Kai & Raven

(Raven's POV)

The tattoo gun buzzed against my skin, sending sharp pricks of pain through my wrist, but I barely flinched. Pain was something I was used to. Physical, emotional, mental—it had all become background noise over the years.

Sophia, on the other hand?

She was dying.

"Oh my God, I hate this. I hate this. I hate this," she muttered under her breath, gripping the chair's armrests like she was in a life-or-death situation.

I smirked. "You know, for someone studying medicine, you have a terrible tolerance for pain."

Sophia shot me a glare but couldn't even bring herself to respond as the tattoo artist continued etching ink into her skin.

Julian—Jules, as we called him—snickered from his spot beside me. "She's acting like she's getting her arm chopped off."

"Shut up, Jules," Sophia groaned.

Valentina—Val—leaned forward, grinning. "I gotta say, I didn't expect this from you, Soph. The girl who can recite entire anatomy textbooks by heart is afraid of a little ink?"

Sophia let out a dramatic sigh. "I deal with injuries, Val. I don't sign up for them willingly."

I shook my head, amused. "You'll survive."

She glared at me. "Easy for you to say, Rav. You're a machine."

I smirked at the nickname. Only my friends called me that, and for some reason, it always made me feel… safe. Like I was real around them, not just the weapon I had been trained to be.

"Speaking of survival," Jules said, "I have a brilliant idea."

I arched a brow. "Doubt it."

He gasped dramatically. "How dare you? My ideas 2are amazing."

Val rolled her eyes. "Spit it out, Jules."

Jules leaned forward, grinning. "A weekend getaway. One last trip before graduation. My family's beach house is free. What do you guys say?"

Sophia perked up. "You mean an actual vacation?"

Val smirked. "No missions, no stress, just fun?"

Jules nodded. "Exactly."

I hesitated. A weekend away? With no obligations? It sounded… foreign.

But then I looked at them—Sophia, Jules, and Val—laughing, teasing, living. And maybe, just for a little while, I wanted to do the same.

I sighed. "Fine. But don't expect me to be social."

Jules grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it, Ravie."

I threw my empty water bottle at him.

—

A Trip to Remember

The beach house was nothing short of luxurious. Floor-to-ceiling windows, an infinity pool that stretched toward the horizon, and a private beach with white sand.

Jules let out a low whistle. "Damn, Val. This place is sick"

Val smirked. "Rich people vibes ."

Sophia gasped as she stepped inside. "This place is a dream."

I dropped my bag on the couch and stretched. "As long as the beds are comfortable, I don't care."

"Speaking of which," Jules said, "I call the biggest room."

Val shot him a deadpan look. "It's my house."

Jules winked. "And I am your favorite."

"Absolutely not."

We all laughed as we explored the house. For once, I felt light. Like the weight of my other life—the one filled with blood and secrets—didn't exist here.

That night, we lounged by the way floated lazily on a pool float, sipping a drink.

"Rav," he called, "get in."

I stretched out on a lounge chair, sunglasses hiding my eyes. "Pass."

Val groaned. "You're impossible."

The next thing I knew, they grabbed me.

"Don't you dare—"

I was launched into the water before I could finish my sentence.

I surfaced, spluttering. "You. Are. Dead."

Jules and Val shrieked, scrambling out of the pool before I could grab them.

Sophia, still dry, laughed. "You look like a drowned cat."

I flipped them off, but a grin tugged at my lips.

This… this was nice.

—

The Call That Changed Everything

The call came at 2 AM.

The second my phone vibrated, I was already reaching for it, instincts kicking in.

"Target confirmed. Location sent."

No pleasantries. No hesitation. Just business.

I exhaled slowly, slipping out of bed without a sound. The others were fast asleep. Good.

I pulled on my gear and disappeared into the night.

The mission was supposed to be easy. A quick job. But the second I stepped onto the rooftop, I knew something was wrong.

The bullet tore through my side before I even saw the shooter.

Pain flared, but I bit down on it, moving on instinct. Three shots, three bodies. Over.

I pressed a hand against my wound, breathing heavily. Sloppy, Raven.

By the time I stumbled back to the house, dawn was breaking.

—

The Truth Comes Out

I barely made it through the door before Sophia's voice rang out.

"Oh my God—RAVEN!"

I blinked as three pairs of hands grabbed me.

"Holy—you're bleeding."

Jules looked pale. Val had a grip on my arm like she thought I'd collapse any second.

Sophia was already running for the first-aid kit.

Jules's voice was sharp. "What the hell happened?"

I exhaled. "It's nothing."

"NOTHING?" Val snapped. "You're covered in blood, Raven."

I sighed. No more hiding.

"I'm an assassin."

Silence.

Sophia stopped in her tracks. Jules blinked. Val just stared.

I met their eyes. Waiting.

Then Jules let out a slow whistle. "Damn. That explains a lot."

Sophia swallowed. "How long?"

I hesitated. "Since I was thirteen."

Jules let out a low laugh. "So you're, like, a professional killer?"

I nodded.

Val smirked. "That's kinda badass."

I blinked. "You're… okay with this?"

Jules scoffed. "Oh, I'm definitely processing. But mostly, I just realized how many times you could've killed me in my sleep."

I laughed despite myself.

Sophia exhaled, stepping closer. "We should be terrified, Rav. But honestly? We're just glad you're okay."

For the first time in years, I wasn't alone.

—