Chapter 3: Stealth.
AN: Miss me?? I know I haven't been around for a while, and that most of you probably didn't even notice I was gone, lol, but there was a good reason. I've nearly finished the first chapter of the second book of 'Infestation' (13 pages long! That's a lot for me you know!) And I really haven't had time for any of my other stories. Sorry. But I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I am pleased to announce that the last two in this story will be up as soon as I can manage.
Enjoy!
If you hear your own footsteps
You are in fault
Either you are to loud
Or your surroundings are to quiet.
There were many doors to choose from, but the expected silence radiating from behind each one irritated the already flustered young thief. Van stood in the middle of a well-lit, lushly carpeted hallway, simply staring at his surroundings.
It was hard to believe really, that it was the same manor, when one compared the disgusting smells and dim lighting that filled the lowers levels to the breezy, spacious corridors that separated the private chambers above.
Shaking his head, ridding his mind of the pointless observations, Van strode noiselessly down the hallway waiting for a door to catch his eye. Ignoring the fact that all the entrances looked the same Van's mind tried to envision what lay beyond. 'One wrong move is all it takes for a free ride to the gallows.'
The thief's dark coloured attire was almost completely dry, but the looming smell of sewage water accompanied by drying blood encircled him like flies round a corpse. It was a major drawback, even if he did manage to find a hiding place in order to lay low for a while, the shadows would never block his stench from the trained nose.
A bell sounded, its echoing tones rising from the levels below and Van's time was brought to a tolling end.
Almost stumbling to the nearest door Van grabbed the light metalled handle and pushed it down. Entering the dark room chocolate eyes only had seconds to scan it for signs of movement before he was forced to close the door again and blackness engulfed the sleeping expanse once more. Breathing deeply from his speed and lack of balance the ex-keeper moved slowly towards the heart of the space, listening as much as he could for any sounds that would indicate more trouble.
As Van found himself in front of a lightly coloured settee he cursed inwardly at his bad luck again. 'I should have given up on this the moment I saw the moon.' He grumbled silently, looking down and noticing the unlit, but fully stocked fireplace that lay about three meters away from him. Grinning at the thought of drier clothes and much less of a smell he silently went to work at removing his weaponry.
Hitomi's breath caught in her throat when she heard her bedroom door open with a small groan of complaint and then slide more smoothly closed again. Lying motionlessly on her back, legs entangled with the sheets on her bed, she tried hard not to make a sound and listened intently to whoever it was that had entered her private chambers uninvited.
She knew almost immediately that the intruder was no servant, they weren't permitted to enter by regulation, and that it was no visitor for they were not permitted to enter through courtesy. Hitomi's alerted mind buzzed with horrible visions of knifemen, murders. The sudden terrifying images of serial killers and childhood demons flashed before her minds eye and Hitomi was no long paralysed by choice. 'Please don't hurt me.' She sobbed soundlessly, 'Leave me be.'
Fortunately her childish panic was replaced by confusion, when the sounds of a match being scrapped against something more solid entered her ears. The sound soon faded and with a spark of flame, someone had lit Hitomi's fire.
Smiling to himself Van watched from his place, crouched in front of the now lit fireplace, at his good work. The yellowed dance was soon heating the air around him nicely and the quivering light it gave off was gradually banishing the shadows that had taken control of the room. The occasional crackle of the burning wood helped take his mind of the panic outside the room and the still raging storm that had over run the usually cloudless sky.
He still had neglected to notice the room's confused owner.
Sitting up slowly, sheets falling to her bent waist, Hitomi allowed her eyes to grow accustomed to the sudden introduction of light. 'What's going on?' she asked the empty air around her. From her position directly opposite the fireplace, she could now clearly the outline of a man. 'No,' she corrected herself without words, squinting slightly to focus better, 'He looks about my age.' She had to place a slender hand to her lips as the figure started to remove his clothing.
The young thief sighed deeply as he rose from his knees and stretched out, his arms flying out to his sides and reaching back. Pulling his tunic over his head and letting it fall to the carpeted floor he grinned boyishly as the warmed air around him encircled his bare chest, warming him. 'Ah the comfort of an open fire is one I haven't experience in a-'
His relaxation was cut short abruptly and without a second thought he snapped up his sword, unsheathed it, and directed the tip towards the noise in less than a second. ''Hold your tongue or loss it.'' He hissed at the girl in front of him, who was currently sitting up in bed.
Hitomi couldn't help it. The gasp had left her lips and travelled to the intruder's ears before she had a chance to contain it. His image was just so......beautiful.
She laughed inwardly at her extensive vocabulary but it was the only word she could think of to describe him. Muscular and slightly tanned, his toned features were outlined by the fire behind him and her intruder almost seemed to glow as a result. Dark messy bangs hid his eyes from her but she could easily see his strong jaw and hansom facial features. She was secretly impressed at his speedy reaction when he heard her, but all such complements were obliterated when he spoke in harsh, but somehow soft at the same time, tones.
Van watched as a blank look adorned the girls face. Her eyes grew wide soon enough though; as Van made it obvious that he was not here for her amusement. ''Not a peep from you, understand?'' He ordered, grinning inwardly when a shocked nod came as a reaction to his bluntness.
An eternity of silence followed soon after. Hitomi not speaking from fear and Van not speaking due to his contemplation. What was he going to do now? His brow creased in anger but he didn't see Hitomi scoot back in her bed out of apprehension. He was annoyed at himself more than anything; he'd made himself completely vulnerable. His chocolate orbs focused on Hitomi suddenly and the sound of her second gasp made him grin outwardly this time. Looking over the girl his grin grew wider, 'pretty little thing.' He complemented silently. Her nightgown was flimsy and let little to the imagination, white frills and small silk bows in the right places hid anything of interest from view however. One of the thin straps on her left shoulder had slipped down a ways, and the sight of her creamy coloured exposed skin was almost enough to make Van's thoughts wander to less than gentlemanly places.
Under his intense gaze Hitomi found herself shivering, she watched him as his deep eyes scanned over her and couldn't help but blush slightly when his orbs came to a stop at her uncovered shoulder. 'How embarrassing.' Hitomi thought shamefully, lowering her head and ignoring her sandy coloured bangs as they fell into her eyes.
Van's gaze faltered when his prisoner lowered her head in embarrassment and he suddenly felt extremely ashamed, he was here to steal one of her family's priceless treasures, not to steal something much more important from her personally.
Sheathing his sword and placing it on the couch with his other weapons Van sighed softly, but loud enough to make the girl look up again. ''Sorry.'' He mumbled gloomily, ignoring her surprised expression and walking over to the window.
Hitomi stared at the curves on Van's masculine back and almost smiled in relief. 'For a moment I thought-' she trailed off inwardly and couldn't understand why she was suddenly so tempted to go over there and tell him it was all right. What a strange thing to think, considering the position she was it. Why did she hurt inside knowing her captor as angry at himself? How odd.
The other side of the room Van was cursing himself once again. How could he have acted like that? He wasn't like that; upsetting young women wasn't something he would even have imagined doing normally. Sure he was a thief but that didn't mean that he was a rapist. He stared up at the full moon. Hormones. That was the answer, what man wouldn't be turned on by the sight of a pretty girl in a flimsy nightgown?
All thoughts in the dimly lit room were shattered soon after the apology however, as a loud and demanding knock sounded at the door to Hitomi's room.
AN: Miss me?? I know I haven't been around for a while, and that most of you probably didn't even notice I was gone, lol, but there was a good reason. I've nearly finished the first chapter of the second book of 'Infestation' (13 pages long! That's a lot for me you know!) And I really haven't had time for any of my other stories. Sorry. But I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I am pleased to announce that the last two in this story will be up as soon as I can manage.
Enjoy!
If you hear your own footsteps
You are in fault
Either you are to loud
Or your surroundings are to quiet.
There were many doors to choose from, but the expected silence radiating from behind each one irritated the already flustered young thief. Van stood in the middle of a well-lit, lushly carpeted hallway, simply staring at his surroundings.
It was hard to believe really, that it was the same manor, when one compared the disgusting smells and dim lighting that filled the lowers levels to the breezy, spacious corridors that separated the private chambers above.
Shaking his head, ridding his mind of the pointless observations, Van strode noiselessly down the hallway waiting for a door to catch his eye. Ignoring the fact that all the entrances looked the same Van's mind tried to envision what lay beyond. 'One wrong move is all it takes for a free ride to the gallows.'
The thief's dark coloured attire was almost completely dry, but the looming smell of sewage water accompanied by drying blood encircled him like flies round a corpse. It was a major drawback, even if he did manage to find a hiding place in order to lay low for a while, the shadows would never block his stench from the trained nose.
A bell sounded, its echoing tones rising from the levels below and Van's time was brought to a tolling end.
Almost stumbling to the nearest door Van grabbed the light metalled handle and pushed it down. Entering the dark room chocolate eyes only had seconds to scan it for signs of movement before he was forced to close the door again and blackness engulfed the sleeping expanse once more. Breathing deeply from his speed and lack of balance the ex-keeper moved slowly towards the heart of the space, listening as much as he could for any sounds that would indicate more trouble.
As Van found himself in front of a lightly coloured settee he cursed inwardly at his bad luck again. 'I should have given up on this the moment I saw the moon.' He grumbled silently, looking down and noticing the unlit, but fully stocked fireplace that lay about three meters away from him. Grinning at the thought of drier clothes and much less of a smell he silently went to work at removing his weaponry.
Hitomi's breath caught in her throat when she heard her bedroom door open with a small groan of complaint and then slide more smoothly closed again. Lying motionlessly on her back, legs entangled with the sheets on her bed, she tried hard not to make a sound and listened intently to whoever it was that had entered her private chambers uninvited.
She knew almost immediately that the intruder was no servant, they weren't permitted to enter by regulation, and that it was no visitor for they were not permitted to enter through courtesy. Hitomi's alerted mind buzzed with horrible visions of knifemen, murders. The sudden terrifying images of serial killers and childhood demons flashed before her minds eye and Hitomi was no long paralysed by choice. 'Please don't hurt me.' She sobbed soundlessly, 'Leave me be.'
Fortunately her childish panic was replaced by confusion, when the sounds of a match being scrapped against something more solid entered her ears. The sound soon faded and with a spark of flame, someone had lit Hitomi's fire.
Smiling to himself Van watched from his place, crouched in front of the now lit fireplace, at his good work. The yellowed dance was soon heating the air around him nicely and the quivering light it gave off was gradually banishing the shadows that had taken control of the room. The occasional crackle of the burning wood helped take his mind of the panic outside the room and the still raging storm that had over run the usually cloudless sky.
He still had neglected to notice the room's confused owner.
Sitting up slowly, sheets falling to her bent waist, Hitomi allowed her eyes to grow accustomed to the sudden introduction of light. 'What's going on?' she asked the empty air around her. From her position directly opposite the fireplace, she could now clearly the outline of a man. 'No,' she corrected herself without words, squinting slightly to focus better, 'He looks about my age.' She had to place a slender hand to her lips as the figure started to remove his clothing.
The young thief sighed deeply as he rose from his knees and stretched out, his arms flying out to his sides and reaching back. Pulling his tunic over his head and letting it fall to the carpeted floor he grinned boyishly as the warmed air around him encircled his bare chest, warming him. 'Ah the comfort of an open fire is one I haven't experience in a-'
His relaxation was cut short abruptly and without a second thought he snapped up his sword, unsheathed it, and directed the tip towards the noise in less than a second. ''Hold your tongue or loss it.'' He hissed at the girl in front of him, who was currently sitting up in bed.
Hitomi couldn't help it. The gasp had left her lips and travelled to the intruder's ears before she had a chance to contain it. His image was just so......beautiful.
She laughed inwardly at her extensive vocabulary but it was the only word she could think of to describe him. Muscular and slightly tanned, his toned features were outlined by the fire behind him and her intruder almost seemed to glow as a result. Dark messy bangs hid his eyes from her but she could easily see his strong jaw and hansom facial features. She was secretly impressed at his speedy reaction when he heard her, but all such complements were obliterated when he spoke in harsh, but somehow soft at the same time, tones.
Van watched as a blank look adorned the girls face. Her eyes grew wide soon enough though; as Van made it obvious that he was not here for her amusement. ''Not a peep from you, understand?'' He ordered, grinning inwardly when a shocked nod came as a reaction to his bluntness.
An eternity of silence followed soon after. Hitomi not speaking from fear and Van not speaking due to his contemplation. What was he going to do now? His brow creased in anger but he didn't see Hitomi scoot back in her bed out of apprehension. He was annoyed at himself more than anything; he'd made himself completely vulnerable. His chocolate orbs focused on Hitomi suddenly and the sound of her second gasp made him grin outwardly this time. Looking over the girl his grin grew wider, 'pretty little thing.' He complemented silently. Her nightgown was flimsy and let little to the imagination, white frills and small silk bows in the right places hid anything of interest from view however. One of the thin straps on her left shoulder had slipped down a ways, and the sight of her creamy coloured exposed skin was almost enough to make Van's thoughts wander to less than gentlemanly places.
Under his intense gaze Hitomi found herself shivering, she watched him as his deep eyes scanned over her and couldn't help but blush slightly when his orbs came to a stop at her uncovered shoulder. 'How embarrassing.' Hitomi thought shamefully, lowering her head and ignoring her sandy coloured bangs as they fell into her eyes.
Van's gaze faltered when his prisoner lowered her head in embarrassment and he suddenly felt extremely ashamed, he was here to steal one of her family's priceless treasures, not to steal something much more important from her personally.
Sheathing his sword and placing it on the couch with his other weapons Van sighed softly, but loud enough to make the girl look up again. ''Sorry.'' He mumbled gloomily, ignoring her surprised expression and walking over to the window.
Hitomi stared at the curves on Van's masculine back and almost smiled in relief. 'For a moment I thought-' she trailed off inwardly and couldn't understand why she was suddenly so tempted to go over there and tell him it was all right. What a strange thing to think, considering the position she was it. Why did she hurt inside knowing her captor as angry at himself? How odd.
The other side of the room Van was cursing himself once again. How could he have acted like that? He wasn't like that; upsetting young women wasn't something he would even have imagined doing normally. Sure he was a thief but that didn't mean that he was a rapist. He stared up at the full moon. Hormones. That was the answer, what man wouldn't be turned on by the sight of a pretty girl in a flimsy nightgown?
All thoughts in the dimly lit room were shattered soon after the apology however, as a loud and demanding knock sounded at the door to Hitomi's room.