To catch a Zoldyck
Chapter 4
Swirling opaque eyes stared at the unconscious body. His teeth gritted as they violently gnashed against each other. Nothing made him angrier than undisciplined hunters butting into his personal affairs. He had made it clear that Manami was his target and no one else was to interfere. And now he had to postpone her inevitable death because his final demand from her hadn't been met. A very annoyed Illumi left the car to vent his frustrations on the hired help.
The blacklist hunter's sweat dripped agonizingly slow. His employer had said that she was an ordinary girl with no abilities whatsoever. Simple enough right? Twenty-five million jenny. That was what the hit job was worth. For a simple task like the one he had that was an amazing deal. It wasn't easy to earn Jenny these days so any job would do. Eric had done some research on his target as well and he figured out that she was predictable. Much like a cat that always found its way home no matter what the circumstances were. He had disguised himself in a black cloak and taken position at the rooftop of the opposite building. Nothing was more tedious than waiting so he snacked on a sandwich whilst he waited for her to get into his shooting range. Eric was surprised to find that she had invited an attractive guest. The poor little thing didn't know what she had coming. The hunter almost felt bad for ending her life prematurely. Eric's finger positioned on the trigger ready to fire. His target's guest looked out the window. Directly at him. That gaze reminded him of the eerie feeling he got whenever he visited his late father's grave. Arctic water was warm as compared to what he felt. Eric had a premonition of his death.
"Impossible. I can't sense any form of power from that guy. When you've been around for as long as I have you tend to hallucinate."
The moment an opening came up he took a shot.
"That's done."
He took out his crucifix and planted a soft kiss on its head. Eric looked through his scope to bid his target farewell. Instead of a dead body lying in a pool of blood, all that was there were shards of glass.
"That was a clear hit. No way she dodged it. Unless..."
Eric recalled the target's guest's gaze. The blacklist hunter's senses roared to life. Adrenaline pumping through his veins. This rush. The tremendous fear that inked his blood. How had he missed it? The blacklist hunter hurriedly packed his equipment and began his descent down the building.
"Raikotsu!"
The air shimmered as a silvery black nen beast materialized. Raikotsu's physical form resembled a sphinx, a legendary mythical creature. The humanoid creature's snout crinkled in annoyance. Yet with one paw forward and the other one slightly bent, the fearsome beast bowed its head.
"You summoned me Eric. How desperate is your situation?"
"There's no time to talk. We must flee immediately!"
Eric fastened his equipment bag and mounted the mighty beast. Raikotsu took flight into the night sky. He sighed a breath of relief. The hunter was about to kiss his rosary again when warm blood splattered on his face. Raikotsu's pained roar shook the quiet night calm. Eric's eyes widened as the recently one winged Raikotsu plummeted to the ground below. Roy enveloped them in his ten to reduce the impact of the fall. The duo crashed onto the ground below.
"And here I thought that all cats landed on their feet. You disappointed me."
The blacklist hunter immediately sobered up from the nearly fatal crash. Left, right, back and front. His eyes left no stone unturned in his search for the disembodied voice.
"You must be weak little hunter if you still can't find me. Didn't your instructor ever teach you to gauge your opponent's strength against your own. In this case it's a no brainer. You're out of your league."
Eric gulped at the malevolent voice steadily feeding doubtful thoughts in the core of his mind. He shook his head violently.
"Raikotsu leave! I can take care of this amateur on my own. The spineless bastard doesn't have the nerve to show his face."
"But Eric. I can still fight."
"Thanks old friend but you need to recover first if you're going to be of any use to me. Don't let your pride cloud your judgement"
The sphinx nodded weakly before he vanished in a shimmer of light.
"Oh? This is bad. Do you want those to be your final words to that beast."
"I'm finally getting serious, you brat!"
"This won't do. Not at all. The beast plus yourself would have entertained me for quite some time. But now your meddling has cost me yet another opportunity to kill time. What am I supposed to do now?"
"Fight me like a real man."
Illumi stepped out of the shadows with his hand on his side. His wide eyes blinked slowly. The dark haired Zoldyck sighed.
"What a let-down."
With one graceful step Illumi's dark hair fanned past Eric. The blacklist hunter's mind was spinning. He felt broken, somehow. His blood was running icy.
"What did you… do to..m-me."
"I used this little trick I learnt when I was five. Extracting the victims heart without them even realizing what had happened. It's not my style but I didn't feel like sticking around much longer. You're boring and weak. I have more important matters to attend to."
Eric fell to his knees. Trembling hands grabbed a fistful of his shirt. His heart. Illumi placed a weakly thumping mass of flesh wrapped in cloth in front of Eric. The blacklist hunter feebly reached out for his heart.
"Ah. You'll be my first audience to a magic trick I recently learned."
Illumi extracted a silver needle from his pocket.
"Now you see it."
Illumi launched the silver needle into the heart. Instantly the heart disintegrated into thin air.
"Now you don't. I forgot to mention. I haven't figured out how to return things yet."
Eric collapsed to the ground. With his final breathe the hunter cursed the Zoldyck's eldest son to hell.
I smell daisies. The lingering smell of summer warmth. Mom used to take us out for picnics in the park. Back when our family was normal. Before they all left me behind. Remembering all that is painful but I still love daisies. They are my scent of happiness.
"Manami."
That empty voice. I know it so well.
"Wake up useless creature before I eradicate your whole family. Your grandparents already have one foot in the grave as it is. I'll give them a push."
I jolt awake almost bumping into Illumi. How long has he been here? Where am I? I can't see a thing without my glasses or contacts on. Illumi is just another blurry image to me.
"Master Illumi?"
The room is so dimly lit I can only make out a few things. This is not my bedroom. This bed is too big and comfortable. Don't tell me.
"Where am I?"
"You're home Manami. Home is where the Zoldyck estate lies. Aren't you glad?"
Is that a trick question or a sick joke. But if Illumi says so himself then I'm back to where I started.
"Master Illumi forgive me. I'm not worthy to serve you."
I can't even make my plan of escape. Without my eyesight I'm as good as dead. I might as well as prolong my life using any means necessary. I can swallow my pride and grovel for a bit longer.
"No way. I'm afraid I can't do that. You've worn out my patience."
"I'll wash your hair Master Illumi. Anything."
Seriously. That was the best offer I could make? What is wrong with me. Never mind what I said. What is up with this silence? I can feel his eyes on me. Somehow I can tell like I've got an Illumi detecting device embedded in me.
"You seem to be good with your hands. I might as well use you for what you're worth. Or rather the only thing other than trouble that you're good for."
"How do you know that I'm good with my hands. I don't recall doing anything for you."
"Manami. Don't state the obvious. I know that you are useless and you reminding me is not flattering. Regardless I'll explain what I mean. A few days ago you managed to run away all thanks to Kil. What you were thinking behaving so recklessly."
How ironic. A professional killer telling me that I was being irresponsible for running away from a house of potential murderers. This house makes me feel like I'm stuck in a Pac-man game. Every corner has a potential murderer. I always had to keep my fingers crossed. Knowing my luck I'd run into one of them in berserk mode.
"I don't know what you mean. Killua offered to help me out and he was friendly towards me."
"Killua was a stranger. A person you only met for a few seconds and you completely let your guard down. What if Killua felt like remembering his days as an assassin? He could have easily ended your life Manami. Just as I was about to do now. Never mention that vile word you call 'friendship' in my presence Manami."
Illumi is pissed off. From what Killua told me I gathered that his big brother definitely hated the idea of Killua leaving the family business. In fact none of them were pleased. The teenage boy laughed his ass off when I told him about my current situation. His choice words were that "Your life sucks balls. Big brother Illumi will massacre you in no time at all. I might as well as take you away from this place."
"Of course Master Illumi. If it bothers you so much."
The bed just dipped. In the darkness the only things I can make out is the door. Illumi couldn't have. Turning to face him isn't what I wanted either. But I can't look away either. He might take an offensive.
"Manami, if anyone else had said what you just said I would have ended their miserable lives."
"Why did you stop then?"
My heart is beating so fast. He can probably hear it too.
"I need you right now."
There's something incredibly wrong with this picture. Illumi just said that he needed me.
"I don't know what to say Master Illumi."
"I didn't ask for your opinion now, did I? Don't go assuming that your say really means anything. It's not every day that I recycle garbage but I've made an exception in your case."
There's the Illumi that I know. He almost scared me to death when he said something sentimental.
"I'm leaving tomorrow Manami so I'd like that hair wash today."
"Of course. But I can't see without my glasses or my contacts."
"I know that. I don't know what mother was thinking delivering a blind bat to my doorstep. Thankfully your genes are so simplistic that they can easily be overwritten. Assassins depend on all five senses to carry out a mission. Weakness of any kind is unacceptable."
Mother and father. If I continue living in the Zoldyck residence my self-esteem is going to grow extinct. Illumi is always reminding me of everything that's wrong with me. I mean I know that I'm no supermodel but I'm still human. My heart still bleeds with every insult he spits to my face. But that doesn't mean that I'll let him walk all over me. Assassin or not. I can already see the markings on my grave's headstone. 'Here lies Manami. The foolish girl who thought she could talk back to a Zoldyck and live. Now that we know the results of what she did. Try not to repeat the past.'
"Well I don't want to be with you either. Heck! That's why I ran away in the first place. But remember one thing Illumi. You're the one who dragged me back here. What excuse do you have for keeping someone as worthless as me around?"
The tips of his claws are pricking my skin.
"Remember your place Manami. Lest you forfeit your life. Always refer to me as Master Illumi."
His nails gently scrape the nape of my neck. I don't know what he's thinking when I can barely make out his face in this darkness. Illumi's hands are as cold and distant as he is. A contrast to my boiling blood.
"You're not as worthless as I initially thought you were."
Illumi and I have kissed before. Back at my apartment when he was pretending to be Ryu. But he has never kissed me as himself. Until now. Even as I feel his long hair brushing against my cheek I can't believe what is happening. I want to hate him. Bite him. Even punch him in the face for once but I don't. Why do I feel relieved? And somewhat happy. This man treated me poorly and constantly belittled me just because I am a commoner with a layman's view of the world of assassin's and hunters. My looks didn't help my situation. And yet I forget about every wrong he has done to me after a kiss. His hands are still cool and surgical. Distant as always. But I want to know him for him. Psychopath or not I want to stay by his side or a little longer. Call me crazy. But that's my choice. Stockholm's syndrome is quite the potent little sucker. And here I am willingly submitting to his touch. I'll lend him my warmth for a little longer. He doesn't make it easy to get close to him but I'll try for a little 's painful. Holding his hand is my mistake. His claws dug into the palm of my hand. But it's okay. Wounds always heal with time. This is the small price I have to pay to lend him my warmth for a little while.
A/N. Hi guys. My schedule has been packed but I finally managed to write something. Illumi is at odd's with himself in this chapter. And Manami has returned to the Zoldyck estate. That's only half of it. The beginning of her life in the zoldyck estate. Keep on reading to find out what happens next. Your author, VELVETSIN. -('^')-