Raging Hearts. Amy Blankenship

stood over the barrier-sphere that kept Kyoko from him. With his whole body shaking from fear and anger, he gathered his guardian powers and let it pulse into the twin daggers.

      "You will not take her away from me!" His eyes instantly changed to molten silver as his powers surfaced, sending a shockwave out around him, causing his hair and clothes to flutter wildly from the blast. Holding the twin daggers together, the crossed blades turned a vivid blue as the Tenshi kissed Kyoko’s lips.

      The demon looked up just as Toya descended. In a flash, the barrier shield disappeared and the blades made contact with the Tenshi, killing it in an instant.

      Toya reached down and grabbed Kyoko around the waist, pulling her up out of the void that had formed under her. He jumped clear of the void just as the massive demon Suki and Shinbe were fighting tried to attack him again.

      Seeing that Kyoko was unconscious and not knowing what the winged demon had done to her made Toya see red. Raising his fire dagger with a furious growl, he felt the heat build within his guardian blood and released it back on the advancing demons, blasting them to smithereens.

      *****

      Yuuhi lowered the mirror of souls from Hyakuhei, who had looked away in disappointment.

      Hyakuhei’s voice remained calm. “No matter, the spell will only last a couple of hours since the Tenshi was destroyed." There was no regret, for he would have many more chances and he would capture the priestess. He opened the palm of his hand revealing the small fragments of crystal that would eventually bring her within his grasp.

      "She will still come to me." He said in a seductive voice as Yuuhi looked back into the mirror.

      *****

      Toya was so upset that he didn’t even notice the dark clouds had disappeared and the sun was once again shining its late day rays. He reached out, pulling Kyoko closer so that her head rested on his thigh as he knelt. He couldn’t see any wounds but the fact that she had passed out was scaring the hell out of him. He paid no attention to the others as they crowded around him.

      Kamui knelt by Toya's side. "Is she all right?” He gazed down at Kyoko with a catch in his voice. “I was supposed to protect her,” He whispered as he reached out and touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers. “Kyoko, please wake up… for me… come on… why won’t you wake up?” The quiver in Kamui’s voice gave away the guilt he was feeling for not saving her.

      Shinbe was the one to answer. "I recognized the lovely demon that was with her. I studied its secrets a while back. It’s called Tenshi. It’s very weak in physical attacks and can be destroyed easily. Its real power is a deceiving love spell." He directed his next question toward Toya. "It didn’t kiss her did it?”

      Toya nodded, remembering the flash of jealousy that had shot through him when the beautiful male creature dared to kiss Kyoko.

      Shinbe sighed and smacked his hand over his eyes before peeking through his fingers, "Then we may have a problem when she wakes up.”

      Toya felt his stomach quiver at the thought of Kyoko being hurt somehow. "Shinbe, what’s wrong with her? What kind of spell was it that the bastard put on her? Is there any way we can help her? An antidote or something?" He asked calmly, never taking his eyes from her for fear of her breath stopping. He’d never felt so numb in his ageless life.

      "Well, the Tenshi put a love spell on her when he kissed her. That much I know. He was probably going to take her to Hyakuhei when they started down into that void that had opened up. But since you killed the demon, the spell shouldn’t last very long.” Shinbe cast a worried glance at Toya, hoping his studies had been accurate… for all their sakes.

      Toya frowned as he moved a couple inches away from her and stood up. His heart kicked up its tempo as he asked, "What kind of spell is a love spell and why would Hyakuhei want Kyoko under it?" Then it dawned on him what Hyakuhei’s intentions had been. His hands balled into fist as his eyes widened then instantly narrowed, "Damn that bastard! I’m gonna kill him!"

      He sat down hard on the ground beside Kyoko. "Well, what’s gonna happen when she wakes up now that Hyakuhei's not here?" Toya tried to hide the fury he felt at the thought of Hyakuhei wanting Kyoko.

      Shinbe leaned over her. "Let’s find out." He tapped Kyoko on the cheek softly. "Kyoko, sweetie. Wake up." He smiled when her eyes started to flutter. Suki sat down beside him waiting for Kyoko to focus, waiting to see if she was all right.

      Kyoko's vision was blurry as she opened her eyes. Her chest hurt. She raised her hand, putting it over her heart and squeezed her eyes shut for a second. Then she heard Shinbe.

      â€œKyoko, are you alright?" Shinbe leaned over her, now coming into focus as she gazed up at him.

      Kyoko stared at him for just a moment, feeling every nerve in her body come to life. God, Shinbe was beautiful with his long, midnight blue hair hanging down around his perfect face. His eyes looked like amethyst crystals as he watched her. "I’m fine." Kyoko pushed herself up into a sitting position and wrapped her arms around his neck wanting closer to him. "Oh, Shinbe. I love you so much."

      Shinbe’s eyes flashed pure joy as Kyoko pressed herself against him. Forgetting everyone was watching, he smiled back at her and asked, "Kyoko, darling. Will you have my child?"

      Kyoko smiled, "I would love to." She waited as Shinbe started forward with his amethyst gaze on her lips. About that time, Suki's weapon landed on Shinbe's head making him dizzy. He gasped in pain as he passed out.

      Kyoko frowned as Shinbe landed in a heap beside her. In slight confusion she turned to look at Suki who was laying her weapon back on the ground with a smug look. "Aaah, Suki," Kyoko crawled toward her, smiling sensually the whole time. Reaching out, she cupped Suki's cheek with the palm of her hand. "You are so beautiful.”

      Suki’s eyes became huge as she crawled backwards trying to get away but Kyoko crawled forward following her, still smiling.

      Toya sat there, too stunned to do anything. He just watched Kyoko stalk Suki with infatuation.

      "Toya, will you please call her off!” Suki sounded like she was more scared of Kyoko than any demon had ever scared her, even in battle.

      Toya grinned as he reached over and grabbed Kyoko from behind, wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her off Suki, setting her right in his lap. He was grinning at Suki until Kyoko turned around on his lap, straddling him.

      His world came to a crashing halt as Kyoko held his gaze. The love shining in her emerald eyes for him made his lungs ache and his heart felt like someone had kicked it. Toya couldn’t breathe. It was the look he longed for and had often dreamed about. Now here she was, staring him in the face. Kyoko… was in love with him.

      "Toya…" She whispered softly, "Please, kiss me." Before he could even comply with her sweetly spoken request, Kyoko had leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She murmured the words, "I love you," just as her lips descended on his.

      Toya felt a jolt of pleasure pass through his body as though he’d just died and came back to life. When she opened her lips to him, he couldn’t help but drive his tongue deep into her, giving in to the kiss of a lifetime, searching out all the hidden places he had longed to find. He sucked in her hot breath when her kiss tried to dominate his.

      His arms coming up around her brought them closer still as a wave of possessiveness rushed through his veins. Her small hand had wound its way up into his hair, where she grasped it, holding him captive.

      Shinbe regained consciousness. Sitting up, his eyes followed the stunned gazes of Kamui and Suki. Turning to look, his jaw dropped. They looked like two lovers totally into each other and not knowing they were being watched. Shinbe reached over and grabbed Suki's arm, shaking it to get her attention although his eyes were still locked on the couple.

      Suki turned her face slightly to let him know she acknowledged his shaking her arm but her