The Recruit

Chapter 18

The Masters left the room and I followed Master Kojiro to his office. He shut his door and walked to his seat.

"Hook this up to your person. This will let me know if you were lying." I fumbled with the cables and attach it to my chest and finger.

"Explain." I stood in the middle of the room, feeling judged like at the hearing once more.

"I'm Master Octavius' mate." Master Kojiro unsheathed his sword and aimed it to my neck hearing the outrageous notion. I was shocked since I only ever saw Master Kojiro's gentle side, but not this. His gentleness made me forgot he was a deadly assassin. I made a mental note to always be on my guard despite the kindness my fellow assassins showed me. That, if... I survive this moment.

"Wait! Please let me explain!" I begged him.

He loosened his guard and told me to explain. I told him the story of how Lucius and I met in 2017. I told him about my original suicide plan, and my escape. Then I told him about the day I saw him again and the shock caused me to faint in the Assembly. 

I told him about finding out his real name. Finding out Jake was Lucius's son. Finding out that he loved me after I saw the grave Lucius made for me. The assassination plot that Luca told me. And why I kept hiding my face, so he wouldn't recognize me until Master di Vasiri weeded out the people inside the Ordinatio that were trying to kill my ex-lover.

I cried unappealingly in front of my boss. 

I think mentally I couldn't handle it anymore without confiding to anyone, since I bottled my own confusion and thoughts by myself for too long. 

Kojiro looked at me uncertainly checked the lie detector multiple times, not believing what he heard. I muttered my apologies to Kojiro over and over for disappointing him.

The first minute after I dumped everything at Kojiro, it was apparent that he struggled with what he should make of the information I gave him. I observed different stages of thoughts passed through Master Kojiro's head. At first he looked at me with disbelief, acceptance, and then pity.

After a few seconds of hesitation, he kneeled in front of me and hugged me as a father would. "I'm sorry, Lucy..." Then corrected himself.

"I'm sorry, Livia. I didn't know and I almost got you killed. You did the right thing by staying alive or the organization would have to fight against one of the most powerful vampire in the world. We... the Masters heard rumours about him trying to find his missing wife, but Master Octavius never confirmed nor denied it so we assumed it was just another rumour. We just knew that one day he was so close to bloodlust, we put up a measure in place to keep him... act more like himself." He looked at me apologetically. I winced remembering the ultimatum Lucius had received from his colleagues all because I made him that way.

"I should have realized a 2000 year old vampire would have known how to mask his true feelings. Plus, he wasn't the kind to share. In fact, none of us Masters do even the seemingly open and youthful di Vasiri." He looked ashamed.

I squeezed his hands. Then I took a deep breath, needing him to understand one more important thing.

"I didn't really kidnap Jake. He wanted me alive, so he volunteered to do it. I made sure my friend didn't hold the knife too closely to his neck. Jake then told me about Master Berra's corruption allegation. As for the di Augustos... I found it by accident. It was... horrible, but I wouldn't lie if I don't thank the stars for finding out. Selfish aren't I?"

"The first rule of our Ordinatio, never apologize for the things you did for survival. I can't say I'm not surprised that Jake helped you without knowing who you really were, knowing it meant going against his father." He paused