by JK Ensley
“Aye, Lad. That’ll do.”
Chapter 26
Jenevier
(ZHEN-ah-veer)
“How did you manage to grow your hair this long and it still be beautiful all the way to the tips?”
“This is how I was made, Naga.”
“You mean… fully grown?”
“As you see me is how I was, then and now.”
She stood on her tiptoes. “Can you bend your head back? Just a little more?”
He complied with a teasing smile. “Why? Can you not reach me? Are you too short for the job?”
She pinched his side, twisting it a little.
“Ouch! You little demon.”
She giggled. “You have no idea.”
“Oh, I believe I may have some idea.” He turned to face her. “You are changed in more ways than just your coloring, Kagi Naga.” He wrapped her single black curl around his finger. “Perhaps your outside holds proof to what lies within—snow white innocence… with just a touch of darkness, here and there.”
“If that were true,” she said. “I believe the dawn would have revealed another black curl or two.”
“At least two,” he whispered against her waiting mouth. “Nay, perhaps only two silver ones would yet remain.”
His wry smile and heated gaze made her tummy twist into knots.
“Shall I do something about those two as well?” he whispered.
His kiss pulled fire from her core, sent it raging throughout her being. Munenori lifted her up, holding her to him, wrapping her legs around his thin waist.
Here, in the perfect light of day, Jenevier marveled at his delicious form. The way his taut muscles rippled beneath the skin of his chiseled abdomen, his slightest movements creating a virtual symphonic feast for her hungry eyes. This undisguised vision of his gloriously naked, flawlessly angelic body, viciously stirred her most base, carnal desires. A raw lust, one that left her mouth watering, her heart racing, and feral thoughts running wild within her.
“Angel, you own me,” she whispered. “Did you know that? Do you have any idea how lost I am to your embrace?” Her nails dug into his shoulders. “Your magical eyes erase my thoughts, wipe clean my past, present, and all future memories… only you remain. Your gentle smile… it not only imprisons my mind but my heart as well. And your voice… ahh, Munenori, your voice effortlessly places you at the center of my universe. All else falls away. We stand in the midst of a void, a realm of our own design. I would be blissfully content to spend eternity right here, under this waterfall, drinking in the glory that is your captivating form. You do something to me, Angel. Something mysterious, inexplicable. The more I have you, the more I desire you. If I could devour you whole… still, I would not be satisfied.”
“Naga, you have no idea how I have fantasized about hearing words akin to those falling from your delicious lips. I never dreamt I would be able to say this, minus an epic angelic battle, but… be mine, Naga. Give me the family I didn’t even know I needed until I met you. Grant me my greatest wish. Give me your love, tiny Angel.”
“Your request comes far too late, Senpai. I’m way past being able to stop. As I said, you own me. At but a glance, I tremble. When you brush up against me, or the feel of your breath upon my skin… I melt. I am utterly powerless before you, Munenori. Do with me as you will. I can deny you nothing, and am grateful for everything.”
He groaned with the dark pleasure her words brought him. Closing his eyes, his senses were engulfed by the feel of her. She owned him as well. And he basked in that knowledge, drowned himself in it.
“Do you recall what I once told you about the two of us, Naga? About what would happen if I shared my special magic with you, gave in to my forbidden desire for you?”
“Forbidden?” She was having a hard time concentrating, her mind melting with each passing second. “No, beautiful Angel. I don’t recall ever having a conversation concerning your desires, forbidden or otherwise.”
Her words came out broken, her breathing, labored. She was heady with growing desire, her heart content to stay like this with this man, always.
He did not stop, would not stop kissing her as he spoke. “I told you then, Kagi Naga, being with you the way I wanted to, the way I am now, would be a dangerous thing indeed. Of all women, throughout all time and creation… only you are forbidden me. Alas, Little Fire, I desire you above everything. And have since the first moment I laid eyes upon you.”
He moved against her and stilled, every muscle tense, his eyelids fluttering. Slowly he relaxed his shoulders, smiled, and then kissed her again.
“Dangerous? What are you saying, Senpai? Tell me. Why am I forbidden you? And why would an Angel willingly dance around with danger?”
He hugged her tight before releasing her, melting beneath the pristine waters, exhausted. “It is you, little one. Everything about you removes rational thought. The absolute only way I managed to remain strong in your presence… was you.”
“Me? But… what are you saying?”
“Yes, you.” Munenori smiled. “You were my strength, Little Fire.” He pulled her to him, floated through the waters with her resting upon his chest. “You teased me and taunted me. Yet you were the one who didn’t let me stray. Your incessant giggles at my serious advances doused my heated intentions. You stayed maddeningly close to me, but you took special care not to touch my bare flesh or linger too long within my grasp. You are my delicious poison, Naga. And you were the only reason I did not drink of you.”
“Delicious poison,” she whispered. “Yes, I believe that label was given to me by many.”
“I am certain it was.” He embraced her once more.
His kisses were amazing, knee-weakening, resolve-shattering. No matter what his present confession meant, she didn’t want him to stop. He had cast a powerful spell over her and the pull of his magic was too strong, too enticing to resist.
“But when you nuzzled against my chest, Naga, kissed my bare flesh… I was completely undone. The fault is mine. Yet I cannot feel bad, cannot feel regret or remorse. I was too comfortable with you. I relied too much on your fierce strength. I let my guard down and did the worst thing I could possibly do. I held you as you slept.”
She smiled. “Yes. And in so doing, you became my delicious poison, Munenori.”
He froze, stilled his caressing hands, held his breath as he stared into her sparkling snowflakes. “Say that again, Naga.”
She placed her lips against his ear and whispered, “You are my delicious poison, Munenori. Your voice tingles across my flesh. Your touch ignites a fire deep within me. Your kiss is my undoing. You, Munenori, the whole of you, is a perilously stimulating elixir I cannot stop drinking.”
He slowly released his breath, heady with the power he now wielded over her. It was intoxicating. “Then… we are both lost.” He held her against him, pressing ever tighter. “I cannot refuse you and I cannot get enough of you. Try as I might, I cannot hold you close enough, kiss you deep enough, or stay within you long enough to even begin to sate my desires. I want to engulf you, tiny Angel.” He kissed her as he spoke, melting her with each warm touch of his perfect lips. “I count my lucky stars your heavenly Blessing is no longer at your side. I am powerless in your presence, unable to even release you long enough to raise my blade in defense. If Daichi were here, he would slay the both of us… minus thought.”
At the mention of the sapphire Angel’s name, a jolt of lightning coursed through her, highlighting bits and pieces of moments she could not clearly recall.
“Stop, Munenori,” her voice was numbly automatic, frail sounding.
The mossy lavender Angel kissing her neck either did not hear her, or did not heed her
“Stop, Munenori. Stop,” she begged. “Something’s wrong… off. And I cannot grasp the whole of it if you keep touching me like that.”
He paused for half a heartbeat, and then continued.
Daichi, help me, she pleaded.
Placing her han
ds on his chest, she meant to shove him away… bad idea. The feel of his lean body absolved her will. She fought hard, trying to regain the glimpse of resolve she’d felt but a moment ago.
“Senpai, please stop. Stop kissing me!” Her feeble cries bounced off the surrounding cliffs, echoing around them.
He pulled back, searching her eyes, confused and hurt.
“Step away from me, now.”
He didn’t move.
“Release me, Angel,” she pleaded.
His hands fell loosely to his sides, pain now etched across his flawless face. His blissful smile faded.
She sighed, relieved. “Now, take a step away from me,” she whispered.
“But… I don’t want to,” he said, mournfully.
Her heart ached. She didn’t want him to, either. “Just humor me a moment, sweetest lover.”
She smiled at him and his eyes lit up. He took a small step back.
“One more,” she coaxed.
He obeyed.
At her urging, Munenori took one step at a time until nearly five feet of air was between them.
“Very good,” she said. “Now, turn around.”
He slowly shook his head, refusing her, tears filling his enchanting eyes.
Oh dear heavens, she only wanted to grab him, hug him to her. She wanted to kiss away his pain-filled tears, lose herself in his comforting embrace. Jenevier wanted nothing more than to cuddle against his angelic chest and let him worship her the way he had been, all night and all day. She didn’t want to remember, not if it meant losing the euphoric feeling of being with this glorious man before her.
She bit her lip until the rusty taste of blood filled her mouth. “Turn around, Munenori. I have a surprise for you.” She hated lying to him, hated everything about what she was doing.
Begrudgingly, he complied.
Almost immediately, she felt a great weight lift from her heaving chest. She bent forward, hands upon her knees, bracing herself against the mighty war waging within her.
Jenevier took a deep breath. “Now, take one step forward.”
He waited a moment, and then obeyed.
“And another one, beautiful brother.”
The farther he went, the easier it was to keep going.
“Again, Senpai, take another step.”
Soon, twenty feet separated the passionate Angels. Only now did her breathing return to normal.
Jenevier flew out of the water, circling high in the air, drying her curls and clearing her mind. When she landed, Munenori was still standing in the water where she’d left him.
She slipped on her tunic and lit upon a large boulder near the river’s edge. “Now, come here, my magical lover. Dry yourself off and get dressed. We need to talk, you and I.”
When he had finished, Munenori felt almost like himself again. He stood near the large chunk of rock, leaning against it, looking up sideways at her.
“Well, hell,” he mumbled.
At his knowing words, a wave of laughter came flooding out of her. She fell back, holding her stomach with both hands.
He only rolled his eyes. “How’d you do that?”
She peeked over the edge of the rock, wiping her jovial tears, looking down at his scowling face and furrowed brow. “Do what?” Her smile was huge, teasingly so.
He hated her smug look, and had missed it like crazy at the same time. “Where did you find the strength, little one?”
Her chin was resting in the heels of her palms, fingertips lightly touching her cheek bones. She peered down at him.
“I know not. Perhaps something you said struck a chord within my jumbled mind. All I knew for sure, was I had to distance myself from your awesomeness.” She wiggled her fingers on either side of her face, almost like she was putting quotations around the word.
He gaped at her. “Was that sarcasm? Did you just make a joke about the seriousness of our crime?”
“Crime?” She jumped down, landing lightly beside him. “The only crime I know of is that a much older Angel used his special magic abilities on me while I was sleeping.” She pinched his arm, hard.
“Dammit, that hurt.” He rubbed at the bruising spot. “Ugh, I hate you,” he grumbled.
She hugged him around the waist. “No, you don’t. You love me too much to hate me, Brother.”
He tenderly patted the top of her head. “I am so wretchedly sorry, Little Fire.”
She looked up at him. “Never apologize for this. You did nothing wrong. We did nothing wrong. You are my sensei. You were protecting me, watching over me. You were doing the most natural thing in the world… holding me while I crumbled. Keeping all the shattering pieces of me right there, together. And for that, I will always thank you, always.” She squeezed him just a little tighter. “Now, as for what happened after that, I will never forget it. And I refuse to regret it. Wrapped in your strong arms, Munenori, lost in your worshipping love, it was a divinely joyous thing. A precious memory I will treasure forever. The way you made me feel—needed, desired, loved—I have never fathomed meaning so much to someone.” She released him and stepped back, clearing her throat. “It is what it is and I wouldn’t change a single moment of it. Whatever ripples I must face because of loving you, I will gladly face them.”
He smiled knowingly. “We will do so, together.” He placed his hands tenderly upon her cheeks and kissed the top of her head. “Gratitude, Kagi Naga. Thank you for accepting my love. And thank you for cherishing my feelings.”
“And thank you, dear Munenori, for letting me love you in return.”
He bowed toward her in their half-praying manner. “It is as it should be.”
She mirrored his gesture. “As it should be.”
“Namaste, little Angel.”
“Namaste, Brother.” She looked him in the eye. “Yet, I have confession to make. I didn’t want to do it, Munenori, didn’t want to separate from you. That… was the hardest thing I can ever remember having to do. All I truly wanted was to fall into your arms and remain there forever. I still do. My feelings in your regard have not changed.”
“Then we are of like-mind, Little Fire. Our confessions are matched.” He smiled and held his hand out to her. “Come. You have some ancient friends eagerly awaiting your return. Nilakanta will be furious if I keep you all to myself. And I have a surprise waiting for you as well.”
She giggled as she took his proffered hand and they flew through the beautiful secret valley, together.
“Ah, Milady, behold.” He pointed to where she was already looking, squeezing her hand as he whispered, “Here lie ye Dragons.”
Chapter 27
Yui
(YOO-ee)
“Aye. So ye think he loved her, then?” Vittorio asked.
“I do,” Yui said, with a slight nod of his head.
“Tell me, wee ninja. How can a man lay hands upon the woman he loves, an’ beat her so horribly? How can this man then say he loves the very thing he destroyed?”
“I didn’t say it was right. Nor did I say it was understandable. The truer question would be more like… What is love? If you asked this to any speaking creature, you would receive many different answers. Then where do you find the truth in it? I believe the answer has to come from your own heart.”
“Aye, Lad, now yer just playing around with words. Making excuses for a madman.”
“I will never make excuses for Musashi or for the vile, inhuman things he did to my Princess.” Yui’s eyes were cold and hard as he spoke. “I will never forgive him. Not in this life or the next.” He paused, trying desperately to rein in his rising temper, closing tight his eyes to shut out the horrible memory. “I was simply answering your question as honestly as I could. Yes, Musashi loved Jenevier. He loved her the only way he knew how to love.” He glanced back over at Vittorio. “The problem you’re having, Guardian, is with your own thoughts on love. You believe love to be a glorious and noble thing. But I tell you. Love comes from the heart. And if a heart is neither glorious nor nobl
e, how can its actions be? Musashi loved her the only way his violent heart knew how to love… violently.”
“Aye now, an’ how is it ye speak with such knowledge of love when ye are but a wee lad? Have ye loved many maids?” Vittorio chuckled teasingly. “Ye are fair tae look upon. A prettier lad I’ve nae seen. The maids fall down at yer feet, do they nae? Aye, I know they do.” He elbowed the blushing young man playfully. “An’ what makes ye think I see love as a glorious an’ noble thing, wee ninja?”
“Your heart.” Yui smiled knowingly. “You have a valiant heart, Guardian. You are effortlessly gracious, caring, and chivalrous to a fault.”
“An’ how do ye come by such knowledge as this? Ye know naethin’ of me, Lad. My heart cannae be as wondrous a thing as it is in yer naïve young mind.”
“Oh, but I do know you,” Yui said. “Quite well, actually. The very chairs we now sit upon are the same ones Princess Jenevier and I sat in as she told me about you.”
“Aye, did she now? An’ just what did she tell ye?”
“She told me many things—all about the Vanir and her job as the Death Angel. She told me about her childhood friends and her ethereal new family.” Yui looked sideways at the man, grinning. “But when she would mention you, when your name came up, she changed. Her voice would soften and her beautiful eyes would just dance. When she said your name, the brightest smile I’ve ever seen would spread across her lovely face… even if she was crying. The things you did for her, Vittorio—the way you spoke to her, how you treated her. Those are the very things that fairytales are made of.”
“Aye, nae have I met one like her,” he whispered.
“I’ll share something with you, but you can never let her know I told you,” Yui said.
“A secret, is it?” Vittorio chuckled lightly.
“Not a secret. Well, not exactly. She may not even know the truth of it herself. But… you healed her when no amount of magic could do the job. You, Vittorio, are the perfect foundation all her Fairytales are built upon. Every other man in this universe is measured by the standards you set. Whether she knows she’s doing it or not, all men are compared to you in her mind, in her heart. Your actions, Guardian, are her golden sigil set high atop a mountain. A mountain we must each climb if we ever hope to be accepted by that extraordinary little Angel. You, Brother, are the scales upon which we are all weighed.”
