Ninja Assassin: Attraction

by Sally Keira

  "Well I'm going to find out!”

  Lawso sprung off his chair, and hurried off to catch up with the Defence Minister's date.

  ***

  Kaiya was relieved to have made it inside the mansion undetected. The metal detector had almost given her away. She had a specially crafted small, flat-handled dagger hidden below her cleavage. It was the perfect weapon to conceal and to use to pick open locks with. It was also perfect to stealthily slice open anyone who got in her way. No doubt she would need it to help her get upstairs later. They had been told on entry that upstairs was off limits, so that was exactly where she intended to be.

  Itsunori still held her hand possessively.

  “This way to Tadao’s ballroom,” Itsunori told her.

  “Wow, that’s grand looking,” Kaiya said appreciatively from the entrance.

  The large elaborate ballroom was filled with tables and about forty guests mingling together.

  “Good evening,” Itsunori greeted someone important looking. “This is Fuji, my date for the evening.”

  It surprised Kaiya that Itsunori was showing her off as his date. A man in his powerful position could do what he pleased, she supposed. The existence of this sort of function would probably be kept under wraps as well. So, his wife was unlikely to find out that he had taken another date out tonight.

  Just before they stepped into the ballroom Kaiya felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she was utterly surprised to find Lawso standing before her, dressed in another smart suit. He stood much taller and broader than Itsunori. Kaiya tried not to notice that his ruffled sandy hair and five o’clock shadow made him look brutally handsome in his tailored outfit. He stood with a gun strap slung casually over his right shoulder. The fact that his gun was not pointed at her was a good sign at least.

  But then Lawso started speaking directly to her in Japanese, ignoring Itsunori who was standing with her. "Excuse me miss, there was a problem with the metal detector. Could you please follow me?"

  “My date was already cleared-” Itsunori started to protest.

  "Apologies Minister, I will have your guest back to you shortly,” Lawso said, cutting him off and barely glancing at him.

  Itsunori appeared irritated by Lawson.

  “It’s ok, Minister. I’m sure I won’t be held up for long,” Kaiya said in her smooth faked voice.

  To Kaiya's credit she did not give away that she recognised Lawso. But she was internally screaming. It was unclear if he knew it was her. She looked at him for any sign of recognition but he revealed nothing. Her only option for the moment was to follow him as requested.

  Lawso escorted her away from the other guests. Once they were well out of sight of everyone else, they stopped abruptly in the middle of a hallway. He produced a small hand-held metal detector from the inside of his jacket.

  "Miss, I am afraid I need to check you again," Lawso told her.

  Kaiya pulled her large golden bauble necklace out of her cleavage and held it out toward him.

  "My mother gave me this locket. It is unusually large and set off the metal detector," Kaiya purred.

  Kaiya placed the bauble in his hand. Lawso inspected it briefly, but then moved it along the chain and flipped the bauble behind her neck. Before she realised his intention, he pressed his metal detector near her breasts without the interference of her necklace. He lowered the metal detector, which beeped more rapidly over the location of her dagger. Lawso kept his face neutral but met her eyes with his. Her heart sped up when he leaned in closer to her.

  “Stay still,” he whispered in her ear, gently placing his left hand on her waist.

  Warm breath caressed her neck as Lawso leaned in toward her. He gently reached his right hand down the cleavage of her dress. Her skin tingled as he lightly brushed over her breasts, as he carefully removed her dagger. She did not move because she did not wish to get cut by her own weapon.

  Once the dagger was in his grasp, Lawso look a half-step back and inspected it with interest. He shook his head at her, tsking her, unable to hide his smile any longer.

  "Kaiya, Kaiya, I can't have you walking around here with that weapon on you, now can I?"

  Kaiya remained immobilised, she could not believe that he had disarmed her and that she had let him. At a complete loss of what to do or say now, she remained silent, awaiting his next move.

  Lawso reached around her neck and pulled the bauble of her necklace back into place, dropping it back into her cleavage.

  "Interesting necklace," he commented, his blue eyes stared intensely at her.

  Kaiya shrugged one shoulder indifferently but still did not speak. She wondered if Lawso had noticed that the bauble had a compartment that could be opened. To him it probably looks like it could store an object the size of the chip. But the bauble actually had another nasty trick, of the exploding kind. So, she was glad he did not try to open it and accidentally set it off.

  “I prefer your eyes green, Kaiya."

  Was he trying to get a reaction out of her? Kaiya's eyes involuntarily flickered to his gun, rapidly assessing her options.

  “Mine,” Lawso said as he stepped back out of her reach and pointed the gun at her, with a grin on his face.

  Kaiya narrowed her eyes at him, still not speaking.

  "So, how far did you have to go to get yourself an invite tonight?" Lawso persisted.

  That did it. He hit a nerve and Kaiya could not help responding to his insinuation.

  "Actually, you'd be disappointed, Lawso. I didn't need to remove any clothing. I guess his anticipation of what is under my clothes was enough. Even powerful men are easy to seduce.”

  Lawso smiled at her sassy comment.

  He spoke into his earpiece. "I was right, it's her. Ask Tadao what he wants me to do with her."

  While they waited to learn Kaiya's fate she asked him the first question on her mind.

  "How did you recognise me?"

  "Your hot body. You look too good in that dress to be anyone but you. I must admit, I am enjoying looking at you in that dress. Your ample cleavage, your tiny waist, the sexy curve of your hips…. You are beautiful. "

  Kaiya could not believe he could still make her blush. Lawso smiled at her reddening face. It was the same smile she had fallen for at Mizuchi Ninjutsu training. Instead of worrying about having been caught, she could not resist also admiring him in his suit. He looked even hotter than he did in his usual dark combat clothes. She could almost picture his firm body underneath. And the man smelt sexy as hell. She had tried not to notice when he was disarming her.

  Lawso smirked knowingly at her and she blushed deeper. Someone was speaking into Lawso’s earpiece again, probably Yoshito she guessed. While he listened to his radio, Lawso continued admiring her with his eyes. The voice speaking to Lawso finished whatever he was saying.

  "Kaiya, your uncle has decided that since you went to the effort to come to his little party that you can stay. He said he would like to finally meet you. He is busy with important guests for the time being but will happily give you a tour of his home much later this evening. He will even show you how secure the chip is then. In the meantime, you must stay downstairs. If you go upstairs you will be shot on sight. Also, I will be watching you closely. So, what is your decision, are you leaving or staying?"

  Kaiya could not believe that they were willing to let her stay. She would make them regret their hospitality.

  "Do you want me to stay?" Kaiya asked him huskily, enjoying the sexual tension between them.

  Lawso hesitated at her question but reluctantly answered. "Yes, but only if you're going to behave. I don't want to have to shoot you."

  Satisfied with his answer, she swished smugly toward him.

  “Oh, I’ll behave,” Kaiya said sweetly.

  Pushing his gun aside, Kaiya stepped closer to him, and yanked his head down so that she could claim his lips. She kissed him forcibly, just how he liked to do to her. Lawso kissed her back without hesitation. His sexy lips car
essed hers in a way that caught her breath.

  Wantonly pressing her body against him, she lost herself in the feel of him and the taste of him. They ran their hands freely over each other's bodies, groping and rubbing each other somewhat urgently through each other’s expensive clothes, as they passionately kissed.

  Kaiya moaned when she felt Lawso’s large hands spread over her butt, pulling her body hard against his erection. Unable to help herself, she grinded her lower body against him. Her lips tugged aggressively on his lower lip. Those rough prickles along his strong jawline brushed against her lower face, another masculine feature of his that turned her on. And turned on she was! She could feel that awakening sensual ache within her. And she could feel the prominent proof of his own arousal pressing into her through the crotch his pants. Suddenly kissing was not enough for either of them.

  “What are we still doing in this corridor?” Kaiya panted.

  “Cameras everywhere else,” Lawso managed to say, before his tongue distracted her again with another delightful, sensual swirl across hers. God the man could kiss!

  “Can’t you ask Yoshito to shut some of them off for us?” Kaiya suggested against his lips.

  Lawso chucked so much so, that he could not keep kissing her. Kaiya had missed the sound of his deep infectious laugh.

  Still grinning, Lawso stepped back just out of her reach. He was shaking head at her, as he openly adjusted his cock in his pants. Slightly wary of her now, he also adjusted the position of the gun slung over his shoulder.

  “What?!” Kaiya demanded.

  "You are not going to seduce me into shutting down our security cameras, you little wench,” Lawso started laughing again even louder, just thinking about her outrageous suggestion.

  “Too scared to be alone with me without back-up, huh?” Kaiya challenged him, somewhat perplexed that he was laughing.

  “I’m not sure what you’re plotting, Kaiya. But regardless of your plans the cameras are staying on. If you want me to fuck the shit out of you right now, I will happily drag you into any of these rooms, and let Yoshito and the other ninjas watch me taking you on camera. It is not the most romantic of propositions, but I’m up for it if you are?”

  Kaiya frowned at Lawso's crude invitation. He looked like he would gladly take her into one of the surveillanced rooms, not caring who saw them.

  “I didn’t think so,” Lawso said amusedly when Kaiya remained silently glaring at him. "If you’re not up for sex with an audience, then you can return to the party then. But I'm warning you, stay downstairs.”

  Lawso gestured his hand in front of him, indicating that she should proceed him down the hallway and back to the ballroom. However, Kaiya remained where she was, somewhat frustrated that Lawso had ended their passionate exchange.

  Lawso could not hide his amusement.

  “You’d prefer to visit one of these rooms, then? So, not put off by the cameras after all! Woman, you are so indecisive,” Lawso teased.

  “Whatever.” Kaiya narrowed her eyes at him but then shrugged in feigned indifference. With a deliberate swoosh of her dress, she turned her back on him and walked back toward the ballroom.

  Now what was she going to do? She really needed to reassess her plans. Damn, she should not have kissed him because she felt completely distracted from her mission now. And the bastard had teased her for wanting him, despite how much he clearly wanted her too. Frustrated, she had no idea how she was going to get near that chip now, especially with Lawso’s plans to keep an eye on her. Perhaps that was why they decided to let her stay, so they can more easily keep track of her tonight. Well, she would show them. As soon as she re-evaluated her plans, that was.

  Still contemplating her next move, Kaiya glanced over her shoulder at Lawso walking behind her. The way he was hungrily looking at her butt set her concentration adrift again. Damn him. There was no denying that the attraction between them was still strong and that they were still playing games with each other.

  When Kaiya entered the large rectangular ballroom, she was glad to gain some distance from Lawso. Looking around her, she could not help appreciating how grand the room was. The walls were an intricate ivory and chocolate-coloured design, decorated with elaborate large archways with mirrors lain within. From the ceiling hung two elaborate, modern lighting arrangements, resembling grand pieces of art. The windows were draped in beautiful chocolate velvet curtains. Ivory velvet covered chairs circled several round tables with matching ivory table cloths. The candles and floral bouquet arrangements lining the tables were exquisite. Kaiya had to appreciate that her uncle had style.

  Kaiya walked further away from Lawso, her high heels faintly clip-clopping across the beautifully polished wooden floor boards. Itsunori Tanaka made eye contact with her as she approached him, and he gestured smiling at her to join him. A drink would not go astray she thought, as she grabbed a glass of bubbling champagne from a waiter’s tray on her way over to him. Still at a loss of what her next move would be, she decided that she would remain in character for the time being. Perhaps she would even see what further reaction she could get out of Lawso.

  “I’m glad you found me. I will have a word to Tadao later about the rudeness of that ninja,” Tadao said.

  “No need to worry, I’ve already forgotten him,” Kaiya said.

  Itsunori draped his arm possessively around Kaiya’s waist and pulled her in closer to him.

  Lawso stood lounged against a wall on the far side of the room, with his arms crossed across his broad chest. Lawso was openly watching her with an eyebrow raised.

  Kaiya sipped her delicious champagne and snuggled against Itsunori's hold, while resumed making small talk with another couple standing with them. Smiling naughtily at Lawso, she slipped her hand behind Itsunori, caressing his butt. Itsunori paused in conversation and looked at Kaiya hungrily, but continued talking to the other couple.

  Feeling bolder, Kaiya decided to rub her hand across Itsunori's shirt front, not caring that the other couple could see this. She continued watching Lawso for his reaction and was amused when he narrowed his eyes at her. Itsunori surprised her when he rudely excused himself from his conversation.

  “I’ve been wanting to do this since you got in my car,” Itsunori muttered huskily, pulling Kaiya in for a kiss.

  Whoops, Kaiya realised she should have been paying more attention to Itsunori’s reaction rather than Lawso’s. Her attempt to goad Lawso had backfired because she did not wish to kiss the Minister. She was done being in his company and had forgotten that she had started this with him. But because Lawso was watching, she briefly and lightly brushed her lips against minister’s lips. She teasingly ending the kiss almost as soon as it had started, leaving him wanting more. Kaiya placed her finger across Itsunori’s lips, lightly stroking him there in an intimate gesture.

  “I need to go to the lady’s room Minister, but I will be back shortly,” her voice full of promise. She was a good liar.

  “Ok, hurry back to my side,” Itsunori said.

  Fighting her instinct to run, Kaiya continued her slow sexy walk across the room and remained in blonde seductress character. She could feel Lawso’s piercing blue eyes following her so she shot him a coy smile. There was a tinge of anger on his face. Was he jealous? Or perhaps it was just a blow to his ego to watch her kissing the Minister of Defence, only minutes after her lips had been attached to his. Either way, the look on his face felt satisfying.

  Time to stop playing games now though. If she didn’t get that chip soon, she may as well leave because her disguise was next to useless now. Also, it was likely that Itsunori would try to lead her into one of the many vacant rooms in the mansion soon. Unfortunately, Itsunori seemed more interested in getting in her skirt, than any of the proceedings going on with the chip. She could do without having to assault the minister, to get away from him.

  Kaiya swished her way further across the room and felt someone grab her arm. She turned half expecting to see Lawso but was utterly surpr
ised to see Satoshi dressed in a tuxedo, with absolutely no attempt to disguise himself.

  "Kaiya, is that you?" Satoshi asked her in his American accent.

  "Yes!" Kaiya replied warmly and drew him into a hug. She was excited to see him so many months after Mizuchi Ninjutsu training.

  "How did you know it was me?" She asked him.

  "Actually, I was just watching Lawso watching you and figured it out,” Satoshi sounded amused.

  Kaiya had lost sight of Lawso when she ran into Satoshi. She was slightly puzzled by Satoshi’s comment. Satoshi pulled two chairs out from a vacant table and gestured for her to join him.

  "So Tadao invited the CIA?" Kaiya wondered out loud, as she sat beside him. Satoshi nodded at her.

  "Yes, Tadao's intention is to share the technology around, at a hefty price of course."

  "Is the CIA prepared to share?" Kaiya asked.

  "Yes and no. We don't have much choice at this stage. Obviously Lawso knew I'd attempt to go after the chip too and I couldn't resist the challenge of course. I got in there ok but I couldn't get it,” Satoshi said.

  Kaiya was quite surprised that Satoshi had encountered security that he could not breach. She was under the impression that he could breach anything.

  "Anton had a try too, he failed as well," Satoshi added.

  "Anton's here?" Kaiya almost gasped in surprise, as she looked around the room.

  Satoshi pointed to a large bearded man. When she looked closer she realised that Anton had managed to conceal the large scar usually across his cheek but there was no masking that large ugly nose.

  "Did you pick him out by his nose?" Kaiya asked.

  "Actually yes!" Satoshi laughed.

  "It felt good to break that ugly nose!” Kaiya admitted, and the pair of them laughed even louder.

  They both noticed that Lawso was standing against the wall again watching them laughing, with a wary look on his handsome face. Satoshi nodded in his direction and Lawso nodded back at him. Satoshi’s facial expression turned serious as he turned back to Kaiya.