Fluffy's Futures: Cara Ch. 08

I awoke early the next afternoon, trying to scratch my arm and blocked by my bracers, moaning as I rolled out of my waterbed. I felt like something the cat drug in, half alive, half dead. I made it to the bathroom and realized I at least looked like what I felt. The mark on my arm was an angry red, the skin that oddly smooth scar tissue that only bad cuts develop. I was ashen, my normally lightly tanned skin pale, made paler by contrast with my almost black human hair. I still wore the outfit I'd worn the night before, much worse for wear from the fights, blood splattered and torn. My knees and hands still had blood on them, I noticed with a grimace, the entire evening prior coming back to me.

Forcing myself, I showered and got ready for work, though I had an hour to spare before I needed to leave. I'd need to eat before heading into work or I wouldn't be able to make it through my four hour shift.

I emerged from my room, at least looking nicer, decked out in my Bic Pic uniform of a blue knee length skirt, matching vest and long sleeved white shirt. I'd added makeup, a rarity for me, to hide the ashen tone of my skin. It had taken quite a bit of make up, more then I usually wore even if I was going for "glamorous."

Carefully, I took the blood-stained blankets and sheets from my bed and tossed them in a corner to clean on my next day off. Luckily none of it had gotten through to the pillow top of the waterbed mattress due to the high thread count of the sheets I used. Practical and posh.

Meele already had food laid out on the kitchen table, a small salad, bowl of rice and a plate almost overflowing with a red wine chicken that Meele was known for. High on protein and carbohydrates, just what the doctor ordered.

"I could kiss you," I said before plopping down on a chair. I grabbed a pair of chopsticks and started wolfing down food, not stopping to talk. Taking a drink of the coke Meele set down in front of me a few moments later I paused in my eating. "Why's my arm scared so badly? I've never had a wound do that before."

Meele answered as I ate, understanding that all the fighting and healing had taken a lot of energy. "Yukio is of the Ko'ori Neko Zoku along with his sister Shimori. The Ice Cats are just that- cats that use ice attacks. They're originally from northern Russia but immigrated here during the 1500's by European reckonings. One of their attacks is focusable through a sword or other metal blade. Yukio focused his ice magic through his sword and hit with it when he sliced your arm. He made sure that you'll bear the mark of his attack for the rest of your life."

"We shall see about that," I said haughtily. "I imagine I can do something about it."

"If anyone can, you can," Meele said. He stole a glance at the kitchen clock. "You need to go in a few moments. Oh, and Samu called for you earlier. I didn't want to wake you."

"Thanks," I said, pushing away from the table, stomach full. I felt much better, the food fueling energy that coursed through me. I rose from the table feeling about three quarters alive and found my cell phone in my purse. Dialing from memory, I sank onto the couch, feet up on the coffee table.

Samu picked up on the third ring. "Moshi-moshi."

"Hey, Samu," I said with a smile, though he couldn't see it.

"Cara," he said my name as if it were something special and warm. "One sec."

I could hear him yelling in the background, noise all around him before it suddenly grew quieter. I had to ask, "Where are you?"

"A meeting," he said evasively. "I can't really talk about it. How'd your thing go last night?"

"Better then I expected," I said with a sigh. "Not great, but no one died, so not that bad."

"That's a sorry standard," Samu chided me gently. "When you determine how good or bad something is by the carnage involved."

"Oh, if we're counting carnage it was pretty nasty," I said honestly. My watch chirped at me, reminding me I needed to go. I slipped into a bike suit to keep me warm as I talked to Samu. "Was a rather messy event, truth be told."

"Are you okay," he asked, concern in his voice.

"Of course," I told him. "I'm going to work tonight."

"Want to come get a drink with me afterward?"

"Hmm… I work tomorrow at noon, so it will have to be a quick one," I said with a sigh. "You could come over to my place instead, you know- I get off at nine…."

"So be there at nine-forty-five," Samu said, finishing my sentence. "That should give me time to get Danny home and transferred over to his night shift guard."

"Works for me," I said, fighting the stray thought that said tonight would be a good night to make the hit on Danny since Samu was out of the picture and would not be caught in the crossfire. "I'll see you then."

"Love you, sweetie."

"Love you, too," I answered back before he hung up. The words had slipped out without me planning it and it startled me. I did love Samu- I honestly really did love him. And I was going to kill his boss and best friend for money. Whether Samu was in the crossfire or not should not have been one of my major concerns and I knew that far too well.

I drove to work and went through the motions in a partial daze, my thoughts chasing after each other like a pack of dogs. If I really loved him, I'd turn the job down, refuse to make the kill. Pay Talon out of my pocket to make up his share. But I had never broken a contract before and I'd sworn Danny would die before the end of New Year's Day. My word or my heart, which had a stronger pull on me? I didn't have an answer for that at the moment, wish I did.

There weren't many customers, a blessing, leaving me free to think while I straightened shelves and put out new stock. I didn't reach a decision before closing time. I clocked out with everyone else and slipped back into my coverall. The streets were almost empty, the rest of the world seemingly asleep even though it was only 9:05 PM.

I scrubbed my face and changed once I got home. The jeans and t-shirt were hardly high fashion but I was comfortable and relatively presentable. I looked at the scar on my left arm, startled by how vicious it looked. It streaked like blue lightning down my forearm a good half-foot long and about two inches wide at most. I slipped my bracer back on, partly hiding the mark. Would take sleeves to hide it completely and I wasn't about to put on a long sleeved shirt. Meele kept the apartment far too warm for that.

Thinking of the yukoi, he wandered into the living room from the computer room he'd taken residence in. He slept in a small version of his natural form, a dragon. Curled up like a snake around the computer desk, cute as a button long as you weren't afraid of reptiles.

Padding out, he looked sleepy eyed and half awake in his human form, plaid pajama bottoms all he wore.

"Morning, sunshine," I said a bit sarcastically. "Well, okay, its 9:30 at night, but still, hello."

"Eh," he said, heading for the kitchen. I heard the fridge open and close before he walked back out with a Tupperware bowl. "Chicken good," he said before going back into his room. Guess I wasn't going to get a chance at the leftovers.

I was still laughing when the doorbell rang a few moments later, shaking my head as I answered it, letting Samu step into the dimly lit living room of my apartment. Rapid healing sometimes makes me photosensitive, hence the dimness.

"Hey, beautiful," Samu said, standing there in a three piece suit and looking incredibly handsome. I felt a quite underdressed as he held bags of take out in his arms. "Hungry?"

"You're an angel," I said, letting him into the apartment. I lead him into the brighter kitchen, finding bowls and chopsticks as he laid out what he'd brought. Crab Rangoon, teriyaki chicken, tempura and gyoza with obligatory white rice cartons. "That smells heavenly."

"Almost as good as you," Samu said, pulling me into his arms after I set down the bowls. He hugged me close, making me hiss as he pressed against my arm.

Samu pulled back and studied me, eyes worried. "Are you okay? Cara you look ashen- what the hell happened last night?"

"What was the meeting you were at about," I asked instead of answering, raising an eyebrow. I waved away his unspoken response. "I know, you can't talk about it because it might endanger me. Same thing applies for what happened last night. Lets just say that I've meet and talked with the yukoi rulers of this region and things are relatively okay."

"You won't tell me what really happened, will you?"

"Nope," I said, my voice brooking no argument. "I cannot and will not tell you what happened last night. Its something only a creature of my blood could understand and live through dealing with. I won't put you in that danger."

I made myself stop, forced myself to keep from saying that I couldn't protect him after I left and that someone from the yukoi might hurt him to get me to return to Japan. That I was leaving after I killed Danny and probably not returning.

"Please," I said, laying a hand on his chest. "Don't ask me to tell you what happened. The knowledge will only get you hurt."

"I can protect myself," Samu said angrily. "I'm not some kind of weakling. I can handle an assassin or monster if need be."

His words shot through me, the irony painful. I responded in anger, hiding the pain he'd caused me, that I'd caused myself. I pulled a knife from the collection on the counter top and was behind him, blade at his throat before he was even aware I'd moved. "Okay, handle this, mister big and tough guy. Because I'm telling you now, I'm slow compared to them. I almost got myself killed because I'm a bit too slow, had to resort to magic to save myself, something I hate doing. I've killed dozens of people in my life, some of it legal from when I was a cop, some of it not quite so legal. Now you tell me, Samu, if you can't handle me, how the hell can you handle a real yukoi? You didn't do so well against the last one either, if I remember correctly."

He was still against me, blood rushing to his face in anger and surprise. "You… why'd you pull a knife on me? Cara- what the heck is going on? You were a cop?"

"Shit," I swore angrily, realizing what all I'd said. I dropped the knife from Samu's throat and sat down at the table with a sigh, mentally railing at myself. I'd never once broken my cover like this, never put myself in a position like this. "Where to start?"

"The beginning would be nice," Samu said, sitting down across from me, his eyes nervous, angry, and scared. "How much have you lied to me, Cara? That wasn't a move I'd expect from a toy salesgirl."

"How much have I lied," I mimicked, stalling for time. I shook my head sadly. "I can't tell you everything, heck I can't even tell you half of it."

"Why not? Who… no what are you Cara? You're not here taking classes and working like a normal person would be are you?"

I cringed and turned away from Samu, fighting to keep my expression neutral and failing badly. My voice was steady and clear though, not showing the turmoil I felt inside. "You're right, Samu, I'm not in Japan doing things like a normal woman would be. Heck, I'm not even full blood Japanese."

"Is Cara even your real name?"

"Now that's uncalled for," Meele said from the door way to the kitchen. I turned to look at him and started. He was garbed in his yukoi armor as he'd been the night before though his form was still human. "There is not time for this sharing, Cara. I need you to come with me."

"No, this is important," Samu said, eyes a bit wide but otherwise non-pulsed by Meele. "We need to talk, Cara and I, so I can find out what the heck is going on here, why she lied to me."

"You act as if she has a choice in her actions or if you've a choice in ours," Meele said, eyes narrowing dangerously.

That look alone made me place myself between them, back to Samu. My voice was soft and tightly controlled as I spoke. "You will not threaten what is mine to protect, Ryu Meele. I will not allow such a thing and well you know it. Now what's going on?"

"We've been called back before the Council," he said, turning that harsh look on me. I didn't back down though part of me wanted to. Meele was not someone I wanted to fight with. But I couldn't afford to be weak with him, not when he was behaving like this. Weakness just might get me hurt and Samu killed, something even I couldn't forgive.

"Why are they calling us back? We saw them last night." I protested, still guarding Samu.

At least I was until he shoved his way from behind me. "No, I won't let you shield me like a child."

"So you refuse her protection, human," Meele growled, tilting his head to the side with a cruel smile. I noticed then his Sphere of Humanity, the stone that allowed him to shift human and stay there, wasn't around his neck like usual. It meant that his mindset was more yukoi then human, colder and less likely to care about whether he killed someone or not.

"Meele, where's your Sphere," I asked, hoping Samu would shut up. Of course, that didn't happen and both males ignored me.

"I don't need her protection, Meele," Samu growled back at the yukoi before him. He stepped closer to Meele, invading his personal space in a way that I never would have done in anger unless I wanted a fight. "I need to talk to her and you're not taking her away until we're done."

"You are a fool, mortal," Meele whispered, eyes glittering as they changed from a standard human brown to the slit-pupil purple eyes of a dragon or snake. His body altering magic that let him appear human fell from him in a rush of power that made me throw up my bracers reflexively.

Meele stood there, wings half furled, forehead symbol blazing and glared down at Samu, death in those strange, inhuman eyes. For his credit, Samu didn't back down nor did he look away. He did have spunk, had to give him that, even if he had the common sense of a village idiot.

"I'm not afraid of you," Samu growled at my teacher. It was an act of defiance in the face of a killer, reminded me of myself facing the council and the other yukoi I'd met over the years.

"You should be," I told Samu, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from Meele to face me. "You will NOT fight with Meele this night. If you want to die another day, go ahead and try your luck. I've seen Meele fight- you'll die, horribly. Don't make me watch that today, Samu, not before going back in front of the Council. Not before my own possible death at their hands."

The words "own possible death" seemed to shoot through Samu, making him study me for a moment. "They can't be that dangerous."

"You've no idea," I whispered, shaking my head. "I am a child among them with a status higher then it should be because of what I've done in the past. I can barely back up that status and if truly pressed, I'm not sure I'll come out alive. Happy? I'm admitting they may kill me, that what I am might truly kill me, something I've never feared before, not really.

"Not as a cop working nights in Los Angeles, not as a bounty hunter tracking a serial killer across the sands of New Mexico, or hunting a child molester through the slums of Houston. I walked without this fear of death through the gang areas of New York and through a Colombian drug lord's compounds deep in the South American jungles. Samu, trust me, I'm afraid of the yukoi and Meele, despite how human he may appear sometimes, is one of them. One of those scary, elemental magic controllers. You are an idiot to challenge him to a dual over whether we can talk tonight or not. It is not worth your life, trust me, please."

I stepped away from Samu. "I must answer the Council's summons or they'll send someone to bring me in against my will. That would be hard to hide from the humans because they wouldn't take me peacefully. Now, here's what's going to happen- you're going home. I will call you once I'm free of the council and head to your place. I'll explain what I can there. Meele- get ready to go answer the Council's call."

Meele snorted at me before turning to do as I bid. I was lucky he liked me- most who ordered him around ended up maimed, or worse, dead where they stood.

Samu wasn't taken care of so easily. He followed into my bedroom as I stripped out of the clothing I wore and into my black assassin's outfit. I turned away but didn't order him from the room. That would have been kind of silly- hey, I'm embarrassed even though we slept together already so could you leave the room. Yup, silly.

"Cara, you can't leave like this," he protest angrily.

I sighed deeply. "And you can't keep me from doing it, Samu. I may be a woman but I am not your possession. You cannot stop me from doing what needs to be done. I must meet the Council tonight, despite the fact I don't want to, that I'm terrified of what it is they want."

"Then don't go," he said angrily. Part of me wanted to smile and the other part of me wanted to cry over his naiveté.

"I have to, Samu, m'lo…" I cut the words off, stopped myself from saying "m'love" to him because I didn't have that right. I was a killer for hire, not bridal material. I knew that but knowing it didn't make it any easier to accept. "If I don't go, they might kill me over the insult. I can't afford that. I've a job to do."

"What job? Why are you here, Cara," Samu asked, his voice tortured. "Some part of me thought it was fate that brought you here, to me but I don't think its that. Please, before you go, tell me, what you are. Then I'll shut up and let you go and wait for you at my home."

After unlocking and detrapping my gun safe, I slipped on my thigh holsters and slid my guns into them after checking they were full plus a round in the chambers with the safety on. As I slung my sword sheath over my left shoulder, I answered him. "Samu, you're not going to like this. I'm a… God there's no nice way of saying this… I'm an assassin, a killer for hire to the highest bidder long as the mark is the scum of the earth and the price is high enough."

Same sank heavily onto my bed, eyes wide, shaking his head in disbelief for all the good it would do him. "You- but, how? I mean… you're not an assassin, that can't be."

"Its true," I said, shrugging into my right shoulder guard, careful of the sharp spikes it bore. I was ready for bear or demons, whichever came first tonight and possibly even both. "I kill people for a living. I'm a millionaire in my own right, have about two hundred mil in various banks around the world. I am not in Japan for a pleasure cruise, Samu. I'm here for a reason."

"You've an assassination here," Samu whispered, face in his hands as he sat on my bed still. "You can't do this, Cara. You can't kill people for money. Its not right."

"Oh, and killing them for the mob is so much better," I retorted viciously. "I've seen your records, Samu and I am not a fool. You've a kill count that's about a third of mine. Don't act all innocent on me here."

"I didn't… I mean… how did you find out about that," he asked, staring at me in bewilderment. It seemed to be a theme tonight.

Meele's voice came from the hall. "We need to go, NOW, Cara!"

"I've got to go, Samu," I told him with a heavy sigh. "Like I said, I'll call you when I'm done with the Council. Life first then matters of the heart, you have to understand that."

"I understand it, Cara, but I don't like it." There was a finality in Samu's voice that made me cringe. He softened then, in a way that I could not have. It was a mark of how much more human, how much more humane Samu was then I that he could soften after all he'd heard so far. "I'll wait up for you, Cara."

"Thank you," I said, running a hand over Samu's face tenderly. "I will do all within my power to be by your side one way or another after I am done."

He leaned into my gloved hand, taking comfort in the touch. "I'm going to get going, let you do your thing. I'll see you later, Cara."