Chapter 4 “Heat of Possession”

Chapter 4 “Heat of Possession”

“This girl has already been claimed,” Hyakuhei growled trying to shake the site of her response to this human turned cannibal.

The half-breed suddenly rose out of the water as if lifted by invisible strings and hovered over the water’s surface. Hyakuhei arched an eyebrow at the tenacity of this one. Granted, he was still only a half-breed but not a complete child to their ways… he summarized that this one had been turned decades ago.

“Get lost, she’s mine,” The vampire hissed. “I found her.”

Hyakuhei glared at him, his anger reaching new heights making the pool water start to bubble much like a Jacuzzi.

“You wish to fight me for one single meal?” Hyakuhei asked in a low voice that had sent more than one creature running for their lives. “So be it.”

The pool water was boiling now, splashing up onto the pool deck and hot enough to cause severe burns. Hyakuhei moved faster than the half-breed had ever seen and never would again. He didn’t even have time to try to protect himself, let alone fight back as his head fell into the boiling water, severed from the rest of his body.

The carcass fell into the water with a plop and started dissolving into a substance that reminded Hyakuhei of the slime that was found in children’s vending machines.

Turning away from the sizzling pool, he entered the cabana where the girl was still laying. She hadn’t even noticed her partner was missing and was caressing herself with her eyes closed, desperately in need. He could feel the high of the sexual stimulant the other had placed on her mind and shook his head in dissatisfaction at the lingering taint of another man… he would erase it from history.

Leaning over her withering body, he reached out and grasped her chin, turning her face to his. He patiently waited until she was looking at him with those overly bright emerald eyes before he started his own process, by placing her under his own power. Normally when a female was placed within one's power… they would simply become obedient rag dolls who submitted to the vampire’s every wish.

This girl seemed to be fighting back with such passion… such craving that it was almost painful to witness… as if displaying a thrall of her own. If such a weak vampire could send her into this kind of sexual height, then her need would now become such a craving that it would match his own.

The scent coming from her almost made him lose his grip on his building desire for the girl. This woman stirred that dormant part of him to a dangerous level. He had to get inside her and quickly.

Kyoko looked up at the man above her and for a moment didn’t recognize him. Becoming completely still, she stared into what she had thought were blue eyes but now they had somehow turned darker than midnight and fascinating. He looked like he was starving as he stared down at her. His gaze focused hungrily on her lips and she saw the raw longing in the depths of those midnight eyes.

Kyoko suddenly remembered describing him to Yohji and smiled when she reached up, sliding her fingers through his long black hair and touched her thumb to his pale cheek… he was even more beautiful than she remembered.

Hyakuhei abruptly pushed her back down against the soft padding of the lounge chair and held her there for a moment… glaring at her and her daring to captivate him. Hearing her whimper with need sent heat slamming through his body and almost brought him to his knees. His eyes narrowed wondering just who was more enthralled.

Unable to cage his hunger any longer, he quickly leaned down to capture her lips in a searing kiss and hummed in appreciation when she whimpered in response. Deepening the kiss, he slowly crawled up and over her, letting his hand trail up her thigh. Placing his other arm around her and lifting her slightly, he cupped her center fully in the palm of his hand and tightened his grip.

The woman instantly bucked against him and Hyakuhei was shocked to learn something he’d never expected… she wasn’t wearing undergarments and the heat radiating from her felt like liquid fire. He felt himself harden in response, straining upward against his clothing. He growled refusing to lose control so quickly and his need to dominate surfaced with a vengeance.

Despite his desire for her, Hyakuhei was still angry at her naïveté and wanted to teach her a lesson about being more careful around men… especially ancient vampires that had a tendency to keep returning to a blood source that was pure and untouched by another. If he hadn’t shown up… she would have been damned either way.

Dragging his lips from hers with a harsh breath, he ripped his hand from between her legs and placed it around her throat to keep her still… trying to calm them both.

“Why would someone so pure wish to rid themselves of their innocence?” Hyakuhei asked with a mesmerizing growl. “Are you so eager to become a woman?”

Kyoko swallowed hard, still under his thrall and stared up at him. Struggling to remember, her eyes widened as the words in her grandpa’s letter came back to haunt her. “I can’t be a virgin anymore… will you help me?” She whispered the plea and pulled at his shirt wanting nothing more than to rip it off him.

Hyakuhei growled low in his chest before standing up and taking her with him. He would be the only one she would ask that question… he would see to it. After giving her a chance to get her footing, he quickly pulled her shirt back over her head and swept her inside the Grand Hotel and into one of the empty elevators.

A few months back, Hyakuhei had found himself out in the early morning hours with no way to reach his home in time. He’d been drawn to the Grand and now kept one of the penthouses there for his own personal use. With this amenity at his fingertips, he never had to check in.

It also helped that most of the night staff were vampires themselves and they were smart enough to treat him with respect. He’d later learned that Tadamichi owned the hotel but it made no difference to him as long as his twin stayed the hell out of his way.

Once the doors were closed, he pushed the girl up against the wall, slipping his fingers through hers and lifting her hands above her head. Keeping their hands locked above her would be the only way they would make it to his rooms with any sanity left. Unable to resist the seductive look in her eyes, he slashed his lips across hers hungrily knowing there was more than one way to be inside her.

Jerking her hands free, Kyoko wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her legs until they were hooked around his waist. When he ground his hips forward and up… Kyoko gave a high-pitched whine and pushed down against him in response. She gasped for air when he pulled away from her lips and began leaving a fiery trail of kisses across her cheek and down her neck.

Her teeth sank into her lower lip when the tip of his tongue brushed against the tops of her breasts beneath the hem of her strapless top.

Her nails dug into his back while she pressed into the hard kiss. She didn’t have a clue what she was doing so she let her body respond the only way that felt right. Her body was screaming for him to take her and wondered why he hadn’t done so yet. With all the pent up need… the kiss was quickly turning savage.

After what seemed like an eternity, the elevator dinged causing both of them to jerk slightly at the sound.

Hyakuhei stepped back but didn’t let her down. Placing his hands under her thighs, he kept her right where he needed her… wanted her. He carried her to the door of his penthouse suite while his lips fed off hers. Reaching around, he pressed his thumb against the small black screen next to the door. There was a beep and the door unlocked. Hyakuhei pushed the door open with his foot only to kick it shut behind them.

The interior was dark but that didn’t matter. With an impatient glance… the fireplace lit as if obeying his command. Needing to regain his focus, Hyakuhei released her and let her legs slide down him to stand on the floor. Placing a firm hand on her shoulder to hold her still, he wanted to look at her, knowing this passion was not normal and was getting way out of control… on both sides.

When the woman pushed him up against the wall with more force than she should have had and started kissing him again, a growl erupted from deep in his throat and he gently shoved her against the opposite wall of the foyer… keeping his body only inches from hers. Her face was flushed and her hair had fallen down in disarray, leaving soft locks hanging down in her face to sway with each ragged breath they both took.

She looked like she was ready to fight him and her emerald eyes had grown stormy, making bolts of desire streak down his stomach and up his thighs as he watched her. Hyakuhei suddenly felt it in his blood… thumping deep under his skin. He’d been waiting on something as long as he could remember and had now found it… her.

Her hands were on his black leather jacket, nearly ripping it off of him. She tossed it aside and Hyakuhei heard it hit the back of the sofa before falling to the floor. His shirt didn’t last long as she ripped it open, sending buttons flying everywhere. He had a feeling he was going to need new clothing for years to come for he did not intend to let her go.

“I want you,” Kyoko urged against his lips then forcefully pushed him away as if rejecting him.

He stood to his full height as a wicked fire began to burn behind eyes of darkness. “It’s too late… you’re mine now.” His voice was deep as it echoed past them.

Hyakuhei wasted no time re-imprisoning her within the steel band of his arms and picked her up so she could not try that again. He felt his blood heat to a dangerous level as her legs wrapped around his waist once more.

Pushing back the urge to give her what she was asking for right there in the hallway, he carried her into the bedroom. He could taste the alcohol on her breath and wanted to kiss her so deeply that he would feel the intoxication as he drank her.

Dropping her none too gently on the bed, he stepped back as she quickly came up on her hands and knees and watched him circle the bed. Again he wondered who was stalking whom as he slowly disrobed from the little clothing she’d left him wearing. His hands were steady… relentless as she followed his every movement with one of her own. He would later wonder who was undressed first.

Kyoko’s lips parted when she found herself on her back surrounded by a curtain of ebony silk as his hair swung forward around them… blocking all else from her view. Her hands were pinned to the mattress on either side of her as he hovered just out of her reach, making her growl up at him.

Hyakuhei took it as a sign of defiance and the alpha male in him took over wanting to dominate her completely. Placing his thigh between hers, he swiftly pushed them apart and rose up on his knees. Bringing his hands slowly down her arms and ribs, he cupped her hips and raised them high into the air, surging forward as he kissed her inner thigh in a heated trail straight to the center of her.

Kyoko screamed, the movement had been so fast and before the scream ended, her breath stilled within her burning lungs as his tongue slid upwards across the opening of her nether lips only to trail back down them a little deeper. Her hands fisted in the sheets as she arched her back even more. She panicked feeling something within her break with such force that her body vibrated from the inside as the scream came again… sounding more like the pinnacle between pain and pleasure.

Hyakuhei gripped her hips, wrapping his fingers around the softness as he deepened his kiss when she reached her peak so quickly. He wanted to devour her and growled with pleasure knowing he was the first and would be the last to ever taste her heaven.

When he growled into her, Kyoko bucked then went limp as she broke again. She could feel him drinking her and leaving her lost within the earthquake. As she whimpered, she reached out and grabbed a handful of his hair, trying to get away from the intense pleasure… only to find that now she was holding him in place and moving against his mouth as she cried out.

Hyakuhei felt like he was being possessed by his need for her as he lifted his head and roared, dropping her back to the mattress and sliding his body back up and over hers in one fluid dominating movement. He had waited so long… longer than time… he had always wanted to possess her even though he couldn’t remember ever meeting her. He licked his lips before descending on hers and moving his lower body back between her legs.

Heat seared through him as the head of his rigid staff came flush against her entrance. The time for wanting was over.

All breath left her as the dark angel thrust forward… breaking her blood bond. She turned her head from side to side in fear, hearing frantic whispers all around her of things that were not meant to be. She could feel auras of light trying to pull her away from him but when her eyes once again focused on him; all was silent except the thick pounding ache between her thighs.

He held himself still above her, having heard the same voices she had. Possessive jealousy swept through him daring the ghost to just try to take her from him. Seeing her gaze now centered on him, he withdrew from her tightness only to slam back into her while she watched him. Her lips parted as he gave her a new high… one the voices of the damned could not penetrate.

His arms shook as he slowed down to a hard thrust; never taking his eyes off the passion that glowed from her. They were equal now as she raised her hips to meet his, only to cry out with every pounding… leaving her struggling to get away and closer at the same time. He could feel her squeezing him tight from the inside and groaned as he fought to quicken the pace.

Kyoko grasped his ribs in an effort to hold on as she felt the lightning strikes race down her and across her thighs in rhythm with her heart beat.

Seeing he had won the battle, Hyakuhei slowed down teasingly and his lips worshiped hers, licking and scalding before becoming demanding once again as he sped back up, giving her no rest. As he moved up and down her, he knew he would never be finished with her… never satisfied enough to stop.

Sliding his arms around her, he reared back on his knees… bringing her up with him. Pulling his palms back around to her hips, he held her up, then lowered her back down on him… watching her head arch back and roll around to her shoulder, bringing a tidal wave of auburn hair with her. Pulling her legs around him, Hyakuhei climbed off the bed, pushing her against the wall as he continued to bring her up and back down with more forceful movements.

As she moved, Kyoko couldn’t take her eyes off his perfect full lips now that she was raised just an inch higher than him, only to come down lower with every thrust of his hips. She gritted her teeth as he ground up against her and she lifted one hand up over her head… trying desperately to find something on the wall to hold on to. Her world tilted as her back left the wall and he landed on the bed with her still on top.

Finally having the control she had craved, Kyoko grabbed his hands and held them fast to the bed as she lifted her hips almost releasing him only to slam back down on him. She could feel every inch of the man under her as she began to rock back and forth in a grinding motion. Lifting her gaze from him, she tried to catch her breath without stopping the motion.

Hyakuhei took in the goddess above him and knew it wasn’t a lie. She’d been born only for him and he had waited so long that he’d forgotten her. He could feel her soul calling to him from the past and he twisted his hands from hers only to grip her wrist firmly and pull her down against him. Rolling over on top of her without losing rhythm, Hyakuhei marveled at the heat only she had ever created within his cold blood and he felt his fragile hold on sanity snap.

He could hear her rapid heartbeat… the pounding of her life’s blood was calling to him. This was the only heaven he’d ever known as he surged forward, driving himself as deep within her as he could. Lowering his lips to the arch of her neck as she strained away from him, Hyakuhei couldn’t hold back.

Refusing to rip into her like his mind was screaming for him to do, Hyakuhei laid his lips and teeth against her as he used his powers to take her to a speed she couldn’t match. As she climaxed, he let his fangs break her delicate skin with the least amount of damage, wanting to taste her this time from deep within in every way possible.

She would become the most important thing in his life, eternal soul mates… it wasn’t a lie… he could taste it.

What he had given and taken had now weakened both of them and stolen his will to hold back. Feeling her peek again, he jerked his mouth away from her sending echoes of harsh ragged sounds around them as he felt himself break and spill… pumping into her with every heartbeat.

Moments later, his arms gave way and he rolled to his side, taking her with him. The room became silent as he listened to the sound of her breathing, knowing she had fallen into a deep sleep as a combination of the spirits she had drank, and the blood he’d taken from her… mixed with the passion of their mating.

Hyakuhei tightened his arms around her not wanting to miss a thing but he could feel the unwanted sleep creep across him like the uninvited hand of fate.

***** Miles below the hotel room, deep within the catacombs, the violent screams and whispers of denial had finally stopped. Tadamichi raked his sharp claws from his red eyes, down his cheeks as his sight returned to him. He glared at the statues of the guardians around him knowing that was the closest they had ever come to breaking through the heart of time. They could feel her… and the chains holding the time portal closed had almost been unraveled. They’d almost come for her.

He’d felt his brother’s surrender to the priestess and now that the vision was gone, Tadamichi screamed out in rage again raking his claws across his face as if trying to tear off some unseen mask. It was the vibration of fury still coming from the statues that was making him lose his mind and he stumbled to his feet wanting no more of it… he was already covered in it.

Turning, he ran through the tunnels… his feet leaving the ground as he became the darkness he was so fond of. Releasing some of the rage within his body during flight sent echoes of power out in all directions… leaving his underlings scurrying into hiding. Moments later he found himself within his brother’s room staring down at the exhausted couple.

Tadamichi’s eyes turned back to ebony as his gaze caressed his brothers body spooned so perfectly against the girl’s soft curves. Their skin was still damp from their mating. He felt the same rage the guardians had and barely had the willpower to override it.

She was beautiful… just like he remembered her. He thought he would have felt the need for vengeance as he inhaled the fresh mating mark that surrounded her… and Hyakuhei. His brother wouldn’t even realize what he had done. He’d trespassed across a line that was never to be breached and there would not be any coming back from this.

He would do what he could for his brother… but the damage had already been done. His brother had betrayed him… not by making love to a girl… but by making love to this girl. He reached out to touch her only to pull his fingers back at the last instant in fear that he would not be able to stop. He and his brother would both die for her… by killing one another. There is no way Hyakuhei could ever love her more than him and that would be their downfall unless it stopped now.

Fate had separated them long ago and the guardians had sealed the pact, so why would the gods taunt him in such a way as to let his brother have the one thing he was denied? Or would the fates step in to leave his brother's heart bleeding as they had his so long ago? A deep sadness crossed his eyes knowing what must be done before it was too late.

Tadamichi tried to reach out with his mind to take away the memories of this night from her. He would only be able to skim the surface of her mind… he had no power over her… not now… not in the past.

They had been lovers once, just as Hyakuhei and she were lovers now. He and his twin were more alike than Hyakuhei would ever admit… right down to their soul mate. Had she been looking for him, only to find Hyakuhei instead? She might not remember, but her soul would never forget. His eyes darkened with the thought even while he fought the hope of it.

The thrall of a vampire would have never affected her if she hadn’t weakened her mind with the strong alcohol he now smelled on her breath. If she’d never drank the spirit water before, then its power may have been enough so that the thrall had never taken affect… he could not be completely sure.

The sad part is that once she had her powers back… his brother would have no hold over her either.

Using his powers on the priestess was staggering… making his body tremble with the effort. The most he could do was try to remove his face from her mind’s eye… his brother’s face. As he tried to go deeper, he could feel the screams of the guardians there and he quickly withdrew… refusing to give their memory any power. It was best they remained only phantoms within her mind.

Knowing he’d only been able to take the edge off her memory, Tadamichi fell to his knees beside her on the floor. So long ago he had fallen in love with her… was this now his punishment? He could not harm her in any way or the spell on the guardians would be broken and they would come for him with a vengeance. It would almost be worth it for a moment with her.

His gaze rose to his brother, thankful Hyakuhei had never met her in the past or the guardians that had stolen her from him… that was his cross to bear.

Giving fate the helping hand it needed, Tadamichi felt dawn coming and swept his fingers across the girl’s aura to wake her, knowing Hyakuhei would not have the energy just yet to awaken. He watched as soft light began to filter within the thick curtains and he stood within its beams for a moment longer before he backed into the darkness.

He only hoped the priestess would be smart enough to leave and never look back. If Hyakuhei had found what he had longed for… it would now be a fight between purity and the evil it attracted.

His gaze worshiped his brother for several heartbeats knowing this time evil had a heart. But if he couldn’t have her… then neither could his brother.

***** Kyoko awoke in layers and placed a hand over her eyes. She half expected the sun to be shining in her face but after cracking her eyes a bit, she realized it was actually nice and gloomy in the room. She lifted her head, almost whistling in appreciation at her surroundings. Wherever she was… it was a top of the line place.

She rolled to the side a bit but stopped when she felt the heavy arm lying across her waist. Glancing back, all she saw in the shadows was long black hair and the outline of a gorgeous body… she sighed happily. It had finally happened. Now Grandpa wouldn’t have to send Tasuki to save her from her virginity.

She cringed silently knowing Tasuki would never forgive her for this if he found out but it wasn’t as if she would ever see him again… this guy or Tasuki. Her bottom lip pouted at the lonely thought.

Carefully sliding under the heavy arm and out of the bed, Kyoko realized she was as naked as her day of birth. Blushing twelve shades of red, she quickly grabbed her strapless bra from the floor, putting it on in record time.

“Please, please, let him stay asleep,” She whispered nervously as she kept her back turned to the man.

Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment over waking up next to an equally naked man. She’d caught a glimpse of his body when she threw back the covers. To make matters even worse, she’d decided not to wear underwear the night before. The man probably thought she was a total slut. Her movements slowed as she felt the ache within her body. She felt like she had lost a fight. Her arms and legs hurt but what made her eyes widen was the strange thick feeling… between her thighs.

After searching for a few minutes, she found all of her clothes and realized she didn’t have a jacket to cover up her low cut top. Her gaze fell on his leather jacket and she grabbed it without thinking twice.

She made it to the front door and stepped out into the hallway while trying to pull her skirt on at the same time. She froze when she heard the sound of a cart being pushed along the carpet. Jerking her head up, she caught the shocked gaze of a young man delivering room service down the hall.

Kyoko quickly zipped up her skirt and pulled the shirt over her head then slipped into the jacket before running to the elevators. Once inside the relative safety of the elevator car, she slipped her shoes on and tried to fix her hair in the mirrored doors.

When the doors opened, Kyoko walked as nonchalantly as she could to the entrance and stepped out onto the street burying her hands in the deep pockets of the jacket. Her fingers brushed against something in the pocket. She almost stopped and pulled it out but decided to wait until she got closer to home just in case she had woken him as she left.

Looking over her shoulder with a mixed feeling of sadness and paranoia she whispered, “Thank you… you’ll never know how much.”

***** Hyakuhei awoke and inhaled deeply of the scent of passion that still lingered on the covers before reaching for the other side of the bed. He frowned when he realized the body that had been beside him was now gone. Had he fallen asleep? He almost never slept, as this was one of his powers. The shock of finding her last night, of loving her, had drained his energy more than any battle ever would.

Sitting up abruptly, he nearly groaned when his head started throbbing. Oh yes, now he remembered why he didn’t partake of intoxicated blood very often.

His eyes opened completely and he bolted up out of bed. He could feel his blood thumping hard just under his skin as his thoughts darkened. She had left him while he slept… like a thief in the night. His eyes narrowed as he felt the emptiness of the room closing in on him like a dark shroud. He didn’t even flinch as the chandelier hanging in the center of the room shattered… sending a spray of glass to the rich carpet.

So, she thought she could just disappear did she? This was one lesson he would enjoy teaching her.

Quickly getting dressed, he smirked when he realized that his black silk shirt was ruined from the woman’s treatment of it the night before. Searching around for his jacket, he growled softly, seeing that it was gone… along with all the money he’d had on him the night before. He inhaled slowly, testing the air and was satisfied to find she only had a moment’s head start.

Pulling on his boots, he stepped out into the hall and heard the elevator ding as the doors sealed shut. There was a young man delivering room service staring at the now closed elevator doors. Hyakuhei pressed the button for the other elevator and growled impatiently when it dinged moments later. It was the longest ride he could ever remember taking but he was pleased to find that not all of the buttons had popped off of his shirt.

By the time the elevator opened to the lobby… the girl was nowhere in sight.

He strode toward the entrance but stayed out of the direct sunlight wanting to catch the little thief before she got too far. Unfortunately, the sun was shining hard on the front of the building, making him throw his hand up to keep it from scalding his eyes. His ire rose and he clenched his right fist tightly.

Turning away from the front doors, he almost made it back to the elevator when the front picture windows of the hotel blew inward.

Not taking the time to observe the aftermath of his anger, Hyakuhei proceeded to his penthouse where he would spend the day. However, tonight he would track down the girl. A slow wicked smile spread across his face when memories from the night before surfaced. Whether she was aware of it or not, he knew right where to find her.

“I told you last night… it’s too late.”

***** Kyoko was surprised to find that she was less than a mile from the club and quickened her pace. Once she was past the door leading to the apartments upstairs, she rushed up and quickly approached her apartment door.

The door across from hers opened and Kyoko mentally sighed in frustration. Did that man stand behind his door waiting for her to come out or go in every single time? She glanced around looking for some hidden motion detector.

“Good morning Kyoko,” Yohji exclaimed with what Kyoko thought was supposed to be his sexy voice. “Getting in late this morning I see.”

‘Knock him out or be nice…’ It was so hard to decide. Feeling like a little revenge, she opted for half-truths.

Kyoko was smiling when she turned toward him. “Yeah, spent the most wonderful night with my boyfriend… he took me to the Grand.” Kyoko clasped her hands together in front of her chest for added drama. “He actually was able to rent one of the penthouse suites… can you believe it? It was so romantic. We finally consummated our relationship last night.” Her eyes were dancing with glee. “I’m no longer a virgin.”

“Y-you were a v-vir-virgin?” Yohji asked in shock.

Kyoko waved a hand toward him. “Of course I was. You didn’t expect me to put out for just anyone, did you?”

Yohji’s smile returned but this time it had become tainted. “Well, I’m always open if you get an itch you can’t scratch,” he said while coming closer to her.

Kyoko almost growled at his audacity, “No thank you Yohji. If I want some, I’ll call him.” Kyoko unlocked her door and slipped inside. “See you later.” She said and closed the door in his face.

Yohji smirked and turned back to his apartment. When he pushed open the door, his jaw dropped in shock when he saw it was trashed like someone had broken in and spent an hour mauling everything in sight. He looked over both his shoulders, seeing if there was anyone else in the hall before walking in and closing the door.

He thought about calling the police… but would they actually believe him? He’d only been out in the hall for two minutes tops and within a few feet of his door. After all the strange things that had happened lately… if he called anyone, it should be the Ghost Busters… or the men in the nice white coats… men in black might do too. He could even hear the theme song playing in his head as he silently began the cleaning process. ‘Who you gonna call!’

Amni stepped from the shadows at the other end of the hall knowing one day Yohji would crack if he kept toying with him like that. His blue eyes went back to Kyoko’s door longingly. He’d never felt such relief as he had when she’d come running up those stairs a few minutes ago.

Something very dangerous had happened last night and every vampire within the city had felt it… he could still hear Tadamichi’s screams that had ripped through him only hours ago. His lips parted knowing deep within his heart… she’d been the center of the unnatural unleashing. He buried the knowledge knowing he would have to hide it from her.

Kyoko got behind the relative safety of her locked door before pulling the bulky item out of the stranger’s jacket pocket. Her eyes widened when she pulled out a wad of hundreds and fifties. After counting it, she gulped when she realized she could pay the rent for the next three years and still have money left. She started laughing and plopped down on her worn out sofa… this was too good to be true.

A knock at her door startled her and Kyoko quickly put the money away before answering it. “Good morning,” she smiled softly when she saw Amni looking extremely tired. “You look like crap.”

Amni was indeed exhausted, having spent almost the entire night and morning searching for her. After his master’s twin left the club to stalk her, Amni had given his duties over to another bartender and left, trying to find Kyoko and the scumbag that had taken her. What he’d found outside the club had frightened him.

His gaze quickly scanned her body, seeing if there were any wounds that she may have received. He took in the bite mark on her neck that was now only showing pink in the final stages of healing… by this evening it would be gone completely.

Sensing only contentment from her, he knew without a doubt that she had no idea she’d even been bitten. Being under a vampire’s thrall would have that effect… then yet, all those drinks would have that effect too. Was it from the man she left with? Or had it come from one of the twins? Either way, it was very damning.

He finished his visual sweep of her and leaned against the doorjamb in relief when he saw that it didn’t have the effect on Kyoko as it would on a normal human. She seemed to have been one of the lucky ones. He silently thanked whatever guardian angel had been looking after her last night… she could have been killed.

“I was worried about you.” His voice held an accusing note but he kept it on the lighter side. He would never tell her how worried or that he’d searched the entire city for her in one night.

Kyoko frowned and lowered her voice to almost a shameful whisper, “Why? I told you what I was going to do.” She kept her eyes lowered for the moment trying to find stains on the carpet… any distraction would work.

Amni bit his tongue knowing he couldn’t tell her what had actually happened or she’d murder the entire city. In the back of his mind, he was screaming at her, ‘you slept with a vampire and got bit… dummy!’ But outwardly it sounded more like…

“You left without telling me anything and someone was calling the cell phone that you’d left on the bar all night. I almost answered it but it was showing ‘Grandpa’ on the screen. Under the circumstances, I didn’t think it would be a good idea to explain to him what you were doing.” He handed the phone to her savoring the fleeting touch of their fingers.

Kyoko let her head roll back and groaned, “Oh man… I really need to tell him to stop calling me at all hours.”

“So,” Amni tried like hell to keep all emotion from his expression. “Did you take care of your problem?” He already knew she had and it was slowly eating away at him.

Kyoko shrugged trying to push the sudden shyness away, “Yeah… maybe now I can have some peace from the…” she cut the sentence off not wanting to step on toes. Besides, Amni wasn’t even in the same realm as the demons she hunted.

Amni nodded, feeling like he had been kicked in the chest. Knowing it and hearing her say it was two completely different things. “As long as you got home safe.” He stretched a bit and blinked tiredly to hide the tears that haunted his eyes. “I’m turning in for the day.”

Feeling the melancholy that he couldn’t hide, Kyoko tried to cheer him up knowing one of her favorite things about him was his funny bone. “What are you turning into?” She asked with a smirk.

“Your dream come true.” Amni smiled back, locking his darkening blue gaze on hers. “A dream come true that might just include long hot nights and…“

“Amni!” Kyoko warned.

“Okay, okay, just the dream come true with a happily ever after added on for good measure.” He shrugged. “But trust me when I say that you’re missing out.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Kyoko blushed and smiled at him before shaking her head. “Good morning Amni.”

Amni turned away, “Good morning.”

Kyoko closed the door and Amni stopped and looked over his shoulder. His expression faded back to one of sadness and he sighed longingly. His chest tightened and he turned toward his apartment door.

“Please… let it only be a one night stand,” He whispered, knowing it wasn’t.