Kiyoshi: We're back.
FCL64: I know that.
Kiyoshi: I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to the readers.
FCL64: Oh. Well, we only own Kayden. Here's chapter three.
Before the knife so much as touches his flesh, I am immobilized by his freaking plants. No matter how hard I pull at the plants, I can't break free. The only effect my struggling has is to make the vines tighten painfully around my wrists and ankles. I glare at him. "Let me go." I cannot let him see the pain I'm feeling. But it's not that bad. Not yet. There were always the rumors that he liked torture.
"I don't feel like it at the moment," he replies, glaring back at me. But somehow his glare is calm. His anger is calm. It's disturbing. Rage does not cloud his mind as it does the minds of most. His rage does not rule him. He can think things through as clearly right now as if he were not angry. "In case you've forgotten, you just tried to kill me. You're more foolish than I thought. I was under the impression that I had given you ample warning."
"You insulted my mother. Now make your point."
He nods. Then he stands. It pisses me off that he didn't need to stand to subdue me. I am not weak. One by one he pries my fingers off the knife, the action made easier by the fact that I'm beginning to lose feeling in my extremities.
He very gently runs the blade across a finger. As it oozes blood, he smiles. "Very sharp. That doesn't even sting. Of course, it loses something if you're going for pain…but right now let's focus on your stupidity."
"Stupidity?" I ask, moving forward. Or trying to move forward. The plants just tighten, holding me in place.
"Yes, stupidity. And recklessness. When an opponent is this much more powerful than you, such a direct attack is more often than not fatal." He walks towards the door. "In addition, you should never allow your emotions to rule you so entirely." My fingers are cold. He still won't look at me. "And it is never a good idea to attack someone in their own home. There will always be some unseen defense."
"Are you lecturing me?" I snap.
"I figure someone should." He spins and flings my knife at me. It flies past me, coming within two inches of my head and embeds itself in the wall behind me. "Otherwise you'll get yourself killed. Keep in mind that you are at my mercy right now. And your mother obviously never taught you to fight."
"Leave my mother out of this, you son of a—"
"Language, Kayden," he interrupts me. "Be polite. Control your emotions."
"Now you're just mocking me," I spit. "And why teach someone who will only use it to kill you?"
"Perhaps I am mocking you." He shrugs, taking a few steps back towards me. "Why teach it? First, it will be a long time before you can compete with me. Second, it makes things more…interesting." He smiles and walks towards the door again. This is nothing more than a game to him.
As he reaches the door the plants whither and fall to the floor. Painful feeling returns to my hands and feet. "Be thankful I didn't use the roses. Their thorns can tear flesh apart. The way you were struggling, you might've severed something and bled to death." I take a step after him, and he freezes. "Be warned, Kayden: next time you attack, I will not hesitate to bring out more dangerous plants."
I hate to admit how eerie and ominous that sounds. Or the fact that it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. I walk backwards till I'm up against the wall, and I wrench the knife out with my left hand. My eyes narrow, but he doesn't see that as he walks away, still so confident in his abilities that he will leave his back open.
But I have my demonic tricks too. And I will find a way to kill him.
Without warning, he faces me again. "On second thought, why don't you stay for dinner? I'll have to let Shiori be exposed to the demonic eventually, especially considering the way it's following me. And, in all honesty, I'd like to know where you are, so I don't have to worry about you trying something stupid."
I glare. "And have you poison me? I think not." He may believe I'm stupid, but he surely doesn't believe I'm that stupid.
He shakes his head. "Shiori will be cooking. After watching me for nearly a month, do you believe she is capable of intentionally harming anyone?" I don't answer because I know he's right. And I'm sick of him always being one step ahead. Hearing my silence he laughs. "Good. And Shiori's home. You might as well meet her now."
"You aren't afraid I will attack her to get to you?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Three reasons. First, you love your mother too much to kill someone else's mother, even if it's my adoptive mother. It's the idea of a mother that's important to you. Second, if you try to kill or harm her, I will kill you before you have even come close. And you have already seen how quickly I am capable of responding. Third," he grins mockingly again, "If you really intended to do something so foolish, you would not have asked me about it first."
Why does he have to be so damn logical all the time?
Hurrah for chapter three. Now to reviews.
animegrlsteph: Um...no. I love Kayden. You know, Kayden is kind of...well, let's be honest, he doesn't think things through very well. But the way he feels towards Kurama is completely understandable.
Yellow Jr: Yeah, I was working on the Yoko side. The only thing is...urgh. I am trying to get both sides of Kurama, but it's proving rather difficult. Sorry about the short chapters. I just kind of let the chapters happen as they will...
