A Family Affair
Disclaimer: I don't own the Witchblade characters. I'm just borrowing them. Enjoy.
Chapter 56
After dropping their second bombshell of the afternoon, Sara and Ian retreated to the laundry room in the basement, leaving the Siri family to come to terms with the startling revelation in privacy.
"Well, that went well, don't you think?" Sara said brightly. Absently, she began to empty the washing machine, piling the wet laundry on top of the adjacent dryer.
"As well as can be expected," Ian replied, opening the dryer and taking out the still-warm clothing, which he placed in a laundry basket. "It is a lot for them to take in. I noticed that the children seemed less overwhelmed by the news than their parents."
"That doesn't surprise me. Both Joey and Gina Marie have good heads on their shoulders. Besides, Joey already looked up to both of us like we were some kind of superheroes, so finding out that we really are didn't come as a complete shock to him. I'll admit I was a little worried that Gina Marie might be too young to handle the truth, but she's wise beyond her years. I think our secret's safe with her."
"I tend to agree. She swore an oath, and she takes that very seriously."
Sara studied her Protector's pensive features. "I'm sure you noticed that Robbie wasn't exactly thrilled to learn about your past," she said quietly.
"As the son of a police officer, I did not expect him to be. I very much doubt his father is going to take the news well either," Ian murmured.
"Tell me about it. But the person I'm most worried about is Danny. You'll probably have to prove to him that you're not bad to the bone before he'll warm up to you, even after I tell him about the Witchblade and your role as my Protector," Sara said, grimacing. She was definitely not looking forward to that conversation.
Ian met her eyes, and she clearly saw the regret in his. "I apologize for putting you in this position, my Lady."
"As far as I'm concerned, you have nothing to apologize for, Ian," Sara said firmly, tossing the wet laundry into the dryer and starting it. "It's not your fault you were raised by a monster who trained you to be an assassin. If anyone's to blame, it's dear old dad. He's got a hell of a lot to answer for. That reminds me, you said you had an idea about how we can take the fight to him. Care to share it with me?"
"It is really rather simple: Instead of passively waiting to be attacked by the men he has undoubtedly sent to persuade me to return to the estate, I think we should go there and confront my father," Ian said, putting a load of sheets into the washing machine after perusing the care label.
"That would certainly be the last thing he'd expect us to do," Sara said. "But your plan will only work if we have the element of surprise in our favor. Otherwise, we'll be sure to find a welcoming committee waiting for us," she pointed out.
Ian flashed her a wolfish grin. "One of the advantages of being head of security for my father is that I am intimately acquainted with the estate's security system, having designed and installed it myself. I know of a way we can get into the mansion undetected," he told her, pouring a capful of detergent into the washing machine and starting the wash cycle.
"Then I say we pay Kenny a visit tomorrow morning," Sara grinned, tickled by the sight of the big bad former assassin doing laundry.
"There is just one thing we must take precautions against once we gain entry to the mansion," Ian said.
"Oh, yeah? What's that?"
He hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with what he was about to say. "As I told you before, my fellow Black Dragons and I were subjected to experimental drugs meant to enhance our intelligence, strength, and obedience. However, my father decided to take no chances on the drugs being enough to ensure our loyalty to him. He ordered the doctors to devise a fail-safe, something that would serve to incapacitate us should the drugs fail to adequately control us," he told her.
"What kind of fail-safe?" Sara inquired with some trepidation.
"I am susceptible to seizures when exposed to certain stimuli, such as strobe lights. My father equipped several of the mansion's rooms with such lights. Just in case," Ian replied, bitterness coating his words.
"That bastard!" Sara said with feeling. "How did you find out about this fail-safe?"
"It was put to the test on all of the Dragons. Repeatedly. While extremely unpleasant, the seizures do not cause any permanent damage; however, they were highly effective in rendering us unconscious for several minutes."
"And how did you find out that your father had rigged the estate with the lights?"
"A few years ago, I was installing a panic button feature in my father's study when I discovered some wires that should not have been there. I traced them to a control panel hidden in the arm of his favorite chair, and from there, back to some cleverly disguised strobe lights in the ceiling," Ian murmured. "Upon further investigation, I discovered a similar setup in several other rooms in the mansion, as well as in his office at Vorschlag Industries."
"Did you confront him with what you found?"
"No," he said softly. "I realized immediately that he had to have known that I would discover the wires when I informed him that I was installing the panic button. He wanted me to know about it."
"Just another way of mindfucking you, hunh? Oooo, I'm so gonna enjoy kicking his ass!" Sara growled. "But first things first; how do we prevent this fail-safe device from knocking you out?"
"That is where you come in, my love. You will have to be my eyes and ears during the confrontation."
She gave him a puzzled look. "Okay, the eyes part I get, but why would I also need to be your ears?"
Again, Ian hesitated. "In addition to the strobe lights, I also discovered the existence of an audio system that emits high-frequency sound waves. As you have noticed, my hearing is enhanced. Even at low decibels, high-frequency sounds are excruciatingly painful to me. My father will not hesitate to assault me with both lights and sound in an effort to subdue me. Earplugs will alleviate the problem, but I will essentially be deaf as well as blind until one of us can disable the fail-safe system," he told her.
"So, you're saying we'll have to communicate telepathically once we get inside the mansion."
"Yes. However, if at all possible, I would like to keep this ability a secret from my father for as long as possible. I will need you to tell me what he is saying and doing before he activates the fail-safe so that I can act as though I can see and hear him."
"He's bound to notice the blindfold you'll be wearing, Ian," Sara pointed out.
Ian shook his head. "I will be wearing my sunglasses. The lenses are specially designed to filter out the spectrum of light that can cause me to have seizures. As an added precaution, however, I will tape my eyelids shut. The sunglasses can be easily dislodged in a battle, if it comes to that."
"Let's hope it doesn't." Sara studied her Protector curiously. "Can I ask you something, Ian?"
"You can ask me anything, my love," he replied, hiding the uneasiness he felt at her query.
"You said you and the other Black Dragons were subjected to experimental drug therapies while in the Special Forces. Is that what caused your hearing and vision to become heightened? I'd think that once you stopped taking the drugs, your, um, powers would gradually disappear, but that doesn't seem to have happened. Come to think of it, you also move faster than any human being I've ever seen, and your recuperative powers are phenomenal. Why is that?"
Ian took a ragged breath. He had known this moment was coming, but now that it was at hand, he had to struggle not to give in to the panic that filled him at the thought of divulging his secret to her. Ian was terribly afraid that Sara would look at him with disgust once she knew the truth, and he wasn't sure if he could handle that.
Sara waited patiently for Ian's answer, aware of the tension that had filled him at her question.
"Wait!" she said as he opened his mouth to speak. "I just want to let you know that nothing you say will change the fact that I love you, Ian Nottingham. Nothing."
Some of the tension dissipated from his body at her words, and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. "It does my heart good to hear that, my love," he said quietly, "because, try as I might, I cannot quite convince myself that you will not once again look at me like I am some kind of freak once I tell you the truth about myself."
"Especially since it was not all that long ago that I hurt you by using the same exact term, hunh?" she murmured perceptively. Sara closed the distance between them and put her arms around him. Chin on his chest, she gazed up into his fearful eyes. "I know you said there was nothing to apologize for when I told you how sorry I was about that, but that's not true. You wouldn't be so nervous now if it were. So, please believe me when I tell you that I deeply regret calling you a freak, Ian. I'm no longer that person, and you're no longer my psycho stalker. You're my Protector and the man I love, and absolutely nothing you reveal about yourself can change that. I promise."
Hot tears rolled down his cheeks to splash on her upturned face. "I want to believe you, Sara, but I am afraid," he whispered. "I think it would destroy me if I saw loathing in your eyes once again when you looked upon me."
"You won't, I promise," Sara strove to reassure him. "You're stuck with me. At least until Witchy here decides to up and leave me, that is," she said wryly, holding up her right wrist. "So, spill."
"Even were the Witchblade to abandon you tomorrow, I would still be yours, Sara. I belong to you, and will until the end of my days."
"I'll bet you say that to all the Wielders," she grinned, hugging him tightly.
Ian took a deep, cleansing breath, mustering up his courage. "Starting when I was very young, my father allowed me to be used as a lab rat for top-secret experimental procedures that dealt with genetic reengineering. A team of geneticists performed the operations under Dr. Immo's supervision. My DNA was altered at the genetic level, making me far stronger and faster than normal human beings. All five of my senses were also enhanced. And, as you noted, my recuperative powers are extraordinary," he said in a rush, and then waited anxiously for her reaction.
Sara digested this information for a minute. "Is that all?" she finally said. "I thought you were gonna tell me something really crazy, like, like that you're really an extraterrestrial or, even worse, a Britney Spears fan!"
"Who is Britney Spears?"
"The incarnation of pure evil," Sara responded, but then shook her head. "Just kidding. For some ungodly reason, she's an immensely popular pop star. Seriously, Ian, I'm glad you decided to come clean about your superpowers, and I'm okay with it," she told him, patting him reassuringly on the chest.
"Are you sure?"
"Do I seem freaked out?"
"No."
"However, I'll admit it's a little scary knowing that kind of thing is possible." She frowned as a frightening thought struck her. "Was this genetic reengineering done to just you, or are all of the surviving Black Dragons supersoldiers, too?"
"As far as I know, I am unique. My father told me that none of the other test subjects survived the procedures. Frankly, Dr. Immo does not know why I alone survived. As it was, I nearly died once or twice," he murmured, obviously unhappy memories shadowing his expressive eyes.
Wetting her thumb, Sara gently wiped away the tracks of his tears. "Were the operations very painful?" she asked him softly.
"Yes."
"My poor, poor baby." 'Kenny gets a kick in the nuts for that. Make that two kicks, one with each foot,' she thought to herself, controlling her fury at the billionaire's monstrous cruelty with an effort.
"I am actually grateful for what was done to me," Ian surprised her by saying, "because now I can be a better Protector to you. For that alone, the suffering was worth it."
"I'm afraid I don't agree with you," Sara said huskily. "I hate the thought of what you went through, and at your so-called father's behest no less. You were his son, for Christ's sake! What kind of father subjects their son to experimental genetic manipulation? And as if that wasn't bad enough, he signed you up for the Black Dragon project knowing you'd be subjected to experimental drug therapies! No, Ian, the price you paid was way too high for my peace of mind."
"If it means I can keep you and our children safe, I say it was worth it," Ian reiterated.
Sara placed a hand on her belly. "I wonder what effect, if any, these genetic enhancements will have on our babies? Will they inherit your superpowers? Are we gonna end up raising Superboys?"
Now Ian frowned. "I must admit I had not thought of that. Perhaps Dr. Immo will be able to answer that question."
"Assuming he survived the missile attack that took down that helicopter. Is there anyone else who might know the answer?"
"Perhaps one of the geneticists who collaborated on the project," he responded. "I will endeavor to contact one of them in the event that Dr. Immo is no longer be available."
"If he is alive, could I please beat him up, too?" Sara asked, only half-joking. "The way I see it, he deserves to pay for his part in this."
*You're a vengeance-minded little thing, aren't you?* Ian sent, amusement tingeing his "voice."
*Who you callin' little?* Sara scowled, jabbing him in the stomach with her fist.
"Ow!" Ian said aloud, rubbing the spot.
Sara pretended she was going to punch him again, and smirked as he flinched. *Wimp!*
*Seriously, Sara, you're stronger than you realize. I may be bleeding internally,* he said, wincing and hunching over.
"Oh my God, Ian, I'm so sorry! I didn't think I hit you that hard!" Sara said aloud, alarmed.
*Gotcha!* he grinned, wagging a finger in her face.
"Oh, you faker!" Sara went to smack him upside the head but he nonchalantly blocked the blow. Her eyes widened. "I'm gonna give you such a pinch!"
"Try it," he taunted. "I dare you."
"Okay, the gloves are off. Just remember, you asked for it," Sara said, her hand darting out, but he casually deflected it. In fact, try as she might, she could not lay a finger on him.
It amazed and infuriated her that no matter what she tried, he always managed to counter her attack. As she became more and more frustrated, she went from attempting to pinch him to seriously trying to slap, punch, and kick him, all with an equal lack of success.
"Okay, I give up!" she panted after several minutes of this.
"Are you sure?" he asked, the picture of composure. "I know how much you hate to lose."
"Oh, was that a contest?"
"Of course. It was the 'watch Sara try and hit Ian again' contest. And you lost."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, this isn't over, Nottingham. Not by a long shot. I'm a very patient woman. You will get pinched. But only when you least expect it," she promised.
"We shall see," he grinned.
Sara could not help but grin back at him. Keeping her arms at her sides, she stood on her tiptoes and offered him her lips. "Kiss me, you fool," she whispered.
Ian gladly obliged, and then yelped as he felt a sharp pinch on his ass.
"You never even saw that coming, did you?" Sara laughed up at him.
"You do not play fair, my Lady," he pouted.
"All's fair in love and war, cowboy!" she said, rubbing the abused cheek gently.
"I would much rather make love than war," he breathed, bending his head. They kissed again.
"What say you we repair to the garage apartment?" Ian suggested long, scorching minutes later.
"Yeah, I guess it wouldn't be a good idea for you to fuck me on the washing machine," Sara murmured, heart racing with desire.
*On the contrary, it's an excellent idea,* he sent with a grin. *Just not while your family is upstairs getting used to the idea that we're superheroes instead of simply a homicide detective and her boyfriend who also happens to be a former assassin and the son of a megalomaniacal billionaire.*
*Life: stranger than fiction,* Sara said with an answering grin. *Let's go, my love.*
More to come. Thanks, everybody, for your wonderfully encouraging feedback! Keep it coming!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Witchblade characters. I'm just borrowing them. Enjoy.
Chapter 56
After dropping their second bombshell of the afternoon, Sara and Ian retreated to the laundry room in the basement, leaving the Siri family to come to terms with the startling revelation in privacy.
"Well, that went well, don't you think?" Sara said brightly. Absently, she began to empty the washing machine, piling the wet laundry on top of the adjacent dryer.
"As well as can be expected," Ian replied, opening the dryer and taking out the still-warm clothing, which he placed in a laundry basket. "It is a lot for them to take in. I noticed that the children seemed less overwhelmed by the news than their parents."
"That doesn't surprise me. Both Joey and Gina Marie have good heads on their shoulders. Besides, Joey already looked up to both of us like we were some kind of superheroes, so finding out that we really are didn't come as a complete shock to him. I'll admit I was a little worried that Gina Marie might be too young to handle the truth, but she's wise beyond her years. I think our secret's safe with her."
"I tend to agree. She swore an oath, and she takes that very seriously."
Sara studied her Protector's pensive features. "I'm sure you noticed that Robbie wasn't exactly thrilled to learn about your past," she said quietly.
"As the son of a police officer, I did not expect him to be. I very much doubt his father is going to take the news well either," Ian murmured.
"Tell me about it. But the person I'm most worried about is Danny. You'll probably have to prove to him that you're not bad to the bone before he'll warm up to you, even after I tell him about the Witchblade and your role as my Protector," Sara said, grimacing. She was definitely not looking forward to that conversation.
Ian met her eyes, and she clearly saw the regret in his. "I apologize for putting you in this position, my Lady."
"As far as I'm concerned, you have nothing to apologize for, Ian," Sara said firmly, tossing the wet laundry into the dryer and starting it. "It's not your fault you were raised by a monster who trained you to be an assassin. If anyone's to blame, it's dear old dad. He's got a hell of a lot to answer for. That reminds me, you said you had an idea about how we can take the fight to him. Care to share it with me?"
"It is really rather simple: Instead of passively waiting to be attacked by the men he has undoubtedly sent to persuade me to return to the estate, I think we should go there and confront my father," Ian said, putting a load of sheets into the washing machine after perusing the care label.
"That would certainly be the last thing he'd expect us to do," Sara said. "But your plan will only work if we have the element of surprise in our favor. Otherwise, we'll be sure to find a welcoming committee waiting for us," she pointed out.
Ian flashed her a wolfish grin. "One of the advantages of being head of security for my father is that I am intimately acquainted with the estate's security system, having designed and installed it myself. I know of a way we can get into the mansion undetected," he told her, pouring a capful of detergent into the washing machine and starting the wash cycle.
"Then I say we pay Kenny a visit tomorrow morning," Sara grinned, tickled by the sight of the big bad former assassin doing laundry.
"There is just one thing we must take precautions against once we gain entry to the mansion," Ian said.
"Oh, yeah? What's that?"
He hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with what he was about to say. "As I told you before, my fellow Black Dragons and I were subjected to experimental drugs meant to enhance our intelligence, strength, and obedience. However, my father decided to take no chances on the drugs being enough to ensure our loyalty to him. He ordered the doctors to devise a fail-safe, something that would serve to incapacitate us should the drugs fail to adequately control us," he told her.
"What kind of fail-safe?" Sara inquired with some trepidation.
"I am susceptible to seizures when exposed to certain stimuli, such as strobe lights. My father equipped several of the mansion's rooms with such lights. Just in case," Ian replied, bitterness coating his words.
"That bastard!" Sara said with feeling. "How did you find out about this fail-safe?"
"It was put to the test on all of the Dragons. Repeatedly. While extremely unpleasant, the seizures do not cause any permanent damage; however, they were highly effective in rendering us unconscious for several minutes."
"And how did you find out that your father had rigged the estate with the lights?"
"A few years ago, I was installing a panic button feature in my father's study when I discovered some wires that should not have been there. I traced them to a control panel hidden in the arm of his favorite chair, and from there, back to some cleverly disguised strobe lights in the ceiling," Ian murmured. "Upon further investigation, I discovered a similar setup in several other rooms in the mansion, as well as in his office at Vorschlag Industries."
"Did you confront him with what you found?"
"No," he said softly. "I realized immediately that he had to have known that I would discover the wires when I informed him that I was installing the panic button. He wanted me to know about it."
"Just another way of mindfucking you, hunh? Oooo, I'm so gonna enjoy kicking his ass!" Sara growled. "But first things first; how do we prevent this fail-safe device from knocking you out?"
"That is where you come in, my love. You will have to be my eyes and ears during the confrontation."
She gave him a puzzled look. "Okay, the eyes part I get, but why would I also need to be your ears?"
Again, Ian hesitated. "In addition to the strobe lights, I also discovered the existence of an audio system that emits high-frequency sound waves. As you have noticed, my hearing is enhanced. Even at low decibels, high-frequency sounds are excruciatingly painful to me. My father will not hesitate to assault me with both lights and sound in an effort to subdue me. Earplugs will alleviate the problem, but I will essentially be deaf as well as blind until one of us can disable the fail-safe system," he told her.
"So, you're saying we'll have to communicate telepathically once we get inside the mansion."
"Yes. However, if at all possible, I would like to keep this ability a secret from my father for as long as possible. I will need you to tell me what he is saying and doing before he activates the fail-safe so that I can act as though I can see and hear him."
"He's bound to notice the blindfold you'll be wearing, Ian," Sara pointed out.
Ian shook his head. "I will be wearing my sunglasses. The lenses are specially designed to filter out the spectrum of light that can cause me to have seizures. As an added precaution, however, I will tape my eyelids shut. The sunglasses can be easily dislodged in a battle, if it comes to that."
"Let's hope it doesn't." Sara studied her Protector curiously. "Can I ask you something, Ian?"
"You can ask me anything, my love," he replied, hiding the uneasiness he felt at her query.
"You said you and the other Black Dragons were subjected to experimental drug therapies while in the Special Forces. Is that what caused your hearing and vision to become heightened? I'd think that once you stopped taking the drugs, your, um, powers would gradually disappear, but that doesn't seem to have happened. Come to think of it, you also move faster than any human being I've ever seen, and your recuperative powers are phenomenal. Why is that?"
Ian took a ragged breath. He had known this moment was coming, but now that it was at hand, he had to struggle not to give in to the panic that filled him at the thought of divulging his secret to her. Ian was terribly afraid that Sara would look at him with disgust once she knew the truth, and he wasn't sure if he could handle that.
Sara waited patiently for Ian's answer, aware of the tension that had filled him at her question.
"Wait!" she said as he opened his mouth to speak. "I just want to let you know that nothing you say will change the fact that I love you, Ian Nottingham. Nothing."
Some of the tension dissipated from his body at her words, and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. "It does my heart good to hear that, my love," he said quietly, "because, try as I might, I cannot quite convince myself that you will not once again look at me like I am some kind of freak once I tell you the truth about myself."
"Especially since it was not all that long ago that I hurt you by using the same exact term, hunh?" she murmured perceptively. Sara closed the distance between them and put her arms around him. Chin on his chest, she gazed up into his fearful eyes. "I know you said there was nothing to apologize for when I told you how sorry I was about that, but that's not true. You wouldn't be so nervous now if it were. So, please believe me when I tell you that I deeply regret calling you a freak, Ian. I'm no longer that person, and you're no longer my psycho stalker. You're my Protector and the man I love, and absolutely nothing you reveal about yourself can change that. I promise."
Hot tears rolled down his cheeks to splash on her upturned face. "I want to believe you, Sara, but I am afraid," he whispered. "I think it would destroy me if I saw loathing in your eyes once again when you looked upon me."
"You won't, I promise," Sara strove to reassure him. "You're stuck with me. At least until Witchy here decides to up and leave me, that is," she said wryly, holding up her right wrist. "So, spill."
"Even were the Witchblade to abandon you tomorrow, I would still be yours, Sara. I belong to you, and will until the end of my days."
"I'll bet you say that to all the Wielders," she grinned, hugging him tightly.
Ian took a deep, cleansing breath, mustering up his courage. "Starting when I was very young, my father allowed me to be used as a lab rat for top-secret experimental procedures that dealt with genetic reengineering. A team of geneticists performed the operations under Dr. Immo's supervision. My DNA was altered at the genetic level, making me far stronger and faster than normal human beings. All five of my senses were also enhanced. And, as you noted, my recuperative powers are extraordinary," he said in a rush, and then waited anxiously for her reaction.
Sara digested this information for a minute. "Is that all?" she finally said. "I thought you were gonna tell me something really crazy, like, like that you're really an extraterrestrial or, even worse, a Britney Spears fan!"
"Who is Britney Spears?"
"The incarnation of pure evil," Sara responded, but then shook her head. "Just kidding. For some ungodly reason, she's an immensely popular pop star. Seriously, Ian, I'm glad you decided to come clean about your superpowers, and I'm okay with it," she told him, patting him reassuringly on the chest.
"Are you sure?"
"Do I seem freaked out?"
"No."
"However, I'll admit it's a little scary knowing that kind of thing is possible." She frowned as a frightening thought struck her. "Was this genetic reengineering done to just you, or are all of the surviving Black Dragons supersoldiers, too?"
"As far as I know, I am unique. My father told me that none of the other test subjects survived the procedures. Frankly, Dr. Immo does not know why I alone survived. As it was, I nearly died once or twice," he murmured, obviously unhappy memories shadowing his expressive eyes.
Wetting her thumb, Sara gently wiped away the tracks of his tears. "Were the operations very painful?" she asked him softly.
"Yes."
"My poor, poor baby." 'Kenny gets a kick in the nuts for that. Make that two kicks, one with each foot,' she thought to herself, controlling her fury at the billionaire's monstrous cruelty with an effort.
"I am actually grateful for what was done to me," Ian surprised her by saying, "because now I can be a better Protector to you. For that alone, the suffering was worth it."
"I'm afraid I don't agree with you," Sara said huskily. "I hate the thought of what you went through, and at your so-called father's behest no less. You were his son, for Christ's sake! What kind of father subjects their son to experimental genetic manipulation? And as if that wasn't bad enough, he signed you up for the Black Dragon project knowing you'd be subjected to experimental drug therapies! No, Ian, the price you paid was way too high for my peace of mind."
"If it means I can keep you and our children safe, I say it was worth it," Ian reiterated.
Sara placed a hand on her belly. "I wonder what effect, if any, these genetic enhancements will have on our babies? Will they inherit your superpowers? Are we gonna end up raising Superboys?"
Now Ian frowned. "I must admit I had not thought of that. Perhaps Dr. Immo will be able to answer that question."
"Assuming he survived the missile attack that took down that helicopter. Is there anyone else who might know the answer?"
"Perhaps one of the geneticists who collaborated on the project," he responded. "I will endeavor to contact one of them in the event that Dr. Immo is no longer be available."
"If he is alive, could I please beat him up, too?" Sara asked, only half-joking. "The way I see it, he deserves to pay for his part in this."
*You're a vengeance-minded little thing, aren't you?* Ian sent, amusement tingeing his "voice."
*Who you callin' little?* Sara scowled, jabbing him in the stomach with her fist.
"Ow!" Ian said aloud, rubbing the spot.
Sara pretended she was going to punch him again, and smirked as he flinched. *Wimp!*
*Seriously, Sara, you're stronger than you realize. I may be bleeding internally,* he said, wincing and hunching over.
"Oh my God, Ian, I'm so sorry! I didn't think I hit you that hard!" Sara said aloud, alarmed.
*Gotcha!* he grinned, wagging a finger in her face.
"Oh, you faker!" Sara went to smack him upside the head but he nonchalantly blocked the blow. Her eyes widened. "I'm gonna give you such a pinch!"
"Try it," he taunted. "I dare you."
"Okay, the gloves are off. Just remember, you asked for it," Sara said, her hand darting out, but he casually deflected it. In fact, try as she might, she could not lay a finger on him.
It amazed and infuriated her that no matter what she tried, he always managed to counter her attack. As she became more and more frustrated, she went from attempting to pinch him to seriously trying to slap, punch, and kick him, all with an equal lack of success.
"Okay, I give up!" she panted after several minutes of this.
"Are you sure?" he asked, the picture of composure. "I know how much you hate to lose."
"Oh, was that a contest?"
"Of course. It was the 'watch Sara try and hit Ian again' contest. And you lost."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, this isn't over, Nottingham. Not by a long shot. I'm a very patient woman. You will get pinched. But only when you least expect it," she promised.
"We shall see," he grinned.
Sara could not help but grin back at him. Keeping her arms at her sides, she stood on her tiptoes and offered him her lips. "Kiss me, you fool," she whispered.
Ian gladly obliged, and then yelped as he felt a sharp pinch on his ass.
"You never even saw that coming, did you?" Sara laughed up at him.
"You do not play fair, my Lady," he pouted.
"All's fair in love and war, cowboy!" she said, rubbing the abused cheek gently.
"I would much rather make love than war," he breathed, bending his head. They kissed again.
"What say you we repair to the garage apartment?" Ian suggested long, scorching minutes later.
"Yeah, I guess it wouldn't be a good idea for you to fuck me on the washing machine," Sara murmured, heart racing with desire.
*On the contrary, it's an excellent idea,* he sent with a grin. *Just not while your family is upstairs getting used to the idea that we're superheroes instead of simply a homicide detective and her boyfriend who also happens to be a former assassin and the son of a megalomaniacal billionaire.*
*Life: stranger than fiction,* Sara said with an answering grin. *Let's go, my love.*
More to come. Thanks, everybody, for your wonderfully encouraging feedback! Keep it coming!