LITMIR.BIZ

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starting to subside.

      Kyou got his first up close glance at her emerald eyes and the reaction startled him. She was looking at him as if he were a man… not a guardian lord. Her inability to show proper fear of him was confusing and that alone angered him. Her lack of fear had been what put her in danger tonight in the first place.

      It was also why Hyakuhei was on his way to her right now thinking he could steal her away in the middle of the night. Even at this great a distance… he could feel the malicious intent of his uncle. With his hearing as sensitive as it was, he could almost hear the caress of the wind against ebony feathers. This was something for her to fear… among other things.

      Fear… he could teach her that.

      He would teach her the reality of his world and show her why she should never have entered it. The Guardian’s, his brothers… her protectors… they were not here to save her now. He would instruct her in various ways the true meaning of fear. His golden eyes shone wickedly in the waning moonlight as an idea came to him.

      Kyou reached around her body, sliding the palm of his hand slowly downward in a caressing motion until it rested against her thigh at the bottom of her skirt. He then slid it up and under the loose cloth. He could feel the heat coming from her soft skin scalding the palm of his hand.

      Her whole body shivered at the light touch as she tried to twist out of his hold. The motion caused him to form a tighter grip on her. He slid his other hand across her rib cage meaning to only teach her the lesson of being caught alone and without protection so she would be wise enough not to do so again.

      Once again his instinct was stronger than his will as something within her called to him… making him want. Kyou could feel the heat radiating from her and his highborn blood stirred dangerously out of his control. Becoming confused, he suddenly did not want to let her go.

      He would never know if the warning was for him or her. Dipping his lips closer to her ear, Kyou breathed one word. "Run."

      In Kyoko's mind, fear gave way to panic when his arms loosened. She could be very obedient when the time was right and now was that time. She shot forward with no thought except to escape. Her mind screamed Toya's name repeatedly but not a sound came from her lips. Every sound she would have made seemed to be lodged in her throat, leaving it echoing only in her own ears.

      If she could just get closer to the village and Toya, she would then have a chance of him hearing her and saving her from his deranged brother. She mentally pleaded with herself to wake up even though she knew this was too real to be a dream.

      She nearly groaned out loud when a raindrop hit her proving she had been right… this was no dream she could wake up from, the storm had finally reached her. Glancing quickly over her shoulder she slammed into what felt like a wall and stumbled backwards with the impact.

      Seeing the white billowing silk shirt only a step from her, she sprinted in another direction… now running away from the village where the guardians slept and the only hope she had of someone saving her. She knew Hyakuhei used to be a guardian but somehow had lost himself to the demons he once fought… becoming the enemy. Kyoko wondered if the same thing hadn’t happened to Kyou without anyone realizing it.

      Kyoko caught a glimpse of white to her right and shifted back toward the village hoping to now have a chance to get to Toya. Her heartbeat was so loud in her ears it was deafening. Somewhere she knew the gods were laughing at her as the sky opened up and let loose its rain with a ground shaking crash of thunder.

      Why? Why was he doing this? Why didn't he just kill her instead of torturing her first? She knew she didn't have a chance of out running him. She was also aware of the fact that he was going to stop her before she got to safety, but that didn't stop her headlong rush for it.

      Kyou watched her get closer to the village and decided to let her think she had half a chance of escaping for a minute. It would only make it better when he caught her. Then another scent hit him. His brothers. No! He would not allow it! They had failed in protecting her and because of that, she would now stay with him no matter what. His highborn blood demanded it.

      Kyoko could feel the sudden change in him. She felt Kyou’s aura closing in on her and she screamed, this time unable to hold it back. The sound rang like a death bell throughout the forest as a hand clamped over her mouth and an arm went around her waist tightening, cutting off her air supply as she was once again slammed back against his chest. Her feet were now dangling a couple of inches from the ground.

      *****

      Toya glanced up at the darkening night sky just as the first raindrops came. Tonight was a bad night… he could feel it clear down into his soul. His eyes matched the color of the lightning that danced across the darkness as the storm closed in.

      Unable to sleep while Kyoko wasn't with him, Toya had climbed onto a high branch of a tree on the outskirts of the village to keep watch. All he could do was wait until dawn and then go meet her in the gardens of The Heart of Time. If he had his way… she never would have gone home to start with.

      The ground shook with a rumble of thunder but Toya’s eyes widened… his hearing picking up a terrified scream within the storm. That scream had taken his breath away. “Kyoko?” What was she doing back here at this time of night without telling him first?

      His eyes instantly turned to molten silver as his protective instincts went into overdrive. He’d never heard her that scared, even during battle. His heartbeat flew as his silver wings sprang to life and he took off almost too fast for the human eye to detect.

      "Kyoko!" The worried cry ripped from his throat.

      *****

      Shinbe stood outside Suki’s hut no longer able to sleep. His nightmares would not allow it. His amethyst gaze locked on the forest that held The Heart of Time portal. Something was wrong, he could feel it… it had nothing to do with the oncoming storm that now raged over the forest.

      â€œKyou?” What was Kyou doing so close? For a very long moment, Shinbe’s throat refused to work and his breath halted in his chest as he stared into the distance. He could feel her… Kyoko was back. His midnight blue hair swayed in the stormy winds that brought the scent of his brother’s anger with it and his fist clinched. She was not alone… Kyou was with her!

      He grabbed his staff that was leaning against the doorframe. Shinbe knew he didn’t have to call for the others, he could already feel them standing behind him. Translucent amethyst wings spread out around him as his feet left the ground.

      Kamui quickly followed suit, leaving a trail of multi-colored dust in his wake. Kaen roared to life lifting Suki up to join in the chase.

      *****

      "No!" Kyou's voice was stern as if scolding her for something he didn't approve of. Not this time. He would not be denied this time. He’d wanted to touch her before, during the heat of battle, but he never had. Something had warned him the contact would be dangerous to them both so he had refrained.

      This time he would appease his true nature. Her soul had plagued him long enough. She was the only human to ever face him in battle or anywhere else and not run in fear. He tightened his arms to still her struggles.

      He knew his brothers loved her… but Toya was in love with the priestess. It made him angry for his brother to be close to something he desired for himself. He still could not understand why Toya hadn't mated with her but instead left her free and defenseless. Did he not realize the enemy could take her away? The mere thought of Toya taking her as his own sent a wave of possessiveness through his arms as he held her.

      Kyou knew Toya had heard her scream for help. He could feel the silver guardian getting closer at an alarmingly fast rate. Not only would he teach her not to wander out alone at night… he would also teach his naive brother a lesson for letting her do so.

      With a quick thought, he created a shield he knew his brother could not break through. He gazed down at the girl whose emerald eyes were wide with the

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