Page 7 of Behind the Mask

Kasumi looked away.

When Luther strode into his vision again, pouring a drink at the small bar near his desk, he was dressed in clothes that fit him all too well.Nothing remained the bumbling scholar.No, this was a pirate Captain all right.The blond hair had been neatly trimmed, cut close to his head, just long enough in the front to cover most of his forehead.The blue-gray eyes were sharp and bright as Luther turned to regard him with a smirk on his face.The white shirt, black breeches and jacket accentuated the broad shoulders and chest, the narrow hips and strong legs.He'd pulled on boots that just reached his thighs.

He was infuriating.

"Would you like something to drink?"Luther asked.

"Luther is not your name," Kasumi said.

Luther grinned and poured a brandy, then stalked toward him, kneeling down with the drink held lightly in his fingers."I have so many names, what's one more?If there's another you prefer, by all means use that."

Kasumi said nothing.

"So do you still want to eat?You will have to tell me how to remove the mask."

"No one but I can remove it."

"You said your master could, if I play along with this magic thing.I can call him to take it off."

Kasumi almost wished Luther could see his smirk."He broke our contract back on the ship, remember?He can no longer take it off."

"Why such secrecy?"Luther asked."Who cares what you look like if you wear the mask all the time anyway?Why does it matter?"

"That is none of your business," Kasumi said."Why do you care?"

Luther grinned and touched the mask again."Like I said, I don't like riddles."

Kasumi would have laughed, but circumstances forbid it.Especially since the bastard was still touching his mask.

The fingers fell away."Well, if you do not find a way to let me remove it, then you will starve.If you starve, Minoru starves.The decision is yours."

"I told you," Kasumi replied."I cannot remove it except by taking it off myself.Only my teacher and my master can remove it otherwise.If you want me to eat, you will have to unbind at least one hand, and if you do that I will kill you."

Luther laughed."My men will get to you before you can kill all of them.That aside, you cannot control this ship just the two of you.You are in the middle of the sea with no idea as to your location otherwise.At this point your best and only option is to cooperate."

Kasumi remained silent.

"Hmm.You may want to reconsider.If you refuse to cooperate, then I lose all reason to offer you the chance, and Minoru is one less mouth to feed."

"The minute I am free, I am going to kill you," Kasumi replied.

Luther laughed."It's nothing personal, I assure you.I would treat any job the same way.For what it's worth, my captive, I would rather return Minoru alive.He has nothing to do with this, save as a way to make you cooperate.I kill only when I must, and he is not yet on my must list—unless he must die for you to cooperate."

"Kill him and I lose all reason to cooperate."

"That is true," Luther said."You amuse me."

Kasumi said nothing.

Luther stood up and wandered back to the table, setting his glass down.Then he strode to the door and opened it, calling out.He closed the door and returned to the table."There.Food is on the way, now we must only determine how to get you to eat without killing me."

They sat in silence until a rap at the door broke it, and a sailor entered at Luther's bidding.The smell of food was infuriating.Damn it.

"Unfasten one of his hands after you set that down," Luther ordered."Be careful."

"Yes, Cap'n."

Kasumi waited.

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