins always wore leather or latex or something similar, but I'd found that to be too noisy. I preferred a simple black skinny jean, or if jeans wouldn't work, black leggings. They both allowed for a greater range of motion and were quieter than any of the leather pants I'd ever worn. I pulled them down enough to reveal the black G-string I wore underneath. I left that in place as required and bent over the table.
I felt him behind me a moment later. "Oh the garrote, interesting choice. Tell me what happened."
"I had been following the assignment for the last week," I began as his fingers found my pussy. They were wet, they needed to be because I certainly wasn't. He moved my G-string aside as he worked the moisture over my folds and I felt the tip of him press against me. I had to pause and hold my breath as he pushed inside.
"Don't stop," he breathed as he began thrusting in and out of me. His hand fisted, holding a hunk of my hair, pulling my head up so I had no choice but to look at the tools of my trade.
"He liked to go to bed around nine, but always stopped at the kitchen first for a glass of milk and a cookie. His housekeeper would always set out an empty glass and a plate with a macadamia nut cookie on it. When she left for the evening I caught the door and slipped inside. I moved to the kitchen, which was just off the back entryway that she used, and waited in the corner shadow. Within an hour or so he came down for his customary drink and treat. Ugh." I didn't mean for the noise to escape, but Thurston was yanking on my hair so hard that it had stretched my throat out to the point that talking hurt. Couple that with trying to tell a story with his dick ramming into me and it made keeping the odd sound in difficult. Sometimes he enjoyed them, sometimes he didn't.
"Finish the fucking story," he ground out while I still tried to catch my breath from the way he was bending me backward.
"By the time he opened the fridge to get the milk I was already behind him. He had no idea I was there. I looped the garrote wire around his neck. Before he could scream or make a noise I pulled it tight, letting it cut into his flesh. His hands scratched at it, trying to gain leverage, which was unsuccessful and a waste of his energy. The blood dribbled down at first, oozing from the wound until it cut deeper, then it flowed freely over his chest. When I felt the wire connect with his spinal cord I released my hold and withdrew the wire. He slumped to the floor having lost control of his body. I flipped him over and leaned him up against the cupboard. Lastly, I swiped my finger through the blood and drew a smile on his face with it as requested in the assignment notes. I left by the same door and went to the nearest Family restaurant where I changed in the bathroom and exited through the kitchen. I then came home to you."
"Tell me about the blood," he hissed. He was close, so that was something. Sometimes I wondered if he even enjoyed this, I knew I didn't, and he knew I didn't, but it was all part of the ritual he'd created for me to repay my debt.
"It was thick at first, sliding down his neck in a slow dribble and then it gushed like a waterfall, spraying over the cabinets and fridge until there wasn't enough pressure for it to spray anymore." I knew what he was waiting for, so I gave it to him. "When I dipped my finger in it to draw the smile it was still warm."
He thrust into me one last time and I felt his body twitch within me. I thanked the stars that he came relatively fast and that his dick wasn't big, because if it had been I wouldn't have been able to keep talking through it, I knew that much. When he pulled out of me I felt his cum drip down and although I wanted to shudder and wipe it away I couldn't, not until he'd given me permission to do so.
I was left standing there for a few minutes and my revulsion with my life only grew. When my uncle had sold me to the Family I'd thought my life was over, but I was wrong. My life officially ended when I had to start repaying the debt I'd accrued from them taking care of me while I grew up. When I turned eighteen everything changed. I was given my first assignment and Thurston explained how every assignment would go.
"You can clean up now. Don't make a mess on the carpet or I'll have to charge you to have it cleaned."
I slid off the table and pulled my pants up in one smooth motion. I knew I hadn't made a mess because I could feel it soaking through the denim. That being said, I still double checked the floor just in case. I redressed as quickly as possible eager to get out of there and into a scalding hot shower. Once I’d slipped my jacket back on I turned to face him, waiting to be dismissed. He was completely dressed once more and was in the middle of combing his dark brown hair back into place when my eyes locked on to him. Sweat glistened on his forehead and there was a slightly dazed look to him as he got himself back under control.
He cleared his throat. "You have the opportunity to take a vacation as required by Family rules. I know you usually work through them, but I am required to offer it to you. You have two weeks for this new year. Would you like to use them?"
I'd forgotten that my birthday was coming up. It was six years since I'd started working for them, since my eighteenth birthday, and I had at least one assignment a week. I never took him up on the vacation because it would only delay me being free of my Family ties. Looking at Thurston, I could tell that he assumed I was going to say no and had already mentally dismissed me and moved on to whatever pressing task kept him up all hours of the night.
"Yes," I said.
He looked up at me, quirking an eyebrow. "Your vacation starts at midnight. I expect you back here at midnight two weeks from today. I will have an assignment waiting for you, little flower." He smiled at me then and my stomach twisted in on itself.
"Understood, Sir."
"Very well, you're dismissed. Turn your weapons in to Gavin so he can clean them while you're on vacation."
"Yes, Sir."
I turned and walked out, heading down the hall to the weapon master's office. He was never there. In fact, I'd only seen him three times in six years. The man had a drop box and a pick-up station. I grabbed the paper bag and put most of my weapons in. I always held one or two back, just in case. After scrawling my name across the top I shoved it into the drop box and headed straight to my room.
The complex I lived in was large and there were others like me, other assassins both men and women. We each had our own preferred method of execution if it wasn't specified in the assignment and we each had our own handler. I was the lucky girl who got to experience Thurston every week. I discovered early on that he found pleasure in the bloodier executions and so that became my modus operandi. Anything to make him finish faster.
My room was a decent size, large enough to be luxurious but not so large they charged me extra for it. I was one of their best assassins so I did get some perks. The blinds were shut and it was dark, but my warm yellow night light glowed in th
e corner, just the way I liked it.
Quickly I stripped, threw my clothing into the hamper, and headed into my private shower. I had to pay more for a room with a private bathroom but the last thing I wanted to do was scrub the cum away while someone else was jamming to music in the next stall. It might extend my sentence but to me it was worth every theoretical penny.
As I waited for the water to warm I looked in the mirror. My roots were starting to show so I needed to get that fixed. The one thing that I couldn't stand was seeing my hair be the same blond color as Thurston's, which was why it was a lilac color now. It had been blue for a while, but I figured there was enough blue in my life and I couldn't do red, not with Thurston's love of blood. Lilac became my calling card. Every Family restaurant and business knew that if someone walked in with lilac hair like they owned the place to just let them do whatever they wanted, which meant that I could use any of them as pit stops after assignments.
Steam was billowing out from behind the shower curtain by the time I stepped under the spray. It was so hot it felt like it was burning, but I didn't care. I'd gladly burn myself to get the scent of him off my body. Once I had acclimated to it I began to scrub and let my mind wander. What the hell was I going to do for two weeks with no work?
Chapter 2
Lysander
The club was my favorite place. It didn't matter which one, they were all similar enough to me. They dripped with lust and raw erotic energy. My specialty. Sure, I could do full on real deal love stuff, but the erotic stuff was so much easier. Just a couple touches, no bow and arrow needed.
Maddox and Ezio were at the bar while I worked the room. Weaving through the crowd was easy as I felt more alive in the press of bodies than I did at any other moment or place. It was where my energy sprang to life and my heritage celebrated the fact that most of these people were going to get laid tonight because of me. My touch pushed the spark of attraction into full on lust for them, enough so that many couples would disappear into the bathrooms and fuck right there at the club.
My twin Alistair was different though. He was all about the romance. His touch would fan the flames of attraction for sure, but they would be more likely to go home and talk all night long which was kinda boring to me. I was more about the here and now than the future though, so that didn't exactly surprise anyone.
As I finished my loop I went to join my brothers. They had an ice-cold beer and a shot of tequila waiting for me, not that I needed either of them. The high from all the lust was enough to make my head spin as it was. Still, I grabbed the shot and downed it in one go before snatching the longneck and taking a deep pull. Alistair caught up with us a few moments later having matched any soul mates that were in the crowd. He didn't have a shot, just a frosty beer waiting for him.
I watched as he took a swig, ever so slightly jealous of the serene look on his face. He was as close to a natural born cupid as someone could get. He still had to work with us though. We succeeded or failed as a unit. My gaze ran back over the crowd as I took another drink from the amber bottle. As much as I was enjoying the night and the energy that I was feeding from, there was something off, like one thing didn't match the others, but I wasn't sure what it was.
"Everyone all juiced up?" Maddox asked as he sipped on his Moscow Mule. I couldn't stand the stuff. Ginger beer? No, thank you.
"Everyone on that dance floor is going to have a good night," I said with a grin because although it was true, none of them knew it yet, which made me feel a little like Santa Clause.
"Any singles?" Lysander asked, scanning the crowd.
"They're all single, bud. It's just whether you want first go or sloppy seconds," I replied.
"That's a big no on sloppy seconds." He snorted.
I felt that tingle again, the sensation that something wasn't quite right. "Do any of you feel that?"
They stood quietly for a moment, knowing that I wouldn't bring something up if I didn't think there was something off. Their eyes glazed over as their other senses reached out into the crowd. I knew I wasn't imagining things, but I wasn't sure if what I was picking up on was what we were looking for.
"It's here," Maddox said.
"I feel it, too," Ezio added.
"Glad I'm not the only one. Did either of you sense where?" They both shook their heads. "I guess we better head into the fray then."
"You sure you want to do this here?" Ezio asked.
"We could always just follow the sensation," Maddox said, taking Ezio's side, as normal.
"No, we should at least try and get eyes on who our target is, before we track them," I said. I wasn't the leader of our little group, but I was the one that hated wearing training wheels the most. If we wanted to get our wings, bows, and arrows, and to actually be cupids then we needed to get this taken care of. The faster it was done the faster we'd be out on our own and truly independent.
They reluctantly agreed and finished their drinks. The four of us drifted into the crowd and I flung my senses wide as I tried to track down the pinpoint of cold in a wave of heat. It should be easy, but the heat was so overwhelming that it often hid the cold.
I tried to move to the music so I didn't stick out like a sore thumb, but it was hard when I was concentrating on something else. Suddenly an ass was rubbing against my leg. The lust rolling off the woman who was dancing on me was enough for me to drown in. I tried to breathe around it, but my hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they found her curves and directed her on exactly where she should be shaking her ass.
It was only the tingle of awareness that saved me from losing myself in the woman dancing with me in that moment. A flash of light off purple hair drew my attention and I watched as my brothers seemed to locate her moments after I did. My hands slipped away from the woman in front of me and I distanced myself, using the crowd as a barrier. Any other night and I would have taken her in the back and fucked her brains out until she was screaming my name, but tonight I was here on business, and I couldn't ignore that.
I edged closer to the lavender-haired woman and felt the sensation of something being off growing steadily as the distance between us decreased. Her hair shimmered in the light like an amethyst geode. Lasers cut through the fog that was being blown out over the dance floor and the crowd went wild. Hands and arms were in the air, while people cheered, but not the woman I was focused on. She seemed to dance to her own beat and not follow everyone else. That being said, her beat was still in time with the rest of the music.
The silver halter top she was wearing was backless, showing off a body that was more than just in shape. She was strong, her muscles were well defined, and she looked like she could kick plenty of ass if she needed to based on her arms. Thick, chunky bracelets swung on her wrists, and as she spun I saw a long necklace that almost hid the fact that her shirt was open in the middle down to her belly button. There was plenty of fabric there, it just hung loosely between her breasts, highlighting them to perfection.
Below the eye-popping top was a black leather mini skirt and over the knee leather boots. She was showing enough skin to get my mouth watering, without looking like she was trying. In fact, the longer I watched her the more I was convinced that she wasn't even aware of my presence which was unusual to say the least. Sometimes I felt like the phrase 'get more bees with honey' was invented for me, except I had no choice but to be honey.
My love was an addiction for human women. If I slept with them more than a handful of times, then it got ugly, real fast. Jealousy, paranoia, and delusional thoughts were just the beginning. After that it went downhill to the point that I had to ask for help and get the woman's memory wiped. Not a good look when I'm trying to convince the higher ups to let me handle this whole love business by myself, well, myself and my siblings.
I edged closer to the woman, her body swaying with the music and her hair sparkling in the lights made it impossible to keep my distance. My brothers glared at me, but I couldn't be bothered to care. Lust wasn't flooding my se
nses when I was around her which was weird but nice. I took a deep breath and felt clear headed for the first time since we'd walked in the club tonight. When my eyes refocused on her it was like I was seeing her for the first time all over again. All the details I’d missed before, the icy blue eyes that caught mine, the pouty lips with a perfect cupid's bow under a pert button nose, the slight grin that spread over her face as she saw me, it all came to the fore. She was all I could see.
My hand came out of its own accord and took hers, pressing a quick kiss to her knuckles before spinning her and pulling her back tight against me. Her ass rubbed against my jeans and for the first time in a long time I felt my blood warm. My hands dipped down onto her hips and relished in the smooth curve of her waist beneath her shirt. When I fucked women it was usually just because I was bored, not because they particularly inspired anything within me. This woman though... she was different.
When her head whipped back to look at me I was surprised but then she looked forward again before looking back, like she was comparing me with someone. My focus drifted up off her form, which took more effort than I would care to admit, but as soon as my gaze landed ahead of me I could understand why.
Alistair.
It wasn't that I disliked my twin, just that he was always there. I fought back my sigh of frustration as the crowd parted for him and within moments he was in front of me and the lavender-haired nymph. I knew we looked alike, we were twins, but we weren't identical. His hair was lighter and he didn't have the freckles or the eyes that I did. I was supposed to look more like my mother, but I had no idea if that was true or not. It wasn't like we grew up with her around.
As my brother started swaying with the woman, I watched the same realization hit him that had hit me. She was a dead zone for all the emotions and needs swirling through the club. Part of me never wanted to leave this bubble, while part of me was wondering what the reach of the bubble was. And the rest of me? Well, that was focused on the feeling of her body in my hands.
