Theo James as Levi (hottie alert to the right>>)

 Thanks for the reads and votes! #19 on Sci Fi and #20 on Action?! Kisses <3

Here you go...

WARNING: UN-EDITED

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Rooting my feet to the ground, I stared hungrily at the approaching men.  Then Levi bowled me over from the right.  He slammed my stomach onto the cement, pushing asphalt into my mouth. 

My head throbbed as it smacked off, a low moan dragging. 

“No.  You’re not controlled, Jessie.  I’m not letting you do anything stupid, let alone harm innocent people,” he whispered.  My ears twitched at the sound of metal clinking together. 

Anger writhed through my body and I screamed, summoning the unknown strength and somehow pushed him off, pinning him down so we had switched spots.  “You’re not handcuffing me,” I snarled, pressing his face down.

I quickly rolled off of him and just as I stood, someone attacked me, throwing us both into a shop window. Glass flew and I yelped, the sharp fragments digging on my landing.  The shoppers darted out of the deli, dropping their bags and crashing past the door. 

My attacker scrambled up, and I did the same.  I measured his white pudgy nose that was similar to a pug and the black leather jacket that tightened around his slender built.  Side baring that there was no sign of the snake tattoo, I barley dodged his punch, the breeze brushing past my check.  His fists ripping like bullets, I backed into the cashier and ducked, knocking him from his feet.  Before he crumbled, I drove my heel to the side of his head, the coldness sweeping over him before the ground. 

I arched my gaze out the shop windows, my boots crunching on top of the glass.    The crowds had evaded the area, a large circle made by moronic pedestrians.  “Levi?” I called, the two gone. 

Confusion swelled my thoughts.  I jumped through the broken window and triggered a gang of ten men.  They caged me in all directions, my fear escalating.  

“Hey pretty little thing.”  I whirled my head and noticed one behind, advancing faster.  A spark of terror pulled at my chest before getting sucked into the internal darkness. 

I spun, clipping my heel to his forehead.  I sensed their swift arms and nimble legs, knowing their moves before they could begin.  Humour must have seized the crowd, a small girl beating a group of grown men with her bare hands. 

One had removed a knife from his sheath and made a swing towards my stomach.  I jumped back and swung a leg to his throat.  Bending into a bridge, his knuckles sailed above my face, just missing the bridge of my nose.  I caught his arm and drove my boot into his spine, his skull hitting the cement, lost for air. 

Knees ready for the next attacker, I was awaken by the silence.  The ten brave men laid either unconscious or dead, never have I been so unsure.  My breath was raged, uneven.  My heart beats took a drag.  Satisfaction settled within my stomach, alive and well.  The hunger for destruction gone. 

I looked up.  Horror shed over the crowd, their eyes large and bodies trembling.  Once I met eye contact, their gaze dropped, backing into the people behind them. 

The notions were useless, and I took a step forward, twenty people instantly running away.  I smirked, and turned, my smirk faltering as I noted Casper and Levi had disappeared. 

“Bitches,” I grumbled.  I craned my neck in search of them.  The phone dialling and photo flashes started to come into focus.  Frustrated by the distractions, I sprinted, wanting to put a distance between the cameras and videotaping.  I broke through the air, the adrenaline calming itself. 

That is until I ran by a pub and a hand grabbed my arm.  I latched onto their wrist and almost twisted it before recognizing their face.  “Casper?” I brightened and hugged him. 

His eyes widened and he gave an awkward pat, before pulling me away to look at my condition.  His gaze skipped from my moccasins to my scratched corset, halting by my face.  “Your eyes aren’t black anymore.”  He touched my hands.  “No shaking.”  A sigh of relief fell past his curled lips.  “Good.” 

Then I slapped his cheek.  He winced.  “What was that for?”

“For leaving me,” I said, failing to contain the smile.  His stunned reaction was golden. 

He shook his head.  “How is it that you’re crazy Edward Scissors without a penis one second, and then glittery rainbows golden sunshine the next?”  Pausing to let that sink in, I was left dry for a response.  “Well?” 

“I know as much as you do,” I finally said. 

With an agreeable nod, he ushered me to follow him into a pub.  We passed under the orange neon title: L’Amour.  The stench of expensive cigars crowded the foggy room, pool tables filling the closed space.  I passed drunk and tipsy men, their beer belly’s jiggling and deep chuckles making me shrink closer to Casper. 

“She’s here, sir,” Casper said, stopping at the bar. 

The bartender who wore a white collar shirt and red suspenders slid a small shot down the wooden counter.  A man’s smooth hands snatched the glass, and he threw his head back, the yellow liquid gunning down his throat.  He turned with a smirk.  “About time,” Levi said. 

I clenched my fists and stalked over.  “Why did you leave me back there?”   

He lifted another finger to the bartender and faced me.  “I told you that wasn’t how haja sangue works.  We don’t play like that and you didn’t listen.”  He caught another and gulped it down.    

I hardened my gaze.  “Well it’s stupid.  Why wait to fight when you get it over with now?  Besides, no pedestrians got hurt.”

He slammed the glass on the counter.  “You’re so stupid,” he coldly slithered.  His voice didn’t crack and it was annoying how his voice was never mad, always calm.  “It frustrates me to such an extent.  You’re impulsive and don’t think of the consequences, do you?  You were crazy back there.  Didn’t know what you were doing.  I bet you’re not even sure if you killed or left the men unconscious.  You just attacked without an actual purpose.  You are useless if you don’t have self control.  You are pathetic if you don’t have self control.  You are nothing if you don’t have self control.”  He took a bold step, towering my five two height.  “And you don’t have any self control.” 

That struck a nerve.  “Stop treating me like that!  I’m so sick of it!  You didn’t listen last time I said it but Mr Levi, I am”—I shoved his shoulder—“sick of listening to you.  Now you’re going to fucki.ng listen to me.” 

Catching the next drink the bartender slid to him, I raised the shot and said, “To how I’m going to prove I can be a fucki.ng Sniper.”  Gulping the burning alcohol, I levelled the shot between our faces, and crushed it between my fingers, the glass crinkling onto his shoes.  “We’re leaving.”  And passed him towards the door.

Casper lifted a bewildered hand and looked to Levi.  “Are we actually—“ 

He grumbled a low, “Shut the fuck up,” and grabbed his collar, dragged him out with him.   

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Three kills in three hours.  I killed three in three.  Quick with a knife.  The flick of a controlled wrist.  Levi still wasn’t impressed.  Each time I looked for his response, the smirk tugged at his lips.  I ate it up, and it slammed down my throat, created an agitated burn in my stomach.    

“Can anything impress you?” I mumbled, entering a smoky strip.per joint. 

Thinking the hypnotic artists would paint a distraction, he cocked his head and flashed a smug grin.  “Did you say something, darling?”

A low, “No,” left my mouth and I avoided his face.  Clouds of sweat poisoned the air, making it hard to breath.  Feeling uncomfortable tingles on my scalp, I struggled to keep a boasted chin, the amount of lus.t in the room irritating.  I had never been to a stripp.er joint, movies not the same.    

My eyes widened fearfully as the tables were hoarding with men tossing cash, the eroti.c ladies violatin.g the poor poles.  “I would hate to be a pole,” I said.  Levi unaware that was a self-note comment, laughed while guiding us to an empty red velvet booth. 

“I’ll get some drinks,” Casper said, vanishing again.  These seats directed to the centre stage, I struggled to detach my vulnerable eyes from the spellbinding women.  They were in glass cases, water falling down their curves and lum.ps, their devil hair whipping against the transparent wall. 

It had me wonder if I could ever move like that.  The obvious answer made me laugh. 

“What’s so funny?” Levi asked, captured my gaze. 

I shook my head.  “I was wondering how ridiculous I’d look trying to do that.”  I gestured to the half nak.ed women gliding onto the stage, swerving like every man’s lottery winning angel. 

Levi broke into a smile.  “Yeah. You’d be the one who runs into the pole, trips on nothing, falls off the stage and breaks their face.” 

I smacked his arm and he grinned, scooting closer on the red booth. 

“So what are we here for?” I asked.  “To kill those filthy cheap perverts who were stupid enough to mess with you?” 

Leaning back, he spread his arms along the leather and stared across the room.  “Assuming is a bad habit, darling.  No.  We’re here to kill that sexy devil.” 

My eyes surfed the chaotic crowd to find a Goddess wearing a scarlet cloth draped over her white long legs.  Spine exposed and front dipped into a V, her luscious blonde waves spiralled to her waist.  Her blood red puckers bit down as she watched the show, disappointed.    

“Her?” I asked, having trouble averting my gaze.  Levi didn’t answer for a moment, his honey eyes stuck.  “Levi?”

The Goddess ignored the men fishing for her attention, their first hooks making her purse. 

“Yes, her,” he answered, breaking his stare as she rejected a leering man. 

The thought of killing a woman made a queasy feeling in my stomach.  I didn’t know why.  “She’s one of the best seducers in all of China,” he said, now glancing at me.  “But you won’t be killing her.” 

Confused, I straightened up.  “How come?”

“Because this is a man’s job,” he said distantly, thinking hard. 

“What?  You’re going to beat her at her own game?  You’re going seduce her?” I joked with a short laugh. 

He remained silent, having my brows shoot to my hairline.  “You’re going to seduce her?  How?  Be Cray and be cheesy as fuc.k?” 

His hand traced over his fine six o’clock shadow, his thumb running past his bottom lip.  “Those seducers.  They learn how to play with professionals, mess and read minds of those who practiced.  But they don’t practice against such normal, cheesy things.” 

Allowing the process, I blinked and said.  “Wait a minute.  You’re not—Oh, Lord.  I was joking.  You’re not actually going to seduce her with... pickup lines.”

Levi licked his bottom lip.  “Hell, yes.”  

I crossed my arms, unable to believe this man could have such an immature mind.  “Oh yeah?  Give me your best line, hotshot.”

His gaze lowered, and his lips preceded closer, his body heat leaning against mine.  His voice was crisp and husky, just under a breath.  “Do you like Adele? ‘Cause I can tell you wanna be rolling in the D.” 

“What?” I gapped, shocked he could withstand such humour. 

He wiggled his brows.  “Girl, you should sell hotdogs, because you already know how to make a wiener stand.”

“Ohmigod!” I breathed through my laughter. 

He tilted my chin, his spell casting smile remaining.  “You can call me ‘The Fireman’ ... mainly because I turn the hoes on.”  I clutched my aching stomach.  “Told you.  That line gets the ladies hooked.  It says so in Crayzy Pickup Lines.” 

My chest shook, my head thrown back.  “In where?”

He widened his eyes, sitting up.  “If I ever get the chance, remind me to show you the book of Crayzy PickUps,” he answered, eyes dancing with laughter. 

I grinned.  “Sounds like something Cray would do.”

He made a lazy smile, jerking his head a tad.  “Hey, do you run track?” 

Frowning, I answered, “No.” 

“‘Cause I heard you relay want this dic.k.”

Soon we were howling with more of Crayzy’s pickup lines.  Bent back, wrapping my pained sides, the tough Levi I knew vanished.  Just like Cray when I first met him, childish boy and then a grown serious adult.  Levi was right.  Snipers were unseen, they were there one moment and someone else the next.

His murky brown hair was tossed to the side, his face glowing.  A smile danced along his face, cheeks pinched from laughter. 

Something moved in my heart.  A little creak.  An opening for the soft side to this rigid character.  The mere gleam of softness flashed as fast as it came. 

He then rose, shooting a wink.  “Wish me luck.” 

“Go get ‘em,” I said.  He nodded and before he turned, I added, “Try not to fuck up.” 

He mouthed, “Fuc.k you,” and walked away, but I sensed his own smile twitching as well.  My gaze drifted towards his cupped bottoms and—I slapped my head.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I grumbled. 

Scolding myself for such an absurd reaction, I watched as he casually approached the Goddess, leaning on the counter behind.  His lazy slouch made it look like he was almost half asleep but I knew better. 

Perking my ears, I heard slips of “Baby” and “run track” and “relay want my dic.k”. 

My mouth bent inwards, biting back a smile.  That is-until the Goddess flourished a beautiful laugh, revealing her crystal blue eyes under that golden sheath. 

My lower core twitched, clenching onto my stomach.  My fists tightened.  Control Jessie.  Control.  I slowly eased my pale knuckles and inhaled a quick breath. 

I contained the strange feeling until Levi led the Goddess to a private room.  In an instant, hot ripples shot through my popping veins.  Cool it, Jessie. 

Glancing anywhere but there, I failed to find Casper.  My heart thumped and I double checked the tables, my neck straining.  “Where did that dipshit go?”

Then the cushion dipped, weight sliding beside me.  Relaxed, I turned and said, “I really hope you weren’t flirting with the-”

My gaze fell to the pale icy hand infested with golden rings.  Fear drizzled down my bones, leaving a trail of Goosebumps.  Wearing an Armani suit and Rolex watch, my feared eyes reached his.  The Eagle’s Eyes. 

“Miss me, wildcat?”

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Bow-wow-WOW

I spoke Chihuahua (You have no idea how many times I had to type that to spell it right. Did you know Chihuahua is a state in Mexico?)

So... little (insert ship name of Levi and Jessie here).

COMMENT what you think the ship name should be because all the ones I’ve thought of suck donkey... (figure out that hidden message yourself). 

Ah yeah, ship name. Little romance as suggested. Humour (ish.. not sure if this chapters was funny). Action. A little bit of everything in this chapter.

Please comment any suggestions or something you need more of like action, or intensity or humour or if it’s perfect the way it is.