The Black Rose

I lay on my bed, gazing up at the white monotonous ceiling, deciphering the events that unfolded mere hours ago. While my interrogation had been a success, I couldn’t shake the feeling, the sensation of killing that man, of throwing his body like a doll onto the metal table. It felt euphoric.

I moved my hands in front of my face. These hands were powerful, dangerous, deadly. A vitriolic grin spread across my face. I wanted more.

Whoosh.

I heard the faint whirl of the front door sliding open and I bolted upright. I grabbed the small knife from under my mattress and stalked towards the living room.

“I come in peace,” Nadine smirked, holding her hands in the air with a small bottle of brown liquid.

I lowered my guard slightly, but my eyes picked her apart. She had a knife wedged in her boot, but other than that she appeared unarmed.

“Why are you here?” I lashed. “Come to whisk me away to another test?”

“I’m here to celebrate, it appears my prized student has graduated,” she grinned unceremoniously, placing the bottle on the kitchen counter.

I eyed her suspiciously. She was being amiable, jovial, unguarded.

“What’s going on here? Is this another test? Is there some sort of pheromone-enhancing or inhibiting serum in there?”

“Can you just relax,” she sighed. “I’m not here for anything other than celebrating.”

My brow relaxed slightly and I grabbed the bottle and sniffed. Whiskey.

“You do realize it’s barely eight am,” I retorted.

“Did I train you to be this boring?” Nadine smirked, moving towards the couch.

“You trained me to be guarded, cautious, especially with women,” I retorted, following cautiously. There was no way I would be letting my guard down with this one. Ever.

“Fair point, but just this once, you can trust my motives are pure,” she grinned.

I took a small sip of the whiskey. It had been over a year since I had a single drop of alcohol.

“So, I’m sure you’re wondering what’s next?”

I shrugged, “I’m sure it’s an all-inclusive paid trip to assassin land, courtesy of Shadow, or whoever they are.”

“Something like that,” she muttered, grabbing the bottle and drinking. “You’ll be placed in your own apartment, with your own freedoms, and computer...” she trailed.

My eyes widened, suddenly intrigued. I had been waiting for this moment, the moment that I could have some sort of privacy, and my fingers could dance once again over those keys uninhibited. I hadn’t been given access to anything technical without constant supervision, albeit smart.

“You’ll still answer to me, for the time being, just until you get on your feet, but then you will be handed over to another handler,” Nadine continued, sounding slightly downtrodden.

I too felt a pang of what would normally be sadness. This woman who beat me, broke me, ridiculed me, tortured me, kissed me, she had somehow burrowed her way in like a parasite. My eyes flicked to her lips, those lips that were pressed against mine. I gulped.

Our gaze lingered, both of us thinking the same thing but neither one of us having the balls to act. Nadine took another long drawl of whiskey and then handed it to me. I finished the bottle, chucked it to the floor, and then flung myself at her. Screw it.

We locked fiercely, picking up where we had left off, except this time, I wasn’t under the influence of hypnotizing yellow roses. I pushed Nadine down with my raw strength against the couch cushions, and she let me, her guard lowered. We kissed vehemently, lust, and passion oozing from every orifice.

Rising, Nadine thrust me against the wall, my brain and muscles screamed to fight back, but I didn’t.

“What are we doing?” she moaned.

I moved my finger to her lips to silence her. “Making each other feel good, even if it’s only for a night.”

We danced and fumbled our way to my bed, both falling, both succumbing to desire. I pulled Nadine’s shirt off, exposing her smooth, tenuous stomach. I kissed her skin, working my way up to her nipples.

She yanked my shirt, exposing my pale white skin for all the world to see. I straddled her, my muscular legs wrapping around her hips like sensual pythons. My eyes flicked up to the far wall where the full-length mirror stared back at me. My long flowing brown hair caressed Nadine’s ripped back. My green eyes glowed in the faint light, my pale skin dewy from perspiration, I looked exotic, sexy, powerful. I watched myself kiss Nadine’s neck, run my nails across her back, eying the skin, move in waves. Nadine moaned and I examined each move, each kiss, which sent varying spells of pleasure and groans from her lips. I felt as my cup filled, overflowing, and for the first time, I knew what it meant to want someone, for someone worthy of setting the city on fire.