by K. A Knight
He winks as a grin tugs at his full lips, and I am struck once again by how beautiful he is. I guess I was ignoring that while I was healing, but now that I am reminded of it, it’s all I can see. “Sure, I have another machine gun right here if you want to see?” he quips, cupping himself, but then he freezes and stares at me as if remembering why he shouldn't joke like that. It makes me roll my eyes at his concern, because I’m not a broken fucking thing like he said, and I never want him to censor himself around me.
“Sure you do. I bet it’s more like a little knife,” I taunt and his grin turns wicked.
“Even little things like that could do some damage, want to see?” He moves closer, the weapons in a pile at our feet and I doubt they are what we are even talking about anymore, but that doesn't bother me. I know this is just flirting and it makes me feel good that he still sees me that way.
“I’d rather play with a sword.” I grin and he laughs, stepping back.
“Woman after my own heart, come on then Princess. Pick your first weapon and let’s see what fire you got in that sexy body of yours.” He picks up the bag and walks over to the edge of the clearing, leaving me staring after him once again. He thinks I'm sexy? It sends a bolt of lust through me, which soon turns to confusion. Fuck, I am so messed up.
Ignoring the mess that is my head and emotions, I lean down and grab a huge two handed sword. I nearly drop it, my arms already shaking from the weight. “That won’t work,” he comments, circling me, and I go to snark back but I see the seriousness and concentration on his face. He really is trying to help. So for once I hold back my sass and drop the big metal sword to the pile with a clank. Thinking seriously this time, I eye the pile for something I think I could work with.
“You’re small with shorter arms, it would be good to have something you could use first before they got too close to inflict some damage. Maybe a distance weapon and a close contact one would be good to train you in first,” he suggests and I nod. It makes me wonder about him though. Trev called him an assassin and I saw him fight that day with Jago. He’s the Seeker’s assassin, does he just hunt around the Wastes all the time? That must get lonely.
Bending down I sift through the weapons, trying not to hurt myself, but with a yelp I hold my finger up to see blood welling at the tip from where I caught it on something sharp. Archel is there in a instant. Crouched in front of me, his fingers cupping mine. He eyes the weapons like they have betrayed him before pulling my injured finger closer. My chest rattles and my breathing seems to stop as he pulls it to his mouth and sucks the blood away. My pussy throbs in time with my heartbeat, and my breathing picks up as my heart hammers so loud he must hear it. With his eyes locked on mine with a scary intensity, his crazy swirling in their oceanic depths, he slowly pulls my finger from his mouth and I swallow hard, forcing myself to look down.
The blood is gone and there is only a tiny cut, so I tug it from his grasp and hold it protectively to my chest. “Thanks,” I mutter, my voice breathless.
“Be careful, I can’t kill them,” he replies before standing up and stepping back, leaving me confused. Did he mean he can’t kill the weapons for hurting me? Here I thought Jago was crazy and overprotective, but Archel was just down right mental. He’s smooth and pops up like the dark, whereas Jago is brutal and unforgiving, barging his way into the light. Archel doesn’t want that, he likes the dark and pain and bloodshed but he can be rough when he needs to. Shaking my head, I try to stop comparing them. Instead, I eye the weapons again. He said long distance. Nibbling on my lower lip, I carefully reach down and extract three throwing stars that make me feel like a ninja.
“Good choice. Okay, let’s see how accurately you can throw,” he orders, and I nod as I get to my feet, carefully holding them so I don’t cut myself again.
I follow him over to a tree where he stops me with a hand on my hip, before he walks over and nails a target into the bark. When he’s happy, he walks back over and stands next to me.
“Okay, let me show you first.” He grabs one from me and without even looking, throws it at the tree where it buries into the bullseye. That’s freaking impressive and a little bit hot. “Your turn.” He steps behind me and guides me into the correct position, and then steps back again.
Taking a deep breath I push the feel of him behind me away, and concentrate on the bullseye. Determination races through me as I pull my hand back and let it loose. It hits the target and bounces off onto the ground, making me wince. Okay, so maybe not so ninja-like.
“Maybe not throwing stars.” Archel laughs and I spin with narrowed eyes. He holds his hands up and I cross mine, as he walks back over to the pile of weapons and starts looking through them. Grabbing something, he makes his way back over to me and presents it.
“A cross bow?” I ask, incredulously.
“Yes. It’s harder to master, but longer distance and easier to aim.” He turns me around and places it in my arms, a bolt already loaded.
“Okay, so this one has a crosshair sight, make sure to keep your hands on the rail below so they don’t get anywhere near the string. I’ll show you how to cock it and reload after, but for now I want you to bring it up to your shoulder.” He steps back as I test the weight. It’s heavy but not so heavy that I can’t hold it.
Resting the butt on my shoulder, I peer through the scope with one eye.
“Click off your safety.” He shows me how and I do so before looking back in the scope. “If shooting normally, you will need to think about wind and so forth, but let’s not worry about that today. I want you to squeeze the trigger once you have it lined up,” he says calmly, his voice soothing and reassuring.
Breathing out, I squeeze the trigger as the bolt releases from the bow and flies through the air. Dropping it, so it points at the ground I gawk at the target where the bolt sticks dead center.
“You’re a natural.” Archel grins, pride filling his eyes, and I can’t help but smile in return.
“Can you show me how to reload?” I request giddily, loving the feel of the weapon in my hands.
He nods and puts the safety on as he demonstrates how to load the bow. I run through it a few times and once he is happy, he lets me play. I manage to hit dead center every time, and each bolt only adds to my confidence, something I haven’t felt since the attack.
“I’ll make sure to bring you a loader and a new bow back,” he comments idly as he watches me, making sure I don’t hurt myself. Dropping the bow to point at the ground I look at him in confusion.
“Back from where?” I inquire, frowning hard.
“I need to head out soon, check on a few things, but I’ll be back,” he adds when he sees my face drop. I school it and nod and go back to shooting, with a sour taste in my mouth at the thought of being without him. I guess I have got used to him always being here, like a security blanket.
“Okay, how about we practise more with this later? Let’s find you a close range weapon,” he murmurs, as he heads back over to the pile.
I lose one more arrow before putting on the safety and lying it softly down next to me. Staring at the arrows I wrap my arms around my middle, shivering despite the heat. I guess I knew he would leave at some point, I just wish it wasn't yet.
“Princess,” he shouts, and when I blink I find him in front of me. From the way he is speaking, it’s clear he has said my name a few times before.
“Huh?” I ask dumbly.
“I’ll be back, I promise you,” he declares softly.
I scoff and try to cover my emotions, he already sees to much. “Don’t get cocky, I just zoned out is all.”
He cocks his eyebrow at me and just stares until I start to fidget, uncomfortable with the way he is watching me, like he sees everything I am trying to hide.
“Are we training or what?” I ask quickly and his lips twitch.
Leaning forward so our mouths are inches apart he stops and I freeze, fear and excitement war inside me as I try to figure out how I am feeling. “You don’t
get rid of me that easily, Princess. You owe me a debt, a life for a life and I plan on taking yours. I won’t kill you, don’t worry. No, you are much more interesting alive. Your life is mine, you are mine.” He leans back and turns around casually, like nothing just happened, as I gawk at him.
“I noticed you eyeing the katana. Now, it's nothing fancy and I’m not an expert, I am better with knives, swords, and guns, but I can teach you some. It’s smaller so should be better for you grip.” He carries on while I just stare at him, wondering what the hell just happened.
Did the assassin just...claim me? Like some old-school mating bullshit? He has another thing coming if he thinks this is how it’s going to go down. I might not have been my usual sassy, fiery self, but if he keeps on pushing like that then he will realise under the fear and pain is rock-solid concrete.
Nobody, no matter how fucking pretty they are, decides anything for me. Maybe it’s time I showed my shadow that.
With fresh determination and fire running through my body, I commit to becoming the old Piper... just more improved and with more scars.
Game on, Shadow.
Archel spends hours training me, mainly on how to handle the sword and a few basic movements, but my body isn't one hundred percent yet and I tire quickly. When he noticed my arm dropping for the hundredth time, he calls it a day and ignores my protests, claiming he can smell food cooking anyway and that he needs sustenance to maintain all his ‘amazing muscles.’
I might have scoffed at that, even as my eyes dropped to his well-defined chest and arms, and obviously he caught me if his smirk is anything to go by.
“I’m going to wash up,” I declare, leaving him to pack up as I venture the couple hundred feet to the pond. With each step my heart rate increases and my breathing turns shallow, my eyes dart everywhere to check my surroundings, and I jump at every little noise. By the time I make it to the water, I am tightly strung. Determined to do this alone, I wade in and keep my eyes on the shore, washing quickly.
When I’m done, I make my way out and head back to Archel. I find him in the exact same position, but nothing seems to be packed away. I eye him strangely, but triumph rocks through me at being able to go by myself. Baby steps, and before I know it I will be back to my normal, sarcastic self.
“You ready to head for food?” I ask, starting to help him gather everything up. My anxiety bleeds away with him by my side again and my thigh takes that moment to twinge, reminding me I’m pushing myself.
“Come on, Princess. That leg of yours must be hurting by now.” He heaves the bag over his shoulder and grabs my hand. We walk slowly towards the center of the settlement where I can already here the hustle and bustle. It makes my shoulders tense, but I breathe through it and hold on tighter to Archel.
“You’re not half bad with a bow,” he praises, obviously trying to break the tension he can feel in me.
Rolling my eyes I follow him as the sun starts to set, throwing red and orange across the sky. The fire is roaring and something is cooking, smelling delicious. I don’t have the balls to ask what it is, it’s not like you see any cows or pigs about nowadays.
The residents of the settlement are all here. With the tables full of people who are laughing and talking and eating. Nearly all the logs are full as well, and people are spread out on the ground, happy just to be together. It’s so different from the clinical eating space at Paradise that I just stop and stare. Archel stops with me and looks from me to them.
“I wish my parents were alive, they would have loved this,” I whisper, my voice choked.
He looks back over at the center and seems to see it in new light. “I love it here, it’s so peaceful when the rest of my life is filled with bloodshed and fighting.”
He pulls me along after him before I can ask more questions about his life. We end up queuing and receiving plates filled with charred meat. Instead of leading me to a table or a log, he pulls me over to some cushions far enough away from everyone so I can relax. We sit side by side and eat as we watch everyone. Once I’ve finished I lean back and watch Trev as he moves through the crowd, they love him and it's more like a family than anything else.
“What about your family?” I question, breaking the silence.
I look over as he stretches out next to me, his arms behind his head as he looks up at the stars.
“Never knew them,” he mutters.
Laying down next to him, I curl into his side for warmth and he turns his head to face me, the fire dancing across his cheeks. “What do you mean?”
“Dray’s father was our leader when I was a kid. A year after I was born, my mother and father tried to leave to protect me. He killed them because of it and I was tossed to the other Seekers to be brought up.” He says it so matter-of-factly, like it doesn't matter, but I see the slight tightening of his eyes.
“That must have been rough,” I reply softly.
He shrugs and looks back at the sky. “I learned a lot of skills, like how to be a thief, how to fight, how to protect myself. Then I met Dray and the rest is history.”
I nod, my eyes stuck on his face. He really is beautiful, in a deadly way. “So you just roam about the Wastes killing people?” I ask, curious.
“That bother you, Princess?” he teases, his lips quirked up.
“Not really, just more curious than anything,” I admit and he turns to look at me, obviously checking if I’m being serious.
“I don’t always kill people, sometimes I am sent to find people or learn things. I would do anything for Dray, for our people. They are my family.”
I sigh and look down at the ground. “I can understand that.”
He moves, wrapping his arm around me when I shiver, and pulls me closer to his side. “The boyfriend? That big, mean looking bastard?”
I laugh, shaking my head. “That’s Jago. I had- have- had a best friend back at Paradise. We grew up together. I would have done anything for him,” I divulge sadly.
“But not anymore?” he presses, knowing I am not telling him everything. He always sees too much.
“Maybe not, he hurt me. I’m betting he isn't even looking for me,” I mutter and he sighs again.
“That’s probably for the best, Princess. Life out here isn't made for everyone, and if he starts asking too many questions they will kill him.”
I suck in a breath and let it out shakily, knowing he is right. Looking up, I rove my eyes over his face. “You said you understood, about my attack?”
He grins, but it's not a nice one at all. “Caught that, did you? You sure don’t pull your punches…”
It’s my turn to smirk at him. “No, I say what I want. It’s better to be told no than to never ask.”
He shakes his head and looks back at the sky. “Let’s just say no one cares what happens to an orphaned street kid.”
My heart breaks a little, imagining a small Archel trying to fight for his life and suffering through the unspeakable. “I dunno, you didn’t turn out too bad,” I joke and he laughs, his body shaking next to me.
“Knew you liked me, Princess. Just a matter of time before you love me,” he taunts.
I groan and try to roll away, but he keeps me there. “Insufferable prick is what you are.”
“You love it,” he mocks, and I try to keep my smile in because he's right, I do.
“Get up!” Groaning, I burrow my head in the pillow. Why are all the men I meet such early risers? Can’t we just train after dinner? “Come on, Princess. We are training with your bow before your daily meeting with Trev, then your sword after.”
Rolling onto my back, I slit open my eyes to see an already dressed and put together Archel. “I hate you,” I moan as I sit up and push back my tangled locks.
“No you don’t, get up.” He claps again and I stumble to my feet, wincing when my leg protests. He’s there instantly, catching me with a worried look in his eyes.
“Fine, I’m fine. I just moved to fast,” I mutter groggily.
“Didn't he
lp that you were tossing and turning and screaming all night,” he replies and I look away ashamed, but he brings my chin up. “Nothing to be embarrassed about Princess, I have nightmares too. Why do you think I hardly sleep? Next time you wake up in a cold sweat, I’ll be there.” Then he steps back and turns away, leaving me to get dressed. Crazy bastard. I get dressed without his help today and it makes me feel better. Right until we head outside and he walks me to our little training ground. I think he might be more of a slave driver than Jago.
Two hours later, I’m sweating my tits off. I thought training in the gym was bad, doing it under the intense heat that doesn't give up with a crazy assassin continually shouting ‘again’ tops that. But while I was training, I wasn't thinking, and it helps my mind become clearer and less muddled.
We break for my meeting with Trev. Archel drops me off at the cushions in the clearing, which have already been set up, and tells me he will be close by. When I search for him, I spot him sitting on a branch of a tree nearby.
Trev turns up not five minutes later, two cups of tea in his hands as he sits slowly down on the cushion next to me, but he can’t fool me anymore. I’ve seen how fast he can move, he makes himself look weaker than he is, I wonder why.
“Good training?” he asks, passing me the tea.
Instead of staring into the woods today, I turn and sit cross-legged, holding the warm mug in my sweaty hands as I face him. His lips quirk but he copies the movements.
“I’m getting better…” I trail off as he sips his tea.
“You have something to ask, please do,” he prods and I nod.
“You asked me to stay, you said I belonged here. Maybe you are right, maybe you’re not, but I wanted to know what you want from me if I choose to stay, and can I leave at any point?” I get my questions out and when I’ve finished he sips his tea, debating his answers.
“It is true, I would like you to stay, but the truth is everyone's free to leave whenever they want. They just don’t, not when you have seen what is left out there. As for what I want from you, I want your mind and your trust.”