Chapter 3
The full moon highlighted the lone figure standing on the highest girder of the new high rise office plaza. The night breeze whipped her silver hair around her. Her armor formed to her body and the sword gleamed in the night. To any who might have viewed her, she would have been out of place a myth come alive. Her senses reached into every corner of the city, the lovers turning to each other, the night clerk dozing, the police officer flirting with the coffee shop waitress, she felt them all. She felt the thug mug the college student yet she felt no need to interfere. All their hopes, fears and desires were open to her with one exception, she knew his location, but he was a calm in a storm of emotions, something Amatsuotome didn't understand. What she didn't understand she didn't like. He'd been to the bar every night for a week. He'd enter around midnight, sit at the same corner stool and watch the nightly ritual of the push ups. He almost seemed to touch something in her memory. Yet the memory couldn't be brought forward. She was unable to sense anything in his aura other than curiosity, and a mild amount of lechery. She pulled his image up, his black hair was long, not as long as hers but longer than most men's hanging to well below his shoulders, even in the low ponytail he wore. His clear gray blue eyes, if the eyes were the window to the soul then, he had none. His eyes never gave a clue to what was going on behind them. She had never clearly seen his hands or smile, for some reason that troubled her.
As the sun rose she dove enjoying the feel of the wind rushing past her. Twisting midair she landed lightly on the ground. Walking towards the bike near the trailer her muttered voice broke the silence uttering the spell that drew the illusion up around her. Gone were the claws, fangs, ears and the silver eyes of Amatsuotome, in her place stood a human woman with silver white hair and emerald green eyes. Quickly she pulled on the jeans and Tee shirt. She was finishing pulling her hair into it's customary ponytail when the foreman's pick-up arrived on the sight.
"Manda." He called stepping out.
"Yea, Boss?" Usually he just saluted her with coffee cup or half eaten biscuit. Why would he be talking to her.
"New guy starting today. I want you to show him the ropes. He's at the office this morning doing his paperwork, he'll be on site after lunch."
"Sure thing boss. What's his name."
"Cain... um Damn what is that boy's name... West! That's it Cain West. What do you do Amanda? Sleep here?" He laughed as he entered the trailer. Her voice made him stop and turn.
"I don't sleep." She walked away heading back towards the sight and the lift that would take her to the only home she knew. The heights of a construction site.
Cain was furious, he really hadn't wanted to but now he was the owner of a construction company. It would have been so much easier if they had just hired him. "What in the hell am I going to do with a construction company?" He complained to the radio DJ. Angrily he jerked at the tie around his neck, hearing the silk rip he groaned. "Not again." Taking a deep breath he tried to calm himself, he couldn't be upset on the job and he still had to change. He risked a glance at the clock on the dash of the jaguar. The paperwork actually hadn't taken as long as he thought it would. Reaching the house he pulled into the garage.
Two hour later a much calmer Cain arrived at the construction site, on his bike. He saw her standing at the top of the site watching him. 'Let the games begin.'
She looked at the door as the clock struck midnight, as the last peal of the twelfth bell echoed through the night air, he walked in. Even after spending the afternoon showing the site, she knew nothing more about him. He had spent the afternoon ignoring her. After her tour of the site he started working as if she didn't exist. Why that bothered her she didn't know. She had caught him one time watching her and when questioned he'd merely said she reminded of someone. She watched him closely as he walked to the corner stool and sat. When the nightly contest began, unlike so many nights before he walked to the stage. She raised an eyebrow at him.
Cain kept his emotions under iron fisted control. His only thought the ordeal that was about to begin. The waitress brought him the low table he'd requested. Seeing this the other men rose and left. Placing it directly across from hers he matched her movements. Stretching out on the floor he lifted his legs on to the table behind him placing an arm behind his back he raised up on one arm, meeting her emerald eyes.
"Rangers? You'll be gone in five minutes." She snorted.
"Let's just do this." He answered, smiling at her.
At the bar tenders command they began. Cain allowing only the rhythm of the push-ups and the music playing reach him. At the hour mark as one they changed arms, giving aching shoulders a break. Still they continued. After two hours they changed arms again. He stole a glance at her eyes before lowering his head to continue. The patrons of the bar had ceased all attempts at disinterest. No one had ever gone this long before. Bets were made on how long this contest would last. As the third hour arrived, he once again checked her eyes. Seeing the silver on the edges he whispered to her in Japanese. "No, Amatsuotome, defeat me as your true self Leena or forfeit now." Her head snapped up and he watched as the silver filled then fled her eyes.
'He knows who I am. How? Who are you?' Leena felt for the first time the agony in her shoulders. Never had anyone pushed her endurance so far, and if she was honest she would admit she had grown too reliant on Amatsuotome's strength. At the fourth hour she surrendered. Lifting her head she watched as he continued a few minutes more before stopping.
"So where do you live?" She asked.
"Night." Cain walked off rubbing his shoulder. As he stepped off the stage he made his parting comment. "Thanks for the workout."
Reviews always welcome.