37. daegan

37

DAEGAN

It's been a few weeks after a mission was well done and executed. And it's been a few hellish weeks since I fucked Alessia on the rooftop. Her absence has affected me more than it should.

Before we go back to base, we're assigned to do last-minute overwatch with Marines.

"Don't fucking touch me," I snarl at Zeke's pat on my shoulder. I fight the urge to let go of my rifle and cringe from his touch. I don't let anyone touch me but Alessia. And it's not because I was kidnapped once. Or tortured, burned, or sliced. I'm not used to another human touching me. I don't like it. I don't like people…but I like her.

"Hey man, I'm just trying to congratulate you on a shot well done. You just saved those marines." He flinches and walks away from my prone position. I can't see him, but the tension grows thicker with each second.

I scout more land and keep my Overwatch on full send. I'd rather have Loverboy up here than Zeke. I don't like that he's close friends with my little Valentine. Some people may call it jealousy. I call it like I see it. I don't like the way he looks at her. Because the way he looks at her is how I look at her. And no man will live to tell the tale of what it's like to be the reason for her smile but me.

I reload my sniper and keep my eyes out.

"I'm gonna take a piss. You don't mind, do you, Creature? I can go right here in this corner, so I still got your six."

"Get the fuck out of here if you're going to pull your dick out and stink this rooftop with your piss. We still got a few more hours on Overwatch, and I will not spend it like that," I snap, arching a brow, and he stiffens. I look away from my scope and stare him down. He cowers, putting his hands up and surrendering.

"Chill out, Creature. I'll just go to another room. What's with you, bro?"

I scoff, returning to my crosshairs.

"What can I say? You bring out the nice side in me, and I have a way with words."

"Yeah, no kidding, I'll be back. Might take a shit too. You sure you'll be alright if?—"

"Akana, I'll give you," I look at my watch, tilting my head to the side and exhaling at the digital watch, "five seconds starting now to leave before I lose my patience."

And with that, he exits the rooftop, and I roll my eyes. Shit and piss? In the corner of this rooftop? I can endure a lot of things, but if I can avoid smelling Zeke's shit and piss, I'm taking it.

Every building looks secure. I see no threats, but I stay vigilant and alert. I'm taking slow, deep breaths and relaxing, but my mind keeps traveling to Alessia. The sun is setting, and I'm counting down the hours. It's been a while since I've felt alive like this. I look forward to waking up each day. And she has everything to do with it. Before, it was like I'd been living stagnant, the same thing every day: work, work, and more work. The team is the only sense of family I've ever had until I met her.

All I want to do is bury myself in her skin, her flesh, her bones, and drown. Obsession is an understatement.

Everything is going smoothly, and then I feel the same dark premonition on my neck.

Something is wrong.

I'm looking everywhere, but I don't see anything out of the ordinary. Then I see a dark shadow creeping in the corner of a building, making its way closer to the group of marines, and I'm ready to send it and unleash hell on anyone who dares.

With my finger on the trigger, I hold my breath, waiting to confirm a threat. The shadow grows bigger, my heart pinching my brows to reveal...a dog.

A heavy breath leaves my mouth from all the buildup of holding in my oxygen, and I sigh with relief.

I look down at my side to recover before it's back to work, but then I see a shadow towering over me.

Zeke really wants to see my bad side today. I don't think it's polite of anyone to get behind me without addressing themselves first. Everyone knows that I don't take it kindly. Before I scold Zeke and tell him off, reminding him of my ticks, I feel a sharp pain in my shoulder when I move slightly to the left. A sharp pain is an understatement because I quickly recognize the same feeling of what sharp steel feels like.

I've been stabbed.

A sharp sting melts through me, and I grunt from the surprise. A thick blade breaks through my uniform, and I know I'm in trouble. I know this feeling too well. I was tortured for weeks.

Time to have some fucking fun.

I manage to elbow whoever the fuck stabbed me in the nose, and they stumble back. I stand within seconds, dropping my sniper to face a man smaller than me, wielding a thick, long knife dressed in all black. He tries to slice me again, and I take a step back, causing him to miss. His eyes explode with pure evil hatred, and he plunges forward. His body strikes me in the stomach, and I tighten my muscles to lessen the blow. He manages to tackle us both to the edge of the rooftop, and I burst into laughter.

"If I'm falling off this roof, you're going down with me, buddy." I elbow his face as he hovers over me, his spit flying everywhere as he shouts.

He's snarling at me, and he gives me a good hard punch. My head falls to the side, and I smile. He got me good.

"What the fuck is going on?" Operator Cobra shouts into my mic, but I'm a little busy with my new friend here to give him an answer.

A wicked grin transforms the scowl on my face, and it only angers the man before me.

He tries to finish his job and raises his knife over his head. It's a big mistake if he thinks I'm going to let him take me from a world where my little valentine exists.

Even when I'm fighting for my life, even in a moment like this, she's all I fucking see. And that's when it hits me.

I'm falling for a woman who is forbidden, and I'll do whatever it takes for her to be mine. Even if we have to hide it, I want it. I want all of her.

I smash my forehead with his, causing him to lose his bearings. I take full advantage of the disorientation spell he's under, twist his hands until his bones break, and grab the knife for my safety.

It all happens within a blink of an eye. I stab him in the chest, where his heart is, and it goes through like butter. I'm chuckling the entire time, humming the same song I do when I shoot.

I throw him off me, and he falls to the side as he struggles to breathe and attempts to pull the blade out of his chest. I watch for a few seconds, my chest heaving, and I wipe the blood off my mouth as I wait until he takes his last breath.

He stops reaching for his wound, and goes still. Unfortunately for him, he's no longer holding himself up, and he falls off the roof once his body goes still.

Zeke enters from behind me a few seconds after the threat falls off.

"What the fuck happened? I go to take a shit, and this? You alright, bro?" He asks me, but I ignore him. I walk where the man falls and look down at the edge of the building. He lays there lifeless in a pool of his own blood, his knife deep into his chest next to Operator Cobra. Rooker takes a step back from the dead body and looks up at me, bewildered.

Mics go off, everyone shouting for answers, but I need a damn cigarette first.

"Umm...explain. How and why did this person fall off your roof right fucking next to me?" He orders an answer through the mic.

"One second." I huff out, breathing hard. I light my cigarette, the bitterness taints my tongue, and I hum, satisfied.

"What the fuck happened? You look like shit. You're bleeding," Zeke stands beside me, studying my shoulder.

I shrug nonchalantly and hollow my cheeks to take a hit.

"You should see the other guy," I nod towards the ground, smirking.

"Creature," he scolds.

"I don't fucking know. Once you left to take a shit, I got stabbed in the back. I defended myself, we wrestled, and I eliminated him, and he fell off once he took his last breath."

"That's fucking enough, Creature. Get your ass to a medic to get that wound checked out. Akana, take Creature's place, please." Cobra orders.

"Fuck no, I'm finishing the mission, then I'll get myself checked when I'm goddamn ready, Cobra," I spit back, and Rooker grows quiet.