We had finally, after a short and yet barely tolerable trek in the blazing sunlight reached our destination, our hotel. The hotel itself was a few sizes bigger than the one we usually stayed at when we visited London. It was a few stories taller and located closer to those fancy shops that Beth always insisted upon visiting when we came here. It didn't come as a surprise that Beth got her way yet again, she always did. Neither did it come as a huge surprise that we were once again verbally poking at each other. The hot sun didn't actually help with cooling anyone's temper down either.
"Seriously guys, I am fine now," I looked at each girl in turn, starting with Kate and ending with Rose just to get my point across. The tip of my right foot was tapping restlessly against the pavement below, a near-silent telltale sign of my irritable mood.
"You didn't look fine five minutes ago!" Kate shot in, her eyebrow going up, not quite believing me.
I stared at Kate's crossed arms, not really meeting her eyes anymore, and shrugged. "The walk here has calmed me down. And quite frankly I am just tired, and not to mention hot! I was actually thinking about taking a quick shower, and a power nap in our room. I don't want you guys babysitting me. Not when you guys could be out here shopping, HERE in LONDON" I exclaimed, flinging my left arm away from my body in a half-circle at the " HERE in LONDON" to make my point.
"Besides, you all know I hate trekking up and down Oxford Street, so it's really a win-win situation!" I added to further make my point.
"She does make sense," Beth exclaimed, her lust for shopping clouding more than just her bright blue eyes.
Rose and Kate stared at each other, a silent exchange taking place before they finally faced me. I could tell that they weren't really biting, but somehow they both decided to let it go. For now at least.
"Fine, but you better call us if you need anything," Kate said, not bothering to mask the tightness in her voice.
"Or you could always text us if you suddenly decide that you want to join us after all. I mean this is shopping we are talking about...", Rose cheerful voice trailed off at the end, a half-smile playing on her pink lips at the mention of shopping.
I smiled at them, my heart melting a bit at their concern, well at Rose and Kate's concern anyway, considering Beth was already mentally tallying the shops she had to visit and the hours she had left before dinner to do so. I could just see her mentally blaming me for the precious time she had already lost.
"Sure, I promise to call if anything comes up, or if I suddenly decide to brave the heat and join you guys in your herculean attempt to empty the local shops of the latest fashion," I said with a slightly bigger grin plastered across my face. They always could make me feel better, with a few words, or just their presence.
"But you will meet us for dinner later on, won't you?" Rose asked, a slight frown pulling her carefully plucked brows together.
"Yes, at six?" I questioned confirming the time. We had already picked the place to eat yesterday. I had for once won at rock, paper, scissors to the others' utter horror, seeing as my choice of restaurant was The Rainforest cafe.
Rose gave me a quick affirmative nod, before giving me a hug. She released me after a few awkward moments, and I watch their retreating backs as they all start walking towards the shopping district, the spring back in their step. Well the spring back in Beth's step, Rose never really loses her spring. She was always cheerful, even when she was not.
Shopping was the main reason that we decided to stay in this particular hotel. Beth had insisted on staying in a hotel that was within walking distance of her favorite shops, so catching up with the girls shouldn't really be a problem if I somehow decided to join them after all.
I turned towards the hotel's brick facade and went through the electric doors. The air was a bit cooler inside, it felt nice, and I felt myself instantly relax. I crossed over to the right side and went over to where the elevator was located. I pressed the button, and wouldn't you know it, it was already occupied by someone else. The elevator was slowly dragging itself between floors. I tapped my foot on the plush carpet beneath as I watched the numbers above the elevator doors. The numbers blinked unhurriedly from one to the next. I would be standing here for quite some time. There always seemed to be people using the elevator in this hotel, it felt like we had been waiting for that damned elevator all week long. The tapping of my right foot became more insistent as the number stopped on a floor, and stayed there. I pressed the button for the elevator again, as if that would make it suddenly appear.
Fuck it...
I turned around and walked towards the exit again. I might as well go to the small convince store located next door to get some snacks since I was staying in our room almost the entire day. Besides, it wasn't like the damned elevator was going anywhere.
I went through the electric doors and was at once assaulted by the blinding sunlight outside. I shielded my eyes with my right hand, trying to ward off the burning rays. I navigated over to the shop next door through squinted eyes, grabbed some snacks, some drinks, paid the nice clerk, and ventured back inside the air-conditioned oasis that was the hotel once more.
Once inside the lobby, I crossed over to the right side and found myself in front of the elevator doors yet again. I pressed the button, and sure enough, it wasn't on this floor, not even close. Apparently someone was using it again. I glanced up above the elevator doors, the elevator was going up. It stopped on my floor for a bit, before it started dragging itself down towards the lobby again.
Figures...
A small ping, sometime later, and the doors opened. I entered the elevator, and pressed the button for my floor, it was the top floor of the hotel, so even though the elevator was slow I was glad that the hotel had one. I had learned the hard way that London and finding a hotel with an actual elevator in it was not a given.
Ping!
The elevator doors opened, and I was greeted by a long empty hallway. There were a few doors scattered along each side of the white hallway before it took a sharp turn. I started walking down the hallway, the red plush carpet making sure that my decent remained a silent one. The hallways in this hotel were really odd. There were a few doors, then a turn, a few more doors, another turn, a few more doors, a turn again, ending at a long-ass hallway with lots of doors. Our room was located right at the end of that long-ass hallway.
I went around the last turn that led to the long-ass hallway, and stopped dead in my track. The plastic bag I had gotten at the convenience store hit the floor with a small thud. There at the very end of the hallway, right in front of our door, was Mr. Assassin. His hands were working on the lock to our door.
Mr. Assassin turned his head in my direction at the distinct sound of plastic hitting the plush red carpet below. Our eyes locked, and I could feel his burning cold gaze hit me like a ton of bricks. I stood there like a deer caught in the headlights of a fast-approaching car. Cliche I know. Time stopped as I stood there frozen in his sight, just waiting for that fatal hit before everything turned to black.
Mr. Assassin turned and took a slow step in my direction, and that was it, the magic was broken, I could move again. And boy did I move. I turned on my heel, and sprinted down the twisting hallways. For once I was thanking God for the hallways weird layout. Because every time I turned a corner, it hid me from his sight, hid me from a potential bullet in the back of my head. I did not, for one second, doubt that the killer hot on my trail had a gun in his possession. I felt a chill run down my spine at the thought. Cold tendrils raising every hair on my body. I was freezing even though I was running hard. Because I knew for a certainty that this sprint was for my life.
I reached the elevator again, and I prayed out loud, slightly out of breath.
"Please be here, please, please, please be here, for once please be on this floor"
I pressed the button and was met by the most glorious sound there ever was, the ping of an elevator ready to be used. Lady luck was finally on my side.
The doors opened, and I rushed inside. I pressed the button for the lobby, again, and again, and again, before I noticed the button for closing the elevator doors itself. I felt like a huge idiot as I saw him coming around the corner. He was racing towards me, a gun in his right hand. A gun with a small cylinder in front. My eyes widened, he had a silencer on his gun.
He is going to shoot me now, and no one will hear the shot. No one! No one will ever know! I am going to die because I pushed the wrong fucking button...
I am so...
My eyes turned into saucers as I watched the fast approaching killer raise his arm, aiming the gun right at me.
I ducked to the side of the elevator, out of view, squeezing my body flat up against the elevator's sidewall. My trembling finger jabbed at the button for closing the elevator doors as if my life depended upon it. And it really did, because death was right outside those elevator doors, with a gun, closing the distance between us with each passing second.
The door started closing, and I almost let out a sigh of relief. But just like in those damned horror movies, a hand shot through the small gap in between the doors just as it was about so seal itself shut. The doors sprang open again, and there he was, Mr. Assassin, looking down at me with his cold eyes. I would have laughed at the absurdity of it all if I wasn't a loud noise away peeing myself in fright.
I let out a small strangled sound as I slid my trembling form from the sidewall and up against the back wall of the elevator, trying to get as far away from the towering monster in front of me as humanly possible. He took a step towards me, entering the elevator, the gun was poised between us. I was shaking all over, I had no control over my body. I felt like I was going to faint at any second as his hooded eyes cut into mine.
He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the high-pitched squeal of a child.
"Mommy, mommy, mommy, the elevator is here, hurry up."
Mr. Assassin turned his head slightly down and to the side, casting a quick glance over his shoulder at the oncoming child, and at the same time, he somehow made sure that his eyes never really left my frozen form. He had full control over the situation, and would notice if I tried to make a single move.
My lips felt dry as I watched him press the button to close the elevator doors.
Please...
Please...
The doors started closing, and I could feel my last precious moments slip away. But right before the doors sealed shut, a small hand and a foot came in between the doors, stopping the motion. The doors started to open again because of the sudden obstruction. Deja vu. I so damned terrified that I could hardly breathe, so the irony of it all was very much lost on me.
"Mommy, I caught the elevator, HURRY!" The young boy squealed again, he came into view as the elevator doors opened fully. His back was turned towards us as he addressed his mother, a dark-haired woman who suddenly appeared around the corner.
"Antony! What did I say about doing that!" The mother chastised her child as she came closer, a small infant bundled up in her arms.
I felt cold, as dread settled in my stomach. I looked up at Mr. Assassin, my pleading eyes meeting his dark cold ones. His eyes gave nothing away. I just knew it right then and there, if they saw his face, saw the gun, understood the whole situation, that they would be just like me, dead. He would terminate them, all of them, even the tiny infant in her arms.
Monster...
I acted on pure instinct, as my brain felt fuzzy, not really managing to keep up with my sudden actions.
Please...
Please...
I shot Mr. Assassin a last pleading look right before I reached up towards him with trembling hands. He eyed me suspiciously as I neared, yet he was like a pillar, unmoving. I laced my hands around his neck, and drew him down towards me, in the process turning his back to the new occupants of the elevator. His eyes widened a bit in surprise, the only emotion showing on his handsome cold mask. I drew him all the way down towards me until our lips finally met, and I kissed him.
Well, I don't actually know if anyone would describe what I did as kissing, seeing that I just planted my lips on him, and held them there, absolutely still, not moving an inch, frozen like a deer caught in the headlights of a car for a second time that day. And there is a good reason for that, besides me not actually taking delight in the thought of kissing a monster that is. If my friend Kate had a black belt in taking down guys, I had.. well.. I had not even gotten a white belt yet. So this was basically my first kiss, freely given to the man who was about to kill me. I was kissing a killer, my soon to be killer.
I squeezed my eyes shut as I clung to him, shaking like a leaf. The feeling of the gun pressed in between our bodies, digging into my stomach, hidden from view did nothing to help my frazzled nerves. I just prayed that this man would play along, I prayed that he would spare the mother, Anthony, and her infant babe. Because I had already seen too much, there was no way in hell that he would spare me.
I heard the mother's steps as she entered the elevator, joining her dear Antony.
Please... I don...
Suddenly Mr. Assassin did something I hoped he wouldn't, he started moving away from my body.
Fuck!
Oh, no..
He is going to..
NO!!
Panic flooded my system. Just as I was about to loosen my hands from around his neck and attempt to claw out his menacing eyes, he pressed his tall frame back up against me again. The gun was not between our bodies anymore. He had removed it.
Where...
I felt Mr. Assassins' mouth stretch ever slowly into a smile against my lips, right before he pushed himself roughly against me, pressing my backside even harder up against the wall behind me. One of his hands slid through my hair, and ended its journey at the back of my head, forcefully locking me in place. His other hand landed on the side of my ribs. A hand that slowly trailed around to the small of my back, ending its trip on my right butt cheek, gently massaging the flesh there.
I stood frozen in his hands, yet my insides felt like they were burning up. In an instant, my body had gone from dead cold to a slight burn, and it became blazing hot as he started to kiss me. Not a small peck on the lips, no it was a full-blown make-out session. His lips made a mockery of my previous attempt to ¨kiss¨ him.
His hard unyielding frame was grinding against my own much softer one as he continued to assault my lips like they were his to claim. To my utter horror, I involuntarily moaned into his feasting mouth, and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside. I wanted to gag at the sensation. The things he was doing to me were horrid, and yet my own body's heated response, as it betrayed me in the most embarrassing way, was way worse.
I was so confused. Don't get me wrong, I was glad that Mr. Assassin was actually going along with this crackpot idea of mine, that he suddenly decided to spare the mother and her kids. I was glad that the children would be able to grow up. But here I was, pressed up against him, deathly afraid, shaking like a leaf, and yet weirdly turned on by his actions at the same time. This brought on by the man who was going to kill me. Yes, he was going to kill me as soon as the other occupants walked out of the elevator and the door closed up again.
What is wrong with me!
I thought as I felt the butterflies in my stomach flap around, a feeling I did in no way associate with fear. Being locked in an embrace with a man who was going to kill me once this charade was over should in no way elicit such lewd responses. The tingling feeling forced its way from my stomach and all the way down towards the moistness that had formed between my legs. I was wet. He had made me wet.
"Mommy, they are kissing, K I S S I.." Little Anthony suddenly started singing, as if he needed to remind us that he was still there, still watching.
"Anthony!" The mother said in a stern voice, grabbing her little boy's attention.
"Don't stare at strangers!" She sounded like she did not appreciate the very public display which we were having right in front of her son.
I couldn't help myself, I moaned again as Mr. Assassin thrust his pelvis against me. My uncalled for response to his actions left me mortified. It was one thing to put on this show to keep the innocent bystanders in the dark about what was really happening, it was another thing altogether to be reacting to it the way I was.
The elevator came to a stop, and let out a small ping, indicating that it had reached its destination, the lobby. The young mother let out a small huff as she exited the elevator dragging her giggling son with her.
"Come here, Anthony"
Mr. Assassin leaned slightly away from me at their departure, finally giving me some room to breathe. I was hot, and yet somehow still chilled to the bone. I watched with wide eyes as the towering man in front of me turned towards the panel with the buttons and pressed the button to close the elevator doors. He was blatantly ignoring the man that was coming towards the elevator in a rush, yelling at us to hold the elevator for him. Mr. Assassin was locking me in the elevator with him, alone. We were going to be all alone. Just him and me. This is it, he is going to kill me now.
I am going to die..
I'm.. I'm..
I felt my eyes moisten, my throat became the exact opposite, a desert. I wanted to shout for help, I wanted to push him away. But I just stood there unable to do anything, anything at all, I barely managed to breathe.
He pressed the button for my floor and turned back towards me as the doors closed, leaving the rushing man stranded on the other side of the elevator doors, stranded in the lobby. I wouldn't mind being stranded in the lobby right now, at least I would be safe, I would be alive.
Mr Assassins hand was still on my right butt cheek from before, and he now repositioned his other hand right above my head, caging me in with his own flesh. He had once again trapped me firmly between himself and the elevator wall. His face was too close, his eyes burning coldly into mine, so intense, too intense. I swallowed, unable to meet his harsh gaze anymore, unable to look death in the eyes. I turned my head slightly downwards, suddenly finding his chest very interesting. I just stood there, trembling in his arms, too scared to move, too scared to utter a single word. I bit into my lower lip to stop the moan of despair lingering on my lips from escaping. I could however not stop the single tear that ran down my cheek from escaping its confines. The brave front I tried to put up was crumbling and with good reason.
Suddenly I felt the hand he had placed above my head move. A shudder went through my body as Mr. Assassin took hold of my chin, three gloved digits dug into my skin. He was holding my chin caged in the soft leather embrace of his gloved hand. He tilted my head up, forcing my eyes to meet his cutting gaze. His thumb grazed over my bottom lip. I had to let go of the trembling lip I had bitten into with my teeth. I let out the small whimper I had tried to hold back, it was so hard to breathe.
All too soon, and yet at the same time, not soon enough, the elevator let out a small telling ping, we had reached the intended floor. Ping!