Chapter 12

Ukaran's POV.

I walked away from my cave, making certain that the protective barrier was in place so that nothing could get in... And so that Sayuri could not leave, and went to the river to bathe and cool down my boiling blood... She liked me... As more then any normal friend... She desired me... Yearned for my body the way I yearned for hers, and yet I wasn't allowed to do more then kiss and pet her heatedly... What did it mean?! She was very sweet, and kind to me, like she honestly liked being around me, something that I was quite unused to... As I spent more time with her I began to realize that there was more to the little female then I'd first thought... She had a purity in her that most demons did not usually possess... It was the main reason why I was so attracted to her... She was the warmth that lit up the darkness in my soul and chased the cold out of my heart... How is it that this perfect, pure, sweet demoness liked me as more then a friend?!

I couldn't wait until the ball... As soon as it was over, I had every intention of making her mine, I'd wisk her away to my cave and treat her like the queen she was destined to be... I sat there a while longer, before going to bathe in the river... I took my herbal soaps and bathing supplies and stripped down at the rivers edge... I was enjoying my bath for about half an hour, before I began to hear a familiar voice...

" Sayuri!" The woman called over and over again, " Sayuri! Please! If your out here, please come back home!"

I felt my lip curl into a snarl when I saw who it was... Sayuri's mother... The woman wasn't what I had a problem with, I did not want her to take my Sayuri from me... I growled darkly and Sayuri's mother jumped in alarm and instantly put up a barrier...

' Hmmm... So she's a priestess... Interesting...' I thought to myself as I stood, ' Perhaps that's why Sayuri appeals to me so...'

" Hello..." Sayuri's mother said nervously, obviously detecting my dark aura, " Um... I was looking for my daughter... Have you seen a female that looks like me?!"

I just stared at her... There was no way I was going to tell her that Sayuri was in my cave...

" I... I am sorry to bother you... I'm just so worried about her... I couldn't bare it if something ever happened to her..." Sayuri's mother said sadly...

Maybe it was the fact that she and Sayuri were so similar, I do not know... But my heart softened towards her just a bit...

" I am sorry... But I live alone... I have no friends..." I said, trying to keep the pain from my voice, " But if I meet her, I'll let her know to come home..."

" Thank you!" Sayuri's mother said in relief.

But when she started to come closer to me, I held up my hands, figuring she might be on the shy side...

" I wouldn't come any closer, if I were you my lady..." I said, a smirking a bit, " You've caught me in the middle of bathing, I'm afraid... And the river is quite clear today..."

Sayuri's mother's face turned ten different shades of red as his her eyes went wide...

" Ohh gods! I'm so sorry!" Sayuri's mother said, obviously very flustered, " I beg your pardon... Good day!"

I couldn't help the rumbling laughter that came from my lips as I watched the little priestess leave... It was quite entertaining...

" Now I know where Sayuri gets her shyness from..." I said to myself chuckling, " I wonder how red she becomes when she's embarrassed?!"

Thinking about the lovely little female, I decided to go for a walk to see if I could find something she might like... There were dozens of beautiful flowers growing in a field nearby, but none of them looked lovely enough for Sayuri. I was dressed in my deer skin shirt and pants and had my hair hanging down my back... I felt... A little bit bad about lying to her mother, but I decided to send her home soon, so that her mother wouldn't worry too much... My mother did love me as well... But she did not show as much concern over me as Sayuri's mother worried about her... I did not understand... I thought all mother's were like my own... Caring, yet not showing much warmth... I continued on my walk until I came across a grove of lilac and honeysuckle bushes and grinned. Since Sayuri seemed to like purple a great deal and since honeysuckle smelled so sweet, I decided the two flowers combined would make an excellent bouquet. Filling my hands with as many of the sweet smelling flowers as I could, I could not contain the constant smile that I had glued to my face... I truly hoped that she liked my gift to say thank you for being my friend...