The Price of Protection

Raikyo looked down at the girl whom he was just about to flick in the back of the head. No one gave her permission to touch him, but the excuse/reason she gave him was good enough. She was right: Now that the sun was starting to set behind the horizon, with it, the heat was replaced with a cold breeze. Fairenz need not complain for his fur sufficed him through the cold. Raikyo wasn't at all affected by the change in whether wither, but Ayame was a human, after all. He couldn't blame her for behaving like a human and having human-like reactions to the shift in weather. Raikyo wrapped one arm around her, holding her close to his side.

"How does that feel?" He asked, whispering down in her ear. He didn't know why he did it but to him it seemed like a pretty liable chance as any. He wasn't expecting any deep reaction from it. He even wondered why he did it in the first place, but what was done was done. Fairenz purred in a response to Raikyo's calmed aura so they continued on down the trail. The red sky was a sign that they had to rest. Without asking questions, Raikyo scooped Ayame up into his arms and ran into the forest that lined the side of the trail. Fairenz, though behind, sped up to lead the way, grey eyes piercing the night time woods. He looked around for a decent place to rest and finally came to a stop on all fours at a clear meadow.

How's here?

"It's perfect."he said, still holding tightly to Ayame. His blue eyes brushed across her face. "You wanna sleep with me or Fairenz?"he asked.​
 
Ayame shivered at the whisper against her ear -a good shiver.. she bit her bottom lip, glacing up at him before parting them "Better.." She replied as he held her close -She hoped the tone of her voice wasnt too needy.. then again whenever wasnt she needy when traveling with demons? she would always require more to survive than them. Ayame was relieved that she wasn't rejected. She never knew what to expect with Raikyo. Before she could think much of anything else, she was scooped up, and carried off in Raikyo's arms. At first when he did this -it scared her because she always would feel they were going too fast, but now she was used to it, and held on to him placidly and content as him and Fairenz were searching for a spot. She let her eyes search too, but it was of no use, they were moving pretty fast and their eyes connected better with the environment anyways.

Demons.


"You wanna sleep with me or Fairenz?"​


Did he even have to ask? -maybe he did. Sometimes Raikyo seemed so oblivious to the things she was feeling -or maybe he just acted that way. Raikyo had an ego, so it wouldn't surprise her if he just wanted to hear what she was bound to say. She paused for a few moments as if actually pondering, before looking up at him, meeting his beautiful eyes with her own "Though Im sure I am missing out on sleeping against Fairenz's warm fur.. Tonight Im sleeping with you." She concluded, smiling at Fairenz momentarily before looking back to Raikyo. Their days were numbered now, and with their meeting with the Heirian inevitable, she didn't want to take for granted any night with Raikyo, she wanted each one to be more special than the last.


 
Raikyo pulled her down with him and laid the two of them flat on their backs. The air was just what he needed to soothe his thoughts of the upcoming battle. Ayame's closure and warmth added onto the tranquility and his eyes drooped. Fairenz must have felt the same effects for her yawned loudly and pawed the ground before he coiled up, curling his tail around him. He closed his large grey eyes and drifted into a slumber seconds later. Raikyo couldn't blame him; The Heiran put a great deal of stress on the cat that day. Raikyo let his fingers crawl into Ayame's long hair, mumbling into her ear.

"You're my star.
Distant but not so far.
I can see you clearly,
and feel your heat.

Burn for me.
Brighten my darkness
with your light.
You are my star."


Raikyo was not sure where the words were forged from, but Ayame didn't interject so she must have liked it. He nuzzled his nose against her ear, purring softly as he drifted off into a sleep with his arms wrapped around her due to her steady, constant heartbeat.​
 
Ayame listened as Raikyo began soothing her with his words -even through her drowsiness she heard them clear as day. A small smile revealed itself against her lips, as she took the chance to bring herself further into him, resting her head against his chest and inhaling his distinct, fresh smell -one she loved. She hadn't the slightest clue why every time she was close to him her heart felt it was skipping beats -every time always felt like the first.

As she lay there, she couldn't help but think about how grateful she was, that he had stopped reaching his hand out for something that was just not there anymore, and began focusing more on building something with her.

Her eyes were opened in slits, listening to his soothing purr against her -it was quite adorable.

"and your mine.."

She answered finally, kissing his lips lightly, before snuggling against his chest and letting sleep take it from there.



However she didn't sleep long. It seemed the drowsiness only lasted a few hours before once again she was awake, as she looked around, still trapped in Raikyo's arms she knew it was still dark. A sigh escaped her lips, she just hated not knowing what the future held with them and the Heiran, the battle that was coming, It made her want to savoir every moment with Raikyo, because whether the outcome be good or bad she didn't know.

So Thats what she did. She kept herself against him, and listening to his breathing patterns, not taking one for granted.

"Raikyo..." She whispered -her intentions weren't to wake him but just to breath his name, cuddling even closer if possible, snuggling her face against the curve of his neck -he was so intoxicating, she couldn't help herself, and right now she could give a damn if he called her too clingy -she liked being this way with him.
 
She really isn't going to let you go through with this.

I know she isn't. I know. I have to do something about it. Knock her out maybe.

Like you made her knock me out?

It was for a good reason!

And what of the Mirriordian?

I don't want to worry about that right now. My mission is to confront Lord and tell him that he can't have you, me, or her. Combined, we're strong enough to take most of them if a fight starts. The worse thing that could happen...

One of us gets killed.


"Raikyo..." Ayame's voice rang softly in his ears even though he and Fairenz had been awake much longer than she had stirred. He immediately placed a hand to the back of her head to stroke the long locks of hair.

"Morning."he said but there was no ring to it. Thoughts of his and Fairenz's mental conversation tainted his mood.​
 
Ayame wasn't expecting him to sound so blunt and alert -as if he had been up this whole time even though it seemed he wasn't. She blushed fiercely at the thought of this -had he been awake the whole time she had been admiring him? did he know she had been looking over him? savoring him? - hopefully not. "Good morning.." Her voice cracked slightly, dipped in drowsiness even though she didn't want to sleep.

"Did.. you sleep well?" She asked softly, closing her eyes as she felt him run his fingers through her hair and she brung her hands to his chest, playing with one of the buttons on his shirt. Even though she hoped he would say yes, in the back of her mind she couldn't blame him for a no either. They had so much to think about now, its amazing that they got any sleep at all. She then looked over Raikyo's shoulder, making eye contact with the panther.

Did you sleep well?
 
"You or my panther weren't trying to kill me. I slept great."he said sarcastically. Raikyo never did mean to be cold to her but a demon is a demon whether she liked it or not. At any given time, a demon would snap at anyone or anything just by a swing of emotions. It's hard to put out a flame with two drops of water. Fairenz opened one eye and swiveled that eye towards Ayame however making no movement at all.

You could say it was rather well. I am happy that am not a human or a demon like you and Raikyo so I can't have dreams. Goodness, if I did...they would only end badly.

The negativity for the day was already a start but there wasn't much to be optimistic about. The three were intending to walk straight into the Heiran's door and basically just say 'no' to their plans. Lord would only see the rebellion as amusement and hang them like puppets. Raikyo pushed Ayame off of him as gently as possible.

"Get up. We have to get going."he said and...there wasn't much to say after that.​
 
Ayame knew Raikyo was being sarcastic, but rolled her eyes none the less. "I slept great too.. you weren't put under any spells.. kissing any girls or running away from me to go find any girls either.. so I guess I slept perfectly" She retorted, glancing over at Fairenz and half way smiling.


Not all dreams end badly Fairenz.. sometimes the good dreams are worth some of the nightmares, though I dont fault you for opting to just not do either..

It was true, dreams were always sketchy -either you woke up happy and then immediately after you were depressed because it wasn't real, or you woke up stressed, because the dream wasn't anything pleasant.

She felt Raikyo detaching himself from her, and of course Ayame wasn't ready yet, she would never be ready to let go of Raikyo, but she did none the less.. it was true, they had to keep going.

With a slight nod, she arose and yawned, stretching her arms to the sky and then sighing.

"If you say so..."

To meet people who could potentially lead them to their death, she was in no rush.
 
He didn't want to seem depressed, nervous, or angry, but he was depressed. And nervous. And angry. The Herian were just sitting there waiting for the three to come to them and most likely get killed. It was infuriating but at the same time it couldn't be avoided. Raikyo decided to blow off some steam but stroking Fairenz's back. The fur was soft to the touch and calmed Raikyo down, as it did for Fairenz. Raikyo's now lightened blue eyes swiveled over to the human beside him.

"This isn't going to be easy since you don't have any real skills except for the demon inside you, and that's the last thing we wanna do. And the first thing they wanna do. So we're not gonna do it. Basically, me and Fairenz will have to baby sit you while we do all the hard work."he said, not amused. Fairenz found it funny and he chortled to them and meowed outside his mind, shaking his head. Raikyo was grateful for the comic relief so he laughed too.

"I didn't mean it like that, Ayame. Don't take it personally."he snickered, wrapping one arm around the girl and shaking her lightly before picking her up in his arms, dashing past tress and bushels, running through the forest. He didn't need Fairenz to guide him out that time. He just caught the scent of last nights run and took it from there. The wind felt wildly good through his black hair, calming him down now even more so than before.

"Maybe...we can do this."he said aloud, but low enough so only Ayame and Fairenz could hear him.​
 
Ayame wanted to protest -since the joke was on her, but she didn't have the energy to. She knew they needed to comic relief and if it involved her being teased for being a human then bi all means -anything to get them in a lighter mood. "Yea, yea whatever" was her only reply as she was scooped up and taken back in the same direction they had been heading in first place.

It was almost funny -that they were heading to death instead of from it -not that she was sentencing them to death but the fact that it was a possible outcome was inevitable.

She blinked a few times hard, holding on to him tighter as they rushed through the forest, trying to black it out but it plays again

"Raikyo.. I meant what I said when I told you I wouldn't let you do anything stupid if it came down to it"

She reminded him, she had no idea why she had the urge to bring it up but there it was.

She breathed the sentence to life once again, and despite the wind whispering in her ears and probably his, she knew he had heard her.
 
Fairenz and Raikyo heard her as clear as day though they both wish they hadn't. Fairenz, of course, left it up to Raikyo to do the talking. Typical stupid cat. Raikyo ducked far under a branch and slid on the ground until he crashed through a barrage of bushes. He checked the girl for any scratches or bruises but doubted she had any. He held her pretty close to him. Fairenz decided to bound over the bush instead, stretching when he reached the road once more.

Ahh...that was a wake up call.

"You're telling me."he grumbled, pulling leaves out of his hair. Once the extraction was done, he reached for Ayame's hair but then stop suddenly, looking down at her. All of a sudden, the demon became paralyzed. It wasn't natural for him to react that way but there he was, staring into the large eyes of the human girl. What she told him came back in his head and he hated every word of it. I'd be damned if I...His thoughts couldn't even come out menacing like they used to. Not while staring into her eyes.

Fairenz stopped what he was doing and looked over to the two of them, clearly aware that it was an intimate moment between the two. He wouldn't shy away, however. He and Raikyo shared nearly all of each other's emotions, thoughts, and feelings. So one could say he was paralyzed as well, standing in the sunlight with the sun beating hard down on his fur. Raikyo's hand that still hovered above the girl's head twitched before moving down to her cheek. He caressed it and for the first time in forever, wanted to do that for as long as he could.

"Ayame..."was the only whisper heard.​
 
Ayame was caught off guard by the sudden dip to the ground and then crashing into the twigs and leaves and such that made up the bush. She might have braced herself for it more if she wasn't too busy waiting for a reply from Raikyo, in fact either him or Fairenz she didn't care which, she just needed to know that she was heard. Even when they got up to straighten themselves and she brushed off her kimono -not even upset about what happened since it was sort of preventable seeing as Fairenz had jumped over with ease.

When Ayame finally turned to face him, she noticed that they were close, and even though it wasn't as close as when they slept -both were alert now, and she also reached one hand out to dust off some stray specks of dirt from his shirt. When she looked in his eyes -she was stuck. It was always this way, its blue aura was just so alluring, and by the looks of things he might have been stuck too. It was too quiet -no one spoke, and in the back of her mind she wondered where Fairenz was. If she looked around she might have seen him, but again she was too absorbed in Raikyo. Ayame closed her eyes a moment, as she felt his hand brush against her cheek, and the way he said her name -she loved it when he said her name like that. It was a moment of pure intimacy between the two -she knew that but still, the backs of her eyes stung with water even as she tried to hold it back. She just couldn't get the thought of him doing the unthinkable out of her head -she could never lose him.

She slowly and slightly shakily took her hand and pressed it up against his, making him cup her cheek with his hand, and pressed it further against her as she tore her gaze from him, and closed her eyes tightly to push back the tears, and sighed slowly.

"Raikyo..." She responded -that's all that came to mind, was his name just as he had said hers.


Ayame then brung herself a step closer, looking back in his eyes which again captured her own. "We .. we dont have to go just yet." She whispered urgently, leaning against a tree just behind her and pulling him by his shirt softly, but assertively close to her, standing a slight higher as she stood on her toes, bringing her lips closer to his as her bangs covered her eyes when she looked up. "We can stay here... with each other" She didn't try and hide the yearning inside. She didn't care whether or not Fairenz was there -she wasn't giving this moment up.
 
Raikyo heard his name whispered from her mouth when he noticed that she was in the same predicament as he was. It was a good feeling to him...to know that she was feeling the same thing as he. He did not want to admit to himself that feelings were growing. He couldn't hide it forever and both Ayame and Fairenz knew very well of his feelings. But the Heiran was waiting on them. They had to get going. The sooner they could arrive there unseen, the better advantage they had of slipping past the guards. Oh, yes, they're would be guards. Demon ones at that.

Raikyo growled deep within is his throat and was about to snap about the Heiran when Ayame turned away from him. Her face was tinged in sadness and it was tearing him apart to see it happen right in front of him. She touched his hand and still managed to look back up to him. Fairenz's ears perked down to mirror the sadness and Raikyo's ears did the same.

"Ayame..."he said again, more pleading than the first time. He didn't want to see her sad. Then, she shocked him by pulling him closer to her and asking for them to postpone their journey. Raikyo didn't know what to do. Normally he would've said something sarcastic or threatened to kill her if she touched him again. This time, Raikyo was helpless against her beauty.

"Dammit."he growled and went the other portion of the way to meet his lips with hers. The kissed her with a passion he hadn't felt in days since the last time they kissed. To call it a 'kiss' was to downgrade it. It was something more than that. Raikyo tore through her lips with his tongue and walked her over to a tree where he pushed her back against it roughly. His hand clawed the sides of the bark, and he clawed his way down as his body trembled. Raikyo could hold back no longer. He had to do something to release this...this thing inside his heart and body. Fairenz's legs wobbled and he laid down on the grown with a pleasurable whimper, feeling the tremors of passion through his fur as well. Raikyo continued to kiss the girl and did not dare make it sweet. He was starving for her.
 
Ayame listened to his growls -his stubborn way of trying to fight off what he couldn't. She knew his feelings were just as hers, the only difference was that she took them for what they were. She looked over his face, knowing that he knew what she wanted and that he wanted it too. This intimacy that to her had been too long since the last time. As soon as their lips collided her stomach felt as though it was dropped, and adrenaline rushed through her veins, forgetting to be shy and timid about it and rather exploring his mouth just as he had done hers.

A small whimper escaped her mouth when he pushed her roughly against the tree -waking her senses even more. Holding onto his shirt tightly between tightened fists and sighing in pleasure, not hiding how much she had missed this with him. She knew they had to do what they had to do with the Heiran, and because of that knowledge she wanted to stretch out her seconds, minutes, hours with him as much as she could -keep him wanting more of her and her the same with him.

Despite the earliness of the day, it seemed everything around them had faded to black -at least from Ayame's point of view. She didn't hear the noises of the forest animals waking up, or even the dry twigs and branches which swayed with the fickle wind -all she heard were the sounds of her and Raikyo's breathing rhythms and the scratching of his claws against the bark on either side of her, making her shudder slightly under him.

They needed this -as a positive wake from the negativity swirling around them.

She didn't plan to let him go so easily this time.

So she held on -continuing to pull him by his shirt further into her body. She didn't get affection like this from him often, so she wouldn't waste it.
 
She was something else. Her fingers never did loosen from his shirt and Raikyo was quite shocked. The innocent human girl that he had traveled with for almost a week now was starting to change into something else, something more aggressive. Raikyo was hesitant at first as the two kissed in the sunlight. Was it the Mirroridan he was kissing or was it truly his human, Ayame? The heat between the two grew and grew. It was a reluctant bliss.

Raikyo removed his hands from the deep bark of the tree and brought them down to her hips instead. He couldn't help but pull her closer to him, however, there was still an inkling of thought in the back of his mind. The Heiran...they had to go to the Heiran! The battle was drawing nearer and it'd be battle to be the confronters instead of the confronted. That reality bubbled deep within Raikyo's mind as he tried to pull away from Ayame's lips.

"N-no...Ahh...me...wait..A...yam...st-stop..." Unfortunately, every time he told her to stop, he only kissed her more and more. There was a deep and dark blue aura that arose around the demon. Yes, that is what I am. I am a demon. Demons take what they want. And I want her now. Raikyo's eyes were now painted a dark blue, darker than the deepest sapphire. His pleading turned into growls and he broke the kiss. Raikyo grabbed her chin in his hand rougher than usual, staring into her eyes with those dark blue eyes. His chest heaved up and down while he took deep and ragged breaths.

"Don't....you dare...try to stop me..."he growled and tightened his grip around her waist. Somewhere in the distance, Fairenz growled and trembled the same way, panting just as Raikyo was. Suddenly, as Raikyo looked into Ayame's eyes, he loosened his grip around her chin. His face dropped from burning passion to a confused fear as he yanked his hand away, almost as if her skin had burned her.

"A-Ayame I'm...I'm sorry..."he said in a slightly regretful whisper.​
 
The passion was thick in the air now, despite the rising sun which barely hid them in the trees and such -however Ayame had been so lost in the moment it was almost as if she didn't care -not almost in fact, she just did it. Even after all the things she was taught as a young girl up until now about men and being a lady and such, it was all tossed out when with Raikyo. The circumstances only permitted it more, just in case this was the last time, to make it mean something and to give all of herself to him.

He pleaded her -and after a while she couldn't tell whether it was to stop or keep going, however she continued, accepting his kisses, giving him her own and removing space between them. She felt his hands slip away from the bark, moving to her hips -bringing her closer, and she didn't hesitate. It was evident, at least to her that he wanted her just as a badly. Then out of no where, it seemed everything spiraled out of control.

He growled at her, and pulled away from the kiss sharply, which made her gasp as if she was catching air, trying to steady her breathing pattern as he snatched her chin roughly, the color of his eyes changing and his voice coarse as he told her not to stop him. She was scared of course -anyone would be, however still lost in the moment a few lingering seconds she half wished he would have devoured her -demon or not. Then, again another change and here they were, back to square one, he was apologizing and she was burning with desire and embarrassment.

She couldn't accept it -she wouldn't. She just stood there, leaning slightly against the tree and letting her eyes trail from his face downward. -Was this her fault?

Of course its not your fault Ayame.. my dearest -this is just another reminder that his heart will never belong to you.

Came the familiar, vile voice from before -was she that vulnerable right now? that this thing inside had enough strength to once again fill her mind? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she thought out loud "its not true"

No?! ... need I remind you this happened before? this kiss... and what happened last time in the heat of the moment? do you think he was ever this way with her? DO YOU?!.. I dont.. not at all.. do you think if she were to raise from the dead now -as her own person and not a puppet, that he would hesitate to leave you here to fight the Heiran by yourself? -no I dont think so.. the only reason hes doing it is because he has nothing else to live for -his lover is long gone.. so why not use this as an excuse to go on and end his own life too?


"ITS-NOT-TRUE!" Ayame cried out, her eyes filling with water as she pushed past Raikyo and looked straight ahead, as if facing the demon within.

But it is Ayame! -one week.. holds no worth.. to years and years of being with somebody! he doesn't love you. You love him -because you're vulnerable -and tolerant of any alluring demon that would ever take the time to love you.. you're a HUMAN.. what do you honestly think is going on? do you honestly think a demon is capable of loving you in that time span? let alone love a human AT ALL? -it makes you look weak.. insecure.. and disgusting.. have some dignity.. and go to the Heiran by yourself. So you dont look like a fool beside a man who is CLEARLY USING YOU for his OWN REVENGE. GO!

Ayame closed her eyes tightly, sniffling and wrapping her own arms around herself.

The coldest lesson that you humans must learn before you leave this earth is that in the end.. all you have is YOURSELF..


The silence was loud in Ayame's ears once the demon had ceased talking, and after a few moments, she calmed herself down and turned to face Raikyo, her expression rather placid and collected. "Dont be sorry I understand -clearly." She concluded with a small nod then darting her eyes towards Fairenz who was at a reasonable distance considering the intimacy that had sense ceased moments ago. "Lets keep moving."

The demons words sunk in her head -and she felt like a fool. However she knew one thing, she needed to face these demons

and decide which path to take after once finished with the Heiran -or the other way around.