WOLVES REIGN
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE: Weight of the World
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Rome, Italy
April 1, 2012
4:51 A.M.
Her head barely rested against his arm, eyes closed tightly. Her mind ran blank as she sucked in an uneasy breath, blowing out air as she opened her eyes to stare at roughed up skin. Bandages marked his body at odd angles. His ribs were bruised in a multi-color complex. A stain the size of her hand was already dampening most of his bandages, placed on the ultimate and disastrous wound that brought him to her in the first place. Tears slipped down the side of her face, warm against her skin and cold as it trickled onto the only part of his body she could rest against. Her small stature fit easily on the bed he was residing in, snug against him, but never touching. She couldn't touch him, no matter how much her desire to run a hand over him pushed against her consciousness. The only part of her that touched his body was a breath of air and the stray tear or two that managed to drop off her nose and onto him. She couldn't touch him, shouldn't touch him.
A machine beeped on the opposite side of him, monitoring his vitals as he slept on. The doctor that saw to him only an hour prior, said it was crucial he was monitored at all times. As much as she wanted to handle the news that his wound, six-inches deep with only centimeters to a fatal blow, she was unable to. Over and over again she replayed the silent alarms going off in her rooms, signaling someone approached the property, only to have glass shattering as an intruder forced their way in. It was ironic that Syaoran returned the same day Isabella showed up or that Venus had been following Sakura around for a week. It was even more ironic that Koji set up the silent alarms only a few hours before that since she was going to be alone at the cottage, something that never would have happened—ever. More tears slipped down her face as she stared at his strong, yet broken physique. So many scars to tell a story, so many stories that Syaoran still held secret from her. His Wolf tattoo was visible and dark, moving up and down with his too-slow breath. The open-mouthed creature looked vicious and yet, as the man bearing the tattoo was unconscious, it didn't look so vicious to her.
She just couldn't believe he was there, at arm's reach, with her. It was like a dream. His skin was hot to the touch, though visually pale. The blood that marked his body was cleaned up, revealing more and more bruises that broke her heart. An obvious crash burn ran up his arm, forcing her not to touch him as much as she desired. The rich red burn would turn yellow in time, creating an intricate burn as the skin healed. Scenarios flowed through her head at what happened, how he managed to get bruises, a stab wound, and a road burn in one night. He was alive and that's what mattered the most. Rising up on one arm, carefully holding her body up, she peered down at his sleeping face. Tears dropped down onto his nose, sliding to form a puddle the size of a pencil eraser before sliding down in oblivion across his cheek. The cut on his lip was cleaned and scabbed over, the least injury of all his injuries. Lowering her head, she lightly pressed her ear to his chest and listened intently to his heart beat, wanting to clarify he was truly alive. A small flutter came to life, disappearing and taking too long to return. It was there though, soft and fast as his body tried to heal him internally.
Her eyes closed again as she remained like that for a moment longer, suffering from heartache. He was alive and there with her, that was the only thing keeping her from going insane. Moving away from him, she lightly slid off the bed and fixed her skirts to fall to the floor. Though her own wound was closed and healed, she had become accustomed to wearing a skirt instead of pants. The soft material was soothing against a wound that no longer needed a bandage, her healing skin was sensitive and slightly irritated to other materials. Whirling around, her arms crossed she stared at Syaoran with narrowed, tear-stained eyes. She wanted him to wake up, wanted to yell at him, to see her in her Italian made skirt, bare-footed and living the life he forced upon her. She wanted to see his chocolate-coated orbs smile at her even as she's yelling at him, at his stupidity and egotistical ways. She just wanted him to open his eyes. When it was clear it wasn't happening, she sighed, unraveling her arms and turning just a fraction as his phone buzzed to life for the millionth time that hour.
Taking his phone as it died once again, Sakura kissed him lightly on the forehead, lingering just a moment in hopes he woke up, before making her leave. She was dead tired, having not slept since his break in. Closing the door, her back pressed against it. Tears spilled as she let out a shuddering breath. He was finally with her and she didn't know how long she could handle his minor coma state.
"Is he awake?" she jerked, eyes wide as brought her attention to Koji. He stood just a few feet away. His arms were crossed as he leaned against the wall. She had a nagging feeling he'd been standing there for a long time, waiting for her.
"No, but I'm told he'll survive." Hand shaking, she swiped the tears quickly before pushing away from the door. "Took you long enough to come back." She didn't know why, but it bothered her that no one was there when Syaoran returned. It was only her and a laptop, her only access to the outside world and it wasn't even her laptop, it was Rin's.
"I'm sorry, Cherry Blossom." Koji said, using his favorite nickname for her.
"Don't be. He's going to be okay." She said stubbornly, running her hand over her arm as a chill spread over her skin like a blanket. "He just needs to wake up so I know for certain."
"Did you find out what happened at least?" Koji asked softly as he tilted his head, black hair brushing over his shoulders as he met her gaze.
Sakura gave him a dry look. "If I knew what happened, do you think I'll be standing here calmly?"
"Yes," Koji jumped back a step, out of her reach as she made a pass to hit him. Growling, Sakura straightened and glanced at Syaoran's phone again as it buzzed to life.
"His screens cracked, there's blood on it and dirt. I don't know who keeps calling him, but it hasn't stopped since…" she trailed, too tired to finish. The phone stopped buzzing, making her even more exhausted. "Is Rin upset he broke her door?"
"Supărat? Nu," Koji laughed as he spoke Romanian. She was too tired to figure out his words though, even if she knew what he said. Sobering, Koji took the phone from her hands as it buzzed once again. Her emerald orbs followed his movements, curious and blank as he showed her his phone, identical and unbroken. "Answer it, here." He clicked it on before she could protest, somehow managing to make it work.
"Seriously," she stared at the phone as he forced it on her, backing up further. Heart racing, she stared unevenly at the device threatening to drop, in her hands. The blood caked onto it, sliding between the cracked-glass of a once pristine phone, intimidated her. Someone spoke, the vibration from the phone's back warm against her shaking hands. It could be anyone. Her worst fear was that it was his mother. Koji stepped forward when she stalled too long, bringing her arm up to her ear, locking gazes with her as he mentally encouraged her to answer.
Her voice wasn't there as she opened it, trying to force out a greeting. Her answer was a loud, angry shout from a male voice that sounded all too familiar. "Li…hello? Li!" Touya's voice was louder in her ear than it should have been, forcing her blood to run cold at the sound of her brothers voice. Sakura stared, unable to answer. "Li are you there!"
"N-no," she managed to get out as Koji pinched her, dodging her swing quickly with a large grin that looked strange against his pale face. Touya was on the other phone, her own flesh and blood. She hadn't spoken to her brother in over a month, almost two. She couldn't explain to Koji what he just forced her to do.
"Who…?" there was a long pause as he connected the voice to the right person, most likely going through the same heart attack she was going through. "Sakura…?"
"Hi," she didn't know what else to say. The silence that passed made her itch, her stomach churning. Koji was frowning, his head cocked as he tried to read her expression. With a wave of her hand, she cleared her throat and stared at the dark ceiling. "Touya…what happened?" she finally asked. She needed to know and with nothing else to really say, she figured she might as well ask. Koji walked away, giving her privacy to speak with her brother. When Touya didn't answer right away, she was sure he'd hung up out of spite.
"I don't know, I wasn't there." He spoke slowly, unsure as his voice got lower. Sakura frowned, turning to stare at the door Syaoran was in. If only he was awake she would have to second guess everything. "Nakuru was shot. She's at the hospital with Kyle who received a good amount of road burn from crashing his motorcycle. Li…he disappeared before anyone could talk to him." Touya told her after a long pause.
Her heart hammered faster at her brother's words, a picture in her mind giving her false details as she pictured the others hurt and injured. Who else was with him? She couldn't ask Touya if her friends were there, she didn't think she could handle the truth. "I see," Sakura breathed out finally, more tears slipping down her face, warming her skin as a chill ran down her spine. Swallowing a lump in her throat she turned around just as Koji returned with fire in his dark gaze, the strong stench of honey smoke waved off of him in tendrils. "Who was responsible?" she asked Touya. Her voice dripped with a new of authority as she read the text Koji turned to her from Reina: Shang is on a flight to Italy.
"Sakura I can't—."
"Who did it Touya!" she yelled, body shaking as anger rocked through her. There was no more hiding behind the phone now, if Shang was on the way then something bad happened earlier. "Syaoran is barely alive right now, he traveled twelve fucking hours to come back to me. The least you can do is explain why my boyfriend is barely breathing with a stab wound six inches deep, especially if Shang is on her bloody fucking way right now!"
She could hear her brother struggling on the other line, his breathing hitched as he spoke. "I only know what Nakuru told me, something went wrong and Cobra was at the end of the line waiting for them. The Sisters are responsible for whatever Cobra wanted from them. Ryu says they went to Heinz to collect something that Cobra also wanted."
She didn't know who Ryu was, but she did understand what her brother meant. Something bad did go down and Heinz was also behind it. She knew one person she could talk to now to figure that out. "Who are the Sisters?" she found herself asking a moment later more to Koji then to her brother. Koji shrugged his shoulders as he listened, head down as he sent a text back to someone.
"I'm sorry, I can't…I need to go." He hung up before she could stop him, the line silent and phone warm against her ear. Her own brother hung up on her, she couldn't believe. Slowly her shaking body removed Syaoran's broken phone away from her ear, eyes glistening with tears even though anger buzzed through her blood stream. Shang was on the way, Syaoran was barely alive on a makeshift bed in a spare room, and Heinz was most likely behind Cobra's actions. Whoever the Sisters were, she wanted to find out and find out why no one knew them too. So many things ran through her head before she managed to collect them into one single goal. She was going to find out the truth.
Eyes on Koji, emerald hues darkening in color, she growled. "How much authority do I have?"
"Enough, why?" he raised a dark brow in curiosity, as his pale skin lightened with the shadows of the hallway.
"Bring Isabella here. I need her assistance or I'm using Rin's computer to contact Heinz's." it was Koji's turn to growl, his hatred for the masked man obvious.
"She may not be alive." He said smugly and Sakura gave him a blank, 'I don't care' look.
"Koji…" she narrowed her gaze and for the first time since meeting him, she saw a flicker of fear cross his face at her deadened look. She had feelings backing her up now, feelings he couldn't even begin to unravel. "Now."
"Now there's a bite we've all been waiting for." He told her, kissing her cheek before making his leave.
Sakura stared at nothing, the warmth of his lips lingering on her skin as she turned slowly in thought. She wanted Heinz on her side. She wanted Syaoran to wake up and tell her his side of the story before she retaliated. She wanted to know if her friends were okay. And the most of all she wanted to go home. Taking a deep breath, she returned into Syaoran's room and closed the door behind her. He was still knocked out, in the same position with the same condition. Nothing changed since she last saw him a few minutes ago. Walking over to the chair positioned next to his bed, she sat down in a whirl of skirts and leaned back. A pinch in her hip told her she was overdoing it, her bones were beginning to ache from the extra movements. It was a slow reminder that she wasn't just quite healed yet. Eyes glancing at the clock she sighed in misery. Happy birthday to me, she thought solemnly just as it struck six a.m.
March 31, 2012
Kyoto, Japan
8:52 P.M. (12 hour behind)
At a slow jerk forward, the subway began to move. The wobble of the caboose kept a few passengers on alert as they gripped the medal rods placed in front of them for this particular reason. As the train began to gain momentum, people began to release their hold and get comfortable. They weren't going to stop for at least half an hour, not until they reached the next station. Naoko kept her head down as she read ahead for her class, wanting her mind preoccupied instead of wandering. Her glasses began to slide down her nose, threatening to completely collapse as the train wobbled a bit more, hitting an illusion that only meant they were turning. Fixing them she glanced up, seeing an older couple stare at her. it took her by surprise as she realized not only was the cab suddenly empty, but that only a handful of people were in the train with her. When she'd gotten on, it was packed to the brim, people were standing as they waited for their stop, and others were crowding around the door to flee the moment it did stutter to a halt.
Her nose had been in her physics book for nearly over an hour that she'd forgotten to take a break, to breathe. Looking at her phone, she frowned. She forgot, subways had the worse service available. Taking the time as a cue that she still had a grip of hours before reaching Tomoeda, she returned to reading. She was tired, too tired to care that people were staring at her while she read her book. It was the size of dictionary, plus some. They would stop staring eventually, unless they had nothing better to do. The faint light above her head began to flicker as the train went array, turning a corner and sending people forward as they kept their bodies from falling over. Naoko held on, lifting her head once more to stare at her reflection. She looked the part of a tired university student. Her short, light brown hair was messy, barely curving around her jawline as a headband kept her bangs out of her face. There wasn't much she could do with her hair, not after she decided to cut it shorter to match her personal preference too short-short hair. It was the only maintenance she had for herself as of late. She'd been so lost at the University, she forgot she'd told her parents she'd come visit them for the weekend let alone to keep up appearance for others around her.
A sigh escaped her throat as she turned away from her reflection, shutting her book with a snap. She couldn't concentrate after all. Too much was going on and not just with studies. After talking to Tomoyo, Naoko learned that everyone was going their separate ways for the weekend. It was Sakura's birthday in the morning and without her, there wasn't much to do. Tomoyo and Eriol went to her parents earlier in the day so Eriol could meet the famous Sonomi Daidouji, CEO of a top toy store in Tomoeda. Syaoran had taken a handful of the others for a job that went wary. From Nathan's last text, he would be busy at the mansion trying to erase evidence that a crash in Ashiya had ever happened, which took Takashi's attention too and in turn Chiharu. Sighing again, Naoko tapped her chipped nails against the hard back of her book, irritated and anxious. No one would be around for Sakura's birthday, not even the girl herself. For nearly twenty years they'd all been together on April fool's day, celebrating in more ways than one, and enjoying themselves. This would be the first time they weren't together and all because one person messed it up.
Naoko lifted her legs up to find a more comfortable position on her chair. Her jeans constricted her from much movement and she slouched, deciding on a more subtle position that made the elder couple a few chairs down to frown. Tough, she thought as her eyes began to close. It was going to be a long train ride back to Tomoeda, at least she had a ride back to Kyoto with Tomoyo on Sunday. She really needed to invest in getting her car's radiator fixed. Nathan offered to pay for it, even have Icy look into it for a decent part for the small Toyota she owned, but then the baby came and everyone forgot about promises. Her eyes opened as she thought about the small bundle of joy that entered their lives. Icy's infant was born too early, but the little girl was still too cute. Jade, was what Icy had finally decided on after the meaning of the beautiful stone for balance, wisdom, and peace. It was something Naoko admired. She didn't know much about what happened to Chris Tangle, the father of the child, but she knew enough that Icy was in a world of heartache now that her daughter was here in the world.
Lights went out, jerking Naoko to attention, her body sliding to sit up straight as her feet planted onto the ground. When the lights flickered back on, a figure was sitting beside her. She screamed, however good that did her. No one heard, the older gentlemen across the way was deaf if the notecard hanging from his neck was any consolation, his wife merely gave her a cursory glance before returning to her business. The other two people in the cab were staring at her and she realized then, they were with the man now giving her a blue-eyed, innocent stare.
"Naoko Yanagisawa right?" he softly, head cocked to the side as he gave her a once over.
"Y-yeah," she blinked, finally recognizing him. "What do you want Jonathan?"
"Ah, so you remember me. Good, it makes my life easier." He looked at the other two briefly then back to her. Naoko did as well and realized they too were familiar or as familiar as seeing them always with Jonathan. "Going back to Tomoeda?" he asked to bring her attention back to him.
"Yes…" she looked at the girl changing seats, her white-blond hair braided on either side. "Why…?"
"Is Sakura there by chance?" Naoko tensed, her gaze wide as she stared at Jonathan through her glasses. His expression was thoughtful as he watched her, blue eyes darkening as the lights flickered above them.
"Why would Sakura be there?" she asked cautiously, wishing she was somewhere else and not on the subway.
"I did some research on you, Yanagisawa." Jonathan said with a hint of malice in his voice. "You're smart, with a 4.0 GPA in physics and technology. Perfect match for that new boyfriend of yours, I happened to notice you two have been hip-to-hip as of late—except today." He adjusted his position and tugged on his black hoodie, fixing the sleeves to go up and reveal both arms covered in tattoos. "What happened to you at the restaurant is terrible, but you made it out alive and that's what matters, right?" he said as he glanced back at her, eyes on her scar just above her eyebrow.
"Sakura's dead, you know that." Naoko said instead.
"Is she?" Jonathan looked at his companion across the way. "Why isn't anyone mourning her death then? Why are the detectives still looking to talk to her, shouldn't they be aware of her death? I mean…she is still considered an accomplice to Sion's disappearance." Naoko could only stare as Jonathan lifted his head up, the train coming to a stop at the half-way point to Tomoeda. "I've been drinking myself retarded because of Sakura's death, but I'm told Syaoran has been a busy little wolf in Italy. You're smart, you should look into why no one interferes with Night Wing, the history behind the Black Wolves, Silver Snakes, and Night Wing. You'll be interested in knowing a blood bath will happen again soon."
The train came to a slow halt, rolling forward a few more inches. "What are you trying to say?" Naoko asked slowly as the conductor read the stop they were at and the one following next.
"I do believe Sakura's still alive and I'm going to find out the truth." Jonathan got up with his companions, before the doors opened to admit more passengers, he bent and whispered. "Ceil's on her way to Rome now with Mireille and Marius. The three of them on Night Wing territory calls for trouble." Swiftly he planted a kiss on her cheek and left, leaping over her legs as he quickly made through the crowd of people that gathered onto the train. Naoko stared at the window, watching as Jonathan and his two companions climbed the stairs to the streets above.
She could have sworn he just helped them out even if he did it awkwardly.
April 1, 2012
Rome, Italy
10:23 A.M.
Shouts echoed the afternoon atmosphere. They meshed together incoherently as a breeze whipped around his face. More shouting in his ear told him something bad was about to happen. Turning his head he stared at his companion as she screamed, fear on her Angelique face. Her large orbs were wide as the red contacts began to reflect the horror of what's to come. He turned his head away quickly, feeling the snap as he lost control of the vehicle. A bullet pierce the glass, barely entering the car as it stopped just between the double-platted windows. He veered as another bullet pierced the glass, shattering it this time. Growling he realized he was running out of time to get over the bridge, the wind whipping at his face as he sped up. His companion screamed in profanity, in another language that made him realize she was the real-thing, she was of ancient times like the stories Wolf told about the Sister's. Bringing his head around he stared at her again, unable to turn away this time. Red covered her face, obscuring her features from sight. Frowning, he couldn't help but just stare. She was bleeding from a head wound, the tendrils of blood slipping down her head and over her cheek, disappearing into her corset. When had that happened?
A force he couldn't reckon with brought him around as he the car lost control a third time, bullets trying to disable his chance of cover. He couldn't look at her again, this time fighting for his life. In a wave of heat he swore and stared as a truck came at them. The large black vehicle flashed their lights, bringing the brightness of their large lamps to blind him. Something happened then, he couldn't quite remember. He knew something had happened, otherwise he wouldn't be reliving his nightmare. His own car switched lanes, that was one thing he remembered, but what happened next was blurry and filled with Latin as his companion screamed, blood sliding down her face. He could recall the truck hitting them full-on without stopping. Glass shattered, his head hit the windshield and cracked it with the impact of his weight. A light weight was thrown onto him, a female clad in red. That's all he saw, red. Tires squealed at the pressure of being forced in the wrong direction, sliding with the weight of another vehicle much larger than his own. They started to go up sideways, sparks flying as the cars exterior began to scrap across asphalt at a good speed.
It was over before he realized it, before he knew what else was transpiring. He couldn't remember much else, couldn't bear the knowledge that it had been his fault. A bullet had hit her before the truck, it was clear now. She was a spitting cat next to him babbling and screaming, crying and trying to survive with a bullet pierced in her chest. There was so much red that it blurred his vision as his nightmare came alive. He barely remembered how he got out of the car, barely remembered the motorcycle coming at him with no driver. He did, however, remember the laughing man dressed in a black overcoat. His dreadlocks were hard to miss as they actually blew in the wind, a fire at his back and figures dressed to kill. Was his companion dead? That was the only thing he was trying to remember as Cobra came at him, forcing him to fight; forcing him to listen to the spiel that was his way of thinking. Cobra. It had been Cobra and his retched game that forced Syaoran to see red.
He recalled someone yelling out for Cleo, the Sister that was still in his burning vehicle. He remembered running for her as the other sister, made of yellow with a strange color of blood smeared on her face, also ran for the car. Something slammed against Syaoran as his nightmare came to life. A roar louder than his voice could emit echoed, bouncing off cement walls and traffic horns as people yelled at them, people he knew, people he called friends. Seeing passed the red and yellow, Syaoran stared as his memory came to light. Cobra stabbed him after the explosion to the face, his gun barely grazing him as he fired in retaliation. It was the pain of the blade deep in his gut that had him freezing, dropping his weapon. He remembered, he put a bullet in Cobra just as he stabbed him, just as Cleo screamed as his car exploded over the bridge. Blood poured everywhere. So much blood, too much blood and Wraith Cobra in his face.
Syaoran jerked awake and swore as a pain he recognized easily tightened. His vision was still red, blurring what was coming. The yelling he realized was from his own lips as the pain became unbearable. Hands were on him, forcing him to thrash. In his minds-eye it was Cobra, hurting him further. He knew deep down that it wasn't, but after reliving his nightmare that brought him to the present, he couldn't help but ignore that part. The searing agony was nothing compared to how much his body hurt from the heat of it, his temperature was rising as he continued to thrash, wanting the hands to stop touching him, stop forcing him to remain still. Nick's face was in his mind, laughing as he crashed the truck that totaled his car. Cobra was laughing as he stabbed him before kicking him down forcefully. So many faces blended together before melting away, painting a picture of what happened.
It wasn't until he felt the warmth of a kiss on his forehead, the soft breeze of someone whispering against him to calm down, to relax, did he comply. Closing his eyes he swallowed a lump, his throat dry and hot from lack of hydration. It hurt to swallow. His heart hammered against his chest, beating to the sound of a soft voice he had been longing to hear for so long. Opening his eyes, he turned his head and stared at the brown locks brushing over him. Her eyes were closed as she pressed her forehead to him, holding him steady as his body shook violently. As his nightmare began to dissipate, reality came to life. Cobra had stabbed him, that much was obvious, but he wasn't in Japan. He barely recalled leaving half-dead to return to her, to Sakura. He was there with him now, holding him with a light touch as his skin burned from the inside out. Feeling him ease, she lifted her head and met his gaze. He could see in her eyes the worry, could see just how much he had put her threw.
"Syaoran—." Her voice was so soft.
"I'm sorry," he cut off, eyes closed as he breathed in her perfume, her hair, in her. Silence fell around them as they remained still for a moment longer. He could hear a monitor beeping next to him, could hear the sounds of water dripping outside. His heart rate slowed down as her hair shifted and moved against his hot skin.
"You ass-hat." Eyes flying open, Syaoran stared as she growled at him. Her emerald orbs were rich in color as she loomed over him, fury and relief conflicting on her expression. "You don't call, you don't message, nothing for a whole month! If you weren't injured I would stab you myself! Coming in here, breaking Rin's door and staining her rug! You're a complete and utter ass-hat!"
"I'm sorry," he didn't know what else to say, she just summed it up in one word.
"Fundul pălărie," she repeated again in Romanian before kissing him, long and hard. It took him by surprise as he realized this was his Sakura, but not Sakura. He left her alone with a promise that he had broken somehow. Cradling her head, he held her to him. It was the only movement he could make without a wave of agony to flow through him. His arm shook as he felt her soft hair, his fingers gripping them tight before releasing his hold. She was finally with him again. Tears littered his face as she cried, kissing him over and over again until he felt his own coming. Again she repeated Romanian curse words as she swore him to hell and back. Syaoran laughed and winced, the pain unbearable.
She pulled away then, worry written across her face. It was horrifying to see the expression taking a toll on her life. First it was her in the dead-to-the-bed situation, now it was turned around. He didn't think they were ever going to get a break. "How bad is it?" he asked her softly, regrettably releasing his hold on her.
"Pretty bad," she rested her forehead against his, eyes closed as the tears slipped and dampened his skin. "They couldn't believe you made it this far in your condition. The blade wasn't laced, that was the first thing they tested for. It's deep though, it'll take some time for you to heal." Her hurried words hurt him more to hear from her lips then if it were Kaho or even Meilin.
"Broken ribs?" he had to ask, his body hurt as if the car that slammed into his vehicle had slammed into him. It was close though, the nightmare replayed over and over his head. His car had flipped up on one side for a short period before slamming them back down.
"No, bruised. Not broken." Sakura finally sat up and gave him a look that said she had news. Syaoran watched her as she adjusted her shirt to sit properly against her body and her hair, before wiping her face clean of any tears. "There's something I have to tell you and now." Her emerald orbs darkened considerably. He'd never seen her eyes do that before, the shade of green was darker than if she was angry. Something had passed while he was away and he wasn't sure he liked it. "Ceil's on her way to Rome." Sakura told him easily. He swore, being forced down by gentle hands as he struggled to sit up. He realized then she had prepared for this, knew the type of reaction he was going to have. "Night Wing is watching the airport for her arrival and her intent. Koji thinks she's on the way because Venus is here."
"What…!?" he seethed. A sharp pain wrapped around his ribs as his body jerked, spine angled as he tried to endure it. "Where is she?" he rasped out finally.
Sakura shook her head slowly, easing her hands to hold his arm down. She was shaking, but the expression she held had a different meaning. "Isabella apprehended her for us and assuming by Rin's fury she's dead by now. That is one story I want to know about later."
"Who the hell is Isabella?" Syaoran was mortified as he stared at the humor in Sakura's gaze. She was enjoying being on the other side for once, telling him what's happened and what's going to happen.
"What happened to you?" she countered, eyes sharpening as she lost the color of her humor.
"Don't change the subject, Sakura." He warned slowly. She smiled, going to the chair and leaning backwards, her legs crossed at the ankle with ease. The change in position forced him to move, keeping an eye on her. It hurt to move, but he did it anyway as the pain seared through his bloodstream, boiling his skin another temperature higher.
"I'm not changing the subject. I've given you an update that's happened since you came stumbling into the room, bleeding from a six-inch stab wound. Now that's done, it's your turn to explain." She told him. He caught a hint of desperation in her tone as she tried to calm down, fixing her skirts so they flowed around her in dark silk.
"I get it, you're angry with me."
"That's an understatement." She glanced at his phone as it buzzed to life. "Your phone has blood on it and the screens cracked, everyone that's been calling is unknown. I answered it twice already out of spite to shut the damn thing off. Both times I spoke to an angry Meilin and a rather surprised Touya." Syaoran only glanced at it as she talked, his memory barely pushing through his preconscious mind. For a split second he remembered using his phone to block a blow to the face, which soon explained the pain in his left arm. "I get it, I really do," Sakura continued. "But you were gone for a month Syaoran. Not a week, not two—a month. I was beginning to wonder if something bad happened to you or if you didn't love me as much anymore. I made arrangements to return home tomorrow to my dad's. Reina was going to meet me at the airport to ensure I was protected."
"Why?"
"Meilin says there's no point in hiding anymore if Ceil is on her way here. The wound has closed up, but I still need to work on my leg a bit more before I'm entirely healed." she sat up and sighed, exhaustion claiming her. For the first time since she started talking, Syaoran realized she had dark circles under her eyes. "She's worried about us both. She told me about the last time Cobra retaliated like this and you lost someone close to you."
"What else did she say?"
"That if I don't come back soon she'll hop on the next plane and beat you up herself." Sakura watched as the phone buzzed and fell silent. "Why did you leave so suddenly? Kaho could have at least saw to your wound before you hopped on the next flight here."
"Cobra happened," he lightly touched his bandaged abdomen, feeling the thick wrap with numb fingers. His knuckles were swollen, making it hard for him to extend his fingers apart any further than an inch. His eyes closed then, head angling upwards to relax the tension building up. "He caught wind that the Sisters were out of Kobe and wanted to make a statement in regards to their territory. The statement was made, I and a few others paid the price."
There was a long silence as time ticked by. Syaoran opened his eyes, watching as Sakura stood up. She had understanding in her gaze and something else; pity. "Nakuru was shot, Kyle was injured…" she informed him slowly, watching his reaction as much as he was watching hers. "Milay is a ball of fury now, ready to hunt, as Meilin put it."
He merely nodded, closing his eyes as the scene played over and over in his head. He needed to tell her, there was no hiding from the truth. Already his nightmare pushed through, forcing its way to the surface and blinding him from reality. "Nick rammed us with a truck. The moment we escaped to retaliate, Milay and Lane were already neck-to-neck with a few others over the bridge. I can't remember much after that. I recall nearly getting hit by Kyle after a bullet pierced his engine and the Sisters killing one of Cobra's lackeys." He shivered. The Sisters were brutal for their attacks, as if blood was their life. "It was a game to Cobra, that's all it was. He didn't care how many people were lost last night. It wasn't even about the damn artifact like she thought, he was bored and wanted to play."
"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered. He could tell there was something else on her mind, something that she obviously wasn't going to say. Silence continued to wrap around him as he watched her stand there. For the first time since laying eyes on her again, he could see the change in her. Her short brown hair was cradling her face in waves, a single barrette keeping her bangs back. She wore a long skirt to hide her wound and a short shirt to show off her slender stomach. He watched as her fingers lightly touched the material of her skirt, feeling the silk texture as her emerald orbs shrank and widened, deep in thought. She had made a decision to return to Japan without him. Syaoran couldn't help but wonder how much of that decision was hers.
Then he remembered something she'd said. "Who is Isabella, Sakura?" he asked her, voice dark.
Sakura blinked at the sudden sound of his voice. Her head slowly return to light on him, confusion written across her expression before she grimaced. "Fair enough. She's one of Heinz's lovely ladies and soon-to-be one of mine." There, he thought, there's the weird expression on her face, her decision to return to Japan.
"Excuse me….?"
"I'm aligning myself with Heinz, under the protection of Kalister, who agreed that it would be a good idea to create myself an army worth my time." she said it quickly, forcing him to see the light of her answer. Whether it was because it was Heinz or because it was Marone Kalister's idea, Syaoran was suddenly furious; furious with himself for leaving her alone for so long.
"Heinz does not align himself with anyone. He's a monster that plays by his own rules, if you haven't forgotten already…he kidnapped you!" the pain of his anger rang through until his temples seared, his eyes closing as he ground his teeth in agony.
"I know that, but unlike you, he cares about my wellbeing." She went silent quickly, realizing what she said. Syaoran watched her as he waited for the pain to subside, his ribs aching in more ways than one. She was pacing, moving back and forth in a flurry of her dark skirt. "I don't mean…that is he…look, Isabella is here because you remained too long in Japan that Heinz took it upon himself to search for me to make sure I'm alright. I'm the only one that knows what he looks like and I think I can persuade him to at least protect me and my own."
"You know what he looks like?" she froze.
Turning to face him as she finally settled next to his bed, she nodded slowly. Her face was suddenly redder than blood in obvious embarrassment. "I'm told only a handful of people know, Isabella is not included. She's merely a lackey. A jealous one, but she has no idea. I do and I'm going to use that to my advantage against him." She took his hand in hers, almost pleading. "Heinz has no rules to who he deals with. If I at least have him on my side, then that's a sure way to know he'll never cross the Black Wolves."
"I was gone too long," Syaoran finally said after a while.
"Yes you were," Sakura curled up next to him, resting her head on her bent arm. She barely felt his arm try and touch her, a wince and a grunt of pain following his movement. The frown that creased her brows made him close his eyes.
"When I met you…I didn't expect you to suddenly become a part of this world. It's too fast, necessary, but fast. I wish we could have met on different circumstances." Lifting up on her arm she kissed him tenderly, lingering against his lips as she whispered against him in a breath of air. "I'm serious," he told her. "Coming to Night Wing was the best move I've made and hopefully it won't turn into a bad one. I love you, Sakura. I refuse to lose you because of all the bad choices the Black Wolves have made to protect you."
"What bad choices are those? I think they've worked out perfectly." She grinned and quickly lost her spark as he stared at her, a weird look in his eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Help me up?" he was struggling to rise even before she did, slowly forcing his upper body up. Syaoran hissed out in agony, arm covering his bandage as his eyes closed tightly. A rush of dizziness swept over him, forcing him to lose concentration on breathing, on the sight of her. In one move he was standing, ignoring the wave of nausea crashing into him. He was moving too fast for his own body, nothing was catching up. Sakura's gentle grip on him kept him steady as he turned at an angle, keeping her gaze locked with his as he finally opened his eyes to meet the new position.
"What are you doing? You shouldn't be standing." Syaoran ignored her as he continued to move, one hand against her leg as he knelt to the floor. His body shook violently, threatening to dump him entirely onto the floor as it met with him in a surge. She stared, emerald orbs widening by the second. "Syaoran…"
His hand found hers, locking them into his grip, forcing his shaking to succumb to the tightened grip. Seeing his knuckles now, they were torn and bruised with barely any skin to cover the mass of blood that caked over his middle finger. Turning away from the sight of his fight with Cobra, he stared at her for a long time. "Marry me, Sakura." She watched as he blinked, eyes wobbling for a split second as he tried to ignore the sickness washing over him. His skin was burning against hers as he licked his lips, fingers tightening another inch into hers despite the numbness. "Marry me. Now, tomorrow, just…marry me. I love you too much too lose you. I can't lose you, not again, not ever. I don't care about alliances or what benefit having you as a Night Wing means. I don't care about anything anymore."
"Syaoran…" he shook his head.
"I almost died. In fact, I'm pretty sure I did. I saw you, the moment the truck hit my car. I saw you and I just…I couldn't breathe. I failed to return to you on time and I failed to keep in contact. I had numerous accounts where I almost did, but something always came up and I think that's why I want you to marry me now. Too many obstacles are in our way. I fear I'm going to lose you before I've had you and I just can't take that anymore." Tears slid down her face as she stared at him, unable to answer. He was babbling now, losing control of his strong front. "You kept me alive, all I can think about is you."
"God," she sucked in a breath, staring at the ceiling before meeting his gaze again. "I'm supposed to be mad at you. How…can you just…" grinding her teeth, bottom lip quivering she started nodding her head, letting out a chocked breath. Her body dropped down next to him, meeting him on the floor. "You're an ass-hat, of course I'll marry you." She kissed him long and hard, tears sliding down her face in tendrils.
"You sure?" he asked, pulling away in a wince. Sakura nodded, kissing him over and over again.
"There's something I need to do first and then I'll marry you." She said to clarify it. His skin was too hot to bare anymore and she pulled away, letting him rub a thumb over her tears, clearing them away. "Everyone will be furious with you for not inviting them." Her voice shook.
"As long as they're mad at the both of us together, that's all right with me." Sakura laughed. It eased him as he pressed his forehead to hers, suddenly too tired to stay away. "That aim of yours needs work too," before she could retaliate against his words he passed out, weight hitting her. He barely felt her hands running through his hair, smoothing out sweaty strands as his temperature rose.
1:17 P.M.
Sakura stared at nothing for a long time, letting her mind wrap around her conversation with Syaoran. The ups and downs of the last few hours were enough to knock out an Elephant. Too many emotions coursed through her, forcing the tears to continue to slide down her face. She couldn't remember if they were happy tears or sad tears. By the time Syaoran was in a deep enough slumber that his body stopped shaking, she lost track of her true feelings. Holding him against her, Sakura could only do so much. He was a dead weight of hot skin and bruised bones. She barely managed to position him against her chest either before the flood of tears obscured her vision. All she could think about was there conversation and how much it was going to affect them later.
She didn't want to admit that she had lied to him, lied to protect her feelings for him. The truth was, Wraith Cobra had hurt him more than Syaoran thought. Meilin had told her a lot more than who was hurt and who was angry. She had told Sakura about the Sisters and about the eldest, Cleo. She briefly explained the damage of Nick's rampage, explained that Cleo suffered a bullet to the collar bone and faced near death. Sakura knew from personal experience how that goes. Meilin was more concerned about the other Sister's rage if Cleo died. No one messed with those girls, no one. It was the reason why Kobe was off limits to everyone. A history that Meilin wasn't allowed to share because she didn't know. Sakura ran her fingers through sweaty hair, eyes still staring at nothing. She bent the truth and she completely told Syaoran a lie. All he ever did was tell her his side of the story and propose to her. Heart hammering against her chest, she let out a whimper of a breath as the tears flowed quickly. Cobra had poisoned Syaoran and she told him the opposite.
A part of her had been trying to figure out the best way to tell him that poison was running through his veins, lingering just a little bit longer until the drugs admitted to him worked. There was a forty percent chance the antidote wasn't going to work considering it was a man-made poison that acted like a snakes bite. Cobra was, in fact, true to his name. Wiping away the tears, Sakura blinked and turned towards the door across the room. "I know your there, come help me." She called out in a voice that croaked. It opened almost immediately with Koji standing in the door frame. "How long have you been there?"
"Long enough," he didn't move as he tilted his head, letting his black hair fall away from his pale face. "Congratulations are due, I believe." He was suddenly formal, bowing at the hip with one arm across his stomach.
"He needs to survive first." She beckoned to him, eyes sharp when he still hadn't moved forward. "Are you just going to let him bleed on me or you going to help me up?"
"Why did you lie to him?" Koji asked instead, his accent thick.
"What?"
"The poison, you told him that was the first thing we checked and yet, you told him otherwise. He was poisoned, that's why he's in the state he's in now." Koji's dark eyes penetrated through her, making her suddenly uncomfortable.
Sakura said nothing, trying to move out from under Syaoran's weight. As she grunted and struggled to get him laid out on the floor, with her skirt still trapped beneath him, Koji finally moved. He lifted up Syaoran as if he weighed nothing, moving sideways to lay the black wolf member down on the bed. "I have my reasons," she finally said to break the awkward silence.
"Do you also have your reasons to face Shang tonight instead of staying with the little wolf?" the question hurt as she stared down at the blood staining the bandage wrapped around Syaoran's chest. His tattoo stared up at her, ferocious in all of its meaning.
"Yes," she gave Koji a once over as she forced her gaze away from the wolf's head. "I'm done hiding and I want to face the stranger that thinks she can rid of me so easily." Her thoughts sounded strange out loud, but it was true. She had no idea what Ceil looked like and for some reason she didn't think Ceil knew her either. Her hip was healed enough to face the woman that was trying to take over Japan and Shanghai. She deserved to find out why she was arriving in Rome.
"You have changed, Cherry Blossom."
"So I've been told." Sakura turned as an elder man entered the room, carrying a handful of medical supplies. His gaze met hers briefly as she turned to him. Not wanting to be there when Syaoran's bandages were changed, her emotions already too high to face the wound that was killing him slowly, she started for the door. "Let's go, I need a change of scenery." Koji shook his head at her words as he followed her, a smile spreading over his lips.
Without much thought she found her way to the black Sedan parked out front, ignoring the looks given to her by the men already sitting inside. One of them gave her a tight-lipped smile, hiding his false vampire fangs from appearing. Hoping that it was going to be a quiet ride to Ceil Shang, Sakura closed her eyes, crossed her arms, and ignored them all. Koji slid in next to her, giving a calm order to the driver in Romanian to go. Their destination wasn't the airport, but rather the plaza where she had met Isabella. Not asking for the specifics about it all, Sakura made herself comfortable amongst the boys and let the car drift her to her mental conflicts.
Syaoran had proposed to her and she lied to him about the poison. It hurt her to hear him spew out his love, to see the agony crossing his face as he knelt on the floor. So much pain had crossed his face as he talked. Even more pain had clenched her heart tight at knowing she lied to him about the poison. If he didn't make it passed Cobra's inflictions, she was going to regret her decisions. Her love for him grew without warning, it was a slap in the face when she felt his hot skin against hers as he told her why he wanted to marry her. He had no idea how much she wanted to tell him right then and there 'no'. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs that Cobra had poisoned him through a blade that dug in too deep. It was a death blow and somehow, Syaoran made it out alive—barely. Sakura knew why she ended up saying 'yes' and why she kept her secret about the damage. She was going to show Wraith Cobra just who exactly he was dealing with, him and Ceil Shang. If Syaoran died today or tomorrow before she got the chance to live a happy life with him, she was going to make them all suffer. That she promised.
A cold hand touched her arm, jerking her back to the real world. Like lightening she grabbed the wrist and hissed out a warning. Koji raised one brow in mock humor. Turning crimson, she released him and got out of the Sedan quickly. They were back at the Plaza, the warm sun radiant against her flesh as she stepped out. A few people turned around, taking in the sudden parade of men in black clothing. She was the only female amongst them and couldn't help but feel strange. Aside from Koji, the other Night Wing members were body guards, there to make sure no harm came to her. She felt almost spoiled as she moved away from their presence, heading to three more Night Wing members sitting nonchalantly in the shade of the large statue-fountain. Sitting between them was a girl with short black hair and a male with a shaved head. Both wore sunglasses, looking this way and that as they were held against their will. Sakura froze, her heart in her ears.
It felt too easy to have her sitting there without a fuss. Sakura turned her back quickly, licking her lips as she took in an uneasy breath of hot wind. Her back was exposed to them, revealing her white-trimmed tattoo to the world. A young woman commented on it as they passed her by, not seeing the horror filling Sakura's gaze as she stared at the car parked across the street. She was having cold feet. Ceil hadn't seen her yet, she could just leave right then and there and no one would know. A part of her was screaming as she struggled to slow her heart rate. Koji placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, thumb playing with the bit of tattoo around her shoulder blade. It wasn't healed, leaving a bump of design as if someone plastered it to her back instead. Taking another minute to catch her bearings, she swung her sunglasses up to sit on top of her head and turned around. Her skirts billowed in the sudden wind, flapping against and behind her. Someone whispered about her holster, holding only knives. Ignoring them she stepped forward until she caught the attention of Ceil.
The girl frowned, getting to her feet. One of the Night Wing members positioned next to her twitched, threatening to dump her if she made a wrong move. Sakura gave her a once over, taking in her small frame and black leather. She was smaller than she thought she'd be, with short black hair that framed her face. It was recently cut by the way the ends were evenly square against her jaw, barely hiding a small bruise just under her chin. Removing her sunglasses as well, she held them loosely at her side as she cocked a hip, taking in Sakura. No recognition crossed over her face as they met gazes. He male next to her cleared his throat and stood, hiding behind her as muscle with no way to protect her. His shaved black hair was darker up close than it was far away, with a dragon shape encompassing his right earlobe.
"Why are you here?" Sakura asked, taking the initiative first.
"Who are you?" Ceil asked instead, shoulders falling back as she stood uncannily to stare at Sakura. Narrowing her gaze, she looked over at Koji then back again. "I know him all too well, I'm surprised you didn't just shoot us on the spot, but then again that's not your forte, now is it?" she asked the vampire with a smirk.
Koji stiffened as his anger boiled. "Spune cuvântul, Cherry Blossom, și e gata." Koji said to Sakura instead, ignoring Ceil's words.
"Hush, she's being civil, right Miss Shang?" Sakura asked as she held her stance. Her heart beat rapidly as she stood before the girl that wanted her dead. Ceil made no notion she knew who Sakura was, brows knitted together at the use of another language before her. Her dark gaze went to the few Night Wing members standing guard behind them then to the three keeping her and her companion close together. She couldn't believe she was doing this. "You haven't figured it out, this is Night Wing territory and from what I can gather, you and your friends are not welcomed."
"From what you can gather, huh? Are you new?" Ceil snapped, losing her humor as she narrowed her gaze at Sakura once again. Her black leather boots reflected the sun as she moved, raising a hand as her companion made to help her.
"No," Sakura said all too fast.
"What's your name, sweetheart? Maybe we can come up with some kind of deal. See, I'm only here for…a wolf…"
Sakura tensed before easing as Koji placed a hand against her back. He leaned into her ear, whispering something before bearing his vampire teeth to Ceil. "I'm known as Cherry Blossom for my kindness. You were right, they would have killed you on the spot, if not for me. I suppose that means you owe me a debt now."
"That's preposterous!" Ceil's companion growled.
"Hush, Marius." Her smile returned in amusement. There was something off about Ceil Shang. Sakura knew she was younger, by a few years. It was written across her face that she was still immature and straight out of high school.
A sudden commotion brought their heads around towards the buildings. A man yelled out as he tried to sell his ice cream, pushing the cart forward as his sharp gaze met theirs. Sakura watched as a familiar figure came out of the shadows, dragging along a girl with fiery green and red hair. Mireille was having none of it though as she swore and fought against her captives grasp. Rin waved as if it were normal to drag someone, bleeding and yelling against their will in the middle of a tourist center. The large broad-shouldered brute that helped her out earlier followed closely behind Rin. His darker appeal kept onlookers back as they continued forward. He held a brief case in one hand and a small black purse in the other. Sakura looked back at Ceil as she lost all color. A small smile spread over her lips when she realized Ceil's ploy. She had been comfortable because Mireille was snooping around, most likely searching for her or Syaoran.
"Lookie what I found!" Rin shouted excitedly, making sure they all heard. She got closer to them, stamping a combat boot against Mireille to shut her up quickly. "Ea a fost în jurul valorii de snooping" she added in Romanian.
"Mireille," Sakura breathed under her breath. Koji barely moved his hand before he had two more Night Wings coming up, guarding Sakura protectively. A flood of memory made her lose sight of what was in front of her. Her stomach ached from the vague memory of Mireille sticking her nails into a fresh wound, slamming her head over and over again into the girl's locker door. Twitching at the sight of blood on Rin's hand, Sakura looked away and watched the other two. Ceil took note lazily before turning around, showing not emotion as Rin shoved the girl forward. "She belongs to you?" Sakura asked, hoping Mireille didn't look at her, hoping she could keep up her façade.
"Unfortunately,"
"Ceil they…" Mireille began and froze, eyes wide as she stared at Sakura. The blood flowing from her nose coated her piercing as her gaze suddenly sharpened. "No shit. The idiot was right after all. Here we all thought he was crazy, but noooooo."
"What are you babbling about?" Ceil snapped, losing her cool quickly. Mireille looked at Ceil and laughed, her long green and red hair flowing around her as she collapsed onto the floor, sitting cross-legged. Rin stared at her for a moment in curiosity before releasing her hold. Mireille was too busy laughing to have noticed.
"You wouldn't know would you!? God, I don't see what Cobra sees, you're just some child." Ceil growled moving forward before stopping as Rin stepped up, her sudden appearance forcing Ceil back a step. "That's bloody fucking Sakura Kinomoto you're speaking to! She ain't dead, she's very much alive and…doing well." Mireille stared at the crowd around them. "And very much protected now, Shang. I don't give a rat's ass why you wanted me to tag along, but I'm a Silver Snake and I know the rules when it comes to these guys."
"That's—." Ceil started and snapped to attention as something donned on her.
"Huh," Sakura crossed her arms, finally realizing what just happened. "You wanted me dead and yet you had no idea who I was or what I looked like?" she looked at Koji. "Să mergem," she told him, wanting to leave. Waving her fingers to Ceil she started backwards and flinched at the audible sound of a person dropping to the ground.
"I'll be right with you," Koji told her as he watched them hold Marius down. Ceil made no move to follow after Sakura, her expression neutral as she watched the girl walk away with only one other Night Wing. The white tattoo fresh on her back made her think twice to do so, the way Sakura swayed her hips from the pressure of carrying a hidden weapon, also obvious. Turning away, she stared at Koji as he stepped forward. "This belongs to you, my grandfather's payment to Shang and Cobra alike." He eyed two comrades before giving Ceil a once over, then Mireille still laughing on the floor. "They will escort you back to the airport and from there, my brother Markus will make sure you get back on the first flight home. Farewell."
Rin and Koji both turned to leave, arm in arm as they followed Sakura. Ceil stared in hatred at the briefcase dripping an obvious liquid at her feet. She knew what it was or rather who it was. As the remaining Night Wing members urged them forward, she snapped at Marius to grab the case with Venus' belongings and most likely head. "What just happened?" Marius asked softly, ignoring Mirielle's fit of laughter.
"Kinomoto happened. She's a smart cookie, I had no idea. No wonder Xiao-Lang wasn't mourning her death, he was helping her. Nicholas Haruto needs to do a better job when he's ordered to shoot someone." Ceil grinned. "This is getting interesting, I do believe we have ourselves a new player in the game."
6:46 P.M.
Sakura stared at the computer screen, her reflection mirroring back to her. She was still in shock from meeting Ceil, from watching Mireille laugh at the girl's expense. Memories continued to flood her mind as she thought about her first interaction with the Silver Snake member, all the times she'd been scared for her life. Mireille was a fearless creature from the darkness, with colored hair and a colorful language. Their last encounter had been at the beach where Jonathan had faked his anger, trying to get Sakura to leave without a fight. It didn't end well. She wasn't sure how long she stared at the computer screen, waiting for her command. Syaoran still slept. She didn't think he'd woken up since their last conversation, which worried her more than having to do business with Ceil. He was going to survive, he had to survive. She didn't know if she would be able to handle not having him with her again. The month he was gone was torture. When she started feeling like he was her second half, her life line, she didn't know nor did she care to find out.
Swallowing a lump that began to form in her throat, she stared across the room. The laptop's screen reflected her gaze of uncertainty as she stared at the sleeping girl. Isabella had her arms buried beneath red throw pillows as she took up as little space as possible on the floor. Her back was pressed against the wall, her front facing the sliding back door. Koji was outside as usual, his favorite place to go. Isabella didn't trust the fake-vampire and Sakura didn't think she ever would. She found out earlier that Marone had almost tortured her for information, instead drugging her to get the answers he wanted. After finding that out, Sakura asked that Isabella come to her. The white-blond-haired girl wasn't ecstatic about being transported back and forth from Kalister Manor to Kalister cottage. She'd been even less enthused when she learned she was going to Hong Kong with her and Syaoran in the next few days. She didn't blame her, not after the drugs began to wear off, giving her the freedom to speak her mind.
Taking a deep breath and turning away from Isabella, she signed into her name and watched as Heinz's number appeared at the left hand corner of Rin's computer. Her phone blinked to life as she charged and hacked into the main frame, wanting her contacts updated and refreshed. It was a relief to be able to use it again. It was almost like a huge weight off her shoulders. Ceil was going to retaliate, she knew that much, but now she knew her face. She was no longer hiding from the world, she was allowed to do as she pleased and that mean using her cell phone. Sakura shook her head, forcing the memory of the dark-eyed girl from her mind as she live-chatted Makoto Heinz, hoping he would be sensible and answer his face time. She wanted to see his face and knew that wasn't going to happen, she wasn't surprised at all when he appeared wearing the white mask covered in red and blue war pant. Those golden orbs shown through the slits of the mask, piercing her soul.
"You're supposed to be incognito, Miss Sakura." He wasn't angry but amused as his head tilted to one side. Sakura frowned as he used his finger to reveal an expression that wasn't possible with a mask.
"And you're not supposed to be looking for me. It was your plan after all that I continue to hide." She told him, eyes going to Isabella to make sure the girl was still sleeping. No one knew what Heinz looked like, except for Milay and Lane—that she knew of. Her bizarre relationship she acquired with him also scared people, she didn't want to know what Isabella thought about when she saw them speaking.
"Isabella is safe still?" he asked almost instantly.
"She's safe now, on my word." She straightened up a little, letting her shoulders fall back as more of her friends popped onto the screen. She couldn't talk to them, not now. Later she promised to make each call privately, to allow her closest friends know she was alive and well. "I'm keeping her for a little while longer as well, she's quite useful. A girl named Venus was snooping around, if it wasn't for Isabella, I would have been in trouble."
"I don't believe Night Wing would allow harm to come to you, not from my new information about them." His answers were quick, almost like he knew she was calling him for a reason. Sakura narrowed her gaze as she watched him. The background matched the warehouse he used in Osaka, his home away from home, as he called it once.
"What information is that?"
"Why did you call, as much as I love to see a beautiful face, I feel as if…" he paused as he stared at her through the computer screen. It was disheartening to not see an emotion on the white mask. A chill ran up her spine as she watched his finger tap against the ceramic in thought. "What's changed?"
"You're a dangerous one, Makoto Heinz. Somehow you found me, somehow you manage to remain in my life through small ties." Sakura shook her head as she fell silent, eyes sharpening. Her heart was racing as she thought about the best way to speak to him. Isabella stirred, turning over as she continued to sleep. Sakura watched her before bringing her gaze to the back door. Smoke billowed by the reframed glass, showing Koji's presence by the stream. "I'm making a deal with you, one you cannot back out of." She finally said.
"So formal," he removed the mask, revealing his golden orbs and pale face. His red hair was darker in the frame of the computer screen, his large hand shaking out some of the strands as he watched her carefully. "Continue…"
"I belong to Night Wing, soon I will belong to the Black Wolves as well. I want to add you to my pocket. Ceil never knew who I was until today. I have a feeling now she's going to start her war, but I want to be prepared. I also have half a mind to speak with these Sister's I keep hearing about."
"You don't want them on your side." His eyes glowed dangerously as he spoke.
"Why not? I'm sure after what happened with Cobra, they would love to go up against Shang." She watched his anger, watched his gaze as his eyes changed color over the lap top. He was different somehow. She knew that look too. "Who are they?"
He was silent for a long time. She a moment she thought he would hang up on her, keeping her in the dark. They didn't know each other that well, but her wishful thinking kept her on her toes. Finally, he sighed. "They are my flesh and blood." He told her and turned, the mask returning to frame his face as a female voice echoed the warehouse. Turning back to Sakura he nodded his head. "Fine. There will be a gift sent to you. Call it a token of my affection for the new Princess of the Black Wolves and Night Wing. Darkness doesn't beseech you, Miss Sakura, but it does suit you in some other aspects. Oh, and Happy Birthday Miss Sakura." He hung up before she could ask him about the gift.
Her face reflected off the laptop once again, forcing her to see her large pupils as adrenaline flowed. She did it, she spoke to Heinz and added him to her back pocket. Now all she needed to do was survive dealing with Shang and Cobra's new plans for her. She didn't expect a birthday wish from him either, but he knew more than he let on. Happy Birthday to her indeed.
To be continued…
So this story went in a completely different direction than I had planned. Not sure if that's a good thing or not, but it is happening.
Thank you all for the reviews and support. It's much appreciated. Till next time.