( Disclaimers are as follows blah blah blah don't own blah blah blah not mine blah blah blah I think we get it)

CHAPTER 2 MIYABI

My co-worker, Ikumi appeared even more dumbfounded than I did, "Snow, what's going on?!"

I tried to glare at Miyabi, but honestly, I had too much of a headache to do much more than just scowl, "W-w-well…"

One of my coworkers then decided to say something that I honestly thought had nothing at all to do with the insanity that was unfolding, "Wait, doesn't your family on a shrine? And aren't you their only daughter? Did they perhaps set you up with the son of a noble or something?"

Then again, maybe it had everything to do with the insanity that was unfolding…

I struggled with my words as I spoke, "Wait-what?! No! That is, I…"

Miyabi took this moment to say something equally embarrassing for me, "Don't be so embarrassed. Before long, your heart will be mine. And…your body, too."

(How can he say that in front of everyone…! I was right! This guy is a weirdo creep!)

However, my co-worker continued to flap their mouth as though I weren't some kind a victim here, "I'm so jealous! Engaged to a handsome guy like that!"

then all my coworkers started to flop around like a lovesick fish.

"Any chance he has any hot friends? Can we go on a double date?"

"Definitely not!" I glared at them all in disbelief, "What the Hell is wrong with you people?!"

(I can only imagine what would happen if I introduced them to the Ayakashi squad…!)

I glanced back over at Miyabi… what the Hells even doing here?!

A voice that I knew only too well suddenly spoke from behind the throng of people that had formed when Miyabi had entered the room, "What's going on in here?"

It was my Boss! Oh. Good. Lord. Could this day possibly get any worse?!

I tried to come up with something intelligent to say about why this gorgeous moron was here and who he was but of course my coworkers just would not let my day get any better, "Oh, Taro! Actually, Snow's fiancé is here."

A look of pain that pretty much went unnoticed by everyone except me suddenly flashed in Taro's eyes, "Fiancé…"

I quickly tried to reassure him that this was not the case, "No…! He's not my fiancé! He's…"

(Crap…! Even Taro is hearing about this-this lie!)

Taro has a soft demeanor and the sweetest smile… I guess you could say I've had a crush on him for the longest time.

"Snow's a great girl."

I glanced at Miyabi, but only because his voice had sounded so silky and kind but when I see his eyes and his lips his whole expression is contorted into something much more sarcastic but it would seem once again that I was the only one who noticed.

Taro's eyes slightly narrowed as they become focused on the center of attention, "And you are…?"

I tried to come up with something intelligent to say before Miyabi could say anything to make matters worse than they already were, but of course I was just too slow for his quick wit.

"Why're are you blushing? Our relationship's pretty advanced…"

The jerk says this as he traces his fingers along the back of my neck.

Aww hell! The Hickey…..!

And once again my coworkers start acting like lovesick morons.

"Okay, stop showing off. I can't take how cute you two are!"

"I'd take a guy like that anytime. Even if it was just for the night!"

Suddenly I had gone from annoyed and straight to pissed off, "That's ENOUGH!"

Though, before I could say anymore, Taro's soft laughter and sweet smile pierced my anger and I instantly felt myself calm down into a more simmering annoyed embarrassment.

"So he's your fiancé… Congratulations, Snow."

I suddenly felt deflated and I couldn't help but wonder if he could see the pain now in my eyes.

Taro shot his piercing gaze at all his employees, "Okay, back to work, everyone. You're scaring the patrons."

As the crowd dispersed, I caught a few words that made me both anxious and disgusted at the same time, "I got to say, Taro is fairly fine himself."

"I guess, but I think I'm one step from crushing hard Snow's fiancé."

Everyone followed Taro's lead and went back to their posts.

(How am I ever going to fix this mess? Taro has been completely misled. I've always enjoyed my job, but it's always been…prefect because he was here.)

The obnoxiously silky sound of Miyabi's voice dragged me from my misery, "Snow? You have that stupid look on your face, again."

Now that we were mostly alone I finally felt I could turn my anger on him, "Oh. My. God! Why did you even come here?!"

He feigned a look of hurt, "If I'm not by your side, I can't protect you if anything happens."

I was beginning to lose my patience again with him.

"I'm at work. Nothing's going to happen here!"

This time he became annoyed as he narrowed his eyes at me, "…Do you honestly believe that?"

As he said this, the memory of how the shelves collapsed the other day suddenly flashed through my mind.

"Yeah, but…that was-"

He suddenly looked away and I couldn't tell if he was concerned or worried or just plain didn't want to look me in the eyes, "What do you think would've happened if those guys hadn't been here?"

I tried to reason with him, but I once again seemed to be having trouble speaking intelligently, "But, for the same thing to happen so soon-"

"You can't say that it won't."

This time when he looked at me there was definitely anger in his eyes, but I swear there was something else as well. Could he, perhaps, actually be worried about me?

"As long as the possibility isn't zero, we aren't beyond the need to be careful."

I was finding it hard to believe, but, it would seem that he was actually worried about my well-being.

"But don't worry, I have no intention of interrupting your work."

I gape at him in disbelief as he winks at me then turns on his heel and heads toward some shelves in the back.

(Won't interrupt my work…?! Isn't that what he just did?!)

"Ugh…what a jerk…"

(I still can't believe that jerk said all that…and in front of Taro, no less…)

Well hell… How was I going to fix this…?

"And here I had thought this was my one place of respite…"

"Snow, may I have a moment of your time?"

I turned around and nearly smacked into my Boss…!

"Uh, s-sure!"

I rush over to Taro, who hands me a book.

"I'd like you to process this for me. I know you're bust, but-"

"I'd be happy to!"

I could practically hear what Miyabi's snarky reply would have been to my giddiness.

"Wow, Snow. You are so transparent…"

Taro graces me with one of his brilliant smiles.

"You always seem so happy to work. So, I know I can always count on you."

As I take the book from him our hands touch for only a moment. I don't why, but I had expected an intense feeling from that touch, like what I feel when that jerk touches me. But nothing happened. Not a spark, no stomach butterflies, nothing. It must be the stress of having Miyabi here. Because I have longed for a touch of any kind from Taro. And when it finally happens…Nothing?!

I push the thought from my mind and quickly head over to the circulation counter.

(Taro is always so cheerful, and he is so kind and caring…He's amazing. Nothing like Miyabi!)

"Hey."

It had been so quiet around me that I nearly shrieked at the sudden appearance of Miyabi's voice, which had suddenly called to me from behind, causing me to drop the book, which plops to the floor.

"You startled me… And you are supposed to be somewhere that's away!"

"No one forced you to get scared and drop that book."

His eyes slightly narrowed as he said this. And they remained narrowed at slid to where Taro was speaking to a patron.

"That doesn't matter, anyway. Do you…like that guy?"

It was a bit unexpected, but, Miyabi almost seemed jealous.

Though whether or not that was true I was still flustered by his question and ended up stumbling over my words.

"H-he's just my boss."

My flat out lie seemed to only annoy him further.

He put his hand on the circulation desk and leaned forward.

"You can't hide it from me. You really think you can deceive these eyes?"

I was quickly becoming annoyed with him again.

(How dare he get mad at me! He's the reason I no longer have a future!)

I glared daggers directly into his eyes, "I'm not trying to hide anything… You're right, I do admire him."

He looked back at Taro, an almost empty look in his eyes.

"Really. Admire…?"

Miyabi's eyes flicked back to mine, a hint of curiosity in them.

"I don't understand. He doesn't seem to have any particular merits. What do you see in a man like that?"

I puffed out my chest like an Angry Bird and started on him.

"There's no need for you to be so rude…! Besides, you don't know anything about him!"

"I know from looking at him. He's just a nice man with no other characteristics."

"That's not true! He's good at his job, and he's considerate, and-"

Miyabi's eyes narrowed further in anger.

"Thinking of others. People like that are just pathetic."

I don't get it, why was he getting so worked up about this.

His expression quickly changed from angry to snarky.

"Well, whatever. I didn't come here to have this conversation."

(The hell…?)

"But you're the one who started it!"

He became angry again, but this time, there seemed to be more than just anger in his eyes…perhaps worry?

(Good lord! This guy is like an emotional roller coaster.)

"You blindly believe that this place is safe, but…you need to be very careful."

He glanced as though searching for prying eyes.

"I sense something. He might be planning something."

"When you say 'he', do you mean Nishiki? The snake demon who's after me?"

(Is he going to sneak into the library…?)

"Miyabi? Would you know him if you saw him?"

Miyabi, for a moment, almost seemed unsure whether he should he answer my question. He looked away before finally answering.

"No… When an ayakashi's powerful, he's not easy to detect."

He slowly looked back up at me.

"I hear Nishiki's a master. If he was serious about disguising himself as a human, spotting him would be very difficult."

(So, he could come to the library, posing as a regular person taking out a book, and I wouldn't even know it. He could even be-…Nah, there's no way…I mean Taro was working here before I was. Well, whoever he is, he wouldn't dare expose himself in front of all these people…would he?)

"Well that's all I had to say. I'll go back to my research."

"Huh? Oh… right."

As Miyabi returned to the shelves in the back, I had a sudden disturbing wish that he hadn't left.

(Wait, what did he mean by research?)

It then occurred to me that we kept some pretty old stuff over there…

(I wonder what he's researching. It kind of throws me off having him here.)

Miyabi picked up an old-looking book, a serious expression on his face. His eyes pass over the text.

(I had thought he was a nothing but a creep, but… Maybe he actually has a serious side. Maybe our arrangement-"

"Dammit, Emma! Don't you dare go there…! Just get back to work…"

(Okay, I need to enter the data for this volume…)

I entered the info into our database, but as I turned the page, I felt a stinging sensation in my finger.

"Ouch…!"

"Emma? What happened?"

Ikumi had apparently heard me and had come to investigate.

"Just a paper cut."

She widened her eyes for a moment and then her lips curled into a kind smile.

"Wow, that sucks. Wait here, I'll get you a Band-Aid."

I felt embarrassed, it seemed lately I was needing help with all sorts of things.

"Thanks. Sorry."

Ikumi brought me the Band-Aid, and put it on my finger.

"Thank you, Ikumi."

"…."

"Ikumi?

She was looking at my hand with such intensity in her eyes. I have to admit that it was making me very uncomfortable.

But then her face broke into a smile.

"Um…sorry. It's nothing."

(W-was she staring at my blood…? No-n-no I won't go there. She couldn't be…Nishiki?)

"Well, you're all set now."

All thoughts of monsters forgotten, I smiled back at her.

"Sorry for interrupting your work."

"No problem. Would you like some help with that?"

I shook my head.

"That's okay. I'm almost finished, anyway."

"Okay…"

Her eyes then became serious.

"…Hey, Emma?"

"Hm?"

"That guy, your fiancé… Have you, um…been seeing him long?"

"Uhm…Not too long…?"

I didn't mean to say it as a question, but she had completely caught me off guard by asking about Miyabi out of the blue.

Her eyes flashed with the same intensity they had had when she had been looking at my hand but just as quickly, they softened into something more kind.

"Oh…? Coming to see where you work like this, he must really like you. Are you guys together all the time? Like, are you never apart?"

I wasn't liking where this was going, first she was staring at the blood on my hand and now she seems a little too interested in Miyabi.

"Ikumi, what's going on? Why the sudden interest in Miyabi…?"

She blinked as though coming out of some kind of trance, and suddenly I wondered if that wasn't too far off.

"I'm sorry! It's nothing, I was just a little curious."

She then turns and says over her shoulder, "Well, I'll get back to work."

"Okay…"

(That was really weird. It's not that she likes him… It wasn't like that.)

Or was it…?

I shook my head to push the thoughts from my mind.

"What am I doing? …I have to get back to work, too. Once I add this book to the database, I have to bring it back to storage."

I finished up with the book and headed to the storage area by myself.

Clearly, I wasn't that smart if I could so easily dismiss the danger I was in while alone.

(Okay, here's the books with the same publication date.)

But eventually, while in the silent stacks, what Miyabi said earlier comes back to me.

"You need to be very careful. He might be planning something."

I suddenly felt very dumb for having come down without telling him.

(But I should be all right. It'll be fine. I hope…)

I felt a sudden chill slither up my spine and then-

"Snow."

I shrieked an unbelievably embarrassing shrill sound.

I turned around to find Taro taking a step back, I guess my reaction had startled him as well.

"I-I'm so sorry! I was a little preoccupied…"

Taro grimaced showing that he felt bad as well.

"That's alright. I'm sorry for scaring you like that."

But then he smiled.

"I wanted to talk to you about the book I gave you. I thought I could help you process it."

However, something about his smile was different.

"You came down here just to tell me that?"

Something more kind and caring, as though it were a smile just for me.

(I was right…he is nice and caring… Anybody would like their boss if he was this nice. Wait. I'm alone with him!)

"That should be on this shelf. You can't reach, can you?"

I stupidly blushed at his remark about my shortness.

"Oh…, I was going to get the stepladder."

"How 'bout you give it to me. I can reach it."

From behind me, Taro reaches his arm up and puts the book back on the shelf.

(Oh my god…Is he-is he doing this on purpose?!)

All of a sudden, I feel Taro's breath against the back of my neck.

Not wanting him to see Miyabi's hickey, I straightened my back and instinctively covered the back of my neck.

I quickly turn around and take a step back.

His eyes widen slightly and then soften.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing!"

(This is so embarrassing… Of course, he hadn't been doing it on purpose…)

"Um… Thank you for your help."

"Not at all."

His lips curve up into a crooked smile as he takes a step toward me.

"Still, you and I alone in a place like this…"

His eyes seem to have an almost hungry look to them.

"I imagine your fiancé would be angry in he found out."

(Now's my chance to fix the mess Miyabi made…)

"It's okay! He's not really-"

"I have to say," he takes another step toward me and my body involuntarily steps back, "I'm actually jealous."

"What…?"

Was this really happening?!

"Nothing. Shall we get back?"

"Sure…"

(Taro… Did he really just say he was jealous? It seemed like there was more he wanted to say… Was he…)

Was he seriously jealous of Miyabi?!

A tiny bit of hope flashed through my heart, making me feel warm inside.

(Could it be that he was finally seeing me – the girl and not the employee – even just a little bit…)

I suddenly wished he was the one protecting me protecting me and not Miyabi.

Here I was, being taken for a ride on the train to stupid thought land, and Taro was walking away!

Well hell.

I hate that I'm so slow to pick up on things.

In the end, Miyabi waited at the library until I got off.

"Miyabi, we're at home. Everyone's here. So, you don't have to follow me to my room…"

He grabbed my hand to stop me. His eyes were hard, but his grip on my hand was gentle.

I felt a shiver go through me, but he didn't seem to notice it.

"…I'm going to ask you again."

"Ask what?"

"What do you see in that guy?"

"Taro? Well for one thing, he's amazing, he's nice, and he's nothing like you!"

The narcissistic smirk fell back into place.

"Well, you just come right out with it. Are you saying that you prefer a human to me?"

"Excuse me! Human or ayakashi has nothing to do with it. The problem is with you and your narcissistic personality!"

He seemed more amused than insulted by my comment.

"Humans are inferior to ayakashi. In strength, IQ, everything. It just doesn't make sense."

He suddenly looked worried.

"You…have you slept with him? Is that it?"

"Why am I not surprised that that's your answer…!"

He looks away, almost as though he were disgusted by something.

"When you take a woman's body, they always get like that. There'd be no reason for you to feel a bond with him when I'm right in front of you if it wasn't true."

I don't get him. How can he be so cruel as to say that I sleep around?

"I'm a human. So, of course, I would like humans more than ayakashi! And you're not exactly a great commercial for them…"

"Do I need to shut that defiant mouth of yours?"

I ripped my hand from his suddenly afraid that he might kiss me. Every time he does my body betrays me.

Flustered, I squeeze my eyes shut. A warm touch greets my lips.

Miyabi slides his fingers down my cheek and uses his thumb to open my mouth a little.

I feel my self-control start to fade as I start to feel week in the knees.

"Stop…"

"I like seeing my finger in your mouth."

Oh. My. God. He is such a creep. So why does my body react to his touch like this?!

"Y-you're gross…Mn…"

I wished now more than ever that Taro was here and not Miyabi. I was so angry I felt like crying.

"Are those tears…? The look on your face… It's thrilling."

I tried to blink back the tears, but they fell from my eyes onto his hand.

"You're dirty! And mean!"

"Sounds like compliments to me."

His fingers slide down from the back of my neck to my shoulders and he slowly unzips my dress.

"Wh-what're you doing?"

"…You smell so good."

His voice was silky and heavy with lust… It was almost too much to bear.

"A sweet, beguiling scent that attracts ayakashi."

He then tries to pull off my clothes and I desperately try to resist, but Miyabi stops me easily. My shoulders are laid bare, and he slowly pushes me down.

"Stop! Keep joking like this and I will call out to the others."

"Joking…? Do you really think that's what this is?"

He begins to run his seductive lips along the back of my neck. My body trembles a little at the unexpected sensation of his soft lips caressing my skin.

"You already feel it, don't you?"

"Please…Stop…ah…"

Miyabi brings his lips to my ear as I frantically shake my head. He then runs his tongue only my ear. I hear the sound of his wet tongue and can feel my stupid body start to give in.

He slowly pulls away and gazes into my eyes.

"You respond well."

"Stop…Please…"

"You're not persuading me when you say it with that look on your face. I can pleasure you even more, if that's what you want."

(This is bad…I know it in my head, so…why does my body…? I don't even like him…So why…?)

"It looks like it feels good… You're responding well, no matter where I touch."

"Stop it…ah…."

"We can make love until your body can't take it anymore."

Looking me over from head to toe as I try desperately to cling to reason, Miyabi grins wickedly…

TO BE CONTINUED...