5. Bound by Scent
Bound by Scent
Havoc
I woke up groggy, disoriented, and in a strange bed.
My eyes struggled to adjust to the dim room as I frantically tried to piece together where I was.
Where the hell am I?
I blinked my hurt eyes.
Confusion turned to panic when I realized that I had no clothes on, not even boxer briefs.
What the fuck?
Goosebumps prickled my skin.
Then, past events drifted in blurry images in and out of my mind like the hazy fog of a storm-riddled morning.
The female assassin.
I remembered the sharp sting as she shot me with that weird dart. Sudden numbness had spread through my body.
My vision had blurred, but I could still see her sexy figure approaching.
And then, before my consciousness slipped away, she had removed her mask, revealing that captivating face—smooth dark brown skin, sharp cheekbones, full lips, and those striking brown eyes.
She said her name was Onyx.
The image of her face lingered in my mind, a haunting vision that refused to fade.
Where are you, beautiful?
Slowly, I lifted my head off the soft pillow. Every movement was met with a sharp ache, and even turning my neck sent a wave of pain through my body.
Show your face so I can fuck and then kill you.
Shadows covered most of the bedroom, except for a narrow slash of sunlight which snuck through the gap between the curtains to fall right on my face.
It’s the next day. Morning or afternoon.
Next, I noticed something very odd.
Hold on.
The bed rocked from side to side on its own.
I’m on a boat?
I strained my ears and took note of the waves pushing against the outside of the boat and the subtle rumble of the engine in the distance.
This is a medium sized vessel. Perhaps, a small yacht. There’s too much rocking for it to be huge. And the engine is fucking loud.
I lay my head back on the pillow and stared at the shadows dancing on the ceiling.
She’s already gotten me off the island and is now probably taking me to her boss. I’ll have to get free before we arrive.
I returned my thoughts to Onyx.
Like the shadows, she’d slipped in and out of darkness, vanishing when too much light hit her.
I didn’t want to admit it, but I was absolutely impressed.
It sucks that I’ll have to kill you.
I moved my legs and arms around.
Oh.
Nothing was chained or tied up with rope.
Are you kidding me? There’s a reason why millions are on my head. I’m pretty fucking dangerous, sweetie.
Her not keeping me tied didn’t make sense. Surely, she knew that I would wake up eventually. Or maybe she had miscalculated her little sleep serum. I was much bigger than the average man, and would probably require a bit more of whatever she put in that dart.
Still, had I been her. . .I would have chained me up.
Time to get out of here.
Although still sluggish, I sat up in the bed.
Then, movement sounded from the outside of the door like someone was getting ready to come inside.
Shit.
I lay back down, closed my eyes, and heard a key turn in the lock.
Let’s see who this is, before I kill them.
The door swung open with a soft bump.
I lay there, pretending that I was still asleep, letting my chest slowly rise and fall in the rhythm of typical slumber.
Is that you, sweetheart? It must be.
I inhaled, and this scent of orange spice hit my nostrils.
Wait a minute.
I’d caught that same scent in my 100k hotel room.
You were in there, snooping around? Weren’t you?
The fragrance was a delicate blend of tangy citrus and comforting warmth, like a freshly baked orange and spice cake sprinkled with cinnamon, sugar, and cloves.
I could almost taste the burst of zesty orange on my tongue followed by a hint of soothing spice.
Got you.
Now that I knew that the orange spice scent was hers, she could never hide from me again.
I had a heightened sense of smell, akin to a wild wolf. It wasn't just an extraordinary gift; it was a finely honed skill that had saved my life more times than I could count.
Scientists called it hyperosmia.
It was rare, something only a small percentage of humans possessed.
Genetics, many doctors theorized. Some mutation in my olfactory receptors made them more sensitive.
Whatever the reason, it made me damn good at my job.
Once I had the scent of a person, I could find them anywhere. It was to the point that toward the end of my employment, all my employers had to do was give me the person’s shirt or jacket to track them.
If they walked through a hallway an hour ago, I could tell.
I could even smell sheets and figure out the last time the person slept in the bed, and sometimes even if the sleep was comforting or not.
It was one of the many reasons why I remained at the top in the assassin world.
You better not ever try to run from me.
The door clicked shut, and I heard the soft padding of her footsteps approaching the bed.
Come here, sweetie.
The closer she got, the more her scent enveloped me.
Intoxicating.
I waited, muscles tensed and ready.
Perhaps, I’ll lick that pussy, before I fuck and kill you.
My body hummed with hunger.
Onyx might have thought she had the upper hand, but she had greatly underestimated me.
Closer, sweetie.
Onyx continued to walk towards me.
Yes, sweetie, and the next time you take me, make sure you handcuff me. Never leave me with my hands free.
Those very soft footsteps approached the bed.
Closer.
Soon she was right next to the bed, almost blanketing me with her scent.
Fuck.
It took everything in me to hold in my groan.
Mmmm. Will your blood smell like orange spice when I spill it out of your chest?
Seconds later, she leaned over me, and her breath was warm on my face.
Let’s play.
I sat up fast and rushed for her. The sheets and pillows fell from me, falling onto the floor.
She shrieked and stumbled back, holding a syringe in her hand.
Before she could react, I closed the distance between us, smacked that syringe away, and wrapped my fingers around her slender throat, squeezing just enough to startle her, but not enough to completely kill.
Not yet.
Her eyes widened in surprise as she clawed at my hand.
“Hello.” Fast, I shoved her forward.
She stumbled back trying to get out of my hold and remain somewhat standing. And I kept pushing her forward, all the way until her back slammed hard against the door.
“There we go.” I curved my lips into a smile as she struggled against my chokehold. “Now, let’s get a good look at you.”
I slipped my gaze down her body.
Today, she wore a tight, black bodysuit that left nothing to the imagination. Every curve was revealed as the dark fabric hugged her generous body.
Her dreadlocks were in a long ponytail.
She had on black boots.
Had I been a good man, I would’ve decided not to kill her.
She was a sight of athletic beauty, yet all female. Every curve of muscle had feminine softness. She should’ve been on a pedestal somewhere being prayed to and fed grapes.
Too bad you fucked with me.
“Very nice.” I held Onyx against the door, my hand still firmly clutching her throat as she struggled to get free.
While she was difficult to shoot or catch, once she was in arm’s length, she had trouble with a man like me.
There, she choked under my grip. Her body writhed and contorted like a marionette being controlled by a cruel master, her dark brown face shaded with a hint of red that matched the fiery rage in her eyes.
I grinned at her. “I bet you wish you had chained me up.”