Redbird
Cherry Rain: Hiya! Thanks to all of those who reviewed! And let's get on with the show!
Chapter Ten: New Sensations
Lei Feng was stunned as she stared at Kai, not quite believing what she had just heard. But there was no way to mistake the truth in that pair of defiant mahogany eyes. She would have to answer. She would crush his hopes if she said no now. But if she didn't feel for him, she could never say yes.
Her mind whirled wildly, thinking of all the times he had insulted her when they first met, calling her unworthy and weak. But then those thoughts ended and she remembered the concern he had shown her, the rare compliments he had paid her skill at blading. And if she knew him at all, it had cost him a lot to admit that he loved her.
But more than that was the fact that she felt secure and safe when he was around even with the fright she had just had.
Redbird sent a quick message. "Admit it, Lei Feng. You love him. And you know it."
"Me too, Kai," she said, looking at him.
There was barely a change of expression on his face, but she could see it in his eyes. They lightened and started to fill with a hope she had never seen in him before.
Without warning he turned to her and kissed her, softly at first. But it grew more and more passionate as Lei Feng pressed her lips against his in response, with an intensity she didn't even know she possessed.
He reacted by drawing her even closer to him, his arms around her waist. However, all good things must come to an end, and they both broke apart from lack of breath, gasping as hard as if they'd just run a marathon.
Lei Feng's cheeks were flushed as she looked back at Kai. She had never known the strange new sensations coursing through her body, and she knew she would never feel them again.
Just then, they got to their stop and they both got off, Lei Feng still leaning against Kai for support, but his arm was encircled protectively around her waist.
It proved to be no more than a sprain and they got back to the hotel.
"I don't think the guys are back yet," Kai said. "I'll get you upstairs."
"Thanks, Kai," Lei Feng said gratefully.
He helped her to the room, where she plopped gratefully down onto the bed, laying her head on the pillow.
"Hey, Lei Feng, you better take off your shoes, or the ankle might swell even worse." Turning to her, Kai saw she was already asleep. Shaking his head, he knelt and gently eased the shoes off her feet and arranged her so she wouldn't hurt her foot.
Pulling out the blanket from the cupboard, he threw it over Lei Feng and tucked her in. She was so different in sleep, then when she was awake. She looked peaceful, far more vulnerable, and younger, in a way. She set up barriers, closing her face behind a wall of shields, she didn't let anyone see who she truly was.
The streak of silver fell across her face, and he tucked it behind her ear. She trembled, and started talking in her sleep.
"I'm cold, so hungry. Mama, please, come get me! I'm tired and I want to sleep, but it's so cold, I don't dare sleep. I might never wake up.just like grandmother. Mama, please! I'm sorry if I behaved badly. I'll be good. Promise! Just don't leave me. Mama, I'm scared! Where are you! Please, Mama! Don't lock me up here. it's so dark and uncomfortable. Mama. I won't talk about Daddy anymore. it's just I don't understand why he left. Mama. I beg you. I'll do anything, just don't leave me here. take me home."
She was having a nightmare. Kai gathered her up in his arms, soothing her. "Shh, it's all right. Calm down. Shh, Lei Feng."
Lei Feng snuggled closer to him, finally slipping into an easier sleep.
Kai smiled softly at the girl sleeping in his arms. Kai laid her back on the bed, kissing her lightly. "Sleep well, my Phoenix."
Suddenly he heard something sounding suspiciously similar to a muffled laugh. Flinging the door open, he saw his teammates.
Tyson finally gave up and broke into a wild fit of laughter. "So, she's your phoenix, lover boy? Never thought I'd hear the words come out of the almighty Kai's mouth." The rest of the team just stood behind Tyson, grinning.
Kami-sama, I'm never going to live this down, I'm doomed, Kai thought exasperatedly. But a small inner voice said, "But it's worth it for Lei Feng, right?"
Max joined in the teasing. "So what happened, lover boy?"
"That's between Lei Feng and me. Any comment, Ray?"
"No," Ray said, but the twinkle in his eye betrayed his mirth.
Tyson got carried away. "That's because you've been in the same boat before, Ray!"
Ray shot a warning glance at Tyson before glancing apprehensively at Kai. "All I can say, Ray, is that you better not be under the same spell. Mariah is our enemy. You better not still be with her."
Ray nodded silently, fearing that if he spoke, Kai would be able to tell the lie in his voice.
Kai relented and Ray nearly sighed in relief. Lei Feng obviously had a good influence on him. The Kai he knew would have continued questioning until Ray couldn't take it. Come to think of it, at the breakfast table, outside the room, all the times he had met Mariah and given himself away, Lei Feng would warn him somehow and Kai would let it go. Was it because of Lei Feng? If it was, he was truly grateful to the raven-haired girl.
"Leave her alone and let her sleep. We have to attend the semi-formal tonight, and you'd all better go get ready."
"And I suppose she'll be your date, lover boy?" Max teased.
"Don't push your luck. My patience has always been thin." Kai warned. "And it's been worn almost to breaking point already."
***
Lei Feng woke at six-thirty. She had slept two hours. And Kai had said the formal began at seven. She sat up in bed and swung her legs over, noticing that someone had taken off her shoes and covered her with a blanket. At the thought of Kai, an electric shiver shot up her spine and she touched her lips. He had given her her first kiss, and she knew no other would ever be able to compare to it.
She winced as her foot touched the ground and immediately took pressure off the hurt leg. Rummaging in the cupboard, she pulled out a pair of white slacks and a baby blue sweater and slipped her feet into loose sandals, then drew her hair up in a high ponytail.
A knock at her door came. "Still asleep?" Tyson called.
"Awake and ready. I woke at six-thirty," Lei Feng retorted. Standing up, she made her way painfully to the door and opened it, leaning against the doorframe to lend some support.
Kai gently took her arm and pulled her to him, taking most of the weight off the injured foot. Tyson snickered. Lei Feng glared at him, clenching her left hand into a fist. "It's my leg that's injured, Tyson. My fist is still fine. So shut up unless you want to suffer a terrible death."
Tyson smiled, but drew away, out of range, just in case. "Okay, let's go! I'll shut up!"
Lei Feng smiled as they headed for the lift. Life had never been better.
Cherry Rain: Okay, that's one chapter ended! I had a little writer's block on this particular chapter. I had to find a way to bridge two events. I mean, I can't very well just make a weird jump. That would break the plot continuity. So that is why nothing really happens in this chapter. So sorry! I promise the next chapter will be better [If I ever get around to writing it. =]
Cherry Rain: Hiya! Thanks to all of those who reviewed! And let's get on with the show!
Chapter Ten: New Sensations
Lei Feng was stunned as she stared at Kai, not quite believing what she had just heard. But there was no way to mistake the truth in that pair of defiant mahogany eyes. She would have to answer. She would crush his hopes if she said no now. But if she didn't feel for him, she could never say yes.
Her mind whirled wildly, thinking of all the times he had insulted her when they first met, calling her unworthy and weak. But then those thoughts ended and she remembered the concern he had shown her, the rare compliments he had paid her skill at blading. And if she knew him at all, it had cost him a lot to admit that he loved her.
But more than that was the fact that she felt secure and safe when he was around even with the fright she had just had.
Redbird sent a quick message. "Admit it, Lei Feng. You love him. And you know it."
"Me too, Kai," she said, looking at him.
There was barely a change of expression on his face, but she could see it in his eyes. They lightened and started to fill with a hope she had never seen in him before.
Without warning he turned to her and kissed her, softly at first. But it grew more and more passionate as Lei Feng pressed her lips against his in response, with an intensity she didn't even know she possessed.
He reacted by drawing her even closer to him, his arms around her waist. However, all good things must come to an end, and they both broke apart from lack of breath, gasping as hard as if they'd just run a marathon.
Lei Feng's cheeks were flushed as she looked back at Kai. She had never known the strange new sensations coursing through her body, and she knew she would never feel them again.
Just then, they got to their stop and they both got off, Lei Feng still leaning against Kai for support, but his arm was encircled protectively around her waist.
It proved to be no more than a sprain and they got back to the hotel.
"I don't think the guys are back yet," Kai said. "I'll get you upstairs."
"Thanks, Kai," Lei Feng said gratefully.
He helped her to the room, where she plopped gratefully down onto the bed, laying her head on the pillow.
"Hey, Lei Feng, you better take off your shoes, or the ankle might swell even worse." Turning to her, Kai saw she was already asleep. Shaking his head, he knelt and gently eased the shoes off her feet and arranged her so she wouldn't hurt her foot.
Pulling out the blanket from the cupboard, he threw it over Lei Feng and tucked her in. She was so different in sleep, then when she was awake. She looked peaceful, far more vulnerable, and younger, in a way. She set up barriers, closing her face behind a wall of shields, she didn't let anyone see who she truly was.
The streak of silver fell across her face, and he tucked it behind her ear. She trembled, and started talking in her sleep.
"I'm cold, so hungry. Mama, please, come get me! I'm tired and I want to sleep, but it's so cold, I don't dare sleep. I might never wake up.just like grandmother. Mama, please! I'm sorry if I behaved badly. I'll be good. Promise! Just don't leave me. Mama, I'm scared! Where are you! Please, Mama! Don't lock me up here. it's so dark and uncomfortable. Mama. I won't talk about Daddy anymore. it's just I don't understand why he left. Mama. I beg you. I'll do anything, just don't leave me here. take me home."
She was having a nightmare. Kai gathered her up in his arms, soothing her. "Shh, it's all right. Calm down. Shh, Lei Feng."
Lei Feng snuggled closer to him, finally slipping into an easier sleep.
Kai smiled softly at the girl sleeping in his arms. Kai laid her back on the bed, kissing her lightly. "Sleep well, my Phoenix."
Suddenly he heard something sounding suspiciously similar to a muffled laugh. Flinging the door open, he saw his teammates.
Tyson finally gave up and broke into a wild fit of laughter. "So, she's your phoenix, lover boy? Never thought I'd hear the words come out of the almighty Kai's mouth." The rest of the team just stood behind Tyson, grinning.
Kami-sama, I'm never going to live this down, I'm doomed, Kai thought exasperatedly. But a small inner voice said, "But it's worth it for Lei Feng, right?"
Max joined in the teasing. "So what happened, lover boy?"
"That's between Lei Feng and me. Any comment, Ray?"
"No," Ray said, but the twinkle in his eye betrayed his mirth.
Tyson got carried away. "That's because you've been in the same boat before, Ray!"
Ray shot a warning glance at Tyson before glancing apprehensively at Kai. "All I can say, Ray, is that you better not be under the same spell. Mariah is our enemy. You better not still be with her."
Ray nodded silently, fearing that if he spoke, Kai would be able to tell the lie in his voice.
Kai relented and Ray nearly sighed in relief. Lei Feng obviously had a good influence on him. The Kai he knew would have continued questioning until Ray couldn't take it. Come to think of it, at the breakfast table, outside the room, all the times he had met Mariah and given himself away, Lei Feng would warn him somehow and Kai would let it go. Was it because of Lei Feng? If it was, he was truly grateful to the raven-haired girl.
"Leave her alone and let her sleep. We have to attend the semi-formal tonight, and you'd all better go get ready."
"And I suppose she'll be your date, lover boy?" Max teased.
"Don't push your luck. My patience has always been thin." Kai warned. "And it's been worn almost to breaking point already."
***
Lei Feng woke at six-thirty. She had slept two hours. And Kai had said the formal began at seven. She sat up in bed and swung her legs over, noticing that someone had taken off her shoes and covered her with a blanket. At the thought of Kai, an electric shiver shot up her spine and she touched her lips. He had given her her first kiss, and she knew no other would ever be able to compare to it.
She winced as her foot touched the ground and immediately took pressure off the hurt leg. Rummaging in the cupboard, she pulled out a pair of white slacks and a baby blue sweater and slipped her feet into loose sandals, then drew her hair up in a high ponytail.
A knock at her door came. "Still asleep?" Tyson called.
"Awake and ready. I woke at six-thirty," Lei Feng retorted. Standing up, she made her way painfully to the door and opened it, leaning against the doorframe to lend some support.
Kai gently took her arm and pulled her to him, taking most of the weight off the injured foot. Tyson snickered. Lei Feng glared at him, clenching her left hand into a fist. "It's my leg that's injured, Tyson. My fist is still fine. So shut up unless you want to suffer a terrible death."
Tyson smiled, but drew away, out of range, just in case. "Okay, let's go! I'll shut up!"
Lei Feng smiled as they headed for the lift. Life had never been better.
Cherry Rain: Okay, that's one chapter ended! I had a little writer's block on this particular chapter. I had to find a way to bridge two events. I mean, I can't very well just make a weird jump. That would break the plot continuity. So that is why nothing really happens in this chapter. So sorry! I promise the next chapter will be better [If I ever get around to writing it. =]