The Puppet Assassin [TTR sequel]

The Puppet Assassin - Ch 3 [cutting the crap -|- dizelde]

He frowned. "Well then, I suppose looking through your things will only confirm what you say, hmm? Mind if I have a look?" He leaned forward, still on his toes, showing incredible balance.

I jutted my chin out, tempted to stand on my own toes to give myself more height near him. "I have personal things in there that I don't want you seeing." Like a sharp knife set rolled in tarp that would probably give him cause to be just a little suspicious, as well as a few passports with different names but the same picture, of me.

He bared his teeth, probably meaning to smile but looked more predatory than friendly. "What? Like tampons?"

Huh? Like a volcanic explosion, a blush rose from my neck to my cheeks until I felt my entire face burning. "N-no. I mean, yes, but there are... other things."

He narrowed his eyes. "Show me." His tone gave no room for argument but that didn't stop me.

"No."

He gritted his teeth, looked to the side, and then, out of nowhere, pounced. I dropped my left leg and pushed off my right to roll out of his way. He was damn fast, recovering from his leap with ease and jumping at me again just as I had barely gotten up onto one knee. I dropped down to lean on my elbow and pushed him far behind me with a well-timed kick, using his momentum to send him further. While he flipped back onto his feet, I snatched the knife I had placed handily into the side pocket of my backpack.

He didn't fly at me again, taking his time to brush dust off his pants. I breathed quickly to get my breath back before he attacked again, watching him warily. He glanced over to me and cocked his head to the side.

"You don't know who, or rather, 'what' you're dealing with, huh kid?" He removed his jacket, revealing his toned arms and a washboard set of abs beneath a tight, tan singlet. "Drop the knife and I'll go easy on you." He raised his eyebrows.

I clenched my fist tightly around the knife's hilt. "You're not doing well so far," I said in an emotionless voice. Show no nerves, worry, fear. You have no weaknesses so don't show them anything they think they can use.

He chuckled. "I haven't even started." I watched, horrified, as his hand became furry, his fingers shortening but his nails elongating until he had paws with extended claws. I gulped. A witch who had learned to shape-change. I'd heard many stories about them, they were feared by most assassins. They carried many animalistic traits, heightened sense of smell, hearing and sight. They could turn into a specific animal within seconds, without any warning whatsoever. Scythe had ordered a hit on one last year and the assassin had failed miserably, found on the side of the road with his head severed off. My composed mask nearly slipped as he moved slowly, curving his approach towards me so that he was almost circling me.

"Garth!"

I nearly relieved myself on the spot when I heard someone with a clear Irish accent call out the name.

My attacker's head swivelled towards the rundown house. I kept my eyes on him in case this was a trick for me to look away. I heard almost completely silent footsteps approach, only the crunch of dry grass and gravel gave away the fact that someone was walking this way.

"I didn't know you were so restless as to pick on an innocent kid."

I bristled with irritation. I was no damn kid.

Garth flicked his gaze back to me. "You think she's innocent? You should see the way she shifts, like every single move is deliberate."

"You heard her, she doesn't work for anyone."

I gulped. Who was this man? Was it true what people said about witches? That they could tell a lie from truth just by listening?

"I just want to go to the nearest town," I piped up. I took my eyes off the clawed man, most probably Garth, and looked at the other speaker. I had to move my hand up to my jaw to make sure it hadn't dropped embarrassingly. The first things I saw were two piercing, golden eyes. They were different from my gold, almost leaning towards yellow. If I had thought that Garth was sharp, this guy would have to be a pinpoint. He looked terrifyingly intimidating and yet managed to look sophisticated at the same time. He was definitely handsome but I didn't dwell on that as he shifted his six foot two stature towards me.