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Crush : Demons and Bruises
The moon hung high and luminous in the sky. Zelgadis studied it, wondering how much longer it would be there. He sighed. Probably four or five more hours. Plenty of time for me to do something I might regret. Shut up. Stop thinking about that.
Zelgadis glanced over at the sleeping princess. The moonlight spilled across her face, illuminating her facial features. It was then that he noticed she was sweating heavily and suddenly became alarmed. He moved closer to her, putting his hand on her forehand. Hmm...she doesn't appear to be sick. He smiled. Guess she's still a little worked up from earlier. Zelgadis reached up and wiped some of the sweat off of her neck. As he did so, he looked up at her delicate face. God, she's amazing. He traced his finger up to her cheek and softly caressed her skin, causing Amelia to stir.
"Zelgadis," Amelia breathed, her eyes still closed.
Zelgadis moved closer. "I'm here, princess," he murmured softly in her ear.
Amelia swallowed, noticing how dry her mouth was. She drowsily opened her eyes, gazing up at Zelgadis. "I'm...hot," she complained.
"So I've noticed," he replied teasingly.
Amelia looked at him. Did he just call me...? When she noticed the playful grin pulling at his lips, Amelia rolled her eyes and sat up. "I'm serious. I'm about to die from this heat." She reached up and wiped her forehead with her arm.
Zelgadis sat up as well, bracing himself on one arm. He leaned forward, gently gathered Amelia's hair, and blew softly on the back of her neck. "Better?" he asked lazily.
"Mmm..." Amelia sighed. "One more time."
Zelgadis smiled. "As you wish."
As Amelia again felt the cool tingle of his breath on her neck, she felt her surroundings melt away. He does that so well. Her shoulders began to sag, and she nearly fell back asleep just sitting there.
"Amelia, I'm sorry."
Zelgadis's sudden apology caused Amelia to open her eyes and turn to face him. Confusion swirled and danced in her eyes as she looked at him.
"Sorry for what?"
Zelgadis sighed. "For tonight. For taking advantage of you." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I should never have gone that far."
Amelia
stared at him. "What are you talking about? Tonight...tonight was
my fault. Not yours."
Zelgadis opened his eyes, furrowing his
eyebrows. "Amelia..." he started. "How could you think it was
your fault?"
"If I hadn't kissed you, would you have done anything?"
Zelgadis considered. "I honestly don't know."
Amelia frowned and wondered aloud at his remark. "Why not? You always seem so in charge of your emotions."
Zelgadis nodded thoughtfully. "I usually am. It's just...lately, it seems to be more difficult to do that when I'm around you."
Amelia contemplated his statement quietly.
"Amelia," Zelgadis began. "Tonight...I just lost my self-restraint. Seeing you like that..." He let his voice trail off, leaving her to fill in the rest.
Amelia blushed.
"I'm sorry, Amelia." Zelgadis sighed. "I just lost it."
Amelia looked down, studying a pebble on the ground. "Maybe I don't mind you losing it," she said quietly.
Zelgadis snapped his attention to Amelia. "What?"
Amelia looked back at him. "You heard me."
Zelgadis shook his head. "You don't mean that."
"And why is that?" Amelia's eyes were showing the first stages of anger.
Zelgadis studied her expression. "Amelia, tonight was just child's play compared to what would really happen if I lost my control." When she remained silent, he continued. "You do remember that I'm part demon, don't you?"
"What does that matter? You're not a demon," Amelia replied, her anger dissipating into trepidation.
"Maybe not on the outside. But on the inside, Amelia, it's horrifying. You might not see it, but it's there. It may seem easy to control to you, but that's because you don't have to deal with it every second of your existence." He paused for a moment. "Do you want to know what a demon desires most?"
Amelia glanced at him, genuinely unsure as to whether she wanted to know or not.
Zelgadis watched her, hoping he was getting through. "Corruption. To take someone or something pure...innocent and stain them."
Amelia looked at Zelgadis. "Why are you telling me this?"
"I have to make you understand that my self-control is not something to be toyed with."
"Then, what am I supposed to do!" Amelia stood up suddenly, walking away a few steps and staring at a knot in a tree. She spun around and faced Zelgadis, who had stood up also. "This may come as a shock to you, but I enjoyed what we did."
Zelgadis stared intently at Amelia. "I realize that, but it can't happen again."
The anger Amelia felt earlier was working its way back into her system. "Why not?" she asked, trying desperately to keep her voice level. "What is so wrong with me that you could be that repulsed with the thought of being with me romantically?"
"Amelia," Zelgadis began, feeling his patience beginning to slip away. "Nothing is wrong with you. You're...incredible."
"Then what's the damn problem!" Amelia demanded.
Zelgadis's patience snapped. With heightened speed, Zelgadis rushed over to Amelia and pressed her roughly against a tree. He pinned her arms over her head, holding her at the wrists. He didn't want to hurt her, but he did want her to realize he was very serious.
"Amelia," he began in a dangerously low voice. "I'm not telling you again."
Amelia, though shaken by her new position, stared defiantly up at Zelgadis. "Zelgadis, everybody feels like this. Everyone has to control urges." She struggled against his grasp, hating to be in such a helpless state.
Zelgadis eyed Amelia, firmly holding her arms in place. "I'm sure they do. But, for humanity's sake, I hope they don't have to deal with the kind of urges I do."
Amelia's expression remained obstinate. "Is kissing me really that horrible, Zelgadis?"
Growling in exasperation, Zelgadis quickly leaned forward and crushed his lips on Amelia's. Not letting his grip on her wrists slacken, he kissed her fiercely. Before Amelia had time to register his action, he moved down to her neck, frenziedly kissing the soft skin from her shoulder up to her ear. Amelia gasped in surprise and, much to her indignation, pleasure. She didn't want him to think he was winning the argument. In between his fevered kisses, he huskily spoke in her ear.
"Amelia...kissing you...believe me...it's indescribable." He stopped for moment to look her in the eye. "But sometimes...I honestly can't tell which part of me, human or demon, enjoys it more." He then released her wrists and stepped away from her. "You can't understand what that feels like...to have this part of you that wants someone simply because they're innocent," he told her, pain creeping into his voice. "And I'm afraid...afraid that that part of me is stronger." As he looked away, a single tear slid down his cheek.
Amelia watched him, a myriad of emotions running through her. She finally settled on compassion and walked slowly over to him. She put her arms around his neck, gently hugging him. "It's okay, Zelgadis," she reassured him, leaning her head on his chest.
Breathing a much needed sigh of relief, Zelgadis wrapped his arms around Amelia's back. "I just don't want to take advantage of you," he admitted quietly.
Amelia tilted her head up, looking into his eyes. "You won't," she told him, equally as quiet. When he opened his mouth to protest, she cut him off. "You won't," she repeated firmly.
Zelgadis sighed. "I wish I could know that for certain."
Amelia stepped away, instantly missing the warmth of his embrace. "And I wish you would have a little more faith in yourself." Sadly, she looked away. And in me.
Zelgadis looked at her thoughtfully. She certainly has grown up since I first met her. At this, he cast his gaze downward, taking in her appearance. Unfortunately, it had not changed. Although it was dark, the lucent moon only served to highlight her wonderfully feminine curves. He closed his eyes. Will this night never end?
No sooner had the thought entered his mind than he heard a ear-piercing shriek above them. He looked up to find a monstrous bird flying towards them with incredible speed. Zelgadis ran over to Amelia, knocked her down, and covered her body with his. A split second later, the bird, stretching out its razor-sharp talons, dove down low over Zelgadis. He yelled out in pain as a talon sliced his bare back. Realizing the bird did not break his stony skin, he swallowed. Doesn't mean it didn't hurt like hell.
The bird gave a shrill scream and began to fly back up, breaking any branches that were in its path. Aware that he now had some time, Zelgadis quickly stood and helped Amelia do the same.
Amelia's eyes darted around. "What in the world...?"
Zelgadis was about to answer when a loud screech interrupted him. Knowing the bird was close, he reached for Amelia. Too late. The bird plunged down and knocked into her, throwing her across the clearing. She hit a tree and slid to the ground, momentarily unconscious.
"Amelia!" Zelgadis yelled, running to her. Suddenly, a claw shot out at his throat, captured his neck, and roughly pinned him to the ground. Coughing, Zelgadis reached up and encircled the lethal talons with his fingers. Staring into a pair of narrow and golden eyes, he tried futilely to release himself from the bird's grip. He struggled with the beast for a few minutes, his strength weakening due to his lack of oxygen. He was beginning to black out when he lifted an arm and struck with all the force he had left. His knuckles connected with the horrid creature's face. A squawk of surprise and pain emitted from the bird as it went flying upwards. Zelgadis stood protectively in front of Amelia, watching it circle around them above the trees. Then, as if it decided that this was too much trouble, the bird gave one last shriek before it flew away, into the distance.
Once he was certain the danger had passed, Zelgadis quickly turned towards Amelia. He noticed with relief that she had already opened her eyes. He bent down in front of her, gently leaning her up into a sitting stance. "Amelia? Are you alright?"
Amelia slowly blinked a few more times before formulating an answer. The pain in her back was too intense for her to speak just yet. Why does my back hurt so much? I remember talking with Zelgadis...then what? After a few moments, she turned her head to look at Zelgadis. "My...my back," she whimpered.
Zelgadis moved next to her and examined her back. Damn it. Her impact on the rough bark of the tree had cut into her nightgown, deeply slicing and bruising her back. Blood covered nearly her entire back, making it difficult for Zelgadis to tell where one wound began and the other ended. "Oh, God..." he murmured, not wanting to alarm her but unable to keep the concern out of his voice.
Amelia frowned. "What's wrong? Is it that bad?" God, what on earth happened to me? When he didn't answer her, she asked, "Zelgadis?"
Zelgadis tore his attention away from her back to look at her face. "Amelia...I need to get you near water. I'm going to levitate us to back to the lake." Zelgadis swallowed. "I'm going to pick you up...I'm sorry, but this will hurt."
When he was sure she knew what he was going to do, he walked swiftly to his bag, pulled out a black T-shirt, and draped it across his shoulder. Once he was back at her side, he leaned over and gingerly picked up the wounded princess. He gritted his teeth together when he heard her cry out in pain. "I'm sorry, Amelia." Once he was standing up straight, he firmly declared, "Levitation."
A white, glowing ball immediately appeared around them, causing Zelgadis and Amelia to rise off the ground. Concentrating, Zelgadis lead them towards the lake that they had visited earlier before. Once they'd reached their destination, the radiating ball disappeared, and Zelgadis, throwing his shirt on the ground, took a step into the water. Bending over, he gently set Amelia down. She gasped as she came in contact with the cold water. Zelgadis moved behind her and took the bottom of her nightgown in his hands.
Leaning forward, he softly asked her, "Amelia, can you lift your arms?"
Amelia bit her bottom lip and swallowed. Don't be immature. He's only trying to help you. "I...I think so." She slowly raised her arms, unable to contain her gasp as Zelgadis began to lift her gown up.
Once the nightgown was over her head, he threw it back towards the bank. Zelgadis looked at her back, grimacing again when he saw the numerous gashes and cuts. He reached down, cupped some water in his hand, and brought it just above her back. "Brace yourself," he warned her just before releasing the water to trickle down her back.
Amelia whimpered as the pain in her back intensified. She was suddenly afraid she might faint again. She reached down and grabbed a large rock, squeezing it until her knuckles were white. After a few more handfuls of water had been poured down her back, the pain slowly abated. The cool tingle of the water began to have a soothing effect on her, almost lulling her asleep.
Once he washed the blood away and was able to tell one wound from the other, Zelgadis immediately began to heal Amelia. Soft glows appeared wherever his hands went, and as he focused, the injuries began to fade away. Her deeper wounds had needed extreme concentration so by the time Zelgadis was finished, he was worn out. Taking a deep breath, he took a final look at her back. A few red marks and bruises remained, but she was in much better shape than before. He lightly ran his fingers across her back, listening for her reaction. When she gave a small sigh, he was satisfied that she was fine.
"There," he started. He moved to stand up. "I think you'll be alright now." He turned around and walked to the bank, picking up the shirt.
Amelia looked over her shoulder, surprised when he stood up. "Thank you," she said softly. She looked down, quickly remembering that she only had on a pair of panties. A light blush crept into her cheeks. How am I going to get back to my bag?
"Here," said a voice behind her. She turned her head to see Zelgadis holding a black T-shirt just above her shoulder.
Amelia took the shirt gratefully and, slipping it over her head, she stood up. Water trickled down her legs and back, making the shirt cling to her. She tugged on the bottom hem, trying to cover herself as much as possible. Realizing it wouldn't reach further than her thigh, she gave up. She turned to face Zelgadis, who was watching her intently. She looked down, blushing. "Thank you," she said again.
Zelgadis forced himself to blink. "Of course," he responded as he took a few steps toward her, his bare feet sloshing the cool water. God, she looks good in my shirt.
Amelia swallowed, uncertain as to what he was going to do. She felt her legs weakening under his fixed gaze. Walking gracefully towards her, he reminded her of the panthers that her father had once told her about. Why is he looking at me like that? Amelia took a shaky breath, and as she did so, her back reminded her that it was sore.
When Zelgadis saw the grimace on Amelia's face, he closed the distance between them in one long stride and brought his hands to her shoulders. "Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.
Amelia looked up. "Oh, yeah...my back still hurts a little." She noticed her hands were slightly burning so she brought them up to examine, surprised when she saw them scuffed up. She tilted her head up to look at Zelgadis, who was already holding one of her hands and healing it. "Zelgadis, what happened to me?"
Zelgadis raised an eyebrow as a faint glow appeared between their hands. "You don't remember the vulture?"
Amelia frowned. A vulture? In a forest? "No, I just remember talking to you..." she trailed off, trying to recall more. When nothing came, she shook her head. "And that's it."
"Well," he began as he took her other hand, "I had a fight with a large bird, and you got caught in the middle of it." He let go of her hands, now thoroughly exhausted.
Amelia looked at her hands once more, then back up at Zelgadis. "Well," she yawned sleepily, "looks like you got off easy."
Zelgadis smiled to himself. "Hmm, I suppose I did." Then, though he was tired beyond belief, he carefully lifted Amelia into his arms and began walking towards the clearing.
Amelia rested her head on his chest and gave a grateful sigh. "Thank you, Zelgadis," she murmured for the final time that night. She breathed deeply, smiling softly when his familiar scent filled her nose. She absentmindedly brought a finger up to his chest, tracing around a small, grey stone.
Zelgadis sucked in a breath when he felt her touch him. He glanced down to her find her innocently rubbing one of his rocks. "Amelia?" he asked, wondering what she was thinking about.
She looked up, drawing her hand back and feeling somewhat guilty. "Yes?"
"What's on your mind?"
"Well," Amelia began slowly, not sure how much he'd like the topic. "I was thinking...about the cure you're looking for." She held her breath and looked down at her hands, waiting for his response.
"My cure?" Zelgadis asked, surprised. Why is she thinking about that? "What brought that up?"
Amelia let out her breath, relieved that he didn't sound upset, just confused. "I don't know...I just suddenly thought about it." She brought her finger back up to the stone. "I was wondering...why do you want to find a cure so much? It can't just be because you don't like your appearance." Amelia tried to pick her words carefully, not wanting to sound impolite.
Zelgadis thought about her question. "And why is that?" He looked down at her.
"Well...it just seems like you've gotten used to it." Her fingers slipped from the rock and began to wander across his azure skin. "Especially when you're fighting," she added as an afterthought.
Zelgadis wasn't sure how much more he could take of Amelia's naive exploration. He took another breath in, trying to calm his fervent nerves. Just think about the conversation. "Well, that's true. I have grown accustomed to my body. It's become especially useful at times."
Amelia looked up, confusion mingling with her cerulean eyes. "Then why do you constantly search for a cure for it?"
He sighed. Sometimes she's just too perceptive for her own good. "Do you remember what we talked about earlier...about my being part demon?" When she slowly nodded, he continued. "That is real reason I'm looking for a cure. To be free from this demon." He looked ahead of them and saw the clearing come into view. "I only tell everyone the other story because it's easier for them to identity with...to accept. I don't think anyone could ever truly realize how much of a burden this demon is." When he reached the clearing, he looked back down at her.
Amelia thought about his response. Finally, she nodded. "I understand your reason."
He smiled faintly. He walked over to their blanket, gently set her on the covers, and laid down next to her. Then, as if it were something he'd done all his life, he instinctively wrapped an arm around her shoulder, drawing her closer to him. When he realized what he'd done, he froze. He half-expected her to slap him. But she only snuggled closer to him, seeming to understand he was merely trying to keep her safe. A relieved sigh passed his lips, and he closed his eyes.
"Though," he said suddenly, but softly.
"Hmm?" Amelia tilted her head to look at his face. When she saw his eyes were closed, she rested her head back down on his shoulder. Not having anywhere to put her arm, she lightly draped it across his stomach and waited for his response.
"It would be nice not to look like a freak," he admitted quietly.
Amelia sighed, about to drift to sleep. "Mmm...I think you look good," she murmured before falling asleep.
Zelgadis opened his eyes in surprise. He gazed down at the princess in his arms. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. I don't think she'll ever cease to amaze me. And with that, he closed his eyes and fell into an appreciated peaceful sleep.
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"Lina! Lina, can you hear me?" Gourry almost shouted, not knowing what else to do. He'd been trying to wake up the redheaded sorceress for nearly half an hour with no luck. He looked back at her face and grimaced. Her left eye was swollen and black, her lip was busted, and blood still trickled from her nose. He ran his fingers through her fiery locks of hair that were now darkened with blood. "Lina, wake up!" he almost begged.
"Could you please keep the noise down? I'm trying to concentrate," an amused voice interrupted.
Gourry looked up and found the man responsible for Lina's condition. He quickly crossed their prison to face him. "You bastard," he said angrily. "What do you want?"
The tall, dark-haired man shook his head. "Come, now. You shouldn't concern yourself with that yet," he said in a light tone. "All will be revealed soon enough."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Gourry asked through clenched teeth.
"All in good time," he told him casually. "Now then, would you care for something to eat?"
"No, thanks," he bitterly responded, though his stomach protested. It had been over two days since they'd had anything to eat.
"Hmm." He gave a sinister grin. "Well, if you change your mind..." His sentence trailed off as he raised his hand. A few seconds later, a tray of food appeared on the floor next to Lina. When he saw Gourry's doubtful expression, he spoke again. "I assure you, it's not poisoned." He saw no change in the swordsman's face so he continued. "If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be here."
Suddenly, a glass of water appeared in Gourry hand. Startled at first, he lifted the liquid up to his lips and took a drink. Moments later, he spit it back out in the man's face. The man quickly lifted his hand again, palm facing towards Gourry. As he did so, the water vanished before it made contact. Gourry's eyes widened.
"Foolish boy," he scolded him. "When will you learn?"
"My lord." A woman's voice from behind made the man with raven tresses turn around. A smiled twisted his lips.
"Ah, yes." He walked swiftly towards her. "I trust my pet brought me back something useful?"
"Yes, my lord." She raised her hand and dropped a rock into the man's hand. "As you requested, a stone from the chimera's body."
Behind them, Gourry listened intently. He heard the woman mention a chimera and muttered, "Zelgadis," quietly under his breath.
The man, not noticing, held the rock up to examine. "Mmm, splendid." He looked back at the woman. "How about we let the demon come out to play?"
The woman gave a small smile for the first time since arriving. "Very good, sir."
"Have everything arranged quickly. I want to perform the spell as soon as possible." He watched the woman nod and walk out the door, then placed his attention back on the stone in his hand. Without warning, he began to laugh quietly, and somewhere in the darkness of the night, a vulture cried.
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Well, there you are. The end of chapter five. Please review! I'm dying to know what everyone thinks! Reviews will probably be the main thing that keeps me going.
