My lover, my assassin

Chapter 23

My head was swimming, my body aflame as I stumbled behind Takaoka. His grip was painful as he tugged me along, his gun out as he kept looking over his shoulder. Looking for a red head man who would be coming. The storm was raging right on top of us now, the thunder making the walls and windows shake as the waves tossed the still boat around like it was a toy. I fell to my knees when it titled roughly to the side and Takaoka let me go with a curse having to hold onto the wall himself.

"Why?"

I managed to croak out as I blinked my heavy eye lids.

"What?"

He growled, gripping my hair and pulling me roughly to my feet. I winced but allowed him to transfer his grip back to my wrist as we moved on.

"Why do you hate Karma so much?"

"You really want a history lesson?"

He opened a door that led to the kitchen and tugged me inside and let me slump to the ground my legs like jelly. From where I sat I could see the bodies under the benches and swallowed back the bile burning my throat. Takaoka moved over to them and searched for weapons but they had already been raided. Cursing he moved through the kitchen and grabbed a few of the sharp knives.

"He is Kurosensei's star pupil. The man set to take up the mantle of death god, to lead the next generation."

"So? That doesn't explain the hate."

I was struggling to breath and yanked at the tight dress. I was burning up and couldn't get enough air. I saw Takaoka staring at me and pulled my knees up, covering my body as I glared at him. In return, he simply smiled and sidled over, kneeling in front of me as he ran a finger down the side of my face. His cool hands felt so good and I had to bite my lip from making any sounds. No way would I give him that win, no matter what the drug made me feel.

"So, he hasn't really talked about me?"

I swallowed, my throat dry and shook my head.

"Nothing except how much he wants to kill you."

He smiled at me and I didn't see the blow that hit the side of my face and I clutched my throbbing cheek, spitting blood onto the floor.

"He took my place. For years I was set up to be the heir to take over the business. I was Kurosensei's partner, his number one killer. Than one day a little child joined our ranks. He learnt with a speed that had us in awe. Before long he was completing contracts that even veterans had problems with. The god of death saw something in the boy and took him under his wing and I became a nuisance in his eyes. Karma began to take the contracts that should have been mine and then Kurosensei decided my methods were too harsh, that I killed too many people."

He barked a laugh as he twirled one of the sharp kitchen knives in his hand.

"Harsh, coming from a man who has killed hundreds. The excuse was laughable. He had become weak and I told him as much. He needed to be removed. So, as the heir it was my job to make sure that we had no weak chains. I went to kill him but that little red-haired bastard got in my way."

He pulled his shirt down and showed a jagged scar that ran from his throat and disappeared under his shirt.

"I was lucky to survive. I escaped and was put on Sensei's list of men to be killed on sight. Karma took everything from me. I was powerful, feared and showered in riches until he showed up. So, I need to repay him."

He moved the knife so it rested on my chest and I dared not breath.

"Taking his life is too easy. He won't suffer if I just kill him. He is too strong but now, now he has a weakness. Now he has you. If I want to break him all I have to do is break you."