Count D hovered before the door to Leon's new room, and he breathed out a sigh of gratitude. The Lion in his care was indeed waking, and it was a very interesting time for him. The poor man had been injured, and was fighting through the different diseases that could plague his body.
The ebony Chinese haired man opened the door with a soft creak, and pattered over to the restless man in the large oriental bed.
"Leon? Leon are you waking?" the count asked softly so as to not disturb the blonde to greatly.
"Wha..? oh...yeah..." Leon said sleepily, and yawned like a great cat.
"I have some important questions for you Leon-san.." The count said softly, and took a seat next to the injured lion delicately.
"What is it?" Leon said gruffly, and rubbed his eyes from the sand that had invaded them while he slept.
"I would like to know who shot you.." the count said, controlling his rage with a mask of calm.
"I dunno who shot me.." Leon said grumpily, and laid his head back onto his pillow.
"Please Leon-san...Can you try and think who would want to do this to you?" Count D asked, still raging inside, but keeping it to himself.
"I can think of plenty of people who would want to kill me D, I just didn't think anyone in Chinatown would want to.." He said, slightly hurt that the part of the city he had spent so much time in, really did appreciate him all that much.
The Count frowned slightly at the sentence said by the detective, and stood slowly. With a graceful, and small bow, he bid his pardon from Leon, and swept from the room.
Walking down the hallway again from were he came from, D began to call to an animal in his precious shop, and counted the doors to find the animal. D counted to 14 and stopped in front of an ordinary looking door.
Pushing it in, D made his way across the room, and lit the incense residing in it in a prayer for the animal residing in it. He lit a small lamp to see the animal, and turned to talk to the beast. What he could see was a woman of about twenty-two, and brown hair to her middle back. Natural streaks of bronze, white, and red streaked through her hair, and her fingers where adorned with black nails that looked to be more talons than anything else.
D also say her in an outfit the fit more a Native American than a lady of the modern era, but then again, what animal in his shop wore normal clothing? He didn't even were what was considered normal for an American.
"Dear Essere...I must ask a favor of you." The count started softly, bowing to the woman in front of him.
"What do you require of me Count? I am in your service for the protection you have given me, and my friends..." She said bored almost, and twirling a curl of her hair.
"I must ask you to hunt someone down for me..." D said with a burning rage in his eye, but his face still a mask of calm.
Essere's eyes lit from within, and their hazel appearance shimmered to that of almost golden. Her pointed chin lifted from her chest, and she looked to the count with interest.
"Who, and what would you like me to hunt down?" she asked careful not to seem to eager. She had not been allowed to go outside, and play for the longest of times, and she was eager to feel her blood rush at that of a chase.
"I wish of you, to hunt down a female, or male that has hurt one of mine." He said, his eyes never straying from the other.
"I was not aware that your Grandfather has been injured..." She said with a confused look adorning her face.
"It is not my Grandfather. It is the golden human I take care of." D said softly, not allowing humor near him.
Essere understood the importance this was to D, and stood slowly stretching her arms, and legs with small cricks, and cracks.
"I understand. I shall need a sample of blood to track such a human and I will go find your wanted person." She said with a smile of excitement.
"Thank you dear Essere. I know that I can count on you. For you are, after all, a bird of prey, are you not?" the Count said, and smile adorning his face as a flash of her animal form flitted through his mind.
Her animal form consisted of that of a large golden eagle with red tail hawk tendencies. The golden tail feathers shown a sheen of red, and her head was a bronze red like that of a the hawk part. Essere was a hunting bird for her native American family, but when they were put into camps, and forced from their homes, she was almost killed for food.
The Americans had wanted to eat her for she served as food only, and not a great spirit that was a great god like creature for her Native American family. Essere was at first horrified, and then resigned to her fate for following her family, and was almost killed in that moment.
The Count had saved her life by offering tea that had put them to sleep, and she had been life debated to the man ever since. He had come from China at hearing the calls of the Native American's who revered the Kami as the greatest of all beings, and the starter of life. They had called him to them to save her, and she was grateful. He had saved her life, but could do nothing for her family, but she made sure that they were safe and happy even if they were not moved from their forced homes.
She smiled at the opportunity to repay her debt to the Kami, and followed the other out of the room so that she may begin her search for the person that had dared to hurt one of the people that were watched over by a Kami. That in itself spelled suicide for any mortal being.
Essere clicked softly behind the Count that was leading her to Leon's room, and she ruffled the feathers that were on her back softly. She gently brushed a peice of dust from the Count's robs, and sent an aura of calming towards the boiling emotions of the Count.
He nodded softly, and opened the ornate door for her. She stepped inside, and knew that this man would not be able to see her human form, so she took perch on the Count's shoulder for the moment. Her bird form cocked her head at the direction of the American man, and she took in the blonde hair, the coppery scent of blood, and the tanned skin of a worker.
She gently tugged the Count closer to the bed so she may have a better look, and he walked her over to him. The Count had chosen a wonderful man to mate with. Essere smiled happily, and looked down into the strong chinned face of the man that had been injured, and memorized the pain ridden lines in his face. She gently stroked a feather down his cheek to get the texture of his face, and squawked lowly.
Essere sent a wave of calming through the sleeping man, and gently tugged the Count's robes to let him know that she was done with her examination. The Count stared longingly down into the human's face, and she smiled sadly. It was a beautiful thing that the Count could love, even if he had no idea what came with that love.
Returning to the outside of the human's room, she gently embraced the Count as she told him that she would be back with the stupid human that had dare hurt the human named 'Leon'. Essere smiled to herself, liking the golden human a lot more than she would a normal American because of his way to worm himself into the Count's heart.
Essere gently walked down the many hallways, fluttering her way out of the shop, and lifting to the air in the warm breeze that was above the city. The heat emanating from the cement, and the tar from the roads made a perfect lift like an elevator to the sky. The human that had hurt Leon would have a certain signature about him that would show he was the one to have done such a stupid thing.
The people of this China town were very aware of the godly being in their mist, and this fellow must have known that Leon was in Count D's care. That or he was a complete idiot, and thought that he could take on a Kami of such power, and strength as well as grace. All the people of this small town adored the Count, and were happy to serve him in any way, shape, or form.
Essere watched with her eyes that scanned over the market below, and began to search out the signal of the soul that dare hurt the Kami's chosen mate. Essere smiled in bloodlust at the fool who could, and would try such a thing that spelled out his, or her doom.
The Count wondered from room to room searching out a companion when he reached Leon's door again. Sighing in agitation, D entered the ornate door for the third time in a short period. D took the time that he had while his blonde lion was sleeping to study him.
D watched as Leon breathed in small breaths that puffed across his chest, and ruffled the thinnest of sheets softly. D grinned as Leon lifted a hand, and swatted a piece of dust that had settled at his nose, and was tickling him. D sat at the edge of Leon's bed, and stroked a hand over the soft hair of Leon's forehead, and sighed.
Leon surprised the Kami by leaning into the touch, and nuzzling the hand gently. D smiled widely, and felt his non-human heart flutter. Leon gave a very small smile, and almost purred in delight when D started to scratch behind his ear lightly.
D leaned closer, and thought happily how this golden human was like a large pet. A very large, warm, and dangerous pet. He was not dangerous physically, but very much so to his head, and heart. D smiled a little smaller this time, and leaned even closer to the golden human.
He watched as Leon breathed, and admired the cords, and tendons in Leon's neck. His entire body was a multitude of workings, and all fit together magically to make a human being. D was entranced, and kissed the rose pink lips gently.
The Kami was entranced by the humanity that Leon exuded, and how he threw it away to help others. He drew D to him like a moth to the proverbial flame. Only this time, Leon really was a flame. He was a flame of desire, and D the moth of greatness flies to it, knowing it might as well be his doom.
D gently pulled back only to kiss the forehead of the beautiful human in front of him. He caught one of Leon's hands in his own, and squeezed it gently. D wispered softly into the ear next to his own mouth, and smiled into his wisperings.
"Come to me my Lion. Be mine, and mine only. I desire you, and I shall have you..." he chanted over, and over into Leon's ear, trying to convince himself as well as the one he was speaking to of the things that were possiabley apparant to him already.
D stood slowly and smiled in an enchanting way as he stroked a peice of the blonde hair away from the eyes of the lion in front of him. D lifted one of the sun kissed hands of the blonde in front of him, and gave it a small kiss. D watched as Leon's eyes began to flutter open as he began to wake for the umpteenth time that day.
"Ah, Leon-san. You are awake. Would you like to join me for a cup of tea?" the Count asked polietly, eyes glimmering with an excitment that made no sense to that of the American Detective before him.
"Uh...D?" Leon said with a raspy voice from sleeping for so long.
"Yes, it is I..." D answered calmly, not showing off his want to jump, and squeal in delight.
"Ooh...my head hurts..." Leon said with an angry sigh.
"Would you like to have some tea to soothe your headache?" D asked gently, moving slowly to move Leon's head up so that he could rest easier.
"...will it help?" Leon asked suspicslly.
"Yes, it will help." D answered tempted to kiss Leon's forehead again at the adorable attitude that the lion was just exuding.
"...alright then. But not poison 'r nothin'..." Leon said sleepily, and stood slowly.
Leon stretched out some of the kinks in his back, and rolled his shoulders to crack some joints. Leon then scratched his head while he gestured for D to lead the way before him. D smiled, and began to show Leon to the front of the shop were most of the tea supplies already lay from so many uses in that area.
D walked about two steps in front of the tired lion, but made sure to be in sight so that if Leon were to stumble, D could be there to help him up. Leon was still limping heavily, but was doing much better do to D's power, and the natural herbs that were helping him.
Leon rubbed his eyes, and yawned loudly, and D hid a laugh behind a well manicured hand. D crossed his hands in front of his ornate Chinese outfit, and looked demurly to the ground. Leon looked to D sleepily, and spoke softly.
"Thanks for taking care o' me D.." he said, trailing off, and stumbling slightly towards D.
D caught Leon's shoulder, and straitened him, and leaned in close to whisper something in Leon's ear.
"You are quiet welcome.." D said, and kissed the tip of Leon's ear gently.
Leon blushed, and sputtered while looking faintly disturbed. D laughed, and tugged on Leon's shirt to follow him to the front area as he laughed.
A/N:
Hello peeps! I suck at updating! Surely you've noticed that! So...BAIBAI! I lurved you all so much! Does any one want to draw any scenes from this chappie for me? Some would be so cute:dies of happieness: Oh, my spell check is broken, so please forgive the mispellings! I LURVED YOU ALL:glomps, and throws you all cookies: