Kira ran through the forest, her lungs burning from sprinting for so long. She had begun her way back to the mansion when the mating bond had begun to fade. She had nearly hyperventilated in panic, but now she was just desperate to get back. What had happened while she was gone? Was it possible he was angry enough with her to try and sever the bond?
She yelled happily at the sight of the mansion, the view of the old place making her sprint quicken in anticipation. She burst through the door, frowning when the house was horribly silent. No elementals scurried about, no lights were left flickering on in the darkness.
Had he left already?
A terribly scream of pain echoed through the halls, making her shiver in dread.
"God damn it, why does it have to hurt so much?!" Kyle's voice yelled angrily. "Isn't enough that I'm dying without all this shit?"
Kira's heart thumped wildly in her chest at the sound of his voice, but felt that the mating bond was still fading. From his words… it sounded like…
Her breath caught in her throat in fear and she raced up the stairs toward his voice as another scream sounded out.
She burst into the doorway in time to see Kyle spit out a mouthful of blood into a bucket beside his bed, gasping for breath before looking up at her with wide eyes. Tinder hissed and bristled from on top of his bed, the blanket singing beneath him.
"What are you doing here?" The elemental hissed angrily at her.
Kyle looked away from her, the deep sunken look to his face making her gasp.
"What happened?" She asked softly, ignoring Tinder, which only made the lizard hiss louder.
"He's dying- and it's your fault." Tinder yelled, flames licking at his jaws. "You left, and didn't even bother to say goodbye! Did you even think about what you were doing? Did you save your precious mother?"
Kira looked at the elemental with wide eyes, which started filling with tears . "They lied to me- she wasn't there. She was still home." She looked down at Kyle in horror. "Is it true? Is this my fault?"
"Not entirely." Kyle said weakly. "Just… come here." He raised an arm toward her.
Tinder let out a sound of frustration and jumped off the bed to sit on the floor and glare at Kira as she rushed over to Kyle. Kyle hugged her as tightly as he could, which he realized with some dismay, wasn't that tight. "I… I really missed you." He whispered desperately against her dark hair. "So much."
"I know, I'm sorry." She whispered, hugging him back and flinching away when he yelled in pain again after touching his back. "Why… why are you in such pain? You don't look like you're hurt or anything? Gods, you look terrible." She set a hand against his face gently, tears filling her eyes again.
"Thanks babe, that's just what I wanted to hear." Kyle smiled weakly. "I know I look terrible. If I look half as bad as I feel, no wonder you're worried. It's… a long story. One I'm not sure I have time to tell." He glanced up at the large clock that ticked on the other side of the room. It read 11:55.
He flinched as another rush of pain shot through him, making him yell and double over again. Kira let out a small sob as she tried to support him, wrapping her arms around him.
"I never should have left. I'm so so sorry, Kyle. I don't know how you'll ever forgive me." She cried against the sleeve of his shirt.
"You have five minutes." Oak said softly from the side of the bed.
Kyle let out a long sigh of sorrow and looked up at Kira as she gasped.
"What do you mean five minutes?" She looked down at the gnome in confusion.
"In five minutes I'm going to die." He said gently, taking her hand in his weak hold and kissing it softly. "Sorry, Kira."
"Die?" Kira squeaked in horror. "B-but why?"
A poof of glitter and smoke appeared on the other side of the room, Driscilla appearing dressed in what looked like a striped Victorian era swimsuit. Oh God, he did not need to see that as his last sight. The large woman didn't exactly look flattering in horizontal stripes.
"Okay you two, time to go. You have a wonderful little corner of hea-" The fairy godmother turned around after looking at the clock to see Kira. "Oh. Well this is awkward, she came back in time."
"What do you mean? Who is she?" Kira asked, looming over Kyle defensively.
"She's my fairy godmother, as stupid as that sounds." Kyle said, and let out a long sigh. "She's here to take me to heaven or whatever."
"That's your trip." Kira whispered in realization, staring at him with wide eyes. "She's here to take you on… your trip. Oh Gods." She set her hands over her mouth before turning burning eyes to the godmother. "You're not taking him!" She screeched angrily at her.
"Now see, this is why I always like to do things after these last little moments." Driscilla muttered in frustration. "Calm down, girl. He didn't fulfill his end of the bargain, though Jasa did. That's… a bit awkward, but oh well."
"I don't care what sort of bargain he made- he's not going! He's staying here with me." She yelled, standing in front of him and raising her hands, green magic spiraling among her palms. "I-I'll fight you for him! Don't come any closer."
"Sweetie." Kyle's soft voice made her falter in her anger and she looked back to see such a sad look from him that she couldn't help the tears running down her face again.
"Why? Why do you have to leave? Why can't you stay with me?" She said in frustration. "I came back to try to stop you from going!"
The godmother stared at her, as if expecting her to say something else. "You ran back here, to keep him from going somewhere?" She gave Kyle a wary look. "How much did he tell you?"
"He told me he was going on a trip. He didn't tell me he was going to fucking die!" Kira yelled, unable to help herself in her emotional state.
"Is… is Jasa still here?" Kyle asked, the question feeling awkward.
The godmother only shrugged. "Not sure. Usually he's supposed to be there until you die."
"I'm not sure if he is, though. I… don't feel him." Kyle said, his voice pained. "I haven't heard him since earlier tonight. But it's dark now, so I can't tell."
"Jasa might be gone already, Kyle." Driscilla's voice was suddenly soft. "He may not have told you, but he was very… very old. If she left like she did… he may not have been able to handle it as well as you did."
Kira choked, putting a hand over her mouth as she shook her head in denial. "No- he's not gone, I still feel the bond. It's just… really faint."
"Either way, your time's up." The godmother pointed at the clock, which read 11:59. "It's time to go."
"No!" Kira said, running back over to Kyle and standing over him defensively. "He's not going anywhere!"
"He has to- there's no choice-" The godmother said in frustration.
"No- you can't take him, I won't let you!" Kira yelled through her tears. "I love him!"
"Oh for God's sake." The godmother said in frustration, throwing up her arms in dismay. "A little under the wire, don't you think, girl?" She said in frustration. "Had to wait until the last damn minute?"
"What?" Kira faltered, confused by the godmother's words.
"Fine- fine. Whatever. Deal is done, promise kept." The godmother snapped her fingers, Kyle letting out a deep breath as if he hadn't been breathing. He sat up in bed, his eyes wide and looking dazed.
"W-what?" He asked, looking around in confusion. He set his hands on his chest, as if feeling as if he were still there. He let out a small laugh of disbelief and grinned in a slightly crazed manner. "God… that was really close."
"You have no idea. You were already halfway up." The godmother growled in frustration. "Fine- you get to live with the girly."
"What?" He looked at Kira with wide eyes. "Does that mean…?"
"Is this all because I said I love him?" Kira said in shock.
"Could have said it a week ago and make everything easier, but nooo, you had to be the shy little girl and wait until the last minute." Driscilla sighed in frustration as the elementals cheered around her.
"I get to stay, then?" Kyle whispered, grabbing Kira and pulling her toward him for a tight hug of relief.
"That's what I said, isn't it?" The godmother rolled her eyes. "Come on, guys. Time to go." She said to the elementals.
"We're not going." Tinder said firmly.
"What?" Driscilla turned back around with wide eyes. "Why not?"
"We wish to spend our time in servitude helping Kyle and Kira." Tinder looked around at the other elementals, who all nodded in agreement. "We have come to this decision as a unanimous vote."
"Democracy in elementals. By my great nanny's titties, I think I've seen it all." Driscilla chuckled in amusement. "Alright fire elemental, you may-"
"Tinder."
"What?" Driscilla's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"My name is Tinder. This is Oak, and the rest of us have names as well."
"Elementals with names…" She sighed and shook her head, looking over to Kyle. "This is your doing, isn't it?"
Kyle shrugged. "They look alike, I needed something else other than 'elemental'."
"Fine, whatever." She shook her head in amusement. "You… are one strange lad. I underestimated you, Kyle. Oh!" She blinked in surprise, disappearing in a puff of smoke before reappearing again. A low growl filled the room as a leopard lay on the ground behind her, its body somewhat transparent as it shook its head and looked around in confusion. It looked over at Kyle and Kira with familiar eyes, which widened in surprise.
What has happened? Jasa's voice filled their minds with confusion.
"Jasa!" Kyle yelled happily, leaping off from the bed. The leopard stood and loped across the room, jumping toward Kyle only to disappear inside his body.
Kyle looked down in surprise only to laugh with amusement. An immortal ghost leopard had just re-entered his body. Why the hell not?
It is good to be back. Jasa said in a low warm tone. I assume this means we will stay with our mate?
"Yeah, we get to stay with our mate." Kyle opened his arms out for Kira, who had stood in shock at the feeling of the mating bond suddenly flaring back into existence.
She ran over to his arms, hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad to have you two… I love you both so very much."
"I love you too, Kira. Though you could have told me sooner, silly woman."
Kira laughed and hardly noticed the puff of smoke and glitter across the room as the godmother disappeared again.
They both heard a loud cat-like yawn from Jasa, who curled up in Kyle's mind drowsily. It is very late… I must sleep. The leopard murmured.
"Go to sleep, old cat. I'll see you in the morning." Kyle grinned.
I assume you will get no sleep tonight, kit. Jasa opened one yellow eye with a wry grin. So I will expect not to do too much activity tomorrow. I cannot wait until the next full moon.
Kyle rolled his eyes as Jasa fell asleep and he took Kira into his arms again. "So babe, you okay with spending the rest of your life with a dead man and a leopard?"
Kira laughed happily and kissed him deeply, pushing him back onto the bed and smiling down from on top of him. "I wouldn't want it any other way."
THE END 3