Alright, came out with the new chapter and my wrist hardly hurts anymore.
I went to a chiropractor and learned my hip had been jostled so hard when I
got bucked off the horse that my back wasn't aligned properly so I got that
fixed and now I'm looking for a new place to ride. lol
~~~~~
"Just a warning," the secretary said quietly as we walked down the hall side by side, "Vicious is not calling you to his bedroom for any of the reasons you may be entertaining in that empty head of yours, so do not try to lay hands on him. He merely wants to speak to you and explain your future, however short it may be." She paused, glancing with big, doe brown eyes in my direction. I had not noticed their roundness nor color before because they hid behind thick glasses. They were quite pretty, actually, although her personality was not, and the next words she spoke were downright ugly. "Vicious is mine, do you understand?"
We rounded a cold, dark corner and continued walking as I shot back, "I don't think Vicious belongs to anyone. Any girl stupid enough to declare that must've never heard about Julia."
From her perplexed look, I realized with delight she never had. One quick smirk in her direction was all it took to make her petite nose wrinkle in disgust. "Who is Julia?" she demanded reluctantly.
"Vicious' old girlfriend. Ask about her sometime - ask about how she died."
"If you're trying to scare me away from Vicious, then it won't -"
"Why am I threat to you anyway, girlie? Huh? You're relationship with him in trouble? Do you even HAVE a relationship with Vicious?"
"Why you -"
And before the cat fight of the century erupted, a large hand descended on each of our shoulders and a familiar voice, rich and taunting, interrupted with, "Claire, keep your childish feelings out of this, please. Vicious would be angry if he found you two wrestling outside his door."
I turned and glared up at Desma a.k.a. the bulldozer doctor and felt an extreme irritation fly up in me at the entertained little smile he bestowed upon us. "I don't care about Vicious anymore," I muttered, and turned away. "I just want out of here." With Shin, I silently added. And then, aloud, "How is Shin, Desma?"
"Oh, he's...fair. Healing quickly." Desma frowned. "Amazingly, they only broke the fingers of his left hand. I think one of the more heavyset guards stepped on him. Do you want me to take you to Vicious' room since Claire is letting her emotions interfere?"
"Yes. I'd appreciate that," I growled, watching Claire huffily make her exit. Once she was gone, I turned to the man and demanded, "Is she telling the truth about her and Vicious?"
"In a way. He does seem to be partial towards her, and they often kiss in public, when he is in a better mood, though nothing is official as far as I can see." Desma stopped at an elevator and pressed the button, the doors sliding open almost immediately. As we stepped inside, he punched in the top floor number and remarked, "Claire is worried about you. Vicious has never called anyone to his room like this. He's been ignoring her all day, saying he's had other things on his mind. Oh well - serves Claire right, spoiled brat that she is."
"So, you don't like her?"
"Oh no! I love her." Desma grinned almost charmingly as the doors opened and we stepped out into the dimly lit hall again. "She's my sister, after all."
~~~~~
Less than a minute later, Desma had deposited me at Vicious' room and promptly left. I shakily walked in, looked around the sparsely decorated room and at the gigantic bed and at the ghost-like man sitting at the desk in his sweat pants and gray T-shirt. Vicious was writing in a book of some sort, and he did not stop on my accord. In fact, he took his time finishing, and then, setting the pen down, quietly rose and turned around.
I stiffened, a little afraid of his unpredictable nature, and watched as he strode slowly forward, face pale and gaunt and dark circles beneath the eyes - so bare, like naked, polished stone.
"Miss Valentine," he said quietly, gruffly, "I do not know what to do with you." And he touched my cheek with one cold hand, not really because he wanted to, it seemed, but more because he knew I didn't want him to. He stood there, palm pressed to my face, and seemed to consider his options. "Perhaps, I should keep you until your worth is apparent. Since I want to monitor you more carefully, for I know how deceitful and tricky you can be..."
Ouch. Ok, so I lied to you, Vicious. So I told you we were married while plotting kill you. No reason to call me those things, really.
"You will now be rooming in the adjoining apartment," he continued, pointing to the door which I had assumed led to a closet. "You will rise every morning when I call you, and you will accompany me when I command it. Other than that, you will remain there. Cameras monitor everything, understand?"
"Hn, yeah," I grimaced, and then, in faltering steps, followed him to the door and walked through when he motioned for me to do so. What an uneventful visit! It didn't even last five minutes, and the room he put me in, the room was...
Gorgeous.
I could scarcely believe it. With an Asian motif, red and gold wallpaper, an intricately patterned bedspread, and bamboo furniture, it surpassed any room I'd ever had by far. In fact, it looked like one of those fancy hotel suites. Just what was Vicious up to anyway?
"It is pleasing to you, isn't it?" Vicious asked, drawing up beside me with disgust in his voice. He turned and looked down at me with superiority gleaming in his eyes, and then, taking my face in his hands, he leaned down and kissed me. It wasn't too impressive - his lips barely skimmed mine and felt icy cold.
"Do you still love me?" he demanded in a whisper, remaining almost nose to nose with me, eyelids drooping low to shade gray orbs.
I took a moment to think, and them, in a faint murmur, "No..."
We remained standing so close together I couldn't tell where I began and he ended for several minutes. He seemed to be searching me with nothing but his eyes and his fingertips, which brushed lightly over my cheek. Finally, he touched his forehead to mine, smiled, and said, "You are wiser than I thought then."
~~~~~
Vicious has nightmares.
That night, I woke up to his terrified shrieks passing, muffled, through the door separating our rooms. My heart was near pounding out of my chest by the time I realized what it was, for the screams were almost unnatural, not like a human's and most certainly not like a man's. They were horrifying, really, desperate and full of terror. What could he be dreaming about? What could be so drastic to make him cry out as if he was being pulled apart limb by limb?
I tried to ignore it, but when a sound like that is coming from just beside you, all ambition to sleep is lost. Finally, after a few minutes, I slipped out of bed and crept over to the door, opening it just a crack and peering through. As I was contemplating whether to storm in and comfort him though, the door across the room opened and Claire dashed in, clad in her pajamas.
"Vicious! Vicious!" she hurriedly whispered, clambering up on the bed and kneeling beside him on the mattress. Firmly, she placed her palms on his cheeks, which were wet with tears, and held his face in place. "Shh, shh! It's a nightmare, Vicious! Wake up!"
Vicious turned restlessly a few more times and then sat stiffly up, doubling over and allowing her to drape an arm across his back.
My eyes widened in jealousy and then I turned away, shutting the door as quietly as possible.
Maybe they did have a relationship.
~~~~~
I could hear Vicious moving around and talking to someone the next morning, but he hadn't called me yet, so I stood with my ear pressed to the door and eavesdropped. At first I had no idea who his visitor was, but the more I listened, the more clear the voices became. Before I could really pick up on anything though, Vicious called my name and beckoned me to join them.
"Good morning, Miss Valentine," Vicious said curtly when I walked in. He had already dressed in a slightly more elaborate version of the syndicate's uniform, but Claire was wearing a thin, silk kimono style robe over her knee-length night gown. Instead of having her dusky brown hair up in a tight bun, like the first time I'd seen her, she had let it cascade down over her back, long and wavy, and her glasses were gone. She was actually more pretty than I'd like to admit.
"Claire told me Desma took you to see Shin," he continued after a significant pause. He was standing by the doorway whereas Claire was seated comfortably on his bed, smirking at me. "Does this mean you two are well acquainted?"
I said nothing.
Vicious tilted his head to the side and give the barest hint of a smile. "Of course. You must be. After all, you two were in the same bed when we found you."
I balked at that statement. "Hey! He was hurt, and I had passed out before..." I trailed off at the warning glare he bestowed upon me.
Claire stood up and walked to Vicious' side, gently taking his arm in hers and leaning close against him, obviously putting on a show. "Perhaps you should be kept separate from your boyfriend. We might break him more easily then."
At this though, Vicious seemed to disagree. "Claire, we talked about this," he said dully, eyes straying to his left shoulder as he flicked a piece of lint away.
"But -"
"She will go with me to see Shin. You may not." And then, as if the issue had been suddenly decided, he shook her off and moved out into the hall, calling for me to follow.
Moving stiffly in the dirty clothes I had been wearing for three days running now, I trotted along after him, not knowing whether I was eager to see an actual friend or scared to be accompanied by Vicious. Plus, after the display with Claire last night, I was feeling almost betrayed. He wasn't incapable of loving - just incapable of loving me.
"I advise you to encourage him to cooperate," Vicious murmured at Shin's door, not even waiting another second afterwards to stride inside.
Shin was sitting on the bed and facing the door, as if expecting our arrival. His face hardened considerably when his eyes met Vicious', but he said nothing, not even when I greeted him.
"Still being stubborn then, Shin?" murmured Vicious, slate gray eyes narrowed to slits. "I see."
Shin looked defiantly away and then clenched his jaw, the muscles ticking as he began to work it furiously.
"Should I sign your execution papers then?" he asked simply, coldly.
Shin's eyes widened a little, but he still did not look at Vicious.
"Vicious," I interrupted timidly, "can I have a moment alone to talk to Shin? Please?"
Vicious left.
Numbly, I sat down on the bed beside Shin and lay a hand over his, the one with the fingers that had not been broken. "It might be best to go along with him for now," I whispered, and only out of fear. Shin was still rather black and blue, raw throughout his left side and bandaged heavily over his chest. I didn't have much hope for him lasting out too long under Vicious' wrath, and if he died, I was truly alone. "Come on. Go along with him and maybe we can escape."
Shin turned his face slowly towards mine and our eyes locked. His lower lip, split open and slowly healing, stretched painfully as he smiled. "That'd be nice - to escape together, I mean," he commented quietly, and then, lowering his head, let his black hair flop carelessly into his eyes. "But...didn't you say something about caring for Vicious?"
"It was a mistake. He's not who I thought he was."
"I'm glad."
"What?"
Shin's hands groped clumsily across the bed and he turned his upper body towards mine, leaning in awkwardly and pressing his warm lips against my mouth. They were bruised and the barely healed cut at the corner felt rough, but he still faintly tasted of salt and black coffee and...something like a candied apple.
Sweet Shin.
When we pulled away, I glanced furtively towards the door and saw Vicious standing there, looking as if he had just appeared for he was still in motion and just rounding the corner. His widened eyes told me he had seen, but had he heard anything spoken beforehand?
Shin sensed his presence as well, but not as quickly, for he stiffened a few moments later.
"Have you then reached a final decision?" demanded the other man, colorless hair dully framing his pale face. He looked a little ticked at us, but it was probably just because Shin was actually partaking in something that didn't make him completely miserable.
"Yes," Shin replied slowly, grudgingly. He looked over in my direction, as if to collect reassurance, and then smiled dimly. "I'll accept your offer. I'll stay here to train new recruits."
And Vicious gave that ghastly half smile of his that struck more terror into your heart than his scowl, because it didn't mean that he was satisfied, but rather that he was going to break you, and he was going to enjoy doing it.
~~~~~
Only later did the full impact of what had happened hit me.
Shin had kissed me.
Did that mean he liked me? And furthermore, did I like him? Well, the kiss had been nice, very pleasant and sweet... It was different then when I had kissed Vicious - a little more wistful and desperate. But it also made me think: Did my fear that Vicious had seen meant that I still wasn't over him?
With a dramatic sigh, I flopped back on the bed and tried not to think too much. Unfortunately, I didn't get any rest, because Vicious chose that moment to knock on my door and make his demands.
"I have work to do," he said shortly. "I need you to go down to the kitchen and get me lunch. Nothing too heavy, and definitely not moist. And NOTHING spicy."
"So light, dry, and bland?"
He quirked an eyebrow, his way of letting me know his patience was wearing thin.
Rather than risk having his wrath turned against me, I started off down the hall to the kitchen. The syndicate had good food, actually - something I wouldn't have expected - as I had found out earlier on a tour of the place. Desma had been the one to take me, and immediately after we had left Shin's room.
As I turned into one of the more narrow halls, I spotted a bulky guard approaching casually, tall and perhaps in his late thirties with close cropped black hair and a pair of sunglasses shielding his eyes. He was an ugly brute. I crossed my fingers and hoped he wouldn't stop and ask me for a pass because Vicious hadn't given me one and I didn't feel like getting in trouble and having to have either the master himself or Desma bail me out. Stuck for another ten hours in a holding room was not a productive way to spend time.
The guard seemed interested as we drew closer to one another, his head tilting slowly to the side and his expression flickering with something akin to amusement. I tried to walk by without ever making eye contact, but he swerved off course and my shoulder jostled his. When I kept on moving, he turned and called, "What? No apology?"
I glanced over my shoulder and mumbled, "Sorry," but he wasn't satisfied. His big, beefy hand grasped my wrist and squeezed, hard enough to make me feel as if I would be crushed in the intense grip.
"That didn't sound sincere," he growled, and yanked me closer, so close that I slammed heavily into his chest. "Why don't you say it like you mean it?"
"Let me GO!" I cried, working myself up into a righteous rage as fear and anger built itself up in me. I wasn't any match for this guy. If he tried something, I'd be -
Well, it was better to just concentrate on getting myself out of this hole I'd fallen into.
"What's wrong?" he laughed, swinging me around and looping an arm about my waist. He spoke as lightly as if he were an old friend teasing. "You don't like me? Don't like this?" And he sloppily kissed me, smashing his face against mine and muffling my screams. Thoughtlessly, I brought up my leg and kneed him in the stomach with as much force as I could muster. He fell back, screaming, and I took the opportunity to scramble away, feet slipping on the floor as I clawed desperately at the wall to keep my balance.
"Get back here!" he commanded, crashing after me as I hastily and thoughtlessly ran down as fast as I could in the opposite direction, breathing rapidly.
"GET AWAY!" I screamed over my shoulder, only to be jerked back as a hand clapped over my shoulder and spun me around. Lashing out, I struck a quick blow to his cheek with a clenched fist. Apparently, this angered him more and replied in like, except his hit knocked me off my feet. I collided with the ground, was scooped back up, and hurled into a dark, empty room - a little cramped, probably a larger closet.
"I'm gonna teach you a little lesson, wench," he muttered, cracking his knuckles sharply as he approached.
My eyes widened and I felt almost faint with fear. Quickly, I scurried away, trying to keep distance between us. It was useless, for he only pounced on me, picked me up, and threw me down again. I landed much too awkwardly on my left side, hurting both my hip and wrist until it felt as if both had shattered. But that wasn't the worst of it.
The man got on his hands and knees and crawled forward like a lion on the prowl, discarding his sunglasses to reveal cruel, brown eyes. Cornered, I was in no position to protect myself as I huddled on the floor, crossing my arms over my chest and waiting for him to come.
And all I could think was, 'If only Vicious was here...'
~~~~~
Alright, thanks for all the reviews! My wrist is feeling a lot better -thanks for being understanding!
ClassicElfRyoko: Aww, thanks for the encouragement on the subject of the flame! A drama day dream, huh? I have those all the time! Most of those occur during Algebra II... lol
Kaelin77: I always thought it was waste to have Shin in so few episodes, because he was very cute and very influential - I mean, he caught my attention for just one of the very minor characters... Haha
Black*Lightning: Sorry about the cliffhangers, but I love them!
Zithromax: Haha, if you thought the last cliffhanger was bad, I can't imagine what you thought of this one. I swear, I've only left about...one flame in my life, I think, and I actually gave constructive criticism AND I was signed in with the review so they knew who I was. As a result, she e- mailed me and was very kind and inspired me to even see some things her way - which lead to my writing 'You See Past My Scars', a Weiss Kruez fic of mine. ^_^
ShinyFairyLights: Horses really don't scare me - I doubt they ever could - but I can see why people would fear them I honestly should be afraid, but I seem to fair smaller animals more than the large ones. Oh, and it's nice to know I'm not going downhill here. lol
CyberMaiden: Sorry, this took a little long to update. I will be protecting Shin for as far as I can see, but things might change...lol
AJ14: Vicious and Faye are an adorable couple! I don't know why it hasn't caught on any more. I mean, when you think about it, Spike and Julia belong together, and since Vicious is recovering from Julia and Faye (most likely) is getting over Spike, that leaves them together, right? That's how I see it! Haha ^_^
Jdchs: Yay! This was a really long review! Long reviews make me REALLY happy! lol Well, I'm glad you're still reading this (the other story is under another girl's name, not mine - just thought I'd tell ya' lol) and I'm really flattered you take time to check this story all the time! Plus, being called one of the few who depicts Vicious in the right was is an awesome compliment! And yes, I know all about weird-psycho habits *secretive glance to the left and right* Hehe - I hope this was a good twist too and that you liked this chapter as well. Please review again!
Psycho-CJ: Thanks for your review! I hope I didn't make you wait too long!
AnimeAngel707: Be sure to tell me what you think of this chapter too ~_^
Volk Zyta: Oh, well, you're not just imagining things, as I'm sure you've figured out. My wrist does feel better too - thanks!
Nali: Oh, I was a little upset about the flame at first, but I'm over it now - the only reason it made me mad was because I couldn't figure it out. lol Thanks a bunch for reviewing!
Midnight Scribbler: THAAAAAAAANKS! *hugs* One of the best you read? How nice!
Bebop-angel1: Hehe - Thanks for the review! How's the picture coming along?
Pink-Pooglie: Wow, I guess it IS getting better like I hoped it would! Hopefully this chapter lives up to the last one as well. Oh, and I ride Western, though from the time I was eight to ten it was English, but when I switched teachers, I switched styles, and Western is just more relaxed so I like it better! The only thing is you can't jump with that pesky horn in the way. lol
Hikari88: Thanks a lot for the review and everything else!
Bloody Love: Got this chapter out as soon as I could manage!
Lady Eethreal: Wow, I feel special. Haha.
Alright, everyone make sure to review this chapter too!
~~~~~
"Just a warning," the secretary said quietly as we walked down the hall side by side, "Vicious is not calling you to his bedroom for any of the reasons you may be entertaining in that empty head of yours, so do not try to lay hands on him. He merely wants to speak to you and explain your future, however short it may be." She paused, glancing with big, doe brown eyes in my direction. I had not noticed their roundness nor color before because they hid behind thick glasses. They were quite pretty, actually, although her personality was not, and the next words she spoke were downright ugly. "Vicious is mine, do you understand?"
We rounded a cold, dark corner and continued walking as I shot back, "I don't think Vicious belongs to anyone. Any girl stupid enough to declare that must've never heard about Julia."
From her perplexed look, I realized with delight she never had. One quick smirk in her direction was all it took to make her petite nose wrinkle in disgust. "Who is Julia?" she demanded reluctantly.
"Vicious' old girlfriend. Ask about her sometime - ask about how she died."
"If you're trying to scare me away from Vicious, then it won't -"
"Why am I threat to you anyway, girlie? Huh? You're relationship with him in trouble? Do you even HAVE a relationship with Vicious?"
"Why you -"
And before the cat fight of the century erupted, a large hand descended on each of our shoulders and a familiar voice, rich and taunting, interrupted with, "Claire, keep your childish feelings out of this, please. Vicious would be angry if he found you two wrestling outside his door."
I turned and glared up at Desma a.k.a. the bulldozer doctor and felt an extreme irritation fly up in me at the entertained little smile he bestowed upon us. "I don't care about Vicious anymore," I muttered, and turned away. "I just want out of here." With Shin, I silently added. And then, aloud, "How is Shin, Desma?"
"Oh, he's...fair. Healing quickly." Desma frowned. "Amazingly, they only broke the fingers of his left hand. I think one of the more heavyset guards stepped on him. Do you want me to take you to Vicious' room since Claire is letting her emotions interfere?"
"Yes. I'd appreciate that," I growled, watching Claire huffily make her exit. Once she was gone, I turned to the man and demanded, "Is she telling the truth about her and Vicious?"
"In a way. He does seem to be partial towards her, and they often kiss in public, when he is in a better mood, though nothing is official as far as I can see." Desma stopped at an elevator and pressed the button, the doors sliding open almost immediately. As we stepped inside, he punched in the top floor number and remarked, "Claire is worried about you. Vicious has never called anyone to his room like this. He's been ignoring her all day, saying he's had other things on his mind. Oh well - serves Claire right, spoiled brat that she is."
"So, you don't like her?"
"Oh no! I love her." Desma grinned almost charmingly as the doors opened and we stepped out into the dimly lit hall again. "She's my sister, after all."
~~~~~
Less than a minute later, Desma had deposited me at Vicious' room and promptly left. I shakily walked in, looked around the sparsely decorated room and at the gigantic bed and at the ghost-like man sitting at the desk in his sweat pants and gray T-shirt. Vicious was writing in a book of some sort, and he did not stop on my accord. In fact, he took his time finishing, and then, setting the pen down, quietly rose and turned around.
I stiffened, a little afraid of his unpredictable nature, and watched as he strode slowly forward, face pale and gaunt and dark circles beneath the eyes - so bare, like naked, polished stone.
"Miss Valentine," he said quietly, gruffly, "I do not know what to do with you." And he touched my cheek with one cold hand, not really because he wanted to, it seemed, but more because he knew I didn't want him to. He stood there, palm pressed to my face, and seemed to consider his options. "Perhaps, I should keep you until your worth is apparent. Since I want to monitor you more carefully, for I know how deceitful and tricky you can be..."
Ouch. Ok, so I lied to you, Vicious. So I told you we were married while plotting kill you. No reason to call me those things, really.
"You will now be rooming in the adjoining apartment," he continued, pointing to the door which I had assumed led to a closet. "You will rise every morning when I call you, and you will accompany me when I command it. Other than that, you will remain there. Cameras monitor everything, understand?"
"Hn, yeah," I grimaced, and then, in faltering steps, followed him to the door and walked through when he motioned for me to do so. What an uneventful visit! It didn't even last five minutes, and the room he put me in, the room was...
Gorgeous.
I could scarcely believe it. With an Asian motif, red and gold wallpaper, an intricately patterned bedspread, and bamboo furniture, it surpassed any room I'd ever had by far. In fact, it looked like one of those fancy hotel suites. Just what was Vicious up to anyway?
"It is pleasing to you, isn't it?" Vicious asked, drawing up beside me with disgust in his voice. He turned and looked down at me with superiority gleaming in his eyes, and then, taking my face in his hands, he leaned down and kissed me. It wasn't too impressive - his lips barely skimmed mine and felt icy cold.
"Do you still love me?" he demanded in a whisper, remaining almost nose to nose with me, eyelids drooping low to shade gray orbs.
I took a moment to think, and them, in a faint murmur, "No..."
We remained standing so close together I couldn't tell where I began and he ended for several minutes. He seemed to be searching me with nothing but his eyes and his fingertips, which brushed lightly over my cheek. Finally, he touched his forehead to mine, smiled, and said, "You are wiser than I thought then."
~~~~~
Vicious has nightmares.
That night, I woke up to his terrified shrieks passing, muffled, through the door separating our rooms. My heart was near pounding out of my chest by the time I realized what it was, for the screams were almost unnatural, not like a human's and most certainly not like a man's. They were horrifying, really, desperate and full of terror. What could he be dreaming about? What could be so drastic to make him cry out as if he was being pulled apart limb by limb?
I tried to ignore it, but when a sound like that is coming from just beside you, all ambition to sleep is lost. Finally, after a few minutes, I slipped out of bed and crept over to the door, opening it just a crack and peering through. As I was contemplating whether to storm in and comfort him though, the door across the room opened and Claire dashed in, clad in her pajamas.
"Vicious! Vicious!" she hurriedly whispered, clambering up on the bed and kneeling beside him on the mattress. Firmly, she placed her palms on his cheeks, which were wet with tears, and held his face in place. "Shh, shh! It's a nightmare, Vicious! Wake up!"
Vicious turned restlessly a few more times and then sat stiffly up, doubling over and allowing her to drape an arm across his back.
My eyes widened in jealousy and then I turned away, shutting the door as quietly as possible.
Maybe they did have a relationship.
~~~~~
I could hear Vicious moving around and talking to someone the next morning, but he hadn't called me yet, so I stood with my ear pressed to the door and eavesdropped. At first I had no idea who his visitor was, but the more I listened, the more clear the voices became. Before I could really pick up on anything though, Vicious called my name and beckoned me to join them.
"Good morning, Miss Valentine," Vicious said curtly when I walked in. He had already dressed in a slightly more elaborate version of the syndicate's uniform, but Claire was wearing a thin, silk kimono style robe over her knee-length night gown. Instead of having her dusky brown hair up in a tight bun, like the first time I'd seen her, she had let it cascade down over her back, long and wavy, and her glasses were gone. She was actually more pretty than I'd like to admit.
"Claire told me Desma took you to see Shin," he continued after a significant pause. He was standing by the doorway whereas Claire was seated comfortably on his bed, smirking at me. "Does this mean you two are well acquainted?"
I said nothing.
Vicious tilted his head to the side and give the barest hint of a smile. "Of course. You must be. After all, you two were in the same bed when we found you."
I balked at that statement. "Hey! He was hurt, and I had passed out before..." I trailed off at the warning glare he bestowed upon me.
Claire stood up and walked to Vicious' side, gently taking his arm in hers and leaning close against him, obviously putting on a show. "Perhaps you should be kept separate from your boyfriend. We might break him more easily then."
At this though, Vicious seemed to disagree. "Claire, we talked about this," he said dully, eyes straying to his left shoulder as he flicked a piece of lint away.
"But -"
"She will go with me to see Shin. You may not." And then, as if the issue had been suddenly decided, he shook her off and moved out into the hall, calling for me to follow.
Moving stiffly in the dirty clothes I had been wearing for three days running now, I trotted along after him, not knowing whether I was eager to see an actual friend or scared to be accompanied by Vicious. Plus, after the display with Claire last night, I was feeling almost betrayed. He wasn't incapable of loving - just incapable of loving me.
"I advise you to encourage him to cooperate," Vicious murmured at Shin's door, not even waiting another second afterwards to stride inside.
Shin was sitting on the bed and facing the door, as if expecting our arrival. His face hardened considerably when his eyes met Vicious', but he said nothing, not even when I greeted him.
"Still being stubborn then, Shin?" murmured Vicious, slate gray eyes narrowed to slits. "I see."
Shin looked defiantly away and then clenched his jaw, the muscles ticking as he began to work it furiously.
"Should I sign your execution papers then?" he asked simply, coldly.
Shin's eyes widened a little, but he still did not look at Vicious.
"Vicious," I interrupted timidly, "can I have a moment alone to talk to Shin? Please?"
Vicious left.
Numbly, I sat down on the bed beside Shin and lay a hand over his, the one with the fingers that had not been broken. "It might be best to go along with him for now," I whispered, and only out of fear. Shin was still rather black and blue, raw throughout his left side and bandaged heavily over his chest. I didn't have much hope for him lasting out too long under Vicious' wrath, and if he died, I was truly alone. "Come on. Go along with him and maybe we can escape."
Shin turned his face slowly towards mine and our eyes locked. His lower lip, split open and slowly healing, stretched painfully as he smiled. "That'd be nice - to escape together, I mean," he commented quietly, and then, lowering his head, let his black hair flop carelessly into his eyes. "But...didn't you say something about caring for Vicious?"
"It was a mistake. He's not who I thought he was."
"I'm glad."
"What?"
Shin's hands groped clumsily across the bed and he turned his upper body towards mine, leaning in awkwardly and pressing his warm lips against my mouth. They were bruised and the barely healed cut at the corner felt rough, but he still faintly tasted of salt and black coffee and...something like a candied apple.
Sweet Shin.
When we pulled away, I glanced furtively towards the door and saw Vicious standing there, looking as if he had just appeared for he was still in motion and just rounding the corner. His widened eyes told me he had seen, but had he heard anything spoken beforehand?
Shin sensed his presence as well, but not as quickly, for he stiffened a few moments later.
"Have you then reached a final decision?" demanded the other man, colorless hair dully framing his pale face. He looked a little ticked at us, but it was probably just because Shin was actually partaking in something that didn't make him completely miserable.
"Yes," Shin replied slowly, grudgingly. He looked over in my direction, as if to collect reassurance, and then smiled dimly. "I'll accept your offer. I'll stay here to train new recruits."
And Vicious gave that ghastly half smile of his that struck more terror into your heart than his scowl, because it didn't mean that he was satisfied, but rather that he was going to break you, and he was going to enjoy doing it.
~~~~~
Only later did the full impact of what had happened hit me.
Shin had kissed me.
Did that mean he liked me? And furthermore, did I like him? Well, the kiss had been nice, very pleasant and sweet... It was different then when I had kissed Vicious - a little more wistful and desperate. But it also made me think: Did my fear that Vicious had seen meant that I still wasn't over him?
With a dramatic sigh, I flopped back on the bed and tried not to think too much. Unfortunately, I didn't get any rest, because Vicious chose that moment to knock on my door and make his demands.
"I have work to do," he said shortly. "I need you to go down to the kitchen and get me lunch. Nothing too heavy, and definitely not moist. And NOTHING spicy."
"So light, dry, and bland?"
He quirked an eyebrow, his way of letting me know his patience was wearing thin.
Rather than risk having his wrath turned against me, I started off down the hall to the kitchen. The syndicate had good food, actually - something I wouldn't have expected - as I had found out earlier on a tour of the place. Desma had been the one to take me, and immediately after we had left Shin's room.
As I turned into one of the more narrow halls, I spotted a bulky guard approaching casually, tall and perhaps in his late thirties with close cropped black hair and a pair of sunglasses shielding his eyes. He was an ugly brute. I crossed my fingers and hoped he wouldn't stop and ask me for a pass because Vicious hadn't given me one and I didn't feel like getting in trouble and having to have either the master himself or Desma bail me out. Stuck for another ten hours in a holding room was not a productive way to spend time.
The guard seemed interested as we drew closer to one another, his head tilting slowly to the side and his expression flickering with something akin to amusement. I tried to walk by without ever making eye contact, but he swerved off course and my shoulder jostled his. When I kept on moving, he turned and called, "What? No apology?"
I glanced over my shoulder and mumbled, "Sorry," but he wasn't satisfied. His big, beefy hand grasped my wrist and squeezed, hard enough to make me feel as if I would be crushed in the intense grip.
"That didn't sound sincere," he growled, and yanked me closer, so close that I slammed heavily into his chest. "Why don't you say it like you mean it?"
"Let me GO!" I cried, working myself up into a righteous rage as fear and anger built itself up in me. I wasn't any match for this guy. If he tried something, I'd be -
Well, it was better to just concentrate on getting myself out of this hole I'd fallen into.
"What's wrong?" he laughed, swinging me around and looping an arm about my waist. He spoke as lightly as if he were an old friend teasing. "You don't like me? Don't like this?" And he sloppily kissed me, smashing his face against mine and muffling my screams. Thoughtlessly, I brought up my leg and kneed him in the stomach with as much force as I could muster. He fell back, screaming, and I took the opportunity to scramble away, feet slipping on the floor as I clawed desperately at the wall to keep my balance.
"Get back here!" he commanded, crashing after me as I hastily and thoughtlessly ran down as fast as I could in the opposite direction, breathing rapidly.
"GET AWAY!" I screamed over my shoulder, only to be jerked back as a hand clapped over my shoulder and spun me around. Lashing out, I struck a quick blow to his cheek with a clenched fist. Apparently, this angered him more and replied in like, except his hit knocked me off my feet. I collided with the ground, was scooped back up, and hurled into a dark, empty room - a little cramped, probably a larger closet.
"I'm gonna teach you a little lesson, wench," he muttered, cracking his knuckles sharply as he approached.
My eyes widened and I felt almost faint with fear. Quickly, I scurried away, trying to keep distance between us. It was useless, for he only pounced on me, picked me up, and threw me down again. I landed much too awkwardly on my left side, hurting both my hip and wrist until it felt as if both had shattered. But that wasn't the worst of it.
The man got on his hands and knees and crawled forward like a lion on the prowl, discarding his sunglasses to reveal cruel, brown eyes. Cornered, I was in no position to protect myself as I huddled on the floor, crossing my arms over my chest and waiting for him to come.
And all I could think was, 'If only Vicious was here...'
~~~~~
Alright, thanks for all the reviews! My wrist is feeling a lot better -thanks for being understanding!
ClassicElfRyoko: Aww, thanks for the encouragement on the subject of the flame! A drama day dream, huh? I have those all the time! Most of those occur during Algebra II... lol
Kaelin77: I always thought it was waste to have Shin in so few episodes, because he was very cute and very influential - I mean, he caught my attention for just one of the very minor characters... Haha
Black*Lightning: Sorry about the cliffhangers, but I love them!
Zithromax: Haha, if you thought the last cliffhanger was bad, I can't imagine what you thought of this one. I swear, I've only left about...one flame in my life, I think, and I actually gave constructive criticism AND I was signed in with the review so they knew who I was. As a result, she e- mailed me and was very kind and inspired me to even see some things her way - which lead to my writing 'You See Past My Scars', a Weiss Kruez fic of mine. ^_^
ShinyFairyLights: Horses really don't scare me - I doubt they ever could - but I can see why people would fear them I honestly should be afraid, but I seem to fair smaller animals more than the large ones. Oh, and it's nice to know I'm not going downhill here. lol
CyberMaiden: Sorry, this took a little long to update. I will be protecting Shin for as far as I can see, but things might change...lol
AJ14: Vicious and Faye are an adorable couple! I don't know why it hasn't caught on any more. I mean, when you think about it, Spike and Julia belong together, and since Vicious is recovering from Julia and Faye (most likely) is getting over Spike, that leaves them together, right? That's how I see it! Haha ^_^
Jdchs: Yay! This was a really long review! Long reviews make me REALLY happy! lol Well, I'm glad you're still reading this (the other story is under another girl's name, not mine - just thought I'd tell ya' lol) and I'm really flattered you take time to check this story all the time! Plus, being called one of the few who depicts Vicious in the right was is an awesome compliment! And yes, I know all about weird-psycho habits *secretive glance to the left and right* Hehe - I hope this was a good twist too and that you liked this chapter as well. Please review again!
Psycho-CJ: Thanks for your review! I hope I didn't make you wait too long!
AnimeAngel707: Be sure to tell me what you think of this chapter too ~_^
Volk Zyta: Oh, well, you're not just imagining things, as I'm sure you've figured out. My wrist does feel better too - thanks!
Nali: Oh, I was a little upset about the flame at first, but I'm over it now - the only reason it made me mad was because I couldn't figure it out. lol Thanks a bunch for reviewing!
Midnight Scribbler: THAAAAAAAANKS! *hugs* One of the best you read? How nice!
Bebop-angel1: Hehe - Thanks for the review! How's the picture coming along?
Pink-Pooglie: Wow, I guess it IS getting better like I hoped it would! Hopefully this chapter lives up to the last one as well. Oh, and I ride Western, though from the time I was eight to ten it was English, but when I switched teachers, I switched styles, and Western is just more relaxed so I like it better! The only thing is you can't jump with that pesky horn in the way. lol
Hikari88: Thanks a lot for the review and everything else!
Bloody Love: Got this chapter out as soon as I could manage!
Lady Eethreal: Wow, I feel special. Haha.
Alright, everyone make sure to review this chapter too!