Okie, dokie, here's the stitch. Poor Bubbles can't Beta Read for me for a bit because she's having life moments. We all have them. They suck.
So, I proofed it myself and I'm sure it's got some mistakes. I tried my best.
After this chapter, Be Ready will officially be soaring to the end.
Also... rating change...
She remembered seeing the door shut on Grammy, Bakura, and Van as they left for The Wastes. She remembered Chordata slowly sighing before heading back to the kitchen. She remembered sitting back down on the broken floral-printed couch. Her eyes watched the small dancing fire that barely eased the worried chill that had hit her bones.
But now… within the blink of an eye, the world was a swirling mix of gray and greenish hues. She was now standing in the twirling abyss, the pain in her leg a forgotten memory. The ground beneath her feet felt like soft grass as she crunched slowly in a circle; trying to make sense of her surroundings. Through her surprise, a sliver of anticipation and relief washed over her. Maybe she would be shown an answer. Maybe something would come to ease her aching fear and worry.
Maybe the vision would show Van what he needed to choose…
A tight blasting light and a thundering BOOM burst in front of her. The piercing glow, as hard and blinding as the sun, burst into her eyes and she felt the hair on her arms stand on end like static shock. Hitomi screamed; tripping over her feet and tumbling hard to the grassy ground. Covering her face with her hands, her breathing came in uneven gasps. Slowly, the light began to recede and, through her ringing ears, she uncovered her face to see:
"What in the…" a familiar voice whispered.
Hitomi looked up into mirror shaped eyes that were flecked with bits of fading gold. Mouth dropping open, she studied the vision before her. Golden tight swirls of gravity defying water rushed around the girl's body like protective snakes; hugging her arms and trailing down her legs and booted feet. They glimmered brightly even in the dull gray; blooming with a radiant light. A black cloak tossed behind the girl's shoulders in an unfelt wind. A shining intricate design traced the bottom. Tattered strands of unkempt red hair fell out of a low braid at the base of her neck. The girl's face was streaked with dirt and lined with fatigue, but there was a bright panicking fear in her eyes. The same panic that Hitomi felt in her own heart.
"You're me," they said together and a weird identical smile cross both their lips.
"Who are-?"
"Rutilus-?"
Another pause between them and the girl's black cloak brushed her heels comfortingly. Her gloved hand reached back and stroked the silky edge near her thigh gently as if petting a dog. Hitomi remained on the ground, her green eyes unable to stop watching the effervescent hypnotic swirls of the girl's clothes. A strange look crossed the girl's face and she reached to her chest as if to feel for something that wasn't there.
"Who are…? What are…?" Hitomi couldn't finish the sentence.
"Here. Let me help you up," the shimmering Hitomi offered kindly, and took several steps forward. Wrapping her fingers around the gloved palm, a spike of energy rushed through Hitomi's fingers all the way down her toes. Standing on shaking legs, she said the first thing that came to her mind:
"You've got red hair."
Despite her tired face and bagged eyes, a small giggle escaped her and she shook her head; letting the red strands frame her dirt streaked cheeks. "You have no idea," she chuckled. "I like your haircut. And your clothes look so comfortable. "
"Speaking of clothes… what…?" she gestured to the spinning rivers around the girl's body and her other self glanced down surprised.
"Oh, I forgot about my armor. I guess that must look pretty weird to you, huh?"
"Yeah, a little bit," Hitomi said faintly. "You look like… like…"
The girl's face grew unexpectedly dark as she offered, "I look like a legend, don't I?"
"I would call it like a goddess or something."
Another laugh came forth, but this one had a sharper, acrimonious spike. "I'm far from it." She waved her hand as if dismissing the thought and Hitomi watched in awe as the swirls rushed a little harder as if feeling the girl's emotions. The gold in her pupils strengthened a little more. "I'm pretty much a failure. At least, that's probably what everyone thinks of me now." She let off a low breath and pressed her lips together tightly.
Hitomi blinked as the gray began to part behind the girl and she saw a whisper of a skeletal figure in the mist. His last grin terribly bitter as he crouched over the desk; awaiting his future of fire and pain.
'A failure…' he had branded himself.
"There is always a way," Hitomi said softly and the golden girl quirked an eyebrow. Vaguely, Hitomi wondered if she had shot Van that exact same look. "I think… I think the reason I am here is because your world is falling apart."
Crossing her arms over her swirling outfit, the girl released a short sigh. "Yeah, that about sums it up. But now I don't have…" she stopped and closed her eyes. The tight swirls calmed slowly. "And once again, it all comes down to me."
"But you're not a failure," Hitomi said firmly and the skeletal figure sank back deep into the swirling abyss. "You have to trust yourself and your feelings. Whatever path you are on, you must see it through…" Suddenly, as the words left her lips, a deep heat Hitomi hadn't noticed was growing fanned from her chest all the way into the back of her head. She gasped lightly, but let the power take over her mind.
"Rutilus?" the girl breathed, her eyes growing wide. "Rutilus! What are you-"
"I am Rutilus, and yet I am not," Hitomi stated calmly, letting go of her control. She took several steps closer to her other self and the golden girl stumbled back. "Hear and understand these words, little one. If love is surrender then whose war is it anyway? What do you fight for?"
The girl blanched. "I fight for everyone! That's what I'm supposed to do, right? Someone has to stop them once and for all! I can do that! Brill said-"
"So, you are willing to leave Fanelia with an army on two fronts?"
"Not if I destroy Zaibach first! I'll take out The Black Castle! Hit them right at the core!"
Hitomi wished she could back away as a growing electrical current started to run through the small streams of her outfit. The girl looked deadly. However, Magic made her take another aggressive step closer.
"Things are not always as they seem."
"I'm sick of the riddles!" The girl cried and covered her head with her hands. More red hair escaped her braid. "I'm tired of trying to decipher what I need to do! Please, just tell me already!"
"If love is surrender then whose war is it anyway? You change hearts, change minds… You are the symbol of water. Of adaptability. Of transformation."
She took several startled steps back and her mouth fell open. "W-What?"
"You have allies on your side. You must seek them out on your own. They will fight for you and what you stand for. Understand that you have a greater gift than your vox, Hitomi. You have your love and your spirit. And… that goes for me as well. I have an ally I have not realized yet…"
With a terrible gasp for breath that hurt her throat, Hitomi emerged from the vision as if breaking from the ocean surface and the momentum made her fall forward to painfully hit her knee on the coffee table. Catching herself on the armrest and floor, a sharp cry of pain quickly followed as her brain finally registered the blooming bruise.
"Lady Hitomi!" The comforting voice of Chordata spilled like an anchor into the room and she tried to stabilize her surroundings. The white woman ran forward with an unnatural speed and her strong hands gently grabbed under her arms. Letting the cat help pull her on the couch cushion, Hitomi avoided Chordata's concerned amber eyes and glanced around to soak in the familiar scene: the cleared table next to the wall, the hard wooden floor, the merry little fire in the fireplace…
The words stirred in the back of her head: I have an ally I have not realized yet…
"The cards said it before, didn't they?" She whispered softly as a wave of understand filled her. She ignored the cat's questioning look and concentrated. "With The Chariot, we have allies. Grammy, Bakura, and you, Chordata… but there is one… One we haven't realized yet. One who is in the shadows…" She rubbed her face with her hands and winced as the cat lady brushed her fingers on her bruised knee. Thankfully, the poultice had protected her injured one from most of the damage.
"Lady Hitomi… I remember you saying this at Grammy's tent, but who? Who could that possibly be?"
"…I think we have to wait till they show themselves." She lowered her hands and caught the cat's troubled look with a matching one of her own. "It looks as though things are not always as they seem, alright."
Van stomach grumbled after an hour and a half in the backseat of the car as the sedan bumped along the steep road.
However, hunger wasn't his only problem.
With the comforting brick house disappearing quickly through the trees, Van had felt the creep of dark foreboding weigh heavy on his shoulders. His anxiety raced to the image of Hitomi and Chordata being taken unawares while they were gone. Zaibach might notice the smoke from the chimney and come to investigate. Maybe their car had been spotted and they were waiting for a perfect moment to strike. Maybe-
"I already checked it out when I was hunting for rabbits, idiot pup," Grammy had snarled from the passenger seat - she had obviously read his thoughts. "You should know better than anyone growing up there. The smoke can't be seen through the trees. There was no following scent. The little bitch and kitty should be safe as badgers in a hole," she had given the air a tight sniff before adding, "Will ya stop stinking up the damn car? You smell like the nervous piss of a squirrel."
The trio of elected scouts had pulled out of the safety of the tall trees only an hour ago, and Bakura faithfully followed the road signs on the branching highways. Van glanced at the canine, his furred hands tight on the wheel, and he almost felt pity for the poor guy. The dog was checking his rearview mirror almost religiously and a continual whine kept creaking from his throat. Though it moved to set Van's nerves on edge, he did his best to keep his emotions in check.
Van found that he didn't want another verbal lashing from Grammy.
"You want exit 74," Van instructed quietly and Bakura's whine grew a little more audible.
"Your smell is almost as bad as him, ya know?" Grammy complained to her grandson.
"Well, not everyone is you," he hissed back.
The wolf snorted. "True enough."
The dark street passed by them and Bakura turned right at Van's instruction. The car began to follow the steady rise and fall of the hills; signaling the approach of The Wastes. The lack of trees were soon replaced with hillside cliffs that jutted out like looming shadowed giants over the hood of their vehicle. At another right in the branching road, Bakura almost yelped as the car's left front wheel hit a deep pothole in the road and jilted everyone out of their silence.
"Watch where you're going, fool!" Grammy growled while Van's voice peppered in sharp Fanelian curses.
"I'm trying! The road is hard to see!" Bakura motioned to the dark street ahead of them. The headlights lit two column of spotlight in an otherwise all-encompassing darkness. "You said it was a 'right', yeah? Well, this road sucks!"
"Just take it slow and easy," the black-haired king said softly, feeling his stomach tense. Glancing out his right window, he almost jumped at the reflected eyes that seemed to shiver in the darkness. It faded to a crevice in the stone walls. The rocky barriers were claustrophobic on either side of the car as Bakura made their way slowly up the winding two lane path.
"Yeah, we entered beast territory now. I can smell 'em. We're being watched." Grammy growled. Van saw her broad shoulders begin to shake underneath her rough furs. Judging from the growing grin on her lips, he figured she wasn't shaking with fear.
The king tried to keep his eyes front, but it looked like the shadows outside the car were moving.
"Just your imagination, pup," Grammy reassured.
It was a few more slicing minutes of silence until -
"This should be the last turn, Bakura," Van said softly. "Just follow this road and we should get there soon."
"I hate this. I hate this. I hate this so much…" The dog man whispered like a prayer; his hands shaking like fragile twigs on the wheel. "I'm gonna die-"
His words were stifled as the road ended with an orange and white blockade. Several signs were propped on bent metal bars depicting stop signs and a black and white 'End of Road'. Most of the signs were hard to read over jagged colorful graffiti; painting zig-zag lines of undescriptive languages. The largest graffiti Van could make out read: Neutral Block. Stopping the vehicle slowly, the trio were silent for a moment as the realization fear slipped over each of their shoulders like a heavy weight.
"I guess we gotta walk the rest of the way…" Grammy stated the obvious, her lips peeling back from her sharp canines in anticipation. "You know where we're goin', pup?"
Van tried to keep his voice steady, but the hardness in his throat made his voice squeakier than he wanted. "If we keep following straight at least another half mile, I should see the entrance."
"Bloody moon…" Bakura blanched. "We'll die before then…"
"You sure your entrance is going to be recognizable? Looks like the locals have decided to take a painting class." Grammy's yellow eyes peeled around to stare at him from the front seat. Her reflective pupils narrowed dangerously, and Van took a deep breath to control his fear before nodding. "Well, no use fartin' around here. Let's get going." The old wolf groaned as she opened the car door and stretched her arms wide as if she was about to enter a comfortable resort.
"Grammy, you'll spread your scent if you do that," Bakura warned as he turned off the car and stepped out. Van grabbed the two bags and his sword before following.
"Oh, trust me," she turned to the pathway with a tight feral snarl as Van buckled his sword and flicked on a flashlight. "They already know we're here."
"We got two mutts and a fuckin' human, boss. The car was left just outside Neutral Block." The cat sniffed with a quick nod. "Looks like they are entering coyote turf. We gonna kill 'em before they cross?"
The large cave fell silent as each narrow-pupiled eye turned to see the reaction of a spikey-haired, brown-striped neko who was sitting cross-legged on a canine skin rug. The cat man slowly set down his bowl of spiked goat's milk with the white liquid dripping down his chin. Glancing up at the messenger, his fanged mouth flicked into a feral grin.
"Neutral Block?" He spat on the floor and it was white with milk. "What are a couple of mutts doing in that piece of shit road?"
All around him voices rang out:
"They don't belong here!"
"We should kill them!"
"We need a new car. We could take that, too."
"Not on the Block, stupid ass! That's neutral zone. We try to nab that and we could get a flock of humans pointing guns up our asses!"
"But these invaders could be in cahoots with the coy!"
"You fuckin' stupid? Wolf and human aren't on terms with coy. Everyone knows that!"
"So, why are they headed into coy turf? Maybe the wolves are trying to settle something."
"Since when have wolves and humans been chummy?"
"Since when have wolves and coy been chummy?"
"Enough!" the brown cat bellowed and silence rang through the cave.
"Ahhhh, Jackoi, you know we gotta spy on thissss…" a lovely black and tan female slipped her way to the brown cat's side and she nuzzled underneath his neck. She chuckled lightly and licked the left over milk off of his lips. "It is not every day two wolves and a human walk into beast clan territory. I bet they are up to something. We need to find out what they are doing here, no?"
"The human can die. Hairless fuckheads should know better than to step into these parts. But these two mutts are something to worry about," Jackoi breathed darkly, his eyes still wild. "If we kill them, we might start a war. And with the losses from Helen's Pride, I can't win. We would need my brother to come aid." Jackoi's tail switched irritably at the thought.
"Hush, precious," she whispered and followed it up with a small bite on his jagged ear. "It won't come down to that. I'll play in the shadows this time around. Just enjoy your milk."
"Those coys might sniff you out," the brown cat murmured, accepting her small love bites. "They caught my Lilith last month."
"She was a weak queen!" the female hissed. "Her eyes were bad! I am the master huntress in this Pride now. I will spy and see what they are up to. There is something fishy with them. And, like little fishes, I will pluck them out of the river for our Pride to feast."
As the rest of the Pride gave a cheer in the shadows a yellow tabby female lowered her dark gaze to the rocky ground. Her long tail swishing back and forth angrily.
"The nekos already… know, dude," the pink tongue snaked in and out with hurried pants. "They got the drop on us… before the car… turned to Neutral Block…. The car is still there… Untouchable…"
"That sucks ass!" a brown-mange face with a long snout snarled. The Pack had sat sprawled only several minutes ago on a rocky crevice that was brightened only by the moon. Jumping up from reclining on the cooling rocks, the coyote complained, "I wish we could at least snatch the car, man!"
"But they are coming onto… our turf… that means we can… take 'em out… dude…"
"Yeah, dog! Lone wolves can't do nothing to our pack!"
"That's true, brah, but that's like, dangerous! We attack, like, one wolf and the rest of their pack will follow! I mean, I ain't tangling with no wolves!"
"So, what're we gonna do then? They insult us by charging in. The rep's at stake!"
All eyes turned to a gleaming topaz that flickered over the group. Stepping forward, the coyote let the moon light up his features menacingly. "The wolves are dangerous. The human is not."
"Yo, Cadaver! That's a good point!" Another coyote barked, standing up swiftly. "The humans should know better than to come to The Wastes!"
One coyote tilted his head before scratching behind his ear with a hind leg. "But Cadaver, killing the human… wouldn't that provoke them wolves anyway? I mean they're probably homies if they arrived together. Now I'm one for keeping our reputation and all dat, but I also like living, dog. I think we should-" The coyote let out a yelp as the topaz-eyed leader stepped forward and smashed his paw against the side of his head. Falling to the ground, the coy man blinked in a daze as the topaz eyes turned to rest on the tense group.
Cadaver smacked his lips and narrowed his yellow gleaming eyes. "Send Snots out and tell him to follow them. If that human even so much as pisses on our lands, I'll kill him myself."
"Bloody moon, how much further?"
Bakura's moan was carried with the hard wind that pushed against them in the deep chasm. Rounding another corner, the blast of wind almost knocked Van off his feet.
"I feel like we are close. Keep your eyes to the left. The entrance should be around here…" Van answered tensely, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. After fifteen minutes of stumbling through the rocky cliffs, the trio had finally found a somewhat solid path. The walls; however, were lined with crude graffiti drawings of what looked like cats getting dismembered with the words "Tear at the Pussy" branded on practically each rock. His hand shielding him against another blast of cold wind, he tried to keep the flashlight as steady as possible. He stumbled again and he felt Grammy's clawed hand catch his arm.
"How in the name of Gaea did you humans ever come to rule this world?" She shook her head with a quirked eyebrow. "You have no hearing, eye-sight, and you can't smell for shit. Speaking of smell…" The old wolf stopped for a moment, her nose sniffing the air briskly.
"What is it?"
Grammy glanced to the left and a growl touched her throat.
"There's a cat. A big one."
"Oh, god, oh, god, oh, god, oh, please-"
"Be quiet, you buffoon!" Grammy snarled at Bakura. She turned to Van and glanced at his sword on his hip. "So far it looks like they're just following. Observing."
"Where are they?" Van whispered, his right hand instantly going to his pommel.
"No need to keep your voice down. They know we're here, remember?" Grammy's yellow eyes narrowed. "The cat's behind us and- oh, gross…" she sneezed and her snout wrinkled. "I smell… canine mange…"
"Mange?" Bakura asked in a tight squeak. "B-b-but if it's canine then it's friendly, right?"
Grammy snorted and her nose wrinkled further. "Actually, it's more like… coyote."
"S-so not friendly then..."
Van swore quietly and his blade slipped out of the sheath. "Grammy, stay behind Bakura and I to make sure we are not ambushed. Bakura, I need you to lead. I cannot see as well in the dark."
"I wear glasses…" the dog man whimpered.
"Do as he says, fool!" Grammy snarled and Bakura leaped to the front with a startled yelp. "We gotta find this dumbass entrance! So, let's find it fast!"
The trio jogged in a staggering line through the tight chasm; occasionally having to squeeze through tighter spaces. Grammy's nose vociferously sniffing and Bakura's breaths loudly panting, Van swung his flashlight up along the left walls and prayed they were still there. Suddenly, the dog man yelped as he tripped out of the rocky crevice and stumbled into a large clearing. Van followed quickly and immediately traced his flashlight over the mountainsides. The wind, no longer a problem with more space to move, tossed Van's hair into his eyes as he raced through the clearing and gasped.
"Here!" he cried and his voice bounced viciously through the rocky clefts. He heard Grammy hustle forward with Bakura following closely behind.
"This is it! This is it!"
"What the hell is what?"
"The statues are still here! After all this time…" Van stopped and both canines joined him to see the barely visible visages of two angelic women jutting out of the mountainside about five feet from the ground. They were only three feet apart; their faces and breasts chipped away from the wear and tear of time. The rest of their bodies were painted over with graphic images and more graffiti. The only part of them that was truly untouched were their wings which were spread high over their heads against the stone. Their arms raised to the sky, they looked as though they were crying for help. Van's relief was overwhelming and he shoved the flashlight to Bakura before staggering to the wall underneath the angels' feet.
"It is really here…" he breathed, his tan fingers trembling as he felt for one of their ankles blindly. His left hand slipped over the coarse foot and he met a withered latch just below the left pinky toe.
"Grammy, go to the angel on the right and feel for the latch on the small left toe."
The wolf grumbled at being bossed around, but shambled to the statue and her claw rested on the foot. "There's a little thingy here, so I guess I got it," she announced.
Van nodded. "We have to pull it at the same time. That will unlock the slot for the sword. On three, alright?"
Following "Three!" a small compartment between the two angels' calves popped open with a rusted creak and hissing puff of smoke. Both canines wrinkled their noses, but the king stepped forward. Motioning for the flashlight, Van saw the golden rusted sheen of metal for the Fanelian sword and his tension somewhat left his shoulders as more relief spilled over him.
"It should still work," he called back. "We can use this."
"Use it for what?" A dark voice broke out behind them.
She slipped in and out of the shadows like a whisper on the wind. Her lethal body and sharp claws easily letting her leap from fissure to fissure. She followed her nose and eyes; keeping the trio in her sight, but not close enough to detect her. Leaping down once they'd rounded out of the chasm, she ducked quickly behind a rock and kept still. Only a few heartbeats passed before she heard the man call out.
She slowly raised her eyes over the rock.
Her vision adjusted instantly to the clearing. Now that they were more out in the open, she could see how mismatched the trio was. She cracked a fanged smile. The human looked scrawny and weak. One wolf was barely a wolf at all!
He was urbanized garbage!
Her gaze followed to the human and she leaned forward more. He was fiddling with the Angel Statues.
Suddenly, she saw the tell-tale reflective flicker of coyote eyes across the clearing and her fur raised on her shoulders. Slinking back, she followed along the mountainside carefully to avoid the downwind from carrying her smell further inside the clearing.
She should report back…
But this was too interesting.
Now the human was having the old wolf help with something. Her vision narrowed to see a hatch pop out of the stone.
How unusual…
She swallowed down her hiss as the shadow of the slinky beast slid slowly behind the trio.
It was dangerous to stick around for too long. She knew she was crossing the line.
But she was just so curious.
Grammy instantly rose into a thunderously loud snarl. She dropped on all fours to crouch threateningly and her ears pressed back against her skull with rage. Stepping up with Grammy, Van instantly swung his sword up and relaxed into his charging positon. Bakura whimpered and ran to press his back against one of the angel's ankles.
The yellow eyes flashed in the darkness and Bakura raised the flashlight. A whisper of a brown tail and ragged fur caught the light before it disappeared.
"You'll leave us or you will die, cur!" Grammy's voice rippled with her terrible growls. "This doesn't concern you!"
"You're on our lands, bitch!" The voice came forth once more. "That means you're gonna die!"
"We are leaving," Van said with his voice smooth, feeling himself relax into his stance. His heart pumped heavily in his ears, but his muscles almost sang with the adrenaline; the need to fight. Grammy gave him a sideways glance and nodded her approval.
"Good aura, pup," she acknowledged before turning back to their foe. "What do you think? You want me to kill him or let you do it?"
"It would be an honor," Van answered narrowing his eyes. There was a breath of windless silence as Van felt the fighting spirit of the growling coyote.
Wild, uncontrollable - but a coward.
With a dark menacing flicker of his long sword, Van barred his teeth and sensed the coyote's apprehension increase. His snarl lowered in volume and he raised a hand in the air with jagged claws.
"Look, brah. You wanna play with the statues, that's your fetish, but they's on our turf, see? You come struttin' along and the pussies will think our pack is weak. Then they be coming all invading and shit. We already had one turf war since the change of season. We don't need another one."
A memory crossed Van's mind and he glanced at the old wolf beside him. "Say, Grammy: what was it you said you smelled earlier back there?"
The wolf let out a harsh laugh as she caught on his train of thought. "Well, I believe I smelled cat…"
Van took another step forward and he felt the coyote shy away. "You hear that? The cats are already invading your territory."
"I di-didn't smell any-"
"That's because you're a second-rate cur!" Grammy bit viciously and the coyote yelped. She pointed behind him to the right and the beast man twitched with realization. Bakura flashed the light where Grammy was pointing and the tail of a cat, visible even to Van's inferior eyesight, disappeared over the side of the mountain.
His lips curled over his snout. "...Puuuuuuusssy... we will spill your blood for this!" With a terrifying roar, the coyote instantly turned his back on them to scramble after the cat's shadow.
"Back to the car!" Van cried and sheathed his sword quickly. Grammy sprinted forward on all fours and the king followed her shagging furs across the clearing and through the tight fissure. He heard Bakura yelping and panting behind his back.
"Go, go, go!"
They raced with the wind at their heels; the howl of the coyote all around them. The fifteen minute hike quickly turned into a five minute sprint for their lives as every flickering shadow made Van feel more vulnerable that the last.
He had to make it back. He had to. The tunnel was usable. They could get to the tree with it. He just had to make it to the car. He had to.
With the mantra repeating like a prayer in his head, Van actually gasped in relief as the familiar broken graffiti signs flashed into view with his flashlight.
"In the car, ya idiots!" Grammy commanded and all three of them leaped over the railing and tossed open the car doors.
The headlights blasted and the car reversed crookedly down the street.
"He almost… got me…" she panted though quiet mews on her hands and knees before a reclining Jackoi. "I thought… I was a… goner…"
The brown cat's eyes narrowed, but his tail stopped swinging. Sitting up, he crawled on all fours to sit in front of her. Those watching held their breath as he lifted a finger with one sharp claw lengthening. "So… the coyotes know you crossed the border…?"
"They wouldn't… have known, Jackoi!" she cried with her arms spread wide. "It was that… wolf with the invaders… it smelled me out! I was hiding my scent! I swear!"
"If you were hiding your scent, they wouldn't have smelled you…" he hissed with a dangerous calm. "And now, because of you, they are guaranteed to come after us."
There was a deep silence inside the cave. Suddenly, Jackoi stood and turned his back. The female huntress cried loudly.
"You know what must happen."
"Please…"
"Nere," he spoke up and a yellow tabby instantly emerged from the shadows. "Take her out."
"No!" the cat shouted from the floor. Her head fell to press against the rocky ground. "Please! I'll do better! I swear!"
"Funny…" Jackoi said softly. "That's exactly what Lilith said."
The yellow tabby grinned and stepped forward to snatch the female's beautiful hair. She howled, but knew better than to fight back. As the female tabby dragged the huntress outside, Jackoi turned back.
"Wait."
Nere paused for a moment, her head tilting.
"Once you are done…" he made a face as if the very words put a bitter taste in his mouth. "We will need the aid of my brother. Go to Helen's lands and report what's happened. Let them know we will need their help for with a turf war."
"So you see, Cadaver? They've been sneaking on our land anytime they want!" The coyote arched his back and howled angrily.
The others joined.
The entire pack of thirty coyotes had gathered to hear the news of the three invaders, but at the mention of a trespassing cat, jaws were in a frenzy and reflective eyes were springing for murder.
"They think they can just do whatever the hell they want!"
"Yeah! It's time to wipe out those furry pussies!"
"I say we take this all the way!"
The topaz-eyed leader's mouth just curled into a dark grin as he sat against the rigid wall and listened to the pack's rage.
His canines protruded from his lips and saliva dripped nosily to the floor.
Despite the dull pain in her knee, Hitomi paced around the living room; her heart beating hard and fast in her ears. Her fingers nervously twisted together as she rounded the couch once more and looped back to circle the dining table.
It had been long. Too long. Bakura had estimated that they'd arrive at The Wastes in two hours. Already four had gone by. They should have been there and back again. Something had gone wrong. It had to. What if they were all lost? What if they'd died? What if the car broke down?
"You must relax, Lady Hitomi. Walking on your knee will not help it heal."
Turning to the white lady who was sitting on the floral couch, the short-haired girl slowly made her way to the fireplace and sat down beside her. At once, she immediately bit her lower lip with worry.
"You need to eat something. Dinner can be warmed up quite easily."
She shook her head and her short hair brushed over her cheeks. "I'm not going to eat. Not without them."
"They can take care of themselves. They have Grammy."
"I know, but I just wish I could have gone, too. I don't like that it feels like you're babysitting me right now."
The cat's amber eyes twinkled. "In a way, I'm keep you out of trouble. Van and I know you too well by now. With your injury, you would only slow them down. And besides, if all of us had gone, Master Fanel would have only concentrated on keeping you safe instead of focusing on finding the tunnel's entrance. The less amount of people, the less likely they will be spotted by the clans. And Master Fanel can take care of himself. He is proficient and strong. He is used to danger."
She knew Chordata was right, but she still hated hearing it.
The car flew back to the solid roads and each of the trio let go their held breaths in relief. The tall mountain pass emptied out into a long four lane street which propped signs of familiar highways. Not a car was in sight at the late hour. The dark slick streets and thick figures of the trees came to meet them like missing friends.
Van rubbed his eyes as the car made to turn right at the light and blinked lazily in a daze of fatigue. His stomach growled and he was surprised to find himself gnawing with hunger.
"It is going to be impossible to go back now that the beast men know who we are," he asked the quiet car.
The statement held in the air before Bakura spoke up.
"We may actually have a chance. You remember what the coyote said? 'We already had one turf war since the change of season. We don't need another one.' Thanks to Grammy, the coyotes know the cat invaded their lands. They'll be coming after them. We could use the distraction of a war between them and sneak through the tunnel."
"What a dangerous and stupid plan. I like it," Grammy growled in approval. "However, it might involve fighting our way through. You're not much of a fighter, buttercup."
"And what about Hitomi? She cannot defend herself," Van injected and silence hit the car once more. "She is also injured."
"You can protect her and I'll protect you."
"I'll-I'll help protect her, too," Bakura chimed in. "She won't get hurt, Van! I'll make sure of it-"
A light suddenly flashed behind the vehicle and all hearts stopped in that instant. Swiftly, red and blue flickered with the hot headlights.
"Oh, shit!" Grammy shouted as a siren began to croon. "Bakura, you imbecile! How fast were you going?"
"I was going the speed limit! I swear!"
Van glanced behind them and his heart leapt to his throat. "You think they know the car's license plates?"
Grammy's hands waved wildly and she snarled, "I don't know! I don't care! Get us out of here!"
"No!" Van shouted and both canines froze. Their car's momentum slowed as the lights continued to flicker behind them. "Pull over and trade places with me, Bakura!"
"But-!"
"Just do it!"
Curving the wheel around to the side of the road, Bakura stopped the car, jammed it into break, unbuckled the seatbelt, and squashed past Grammy's large bulk to sit beside Van. Meanwhile, Van tucked the map and the flashlight down under the seat, and tossed his long legs – and his sword - over the side of the bucket seat. Settling quickly, he placed the sword against the driver's seat and the car door in attempts to tuck it out of sight. Allowing himself only a few seconds to calm his fear, he let Chordata's soothing instructions floated through his memory:
Keep a calm mind. If you believe you are right then others will believe you, too. Convince yourself you are innocent.
The king opened his eyes just in time to check the rearview mirror. A man was stepping out of the flashing car.
"Let me do the talking," he instructed before cordially rolling down the window and planting a simple smile on his face. The officer approached and his mahogany eyes instantly flicked on the green tight uniform with the Zaibach insignia on the man's chest. The man was tall; his build bulky and strong. His thick shoulders were straight with a regimented stiffness. A strange familiarity lurched in the back of Van's mind, but he kept his thoughts calm and clear to steer away his panic.
Van made his smile grow wider.
"Ahh, you came right in the nick of time!" he punctured in his best Zaibachian trill. He felt both Grammy and Bakura shift uncomfortably. He motioned to the badge on the man's chest and said, "What company do you serve?"
The Zaibachian scowled but replied with a deep, "Rank Sixty-Seven of the Thirty-Ninth String Division."
"How usual to have a soldier from the top fifty strings patrolling the streets. Good on you, sir. Good on you, indeed. Keeping these streets safe from all that riffraff!"
The man blinked, but continued stoically, "Do you know why I pulled you over?"
"I have no clue!" Van shook his head, grinning like a fool.
"A car of your make and model has been flagged for the Zaibach Patrol. We are on the lookout for four fugitives. A young girl with short hair, a… man with black hair," his eyes twitched to Van's fringe, "a canine man, and a… white cat…" The man's expression turned dangerously hard and a memory floated back into Van's mind.
He pushed it back down with a, "Well, as you can see, I am just moseying along on the road here. Why I have lived in this part of Fanelia since my grandpappy came from-"
"Licenses and registration," the Zaibach soldier interrupted with a narrow stare. Suddenly, the memory came forth and Van's panic came with it.
He knew this man. It was the soldier that Hitomi spoke to in the Fanelian Tunnels. The one who she slapped when she was pretending to be a Strategos. The one Chordata had clawed to get away from. Van made the mistake of glancing at the side of the soldier's neck. He saw four white thin scars.
"What was that?" Van stalled in a tight voice as he racked his brain for a plan. He felt Grammy's body practically vibrating with anticipation.
"I said, licenses and registration," the man hissed menacingly. "Now!"
"Alright, alright, no need to get your panties in a-" Van instantly opened the door and hit the soldier square in the solar plexus with the edge of the door. As he doubled over, the king grabbed his sword and the sheath slung off the blade with a solid whoosh. Swiping at the man, who was backing away in the middle of the street, Van's eyes widened as he saw the man reach for the radio on the side of his vest.
"P-P-Private Marsh to base! I found them! Repeat: I found-!"
"Found who?" Came the roar. Grammy's massive form pounced over Van's head and onto the man's body; knocking him hard to the concrete. Her sharp mouth instantly latched down on his throat and ripped. The flesh of his neck and upper chin stripped disgustingly and his body shuddered only once before going limp.
"We have to go now!" Van shouted.
"What do we do about the body?" Bakura called as he opened the door. "We can't just leave it in the road!"
The wolf grabbed the dead man's arm and slung him over the road and into a deep trench.
"That'll have to do!" she nodded. "Everyone in!"
Bakura suddenly pointed at the cop car. "Wait! He'll have a camera! We need to take it with us! It should be connected to the windshield!"
"I got it!" Van sprinted to the blinking police car; the door thankfully had been left unlocked. He dove into the front seat and blinked at the flashing bits of technology all around him. Noticing a strange black box with wires attached onto the windshield, he wrenched it off and ripped the cords free.
"Let's go! Come on!" Bakura's voice broke with panic.
The black-haired king jumped out of the police car and raced to the back seat. As their car swiveled back onto the road and their breaths started evening out from the short gasps, it was Grammy, blood oozing from her lips, who broke the silence:
"Well, who's hungry?"
"They are in Fanelia?" Hatchet blinked as he sat down on the comfortable chair in the Kanzaki's home. His phone blipped another message, but he ignored it as the voice continued to speak rapidly on the receiver. His gentle brown eyes looked on Megumi's still face lying on the couch.
"Ah, so they took the camera with them."
Hitomi's mother stirred lightly and Hatchet's smile grew on his lips.
"I'll meet you in Fanelia tomorrow morning. Continue monitoring the streets and card anyone using the tunnels in the city. I want double on the Palace."
The voice on the phone asked a question and his smile grew wider. Standing up, he reached down to touch the side of Megumi's cheek just as her glazed brown eyes opened.
"I'll be at the Palace by tomorrow afternoon and I'll be bringing a guest with me."
Chordata and Hitomi were already out the door and on the front porch before the car could properly pull up to the clearing. The short-haired girl made a move to greet Van, but the white cat sprang forward and latched onto the king's shoulders as soon as he exited the car. A smile drifted onto her lips as she watched them hug.
Guess Chordata really was just as worried as me.
The lovely cat nuzzled his neck, her soft voice spilling out amidst purrs, "You took so long! I was so worried about you! What happened? Are you okay? Oh, Master Fanel, you smell like fear! Did anyone get hurt?"
"Calm down, dearest Chordata, we are safe," he murmured in her ear and he reached up to pet her head. Her purr grew louder.
Grammy shut the passenger door and made her way to the porch. Standing on the doorstep, Hitomi made room for the old wolf and those yellow eyes flicked on her sharply. Hitomi gasped as she noticed the brown stains of dried blood on the wolf's lips and clothes. Grammy clicked a canine and rumbled, "Not the most tasteful blood, but O Positive has never been my favorite."
"What happened?" she breathed in quiet horror.
"Oh, just a bit of drama. You should see the other guy," Grammy chortled and she shook her long locks violently. "Ah, I guess I'm a bit messy, eh?"
"Just… drama…"
"I could ask the same about you…" The wolf raised her eyebrows. "That gold one… you met her."
The golden swirls of her other self flashed before her eyes and she nodded with a sharp pain in her throat.
Grammy sighed. "The end is near alright. Especially if you've met that one."
"Who was she? What dimension?"
"Not your concern, little bitch. You've got a whole other thing to worry about. Let her handle her destiny and you handle yours. As long as we stick to our side of it, we should be shittin' in pristine toilets."
Hitomi stared as the door closed behind her hunkering form, her thoughts a jumbled mess. She had hoped Grammy would help her with the vision.
She had counted on it.
But, once again, it looked like answers were just beyond her reach.
Hitomi glanced back to Van and she was surprised to see him standing alone by the car; staring at her. Chordata had moved forward to speak with Bakura quietly. As their eyes met, a hard knot in her stomach clenched, and she instantly broke the gaze to trail her eyes to the wooden plywood below her feet.
"I was worried about you," he said softly taking a few steps forward.
"I was worried about you," she blurted out. "I'm glad to see you are alive and not dead in some mountain slide, or getting torn apart by beastmen, or being carried away by Zaibach, or shot, or stabbed, or-"
His finger lifted and pressed on her lips; effectively stopping her mental checklist of the deaths she'd been imagining for the past six hours.
Lowering his hand to her chin, he brushed her cheek with his thumb before saying, "After we finish planning later, I would like to speak to you alone."
"O-Okay…" She stumbled and her eyes finally raised to meet his. He looked so tired, so worn. The green shirt he had gotten in Joko was stained, ripped, and fading. His hair had bits of gray dust. The lines around his eyes and mouth were more pronounced than ever… but she focused on the thin lopsided smile on his lips. The long finger that traced her jawline. The gentle way the tight knot in her stomach was slowly unwinding itself.
And just like that, her nervousness was brushed away. Unlacing her twisting fingers, she reached up and touched the back of his hand against her face. "Let's go inside," she nodded and she saw his eyes go wide at her boldness. Feeling even braver, she pulled his hand off her chin and threaded her fingers through his.
Palm in palm, with a wide-eyed Van, they walked back into the house.
"So, basically you are saying we are entering a war zone to get to the tunnel to get to The Winged Palace to get to the yew tree?" Hitomi concluded sitting back in her seat and trying to stifle her yawn. Van's arm was draped around the back of the couch and she couldn't help but get the feeling like he was putting his arm around her without touching her.
"Not to mention we don't even know if the tunnel is caved in or not. We didn't have time to open it," Bakura added.
"We are lucky. The tunnel looks more or less untouched," Van answered, handing his empty chipped bowl to Chordata. She had stood up to collect their dishes. "If I opened it, the coyote would have known about the passageway."
"The Zaibach soldier though… that's another problem," Grammy injected from where she laid curled on the floor. A blood-stained yellow towel, which she'd used to wipe up her face, was lying across her chest like a miniature blanket. "They are going to really start patrolling the streets now that they know we are in Fanelia. I'm not sure we can brave another midnight run to The Wastes. Especially in that car of ours."
"We could travel during the day and blend in with the traffic like we did to get here. We had already passed into the Fanelian border before the soldier pulled us over. Most likely, they probably think we just got here." Bakura tapped his nails nervously on his teacup. "At least I hope so."
"That sounds like an idea," Hitomi nodded to Bakura. "I say we get to that yew tree the sooner the better. Perhaps we can get through the tunnel before the turf war."
The old wolf groaned. "Today. It has to be today."
A spike of apprehension flickered between each of them. Despite the merry fire dancing in the fireplace, the room seemed to grow cold and dark.
"That makes sense…" Van murmured softly.
"Exactly! How many times have I told you idiots that we are out of time! Today at noon, we pack in this stupid car one more time and do what we came here to do. We finish this once and for all! Now I'm tired of talking about this, I'm tired of looking at you, and I'm tired of smelling all this sour nervousness."
She stood with a grunt and shambled to the door.
"Now you see why I decided to pitch my tent outside! This entire house stinks!"
It was the beginning of dawn.
And she was done.
Hitomi took careful, quiet steps up the staircase, her dirty shoes catching lightly on the old throw rug at the top of the flight. Ignoring the light twinge in her leg, she forced herself to walk the long hallway to the familiar door that had been her room only a few short weeks ago. A sense of surreal awe mixed with her fatigue and she staggered to the broken door in almost a drunken state. God, all she'd been through since first entering this house. It felt like some kind of strange fever-dream. The strange twists and turns, the ups and downs of her feelings.
Today… That was when it would all be decided. This afternoon.
It didn't really feel fair.
She thought she'd have more time.
More time for what? To convince Van that she was what he should choose? To sort out her terrified visions of a possible future.
A future where she was crazy.
Chordata and Van had continued to speak quietly on the couch as Bakura wandered off to one of the tiny bedrooms downstairs.
They only a few hours to catch some sleep before the end…
Opening the door, she smiled in spite of herself at the squawking broken hinges. She couldn't help letting a little tension go at nostalgia. Her green eyes immediately turned to the spot Van had sat as he waited for her to wake up from her ordeal with Zaibach.
Sitting there in that stupid hat of his.
Her smile widened. She could just see it now. His mind trying to rationalize the reasons for bringing her here and not just letting her die. The questions burning in his mind about how she could know so much about the truth of his past. The truth about Zaibach's lies…
When she had awoken, he had frightened her so badly she was willing to fight him in only her underwear. A snort of laughter escaped her. Compared to what he'd seen her in at Joko that was quite tame in comparison.
It was almost like a funny story.
A good joke to tell people later.
Once, I met the King of Fanelia and immediately tried to attack him in my underwear. She giggled to herself at the absurdity.
As quickly as the smile came, it left.
She wouldn't remember it. None of it. When they made that wish and Van went back, he would go on to make his mark in history as he should have done long ago. Meanwhile, Hitomi would fade into her own world as she was destined to. No Fanelian King to drive her crazy. No journey of discovery and danger. She would just… live a normal life.
A hard sense of loss hit her suddenly, and she walked over to the broken bed to sit down. Reaching, Hitomi untied the poultice from her knee and sighed in relief as it slipped to the ground. The bone was still sore, but she was beginning to walk on it a little better. She stared at the tear in her jeans, her mind racing through the uncountable memories she had gained in such a short amount of time.
From Fanelia to Joko to Guitoma and back to Fanelia.
The short-haired woman put her face in her hands.
The flash of a window…
The lightning… the thunder…
That's right! She could hear him through the thunder! Her cards… the ones she'd gotten from Grammy. She didn't have them anymore. There was no way to see him… the one that was constantly in her dreams… the one that-
"Hitomi?" A familiar voice spoke from the doorway. Hearing his knuckles hit softly on the doorframe, she glanced up with dizziness to see Van's tired, concerned face peering through her opened door. "Are you alright?"
Her eyes took in the entirety of him.
Van Slanzar de Fanel.
A man who she had studied all her life.
A man she had started out despising, but grew to rather like.
A man that had saved her and put her above his own life.
A man that made her heart leap into her throat everytime he looked into her eyes.
A man who she realized she liked, but she knew now it was more than that. So much more…
And here he was. Standing before her. Asking about her.
She couldn't take it anymore.
Standing up from the bed without another thought, Hitomi crossed the floor and boldly wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. Bringing his head down with her hands, she put her lips on his. His shock was very apparent as his body froze under her fingers. With her green eyes closed tightly, she didn't see the wild burn instantly ignite behind his dark red orbs.
He took over and the fire rapidly flared between them. He opened her mouth with his lips, and she continued kissing him almost feverishly. He responded perfectly, his mouth matching hers in every way. It felt as if a thunderclap struck between them as his hands immediately reached up to snag her waist. She pulled him even closer; tucking her body into his. She reveled in the sensation of his fingers; concentrating on how they hesitantly moved up and down her hips; leaving trails of hot tingles. His deep voice let out something close to a purr as his right hand traveled up her shirt to the front of her chest. A small gasp escaped her and he broke their kiss immediately before his fingers could reach her breast. The heat lessened considerably, but it still sizzled between them like a waiting spark. Her arms were still wrapped around his neck, but his hand quickly left her shirt.
"I apologize." His voice was a guttural groan. "I-"
"Please, don't. Just… don't," Hitomi sighed as the embarrassment settled in. Her face burned. She'd attacked him in his room again, but this time it was a very, very different reason. "Don't apologize. I… I…" Her heart pounded so hard she was having trouble concentrating on what she was trying to say. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she settled herself and knew she had to say it.
"I want you, Van. I… I want you all for myself. I know it's cruel, but… but I don't want you to leave me. It's so stupid because I know you have a kingdom waiting for you. A whole new life, but… now that I know you… I can't ask you to choose me. I'm not worth a future where you could be a king. We make that wish and you should go back. I just… just…" Her confession faltered as the silence from him grew strong and tense. Though he hadn't let go of her waist and she kept her arms curled around his neck, she could feel the tension slipping between them like an invisible wall. She heard him swallow thickly and felt his fingers slipping slowly off her body.
And then, once again, she found her voice.
"I want you to stay with me," she declared pushing down her fear and finally opened her eyes. His face was close; his breath falling on her cheeks. "Stay with me right now because I want you. Magic isn't forcing me, the cards aren't effecting me, and this doesn't have anything to do with our destiny or whatever the hell that even means. This is me, Hitomi Kanzaki, asking you, Van Fanel, if you… would stay here…"
"And do what exactly?" His throat croaked the word, but his lips curled into a smirk.
God, she hated that smirk of his!
"Take a wildguess!" she laughed and pressed her lips on that smirk. He immediately tilted his head to kiss her back. Just as her arms were beginning to wrap even tighter around his shoulders, he broke the kiss again.
Gently unlacing her arms from his neck, Van turned to the door and it squealed loudly as he shut it behind him. The latch clicked with a sense of finality.
This was a choice she had made.
And she couldn't wait any longer.
He turned back to face her and she backed away to the thin bed till her knees hit the frame. Van followed slowly, his expression serious. His long fingers reached up for the edges of his shirt and he yanked the dirty lime green MYSSTES over his head. His black hair flopped over his cheeks. Her eyes immediately flicked to the pink pendant necklace he always faithfully wore before moving to the thin muscles on his chest and shoulders. His stomach, though toned, caved inward and reminded her of all the struggles he'd endured. The bandage on his arm from his gunshot wound; long scars on his left side along his stomach. His fingers moved to his buckle and he slipped the belt away; his loyal navy sword falling to the ground with a loud abandoned clang. She let her gaze follow his hands and focused on the trail of black hair that traveled down his pants.
His smirk was back. He was letting her check him out.
She gave him a smirk of her own. Well, two could play at this game.
Lifting her shirt and boldly tossing it off her head, she watched Van's throat bob up and down. He took a step closer as if he couldn't help himself. Reaching back, she unclasped her bra and felt a strange controlling power come over her. The heavy lust in his eyes made her actions all the more powerful. Sliding the straps down from her shoulders, his mouth parted as the cups left her breasts, and she stood before him exposed.
He let out a strangled growl and closed in the gap between them.
It seemed their teasing game was over.
Pressing her hands against his chest, she let her fingers slide down his stomach to the button of his pants. His left hand took her breast and his lips went to her mouth before trailing down to her neck. A shock of pleasure slipped tightly from her chest to her stomach as his hand began to massage her. His mouth moved to the back of her ear and she actually gasped out loud.
"I see…" he murmured in her ear. "Interesting…"
She forgot all about his pants as he began to guide her gently backwards. His hand trailing from her chest to her back, he laid her tenderly on the bed and hovered over her body. The warmth from his bare chest made her breath start coming hard and fast. With a finger, he turned her head so he could get back to the spot on her neck. She willingly let him.
The fiery tingles fled all the way from her head to her toes. His legs moved to straddle her body. There were quick tremors in his fingers as he slid his hand back to her chest and gently squeezed her. Holding his head to her neck, she felt another strangled gasp escape her as he gently sucked on the spot.
"Van…" she whispered.
He stopped as she said his name and lifted his face to hers. Deep mahogany locked in on brilliant green. The hand on her chest traveled lower, heading down her stomach to the top of her pants. She kept his eyes as he unbuckled the top button of her jeans and slid the zipper down. It was such an intimate sound. Simple, and yet so erotic. She lifted herself a little off the bed, so he could pull them down over her hips.
Hitomi felt the rush of anticipation and yet the rushing thrill of waiting as he patiently continued to slowly reveal her body. Shifting away, he reached down and plucked a shoe off her foot. A flashback hit her.
Kneeling in the mud, he had gently put her shoe back on her foot and neatly tied the laces. Now she watched as he removed the other shoe and moved back to slow task of sliding her pants down her legs. He leaned down to kiss her naked injured knee gently and she blinked at the gesture.
Then her pants fell in a heap on the ground.
Her breath caught as his face moved back to her chest and his mouth caught her left breast.
"Oh." The word left her lips without her permission. The heat was stirring a pressure inside. A pressure that threatened to surge all over her body. With his other hand, he caressed her hip and gently followed the line of her white underwear. Her fingers tangled in his messy hair as she waited breathlessly for his next move.
His head lifted and he moved back up for the spot on her neck. Meanwhile, that hand of his teasingly continued to trace the top of her underwear.
"You are doing this on purpose, aren't you?" She groaned and her back arched as he sucked once more on that spot near her ear.
"What makes you say that?" She could hear the smile on his voice.
"You're going to pay."
"Oh, will I?"
With a light moan, she shifted her bare legs to straddle him. He lowered his body between them and another 'Oh' left her mouth. He instantly moved to catch her open lips and his tongue brushed hers. Wrapping her arms around his back, she felt that hard building pressure turning into a swift, burning need.
A need so great, she could barely stand it.
But he couldn't have all the fun, right?
Turning her face away to break their kiss, she gave him a teasing smile and lifted herself.
"Move, Van," she commanded sharply, and with a slightly confused pause and a small chuckle, he turned with her.
Now she was on top of him; his necklace falling against the pillow.
Cheeks blushing from the spike of adrenaline and what they were doing, she sat on his thighs in only her underwear. She watched his bright mahogany eyes latch onto her breasts. He lifted a hand to caress the side of one. A surge of pride hit her as he seemed to soak in the feel of them. Cupping her, he massaged as he waited for her to make a move.
Make a move, she did.
Lifting her body, she undid his pants just as slowly as he had done to her. His breath exhaled tightly and his hand dropped from her chest as if he wanted to concentrate on everything she did. Every touch, every stroke. She was surprised when she began to slide his pants lower.
He went commando.
He was tall for a man. A good head taller than she was. Working the pants down, she finally pried off his dirty, worn shoes, and his pants fell on top of hers. Turning back, she took in the sight of him. His tan calves and thighs were flexed from anticipation. The defining muscles rippled from all of his daily training. She studied him just as he had studied her. The bones from his pelvis were very visible, and Hitomi clicked her tongue; making a mental note to make him eat more.
His dark mahogany eyes opened to see her studying him. There was a strange vulnerability about his expression. A nervousness she had never seen in his eyes.
That sense of power fell over her once more and she boldly moved back up to straddle him. Reaching up, she cradled his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. The fire between them had cooled somewhat from their patience.
But patience was wearing thin.
Feeling him pressing against her underwear, she moved her mouth off of his and glided her hand down his chest to bottom of his flat stomach. Her fingers touched the soft, straight black hairs that trailed downward. His breath caught so loudly, she wondered if anyone heard downstairs. Then she realized she didn't care as he twitched again underneath her hand.
Ah, so that was a spot then.
Good.
Moving his head, she kissed the side of his neck, and slowly moved her body down his. She gently kissed his collarbone, his chest, moving lower and lower.
"H-Hitomi…" he grunted lowly. "What-"
"Payback," she whispered and he let out another low moan. Her mouth rested just above his belly button and she caught his eye one last time before bending down to suck the spot where her hand had just been.
He spoke in Fanelian.
She wasn't sure what it was, but she figured it was probably a curse.
That powerful feeling swelled within her as she felt him grow even harder against her chest. Moving her right hand, she brazenly reached between his legs and held him.
"Alright, payback is over," he growled loudly and sat up. Straightening up to meet him with an innocent look on her face, her right hand stayed grasping him. His hair falling over his eyes, he snatched her shoulders and pulled her down on top of his chest. Her hands moved to cup his face once more in another deep kiss while his arms moved down her body to grab her underwear.
"Useless," he scoffed and she giggled. Slipping the white fabric down her backside, his hand brushed her bare skin and she trembled involuntarily. Moving her body upward so he could continue undressing her, his mouth caught her breast as she hovered over him and her arms grew weak.
"How is that fair?" she groaned.
"Never mentioned anything about fairness."
After a few moments, he frowned. Her underwear was caught awkwardly on her knees.
She burst out laughing. "Need a little help?"
"I have a better idea."
"Oh." The word slipped out again as he tipped her over, so she was lying on her back once more. Her green eyes wide, he eagerly grabbed the gentle white fabric and freed her legs of the rest of her clothing. His black hair still covering his face, he looked wild and feral. His sharp eyes looked out at her as though she was his prey.
That power she felt before flared. It was a power to take control of him and show him he wasn't the only one who desperately wanted this.
There were two hunters.
She curled up against his chest. His arm wrapped around her head and rested on her bare waist.
His mahogany eyes opening lazily, he glanced down to give her a lopsided smile. Turning to catch his eye, she smiled back.
"I have wanted to do that to you for a long time now," he confessed with that smirk.
Oh, how she loved that smirk.
"Oh, did you? And when was the first time you felt like that?" she teased.
He took a deep breath as if lost in thought. "Well, I would have to say it was when you tried to fight me in your undergarments here in this room."
A small laugh escaped her as she sat up to look at him better. "You're serious?"
"I like how you are shaped," he complimented dryly. "I saw quite a bit of it that day."
"This from the guy who said, and I quote, 'when I first saw you, I thought you were male'!"
"I stand by what I said. You were in a rather oversized jacket during the tour. That was the first time I ever saw you."
"Yeah? Well, I thought you were homeless and crazy, so I guess we're even."
He snorted. "I do not believe you."
"You don't?" She glanced up at him challengingly. "Why is that?"
"Your body language back then suggested that-"
"No, please! Not that! Anything, but reading my body language!" Her head falling dramatically back on his chest, he chuckled lightly.
"It is true," he said with a simple shrug, "but I will admit I liked your shape once I saw what was underneath those baggy clothes."
Nuzzling back into his neck, she took a deep breath of Van's scent and whispered, "I'm sure the outfits in Joko helped with that as well."
Listening to him laugh, she smiled contently.
"So, when was yours? When were you attracted to me?"
She blinked at the question and blushed despite what had just happened between the two of them.
When was her moment of attraction? To be honest, she had to rack her brain to figure it out. Could she pinpoint a time specifically? It was flattering to know Van had felt something for her right off the bat, but for her, he had made her so continuously angry all the time she never really saw him in that light.
Not until…
"Um… you picked me up when I was in the Customer Receivers outfit and flew us to the roof with your wings."
"I figured as much," he said simply.
She snorted. "You figured? How's that?"
"You could not keep your hands off me, remember?"
"No, I don't!" she countered. "That wasn't me!"
"It was you. Just not… you."
Hitomi rolled her green eyes, but smiled. He pulled her waist further against his body and she curled to his chest once more. Her eyes felt heavy and the comfort of his strong arms had her drifting to sleep.
"Are you cold?" he asked suddenly, startling her awake.
"Perfectly warm actually," she answered with a yawning sigh.
His eyes closed and he let out a long breath of satisfaction.
"Good… me, too."
Expect the next chapter to be up soon. I've got a few things to take care of and it will be ready. As said above, I have been spoiled by Kerapal Bubbles and her editing skills, so please let me know if you see any mistakes.
This story done just got MATURE, didn't it?
A huge thank you to Nainari for her letting me bounce ideas and constantly telling me to keep in the sex scene! haha! It was almost taken out probably about five times before I just said, "Screw it!" and submitted. So for all you lemon lovers out there... I hope it spiced up your lemonade!
As always, thank you so much for the support and love this story has been shown. Be Ready is very quickly becoming a favorite of mine since I am able to tie in all these universes together. It's just made it such a fun roller coaster!
I hope to see you on the ride next update!
blue...