Chapter 24: Love's Prisoners

Mariah couldn't go to sleep. Tala was in her wardrobe and now her bodyguard was on the floor beside her bed. What happened if he discovered the red-haired ninja? The room was in complete darkness but Mariah could distinguish the outlines of the closet at the end of her bed. It creaked open. Mariah gasped. No, it was not her imagination. Tala stepped out of the closet and approaching her. She shrank as his dark form got nearer to her, unable to make a sound. He got on the bed and crawling towards her, his hands passed through her legs. She shivered.

"What are you doing?" Mariah gasped as he reached her head level.

"You don't expect me to sleep in the wardrobe, do you?" he whispered.

His breath warmed her to the skin yet rendered her shivering.

"What do you mean? My bodyguard's-"

"Fuck your bodyguard. I can kill him in a shifty," Tala smirked.

Fear was grasping Mariah's throat as she extended her hand under her pillow in searchfor her gun.

"So are you going to kill me now?" she demanded, playing for time.

Tala chuckled.

"No, I just want to see how you'll cope with me as prisoner."

Mariah found the cold metal handle of the gun and slowly began to pull it from under the pillow. Suddenly, Tala caught her wrist.

"I won't do that if I were you," he hissed.

Mariah felt tears coming up her eyes as he pierced her with his icy gaze. There was a minute that those eyes were no longer hard but somewhat compassionate, as if concealing a feeling unknown to both.

"You're my prisoner, I remind you," Mariah hissed back.

"Oh but I don't think so."

Tala approached his head towards hers. Mariah turned away despite her heart's urge to… what? She isn't meant to have these kinds of feeling towards her enemy! When she opened her eyes again, Tala was gone.


Mariah woke up and thought everything was a dream. The sun was streaming in her window. Gary was snoring peacefully beside her bed. She decided not to wake him and tiptoed to the bathroom.

Strange… the foams were already filled. Mariah began taking off her clothes then she dipped her foot into the warm water. Exquisite…

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Gary barged into the bathroom.

"Mariah! What's up?"

The bodyguard stared confusedly from his mistress wrapped in a fluffy towel who in turn was staring at the naked figure in the bathtub. Gary took time to recognize the red head ninja.

"You're from Giovanni's," Gary barked, pulling out his gun.

"Wait!"

Gary turned and saw his mistress standing between the ninja and him.

"Don't kill him," she said. "I'm the one who brought him in. I want you to guard him until Lee comes back. Maybe we can get some information from him," she added hastily after throwing a nervous glance at Tala's muscled body.

Tala was very convenient of being left alone with the bodyguard. Not only that he got to eat good food but he took the opportunity of sneaking some information from the bodyguard himself. Mariah would come in for time to time to check on him, moments he longed for each day.

"Gary, what do you think will please Mariah?" Tala asked the bodyguard when one evening they were sitting with each other, sipping green tea.

The giant scratched his head.

"A trip to a theme park?"

Tala's mouth curved into a smile.


This isn't real. This isn't real, Prima kept repeating to herself as she lied beside Kai Hiwatari. The rain had stopped and the night was well advanced, only she couldn't sleep. How could she? The man she loathed the most was right there beside her! He was breathing evenly as if he didn't care about anything in the whole world. And maybe he didn't.

He is only a dog. Her Sensei's words drifted back to her. Prima peeked at the body lying next to her. The light from the dying fire shone on his face, illuminating his blue triangles painted on his face. Where did they come from? Why did he have to have it paint that way? Prima couldn't stop wondering about the man that was Kai Hiwatari. He seemed extraordinary, something beyond nature. How can a thing like that be tamed as Kai was? Boris must have taken him very young. Suddenly Prima transported her hatred towards the politician instead. He was the one rotting other people's lives! Maybe Kai didn't choose what he was now, maybe she shouldn't be so hateful towards him, and after all he had saved her life.

By daytime they were heading up the mountain. Kai didn't say anything but Prima guessed that there might be some kind of radio set up there to call for help. Prima decided to be nice and didn't struggle as they walked side by side. Kai wasn't looking at her either, lost in his own thoughts.

They stopped at midday to eat some wild fruits picked up along the way. Suddenly Prima couldn't contain herself any longer said, "I need to go to the toilets."

"There aren't any here," Kai grunted.

"I know, but you know what I mean, don't you?" she pressed angrily.

Kai got up, urging her to get up to then he led her to a large pine tree.

"I won't look," he said.

But still Prima didn't feel comfortable with Kai crouching, his back to her as she satisfy her bladder. When she finished, she hastily zipped her trousers and got up again.

"Let's go," she said, ignoring his gaze.

Each time they passed a jagged rock, they tried to cut their chain with it but unfortunately, it wouldn't break so easily. Kai himself said it was made of the finest metal.

They were sitting on a large rock as the sun sent its last rays over to the Earth when Prima had an idea.

"Try to melt it," she said.

Kai raised his eyebrows then understood what she was talking about.

They raised a fire and, as dangerously as it might seem, put their chain over the flames. Still it wasn't hot enough and they had to add more logs and sticks to the fire. Their hands were the ones that were melting. But finally, the metal to grow red and with all their force they pulled. It broke. In her joy, Prima jumped up and down, recovering her wrist. Kai didn't look happier than when they were chained together the first time. He just approached her than said, "You need to take a bath."

She felt like slapping the guy. He didn't smell better than she did! But she felt the need of cool water to clean her skin as well, so she followed him to a small stream nearby.

"Don't do anything stupid," he growled. "I'll be at the upper stream."

Prima ignored him and took off her clothes. She immediately enjoyed the cool sensation of water running through her skin. She scraped herself as best as she could, wishing she had some soap. When she was finished, she couldn't help taking a glance at the upper stream. She distinguished a tall figure bending over to cup the water the n pouring it down his back. God, he does look kind of sexy… Prima quickly shook the thought out of her head and put her clothes back on.

"This is mad. This is really mad," Prima said to herself as she made her way to the upper stream, careful to hide behind the trees. Suddenly she glimpsed Kai's body in the middle of the stream. He had her back towards her, busily washing himself. She gasped. On his back was a giant phoenix tattoo. It rendered his muscles somewhat stronger to look at and she could feel her heart faltering inside her. She took a step forward then found herself in the stream without noticing, her eyes locked in the gaze of the phoenix.

"Who did this to you?" she asked in a whisper.

Kai turned around. Prima did her best not to stare downwards. So instead she looked into his burning eyes, waiting for an answer. But not really the answer to her question.

"It doesn't concern you," he said.

"I want it to concern me," she insisted.

He was looking down at her as if he didn't believe his ears. He suddenly placed his hands on her shoulders and stooped down to embrace her lips. Prima staggered under the weight of his ardor. She couldn't see clear anymore and felt that her legs were giving way. She heard a splatter and felt herself wet but she didn't care. The only thing that mattered now was the pair of lips on hers. His tongue was asking to enter, to which she replied rather harshly. The kiss represented an outburst of two souls so copped up in their will to hate, to ignore love. Is this love? Prima asked herself. Do I love him? She needn't answer all those questions because Kai had answered them for her. While they were struggling on the stream floor, they didn't notice a company of men approaching them. Only did they heard a barking laughter did they tore apart.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"


"Tala, what on earth are you doing?" Mariah gasped.

The ninja had her bodyguard strap her on the passenger's seat of an old BMW of Lee's and soon they sped away. Mariah saw in the driver's mirror Gary waving goodbye to them with a cheerful face.

"What have you done to my bodyguard?"

Tala chuckled quietly.

"Nothing that he needs. He has the world's thickness in him," Tala answered casually.

"Don't say that about my-"

"Or what? For now, all you seem to have is empty threats, princess," Tala smirked.

"I hate you," she crossed her arms and pouted.

"I don't think so," Tala grinned. "Otherwise you'll have me killed long ago."

Mariah wanted to say something back but she couldn't find something to say. So instead she went, "Are you taking me over to your master, Tornatore's?"

"Nope, I'm taking you to the place of your dreams."

And Tala wouldn't say more as he drove towards a little square where a fun fair had been set up.

"Mind a little fun? I don't have enough money to take you to a theme park but…"

Mariah was speechless. Her enemy was taking her to a fun fair? What in the world was this? She remained lost in her thoughts when Tala helped her out and kissed her hand, which she didn't even seem to notice.

"What are we doing here?" she asked as he led her to a bouncing castle.

"I thought you'd might like a little break," he shrugged.

I will not accept any of his offers, Mariah said firmly to herself. But in the end, she was holding two sticks of candy-floss cheering Tala to shoot her a stuffed cat doll. They had been on all the attraction the little funfair could offer, even on the toddlers' roundabout. Mariah couldn't deny the fact that she was having a great time, a bit like on her birthday but this time it was better, maybe a tiny bit because her bodyguards wasn't with her.

"And here's for my princess," Tala said, handing her the pink fluffy doll.

"Thanks, Tala," she said then her gaze caught his and soon she began to realize how blue they were.

Her lips were starting to mumble something out when suddenly someone tapped on her shoulder.

She turned around half in daze. But when she saw who it was, she immediately lost all the effect Tala's eyes had put on her.


Guess who it is!