AN: So, next chapter. Thanks to Fashion Fairy for the kind review as usual from the last one! As well as everyone else who is keeping up with the events of Recoil. Without further ado…
IMPORTANT: Please note the rating of this chapter is probably more close to an M. I do believe that I'm going to have to change the rating of the story after I post this, just so any readers are aware. Dark themes follow.
Chapter Nine
"Hello?"
"Hello? Who is this?"
"I… I'm sorry to bother you, I wouldn't, but when you said this was for emergencies… I gathered we were in the middle of one at the moment… Can you come over?"
"Oh, it's you. Has something happened? Are you alright?"
"We received something, are you busy? Can you come over to Sakura's?"
"I'll be there within the hour."
The line cut off.
-x-
"You did what?!"
Her friend looked abashed as she studied her, cheeks tinted pink as she stood in front of her place on the sofa, running her hand through her dark locks.
"Tomoyo, we can't just run to them all the time, I don't want them involved… It might just be to scare us, associating with them will get us nowhere! In fact, look where it's ended up so far!"
Tomoyo looked down to her before throwing herself, possibly in one of the most un ladylike motions she'd ever performed, onto the opposite sofa in a heap of pyjamas and slippers.
"Look, I didn't know what else to do. It's not like I rang Li!"
Sakura flushed at his name, feeling hot under the collar all of a sudden as she looked to her friend. They'd cancelled the gathering last night, brainstormed between the two of them whilst casting furtive glances at every door, window and empty room in the house. When they'd retired, none the wiser and none the happier, they had vowed to sort it out this morning. Behind her back, Tomoyo had done what she must have thought was their only option. She'd rang them.
She's right though… We have no one else to turn to. She sighed as she ran her own hands through her auburn locks, feeling like screaming out loud. The offending items still sat in the centre of the coffee table, taunting her, the reptile still sticking its tongue out as if it wanted to taste her flesh. The mere thought made her stomach twist and turn with disgust.
A noise sounded at the gate and she turned, looking at Tomoyo with a raised brow before walking tentatively to the window to look out. In front of the gate sat a large black car, the man behind the wheel searching for the intercom without avail. Smiling wryly when she recognised him, she looked to Tomoyo who was on her way to allow them to enter. Eriol.
-x-
He was silent for some time as he looked at the articles he had been presented with, fidgeting with his glasses occasionally and sighing loudly. Sakura had been studying him for some hint through his body language to his thoughts, but he kept them hidden. If he had been shocked at their 'gift' he did not show it, rather, just seemed quiet. She had not expected this, and now, as he and another sat in her living room with the two pyjama clad girls, she began to feel even more confused.
"Well?" The other man spoke, who she had recognised as Takashi, which was his name she believed. He had been talking to Chiharu the night when it all began. He was attractive, but young, not looking more than a few months older than her.
Eriol looked to him before clearing his throat and examining Tomoyo before her, gaze intent and obviously deep in thought.
"I'll have to speak to Li… It looks like you'll have to come back to the manor."
Tomoyo gasped, Sakura shrank into her seat. There was no way she wanted to go back to there, why couldn't they just ignore it? Not spark something out of this?
"I'm not going back there."
The younger man seemed quite surprised at her words, Eriol not so. He sighed as though he had expected it, and shuffled himself around to lean forward over the table.
"Do you not understand the gravity of this? You are young, defenceless, and obviously have no appreciation for the circumstances. These people are coming for you. For some reason whatever you did to piss them off is beyond just our acquaintance, and you're not safe alone."
Worried eyes formed on Tomoyo's face, deflating. Sakura knew she wanted to listen to Eriol, that his words made sense. But somewhere in her heart she didn't want to go back, she was savouring her normal life and she couldn't handle their world. She wasn't prepared.
"Take Tomoyo with you. Take the girls. I'm staying here."
"No Sakura! I'm not leaving without you! It's not safe!"
"Your friends right Sakura, listen to Tomoyo. What are you going to do? Hole yourself up in this big pile of bricks and hope it blows over, things like this don't go away."
She stared at him with defiant eyes. This man, who she had considered quite reasonable, at least in comparison to some people she'd met, was obviously not going to let her off lightly.
"Look. I'm not going. You can't force me. I don't want this; never wanted this. I can handle myself, I got away from that man yesterday, I can keep an eye out, look after myself. I won't go back, you can't make me."
Eriol studied her for a second, sighing again before standing and turning to his partner.
"Ring Li. Tell him."
The young man looked dumbfounded for a second before slowly reaching for a mobile phone in his pocket. He faltered with it in his hands, looking once more to Eriol with a furrowed brow.
"Do you mean to say, Li isn't aware? You didn't tell him you were coming?" Tomoyo started, looking at Eriol like he had two heads. Surely they would tell their leader? Explains why he isn't here… Why would he be here?
"Li is, this once, not privy to this. I didn't know if it would've been something as significant as to inform him until we knew what we were dealing with. Now I know, I think it's time to inform him."
"Don't!" Sakura's voice rang out as the rest turned to her in shock and she turned a deep crimson. Her mouth before her mind, she looked around the room.
"I just don't think he needs to know about this."
"Sakura, through this threat to you he's getting to us. He knows it. We need to keep you out of harm's way before something happens. He gets to you; he sees it as a 'victory' against us. It's a game. He's using you as pawns for some reason because he knows you'll be an easy target."
She stood to her feet, slamming her hand down on the coffee table as she did so.
"I am not an 'easy target'. I can shoot a gun."
It was true; half true. In her younger years at school, target practice had been something that they'd been taught. So she wasn't exactly handy with a gun, and would never dream of using one in real life- but it was true she could use one. So maybe if they believed that she could use one they might believe she could stay in her house and defend herself. Of course, there was one somewhere in the house, never been used and just in case. Layla had said that they needed one for protection; just in case, when a string of burglaries had occurred around the area. It was somewhere in one of the bedrooms, under a bed, probably the box covered in dust. But it was surely leverage to keep her away from that house.
Why was she so against returning there? Still embarrassed about Li? Maybe. She considered her predicament, and wondered why she was so adamant about staying home. Burying her head in the sand and sitting by a weapon like some schizophrenic menace. She just knew she didn't want to return there.
"Sakura…" Tomoyo moved toward her, soothing voice and arms out as if she wanted to embrace her, but she stood her ground, watching Tomoyo flinch as she did so.
"Look, I'm not leaving. You don't need to go running to Li about my 'insubordinate' behaviour because I am not his or your responsibility. Tomoyo, Rika, Chiharu and Naoko will go with you. I'm staying here; that's final."
She met Eriol's eyes with a final look on her face, eyes boring into his as she felt a sudden surge of power. She didn't want to leave. She wouldn't be forced to leave. She certainly would not be run out of her home by a group of people she didn't even know. The strangest thing? He seemed to accept it.
"You can stay. The rest come with us. I won't leave the rest of them alone because you seem to be adamant that you want to risk your life staying here." His voice was cold, just like Li had spoken to her previously. She was almost shocked at this; scared slightly. "If you would leave for a moment, we need to discuss something."
Feeling rejected, she moved out of the room, looking at Tomoyo who looked on the verge of tears and feeling her heart rip inside her chest. She was being stupid, she knew. This wasn't just about Li, she guessed, she just wanted to be in her own home and childishly she admitted to herself she was hoping that the whole escapade would blow over. Something was keeping her at her home, she needed to be there for her sanity she figured, not creeping around some mansion fearful she might step on a creaky floorboard and cause a ruckus.
-x-
"I can't leave her!" Tomoyo's voice was shrill, hand on heart as tears escaped her eyes.
"She won't stay here alone. Give her tonight, she'll come to no harm, I'll see of it. She'll realise she's lonely, scared, she'll call you and we'll bring her with us."
"That's cruel! I can't do that to her! I'll stay with her!"
"That's not what you really want though is it? You know deep down you should leave." Takashi entered the conversation, looking at Tomoyo with understanding eyes as she heaved a deep breath from her lungs.
"I can't… We're like family. I can't see her in harm's way."
"Look, she isn't in harm's way. She is going to be safe, I'll have some people hang around and make sure that nothing happens to her. First word of even a misplaced walker and I'll have her brought out of here, willingly or not. But at this moment in time, she's like a tornado spinning out of control and I just think that if she has the time to contemplate this, she'll realise where she needs to be. Safe with you at the manor."
Tomoyo seemed deflated as she realised his words were right. If someone was watching Sakura, she would come to no harm. She nodded to him, the tears now falling down her face as she looked at him, a grim smile adoring his features as he squeezed her shoulder for a little comfort.
-x-
"I can't understand whether you're actually being fucking serious right now or whether the rest of the guys are stood outside this door wanting a good laugh. If they are, they seriously ought to reconsider joining your wind up merchant escapades before I put something metal through their skulls."
His eyes had narrowed into slits, his mouth a snarl as he slammed his fist down on the desk to the man in front of him. He was enraged; there was no other way to put it. Upon his desk lay five identification cards and the vicious little snake in the jar. He was mad, furious, and he wanted nothing more than to launch the offending creature at the wall.
"I'm serious. They're here, it's the best thing for them."
"Well make sure they get out of my way, stay out of damn trouble, and don't use many of my men in keeping them safe. Wei can teach them whatever they need, call their school and have them send things over. Keep Sakura out of my way as well, she has the biggest mouth of the lot of them and I can't deal with her right now."
He noticed as Eriol suddenly shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, teetering on the edge of spilling some information out of his mouth that Syaoran was sure he would not be grateful of.
"What?" He bit out, staring at his counterpart once more.
"Well you see… She wouldn't come. She's staying at her house."
That was it. Rather than the poor creature in the jar, he'd launched one of his favourite whisky glasses into the wall, and Eriol watched as it shattered, amber liquid dribbling down the wallpaper in a snails trail of wetness.
"What. Do. You. Mean?"
"She didn't want to come. She has a gun. She's staying at her house. I'm hoping that she'll spend tonight there alone and realise she's made a mistake. It's partly why I'm here actually, I wanted to… Borrow a couple of people just to keep an eye out."
Syaoran threw himself back into his chair, swinging his legs up onto the desk with a growl. So she wouldn't even come here to keep her safe? Ungrateful bitch. Why was he so mad? Because she was acting just like the careless child he had fathomed her to be? Or because he had kissed her and was still silently stewing over her obvious rejection. No. He was just annoyed because if she got killed then the Mamba's would have one up on him and they knew it. Everyone knew it.
She had a gun? Well, he had never guessed that she would own such an offensive article. How interesting. Why was she such a headstrong little thing? She obviously thought she knew better than them, holing herself up in her house like she could protect herself. If they wanted her, they'd get her.
"No. Let her learn the consequences of her actions." His eyes held no remorse, and he found himself almost shocked that he had allowed himself to say this. He was willing to let her die? No, you don't mean that. She's innocent. But he was angry with her, angry with her stupidity and her rejection of him with her childish ways. She needed to learn that what she was doing was wrong. As soon as someone came knocking she would be pleading for them to rescue her and be proved incorrect.
"Syaoran, we can't do that! She's so young!"
"She knows this. She probably knows this better than anyone. Has she your number?"
Eriol shifted uncomfortably once more as he looked at him, hiding another thing. How many times he wished he could rip his throat from him he didn't know, but this was certainly one of those times.
"She has yours. I gave it her… Said she wouldn't use it… But I thought she might listen to you."
Syaoran studied him for a moment, anger rising once more.
"Get out, Eriol."
Cautiously, he left. Syaoran sat in a murky pool of his own thoughts, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair. The careless girl! How did she think she could just run away from all this? She had wanted to leave, and then even though she would obviously be scared, refuse to come to the safety of his home? She confused him to no end, her stupid emerald eyes playing back and forth in his head as they widened everytime they'd argued, the softening of her when he'd behaved more gentlemanly with her. Deep down, however, he was aware how dangerous it was for her to be alone. Yet she was the one who had chosen it to be this way.
-x-
She hummed to herself as she mixed the eggs in the bowl, smiling slightly and doing a small dance around the kitchen as she made her way to the cooker. Last night she had slept like a baby, literally. She'd been worried at first, before she double checked the gates and immersed herself in a hot bath. No trouble. Not a whistle. She still knew that perhaps she was being reckless, but perhaps she was right, just an idle threat. At least Tomoyo and the others were out of harm's way anyway.
Singing now to the music coming from the audio player, she whirled around to grab a spoon from the pan.
Everything was fine.
-x-
"So you say… She's alone?"
The man in front nodded, a sly smile adorning his rat like features. Beady dark eyes looked to his boss, sat in front of him in a dark office, cigar hanging listlessly out of his mouth as he closed his eyes to mull over the information presented to him.
"Are they watching her?"
"Not that I know of… I haven't seen anyone at all. The others, they've been removed. I guess she must be the firecracker… Word from an informant says she wouldn't go back. Said she could take care of herself."
In a sudden and unexpected movement, the man behind the desk laughed. A cruel cacophony of notes erupting from him; sinister and cold, lifeless in the quiet of the room. His features curled into a snarl as he studied the man across from him, his right hand man. Ah, he was a useless fighter, but he could weasel his way into any situation and find out any information he wanted.
"We'll see about this. Send Jai."
The other man grinned even more, picking at the telephone on the desk and beginning to dial a number. This would be most amusing.
"Hai?"
"Jai… We have a job for you."
"On the boss's order?"
"Indeed, come through to the headquarters. You'll enjoy this one."
-x-
He was a cruel man. He knew it. He didn't attempt to deny himself the simple pleasures in life at all, in fact his lifestyle allowed him to revel in them. Money. Guns. Women. Murder. He enjoyed everything he could because Jai Hiroshi was talented man. People said he was brought from the womb with a gun in one hand and a wad of cash in the other; he was indeed one of the top at his game.
Therefore, he found it almost amusing that the boss would send him on such a simple mission. Take a school girl down? Not that he hadn't participated in missions before, but he had felt slightly put out that he would be picked for something so mundane. Whoever she was, as he watched her dance around her kitchen through his binoculars, she had to die. He didn't care- he would get the money for the job. Just kill her, leave his mark, and skip off down to the shadier clubs that night and get his fill of a proper woman.
She was attractive though, the small shorts she was wearing riding up and down as she pranced around. Might have to get a taste of that first. He grinned, an evil smile adorning his features. He still could not shake the wonderment of why her, why her? He looked at the large house, a bitter jealousy crossing his mind. Sure, he had money now. It had not always been this way. He grew up practically starving, hated by a coke ridden whore of a mother and never meeting his father. Perhaps it was from his mother's own practice that he had decided most women were trash; fickle, stupid and above all disposable. Growling at his thoughts, he pulled the device from his pocket and looked around, through the shrubbery he was currently hidden in across the street for any sign of observation. None. Obviously not that important. Whatever.
Slinking across the street, he picked the device from his pocket and looked to the wall, still checking for any sign of people around him. Taking it from his grasp, he placed it on the intercom, waiting with baited breath. How many times had he done this? Too many. More often nowadays, more money nowadays, it was like a walk in the park. The hard bit wouldn't be this one.
Watching with a sick satisfaction as it beeped thrice, the gates opened in front of his eyes, slowly granting him entrance through the sweeping drive and toward the house. He idly wondered how many bedrooms it had, for he could surely show the girl inside how to use one properly… Grinning once more, sticking to the tree lined sides of the driveway, he set on his way.
-x-
Dressing herself, she slumped in front of the television, the scrambled egg on her plate jumping slightly up as she did so. Daytime television was an utter drag, and she wondered how much she would have to watch before the outside world decided to do her a favour and blow over all this mess. Flicking the channel to one with some lady singing, she set about eating her breakfast, none the wiser to the mission that was occurring right outside.
-x-
He could see her in his sights, now in front of his bare eyes than through high strength binoculars. She was sat there, blissfully unaware of her surroundings. She'd changed, a simple tennis dress, white as snow. Even in sportswear, it made her look pure, almost angelic. She would definitely be getting a shock today.
Checking off his shoulder again, never forgetting the importance of being unseen, he set to the front door. Checking the handle, he hadn't expected it to be unlocked. He crouched, no key in the other side of the door. Too easy. Pulling a lock pick from his pocket, he set about the lock. He would have it cracked in less than 30 seconds. He wasn't the best man for this in town for no reason.
When he heard the satisfying click, he carefully opened the door- a large grand wooden contraption, he was quick to make sure it wouldn't go and creak on him. Creeping through the hall, he recalled the plans of her house that he'd been shown from the land registry. Providing no major remodelling had gone on, he knew exactly where she was and how to get there. Shutting the front door softly, he looked around for a key hanger. Spotting it and the key ring with a photograph of who he guessed were her friends, he locked the door, shoving it in his pocket and taking the spare for good measure. Just in case.
Creeping over the polished floorboards, he noted the modern décor and snarled at some obviously expensive paintings and vases. Poor little rich girl.
He could hear the television closer now, hear her voice singing as she watched a music channel he guessed, her soft melody creeping into his ears like the voice of an angel. Coming closer still, careful that he could still hear her singing and simultaneously the clack of her cutlery against the plate, he approached, soft footfalls as he made not a noise, lithe and athletic in his movement as he did so.
He could see her now, still oblivious to his presence in her home. She was smaller as he got closer, a tiny little creature with long auburn hair that flowed freely around her person. She would definitely taste good. Quickly checking around for anything that she could use against him, he faltered as he considered his approach. He wanted her, as he often had in the past with some of his… Victims. She would be much better off alive for that part. After all, what way to stick it to Li than defile her before her death? He grinned.
Checking for the rope in his pocket, he advanced.
-x-
The music changed over to another song as she sighed, looking upwards at the ceiling for a second. But something caught her eye. In the bottom of the television, the panelling on the side was reflecting something. She squinted slightly before supressing the urge to gasp. Someone was behind her.
-x-
He reached her, failing to notice her sudden silence as he approached, hand on his gun in his holster, one out in front of him. It would be simple to take her by brute force really, as she was so small and obviously untrained. Also lacking a decent security system.
He reached her in an instant, grabbing her by the shoulder and swiftly turning her around with a smile on his face like a Cheshire cat.
"Hello, princess."
Before he knew it, she screamed, loudly, grabbing the plate from her lap and smashing it over his head with as much force as she could muster and jumping away from his grasp.
"You bitch!" Jai did not take kindly to his prey attacking him. Sure the chase could be fun, amusing, and he always won, but he didn't expect the little girl to actually attack him with a plate.
She sprang, and he was surprised how fast she did so as she hopped onto the coffee table, a wild look in her eyes like a feral cat as he squeezed his open and closed to dull the throb at the back of his head. Of All the things to hit him with, a bloody plate?
"Get away from me!" She hollered, spacing herself further from him, backing off the coffee table and onto the sofa behind her, eyes frantically darting around the house.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Shit.
"Now, now… If you struggle… It'll only hurt more."
Her eyes widened at the predatory gleam in his eyes, the anger replaced with some kind of hunger. Lust? Quite possibly it could be. Mind in overdrive, she backed up further, standing off from him like two boxers in a ring as she waited for his next move, terrified.
It was then that he attacked, practically leaping across the room until he was seldom three paces in front of her, his face contorted into a mix of anger and that hunger she'd seen before. He was advancing on her, and she stepped backwards, frantically searching for a weapon, a phone…
"Now, now. Feisty one aren't we. Don't worry… I'll dispose of you quickly when we're done."
If her eyes were wide before, now she was sure they were out of her head, screaming, she turned and attempted to run as she tried to grab her shoulder, successfully pulling her backwards into a screeching heap on the floor as he did so. She screamed, louder still as he stood over her, one foot now placed to trap her arm to the floor.
"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU MONSTER!"
Tutting, he spoke in a deadly quiet voice to her, surprised she could hear it over her own panting and screaming. "Now, now. Can't do that. See I'm here to do a job, but before I dispose of you my dear we're going to have a little bit of fun you and me."
Her heart pounded ferociously as she felt glued to the ground, her body willing her to fight and get out of there. Her phone was in her bedroom… As well as the firearm. She'd slept with it there last night in her moments of secluded terror, just in case. She needed to get up there.
She hissed, sudden adrenaline kicking into her veins as her heart threatened to beat through the constraints of her ribcage. Without warning, she lifted her legs, thankful for the cheerleading she'd done previously, and swiftly aimed a kick at him as hard as she could. With him being so tall, and her so short, she failed to meet his face, instead hitting him in the middle of his torso, reeling backwards with shock at her fight back. Her legs ached as she crashed them into the ground, her former injury bidding her no help in this fight.
Merely a second passed as she hurtled through the doorway as he recovered from his shock, belting up the stairs, slipping on the wooden floor into a skid on her way. Grabbing the bannister she pulled herself up, breath coming out of her in haggard spurts as she went.
He was shocked, and almost amused. She had kicked him! First a plate, now her own foot. He grinned as he counted to three to let her think she could get away before striding purposefully through into the hallway, her feet just visible as she dragged herself up the stairs. He would not chase her, no. He'd be able to get her in no time.
He watched which way she turned, and advanced up the stairs to where he heard the slam of a door before him. With the light peeking through, he could see she'd thrown herself in front of the door, an idle attempt to keep him out.
"Sakuraaa… Aren't we a bit old for hide and seek now?" He taunted, watching the previously shaking shadow of her under the door stop still, silent. He could practically feel the terror coursing through her veins as he advanced upon her, knowing that he didn't have much time. If she was going to call anyone if he left her in there, then his time was cut drastically short from having his way with her. He hammered on the door and heard her whispering to herself, some tirade about someone helping her. He knew she was talking to herself.
On the other side of the door, Sakura looked for anything within her reach that she could use to block the doorway. She'd never needed a lock on her bedroom, and now she greatly regretted that need. Her phone and the gun were mere metres away, taunting her. She knew if she moved he would be through the door in seconds, in fact she knew that if she didn't move he would be through it and it would hurt. Looking to her right, she grabbed a doorstop and wedged it under, staying there for another moment as she contemplated what to do. She had to get to the gun. If she got the phone, she might run out of time before someone got there.
Who would she call? The police. No. She knew who she had to call, the number was sat there in her phone from where Eriol had keyed it in the other day. She didn't want to speak to him, but now she realised the error of her ways and knew there was no much choice- she would have to speak to Syaoran Li. Glancing behind her and listening to the taunts from behind the door, she knew she didn't have much time. Pulling herself up on shaky legs, she ran over to the bed, grabbing the box the gun was in and opening it, pulling it out as she grabbed her phone in the other hand, dialling for Syaoran.
She laid the phone on the bed, letting it call before he picked up. If he picks up. She fumbled with her shaking hands as she attempted to load bullets into it, dropping a couple before having to put them back in. Her blood pounded in her ears as she did so, noticing that Li had not yet answered the phone. It had only been seconds.
Suddenly, behind her, the door flew off its hinges with a loud bang and she dropped the gun on the bed, turning paler as the second as the man entered the room, grinning from ear to ear.
"My my, what are we doing?"
She screamed as he launched towards her, grabbing the gun off the bed and fiddling to take off the safety catch. She was unsuccessful as she did so, him landing on top of her in a heap of limbs and screaming.
"You bastard! Get off me!" She screamed, the gun in one of her hands. There was no way she could take the safety off now.
"I don't think so little one." He grinned, slamming his hand sideways into her wrist which went limp, the gun falling out of her grasp as she did so.
Her eyes widened at the loss of her weapon, filling with salty tears that blurred her vision at the monster in front of her. He looked like pure evil, dark hair and dark eyes watching every move she made and grinning further still. He put his leg between hers, splaying her across the floor as she suddenly cried harder beneath him attempting to thrash and move out of his way. Spit dripped out of her mouth as she spluttered and cried, suddenly wanting to squeeze her eyes shut. She felt weak, defenceless and most certainly alone.
-x-
"Please! Please! Get off me please! Just kill me, please! Don't do it!"
"Now, now, little one. Where's the fun in that?"
He could hear her scream. Hear her cry. The voice in his ears was ringing as he pulled the car from the driveway with lightning speed, still listening to the incident occurring at the other end of the phone. He could hear Sakura, her cries and pleas, and he recognised the other voice too. Jai. The assassin always sent by the Mamba's to do their dirty worked, skilled at brutality and not a stranger to sexual assault along the way. He grabbed the steering wheel harder, throwing the car around corners as he heard her cry as she was hit on the head by something.
There was a silence for a moment, and he took in a breath as he rounded another corner, suddenly aware that he could neither hear her or Jai. The creepy bastard. Then, suddenly, a voice, right next to the phone.
"Ah… Who would have known it would be you she'd call? Syaoran Li, what a pleasure. I'm sure you will take most enjoyment in hearing this."
He growled loudly at the car phone, seeing only red as he replied. "Get the fuck away from her Jai, your business isn't with her! Don't you dare touch her!"
He heard the laugh, sinister and taunting as Sakura moaned softly in pain somewhere in the background. "Now, now Mr Li. I suggest that you just sit pretty and enjoy the show."
"You sick bastard!" He heard a loud rip, as if some clothing had just been torn off her and felt his stomach turn, nausea washing over him in a wave as he almost failed to drive the car any longer. He felt sick, he needed to save her. He knew not why, he had run out of the house to the shouts of the others questioning him and pelted to the car mere moments ago when he had answered the call and heard the ruckus on the other end. He couldn't let Jai have her.
-x-
He grinned as she stilled when he ripped the front of her dress open, a quick tug and the material split before his eyes giving him a view of her underwear. Taught stomach, perky breasts and long milky legs lay in front of him. The girl had given up in her screaming; only moaning in protest softly as she seemed to fall in and out of consciousness. Best get this over quick. He grinned in satisfaction as he reached up to touch her hair, the long silky tresses threading through his fingers as she lamely attempted to jerk away from his grasp.
Sakura's mind was in overdrive. She was about to be raped. About to die. All she felt were the salty tears spilling into her mouth as her body felt like lead. She had heard him speak to Li, heard his voice and in a way it comforted her. She had already resigned herself to the fact that he might not make it in time, that she probably was about to meet her death. It was better than this. She could feel his hands, lightly touching her shoulders and ripping the dress from her with precision. She cried harder, wishing she could move. Her vision was swimming from the final blow to the head he'd delivered. She couldn't move, she could barely speak, and she was about to die in a cruel and disgusting twist of fate.
"Now, now pretty. Less of the crying." Jai growled, looking at the feast in front of him. He cackled as he did so, looking at the girl just laid there in her underwear. She looked like some kind of angel, hair splayed around her in her pale undergarments on the carpet of what he guessed was her bedroom. How fitting that Li should listen, oh the boss would be so pleased. He would indeed get paid handsomely for this.
Pulling another hand up, he suddenly reached around her back, pulling her up slightly and spilling her chest out in front of his eyes as her bra pinged off and fell down slightly. Removing the garment he used a moment to sit back, grinning at his prize and the fear in her eyes.
"No… Please… No…" Her voice came out in sharp gasps, frantic and pleading with him. Why plead? They should be proud that he deemed them good looking enough to even think of screwing one of them and their association with the Li gang. Growling, he slapped her across the face, her head snapping back in an instant and a cry escaping her lips.
"You might have to speak up, wouldn't want Li to miss the show. I hope you can still hear this Li!" He shouted the last bit, the cruel smile upon his face as he advanced on her, hands suddenly touching her, starting at her arms and moving up, cruelly, slowly, toward the centre of her chest.
She cried, harder. Dirty. Naked. Used. She felt sick as he touched her, wanting to vomit profusely at the situation. How could she have been so stupid to think she could have stayed alone? She wanted to knock herself out, contemplating using the last of her strength to smash her head against the floor and try and render herself out for the count. It probably wouldn't work. At the moment, she actually felt as if she just wanted to die. To escape this torture, this brutal and vial exploitation of her body that she was powerless to prevent. She cried and hiccupped harder, feeling his hands moving desperately slow to rest upon her chest and saw out of the corner of her eye his face light up in sick satisfaction. Beneath him, naked and feeble.
He began to remove his jacket, slipping it off his shoulders, his knees and body still pinning her under him in the moments that passed so slowly, yet she knew they were only seconds. He revealed a plain black shirt, large muscles and the unmistakeable tattoo of a snake winding its way around his upper bicep. He began to remove it, throwing it to the pile with the coat before reaching down to remove his belt, ever the while watching her with that sick grin on his face.
This was it. This was her innocence, the thing that she had protected, that had kept her who she was, about to be lost to a madman from some gang before she had any say in the matter. She wanted to escape, the scream, but the words died in her throat as his belt was removed with a click, him pulling it from the loops in his dark trousers with a satisfied smile on his face.
"It won't hurt a bit princess… Just enjoy it" He winked at her as he finally caught her eye, leaning close so he could tickle her fact with his breath this time, the smell of mint turning her stomach as he did so.
Somewhere in the moment, she had forgotten the rest of her ears in tune to her surroundings. She heard, quietly but there, the noise of something coming into the drive, a quiet hum, but something. A car! She prayed to herself that it would be someone coming to rescue her, that Syaoran would send someone that perhaps someone had heard her protests and the fight that had ensued after this imposter had invaded her home. She looked to the man, realising he had not heard it, who was now quietly looking up and down her body with that twisted smile, before applying his hands to her. Cold and hard he groped her, and she shrieked in pain as he did so, pulling at her breasts with the escaping sound of pleasure as he did so. She cried harder, if possible, as with one hand he began to move down toward her pants, watching her eyes the whole time for her reaction.
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!"
That voice. She knew that voice. Syaoran! She moved her heard, Vision blurred as she did to see the muscular body of Syaoran Li walk through the door, grabbing the other man and practically throwing him off her body, leaving her there, one again nearly naked and feeling very much alone.
She could hear a sick crack as the two men began fighting, the other one now upon his feet and giving Syaoran his very best in an attempt to harm him. She couldn't focus, instead two blurs were now just moving back and forth, and the noise in her ears louder and louder as her mind began to come back to earth, dumping upon her the situation that she now found herself in.
Moaning softly she attempted to move up, her body sore and cold as she did so, squeezing her eyes open and shut as she tried in vain to find focus. When she did, she realised it was not pretty.
Syaoran and the other man were truly taking chunks out of one another. She could see a cut on Syaorans forehead and the other man appeared to have a broken nose, grappling with one another across the room in a crash of her possessions as they did so. Realising she had to do something, despite her current state of undress, she pulled herself up the best she could, moaning louder this time yet thankfully failing to divert the attention of the others. Fumbling with her other hand, she rolled over, grabbing for the gun on the floor and attempting to get some feeling back into the other that had been damaged to attempt to help Syaoran.
She shivered as she felt it in her hands, the safety now turned off as she tried to focus. She couldn't shoot this gun. She couldn't even see straight, what if she hit Syaoran? She shouted his name, hoping that he could see that she had a gun, perhaps come and retrieve it from her.
In a split second he moved his head to look at her, eyes wide as he saw the gun in her hand. She screamed in that moment, as for diverting his attention he paid the ultimate price as the other man brought his fist with a crack into his cheek, knocking him staggering away from him before gathering the strength to bolt out of the door.
She watched, dismayed, as Syaoran wobbled to the floor, falling onto the carpet, arms outstretched to support himself after his wounding. She screamed loudly, Oh God! Oh God!
"Syaoran!" She attempted to move, hefting her limbs from the floor and dropping the gun at her side as she fought to regain control of her body and move toward him. She could see him breathing as she pulled herself forward toward him, legs tired, arms aching.
"Syaoran?" She was whispering now, reaching him as she did so.
He cracked an eye open and studied her, sitting up suddenly and placing a hand on his face with a grimace. She was shocked that he had done so, thinking a moment ago that he was unconscious.
"Sakura…" He whispered, finishing looking to the door and listening quietly to fixing her with attention. She knew she must look wrecked, practically naked on the floor, battered and tear stained, the fight having escaped from her as she collapsed with a breath onto the ground, crying once more.
She saw his eyes soften, such juxtaposition from the moments ago when he was so cold hearted in his dealings with that man. How he had deserved it, yes. The change, however, was almost terrifying. "Sakura, what did he…?" His voice trailed off, the great Syaoran Li now speechless as he focused upon her body, clothes ripped on the floor and wearing only one garment. He felt sickness wash over him once more
"He… He didn't… Just this…" She cried, curling herself up into a ball on the floor, covering her bare chest with her thin arms.
Blushing, he reached out, gathering her small form up into his, cradling her like a child in his lap. "Shush… It's alright, its okay now. You're safe." His voice was soft and soothing, she'd never heard him take such a tone before and it did indeed comfort her nerves as she shook against him.
Feeling her shake against him and noting her apparent undress, with a swift movement he removed his shirt and felt her freeze as he did so. "Sorry… Here." He whispered, cooing in her ear as he placed it over her shoulders and hugged her form into his. She relaxed once more, coughing as she cried.
So he just sat there and let her.
AN: Dramaaaaaa! Review guys! Over 7000 words for this chapter (be thankful for snow days!)