I, ASSASSIN

Chapter Eleven

Remy LeBeau was becoming incredibly frustrated. With two full weeks of training, his body was racked in pain and his energy was winding down. If Marius's plan was to somehow break him, Remy suspected soon the man may possibly succeed. Late to bed, early to rise, learning how to clean and dismantle and re-assemble guns, working on his clean kill technique with the mannequins and ballistics dummies and then some combat training, just in case he should fail and get into a hand-to-hand brawl.

It wasn't that he minded being pushed to his maximum potential. He'd always been a fan of training and pushing his limits, it was the only way to learn in his opinion. The only problem was that he was being pushed so much that by the time night camehis body felt too exhausted to sleep, and his mind was too full of new information to settle. He just couldn't relax. He was permitted short afternoon naps (as this was usually when Marius took care of any guild business outside of the training) but even those did little to let him rest much and so he trudged along exhaustedly each day trying to focus, hoping his work was satisfactory enough to keep his new mentor happy.

At the end of his second week, he found there was to be yet another hunting trip. This time, Marius was determined that Remy would make a clean kill. No animal should be left to suffer.

Remy was suffering enough. Bella Donna had begged to come along on this particular hunting trip and although her father had initially declined, he soon changed his mind and allowed the girl to tag along after her persistent interruptions to his training sessions with Remy complaining about how she was being treated unfairly in a particularly sexist guild and how she should be included in this if she was supposed to eventually pass the final stage of her initiation and become a full-fledged Assassin too.

Although he realised Bella Donna was no stranger to a gun, it surprised Remy that she had her own hunting rifle, and it had slightly disturbed him when she'd arrived with it that Friday morning at four am sharp. She looked decidedly unlike her usual self, he noted, with her camouflage cap, her bleach-washed slightly torn jeans and a baggy olive green t-shirt. Without even a hint of makeup on her young face, she looked barely thirteen, and Remy felt an odd sense of guilt still finding her so attractive despite that youthful appearance. It made it almost perverted again, just like it had been a couple of years ago.

In the car, Bella Donna had her way with the radio, despite her father's complaint about her rather annoying music tastes (there was only so much Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga one man could stand). Remy felt slightly resentful that she was allowed so much more leeway than he had been, and although those types of music weren't his thing, he found it so much more agreeable than the previous hunting trip of sitting silent in a car for hours with no music to break the tension. Perhaps it was the music, or perhaps it was just exhaustion but he felt his mind going numb enough that it might shut down and so he tried to get a few extra hours of sleep in the back of the car during the long drive back to the same stretch of woodlands they'd hunted in before.

As Remy tried to slumber, he couldn't help but feel Bella Donna was going to try and make it extremely difficult for him this weekend. Being almost caught that night in his bedroom on the return from the first trip had not deterred her from flaunting herself whenever she passed him in the house. The way she'd stick her chest out, and wear those decidedly low-cut tops, or the way she'd run her foot against his leg at meal times at the dinner table, unknown to her father who would sit at the end of the table none the wiser.

As mad as Remy still was at her for what Bella Donna had done to the family dog, Remy was finding it increasingly difficult to avoid his attraction to her. She was making it hard for him...in more ways than just one.

Remy had just begun to barely drift off when Marius announced that they had arrived; they were parked at that same spot they had been before. So far from the previous campsite they had used that apparently were going to set out for once again.

Loaded with most of the camping equipment yet again – including Bella Donna's tent and sleeping bag – Remy trudged along tiredly at the back of the father and daughter, exhaustion pulling him every which way. The blisters on his feet barely seemed to have started healing but he realised soon there would be new ones to replace the old. At least this time he'd taken care to wear an extra pair of socks to give his feet a little more padding. He'd even thought to bring some bandaids to prevent the rubbing of his boots at the heel and had applied some before he'd left. Preparation was key, Jean-Luc had taught him that and Marius was preaching it often enough now too that Remy took the advice as best he could.

"Your dad ever bring you hunting as a kid?" asked Bella Donna as she slowed down to walk at Remy's side through the woodlands, hands gripping the straps of her backpack.

"Never," said Remy. "He never took us camping," he huffed as he pushed himself a little up the hill, nearly slipping on some loose earth. "His idea of family bonding was going to a strip club and stuffing one dollar bills in some stripper's thong."

Bella Donna gave a dazzling smile, her eyes seemed to glimmer a clear blue like the sky; Remy thought it incredibly attractive how her eyes seemed to shift colour from sky blue to almost aqua and turquoise like the colour of the water in a tropical paradise. "Sounds like fun."

"It was," Remy shrugged, suddenly thinking back. Not quite the normal family bonding experience, but there had been some laughs and some enjoyment to be had when on an outing with Jean-Luc and Henri. Staggering from bar to bar, fights with bouncers, getting slapped by strippers and barmaids, getting drinks in the face and verbally abused...making fun of each other for it later.

The thought now made him miss his father and brother terribly. He'd been avoiding thinking of them as much as he could, and as mad as he still was with them both, he wished they could be sitting at a bar together laughing and talking about the old days. Days that maybe were only two years before that now had seemed ancient like decades ago. Days were like months and years when you were young.

"You're a little young to be goin' to strip bars," Bella Donna noted, a naughty smile playing about her lips.

"Jean-Luc was always good that way," Remy supposed. Yes, he supposed Jean-Luc, for all his badness at times had his good and likeable qualities. Most fathers wouldn't agree to taking their fifteen year old son to bars, getting them their first beer...wouldn't take their sixteen year old to skin bars and pay for lap-dances. Most fathers wouldn't take their teenage sons to high stakes poker games and let them play and keep the hundreds of dollars worth of winnings. Remy had very few happy memories to look back on, but those times were the best. Feeling like one of the guys, the camaraderie, the bonding and connecting. There had been good times.

Bella Donna was perceptive enough that she seemed to read what he was thinking, "you miss them, don't you?"

"It's just...strange, bein' out of contact with them. I've been away from them before...for months at a time without word, but bein' within miles of home and still not bein' able to even see them is...weird. I kind of miss Henri...as much of a dick as he can be sometimes," Remy admitted.

"I don't miss Julien all that much," Bella Donna confessed, "he's such a jerk sometimes..." she frowned, "but daddy keeps remindin' me he's the only brother I'll ever have and that I have to respect him and listen to him and do what he says. I guess once he's a Thief for good the rules will probably change."

"I reckon so," Remy agreed.

As they walked a little further, Bella Donna turned to Remy and smiled just a little, "you take me to a strip bar some time?" she asked.

"You'd want me to?"

"It'd be kinda excitin'," she confessed. Remy was impressed, Bella Donna was the first female he'd ever known (outside of the ones who worked in them) who actually seemed enthusiastic and open about the idea of going into one recreationally. The thought made his heart beat a little faster, the idea of watching Bella Donna putting a twenty into a leggy dark exotic stripper's g-string would be highly erotic.

Stop thinkin' like that, especially not with her dad up ahead of us, he reminded himself.

"You two hurry up!" Marius huffed from the top of the hill, "Belle, up in front," he gestured up the hill, "stop holdin' him back."

Bella Donna frowned, "he wouldn't be held back if you didn't have him carryin' all the heavy stuff," she pointed out, stopping in her tracks.

"Don't you sass me," Marius warned.

"You have him carryin' all our stuff...how is that fair?" Bella Donna stopped, gesturing to Remy, who was sweating and red faced from the effort and weight of all the items he was lugging.

"You wanna carry stuff?" Marius snorted, "You barely weigh ninety pounds, you'd tip over like a coat stand with too many coats on one side. Now get your ass movin'," commanded Marius.

Throwing him a brief, apologetic glance, Bella Donna ascended up the hill quickly to join her father, and Remy trailed exhaustedly behind, only feeling the smallest satisfaction that she'd taken the moment to fight in his corner, even if it hadn't had any effect whatsoever.

They arrived at the same campsite as before, and Remy went about pitching the tents as Marius sorted through the supplies. Bella Donna tried to help with the tents, but for the most part, tended to get in the way. Remy was positive she knew how to put the tent together and yet, she complained of needing assistance from him, leading to a lot of accidental brushing of hands which was electric, exciting, although a little unnerving with Marius so close by. Then there was the way she would seem to almost deliberately brush against him in passing, or the way she would lean over directly across from him so he could see down the collar of her t-shirt...it was starting to get to him. Her father was too close for these displays to be unnoticed, and Remy was sure at some point he was going to get a slap up the side of the head. As Bella Donna stood putting the poles together, Remy spied her suggestively running her hand along the length of each one, her eyes flicking towards him every so often and a vague smile playing about her pink lips.

Silently, with his back turned to Marius, he mouthed the words "stop that," to the girl, who only gave a light tinkling laugh that her caused her father to glance up and stare at the two suspiciously, his eyes squinting. Remy composed himself quickly, "Belle, why don't you let me finish this," he suggested as he moved over and took the poles from her, "go get some fire wood or something."

Marius looked between them both and Remy was well aware he sensed the sexual tension, which for Remy, only made him incredibly nervous and uncomfortable. Remy turned his back upon Bella Donna before she could respond to him and he went back to what he'd been doing, hoping his raging erection wasn't all that obvious beneath the plaid shirt he was wearing.

"He's right," said Marius, who was checking his hunting rifle, "go get some wood. No need for you to both be doin' the same thing. Sooner we get set up here, sooner we can get hunting."

Bella Donna gave a sigh, and uttered "fine," under her breath. She disappeared off into the woods, Remy sighed too and he went about putting her tent together for her. Remy had expected Marius to pick on him, get him warned again about being near his daughter. Nothing was said, and as Remy was pitching the tent, he glanced over to the older man to see a look of pain crossing his face.

Something wasn't right about the man, he could see it. He looked strangely pale, and clammy, more clammy than the intense summer heat should have allowed for. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Marius replied in a mumble, as he checked the rifle Remy saw a look of pain cross his face, heard inhaling a little and then breathe out slowly as if trying to exhale out whatever was wrong.

Bella Donna returned with a handful of dry branches for the fire and she dropped them by the campfire that had been left there previously, the rocks were still perfectly in place, the charred remains of branches were all that was left now.

"You two are gonna have to go on ahead," said Marius, he put aside his rifle, "hunt on your own."

Looking slightly concerned, Bella Donna tilted her head, "why? What's wrong?"

Remy blinked, this was completely surprising to him. Why now did he suddenly trust them to go alone? Especially right now after being able to see it right in front of him that there was chemistry going on.

"Nothin' at all," replied her father, he stood up, his expression becoming one of even more pain. "Make sure he makes a clean kill," he warned his daughter, "bring the entire thing back. I want to be sure."

"Of course," she nodded.

Remy and Bella Donna gathered the necessary equipment they needed and went seperately to change into the clothes Marius had brought for them. Although she'd changed behind some bushes, Remy caught a glimpse of her unintentionally in her underwear. Luckily her father seemed too preoccupied with whatever was wrong with him to notice. His expression pained and his lips pursed.

Why is he trustin' us now? Remy wondered as he sprayed himself with the same can from the past trip, a woodsy-scented aerosol to mask his predatory scent from woodland animals. In the bushes, he heard Bella Donna doing the same thing before dressing.

As they left the campsite together, Remy threw a glance over his shoulder Marius who looked really quite unwell now. After he and Bella Donna had left the area and were well out of earshot, Remy asked, "is he feeling okay?"

"Oh yeah, he's fine," Bella Donna said, sounding quite bright and cheery as she walked along side of him, a slight skip in her step.

"He didn't look fine," Remy mumbled concernedly, finding it almost bothersome that he actually felt concern at all for the man. "You should be more worried, he's your daddy..."

"Oh, trust me, I don't gotta worry about him..."

"You sure? He didn't look all that well, chere..."

Bella Donna gave a soft chuckle, "he's just havin' some...stomach issues."

"Stomach issues?" Remy stopped right then and looked at her, "what do you mean stomach issues? Does he have an ulcer or something? Should he even be out here?"

Bella Donna stopped too, "Relax...he's fine...he doesn't have an ulcer. It's just...well..." she chewed her lip, "I spiked his coffee when we stopped at that gas station to fuel up."

Remy blinked, "you...what?"

"I'm sick of bein' chaperoned all the frickin' time."

"Jesus, you poisoned your own father's coffee?! Are you mad?"

"Relax, it's just ex-lax," she rolled her eyes at him. "You and me...we never get any time alone...I figured I slip him some laxatives...there's no way he's going to be in a position to be with us all the time..."

That's so devious...it's kind of...brilliant, Remy thought. If her father ever found out about it though, he was sure he'd murder them both.

Bella Donna stepped forward towards him with a suggestive smile playing about her lips, but he shifted back quickly.

"No. No way," he shook his head.

"Oh come on, stop bein' such a wimp. He's not gonna be in any position to catch us. He'll be shittin' through the eye of a needle right now. That's why he sent both of us away, so he didn't show weakness. He's not gonna be anywhere near here."

"I don't care," Remy replied. It was strange how wrong it seemed that he would rather kill another defenceless animal than actually fool around with Bella Donna in the woods. Remy wondered if perhaps he should tell her to go back and let him hunt alone but he realised that it would be pointless. Her father had specified she watch him make a clean kill. She'd have to report back to him.

"I thought you wanted to be with me..." Bella Donna seemed almost hurt, her expression changed, her eyes were strangely glassy.

"I do," he replied, he supposed it was still the truth although now was definitely not the time for it. "But you don't get how much fucking pressure I'm under right now. Your father is watchin' me like a hawk. He's waitin' to catch me with my hands on you, and I don't like the prospect of him cuttin' them, or any other other appendage off."

"Yeah...we wouldn't want that," Bella Donna supposed, a distinct naughty smile playing about her lips, "I happen to like your appendages...all of them..." she reached for his groin and he pushed her hand away swiftly.

"I'm serious."

She pouted and Remy sighed, why was it she was so undeniably beautiful when she had that sad look upon her face.

Tenderly, he put his hand beneath her chin and tilted it up so she'd look up at him a little more, "now is not the time for this."

"When will be?" she asked. "He never lets us be together..."

Remy brushed his thumb against her soft lips, "we maybe have to wait, until I'm a proper initiate, and not just probationary...when I prove myself...maybe then..."

"I'm sick of waitin'. I've waited for you for years..."

"I've waited too...you know that. I've been holdin' off so much..."

"Then stop holdin' off," Bella Donna pleaded, her hands holding on to his collar tightly, she tugged a little, her expression determined and desperate. Remy wondered just how ready she was for all this. She played the part very well, but then, she was so innocent behind it all. He didn't doubt there'd been a few boys somewhere she'd dabbled and experimented with, but when it came down to it, was she really ready for him?

Hating himself, Remy resopnded, "Belle...you're still so young. Maybe your daddy is right to protect you."

"I don't need protectin'," Bella Donna stated coolly, "I know what I want."

How could he resist her? The heat around him, the solitude, the closeness, the electricity between them...regardless of who she was and what she'd done that still haunted him, he could not hold off any longer, feeling strangely obligated, he kissed her right there, beneath the canopy of the trees and the singing birds up on high branches. Their tongues danced a furious tango, their hands gripping each other almost desperately. He pinned her against the nearest tree and moved to kiss her neck, he felt her stiffen as if something was wrong and he stopped, moving back slowly to look at her.

"Look," she whispered quietly, she put her hand on his jaw and turned his head in the direction she was looking. His eyes fell upon the Elk grazing on a patch of grass, slightly obscured by the trees.

Remy swallowed hard, "there's my kill..." he realised.

Bella Donna nodded, "you can do this."

But he couldn't. They stalked closer together, rifles at the ready, hiding behind the bushes, watching the creature who was none the wiser to their presence. Remy aimed, but hesitated. His stomach churned with the thought of putting the elk through the same pain as the previous one.

"Go on," Bella Donna whispered in his ear so incredibly quietly, "you can shoot, I know you can."

Remy's nerves were shaking, he fingered the trigger, but he couldn't find the mettle to pull. He couldn't do it. He lowered the gun and shook his head, "I can't."

"Do it!" she hissed, "we can't go back empty handed..."

"Belle...I can't, all right? I can't..." he shook his head.

Hastily, grabbed the rifle from him, aimed and fired with an eerie precision. The thing went down with a sickening thud, and didn't cry out. It had died immediately. No pain. Clean kill. God, it disturbed him how easily she could do this, how determined she had looked and how absolutely void of remorse she seemed. His ears rang from the blast, his heart even felt like it may have stopped for a second. He'd never liked the sound of guns.

"There."

"Belle, I-"

She looked at him straight in the eye, her expression so serious, "he'll never know," she said calmly as she handed him the rifle back.

He stared down at the gun in his hands, odd how even if he hadn't been the one to fire he still felt like an accomplice. He supposed in some way he was.

"I'd do anythin' for you, Remy," Bella Donna said softly, "I told you..."

She put both hands upon his face and kissed him tenderly, a different kiss to how he was used to with her. He might have enjoyed it was he not still in so much shock. This was the second time she'd killed an animal that he'd been ordered to kill himself. He couldn't imagine the immensity of trouble she would be in if her father ever discovered this. She was putting herself in a very awkward position.

It was just then he realised how much she meant what she'd said. She would do anything for him. He wondered just how far he would be able to go for her in the same circumstances.

"Lets get this back to the camp," said Bella Donna as she headed towards the poor beast. "Daddy will be real happy with this."

"I hope so," said Remy. I just hope he don't figure out I didn't make the kill.

End of Chapter Eleven

Starting to suspect that there may be a shortage of animals to kill in the woods if this keeps going on, lol.

Thanks to all who have reviewed so far, I really appreciate it :)