"I wondered when you would turn up. Do you want a bun? " Alannah asked.
"Why not?" Akihiko Said with a chuckle as he sat down.
"So why are you here?" Alannah asked.
"I thought that was obvious, I am here for you Alannah. I have come to take you home with me" Akihiko said with a smile.
Oh, that is a bit dramatic! Am I going to get a choice in the matter? " Alannah said, popping a bun into her mouth.
"Well, I was hoping we could," Akihiko said.
Pick up where we left off over 5 years ago? You left me with no explanation and just a bloody fan! " Alannah pointed out
"Is that what they told you?" Akihiko said.
"What do you mean by that?" Alannah said.
"I asked to marry you, but Tao and Maya refused point-blank.
The Hydras were disqualified from matches because we were not cursed ones. I was told to get out of the country, "Akihiko said."
"You what?" Alannah said shocked.
"I know, right? It is like the people around you are not telling you the truth! " Akihiko said mockingly.
Alannah rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Come with me, Alannah; together we will be forced to reckon with. I am the Chairman of the Japanese Syndicate and we want real change! With you by my side, we can end people being sold to pay debts. It is barbaric! " Akihiko said. Akihiko could tell that Alannah was tempted and moved closer to her.
"It is just... I am with someone, Akihiko," Alannah said, and Akihiko laughed.
"Do you mean Kurt Blackwood? He will never understand you or realise how special you are, "Akihiko said seriously."
"He loves me, and I love him!" Alannah snapped.
"That may be, but you know you can never be his queen. Akihiko said, "James knows it and you do too if you are being honest with yourself."
"You know nothing Akihiko!" Alannah snapped.
"Touched a nerve did I?" Akihiko Said smirking.
"Shut up, I forgot how annoying you are!" Alannah said and Akihiko burst out laughing.
"You are so cute when you are angry," Akihiko said as he bopped her on the nose.
Alannah rolled her eyes again. She heard her phone go off, and she took it out of her pocket. She had dozens of messages from everyone.
"I better go, people, are getting worried!" Alannah said, as she got up Akihiko grabbed her wrist. Alannah felt a small sharp pain as one of his nails pierced her skin.
"Akihiko, let go!" Alannah said.
"No! One way or another, you will be coming home with me!" Akihiko said. Alannah quickly got out of his hold and started to walk away.
"Not happening!" Alannah snapped.
"Don't you turn your back on me!" Akihiko growled and made to grab her. Alannah dodged quickly and turned around, moving into a fighting stance.
"Akihiko, what the fuck are you doing?" Alannah shouted. But, Akihiko did not answer; he just simply attacked again. Alannah blocked them easily and managed to get a kick to the chest, making Akihiko smirk.
"Why are you so happy?" Alannah demanded.
"Oh, for two reasons. One, you have improved greatly, "Akihiko said.
"The second?" Alannah asked.
"The second is that you should start feeling the effects of the sedative soon," Akihiko said.
"What?" Alannah said as her vision started to spin. "What did you do, Akihiko?"
"Just my little insurance policy!" Akihiko said, "attacking again." Alannah tried to block them, but each of his hard punches hit their target. Alannah fell to her knees and coughed up some blood.
"I wanted to do this the easy way, but you had to fight me! One of the reasons why I love you so much, "Akihiko said, as he grabbed the back of her neck and pinned her across his knee. If Alannah struggled, she would be in danger of breaking her back.
"Please!" Alannah said.
"Shhh... it is much better if you don't struggle or talk. I promise you will be well looked after. After all, you will be my wife! " Akihiko said.
"Kurt!" Alannah said as she felt herself starting to lose consciousness.
Oh Alannah, once you are back in my bed, I swear you will forget all about him!" Akihiko said as he traced her lips with his fingers.
Akihiko bent down and gently kissed her lips. They tasted as sweet as he remembered. The next thing he heard was the sound of a rifle being cocked.
"Get your filthy hands off my daughter!" Theo commanded as he aimed his rifle at Akihiko.
"Daughter?" Akihiko said, surprised.
"Are you deaf as well as fucking stupid?" Theo said.
"But... you're an Evans!" Akihiko said.
"Yes, which means he is not known for his patience. Now be a good lad and hand over the girl. My boss is mightily protective over the red-haired lass there! " Frank said that he came behind Akihiko, also with a gun.
"Lass!" Alannah said and chuckled sleepily.
"What the fuck did you do?" Theo roared.
Akihiko was ignoring him."Of course, she is a Lioness and I bet she does not know!" He muttered.
Hand her over now or I will put a bullet in your head," Theo said.
"Hmm, how rude of me not to introduce myself. I am Akihiko." Akihiko said.
"We know who you are, lad, now just move away from the lass!" Frank said.
But then you would shoot me anyway. I might as well go out with a bang! " As Akihiko pointed out,
Alannah coughed again and some more blood came up. Alannah began to wheeze.
Theo said, "I give you my word as an Evans that if you let my daughter go, you will walk away unharmed."
"I would take the offer, laddie!" said Frank.
"Fine! But you know I would make a much better husband for her than Kurt would!" Akihiko said.
"I don't give a fuck about your dating advice!" Theo said as he slowly put down his gun and walked over to Akihiko.
Akihiko stood up and held Alannah in the bridal hold. He then slowly handed her over to Theo.
"What did you use?" Theo demanded.
"Just the standard. She will be fine in a few hours!" Akihiko said.
"Alannah better be! Now, fuck off before I break my word! " Theo said, and Akihiko smiled.
"This is not over, you know!" Akihiko warned, and Frank cocked his rifle.
"He said, 'Fuck off, laddie!" Frank said, and Akihiko turned around and walked into the trees.
"I thought the only threat was the Russians. Now we have the bloody Japanese as well!" Theo moaned as he carried Alannah back to the car.
"Alannah is an Evans woman. They are always special. I like Grace and all, but Alannah is more like us! " Frank said with a shrug.
"Aye, Alannah is a lioness alright!" Theo said as he started the car and drove back to the warehouse.
=========================================================================================================
"I am sure she will be alright, Kurt!" Grace said as she was setting up the medical room with Maya.
"I can't just stay around here!" Kurt snapped.
"You will just be in the way, the Mad Dogs and the Nine-Tails know what they are doing. You should be more worried about James; he is beside himself! " Grace said, reproachfully.
"So he should be!" Kurt said, angrily pacing.
James can be an arrogant twit sometimes, but his heart is in the right place. "I think he's been punished enough," Grace said.
"Last time I checked, you were a Phoenix and not a Queen!" Kurt said.
"Ouch!" Grace said.
Kurt suddenly heard the front door fling open.
Is she OK? "he heard Xan ask.
"Yes, call the rest of the groups back!" Theo said as he walked to the medical room. Kurt opened the door and saw a bloody Alannah in Theo's arms.
"Alannah!" Kurt said, rushing over to her.
"Uncle put her on the bed here. What happened? " Grace said as Alannah was laid down.
"That child, Akihiko, found her, drugged her somehow." By the looks of it, Alannah tried to fight back and got beaten up in the process. He was trying to kiss her when we arrived, even though she was unconscious. " Theo said.
"I am going to kill him!" Kurt said.
"Owww!" Alannah murmured as Grace checked her over.
Sorry, Alannah! She has some bruising on her ribs and a cut on her wrist where the drug must have gotten into her system. It seems to be a mild anti-coagulate, which is where all the blood is coming from. I will administer medication to help her blood clot, but she is fine. My cousin is one tough cookie! " Grace said with a small smile.
"I can't go with you Akihiko...I love Kurt!" Alannah mumbled.
Alannah! " Kurt said, grabbing her hand.
"Akihiko, he..he is coming!" Alannah said in a panicked voice.
"And we will be ready for him, I promise!" Kurt said as he stroked her hair.
"We better be, Akihiko said it was not over!" "Theo I said as there was a knock at the door. Xan popped his head around with James.
"Nine-tails are on their way back. How is she?" Xan asked.
"She will be fine!" Grace said as she finished setting up the drip with Maya.
"Of course, she will be, she has the best doctor in the world looking after her!" Xan said as he went over and kissed Grace on the cheek. James looked like a kicked puppy and was hanging around the doorway.
"Why don't we all give these two some privacy?" Grace said as she herded everyone out of the room and shut the door.
"Erm, how is she?" James asked.
Alannah was fine; the Japanese chairman had just beaten her up a little, Kurt explained.
"What?" James asked, confused.
"I will explain later!" Kurt sighed. "
"I am sorry boss, I did not know she was Theo's daughter!" James said.
Kurt snapped his head around and glared. It shouldn't matter! I have chosen her to be my Queen; the fact that she is Theo's daughter is irrelevant! We only found out a few days ago! " Kurt said.
"I..am Theo's daughter?" Alannah said weakly.
Kurt turned to find a very shocked-looking Alannah.
"Shit! James gets Theo please!" Kurt said. It was at that point that Alannah threw up.