The Assassin's Target

This is my first attempt at a story, so please have patience. I'll get better over time. Feedback is always appreciated. Enjoy!

-Sweetintensity

Chapter One: Nissa's Murderer

Today was an average day as far as they went. I trained for a while in the gym and then was told by one of the apprentices that Tatsuya-sensei wanted to see me before dinner. That was odd. Usually he just came to find me himself.

I decided to head there and see what he needed before returning to my training. My foot-steps echoed eerily into the marble room as I approached Sensei's door. I heard voices from within, and like any good assassin, I listened hard to their conversation.

I knocked after I had heard all I needed to and came face-to-face with Sensei, and three members of the Vampire High Council. As was polite, I bowed to Sensei, ignoring the raised eyebrows of the Westerners.

The room was spacious, had a modern feel to it, and everyone was seated in leather armchairs except for Sensei. He stood, hands clasped behind his back, staring through the glass at the perfect California view.

"Excellent, there you are Raiden. Here we have Masters Zane, Lucian and Helena, and they have a request for us."

Lucian was small for a vampire, with mousy brown hair and pale white skin. Zane was very tall and dark-skinned with shockingly long dreads. He was at ease in a long red robe embroidered with symbols.

The woman spoke first, drawing my attention. She was striking, Amazon tall, all sharp curves and muscle, with hair that was as black as it was curly.

"This is the target." Helena tossed a photograph at me.

I caught it reflexively and studied it while she continued, "This is a difficult mission. She has the best protection there is to offer. We do, however, know where to find her."

"Understood." I said, still absorbing the picture in my mind.

"Are you sure he can handle this?" Lucian asked.

"This is the top assassin." Sensei folded his arms over his chest.

"Fine. It better be done, and soon." He was still staring me up and down.

I gave a fraction of a nod to the carpet and then turned back to my sensei.

That was quite interesting. He doesn't trust us.

A normal person would feel the slightest shreds of remorse for ending such a young girl's life. For me this was business as usual. I was the top assassin here, easily. I had been trained by Tatsuya-sensei himself.

Down in the lab, I signed out some weapons. The techs stopped me, but when they saw who it was, they fell back as though struck. "Evening, Lily." I called as I glided past. She was one of the friends-with-benefits I had here.

I had quite a reputation around my own people. I knew tales of my ruthless deeds were told. I was something of a legend, and many women were drawn to that and my devastating attractiveness.

"What an easy mission," I told myself, smirking as I got into my Mercedes and headed to the airport. According to her file, she lived in England.

It was a simple matter to have a tech hack into their computers and add me on the next flight out of California.

I settled down in first class and fell asleep soon after. I was shaken awake by a stewardess who demanded that I turn off my I phone for landing. I cast her a grin that almost showed my fangs, and she backed up at once.

The plane landed in London. I checked my watch. A solid 11 hours had passed.

Now the fun began. Lily was talking on speakerphone: "Sorry, Raiden. I hacked into the government files, the only thing there is that she attends Southampton High and lives in a huge estate. I'll send you the address."

I hung up on her and turned my attention to the GPS.

After weaving my way through the crowded roads of London for a while,

I was finally able to turn and drive south. Heedless of the speed limits, I made the drive in roughly 40 minutes.

I was indifferent to the people in the other cars who were pissed as I swerved suddenly to make a sharp turn.

I finally pulled into a little parking lot of a dumpy school in Southampton, where for some reason the young heiress went to school. What looked like only a hundred students were sitting on the steps. The cigarette smoke made me wrinkle my nose in disgust. It was a typical high school atmosphere: some kids had books in their hands, and the rest were all over each other.

I didn't want to hear their dirty conversations, so I tried to tune them out, but little bits got through. "-I wonder what would happen if I yanked off her top and made her-" With an enormous effort, I focused on the task at hand.

An average human girl, albeit a very beautiful one with hair that shone white-blonde and huge greenish-yellow eyes. She was sitting on the steps, watching people talk and barely responding.

Then I noticed a man, who didn't quite blend in with the rest. He stood close to the girl, staring around, using the same protocol methods of protection that all assassins were trained to recognize. I moved to avoid his searching gaze.

"Let's go," he was murmuring, "I don't trust half the people out here."

The blonde girl sighed. "You really think I'll be attacked, James?"

"Yeah."

Attacked? Why would a regular high school girl need a guard, or even think of being attacked?

I looked down at the photograph again, and had to suppress a gasp. Damn, that picture was deceiving; Nissa Cromwell was beautiful.

She didn't resist and allowed herself to be led away by the man.

I drew a knife with practiced ease, and pointed it at her. Her guard was still staring around, and as it flew towards her head, he shoved her down.

"Stay behind me." He counseled, his eyes falling upon me.

He wasn't the only one who noticed.

Chaos erupted. People screamed and pushed, eager to get away from the fight.

The only two who remained outside were Nissa and her guard.

"Go," He ordered her sharply as I strode towards them, a predator stalking its prey.

The human would never have a chance against me.

"I won't." she said, her lips set in a stubborn scowl. "It's me he wants."

"Nissa!" he sighed with exasperation.

I was all business as I drew another dagger. Nissa refused to move, so the human dove in front of her.

"Go! Now."

She took off, a little too late. I struck him with my dagger as I passed and advanced on the girl. I caught her slim wrist, and turned her face away. She was whimpering in fear as I pressed it right against her quickly beating heart.

The terrified girl took advantage of my split seconds hesitation and wrenched herself out of my grip. She ran back towards James. Nissa lay her hand on his wound, even as he begged her not to and I watched in dumb fascination as the shoulder wound knitted itself together.

"Stop it!" I heard him exclaim, "that's your life energy, Nissa!"

When he was healed, the girl almost collapsed. I had no room to maneuver around this annoying ass of a man.

I shoved him into the glass doors of the school and seized the helpless girl again.

This time there was no hesitation. I plunged the blade downward directly into her chest.

Or it would have gone in, had she not chosen that moment to grab my knife-hand with hers, our eyes locked together. A flicker of recognition burned through me, and I froze.

Damien grabbed Nissa's hand and yanked her away. I watched my prey escape as I struggled to grab her, but I was dazed and stupid.

I swore. Nissa Cromwell was gone, and humans were starting to crowd around the doors, watching me.

I had lost against two humans, one of them a teenager...It was a good thing Tatsuya-sensei couldn't see me now.