Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Illusions ❯ Mask Of Virtue ( Chapter 3 )

FAKE

Shattered Illusions

by Lady Dragonphire

Summary: When Ryo, a vengeful assassin, is sent to kill Dee, the sovereign of a kingdom, can they discover love amongst the driving forces that rule their hearts?

Disclaimer:  FAKE and its characters are the property of Sanami Matoh.

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Chapter 3. Mask of Virtue

Emerald green eyes flew open suddenly and captured Ryo's midnight eyes with a stare of unwavering intensity. Ryo gasped and drew in his breath, hesitating for an instant in his thrust at seeing no trace of fear present in the man's eyes. Ryo was mesmerized by the twin glittering emeralds that captivated him by their mere depths. That was all the time that Dee needed to flex his powerful body, leaning back on his arms and extending his muscular leg to kick the dagger out of Ryo's hand and send it flying across the room. In an instant, he had grabbed the surprised Ryo and had flipped him onto the bed. Dee's muscular thighs straddled his hips and his arms held Ryo's wrists above his head, effectively pinning his body helplessly underneath the raven-haired man. Ryo struggled valiantly but to no avail as he tried to throw his captor off of him, his dark expressive eyes wide with fear. Seeing that the man above him was too strong and that he had been helplessly overpowered, Ryo closed his eyes and remained silent, reluctantly acknowledging defeat. He had failed in the most important mission of his life. He was not even worthy of the honor of avenging the deaths of his parents.

Dee surveyed the man underneath him, taking in every aspect of his opponent. Each curve of Ryo's sinuous frame was elegantly defined by the body-hugging suit that he wore. Dee's keen eyes moved from Ryo's firm abdomen up to his chest, finally settling onto the black mask that covered his entire face. Dee gently slipped his fingers under the mask and with one swift gesture slipped it off, revealing the honey-blond assailant's handsomely perfect features. Dee blinked in surprise. He had been expecting it to be one of the wanted rebels in the kingdom, but he had never seen this man's face before. This man looked too innocent to be a mercenary. Laying there with his exquisite features vulnerably exposed, he took Dee's breath away. Whoever this man was, he was absolutely gorgeous, regardless of the fact that he had just tried to kill Dee.

Ryo slowly opened his eyes as he felt the cool breeze that wafted in from the window lightly brush across his face. His midnight eyes met striking ones of intense emerald green that seemed to penetrate the very depths of his soul, causing him to be anchored to the bed in frozen awe. Feeling like he was drowning in the depths of the powerful man's overwhelming stare, he averted his gaze and brought his long lashes down to cover his beautiful eyes. "Please, make it fast," he begged, squeezing his eyes tightly shut and preparing for the worst. "The least you could do is bestow upon me a noble death. That's all I ask of you, from one warrior to the next."

"I'm not going to kill you," Dee said softly, somewhat amused that the man who had snuck into his bedchamber with such audacity and obvious skill was now lying helpless beneath him. He was intrigued by the gentle assassin who now occupied his bed. The man looked so pure and untarnished despite his occupation.

Ryo's tense body relaxed slightly underneath Dee at the man's gentle tone. Fearing to ask the question that could betray his only chance of survival, he nevertheless looked up bravely and challenged Dee, "Why not? I came here to kill you."

"Oh, I don't think that that was your intention at all," Dee said simply with a slight smile playing over his lips at the fire that burned behind the assassin's eyes.

"Why do you say that?" Ryo questioned adamantly. His pride was slightly wounded. This was the first adversary who had ever gotten the upper hand on him in a battle of hand-to-hand combat. Now it seemed that it had become a battle of wits as well. It seemed that true to Rose's cautioning, Dee liked to toy with his victims before he killed them. Ryo knew that death was inevitable for him, either by this man's hand or his own. At this point, death was preferable to living with dishonor. Rose would make sure of that.

"Because if you had really wanted to kill me, I'd be dead already," Dee remarked. "I know that for a fact. Nobody has ever been able to sneak past my palace guards before. That is quite an accomplishment, one for which you should be commended," Dee said with a hint of admiration present in his calm voice.

Ryo blinked in astonishment. This man before him was not the snide, cold-hearted killer that Rose had made him out to be. Rather, a certain warmth and protectiveness radiated from behind his deep green eyes despite the current situation.

"I've failed in my mission," Ryo said ruefully as he looked away. "I'm of no use to anyone anymore. Please just finish me off. It would be better that way," he implored the raven-haired man.

Suddenly, he felt Dee release his wrists and put one of his hands underneath Ryo's chin, tilting his face toward Dee's and forcing him to be entranced by the soul-searching emerald gaze again. Dee bent down closer to Ryo's handsome face and ran his thumb along Ryo's bottom lip, lightly grazing against the delicate flesh. Ryo trembled slightly as he felt the weight of Dee's body against him as Dee leaned down and looked deep into his eyes, seeming to hypnotize Ryo into submission. Ryo couldn't have moved even if he had wanted to, the intoxicating nearness of his captor enthralling. "If I kill you now, I'll never find out who sent you," Dee mused thoughtfully, belying his magnanimous intent to his honey-blond captive. "No, tonight you get to live."

Changing his mannerism slightly, Dee pursued the line of questioning that would satisfy his curiosity. "I will ask you again," Dee repeated with a determined patience, never breaking eye contact with Ryo. "Why did you hesitate when you had the chance to kill me?"

Ryo could hardly focus on the question, his mind still reeling with the onslaught of conflicting emotions. He could feel Dee's warm breath against his lips as Dee's raven tresses cascaded across his striking features. The deep pools of Dee's eyes seemed to bore into his very soul. However, he defiantly refused to answer, the palpable silence between them clearly evident as he steadfastly met Dee's gaze despite his shy nature.

Lowering his voice, Dee asked quietly, "Who sent you?" At this question, Ryo froze in fear. His eyes opened wide and he started to shake uncontrollably. He knew the stakes that comprised the success of the mission, and he knew that Rose would be none too pleased that he had failed in this ultimate task. Tears glittered in his dark eyes for an instant and dangerously threatened to spill over his attractive countenance at any second. However, his training as an assassin surpassed his initial fear and he quickly blinked back his tears, forming his face into an unreadable mask once again, although from the fleeting glimpse of the man's true nature, Dee could tell that the pain that lurked behind his uncompromising features was still evident in his deep expressive eyes. Despite the façade that the man adapted, his midnight eyes could never lie. They would always belie his true feelings.

Seeing the shivering form of the man underneath him, Dee's sympathy went out to him. Ryo's underlying fear seemed to pierce through Dee's very heart, and his first instinct was to take this man into his arms and comfort him. However, although this man was no longer a threat to Dee's safety, he was still the enemy, and had to be treated as such.

As Dee narrowed his gaze fiercely, Ryo only covered his face with his hands, his body wracked by silent uncontrollable sobs that were only restrained by his long years of training and discipline. "Please don't make me go back to Rose," he whispered barely audibly, hating himself for showing any form of weakness but not knowing what else to do except to yield to his emotions. For some reason, he believed that if anyone could understand the depths of his pain, it was the charismatic raven-haired man before him. Even though they had just met, Ryo felt an inexplicable deep connection between them.

Dee could not take it anymore. Here was someone who obviously needed his help, or at least some reassurance. He could not bear to see the man before him wracked with such despair. He was unfathomably drawn to the fair-haired angel underneath him and was determined never to let him go. Wrapping his arms around Ryo's trembling form, he held him close against his broad chest and ran his hands soothingly over Ryo's sinewy back. Ryo opened his eyes warily as his overwhelming fear subsided and he felt a comforting warmth emanating from Dee's bare skin from where his robe had fallen partially open due to their struggle. The man's strong arms that surrounded him offered a reassuring feeling of protection from all that threatened him harm, and he hesitantly returned the embrace.

Dee's flashing green eyes narrowed dangerously as Ryo's statement sank in and he unconsciously clutched Ryo closer to him. Rose. He should have known that his arch nemesis was behind this stealth attack. Rose had been trying to infiltrate his defenses ever since he had come to power. There were even rumors that he had had connections with the previous king and his ruthless followers. Dee was outraged that Rose would have the gall to exploit the weak and innocent, preying on their fragility and manipulating them in order to achieve his own ends. He wondered what Ryo's story was. This fascinating man was obviously different than all of the previous mercenaries that Dee had fought with. Ryo still retained an essence of purity despite his line of work, and his deep expressive eyes conveyed a refreshing innocence that desperately longed to trust another person. However, the walls surrounding his heart were strong and unyielding, and he was not likely to let his defenses down a second time. He had been wounded in the past, and he would harden his heart against the slightest show of mercy in favor of suspicion, of this Dee was sure.

"Your Majesty, is everything okay?" one of the guards outside Dee's door called out and knocked loudly. The noise from the men's heated struggle had drawn attention from outside. Ryo froze in Dee's arms, immediately set on the defensive again as he pulled away and stood up.

Dee noticed Ryo's wariness at the threat of discovery. "Everything is fine," Dee called back. "Nothing to worry about." Hearing Dee's strong voice respond to his query, the guard went back to his post, not wanting to further disrupt the king's sleep.

Ryo gazed at Dee with respect emanating from his deep midnight eyes. It would have been so easy for Dee to just hand him over for torture and find out the information about his mission from him that way. Ryo was baffled. The raven-haired man's actions conflicted with Ryo's knowledge of him. He was determined to find some answers, and soon. He had to in order to resolve his own state of mind. He could not bring himself to kill someone when his heart was enshrouded in doubt.

"I should go now," he said softly, reaching over to the pillow to pick up his mask where it had been discarded. "Thank you for your mercy," he said sincerely. Ryo bowed respectfully and turned around, walking towards the balcony to begin his descent into the dark night.

"Wait!" the charismatic ebony-haired man called out to him. Ryo froze in his tracks before slowly turning around. He understood how Dee could have such a powerful affect on all of those around him as Dee walked towards him. He was drawn to the stunning man whose handsome features were further defined by the streams of moonlight that shined down upon him and contrasted with the darkness of his ebony hair and olive skin. As he approached Ryo, Dee retied his robe, the firm planes of his chest and broad shoulders moving in sleek ripples beneath the material. The gentle night breeze lifted strands of their hair as it swept across their faces, softly caressing them as the two men stood next to each other on the balcony, Dee standing slightly taller in stature than Ryo. Ryo gazed up questioningly into Dee's emerald eyes. The two of them together were a striking sight to see, the handsomely dark king and the beautiful fair assassin.

"If you need to trust someone, you can trust me," Dee whispered, seeming to read Ryo's mind as he gently brushed a strand of Ryo's silky hair away from his face and leaned in close to him. Ryo tensed up as he stared mesmerized at the noble king who stood over him. Those eyes. He could feel himself drowning in the depths of Dee's emerald pools. He felt that he would be swallowed up, consumed by their very intensity, and it scared him. Dee closed his eyes and leaned down to gently brush his lips against Ryo's, bringing his hand to tilt Ryo's face up as he tenderly pressed his lips upon Ryo's and executed the kiss. Ryo hesitantly closed his eyes, his long lashes sweeping across his lids as Dee continued to passionately caress his soft lips with his own. Dee's tongue swept across Ryo's bottom lip in a silent request to enter his heated cavern. Ryo was so intoxicated by the exhilarating feeling of Dee's lips against his own that he could only stand frozen to the spot, overwhelmed by the sensations coursing throughout his body. He had never felt this way before with anyone. The soft hooting of an owl nearby broke the spell of the ephemeral moment and Ryo's eyes blinked open, bringing him once again back to reality. Dee, too, had opened his emerald depths at the noise and now gazed into Ryo's eyes intensely, refusing to relinquish his grasp around the man's shoulders, his face only inches from Ryo's. Taken aback by the unfamiliar subtle hint of passion evident in Dee's advances, Ryo, weak-kneed, began to tremble and nervously backed away, almost tripping. God - the man was such a good kisser!

"Woah, be careful," Dee said in concern as he leaned forward and caught Ryo before he could fall.

"I-I really must go now," Ryo stammered shyly, blushing furiously and lowering his gaze, extricating himself from Dee's strong arms. No one had ever bestowed such tenderness upon him before in such a simple gesture. He could not deny the effect that Dee had on him, but he was just so lost and confused right now, not knowing if he could trust his own feelings against Rose's blatant accusations. Without another word, Ryo picked up his grappling hook and anchored it to the nearest parapet, swinging over it to climb down and seeming to disappear into the night as he was swallowed by the darkness.

Dee sighed and ran his hands through his ebony tresses, berating himself for reading too much into the soft-spoken man's words. The honey-blond had only reacted in gratefulness that his life had been spared. Dee felt foolish that he had mistaken his affection for anything other than pure thanks. He had tried to push the man too far too fast, despite the underlying attraction that he was sure the other had felt as well. The man had after all been sent to kill him. The assassin was obviously very shy and unsure of himself, shielding his emotions all too often for him to know how to respond to true affection. Dee wondered if Rose ever took advantage of the shy honey-blond to satisfy his animalistic cravings of lust. Despite destroying the man's trust for anyone, Rose had not managed to corrupt Ryo into his wicked way of life, Dee was sure of that. No, tonight he had witnessed the true nature of the mysterious assassin, and he had seen a heart that was good and pure.

Dee walked back into his bedchamber and made his way over to the bed, pausing as he noticed a gleaming metal object on the floor. Picking it up and turning it thoughtfully in his hands, he realized that it was the dagger that the assassin had tried to kill him with. He must have forgotten it in his haste to depart, Dee reflected. Observing the distinctly intricate design carved on it and placing it on his bedside table, he laid back against the pillows thoughtfully. He rang a bell that was located next to his bedside table and one of the guards entered. "Send a tracker to follow that man who is following the east trail," Dee commanded briskly. The guard bowed and exited the room, closing the door behind him. Now he would finally get a fix on Rose's location. Dee lay back onto the bed and pulled the sheets over his supple form, closing his emerald eyes and drifting off to sleep. He felt that this would not be the only time that he would be seeing the intriguing mercenary. No, he would undoubtedly be ordered by his superior to return and finish the job. Maybe Dee would get some answers then.

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Ryo walked along the trail in the direction that led back to his camp with his head lowered, deep in thought. He was so confused right now. He did not know what to think about any of the events that had transpired since the beginning of this mission. The man who had killed his parents in cold blood had practically been served to him on a silver platter by Rose and yet he had still hesitated at delivering his retribution at the fateful hour of judgment. He was inexplicably drawn to his mysterious redeemer. No one had previously shown him an ounce of mercy in this cruel world like Dee had shown him tonight. The thing that drew him most to Dee was his eyes. The intensity of their depths still haunted Ryo even now. Every man had a hidden agenda, a driving force, that was his motivation behind each carefully constructed plan of action. Ryo knew Rose's penchant for power, although the man thought that Ryo was oblivious to the underlying wrath that drove him. Dee, however, was a complete mystery. His intentions seemed noble, but perhaps they were only a clever disguise for his true intentions that lurked underneath a false pretense. The more he contemplated Dee's actions, the more confused he became. Dee did not seem like the power-hungry warlord type. Rather, he seemed different from all those other men that he had assassinated. True, Dee had conquered many kingdoms, but he had never instituted slave labor or execution of prisoners of war.

Ryo had heard rumors that he was a magnanimous ruler concerned about the welfare of his people, although Rose had told him that others had only propagated those rumors in fear that they would be punished if they refused. Still, encountering the raven-haired ruler had only confused Ryo more. Dee's deep green eyes had radiated a fierce intensity, but they had also distinctly emanated a protectiveness that had seemed comforting, especially when he had so tenderly kissed Ryo. Ryo gingerly placed his fingers over his lips, tracing the outline where Dee had pressed his lips against his. If Ryo closed his eyes, he could still imagine that he was caught up in the enthralling rapture that had consumed him when they had been joined at the mouth. He had never had such warmth bestowed upon him by another in his tumultuous life. But what if this was only one of Dee's ploys to get him to doubt the authenticity of his mission? Was he only responding to the kiss because he longed so much for someone to love him? Ryo just didn't know what constituted reality and what was merely an illusion anymore. He did not know who to believe or where to turn. His instincts told him to trust his heart, but his heart was still wounded and scarred from so long ago. His tortured soul had only known deception and manipulation in his life thus far. He was not sure if he could accept something so foreign as love in his life when he had been bombarded with and driven by the hate of others for so long. Running his hand through his silky tresses and sighing, Ryo reluctantly concealed his conflicting emotions behind an unreadable mask and buried his confusing feelings as the campsite came into view. He would need to rely on all of his inner strength and self-discipline to get through the confrontation with Rose that he knew was imminent upon his return.

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