All's Fair in Love and Mafia War (Cheshire and I)

[3ngag3]

(Continued from the old Bluemoon.)

The quiet night at the local docks are shattered by the sounds of garage doors opening and the screeching tires of vehicles. In one of the unoccupied storage buildings, a black car enters and comes to a halt. Its front headlights remain on illuminating the darkness of the building but were mainly directed at the other end where another garage door was opening. Out of the car, a few men step out. Amongst these three were the driver, the bodyguard and a young man of about twenty or so years of age. It wasn't hard to tell that he was different from the others as he wore only a vest and a white dress shirt as opposed to the other two who were wearing jackets to conceal their weapons.

This young man walked to the front of the car and casually laid back on the hood of the car, staring forward with his wide brown eyes and calm expression. Despite his casual demeanor, he had a lot on his mind tonight. For here in this unoccupied storage facility, a deal was about to be made. One that would garauntee a ceasefire between his 'family' known as the Raubelo and the other family in which they had previously engaged in fierce fighting throughout the years. Despite the fact that there was going to be a ceasefire, the young man felt irked by the whole thing. After all, this crime family was responsible for the death of his beloved mother and he held a deep seeded resentment towards them. If he had his way, he would do away with them all. But scince it was his father in charge and not him, the young man would have to grit his teeth and accept the way things were going at this point.

And why was it him who had to be sent out here anyway? Well, according to his father, the young man was sent out as a way to show that they meant no ill will towards them and was proof that the deal the two families planned out would progress cleanly with no foul play involved. But what of the other family? Surely they would have to send someone equally as important as him to complete this deal. Indeed they would, as according to the young man's father, they too would send someone important to this meeting. It was one of their daughters. A high ranking member of the family which they would use as a bargaining tool to ensure the peace between the two families. The young man cared little about who they sent though. To him, all members of his rival family were scum and he couldn't stand the thought of having one of them in the vicinity of his home.

â??My little princess,â? what was he called her, every time he say her she was always, â??his little princess.â?? He read her fairy tales and bed time stories where the man did something honorable or noble or good and he was rewarded with the hand of the princess who was always the most beautiful girl in the land. â??Am I the most beautiful princess in the land?â? a very naïve little girl would ask her infamous father as he read her another bed time story. He would always smile and say, â??My little girl is the most beautiful princess in all the lands.â? And he would kiss her head and she would giggle and the story would go on.

What ever happened to that innocent and sweet little girl? Well, she grew up. Jin Savino was the princess of her daddies empire. If there was something she wanted she got it. If she wanted a pony they got her one, she wanted a toy then it was as good as already hers. She was kept sheltered and hidden as her father wanted to keep her is innocent little baby girl but upon the death of her older brothers she became the heir. Because of this her innocence was stripped form her as she was taught the boy bad world that was the mafia. And daddies little girl did well. Even though her sparkling blue eyes lost their innocence and her curly, golden locks were cut off and straightened for a more professional look, the little frilly dresses traded in for busyness suits, she did surprisingly well for a princess.

And then she got to experience what princesses were really born for. After finding the fairy tales that her daddy didnâ??t read her she discovered the darker side of those innocent stories. The princess was a bargaining chip, she was what the king would trade to someone for something, whether it be peace or money or the death of a horrible monster the princess was always given away and the story never said that the princess wanted to be giving away. Only that they lived, â??happily ever after,â?? leaving her with one question as she sat in the back of a new Maserati. It was an expensive car but it was the last thing that her daddy was going to do for her because he decided to use his little princess just the way that a princess gets used in just about every fairy tale. As his little bargaining chip.

Needless to say that Jin was not happy. She fixed her glasses, never bothering to get contacts since the glasses worked just fine. She looked out the window, up from the story inside the book that she was holding. She was given a small suitcase that would hold some overnight things, the family would get the rest of her clothing and items like that since she was going to be living with them now, not that she was able to have any say in the matter. She saw them turning into the building and she put the book of fairy tales back into the small piece of luggage and she straightened her clothing and did her best to make herself look her best. Even if she hated this she refused to dishonor the family by looking anything but her best. You only got one first impression.

She saw the man in the fest, he seemed to be about her age. Jin, at the age of nineteen, was well equipped in taking care of herself so she was not worried. The door was open for her and she stepped out. She was not dressed in some frilly, slutty, or tight dress. She was not there to be a sex object so she refused to wear a dress that might hint that she was to be such a thing. She wore a tailored suit, one that showed off her body but still showed that she was strictly business. She had a white dress shirt beneath it and a black tie around her neck. Her red rimmed glasses were on her face she the blonde hair that fell an inch above her shoulders was tucked behind one ear showing off a sapphire stud that complimented her beautiful, blue eyes.

She used they beautiful eyes to scan everyone from the opposite car, she didnâ??t want this any more then the boy did. She approached them, her head held high, not showing and fear for the future of their time together. She approached him and, with an arm crossing her stomach, she did a small bow. â??Hello, my name is Jin Savino, thank you for allowing me into your lives and your home.â? She said politely. She had been told what to say so that it would be polite and respectful. The last thing they needed was a moody girl ruining everything her father had worked for in this peace deal.

It wasn't long before the other party in this meeting came screeching in much like the first one did. The young man looked up slightly to see what kind of car it was but rested his head back down on the hood of his car when he became disinterested. As the engine of the other car died down, the young man made a motion to the driver. This was the signal to get the stuff out of the trunk. The stuff in question was their bargaining chip. It wasn't a person like the Savino's had offered, but it was something just as valuable. The driver of the car opens the trunk to reveal several briefcases stuffed within. And judging by the difficulty in which the driver was hauling them around, they were heavy. And as they should be. For within these briefcases were weapons. A majority of them were guns of different varieties. From glocks to sub-machine guns, they were all there and ready to be turned over to the Savino's.

With the merchandise securely placed in front of the car, the only thing left to do was to get a gander at the person they would be sending into the Raubelo's posession. To this, the young man sat up a bit, straightened out his shirt and slid up to the very front of the car so he was still leaning on the front fender. What the young man saw was not quite what he expected. Before him and his small group was a buisiness looking woman. Her suit seemed to give off a sort of seriousness about her, yet when he gazed into her eyes, he could see the hint of beauty and sexiness in her gaze. Normally, the kind of women the young man would see were of the usual city type. Curvy, sizeable breasts, lightly clothed and all too willing to please almost to the point of sluttiness. But this one...no. She was all business by the look of it.

As she introduced herself as Jin Savano, the young man got off the hood of the car and approached cautiously. He had not yet seen the others that accompanied her and he didn't know if they were up to something. He turned his head only slightly to his bodyguard, a signal that he should be ready for anything. Turning back now, the young man came face to face with his new acquisition and bowed before her as he introduced himself. "My name is Cyrus. Cyrus Raubelo. On behalf of my father, we welcome you to our fine establishment." His greeting seemed scincire with his half smile and courteous posing. But underneath it all, he knew that this Jin lady was something he despised. Having to share the same living space as this woman would be such a pain for him. Cyrus could worry about that later though. What he had to worry about now was if these people were going to take their offering or not.

She looked at the boy and she smiled. She had to smile after all, she was a token of good will and if the token of good will showed bad will then it would not be very good for the prospects of the families. The girl was good at thinking on her feet and she did notice the other men with him seemed tense and she noticed that her own men had not gotten out of the car. A small frown tugged at her lips but it didnâ??t do much else. â??The men that my father sent with my will take those, thank you.â? She said as she motioned to the men. They got out of the car and seemed equally prepared should the deal go sour. They began to load up the car with the gifts and one was even kind enough to pull out her own suit case. There was one in the back and one in the side with her.

The suitcases were a lot smaller then what one would have expected form a girl in this city. The one she had in the car with her was two feet tall, one foot and a half wide and a foot deep. The other one was three feet tall, two and a half feet wide and two feet deep. It seemed that this girl was not big on flashy possessions that were items that most girls could not live without. She looked at the two men after they had finished loading the cases that they were taking to her father and after they had given the two suitcases of her items to the Raubelo boyâ??s men. Once everything was packed up the two stood beside her as if they needed to protect her form something.

She waved them off and they slowly backed off and moved to where they were standing close to their own car but at the same time they were tense and ready to act should the situation call for it. She could tell that he was not happy to have her there though he was doing a very good job at hiding it. Jin was just very good at picking up on things and inferring things. Her father had often admitted that in those aspects she was even better then her brothers had been. She was not happy with her father, trading her like this, if she had to guess why then it wouldnâ??t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. She was the next in line to take over the busyness and with her here she forfeited that position. No doubt he was off making another heir with some woman who paid for everything that you can see.

She wanted to get moving and not have to stand around here all day but she didnâ??t want to be rude so she stood there politely, her mind racing for something else to say to break the silence. Jin hated long silences. When ever there was a long silence someone had the chance to plot something. It had happened to her before. She looked back at her men and she smiled at them. â??Well this went smoothly,â? she observed, it was something that neither side had expected to happen. There was no double crossing or back stabbing of any kind. She smiled at the man before she decided to ask, â??Shall we be on our way?â? since the longer they stood there the more likely some kind of law enforcement might get lucky enough to stumble in on this little trade.

Cyrus waited patiently while the two individuals that accompanied Jin took the suitcases and looked them over. When they were loaded in the trunk, the young man motioned to his driver to take the suitcases that belonged to the woman and load them in the trunk. While he did this, Cyrus kept his eyes locked on Jin even as she broke the awkward silence with her own bit of wit and clamour. He agreed with what she had to say though. Everything seemed to have gone smoothly and there was no need for anyone to be here anymore. The police were probably going to be here in a few hours to patrol the area and he didn't need to get caught. Not out here. The young man suddenly stepped to one side allowing the woman a clear path to his car. "We shall. Take a seat in the back with me if you please," he started as he gracefully pointed to the car. While Cyrus didn't particularly like having to sit so close to someone he didn't particularly like, he felt it would be neccesary if he were to talk to her without the driver or bodyguard overhearing their conversation. There was a tinted soundproof glass that seperated the front and back seats which allowed for private chatter...or a silent kill if it was deemed neccesary.

When Jin began to walk to the car, he followed closely behind. He didn't want to see her suddenly run off though from the looks of things, she had no plans to. Still, Cyrus had to be cautious up to the point where she got in the car. And when she did get in, he scooted in next to her and kept a body's length away from her. It was his way of showing he didn't want to be close to this person but it also showed that he wouldn't try anything harmful or perverted to her on the ride home. After awhile, the car finally started and the two were on their way out of the docks and heading for home. Cyrus's home.

The drive was quiet so far. Cyrus had kept to himself, staring out the window at the night sky and streetlights above. Occasionally, he would turn to see if Jin was doing anything and when it looked as if she was going to turn to him, he turned right back to the window. This awkward turning and staring continued for about twenty minutes until finally, the young man sighed and faced the tinted soundproof window to gaze upon his own reflection. The words that came from his mouth were clear and sent a message to the woman sitting across from him. "So, look," Cyrus began as his eyes turned towards the woman across from him. "I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not too comfortable with the position that our families have placed us in. I've seen enough conflict between us that i've grown to dislike your group very much. I don't know what you think about this whole situation but just know that i'm not too happy. With that being said though, you are still a woman and I have been taught to treat them with the utmost courtesy. So for now, I will tolerate your presence in our group unless you decide to do something very stupid."

With that, Cyrus was finished speaking and he hoped he had gotten his message out loud and clear. He wasn't too fond of Jin and he would be watching over her despite whatever complaints she had.

He kept his eyes on her, she didnâ??t have to meet his gaze to be able to feel it and in all honesty she didnâ??t much like it. She liked to have some bit of control over things if not total control over an entire situation. Here she had near none. If she made a wrong move or said a wrong word then things would spiral down hill beyond any ones control. She didnâ??t like it much but at least one of her guards surprised her with something nice. He handed her a book before he left and she smiled and thanked him silently. It was a very thick book with a black cover and golden pages. There were even golden leaves on the front and in big letters the cover read â??Grimmâ??s complete fairy tales.â? It was something that she had not asked for but that she wanted very much. Because of the grim nature of Grimmâ??s tales her father had done all he could to keep suck a book form her reach, it was very fitting that she got one now that her father had no more control over her.

She watched him step out of her way and, as she had suspected, she would be taking the back seat with him. She weighed the book in her arms, it was heavy enough to use as a blunt instrument should the boy try anything. Yes, she was to be a servant for their family and work for them but she would be damned to an eternity in hell before she became his sex toy. However, much to her relief, when he followed her into the car he sat far enough form her to tell her that he had no such intentions in mind and that was, perhaps, the most assuring thing to have happened all night.

When the car began to move she waited a while and when it seemed like they werenâ??t going to be having a long talk and presumed that it was a good time to read. She opened up her book to the glossary and ran her finger down the page, scanning the many titles for one that looked interesting. She settled on â??The Juniper Tree.â?? Though she had read the tale before it had nothing to do with princes or princesses or dragons or kings or any thing you would imagine. In fact it had more to do with murder, cannibalism and singing then any of those other things and so while she sat there she began to read the tale.

Tales like this one allowed her to enjoy the car ride and though she often felt his eyes on her every time she looked at him to meet his gaze he was looking in another direction, a smile crept onto her lips and she went back to her tale of the murdered boy and the price of his songs. Finally he began to speak so she put the bookmark into the spot that she was reading and closed her book so as not to be rude and so she could fully listen. She listened to him and thought for a movement before she came up with her reply. â??The violence has been going on for too long if you ask me, claiming lives precious to us both and shattering many that neither of us will even know.â? She said solemnly before she looked out the window. â??As far as how I feel about this, I am still deciding. Mind you this does not make me happy but it has let me think and realize something.â? She said as she looked back at him with a small smile. â??When I was a child I was my fatherâ??s little princess. The princess who got to hear the tales of other princesses finding their prince and living in this â??happily ever afterâ?? kind of ending that you can only find in fairy tales but they leave it at that. What many â??little princessesâ?? do not realize is that being the princess makes you an overly hyped bargaining chip.â? She told him, a strange thing to say with a straight face.

â??If you do not believe me then listen to this, all from stories where someone gets the princess and lives in this â??happily ever afterâ?? situation: â??Slay the dragon and I will give you the princess,â?? â??slay the boar and I will give you the princess,â?? â??lift the curse and I will give you the princess,â?? â??stay in the house for three nights and I will give you the princess,â?? â??get me and apple form the tree of life and I will give you the princess,â?? all with the reward of the princess.â? She told him, then a small sigh escaped her lips and she looked down at the book on her lap. She was... sad. She had no value to her father other then as this â??bargaining chipâ?? the princess became. â??I do suppose it is fitting, he did say I was his little princess and now I get to become his little bargaining chip.â? She told him, then she looked at him and smiled gently, still sad but something made her smile. â??However, I am happy that you have been taught your manners, perhaps there is hope then, that this situation might turn into something somewhat enjoyable.â? She told him, smiling It was slightly sad that she was being sent here, this young woman who was in her prime, to work for a family that hated her for nothing other then her name.

Jin's words seemed to suprise Cyrus but slightly. Here he expected a hardcore business type woman who would keep her explanations direct and simple. But here she was spouting some nonsense about fairy tales and princesses and whatnot. For a moment after she had finished, the young man could only sit there silent as he tried to comprehend the meaning of her words. As he thought about them more and more, they did seem to have a certain truth to them. After all, in most of the stories he read, there were situations similar to the ones the girl described in her statement. A woman being offered to the brave warrior or prince who could defeat the evils in the world, making the woman nothing more than a bargaining chip. It was quite surreal.

Yet, however, he felt this had little connection to the real world. For this was not a story of dragons and wizards, or princes and princesses. This was real life. This was the mafia. The only thing that mattered in this world were violence and power. That's how things were done in this world. The fact that Jin would try and escape the harshness of reality by dipping her head into a book irked Cyrus now that he contemplated it. And the young man was not hesitant in letting her know how he felt about it. "While I can see the comparisons between our situation and that of the stories of your little book there, what else could you expect of real life? That's the way things are in this world. We can have the whole universe given to us and it can all be lost in an instant at the drop of a hat. While you've been living your sheltered life under your family, i've been living a far different kind of 'fairy tale'...if you can even call it that."

What Cyrus was talking about was the moment his perception of fantasy and reality were shattered in an instant. The moment the world came crashing down on him in a hail of bullets and blood. It was about five years ago. The young man and his mother were enjoying a Sunday drive in the city. Back then, Cyrus was carefree and had no worries of the outside world. He knew his family were business people, but he never questioned the deeper extent of their deeds. All he knew was that he had everything he ever wanted. A family who would give him anything he desired and a city full of friendly, helpful people.

But on that day, Cyrus found out about what went on behind the scenes of his family business first hand. A car occupied by Savino family members drove up to his car and rolled down the window. The muzzles of several automatics were stuck out the window and the bullets began to fly. All the young man's mother could do was cover up and try to protect the only son she had. By the time the bullets stopped firing and the Savino's car had driven off, a shaken Cyrus looked up to see the smiling face of his mother as she passed away in his arms, her back riddled with bullets. The blood leaked and dripped on to the young man's clothes as tears began to well up in his eyes, not just due to the sadness of losing his mother, but also due to the traumatic sight before him.

Cyrus was afraid back then. That was until his father retrieved him and regretfully explained the whole situation to his son. It was a year before he got over the death of his mother. By then, he had resolved never to fall for the allure of a perfect life ever again. For Cyrus Raubelo, the only thing left for him was hatred for the Savino and the desire to see a pile of their bodies littered on the ground before him.

All this of course, Cyrus didn't talk to Jin about. He kept that part of his life to himself and instead, continued to talk casualy to the woman. "I've learned that stories like that are for cowards who wish to hide in fear of the true grasp of reality. I might not be able to change your way of thinking, but that's just how I see things. I should ask that while you stay with me and my organization, you might drift away from silly books like that and get involved in more 'real life' events. Who knows? You might actually enjoy it for once."

With that, the car fell silent once more. Cyrus turned to look out the window again leaving Jin to contemplate what he had just said.

Jin thought of what he said for a while and then she smiled. â??By middle school the fantasy was broken, while other girls were thinking of wedding bells I was thinking of funeral bells. My fantasy was shattered with the death of my first brother.â? She told him. She remembered Jerico. Her father had such high hopes for him. It was a birthday party in a park. Just like any other park in the world but this one was sheltered and private. It was closed off so that way they could have her private birthday party. She was turning eleven and they had everything a little girl could dream of. In all that irony could do the trouble started just as she was about to blow out her candles.

Her family had been combing the present table. There were so many gifts, she had even gotten a pony which she had already gotten to ride and make all of her little friends jealous with it, She was about to blow out the candles when one of the presents went off. It seemed that someone had wrapped a bomb up and put it with the present. They were running late, she should have been at the present table but she wanted cake first so that was the only reason she wasnâ??t there opening them. Her brother was killed and several other people were wounded, including her other brother, but he would live for some time longer and die another way.

She looked away form him then back at him. â??There has been too much blood between our families. I have lost people close to me and I have no doubt that you have lost people close to you however the stories are not an escape for the weak, they are about human nature and there are some stories that seem practically parallel to our current situation.â? She told him as she looked down at her book. â??It seems to me that Romeo and Juliet would be the closest one off the top of my head, minus the love and suicide.â? She told him plainly.

â??Two families frighting for as long and either can remember and neither one knows who started it anymore, both blame the fighting on the other while it is both sides that are to blame.â? She told him. â??Or if you want to get metaphoric why not the battle between a dragon and a knight?â? she asked him thoughtfully, thinking of a way to allow him to understand. â??To the other we are monsters, each one of us fights for something. The dragon fights the knight to live. What has the dragon done wrong? Stolen sheep form a neighboring pasture. The knight fights for gold or to protect the kingdom but what has he done wrong? He failed to consider that the dragon if taking nothing but what he needs to survive. The dragon is only trying to live. It is strange, both are wrong yet both are right. It all depends on the point of view.â? She told him, staying kind in her voice and being careful not to be rude, she hated him just as much as she mated her, possibly more.

After a long pause she looked back at him, â??If I may be so bold to ask, what tasks shall I be put to once we arrive at you home?â? she asked him kindly. She might as well know what tasks she should be performing, she was very smart and she would hate it if they just put her to work as a maid but she knew that it may very well be exactly what they have planned for her.

Cyrus felt a bit humbled by Jin's words. It was no suprise that she too had experienced the same kind of loss and tragedy as he did. And the way she compared it to her knowledge of books made him think twice about what he had said earlier. She was right on all counts. Romeo, Juliet, the dragon and the knight, all of it. Although when the woman did explain the part about the dragon and the knight, something popped into his head. Just what was the cause of all the strife between the Raubelo and the Savino? All his father told him was that they were the bad guys and nothing more. There was just no logic behind all of it. But what could he do about it?

While Cyrus pondered these things, the question about Jin's role came up and the young man snapped his head around to face the woman and sat up a bit in his seat. "Well," he started. "I think you seem to misunderstand your situation a bit. You aren't going to be burdened with the tasks of, oh let's say, a simple maid or driver. No, no. The agreement was for you to be my companion. It's been left to me to watch over you as long as you are to stay with us. You are quite free to do anything you want...under my supervision of course." It was then that Cyrus suddenly leaned in closer to Jin and began whispering a bit. "But between you and me, I overheard my father mentioning something about making some kind of slave out of you. But i'll make sure that doesn't happen. You might be a Savino, but you're still a woman and I always make sure to take good care of my women."

With a wink, Cyrus leaned back to his side of the car and looked out the window again. He could see now that the car was heading towards one of the safe houses the Raubelo owned. It looked like every other house on the block they were on. Garage, lush and green front lawn, front patio, everything. The car made its way up the driveway and entered the open garage door. With a bit of a grind, it closed and the doors were opened so that Cyrus and Jin could get out. Before he did though, the young man turned to his new companion and explained what was going on. "This is one of our safe houses. We're gonna stay here the night and head over to my main residence in the morning sometime. We need some of the people down there to adjust for your impending arrival. After all, some of them might not be as understanding to our situation like I am."

She smiled at the boy, he was very kind, he was not going to put her to work like she thought that he was. She was supposed to be a companion like he had said but she was sure that being in their home and with the name that she had that she would, instead, be put to doing demeaning tasks and they might even try and turn her into a slave and use her for their own amusement but she had told her father, she was sure he thought she was joking, that if they try and touch her she will fight back.

It was take a idiot to fight someone surrounded by family in their own home but it would take a coward not to stand up for herself if someone there tried to do that too her. He seemed bent on preventing that though. She cracked a smile when she heard what the boyâ??s father that he would do with her; it was just like she thought he would. He might be disgusting but however it might have happened his son was raised well and she was very happy that she would not have to worry about those sorts of things. She had been surprised that he had been able to lean over to her without worrying about her stabbing him, perhaps there was a bit of hope after all.

She wasnâ??t expecting the wink however and it left her at a loss for words. That had not happened since she was a very little girl so it irritated her. He suddenly seemed friendly and then a smile found its way to her lips as she hoped that it was a result of her attempts to make peace between the two of them. Getting on his good said was important., she was instructed to do that and while at first she had not wanted to she knew she would need some allies in the house and if she could get him on her side then she did stand a strong chance. It seemed that just by being a woman helped and had he not been so polite about it she would have thought that he was sexist.

She looked at the house. It was a safe house and about as big as their safe houses and it was beautiful. The grass was lush and green and the plants well cared for, she wondered if he had a garden, she used to love to read in the garden back home thought she was not sure if she was going to be able to now. She let herself out of the car, not wanting to be rude in expecting him to open the door for her. She carried the book in her arms and when he luggage was removed she put it inside and cleaned off her glasses.

She needed to look professional, that was very important. â??I understand that it must be hard on everyone. Our families have hated each other for so long that it is hard to imagine a time where we shouldnâ??t be trying to kill each other. I have managed to settle with it and I am, very happy that you have been able to do so but it might not be as easy for some.â? She told him. She waited for him to walk towards the house and when he did so she followed. She wondered what kind of room she would be staying in, she had heard that they might put her in his room but she was not sure of that and she was not sure that he would go with that even if it was what was decided.

Though he said nothing, Cyrus understood what Jin had to say and without hesitation, the young man got out of the car and made his way inside the house. This entrance was located next to the kitchen and it was the first thing that came into view as he entered. The counter was nice and clean with a marble covering. The hum of the refrigerator could be heard as it's motors kept the food within nice and fresh. The cupboards above and around were wooden in nature, but polished to the point where it looked like there was plastic covering them or something to that extent.For now, he walked past the kitchen and made his way into the living room. There wasn't much here to see. The carpet was white and the two couches that surrounded the glass table were made of black leather and looked as if one could simply sink into it if they rested upon it. There was a flat screen television hanging from the wall like a portrait, a symbol of how the Raubelo were trying to keep up with the times.

Past that, there was a hallway which Cyrus followed to the end where there was a door to be entered. He walked in first, making sure to look around to see that nothing was out of place. As he did, the sound of the car could be heard starting up again as it left the premises. If Jin was wondering what was up, the young man reassured her. "They're going back home to let my father know that the trade went off without a hitch. They will be back tomorrow to pick us up." With that, Cyrus entered the room and turned on the light. There wasn't much to this room as it was rarely used for nothing more than a safe house. There was a king sized bed resting in the corner of the room. Enough to accomidate two people if neccesarry. There was an oak dresser which Cyrus promptly made his way to before he removed his vest and set it upon the coat rack sitting next to it.

As he was doing this, the young man turned to Jin and pointed across the way to another door. "Over there is your room. But if you don't mind, i'd like to talk to you in here a bit longer," he said as he removed his tie and set it on the dresser. Although his expression seemed normal enough as he stated this, Cyrus had a particularly sneaky idea coming to his mind. Something that would allow him both the satisfaction of not having to worry about Jin attacking him and something that would allow him to view his new companion in a different light.

They walked into the house and the kitchen was the first thing that they saw. The counters were marble and clean as could be, The cupboards were wooden but they looked almost like they were laminated with as shinny as they were, and the only sound heard was the low hum of a refrigerator that was doing its job. They passed the kitchen, she had already eaten so she didnâ??t need toy worry about food. Her maid had packed a few snacks when she thought that Jin was not looking, worried about her food being poisoned but Jin knew that they needed her alive if they wanted they treaty to stay. The living room was nice, not much there but it was good for a safe house. There was a lush white carpet and a couched that she thought might be a good place to sit. There was even a flat screen which showed they were keeping their safe houses modern, very important for them to be safe.

They walked down a hall and to the door, once they got inside, he went in first as if checking to see if it was safe. Then a car was heard and she looked towards the direction that it had come from. She heard what he said and she smiled a little bit. She nodded and then she moved out of the way so he could get back out without a problem, even though she was supposed to be head she had been taught her manners. The room had a king sized bed fit for two though she hoped she would not be sharing it with him. It was not that she was unattractive it was that she didnâ??t trust him enough to sleep next to him.

She watched him remove his coat and for a moment she debated if she should keep on her jacket, she decided to since it added to the busyness like manner that she was dressed in and thus added to the idea that she was not there to play with them but to work with them. She looked to where he pointed and she heard what he said and she nodded. â??Alright then,â? she said with a smile, â??What would you like to talk about?â? she asked him, wondering what he wanted to say now that they had a chance to not be watched.

Cyrus looked outside again to make sure no one was around before proceeding to the door and closing it. He didn't want to take any chances on Jin freaking out and trying to run from him. Once he felt the coast was clear, the young man took a chair and propped it up against the bed before sitting down on it. He leaned back a bit causing the front legs to dangle lightly in the air. He was now relaxed enough to start talking to his new companion again.

"Ok. I think i'll say this really simple-like. The first thing I want you to do is take off those clothes of yours. You don't need to get naked or anything. Just that business looking suit of yours." To Jin, this bizzare command must have been a shock to her. But Cyrus felt that she shouldn't be suprised. Though he did say he was taught to treat his women with courtesy, it didn't always mean that he did in every occasion. This request, other than allowing him to get a great view of his new companion's body, had another purpose as well.

Some of the women Cyrus went out with in the past had been known to carry hidden weapons on their person, ready to whip it out and use it on anyone who pushed them the wrong way. The young man wasn't going to take any chances on this one. She was of the Savino after all. For all he knew, they could have told her to assassinate him while he slept and that wouldn't be good for the Raubelo. Not at all.

 

[Cheshire Pup]

Jin watched him check the doorway and down the hall and she wondered what was so important. She watched him close the door and sit in the chair, baffled by his actions as to what he could want but not letting any of that confusion show on her face. Confusion was an emotion that was easily taken advantage of so she didnâ??t want to give him anything he might use against her. However what was said next was not what she had been expecting.

Her eyes widened for a brief moment before her shock was replaced with a look of anger. Just because she had to be polite didnâ??t mean that she had to like everything that was requested of her. Thought she was allowed to think. That bastard! She thought to herself, He said that he knew how treat women and this sure as hell isnâ??t a way to treat woman. If he tries anything I swear, even if I have to do it in my panties, I will take him to the floor! but it didnâ??t change what she had do to. She opened her mouth as if she was going to say something, object, or even refuse but she had to keep in good will and even if it meant giving him a little bit of a show.

She removed her jacket first, taking it off and putting it on the coat rack, just because he was forcing her to get undressed didnâ??t mean that she had to put her clothing on the floor, a subtle protest to what she was doing while her glares were a very clear one. Her dress shoes were removed, reveling stocking that he would see more of when she removed her pants, though she hated every minute of this. It was degrading fore her and immature for him to do but then again he was a man and she should have expected this. The stocking were held up by straps which were attached to her panties, which were black, the straps would be a good place to hide something deadly though there was nothing there so they only looked attractive.

Her bra was black to match the panties, with some lacy designs on it to make it more appealing. She never showed her underwear to anyone but it felt good to be in attractive underwear even if only you knew. She made sure that he clothing would not get crinkled as she put it aside, not afraid to let how much she hated the experience show on her face. â??Satisfied?â? she asked him, clearly unhappy with the situation but nothing she said portrayed it. It was all in her face and gaze.

 

[3ngag3]

Cyrus took a bit of pleasure in the reaction of Jin. Her expressions were something he expected but it still caused a big grin to come across his face. He was ready to listen to her protests as well, expecting the usual rantings about how he was a pervert and how he had no class. Things he might have been partially guilty of but he would have explained his reasons. Instead, he was suprised to see the woman swallow her pride and begin to undress. The young man continued to rock back and forth on the chair as he watched the show unfolding before him. First the jacket came off and was placed on the coat rack. There didn't appear to be a sound of metal ringing from it so it probably meant Jin had nothing in there. A good start.

Nothing in her shoes, although there could possibly be a hidden compartment in the sole to hide a small knife or something else sharp. He would check that out later. Now came the pants and a wonderful sight befell Cyrus's eyes. Jin was wearing those special pantyhose with the straps that locked on to the panties. It made him rub his chin in admiration and the grin on his face became a bit wider. No weapons too, although with the ammount of skin revealed it would have been tough to hide anything amongst it. Not with the way he thought those pantyhose fit. Next came the shirt and as expected, the bra matched the panties and pantyhose perfectly. The shirt was obviously hiding the size of her breasts as they seemed to be a cup bigger than what was shown with the shirt on.

As the woman asked if he was satisfied or not, Cyrus stood up and walked over to his new companion. He strolled around her in a circle, letting his eyes get the complete and closest view of the vixen before him. As he did, he finally decided to explain his actions. "I can tell you're not happy with what I asked of you so allow me to explain why. You see i've been with a lot of women over the past several years. Some have been rather sweet while others got to me with the intent of simple murder. The latter of these women have constantly suprised me with the many ways they hide their weaponry. They could have something hidden in their bra, their panties, even the shoes they wear. Fortunatley, lady luck has been kind enough to allow me the privelage of standing here today to tell you about them. You do understand now why I asked you to remove your clothes, right? I mean, i'm not a pervert you know." Cyrus paused and suddenly leaned in close so that he could whisper into Jin's ear. "Well sort of."

A light chuckle escaped the young man's lips before he backed off and checked out the clothes that the woman was wearing. Much to his suprise, there were no weapons to be found anywhere neither in the shirt or pants. Satisfied with his findings, he tossed the shirt back to her and sat down again. "You can put them back on now if you want and check your room out now."

 

[Cheshire Pup]

He seemed to take pride in her displeasure, then she remembered what her father had told her about keeping her emotions hidden, some people are cruel enough to do things simply because they know that it upsets you and it seems like she fell for it. He rocked back and fourth in his chair and was clearly enjoying this very much. She could feel his eyes on her the entire time, searching her body, looking her over, and she hated it. He even seemed to like her panties and a small chill ran up her spine. She knew that she should have worn something unattractive but no, she had to wear what she liked even though she knew that this might be coming.

He seemed please with what he saw but when he got up and approached her she tensed. Not visibly of course but she was ready to reach, just because she stood there to undress didnâ??t mean that she was going to let him touch her in her current state. He was diffidently enjoying this, his smile seemed to stretch from ear to ear and that just made her hate it even more. She listened to what he said and she was not very surprised by his motive behind it, thought it was a little bit surprising that he actually had a non-perverted reason for making her strip for him. She heard what he said and she was pissed off. The way he whispered in her ear, it was not something she would have let anyone get away with without some kind of hospital visit. However he had the upper hand in the situation and she was not that stupid.

She heard what he said about being able to get dressed and she did so quickly but not hastily. Once she was finished dressing herself she looked back over at him. â??No, you are not a pervert, you just seem to enjoy acting like one. A metal detector would have been far easier but if you had done that then you would not have gotten to see me strip then would you?â? she asked him, knowing that it was true.

 

[3ngag3]

As Jin spoke, Cyrus leaned back in his chair, a confident smile on his face. When she was done, he replied, "Well what do you expect? I like women. It's natural that I would want to see them in their full beauty. And a metal detector is too boring anyhow. That sound it makes just annoys the hell out of me. Also just remember that I could have asked you to get completley naked." The young man chuckled as he sat up. "Boy, that really would have been a show, wouldn't it?" He stood up then and walked to the center of the room. "If it makes you feel better, you can strip search me all you want. That way, we'll be even."

At this point, it seemed as if Cyrus were trying to goad Jin into something. He wanted to prove himself right that this woman didn't seem to have any sense of sexuality. Sure, she dressed nice underneath, but the whole businesswoman look seemed to bother him. He also noticed the glares and the uncomfortable looks she was giving him during his inspection. "Typical," Cyrus thought. "These Savino women have no sense of sexuality. Always businesslike and so boring." The young man hoped that maybe he could change that with Jin. Perhaps make her into something that he didn't have to hate so much.

 

[Cheshire Pup]

Jin shot him a glare then a sharp reply, â??I do not need to strip search someone to be confident that I can be free from harm.â? She told him, then she turned to look at him. â??I am here because of a deal that my father made. For that reason and that alone, I am not some toy for you to play with.â? She said, it was very clear that if he tried to do anything with her she would not just sit back and take it. She was not here to be his sex toy, the main reason she didnâ??t wear any kind of dress or skirt. She wanted to look professional so he would see her as just that, a professional.

After that she took the leave that she had been offered and went to the room that was given to her. She found her bags had not been gone through, a lock on each had no doubt kept out prying eyes, and all of their contents were intact. She didnâ??t know how long they would be staying there so it didnâ??t sound like ling, she didnâ??t bother to unpack. She took up a book that she had been reading before and closed up her suitcases. There were some feminine things in there and she knew the kinds of things her father would most likely send over.

She put her jacket on a hook and she looked around. The room was nice but she thought that a better light was outside on the couch. She left her room and took a seat, it was comfortable and there was the perfect light there, she opened up her book and began to read, hoping for some peace and quiet.

 

[3ngag3]

Cyrus promptly placed his hands on his sides and shook his head as Jin left. It was obvious that this woman would be harder to tame than the others who would normally be all over him by now. His point was also proven on how she had no sense of sexuality. He could have pursued the woman into her room and tried to force the issue a little more, but it was late. He was tired and he needed to get some sleep for the morning ride. With that, he closed the door, but made sure to leave it open just a crack in case his new roomate had second thoughts about 'searching' him.

The first thing Cyrus removed was his shirt. Though he was a bit pale and skinny, his muscles formed very well to his chest and abdomen. He made it a daily routine to keep in shape. The women would swoon over him that much more attractive to the ladies. Next came his pants. The young man's legs were slender, but he was a very fast runner when he chose to be. Also, unlike most men, he shaved his legs on occasion. He always figured if women could have shaved legs and allowed men to feel them up, why couldn't he be on the opposite end of the spectrum?

Cyrus was left in a pair of tight black boxers that conformed to his rear and lower extremities. He enjoyed the way they felt on his skin and he felt more aerodynamic when he wore them. Setting his clothes neatly on the dresser, he began to climb into bed. It felt nice and soft, but it was nothing compared to his bed at his main residence. Thoughts of that bed raced through the young man's head as he slipped under the covers and turned out the lamp. Before he went to sleep though, he spoke out to Jin wherever she was. "Goodnight, Princess!" he clammored, not realizing that it was probably the same thing her father said to her before she went to bed at night.

 

[Cheshire Pup]

When Jin heard what he called her a bit of anger flared up in her along with a bit of home sickness. â??Good night Sir Dragon!â? she called back to him, wondering if he would understand what she had meant. If she was the princess then he had stolen her from her home with this trade that his father had set up, thus making him the dragon that steals the princess and leaving her to wait for a knight in shining armor that she knew would never come.

She sat and read on the couch for a good hour before she was sure that it was safe, after that had been done she closed up her book and she began to explore the home. She checked rooms and hiding places, looking for nothing and everything at the same time. She wanted to feel somewhat secure in her surroundings before she had to sleep in them, one of the reasons that she stayed up so late. When she had inspected the house she turned her attention to the manâ??s room. She carefully slid in, quiet as a mouse and checked to make sure that he was in his bed and when she felt comfortable that he was sleeping she looked around, peaking in some drawers and places where weapons might be hid.

When she was finally confident that she would be safe for the night she retreated to the room that had been given to her and she locked the door, she had no doubt that the boy had a key to it but at least she felt safer with it locked. She changed from her clothing, folding them so they would not get wrinkled, before she pulled out a nightgown. The nightgown was beautiful, unlike they busyness clothing that she wore this one was attractive, sexy and very feminine. It went down to her mid thighs and it hugged her waist, showing off her form and beautiful legs. She brushed out her hair and she took off her glasses, putting them close to the bed. The whole gown was a beautiful pink with white lace along the bottom and white lace straps that held it on rather then sleeves. She looked back at the door one last time before climbing into the bed and drifting to sleep.

 

[3ngag3]

Cyrus rolled his eyes in response to Jin's comment. Dragon? If she was still comparing this situation to her fairy tales, wouldn't he be more like the knight? The young man pondered this until he drifted off into sleep. He was unaware of his companions inspection of the home, though even if she did make a bit of a ruckus, Cyrus was a deep sleeper. This combined with late hours of the evening made sure that he would be out even as the woman came into his room and began to sniff around for any kinds of weapons or secrets that might be hidden.
It was about an hour after Jin had fallen asleep that Cyrus stirred.

It was more like instinct that woke him as he had to use the bathroom. Slowly, the young man climbed out of his bed and went to the bathroom to do his business. After which, he came out and headed back towards his room. It was then that he stopped and looked towards the room that Jin was sleeping in. Surely the woman had to be asleep by now and it would be a perfect opprotunity to peek in and get a look at what she wore to bed at night if anything at all. Cyrus tested the door and found that it was locked. No problem for him as Jin probably failed to realize that this particular doorknob was designed to be opened with a twist of a fingernail which the young man promptly demonstrated by slipping his finger between the slit of the doorknob and turning like a key.

Quietley, the door creaked open and the young man slipped in. Jin's room was particularly bright due to the fact that the blinds of the windows were open and the moonlight shone right on her bed. This game Cyrus a great view of the beautiful nightgown his companion was wearing. Maybe it was the pink that attracted him to her or maybe it was the way the nightgown fitted her slender form perfectly, but he was driven to try and take her right then and there. Even if it was just a simple touch, Cyrus wanted to feel every creavice of Jin's body and make her feel like a real woman should. With a deep, quiet breath, the young man inched his way forward to the bed, ready to make his move.

 

[Cheshire Pup]

He was close, very close, but before he had a chance to take her a nightmare laid claim. The pleasant smile that had been on her face drifted away with her pleasant dreams as this darker one slid in. The pleasant features twisted as she seemed to fight for control and to keep the nightmare from entering into her mind but it did and once it rooted it would go on no matter what she did.

There was a woman, she could not see her face but she was beautiful, she was there for a moment and she held her arms out to Jin and called her. Jin tried to move, to go to the woman that called her, for a reason unknown to even herself she wanted to be a part of that embrace but when she tried to go to her she found her feet were stuck to the floor, she couldnâ??t make them move. She watched the woman who called to her, the light behind her was enveloping her and slowly stealing her from sight.

In reality Jin struggled, gently moving her legs as her sleep would not allow her to kick. The moving dragged down the sheets, exposing even more of her nightgown. She rolled onto her side, Her face showed struggle as an arm reached forwards but seemed to be grasping nothing.

The woman was gone and when the light faded away she was surrounded by little girls and she was in a dress. She was happy, it was her birthday, the day that every child dreams three hundred and sixty four days of every year and hers had come and it was every little girlâ??s dream. She got a pony! Now it was time for cake. But she didnâ??t want cake and she looked at her dad, â??Daddy I want to open presents!â? she said, he just shield and let it happen. She walked with some friends to the table and Jerico was there, looking for the present he had gotten her, he picked up a present with no tag. â??When did this get here?â? he asked then he began to open it to check it and Jin cried, â??Thatâ??s mine!â? however when he opened the top her world was changed forever.

The smile returned but not for long. Her hands clutched the sheets and a whimper escaped her.

There was fire and chaos, people were screaming and snatching up their children.

Jin tossed and turned, her lips parted as she mumbled something he would not be able to understand.

â??Jerico? Jerico!â? the child called, running towards the explosion but someone grabbed her.

â??J....jerico.....â? she mumbled, clawing her sheets.

â??Donâ??t go there!â? she was scolded but she tore away form the man and made it to her brother. On her way she tripped and when she looked down she saw an arm, her brothers. She screamed.

â??Jerico.â? She said louder, the nightmare pulling her back into the worst day of her life. Tears began to well up in her eyes and flow down her cheeks. Tears, she was crying.

She was up to her brother but she didnâ??t recognize him as her brother. There was just a red mess and her father holding someone, a body, her brothers but she didnâ??t even recognize him. Her father was calling for him but he was already gone and she couldnâ??t move. When she got the courage to speak she yelled at her brother, wanting him to stop doing this and get up and be okay.

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she sobbed gently in her sleep. â??Jerico.... please... wake up...â? she sobbed in her sleep, unaware that she was being watched. â??You..... canâ??t.... you canâ??t....be....â? no more words escaped her, only more sobs and tears came form her now, trapped in the day the changed her life and everything else forever.

 

[3ngag3]

Cyrus was so close now that his hot breath upon her skin. However, he quickly recoiled as Jin began to move around. Was she waking up? The young man stood frozen as he watched her movements. When she didn't awaken, he moved in again, and again, he recoiled at her next actions. She seemed to be grasping at air, like something was in front of her, but barely out of her reach. This made the young man curious, so instead of ravaging the woman's body, he simply decided to watch and observe. What he witnessed suddenly brought back memories of his own. For through her whimpers and cries, Cyrus's mind also began to wander into the past. Whoever this Jerico person was, Jin must have had a close connetion with him like he did his mother. The image of her prone and bloodied body slumped over him in a protective manner shot into his mind like a dagger.

The young man showed little emotion though as he tried to make parallels with Jin's situation. This woman...she probably wasn't any better off than he was. If there was any connection between the two, it was that they both lost someone very important to them. At that point, any thoughts of taking advantage of such a woman left his thoughts completley. Cyrus chose instead to leave her be. Maybe he would even have to apologize to her in the morning.So, with that, the young man quietly slinked out of the room and locked the door, leaving no evidence that he was ever there and slipped back into his room. He shut the door and stood there for a second, running his hand through his hair and sighing deeply. There were many conflicting thoughts in his head at this point and he didn't feel like making anything of them until the morning.

It was back to bed with him shortly thereafter.

 

[Cheshire Pup]

The dream faded away slowly leaving her with nothing pleasant to replace it. The rest of the night went on like that, dreamless as she lay still on the bed that was not her own. When she awoke in the morning she remembered her dream and shuttered slightly, bringing her hands to her face she found tears and quickly dried them away and whipped her face of any sign of the dream. Once that was done she put on her glasses and had a few things to check. The room looked like it had not been disturbed. Nothing was out of place and when she went to check the door was still locked and since she had not been raped the night before she assumed that everything was okay.

She went through her bags and gathered a few things, wanting to move very quickly so that she might be ready before the boy awoke. She showered in the morning and the last thing she wanted was to give him a chance to walk in on her naked. She gathered up clothing and other things she might need before she scurried down the hall to the bathroom. The shower was small but she made sure that she didnâ??t spend much time in there. She washed her hair and her body then she quickly dried her body and her hair.

Jin was born with something that was not good for any girl to have should she want to be taken seriously. Curly hair. If she left it along it would curl into these cute and adorable curls that would make it very hard for her to be taken seriously so she had to straighten her hair before she was seen. She went to work and once her hair was straight and dry she relaxed a little bit. She didnâ??t really wear makeup, lip gloss was pretty much all she had on. Eye make up was difficult to do with her glasses and she wanted to be taken seriously so makeup was not what she wanted.

After she was dried and ready she got dressed, a suit very much like the one that she had on the night before, only this time she put on a red tie that matched her glasses and she didnâ??t wear her jacket. She put on socks instead of stockings since she didnâ??t want to give the boy the privilege of seeing her in stocking again should something like that ever happen. After she was ready she balled up the nightgown and quickly hid it back with her things, she didnâ??t want to be seen in it, especially not by this boy. She wondered if he was awake yet and decided to go to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast. It was safer then trusting him to do it.

 

[3ngag3]

It wasn't until Jin had gotten out of the shower that Cyrus finally awakened. His ears perked just in time to hear the knob of the shower turned off and the young man suddenly shot up to a sitting position. "Damn..." he muttered to himself, knowing that he missed a perfect opprotunity to get a view of his new companion bare naked in the shower. Then the events of last night came rushing back to him and he suddenly became still, almost stoic as he remembered. His head declined slightly and a small sigh escaped his lips. He had much to do today and it wasn't just getting ready for his arrival at his main residence. Throwing the covers over, he stood up and stretched himself out before beginning to get dressed.

Unfortunatley, the young man didn't bring a change of clothes which was rather stupid of him as he knew he would be staying here the night. So, he quickly put the same clothes back on and proceeded to the bathroom just as Jin was changing in hers. As he looked into the mirror, he could see that the natural bags under his eyes hadn't gone away. They never did. Not scince the day his mother died. After going through all the normal hygenic behavior (brushing teeth and hair and washing face), Cyrus made his way out to the living room as Jin was heading to the kitchen.

This suprised the young man a bit and he believed that she was planning to make breakfast for him. "Well, good morning there princess," he said with a smile on his face, still completley unaware of the words impact on the woman. "Don't take too long making breakfast there. My guys will be here in a couple of hours to pick us up and take us to the mansion." The young man then quietly sat down on the couch and turned on the television to watch the morning horse races. He had made some bets last night and he hoped that his choices would net him some extra cash.

 

[Cheshire Pup]

Jin heard what he said and she balled her fists but she remained, otherwise, calm. â??Donâ??t call me princess.â? She told him, she realized that he didnâ??t know but she had realized what the princess was meant for and now she was living it. Being her fatherâ??s bargaining chip was not what she had wanted and every time he called her princess she was reminded of this fact. His comment about the food was not what she had wanted to hear either. She looked at him, â??You donâ??t trust me not to kill you but you trust me wit your food?â? she questioned him. Poisoning someone was a much easier way to kill them then to shoot them or to stab them, it was less messy and the people usually drops dead after you have had a chance to get very far away.

Still, she didnâ??t mind that much. She did enjoy cooking though she would never tell him that. She looked in the fridge at what they had and she smiled, taking out a few ingredients and putting on a apron that she found she began to cook. She made pancakes from scratch, dropping a few chocolate chips into the mix for her won favorite kind of pancakes. She then made eggs and even bacon, all of which she divided among two dishes and she set one for him and one for herself, pouring them each a glass of milk Hew would find her cooking to be delicious and that she did look good in a apron.

 

[3ngag3]

Feeling the weight of last nights events upon him, Cyrus, rather than make some witty comment about it, simply replied, "Oh, sorry..." and went back to watching the television. He saw that one of his horses won its race and the young man let out a happy "WOO!" and clapped his hands together. Another $500 for him to do with as he pleased. His attention turned back to the woman as she spoke and promplty, he replied, "I think i'll give you the benefit of the doubt this time. Besides, there isn't anything poisonous at all in here. This is a safe house after all. It's not like i'm packing heat in the walls."

After awhile, the scent of pancakes wafted into Cyru's nose. It caused him to pause the TV (Thanks to the miraculous power of TiVo) and stand up to see what Jin was doing. He was suprised to see that someone like her had a good deal of cooking experience. He leaned on the counter across from the stove and observed her finishing the pancakes, then making the eggs and the bacon. She almost reminded him how his own mother used to make breakfast for him. Of course, she would actually bring it to him in bed and talk about how his schooling was going. Still, Cyrus felt a sense of nostalgia watching Jin cook. He took the dish back out to the table and before setting it down, he turned to his companion and with a smile, he said, "Thank you very much."

 

[Cheshire Pup]

She didnâ??t think it was very smart, if one was to have a safe house then why would they not keep items inside of the house to keep them safe, it would not be the first time that poison had come to her advantage and her aid. It was very easy to fool someone when they are confident that gun will scare you out of trying anything., The only problem is that you have to find the right kind of poison, the kind that kills or immobilizes quickly or doesnâ??t let them know that anything is wrong until it is too late otherwise they find out and you get shot but at least you might be able to take the other person with you.

She heard what he said and she was surprised, he was actually thanking her? She tried to forget what had happened the previous night and with any luck it would be just a one time thing. â??Youâ??re welcome.â? She told him, a genuine smile playing at her lips. That was a very rare sight. She was happy and not because she had killed a target or because she had made a lot of money or because some kind of illegal activity went well, those kinds of smiles were different kinds of smiles. This was just pure, genuine, happiness over the ability to make something good that they could both enjoy. A life like the two of them did simple pleasures like this didnâ??t come very often so when they did that made them even more special.

 

[3ngag3]

And so, Cyrus enjoyed his meal with Jin as much as possible. He couldn't possibly stop eating to talk to her as he felt it might be disrespectful to her and her cooking, which happened to be wonderful thanks to the delicious taste of the pancakes in his mouth. It was about an hour before he was completley finished when he took all the dishes over to the sink. If there were any thoughts of his new companion doing the dishes for him, Cyrus waved them off. "Don't worry about the dishes. Someone will come by later and clean up the place."It was about that time that the sound of a honking car horn echoed outside the safe house.

It was the same vehicle that the two had arrived in the previous night. The same driver and the same bodyguard were within and waiting outside for the two companions to come out. "I guess it's time to leave then. Do you want me to get your things for you?" Cyrus sounded rather courteous with his comment. Probably because he wanted her to be as relaxed and calm as possible when he finally decided to speak to her in the car. Without hesitation, the young man turned off the televison and waited for Jin's reply.

 

[Cheshire Pup]

He seemed to be enjoying his meal and that really made Jin happy. She liked to cook but her father was always to busy to sit down and eat her food and she dared not cook for anyone else since it might make her look for feminine then she wanted to appear. Because she was a woman in this kind of busyness not only was she often underestimated but when things did go badly she had gotten rape threats. That was one of the reasons that she had to learn self defense.

She had been surprised when he took the dishes into the kitchen but didnâ??t like the idea of not watching him, she was about to say something about cleaning up after herself when she heard the honking and his offer about her bags. She just smiled, â??No thank you, I would like to do that myself.â? She told him before putting g the apron back where she had found it and putting on her jacket, she collected anything that she had taken out and packed everything in nicely before going back out to see him.

They were the same cars and when she brought her things outside they were put unto the back like they had been the day before and she looked at the man, he had been quieter today, something seemed different but she could not place it. It was almost like he was trying to be nice.

 

[3ngag3]

The ride to the main residence was slow due to some traffic that had built up from all the regular citizens heading to work for the day. It was quiet inside the car however. Cyrus had not yet spoken and, in truth, was waiting for Jin to maybe say something first so that he could strike up a conversation. A half hour passed, and when it looked like that wasn't going to happen, the young man finally decided to speak out to his new companion about a great many things.

"Listen," Cyrus started as he turned to Jin. "About last night. I kinda said and did some stupid things back there. Mainly because i'm so used to women fawning all over me. I didn't think you would take such offense to my actions and, well, I just wanted to apologize. I see that we're pretty much in the same boat seeing as how we lost our loved ones and I know I wouldn't want you treating me the same way either. So, with that said, i'll try and treat you with a little more courtesy. Is that all ok with you?"

With a sigh, Cyrus was finished with his little speech. He didn't know how Jin would take it but he did hope that she would at least accept his apology.

 

[Cheshire Pup]

Jin sat quietly inside of the car, she had not a book to read so instead she studied her surrounding and looked out the window. She was beginning to regret that she had put the book in her luggage but she didnâ??t want to exit the car carrying it and she didnâ??t want to ask him to do it. She really didnâ??t want top talk as she felt that it was the best way to keep the peace and the distance between then two of them.

She was shocked by what he said when he finally did decide to speak however it did make her smile. â??I hope you werenâ??t expecting me to start fawning any time soon. I mean this not as an insult but rather that I do relish in my ability to think rather then just using my body for whatever I might want.â? She told him with a smile, â??However I am glad that you see we are in the same boat.â? She told him with a smile, it seemed that things would be easier to deal with now and that made her very happy.

They sat in silence and she thought for a little but before turning back to him and she could not help but smile as she spoke. â??You know what would make a great fairy tale?â? she told him with a smile, â??A tale where the knight, rather then trying to slay the dragon and the dragon, rather then trying to kill the knight, team together to make the kingdom better.... Then again I do believe that is what they call a dragon rider.â? She told him with a smile as she got very thoughtful again it seemed that he might be able to decipher what she was trying to say. There were times when she liked to be very blunt and other times she liked to be cryptic this was one of those times.

 

[3ngag3]

Cyrus was a little confused at Jin's statement. Sure, she forgived him and he was estatic at that fact, but she was bringing up her fairy tales again and it just confused the heck out of him. Thus, his reply. "But if the dragon and the knight work together, what becomes of the princess? Surely, she wouldn't be left all alone, would she?" While he allowed the woman to ponder this, the traffic finally cleared up and the car made its way to the outskirts of the city. There, waiting for the two, was a wonderful mansion.

It was surrounded by a gate which stretched a mile long, signifying the ammount of land that was owned by the Raubelo family. The grass and gardens were well kept and there was even a gardner out watering the plants when the car arrived and drove by him. He looked up wondering who could be inside, not realizing it was the young master of the estate. The stone paved road rumbled slightly as the car drove over it and headed to the front of the two story building which the Raubelo had full ownership over. It was painted a clear white and looked as if it had the appearance of the white house when viewed through the right angle.

The car made a circle around a beautiful marble fountain with the statue of a little nude angel spurting water into the pool below. With the car now parked in front of the manor, the doors were opened for Cyrus and Jin and the young man promptly got out to look at the building before him. Whenever the woman decided to get out, he turned to her and with a smile, let out triumphantly, "Welcome to the Raubelo residence!"

 

[Cheshire Pup]

Jin heard what the boy had said and instantly knew that he didnâ??t understand her cryptic point but it did make her think. If she was a knight and he the dragon then were was the princess in all of this? She pondered that very question as she sat in the car, looking out the window in silence for the rest of the drive. When they turned down a different road she began to look around and become more attentive, realizing that they were getting close to their destination.

She watched the scenery go by as they drove up the driveway. She looked at the beautiful fountain of the angel and she smiled as she looked at the house. It seemed so beautiful and peaceful that if it had not been for the hostilities that she knew were inside of it she might have not minded staying there at all. She got out of the car and thanked the man for the welcome. â??You have a beautiful home, thank you for allowing me to stay here.â? She said curiously. Now was they true test, it seemed that he would be easy enough to get along with but the rest of the family might be a different matter.

 

[3ngag3]

After their plesantries were exchanged and the driver and guard left, Cyrus escorted Jin inside the mansion. It started with a long hallway with various portraits of the family line hanging from the oldest near the front door to the young man and his father, the youngest, at the end of the hall. At the end of said hall was a round guest hall in which the floors were lined intricate mosaic art. Shining above it was a glass chandeleer which looked as if could shatter if it was touched with a feather. There were two sets of stairs, both leading up to the balcony. This is where Cyrus and Jin would be heading next.

As they proceeded upstairs, various people were coming and going into the halls below. They spotted the two walking upwards and while some merely glanced once and continued on their way, some stopped to stare at the woman they knew as the Savino. They began muttering amongst each other, their words barely audible so as to not spark the attention of the man besides her, the one who held a lot of stroke in this family. Some of what they did mutter though was not nice at all. There were whispers of 'Seductress' and 'Lowly Savino Bitch'.

There was one amongst the group however who seemed to stare in awe of Jin as she walked up the stairs with Cyrus. She was young, fourteen to be exact. She took in the gentle strides of the woman and seemed to pay conciderable attention to the way her breasts moved up and down with each step she took up. She would have to get a closer look...and of course, screw around with the man next to the new guest.

After a short walk down another hall, Cyrus and Jin made their way to the room in which they would be staying for who knows how long. Two queen sized beds lay next to each other in the room of the young man. There had previously only been one, but with the arrival of his new companion, Cyrus would have to share until a suitable spot could be found for the other one. On the dresser across from the beds lay a pecuiliar sight. There was nothing on it save for a single gun, a silver magnum revolver on a small pedestal. It seemed very much out of place amongst the glitz and glamor of the room's design.

 

[Cheshire Pup]

Jin was brought into the house and as they walked down a very long hallway she noticed a lot of portraits of people that she had never seen before and even some that she had, she smiled, they must have been proud of their heritage. There were other beautiful paintings and the most delicate looking chandelier she had ever seen. She saw two stets of stairs which she was lead up.

She noticed several people walking around through the house and she saw them whispering to each other, some covered their mouths but others did not and she was able to read their lips and she didnâ??t like a bit of what was said. It seemed that they didnâ??t like her very much. However one seemed to be interested in her, it was a little girl who took up to walking close to the two of them and the whole time she was watching Jin. It took Jin a few moments to realize that the child was watching her chest instead of her.

When he took her into a room she was surprised, there were two queen sized beds in the room rather then one and she realized that the two of them would be sharing this room. That made her very uncomfortable. She noticed that her suitcases had already been brought here and she was happy to find them still intact. Then she looked around and spotted the gun. It did not help to make her feel any more comfortable.

â??So.... we will be sharing the room?â? she asked him. She didnâ??t like the idea, she had nightmares sometimes and she didnâ??t want him to see her that weak. After a pause she pointed out, â??It doesnâ??t seem that everyone is as thrilled as you are to have me here.â? She pointed out as she hung up her jacket and checked her things just incase they had unlocked the suitcase them locked it back up to fool her.

 

[3ngag3]

Cyrus could already see that Jin was uncomfortable with the way things were in his room. To be truthful, he would rather sleep alone or have one bed with another woman sleeping with him. Not this dribble that was set out before him. Still, it had to be this way until a suitable room could be opened up for the woman. "It's only temporary, I hope," he started as the young man abruptly began to undress himself. He had been wearing the same clothes from last night and he didn't enjoy having to wear them two days in a row. His shirt was off before he realized that his companion was probably watching and he froze.

"Oh, um...silly me," Cyrus began with a chuckle as he tossed his shirt into the dirty clothes hamper. I'm so used to being in here alone that I didn't think there would ever be someone watching me undress. After that bit of embarassment, he went back to Jin's concerns about the critics downstairs. "You don't need to worry about them. They'll be talking behind our backs for awhile, but they wouldn't dare say anything in front of me. That's why we gotta stick together. At least until the idea of a Savino and a Raubelo living together becomes a little more commonplace."

As the conversation continued between the two, the barrel of a gun slipped through the cracked door. It's aim seemed to be squarely at Cyrus suprisingly. A shot suddenly rang out and the young man felt something sharp hit his leg and fell to the ground in pain. That's when the door burst open and the girl that had been downstairs watching Jin popped in tapping the gun she had to the side of her head. "Cyrus, you dummy! You should know better than to let a pretty lady distract you. If that had been a real bullet, you would have bled to death!"