Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai Deeper Kyo or any of his characters, and have no right to it except as a fan.

Author's note: It has been brought to my attention that Kyo and Yuya are a little out of character, so I feel I should address that issue. First off, I never said that they would be perfect replicas of the Kyo and Yuya will all love and adore, but I did say in the author's note in the first chapter that they would be a little out of character. Maybe that just shows that people skip over those notes and go straight to the story. Please read these things people. Author's wouldn't waste their time writing them if they didn't want you all to know something about the story before you started reading them. Second, since people seem to have issues with that I feel like I should warn you all now that there will be more OOCness with my characters….Yuya in particular, so be aware of that.

Now that that's taken care of I just want to say that I like this chapter, but I'm not exactly happy with it either. I feel that I could have done better, but I wanted to get it up before I ran out of time to do so.

Dangerous Possession

Chapter Two: Fiery Touch and a Slow Death

Yuya froze mid-step then lifted her head and turned her body slightly to the right, and looked back to see Kyo standing there leaning against a tree looking at her. She closed her eyes. She was so happy to see him and almost let herself believe that he had come for her, but then she realized that he could have just been walking and had sensed her there.

He's probably just curious about why I'm walking around out here or possibly angry that I wasn't around to buy his sake. She thought with a sigh, as her mood went from momentary happiness to sadness, then opened her eyes and looked to him.

"What does it matter?" she asked somberly as her bruised ribs throbbed and sent pain shooting up and down her side.

Kyo's eyes narrowed at her words. It was like a frown for someone like him. Someone who didn't express emotions on his face so easily. He knew something was wrong with her. He just didn't know what it was. She had left the inn the day before and he had wondered what she had been thinking to make her look the way she did. He had even wondered if she knew that she looked so sad, that with every step she took she seemed to look sadder.

~ Flashback~

Kyo watched as the woman walked across the room. Of course to everyone else it looked like he wasn't paying the slightest attention to her or anyone else for that matter.

Where is she going looking like that? he thought to himself as he closed his eyes and tried to block out Akari and Okuni. He wanted to try and follow her…track her chi for as long as his senses would allow. He tracked her out of the inn, down the road, and a little way into the woods beyond the village until she was out of his range. He opened his eyes, irritated that he didn't know where she was going and highly aware that she was hurt. He didn't want anything else to happen to her, but he wasn't going to admit that to anyone- including himself.

He thought about getting up and going after her but dismissed the thought immediately, not wanting to have to deal with getting Akari and Okuni to leave him alone. They would ask too many questions if they didn't just guess what he was up to, so he tightened his grip on his sword, closed his eyes, and ignored everyone.

However, just because he was ignoring everyone it didn't mean that he wasn't aware of what everyone did. When they moved, how they moved, what they said, how they said it, the rhythm of their breathing and more. He was aware of it all, so he knew the moment Sasuke stood, stepped out into the side garden, and took off- practically disappearing to normal eyes.

He's going after the woman. Probably the only one besides myself that noticed something was wrong with her. He did talk to her after all. We both noticed, the moment she stepped into the room, that something was wrong. he thought, the sound of Akari babbling on about some nonsense providing background noise to his musings.

A short while later he noticed Yukimura get up and walk out, and thought that he must be curious about what Sasuke was doing. A little while after he left Yukimura came back with sake in hand and moved to sit next to Kyo since Okuni had so graciously moved a short distance away, knowing that the sake was for him.

"Here, I brought sake. Drink up!" Yukimura said happily, that maddening smile in place as always.

Kyo wasted no time. He grabbed one of the small jugs and took a long drink from it, not wanting to deal with a cup. He was itching to go find the woman and find out what her problem was. The more he thought about it the more he realized he didn't like to see her sad.

"I went to go find out what Sasuke was up to and you know what I found? I found him at the edge of the village staring off into the trees." Yukimura informed Kyo with a quiet chuckle. Kyo just kept taking drinks from the jug, seemingly not paying attention to Yukimura, but was really hanging on his every word knowing that it had to do with the woman since he wouldn't have even mentioned it. "I asked him what he was looking at and he directed me to one tree in particular. It was a rather tall thick tree, and as I looked at it I saw some color at the top. I was very surprised to see our little Yuya up there. I didn't know she could climb trees like that." he continued, shaking his head slowly in wonder, then took a drink of his own sake.

"Sasuke explained how she had climbed the tree, and I have to admit that she's a really good climber, especially with her injury. Anyway, Sasuke was worried that something was bothering her since she looked so sad and was so quiet." he said before getting to his feet and stretching. "Oh. He also noticed that there was a sparkly light on her face." he added before walking over to join Bontenmaru.

Kyo sat there drinking from the small jug, taking deep swallows, more irritated then he was before. What the hell is she thinking climbing trees in her condition?! And why is she crying? That's the only explanation for the sparkly light Sasuke saw. Why is she so sad?? She wasn't sad when I put her to sleep yesterday, and she didn't have trouble sleeping during the night. he thought as he felt Okuni move closer, back to her spot next to him.

He had waited until Yuya was asleep before he went back into their room for the night. He hadn't wanted to be the reason she couldn't get to sleep. He had kept an eye on her…or rather his senses on her from the moment she woke up that evening, and had tracked her as she left the room, explored the inn, took a bath and headed back to the room. He had sat up watching her all night to make sure she was breathing okay and wasn't having trouble sleeping, but had left before she woke so she wouldn't know that he had been watching over her all night. He could have faked it…pretended to be asleep, but hadn't felt like it so he went to the common room to wait for her and everyone else.

Kyo was irritated. Irritated and worried by the woman's behavior. He wouldn't admit to anyone that he was worried. Demon Eyes Kyo did not worry. Demons had nothing to worry about, but he admitted to himself that one golden haired green eyed woman had the power to make this demon worry.

When it began to get dark out Kyo noticed Yukimura leave, and he got to his feet, pushing Akari off him, and followed him out- using that as his own excuse for why he was leaving.

Once outside the inn Kyo could sense the woman again and he followed her chi, ignoring both Yukimura and Sasuke as he passed by them and headed into the forest. He could see her exactly where Yukimura had said she was. He noticed how sad and tired she looked as he made sure to move around so she wouldn't see him, and sat down at the base of a tree that gave him a perfect view of her without giving away his position.

Why is she up there? he wondered after admiring the fact that she was able to get up there at all. And how long is she going to stay? he asked himself.

As the hours passed Kyo's last question was slowly answered.

He watched her all night as she cried and kept herself awake. He was constantly reminded of the fact that he didn't like to see her sad, and the peaceful silence of the forest helped him figure out that her crying meant that she was in some kind of pain. He didn't like the combination and was irritated, yet curious at how it made him feel. It made him feel like…like he was in pain, only it was on the inside instead of just being a flesh wound. His chest ached and he shied away from considering too closely where exactly that 'ache' was centered.

When morning came Kyo watched her closer, not wanting to be caught off guard if she fell out of the tree. She had stopped crying hours before but when she looked down to the ground she began to cry again, and he found himself wondering anew what was making her feel that way…what the cause was. He then watched her jump to the ground and land surprisingly lightly, but he could tell from the way she stayed in her crouch that the landing had hurt her. When she finally began to walk he knew that she was heading back to the village, and moved quickly through the trees so that he could wait for her.

~End Flashback~

So here he stood looking into the woman's sad eyes. She always had a spirited comeback for his annoying questions, and he didn't like that she didn't have one now. And he definitely didn't like the sound of her voice either. He wanted some answers, and he was going to get them.

"Come with me." he said and turned to his right and began to walk further into the trees, away from the main path.

Yuya looked after Kyo as he walked into the trees. She wondered if it was a good idea to follow him with the way she was feeling, but she was still as curious as ever- especially when it concerned him and began to walk after him.

Where is he leading me? Why is he leading me there? What does he want? The questions came one after the other as they walked further and further into the woods. Maybe I shouldn't leave it like this. I…I should make sure before I leave shouldn't I? It's like I said before- he didn't know I was out here waiting for him to come to me. she thought with a weary sigh as they reached a small yet wide enclosure.

She wondered briefly, as she watched Kyo sit on the ground and lean against a tree, how they always seemed to find these secluded spots. I should ask him. she thought as she stood next to a tree across the wide space from Kyo, her mind having gone back to whether or not she should find out how he felt about her before she up and left. It will be humiliating if he doesn't like me. her thoughts continued. Just ask him. the voice in the back of her mind said. That's probably why I sat out here all night. She thought, as if she hadn't heard that voice. Do it! The voice shouted, and she looked off into the distance to her right.

"Kyo?…Do you like me?" she asked quietly, still not looking at him.

Kyo was just about to say something that would surely bring on an angry response when her question, as quietly as it was spoken, rang through the air. He looked over at her, wondering where that question had came from so suddenly as he watched her looking off into the distance as if she were afraid to look at him. Which was very telling since his woman wasn't afraid of him.

He closed his eyes, trying to figure out why she would ask him such a question, when it suddenly came to him. He realized that that was possibly the reason why she had spent almost a whole day and night in a tree crying. That it might be the reason behind her sadness and pain. It was a far cry from the embarrassed denial that he had thought, just the previous evening, that she might be feeling.

She wants to know how I feel about her. How I really feel. She's probably or most likely been crying because she thinks I don't like her. At least not the way she likes me, and judging by how much she cried last night she must like me a lot. he thought as he felt the spot where he thought his 'ache' might be centered, start to warm at the thought of how much the woman liked him.

Yuya felt like she had been standing there for hours waiting for Kyo's answer. She had no idea how much time had passed but she was getting uncomfortable.

"Maybe I should ask how much you like me." she said hesitantly, looking down at the ground as she moved in front of the tree. "Never mind." she whispered tiredly, hoping that it would hide her embarrassment. He must not like me that way. That's why he's taking so long to answer. Maybe he wasn't going to answer at all. she thought sadly as she closed her eyes and began to slide down the tree. She was hurting too much to keep standing.

Kyo listened to what the woman said and opened his eyes. He wasn't the type to actually say what he was feeling, …but he could show her. She had just given him the perfect opportunity to do something he had wanted to do for a very long time. So he got to his feet, slid his sword into his belt, and moved toward his woman.

Yuya suddenly felt herself being stopped in her slide down the tree by two warm hands- one on each side of her waist. She pushed herself back up the small length she had slid, opened her eyes, and looked up to Kyo. Her breathing immediately began to speed up as she looked into his blood red eyes, causing her throbbing ribs to ache with the effort of her lungs. She couldn't help it though. He had never been close to her like he was at that moment.

What is he thinking? Why is he doing this? Why… her thoughts were cut short when she felt Kyo's left hand on the side of her neck. His figures were splayed around the back of her neck and his thumb was just under her ear.

Yuya was locked in his eyes, unable to look away or even blink as she felt the heat from his hand. Just like before- the longer he held her gaze the warmer his hand got.

Finally he blinked and she was able to close her eyes, but she suddenly felt something soft against her lips. She stiffened and tensed up as she opened her eyes to see Kyo's eyes up close and personal. Her hands moved from her sides to his chest where they fisted his kimono as she felt panic and fear rising in her body and mind.

Kyo was kissing her! She had been wanting him to do that for so long, but she hadn't realized that she would be afraid when it happened. And it was all thanks to Shinrei. He had taken her first kiss and implanted this fear in the process.

When Kyo pressed his lips to Yuya's he felt her entire body react negatively. A first for him, but he knew it would happen. The moment Shinrei forced his deadly kiss on her he knew that he would have to deal with her fear even if she didn't. He could sense her fear and even if he couldn't, he could see it clearly in her wide green eyes and feel it in the grip she had on his kimono. But he was going to be patient and help her through it. He had to because if he couldn't she would never know how he really felt about her.

Yuya's thoughts were barely coherent as fear gripped her. A whimper escaped her. Not one of pleasure, but of panic and fear. Her bright green eyes teared up and she began to push at his chest. Kyo was finally kissing her but she was so afraid and she hated herself for it. Kiss equals pain. Kiss equals death. That was the frightened thought running through her mind, but she needed to stop it somehow.

She was still looking into Kyo's eyes and she forced herself to focus on them so she could try to think clearly. This is Kyo Yuya! He's not going to hurt you. Focus on him. She told herself. His lips are soft and warm. Not hard and cold like Shinrei's. They're also very gentle. Not forceful like Shinrei. she thought as she began to close her eyes.

Kyo could feel her grip on his kimono loosen, the pressure against his chest fade, and he felt her body began to relax as he watched her close her eyes. She was ready. It was time for the next stage. He let his tongue slip between his teeth and lips to slowly slide against the crease between her lips.

Yuya's eyes snapped open as her body stiffened again at the feel of something soft, warm, and slightly wet against her lips. Her chant came back instantly. Kiss equals pain. Kiss equals death. The chant repeated through her mind over and over again as she remembered her experience with Shinrei. Him forcing her lips open with his ice cold tongue, something slimy and very much alive wiggling in her mouth and crawling down her throat.

She again forced herself to focus on Kyo's blood red eyes and reason with herself. She felt the thumb he had on her neck, under her ear, begin to slowly rub back and forth. The soothing sensation helped her focus.

It's just his tongue Yuya. Don't panic. she thought as she focused on the feel of it. It wasn't cold and forceful like Shinrei's, but warm and gentle. It felt as if he was asking permission to enter instead of being demanding and harsh like Shinrei. The thought helped her relax her tense muscles a little and hesitantly open her mouth a little, trusting that Kyo wouldn't hurt her.

Kyo didn't hesitate when he felt Yuya opened her mouth. It wasn't opened much but he would take what he could get. He slipped his tongue slowly between her lips and teeth and began to explore her mouth, hoping that she would get use to the feel of it. He waited patiently until she closed her eyes and relaxed completely before he closed his own eyes and began to enjoy the kiss.

If called on to describe the sensation of his lips moving with Yuya's, not that he would actually describe it to anyone- being as private as he is, he wasn't sure he could. But he would try in case he felt the need to tell the woman if she asked. Her lips were so soft, so warm. He could feel the shyness and innocence in the way she returned his kiss. The way she smelt was a balm to his sensitive senses. She was a breath of fresh air, so clean and pure. The way she felt beneath his rough calloused hands made his heart beat just a little bit faster. Her skin was so soft and smooth, and although he wasn't moving his hands much he knew that she had curves that he would take pleasure in getting lost in.

He felt her hands moving along his chest in a clear gesture that she was enjoying the kiss now. He could feel her right arm slide under his left arm and wrap around his back, while her left hand slid over his shoulder and tangled in his hair. He wanted so badly to press his body against hers and give in to his desires to find out exactly how much she liked him, but he forced himself to resist. In time he would claim her but for now this time was for her and her needs.

Kyo used the kiss to distract Yuya from her pain. He made sure she was good and distracted by his skilled tongue so that she wouldn't feel what he was about to do. He knew that it would hurt her later but it would help her in the long run.

He moved his right hand from where it rested on her waist up to her bruised ribs and began to give them a deep message that would only add to what she was feeling from the kiss. After a few moments he slipped his hand inside her yukata and under kimono, grazing her breast in the process and having to force himself to move on and not linger, and began to message her bruised ribs again- this time using the heat of his hand. He knew that what he was doing would help her ache go away sooner, but it was also an excuse to touch her soft skin.

Yuya felt like she was in a dream. Kyo, Demon Eyes Kyo, killer of a thousand and then some, was kissing her and she was finally able to enjoy it. She couldn't believe that such a dangerous man with so much blood on his hands had such soft and gentle lips. It should be a sin to have lips like his. And the way he was kissing her! He was being so gentle and careful with her. It surprised her that Kyo, a man she knew had experience- there was no way a man as sexy as Kyo had gone this long without gaining experience, was behaving in such a tame manner with her. It was all too much. She could barely think, but when she felt Kyo's hand moving against her side and the flash of heat that suddenly settled on her skin, her thought process shut down all together.

After a while Kyo removed his hand from beneath her inner kimono and rested it on her hip before adding pressure to the kiss. He then broke the connection and slid his lips across her cheek and back toward her left ear, bathing her skin with his hot breath.

"I'm sure that's proof that I like you, and even more of how much I like you." he whispered huskily in her ear as he tightened his grip on her neck. With a quick nip to her earlobe Kyo released her, easily breaking the hold she had on him, and began to walk away, heading back toward the village.

Yuya was lost. Lost to Kyo and his fiery touch. As she enjoyed the soft silkiness of his long hair, the velvet of his tongue, and breathed in his singular scent- she wanted more. She wanted to feel his hot skin against hers, feel his fiery hands moving over her, she wanted him!

Just as she was about to move her right leg to wrap around his leg, she felt him break the kiss. Still in a daze from Kyo's kiss she wondered why he had stopped or at least tried to wonder since her thought process was trying to restart itself. However, her minds efforts paused as she heard Kyo's deep voice in her ear and felt the heat of his breath.

She tried to understand what he was saying. She really did, but the feel of his heated fingers tightening against her neck made it impossible, and the next thing she knew she was holding air and watching him walk away from her like nothing had happened.

Zazuki hurried along the back paths behind the inns as he made his way to the inn his boss was currently residing at before he headed onward to his home. He didn't want to be seen going to a rival inn, not to mention his boss would be upset if they were linked in any way.

Once he arrived he walked inside through the back door, greeted a girl carrying an armful of linens with a wink and a smile, and discretely made his way to his boss' suite. After ensuring his body guards that he had not been seen and finally been granted an audience, he began to describe in detail the beautiful girl that he had seen traveling with the legendary Demon Eyes Kyo.

"I'm telling you boss. You could tell, just by the way he stood, that she was his. That she could possibly be precious to him." he began with an excited glint in his eyes.

~Flashback~

Zazuki watched her as she walked alone down the main road. She seemed lost in thought but that wasn't what he was concerned with. He was more interested in her figure and her pretty…no, beautiful face. He memorized her rich sun-kissed golden hair, her bright wide green eyes, the way her yellow and orange striped yukata mixed well with her hair and skin, and the way it fit on her body and emphasized her breasts and curves.

He carefully followed her to the edge of the village then paused, unsure if he wanted to risk being seen following her. He glanced around trying to decide whether or not to follow after her, only to see Demon Eyes Kyo doing just that.

That decided him right then and there. He stealthily moved away, slowly so as not to draw attention to himself, and went to gain an audience with his boss to inform him of this development for he knew that his boss detested the red eyed demon.

~End Flashback~

"Hmmm….this is turning out to be my lucky day." Zazuki's boss said with a low malicious chuckle. "I want you to find out all you can about that girl. I want her name, age, what kind of personality she has, what inn she's staying at, what room she's in, and if she considers herself as belonging to the demon since you say that people can tell that he has chosen her to be his." he ordered. "I want you to report back to me as soon as possible, although that should go without saying. I want to start planning as soon as possible." he added in a dismissive manner, the beginnings of a plan already taking root in his mind.

"As you wish." Zazuki said with a bow before leaving, discreetly exiting the inn and making his way home, back to the inn he owned. As he walked he decided to send someone after Kyo and the girl. As luck would have it he came across the perfect person and signaled the man to follow him into an alley between two inns. He was a shady somewhat heavy set wannabe gangster named Shindo.

He immediately began to explain to Shindo that he wanted him to go out into the woods and mess with the golden hair girl. He informed him that the man was Demon Eyes Kyo. Zazuki knew that Shindo was practically brainless and probably wouldn't realize who he was dealing with even after seeing the red eyes and hair. Even if he informed him that he was most likely going to be confronted with the legendary Demon Eyes Kyo he knew that Shindo would still do it, because the man thought Zazuki was the key to getting in the good graces of his boss. That would never happen but Shindo didn't need to know that.

After Zazuki gave Shindo all the information he needed he sent him off, but followed him at a distance. He needed to see how Demon Eyes Kyo and the girl acted toward each other, and he couldn't rely on Shindo because there was a very real chance that he wouldn't be exiting the forest.

Zazuki nearly had a heart attack when he saw the demon's red eyes snap up in his direction. He froze in place as he stood peeking from behind a tree, too afraid to move for fear he might draw attention to himself. When Demon Eyes Kyo looked away and began to walk in the opposite direction Zazuki breathed a relieved sigh before looking to Shindo.

Look at that. He didn't even pause as the demon looked his way. He must be stupider then I thought. Zazuki thought as Shindo continued on toward the girl. He moved closer as well and used a large bush to hide behind while peeking through the leaves. Perfect view. he thought, knowing it was the best one he was going to get. He just hoped he didn't get caught…or killed.

He took in the sight of Shindo with the girl and wondered what she was doing. Shindo was standing there blabbing away and she wasn't moving. Maybe she was choosing to ignore him. In any case he watched the rest of the events unfold, paying particular attention to how Demon Eyes Kyo treated the girl now that she was hurt.

He didn't give Shindo's death a second thought as he watched the demon pick up the girl. He thought the wannabe gangster was lucky that his death was quick. It had been so quick that Zazuki hadn't even seen it in time to flinch, and he thought it was incredible that the precision of the attack was so precise that the girl hadn't been in danger of being harmed.

Zazuki waited a little while after the couple left before making his way back to the village. He reviewed the events in his mind over and over again making sure that he wouldn't forget a single detail. I wish I could see what they're doing right now. he thought as he began to wonder how he was going to get all the information he needed on the girl.

As he entered the village and began to head toward his inn he saw a trio of men, that he recognized, enter a brothel inn. They were the same men who were traveling with Demon Eyes Kyo and the girl. One was very tall and bulky with an eye patch over his right eye with shoulder length hair, another one of them he noticed was about as tall as he was and wearing a red and white striped bandana with narrow squinty eyes, and the last of them was close to the second in height with a cheerful friendly face and a slight feminine appearance as if he cared about the way he looked and about how others saw him.

He followed them in and casually looked around to see which girls they chose to spend the evening with. They were all beautiful girls and to his delight he knew one of them. She was a petite yet voluptuous woman with thick black hair that extended to her knees and a youthful face that housed a pair of dark brown eyes that clearly expressed her experience. He nonchalantly got her attention and signaled for her to come to him as quickly as she could, knowing that she would understand that he needed to speak to her before she settled down with the man of her choice.

This was a very fortunate situation in Zazuki's opinion. He was glad that she had not been otherwise engaged already when the three men entered the establishment, because she was the perfect person to help him get the information he needed. She had the uncanny ability to get people to tell her private and secret information without them even knowing it. She had even got him to give up information a few times.

"Zazuki." a soft sultry voice called his name and he looked to see the woman currently occupying his thoughts walking toward him in a snug white kimono adorned with red flowers.

"Ayami." her name rolled off his tongue as a small smile lifted his lips. "So, Zazuki. What is it you need? I am assuming you need something from me since you can clearly see that I am working." she said, her voice losing the sultry tone yet remaining soft. "And do hurry. I don't want him to wonder what's taking me so long and decide to replace me." she added.

"I have a favor to ask." he said and watched as she raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise but continued to listen. "I want you to find out everything you can about the young girl traveling with those men you just approached. Nothing is insignificant. If you can't do it by yourself, get your friends to help you. When your done 'working' come find me at my inn." he said and watched as she frowned a little. "I don't suppose you know which one has the most information do you?" she asked. "Sorry. Maybe you ladies can get them talking at the same time and find out who knows more that way." he suggested. "Good luck. I'm counting on you." he added with a smile he reserved for when they spent the night together when he was her client before leaving.

.:xXxXx:.

As night fell Ayami came to Zazuki and informed him that the young girls name was Yuya Shina, that she was a bounty hunter traveling with them, and was obviously half in love if not completely in love with Kyo. She also informed him that the two shared a room because Kyo was very protective of her and would likely kill any man that looked at her too long.

"Hmmm…interesting. Thanks Ayami. I owe you." he said, grateful that he had enough information to present to his boss. "Here's something for your trouble." he said as he handed her a small pouch full of money. "You know where to find me if you need me again." she said as she slipped the small pouch inside the folds of her kimono and stepped toward the side door she had entered through. "I'm free now if you'd like." she added in a sultry tone as she paused at the door. "Tempting. Very tempting, but I can't. I needed that information for a reason after all." he explained and watched as she delicately shrugged her shoulders, slid the door open, and left.

.:xXxXx:.

Zazuki wasted no time getting to his boss after he was sure Ayami was long gone. He took a different route from the one he used last time but entered the inn in the same manner. Once he was in front of his boss he told him everything he had found out about Demon Eyes Kyo and the girl. From what he saw him do to Shindo, to how he treated the girl after, all the way to the information Ayami had supplied him.

"I want that girl. This Yuya girl, and I want you to bring her to me as soon as possible." his boss told him, thinking of the plan he had been cooking up. "Here. Take this." he said as he picked up a small vile full of clear liquid and handed it to Zazuki.

"What is it?" Zazuki asked as he held it between his forefinger and thumb, watching the liquid swish around. It looked like water to him. Perhaps it's a special type of sake I can use on the girl. he considered, and listened as his boss explained what it was.

"Use it as a last resort." he ordered. "And don't worry. Even when it's dry it'll work once it enters a wound." he assured him and waved a hand, dismissing him from his presence.

Zazuki nodded his head and got to his feet, knowing when he was being dismissed. He headed back to his inn, made sure everything was running smoothly then closed up for the night. He then went to his room, stored the vile safely away, and settled down for the night.

How am I going to get that girl without Demon Eyes finding out or finding out too quick? he wondered as he lay on his futon trying to fall asleep. I wonder if I'll be able to get her without all those guys knowing. They all have weapons but I guess I can use the girl as a shield if I have to. he thought before falling asleep.

.:xXx:.

The next morning Zazuki woke up with a plan. He readied himself for a day of work and began to take care of the usual business involved in running an inn. When he finally finished enough to allow himself a break he went in search of the young man he vaguely remembered seeing. He was a teenage boy who looked like he was working at the Cherry Blossom Inn, and if Zazuki was right…he was going to try and use the boy to get the information he needed to try and get his hands on the girl. He was going to have to be careful though. He couldn't allow himself to be seen near the inn because for one- it was bad for business being an inn owner and all and two- he didn't want anyone in the demon's little group to become familiar with his face. That would definitely make it hard to get to the girl, and should he pull it off without incident they wouldn't know to come looking for him.

He found the teenager working, sweeping the ground in front of the inns entrance. Most of his hair was pulled back in a high pony tail while his bangs fell into his eyes, and his clothes looked worn with patches here and there to cover up old holes. The kid was obviously not well off and most likely in need of whatever money he could get his hands on.

Perfect for Zazuki's needs.

He watched and waited until the teen finished his sweeping and disappeared inside for a short while before coming back out, walking away from the inn. He approached the teen and smoothly and nonchalantly bribed him, dangling the offer of a nice sum of money for the location of the room Demon Eyes Kyo was staying in.

The teen was understandably more then hesitant. Surprise, shock, and fear flashed across his face. Giving out that information was dangerous, even more so if it was ever learned that he had let that information slip. The man knew what he looked like! He had passed by the red head with his red eyes a number of times, and every single time he did he was nervous and afraid. Did everyone see the quiet confidence on his face? The energy swirling in those red eyes? Did they feel the waves of aggression rolling off him? And if they did, did they get the sense that those waves could easily become a tsunami?

He did and it took all his energy to walk pass the man without cringing away in fear. And he just knew that the man could tell that he was afraid. If he gave up this information would the man be able to tell he was guilty too? He didn't know but he had to take the chance. He needed the money…his family needed the money, so he began to quietly explain exactly where the room was from the inside and the outside.

The teen sighed lightly as he took the money with thanks. He had been a little concerned that this man wouldn't hand over the money after he gave the information, but it seemed his concerns were pointless. As he began to walk away the man followed him and asked if he could tell him one more thing about the red head. He said he would give him more money but only after he got the information.

The teen sighed once again, this time a tired sigh. He would get more money but would it put him in even more danger then just looking guilty when he was near the dangerous man? Would he have to quit his job and find a new one since he didn't know how long the dangerous red head would be staying? Did it matter?? He was sure that if the man wanted him dead then getting a job at another location wasn't going to help him.

"How much will I be getting?" the teen asked as he stopped walking to look at the man. "Enough to make the risk more then worthwhile kid." Zazuki answered quietly. He was aware of the danger and that the kid was only considering doing it because he needed the money. He wouldn't cheat the kid. Now it would be a different story altogether if he was dealing with a grown man. "O…okay. What do you want?" the teen asked. "I want you to let me know when he leaves the girl alone for a sure length of time. I want to make sure he won't come back right away." Zazuki said and watched as the teen nodded his head.

Zazuki gave the name of his inn and explained where it was located and told the kid that it didn't matter what he was doing or how late it was, that he wanted that information the moment he was sure.

.:xXxXx:.

It was late when Zazuki left to try and kidnap the Yuya girl. The teen had come to him right when he had finished closing up his inn and reported that Demon Eyes had left with two men and had been gone ten minutes. One of the men was huge with an eye patch and the other was skinny, his hair hanging over one side of his face with a smile. Zazuki remembered those two guys from the brothel the day before, and wondered if they were going there again. But would the demon really do that to the girl? Perhaps she didn't know.

He saw that most of the lights in the rooms were out, but more importantly the light was out in the room that the demon was sharing with the girl. It was perfect. He had thought he was going to have a problem when he saw that their room shared a little garden with the rooms on either side, but the lights were off in both of those rooms and all was quiet. Either the rooms were empty or the occupants were asleep.

Zazuki climbed over the wall that was barely taller then he was, dropped onto the soft grass, and moved to slide the door leading to the room open. He saw no one else in the room with the sleeping girl with the golden hair, so he slowly approached her on silent feet.

Yuya was on cloud nine. She was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling now that she was in the privacy of the room she shared with Kyo as she readied her futon for bed.

Kyo liked her. He really really liked her. She wished she could get inside his head. I wonder how long he's liked me. she wondered. Yes he had saved her life repeatedly. He had to like her enough to do that, but when had his feelings changed from 'I like her enough to keep her alive' to 'I like her enough to kiss her'?

He had wanted to kiss her, but was there more? Did he want an inexperienced girl like her? The way a man wants a woman? She couldn't deny that she wanted him. The thought made her blush. She was in love with Demon Eyes Kyo and wanted him. She wanted him to claim her body!

That thought made her remember their kiss that morning and the events that followed.

~Flashback~

Yuya followed after Kyo, trying to work through her daze as she stared at his back- following the sway of his hair in the breeze.

A breeze. She suddenly felt a chill against the skin on her left side and chest. She looked down and gasped, an intense blush heating her face as she took in the disheveled state of her yukata. It was practically gaping open! As she straightened her clothing, she began to slip from her pleasant daze and become aware of the intense throbbing in her side. The pain was intense. So intense that her bruised ribs had a heartbeat of their own, and they seemed to have no scruples about pounding away- increasing her discomfort.

When she was done making herself presentable she placed a hand lightly over the injured area and jogged to catch up with Kyo. After reaching him she slowed to walk a few steps behind him. As she gazed at his back his whispered words suddenly came back to her, allowing her mind to finally process their meaning.

"I'm sure that's proof that I like you, and even more of how much I like you." Those were Kyo's words. He had told her plain and simple that he liked her. Much less simple was deciphering how much he liked her. He made it sound like he liked her a great deal, but she was still going to wonder how much until she knew for sure.

As Yuya looked at his long red hair and tall figure, her mind whispered the one question that she wasn't sure she would ever voice aloud: Does he love me? Kyo had shown her that he liked her and in the process had given her hope and a reason to stay. Her hope was that he loved her and her reason to stay was the hope that that hope would turn out to be reality…and maybe more. It would be nice to know that he loved her, but even better if he was in love with her.

Once they reached the inn Kyo lead the way to their rented common room where she ate some food for the first time since early the day before. As she ate she sat near Kyo but not as close as Akari and Okuni were want to.

Bontenmaru and Benitora tried to ask her where she had been all this time and probably would have asked more but they cut themselves off with a mumbled 'never mind'. She didn't look but she guessed that Kyo had given them that look. The one that said 'say one more word and you'll never say anything again'. She didn't approve of the violence but it was apart of his nature and she accepted it. Probably loved him more for it, and at that moment was grateful for it. She had no wish to explain where she had gone and what she had been doing and thinking. They didn't need to know that she had been so very close to leaving their group, and they definitely didn't need to know that she had been kissing Kyo.

~End Flashback~

Yuya had spent the rest of the day chatting with everyone, laughing at jokes and funny antics, and trying not to show how much pain her laughter was causing her. But every now and then she would push her pain aside and peek over at Kyo. The sight of him reminded her instantly of the delicious kiss they had shared, which drew her eyes to his soft lips. And every time they landed on those soft lips she would quickly look away as she struggled to keep her blush away.

However, even with Kyo's lips as a pleasant distraction her pain was just too much for her and she headed to bed early, taking a bath for as long as she could stand the heated water against her aching side.

Now here she was, slipping under her cover and holding her breath as she slowly laid down. Yuya sighed as she lay on her back and began to relax.

I wonder if Kyo will join me tonight. she wondered and blushed at her own thought. I…I mean if he'll be sleeping in the room with me. she corrected herself quickly but at the same time wondered why she needed to make that distinction clear. I just really want to see him before I fall asleep. she thought with a tired sigh.

Unfortunately, Kyo hadn't shown up before she drifted off to sleep.

.:xXxXx:.

Yuya whimpered softly as she was slowly pulled from a deep sleep by a cold shiver. Why? Why?? she whined, wondering why her cold arms and legs had to drag her from such a great dream. She couldn't remember what she was dreaming exactly, but she knew that Kyo had made an appearance.

She shifted slightly, trying to get back the warmth that would help her return to dreamland, but she couldn't find her cover. In fact, it felt like she was being carried high in someone's arms.

Was it Kyo? Was Kyo holding her…carrying her?

The arms pulled her closer…to what? She didn't know, but they paused as she shifted again. She didn't understand. Kyo wasn't the hesitant type, so why all the pausing? There was a hand on the outside of her right thigh. It felt large, slightly rough, and a little cold.

Not Kyo! Her sleepy mind stated in alarm and she froze, feeling as if her heart had skipped a beat at the revelation.

Kyo's hands were rough and full of calluses, and his hands were never cold. It could be snowing out and his hands would remain toasty and warm.

Those thoughts helped Yuya snap out of her sleepy state enough to open her eyes as she began to struggle to be free of the hands and arms that were not Kyo's. The pain in her side helped to wake her up as she was greeted with the slightly blurry sight of a man who looked to be in his late 20's early 30's, with slight salt but more pepper hair pulled back into a lose ponytail.

"Put me down! Put me down!! Put me down!!!" she yelled as she struggled harder to be free. Her struggling succeeded in causing him to drop her to her feet, but he held on to her arms as he began to pull and practically drag her back toward the door he had apparently come through.

The man managed to get her out into the small garden behind her room before she seriously started to panic and wonder where he was trying to take her in the middle of the night. She needed to get away from him but she didn't have her gun or her kodachi. She needed help, and of course only one name came to mind as she took a deep breath.

"KY…" she began to scream for the one man who was always saving her, but was cut off by her capture slapping his hand over her mouth and brandishing a knife in front of her face.

"This knife is covered in a poison that will keep any wound it makes from healing. So if I stabbed you right now even if the wound itself didn't kill you, you would eventually bleed to death." she heard him whisper harshly in her ear before very welcome, on her part, company showed up.

Hotaru and Akira came rushing out of the room to the right of hers, Akari and Benitora came rushing up to the doorway through her room, and Sasuke came out of the room to the left of hers.

"What are you doing with her?" Benitora demanded angrily as he stepped forward with his spear in hand. "Let Yuya go!" Akari demanded right after Benitora as she too stepped forward.

Yuya watched as Akira pulled out his twin swords and Hotaru pull out his sword and began to step toward her and the man holding her. How come they hadn't come sooner? Like when I was yelling for him to put me down. she thought, not that she was complaining or anything. The walls couldn't be sound proof…could they? she wondered, and nearly rolled her eyes. Now was definitely not the time for such thoughts.

"Uh-uh." her capture said as he brought the knife up to Yuya's neck. She held her breath, not wanting the knife to cut her throat. "Don't want anything to happen to her now would we." he added and Yuya could just hear the smirk in his voice as she felt the temperature in the air warring between Akira's chill and Hotaru's heat.

"What do you want?" She heard Sasuke ask and looked, from the corner of her eye, to see his cat like eyes glaring.

"Why this beautiful girl of course." he answered. "I'm under orders to bring her to my boss. I suspect he's got plans to lure the demon to him using her." he added. "Of course even if I can't get you to him all I need to do is wound you. That'll get the demon to him…since he's the only one with the antidote." he whispered in her ear and she frowned.

Yuya was irritated and angry. At the man and herself. She was irritated at the man because he was trying…or his 'boss' was trying to use her to get to Kyo, and at herself because she wasn't strong enough to stop it from happening. She was a weakness to Kyo and she always would be, but that didn't mean she couldn't try to stop this guy.

She lifted her right foot and slammed it down on her captures foot, causing him to cry out in pain and move the knife as he favored his better foot. Then she swung her right elbow back as hard as she could, catching him somewhere in his midsection, which caused him to drop his hand from her mouth. She took advantage of her freedom and spun around and hit him in the face with her left fist. In return he thrust the knife, shoving it into the right side of her stomach.

Yuya cried out at the sharp pain and using the intense pain, hit him again with her right fist, knocking him backwards. She used the momentum to spin around so she was facing the way she started, and saw Kyo standing there looking at her with a shocked surprised look.

She looked down, almost slowly, at the hilt of the knife before pulling it out with a pained cry. As she began to collapse she realized that the last time she saw him look that way was when he saw that the circle of stars on her chest, that represented how many hours she had left to live, had been dramatically reduced from seven hours to one hour.

Suddenly she felt herself stop in her collapse and be lifted into the air. She opened her eyes to see Kyo's red eyes looking back at her as he held her in his arms. She thought she saw a trace of sadness swirling around in the redness, but it disappeared so fast that she wasn't sure she had saw it at all. That slight confusion aided in closing her eyes as she tried to breath as little as possible since every breath she took caused her more and more pain.

Kyo watched as tears rolled from the corners of Yuya's eyes as she closed them. She was in pain. His woman was in pain. Tremendous pain judging by her breathing, and it made him furious! He wanted to know why the dead man, because he would be dying that night, had come after his woman in the middle of the night, but he needed to take care of her first. He needed to try and ease her pain.

"Akari." he said her name as a quiet order as he moved to bring Yuya inside their room. "Right." Akari said as she backed into the room and went to kneel next to the right side of Yuya's futon so she would be ready.

Kyo carefully laid Yuya down on her futon and removed the knife from the grip she had on it before he began to untie the sash keeping her sleeping kimono closed.

"Out." he ordered Benitora, who had followed them inside. He was not about to let him see her in an undressed state, and he knew better then anyone that she wouldn't want that either.

"What?! But Akari gets to stay." Benitora complained in a half serious half whining tone. He was so worried about Yuya and wanted to be there for her but he also didn't want to get on Kyo's bad side…especially not now with Yuya so badly hurt. Who knew how Kyo would react to this situation.

"Out." Kyo repeated. He didn't like repeating himself and he wouldn't do it again. If he didn't leave then Kyo was going to use his sword to make him leave! It was common sense why Akari wasn't leaving. She had the healing power, and more importantly, she wasn't interested in ogling his woman's body!

"Fine. I'll go take out my worry on that idiot outside." Benitora said as he got to his feet. He just hoped the others hadn't killed him yet.

After he was out of the room Kyo opened up the right side of Yuya's kimono. There was so much blood. It wasn't right. She didn't deserve this. Someone as pure and clean as his woman didn't deserve to be lying here in so much pain while her blood slowly flowed from her body.

"Oh! Too much blood, but it's not as bad as I thought it might be." Akari said as she wiped away the blood so she could see the wound clearly. "I'll be able to heal this right up." she assured Kyo as she picked up her staff and began to draw on her body's aura.

Akari placed her left hand lightly over the wound with a quiet 'sorry' to Yuya as she heard her whimper in pain. Then closed her eyes as she focused on closing and healing the wound. Everything proceeded as always when she was healing a person's wounds, however this time there seemed to be a problem. A very big problem.

Yuya's wound was not healing.

What's going on here?! Why isn't she healing? Akari thought with a frown as she continued to draw on her aura and tried the process again. But still…still it was not working. She wasn't healing. She stopped the flow of her aura, opened her eyes, and looked from Yuya's pained face to Kyo's blank face.

"Kyo…it's not working. I can't heal her." Akari said sadly as she dropped her eyes from Kyo's face. This wasn't suppose to happen. Yuya wasn't suppose to get hurt like this. This wound…if I can't heal it then Yuya will…Yuya will… she opened her eyes and looked to Yuya's face once again. She looked like she was in so much pain. Her breathing was labored and tears rolled from the corners of her eyes. She didn't deserve this. And Kyo doesn't deserve this! her thoughts added as she looked back to the red eyed man. His head was bowed and all she could see was his red hair hanging in front of his face and sliding over his shoulders. He had finally found someone who loved him. Loved him for who and what he was. Some one who trusted him unconditionally, and would follow him to the ends of the earth. He couldn't lose her, and Akari wouldn't let him lose her. He deserved to be happy, and not only that…but she wasn't sure if the world could handle Kyo if Yuya wasn't around anymore.

"But I won't give up. I'll try again." she said as she focused back on Yuya's wound. "Maybe there's something I'm missing." she said as she wiped away the blood that had gathered around the wound again.

"The…" Yuya began but stopped as she struggled to find a rhythm to her breathing that didn't cause her too much pain. "the knife…" she continued, struggling to get the words out as she opened her eyes.

"What?!" Akari said as she looked to the knife that Kyo had took out of Yuya's hand. She picked it up and looked at it. There didn't seem to be anything unusual about it. I don't understand. she thought as she looked to Kyo, who was now looking down at Yuya. She looked back to the injured girl as well.

"…is…poisoned." she breathed out and watched for a second time that night as shock crossed Kyo's face.

"Poison!" Akari said in surprise as she looked back to the knife. She carefully brought it up to her nose and smelled it. Doesn't smell like anything. she thought as she lowered it and twisted it as she looked at it again. Doesn't look like there is anything on it…besides Yuya's blood. she thought as she laid the knife back down. "I can remove poison," Akari said as she looked to Yuya. "but Yuya…it's going to be really really painful." she finished.

"Just…just get it over with." Yuya said as she closed her eyes, and tried to tune out the sounds of her would be capture being beaten up.

"Okay." Akari said slowly. She looked to Kyo and saw his red eyes looking right back at her, clearly showing that he wanted her to proceed if Yuya was willing to go through with it. She nodded her head and looked back to the wound. "I'm going to need you to hold her down Kyo." she said with a tired sigh, knowing and very much hating the fact that she was about to cause Yuya more pain.

Yuya's heart started pounding at Akari's words. She felt Kyo place a warm hand on her chest just above her breasts and the other on top of her thighs. It was insane how at that moment she was able to feel how gentle yet firm he was being with the pressure he was placing on her, because at the same time she was remembering the last time she saw Akari remove a harmful substance from someone's body.

The scene played through her mind very clearly. A beautiful little Santera transformed into an even more beautiful woman butterfly with the aid of a serum. Then the brutal vision of Akari shoving her hand into Santera's chest to remove the personality and body changing substance. She remembered it well. She had thought that Akari was killing the poor girl, especially with how much pain she had sounded like she was in. She couldn't imagine how that would…

Yuya's thought cut off abruptly as her body and mind were plagued with a pain she couldn't describe to save her life! She cried out…screamed her lungs out even though that too caused her pain, and she struggled against the hands holding her down in an attempt to escape what felt like torture. She tried wiggling her legs and thrashing around but the hands holding her down held fast. She brought her arms up and pushed at the warm body leaning over her with her hands but still…nothing. She screamed, she cried, she fisted her hands around the soft silky material of the body's kimono and pulled as she pleaded for it…for the pain to stop…for them to make it stop.

"Reject!" Akari said and squinted her eyes as a bright light engulfed the room before she pulled her hand from the wound. She sighed and looked to her hand, but there was a problem.

The poison didn't come out.

"Damn it!" Akari said in frustration. "I can't heal this wound. I can't remove the poison…even though I can grab it...I just can't remove it." she said in irritation then sighed tiredly. "I can try again." she suggested.

"No!" Yuya breathed out as quickly as she could as she tightened her grip on what she understood now was Kyo's kimono. She didn't want to experience that pain again. "He…he said that it would keep the wound…from healing, and that…that I would eventually bleed to death unless I got the antidote." she explained as she tried to deal with the pain and opened her eyes to look up to Kyo before continuing. "He said his boss is the only one with the antidote." she added quietly.

"Akari!" Again her name came out as an order as he looked over to her, and watched as she grabbed her staff and quickly got to her feet and headed toward the little garden. She had to stop them before they killed the guy. He had to stay alive long enough to give them the information they needed. The information he needed.

Kyo felt his kimono go slack and he looked down to see Yuya's arms fall to her sides. Her eyes were once again closed and she was still laboring with her breathing. He moved his hands from her and went to get the medicine box that she had insisted on keeping. He supposed it was a good idea now that they were in serious need of it, but he would never admit to that out loud.

He settled himself down on her right side, taking the spot that Akari had recently vacated and began to clean the woman's wound. He wiped away the blood as gently as he could, then disinfected the area, and covered it with bandages that would last until he could check it again. Once he was done he closed her kimono and retied the sash, forcing away thoughts of how that would look and feel if she wasn't hurt.

"It hurts. It…it really really hurts." Yuya said sadly as she opened her eyes and looked to Kyo.

"I know." he said quietly, a tone of regret slipping into his voice. He hated that she was in pain. Hated that she was hurt at all, and he knew he really had no one to blame but himself.

"Make it go away." he heard her say suddenly, as if the idea had just come to her. "Like…like you did earlier. I didn't feel any pain then." she added.

Kyo blinked in surprise. He remembered that. There was no way he would ever forget that. But she couldn't be serious…could she? As he looked into her pain filled green eyes, shinny from unshed tears, he realized that she was very serious. She really wanted him to kiss her like he had that morning.

Of course now that he knew she was serious, he didn't hesitate one bit.

He leaned over her and brought his lips to hers for the second time. He steadied himself with his left hand and placed his right hand on the left side of her neck as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. He could tell, even after all his efforts that morning and with the pain she was in now, that she was still afraid of his kissing her. But he wasn't sure she realized it at that particular moment since she wasn't resisting him.

Kyo tried and succeeded in putting those thoughts aside. He couldn't make her pain go away unless he was enjoying the kiss, so he focused instead on the feel of her soft skin and warm mouth. The feel of her tongue doing its best to move with his as her body relaxed as best it could under his ministrations. When he was sure that the kiss had distracted her enough so that she wasn't feeling her pain, he moved his right hand from her neck down to her shoulder and pressed firmly on the small pressure point as he slipped his tongue from her mouth.

She instantly became still and unresponsive, so he pulled back from the softness of her lips and placed her blanket over her sleeping body.

He then picked up his sword and turned his attention to the soon to be dead man outside.

Author's note 2: Please check out my profile for updates on the status of this story, and don't forget to review.