Beep-Beep-Beep
At first, the sound was pretty fuzzy. But as Isabella became more alert with every passing minute, the sound grew clearer almost crisp.
Not to mention incredibly annoying.
Frowning at the disturbance, the young woman drew herself into consciousness. Her eyes flickered once...then twice before slowly sweeping open.
Following the sound, Isabella's head turned to the left till her sights landed on the sharp, pulsing green line on a heart monitor's screen that was less than a foot away . The line was moving at a normal, steady pace.
Taking a few seconds, the 23 year old assessed her new surroundings.
She was in an all-white room, lying in a stiff tightly made up bed with bars on the side. In the air hung the unmistakable scent of rubbing alcohol and latex.
Isabella didn't have to think hard about her new location. The IV that had been stuck in her left arm only confirmed her suspicions.
"Medical..."
She was in some sort of medical facility.
"Of course you are..." Isabella could've kicked herself. She had blacked out just minutes after escaping Cobra's Base.
If there was one thing that bothered Isabella more than anything, it was not coming out of a predicament strong. Granted..she wasn't in fine condition just about then...but still.
Groaning, the woman took care as she warily sat up in bed. Her body felt rigid and tender in some places...but other than that, she was fine. Hyperthermia had long relinquished its hold and her strength had returned.
Pulling the tucked sheets that had framed her body back, the young woman swung her legs off the side of the mattress, letting her bare feet touch the cool tile floor.
It was then that she noticed that her feet weren't the only bare thing about her.
"Ok..." Isabella looked down on herself and noted the black bra and panties that she wore with furrowed brows of confusion, "..where are my clothes?" she asked out loud.
And who the hell had undressed her?
Bringing her right hand up, she peeled the tape that helped secure the IV in place off before gently sliding the needle out of the vein it had been inserted into. Once out, she applied a knowing pressure to the spot while she then set off looking for some gauze to cover the small, bleeding puncture.
Isabella found a roll tucked away in a small table's drawer on the other side of the room and quickly had her arm wrapped in a matter of minutes. To add to her luck, on top of the table already sat a pile of neatly folded clothes.
Clothes from her room.
Which meant it was safe to say with confidence, that she was back in the Pit. Whoever had attended to her must have had them brought in when she was still out cold.
So did that mean Snake Eyes had brought her here?
Grabbing the pair of light blue, flared jeans with a stylish patch that hung on the right hip, the young woman swiftly stepped into the denims. The simple, buttoned-down blouse of navy blue with short sleeves followed immediately after.
"Oh, much better." Isabella didn't even care that she was lacking shoes.
She was just ready to get out to see how much she had missed from falling unconscious and hope that it'll be enough to finally put things back to normal.
So much, that it didn't matter one bit to her that she hadn't been properly discharged from the facility yet. Nothing could stop the young woman as she crossed the floor and swept from the room without a second thought.
The young woman had kept a low profile up until she reached her team's bunker, moving with swift, long strides. She had expected to see everyone gathered in the main room when she entered but found herself quickly disappointed when met with the absence of her comrades.
Looking around the space, Isabella was completely alone.
"I guess everyone is still out and about." she murmured out loud as she moved further into the compartment, passing the lounge area as she made her way over to the hallway that would take her to her personal compartment.
As she neared her room however, she saw something of great interest just feet away.
The compartment door right across from Isabella's had been left wide open...the compartment belonging to Snake Eyes. She had never once seen his room be left open before..it was a new site.
Eyes fixed on the open entranceway, Isabella silently moved in, "I probably shouldn't..."
But she shall anyways.
Drawn in by her curiosity, she found herself halfway hovering beneath the doorway as she leaned in to look inside.
The space had a complex very much like her own-one bathroom, one bed. What set it apart however were the furnishings. They provided the room with a unique, Japanese flare-like the bamboo mat that covered the center floor or the large Tatami bed upon which Snake Eyes sat that was pushed into the far right corner of the place.
Wait...
Isabella did a double take.
But he really was there, looking the way he always did. And by the poised, crossed-leg position he held with his masked head slightly bowed, she deduced he was in some sort of meditation.
Another one of his ninja things, she supposed.
"Probably shouldn't disturb him right now..."
At the same time though, how could she look away? He was so deliciously...masculine.
Plus it didn't help in the least recalling how many times he always strived to stimulate some kind of reaction from her every chance they were in the same room together. He really had managed to get down deep under her skin- and though she hated to admit it, she was starting to like it.
Isabella released a quiet sigh she didn't even realize she had been holding and to her mortification, Snake Eye's head lifted and turned in her direction. Had he heard her?
Feeling his unseen eyes lock onto her in a heartbeat , Isabella became immediately frozen on spot.
That's affirmative.
Suddenly, Snake Eyes moved.
The second his long legs uncrossed themselves in a practiced fashion so that he could get up from his position, the young woman swore under her breath before ducking out of his doorway, "Shit." This wasn't quite how she had wanted to cross paths with him after everything that had happened.
Scurrying back across the hall to her own compartment, Isabella reached her own room and practically had the door thrown open as she retreated inside.
But as she was in the midst of closing it, a large black boot lightly jammed its way in with prevention.
Damn...
"Curse his ninja speed..." Isabella eyed the boot for a moment before she trailed her gaze up till she found herself staring directly into Snake Eyes' black visor. The man was just feet away now.
At once, a long shiver ran down her spine as she felt the full focus of the black Ninja's stare caress her face. In response, the woman tightened her grip on the door's edge till her knuckles grew white.
Licking her suddenly dry lips, Isabella opened her mouth and spoke, " Sorry...I didn't mean to pry." she told him, "I didn't think there was anyone back here besides me right now."
Like he could've cared about that. This was the first time he was seeing her awake and well since retrieving her from Cobra's Base.
Snake Eyes watched the woman with unwavering eyes, his dark head leaning to one side as he studied her face. Then, reaching down into one of the cargo pockets in his black pants, he pulled out a pad of paper and a black pen to scribble down some words which he held out for her to read.
"Are you suppose to be out of medical?"
When Isabella skimmed the words on the paper, a frown immediately pulled at her lips. Out of everything he could have said...that was the first thing that came out? " Really?" She thought irritably inside her head while returning with a shrug, "Yeah...I'm fine now."
Snake Eyes quickly wrote again, "That didn't quite answer my question..."
Here we go.
Isabella brushed the statement off with a gentle toss of her head, "Don't start with me, Snake." her voice carried a light warning. The last thing she wanted right now was to be babied. And by him no less.
To her utmost surprise, the black ninja half-smiled beneath his mask while his pen went to work once more, "Start? Last I checked...we never finished."
His obvious teasing brought fresh color springing across her cheeks. Just to what exactly was he implying? Surely not the bathroom incident...or maybe it was the close embrace the two of them shared back at Cobra's base- whichever one, Isabella wasn't quite ready to deal with that presently.
Whether it was a blush of embarrassment or of anger, Snake Eyes couldn't quite tell. But either way, she looked adorable with her shimmering blue-green eyes and long strawberry blonde that was hanging free down her back in wild waves.
Her jaw went slack with annoyance, her eyes narrowed while she tightened her hold on the door with both hands. "Finish this." Acting on an impulse she knew quite well because of him, Isabella threw her entire weight forward, hoping she could slam that damn door on both his foot and face.
Using lighting fast reflexes, Snake Eyes countered the move with a single thrust of his arm that pushed right back. "Hmm..." he thought to himself with great amusement. She was back to her old ways of challenging him.
Oh, how Isabella could've yelled with frustration just then. What was taking her the use of both hands, Snake Eyes was easily just having to use one as they spent a long minute fighting for supremacy. And what was worse, she could tell that he was enjoying this.
The smug smirk beneath his mask was instantly recognizable.
Stomping her bare foot to show her aggravation, the young woman withdrew her hands from the door and moved back. This man was infuriating when he wanted to be!
With Isabella no longer applying resistance on the other side, Snake Eyes pushed the door wide open with ease and stepped inside the compartment.
Momentarily stunned at seeing how his tall and powerfully built form of rippling muscle filled her doorway, Isabella did the most logical thing she could think of at that moment and quickly had space put between them.
Being alone with him right now was starting to seem like a dangerous idea. They were too unpredictable when together.
"God, Snake..." she voiced irritably as she turned her back to him and crossed the room till she was over by her dresser. "..You drive me crazy!"
And in more than one way, apparently. The fast beating of her heart and fluttering in her stomach told her that.
Bracing her palms flat down upon the wooden surface before her to keep her from facing the black ninja, Isabella fell silent, waiting to see how Snake Eyes was going to respond.
At that moment, her compartment door closed with a soft click and following the sound came Snake Eyes' footsteps as he made his way over to where Isabella stood.
The young woman couldn't help but shift slightly on her feet with each approaching step, "...and that's not a compliment either." she added defensively.
Snake Eyes' chuckled quietly behind her as he scribbled another quick message down.
Glancing out of the corners of her eyes to look over the writing pad he had extended, Isabella made out these words, "You beautiful liar..." Heat once again flooded her cheeks.
There was no way he could've learned to read her that well and so quickly...
Reaching a hand out, the young woman swiftly tore the message off the pad disdainfully. Crinkling it into a little ball, she threw the paper sphere at Snake Eyes' head. It bounced off his visor and fell to the floor by their feet. "And to think..." she started coolly, "...I had actually thought I had missed you."
Snake Eyes could have laughed. This woman truly was something else.
"So you feel something then?" He certainly was. His blood was already running hot and stirred. Isabella opened her mouth to reply swiftly as she turned away once again and strategically placed her hands back on the wooden surface in front of her, "Oh, there's feelings alright..." she confirmed in an almost aggravated tone, "... whether they're positive or not, I am still undecided."
"Interesting..." Snake Eyes thought as he moved in, coming up to stand directly behind Isabella while he took his writing pad and placed it quietly on the dresser beside her. Using his gloved hand, he slid it into the young woman's view and could practically feel the tension radiating off her body.
Trying desperately to ignore the sensations she was getting from having Snake Eyes stand so near, she glanced down at the pad hoping it would prove a good distraction. Only one word had been written down.
"Well..."
Needless to say, it wasn't much of a distraction at all.
"Why don't we figure it out?" the smooth male voice that appeared right by her ear caused Isabella to jump with alarm.
She slammed a hand down hard to show her growing impatience "What the hell are you going on abo..." Isabella's own question was abruptly cut off. "Wait... did you..." the woman wasted no time pivoting around to face the ninja directly, "...you spoke?!"
Her response was the rapid yet firm pressure of his hands as they fell upon her hips while Snake Eyes' masked lips came down and covered her own.
Shocked by his actions, Isabella didn't know how to react. Her head screamed that she should push him off...should stress how unwise this probably was of them.
But at the same time... after a delicious moment of feeling his lips upon hers, Isabella's resistance waned as her insides began to melt like butter beneath his touch.
"Oh not good..." On the contrary, it was too good. Her own lips were starting move against his-the traitors. She was actually responding.
Even with his mask on, Snake Eyes was a superb kisser. And it was strange...something about this felt like déjà vu though Isabella didn't know how that was possible.
Snake Eyes' picked up on the hesitation Isabella was feeling by the soft trembling of her lips. Though she was kissing him back, her movements were slight.. almost as if something was holding her back.
And that was unusual coming from Isabella. She never held back...especially not from him. And he undoubtedly didn't want her to start now of all times. "I'll just have to convince her otherwise."
The young woman's head began reeling when Snake Eyes' hands slid up and down her waist in a skillful caress that without delay, left her body tingling in multiple places. She barely had time to draw in a sharp breath of air before he swiftly took control of the situation and backed her into the piece of furniture behind them.
The second her round bottom made contact with the wooden edge of the dresser, Snake Eyes hoisted Isabella up by her hips till he had her seated on its surface. Without breaking the kiss, his hands traced down the firm, distinctive curve of her legs till he reached her knees which he gently pulled apart so that he could stand in between them.
Isabella was positive his action had a double implication; it was an incredibly intimate move that also upheld a timeless, male-defense mechanism.
Did he suspect that she would try and kick him?
The thought was laughable. It's true that there were many things running through her head at the moment, but performing some kind of drop-kick wasn't at the top of her list, surprisingly.
Isabella was a bit too preoccupied to even try. Never in her life had her body ever gotten this wickedly hot before. And the deep aching that was settling in her core was becoming difficult to ignore with each passing second. This chemistry between her and Snake Eyes truly was extraordinary-perfect, unadulterated chemistry. Oh, this woman was going to absolutely lose it if she wasn't careful.
Though it took nearly every fiber of her being to stop, Isabella finally broke away from Snake Eyes. Her hands came up from her sides and touched the broad, rippling plane that was his chest. Before she could let things progress any further, she had to know something first.
"Snake..." she spoke, slowly raising her eyes to meet his that were hidden behind his visor.
Her request was simple and very serious, "Take off your mask."
Snake Eyes blinked his unseen eyes once. Then to Isabella's astonishment, he complied with her order. Reaching for the base of his neck, his fingers tugged the black material up, dislodging the end of the mask that had been tucked away inside his chest covering. With his other hand, Snake Eyes quickly removed his visor before he finished pulling the mask up and over his head.
With it off, he let it fall from his fingers to the floor without a glance. All he could focus on now was the awaiting woman's reaction in front of him.
Isabella's lips parted at the sight before her. Snake Eyes was so handsome.
He had strong jaw line with full lips and rich brown hair that was tinted with gold and styled according to military regulations. And his eyes...
Such eyes.
Two vast pools of sapphire that reflected her very image within them.
They looked just like...
Isabella's eyes widened with recognition. Her blurry angel-man from her dream...guess she hadn't been dreaming after all...
Which easily explained why his ministrations felt so familiar to her. They had happened once already-and while she had still been incapacitated, nonetheless!
"It was you..." Moving an enraged hand off his chest, Isabella let her open palm fly towards his head.
Seeing her motive however, Snake Eyes quickly caught her hand within his own before her blow could land. This wasn't the most ideal reaction he got out of her...but it was something he could work with.
"You conniving son of a..."
"Sshh..."He didn't give her a chance to finish.
Instead, he silenced her with his mouth once more while he brought her hands up to go around his neck.
Snake Eyes' warm and unmasked lips efficiently muffled her protest. But that didn't completely stop Isabella from retaliating by scraping her nails up the back of his neck.
The black ninja turned his head to whisper quietly by her ear, "That's not very nice..." It hadn't hurt him of course...but it was the thought that went into it.
Isabella wasn't sure if she'd ever get use to the sound of hearing him actually talk. His voice was as rich and as smooth as chocolate.
"Oh bite me." the woman snapped back.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth while Snake Eyes lowered his head down to the curve of Isabella's neck.
Watching him bend his head, Isabella found herself actually rethinking that drop-kick scenario from earlier in spite of how he was making her body sing. She needed to get her arms working the way they should be right now...her legs too.
The trouble was though...she didn't completely want to push him away.
Snake Eyes pressed his lips against the fluttering pulse in her neck, "I'll take that as an invitation." he thought to himself.
Before Isabella could reply, the man carefully sunk his teeth into her soft skin.
The young woman felt like she had just gotten struck with lightning. Pain erupted at the tender spot where Snake Eyes had bitten, but behind that mixed another kind of feeling that traveled up her spine and started an inviting, heated pathway that flowed right down to her core; stirring her blood all throughout her body.
"Damn it!" Isabella swore through clenched teeth as the black ninja drew back so that he could watch her face, "You bastard, that hurt!" she declared fiercely, her eyes flashed dangerously at him-and it would probably bruise too.
"Is that your idea of foreplay, ninja-boy?" Those were, perhaps not her best choice of words for this exact moment.
His eyebrow arched as he chuckled quietly before falling still so he could deliver a fair warning of his own, "Don't tempt me further, Isabella..." His hands were back on her in a heartbeat. Firmly taking hold of the undersides of her thighs, Snake Eyes pulled Isabella to him till he had her legs wrapped securely about his waist. While his hands now cupped and supported her rounded bottom, he lifted the young woman right off the dresser-doing this in a matter of seconds.
Isabella's hands instinctively threw themselves about Snake Eyes' neck while she latched onto him tightly for better balance. "Tempt?!" she repeated as she spared a quick, almost uncertain glance down at the ground which she was now suspended above.
Snapping her gaze back up, she glared heatedly into Snake Eyes' face while she jabbed an accusing finger into his chest, "You're the one who's been kissing me!" she emphasized.
The handsome ninja nodded his head, "And you never told me to stop."
"I..." her voice carried off.
Damn...he had her there. How many chances had there been when she could've turned down his kisses but didn't?
Swearing under her breath, the young woman shook her head, "Put me down."
His hold on her body tightened slightly as his head tilted to the side with silent questioning.
" Please just do it."
After a long moment, Snake Eyes did as Isabella asked. When her feet were firmly planted on the ground once more, she moved around the black ninja and started pacing the floor of her room while he watched.
"We can't be doing this, Snake." she told him firmly, "...whatever... this is."
"Why?" he voiced.
"It's..." the 23 year old paused to come up with the right words, "...nothing about it is sensible, that's why."
"Explain." Another one-worded answer.
" We clash too often. I mean have you already forgotten how we practically hated one another when we first met?"
Snake Eyes straightened up, his face becoming serious, "I never hated you, Isabella..."
The woman's arms came up and crossed themselves over her chest, "Well you didn't like me either."
A half-smile pulled at a corner of his mouth as the man boldly stepped forward, covering the distance that Isabella had placed between them, "I didn't trust you upon our first...encounter." he corrected, recalling that night, "...but ever since then, I couldn't help but hold you in highest regard."
This engagement was becoming the most vocal he has been since taking his vow of silence.
Isabella's pacing came to an abrupt halt as she watched Snake Eyes approach her yet again.
"I'm flattered..." she answered as she softly shifted on her feet, "...but why are you telling me this now?"
Snake Eyes fixed the woman with a soulful look, "Why do you think?" She had to know by now...he was speaking just for her.
"Snake..."
"I care..."
Isabella was quick to interrupt before he could finish his statement. "Don't!" she exclaimed quietly, "Don't say it...you're trying to a make a moment out of this when we probably shouldn't even be walking down this road."
"And what if I want to?" he threw back, "...go down that road, as you said?"
Isabella blinked once... then twice in complete silence, letting the man's words sink in. "You're not..." she spoke slowly, drawing the words out one by one, "...going to drop this, are you?"
Snake Eyes shook his head 'no'.
"I can be just as stubborn as you when I want something , Isabella." he answered, "You and I are not as different as you may want to think."
Isabella's turquoise eyes widened with astonishment as she stared up into the black ninja's face. She was truly touched by his words and wanted to believe them...
But at the same time, this connection that she had with him seemed too surreal. Isabella honestly did not know what to think about it. All she knew presently was that in the midst of all the hormones and revelations, she was overcome by the sudden urge to hit something...and Snake Eyes was her ideal target.
Was this denial? Maybe...but if there was one thing this woman held steadfast to, it was never giving up without a fight.
"You know, I wish I could say I'm going to be sorry for this..." she spoke as her legs automatically took a wider stance, "...but you have me extremely conflicted here so..." Catching Snake Eyes completely by surprise, Isabella threw and landed a punch to his solar plexus, momentarily knocking the breath right out of his lungs. "No hard feelings..."
He staggered back, his brows creasing with confusion. She...just hit him.
And she wasn't done. The black ninja had only a couple seconds to respond when Isabella's leg swung high, aiming a kick for his head. Her attack may have taken him by surprise the first time, but now he was prepared for a fight, if that was what she wanted.
Snake Eyes crouched down and swerved to the side, watching as her foot flew right over his head.
"Bella..." the man caught her foot before she could bring it down and gave it a powerful jerk to offset her balance.
With a brief cry, Isabella tumbled backwards and fell to the floor of her room.
Using that to his advantage, black ninja dived at her fallen form.
Still moving however, Isabella rolled forward.
And Snake Eyes missed. Well almost.
As the woman tried to stand once again, he swiftly caught her wrist from behind and pulled her back down alongside him.
For the next few moments, they wrestled-but he eventually won.
Easily using his weight and much larger size against her, Snake Eyes straddled her hips, pressing her wrists together over her head to keep her in submission. Just like that, he had her. Leaning close to her face, he stared directly into her eyes. "What are you doing, Isabella?" he asked her with an alarming calmness despite the tussle she had just put him through.
Her chest rose and fell heavily with every breath of air she drew in as she found herself trying to fight back the heated tingling that was taking place in the pit of her stomach once again. Isabella lifted her head till her nose brushed Snake Eyes-they were just centimeters apart. "Releasing... tension..." which had been true though her current position now was having quite the opposite effect on her.
After a moment or so, Snake Eyes slowly started to smile as if he understood exactly what she meant. "And where did all this tension come from, I wonder..."
"Oh...you arrogant...impossible...insufferable..." The list could have gone on for Isabella if she hadn't leaned forward to press her lips against Snake Eyes.