Chapter 8 “Blood Bond”

Chapter 8 “Blood Bond”

As Toya appeared back within his realm, landing in front of the time portal, the first thing he did was inhale a deep shaky breath trying to recover from what had just happened. His breath stopped and his gaze instantly narrowed. He could smell Kyou's scent… strong and annoying.

"Damn it." Toya growled as he flipped over one of the white stones surrounding the maiden statue. He landed gracefully on his feet still feeling the effects Kyoko had just had on him. If he didn’t know better, he would have said that he was stronger and faster than he’d ever been.

He really wasn’t in the mood to deal with Kyou's frustrating personality and suddenly he had to deal with this weird jealousy that flooded his veins. "What the hell do you want now?" Toya growled out not even bothering to look for him.

From nowhere, Kyou descended beside Toya on silent feet. He watched his brothers every move noticing something a little different about his aura. His powers seemed to have grown and Kyou’s lips thinned at the thought. Just what had Toya been doing during his absence from this world?

"You gave her my message." It was a statement, not a question, his white shirt glowing against the shadowy background.

Toya gritted his teeth and his claws dug into the palms of his hands as he glared at his high and mighty brother. What was Kyou doing hanging out at the maiden shrine? Was he going to just stalk the place until Kyoko happened to show back up on this side of the time portal?

"She doesn’t trust you and honestly, neither do I. But she has agreed to meet with you.” Toya’s body tensed angrily as he added, “However, because of you… it will be awhile before she will be able to come back."

Seeing Kyou's eyes grow suspicious, Toya placed the blame where it rightfully needed to be. "She has to heal first, you ass. She hurt herself running away from you, remember?" He spat the words at his brother then clinched his teeth when he felt Kyou's aura calm some instead of the self-righteous anger he’d expected.

Kyou smiled inwardly. So, she is only waiting to heal. This was all he had wanted to know. When she did come back… he would be ready for her. He would make her not want to run from him but run to him this time. Kyou turned his back on Toya as if to dismiss him.

Toya growled knowing his brother had something up his sleeve. "I'm not sure what kind of game you’re playing with Kyoko, but if she so much as gets one more scratch on her… I will fight you for real this time,” he meant every word as his golden eyes quickly changed to silver.

Kyou stood motionless for a moment then slightly turned his head, sliding his icy gaze in Toya's direction. He could smell Kyoko’s scent clinging to his brother’s body. "The same goes for when she is with you. I will show no mercy if a drop of her blood is spilled."

He turned away then added, “As for games… you will lose. I know you have been close to her… closer than normal.”

The corner of his lip lifted but there was no humor in the smile. “If she agrees to mate with you, then yes, she will be out of my reach and it would not surprise me if you took such a drastic measure. However, you forgot one little thing dear brother. Guardian or not, you are susceptible to death. If something… unfortunate were to happen to you, then it would fall upon me to… help her. So, in essence, you will not win regardless of the outcome.”

Kyou's voice had been dangerously low and Toya had to suppress a shiver. He hated how Kyou always seem to best him without even trying. As he watched Kyou leave, he smirked to himself thinking, ‘I hope the spell against Kyou is a good one and very painful’.

Then the smirk disappeared as Toya remembered the spell would work on him as well. He began to curse in a language that had not been spoken in hundreds of years.

***** It was the middle of the night and Kyoko was running out of idea’s to keep from falling asleep. It wasn’t that she was scared to dream… it was that she knew the dream would come and she really didn’t know why.

Reaching across her nightstand, she grabbed up the small hand mirror and glanced at her reflection. ‘Yep… her eyes were starting to look like Kyou’s on a bad day.’ She laughed at her own joke. Maybe if she were thinking of the right things as she fell asleep, then she wouldn’t wind up captive to the enemy again.

Kyoko couldn’t stop the slight blush that came with the memory of Hyakuhei within her twisted dream realm.

She laid the mirror back down and curled up using her extra cover as a body pillow. She had the sensation of being watched but no one had come in and the open window was empty. Her heavy sigh sounded very loud in the enclosed space making her burrow further into the softness of her bed.

Closing her eyes, Kyoko imagined her guardians all around the campfire going through a bag of goodies she had brought them from her world. In the illusion, she placed a lidded pot on a rock by the fire, then fell into a fit of laughter when Kamui leaned near it just in time for the popcorn inside to start popping.

“I’m gonna have to bring this stuff for real sometime,” Kyoko mumbled to herself as she felt sleep getting closer and she concentrated harder on only funny thoughts.

As Kamui skidded backwards from the alive pot, Shinbe handed him a little red ball he’d just taken out of the wrapper. Before Kyoko could warn him that the candy was hot, Kamui had popped it into his mouth. She so wanted to do this for real… next time.

As she watched, the dream changed as if a drop of water had hit the surface of the image and she was left all alone. No… she wasn’t alone. She looked up into Kyou’s golden eyes wondering where he’d come from. He was looking at her so strangely… as if she had just said or done something that had hurt him deeply. But for the life of her, Kyoko didn’t know what had just taken place.

Her scenery quickly changed as she felt something behind her and she was yanked from Kyou's arms. ‘Why had Kyou been holding her so tenderly?’ she wondered in confusion. One arm came around from behind her and another rose to release a huge bolt of energy straight into the unsuspecting guardian lord, sending Kyou crashing into the ground wounded.

Fearing for her own life, Kyoko twisted and kicked within the tight hold trying to free herself. Finally seeing she couldn't, she turned her head, coming face to face with the seething eyes of Hyakuhei. Kyoko inhaled in fright.

Hyakuhei's ebony hair was floating all around him and his eyes were as red as freshly spilt blood and focused directly on the wounded Kyou still lying unconscious on the ground. Anger radiated from him in waves. Noticing something below her vision glowing, she lowered her gaze to his chest and gasped.

Talismans, slivers of the guardian heart crystal that she’d helped him find were embedded within his chest, lending him immense strength. She jerked her eyes back to Kyou hoping he was all right. Kyoko knew without a doubt she would have to stop Hyakuhei from killing him while he lay there unable to fight back.

Tears came making her vision waver as she stared down at the wounded guardian and knew… she had somehow betrayed him. Kyoko panicked and doing what she hoped was the right thing to save Kyou, she placed her palms softly on Hyakuhei's cheeks praying he would not hurt her, forcing his livid glare from Kyou to her.

"Hyakuhei please, let's just go. Take me away from here… please." Her voice was laced with tears. She didn’t want to see Kyou die and with every second that passed, she could feel her heart shatter bit by bit.

Kyoko watched in fascination as Hyakuhei’s eyes met hers and the red slowly disappeared… turning them a soft midnight as he tightened his hold on her. His facial features turning back to the unusual beauty that made him the dark angel he was. Even his hair began to lower while the anger slowly seeped from him as he held Kyoko in his arms.

He didn’t look like an enemy at all and her heart sped up in confusion. Had he just saved her from Kyou or had she just saved Kyou from him.

Without a word, Hyakuhei slipped backward into the black void still open behind him. The same way he had snuck up on them, he departed taking Kyoko with him as the void closed in front of them.

Hyakuhei held Kyoko to him as he lowered them back into the same cave they’d shared when he had first taken her. He had created the void to bring him straight to her but what had met his eyes had angered him. Kyou holding her… Kyou had thought he’d won… that he could take Kyoko away from him. But Hyakuhei could feel the bond he himself had created with the priestess and it called to him… telling him where to find her.

As they approached the entrance to the cave, he inhaled her scent but smelling Kyou’s possessive scent on her backfired… making him angry again. He swept them through the entrance and lowered them to the dark furs covering a large part of the cave floor.

Kyoko’s mind flashed back to the last time she’d been with him… his arm had been severed and had been dangling from her. Her gaze traveled once again to that same arm noticing he was fully healed. She knew it was the power of the slivers of guardian heart crystal he had placed within his chest. Her lips parted, for some reason… she was glad the talismans had healed him.

As he lowered them to the furs, he shifted her to where she was sideways in his lap. He still hadn't spoken. Her gaze stayed riveted to his face wondering what he would do next. It wasn't that she was afraid. She was just weary with everything that had happened in such a short time. Kyoko had come to expect the unexpected.

Hyakuhei was still trying to calm his anger as he rocked Kyoko in his arms. His gaze traveling across her precious face, seeing what Kyou had seen only moments before.

“Kyoko… who is it that you love?” his voice was deceptively soft. His hair began to rise out around him on its own accord as he studied her.

She couldn’t lie no matter the circumstances… so she simply told him the truth. “It is a guardian I love.”

His roar of rage echoed off the walls of the cave before the sound made its way up through the passage, ricocheting off the walls and dislodging smaller rocks to send them cascading down in showers.

Kyoko tensed, closing her eyes thinking this was the end. She leaned forward, hiding her face in his still bare chest, not wanting to see the angry look in his eyes again as fear washed over her. She had saved Kyou from death only to insure her own.

As soon as Hyakuhei felt Kyoko's arms go around his ribs and her face press into his chest, he calmed, smelling her fear. His eyes hardened slightly in determination as he whispered, “I… am a guardian.”

He refused to accept that it was another guardian she might love but in the back of his mind he knew. He knew Kyou was probably already searching for her once again and would be able to detect her whereabouts even at a great distance. He was sure right now the golden guardian could even feel her fear. A slow smile lifted his angelic lips.

His mind clung to this one solution. He could counter their bond with one of his own. Reaching down to place a finger under her chin, Hyakuhei brought her frightened emerald eyes to his. His lips descended on hers, demanding and warm, at the same time entering her mind while her attention was on the unexpected kiss.

Within her mind, he found what he was looking for and stroked her desire, making it flame. Twining her hair into his hand, his lips left hers to trail around her ear to the back of her neck where he drew slow kisses around in a circle. He didn’t want to hurt her so he sought to take her mind from what he was about to do.

His free hand caressed its way down her ribs and across her thigh before coming back up under the short skirt. He cupped the center of her, feeling instant heat. He would bring her pleasure without taking away her innocence as he caressed her through the thin cloth.

Kyoko couldn't think. She could only feel as his hands touched her in an area no one had ever touched her. She felt heat pool there as he pressed against her in a rhythm that was driving her crazy with sensations. Then it happened. She cried out softly as the spasms started from her center, spreading out from her… at the same time she felt his teeth enter her at the base of her neck lending fuel to the cry.

Hyakuhei had bit his own tongue right before breaking her skin so that their blood would mingle. He left his guardian’s mark on her flesh and at the same time the scent of her arousal surrounded him. They would now share a blood bond that would last beyond time.

Feeling her go limp, he gently kissed the mark he had given her and lowered her hair. Satisfied, he gently laid her down on the fur and stretched out beside her. He once again curled his body around her, knowing it was now safe to sleep. The other guardians would not find her here. He had marked her and she now belonged to him… for eternity.

***** As the dream ended, Kyoko’s emerald eyes flashed open. She sat bolt upright to find herself still within her world… in her own bed. Sliding from the sheets, she tiptoed to her bedroom mirror and turned around taking the smaller mirror within her hand. Almost afraid to know the truth, she took her hair in her other hand and pulled it to the side.

Her lips parted in a soft gasp as she wondered if the feather shaped birthmark had always been there… or if it was a gift left by the dream.

***** Hyakuhei had fallen asleep with the small mirror in his hand and as he opened his eyes, he brought the mirror up in front of him. A slow tainted smile curved the corners of his lips as he watched the priestess check for the mark she had received within their shared dream. His lips parted to his own amazement as he witnessed the finding of the mark still just under her hairline.

“How did you put that mark on her when it was only a dream?” Hyakuhei demanded knowing the dream sprite was listening. “You do not have that power.”

The dream demons answer would haunt him for eternity. “A blood bond never fades… you are right, I do not have this power.”

***** Toya had been sitting in The Heart of Time for hours; waiting. This had been the longest he could ever remember them being separated and it was slowly killing him. If he ever lost her… he leaned his head back against the maiden statue knowing this was as close as he dared to get for now.

***** Kyoko flexed her muscles checking for any lingering soreness and was satisfied to find none. She wiggled her toes a bit also checking for any twitches or signs of discomfort. It’d been five days of nervousness. Now she was just ready to get it over with. Besides, she missed the others and she knew the longer she stayed here in her world, the more dangerous the other side would become.

She had her backpack ready and was getting tired of waiting on Toya to come for her. She shouldn’t go until she knew Sennin was there on the other side waiting for her… but no one had ever accused her of being patient. Trying to be as slow as possible, she walked across the grass toward the time portal.

“I’m just killing time,” Kyoko tried to convince herself not to do anything rash like show up unannounced… that was what had landed her in this trouble in the first place. She couldn't help but wonder about the spell they’d somehow created to keep Kyou from kidnapping her again. She carried her bag to the shrine beside her house, planning on meeting Toya when he came for her.

Not paying attention when she opened the door to the shrine house, she collided with a solid wall and stumbled backwards.

Toya was quick to reach out and steady her, pulling her into his arms to keep her from falling. For several breaths everything became silent and still making him not want to let go. "Kyoko, you have to be more careful, dummy." He frowned, “I told you I’d come and get you when everything was set.” His gaze narrowed on her, “I know you weren’t planning on NOT waiting for me… were you?”

He gazed down into her eyes knowing that’s exactly what she was probably up to. “Damn it Kyoko!”

Kyoko had been nervous enough without this and she pushed against his chest, creating distance she desperately needed. She glanced up at him innocently, hoping he wouldn’t notice she had almost jumped out of her skin. "Is Sennin waiting for me?"

She breathed a sigh of relief seeing him nod then shrieked when Toya lifted her into his arms and turned to carry her back into the shrine, quickly touching the maiden’s hands.

"Toya! Put me… " It was too late, they were crossing the void and her voice was lost as the neon blue waves of unfelt liquid encased them. During the few seconds it took to cross into a different dimension, she stared up at Toya within the blue glowing mist.

His hair lifted at the ends as if to softly dance around his perfect face. The highlights within his long locks now glimmered blue instead of silver. Her hungry gaze once again drifted to his slightly parted lips and she felt her cheeks heat up.

‘What am I thinking?’ Kyoko chastised herself as she quickly looked away. She closed her eyes for a second and could still see him within the magical light… untamed perfection.

When Kyoko felt Toya's feet land on solid ground, she wiggled out of his arms. "I can walk, you know." She huffed, sliding her bag over her shoulder only to have him take it from her. “Toya what’s the matter with you?” She stomped her foot.

Toya took a couple retreating steps back, knowing she was still ticked at him for treating her like a baby… he’d done it without thinking. He shrugged when she sliced a pointed glance at him and he cocked a brow at her as if to say. "What?"

“Don’t give me that look Toya, I know better. You don’t have to treat me like I’m going to break in half.” Kyoko folded her arms across her chest and turned her back on him only to find herself face to face with Sennin. Her nervousness came back tenfold.

"Um… hi Sennin, do you have the spell?" she asked quietly.

Sennin nodded. "Indeed I do. If given more time, I would have been able to come up with something more potent. But if you wish, I can try concocting something more along those lines. In the meantime, this will have to do.”

“I… I trust you,” Kyoko stammered over the words getting cold chills crawling up her arms. Somewhere deep inside her, she knew this was a bad idea but she stubbornly told that sixth since to shut the hell up as she squared her shoulders.

Sennin held out his hand to her with a simple request, “Give me your right hand, Kyoko.”

The old man watched as Kyoko hesitantly reached out her hand to him. Taking her little finger, he slid on a slim gold colored band that had a small piece of the guardian heart crystal in the center of it. The ring looked much like an engagement ring from her world. The old man whispered a short chant. The band lit up as if on fire… sealing the enchantment before the flames faded from view.

Kyoko felt her finger tingling with sensation. When Sennin released her finger, she brought it up to look at it in confusion. The ring had become part of her finger… as if sinking into her skin but it didn't hurt at all. As a matter of fact, she couldn't even feel it. Flipping her hand over, she examined both sides of the beautiful golden loop and what looked like a blue diamond.

"Are you sure something like this is gonna work on Kyou?" She breathed in wonder.

Sennin withheld his smile. "The only people it should work on are Toya and Kyou. I made the spell so it would not hurt. This spell might make Kyou angry but it will not cause him pain."

Secretly, he wished to see the look on Kyou’s face the first time Kyoko cast him with the spell. Sennin mentally smirked knowing the mischievous guardian’s habits were rubbing off on him more and more.

Kyoko raised both brows at that. "So… it will only hurt his conceited pride.” She bit her bottom lip curiously studying the ring then smiled, “That’s fair enough… I guess. How does it work?"

Sennin slid a sideways glance at Toya. "We will test it on the silver guardian."

Toya's eyebrow twitched at hearing the old man’s words. His face fell for a moment as he announced, “I hate you.” Hearing Kyoko giggle, Toya just rolled his eyes snarling. "Just do it and get it over with." He stood stiffly with his arms folded into his sleeves, not knowing what to expect and not liking that fact, but he would sacrifice anything at this point just to keep Kyou away from his Kyoko.

“Kyoko, tell him to go away,” Sennin said with a smug expression on his face.

Kyoko smiled, remembering she was a little mad at him and narrowed her eyes. "Go away." The small stone glowed within the ring. She took a step back and her hand rose to cover her mouth when Toya instantly disappeared. With nervous eyes, she swung back to Sennin.

"Where did he go?" Kyoko asked in a shaky voice, suddenly wanting Toya back. After all… she wasn’t THAT mad at him. Where in the world did she send him? Knowing Sennin’s sense of humor… Toya was probably hanging from a nearly dead tree branch over a lake of molten lava somewhere.

Sennin chuckled, secretly wanting to do the happy dance but withheld his sick sense of humor at the startled look on Kyoko’s face. This was fun… even more so than watching Shinbe let Suki beat on him when the amethyst guardian could stop her at any time he wanted to.

"He should only be about a mile or so from here and unharmed. The same would happen if it were Kyou. Although the spell may be a little weaker on Kyou due to the fact he has more power against such spells… meaning, he may land closer or the spell may not hold him at bay for as long as it does his brother.”

Toya looked around the overly quiet forest and growled. One second he had been with Kyoko… then the next, he was in the middle of the fucking woods. He felt his hackles rise.

"Damn, Sennin." This was worse than the taming spell. Granted he wasn't hurt… or eating dirt, but now it would take him longer to get back to her. What would Kyoko do if she used it on him out of anger and Kyou showed up AFTER the fact? Knowing the girl, she would panic if that were to happen. Toya’s overactive imagination kicked into high gear. He needed to get back to her before Kyou did show up.

He started to take a step and… instantly a long stream of curses left his lips as he found himself frozen in place.

"Damn it, now what?" He hissed through clenched teeth. “When I’m able to move again… I’m going to kill that old wizard.”

The forest teemed with life and Toya found himself glaring at everything around him… even the grass. The vegetation rustled with insects, lizards and the occasional rabbit or squirrel. His eyebrows furrowed together when the birds rustling in the trees above him seemed to chirp louder and louder. Finally he couldn’t take it anymore and sent a murderous glare up at them.

“SHUT THE HELL UP!” He shouted.

The birds took flight in different directions and Toya smirked in satisfaction. At least now it was quiet enough for him to think. Unfortunately, that also gave him time to start thinking of even more worse-case scenarios. One of them was Kyou finding him in this position with no way to defend himself. He could hear the sadistic teasing now.

Okay, now it was official… Sennin was going to die and Kyoko was about to lose a finger.

Toya groaned in frustration. First off, he couldn’t do that to her and second… Sennin needed to come up with another spell before he met his maker. Why couldn’t things go the way he wanted them to for once?

Regrettably, Toya wasn’t paying much attention to what was happening with the spell and had been unconsciously leaning into his paralysis. The spell abruptly wore off and he fell face first to the ground… ending up with a mouth full of dirt. Lifting his head, he spit out a couple of leaves that had made their way into his mouth with the fall. His eyes glared with molten silver streaks as his fingers dug into the earth.

“That’s it!” In less than the blink of an eye, Toya was up and running at top speed toward the maiden statue with every intention of torturing a certain sick and demented old man.

Sennin and Kyoko were both standing there waiting on him when he returned and Toya skidded to a stop right in front of Sennin. "Damn it, did you have to make it take so long, you old fossil?" Toya practically snarled at him then repeated his earlier statement. “I hate you.”

Sennin didn’t even flinch. "Wonderful, I see it worked. Once away, you found you could not move?" Seeing Toya’s eyes turn into mere slits, Sennin’s withered face split into a grin. "This spell will do. It will keep Kyou at bay if he gets out of hand." He turned on his heels and started back for the village, leaving the two alone.

Toya seethe as he watched the old man walk away, then he turned back with a jerk to see Kyoko smiling.

"What are you smiling about?" He asked with a sinking feeling. “You better not be thinking about using that thing on me when you get mad.” He exclaimed while pointing at the little golden band.

Kyoko couldn't have been happier. "I wasn’t smiling. I’m ready to start hunting the talismans whenever you are," She said, trying to cover the smile with words but it wasn't working. So… walking past him, she followed Sennin, leaving Toya steaming.

***** The following morning, Kyoko was bombarded with Kamui’s pleading while they walked through the countryside, resuming their search for the talismans.

“Please?” he begged with small starburst of colors dancing in his shimmering eyes. He looked just like a child with a new toy he hadn’t played with yet.

Kyoko giggled and shook her head. “Sorry Kamui, I can’t.”

“Oh come on!” he whined. “Just once, I want to see the look on his face.”

Toya growled over his shoulder at them but didn’t say anything. He trusted that Kyoko wasn’t that stupid… he hoped.

Kyoko couldn’t hold it in and laughed nervously. “I don’t think you want to deal with the consequences if I were to do it. You do know that when he gets back… you’ll be the first one he goes after.”

“But it would be so worth it,” Kamui said dreamily then glanced at her with the same pleading look again. “Please.”

“No Kamui,” Kyoko said trying not to laugh outright.

Kamui fell to his knees while Kyoko kept walking, “Come on… look, I’m on my hands and knees begging.”

“Shut the hell up,” Toya barked. “She said no and that’s all there is to it. If you don’t quit begging her I will…”

Kyoko activated the Taming spell and Toya fell forward with his face in the dirt once more. Kamui immediately ran to him and came to a stop on top of Toya’s back.

“That’s what you get Toya,” Kamui crowed and bounced a bit on the balls of his feet adding insult to injury.

“Get… off…!” Toya rumbled.

Kamui giggled and bounced a couple more times on Toya’s back before hopping off. The second the Taming spell wore off, Toya rose to his feet and gave chase to the purple haired guardian. He took a swipe at Kamui, making the younger guardian dodge and take off in another direction.

“Stay still, I’m not gonna hurt you,” Toya yelled. “I just want to kill you.”

Shinbe, Suki and Kyoko watched them with varying degrees of amusement on their faces. Shinbe had kept a very close eye on Kyoko since they’d started out that morning. Something loosened in his chest as he exhaled sharply. What was going on? Something within his guardian blood told him to stay close to her… he would obey.

Kamui and Toya’s chase came to an abrupt end when Toya finally caught him and trapped Kamui’s head in the crook of his elbow.

“Say it,” Toya demanded.

“Say what?” Kamui asked while trying to pull his head out of Toya’s hold… his bright smile very evident.

“You know what I mean,” Toya exclaimed. “Say it!”

“Okay, okay… you’re a loser.” Kamui giggled then squawked when Toya’s hold tightened.

“SAY IT!”

“Toya!” Kyoko shouted. “Let him go.”

“Not until he says it!” Toya retorted with a smirk. “You can’t Tame me while I’ve got a hold on him.”

Kyoko frowned at Toya but knew he was right. “What does he want you to say Kamui?”

Kamui’s red face split into another grin. “Oh, nothing important… just how small his ACK!”

“Wrong again!” Toya said with a wicked smirk.

Kamui gagged a bit then suddenly reached behind Toya. The silver guardian yelped and quickly released Kamui, hopping away with an expression of horror on his face.

“Are you alright Toya?” Kyoko asked. Toya put both hands behind him while Kyoko tilted her head to the side.

“He grabbed my ass…” Toya whispered.

Kyoko, Suki and Shinbe stared at him for a moment before exploding in a fit of laughter.

Kamui had a self-satisfied look on his face when he looked at Kyoko. “Don’t worry about doing that spell… I think that look will do me for a while.”

Toya started walking again but staying far away from Kamui. Suki followed close behind to make sure they behaved. Shinbe lagged behind with Kyoko and took note of the tightness around her eyes despite the smile on her lips.

"Is something the matter, Kyoko?" Shinbe asked quietly. Frankly, he'd been tied in knots thinking about her ever since Kyou had taken her from their grasp. Granted, it hadn’t been long but it was long enough to awaken a side of him he’d been trying to deny.

"No," she answered his question apparently content to walk by his side in silence.

Shinbe slowed his step, watching the rest of the small group walk ahead. His eyes strayed to Suki’s form as she walked beside Kamui. He was startled out of his vision quest by Kyoko’s voice.

“You don’t have to baby-sit me Shinbe,” she said quietly.

Shinbe pointed his staff toward the swaying hips several yards in front of them. “Ahh… but the view here is nice.” He smiled happily when he got a giggle from her instead of a smack upside the head.

"Shinbe," she was glancing at him sheepishly. "May I ask a question?" Amethyst eyes watched her curiously as he nodded. “Why haven’t you told Suki how you feel about her?” Kyoko blurted out before she lost her nerve.

Shinbe tried not to gape stupidly. He resisted twitching. "Ah, Kyoko. I apologize profusely, but could you please repeat that?" surely he had not heard her right.

Kyoko glanced sideways at him asking, “Do you want me to hit you?”

Shinbe almost laughed out loud at the seriousness in her voice then he cleared his throat thinking. “No…” he turned back to look at Suki’s retreating form. “There is very little that frightens a guardian but… when it comes to affairs of the heart…” he smiled wistfully. “There are just some things even we as guardians cannot battle and always emerge victorious.”

Kyoko wanted to roll her eyes at the sheer stupidity of males but refrained. She actually understood his point of view for once.

"May I ask you a question now?" Shinbe quickly inquired, before she had a chance to run away again.

With a wary grimace, Kyoko wrinkled her nose. "Hmm, I suppose. But I will hit you," She warned.

Shinbe hid a grin. "Duly noted," he nodded then made a show of appearing hesitant. “We are all guardians of The Heart of Time, brothers… even Kyou. Do you honestly think he would ever hurt you?”

“Heh?” she'd replied so very eloquently, trying to fend off the obvious answer. Despite what he’d done to her, Kyou hadn’t physically harmed her in any way. She was still fearful of encountering him again but she couldn’t deny the truth. “I guess not,” she countered, questioning her sanity.

Shinbe hid a small, satisfied smile, “Then you guess right. We were born to protect you… even Kyou, regardless of how he reacts to your presence. His actions toward you now seem to have erupted from their suppression. He has been saying one thing but is now acting in complete opposition. Apparently, the emotions he is now experiencing are completely new to him. So, in retrospect, he really does wish for you to teach him what they are.”

He placed his arm around her shoulder as they walked. “I suppose I am not the only guardian mystified by affairs of the heart, wouldn’t you agree?” he calmly stated, though his eyes were unusually dark.

Kyoko blinked as her heart skipped a beat or four. “In a strange almost deranged way… that made sense,” she kicked a pebble with her shoe. “What about the other guardians?”

To Kyoko's delight, Shinbe smiled brilliantly then looked ahead at Kamui. “Kamui is but a child compared to the rest of us and who is more honest than a child. If he says he loves you… then his heart belongs to you. His emotions are untamed, which in return makes him an extremely passionate individual. Do not be surprised when he does proclaim his heart to you.”

He squeezed her shoulder fondly as he reminded her of their absentee brother. “And we all know whom it is that Kotaro loves. He would climb to the top of the world’s tallest mountain and shout it for everyone to hear. He has said many times that if Toya fails, he will take you away and protect you with all his being… do not question this.”

“I personally envy his boisterous attitude considering matters of the heart. He would succeed in driving away the darkness and fill your world with light… among other things.” He winked and smirked at the faint blush fanning across her cheeks.

Shinbe’s amethyst gaze then drifted toward to Toya. With an impish grin, he held his hand in front of him. Using his telekinesis powers, a small rock lifted up from the ground and shot forward… coming only an inch from hitting Toya in the back of the head. But Toya had felt it coming and turned around just in time to catch it, growling at his brother.

“Then you have the one who hides the truth even though he is transparent. It is a shame however, since it’s obvious.” Shinbe smiled ruefully.

“What the fuck are you talking about? You better not be talking shit about me.” Toya threw the rock back at him but Shinbe danced out of its range with ease, opening his mouth to blab but Kyoko reached up, clamping it shut for him.

Kyoko paused, blushing, “I…. he…” giving up, she slapped Shinbe upside the head. “Dummy!” she informed him without remorse.

Toya gave them both a blank stare just as thunder rumbled in the distance. His attention turned from rock throwing to the quickly darkening sky knowing he needed to find Kyoko shelter. His eyes narrowed as the clouds spread across the sky a little too rapidly.

“Not good,” he whispered as lightning flashed.

Kyoko shrieked as a lightning bolt hit the ground where she… she frowned… where she had just been standing. She hadn’t even seen the scenery change it had happen so fast. Feeling strong arms around her, she looked up at Toya. “Wow,” was the only word that would come out.

Her eyes suddenly widened when she saw something over his shoulder that made her blood run completely cold. Just as the rain descended from the black clouds… something else slithered from the sky.

“Demons!” her voice was tainted with dread.

Toya glanced up at the sky long enough to confirm Kyoko’s words before he found a spot away from the ascending danger. “Stay here,” He ordered, the wind blowing his long hair wildly.

Kyoko could only stare at him for a moment, transfixed by the ethereal beauty Toya possessed. She gasped when Toya smirked in a very headstrong manner and left her there under the shelter of the tree. She could tell he was looking forward to a fight and she blew her bangs out of her eyes in exasperation.

She watched in horrified fascination as the multitude of demons closed in on the motley crew that stood awaiting them. The rain came down in torrents, lending the demons speed as they approached. She bit her bottom lip nervously as she waited for the presence of the one whom she knew had summoned them. “Hyakuhei.”

Shinbe raised his staff high into the air as rocks of all sizes ominously lifted all around them. With a single word, the demons were plummeted with the hard pellets, knocking some of the less fortunate ones from the air. The sound of crashing trees around them let the guardians know they were slowly being surrounded.

Suki attacked the ones already on the ground as Toya pulled his daggers, sending a blaze of fire and ice straight into the heart of the horde. Kaen burst into battle mode, slashing his sharp dragon claws at the demons that were trying to box Suki in.

Kyoko stood behind the line of trees as the fight went into high gear. Seeing Kaen get separated from the others and almost taken to the ground, she started to step from her hiding place until the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She felt something akin to a soft dangerous evil descend all around her.

It was extremely eerie and the remembrance of the dreams that had been haunting her came back in flashes as if warning her of something.

Kyoko stifled a scream as she grabbed her crossbow and quickly turned around coming face to face with her worst nightmare. He was as beautiful and deadly as ever, standing in the rain though not a single drop had touched his evil perfection. His long midnight hair caught in the stormy wind lending to his frightening aura.

“Come with me Kyoko,” His words brushed over her feeling more like soft caresses.

She couldn’t tell if it were just a trick of the dim light or if what she was seeing was real. Upon closer inspection of him, she watched his ebony eyes shift to a soft brown and the lines around his lips soften for a moment. Was this the enemy or was she dreaming again? Her hand began to shake on the crossbow until she noticed the slight curve in the corner of his sensual lips.

“I will not be fooled Hyakuhei.” Her lips parted as the softness left his appearance and he seemed… hurt somehow. “This is not a dream,” she reminded both of them.

Her hand tightened on her weapon as a spirit dart began to form but her uncertainty made its power unstable. With a slight flickering, it vanished… leaving her defenseless. Wondering how he had took away her powers, Kyoko glanced over her shoulder needing help but her eyes widened seeing a water wall from the storm blocking her from her protectors.

Knowing he was the cause of her separation from the guardians, Kyoko turned to glare at him only to find him now within a couple inches from her. His eyes were the deepest midnight and she had the sensation that he could see straight into her dreams… as if he had really been there.

Hyakuhei reached out and grabbed her wrist, making her drop the only defense she had as he jerked her forward.

Lowering his lips to her ear, he began to whisper. “Have you forgotten my dear Kyoko? Or is it that you have started to remember?” His hand trailed around the back of her neck to stroke the guardian symbol that he knew rested there. “You belong to me… what would they say if they found out?” he brushed his lips across her earlobe. “We both know we are not dreaming.”

Kyoko could feel her body growing numb as if he were casting a spell on her… making her unable to resist as he pressed her flush against him as if claiming victory. It startled her to realize if he weren’t evil incarnate… he would be seduction in physical form.

Reading her mind, his gaze softened for an instant, seeing the girl he had once loved within the priestess he now held. “Come with me…” his body glided backwards as if being pulled and Kyoko could see a black hole open up behind him. Just like the dreams.

Where was he taking her? Did the cave really exist? His hand felt so warm and strong… guiding her. Kyoko’s mind screamed as she fought the spell unable to break it. Was this what the dreams had warned her about? She watched his lips move as he breathed words that somehow made her feel calm… she wanted to go with him.

Her emerald eyes lowered to caress his lips. She knew those lips… had tasted them.

“I will keep you safe… my love… you belong with me.” His body tightened around hers knowing she was falling under his spell… just as she did so many lifetimes ago. He stalled momentarily as he noticed something enter her expression. It was a look he had longed to see outside the dream world. Want… need… dare he even think it? Love.

Kyoko nodded in confusion, accepting this as destiny until she saw his eyes widen in shock as he looked over her shoulder. Multicolored dust seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere all at once and she heard Kamui scream her name.

Hyakuhei watched as translucent wings expanded behind the enraged form of the darkest guardian as he broke through the water wall he’d created. Feeling Kamui’s power knock him backward, he felt regret as his grip on the priestess loosened.

Kamui reached out and snatched Kyoko from Hyakuhei’s grip with more fury than he had ever possessed. As the monster was sucked backwards into the passageway, Kamui held Kyoko tight against him so she would not see his wings… wings that were now tinged with darkness. His eyes glowed as if the hounds of hell… or his true father… could not take her from him ever again.

Striving to draw his unstable powers back within him, Kamui placed a soft kiss to Kyoko’s cheek whispering the word, “Mine” as his wings disappeared and she turned in his arms.

Kyoko turned to see her savior just as the multihued dust whirled away in the breeze. As her gaze locked with Kamui’s, she gasped seeing the angry glittering flecks that still lingered there. She hugged him tight, willing the rest of his fury away.

Just as quickly as the storm had appeared, it dissipated leaving everyone looking around in confusion. All the demons had vanished with the last bolt of lightning.

“Would someone mind telling me what the hell just happen?” Toya yelled.

Shinbe started to stutter but Toya cut him off with, “never fucking mind!” As his gaze turned to catch Kyoko giving Kamui a hug he growled, “hey, what the hell…”

Kamui gave Toya a smile the plainly said, ‘eat your heart out.’