Author's Note!
Thanks so much for your reviews and patience!

Torn
Chapter Six: Rain Escape

Ayame stood outside her apartment, her arms wrapped around her shivering form.

I am so not dressed for this freaking weather.

She was wearing a black tube-top and black jeans that hugged her legs tightly, her beige hair falling in slight waves off her shoulders.

It was raining.

Not just raining, pouring.

But she had to get the job done that night. She'd talked too much with Kouga that day, he was too nice. Ayame liked nice people and hated to kill them.

And when he'd offered his help…that was too much.

So she had to get it over with before she got too attached.

Taking a deep breath, Ayame ran out into the rain, fat drops of water soaking through her clothes in seconds, making her hair pinpoint straight.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" She hissed, holding her gun tightly to her chest, the blade of her knife barely noticeable in the hidden compartment in her boot.

Kouga's home wasn't too far from where she was. Not far at all.

Her feet pounded on the pavement as she ran, small puddles of water circling her ankles after every step, tiny droplets mixing in with the rain.

It was so dark outside. Kouga just had to live in the part of the city where there wasn't a lot of lamp posts.

Oh well, better for Ayame.

But I'm not Ayame…not tonight. She thought as the rain started to blur her vision. I am Akki.

She smiled warmly to herself as she rushed along the shadows, nearing her target.

The house loomed into view. It was rather pretty, a small garden in the front, some Japanese charms hanging off wind chimes on the porch roof.

Though as cute as the house was, the ever pouring rain and small lighting made it seem eerie…almost dangerous.

Ayame walked up to the gate and found that it was locked. Thinking that this was for the best, she leapt into the air, landing easily on the six foot wall that surrounded the house.

She walked along the edge of the wall for a while, scanning the property for any traps that may have been lain out.

After all, Kouga had pissed off Naraku, even he wouldn't be stupid enough to live unprotected. Ayame hoped. It was all the more interesting that way.

She smirked wickedly as she planted one palm on the stone wall, flipping off the wall and landing gracefully on the ground below.

Quietly, the seventeen-year-old crept along the side of the house to where her notes said Kouga's room was.

Naraku had watched Kouga well, not one detail was left unchecked.

Finally, she found Kouga's room.

There was a small window, not nearly big enough for her to fit through. Through it, she could hear Kouga speaking.

"I don't know what your problem in Ginta." Ayame heard Kouga laugh. "It was only a joke!"

"You and Hakaku shoved me out into the rain!" Ginta shouted at him. "I have a test tomorrow! I'm going to die in my sleep!"

"Doubt it." Another voice, Hakaku, laughed.

I recognize them…from school. Ayame thought. Kouga lives…with roommates?

She slapped her forehead. "Stupid!"

How could she have forgotten? Naraku had killed Kouga's family also in revenge. Now Kouga was living with his two best friends.

Suddenly, the voices were gone, the last thing Ayame had heard was a "Night Kouga" from Hakaku.

Good. Ayame thought. I'll get him to come outside. The thunder is so loud Ginta and Hakaku won't hear a thing.

She waited in the shadows, the rain pouring down on her, thunder cracking overhead, for Kouga to turn his light off.

Finally, after about half an hour of waiting, he turned the light out.

"Finally." Ayame breathed, walking up to his bedroom window, pulling her knife from her boot.

She always did enjoy frontal killings better than using a gun.

But just for good measure, she held the gun in her other hand.

She peeked into his window, her blade catching the glint of the lighting.

When she saw something from the corner of her eye.

Something shiny and black.

The barrel of a gun.

"It's loaded and it has a silencer on it." Kouga growled. "No one will hear a thing."

Ayame's breath caught in her throat. What if he sees my face? Quick Ayame think of something!

"What are you doing here? Who are you?" Kouga demanded. His voice was…different now, more threatening, from the way it had been at school.

Ayame didn't answer him, she stood with her face turned away from him, her blade gripped tightly in her hand, her gun in the other.

"Drop the weapons." Kouga said. "And tell me who you are. Or would you rather tell the cops?"

Ayame smirked. "You like to rat people out to the cops, don't you Kouga?"

She made sure, of course, that she disguised her voice, though she was barely hearable under the constant noise of the rain.

She heard Kouga's breath stop, his eyes glazed over with anger. "You work for Naraku."

Ayame nodded, thanking God that he didn't recognize her. "You've got it. He hired me to dispose of you."

She felt the barrel of his gun press against her neck. My, touchy isn't he?

"Who are you?" He asked.

"My name, you may recognize me." Ayame said, hearing the crack of thunder. She had a few seconds before lighting would strike again, then she'd make her move. "Is Akki"

The pressure of his gun on her neck loosened then. "Akki? I know that name. The famous assassin"

"Yeah." Ayame said. "I guess Naraku wanted the best to do you away"

Kouga laughed. "Right. He doesn't know me. I'll get away and send your body to him as a gift"

Ayame's eyes widened. Now this, she didn't expect.

You were so nice at school…and now…was that all a lie?

She hated being lied to.

Then, her moment came.

A flash of lighting came out of nowhere and Ayame quickly turned her blade so it caught the light just right, blinding Kouga for only a split second.

But that was all she needed.

In seconds she was behind him, her blade pressing against his jugular, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

"Nice move." He laughed.
"Wasn't it? Comes from years of practice." Ayame smiled, her other side…Akki, coming in head on.

"I know all about you Akki." Kouga said, dropping his gun and holding up his hands in surrender. "I know who sent those men to kill your family"

Ayame's breath left her then.

"W-What?"

"Yeah, I know your story." Kouga said, a smile creeping across his handsome face. "I've been following your killings right back to the first one. And those men didn't act on their own account, as they said they did. It was Naraku, all Naraku. He sent them, he knew what potential you had"

"Liar!" Ayame growled, pressing the blade harder into his neck. She could see the faint hint of blood on the knife. "You have no way of knowing that"

"I used to work for him, remember?" Kouga said. "He saw my potential, too. But I, unlike you, didn't take the bait. So I sold him out, and now he wants me dead. So he sends you, an example of what I could have been, to kill me"

Ayame couldn't believe what she was hearing. Atashi…he'd been the one to teach her everything she needed to know. It wasn't until years after she'd killed him that she'd learnt of the man named Naraku.

"I don't believe you." Ayame whispered, tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Believe it." Kouga said.

And then Ayame realized it.

He was standing in front of her, not with his back to her as before, but facing her.

Why didn't I notice he'd moved?

Ayame took a step back defensively, turning her face away from him.

"I know how you feel." Kouga said, reaching out for her arm. "My family was killed by him too"

"I don't believe it." Ayame growled, turning and aiming her gun at his heart. "I don't! I was not deceived by that sum bag"

"So you don't like him either?"

"I don't like any of the assholes I work for." Ayame snarled. "All they want is me to kill people, then they want more of me, and it has nothing to do with killing. If I could, I'd rip Naraku's heart out for all the people he's killed."

"What about the people you've killed?"

Ayame stared blankly at him.

He's…right. What about all the people I've killed?

And then they all came back.

All the faces. Every last one of them, the moment before their deaths, staring into Ayame's icy blue eyes in terror.

She lowered her gun, tears blurring her vision.

And then Kouga did something surprising.

He reached out and grabbed her, pulling her tightly against his chest.

Ayame let the tears fall then, the tears she'd been holding in for years…ever since her family had been killed.

I have to find out the truth. Until then…Kouga. She took a breath, breathing in the spicy scent of his cologne, enjoying the feeling of his strong arms wrapped around her. Until then, your life is spared.

With one quick movement she broke free of his grasp and rushed away from him, leaping onto the fence and over with one swift movement.

She could hear him calling, "Akki!" after her.

She didn't turn.

She escaped into the rainy night.

XxXxX

Kouga watched in awe as Akki ran away, jumping onto and over the six foot wall and disappearing into the night.

He was glad he'd finally gotten to meet her. He knew from study that she'd never learnt the truth about her family's death.

Now at least, I hope, I have one more person on my side. He thought, smiling faintly and turning to walk back inside the house, soaking wet. One more to help be put Naraku behind bars. Or better yet…back to hell where he came from.

As Kouga stepped into his warm home, he couldn't help but wonder who Akki really was…he'd recognized her voice, somewhat. But from where?

Okay! I enjoyed writing that. So yeah, this is going to be a bit of a shorter story and I think it related a bit to my "Running From You" story. Who knows.
Review!