Dante awoke with his arm tightly wound around Kyrie. Her back was to him and had molded her body to fit his as they slept. He glanced at her hand and saw the visible bruise on her wrist.
It was hard not to see it as the deep purple stuck out in contrast to her pale pallor. He moved his head slightly glancing at the spot where he had bit her and swallowed hard.
He didn't know how Kyrie had known about mating but she obviously had known what she was doing when she marked him. Dante brought a hand to the junction of his neck and shoulder.
The area had healed and scabbed over already but she had bit him well enough that it was going to scar. He dropped his hand brushing her bangs aside.
She was going to be sore when she woke up that much he knew so he decided it would be best to let her sleep. He settled back down next to her falling back to sleep.
When Kyrie moved her wrists felt as if they were on fire. She could sense the throbbing that became a burning in her dreamless state. She opened her eyes slowly feeling as if she had been run over and dragged.
She could feel Dante's weight behind her and listened to his steady breathing as he slept soundly. She moved her head slightly to glance back at him feeling the wound below her collarbone just above her breast.
It jabbed a sharp pain that shot into her shoulder and down her arm. She wasn't sure why it hurt so much. It wasn't even this bad when Vergil had beaten her repeatedly when she was captured.
Kyrie held her breath trying to ease the pain by not breathing so much only to give herself a headache. She moved slightly which must have alerted Dante.
He stirred holding her more tightly to him and nuzzled his face against her hair. Kyrie hummed contently as he laid soft kisses at the nape of her neck moving to her shoulder.
"Good morning my Dante." Kyrie said.
"Morning honey." He retired softly obviously more occupied with moving down her back. She arched into his calloused caress down her arm as he gently massaged one of her injured wrists.
She drew in a sharp breath that sounded like a hiss but his administrations did help a bit it seemed.
"Sleep well?" She asked as he propped himself up on his elbow and gently coaxed her onto her back. She could see where her blood had dried on his lips staining them.
"Always with you." He said with a smirk. She reached up a hand brushing her thumb over his chin and smirked back. He moved down to the bite mark and kissed at it gently before running his tongue over the wound.
Kyrie ran her hand through his white locks watching as he administered to the mark he had left. She felt something in her much deeper than she ever had for anyone else and wondered if it was because they had mated.
It was possible the process had affected her as well but then again it could have just been a natural progression affection that she had developed for the hunter.
She knew that she loved him and would do anything for him. She knew that she was in love with him and didn't want to lose him but this was something so much more than that.
"Sorry if you're not feeling that great." Dante said laying his head against his shoulder.
"I'm okay." She replied.
"Who told you about this anyway?" He asked curiously.
"Does it matter?" She questioned.
"Kind of, yeah." Dante said.
"It was Trish. She told me about it." She retorted.
"She didn't make you feel pressured into this or anything right?" He asked sounding uncertain.
"No, not at all." Kyrie replied kissing the top of his head. "I did it Dante because I wanted to. I want to be with you and I wanted you to know just how much I care for you."
"It's more than that Kyrie. We're bound to each other and I don't know if you understand what that means." He said.
"We'll be faithful to each other and live together, have kids and be there for one another." She stated. Dante moved up to look at her. "I love you."
"You scare me." He replied with more sincerity than she had ever heard from anyone.
"I scare you?" She asked trying not to giggle.
"Yes." He said. "I don't know what I'm doing."
"Well you're in luck because I kind of do." She replied. "You know the first time I saw you you scared me."
"Did I?" He asked smiling out of slight embarrassment.
"Mhmm. Seeing as how you crashed through the glass ceiling and shot someone who I thought was a holy man in the head." She said.
"Oh, yeah, kind of forgot you were there for that." He stated.
"Yes, I was. I ran back towards the front of the church when you were fighting and I got knocked down." She said. "You stood over me and just stood there, I couldn't even breathe I was so scared."
"I was checking out who the humans and demons were. I didn't even notice you." He stated.
"Well to be fair you were busy and then Nero attacked you." She said.
"I do remember that." Dante replied. "I remember afterwards once the kid saved you and destroyed the statue. I think I asked if you were okay."
"You did." She said smiling at the memory. "Then those demons attacked."
"Yup, helped the kid out with Lady and Trish." He said enjoying the shared memory they had.
"Then you left." She replied.
"Surprised you noticed the way you were smooching with Nero." He said. Kyrie blushed slightly and let out a small laugh.
"And now a few years later I'm smooching you." She replied. "I don't really know what that says
about my character but...oh well."
"Sweetie your reputation is fine." He reassured smiling wide. "Trust me." Dante caught her lips in a light kiss tasting his dried blood on her skin.
Kyrie kissed him back languidly as they heard the door to the shop bang open.
"Don't you ever lock it?" Kyrie asked with a small groan.
"Only against things I don't want in." He replied.
"Dante!" Lady yelled from downstairs. "I know you're here! Get your lazy ass up."
"Not against everything." Kyrie said smirking.
"Yeah. She can wait." He said standing up. He grabbed into her hands helping her up. "You're so much more important."
Kyrie allowed Dante to lead her to the shower and once in lather her with soap. The hot water felt nice on her skin and eased the pain substantially.
The sore spot on her chest stung from the water but it wasn't the way it had been when she had first woken. Dante massaged her shoulders working out the small knots in her muscles. "You know what the problem is now that we're mated?"
"What's that?" Kyrie asked softly leaning against him. He wrapped his arms around her rubbing his soapy hands across her stomach and under her breasts.
"I don't think I'll be able to keep my hands off of you." He said headily in her ear. Despite the hot water Kyrie still shivered as he drawled it out.
She turned around taking his lips for her own still tasting her blood on his skin as the water wet it making it sticky again.
"You say that like its a bad thing." She said. Dante smiled at her and took her in wondering what he ever did right to have Kyrie in his life.
"I've gotta go downstairs. See what Lady wants before she barges in up here." He said beginning to wash himself quickly.
"Sounds good." She said rinsing the soap off of herself. "I'll be down in a minute."
"No rush." Dante replied getting out of the shower. "You know why I was up on the roof of the church?"
"No, why?" She asked curiously.
"I heard you singing." He said.
"Were you listening?" Kyrie questioned getting a nod from her lover.
"I never heard anyone sing so beautifully before that day." He said and closed the shower curtain.
Kyrie heard him cross over to their bedroom. By the time she had stepped out and draped a towel around herself Dante was already downstairs.
She could hear muffled voices from the office but couldn't pick up on the conversation, not that she would eavesdrop. If it was something important Dante would tell her.
She dressed in a simple sun dress not planning on leaving the premises considering how she was feeling. She put four small braids into her short auburn hair and looked at the bruises on her chest.
They were visible with what she had on as well as on her wrists and if she sat right her thign. A small blush crept to her cheeks as she wondered what Lady would say when she saw her.
She stood at the top of the stairs peering down into the office noting it was empty. They must have left. It made sense that Lady would have come by early if she needed help with a mission.
Kyrie decided to take it upon herself and clear out some of the older bottles of whiskey and beer that had collected dust. She normally didn't bother mostly cleaning their living space but figured it would kill some time.
Once she was mostly pleased with her work, and had hauled out about a quarters worth of a liquor store to the dumpster, she sat down on the large sofa grabbing a book she had been reading.
The doors to the shop opened startling her. She had dozed off without realizing it.
"Kyrie, something's happened." Lady said urgently. Kyrie looked at the large windows noticing the sun had begun to set.
"What?" She asked the older woman. "Where's Dante?"
"There was an...accident on the job he was helping me with." She began causing Kyrie to shoot up quickly from her spot. "Kyrie, I think that Dante as we know him is gone."