Assassin's Game

Chapter 2


Ace is out on the streets tonight, him and Miho stalking the rooftops like panthers eager for the kill. I know that he's safer with her, both of them silent and focused as they watch over Old Town. Despite that, my body movies unconciously as I think about the events of the past week.

It's virtually been a bloodbath in Old Town. After the bounty became official people have been dying left and right, though they're mainly those that don't follow the rules. Gail and Wendy were both infuriated by this bold move on the gang's part. Neither doubted that Ace would be alright, but they kept a strict guard on him anyways. This didn't help to soothe the feeling of foreboding that I had.

Gail usually stops by my apartment when Ace isn't around. She's kind and distracts my thoughts for at least a little while. Everytime she drops by she keeps telling me how I've changed Ace, at least a little bit. It seems that my lover's a bit more talkative... At least when it comes to me. The thought of him talking about me causes warmth to spread through my chest, and I think Gail knows that.

Yet her all too infrequent visits do little to soothe the ache of lonliness when I come home to an empty bed. We haven't really been together all that long yet Ace's warm, reassuring pressense seems to keep me going sometimes. I guess that makes me weak, but, really, I couldn't give a damn at this point.

Heaving a sigh, I step off the stage and head back towards the locker room, intent on changing and heading back home. I nearly lose it when a strong hand grips my forarm and stops me in my tracks. Slowly I turn my head, barely suppressing my surprise at what, or who, I see. It's the same guy that took Ace home just a few nights ago. He's frowning and doesn't look pleased at all.

"Where's Ace?" his voice is low, with a hint of what could be mild concern.

I tug my arm free of his grip, suddenly irritated for reasons that I can't explain. "He's working the rooftops. Find someone else."

His expression darkens a little, his hand snapping out to grip my chin. "What are you? His lover?"

My eyes widen a little and I swallow, suddenly nervous. "M-maybe... What does it matter?"

"What's your name?" his voice is softer now; curious.

"C-Collin.." I keep his gaze with some difficulty, fidgeting a little under his scrutinty.

"Collin..." he seems to roll it on his tongue. "Tell Ace Spade says 'hello'"

The he leans in, his lips barely brushing mine before he pulls away and strides off, red and black leather shining brightly in the crimson lights. I touch my lips with the back of my hand and blush openly. Now I know why Ace looked like he'd been mauled when he came home that night.

----

After I finish my shift, I head home to my apartment. In my current state of exhaustion, I carelessly open the door and step inside, leaning back against the now shut door. A hand lightly cups my cheek, caressing my jaw, and I nearly jump right out of my skin. I glare mildly into those familiar golden amber eyes while also leaning into his calloused palm.

"Chuck's been worried about you." Chuck's one of the managers at the Amigo; he's a great guy.

"Everyone's worried about me except me." he mutters in response, his thumb sliding down the side of my neck.

"...A guy named Spade told me to tell you 'hello'" My pulse jumps just from being close to him, which is sad, really.

"He better not have touched you." He growls, obviously possessive.

"Just a little. Don't worry, he doesn't interest me."

"Good." his mouth fuses with mine and my hands immediately grip his hip bones.

My fingers meet wet stickiness and I gasp into the kiss, my eyes widening a little, before I pull back a bit. Ace frowns at me, reach for my hands in an attempt to move them away from the bloody patch of black cloth. I shake my head, trailing my fingers over the side of the wifebeater.

"Are you hurt?" he's rarely hurt, but the bounty's made me fairly uneasy.

"I'm already patched up. It's alright."

"Gail?"

"Yeah... Don't worry. I'm fine."

I give him a small smile and release his hips only to grab his arm and give it a tug. He arches a brow, causing me to laugh, the sound causing a small grin to surve Ace's features as well. I drag him towards the bathroom and he grudgingly follows, not sure wether to trust me or not, apparently.

"Let's take a shower." I state almost gleefully as I shut the door behind us and lock it.

"God help me..." he groans as he flicks on the light.

I finally get tot see the extent of the damage and gasp at what I see. Sure, I've seen him with blood on him, but not like this. He's covered almost completely from head to toe, the only place not soiled by the crimson fluid being his hands.

"Baby..." A single human body can't pump out that much blood and still be alive.

"Shh... Don't think about it, Collin. Just help me out of these." his voice is calm, consoling, and make me want to speak them rather than have to hear them.

"Yeah." my hands begin to move almost automatically, unfastening and beginning to pull down his pants even as he removes his tank.

Crouching he unbuckles his boots before toeing them off and standing again. My hands slide over his torso, smearing the partially congealed blood over his firm muscles almost in awe. Ace shivers, but doesn't move, his eyes hooded as he watches me.

Our mouths meet in a slow, electric kiss, Ace's hands beginning to unbuckle my top and slide it off. Once the white leather slides from my shoulkders and hits the floor with a dull smack, I wrap my arms around his neck and press closer, even as his hands fumble with my pants. Sighing I break the kiss only to crouch to remove my shoes, stripping off my pants as I stand again.

His hand is hesitant as it slides over my hip, gripping gently as he pauses to stare at me. Each strand of deep black hair shimmers blue in the midnight moonlight flowing through the tinted bathroom window. The fluid amber of his eyes turns into deep dark hollow pools of reflected heat tinted with nervousness and concern.

Giving him a warm smile I place my hand over the one gripping my hip, pressing it up and to the side to run over my stomach. "It'll be alright."

Ace's eyes widen a bit before hooding oncer again, concealing whatever emotion was there. I frown, bowing my head a little in attempt to catch his gaze. When this doesn't work, I snort, casuing him to look up.

"Don't do that..." I murmur, shifting to press fully against him.

"What?" he sounds confused and I wonder if he even realised what he was doing at the time.

"Hide from me. Don't do it." a guilty look crosses his face, causing me to reach up and smooth it away with a smile. "Focus on me. My voice, my face, my body..."

A small shiver passes through him before he tilts my chin and virtually fuses our mouths together. I groan, clutching at his arm and shoulder desperately, feeling stickiness beneath my palm once again. How odd that I forgot about the blood, our very reason for being in the bathroom.

Breaking the kiss I gasp when his mouth latches onto my neck instead. "S-shower, Ace..."

Chuckling, Ace pulls away to turn the water on and adjust the teperature. "Right. Shower..."