Authors note: Okay, here we go, yet another project! I am really loving this idea, but we´ll see how it turns out, please let me know what you think, next chapter will be from Kai´s POV!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! It means a lot! :)

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Most gods throw dice, but fate plays chess

Prologue

"A chess game is divided into three stages: the first, when you hope you have the advantage, the second when you believe you have the advantage, and the third... when you know you're going to lose!"

– Tartakower –

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Mariah´s POV

I once read that chess is a ruthless game; you´ve got to be prepared to kill people.

It was a phrase I had forgotten over the years, one I hadn´t given much thought to begin with. At the time it had seemed funny, bordering on ridiculous. I had come upon it, and it had disappeared from my mind moments later. Chess had never interested me in the slightest, but still, the moment I laid eyes on Voltaire Hiwatari the quote popped up in my mind.

The elders in my home village would have considered this a grave warning, a bad omen. Then again I was a modern woman; this was business, nothing more. Although I knew with certainty that the man sitting before me was dangerous, I could almost smell it.

He was in his late sixties, with a smooth chiselled face and long, steel-grey hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. On someone else it might have looked strange, but in combination with the tailored suit and his stern eyes it only added to the intimidation factor. Mahogany eyes studied me with mild interest, following my every movement. It was deeply unsettling, how he merely observed, calculated and made up his mind. Because I could tell that he had already decided what to make of my character, even if I had only entered his office a mere ten seconds ago.

It was like he was playing an imaginary game of chess, and I was one of the pieces on his board. This was why my subconscious had conjured up the distant, foggy memory of the quote, and for the second time in less than a minute I felt a strong urge to turn around and leave. Still, there was something in his eyes that kept me from turning, that held me sternly in place. This man could give me things, power, wealth, …or death, depending on whether or not I pleased him.

I had come to Biovolt when I turned 16, after having escaped from my home village and the people there. They were too old fashioned, too strict, in addition to the fact that I had been heartbroken and despairing after ending it with the boy I always thought I was going to marry. Rey Kon, whom I had thought to be the love of my life. Unfortunately it turned out he was gay, which he told me after 3 years of courtship. Of course, I understood that it was difficult, I really did, but it still angered me that I had given him my virginity only days before he told me. I was young and naïve, childish in my reaction. And so I ran, and Biovolt took me in. They had trained me for two years, martial arts, etiquette, surveillance, seduction; they were preparing me for something, an assignment, and I suspected that this was it.

After all I saw no other reason why one of the world´s richest and most powerful men would demand a personal audience with me, a nobody.

"Please Mariah, sit", he said, gesturing at the chair opposite him.

His voice was cold, stern and with a hard edge to it. This was a man used to being obeyed; I was surprised he even knew my name.

I immediately did as I was told, coquettishly crossing my legs and glancing uncertainly down at my black pumps. He unnerved me. I had spent almost two hours preparing myself for this meeting, to assure that I looked my absolute best. My supervisor, Boris Balcov, had even nodded approvingly at me before letting me into the office, which was a rare occurrence at best. Still, he made me feel like I was lacking.

"I have been told you are performing quite well", Voltaire Hiwatari said, still looking at me with those piercing eyes.

I momentarily looked up, forcing myself to hold his gaze.

"Thank you Mr. Hiwatari", I responded politely, forcing a sweet smile.

He studied me some more, fingers thoughtfully interlaced in his lap. I had always found Boris to be kind of creepy, although I had quickly come to realize that it was fare worse being a guy rather than a girl under his care. Mr. Hiwatari on the other hand was an entirely different story. Creepy was not a strong enough word. Whenever he looked at me I felt shaken to the core of my being, and it was not a pleasant experience.

"I have an important assignment for you".

I nodded, supressing a sudden and pressing urge to fidget.

"My grandson is coming here, to assist me in running the family business. However I am afraid he is not yet properly tamed. I want you to live with him, cook his meals, follow him wherever he goes", he paused to let his words sink in, once again regarding me shrewdly.

I wasn´t sure what about his words should be more disturbing. The fact that I would be some kind of baby-sitter for someone my own age, effectively a grown up, or the way he had described his grandson. Tamed. Like he was some kind of wild animal. Jeez, get a fucking grip Mariah, I told myself resolutely. Of course I knew what went on underneath Balcov Abbey. I had never been there myself, but I heard things, particularly about Voltaire Hiwatari´s grandson, his heir, ….his favourite. That was what Boris had once said to me, spoken in a hushed fascinated voice in an unguarded moment. Kai Hiwatari he had said, was the most mesmerizing creature he had ever seen, but also the most dangerous, and if anyone even touched him without Voltaire´s permission they were killed.

The last part worried me a bit; if I was going to live with the guy chances were I´d accidentally bump into him sooner or later.

"I am honoured Mr. Hiwatari", I evenly responded.

Actually I was anything but, but if the last two years had taught me anything it was that once you were in with Biovolt it was a lifelong commitment. This assignment was not something I could chose. It had been handed to me, and that was that. Someone like me was replaceable, and that made disobeying very very dangerous. Because if I did they would simply do just that, replace me, permanently.

"Everything he does you will report back to me, and if he disobeys my orders you will inform me immediately", he droned on, ignoring my humble response.

And then, as a goodbye so to speak;

"He is my most priced possession, I expect you to treat this assignment accordingly".

Part of me felt sorry for this Kai Hiwatari, whoever he was, while another part was beating myself up over the fact that I was here in the first place, acting all submissive to some suit clad bastard. Then again survival makes you do the strangest of things.

I was dismissed about five minutes later and led into a black limousine with darkly tinted windows. Boris was waiting for me, looking pleased yet nervous at the same time. Just then it dawned on me how much this actually meant. Like he himself had said; his priced possession. It made me feel sick to my stomach, and yet it was merely something I had to accept.

"You are authorized to use all means neccecary", Boris said, sending me a sideways glance.

We both knew what that meant. All the tricks in the book; it meant that if necessary I was expected to sleep with him, and it also meant that he was dangerous, very dangerous. It will never come to that I told myself, it won´t! But it has before a small voice whispered, and not for the first time I wished I had never left home. That being said I felt much more at ease with myself than before, more confident, but still. Although part of me actually enjoyed this new, unexplored existence I sometimes wished I still had that innocence. Even if I had been incredibly naïve back then, when Biovolt first recruited me.

"We are here", Boris announced, disturbing my trail of thoughts.

His voice betrayed his anxiousness, and he looked away, trying to hide his sweaty palms.

The car came to an abrupt halt, and we both stepped out. I followed Boris the mere five meters over the tarmac towards a cream coloured jet, and we stood side by side, patiently waiting as the flight crew opened the door and positioned the ramp properly. It was Voltaire´s private jet I noticed, once again a subtle reminder of how important this was. Boris was fidgeting, which didn´t help on my state of mind.

Just then a figure appeared at the top of the ramp, casually making his way down the steps, and I knew it was him the moment I saw him, even though I had never met him before.

Striking, that was the first word that came to mind. Striking and incredibly beautiful, although I could easily tell that it was a dangerous beauty. Even though he was tall and lean, broad shouldered and exceptionally built, he moved with an almost effortless grace. There was something about him that exuded a darkness I hadn´t seen before, and it was incredibly tempting, pulling me in like a moth towards a flame. He had the same unusual mahogany eyes as Voltaire Hiwatari, with a hint of purple or deep blue whenever they caught the light a particular way. But, while Voltaire Hiwatari gave you the creeps his grandson was almost insanely attractive. Although his features were refined and chiselled it was a masculine beauty, and I suppressed a blush. Perhaps "all means necessary", wasn´t such a bad thing.

He ignored Boris, although our eyes met briefly. A gust of wind played with his hair, and I got a sudden urge to reach out and touch the thick, silky mess, marvelling at the deep blue colour. It seemed to suit him the most. The only thing with his appearance I wasn´t so sure if I liked were the shark fin markings on each cheek, and I caught myself in hoping they were not tattoos.

"This is Mariah", Boris introduced me, taking on his strict supervisor voice.

Kai just stared at him, unfazed.

"She will be staying with you".

I smiled carefully at him, catching the irritated twitch of one eyebrow as he processed Boris´s words.

"Babysit me you mean", He corrected, voice bitter, but oh so sexy at the same time.

"She will accompany you wherever you go", Boris stated.

"Mr. Hiwatari´s orders".

The only response Boris got was a "Hn", and he seemed just as unsure of exactly what that meant as I was.

My new assignment entered the limousine without another word, and I sat down next to him, a mere meter away. He seemed preoccupied, eyes fixed at the landscape passing by outside as the limousine pulled out of the airport. I inhaled deeply a couple of times, steeling myself.

Somehow I sensed that this would be my biggest challenge yet, and despite myself I found that I looked forward to it. I always lowed a challenge after all, even if it meant that I had to play with fire….