knife of romance1 S Notes: Hey y'all, and welcome to my new fic^^! It's alternate reality, set in a kind of a fantasy medieval period. *Grin* As always reviews are appreciated or can reach me at ekaterinn@hotmail.com. Arigato, minna-san.
Rating: R in totality...PG-13 for this chapter.
Warnings: Language. A few sex-related thoughts. OOCness…but this is alternate reality, after all.
Credit Where Credit is Due: Bejiin both edited this fic and translated the song "Knife of Romance" from Japanese to English for me. Arigato Bej-chan! She does warn minna that she does not believe her translation is 100% accurate because of the strange wordings and obscure terms in the song. A thank you goes to Kayla as well for coming up with the name for Zoicite's bar. ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Satisfied now?
Other notes: // denotes thought.
And now the fic!

Knife of Romance
Chapter 1
By Ekaterinn Ciel Duval

Your wounded lips call again.
A fragment of the dream is stuck in the moon.
In my chest I hide the knife of romance.
The skin of reason is pushed.
A helpless midnight,
the seductive kiss makes my decision in the end.
-Angel Sanctuary, OAV, "Knife of Romance"

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"Usagi no Tsuki? Why would you want a Death-Runner dead?" the man standing in the shadows of the cramped office asked, surprise evident in his voice. The man sitting across from him growled at him.
"Don't you play the fucking innocent with me, assassin!" He used the man's job title like a curse "You know as well as I do that the family Chaos cannot maintain its political prominence if their ties to the criminal underworld keep getting arrested or killed by that...that...girl!" He spit out the last word, his small, twisted body shaking with rage.
The assassin remained cool and collected through the other's little tirade "So you're telling me that your faction in the government is being threatened by a mere bounty hunter?" he asked sarcastically "You're weaker than I thought, Wizard."
The Wizard glared at him "Are you going to take the job or not?"
The assassin smirked "That depends on how much the family Chaos is willing to pay O gray-caped one."
The Wizard smoothed his gray cape and growled "Don't call me that!" He paused and pretended to consider for a moment. "Ten thousand"
The assassin gave him a skeptical look "Fifty"
"Fifteen" The Wizard shot back.
The assassin shook his head. "Forty"
"Twenty"
"Twenty-five and I get to kill her using any methods I like and taking however much time as I want."
The Wizard nodded at this. "Agreed." He held out his hand. The assassin smiled and shook it.
"Oh, and in case I failed to mention it, I'll expect half now."
The Wizard shot daggers at him and then nodded again reluctantly. "You'll have the money by early morn. Look for one of my people when the sun rises at the usual place. Just don't fail us."
The assassin smirked again and turned to leave. Just as he stepped out of the door, his hand moved quickly and in a flash, there was a dagger pinning the hood of the Wizard's cape to the wall. Still with his back to the startled politician, he growled dangerously. "I won't fail you. I never miss my target." With that said, he strode out of the office.
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The tall solider ducked out of the way, his dark cloak swirling around him, as the assassin left the Wizard's office. He let a breath of relief as he realized the other man hadn't noticed him. //He always did like to make a dramatic exit// Running a hand through his dark hair, he sighed as he replayed the conversation he had overheard in his mind. He did not like the idea of an assassin going after a mere girl, even if she was a bounty hunter. It just seemed cruel. //There must be better ways for the family Chaos to keep its political life afloat// He grinned as he came to a decision. He would just get there first and then convince the killer to leave her alone, or pretend to kill her or something. After all, he was a good friend of the man. Well, as about as good as friend as one can be to do an assassin. //But I'll better get going if I must play the masked hero-type again...//
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Usagi stepped into the noisy bar, slid into a stool at the counter, and nodded at the bartender. He came over to her; his blonde hair tied in a neat ponytail at the back of his neck.
"The usual?" he asked, flashing her a mischievous grin.
"Yeah, that's right, Zoicite." Usagi replied easily, flipping her long blonde hair behind her. He turned away to prepare her drink. Usagi smiled to herself //Damn, but it's good to come here and relax.// Just then, a strange man slipped into the stool beside her. He smiled at her charmingly.
"Mind if I buy you a drink?" he asked.
Usagi looked him up and down critically //Hmm, charming smile, deep blue eyes, dark black hair, and from the look of it quite a body// The mysterious stranger squirmed a bit under her gaze. Usagi grinned. She so loved watching men squirm. //Why the hell not?// As Zoicite slid her Bloody Mary over to her, she replied teasingly "Nah. But you can pay for this one." The stranger raised his eyebrow at this, but dug into his moneypunch and slid a couple of coins over to Zoicite, who shook his head at Usagi's antics and went to help someone else. She took a long gulp of her drink. "Damn that's good!"
The stranger smiled that same charming smile again. "Glad to meet someone who enjoys the finer pleasures in life."
She took a smaller sip and smiled back. She felt really good, and not just from the Bloody Mary either. The charming smile seemed to be working. //Well, there's no way to fight charm like that...except with more charm.// She turned her Usagi brand smile (TM) on the stranger and was gratified to see him taken slightly back "So who are you and what the hell are you doing in this godforsaken place?" Usagi had her own ideas of what constituted charm.
The stranger blinked and then laughed. "I'm called Mamoru and I'm doing business in this here 'godforsaken place'"
Now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow. "Oh? And what kind of business do you do that you find it necessary to go around armed?" she asked, her voice indicating that there damn well better be a good answer to this, pointing to the faint bulge Mamoru's sword made in the folds of his long dark cloak.
Mamoru flushed at her discovery. "I'm a Death-Runner. It's my business to go around armed."
"Oh." she said again, her voice taking on a more dangerous edge "You came to this city to search for new prey then, hmmm?"
Mamoru gulped at her change of tone and nodded. "Yes."
Usagi stroked her fingers against his cheek. "Then know this: My name is Usagi no Tsuki. Keep away from my prey."
Mamoru's breaths were coming faster and faster as he felt her fingers caressing his cheek. But then the implication of exactly what she had said sunk in and he gave a start of surprise. "The deadly Rabbit of the Moon? The most famed...and the most hunted of all the Death-Runners?" He said incredulously as he took her hand away from his cheek and held it in his own. "Let's make a deal then, shall we? Keep away from my prey and I'll stay well away from yours." Holding her captured hand to his lips, Mamoru kissed it and let it go "Well?"
In response, Usagi leaned forward and pushed her mouth hard against Mamoru's sweet dark red lips. Drawn into the power of the kiss, Mamoru responded by using his own lips even more forcefully. After a good, deep, satisfying long while, Usagi found that she had to come up for air and broke the kiss, lifting her soft lips from Mamoru's ones reluctantly. Mamoru stared at her for a moment and then grinned. "I'll take that as a yes."
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Naru smiled when the tall man with long brown hair strode into the noisy bar. One of the advantages of being a waitress for Zoicite was there always seemed to be plenty handsome young men coming in and out of the tavern. Someday, Naru would garner herself a husband out of it.
But what was this? The brown-haired prince was acting strangely. Naru paused in her duties and shook herself out of the pleasant fantasies she had indulged herself in. That dark stranger was openly staring at Mistress Usagi and yet another, darker stranger she had been disappointed to see the all-too-beautiful bounty hunter claim. //But then again// she thought wryly //Things always seem to get more interesting when Mistress Usagi is around// She sneaked another glance at the long-haired stranger and found him still looking at the two with a strange expression on his face. Naru couldn't quite read it, but it almost seem liked...displeasure? She tucked her own short brown hair behind her ears and sighed. No telling with men. //Best go distract him with some wine and food. Zoicite may be an eccentric enough of a tarvernmaster that he would prefer to work the bar than manage from the backroom, but even he'll not forgive me if I spend all my time staring at handsome dandies and not tending to the potentially paying customers// she thought with a snort as she hurried over to the table the brown-haired one had chosen.
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Nephlyte glared at the blonde haired odango girl with the blue-eyed man. Usagi no Tsuki and Chiba Mamoru. He needed that one alone, damnit! Nephlyte was still fuming when the cute waitress who had been staring at him since he had came in interrupted him.
"Excuse me, sir, but would ya like something to drink? Or to eat, perhaps?"
He started "What?"
She laughed nervously "Well seeing as this is a tavern...Some wine, mayhaps?" she asked hopefully, obviously flustered.
Instinctively, he smoothed his voice, hoping to calm her. "I'll have a glass of red wine and a beef pie, please." She nodded quickly and practically ran off, shouting his order to the chef. //Now, why the hell did I do that? There was no need -// he thought, disgruntled //It has to be just reflexes, telling me to blend in and not cause a scene. It definitely does not have anything to do with the fact that she was cute!//
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Zoicite whistled cheerfully as he wiped down the surface of the bar. It was turning into a beautiful evening outside and many people were seeking out The Scarlet Dragon for a chance to cool their heels. His new entertainers, the tall sandy-haired Haruka Ten'oh and the elegant slender Michiru Kai'oh had arrived for the evening. They already had half the patrons in the tavern tapping their toes. //And buying more beer// he thought with a grin that he flashed at the pair. Haruka answered it with a smirk of her own, while Michiru seemed lost in her admittedly fabulous music. He'd never heard anyone fiddle quite as well as her before and Haruka seemed just as competent about coaxing music out of Zoicite's dusty old piano. They'd come from the capital some fifty miles away and were following the Faire route south. The musical twosome had said that they'll probably stay in Sachi for a while, which suited Zoicite just fine. //Those two are definitely worth every silver I'm going to pay them and if they bring in enough profit, I might even be able to afford that extension on the bar I've been wanting. And maybe a dance floor. Or new tables. Or more of that rare northern wine. Or...//
"Earth to Zoicite. Hey, come in, Zoicite!" He shook his head to find a pretty hand being a waved in front of his face.
"Wha- oh, hey, Usagi. What are you up to now?"
"Well you seemed to be in a daze, so I took upon myself to shake you out of it." She laughed at his sheepish grin upon hearing this. "And Mamoru here is just about to take me dancing"
The blue-eyed man looked nonplussed. "I am?" he asked, blinking.
"Of course you are! We've talked, we've kissed...the next logical step is dancing." Usagi replied with certainty.
Mamoru chuckled lowly. "Well, if it means more kisses like that last one-" he begun seductively. Usagi didn't even give him a chance to finish his sentence before she had him spun out of the door and down the street to the club.
Zoicite smiled as they left the bar in a whirl. He wasn't surprised at Mamoru's reaction. Usagi in a playful mood...well that was certainly something to blink at. The woman was capricious as her Runner-name of 'moon' was. If that Mamoru had any wits about him at all, he'll learn how to deal with it and fast. Zoicite hoped for Usagi's sake that he could. //It would be nice for Usagi to have finally found someone now that Kunzite and I are together. Through I sometimes think that Kunzite still cares for her...still loves her.// It had been more Usagi's choice than Kunzite's to end the relationship, though they both claimed that it was a mutual decision. Zoicite sometimes feared that he was being trapped in a one-sided love, that the only person Kunzite really cared for was Usagi and not him. //Which is nonsense// he told himself firmly. //Kunzite will be here later tonight, and then we'll both have ample opportunities to prove our love to each other.//
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Michiru finished her fiddle solo with a flourish of her bow. She bowed as the tavern broke into applause, speaking only when the place had quieted. "Our set is done now. Please enjoy the food and drinks of The Scarlet Dragon while we take a small break." she said gracefully, sitting down with Haruka at the small table that had been set aside for them.
Flashing gray eyes greeted her as she took a small sip of her wine. "She left." Haruka stated flatly. Michiru simply nodded at this and took dainty bite out of her roll. "Don't you think we should be following her or something?"
Michiru swallowed the piece of her roll. "There's no need to yet." she replied enigmatically.
Haruka rolled her eyes. "More of your magic junk, right?" Michiru just smiled. "Well, you may be the one with magical skills, but I have a nasty feeling that it's my swordsmanship that we might end up having to depend on."
Michiru saw, though no else would have seen, the anxiety that was hidden deep in Haruka's eyes. She reached over the table and lightly touched her partner's hand. "I know." she said simply and was rewarded with the slight softening of Haruka's eyes. "I know."
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Kunzite strode purposefully through the doors of The Earth Guard and looked quickly around. //Damnit.// The person he was looking for was nowhere to be found. Creating a handfire with ease, he walked through to the backroom, where he found Zoicite, tidying it up. The tarvernmaster had turned around to face Kunzite when he had seen the mage's handfire and now his whole face lit up. "Hey, lover, don't think you've ever been home before midnight before. You usually work too much...and play too little." Zoicite teased him. Kunzite stepped back in surprise. He had come to the tavern for one thing only and this wasn't it. But that didn't stop Zoicite from pushing Kunzite's long white hair back and capturing him in an enthusiastic kiss.
Kunzite closed his eyes in frustration and, refusing to savor the pleasure of the contact, gently pushed Zoicite away. Instead, he asked the question that had been burning in him ever since he left Spymaster Jadeite's home. "Do you know where Usagi is?"
Now it was Zoicite's turn to step back in surprise. "Why?" he asked, doing his best to conceal the hurt he felt.
Kunzite ignored the younger man's hurt tone. "Jadeite called me in to tell me that Usagi no Tsuki is the apparent target for assassins from one or more of the high-ranking families in the capital. She isn't safe in Sachi. I have to warn her." he replied urgently.
"She was heading for Starfall, the club down the street." Zoicite said with a sigh. "But Usagi can take of her-"
Paying no attention to the rest of Zoicite's words, Kunzite interrupted him by leaning in and giving him a peck on the lips. "I'll see you later" he whispered and disappeared, leaving Zoicite standing alone in the middle of the room, a bit vulnerable after yet another encounter with his lover that seemed to be more about Usagi than it was about him.
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Usagi whirled Mamoru past the bouncers at the door, who immediately recognized her and stepped aside to let her pass. He drew in his breath as Usagi thrust him inside and his eyes captured the full beauty of Starfall. The walls and the ceiling were painted a midnight blue and the room was lit by hundreds of tiny candles in glass contraptions that hung from the ceiling. "Wow." he said, stunned by the magnificence of the club.
Even Usagi stayed still for a moment. "Yeah. It's beautiful, isn't it?" she said quietly. She didn't pause for long. Just then the orchestra, that must have been hidden by one of the glittered sculptures of planets and bizarre creatures that were scattered around the room since Mamoru could find no sign of one, started up with a lively tune. He felt a tug on his arm and before he knew it, Usagi had spun him out to the dance floor. Mamoru danced gracefully to the fast music, enjoying the feel of her lithe body as he twirled her around and then drew her close to himself. //Beautiful...she's so beautiful. But also deadly. Don't forget that, Chiba Mamoru.// He laughed as they executed a fast step together, twirling out at the same time and drawing close a second later, the heat and the touch of her body exciting him. //As if I would!//
Usagi heard Mamoru's laughter and had to grin. She hadn't felt this free in ages. //And perhaps there will be time for another kind of dance later, ne?// It had been too long in that area as well. She smiled and leaned against Mamoru as the music slowed. She found herself swaying with him, content with the comfort of the moment without prey to kill or enemies to worry about.
Mamoru moved with her, strangely content too. He stared down at her golden hair and felt his lips form into a small half-smile, his true expression of happiness. It was then that he felt a slight tap on his shoulder. "May I cut in?" a stranger's voice asked. Mamoru whirled around to find a man with long white hair wearing blue suit with an equally white cape attached. //A mage then.// Mamoru thought, tightening his hold on Usagi, who had turned around to face the man as well.
"Kunzite!" she exclaimed in a tone that was almost, but not quite, an accusation.
Kunzite shrugged his shoulders. "What, I can't have a simple dance with an old friend?"
Usagi glared at him "I was a lot more than an old friend and you know it." she muttered under her breath. "Mamoru, if you'll excuse for a moment?" she asked him apologetically. Mamoru nodded and stepped back to the sidelines with his arms crossed to watch the strange mage dance with his Usagi. //Wait, when did I get so possessive about a girl I've barely even met? We haven't even danced much yet!// he thought to himself. //But you'll like to do a lot more than just dance with her, isn't that right Mamoru?// a little voice spoke in his head. //Oh shut up!// he told both the voice and his libido as he settled down to glare at the entirely unworthy Kunzite.
On the dance floor, Kunzite twirled Usagi around and then held her close enough to whisper in her ear. Usagi drew back from the contact. "So what the hell is this all about, Kunzy? Need to make Zoicite jealous?" she asked maliciously.
He frowned and motioned to her to keep quiet. "No." he said seriously. "Somebody wants you dead."
She gave him an incredulous look. "Somebody always wants me dead, Kunzite. I'm a Death-Runner, for Pete's sake!"
"I'm talking about more than your run-of-the-mill enemies. Jadeite told me that at least one of the political families in the capital has hired skilled assassins to get rid of you and your nasty habit of destroying influential underworld bosses. Since I doubt even you deal with those kind of trained killers everyday," he continued sarcastically "I suggest that you keep a close eye out for strange people who might be targeting you. Like, for example, that guy who you showed up here with. I haven't seem him around here before.'
She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Are you suggesting that Mamoru is an assassin? Hmmm, maybe it isn't Zoicite who is jealous. Maybe you are."
"This is serious shit, Usagi!" he snapped. "I just happen to care about your well being, okay?" He stopped dancing and just stood there, shaking with indignation. "I just don't want to see you get hurt, Usa."
She winced at his old pet name for her and looked down at her feet. "I know." she said quietly. Fortunately for both of them, the song ended before she had to say anything more.
Kunzite stared at her for a moment and finally nodded. "I'll let you know if I hear anything more then." he said and left.
Mamoru was at her side the instant he was gone. "I'm glad he finally left. I rather have you all to myself." he said with a wink.
Usagi managed a slight smile. "Umm...yeah." she said hesitatingly as she looked into Mamoru's deep blue eyes. //What if Kunzite is right?//
Her hesitation didn't go past Mamoru. "Is something wrong?" he asked.
She heard the warmth in his voice and mentally shook her head. //No way in the nine hells could Kunzite actually be right. Not about Mamoru, anyway!// She grinned up at him. "Nothing!" she replied. "Absolutely nothing at all!"
The concerned expression didn't leave Mamoru's face. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." The orchestra had started up with another lively tune and the lights seemed to twinkle brightly once more. Usagi felt suddenly alive again. "Let's dance!" she cried as her heart began to pound again and they begun to move in that fantastic swirl of colors, music and joy.

To be continued...