Rating: R in totality...PG-13 for this chapter.
Warnings: Language. A few sex-related thoughts. OOCness…but this is alternate reality, after all.
Credit Where Credit is Due: Bejiin both edited this fic and translated the song "Knife of Romance" from Japanese to English for me. Arigato Bej-chan! She does warn minna that she does not believe her translation is 100% accurate because of the strange wordings and obscure terms in the song. A thank you goes to Kayla as well for coming up with the name for Zoicite's bar. ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Satisfied now?
Other notes: // denotes thought.
And now the fic!
Knife of Romance
Chapter 1
By Ekaterinn Ciel Duval
Your wounded lips call again.
A fragment of the dream is stuck in the moon.
In my chest I hide the knife of romance.
The skin of reason is pushed.
A helpless midnight,
the seductive kiss makes my decision in the end.
-Angel Sanctuary, OAV, "Knife of Romance"
***********************************************************
"Usagi no Tsuki? Why would you want a Death-Runner
dead?" the man standing in the shadows of the cramped office asked, surprise
evident in his voice. The man sitting across from him growled at
him.
"Don't you play the fucking innocent
with me, assassin!" He used the man's job title like a curse "You
know as well as I do that the family Chaos cannot maintain its political
prominence if their ties to the criminal underworld keep getting arrested
or killed by that...that...girl!" He spit out the last word, his small,
twisted body shaking with rage.
The assassin remained cool and collected
through the other's little tirade "So you're telling me that your faction
in the government is being threatened by a mere bounty hunter?" he asked
sarcastically "You're weaker than I thought, Wizard."
The Wizard glared at him "Are you going
to take the job or not?"
The assassin smirked "That depends on how
much the family Chaos is willing to pay O gray-caped one."
The Wizard smoothed his gray cape and
growled "Don't call me that!" He paused and pretended to consider
for a moment. "Ten thousand"
The assassin gave him a skeptical look
"Fifty"
"Fifteen" The Wizard shot back.
The assassin shook his head. "Forty"
"Twenty"
"Twenty-five and I get to kill her using
any methods I like and taking however much time as I want."
The Wizard nodded at this. "Agreed."
He held out his hand. The assassin smiled and shook it.
"Oh, and in case I failed to mention
it, I'll expect half now."
The Wizard shot daggers at him and then
nodded again reluctantly. "You'll have the money by early morn.
Look for one of my people when the sun rises at the usual place.
Just don't fail us."
The assassin smirked again and turned
to leave. Just as he stepped out of the door, his hand moved quickly
and in a flash, there was a dagger pinning the hood of the Wizard's cape
to the wall. Still with his back to the startled politician, he growled
dangerously. "I won't fail you. I never miss my target." With
that said, he strode out of the office.
*********************************************************************
The tall solider ducked out of the way, his dark
cloak swirling around him, as the assassin left the Wizard's office.
He let a breath of relief as he realized the other man hadn't noticed him.
//He always did like to make a dramatic exit// Running a hand through his
dark hair, he sighed as he replayed the conversation he had overheard in
his mind. He did not like the idea of an assassin going after a mere
girl, even if she was a bounty hunter. It just seemed cruel.
//There must be better ways for the family Chaos to keep its political
life afloat// He grinned as he came to a decision. He would just
get there first and then convince the killer to leave her alone, or pretend
to kill her or something. After all, he was a good friend of the
man. Well, as about as good as friend as one can be to do an assassin.
//But I'll better get going if I must play the masked hero-type again...//
*********************************************************************
Usagi stepped into the noisy bar, slid
into a stool at the counter, and nodded at the bartender. He came
over to her; his blonde hair tied in a neat ponytail at the back of his
neck.
"The usual?" he asked, flashing her
a mischievous grin.
"Yeah, that's right, Zoicite."
Usagi replied easily, flipping her long blonde hair behind her. He
turned away to prepare her drink. Usagi smiled to herself //Damn,
but it's good to come here and relax.// Just then, a strange
man slipped into the stool beside her. He smiled at her charmingly.
"Mind if I buy you a drink?"
he asked.
Usagi looked him up and down critically
//Hmm, charming smile, deep blue eyes, dark black hair, and from the look
of it quite a body// The mysterious stranger squirmed a bit under
her gaze. Usagi grinned. She so loved watching men squirm.
//Why the hell not?// As Zoicite slid her Bloody Mary over to her,
she replied teasingly "Nah. But you can pay for this one."
The stranger raised his eyebrow at this, but dug into his moneypunch and
slid a couple of coins over to Zoicite, who shook his head at Usagi's antics
and went to help someone else. She took a long gulp of her drink.
"Damn that's good!"
The stranger smiled that same charming
smile again. "Glad to meet someone who enjoys the finer pleasures
in life."
She took a smaller sip and smiled back.
She felt really good, and not just from the Bloody Mary either. The
charming smile seemed to be working. //Well, there's no way to fight
charm like that...except with more charm.// She turned her Usagi
brand smile (TM) on the stranger and was gratified to see him taken slightly
back "So who are you and what the hell are you doing in this godforsaken
place?" Usagi had her own ideas of what constituted charm.
The stranger blinked and then laughed.
"I'm called Mamoru and I'm doing business in this here 'godforsaken place'"
Now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow.
"Oh? And what kind of business do you do that you find it necessary
to go around armed?" she asked, her voice indicating that there damn well
better be a good answer to this, pointing to the faint bulge Mamoru's sword
made in the folds of his long dark cloak.
Mamoru flushed at her discovery.
"I'm a Death-Runner. It's my business to go around armed."
"Oh." she said again, her voice taking
on a more dangerous edge "You came to this city to search for new prey
then, hmmm?"
Mamoru gulped at her change of tone
and nodded. "Yes."
Usagi stroked her fingers against his
cheek. "Then know this: My name is Usagi no Tsuki. Keep away
from my prey."
Mamoru's breaths were coming faster
and faster as he felt her fingers caressing his cheek. But then the
implication of exactly what she had said sunk in and he gave a start of
surprise. "The deadly Rabbit of the Moon? The most famed...and
the most hunted of all the Death-Runners?" He said incredulously
as he took her hand away from his cheek and held it in his own. "Let's
make a deal then, shall we? Keep away from my prey and I'll stay
well away from yours." Holding her captured hand to his lips, Mamoru
kissed it and let it go "Well?"
In response, Usagi leaned forward and pushed
her mouth hard against Mamoru's sweet dark red lips. Drawn into the
power of the kiss, Mamoru responded by using his own lips even more forcefully.
After a good, deep, satisfying long while, Usagi found that she had to
come up for air and broke the kiss, lifting her soft lips from Mamoru's
ones reluctantly. Mamoru stared at her for a moment and then grinned.
"I'll take that as a yes."
*****************************************************************
Naru smiled when the tall man with long
brown hair strode into the noisy bar. One of the advantages of being
a waitress for Zoicite was there always seemed to be plenty handsome young
men coming in and out of the tavern. Someday, Naru would garner herself
a husband out of it.
But what was this? The brown-haired
prince was acting strangely. Naru paused in her duties and shook
herself out of the pleasant fantasies she had indulged herself in.
That dark stranger was openly staring at Mistress Usagi and yet another,
darker stranger she had been disappointed to see the all-too-beautiful
bounty hunter claim. //But then again// she thought wryly //Things
always seem to get more interesting when Mistress Usagi is around//
She sneaked another glance at the long-haired stranger and found him still
looking at the two with a strange expression on his face. Naru couldn't
quite read it, but it almost seem liked...displeasure? She tucked
her own short brown hair behind her ears and sighed. No telling with
men. //Best go distract him with some wine and food. Zoicite
may be an eccentric enough of a tarvernmaster that he would prefer to work
the bar than manage from the backroom, but even he'll not forgive me if
I spend all my time staring at handsome dandies and not tending to the
potentially paying customers// she thought with a snort as she hurried
over to the table the brown-haired one had chosen.
*********************************************************************
Nephlyte glared at the blonde haired
odango girl with the blue-eyed man. Usagi no Tsuki and Chiba Mamoru.
He needed that one alone, damnit! Nephlyte was still fuming when
the cute waitress who had been staring at him since he had came in interrupted
him.
"Excuse me, sir, but would ya like something
to drink? Or to eat, perhaps?"
He started "What?"
She laughed nervously "Well seeing as
this is a tavern...Some wine, mayhaps?" she asked hopefully, obviously
flustered.
Instinctively, he smoothed his voice,
hoping to calm her. "I'll have a glass of red wine and a beef pie,
please." She nodded quickly and practically ran off, shouting his
order to the chef. //Now, why the hell did I do that? There
was no need -// he thought, disgruntled //It has to be just reflexes, telling
me to blend in and not cause a scene. It definitely does not
have anything to do with the fact that she was cute!//
*******************************************************************
Zoicite whistled cheerfully as he wiped
down the surface of the bar. It was turning into a beautiful
evening outside and many people were seeking out The Scarlet Dragon for
a chance to cool their heels. His new entertainers, the tall sandy-haired
Haruka Ten'oh and the elegant slender Michiru Kai'oh had arrived for the
evening. They already had half the patrons in the tavern tapping
their toes. //And buying more beer// he thought with a grin that
he flashed at the pair. Haruka answered it with a smirk of her own,
while Michiru seemed lost in her admittedly fabulous music. He'd
never heard anyone fiddle quite as well as her before and Haruka seemed
just as competent about coaxing music out of Zoicite's dusty old piano.
They'd come from the capital some fifty miles away and were following the
Faire route south. The musical twosome had said that they'll probably
stay in Sachi for a while, which suited Zoicite just fine. //Those two
are definitely worth every silver I'm going to pay them and if they bring
in enough profit, I might even be able to afford that extension on the
bar I've been wanting. And maybe a dance floor. Or new tables.
Or more of that rare northern wine. Or...//
"Earth to Zoicite.
Hey, come in, Zoicite!" He shook his head to find a pretty hand being
a waved in front of his face.
"Wha- oh, hey, Usagi. What are
you up to now?"
"Well you seemed to be in a daze, so
I took upon myself to shake you out of it." She laughed at his sheepish
grin upon hearing this. "And Mamoru here is just about to take me
dancing"
The blue-eyed man looked nonplussed.
"I am?" he asked, blinking.
"Of course you are! We've
talked, we've kissed...the next logical step is dancing." Usagi replied
with certainty.
Mamoru chuckled lowly. "Well,
if it means more kisses like that last one-" he begun seductively.
Usagi didn't even give him a chance to finish his sentence before she had
him spun out of the door and down the street to the club.
Zoicite smiled as they left the bar
in a whirl. He wasn't surprised at Mamoru's reaction. Usagi
in a playful mood...well that was certainly something to blink at.
The woman was capricious as her Runner-name of 'moon' was. If that
Mamoru had any wits about him at all, he'll learn how to deal with it and
fast. Zoicite hoped for Usagi's sake that he could. //It would
be nice for Usagi to have finally found someone now that Kunzite and I
are together. Through I sometimes think that Kunzite still cares
for her...still loves her.// It had been more Usagi's choice than
Kunzite's to end the relationship, though they both claimed that it was
a mutual decision. Zoicite sometimes feared that he was being trapped
in a one-sided love, that the only person Kunzite really cared for was
Usagi and not him. //Which is nonsense// he told himself firmly.
//Kunzite will be here later tonight, and then we'll both have ample opportunities
to prove our love to each other.//
*********************************************************************
Michiru finished her fiddle solo with
a flourish of her bow. She bowed as the tavern broke into applause,
speaking only when the place had quieted. "Our set is done now.
Please enjoy the food and drinks of The Scarlet Dragon while we take a
small break." she said gracefully, sitting down with Haruka at the small
table that had been set aside for them.
Flashing gray eyes greeted her as she
took a small sip of her wine. "She left." Haruka stated flatly.
Michiru simply nodded at this and took dainty bite out of her roll.
"Don't you think we should be following her or something?"
Michiru swallowed the piece of her roll.
"There's no need to yet." she replied enigmatically.
Haruka rolled her eyes. "More
of your magic junk, right?" Michiru just smiled. "Well, you
may be the one with magical skills, but I have a nasty feeling that it's
my swordsmanship that we might end up having to depend on."
Michiru saw, though no else would have
seen, the anxiety that was hidden deep in Haruka's eyes. She reached
over the table and lightly touched her partner's hand. "I know."
she said simply and was rewarded with the slight softening of Haruka's
eyes. "I know."
*********************************************************************
Kunzite strode purposefully through
the doors of The Earth Guard and looked quickly around. //Damnit.//
The person he was looking for was nowhere to be found. Creating a
handfire with ease, he walked through to the backroom, where he found Zoicite,
tidying it up. The tarvernmaster had turned around to face Kunzite
when he had seen the mage's handfire and now his whole face lit up.
"Hey, lover, don't think you've ever been home before midnight before.
You usually work too much...and play too little." Zoicite teased him.
Kunzite stepped back in surprise. He had come to the tavern for one
thing only and this wasn't it. But that didn't stop Zoicite from
pushing Kunzite's long white hair back and capturing him in an enthusiastic
kiss.
Kunzite closed his eyes in frustration
and, refusing to savor the pleasure of the contact, gently pushed Zoicite
away. Instead, he asked the question that had been burning in him
ever since he left Spymaster Jadeite's home. "Do you know where Usagi
is?"
Now it was Zoicite's turn to step back
in surprise. "Why?" he asked, doing his best to conceal the hurt
he felt.
Kunzite ignored the younger man's hurt
tone. "Jadeite called me in to tell me that Usagi no Tsuki is the
apparent target for assassins from one or more of the high-ranking families
in the capital. She isn't safe in Sachi. I have to warn her."
he replied urgently.
"She was heading for Starfall, the club
down the street." Zoicite said with a sigh. "But Usagi can take of
her-"
Paying no attention to the rest of Zoicite's
words, Kunzite interrupted him by leaning in and giving him a peck on the
lips. "I'll see you later" he whispered and disappeared, leaving
Zoicite standing alone in the middle of the room, a bit vulnerable after
yet another encounter with his lover that seemed to be more about Usagi
than it was about him.
*********************************************************************
Usagi whirled Mamoru past the bouncers
at the door, who immediately recognized her and stepped aside to let her
pass. He drew in his breath as Usagi thrust him inside and his eyes
captured the full beauty of Starfall. The walls and the ceiling were
painted a midnight blue and the room was lit by hundreds of tiny candles
in glass contraptions that hung from the ceiling. "Wow." he said,
stunned by the magnificence of the club.
Even Usagi stayed still for a moment.
"Yeah. It's beautiful, isn't it?" she said quietly. She didn't
pause for long. Just then the orchestra, that must have been hidden
by one of the glittered sculptures of planets and bizarre creatures that
were scattered around the room since Mamoru could find no sign of one,
started up with a lively tune. He felt a tug on his arm and before
he knew it, Usagi had spun him out to the dance floor. Mamoru danced
gracefully to the fast music, enjoying the feel of her lithe body as he
twirled her around and then drew her close to himself. //Beautiful...she's
so beautiful. But also deadly. Don't forget that, Chiba Mamoru.//
He laughed as they executed a fast step together, twirling out at the same
time and drawing close a second later, the heat and the touch of her body
exciting him. //As if I would!//
Usagi heard Mamoru's laughter and had
to grin. She hadn't felt this free in ages. //And perhaps there
will be time for another kind of dance later, ne?// It had been too
long in that area as well. She smiled and leaned against Mamoru as the
music slowed. She found herself swaying with him, content with the
comfort of the moment without prey to kill or enemies to worry about.
Mamoru moved with her, strangely content
too. He stared down at her golden hair and felt his lips form into
a small half-smile, his true expression of happiness. It was then
that he felt a slight tap on his shoulder. "May I cut in?" a stranger's
voice asked. Mamoru whirled around to find a man with long white
hair wearing blue suit with an equally white cape attached. //A mage
then.// Mamoru thought, tightening his hold on Usagi, who had turned around
to face the man as well.
"Kunzite!" she exclaimed in a tone that was
almost, but not quite, an accusation.
Kunzite shrugged his shoulders.
"What, I can't have a simple dance with an old friend?"
Usagi glared at him "I was a lot more than
an old friend and you know it." she muttered under her breath. "Mamoru,
if you'll excuse for a moment?" she asked him apologetically. Mamoru
nodded and stepped back to the sidelines with his arms crossed to watch
the strange mage dance with his Usagi. //Wait, when did I get so
possessive about a girl I've barely even met? We haven't even danced
much yet!// he thought to himself. //But you'll like to do
a lot more than just dance with her, isn't that right Mamoru?// a
little voice spoke in his head. //Oh shut up!// he told both
the voice and his libido as he settled down to glare at the entirely unworthy
Kunzite.
On the dance floor, Kunzite twirled
Usagi around and then held her close enough to whisper in her ear.
Usagi drew back from the contact. "So what the hell is this all about,
Kunzy? Need to make Zoicite jealous?" she asked maliciously.
He frowned and motioned to her to keep quiet. "No." he said seriously.
"Somebody wants you dead."
She gave him an incredulous look.
"Somebody always wants me dead, Kunzite. I'm a Death-Runner,
for Pete's sake!"
"I'm talking about more than your run-of-the-mill
enemies. Jadeite told me that at least one of the political families
in the capital has hired skilled assassins to get rid of you and your nasty
habit of destroying influential underworld bosses. Since I doubt
even you deal with those kind of trained killers everyday," he continued
sarcastically "I suggest that you keep a close eye out for strange people
who might be targeting you. Like, for example, that guy who you showed
up here with. I haven't seem him around here before.'
She cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Are you suggesting that Mamoru is an assassin? Hmmm, maybe
it isn't Zoicite who is jealous. Maybe you are."
"This is serious shit, Usagi!" he snapped.
"I just happen to care about your well being, okay?" He stopped dancing
and just stood there, shaking with indignation. "I just don't want
to see you get hurt, Usa."
She winced at his old pet name for her
and looked down at her feet. "I know." she said quietly. Fortunately
for both of them, the song ended before she had to say anything more.
Kunzite stared at her for a moment and
finally nodded. "I'll let you know if I hear anything more then."
he said and left.
Mamoru was at her side the instant he
was gone. "I'm glad he finally left. I rather have you all
to myself." he said with a wink.
Usagi managed a slight smile.
"Umm...yeah." she said hesitatingly as she looked into Mamoru's deep blue
eyes. //What if Kunzite is right?//
Her hesitation didn't go past Mamoru.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
She heard the warmth in his voice and
mentally shook her head. //No way in the nine hells could Kunzite actually
be right. Not about Mamoru, anyway!// She grinned up at him.
"Nothing!" she replied. "Absolutely nothing at all!"
The concerned expression didn't leave
Mamoru's face. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." The orchestra had
started up with another lively tune and the lights seemed to twinkle brightly
once more. Usagi felt suddenly alive again. "Let's dance!"
she cried as her heart began to pound again and they begun to move in that
fantastic swirl of colors, music and joy.
To be continued...