Darkness of Heart

A surprised gasp fled Rose's lips as he suddenly pressed closer to her again. His eyes held a light of danger within their crimson depths. He was not playing with her She realized that whatever he had planned, he was deadly serious about it. It was the kind of look she had grown used to seeing from her Master since her creation. But this man was not her Master. She had nothing to fear from him. At least that was what she made herself believe in order to straighten herself to meet him eye to eye. He still had her wrists pinned above her head, but that was not going to stop her. She was used to the role of temptress. She knew all the tricks... and how to play them well.

"We could stay here and fight in this hallway, or go somewhere we have a little more room to move," Rose told him in a calm tone that belied her tensed nerves. She knew she had to be ready. Taunting the man in his dreams was one thing, tempting him to a fight in real life was quite another. The reality of that realization struck her hard as her eyes snapped wide when he jerked her away from the wall and spun her to have her back against his front. Just as swiftly, she found he moved her arms down behind her back where he kept a vise-like grip on them.

"Walk."

"Caveman much?" Rose's smirk turned to a scowl as he shoved against her, forcing her forward. She kept quiet as they reached the back entrance where he kicked open the door and all but tossed her outside. She barely had the time to get back to her feet when he lifted her up and pinned her once more against the outside wall of the bar. She turned her face away from him as he leaned close, his breath brushing over her ear.

"If I was a caveman, I'd have tossed you up and over my shoulder."

Rolling her eyes, Rose groaned. "I suppose I should be grateful."

"You'll be grateful if you survive the night."

An almost hysterical laugh bubbled up in Rose's throat at his not so veiled threat. "You dare to threaten me? Honey, you have no idea who you've decided to tango with tonight." Her smile faded and her ruby eyes flashed as she brought her arms up between them and shoved him away. "You think I don't know who you are? Adam." Her smile was cruel and cold as she watched his eyes widened briefly. "I've always known. You've been a target from the beginning. I don't normally make that public knowledge, but you have forced my hand, your highness."

Adam watched as she reached for a sheath attached to her garterbelt and withdrew a dagger with one hand, while pulling another from a sheath attached to an armband with the other. Rose pulled herself up to her full height and stared him down. He tensed as she rushed toward him. Quickly, he moved forward as she leapt over him to land cat-like on her feet. Glancing over his shoulder, he caught the sight of a black rose tattoo on her right shoulder before her hair fell over it. His mind flashed back to the black rose he found on his chest when he woke from a dream she had made an appearance in. The rose was the symbol of the Black Rose Assassin who had appeared in town recently, stirring up chaos with every murder. No one had been able to find out who the assassin was. She turned to face him again and he realized he was face to face with the most wanted woman in the world.

"You won't be able to dodge me everytime," Rose chided. "You seem to be a strong man. But just how much can you take?" With both daggers being held in one hand, she raised her free hand up with a smile as Adam suddenly found himself off his feet and hanging helplessly in the air.

Or rather, he seemed helpless.

A cruel smile of his own curved his lips as he manuevered himself in the air as if flying. He gazed down at her, his eyes taking on an almost insane glare. "You aren't the only one who knows about magic," he called down to her as his hands sparked to life with a crackling blue fire. Shocking her still farther was the sight of large white wings tearing from his back and spreading wide, pulling him free of her hold.

"What?! How?" Rose cried out as she was forced to jump and roll away from his orbs of blue fire.

"Guess you don't know me as well as you thought," Adam sneered. With a powerful flap of his wings, he realined himself with her and flew directly toward her like a hawk about to catch his prey. He hissed when her dagger struck at his arm, but the pain did not stop him. It did, however, stir something within him he had not been prepared to feel. He groaned as she kicked him off her and he landed roughly on his side. There was a sudden rush of wind as Rose appeared, staddling his waist as she pressed both blades of her daggers against his neck.

"Say good night, Adam." She pressed harder with a grin as a small trickle of blood rolled across his neck, falling to the ground beneath him. She started when his reaction became what she had never expected. Instead of reacting in fear, he closed his eyes and tilted his head farther back, but that was not what had surprised her. From where she sat over him, she began to feel a stirring beneath her.

Gently, she eased the pressure of the daggers, a knowing smile curing her lips. "Well, well, well, pain is the trigger to getting you, I see..."

Adam blinked. "What?"

Rose laughed softly as she pulled the daggers back completely from his neck and allowed one hand to slide over his chest. She paused when her hand rested over his arousal and gave it a slight squeeze that made his body jump. A strangled groan became muffled behind closed lips as his eyes closed and his head tilted back.

"Feeling a little tight, there. Must be painful." She grinned again when all he did was swallow hard. Her own sexual urge began to beg for attention as she put one dagger away and used the other one to run it down the front of his vest, easily slicing through the material before nudging the side away. "Ooo, someone didn't like you, did they?"

He groaned again as the tip of her dagger ran along the large scar on his chest. The largest scar that was done in an attempt to end his life earlier in the year. He felt the blood squeeze its way around the small cut she created. His hands clenched against the pain, but he could not bring himself to stop her. The need for pain was too much for him and she was bringing his release with the ease of a professional. He started, however, when he felt her lean closer to him. Opening his eyes, he watched as she moved to his neck, her small tongue flicking out sensually at the wound she had created on his neck.

For a moment, Adam froze. The desire overwhelmed his intense hatered for the woman teasing his senses and he brought his hands up to her arms, gripping her tightly. He felt the sly grin her lips took on against his skin before she moved just slightly to the area where his shoulder and neck connected. Her lips brushed over the sensitive spot briefly before her mouth opened and he felt the cringing pain of her bite. His breath hissed in and his head tilted back as he arched off the ground. Rose released him and sat back with a toying smile as she watching the pleasure ripple over him. The pain nearly made him delirious with need. It had been too long since he had been with a woman. His guilt at betraying his wife's memory always forced him back, but this woman did know him. She knew what his body craved. As much as he hated it, his body was, at the moment, needing her.

"I really hate you," he groaned, unable to open his eyes.

"You know... " Rose started, teasing his body more with her grinding hips before leaning forward again. Her teeth nipped at his earlobe and she purred as his grip on her arms tightened. "Hate sex is the best kind..."