*This is the first fanfiction I have EVER published and was inspired by the video game Assassin's Creed II. Reviews would be most appreciated and I do not mind constructive criticism, compliments, or ideas. Let me know what you think and/or if I should continue with the story. Enjoy!
~Angels of Death~
The sound of terrified screams rose up from the cobblestone streets of Venice. Blood began to ooze and crawl eerily across the ground from a fresh corpse sprawled across the dust. The gore had already begun to stain the street a dark, bubbly, crimson. The killer who had once been perched on an adjacent beam from a nearby roof, had already disappeared. Brisk, agile footsteps rhythmically fled the crime scene. Shouts from other rooftops echoed as the assassin dodged oncoming arrows from enclosing guards. The hooded assailant sprinted across roof tiles, jumping and ducking from oncoming fire. The air was hot, stinging the lungs of the assassin who calculated their route of escape. A winded guard in pursuit aimed and fired his last arrow from his quiver. It zipped through the air and softly clinked as it barely grazed the armor of the killers right shoulder. He angrily cursed under his breath as his target continued to dash without falter toward the drop off of the building. The murderer took a trusting leap and soared over a busy street packed with oblivious towns people, shopping and hustling about, completely unaware of the assassin soaring above their heads. "That idiota will never make that jump! It is too far!" the captain of the guard bellowed in triumph. He watched as the hooded stranger began to slowly fall through the air under the weight of gravity, and in and instant just barely grasp the edge of an over hanging balcony. The assassin dangled above the dull roar of the city street, barely hanging on for dear life. With a soft grunt of strength, the killer pulled their body up and over the balcony into an artful crouch. The captain gawked in disbelief as his target gave a taunting smirk and bolted away across the rooftops. "That is impossible! Figlio di puttana! Take to the streets! We will cut the assassino off!"
The drumming of quick and agile feet became the only sound as the guards struggled to reform their units and track their target from below. The hooded assassin abruptly dropped and slid down the angled roof of an abandoned faction building, and dropped skillfully and safely onto a terrace hidden from site. "It takes a lot of skill to accomplish what you have just done..." the winded killer froze as the voice of a stranger muttered from behind. A young man had been following the assassin with the same amount of dexterity. He slowly rose from a crouched position on the far edge of the mezzanine, ready to withdraw his blade should the cornered stranger attack. "Turn... slowly," the young man forcefully instructed. To his surprise the stranger cooperated, raising their hands in surrender and slowly turned about-face to confront him. He was taken aback when he realized the fellow assassin was female, no older than he was; the long cape that had hidden her figure from the back now showed off her long and alluring legs confined by a short skirt. Her eyes were still hidden from under the dark hood. "What is your name..." he demanded, a little more politely this time. The woman did not move. A faint smirk immerged from her lips, " I do not wish to fight you... but you must answer my question. Tell me your name... I need to know your part in this signora." Her fingerless gloved hands reached for her leather hood and gracefully slid the dark fabric away from her heart shaped face.
"Ezio Auditore da Firenze. I knew you had been following me." She confidently walked toward Ezio with an attractive stride. Without hesitation Ezio revealed the hidden blade in his wrist warning her to keep her distance.
"Do you know me?" he asked cautiously, shifting his weight into position in case he needed to pounce.
She continued to advance towards him, "Who doesn't know of the most feared Assassino of all Italia. The killer who is brave enough to slaughter the most powerful and corrupted of men. There is nowhere to run from Ezio Auditore." His eyes narrowed as he tried to keep a clear mind in her presence, he did not trust this stranger.
"Speaking of assassins... you seem to be one yourself."
She gently shrugged one shoulder and smiled, "Perphaps."
"Then tell me signorina, who are you and whose side are you on?"
"I am on no ones side Ser Ezio... I am a citizen just like everyone else."
"Si, but not all citizens move across rooftops like you do ragazza. You certainly have the skills of a killer."
She once again smirked in his direction "Molto onorato," she playful thanked.
"You killed my target back at the piazza... how did you know he was a templar?"
The lady assassin ran a finger seductively down the wall to her right, "Hmmm?" she asked.
"That man you killed, he was a templar agent, a very powerful and dangerous man. How did you know who he was?"
"Trust me Sir Ezio, his occupation served little to my judgment that he needed to die. You will have to trust me..."
Ezio's heart began to beat quicker as the femme fatale grew closer. "I'm not so certain that I should trust you..."
"Calm yourself," she laughed softly, "I have no intentions of harming you. I admire the work you've done." She had nearly closed the distance between the two of them when Ezio held up a haulting hand.
"That is far enough signora. Now explain yourself."
"Ezio... I know who you are... " He could see her dark brown eyes that matched her flowing chestnut hair. He caught himself starring at her figure, noticing how her lazy blouse loosely teased at her chest, how her hooded cape tied tightly up her midruff like a corset but left her beautiful legs exposed. The tight leather hugged her body like a second skin, clinging and accentuating her curves. Her eyes began to fill with sympathy, "I know what happened to you and your family." Ezio suddenly felt every muscle in his body tense at the mention of his loss. "I too understand the pain." Her features softened and Ezio withdrew himself from his once defensive stance and felt himself crumbling. She saw this and carefully approached him, his eyes fixed on the ground below his feet, searching for composure. It came in the form of her touch as she slid her right hand down the inside of his forearm, running her fingers over his metal arm bracer that contained his hidden blade. The tips of her fingers followed the metal contraption all the way to the tip of the blade that rested in his palm, ready to strike. Ezio trustingly withdrew his weapon and returned it to the hidden contraption against his wrist. She ever so gently examined his palm with her fingers, stroking every scar and calice. His hand instinctively closed around hers, unashamed of the blood that they had spilt. He hung his head with grief as he remembered the day he lost his family, the day his world had changed. Clearing his throat and raising his eyes to meet hers with bewilderment. She was so close now. He gazed at her face whose expression matched his. Her warm eyes looked right through him, he felt he somehow always knew this stranger.
"Who are you?" he finally murmured, with words almost a whisper.
"Alcina Rosalita Rossini," she muttered.
"How do you know about my family?"
"I was there the day that it happened. I was in the crowd and watched as you fled. That same day those men came and kidnapped my brother." Her entire presence had changed as she spoke. She was not the cold killer Ezio had assumed that she was; she was like him, a victim whose life had been stolen, a child forced to become an adult in moments and from that point would never be the same. For a brief instant his eyes locked with hers and without his control he placed a hand on her face. "Amoroso, I do not even know you, but I feel this is the closest I have felt to anyone in several years." Ezio looked from her eyes to her full, soft looking lips and felt his heartbeat quicken. He delicately held a finger to them foreshadowing the embrace of his own. Her soft expression awaited his kiss when she unexpectedly was flung against the adjacent wall and felt herself being pinned. He crushed his body against hers holding her hands in his above her head. His smell engulfed her as she released a sensual sigh. His hand suddenly clasped over her mouth, wide eyed and confused she realized his mood had shifted to that of stealth. The murmur of nearby voices drifted across the rooftops. "Stolti! Keep searching! The killer could not have gone far!"
"Alcina, do you know of a place were we can hide? The man you killed was rather important, they will be searching for you for many days." She looked over his shoulder into the distance judging their whereabouts. "Va bene, I will lead the way. Stay close..."
...
Translations:
- idiota- idiot
- Figlio di puttana- son of a bitch
- da Firenze- from Florence
- signora- mam
- ragazza- girl
- molto onorato- very honored
- piazza- square
- amoroso- love
- stolti- fools
- va bene- alright