Still groggy from the whole ordeal, Lukaclosed his eyes as he tried to gather his thoughts. A gentle touch to the face had him opening them again to see a well-manicured hand waving in front of his face.495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2sesVVPFH
"N…Nora?"
"Is there a Nora with you as well?"
Not recognizing the voice, the raven narrowed his eyes to diminish the glare of light as he looked in the direction of the sound. With the beam in his face, he could only make out the outline of the individual walking across from him. Leaning forward, he then looked down to see the thick rope keeping him rooted in his chair.
"Where am I?"
"Who are you?"
"Where am I?" Luka asked as he watched the figure pick something up from a nearby table. "Hey-!"
Watching as a sharp blade of a knife was stabbed into the table in front of him, Luka glanced back up as the light was removed from his face to see a woman holding an identical weapon.
"Who are you?"
"Where am I?" Luka replied.
"You're in no position to be asking questions seeing how you're the one tied up in a chair."
"Did you think I'd be all that cooperative with someone that had me tied up in a chair?" he countered.495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9f4ITCRp3
"You really do have a mouth on you…" The raven went to retort before having his head yanked back. "Why don't you be a bit more accommodating unless you'd prefer me to cut out that tongue of yours?"
Wincing as his hair was pulled back further and the tip of the knife pressed against his cheek to add emphasis to the claim, Luka sneered. "Ma'am, you can drop the whole dominatrix thing."495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbe0laIEzpr
"Excuse me?"
"All this roughhousing isn't necessary. Seeing how I'm all tied up, it's obvious you're into that kinky S&M shit," Sharp eyes narrowed on his form. "Not that I'm not flattered or anything really but–" His chair was kicked over before a heel was pressed into his side. "Baby, you don't have to be so rough anymore."495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZAyZBLsjB
"You're disgusting."495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7b7VW0BTt
"Lady, you haven't seen disgusting." Green eyes shifted upwards. "I can see up your skirt by the way. Black lace I see. Nice choice."
Sucking her teeth as she dug her heel in harder, the woman grabbed the second knife still in the table. "You disgusting little –!"
"That's enough, Natalia. Pick the man up."
"But –!"
"Pick. Him. Up."
Exhaling as the heel left his now bruised side, Luka smiled at the woman as she hoisted him back up. Hissing under his breath when she stomped on his foot, he turned his attention to the table when the light was shone in his face again.
"Can we do something about this light? I would like to walk outta here without seeing spots if you don't mind."
"Natalia."
Making out the woman's outline, Luka simply smiled when the light was moved aside before he turned his attention towards the previous voice. Seeing someone sitting on what looked like a mountain of pillows, the raven glanced down at the ropes binding him to the chair.
"Since we're being generous and all, can we do something about these ropes?" he asked. "I feel like I'm gonna' chafe."
"You ungrateful–!"
"Natalia, make our guest comfortable."495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQecDGBYrC
Eyeing the woman as she came over with the knife, Luka stiffened subtly before relaxing when the ropes fell away. Brushing them aside to stretch his arms then getting to his feet to stretch his legs, Luka casually walked towards the door before having the back of his jacket snagged. Knocking over the chair as he was thrown backwards, Luka expected a wall to stop him, not a mountain of pillows.
"Comfy?" she asked.
"Quite," Luka muttered as he knocked a pillow aside.
"Natalia, dear, if you don't mind; you're dismissed. I'll call you if I need you." Luka knocked aside another pillow before getting to his feet once the door shut. "I do hope you're not going to run again. You wouldn't make it very far."
"You'd be surprised when I'm determined."
A chuckle made the raven turn to see a man perhaps no older than nineteen or twenty, much younger than him. The look of contentment was on the man's face as he exhaled a sweetly fragrant-smelling cloud of smoke. Dark hair seemed to have the faintest tint of green to it, leaving Luka to conclude it was faddish dye job rather than his hair color.
A hand then swept the longer layers of hair back away from the man's eyes as he gave an almost wolfish grin. "Honestly, I do enjoy a challenge." The expression then lightened as the stranger inhaled then exhaled another cloud of smoke as he watched Luka take a slight step back. "My, is something ailing you so suddenly? You seem a bit unnerved."
"Y…your eyes are…"
The other hummed as he puffed from a hose stationed beneath several pillows. "Focusing on the matter at hand, it was said you had a package for me."
"Um, y-yeah," Luka replied as he started to pat himself down. "It's uh…um…it's…"
"While you were out, my Natalia was kind enough to alleviate this from you." Green eyes shifted back up to see the man holding up an envelope between two fingers. "I figured it would be polite enough to wait for you to wake up before I opened it. That way I could kill you if it was something I disliked."
"How…thoughtful," Luka responded as he glanced back at the door.
Gaze darting back at the sound of paper ripping had the Luka backing towards the exit before trying the handle. Hearing a snicker, green eyes drifted back towards the only other individual to see him holding something small. Having the item flicked his way, Luka knelt to retrieve what turned out to be the Joker playing card with a certain brunette's signature written along the side. Hearing steps, Luka looked up slowly to be met with a shoe to the face.
"So you're Azazel's new toy I take it." Being hoisted his feet and thrown to the wall before his mind could process everything happening, Luka began to slide back to the floor before having fingers wrap around his throat. "Don't try denying it. That smug bastard even had the nerve to send a calling…a calling c – that card! Where is it?!"
"Fl-f…"
Dropping his gaze to the floor when he couldn't get enough air to his lungs, Luka tried prying his fingers away before stumbling over when he was thrown aside. Backing towards the door as he watched the other frantically search for the card that had been discarded, the raven stilled when he received a bone-chilling glare from the other individual.495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAPJtcaltz
"Where is that card?!"
"Looking for something, Azel dear?"
A chuckle resonated through the room, making the searching party freeze. Getting to his feet slowly as another laugh echoed around the room, the one dubbed Azel bolted for the door, nearly trampling Luka in the process. However, before freedom was obtained his nose met with the doorframe.
"Luka dear, I must say you're definitely not cut out for being a messenger."
Luka bit back a remark as the brunette threw the other individual back towards the mountain of pillows. Grabbing him by the hair to help him sit up, Azazel squatted next to him before smiling enough to have his eyes squeeze shut while an identical pair slid open to give the man another glare.
"How did you get in?" he growled before having the Joker card held up in front of him. "There's no way you–!"
"Come now, Azel. You know how I got in or you wouldn't have panicked the way you did a few moments ago, huh? " Azazel cooed, fanning the card until it went up into flames. "It's not nice to try and hide from family, right, big brother."
"B-Big brother?" Luka questioned.
"Oh, where are my manners?" Azazel replied as he turned the other's head towards the raven. "This is my older brother, Azel. The resemblance is uncanny, no?"
"Uh, sure…"
"Now then…" Azazel's grin flattened as he continued to tighten his fingers in the man's hair. "…I'm sure you know why I'm here, Azel," he drawled, sending a chill up Luka's spine.
"Y-you're deranged."
"I like the term different."
"Natalia!"
"Oh, no. No, no, no. we can't have any interference mind you." Azazel's attention then went towards Luka. "Be a dear and open the door please. We have another guest, Luka dear."
"Stop calling me that!" he snapped as he fumbled with the lock. The door then opened.495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDfUMIwM3Y
"I was just about to knock."
"Ronové, you've made it! Did you run into any trouble? Better yet, did you make a mess?"
Red eyes shifted towards the brunette. "Sir, you wound me by doubting my arrival. Trouble? Not really. A mess? More or less."495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMfneS2x6W
"R-Ronové!" Said person turned his attention to the one in Azazel's grasp. "Ronové, help me." The man remained in place. "Ronové!"495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySaJub1BXb
"Big brother, don't you remember?" Azazel asked as he threw Azel forward. "You threw him away when he went to speak out. Surely you can remember doing so. It was right before you had me thrown out and my name tarnished. Come now; you remember don't you, Azel dear?" The brunette then chuckled as his sibling looked back at him. "Are you gonna run and hide again? I'll find you if you do." Azel simply scowled. "No? Fine; this makes this so much easier. Ronové, if you would be so kind–"495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ki7e3LoJ4
"Natalia!"
"Oh." Azel looked back at the one he had left behind to see him drop the head of the one he had called for. "She will not be assisting you any further," he stated as he walked towards the man on the floor. "I'd apologize if she had not come at with those knives or…claws of hers."
"N…Natalia…"
"I had nothing against her personally if that makes you feel any better and I rather not fight with women to be honest." Purple eyes slid up to regard the red pair. "I'll make this quick–" Azazel shook his head and wagged a finger. "My apologies but quick does not appear to be an option for you," Ronové said as flexed his left hand.495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0m8JhC5ja
Hearing bones cracking as he drew near, Azel glanced at the head presented to him before bowing his own. Swinging his leg out to take Ronové off his feet, Azel regained his footing before running towards the open door. Seeing Luka gawking at the head of his late assistant, Azel snagged the man by the arm before dragging him towards the door.495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFP8w1Rtr3J
"Hey, let go!" Luka snapped.
"Come any closer and I'll snap his neck."
"You grab the idiot that stayed in place instead of running?" Ronové questioned. "Do you think he'd make a good bargaining chip?"
"Ronové." Aforementioned looked over his shoulder to see Azazel smiling. "Hurry up. I'm in the mood for a nice cup of coffee. Oh, and maybe some cake!"
"Understood."
Watching Ronové close the difference, Luka squirmed in Azel's hold, finding it impossible for a man of his stature to even keep him in place. Hearing a low snarl come from behind him as he was backed towards the door, green eyes widened at how fast Ronové managed to close the gap.
"I warned you," Azel growled as he placed his hands on either side of the raven's head.
Luka watched as Ronové continued to close the distance. "Wait–!"
Feeling something warm welling in the back of his throat, Luka opened his mouth to hear a gurgling sound. Dropping his gaze to see something piercing his chest, green eyes slowly drifted up before Luka crumpled to the floor.
"You're in the way," Ronové said, flexing bloodied fingers as he stepped around the raven to get to the man that had shoved him forward at the last second. "You really didn't think I'd stop just because he was shielding you, did you?"
Azel glanced at Ronové before glancing at the small tears in his shirt where the man's nails grazed him. "Ronové, come to your senses. You know not to attack me." Said person continued forward. "Ronové!"495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwaL6sxMDp
"You've seem to have forgotten that I no longer serve you," came the response.
Lunging at Azel as he went to take another step back, Ronové would admit surprise when the man swung his leg to catch him in the chest. Catching his breath as the other bolted down the hall, Ronové started to pursue him before coming to a halt as he heard Azazel suck his teeth.
"Let him go for now," Azazel replied as he rolled Luka onto his back to examine the hole in his chest. "I suppose the coffee will have to wait."495Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZ5OLpymr4
