Chapter 9 “Feelings No Longer Hidden”

Chapter 9 “Feelings No Longer Hidden”

For so long, Kyoko had wanted Toya to take her in his arms like this… and now it had happened twice. To feel his arms wrapped tightly around her, and his lips pressed firmly against hers. But now that her dearest fantasy was unfolding, it all felt wrong. Why? Why was Shinbe’s face flashing before her eyes, while Toya’s lips were claiming hers?

Shinbe’s knuckles were white as he gripped the windowsill. Burning acid churned within him as he watched Toya force the demanding kiss to Kyoko’s pink lips. Lips whose flowery flavor still lingered in his memory. Liquid fire screamed through his veins, propelling him to action but still … he knew he had to control himself.

“Kyoko!” Satisfaction curled through him as Toya and Kyoko jumped apart. Even from the window, he could see the confused blush spread across Kyoko’s cheeks before she looked away guiltily.

Shinbe turned from the window quickly before Toya could spot the anger and satisfaction on his face. While trying to get his jealousy under control, it dawned on him exactly what Hyakuhei’s main intent was.

“Toya has walked across the same trap,” he whispered to the empty room as an eerie shiver ran up his spine. “A trap made to rip the whole group apart.”

Thoughts of Toya taking Kyoko in his arms, in spell-heightened passion… and Kyoko responding to his caresses, shuddered through Shinbe’s mind. The thought hurt more than he would admit. The memory of Kyoko warm and willing under him, albeit drunk, he could handle. She had responded to HIM, whether or not she knew it was real. To think that that willingness may have been a result of Hyakuhei’s spell, added to the churning within his stomach. Shinbe fisted his beaded hand, damning Hyakuhei for what he’d done to them.

Kyoko stood in the stream of light that fell from her bedroom window, feeling as if her confusion was spotlighted for all to see. She raised her fingers to her lips, trying to cover the sensations left there from Toya’s kiss. What the hell was that all about?

Her stunned gaze riveted on Toya, who was still scowling up at the now vacant window. Why did he do that? Why did she feel so guilty for letting him? Her eyes lit up with fear and uncertain excitement when Toya turned back to her, dismissing the window and his brother. His eyes held a hint of question and desire within their golden hue as he studied her flushed face.

Toya needed to know what Kyou had meant. He wouldn’t let Shinbe ‘or anyone else for that matter,’ ever take her away from him. He wasn’t going to lose Kyoko, not if he had the power within him to stop it. She was the only person that could see the real him on the inside, and he knew it. Without her, he would be lost to the demon that raged within him.

Reaching out his hand, Toya touched Kyoko’s warm cheek, caressing her bottom lip with his thumb. Watching her startled expression, Toya knew he was acting different, but he didn't care… it just felt right. He gritted his teeth as his gaze was drawn over her shoulder sensing Shinbe’s approach.

“Bad timing, guardian,” Toya growled, resenting the interruption.

Shinbe skidded to a stop as he turned the corner. Taking a steadying breath, he guarded the jealous fire that coursed through him. He saw how close they were standing and watched as Toya slowly lowered his hand from Kyoko’s blushing cheek. Shinbe had hid his feelings for so long now that he had almost mastered the lie as he presented a hardened disinterested look to the pair. But on the inside he could feel the claws of jealousy ripping at him, tearing at his iron clad will.

Amethyst eyes sought Kyoko’s, trying to confirm to himself that she was safe with him here watching over her, as he had done from afar for so long. A white-hot lance of pain seared through him at the ease with which Toya could comfort her physically. The urge to finally be able to take her in his arms and shelter her from the swirling world around them, hit him hard, making him wonder if his presence was truly the protection he assumed.

Keeping his face placid, Shinbe nodded to them, “It’s time to go.”

Kyoko glanced back at Toya to make sure his temper was in check. She hesitantly walked to Shinbe wondering what he meant. “So you believe me then?” she questioned. Her gaze locked with his for a moment and she hid a gasp at the emotion she detected in the violet pools, the emotions framed by his dark lashes. Then the words he whispered so softly raised the weight off her shoulders, only to slam it down again with the harsh reality of the words.

“I remember everything,” he said as he longed to pull her the last few inches and into his arms. He felt so drawn to her.

Cursing Hyakuhei, Shinbe struggled to keep his emotions hidden. He blamed the spell, which allowed his control of the emotions he had been able to hide, just under the surface until recently, to slip. This increasing whirlpool of uncontrolled emotions brewed inside him. A constant war raged between his love and his survival.

Shinbe quickly closed his eyes in order to keep from drowning in the depths of Kyoko’s stormy emerald ones. Focusing on Toya’s hard stance to further break the draw her presence was having, he knew he had to at least warn his friends about the spell.

“I remember the fight between us,” he could do that much without revealing his secret. He didn't even flinch as Toya took a threatening step closer. A tiny grin tugged at his lips as Kyoko swung around with a warning look, ready to ‘Tame’ the guardian if necessary. Shaking his head, Shinbe stopped her. “No Kyoko, it’s not Toya’s fault,” he sighed, racking his brain for a way to explain.

“Damn straight it’s not!” Toya growled, but stopped behind Kyoko, interested in what Shinbe was going to say. Without realizing what he was doing, he placed his arm possessively around Kyoko’s waist, and drew her back against him quickly, in a gesture of possession. The second her body was flush with his, Toya’s world around them faded into a hazy blur.

Kyoko could feel Toya’s arm tighten around her, and although the feeling was pleasant, it was wrong. She didn't like the fact that, all of a sudden, everything either of them did seem to play on her hormones.

“That’s it, Toya. Just what the hell are you doing?” Kyoko turned on him, hissing to get her point across, “Since when have you started acting like…”

Before Shinbe could stop himself from seeing red, he reached out and grasped Kyoko by the shoulders, dragging her away from Toya and toward him. Then as if the contact had burned his hands, Shinbe instantly let go. Blinking and taking a quick step back from her, Shinbe barely kept himself from doing the same thing Toya had.

“Listen! This is important!” his voice was a little harder than he’d meant for it to be, but at least now they were both paying attention.

Looking Toya in the eyes steadily Shinbe asked, “When we fought at the shrine, I didn't notice then, but I now remember that something was wrong. Something inside me, pushing me to say and do things I normally would not do. I bet the same thing was happening to you. Do you not remember feeling strange? Think about it.”

Shinbe hardened his gaze angrily when it looked like Toya was going to argue with him. “Damn it, think for once before you open your mouth! Try to remember,” the last thing he needed was Toya letting Kyoko know what was actually said to cause the two of them to fight.

Toya narrowed his eyes, but paused seeing Shinbe was serious. He knew when Shinbe felt things… it was wise not to second-guess him. Even though Shinbe was physically weaker, there was something in the guardian that just knew more. Sometimes Shinbe could sense things better than anyone.

Not to be outdone, Toya snapped agreeing, “I thought there was something very wrong with you.” He folded his hands up inside his sleeves, huffing as if that was the end of the conversation, laying all the blame on Shinbe.

Shinbe shook his head, bringing his fingers up to rub his temples. “No, Toya. Something wasn’t right with either of us. Now that I can think straight, I vaguely remember feeling Hyakuhei’s aura feeding my anger.” Seeing Toya’s head snap up, Shinbe added, “I wouldn’t doubt that we were both controlled in some way. Hyakuhei would love to see us kill each other, would he not?” He raised an eyebrow to emphasize that their actions had nearly done just that.

Kyoko looked between Shinbe and Toya, seeing the truth in what Shinbe was saying. “Oh my god,” she whimpered. “Shinbe is right. Hyakuhei has tried to control me before, remember?” She caught the look that flashed across Shinbe’s face as if the memory of her being controlled had physically hurt him. It passed so quick she couldn’t be sure it had even been there, and now he wouldn’t even look at her.

Toya caught the same feeling from Shinbe that Kyoko did. He studied Shinbe for a moment wondering what it was. Brother or not, Shinbe had been the closest thing to a ‘true’ friend Toya had ever had, and he knew him well enough to recognize something was off. He could feel it.

Kyoko couldn’t get over the feeling that Shinbe had changed somehow. Even now, standing there, he looked different as her gaze roamed his features. His hair was shimmering with florescent blue highlights in the breeze. The locks framing his face gave him a stronger appearance, and his eyes glowed a deep knowing amethyst.

His eyes were more intense, like he … Kyoko’s lips parted and she felt a pain caress her chest for an instant, halting her breath. She could see it. Shinbe was still keeping something from them, and it looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. She had a feeling it must be something horrific for it to cause the pain she could see in his gaze.

Shinbe could feel Kyoko watching him and cringed inwardly hoping she wouldn’t see through to his true secret. Trying to distract her, he clinched his empty hand and forced himself to grin in Toya’s direction, “You wouldn’t happen to know where I left my staff, would you?”

He waited for Toya to nod before adding, “Good. I need to retrieve it as soon as we reach the other side, but we have to be careful coming out of the heart of time. I would hate to finish a fight that should never have happened in the first place.” He tone became serious, “Right? Brother?”

Kyoko’s lips parted in understanding. Twisting around toward Toya, she begged him, “Please Toya, you go through the shrine first. Once you’re on the other side, get far away from the heart of time, don’t wait on us. After about twenty minutes, we will follow you and meet at Sennin’s, ok?”

Without thinking, Toya snarled, “Why don’t we go together and send him first?” Then it hit him like a ton of rocks… Shinbe couldn’t cross without the power of one of them. If what the guardian said was true, they shouldn’t cross together.

Narrowing his eyes at Shinbe, Toya closed the distance between them and grabbed Shinbe’s shoulder, non-to-gently. “Fine, I’ll go. But you have twenty minutes before I come back for her. Understand brother?” his eyes seemed to glow silver with underlying threat and anger.

Kyoko gasped but before she could even yell at Toya for his attitude, he took off for the shrine house, disappearing within its walls.

Toya left a stream of mumbled curse words in his wake as he made it back to the shrine. He hated leaving Kyoko with Shinbe, but maybe the guardian did have a point. If it was a spell that made them want to fight each other, then by the time they made it out of the shrine and onto the grass… Toya growled. If he killed Shinbe, he at least wanted to have a good reason. A spell from Hyakuhei was not one of them.

Toya took one last fleeting look over his shoulder before disappearing into the shrine house. With one single leap, he disappeared into the blue light of the heart of time. As it engulfed him, he raised his eyes back the way he had come, wondering why he felt like turning back all of a sudden. Shrugging the feeling off, he felt his feet touch down in his own time.

Shinbe, seeing Kyoko’s nervousness, softened his voice. “Do you need to get anything before we leave, Kyoko?” Shinbe asked, trying to distract himself from the delicate scent that wrapped around him as she spun to look up at him.

Kyoko glanced down at the ground thinking, then shook her head, trapping her bottom lip between her teeth. “My bag is already packed and inside the shrine house waiting. We should go,” she turned and started for the shrine, already worried about Toya and if he was all right on the other side.

Shinbe sighed in defeat knowing he would be alone with her for the next twenty minutes waiting to go back to the other side. His hungry gaze was already roaming her body as she walked in front of him. He wondered if it was the spell, or if it was all him that led his eyes astray.

“I'm glad I got to come to your time, and meet your family,” Shinbe tried to hide the strain in his voice, and relaxed hoping he had found a safe topic.

Kyoko stepped inside the darkness of the protective walls that encased the maiden statue, trying to think of the words to use with him that would get him to open up. Walking toward one of the large stones beside the maiden statue, she sat down facing Shinbe with a serious look on her face.

“Shinbe? I'm your friend, right?” she watched as he visibly tensed at the question and found something on the ground that he seemed intent on studying. “Shinbe?”

Shinbe was taken aback at her swift change of topic and didn't know what to say at first, but the hurt in her voice the second time she said his name was his undoing. Miserably, without looking up, he whispered truthfully, “A friend?” Damn, he hadn’t meant it to sound like a question. He gave a sad smirk, still looking at the dirt floor, “Yes, we are friends.”

Kyoko waited on him to look at her, convinced even more that he was hiding something. “Since when do friends lie to each other?” her softly spoken words seemed to vibrate off the empty walls of the shrine house like quiet thunder.

Shinbe’s head snapped up and their gaze locked. His expression so full of emotion that Kyoko slid off the stone ready to go to him, but something stopped her. She tilted her head slightly, trying to decipher the look in his eyes but he swung his gaze away from hers so she couldn’t see. His lose hair now hiding what had looked … like pain.

Shinbe was trying to get his heart to beat again, then it gave a quick kick against his ribs and started to beat harder… faster. Why had she asked that? Did she know what he’d done? Now that he wasn’t looking at her, maybe he could think rationally.

“Kyoko I…” he sucked in a harsh breath when he felt her hand touch his arm. He hadn’t even heard her move.

Kyoko felt the muscles bunch under her fingers and she quickly ducked around him so that he’d have to face her. She took a deep breath when his tortured eyes again met hers. “Shinbe, what is it? I'm here, and I will help. But you have to tell me what it is that’s hurting you.”

Unable to handle the look in his eyes, Kyoko stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head against his chest. She listened intently to the rapid pounding of his heart.

“Shinbe, you’re scared and I can feel it. Whatever it is, I’ll help… I promise,” she tried to console him. He’d always supported her when she needed it, and she didn't want to let him down now. “You can’t always be the strong one,” her words rose as if pleading with him and her grip on him tightened.

Shinbe forced his arms to stay down by his sides as long as he could, but losing the battle, he gave in to the need. Raising his arms and wrapping them tightly around her, he held her possessively against him and dipped his lips close to her ear.

“Kyoko, deep inside the guardian that you trust… I’m only a man,” his voice was ragged even to his own ears.

“What?” she asked confused. “Please, Shinbe. Make me understand what’s wrong.” She knew that he had a certain element of power that radiated from him, making him different from the other guardians. She could feel it within his aura every time he was near.

Shinbe could smell the sweet shampoo Kyoko used as he buried his face in her soft hair, unable to stop himself from breathing in as much as he could of her. A tremor ran through him like a shock wave when his lips accidentally touched the flawless skin of her neck. He instantly hardened and with the next breath, using all the will power he had, he drew away from her, untangling himself quickly from her arms.

He silently reminded himself that if she ever remembered… she wouldn’t let him hold her so close.

“I'm sorry,” Shinbe apologized, his voice still unsteady. “All the memories and feelings coming back in such a rush,” his gaze searched hers for a moment, “feelings… that are out of my control,” his voice held a hint of warning.

She was stunned into silence by his words. Passion, even he couldn’t hide, seemed to come to life as his eyes darkened sensually, but when he blinked, it was concealed once again. Kyoko felt her cheeks heat up as her thoughts turned to the feelings she was hiding. Then her eyes seemed to focus a little clearer on him, as if searching for something.

“Shinbe, even I have feelings that I'm scared to show. Maybe we could help each other, if we’re just honest.” She silently studied him for a moment wishing he would let her inside his thoughts so she could help him. She felt so drawn to him, and for some reason she felt like this was all her fault. Her next step toward him made it clear that she was the problem when his eyes came to life with pain.

Kyoko halted, mid-step, and with a soft whimper, stumbled backwards, feeling guilt for whatever she’d done to him. “I'm sorry… whatever I did… I’m so sorry… I didn't mean to do it,” she watched him stiffen, fisting his hands at his sides as if fighting something powerful.

Kyoko's heart was beating loudly in her ears as the look in his eyes swiftly changed to determination, and for some reason she felt fear. She shook her head trying to tell him she had changed her mind… that she didn't want to know what she had done. Her lips parted to tell him to stay away, but the words seemed to freeze in her throat.

Shinbe’s expression hardened as she backed up, as if scared of him. He shook his head, taking another step forward. “Kyoko,” his voice sounded ominous. No, he had to make her understand, but his anger rose when he saw fear flash across her face. His anger was only directed towards himself. Didn't she understand that? He had to fix this before it got out of hand. Shinbe began to close the distance between them.

Kyoko took another step backwards, only to feel the stone behind her hitting the back of her legs and throwing her off balance. She was so scared to hear what Shinbe was going to say that she welcomed the feeling of falling. She closed her eyes knowing she was falling toward the maiden’s embrace. Her gasp echoed in the silence when she felt strong arms go around her, jerking her back into a tight, warm embrace.

“Kyoko no,” Shinbe’s arms shook slightly as he felt her entire length pressed against him. How much of this was the spell, and how much of it was his own feelings? He snuggled her even closer, not caring. Feeling his pulse quicken, he knew most of these were honest longings that he’d hidden long before the damn spell had even been thought of.

Shinbe felt her start to pull away from him, so he tightened his hold on her. “Kyoko stop it. I'm not mad at you,” he whispered harshly into the shell of her ear, trying to fight the need he had to bury himself deep inside her.

Kyoko’s bottom lip quivered, wondering if he was telling the truth. “You… you’re not… mad at me?” she asked hesitantly, hoping she’d heard him right. Her body tensed, his next words sending shivers up and down her spine.

He just wanted to breathe the same air she was breathing… didn’t she know that? Thinking out loud, his voice became strong and seductive. “No, Kyoko. I'm not mad at you. Not at all. All I want to do is kiss you,” he felt the words release some of the tension in his body as he admitted the truth to her.

Making up his mind, he gave into the feelings held in check for far too long. “I’m going to kiss you,” he warned, bringing his hands to her shoulders. He pressed her back enough to see the confusion on her face before he pulled her forward, lacing his lips across hers in a hungry, almost desperate kiss.

***** The hair on the back of Toya’s neck bristled as he looked up into the moon lit night sky. Standing for a moment in front of the maiden statue, testing Shinbe’s theory, he found he could only feel slight apprehension. He took a step, and then faltered.

“What the hell!” Beads of sweat began to pop out across his forehead as his vision tunneled.

Toya shook his head trying to focus. The twin daggers slid into his palms and hummed with energy at his side as if trying to warn him of something. Blinking a couple times, he looked around only to see what looked like Kyoko walking across the grass. But for some reason, the vision didn't seem accurate.

The visualization was shimmering as if he was looking through water. Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Shinbe lying in the grass on a blanket. Kyoko was walking straight toward him.

“This can’t be real,” Toya growled knowing they hadn’t come through the time portal yet. His golden eyes dilated as Kyoko came closer to Shinbe. Real or not… he wouldn’t allow it.

“Kyoko,” Toya yelled to get her to stop, but she couldn’t hear him. He could hear his own voice loud and clear, but she didn't even flinch. Trying to move, he felt his muscles strain against him, holding him in place. “Damn, now what!” he narrowed his eyes. Kyoko seemed to sway as she walked toward the amethyst guardian.

“There is no way this is even real!” he fisted his clawed hands at his side, feeling helpless as he watched. Kyoko leaned down, talking to his brother. Toya couldn’t hear what she was saying. All he could do was watch as she leaned forward too far, the back of her skirt riding up high on her hips, and giving him a look at what lay underneath. His breathing quickened and grew louder in his ears.

If he hadn’t been rooted to the spot before, he was now. He felt all the blood rush to his lower region and his anger surface as Kyoko fell forward into his brother’s lap. “Damn it, Shinbe! Get away from Kyoko, now! You fucking bastard!” he could feel his cursed blood began to stir within his veins. The image of what he was seeing caused his rage and arousal to combine.

His breath hitched in his throat at the look on Shinbe’s face, then left him in a rush as Shinbe grasped Kyoko and rolled until he was on top of her, pinning her to the ground. Everything within Toya’s eyesight grew hazy with red tinting his vision. With a roar of anger that seemed to penetrate the vision, he felt his weight shift and the hold on him disappeared.

Toya stumbled forward, where he had been straining to get to her. He gripped the twin daggers, feeling them come to life as he charged the unsuspecting guardian, who was in the process of ravaging the priestess.

“YOU BASTARD!” the anguished cry ripped across the quiet scene as Toya slashed through the image with the dagger’s blades. The vision wavered as if he’d slashed through water, but the couple was unaffected. Tears of rage streamed from Toya’s eyes as Shinbe started removing Kyoko’s clothes.

Stumbling backward Toya felt like he was going to be sick if he had to see anymore. His grip on the useless daggers loosened. Retreating backward in denial, he could hear sadistic, mocking laughter as it echoed through the clearing. Still seeing red, Toya whipped his head around angrily, scanning the clearing, wanting someone to fight… someone to take his anger out on.

With the laughter now gone, his harsh breathing was the only thing he could hear in the stillness of the clearing. Backing up for a better view of the area, needing to find the owner of the laughter, his dangerous growl broke the silence. The back of his legs came in contact with the stone beside the maiden. He stopped, gazing back at the nightmare still lying in the grass.

Out of nowhere, he felt a hand against his chest. He looked up to see Kyou’s angry face. “Only a fool would stand inside the trap.” Then with a force he could not fight against, Kyou shoved Toya backward, over the rim of the stone and into the maiden statue.

Kyou hovered several inches above the tainted grass as he watched his brother disappear into the heart of time. His golden eyes scanned the clearing, seeing what others could not. “One who is controlled by his emotions is a fool.” His thoughts were calm, even icy, but his gaze narrowed. He could feel the evil aura calling to his own attraction for the priestess. Thoughts he had not shifted through, but chose to ignore, crept into his consciousness.

“Hyakuhei, you think to toy with the emotions of the lord of the guardian realm?” The words would have frozen even the most powerful of demons, as the threat of death vibrated in each syllable. Anger flickered across the stillness of Kyou’s eyes as he disappeared from the clearing.

Toya’s confused anger followed him into the blinding light, engulfing him. ‘Kyou? A trap? Was it all a lie?’ Trying to focus on what his brother had said, his hands went limp, the daggers fell away from him, glinting within the icy blue light of the heart of time.

Shinbe felt his desire blaze to life as Kyoko’s gasp from the sudden kiss offered him entrance. Instantly deepening the dominating kiss, he let the urgency overwhelm him. His beaded hand ran up her neck and through the back of her hair, cupping her head in a firm grip, tilting it to give him better access as he pressed his hardened length against her in hunger.

Kyoko had thought he was mad at her. The last thing she’d expected was for him to say he was going to kiss her. When he did, all she could think of was that she was glad he wasn’t mad at her. All of a sudden, she had the same sensations as when she had dreamed of him. Whimpering, she let him kiss her.

Shinbe was losing what little control he had left. He heard her soft whimper and took it into his mouth, savoring it. He wanted Kyoko so badly he ached with it. Trapping her flushed body against his heated form and the stone, he sought the pressure he wanted by grinding his hips into Kyoko’s. White-hot knives of obsession shot through him.

He took her mouth with such a sudden ferocity that it stole her breath away, and made her shiver beneath him. Shinbe's amethyst eyes seemed to shatter with need for her as he closed them with a deep groan. The fire in his core was threatening to take over. His other hand came up to the small of her back, pushing her harder against him.

Kyoko could feel every single nerve in her body. All thought of stopping him fled from her mind. She let him press her to him as hard as he wanted to.

Breathing out of control and becoming ragged, he lowered his body against hers with a rhythm as if he were already making love to her. Lowering his hand to the back of her skirt, in one swift motion, he lifted her up and sat her on the stone.

Feeling the need to dominate, he pulled her to the edge and spread her legs to give him room to stand between them. Shinbe groaned into her mouth. He pressed his hardened length against her heated core. Even through the soft material separating them, it felt like fire. He could feel the throbbing sensations pulsing through his swollen hardness.

Heat pooled between her legs. She couldn’t help but arch into him, seeking the same pressure he was. ‘This is madness,’ the thought flittered across her mind so fast she couldn’t stop it. He moved in a familiar rhythm against her. His lips left hers to trail across her chin… to her neck…. up to her ear. Everywhere he touched left a hot trail of lava.

“Oh gods! Shinbe, please,” Kyoko gasped, wanting everything he was offering.

Shinbe felt like he was going to come out of his skin when he heard her cry his name. Breathing out of control and his voice harsh with desire, he whispered in the shell of her ear, “Kyoko, I can’t stop. I…” The flash of light that lit the room halted his words. Before Shinbe could completely pull away from Kyoko, a form leapt from the light and knocked him away from her, sending him slamming against the wooden wall of the shrine house.

Kyoko was still on the stone, it had all happened so fast. When Toya turned to her, she felt fear shoot through every fiber of her being. The demon that normally lay dormant within Toya now stood in front of her, his eyes blood red with molten silver coloring in the center.

Toya hadn’t had time to come out of his shock when he reached her time through the portal. The first thing that hit him was the smell of Kyoko and Shinbe's combined arousal. It shot through him like a knife, feeding his anger. Seeing Shinbe grinding himself against Kyoko, on both sides of the heart of time, had been the last straw.

With one arm, he swiped the amethyst guardian away from her, feeling his cursed blood take hold. Turning his red gaze back to Kyoko, he locked angry, betrayed eyes on her.

Shinbe knew he had to do something, even as he was still sliding down the wall he’d been thrown against. Seeing Kyoko stare in fright at what Toya had become, he fought the pain and righted himself. Before he could regain his footing, Toya had stalked to Kyoko, grabbing her up by the shoulders.

Kyoko didn't think she’d ever seen Toya so angry. His arms were visibly shaking, his claws starting to dig into her soft skin where he’d grabbed her. “Toy…” For the second time in the last hour, Toya crashed his mouth against Kyoko’s. This time it was different. This time, it felt more like a punishment than a kiss, and Kyoko instantly started fighting him.

In desperation, she twisted against him, trying to dislodge his demanding lips from hers. When he did release her lips, it was only to run his scalding hot tongue down to her neck. A growl could be heard vibrating deep in his voice as he told her possessively, “No one will take you from me, if I mark you as mine.” Kyoko’s eyes widened at the realization of just what he meant to do.

Pushing on him as hard as she could, knowing he wasn’t himself and would regret it later, Kyoko tried to find a way to stop him. Her terrified gaze landed on Shinbe, who was coming up behind them with a huge board held tightly in his grasp, a determined look across his usually calm face.

The sight scared her worse than the thought of Toya marking her. She knew if Shinbe hit him, it would only piss Toya’s demon state off, not knock him out. She cringed as she felt Toya’s fangs scrape across her skin lightly, as if testing it.

Kyoko could feel the power of the heart of time building directly behind her and in a moment of panic, she screamed. The sound filled the room, along with a flash of light the came from the time portal and passed through her body to hit Toya square in the chest.

With the same force of being struck by lightning, Toya bolted backwards, flying several feet through the air and landing in a heap at the wall. The momentum threw Kyoko backward, and she felt herself once again falling into the heart of time. She fought the pull of the time vortex knowing if she left then Toya and Shinbe would be alone… together.

Shinbe dropped the board, feeling the rush of adrenaline, he dived for her. His heart stopped for a second when he felt skin on skin and he latched onto her with all his strength. He breathed a little easier as she grasped his hand. “I’ve got you, Kyoko, and I'm not letting go.”

Shinbe’s smooth voice reached Kyoko’s ears, soothing her frayed nerves for a moment. She was still within the florescent blue light, and something had caught her attention. There, within the mist, a part of Toya had been suspended in time. Looking back at Shinbe through tunneled vision, she finally smiled as if nothing had happened, and with his help, pulled away from the light.

“Shinbe, will you do me a favor?” she grinned.

Shinbe leaned forward, looking deep into her eyes, feeling better than he had in a long time just because she smiled. “Sure, I suppose you would like for me to finish what we started,” he cocked an eyebrow at her, trying to act serious, but mentally knowing that wasn’t what she was talking about.

Kyoko’s eyebrow twitched, wondering if he had suddenly developed brain damage. “Would you like to be thrown into the heart of time, or step in on your own?”

“Heh?” Shinbe leaned back from her, not really wanting to be thrown into the light without her. “What do you mean?”

“Well, if I jump in, I’ll go on through to the other side. But if you do, then you will land in the middle, and will be able to come back,” she stated as if that cleared everything up.

Shinbe stood there blinking at her. Kyoko grabbed him and leaned him into the light, while keeping a firm hold on him so he could see what she had seen. Shinbe looked into the mist, and lying right there were the twin daggers, just out of their reach. “Oh. I see.”

Kyoko leaned forward and whispered, “I would hate for Toya to wake up without them, wouldn’t you?” She watched as Shinbe turned his head to look at her. They were almost nose-to-nose. All of a sudden, it hit her just what they were doing when Toya had first shown up. She felt heat spread across her cheeks. Straightening back up, she tried to hide her eyes.

Shinbe grinned at her embarrassment. Knowing he didn't want to stick around for an irate Toya to awaken and try to kill him again, he grabbed Kyoko’s hand and entered the heart of time, then instantly let go so he could reach the blades. As he picked up the twin daggers, he wondered aloud, “Why did Toya come back?”

Shinbe had a bad feeling as he started to back out. With a calm look on his face, he grasped Kyoko’s hand again, and was pulled from the light. Handing the daggers to her, he smirked, “Let’s seal the monster back inside him, shall we?”

Not knowing how to take his twisted sense of humor at the moment, she took the twin daggers and walked to Toya’s motionless form and laid them against him. Now that they were once again touching Toya, sealing his demon side, she felt a little safer. Backing away, as if expecting him to wake back up any second, she echoed Shinbe’s earlier thoughts, “I wonder why he came back?” She felt a hand on her shoulder and almost jumped out of her skin.

Shinbe placed a hand on her other shoulder to steady her, and dipped down close to her ear. “Something must’ve gone wrong on the other side of the heart of time for him to come back in such a state,” he said in a quiet voice.

Kyoko felt goose bumps where his breath caressed her neck. To keep the same thing from happening again, she turned and walked back to the maiden statue, “I wonder if it’s safe for us to cross?”

Shinbe knew she was avoiding him, and he swallowed guiltily. He’d kissed her and she had kissed him back.

‘I wonder if it’s the spell?’ he thought to himself. With a mental shake of his head he corrected the thought, ‘No, I’ve felt like this for a long time.’

His gaze caressed the side of her face as she looked at the maiden apprehensively. His heart seemed to freeze. Shinbe frowned wondering if the spell possibly had her in its grip, and it wasn’t even her kissing him of her own free will. He sighed with the unhappy thought as he walked closer to her.

Kyoko could sense Shinbe coming up behind her. He hadn’t said anything about what happened between them, and it made her a little nervous. Why had he kissed her like that? Not that it wasn’t a great kiss, because it was. She could still feel the ghost of it on her lips.

She had feelings for Shinbe and they were growing. He’d kissed her, but what if it was just the spell he was talking about? Kyoko cringed inwardly. If he wasn’t going to say anything, then she wouldn’t either.

Shinbe raised his arm and scratched his neck, feeling awkwardness in the air. Trying to lighten the mood, he nudged her lightly with his arm. “Well, what now? We could wait on Toya to wake up, or we could go through the portal and find out for ourselves what sent him flying back in such a rage.”

Shinbe could feel the room grow darker. ‘Okay, maybe that didn't lighten the mood.’ When first try fails, try again. “You kiss great.” Now find a place to hide.

Kyoko’s eyes flew to Shinbe's in shock. She almost laughed out loud at the look on his face. It was a look of disbelief, as if he hadn’t meant to say that out loud, and was now in the process of swallowing his disobedient tongue. Kyoko couldn’t help it. She giggled.

Shinbe let a grin spread across his face. Just her smile and laugh made all the gloom fade from the room. That was until he heard a moan coming from behind him. As if on instinct, his shoulders seemed to draw up and his eyes closed, preparing to be hit from behind.