Yea, sorry people...I had a bit of a writer's block...:looks at boulder:...okay, a HUGE writer's block. I'm sure this chapter is not what you wanted or expected...sorry about the length...really...it's just that...:Sigh:...New schools, new rules...new everything. Everything has been a bit ...er...hectic for me. Forgive me, I'm sorry.
Anyway, sorry. But I just have you know...this goes out to all the people who reviewed...and reviewed...and reviewed...and tried to get me to write another chapter...:sniffle:...Sorry if you hate this chappy, but I did try. Just wanted to put this out here, just so you know I haven't died. I will get to the real parts of the story soon.
Thanx, guys.
-Erena G.T. Rose
Turner
Chapter Three
---Master Stick---
Though he was blind, Stick knew exactly what was going on in the doorway of the small café. He chuckled to himself as he saw, through his Second Sight, Elektra firmly put Kirigi back in his place. He watched with interest as the Chinese man's eyes trailed over Elektra's backside with less-than-veiled desire. It was intriguing to Stick that Kirigi found Elektra desirable; it was an important factor in his plans for the future, though the full extent that Kirigi and Elektra would play in those plans was, as of yet, unclear…even to himself.
He waited a moment, knowing that there was a delay in what he saw in his Sight and what was actually happening in the world around him. Using his ears and other senses as alerts, he waited until he knew that Kirigi and Elektra had approached the table.
He smelled Elektra's perfume, that wonderfully light scent that she so favored but tried to hide. She was standing close to his side, between Kirigi and himself, almost as if she were trying to keep the Hand Prince as far from him as possible. Kirigi's scent, something that reminded Stick of a lightning storm and the deep forests, permeated the air around Elektra, seemingly mixing with her own scent in a perfectly natural blend. How strange.
With a smirk, Stick waved a hand out, "Please, take a seat." Using his Sight, he watched as Kirigi gestured to Elektra, obviously indicating that she should slide in first, but the assassiness shook her head and nudged Kirigi, pushing him until he sat down in the booth and slid in. Elektra nodded and took the seat on the outside; the fact that she was deliberately making sure that Kirigi had to go through her to get out was painfully obvious to all present, but she seemed unrepentant when Stick aimed a frown at her.
With a sigh, Stick just began, "I took the liberty of ordering our coffee, I do hope that will be ok with you Kirigi." He made it more of a statement than an inquiry, and Kirigi just nodded, as if knowing somehow that Stick could see him. Interesting, thought Stick, he is quite insightful.
Elektra coughed non-too-delicately and spoke, "I brought him here so he could tell you what he needs to say. He wouldn't speak to me." It seemed as if Elektra were in a hurry to get this over, as if maybe she wasn't enjoying being in close proximity to someone who tried to kill her just a little under 48 hours earlier.
Stick smiled thinly, "Yes, I'm quite aware of that." He turned to where he knew Kirigi was, "Is there some particular reason that you refused to speak to Elektra alone?" He made his voice soft, his tone light.
Kirigi smirked, "Why do you ask such questions of me blind man? Do you fear that I might have led you and your precious student into a trap of some kind?" The mocking tone was evident and beyond rude.
Elektra bristled and suppressed a beastly growl in the back of her throat, settling to glare at the Chinese swordsman instead. How dare he!
Stick's lips tilted upward in a reluctant smile, "No, I have no misgivings about meeting you here nor any fear of traps; however I would like to correct you that Elektra is not my student but her own pupil under her own tutelage. Now, as to my previous question, why would you not speak to Elektra at the temple?"
Kirigi raised an eyebrow and once again strayed from the posed question. "A student of her own tutelage? Have your wits gone as well as you sight, old man?"
Elektra only just managed to suppress the growl again, but her hands were straying dangerously close toward her sais. Gods help her, she would kill Kirigi in public, in plain view of more than a dozen witnesses, if only to rid the world and herself of his insolent, arrogant, completely disrespectful attitude.
Master Stick quirked his lips, "You are avoiding the question, Hand Prince. Why would you not to tell Elektra of your information at the temple?" The old man's blind eyes seemed to focus on Kirigi and it was the swordsman who looked away from that sightless, yet so all-knowing gaze.
As Kirigi was about to speak, a waitress appeared at the table's end, wearing a uniform that seemed a good eight sizes too small, especially in the chest and length areas. The pastel blue dress that was supposed to be buttoned nine times and be at least an inch below the knee was only buttoned three times, revealing a generous amount of cleavage and was short enough to be considered a mini skirt. Elektra almost snickered at the snarky, cheaply whorish look on the bimbo's face as her greedy gaze drifted over Kirigi.
Stick cleared his throat, causing the waitress to start and look back at him. He raised on silvered eye brow, "May we have our coffees, please?" It was obvious from his tone that he had "seen" the entire ensemble the waitress-slut was clad in and was in a remarkably similar state of mind as Elektra.
The bimbo smiled, "Sure thing." She passed out the coffees; a cup of American coffee for Stick, a mug of cinnamon sprinkled mocha for Elektra, and oddly enough, a matching drink for Kirigi. As the Hand Prince picked up his mug and sipped the liquid expertly, Elektra couldn't help but smirk, "Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Just a few hours ago, you were the big bad wolf…now, you're sitting next to your intended victims drinking coffee." She cocked an eyebrow, "How pathetic." She didn't realize until she'd already said the words that she'd been baiting him.
Kirigi smirked into his mug and took another sip before putting it back on the table. Not a single drop clung to his lips but for some cosmic reason that was beyond her understanding at the moment, Elektra could almost imagine kissing him and tasting the cinnamon and chocolate flavors lingering on his lips and tongue. With a groan, the assassiness shifted in her seat, suddenly uncomfortable so close to Kirigi. She was squirming, trying to ignore the rush of sensation from a pulsating fire that was slowly but completely devouring her from the inside out. What was this madness?
Another vision filled her mind, one of herself entangled in silk sheets of crimson and eggshell white, sweat slicked skin and husky voices melted together in a pleasurable duet. Candles and incense and the burning desire to be wild and uninhibited. Hands tangled in long hair and eyes that gazed endlessly into her own. Fingers that provoked moans and whispered words that had her arching off the bed. Strangled sobs for release, chuckled dismissals as they slowly drove each other insane, lost within a fiery haze of lust and desire.
Elektra couldn't stifle the moan that escaped her and she closed her eyes, hoping against all odds that the other two at the table had not heard her.
Ignoring his former apprentice, Stick looked down into his cover cup and took another sip, politely pretending not to "notice" Kirigi smirking across from him. Without even looking at Stick, the Hand Prince reached around and wrapped an arm around Elektra's shoulders, pulling her close so that he could whisper in her ear.
"If you want to play games, little assassin, I am willing to play…just be warned, Elektra…I never lose." The words were spoken but Kirigi didn't pull away; Elektra shivered slightly in an involuntary benediction. Kirigi smirked and nipped down on her earlobe, earning a small gasp from Elektra…but then his tongue was caressing and dancing in that same spot, sensually easing the pain. Damn that wicked bastard. He was playing with her!
Elektra had a rule: If you're going to look like a fool and lose a battle of wills…take someone else down with you. She applied it now.
Kirigi pulled back suddenly, shocked for a moment by the slim, fine-boned hand that slipped between the fold of his shirt; long, talented fingers with short but sharp nails danced over his chest, scratching softly. Such a bold touch, a questing touch…Kirigi inhaled sharply when that touch danced lower…those slim fingers dipping between and under the ties that bound his garment shut, caressing his lower abdomen, nails bitting into skin every so often. Oh Kami…what was this sensation…
And then there was a single sound…and Master Stick cleared his throat, "Are you quite finished?" He wasn't looking at them, but into his coffee cup but Kirigi and Elektra jumped slightly and pulled apart. Blushing furiously, Elektra's hand was back in her lap at lightning speed…and Kirigi's arm was no longer around her shoulder. Appropriately chastised, even Kirigi, they turned their eyes to Stick, trying furiously to pretend that for a moment, nothing had happened….
…Nothing at all.
Stick nodded absently and raised his unseeing eyes from his coffee, "Now…may we get down to business?"
To Be Continued…