Chapter nine

Alex sighed as she went out past the Defender's Realm and out to a gorgeous waterfall just beyond the town. She sat on a rock that was under the waterfall and watched as the huge great exotic birds of flight; the ancient phoenix came by and bathed in the crystal clear water.

Nightmare went over to her and sat beside her. "Something bothers you my child . . . what is it?"

Alex sighed and looked at him, tears in her eyes. "Nightmare, I love Jesse and he won't wake up . . . it scares me. What if he never wakes up? He is the only one who understands why I can't be parted from him." she said as she trembled.

Jesse woke up six months later and winced; he looked at the ceiling and blinked. "W-where am I?" he thought.

"Grandpa Jesse!!" Two kids about ten years old and six years old cried as they ran over to him.

Jesse blinked and looked at the two kids, "I'm not your grandfather . . . I don't even have kids, hell I'm not even mated."

They hide under his blanket and whimper.

"Great, I'm not awake. I'm hallucinating," he groaned as he plopped back onto the bed.

The kids came out from underneath the blankets and looked at their grandfather and pulled the blankets off of him and hugged him.

He groaned and looked at the kids. "Okay, I do not know you pups. So where ever your parents are can you go to them please?!"

"You are too our grandfather! My name is Kimberly and this is my brother Damien! You have to remember us!" the young girl cried.

"I'm not mated so therefore I have no grandchildren!" he snarled.

"Well too bad we're staying with you papa." Kim said as she curled up at Jesse's side and fell asleep. Damien did the same; soon they both were curled up into their grandfather out cold.

Jesse just watched them sleep and went to sleep himself hoping this was all a dream.

The pups woke up after a long nap. Kim smirked and stood up on the bed and began to bounce on the bed. "Wake up! Wake up Grandpa Jesse!" she shouted.

Jesse groaned and looked at the girl. "Why won't you go away!" he snarled as he got up and picked the girl up by the back of her kimono of a silky rose pink; just like the color of the cherry blossom petals.

She gasped and whimpered, tears in her eyes. "I sorry grandpa Jesse. . ." she said as he put her down.

Damien went over to Kim and the ten year old and six year old left the tent.

Jesse blinked at the look the girl had given him. It was like she was hurt deeply. He went after the kids and blinked when he couldn't find them but a blank book where they were standing.

Koji went over to Jesse and smiled at him. "It's good to see you awake my lord." He said as Shiori stood at Koji's side.

Kyo went over to Koji his head bowed. "Koji, can I please speak to you in private?"

"Sure." he said as he and Kyo went somewhere private to talk. "What's wrong?"

"Do you want to regret ever falling in love with Shiori?"

"No, why? Kyo what's going on?" Koji growled.

"Tsuki is gone. . ." Kyo answered.

Koji's eyes widen in horror.

"She left a note behind. I didn't read it but, I know how much she loved you and how much you killed her."

Koji took the note and read it.

NOTE

"My love Koji, I never meant to blow you off like I did. I just didn't want to lose you by you slitting your wrist. I'm sorry for ever screwing up your life. If I didn't do what I did. . . Heh. . .I might have been able to carry your pup. Well I guess that's Shiori's job now isn't it? Look I have discovered that I never disserved you and I hope Shiori can give you love and happiness I never could give you."

I remain your former fiancé,

Tsuki

Koji just read the note over and over, he couldn't believe it. His fiancé had killed herself; he had forgotten that he, Koji, had claimed her. Tsuki was half his and she had returned to him and he had shown her that he still loved her by falling in love with another.

He closed his eyes a small tear running down his cheek. "You idiot Tsuki!" He thought. "I still love you!" He thought again as he slammed his fist into the wall.

Kyo just watched as Koji deeply regretted ever throwing Tsuki into the alleyway of his heart and ever forgetting that he had claimed her, the one he wanted to make his mate through and through and he in return for her apology he just had to toss her away like she never existed. Kyo after a few more moments of watching Koji left and returned to checking on all the troops.

Later that night Koji left and went to the pink cherry blossom tree that Tsuki always loved to sit in while she was at the Defender's Realm. He looked at the tree and smiled as he saw in his mind the days that his fiancé and he had as they spent hours talking about anything and everything. Tears formed in his eyes when the visions vanished. He had nothing to remind him of his beloved and it hurt him.

"Is something wrong?" Shiori asked as she went over to Koji and stood beside him.

"Yeah, I shouldn't have fallen in love with you." he turned to her. "I had made Tsuki my fiancé about two years ago when I had come back from not being seen for about five years. We had gotten into a fight and I had forgotten that Tsuki was always looking out for my safety. But now I can not thank her for always being so worried about me all the time."

"She's gone?"

Koji just walked away and disappeared into the shadows of the forest.

Shiori sighed and left as well back to her home.

Josh had blinked when he stumbled upon a shrine in the middle of nowhere. "What the . . .?" he questioned as he got of his Friesian and went over to the shrine.

Shadow whimpered and grabbed Josh's black dragon tail and tugged on it.

"Oww . . .!" he hissed and looked back at the cat with a scowl. "What?!"

"Don't go in there; the aura is too strong for just any demon to pass. Only the one who is supposed to bear the stone is allowed in."

"So wait the stone is here?"

Shadow nodded. "Only the Kingdom of Shadows is allowed in." Shadow said as he tried to get Josh away.

Josh smirked and took down the location of the stone and got back on his Friesian and headed back to Japan and full speed, Shadow followed at the Friesians heels.

Koji went into the room he and Tsuki shared and looked around the room. He inhaled deeply and could still smell Tsuki's sweet smell. Just then flashbacks surrounded him; and they weren't pleasant ones.

FLASHBACK

Koji went into Tsuki's room and made sure she was still asleep before he removed the bandages from his wrist and looked at the now closed wound. By the scent of it he knew it had gotten infected. He cursed to himself and went into the bathroom and locked the door and re slit his wrist with one of his sharp claws. He hissed in pain as his blood spilled over the top of his wound and into the sink. He clenched his hand as the pain become more intense as the poison began to rush through his blood quickly.

Tsuki bolted up as she smelt Koji's blood and raced to the bathroom door and tried to get in. "Koji?!"

"I-it's okay Tsuki go back to bed, I just cut myself on a piece of glass." he said hoping she would believe his story.

She looked over at the table and saw no traces of glass anywhere. "Oh . . . sorry, I didn't see the glass . . . ," she left and returned to bed tears in her eyes.

An hour or so later he came out of the bathroom a new bandage over his wrist and lay down next to Tsuki, cuddling up with her.

She moved away from him slightly.

He sits up and looked at her. "Tsuki what's wrong?"

"There was no glass, you slit your wrist again didn't you?!" she scolded as she sat up.

Koji got out of bed and stood next to the door. "Okay I admit, I did slit my wrist again, but I need to get rid of the poison."

"Koji you promised!"

He growled. "Woman, I didn't promise you shit, now if you're going to be a bitch about me getting rid of the poison my way you can just leave." he snapped as he looked at her his eyes livid.

Tsuki's eyes widen and she raced out of the hotel room tears streamed down her cheeks.

Koji just watched her leave and lay back down on the bed falling into a peaceful sleep.

END FLASHBACK

Koji just fell to knees as more memories surrounded him; guilt took place and he couldn't help but want to take his life to explain to Tsuki what was really on his mind.

FLASHBACK

Koji sighed as he looked at Tsuki as she continued to sleep peacefully on the bed that had been set up beside his so she could sleep near him. He was happy that she was still alive and waiting for his return. But he knew that with the way the war was going he wasn't going to last much longer, he could already sense his life energy being drained out of him. He was twenty-three and we knew he would die by the time the war ended. He winced as the poison he had been injected with only a few weeks prior to his return was spreading fast

Tsuki woke up and looked at Koji; he had slit his wrist and was letting the poison drain from him.

She gasped and put a portion of her kimono sleeve over the wound. "What are you doing?! Trying to commit suicide?!"

He blinked at her sudden appearance and smiled, "I was not trying to kill myself; I was letting the poison drain out of me."

"Idiot that's the way to kill yourself not to drain poison out of you!" she sighed and wrapped a few bandages over his cut and tied it off tightly but not too tight to where it would cut off the e blood circulation.

Once she had finished he hugged her and nuzzles her neck. "Sorry I worried you love, the only thing that will be the end of me is a battle between me and Jung-Woo's forces."

END FLASHBACK

Koji fell to his knees. "No stop! No more!" he cried as he held his head tightly

FLASH BACK

"It's Koji!"A woman shouted from outside the hotel building.

Everyone rushed out of their houses to greet there great warrior.

"Koji-sama!" a young woman shouted.

"My, my, little sister you've gotten big." Koji chuckled as he ruffled the hair of his ten year old sister.

A young girl about nineteen raced over to Koji and tackled him to the ground crying into his chest.

He blinked then smiled down at her, "I know I for surely missed you my dear." Koji said as he held her close.

I've missed you so much Koji, I was scared that you were dead for sure since nobody has heard anything from you for over five years."

Koji laughed and spun her around as he held her tightly in his arms. "I'm sorry my dear, I promise not to do that to you again." he said as he set her on her feet and ruffled her hair. "So my love tells me all that you have been up to these past five years."

Both Koji and Tsuki sit on a bench next to a pond and begin talking about what they had been through for the past five years. It made Koji happy that Tsuki always waited for him no matter how long he was gone, when ever he returned home she would always greet him with her loving sweet smile that always brought out the best in him. She had blonde hair and an aqua-green colored eyes. As she spoke he listened to her words with such joy he had wished he had been here for her through the times where she was treated badly he would have taught those villagers a lesson.

END FLASHBACK

Koji had betrayed her and now as punishment someone was taking his world away from him; Tsuki was his world. Now he was without a fiancé and without the one he ever loved. He snarled and slammed his fist into the wall planting a lovely little hole in the center. He hated himself with a passion; tears formed in his eyes and went over to the bed and fell asleep on the bed snuggled up into Tsuki's side of the bed.

Jesse went over to Kyo, "Hey, have you seen Alex? I haven't seen her yet and usually she's the first to greet me."

Kyo sighed and thought for a moment. "Well, she hasn't been here in six months. She realized that she could never have your undying love and so she and Nightmare took off and nobody knows where Nightmare and Alex ran off too."

Jesse cursed.

"I'll send men to go look for her." Kyo said as he grabbed the reigns to his stallion.

Jesse nodded and began to train his troops.

Joseph went over to Jesse after sneaking away from the doctor and having an interesting trial trying to remove the needles.

Jesse blinked. "Joseph? How? . . . When? . . ." he questioned.

Joseph chuckled and bowed in front of Jesse, "I am sorry my lord for what I have done and as payment I wish to once again offer my services to your army."

"I'm sorry Joseph but Kyo has already told me that you have been taken out of the war."

Joseph sighed and stood up straight. "Well, is there anyway I can help you?"

"Yes! You can train the troops that I send here! And you can train the troops here. That way when Jung-woo reappears we will have backup troops ready to go."

Joseph smirked and nodded, "It will be my honor to train the new troops. And I will not let them rest until they have reached perfection!"

Jesse laughed and let Joseph begin training the troops that he was watching and was pleased to see how fast there attitude changed. They went from silly and goofing off to serious and willing to go by Joseph's demands.

Jesse watched for a few more minutes then left to go see how James and Mylin were doing. He was defiantly surprised that they had gotten engaged and even though they had gone against there words; Mylin was expecting her first child.

Mylin was one month in and was due in eight months, a female elf's pregnancy was the same as a human mother.

James of course was extremely happy to hear that his fiancé was pregnant with his child.

"It's good to see you awake my lord Jesse, Alex was so worried." Mylin said softly as she smiled.

James nodded in agreement. "She never left your side until about six months ago, when she began blaming herself for your condition."

Jesse blinked. "Alex? Why did she blame my condition on herself?"

"She fell in love with you a while back . . . Alex left because she finally realized that she could never have you because you still love Amber."

"But Amber is dead how can . . . I mean yeah I still love Amber but that shouldn't affect my love for Alex now that I know that she does love me. Amber still means a lot to me, but Alex . . . she has grown on me . . . I want her to understand that."

James looked at Mylin and smiled at her after giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Jesse said his goodbyes to his two friends and left.

Kryn woke up in Rick's bed and sat up as she remembered that she only smelled the scent that was all in his blankets. Only seeing him for a couple days was not enough, she wanted to snuggle him and wake up every morning with him holding her in his arms. Thinking about this only caused tears to form in her eyes, she missed him and even though he had sent her away he had told her before he had left that he loved her and would return to her when the war was over.

A servant knocked at the door and Kryn whipped away her tears and answered the door.

"Good morning my lady, it's time for breakfast." the servant bowed and headed back downstairs.

Myori whimpered as the man who owned her had his way with her for the thousandth time.

After he had his way with her she was sent to her room where she went into her hot springs and cried and scrubbed herself until she was pink. She had hoped Josh would come after her and hold her in his arms and tell her she was returning to Japan with him; but that reality was far from the truth. He would never come for her and she would always belong to this demon who mated her ever time he needed to be pleasured. She would never become anything more but a play toy.