Red. So much red. The sickly sweet substance coated my hands like gloves and dripped slowly from my fingertips. It fell onto the forest ground landing each with a quiet thump. The various plants around me held pools of red thick liquid. Spread around me was my black cloak with a hood pulled up to conceal my features. I sat quietly by a creek staring down at my hands. Strapped to my belt was my dagger and five smaller throwing knives. I looked up from my hands and gently stuck them into the soft running water. The water around my hands billowed into a soft red colour before running with the rest of the current. I started to softly rub my hands together trying to erase the signs of blood. That was my twenty seventh kill.

I was an assassin, no one knows my identity. They send the gold coins and I greet the victim with my dagger. I have never been caught, my presence is unattainable. They sometimes think they have rid the kingdom of me, and then I diminish their false sense of security by popping up and killing some aristocrat. I became this many years ago. It's okay, I've gotten used to it. I'm a monster, but there is one thing I hold on to that I believe still makes me somewhat human.

Love is real.

It has to be, I see it everyday. Anywhere I go, love follows me. Or I follow love. Or I just hopelessly chase after it, hoping I could grasp it one day. I knew with love I might regain my humanity again and stop ruthlessly killing people without so much of a second glance at their face. I also know with love comes great suffering, every time I take a life, I take their lover's soul too. Even if the one they love isn't dead, they weren't alive anymore. They would waste away in the sorrow of a loss just as my father once did.

I wiped my hands on my pants and stood up while pulling the hood of my cloak up again. it had been let down to allow my golden locks lay on my back. I started my way down a narrow path once again, wondering what I was going to do until my next employer came along. I took my dagger from my hilt and carefully turned it in my hand. I had killed twenty seven people with this dagger. I did it the same way every time so everyone knew it was me. I always roughly dug my dagger into their heart, hilt deep. I seized the beating to their heart like they did to my mother, like my father's love. I then engrave on their right forearm in fancy cursive love, death. As if I was death signing a letter, which in essence I was sending a message that I was not going to be quiet and disappear into the shadows. I was always there, creeping along until I pounced only to take your life. The one you so highly held above others.

I only killed the rich, which in a way is an assassin's job. But to me every life I take is personal, a man with power took my mom's life and now these men with power would get their payback.

I kicked a stone to the side of the dirt pathway and grunted as a small branch scraped up against my stomach. Due to being a person to cause bloodshed I had to keep in peak physical condition. That meant I had no fat on my flat stomach to take some pain from that scrape. It was worse than I thought because little beads of blood were poking through my tunic. I wasn't worried about pain, it didn't really hurt at all. But, if infection got in my system that would be very bad. I took some cloth from my pack I had slung over my shoulder and tied it around my stomach hoping to keep any germs away from my scrape.

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I had now entered a small village and was in the process of gaining an inn room for the night. The guy might or might not have a right ear still. I had to keep off the books, which meant I couldn't pay. He wasn't cooperating so I had to cause some pain. Now I can relax in a warm bed with a short bath. I trudged up the stairs to my room and opened the creaking door. I slowly took off my black cloak and looked into the broken mirror on the wall.

My blond hair curls and waves down my back, reaching a point just above my waist. My facial features were soft and I had a deep tan, something from my roots I supposed. I rarely take off my cloak, which shields the sun from me. I had plump lips, my lower lip was slightly larger than my upper lip giving a small illusion as if I was pouting. I had cold, steely gray eyes that calculates every move you make. Nothing goes passed me unnoticed.

I was dressed in my usual wear. I had black tight pants with leather belts strapped around my thigh that held a dagger. I wore dark brown leather hunting boots that came just under my knees, a concealed throwing knife strapped inside my boot. I had a black shirt on with sleeves that reached my wrist. My top was tucked in and I wore a dark belt the had my other dagger strapped on the side of my hip. Another few throwing knives sat on the other side of my belt. I had gloves that seemed as if the finger tips were cut off, so that the top half of my fingers were showing. They laced up on the side, they acted as small pading to my arms. The tops reach my elbow.

Beside me sat my two identifying pieces, they gave the people a signal that read 'you fuck with me, you won't have enough time to apologize before you take your last breath'. I had a red silky fabric that wrapped around my nose and covered my mouth. It made so that when my cloak and it was on the only thing visible were my eyes and some random strands of golden hair. Beside that hung my black cloak. It was a midnight colour, the kind you couldn't see in the dark no matter how hard you squinted. The bottom of the cloak reached my ankles and it tied around the base of my throat. The hood, when up, covered most of my hair. I looked extremely threatening when fully geared up. No one talks to me, except the occasional tavern keeper that offered me a cup of ale.

I unstrapped all my weapons but kept the dagger on my leg on. I couldn't risk getting attacked at night. I was scrubbing off the remains of caked on mud from my face with a wet rag when something slipped under my door. I walked over and there sat an enclosure letter with nothing written on the outside. I slowly picked up the envelope and broke the seal. Hastily scribbled on the parchment it read only a few words.

Meet in woods at dusk. Half pay upfront, 150 gold, other half after you complete the assignment. Your task will be explained when you arrive.

-Your Employer

A hundred fifty gold was quite bit for a job, especially when it was only half. This set off a few red flags of who my employer was and who I would be killing. The person giving the go would have to be a wealthy aristocrat and the person they would be targeting would have to be important. I couldn't think of anyone immediately, but I knew this assignment wouldn't be a quick kill.

Once the time reached about quarter till dusk I started re-dressing. I slowly put all my weapons back on and laced up my gloves. I tied my cloak around me and pulled the hood up. Then I slipped the red fabric over my face leaving my eyes viewable. I quietly exited the inn and began to make my way to the woods, hiding in the shadows. I could see a faint light glowing somewhere near the edge of the wall of trees. I could tell once I got closer that it was a small lantern with a flickering light trapped in the glass. I slowly started following the lanterns that were placed strategically in a trail to a clearing.

Once I reached the edge of the opened land among the forest I peaked to make positive this was an employer and not am ambush. In the middle of the clearing stood a man that appeared in his late forties. He had a stocky build with shoulder length white hair and a beard. He was dressed in wealthy clothes so I was right about my assumption. He stood beside a saddled horse, holding a lantern.

I saw on the other side of the clearing made me suspicious though. I could see another man clad in black. He then stepped out of the shadows and I could see what he looked like from the dying lantern.

He wore a black shirt that had of what seemed like a vest over it. It laced up the sides and one arm covered with the leather material down to his forearm and the other stopped at his shoulder. He wore a midnight black cloak that one side was thrown partly over his arm, the one without the protection from the leather breastplate. He wore a loose belt that had a hilt at the right side and a small pack that was attached to the back left corner of his belt. In his hilt sat a sword, I could only see the leather bound handle though. He wore black pants and a pair of black hunting boots. His hood was pulled up so all I could see was a pair of thin pink lips and a perfectly sculpted jaw. He appeared to be an assassin, like me. What troubled me is that this man was meeting with two assassins. That was very uncommon, did he not expect one of us to accept? A true assassin would never turn down three hundred gold and a chance to kill someone high in power. Another thing that troubled me was what the assassin made me feel. I have only caught a look at him, and he gave off this aura of mystery and...sexy? I have never had that thought before but the look he portrayed was very attractive. He looked like a bad ass.

I decided to find out what was going on and stepped away from the shadows, at first unnoticed. Then the other assassin's head snapped up and I could see his eyes. We locked gazes and my own gray orbs met with a beautifully cold sea green colour. I could see the pain and the loss behind his striking eyes. They read of years of killing and blood staining his hands, my eyes probably read the same story. The one story with blank pages and heavy covers that took a lot of force to open. My walls were unbreakable.

We held gazes before the man in front of me cleared his throat and held out a hand that was covered in a black glove and his forearm was strapped with an arm guard. That made my curiosity peak, in a fraction of a second I picked up that he had a quiver behind him and a bow strapped to him. I figured he was a swordsman and an archer. An unlikely combo. (A/N I know Percy would be the worst shot, but I really wanted one of them too be able to shoot. And I love rangers apprentice so I picked Percy. Deal wit it.) I took his hand and shook firmly. I wondered why neither of us had tried to kill the other yet, but I felt somewhat calm around him.

"So your the infamous assassin that has sent the kingdom to hide in the shadows," the dark boy in front of me stated. He had a soothing voice and when I shook his hand I had an electric shock that went up my arm. I dismissed it though.

"Pardon me, and you are?" I asked the boy in front of me, honestly curious.

"Percy, were working this one together," he said it so casually but I froze. I had never heard of two assassins working together in my whole career. I slowly turned my way to the employer.

"Together? That is actually possible?" I asked the old man that was holding the lantern.

"With this assignment, you will have to. The person your going after is going to be extremely difficult to kill. He is the one person that would ever need to top two assassins on him. I'm your employer, Zeus." The old man, Zeus, told me. He acted as if this explained everything. I was still baffled by the whole situation. How can two assassins work together? Who would be important enough to require that?

"Who will be the target?" I asked, masking my bewilderment and trying to maintain a formal attitude.

"A man of high power, King Kronos," Zeus told me and I didn't try to mask my surprise this time. The man is a complete tyrant, he had ruled our Kingdom for years.

"Is that the reason you need both of us on this task?" I asked Zeus glancing towards Percy.

"Yes, and Percy has already accepted. I presume you will too?" He asked me.

I looked at Percy and decided something. I quickly pulled a throwing knife from my belt and threw it at him, in between his eyes. He quickly dodged, and I analyzed him. He was a good 6'1, lean but you could still see the muscle on his body. He had quick reflexes, due to the point he dodged that when we were only a couple yards away from each other. I decided my verdict.

"I'll work with him," I told him casually while they both stared at me in shock.

"What? I was just making sure I could work with him, I was analyzing his skills. He is lean but muscular which means he can be quiet when needed. That also means he's good for hand to hand combat. He is a swordsman and also an archer, due to the calluses I felt when I shook your hand your skilled when it comes to swordplay. Your reflexes are very impressive, which proves that your combat skills would be very impressive." I finish voicing my analysis to them and Percy looked at me impressed.

"You got all of that off me from shaking my hand and trying to kill me?" He asked.

"The reason I'm a successful assassin is that I analyze and strategize, nothing goes by unnoticed," I told him while I walked over a dislodged my knife from a tree trunk.

"Impressive," I heard Percy murmur and I smiled to myself. Though it was hidden by my mask.

I then decided that I would reveal my identity somewhat to him, since we were going to work together on this. I pulled down my hood but left the mask on. Percy took that as a sign to do the same and what I saw made my knees weaken. He had unruly black hair but it looked perfect on him, the shadow came off his face and everything matched up. He had high cheekbones and his jaw was perfectly sculpted. His skin was deeply tanned like mine. He was incredibly attractive, he hit the gene jackpot.

"So, you pay us half upfront and and other half after the king dies?" I ask Zeus, trying to redirect my attention away from staring at Percy. He apparently had no shame, he was still looking at me like I was a million gold coins or something. I didn't think I was that pretty.

"Of course, let me explain a few things to you," he said while handing me a pouch of coins and snapping Percy out of his trance to retrieve his own. I started counting quickly when Zeus spoke again.

"This is going to be a strange job for both of you probably, but there is no other way to do so. I'm going to need you both to go undercover, your going to play the part of a noble and his wife. I need Percy for his people skills and fighting, you,"he said pointing towards me,"I need you for you strategy and fighting. This project will take place during the next month, leading up to the ball on the winter solace. Think this will work?" Zeus asked me.

I pondered it for a moment. The plan was a good starting outline and I would fill out the rest later. We have a month to prepare, and to play wealthy won't be hard. Though it might not seem assassins are extremely wealthy. Especially Percy and I, being the top hired.

"This can work," I told Zeus while tying the coin pouch around my belt. I then turned to Percy to give him a former introduction.

"Annabeth Chase," I said while putting my hand out, he took it and shook.

"Percy Jackson," he replied to me. I then looked between Zeus and Percy, my eyes finally locking with Percy's again.

"We're going to con the King."