Chapter 3 ‘Wicked Kisses”
The breeze was growing colder by the minute and Toya slowed down noticing an evil aura in the distance. Kyoko's blood ran cold as the unnatural feeling overwhelmed her. Toya leapt down from the high branches, coming to a skidding stop at the top of a hill. She slid to the ground as the others quickly appeared behind them looking into the distance.
Kyoko watched as an ominous cloud loomed over the area. "I feel a talisman." She shook her head. "Not just one, there’s more," She said breathlessly. “The evil surrounding the fragments is stifling.”
Suki walked up behind Kyoko, adjusting her weapon across her shoulder for easier access in case of battle. "I wonder if it’s Hyakuhei you’re sensing?" She glanced at Shinbe as he walked up beside them, his trench coat and long midnight-blue hair blowing in the wind that was now picking up.
Toya’s eyes narrowed and change to molten silver. Sensing danger close to them, he glanced to the left and slung his arm downward. The metallic blade of a dagger flashed to life within his palm. "Come out you bastard, I can smell you!" Toya growled, stepping in front of Kyoko and the others to protect them. The hillside and valley below held the heavy stench of evil.
A form wearing a billowing, black robe materialized out of nowhere, right in front of them with a wicked tilt to his lips. "So, you have answered my summons."
Kyoko shuddered when his dark eyes met hers. The memory of the dream she had the night before slammed into her, giving her the creeps. She took a step back, hiding behind Toya and peeking around him at Hyakuhei. She had a bad feeling that the only reason he was there was her and the talismans she carried.
Toya noted Hyakuhei’s attention was centered on Kyoko and he felt a mental snap. He growled, gripping the handle of his dagger and flinging himself forward to slash at the enemy. The black cape fluttered to the ground as expected. He’d known it was only one of Hyakuhei’s puppets anyway.
“Will you ever have the guts to truly face me!” Toya raged.
"The priestess’s powers will be mine, so… come to me…” Hyakuhei’s cold voice slowly blew away in the wind.
Kyoko felt chills creep up her spine from the words Hyakuhei had spoken. “Come to him? Is he nuts?” she whispered feeling the coward inside rear its frightened head.
Toya came to stand beside her. He knew that the guardians were in charge of keeping the crystal out of the hands of evil but he didn’t like the fact that it put Kyoko in harm’s way. Hyakuhei had killed many innocents for the talismans. He’d be damned before he let Kyoko become one of the casualties of this war.
He would protect her. His need to protect Kyoko was so strong, it had become his sole purpose for existence and right now, he had a very bad feeling. He could hear Kyoko’s heartbeat speeding and could smell the fear coming from her in waves. Toya watched in amazement as she turned to him with a frozen smile.
“Well, shall we go collect another talisman?" Kyoko lifted her chin in defiance of the fear she was feeling and straightened her shoulders.
Toya looked behind her and could see that the others were also ready. The others… the only people he’d ever trusted.
***** Hyakuhei gazed into the mirror his underling Yuuhi held up for him. The mirror of souls that enabled him to watch Kyoko’s every move. This girl was his focus for the moment. She alone held the power to control the Guardian Heart Crystal and he needed that power.
But… he also needed her to help him fuse the talismans back together. To do that, he would have to find a way to get her to come to him… willingly. He wanted her… not dead… instead, he wanted her on his side.
As if reading his master’s mind, Yuuhi spoke in the quiet, emotionless voice that belonged to a child. "You want the power the girl wields but she is pure and will not come to you willingly.” The ghostly-white form of the boy peered at Hyakuhei with black eyes that held the knowledge of thousands of years.
"To capture her is to capture a pure heart. To do that, you will need to snare her in a web of deception." The eerie boy gazed into the mirror, watching Kyoko with eyes the color of death.
Hyakuhei smiled a tainted smile. His unblemished, perfect body and face hid his malevolence. His long, dark hair cascaded around him in gleaming waves. He was very sensual, with slender muscles rippling under his skin with every movement. This priestess that the guardians protected held the likeness of the only one he had ever loved.
He knew Kyoko was a reincarnation of the one he had lost so long ago… the one taken from him without mercy.
His hand fisted as the memories tried to come back to him of another time. He pushed them away with a growl and focused back on the priestess before him. How could he make an untainted heart fall in love with him when he was pure evil? She had the power he’d given to her ancestor so long ago. This is what drew him to her, the thought of corrupting that kind of purity. First, he would have to ensnare her.
"I will call upon the magic of Tenshi to cast a spell on the priestess and she will fall in love with me." Hyakuhei then began to laugh but the sound held no humor. Closing his dark eyes, he summoned forth the angelic figure of one of the inner demons he had consumed within his body and now controlled.
This demon Tenshi could weave a spell around the girl, unknowingly making her fall in love with the one who has her in their possession. Also calling forth a demon of immense strength and a mass of flying evil spirits to keep Toya and the others at bay, Hyakuhei sent them to meet the group as he watched it all through the mirror of souls.
***** As Toya and the group closed in on the sinister aura within the valley, Kyoko stopped. Malevolence… she could feel it all around them but she couldn’t see it. “Something is here with us,” Kyoko whispered as she took a frightened step back. Her wide emerald eyes lifted to a hill in front of them just as an enormous demon rose from the ground as if climbing out of some unmarked grave.
Toya growled at the smaller demons also coming from the ground. It looked like someone had opened a gate from hell. The twin daggers quickly shimmered to life as Shinbe and Suki stood on each side of him. Kaen bared his fangs as Kamui darted over to Kyoko to stand in front of her incase some of the demons made it past the others.
Toya sprang forward yelling. “Kyoko! Do you see a talisman in the main demon?"
Kyoko looked at the demon hard and saw a soft glow coming from its forehead. "Forehead!" She yelled back at Toya while Suki started slashing at the wraiths that were flying toward them ahead of the main demon.
Kyoko watched Shinbe start to unwind the amethyst beads from around his hand to open the cursed void Hyakuhei had gifted him with as a child, the same void that could swallow him whole if its powers ever became out of control. The vacuum of the void would suck the demons into its depths in waves, making it one of their best and most dangerous weapons in the battle against Hyakuhei and his minion.
Kyoko saw a shadow fly past her and glanced above them. "Shinbe! Don’t do it! A changeling," She pointed and Shinbe glanced up, quickly closing the cursed void and nodded his thanks for the warning just as a swarm of demons came at them. The changelings were the voids solitary downfall.
Shinbe had almost died the last time he’d accidentally sucked in one of Hyakuhei’s changelings. Their power reflected within the void, spinning it out of control and putting Shinbe’s own life in danger of being consumed by the cursed vacuum.
Suki’s bayonet zoomed through the air at the last second, killing some of the advancing lowborn demons. Shinbe threw wards and cast spells at the rest that were attacking them.
That’s when everything started happening all at once, Kyoko watched as the group fought off a large swarm of ground imps. Airborne demons attacked Toya with movements too quick to track, giving the mammoth demon an opening to attack. Toya was thrown across the field only to rise back up and come at it again.
Kyoko raised her crossbow, intending to help as much as she could when something caught her attention… stilling her movements. An illumination descended around her, repelling Kamui as if he had been thrown away from her. It was so bright that Kyoko shut her eyes tight and threw her arm up in front of her to keep from being blinded.
Toya saw the light sphere descend on Kyoko. His heart thudded in his chest… his attention on her instead of the fight with the demon as he picked himself up from the ground yet again.
Finally opening her eyes, Kyoko gasped when she saw a man right in front of her. He was beautiful… with wings of light… just like in her literature books at school. They would have said he was an angel. This man was in no way an angel… she could feel it. She pulled back the string of her crossbow and a spirit dart formed as she remembered the story about the most beautiful angel being kicked out of heaven because he was evil.
Kyoko steadied her aim as she looked into the crystals that were his eyes but was unable to shoot. How could she hurt something so precious? With his long, white hair flowing around him, she’d never seen anything so lovely in her life. He slowly approached her, whispering words that she couldn’t understand.
Between Suki and Shinbe, they’d wiped out almost all of the free flying spirits and turned to help Toya with the enraged demon that was slamming him into the ground because he wasn’t paying attention to the fight. He was too busy trying to see what was happening to Kyoko.
Suki threw her weapon and it slashed across the demon’s cheek, getting its attention fixed on her. Shinbe grabbed her out of the way just as the demon attacked, sending debris flying as its claws missed and swiped the ground. He yelled to Toya. "You go help Kyoko. We’ll deal with this thing!”
Toya raced to the radiating light, seeing the image of a man with wings floating toward Kyoko inside the barrier. He ran to it but the barrier repelled him as it had Kamui. Small lightning bolts the color of black light sizzled across his skin. Flying backwards, he hit the ground with a bone-jarring thud. He lay there for a minute, stunned and trying to catch his breath.
Kamui stood on the other side of the sphere, franticly casting every magic spell he could think of to destabilize the barrier but it wasn’t working. He growled in frustration as he again tried to breach the shield and get to Kyoko. Placing his hands together in front of him, he chanted his most powerful spell and released it, only for it to reflect off the wall of the barrier and slam back into him, sending him skidding across the grass in irritation.
Kyoko was trying to fight the pull from the apparition-like form in front of her. She could hear him whispering enchantments and she could feel a strange sensation starting in her chest. It wasn’t painful… but still… it felt like it would burst. Not with pain… it was a loving feeling. She was still lucid enough to feel fear at the same time.
She tried to step back as he drew even closer and that’s when it dawned on her exactly what he was doing. This mischievous demon was casting a spell on her… and now it was too late. Kyoko blinked slowly. She felt the overwhelming feeling of being in love. She would do anything for that person but she didn’t know who that person was. Who was it she loved so much that it hurt?
She felt the ground shift under her feet and she began sinking into a void just as the alluring demon finally came within a hairsbreadth from her. His silky lips brushed across hers and her world turned black.
***** Hyakuhei gazed through the mirror and witnessed the spell being placed on Kyoko. He knew when she awoke, the person before her would be the one she loved. His eyes glowed a faint, crimson light as he opened a portal under the barrier sphere she was trapped in and started pulling her to him.
"Yes, come to me. I am the one you truly love.” His thoughts became distorted and he felt like she was finally coming home to him. “As it should be,” he whispered.
Yuuhi watched Hyakuhei without a flicker of emotion crossing his pale, young face. "She will not come, for Toya will stop her.”
Hyakuhei’s eyes narrowed on the boy before he turned back to the mirror.
***** Toya stood over the barrier-sphere that kept Kyoko from him. With his whole body shaking from fear and anger, he gathered his guardian powers and let it pulse into the twin daggers.
"You will not take her away from me!" His eyes instantly changed to molten silver as his powers surfaced, sending a shockwave out around him, causing his hair and clothes to flutter wildly from the blast. Holding the twin daggers together, the crossed blades turned a vivid blue as the Tenshi kissed Kyoko’s lips.
The demon looked up just as Toya descended. In a flash, the barrier shield disappeared and the blades made contact with the Tenshi, killing it in an instant.
Toya reached down and grabbed Kyoko around the waist, pulling her up out of the void that had formed under her. He jumped clear of the void just as the massive demon Suki and Shinbe were fighting tried to attack him again.
Seeing that Kyoko was unconscious and not knowing what the winged demon had done to her made Toya see red. Raising his fire dagger with a furious growl, he felt the heat build within his guardian blood and released it back on the advancing demons, blasting them to smithereens.
***** Yuuhi lowered the mirror of souls from Hyakuhei, who had looked away in disappointment.
Hyakuhei’s voice remained calm. “No matter, the spell will only last a couple of hours since the Tenshi was destroyed." There was no regret, for he would have many more chances and he would capture the priestess. He opened the palm of his hand revealing the small fragments of crystal that would eventually bring her within his grasp.
"She will still come to me." He said in a seductive voice as Yuuhi looked back into the mirror.
***** Toya was so upset that he didn’t even notice the dark clouds had disappeared and the sun was once again shining its late day rays. He reached out, pulling Kyoko closer so that her head rested on his thigh as he knelt. He couldn’t see any wounds but the fact that she had passed out was scaring the hell out of him. He paid no attention to the others as they crowded around him.
Kamui knelt by Toya's side. "Is she all right?” He gazed down at Kyoko with a catch in his voice. “I was supposed to protect her,” He whispered as he reached out and touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers. “Kyoko, please wake up… for me… come on… why won’t you wake up?” The quiver in Kamui’s voice gave away the guilt he was feeling for not saving her.
Shinbe was the one to answer. "I recognized the lovely demon that was with her. I studied its secrets a while back. It’s called Tenshi. It’s very weak in physical attacks and can be destroyed easily. Its real power is a deceiving love spell." He directed his next question toward Toya. "It didn’t kiss her did it?”
Toya nodded, remembering the flash of jealousy that had shot through him when the beautiful male creature dared to kiss Kyoko.
Shinbe sighed and smacked his hand over his eyes before peeking through his fingers, "Then we may have a problem when she wakes up.”
Toya felt his stomach quiver at the thought of Kyoko being hurt somehow. "Shinbe, what’s wrong with her? What kind of spell was it that the bastard put on her? Is there any way we can help her? An antidote or something?" He asked calmly, never taking his eyes from her for fear of her breath stopping. He’d never felt so numb in his ageless life.
"Well, the Tenshi put a love spell on her when he kissed her. That much I know. He was probably going to take her to Hyakuhei when they started down into that void that had opened up. But since you killed the demon, the spell shouldn’t last very long.” Shinbe cast a worried glance at Toya, hoping his studies had been accurate… for all their sakes.
Toya frowned as he moved a couple inches away from her and stood up. His heart kicked up its tempo as he asked, "What kind of spell is a love spell and why would Hyakuhei want Kyoko under it?" Then it dawned on him what Hyakuhei’s intentions had been. His hands balled into fist as his eyes widened then instantly narrowed, "Damn that bastard! I’m gonna kill him!"
He sat down hard on the ground beside Kyoko. "Well, what’s gonna happen when she wakes up now that Hyakuhei's not here?" Toya tried to hide the fury he felt at the thought of Hyakuhei wanting Kyoko.
Shinbe leaned over her. "Let’s find out." He tapped Kyoko on the cheek softly. "Kyoko, sweetie. Wake up." He smiled when her eyes started to flutter. Suki sat down beside him waiting for Kyoko to focus, waiting to see if she was all right.
Kyoko's vision was blurry as she opened her eyes. Her chest hurt. She raised her hand, putting it over her heart and squeezed her eyes shut for a second. Then she heard Shinbe.
“Kyoko, are you alright?" Shinbe leaned over her, now coming into focus as she gazed up at him.
Kyoko stared at him for just a moment, feeling every nerve in her body come to life. God, Shinbe was beautiful with his long, midnight blue hair hanging down around his perfect face. His eyes looked like amethyst crystals as he watched her. "I’m fine." Kyoko pushed herself up into a sitting position and wrapped her arms around his neck wanting closer to him. "Oh, Shinbe. I love you so much."
Shinbe’s eyes flashed pure joy as Kyoko pressed herself against him. Forgetting everyone was watching, he smiled back at her and asked, "Kyoko, darling. Will you have my child?"
Kyoko smiled, "I would love to." She waited as Shinbe started forward with his amethyst gaze on her lips. About that time, Suki's weapon landed on Shinbe's head making him dizzy. He gasped in pain as he passed out.
Kyoko frowned as Shinbe landed in a heap beside her. In slight confusion she turned to look at Suki who was laying her weapon back on the ground with a smug look. "Aaah, Suki," Kyoko crawled toward her, smiling sensually the whole time. Reaching out, she cupped Suki's cheek with the palm of her hand. "You are so beautiful.”
Suki’s eyes became huge as she crawled backwards trying to get away but Kyoko crawled forward following her, still smiling.
Toya sat there, too stunned to do anything. He just watched Kyoko stalk Suki with infatuation.
"Toya, will you please call her off!” Suki sounded like she was more scared of Kyoko than any demon had ever scared her, even in battle.
Toya grinned as he reached over and grabbed Kyoko from behind, wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her off Suki, setting her right in his lap. He was grinning at Suki until Kyoko turned around on his lap, straddling him.
His world came to a crashing halt as Kyoko held his gaze. The love shining in her emerald eyes for him made his lungs ache and his heart felt like someone had kicked it. Toya couldn’t breathe. It was the look he longed for and had often dreamed about. Now here she was, staring him in the face. Kyoko… was in love with him.
"Toya…" She whispered softly, "Please, kiss me." Before he could even comply with her sweetly spoken request, Kyoko had leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She murmured the words, "I love you," just as her lips descended on his.
Toya felt a jolt of pleasure pass through his body as though he’d just died and came back to life. When she opened her lips to him, he couldn’t help but drive his tongue deep into her, giving in to the kiss of a lifetime, searching out all the hidden places he had longed to find. He sucked in her hot breath when her kiss tried to dominate his.
His arms coming up around her brought them closer still as a wave of possessiveness rushed through his veins. Her small hand had wound its way up into his hair, where she grasped it, holding him captive.
Shinbe regained consciousness. Sitting up, his eyes followed the stunned gazes of Kamui and Suki. Turning to look, his jaw dropped. They looked like two lovers totally into each other and not knowing they were being watched. Shinbe reached over and grabbed Suki's arm, shaking it to get her attention although his eyes were still locked on the couple.
Suki turned her face slightly to let him know she acknowledged his shaking her arm but her eyes were still transfixed on Toya and Kyoko. Neither one of them could believe what they were witnessing.
Shinbe tried to snap out of it by shaking his head to clear the dirty thoughts that threatened to take over. Using his better judgment, he leaned toward Suki. "Don’t you think we should stop him before it goes too far?" He whispered honestly feeling like a voyeur. "I mean, once the spell wears off and Kyoko is back to normal, she’s gonna be angry if she isn’t still in one piece.” Shinbe knew Suki would catch the double meaning.
Suki blushed as she glanced over at him. “Yeah, I’m just glad he stopped her before she did that to me." She grinned.
Shinbe cocked an eyebrow, wondering what the hell he had missed.
Kamui, who had been silently watching in astonishment, heard Suki's remark. He couldn’t help it… the thought of Kyoko getting Suki in a lip-lock like that. It sent him into a fit of laughter that he tried to keep quiet but couldn’t.
Shinbe and Suki snickered as Kamui laughed his fool head off but then Suki glanced back at Toya seeing how his body was already starting to move in a seductive rhythm against Kyoko’s. She knew they had to intervene somehow.
Toya was in heaven, taking all from the kiss that he could. He took the kiss even deeper as his passion began to flame. The need to make Kyoko his sizzled within his guardian blood. He gave a low growl as his hand gripped the back of her head. His fingers splayed through her hair as he pulled her farther into the now demanding kiss.
The way she was sitting on him with her legs on each side of him, he could feel her heat against his rising need. Toya put his other arm lower on her back as he ground himself up against her. The sensation was making him lose control. He was oblivious to everything except his need to have all of her.
The stimulating smell of desire she was giving off let him know she was ready to become his… forever. All he needed was to be inside her… deep inside her.
Shinbe and Suki realized it had gone far enough and they could tell neither was in control anymore. Shinbe stood and Suki rose beside him, their smiles now gone. Both too scared to approach. It wasn’t funny anymore.
"Toya, please stop this at once. Remember… Kyoko is under a spell and doesn’t know what she is doing. Toya!” Shinbe called out, hoping he wasn’t too late. He took a quick step back when Toya's head snapped up.
Toya’s eyes turned silver then tinted red as he growled, sending a warning for them to back off.
Shinbe took a step in front of Suki protectively. “That’s not Toya,” He hissed as he gripped his staff so hard that his knuckles turned white. He needed to find a way to snap Toya out of his present state-of-mind before things went too far.
“I’m not scared of Toya's demon side,” Kamui frowned and started for them with every intention of taking Kyoko from his brother. He was stopped short when Suki grabbed one arm and Shinbe grabbed his other.
“No, Kamui!” They cried in unison.
Suki’s heart was beating fast out of fear for both her friends. “Damn Hyakuhei and his curses!” She tried once more to make him understand. "Toya, she will hate you if you take her while she doesn’t know what she’s doing. Please try to get yourself back under control.” she hardened her voice, “You have to let her go."
Toya’s gaze turned on Suki angrily as the words slowly reached through the haze of desire and penetrated into his subconscious. The dangerous color receded from his eyes, turning them back to liquid gold. He reluctantly returned his attention to Kyoko with a shattered heart. He almost lost it again when she pressed herself downward, searing heat across his rock hard erection.
Kyoko’s eyes were glazed over with unrestrained passion and he could smell the scent of her need. Toya’s gaze softened in understanding. She was waiting on him to make love to her. She wanted him as much as he wanted her.
It was all he could do to not grab her up and leave with her. But with all the willpower he had left in him, he understood the truth of Suki’s words. Kyoko would hate him. He’d already kissed her against her will, and now this? Toya gently pushed her off him and stood up; closing his eyes to the rejected look she was now giving him.
Kyoko didn’t understand why he was leaving her. She reached out to grip his shirt, wanting him to stay. It felt like her world would shatter if he left her. "Toya, please, I love you." Her eyes misted as she tried to get him to look at her. She whispered in a confused voice, “Don’t leave me.”
Toya had frozen in place, unable to pull away from her hand. He tried to remind himself that she would have said the same thing to Hyakuhei had he not broken the barrier before she disappeared into that void. His claws dug into the palms of his hands drawing blood and he tried to focus on the pain to help stabilize his willpower.
Suki came up behind Kyoko and holding on to her, she looked at Toya. "Maybe you should go away for a little while until the spell wears off and you are both under control again.” She nodded her head toward the trees, hoping he would listen for once.
Toya hung his head… his dark hair barely hiding the need in his eyes from everyone watching. God, he wanted to claim her, wanted to mark her right there and then… but Suki was right, Kyoko wasn’t herself right now. She’d only hate him for it later and he didn’t want that. He gritted his teeth with his restraint. If he ever took Kyoko for his own, he’d never give her back. She would be his… for life.
Suki gasped at the look on Toya’s face when he finally raised his head up to look at Kyoko. It was a look of enlightenment and barely suppressed hunger… the silver within his eyes matched the silver highlights that streaked his ebony hair.
He stepped forward, his eyes only for Kyoko as he leaned down, gently kissing her on the lips before whispering the words, "I’m sorry," against them. Then with all the self-control he held within his body, he turned and disappeared into the forest.
Suki sighed as Kyoko started crying. Her small body trembled as she whimpered. She placed her hand on Kyoko's shoulder and looked over at Shinbe not knowing what to do. Her own bottom lip trembled when she noticed Shinbe’s back was now turned to them and his shoulders were tense.
Kamui had also become very quiet; no longer thinking it was funny. There was too much truth behind this situation and it was breaking his heart.
***** Kyou inhaled the air that had only a moment ago held the stench of his enemy’s spawn. The scent had quickly changed as the sun returned and he could smell the priestess. Her scent drifted to him, carried by the breeze but he could also detect the unmistakable scent of her tears. Following the bittersweet scent, he searched for her.
He did not want anyone upsetting her and for some reason, the thought of her crying made his anger surface. What had she befallen to bring tears to her emerald eyes? His calm face showed no emotion but his protective instinct surfaced as he flew in the direction Kyoko’s scent was coming from.
Toya hadn’t gone far when he felt someone approaching. He gave an angry hiss… his unease mounting. Kyou’s scent grew steadily closer. It was unhurried and calm as it passed over him, moving in Kyoko's direction. With a snarl, Toya turned and raced back to where he’d left Kyoko and the others.
Within only a few fleeting seconds, Kyou gazed coldly down at the group from a height where he would not be detected. The woman-child was on her knees crying while the demon slayer was laying a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. Shinbe and Kamui seemed calm and only stood by watching them from a distance.
He could smell Toya’s lingering sent but couldn’t see him anywhere. He could also smell Toya's desire still hanging thick in the air.
Surely, his stupid brother had not tried to harm the girl. Kyou silently willed Kyoko to look up at him, sending the thought into her mind as he gazed down at her quietly, no emotion showing on the outside. His heart beat faster when she raised a tear-streaked face to meet his gaze.
Kyou glared coldly down at the ones standing around her. All eyes turned to him as his voice descended from the air. "Who has dared to hurt this girl?” His calm voice belied the danger they were in… for whoever had hurt her would pay.
