Assassin V Assassin

Status
Not open for further replies.
"Excellent. That will make things easier." Livia reached in and pulled out the portions of ground leaves. "This is a powder made from the leaves of the plant. Eventually, we'll move onto the berries and the roots, but for now, we start here." She took a coffee cup and filled it with hot water, then she stirred in the powder from today's pouch. "This is all for today. You might not feel too many of the effects from it today and tomorrow, but day three is going to be hell. This is going to build up in your body and you will be incapacitated after the third dose. That's when the hallucinations will start to get intense." She stopped and looked up at him. "Whatever horrors lie in your past, you're probably going to relive them on the third day. You body is going to fight, and it is going to lose on that day, make no mistake. It will start to wind down on the fourth day, but you'll be very nauseous and your speech will be slurred. Try not to throw up during these times, that will just slow down the training. By day nine, we should be ready to move to the berries."

Livia was lucky that her own training only resulted in mild hallucinations of the dreams she saw every night, but she didn't know how often Zephyr had his flashbacks. "This cycle is going to repeat itself when we start the berries, and again when we start the roots. It won't be as intense as your first time, but every third day will be hell. You're not going to want to train or take missions for this month. I probably won't be doing any either, so I can oversee you." The doorbell sounded through out the room and Livia got up to answer the door. She turned to Zephyr as she walked away, "I have to meet with a tailor. Stay in here and drink that. Then don't move for ten minutes. It will take that long to hit the blood stream. We'll see where you are after that."


Livia opened the door to see Ralphie, a short, bald, Italian tailor standing before her. "Miss Livia Jones, lovely as ever I see." Livia winced as he said her name.

"Please, not so loud. I'm using an alias at the moment," she winked at Ralphie. He had been the only person to fit her and her father into clothes since she moved here. He was an honest and kind man who knew all about her father's dealings. "Come in. Let's get started!" she beamed at the man. Once inside, she pulled Ralphie into the bedroom and stripped. Zephyr couldn't see her from her position as she wore only her panties and a strapless bra. "I can't believe the old man is making me attend that benefit tomorrow. I told him I was busy, yet he throws it on my schedule."

"Ah yes, but how could he resist showing off such a lovely daughter?" Ralphie replied, taking her measurements. "I see your bust has grown again. If you keep it up, your father is going to have to use his entire workforce to beat suitors off of you."

"Oh please, as if that would happen. I'm too aloof for suitors," she giggled. "If only you were twenty years younger."

"Ah, my time as a young man is over. However, I do have a son your age if you ever feel like having a drink. He's quite the idiot, romantic though. But he's sweet and means well."

"Well, if he's anything like you, he'd be a gem," they continued to make small talk and laugh as Ralphie took down the final measurements.

"So, we decided last time on the black, satin gown with the rhinestone, plunging neck line. Correct?"

"Yes!" Livia never really cared much for fashion, but everything Ralphie made was amazing. "And I'd like to have a deep slit up the side. Can you add that for me?"

"Your father would take my head and put it on his wall if I were to do that!" Ralphie protested.

"Oh please! I'll tell him I forced you. Besides, you're the best tailor in all of Kardanthia. He values you too much to just kill you," she teased.

"Alright, but I expect twice the payment for today!" Ralphie closed his eyes and turned his cheek towards Livia. She bent down and kissed him twice. "Atta girl. Alright darling. I'll make the final preparations and have it sent to you tomorrow afternoon." Livia walked Ralphie out and closed the door behind him with a smile on her face. That old man made her feel so much better. She used to be scared to kiss him on the cheek, but over time that worry faded away.



Back in the living room, Livia went to check on Zephyr. "How are you feeling?" She looked at the clock and saw that her ten minute appointment had actually taken thirty. Time flew whenever she met with Ralphie. "Sorry, I meant to check on you earlier." Livia wondered if he had overheard any of their conversation. She wasn't usually that bubbly or girly around Zeph.
 
Zephyr had heard almost every bit of the conversation, but he didn't show that he did. He just simply stared at nothing in particular as he began to roll out of the bed, falling down to the ground before he began to do pushups. He wouldn't care if she told him to stop, he would continue to exercise, not wanting to waste a day.
 
Livia just rolled her eyes at him. "You're gonna push yourself too hard. You're just making day three that much worse, but whatever." He was so stubborn. As he worked out, Livia watched the local news. It was important to her to know what was happening in the city, as most of it had to do with her father's line of work. Nothing major was going on. There were a few murders reported. Probably small time hits that her father's henchmen carried out.

She had lunch brought up for them and then went to swim for a little bit in the private pool on the roof. Her father prided himself on having first class establishments through out the city. This hotel was the finest in his line of hotels. The rooftop had not only a private spa and pool, but also a large, outside restaurant complete with a dance floor and special VIP sections with gossamer curtains for a bit of privacy. This was where the event would be held tomorrow evening. It was risky to have Zephyr so close to her private life, but she figured he wouldn't feel up for exploring tomorrow evening.

Livia was drying off from her swim when her phone rang. It was her father's intelligence department. "What did you find?"

"We were able to translate that word. It means traitor. The word carries a heavier meaning than just traitor, though. It is only used in extreme cases of betrayal and to be called that by a member of the Shawnee is to essentially be disowned by the tribe. Generally, it is said that when a member is suspected of treason, they are tortured severely by means of burning and scarring and unless they can escape, they are killed." Livia was silent as the man on the phone spoke. "We also researched into the history of the reservation and the only thing we were able to find was an incident from a few years back. One of the members of the tribe, who was very close to their chief, was accused of murdering the same chief for his position. We don't have too much information other than that, and the man in question seems to have disappeared. We're still digging, but the reservation seems to be mostly peaceful outside of that. We'll call back if we find anything else, Miss Livia."

"Thank you," was all Livia could manage to say. Her tribe had similar proceedings for betrayers, but Livia had only witnessed one such event. A member was accused of abandoning his partner mid hunt, resulting in that partner's death. For a tribe, teamwork is essential to survival, so betraying that teamwork meant death. They didn't kill the accused themselves, but rather they tied them up away from the village for three days. If after the three days the perpetrator lived, they were released and allowed to return to the village marked as an outcast. They would not be permitted to speak to the other members of the tribe any longer, and they had to earn their way back into the society. However, not many survived three days tied in the jungle with predators. Her tribe believed that the jungle would judge a person's worth. If they lived, the jungle saw them worthy of life. If not, well..

Livia didn't know how it felt to be ostracized by her own people, but she could imagine it was painful. A tribe is a family. And to be excommunicated from that family and from your heritage must have been quite the burden. Zephyr must have been dealing with a lot. It would be strange to look at him with all her new knowledge. Still, she returned to the room, silent. Stealing glances at him when he wasn't looking. Soon, night fell. Livia made her way to the bedroom after Zephyr fell asleep and laid next to him. She didn't know if he would have nightmares again, but if he did, she would be there.
 
Zephyr faced her as he slept, every breath he took he took from her neck, breathing back out on the skin. He mumbled his dreams in Shawnee, using English in some part of the night. Zephyr just woke up in the middle of the night and laid down on the ground and fell back asleep, his dreams making him feel unworthy to have any comfort.
 
Livia fell asleep quickly after getting into the bed. It was warm and comfortable. She stirred once or twice as Zephyr spoke in his sleep. Some of it she didn't understand, other parts she did. From what she could gather, he was dreaming about his past. He kept saying 'I didn't do it! Believe me!' and other such things. There were cries of pain and sounds of sadness. Still, she tried to give him his privacy though he was breathing her in so closely.

She managed to fall back asleep as her mind began to relive her own dark past. The same images flashed again as she tossed silently in the bed. Suddenly, her nightmare changed. She found herself in the depths of the jungle. Her body was cooler now and from a distance she could hear someone crying out. Livia ran toward the sound to find a man lying on the grassy floor. His body began to tremble as dark figures surrounded him, making him look small and weak. They began to beat him and used fire to burn and scar his body. The man was thrown on his back and in an instant, Livia saw that it was Zephyr. Tears and anguish were upon his face as the men continued to burn and cut him. Blood poured out of the fresh wounds as they carved that word into his flesh time and time again. Horror set in as Livia screamed out, "Zephyr!" She ran to one of the men attacking him and began to wrestle him away. "Leave him alone! Stop it!!" She fought as tears fell from her own eyes. She could reach no poisons, nor any weapons. She turned back to see the others still beating and mutilating his body. "No! Stop! Get off of him!" The man took her arms and pinned them above her head. She kicked and fought back as the dark figure called out her name. Not Livia, but Belladonna. Confusion set in as she continued to fight and struggle. The vision began to disappear and when Livia opened her eyes, Zephyr was on top of her, holding her down on the bed as tears fell from her frightened expression.
 
"Belladonna!" He cried out to her Once more, quickly wiping the tears from her face. Zephyr cared for others, but this felt... different. He couldn't blame the feeling for the poison, for he would've known. He had tried his best to shake away the feeling he had in his stomach, but could not manage to do so.
 
"Z-Zephyr?" her voice cracked as she heaved breath after breath in her chest. Her body was shaking uncontrollably and her bottom lip was trembling. The tears wouldn't stop no matter how hard she tried to end them. Livia reached up and traced his scars on his chest with a weak hand. "I thought.. I mean, they were all over you... I thought they would ki-" She couldn't finish her words. Sitting up quickly, Livia wrapped her arms around Zephyr's neck and put her head against his chest, her body still shaking and her mind replaying the dream. She held onto him tightly, forgetting her assassin's need for distance, and hoping he wouldn't push her away. Her heart screamed out as the vision danced in her head.

True, it was just a dream, but something told Livia that it wasn't too far off from the truth of what happened. How could they do that to him? How could they do that to her Zephyr? ...her Zephyr? Livia didn't want to admit it, but it was clear that what she felt for this man was more than a simple fondness. Tonight, she would allow herself to feel this way, but tomorrow, Livia needed to become Belladonna once more.
 
"Shh... It's Okay now... They are gone, they are gone..." He whispered to her, continuing to try wiping the tears away. he put a hand on the back of her head and pressed her closer to his chest, "I'm right here." Zephyr daringly buried his face into the top of her head, taking in her scent.
 
Livia's shaking didn't stop, but she was comforted by Zephyr's embrace. She returned his embrace by wrapping her arms tighter around him, like he would leave at any second. Her tears still fell as she whispered, "Can we stay like this? Just for tonight?" She wasn't too sure what she was saying, but she needed to hold him like this. She needed to be reassured that he was safe and alive.

Livia didn't know if she wanted to to heal her own mind by staying with him, or if she wanted to offer comfort to his. Either way, she didn't want to let him go tonight. When morning came, she would pretend like it never happened. At sunrise, the fragile Livia would disappear and the cold-blooded Belladonna would return to finish training her partner. But right now, Livia didn't feel like an assassin. She didn't feel like a heartless killing machine. All Livia felt now, was fear, sadness, and a deep need to hold this man in front of her close.
 
"Don't kid yourself... we need to sleep like this..." He whispered to her, taking in her scent happily, this being his only comfort for years. He slowly began to pull away from the top of her head, staring into her eyes with an expression he's never shown before... happiness.
 
Livia didn't expect him to say what she wanted so easily, but he did. She looked up into Zephyr's eyes mesmerized. He had never shown her this expression before. It was one of the most breath taking sights Livia had ever seen.

Without thinking, Livia took her hand from around his back, and moved it to the front of his chest. Beneath her fingers, she could feel the scars that covered his body. However, she wasn't feeling for that. She let her hand rest over his heart. She could feel it pounding and each beat seemed to sync up with her own. The heat from his body seemed to intensify as Livia stared intently at his face. She took in every inch of it and committed it to memory. The deep intensity in his eyes, that looked at her, the way his hair fell over his ears, and the shape of his mouth as she subconsciously licked her lips. All of it was taken in by her.

She continued to stare into his eyes, occasionally letting her sights drop to his mouth, as she breathed his name, "Zephyr".
 
"Yes Belladonna?" He breathed to her, slowly getting closer to her face. He took in every detail of her face, the bridge of her nose, the color of her face, and more importantly, her lips. He slowly began to inch closer to her face.
 
Livia got goosebumps when he said her name. Her body was heating up with every inch closer he got. "We.. shouldn't.." Livia's voice trailed off and she closed her eyes just as she allowed her lips to touch his. The kiss was so gentle, so soft, Livia wondered if she was dreaming. Not that she could ever dream up something so sweet.

It was her first kiss. And it felt like the world stopped moving. Her senses fell away and the only thing she saw and felt was Zephyr. Livia knew this shouldn't be happening. She knew it was only going to complicate things. Still, her head swirled with nothing but thoughts of him. Her other hand moved to his head as her fingers moved through his hair.
 
"But we still can..." He mumbled against her lips, moving a hand to caress the side of her face as they kissed. He slowly moved his lips against hers, tasting the sweet poison that came from the soft skin.
 
Livia wanted more. She wanted to taste his mouth in hers and feel so close to him. She wondered what he would taste like, and she wondered if she would taste good to him. That's when Livia came back to her senses. What the hell was she doing?

"Wait!" she pushed Zephyr back, against her own desires. "We shouldn't. Really. I want to, but," She looked up at him again. Fighting her urge to jump back into his arms. "I'm- I'm poisonous. And you're already taking strong doses. Even touching my skin is going to effect you. Let alone-" she thought again of how it would feel to have his tongue inside her mouth. Livia blushed and turned her face away from his. This was more difficult than she imagined it would be.

Her body was still trembling slightly and she wondered if this would make him angry. She still wanted to lay next to him in his arms as she slept, but she didn't know if she had the right to ask him after just rejecting him.
 
"I don't care." He said blatantly, quickly turning her head and pulling her back, "I would eat a million of those berries if it meant I could do this..." He muttered against her lips, placing his hands back on her cheeks, the strong hands holding her gently, caring, and... loving.
 
Livia's eyes went wide as he spoke those words of affection to her. She had never thought she'd hear someone address those words to her. But then again, Zephyr wasn't like anyone she had ever met before.

Livia allowed herself to melt back into his embrace. Her mouth meshed against his as she pressed her body closer. In a moment, her tongue was tasting his as she was kissed so passionately, so endearingly. Her heart was beating faster and her breath came in quick successions. The heat of his skin made her draw even closer to him as she wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him closer.
 
Zephyr closed his eyes happily as he slowly moved his hands across her body, feeling every detail. He gave off a happy sound as they kissed, his eyes opening Once more as he pulled away slowly from her intoxicating lips.
 
The euphoria Livia was feeling left her in a daze as Zephyr pulled away from her. Her eyes slowly opened to look at the man in front of her. It was clear this was a deadly attraction, but what alarmed Livia wasn't the slight paleness his skin had taken, nor the dilation of his pupils. Rather, what worried her was just how much she seemed to care for him.

Livia cared for Luther, and her tribe, but what she was beginning to feel for Zephyr was more than a simple fondness or affection. She worried she may be falling in love with him. Love had only ever been a four letter word to Livia before now. Still, as she looked at Zephyr, his outline in the dark, his handsome frame and gentle eyes, which had seen so much pain, Livia knew there was something deep inside her screaming out for him.

It scared her to think that she could lose her self so easily to another person. Even more frightening, was that something could happen to this person causing Livia to lose her sanity, as it had in her dream. She didn't want to see Zephyr suffering anymore. His life had already been filled with so much pain.

She looked up at him, noticing the effects of her poison. "Are you alright?" Livia was watching him intently.
 
Zephyr forced himself to not move from his spot, feeling to tired to do so, "I'm fine..." He whispered to her, studying her features once more. He took a deep breath, taking in her intoxicating scent once more, "I think you just made me addicted to belladonna, Belladonna... "
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back