Chapter 7: Resonance
She didn't see Dan for months and didn't really expect to. Her father seemed determined to keep an even better track of her than he had previously, to the point it was obvious to her who he'd sent to keep watch. That, or she was getting more paranoid since the kidnapping. She didn't undervalue either theory.
What surprised her most was the fact her father made no obvious move to hunt Dan down. It made her wonder if Dan had been right and he could kill her father, yet it was almost unheard of her father backing down from anyone or anything.
And amongst all this turmoil, Everard still hadn't sorted out her feelings regarding the kidnap. Sometimes she dreamed of Dan; in some he was a lover and in others a figure of fear. One thing she did believe was that he was unlikely to hurt her. Potentially torture her, quite possibly. But perhaps if that elusive third option was presented once more, he would take it. She was sure he preferred fucking her blind to killing her. She wasn't sure about the torture. Perhaps that would be part of his play.
She'd done her research once she'd got home. First she had tried asking Curtis to no avail.
"You will never be troubled by Dan Smith again," Curtis coldly promised and Everard had to let it go. It didn't stop her doing her own investigation. There were talks of the mysterious assassin collective known as the Killer7. Accounts were confusing. They were both seven people and one person all at once. Or had been seven people and now were seven in one? It was hard to gain this kind of information. But what people did know of the Killer7 was if someone contracted them to kill someone, that person would die. Each had their unique abilities that lent to their profession. A man named Harman Smith led them. But beyond that, Everard knew little else. It was frustrating, but she let it be and returned her focus on Mathematics.
Things finally settled down and in lieu of the event, she found herself wanting to spend more time with her father. She knew he loved her in his own way, but his rescue of her without even trying to take out Dan made her realise how much he cared about her. Curtis seemed pleased with her newfound desire to talk and spend time with him. They walked the house grounds, reminiscing or discussing what Everard was studying. He cooked her a dinner before she returned to campus. Curtis would talk about what new pursuits he was indulging, including renovating the holiday house he owned down south near the national park. It was a shaky, brave new world.
Months began to tick by and Everard fully settled back into things. Her degree was going well, though she was being asked to consider what career to work towards.
"The government needs people like you, Everard," Curtis told her and Everard blanched.
"I... I don't think I could," she stammered. Her knowledge of the government in relation to her father was enough to put her off for life.
"I think I'd like to teach," she eventually offered and Curtis smiled.
"That would suit you more, Everard."
So she began looking into teaching courses. High school or university level education was her preference. And then one day she was sitting in the library when a black haired person caught her attention. His dark eyes bored into hers as he walked up to her table, placed a card onto her table and walked off with a smirk. And no-one began running after him or making desperate phone calls.
She had no idea how he got this close again. Her father had made it abundantly clear he had as many eyes as he could on her. Where were they now?
Her hand shakily reached out and picked the card up. On it was a hotel and room number. Was this a trap, or was he bolder than she could possibly conceive? And yet... and yet her mind immediately returned to their tryst. Even worse, Everard found herself curious rather than afraid. Perhaps option number three was more viable than she realised.
She sat at the table in the library for some time before putting her books away and leaving in a daze. She returned to her room, got changed and sat on her bed. Her mind was in disarray, but still she knew what she wanted to do, against all reason.
So against her better judgment, she got up and headed to the hotel on the card.
The hotel was an expensive one in downtown Seattle, right near the water. It didn't fit in with her image of Dan at all. Everard cautiously entered the lift and punched the button for the fifth floor. Once outside the door written on the card, Everard softly knocked.
The door opened, but no-one presented themselves. Everard froze.
"You alone?"
She'd recognise that gruff voice anywhere.
"Yes," she steadily replied and the door opened a little wider. She slowly crossed the threshold and the door shut behind her. She turned and Dan was in front of her. He hadn't changed a bit, smirk and all.
"It's been a while," Everard managed to calmly start. Seeing him look relaxed and unarmed had settled her down a bit. He was in his suit trousers and a vest. As Everard moved further into the room, she saw his shirt, jacket and tie thrown carelessly on a chair.
"I'm surprised you came," he replied, amusement touching his voice.
"I surprised myself. But I had to know," she honestly answered. Her body wanted to know him all over again, regardless of her brain's concerns. She couldn't get him out of her mind now she knew he wanted to see her again.
Dan's eyebrow quirked.
"Had to know what?" he huskily asked, stalking closer to Everard like a big cat.
"Why?"
Dan's smirk grew. Everard found her back nearly touching the far wall and stopped moving, letting Dan get closer. She felt like sparks should be crackling around them, the air was so thick with sexual tension.
"I remember you took 'know thy enemy' a little far, hmm?" Dan crooned, ignoring her question. Everard gently shook her head, meeting his dark eyes with her grey ones.
"You never were my enemy. If every enemy of my father's was mine, I wouldn't have enough time in the day to get on with my life."
"Curtis was good at hiding you. Except from me, of course. His greatest mistake."
"Why are you here?" she reiterated, "Because if it's about my father, I don't want to know."
Dan leaned in, his breath caressing her cheek.
"And if it wasn't?"
A smile curved onto Everard's lips.
"Then I'm all ears," she whispered and Dan placed a kiss just under her ear, making her lightly shudder. She could feel her underwear begin to get wet.
She knew she was walking into a lion's jaws, but she just couldn't resist. With so few people in this world who understood her situation, having Dan in her life was strangely comforting. No-one at college had a clue about her family's dark history. She worried she would end up having to live in that dark world for the rest of her life. Carrying on with Dan was a risky proposition. By nature of him knowing her family's history meant he himself was entrenched in that dark world.
But at this moment, with his lips trailing down her neck as his hands deftly undid her blouse, she didn't care. Her arms wound their way into his hair, lightly pulling on it before her hands descended to the bottom of his vest and began pulling it up. Dan let her go briefly to shirk his vest off before resuming his ministrations, hand sliding under her skirt and up her thigh to press against her now slick clitoris, eliciting a breathy moan from Everard. He was just as passionate and unyielding as she remembered. Soon enough, her underwear was torn away and Dan had swiftly removed his remaining clothes before thrusting against her.
"Come here," Everard found herself commanding, surprised at her confidence in the presence of a trained assassin. But Dan merely smirked and pulled her over to the bed. She fell back and Dan gripped her legs, making sure to push into as leisurely as he could manage, making Everard squirm and spur him on. His self control soon deteriorated and he covered her with his body, his kisses as fierce as his pace inside of her. Everard could hardly comprehend what was happening; all she could do was feel while trying to match Dan's pace. This man made her feel alive.
Dan held her legs again, angling himself so he went even deeper and Everard lost it, She came nearly screaming, making Dan grin down at her. He kept going, but not for long as Everard tightening like crazy around him sent him over the edge.
He rolled off of Everard, but pulled her with him, letting her rest against his side, one of her legs hooked over one of his. She took a moment to take him in; he was handsome, in a rough, manly way. His nose was a little on the broken side; it made Everard wonder how many fights he'd got into over the years. His hair was jet black and his eyes almost matched, but were perhaps a few shades lighter. His full lips always sat so he looked grumpy, bar when he smirked. But what drew her attention the most, something she only filed into the back of her mind the first time around, was the tattoo on his shoulder. On closer inspection it was a stylised angry looking dog surrounded by four blood red flowers. It was a strange design, one she would have liked to ask Dan about, but felt she couldn't. Despite their connection, Everard wasn't sure really where they stood. Could she be content with drifting from hotel to hotel to fuck? She wasn't sure whether that lifestyle fit her nature. But she supposed the only way she would find out where they stood was to do as she wished. So she reached out and gently put a hand on his tattoo, to which Dan immediately put his hand over hers, gripping it not painfully, but awfully tight. He looked over to her, eyes dark and unreadable.
"This is where the questions begin, huh," he grumbled, letting her hand go in favour of reaching over and fishing out a cigarette. He lit up, but remained in place.
"It's natural to be curious of someone you sleep with," Everard pointed out, the smell of smoke irritating her nose, and Dan snorted.
"I guess. The tattoo is old and I don't care for it much. Let's leave it at that," he replied and Everard contented herself with his answer.
"Do you like being an assassin?" she finally asked, then raised a hand, "Last question, promise."
He regarded her for a while, making Everard nervous.
"What do you want me to say? That I revel in killing? That I enjoy my job immensely? That being in an elite assassination team makes me proud, even if I hate a lot of my team members?" he shot back and Everard shrugged.
"I just want to know the truth. If that's how you feel then that's how you feel. People living and dying at the mercy of assassins is strangely normal for me. I feel I should hurt more over it, but... I don't. That dark part my father raised in me rather well, even if I don't agree with my father."
Dan put his fingers under Everard's chin, turning her face to him.
"One ground rule if we're gonna keep this up: don't ever talk about Curtis Blackburn," he practically purred, eyes narrowed.
Everard just nodded and Dan kissed her deeply, his tongue languidly tangling with hers. It was a little information, but for now it was enough for Everard. Dan Smith was not someone who could simply be cracked open and all his secrets poured out. Everard had already accepted it was unlikely she would ever know everything about Dan. It was a price she was willing to pay.
