Author's note: Again, I read too much books. Many things here are inspired by Nalini Singh's 'Guild Hunter' series. I think I should rate this 'M', just to be sure. Taiora, like always, a hint (okay more) of Mimato. Okay, two down, one more to go! Don't like it? Don't read it then!
~MB

Part two

The curse of his powers tormented his life.

Yes, she was screaming. She couldn't believe her eyes. She kept looking at him. At her Tai.

Except, that wasn't him anymore. Two horns grew on his forehead. Giant black wings emerged from his back. Every single feather was the color of midnight sky.

''I told you so. You can go and despise me now. 'Cause this is what I am. A monster.''
He turned to walk away from her. He couldn't bare her gaze anymore.
'I've lost it all. She hates me. No, she hates this thing I've become.'

And she stood there, frozen.
'Oh love, what have I done.'

''Tai, wait.'' He didn't. ''Please, don't go away.'' She cried for him. T

he sound of her voice touched his heart and he was forced to stop.
''Why, Sora?'' He turned his face to her. ''There's nothing you can do.''

''No.'' She spoke, giving him a passionate kiss.
He didn't want to return it, but the urge was too great. He wanted to break free, but his body didn't budge at all.

He enjoyed this, he enjoyed her. He could feel her gentle hands caressing his hair. But why did she want him still? '

'Sora,'' He said between the kisses, ''what is the meaning of this?'' Her eyes were still shut. She raised her hand and touched the wings.

''They are beautiful, Tai. Can't you see?'' She loosened her grip and walked behind him. He stood still like a statue, so she could examine him. Her fingers brushed the soft lines of his wings, going down to his back. ''And soft, like our first kiss.''

She came back to face him. His brown eyes were darkening, going black with desire.
''And I don't mind the horns either. They are sort of cute. You are beautiful.'' She giggled.

He took a deep breath and sighed.
''How can you still love me?'' She put her arms around his waist, pulling him closer.

''You are mine Tai. You will always be. I don't care what do you look like or what have you done. I don't care if you are a demon. I know you. My heart knows you. And it is telling me 'Don't let him go. '. If I ever let you go, I'm afraid I'll die. Because my heart is not inside me, it is with you.''

He finally gathered his courage and embraced her.
''I came here to say goodbye. I thought that you will despise me, that you won't love me anymore after you see me. I came here knowing that, when this is over, I would embrace my death. But you amaze me, Sora.''

He could feel her jerk. She gazed into his eyes.
''You would kill yourself? Are you crazy?'' He felt intense pain on his left cheek.

''Ow.'' She glared at him.
''Don't you dare die without me. Ever.'' His gaze darkened and jolt of fear went through her body.

''Oh, really?'' He grabbed her in his arms.
''Tai, what are you doing.'' His wings stretched and prepared to take off.

''Taking you with me.'' She closed her eyes in fear. Moments later, she could feel cold breeze on her cheek. She held tight and let her carry her.

''Afraid, princess?''
''Not when I'm with you, evil angel of mine.''

Obeying the crown was a sinister crime.

She gazed into the midnight sky. The stars were awfully shiny tonight. She inhaled the air. Peace. Yes, they had that now.

''Tai, I'm cold.'' His grip grew tighter, his wings curling around her. She tried to reach them, but he stopped her. She gave him a curios look.

''They're sensitive. If you touch them, I might lose control and take you here and now. I don't want it to be like this and you would have no strength to fight me.''

''I tempt you so much?'' He let out a husky laugh.
''You can't even imagine.''

She really was his. His fingers were tangled in her fiery hair.

''Tell me about the time you were away.'' She asked timidly.

'So she never received any of those letters…'

He struggled a bit, but her pleading look made him soften.

''The only world to describe it is terror. Fear. Death in its purest form. So many people got killed, so many innocent lives were lost. But we had to keep fighting. We had to, that was our duty. Matt didn't like it at all. He isn't a killer. I think he never took another life.''

''Did you?'' His gaze darkened again.

''Yes.''

His expression changed. Dread was written on it.

''I'm sorry Tai.'' She whispered. A small grin appeared.

''And why would you be sorry, princess?'' He asked and kissed her neck a few times.

''I was not there to stop you.'' She brushed her lips against his cheek. He started laughing.

''Oh, dear agony. Sora, that isn't your fault. You are the faith inside of me. The voice that fights my darkness. It's mine fault alone. I lost control a few times. My blood reached for me and with every person I killed I became more like this.''

''How many?'' He rested his head on her shoulder. His warm breath tickled her neck.

''I stopped counting after one hundred. You don't know how that feels. I-I couldn't stop it. I couldn't restrain myself.
Like I was Silent every moment.''

His soul was tortured by love and by pain.

''Tell me about that.'' She said.

''Tell me how does that feels.'' He smirked and buried his face in her hair.

''Are you sure?'' ''Yes, and you will feel relief after you do that. Please, share that with me.''

He sighed and started speaking.
''My blood holds terrible curse. The curse of my father, the demon of grudge. I inherited some of his powers. I can sometimes whisper to people's minds and made them do as I please. I have inhuman strength. I can fly. But also, I am human. I have human emotions. Human soul. But sometimes the soul is tainted by darkness. And that is what Silent means. I turn to my natural demonic senses. A part of my brain which knows no mercy and only death takes over. I become a cold blooded killer.

I once woke in the pile of dead bodies. Matt told me that I lost it when one of them killed a child. I didn't know what happened. I let that inner demon kill all those people. He told me I won't feel any pain and I listened. I'm evil, Sora.''

Tai tried to put the tears back where they belonged, but now before two wet drops rolled down his face.

''Don't say that. You just have an unfortunate situation that your dad was all evil demon. But inheritance doesn't make you bad. If you embrace evil, then you are truly bad. And I know you. Tai who I love wouldn't ever embrace evil. Never.''

He kissed her in gratitude.
''And this is why I love you. Because you have positive thoughts about everyone.''

He surely would flee, but the oath made him stay.

''Thank you for tonight.'' She said as they landed on her balcony.
''I had to keep my promise.''

He chuckled in his confident way. His smile made her melt inside.
''Um… I was wondering. You can't really walk around, with you know… wings?''

Tai grinned again and his wings disappeared. Like they were never there.

''Wah! How did you do that?'' She asked in amazement. She reached to the spot where his wings were couple of seconds ago. She touched the soft velvet of his feathers, but she couldn't see them. Again, she couldn't resist the soft touch of his wings.

''Sora, please stop.'' His expression held desire, but Sora could see that he was restraining it. He watched everywhere but at her.

''But why? I don't really understand.'' The invisible feathers slipped away from her touch.

''They are highly sensible. When you touch them, it's like your touch my soul. I want you then more than ever. But now it is not the time. When it is, you can brush your fingers against them for as lost as you wish.''

She nodded her hand in acknowledgement and gazed to his face, just to see he was looking at her. His brown eyes reflected her feelings. Love and fear. Fear of what tomorrow brings.

''You haven't answered my question. How did you do that?''

''This is called glamour. I only recently discovered that. I just wish for something to disappear from human sight and it does. It is still there, but not visible.''

Sora nodded.
''You better keep that thing on. I don't wanna any other girl to spot your beautiful wings and take you away.''

He smirked and kissed her, removing his glamour and stretching his wings to full size.
''I will never be taken away from you. There too much of me with you. But something is bothering me. You called me somehow.''

Her amber orbs glittered for a moment.
''I called you my evil angel. Satisfied? Now shoo, someone might see us.''

He frowned a little bit, but listened to her. He brushed her lips one more time and flew into the night. She got inside and lay on the bed.

Suddenly, her door opened and her father walked in.
''Where have you been?''

''Father!'' She cried in embarrassment.
''Answer me Sora.'' He glared at her viciously.

''I was with… Tai.'' Her father's eyes widened and he started yelling.
''I told you he was not good for you. I forbid you to see him ever again.''

'He is one of mine and he will pay.'

He's torn between his honor and the true love of his life.

''You called, sir?'' Tai asked in bitter tone.

How could he answer him? To man that caused him so much pain. To the man who separated him from Sora. The one who was responsible for his current condition.
But he had to. His oath tied him to.

The old man glared at him.
''I heard you were with my daughter?''

How did he find out that?

''I was sir.'' His expression didn't change, but there was something poisonous in his next whisper.

''Well, that makes things quite easy. Since you are bowed to your honor so much, you cannot deny my direct command.''

Tai froze.
''I am a soldier, sir, but I beg you not-''

''You beg me? You actually think I would let my daughter be with someone who is a mere soldier. Who is not pure human? A monster?''

Tai's expression darkened. So that was the reason he resented him so much.

The old king continued.
''I think not, too. So, from now on, you will stay away from her. You will not talk to her, write her letters or communicate to her in any way. You are banished. If you don't leave till tomorrow dawn, I will personally execute you.''

He prayed for both but was denied.

Tai packed his things that evening.There wasn't anything valuable really in his possession. Only things that he held close to his heart.

An old broken compass, a cracked mirror which reminded him what he was, a golden ring that once belonged to his mother. Nothing less, nothing more.

''You are really leaving?'' Asked a familiar voice.

''You know I have to, Matt.'' The blonde came closer and grabbed his forearm.

''You can fight. For her, for yourself. What the heck for all of us.''

Tai sighed and got rid of his grip.
''I'm bad for her.''

''And that's the reason you give up? You should at least say goodbye.''

Tai's voice broke.
''I can't. My words are stuck. Forbidden.''

''She will never forgive you.''

''It is for the best if she just forgets me and moves on.'' He stuffed last few things in his bag and turned to leave.

''Tai, you should say goodbye, you owe her that much.''

So many dreams were broken and so much was sacrificed.

That night, he was under her window, watching her fragile silhouette waiting on the balcony. For him.

'I'm so sorry Sora. I-I never meant to hurt you. I know you will never forgive me after I leave. And I will never forgive myself either. I will end my life in sorrow and guilt. I never really deserved someone like you.'

Was it worth it? She was just standing there. Silent. Waiting for her love. Knowing deep inside her heart that something was wrong. Hoping that she was wrong.

''Tai.'' She whispered into the night. The Moon was full tonight. Its beauty was a mockery to her sadness. She looked away from it.

''Oh, why? Why me? Why am I the only one that can't be happy? For once, why? I waited so long for him.''

Tai's heart broke slowly after those words. He lowered his gaze to the ring on his left hand.

'Maybe I should say goodbye.'

She was watching the nature outside. Even now, in complete darkness, it was magnificent. Suddenly, she heard wings flapping and she knew that waiting time was over.

Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind.

As he touched the floor, she ran into his embrace. Tears rolled down her eyes.

''I thought you won't come.'' His gaze was dark, emotionless.
''I shouldn't. I don't know why I did.''

She jerked and met his eyes.
''Why?''

He closed his eyes and removed the glamour. His wings stretched and closed.

''I'm forbidden to speak to you. I-I'm leaving, Sora.''

Shock appeared on her face.
''After all we've been through? After all the pain? You're just… leaving me?''

She tried to run away, but he grabbed her forearms and pulled her closer. She fought against it. She didn't want to say goodbye. Maybe he wouldn't leave if she didn't.

''Sora, I have something for you.'' She opened her eyes and saw that his expression wasn't emotionless anymore. It held sorrow and pain. He reached for his hand and put something on her palm.

She slowly opened it and saw brilliant gold ring. She examined it and noticed that something was written in it.

'You are my heart, my soul, my life.'

Tears fell down more fiercely.

''It is beautiful.''

''It belonged to my mother. But the inscription is for you.''

'Then why are you leaving?'

''Tai, I want to give you something, too.''
She kissed him fiercely. His fingers reached for his hair and stayed in it.

He broke the kiss and said.
''That is one hell of a present.''

She smirked and put the ring on.

''That wasn't my present.''
He stared at her in confusion.
''Then what is it?''

''I want to give you something special,'' She pulled him in her room,
''Something you will never forget,'' She pushed him on her bed,
''Something I've never given anyone.''

''Sora-''

She put her finger on his lips, silencing him. Her amber eyes glittered as she stroked his hair, his face and finally his wings.

''I want to give you myself. Put me to sleep, evil angel.''

She whispered and kissed him. For once, his self control broke and he was hers.

So many years have passed, who are the noble and the wise?

Mimi turned, just to spot a handsome blond man leaning against the cold stone wall.

''You shouldn't come here.'' He smirked and started walking towards her.

''Mimi, you shouldn't be out this late, either. The rules are broken too easy, don't you think?''

She decided that she can't hide anything from him.
''I came here hoping to see you.'' She admitted.

''And why would you come to see me? A soldier?'' He asked with traces of mockery in his voice. He was already behind her and she could feel him near her.

But Mimi kept staring into the night. She was planning to admit how much she cared. He may not feel anything.

''I-I don't know.'' She blushed, but the night erased every trace of that. His arms travelled around her waist.

''I came here to see you, too actually.''

Will all our sins be justified?

Tai sat on the edge of the bed. He buried his head into his hands. What have he done?

He turned his gaze to his princess. She was sleeping peacefully, the gold ring shining on her finger. He shouldn't do it.

But he did.

She somehow figured how to tempt him to that point he could restrain himself. She broke his defenses.

She took him. And he took her. But now, now was time to leave.

''Sleep well, my princess. I wish you could move on.''

He opened his wings and prepared to take off. But before that, he placed one last kiss on her forehead. She moved a little, but didn't wake up.

''Goodbye.'' He went away from her, into the midnight sky.

He left her forever.