Captivated by you

Chapter 12

Kise's Pov

I was jolted awake by the sound of slamming doors and the smell of smoke. I sat up, blinking in the bed and looked out the window. The sun had only just risen, I had not long been asleep.

"Master Kise!"

The door to the room burst open and I saw one of the humans who served the Akashi clan come in, covered in soot and blood.

"What happened?"

"You need to get out of here, the town is under attack!"

Now that I was awake I could hear screams and the sound of shattering wood and glass. I grabbed a sword that was by the bed and followed the man out.

"Attacked by who?"

A group of men were barricading the front door, they were all injured.

"A group of bandits, they are killing and burning as they make their way here."

"What about the guards?"

"All dead. They attacked at the change of watch. They have all been slaughtered."

I jumped when the doors shuddered from an impact. The man turned to me and tugged me towards the trapdoor that would lead me to a tunnel out of town.

"I can't go! What about Momoi?"

"She is asleep down there, we can't take her out into the sun."

"But what if they find this? No, we need to hide her."

"Master Kise our orders are to protect the clan!"

"And we are. We are protecting her! Help me with this!"

I moved to a large cabinet and began to push it over the trap door, the two by the barricade moving to help me, the door still shaking as someone tried to break it down. With a grunt we pushed it in place and the trap door was hidden.

"Now let's escape out the back!"

I noticed that the door had stopped moving and put a finger to my lips to silence the others.

"This must be the house he mentioned. Third house on the left, painted white."

"Why do we have to find some guy? I mean a woman sure, but some yellow haired man?"

My heart thumped in my throat and the three others looked at me in shock. Someone had told them to target this house, to target me.

"Who cares? He is willing to pay handsomely for the blonde so let's get him and finish up our fun in this town."

Crouching down and moving silently to avoid detection from the group of men out the front we rushed out the back entrance and into the garden. The smoke had gotten thicker and the screams had grown louder the short time we had been inside. I covered my mouth with my shirt, the three others following suit as we ran, bent double to the back corner of the fenced property where we could slip through a small gap. I was the first through and I was helping the next person when a warning shout sounded and a figure ran towards us. I unsheathed the sword I had grabbed and managed to block the blow from the bandits axe. I had only had a few lessons and soon my arms were tired as he drove me backwards with powerful blows. My hands slipped and his axe got through my guard and cut deeply into my leg. I cried out in pain and fell to my knees. He raised his axe above his head before a sword burst through his chest and he fell. The injured man who had informed me of the attack knelt beside me and using his shirt as a bandage wrapped my leg up before helping me up. I put my arm around his shoulders as we shuffled down the street. My leg burned and I had to bit my lip to stop from making any sounds. We kept to the back streets, flames burning around us and the screams and sobs of the dying cut at me from every angle. I knew these people. Had danced for them, drank with them. My foot caught on something and I looked down to see the pale face of one of the children I used to help. My stomach rebelled and I felt tears in my eyes as I chocked on my sadness and the smoke around us.