Chapter 25

Yohji's heart was going to beat out of his chest as he clutched Aya tightly. There had to be something someone could do.

"My blood could heal him, but…" Devi paused, looking at Aya.

"No! The demon realm is too much of master and servant system for that! All it would take is one demon overpowering him and he would be a slave!" Silver growled at the demon for even thinking of it.

"Anything, just save him! We'll work out the details later! Please!" Yohji begged, walking Aya toward where Devi stood trembling.

"He would hate himself even more than he does now. He would curse his existence and probably kill himself when he realizes he's a servant," Kyriel put in, stumbling into the room.

"My blood is the only option. Although it would put me in a position of power over him, no other can claim him. He would have the power of an angel instead of a demon and it wouldn't alert other angels unless he is in direct contact with them. If he takes a demon's blood he will have a beacon on him that will call to them, telling them that he's meat for anyone who wants him whenever Devi isn't at his side!" Kyriel walked over and bit into his wrist. He held the wound over Aya's neck just long enough to start healing the wound, and then sealed it over his mouth, feeding it to him now that he was able to swallow.

Yohji watched Aya carefully, but, although the man's throat was moving as Kyriel rubbed it to make him swallow, he wasn't showing any other signs of life.

"My heart! You are in no condition to save another!" Gabriel all but shouted, bursting into the room, he shoved Kyriel away from Aya.

"Its not complete! He has to feed longer to be fully healed! If he doesn't take in more he will be weakened when he wakes!" Kyriel pleaded with his mate.

"Will his strength return, though, in time? Or will he be left weak for the rest of his life?" Yohji asked. He knew Aya would never accept weakness, the man would rather bite off his own tongue.

"He will recover his full strength and then some in a few days. But if I feed him now he will be so much stronger!" Kyriel growled, glaring at his mate as the blonde started dragging him from the room.

Yohji was not looking forward to telling Aya he was going to be weak for days, and even more so, he wasn't looking forward to telling Aya that he was going to have special powers, either. The swordsman was going to freak!

They would have to keep it from Aya-Chan for a while. Yohji walked up the stairs to their apartment, still carrying Aya in his arms. The man was like a limp doll, head lolling back and forth, arms trailing downward.

Yohji quickly set him down on the bed and went into the bathroom, grabbing a wash cloth and soaking it down.

Very carefully he worked on cleaning Aya's body, taking away any filth and blood Schwarz had left on him. He didn't want Aya to wake like that, to be reminded of what they had done to him, and it was obvious what they had done. Yohji had known they were sick bastards, but to actually go so far as to rape Aya? It was something he hadn't ever expected.

They were going to suffer for what they had done! Yohji grit his teeth at the thought of Aya in those shackles, struggling while they invaded his body. Aya wouldn't beg, he knew that, but that didn't mean his mind hadn't been screaming for help, screaming for him to come and save him! And then he'd been dying alone! Had Aya even known that he had come for him? Or had he thought he had been left behind?

Yohji scrubbed the tears off his cheek and took Aya's hand in his own.

"Never going to let you out of my sight again, baby, you'll always have someone with you!" Yohji sobbed as he kissed those calloused hands.

He felt Aya shiver. He really is alive! He pulled a quilt around the other man, tucking him in tight.

A swirling smoke started in the corner of the room, Yohji rose to his feet, prepared to fight whatever was coming.

"You need to clean up. I will keep watch," Tarlen assured as he materialized in the room where the smoke had been.

"He is now Kyriel's charge, which makes him my family. He will be safe," Tarlen explained as though Yohji doubted his intentions.

He didn't. He'd been freaked out by the man at first, but he'd seen a few rare smiles when Tarlen had been watching Yuki or Kyriel and hadn't realized he'd been watched.

He'd seen the way Silver treated the man, as well, and if he was a good guy in Silver's eyes, then Yohji believed he really meant what he'd said. He trusted the woman like he trusted his own team. He wondered when the trust had started. It was like he had just pretty much trusted her right off the bat.

"Promise me you won't blink an eye," Yohji's hands were shaking. Tarlen was right, he needed to clean up, he couldn't comfort Aya with blood all over him.

"I will keep him safe."

"Thanks man, I won't be long," Yohji

Author's notes: hmm, what will Aya think when he wakes?