Underground

58

Shortly after that, Duchess made me pack a few things to go spend the weekend at her house. She wanted me out of the faction house and to cool off from the events of the week. I saw Lena and her mother as I was leaving the faction house and we glared at each other the entire time. Winter was coming fast in London and it was going to be a very cold one, I could feel it so I packed mostly sweaters. Among the things I packed in my bag, I slipped in the package Bash gave me so I could open it when I was alone. I didn't say much to Duchess on our way to the Manson or at dinner when we sat alone together. It wasn't until I was walking down to the library late that night that she stopped me to say more than two words to me. "Justine."

I paused at the bottom of the stairs and looked up at her, "Yeah."

She looked younger in her silk nightgown, wrapped in a fur with her hair down. I guess she would say the same about me since we were dressed the same way. Duchess gave me a soft smile, "I don't blame you for what you did to Carmen. If I had known she tried to have you killed—"

"I know," I muttered.

"Eric too. He feels horrible even if he won't show it," she stated. I nodded slowly as she turned around and headed up to her room saying her good nights to the servants on her way. I turned around slowly, walking towards the library and smiling at Raoul, who was setting up a fire for me. I settled in front of the fire, in the large chair, wrapping myself in the blanket as I tore open the package. Inside was a book, a journal, bounded in leather and engraved with the letter A on the front. It looked like on of those old books that you would see in an ancient library. I leaned back in the chair and started reading from the first page:

As Atlanteans,
We are to preserve life for all living creatures.

As Assassins,
Our way of life would not be understood by the common rules of man. We are above their laws whether they chose to acknowledge it or not.

The Underground was created to give Atlantis a chance to fight when those who attack us believe we are weak. To ensure peace, to be operate in the shadows and protect our brothers in arms...that's what being an Assassin means.

It is through this that we have survived for so long...

I flipped through a few more pages, frowning at what I was reading. This journal was something like an instruction manual for the Assassins. The purpose, the motto and layout of the organization. Why would Valentine want something like this? He should already know it by now...it's common knowledge to us. I flipped through some more pages leading up to the history of Atlantis but frowned at what I found. Pages were ripped out of the book. I growled in frustration and closed the book, looking at the fire. Why is this so much harder than it should be? Krash probably was the one who ripped the pages out but where would he hide them? In the laptop, the thought crossed my mind.

The door to the library opened as I looked away from the fire and Raoul stepped inside, bowing his head slightly. "Duchess wants me to make sure you go to bed, ma'am," he said quietly. His tone assured me that there was no room for argument and so I nodded slightly asking him to give me a few more minutes. I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate on contacting Joel. I pushed but when he didn't answer after a few minutes, I sighed standing up and following Raoul as he escorted me to my room.

•••

When I woke up I realized that was the best sleep I got in the last few weeks. I peeked open an eye at the digital clock that was on my bedside table and saw it was four in the morning. My room was cold but I was extremely warm under my covers. When I snuggled in deeper I felt something move under me and my eyes popped open. Despite the feeling of comfort I felt, I leaped up a few inches only for muscled arms to wrap themselves around me and pull me back. It can't be—

"Sweetness, relax...it's me."

I looked down at an amused pair of grey eyes and I had to be dreaming. Here was Joel Mason in my bed, shirtless with a curly bedhead. I didn't even want to look under the covers to see if he was wearing anything. He sat up slowly, still managing to sit taller than me and kissed my forehead. A small gesture but it felt so comforting. Joel is here...he's actually here. I threw myself into his arms and he caught me without budge and chuckled, leaning against the headboard. "I'm home, baby," he whispered in my ear.

"I missed you... I couldn't get any of my thoughts to reach you," I said squeezing him harder.

"I should have told you I was going to block you out while on my mission. If I hadn't, I would have rushed home sooner," he confessed. Satisfied with that answer, I threw a leg over his waist and snuggled into his side. I never realized how much I missed doing this until he left for those few weeks. Just like he usually did, he traced an invisible pattern up and down my spine causing me to shiver. "Why are you home? Did you finish the mission?" I asked.

"Yes but the reason I'm home is because Carter called me."

The color drained from my face and I quickly blocked my thoughts. "Carter...called?"
Joel squeezed me lightly, tapping his head, "Through the link. That was the one I kept open and I'm glad I did. My mother and Carter said it was important that I come home. Care to tell me why?"
So Carter didn't tell him about the kiss. Thank God...
I started giving him a play by play of what happened during his absence, his face turning from relaxed to guarded as I spoke but still keeping me close to him. When I finished, Joel closed his eyes for a second and shook his head. "Seems like you had an eventful few weeks," he said.

"Everyone seemed to grow a pair without you around," I replied quietly.

He looked down at me, "Then you need to make a reputation for yourself so they know not to fuck with you whether I'm here or not. I am proud of how you stood up to Carmen."

I smiled, "Really?"

"Yes. I thought for a second they broke your stubbornness," he chuckled pulling me underneath him, settling in between my legs. I blushed when I felt only the heat of his skin against mine and the fullness of his erection. Oh god. Joel pulled down the straps of my nightgown and traced the faded outline of the hickey he left. "I told you I would be back before it faded," he whispered.

"I think you need to renew it," I whispered back which made his gaze swing up at me, glowing a bright silver color. I sat up bring him with me and kissed him deeply, thrusting my fingers into his hair and pulling getting a low growl from him. Joel trailed kissed down my neck all the way down to my navel and stopping at the juncture of my thighs. He placed a kiss on the inside of my thigh then bit me hard causing me to cry out. His head popped up and he glared at me, "Be quiet or you will wake the house."

"If we had our own house this wouldn't be a problem," I thought to him and I heard him chuckle as he proceed to lash me with his tongue. I bit the back of my hand to drown out the moans that escaped from my mouth. Joel wrapped his hands around my thighs and held tightly so I couldn't move. Just when I got towards release he would stop, wait and then start back up again. "Joel...please."

"Please what?"

Don't do this. "I want you...please."

Joel sat up and hovered over me, placing kisses over my body, grabbing onto my breast and pushing my legs apart to sink himself into me without taking his eyes off of me. I missed the way he looked at me like I was the most precious thing in his world. It made me feel special. Joel kissed me hard as he thrusted hard into me, covering my mouth and pulling onto my hair. I tightened myself around him and he groaned starting to move slowly. "Justine," he growled. "Give me more, baby."
I gasped knowing for a fact this was going to be quicker than usual. Joel gripped my hips tightly as he started pumping into me hard. I clawed at his back receiving a growl from him and he reached a hand down to play with my clít. In seconds, I came undone in his arms, panting hard as he came inside me. His head dropped in the curve of my neck giving a content sigh.