Sleep had hardly crossed his mind but somehow Luka awakened to familiar smell bacon and eggs. Rubbing his eyes after a good stretch, he shuffled to the bathroom before coming to the kitchen to see the brunette in an apron at the stove.
“Good morning, Luka dear!”
Bypassing the man in order to get to the freshly brewed coffee, Luka leaned against the counter as he poured himself a cup. Taking a sip from the cup, green eyes lazily panned over to see a plate of breakfast being presented to him. Looking elsewhere as he continued to drink, he spat it out when it finally clicked.
“Where’s Nora?!” he all but growled as he grabbed the man by the front of the white apron.
“Dear Lu–”
“Don’t fucking start with me this early in the morning. Where is Nora?!”
Azazel clicked his tongue before sliding his gaze sideways. “Still in the coroner’s office maybe?" he replied as he pried the man’s hand away. “I think it’s a bit too early for him to be in the ground really, but tick-tock, Luka dear. You’re wasting time again. Now, if you could recall, you said that you would help me and, in turn, I would give you back your Nora.”
“Give him back!”
“You have to agree to help me.” Narrowing his eyes, Luka grabbed the front of the apron once more before having the brunette slip out of it to dance out of reach. “Agree to help me and I give you back your Nora as I said.”
“Fine!”
“You’ll help me?”
“Just bring Nora back!”
Azazel headed back to the counter to grab a cup of coffee. “If you want Nora back, you have to help me but you also have to drink this,” he said as he held up the mug. “You do that and I’ll give you Nora back.”
“You –!”
“Tick-tock…”
Gritting his teeth as the other simply offered a smile, Luka eyed the cup. Throwing the brunette a glare, he downed the dark beverage before making a face at the taste. “There, now give me back Nora!”
“Yes, yes,” came the reply as Azazel made his way to the living room.
“Hey, wait!” he shouted as he stormed into the room.
Looking around to see a café setting, Luka looked over his shoulder to see the redheaded maid working the counter. Hearing the faint clink of a spoon against a coffee cup, the raven was greeted by the sight of Azazel drinking coffee with a smile.
“Luka, stop standing in the way!”
“Nora?”
Said person hurried by with a tray in hand. “Get out of the way,” he griped before putting on a smile as the doorbell chimed. “Welcome, dearies~! Please make yourself comfortable and I’ll get to you in just a moment~!”
Watching the raven-haired maid skirt by him to grab a tray of drinks, Luka looked back to see the brunette beaming as he sat his cup down. Seeing how the strange man closed his eyes as his smile broadened, Luka stormed over to snatch him up.
“Did you drug me?”
Purple eyes slid open. “Pardon?”
“Did you drug me?”
“Now why would I need to do something so fickle as to drug you?” Azazel questioned before dropping his gaze to the hand fisting his shirt. “Do you mind letting me go?”
“What did you do?”
“Luka, stop harassing the guests!” Nora griped, snatching his friend’s hand aside. He then refilled Azazel’s cup before scowling at Luka. “Behave!”
Watching his friend leave, Luka cut his eyes at the man soon after. “What did you do?”
Hearing the bell chime followed by Nora’s high voice, Luka glared at Azazel when he started on his cup of coffee. “You got your Nora back just as I promised. I thought you’d be happy.”
“This is some kind of trick, isn’t it?” The other hummed in question. “Nora’s dead.”
“Yet there he – or she – is serving guests,” Azazel stated as he watched the maid hurry from table to table. “Now, if we could discuss what–”
Shaking his head as he slammed his hands on the table, Luka got to his feet. “I don’t know what kind of prank you pulled but this isn’t funny!”
“I’m not laughing but you should sit.”
“I’m leaving.”
“I insist that you sit.” He did so immediately, much to the Luka'sown surprise. “Now, I gave you back your Nora so I insist that you cooperate or this could get a bit…messy.”
“Did you just threaten me?”
Azazel cracked a smile. “I don’t have to threaten you, Luka dear. You’ll learn soon enough that when I ask you to do something, it would be better for you to do it willingly rather than me ordering you to.”
Luka got back to his feet. “I don’t have time for this.”
“Sit.”
Dropping back down in his seat, Luka tried to sit up before glaring at the man across from him as he blew on the hot beverage. “What-”
“Before you start running that mouth of yours, let me fill you in on a bit of information,” Azazel said. “You waste time when you speak so do less of that.”
“You-!”
“Quiet.” The man shut his mouth but still sent the man a glare. “You waste time when you talk and your time is my time,” he explained as he swirled a finger in the dark beverage. “When you waste my time, you waste Nora’s.” The odd gaze slid upwards. “Nod if you understand.” Green eyes shifted towards the man serving drinks before Luka nodded stiffly. “Good; I’m glad we’re finally on the same page~”
“Welcome~!”
Looking back at the door to see a man with sunglasses, Luka stiffened when he recognized him from the day before. Shifting uncomfortably as the newcomer took a seat beside him, Luka looked back at the brunette that was looking out the window.
“So nice of you to join us. I’m sure you remember our friend from the other day,” Azazel said as he set the cup down. “Luka dear, this is Ronové Malik. He’ll be working with you from now on.” Azazel then smiled at the pair sitting across from him before getting to his feet. “Oh, and Ronové, you’re in charge. Do try to play nice on your first assignment, ok~?”
“As you wish, sir.”
Watching the man depart to chat up Nora, Luka scowled at the purple-eyed man when he finally left the establishment. Turning his attention to the man in sunglasses, Luka went to speak before touching his lips when they did not part. Trying again, he rushed to the bathroom when he did not receive any results.
Looking in the mirror, Luka touched his mouth before trying to pry it open. Grunting under the strain of doing so, he looked over his shoulder when the one in sunglasses walked in. Glaring when nothing was said, Luka resumed his previous ministrations.
“A word of advice; when Mr. Brand says to do something, you should execute your task quickly,” he said as he turned the raven around, “or die trying.” Green eyes narrowed when his cheeks were seized before a thumb swiped across his bottom lip. “Speak.”
“I’ll kill that smug asshole,” Luka growled before touching his mouth. “What did you just do?”
“Please come along.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“We have work to do.”
“I said I wasn’t–!”
Clasping his hand over the talkative man’s mouth, Ronové shoved Luka into the door. Sighing when struck, Ronové held back before narrowing his eyes when his shades were knocked from his face. The red gaze then darkened suddenly. Feeling something sharp digging into his face, Luka squirmed about before stilling as he felt blood welling.
Watching him struggle for a few seconds more, Ronové released him in favor of grabbing a paper towel. Holding it out to the raven, he sighed when Luka made no attempts in taking it. Walking towards him when he fumbled with the door behind him, the quieter of the pair leaned down and wiped the corners of his mouth.
“Look, Mr. Brand has given us a job to perform. It won’t be good if you make him any more upset than he already is,” he said as he went to throw the napkin away. “Besides, your friend’s life is on the line, is it not?”
“Leave Nora alone.” The man looked elsewhere as the other picked up his sunglasses. “What are we supposed to do anyway, Ronny?”
“My name is Ronové.”
“You could be called Princess for all I care. What does the asshole want?” Luka griped.
“Mr. Brand wants us to make a house call.”
“We’re doctors now?”
“Witty,” he replied as he headed for the door. “Come along lest I have to drag you out of here. Oh, and do not run away while we’re working unless I tell you otherwise.”
“Whatcha gonna do if I do?”
Red eyes panned over to the man. “I’d advise against it.”
“Like I should be scared of y–!”
Ronové’s gaze flattened as he tightened his hand around the man’s throat. “I could snap your neck before you even took another breath.” He then held up two finger in front of his eyes. “You could be blinded in less than three seconds if I decided to gouge out your eyes.” His hand then lowered to the man’s chest before lining his fingers up with his sternum. “I could even pull your heart out and watch it beat if I ever felt inclined to do so,” he added before flinching at the sudden throb in his marked eye. Recollecting his composure, he released Luka as he made his way to the door. “Please come along; there’s work to be done.”
Trudging down the walkways leading to the warehouse district, Luka scanned the pier to see no one in sight. Looking over his shoulder to see city lights shining in the distance, he scowled at the briefcase he was given before coming to a stop when he came upon his intended destination.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he muttered to himself before knocking on the door.
Chancing a glace over the shoulder, he could tell that Ronové was watching him but from where was the question. Facing forward as a he heard metal grating, green eyes met a stormy blue pair staring at him from a slot in the door way.
“What?”
“…package?”
Stepping back as a series of latches were undone, Luka glanced over his shoulder once more before the door slid open. Looking up at the big man, the raven’s mouth went dry the moment he saw the concealed firearm within the larger male’s coat before following when instructed to do so.
Scanning the cramped corridor, Luka noted several closed doors though ones open led to various rooms with shadier looking individuals; however, he didn’t get a good look due to the doors being slammed shut. Thumping music then caught the man’s attention.
Perhaps he was in a club.
Leaning over to at least see around the man, Luka straightened when his escort glanced back at him. Offering a smile, he rolled his eyes before looking at bland corridors. Bumping into the other, he then took a step back when the latter scowled, growling under his breath.
“…sorry,” Luka said, holding up his hands.
“Wait here.”
“Um, yeah, sure…”
Watching the man disappear behind the door, Luka rocked on his heels. Glancing back in the direction of faint music, he then startled when he heard the other door open. Looking ahead to see an unblocked entrance, the raven proceeded forward. Stiffening at the sound of the door closing, Luka continued without looking back until he came across another door. Seeing no other means of entry, he knocked once prior to entering.
An insanely sweet smell was the first thing the man noticed. Rubbing his eyes at the thin haze caused by smoke, he stumbled as his head started to swim. Dropping down to one knee, blurred vision focused on the floor pillows beneath him before looking up at the sound of a chuckle.
“They said you have a package for me.” Green, unfocused eyes drifted up towards an indistinguishable figure before falling shut as Luka collapsed. “Funny since I wasn’t expecting anything.”
ns 15.158.61.12da2
