Disclaimers, etc.: see episode one

The Slayers: Courage

By Eugena

Episode Three

"An Interest? All This From a Kiss?"

Lina Inverse here. Man, it seems I've gotten myself some guy trouble. Just when everything was calming down and I finally had gotten over almost spending eternity in the Sea of Chaos, Xellos showed up. What? An apology? Why bring up the past? Okay, you asked for it. Let's see if I can kill a mazoku with a kiss. **SMOOOOCH**

Oh, well, that didn't work. Hey, Zel, why so angry? And Xellos jealous? Hey! Someone catch Zel!

"Recovery!" Amelia shouted the spell as she stretched her hands towards Zelgadiss' unconscious body.

"Wow, Lina," commented Gourry. "You kisses really pack a punch!"

"Miss Lina!" Amelia whined. "Just why did you kiss him in the first place?"

"Well, that's easy," Lina answered, "I wanted to make Zel calm down so Xellos wouldn't recover. I was hoping I could kill Xellos."

"Kill him?" asked Sylphiel. "You kissed him."

"Yes, and he's a monster. Such a strange rush of emotions should have disturbed him at the least."

"So you used Mr. Xellos and Mr. Zelgadiss?" Amelia asked.

"No, Amelia!" Lina shouted. "I didn't use them for anything. All I wanted was to get back at Xellos for everything he's done to me."

"Lina," asked Gourry, "what did Xellos mean by giving him an apology? You mean to tell me you always apologize by kissing someone?"

Lina smacked Gourry on the head. "No, stupid. Didn't you hear Xellos say that he wanted the apology? Xellos asked for it! He wanted me to kiss him."

Gourry rubbed his head. "But why would a monster want you to kiss him?"

"He's Xellos!" Lina shouted. "Does he have to make sense?"

Martina stepped in and asked, "Do you think it had something to do with the last time he kissed you."

"What do you mean last time?" Sylphiel asked. "You mean he kissed you before? But this time you kissed him!"

"Um, Lina, I'm still lost," said Gourry. "Why would Xellos kiss you?"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT, GOURRY?" Lina shouted. "Are you trying to say that there's a reason someone wouldn't want to kiss me?"

"Well, I didn't mean that, Lina. I just meant that he's a monster. And love isn't something they want."

"Well, Gourry," Lina admitted. "You're finally making sense. But speaking of love, Martina, do tell!"

"Yeah, Miss Martina," Amelia said as she completed the recovery spell on Zelgadiss, "Tell us about your true love!"

"Urg," muttered Zelgadiss as he began to waken. "Amelia, you're not talking the conquering power of love again, are you?

Tears pooled in her eyes, an attempt at a 'puppy dog' look. "Mr. Zelgadiss, don't you love me?"

Everyone gasped in shock.

"Did I say that out loud?"

Wolfpack Island

Xellos returned to his quarters in his master's mansion. He thought of nothing as he fled there. The emotions he had felt overwhelmed him. Usually, he only felt the emotions of others. However, now he began to feel strange emotions that were his own.

Lina had only kissed one person full on the lips before—Gourry. He had felt it happen. He had felt a small bit of Lina separate from the Lord of Nightmares. From her emotions, he could see the entire scene without being there.

But there was something else when she kissed Xellos. He felt a drive in her, focused on making the kiss last as long as possible, as if it had been a weapon.

Such a sweet and desirable weapon it had been. When Xellos had kissed Lina before, he felt her blood beneath her skin. This time in her kiss, he felt nothing, an emptiness. But Xellos wanted that emptiness to be filled. My sweet Lina. What had nearly killed him was the emptiness in her kiss. Had it been filled with desire for him, it would have fed him for a very long time.

Odd, monsters usually feed on negative emotions, but this time . . . . This time, a different emotion could have fed him.

"My son," Lord Beastmaster called to him.

"Coming, my lord," he answered.

Xellos phased out and phased in before his master's throne.

"You seemed bothered, my son," Lord Beastmaster said.

Xellos laughed nervously. I've been bested by a human.

"Perhaps you should kill her, my son."

Xellos fell to his knees before her.

"I beg you, Lord Beastmaster. I have a better way to destroy her!"

Lord Beastmaster extended her hand to Xellos' chin and forced him to look her in the eye. "You beg me? It seems she has you in her spell. I saw all that happened. How did it feel, my son? The object of your desire casting its affections on another. Surely that is enough to quench your thirst! Let your own jealousy feed you."

Lord Beastmaster rose and began to laugh. "How fitting! Xellos, I'll see where this goes. As long as this Lina entertains me—and nothing more—I may let her live." But if she touches you again, I'll kill her myself.

I can't believe all that sprung from one little kiss. But Lord Beastmaster, you do realize it was Xellos and not me who wanted the kiss? Although . . . . It's about time Martina confesses.

Next Time:

"For a New King! Get Her to the Church on Time!"