#assassin!kai

Warnings: vaginal fingering, choking, attempted murder via strangulation, mild gore

You'd think that under the circumstances, you'd keep your ass at home. Hide under the blankets with a gun in one hand and a taser in the other, while you waited for Death to find you. Ha, as if. First, you were more likely to shoot yourself accidentally and follow with good electrocution for good measure. Second, you had never been one to hide from your troubles. You usually met them head-on and fought with every ounce of energy you had. As you struggled to get your heels on, your skin tingled. You sighed. He was still glaring at you.

"Sehun, I'm not changing my mind about this." You glanced back through the mirror. His dark eyes narrowed in silent fury. You turned your attention back to getting dressed, making sure your mini skirt wasn't too short. Black and cheetah print wasn't a terrible combination. The realization gave you the confidence to reach for a cheetah print belt, allowing you to steal another glance at your seething bodyguard. Yep, still glaring.

“Look, dammit. Don't go." Sehun huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. He scrunched his face up, clearly not a fan of the thick cloud of hair and body products that hung in the bathroom. You realized it would be an assault on his sensitive nose. "I know Jaynee means the world to you, but if Kai's still looking for you—”

You quickly faced him and held up your hand. "I cannot not go. It would hurt her feelings. She wants to spend time with the girls before we all split apart." You pouted, giving him your best wounded puppy look. Sehun sighed loud, clearly aggravated and pissed off, then stormed out the room. You finished putting on your makeup and tousled your hair a bit. Truth be told, a night out with your closest girl friends was something you needed. Work was a complete nightmare, terribly difficult to adjust to. But, being the lead chemist of the company, it had its perks.

At the cost of your social life. And at the rate Kai was going, it would physically kill you, too.

"Ready!" You yelped, hot stepping in your impossibly high foreign heels after him. You snatched up a clutch and jacket, then stumbled out the door. Sehun waited, leaned against the wall, refusing to look your way as you locked your apartment door. "Are you really doing the silent treatment thing?"

He didn't respond, choosing to lead the way down to his car. Welcome to the Land of Silence. You huffed. It was going to be a long night.

You had a feeling you should have asked Sehun where Jaynee wanted to go. When he first found out, he was dead set against it. They argued about it for nearly two weeks before he caved, then refused to talk to you while he made all the little arrangements to ensure your safety. In hindsight, you felt bad about being so pushy about it, because once the huge building was within view of your heavily tinted window, you immediately had second thoughts about getting out of the SUV. There was a line out the door where two bouncers checked IDs and patted down those wishing to get inside. You weren't so sure your heels wouldn't decide to rebel against you halfway through the night.

As the car pulled up to the curb and you waited for your door to be opened, for the signal that it was safe, you let yourself daydream. The last time you’d seen Kai, he pretended to be a server in a fancy restaurant a co-worker invited you to. His disguise had been so convincing that you openly tried to flirt with him. You’d been so busy trying to convince him of the beauty of the feel of his lips on yours that you hadn't noticed he was trying to give you an open heart surgery. It's stupid, you knew. You shouldn't be concerned about his dashing good looks when he clearly wasn't a friend of yours.

But, dammit, some men you just can't ignore.

Worse, no one could figure out why he hadn't killed you yet. The last time a bodyguard stopped him, it’d cost him his life. Kai was more than competent. He’d taken out those who'd previously filled your position within hours of them signing their contract with the company. No one wanted to take the job because it was cursed by a “demon.” When you first came to Seoul, you scoffed at the urban legend. Surely there wasn't such a person. Then again, you’d come from a small country town where everyone at least tolerated, if not fiercely protected, each other. The idea of someone being so...malicious was ludicrous.

Clearly, you’d been living under a rock all of your fucking life. But still...why were you still alive?

Inside, the music thumped loudly to a rap song you’d heard a dozen times on the radio. The lights were dim, but it wasn't impossible to see as you had expected. Though the smell of different perfumes, colognes, and sweat swirled around in the air, you briefly picked up a spicy scent. Like...cinnamon or pumpkin. Or both? The thought was quickly replaced with annoyance when someone bumped into you. Bodies gyrated, oblivious to the humidity, as men and women in skimpy outfits danced up on platforms. Wait a minute. “Jaynee—”

"It's a strip club!" She cut you off, shouting over the music, grinning like an idiot. You moved to strangle her but Sehun held you back with one brawny arm, an easy protective hug. Sonnofa—

"Relax. Have fun.” Sooji, one of your friends, elbowed you and frowned. You tossed your head back and sighed, but trudged on. Part of you figured this would happen, that you shouldn't have let Jaynee solely plan the outing. Then again, if Sehun had given the okay, then you could try not to be a bitch and just enjoy yourself. Maybe enough drinks would bring your bullshit tolerance down a notch. You made a detour, angling for the bar, dragging Sehun behind you by his jacket sleeve.

"Please don’t.” He rolled his eyes, sitting down beside you.

"What can I get you two?" The bartender was a fun one, flame-red hair and dark eyes that glittered in the strobe lights. She eyed you, then turned her appreciative gaze to Sehun.

Stifling a smile, you ordered something strong and were rewarded with a nice, tall margarita. "Thanks." You murmured more to the drink than to her, sipping from the rim as you licked at the salt-coated rim. Heaven, this is. That distinct smell from earlier caught your attention, and you looked around. No one was paying you any attention, no one was even aware you were there. You shrugged off the edgy feeling, determined to get loose and have fun for Jaynee.

Have fun for yourself.

Hours later, you barely knew your name. See how determined you were to have fun? 'Fuck yeah.'

You were clearly getting on Sehun's last nerve, but you just couldn't find it in you to care. You were tired of hiding out, being careful, missing out on life because some dastardly bastard wanted you dead for no real reason other than that you were working for a rival company. Who gives a flying fuck if you do? Sure, the compound they wanted you to create could be deadly if used by the wrong person, but your company had done nothing but help the community, help impoverished countries. You wanted to be a part of such altruism. When they approached you after you graduated from college to work for them, you were stoked. So far, you’d been a loyal employee, a good person. Why weren't you being rewarded with a hot guy to date instead of a hot guy intent on killing you?

“Ugh.” You sighed loudly and dropped your head to the bar. "Fuck my life."

"You okay?" Sehun's concerned voice filled your ear, so you turned your head and looked at him. Maybe it was the margaritas, but it almost looked like he cared. Seeing that made your eyes water. 'No, I will not be the emotional drunk.'

You sat up quickly, brushing your forearm delicately over your eyes. "I'm great." You slid off your stool and marched into the crowd, intent on stealing some guy to dance with, but ran smack into a tall wall of muscle. Bad vibes washed over you in pulsing waves, like a heartbeat. A range of emotions flitted through your drunken haze—fear, paranoia, doom—as you forced your eyes up the stranger's body.

"Having fun?" The voice slid over your skin like silk, sensual and inviting. Instinctively, you shut your eyes tightly before straightening up to look at him. His eyes looked near black in the dim lighting, like chocolate or something.

"Yeah, I'm having fun." Your words ran into each other, but he didn't seem to mind. It amused him. "You dance?"

His eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise, and he nodded vaguely. “Yes, I do. Did you want—”

You didn't let him finish. If he was offering, you were taking. As your vision slid from side to side, you were deep in the VIP section with Sehun barking at you about safety while the male dancer casually led you to a private booth. Yay!

A big, burly guy stopped Sehun from following you. “Only the dancer and customer allowed. No pairs.”

Sehun swore and gave you a pointed, deadly look. "You're gonna cost me my damned job."

“It won't be long. I swear,” your words slurred, but you got your point across. You gave him your best grin, and he disappeared from view.

The dancer guided you to the plush, pillow-soft seat, fingertips lingering on your bare arm. You shivered and smiled up at him, lost in bliss. His body promised an experience you’d never forget, and boy, were you up for it. His fingertips grazed your cheeks as he began his dance, fierce eyes locked on you. You got goosebumps along with a fuzzy memory. You’d seen that stare before, but you couldn't remember where.

“You have beautiful lips,” he leaned down so that you both were eye level, “Just begging to be kissed.”

“Nothing compared to yours,” you murmured, letting your eyes close as he brushed his lips against yours. The resulting chill was so intense you trembled. He continued to sway his body, occasionally thrusting his hips in a way that had you clenching. His touches were light and playful at first. Halfway through the song, he took your hand and pulled you from your seat.

“No, no. We’re not done yet, beautiful.” He took your spot and pulled you down on his lap. You stiffened, well aware of the rules. No touching. Stay seated at all times.

“I’m not—you’re supposed to—” You sputtered, trying to get back to your feet.

A thick arm went around your waist, anchoring you to his chest. His lips brushed the shell of your ear as he spoke loud enough for you to hear him. “Come on, baby. I can take you to heaven before I send you to hell.” The low growl in his voice coupled with the way his fingers caressed your skin roused a need you’d been ignoring since you took the cursed job. Knowing you only had until the song finished, you couldn’t give the proposition a second thought. It was now or never.

“Okay.” You said shakily, relaxing in his hold. “Okay.”

“Good girl.” He pulled your mini skirt up to your hips. His knees spread your legs wide enough for his hand to fit between them. He pressed his fingertips to the thin cotton over your pussy. His groan upon feeling the damp material made you shiver. “Fuck,” he whispered huskily as he used a finger to push the material aside. The tip of his middle finger swirled around your clit until you started panting before dipping inside up to the second knuckle. It felt so good you pushed your hips towards his hand.

“Please, please.” You tried looking over your shoulder at him. “We don’t have time for teasing. It won’t take much to get me off.”

“Is that right?” His lips ghosted over your neck, down to the strap of your dress. He added two fingers to the shallow thrusting of his hand. His knuckles trapped your clit with a squeeze on each retreat as his fingertips pressed up as he searched for that spot. As he increased the pace, the wet squelching of the act matched the beat of the song playing. “Is this good?” He nipped at your neck, suckling before continuing. “Or do you need more?”

You couldn’t keep still. By then, you were rocking your hips, desperately pushing them up to meet his hand, delighting in the way his palm rubbed over your clit. He hadn’t found your g-spot, but you were so worked up that it wouldn’t matter.

“Don’t you like it rough, ______?” His free hand crept up over your breasts, coming to rest around your throat. He applied pressure on the sides. You were putty in his arms, mindlessly riding his fingers as you became more and more light-headed. Just as the last notes of the song played, you shattered, your moans of ecstasy strangled under his grip. “There you go.” He pressed a kiss to your temple and let go of your throat for a second. Something soft hit the floor beside you. Then his hand went back to your throat. “Now, sleep.”

What?

His grip tightened again, this time cutting off air. Self-preservation kicked in and you began thrashing around, hoping you’d be able to get him to loosen his grip. He grunted and doubled down on the pressure. “No, no. Don’t fight me. It’s better to die this way.”

Fucking Kai. Death himself.

Knowing who was behind you changed everything. Your basic judo was no match for him. Sehun once told you it doesn’t take that long to strangle someone so time was precious. You gave up on freeing your throat and went for the bracelet Sehun had given you after your second encounter with Kai. You pressed the red charm on it and it flashed like a beacon of hope just as your eyes rolled back.

There was shouting, followed by the stampede of a small army before they kicked the door in. Sehun came into the room, flanked with three of his men. Kai cursed as the men rushed towards you, shoving you away from his body as he jumped to his feet. You hit the ground hard, gasping for air, but could crawl out of the way of the scuffle behind you. Someone grabbed you by the elbow and yanked you to your feet.

“Get out now!” Chanyeol yelled as he pushed you out the door. “Get to the car!”

Your legs were shaky, and it was a bitch trying to waddle in platform heels. The crowd was unaware of the chaos unfolding until three loud gunshots rang through the air. Screams followed and suddenly you were swept away with the panic of the herd. It didn’t take long to get out the door, but getting to the waiting SUV was a chore. The bodyguards shoved you into the backseat and the driver took off. You buckled your seat belt and looked back as the club disappeared from view. Did Sehun make it out? Four to one seemed like good odds, but Kai was a resourceful little shit.

The buzz of the alcohol was all but gone as your heart pumped wildly. He almost killed you. Again. While anyone else would say he’s a shitty killer, you finally understood what his motivation was. Sure, he’d been hired to kill you, but that was separate from whatever personal interest he might have. Or it could be more about Sehun being overly prepared for anything, creating a challenge of sorts for Kai to overcome. There was no telling what went through—

The deafening rumble of a motorcycle stole all rational thought. You looked up and violently choked on your own spit when you inhaled to speak. A rider on a Ducati weaved effortlessly through traffic, quickly catching up. The bodyguards pulled out their guns. The one next to you put a hand on the back of your head and forced it down to your knees.

“Stay down!”

The second you did, they opened fire. However, the fire of their pistols didn’t match the submachine gun that answered their challenge. Glass shattered and blew through the cabin. A wet, juicy splat preceded someone’s horrified yell. The SUV jerked to the right. Then suddenly you were weightless. Anchored to your seat, sure, but for a few painful seconds, you weren’t touching it. You knew the vehicle was flipping, but you couldn’t believe it was happening. By the time it skidded to a stop on its side, everything hurt. No one moved, but you weren’t sure if it was because they didn’t want to or simply couldn’t.

The thought made your heart drop to your stomach. You coughed and forced your limbs to move. Two of the bodyguards dangled by their seatbelts. The driver’s head was steadily dripping blood. It took a shit ton of effort, but you could unbuckle your seat belt. With your side of the car being on the ground, you ended up on the pavement with small chips of glass cutting into your shoulder and thigh. Someone lifted you by your arms and dragged you through the rear of the car.

You dropped onto your back. Then Kai’s face came into view. “That looked like fun.”

“Oh, fuck me.” You tried to turn over, but he pinned you with one of his feet. The second his heel came into contact with your ribs, you cried out in pain. It hurt worse than anything you’d ever felt before.

“Shh. We need to talk.” He took his time retrieving a pistol from its holster. “My employer is…amused by my lack of results, so to speak.” He cocked the gun. “He figures it must be ‘fate’ that I haven’t killed you yet, and as a result, isn’t pressed for me to complete the job.” He aimed it at your face and pulled the trigger.

You flinched hearing the weapon click. Nothing happened.

“Gotcha again.” He grinned wickedly, then put it away. “Instead, he’d like you to consider working for him instead. Of course, he won’t reveal who he is until you agree. You know, for security and such.”

You stared at him, eyes wide and mouth slack.

Sirens grew louder around you.

He nodded and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I can imagine it’s a bit of a shock. I mean, I enjoy toying with you. Never dreamed my messing around would lead to this, but it beats having to put such a pretty woman down.” He shrugged. Tires screeched as cars came to a halt. Red and blue lights cast him in an eerie glow as he smiled. “At any rate, I’ll give you some time to process this. Can’t say when, but I’ll come find you soon. Hopefully, you’ll have an answer, one that’s acceptable, for me. Yeah?”

Gunshots fired, and he was gone in a blink.

Sehun’s face came into view as he kneeled beside you. “_____!” He looked you over frantically. “You’re alive. Shit, I thought he—I thought I was too late.” He continued rambling as he checked you over before looking behind him and motioning for someone to come.

Paramedics. As they loaded you onto the stretcher, you got a glimpse of what was left of the car you’d been in. It was a miracle you’d survived. Though, you had a feeling that as long as Death didn’t truly wish for it, you weren’t allowed to die.

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