Nina sat at her desk, signing several documents that Mordred had left for her. Sublumenal waited patiently in one of the arm chairs, texting away on his cellphone. Mordred appeared in her doorway; his expression vacant and detached as usual.
"Master Nina, you have a visitor."
"Tell whoever it is to wait for me in the drawing room. I'll be there in a minute."
Mordred cleared his throat. "I'm afraid he's quite insistent, master. He says it's an emergency. I believe he mentioned something about 'life and death.' Motochika managed to detain him in the foyer, but it's only a matter of time before…"
"NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Kazu burst into the room; his eyes puffy and red, tears streaming down his handsome face. He was past the point of distraught. His usually perfect appearance completely disheveled. He shoved Mordred out of the way, practically throwing himself on Nina's desk. She jumped out of her seat, racing around the desk and taking the weeping agent into her arms.
"What's happened, Kazu?! Is everything alright?! Are you hurt?!" Nina took his chin in her hand, wiping the tears from his flushed cheeks. "Look at me. Take a deep breath and tell me what's happened!"
Kazu stared at her with big beautiful blue eyes, his bottom lip trembling as he tried to fight back more tears.
"It's Y-Yata." He wailed.
The announcement brought Sublumenal to his feet. "What's happened?!" He exclaimed. "Is he alright?!"
Kazu straightened immediately; rage-filled eyes locked on Sublumenal as if to say, "How dare you interrupt me!"
In a matter of seconds, his tone went from weepy to deadly serious. "Nina, who is this?"
"That's just, Sub." She replied exasperatedly. "Now tell me what's…"
"Sub, is it?" Kazu replied distastefully, cutting Nina off. "This conversation has nothing to do with you, so I'd appreciate it greatly if you'd shut up and sit down."
"Excuse me?" Sublumenal's tone match Kazu's toe to toe. The testosterone level in the room was so high, Nina could practically smell it!
"Sub." Nina said his name softly, glancing in his direction and shaking her head ever so slightly.
Sublumenal looked as if he wanted to say something, but to Nina's relief, he took her silent warning to heart. He sat down slowly in his seat; his death glare still locked on Kazu.
Instantly, Kazu relaxed in Nina's arms. And, as if the moment never happened, he went right back to weeping hysterically.
"Yata won't give me the new bell!" Kazu shrieked; his voice a mixture of utter despair and pure malice.
"New bell? Who?"
"Oneiros." Kazu said the name with such love and reverence that it sent chill down Nina's spine.
She swallowed; every single muscle in her body prepared to subdue the male agent should it come to that. Nina's eyes darted to where Mordred stood, sending him a silent order. The Phantom nodded his head once, then quietly left the room.
"Kazu, darling," she said in her softest, sweetest voice. "You know the Guild can't just give you a daemon. There is a process. Remember? We talked about it."
Once again he looked at her with those enchanting sky blue eyes. "But I want him."
"Oh, sweetie, I know. But Oneiros has to choose you as well. If the bond is forced, the relationship between master and daemon is destined to fail."
The light and life in Kazu's eyes went out like a candle in the wind. His handsome face twisted into a grimace that Nina knew all too well. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sublumenal move to stand. Keeping her focus on Kazu, she waved for him to stay back.
"I will have him." Kazu said; his voice filled with the promise of vengeance and war should his desire remain unfulfilled.
"Of course you will." Nina cooed, cupping his cheek. "But you must be patient."
Kazu's lip began to tremble once more. "But I can't, Nina. He needs me. I can feel it! You have to help me get him!"
"I know, and I will." Nina replied, taking his hands and leading him to the couch. "But it's going to take me some time. Do you understand?"
Kazu frowned; his teeth clenching the way they did when he was desperately fighting to maintain control. At that very moment, Mordred entered the room again, holding a tray with a single glass on it. In the glass was a dark red liquid that Nina had reserved for an occasion such as this. She sent a silent prayer up to whatever god happened to be listening, and took to glass off the tray.
"Here, my love. Drink this. It will make you feel better."
Kazu looked at the glass then back at Nina.
"I promise." She continued. "All the pain and frustration you're feeling right now will vanish. You have my word. You trust me, don't you? You know I will always take care of you, right?"
Kazu smiled at her, but the expression didn't quite reach his eyes. "I know." He muttered, taking the glass and drinking deeply from it.
"That's it." Nina whispered. "Just a little more."
Five…
"You will bring him to me, won't you Nina?"
"Of course, my beloved."
Four…
"And you will tell him how much I love him, right, Nina?"
"I will, even though I'm sure he already knows."
Three…
"Don't forget to tell him how happy he'll be with me."
"You have my word."
Two…
"Thank you, Nina." Kazu said, pressing his forehead to hers. "Only you understand me."
"Always and forever."
One…
Kazu slumped forward, losing consciousness almost immediately.
"Mordred, go and get Motochika. He is to take Kazu up to the room directly across from mine. Do you understand?"
"As you wish, master?"
"Also, have one of the servants prepare the car for me."
"Consider it done, my lady."
Mordred swept from the room, leaving Nina alone with the unconscious Kazu and the confused Sublumenal.
"What the f*ck just happened, Nina?" Sublumenal demanded.
Nina let out a sigh of relief, falling back against the couch for support. "I just saved your life. That's what happened."
"Who is he? And why are you so frightened of him?"
"I'm not frightened of him!" Nina explained; her head snapping up. "Kazu would never hurt me! You on the other hand… He'd separate your head from your body before anyone realized what he was doing." She laid Kazu gently down on the couch and got to her feet. "Have you ever heard of the Shota King?"
"You're joking?" Sublumenal breathed, jumping to his feet and moving behind his chair as if the tiny piece of furniture would offer him protection.
"Exactly," Nina replied, moving to the decanter of whiskey on her desk and pouring herself a drink.
"But he looks so… innocent." Sublumenal said.
Nina downed the first glass in one gulp. "Yeah, I know. That's what makes him so dangerous. But don't be fooled," she said, pinning Sublumenal with a warning look. "Remember his face, because if you cross him, his will be last you ever see."
Nina ran a hand through her midnight hair; the gravity of the task at hand too daunting to accept.
"Change of plans, Sub." She said, pouring yet another glass. "I need to go to the Guild immediately. I must to talk Yata. Apparently, he's forgotten Kazu's true nature, and he needs a reminder before Kazu ends up burning the entire Guild to ground."
"He's that dangerous?"
"You have no idea." Nina groaned. "Believe me. Every terrifying story you've ever heard about his Shota Army is true. That man right there," she continued, pointing to Kazu's sleeping form. "He has the power to bring the Guild to its knees."
Sublumenal let out a long sigh. "Then I guess we need to get him this Oneiros before it's too late."