again. All his senses screamed that something was wrong, but his mind couldnât fight this intense hunger.
Kyoko gasped, hearing his words laced with so much pain, and it saddened her. Everybody counted on him to be level headed, the glue that held the group together. Even she looked up to him and loved it when he was close and she could feel his calmness, his humor, and concern. But now it was the other way around. He was the one who needed comfort.
It must be all the fighting against demons⦠Hyakuhei⦠his curse. Oh God, his curse⦠the dimensional void that would be an early death for him. The ultimate power Hyakuhei had given him, knowing it would one day destroy him. She hadn't forgotten. She just tried really hard not to think about it, but she knew what would happen if they didn't stop Hyakuhei.
Kyoko reached out to him, trying to make it better and to ease his mind. "It's alright, Shinbe. I'm here." The second her hand touched his face, he came to life.
All logic had ceased and Shinbe's ironclad control snapped. He grabbed her shoulders, and rolled until she was pinned underneath him. Leaning over her body, he had everything heâd ever wanted⦠Kyoko. Without another coherent thought, his lips crashed down swiftly, claiming hers possessively, blocking everything else out of his mind. Heâd held this feeling in check for far too long.
Shinbe acknowledged that he might have lost control of the situation a few exits back. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the thought crept in that she tasted like some kind of alcohol, and she smelled like it too. Controlling himself enough to raise up an inch, he gazed down at her, trying to tell if it was true. Searching her face, her eyes, and her flushed cheeks he jealously wondered who had gotten her drunk.
Kyoko knew that this wasn't really happening. No way was she staring up into the amethyst eyes of the very handsome Shinbe. No way was he staring down at her like he wanted her. Kyoko reasoned with herself that she was probably lying in the grass with her head still propped up on the maiden statue. Somewhere in this dream, she could even hear Hyakuhei laughing at her.
She could have sworn she remembered sliding down the maiden statue and falling asleep. She was probably right now passed out having a dream, and her drunken mind had picked Shinbe to join her, instead of Toya.
Kyoko barely shook her head, feeling giddy, and sighed the words, "Crazy dreams," as she stared into the passion-glazed eyes of Shinbe. Her lips still tingling from the force of the dream kiss.
Shinbe lowered his lips to hers again. Heâd heard enough. Kyoko thought she was dreaming. Shinbe only hoped she was right. But either way, he was unable to stop. He couldn't stop even if he tried and he licked at her lips. She parted them with a tiny whimper⦠a sound that only hardened him even more, if that was possible.
He broke out in a sweat trying to restrain himself as his guardian blood surfaced. He wanted to go slowly as he deepened the kiss, invading her, taking and giving within the heat of the kiss. He had always wanted to kiss her like this, forever it seemed.
The muscles in his arms flexed as he held himself above her, making love to her lips and beyond. His hands were impatient as they worked on ridding her of her clothes. Within only a few short minutes, she lay under him, completely naked. She hadn't fought it as he took her clothes from her. Why would she? It was a dream⦠right?
Shinbe's breath stilled as he gazed down at her just as sheâd appeared within his dream only a few short minutes ago. She was his priestess⦠his secret⦠his love. He slid his body against hers, loving the feel of her silky skin, sharpening his pain and his need to have her, to make love to her.
âIt has to be a dream,â he tried to convince himself.
He dipped his head to nuzzle her neck, licking and kissing her skin, tasting her gently and forcibly. He showed her how much he loved her as he made his way down her body. This would be the only time he would see and taste all of her. Sharp heat shot through him as she arched against him, moaning when he drew her breast into his mouth, licking at it with his tongue, bringing her body to life.
More of his wishes were fulfilled as Shinbe trailed kisses down her taut belly and she writhed beneath him. His muscles jumped as she clutched him to her, trying to get even closer. Shinbe was as close to heaven as he would ever get, with her essence surrounding him. Inch by slow inch, he crawled back up and over her.
Settling between her legs, he shuddered with need when the heat of her opening warmed the throbbing head of his swollen manhood. He wanted her to see him as he drove inside her, even if this was a dream. His body hardened, tightened around hers.
"Open your eyes," he whispered. His voice was mesmerizing, a deliberate seduction, and as soon as she opened those amazing emerald eyes he thrust forward, swiftly burying himself to the hilt within her heat, wanting to save her the pain of her first time. An anguished cry tore from his throat as he felt her blood bond give way to him.
Her tightness grasped him hard within her silken heat, drawing him in even deeper. If it weren't for his stubborn self-control, he would have come out of his skin right then. He gritted his teeth in an effort to hold still, breathing hard as he watched her toss her head from side to side, lips soundlessly parting. Quickly, he claimed her lips before the cry could escape her.
Once he felt her calm down, he eased off of the kiss. Giving into the first slow, but hard, deep thrust, he was rewarded with her hips coming up to meet his as her own passion started to blaze. He inhaled her moans of ecstasy, savoring them as the cherished memories he knew they would become. Giving into the feeling of her wrapped around him, he let go of his restraint. He wanted to make love to her with all of him, holding nothing back.
Lacing his fingers through hers, he pulled her hands above her head and held them down against the soft blanket. Shinbe raised himself above her so he could watch her passionate expressions as he started a rhythm that quickly drove them both over the edge. Deep and fast strokes turned in to hard slow thrusts before pausing to strain against her, only to swiftly retreat then slam back into her again.
Shinbe could feel the many times that she reached her peak as spasms racked her body. He could feel them as she squeezed him even tighter. His whole body glistened in the moonlight from holding back his own release. It was killing him, until finally, he couldn't take it anymore, and knowing she was reaching her peak again, he set a pace that rocked them both.
Taking them both over the edge, he gave one final thrust, as deep as he could and held it, throwing back his head. The sound that was ripped from him was neither human nor immortal. It was pain and pleasure, the pentacle of both, as his seed shot into her body⦠deep, hot, and steady with his heartbeat.
Once the world was again standing still, Shinbe looked down at Kyoko just as a passion glazed smile appeared across her kiss swollen lips and her eyes slowly closed.
Already feeling the heartbreak of what heâd just done, Shinbe lowered his lips to hers and whispered the truth against them, "I love you."
*****
Sometime later, deep into the night, Shinbe awoke to find Kyoko dressed, but asleep next to him on the blanket within the shimmering grass.
Not wanting to wake her and face his sins just yet, he soundlessly carried the sleeping priestess, along with the pack she carried, within the walls of the hut where the rest of the group still slept.
Once he had her tucked into her usual spot between the wall and Suki, he slowly slid down the opposite wall, drawing his knees up to his chest, happier and more afraid than he had ever been in his life. But if he were going to die within the next couple hours, then he would die happy.
Shinbe closed his eyes wondering which would be worse, Kyoko remembering, or her not remembering. He knew he would never love another, for one had to have a heart in order to love, and he didn't have a heart. Heâd already given it away. Kyoko had carried his heart since the first day heâd laid eyes on her.
If he didn't die by Toya's daggers in the morning, he knew he would stay right where he was, secretly loving her, and hoping she would notice.
Chapter