A Light In The Heart Of Darkness

Chapter 2-2

The park was always peaceful this time of the day. It was still afternoon and the sun was high in the sky. Kotaro strolled lazily through the trees close to the center where a huge block of marble was sitting. He had no idea where it came from… it had been there for as long as he could remember, it was even older then the city itself. All he knew for sure was that he felt an overwhelming sense of peace whenever he was near it.

‘Who’d figure that a square rock would bring about tranquil thoughts?’ Kotaro muttered to himself.

Taking another path between the trees, he made his way over to the stone so he could look at it. Even if he’d been completely happy that day… just making sure it was still there made him feel better.

Kotaro stopped in his tracks when he entered the center where it was and frowned at the individual sitting Indian style on the top of it with elbows on his knees and chin cupped in his hands. Short purple hair swayed in the soft breeze making the young looking man seem very childlike.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Kotaro demanded.

Kamui grinned without looking at him. Instead, he nodded in the direction of the college off in the distance. “Waiting for class to start.”

Kotaro shook his head and moved on before stopping again and whirling around to face Kamui. “What are you talking about? You don’t even go to this school.”

Kamui winked before slowly fading out of existence in a flurry of glittering rainbow dust. “I know.”

Kotaro glared at the dust swirling about before it vanished completely. “Sometimes that boy is such an enigma,” he informed the now empty space then his eyes moved lower as if caressing the stone. He heard the sound of running feet hitting the pavement but didn’t really notice until someone tapped him on the shoulder. He literally jumped and spun around to see Hoto and Toki bent over with their hands resting on their knees trying to catch their breath.

“What’s got you two winded?” Kotaro asked with a smirk as he regained his composure.

Hoto waved a piece of paper in front of him. “For you… from police… important.”

Kotaro took the paper, “From the police huh? Must be really big to make you two run the marathon.”

Toki nodded before falling over onto his side to rest. Hoto merely sank to his knees and rested his head on the grass.

“You two are the biggest wimps I’ve ever seen,” Kotaro complained good-naturedly.

“Side hurts,” Toki whined. “Must get back… to… air conditioned… office.”

Kotaro sighed in resignation and left them to bake in the warm sunshine before opening the note. His hand closed, crinkling the paper he had just received from the police station not far from campus. Another girl had disappeared without a trace. He had spent a long time investigating the disappearances of many young girls, which had eventually led him to the college where he was now head of security.

His thoughts instantly turned to his beloved Kyoko. He had found her again and just as he had expected… Toya was not far away. One thing that had surprised him was the fact that Toya had been reborn normal… human, or so it seemed.

Sometimes he could feel the true Toya lying just beneath the surface… unaware of his own existence, but so far that part of him had remained asleep. “Thank God for small favors.” Kotaro ran an agitated hand through his windblown hair.

It suited him fine that neither of them remembered the past… it was a memory best forgotten. He wished he had the same privilege to forget… but for him, the memory remained… often waking him up at night in a cold sweat.

Leaving the park he found himself standing on the stone walk in front of the campus. Kotaro lifted his ice blue eyes in the direction Kyoko lived. He frowned as concern etched his features and had the sudden urge to check in on ‘his woman’.

The long part of his layered dark hair was pulled back in a band hanging low. The rest of his hair from bangs to crown was in a constant state of looking naturally windblown; giving him the appearance of a punk bad boy but that suited him just fine. This appearance had served him more than once in recent years.

His body was tall with slender muscles… but looks could be deceiving. He didn’t have an ounce of fat to spare and was stronger than fifty human men put together. The only people who knew of his inhuman strength were those who chose to give him a hard time or dared to get in his way. And those few were too scared to say a word. No one on campus knew Kotaro’s secret side and he wanted to keep it that way.

Kotaro was responsible for the safety of every person that walked on campus whether it was a visitor, student or faculty member. Young women had started disappearing from this area about a month ago at an alarming rate and mostly from the grid surrounding the college grounds.

A low growl formed deep within his chest as he inhaled the scents around him. The air had become tainted with an ancient scent… evil. He was getting closer to the one who was responsible for more than just the missing girls… he could feel it. Pushing those thoughts aside for now, he started walking briskly toward the surrounding apartments that housed many of the innocent college students.

He would go check in on Kyoko and if she would let him, his eyes darkened attractively… he wouldn’t leave her side for the rest of the day… or night. He only hoped Toya wasn’t hanging around her again today. He wanted her all to himself. After all, she was truly his woman and that ‘boy’ would have to get a life.

His steps slowed for a moment at the irony of it… he was glad Toya at least now had a life. An almost amused smirk appeared as he mentally threatened that life if he didn’t quit hounding Kyoko all the time.

Just the thought of her sitting next to him on her comfortable couch, eating popcorn, and watching some cheesy movie sounded like the perfect evening. They shared something like that at least once a week and to him… that was his favorite part of the week. He got his uninterrupted time with the auburn haired beauty. It didn’t matter whether they were watching a movie or just sitting on her couch talking… he just loved the feel of her snuggled next to him.

Kotaro smirked to himself in satisfaction as he wondered what it would be like to always be by her side… day and night.

His smirk faded at his next thought… Kyoko hadn’t actually chosen him over Toya, yet. At least not in this lifetime. “Some things never change.” He looked upward as if sending a silent sarcastic ‘thanks for all the help in that area.’ to whoever was listening. Something told him the gods had to have the most disturbing since of humor.

*****

Finals were finally over and Kyoko had been singing those words all afternoon. She had been a good girl and studied till she was sick to death of it, but it had all paid off. She just knew she’d aced those evil tests. That thought alone had made her want to do a happy dance all the way back to her apartment today.

In fact, the first thing she’d done as soon as she walked in the door was fling her books across the living room like they were disease infested and finally succumbed to the urge… performing an impromptu ‘happy dance’ right in the doorway, looking like she had a bit of geek left in her after all.

This was immediately followed by her own rendition of a touchdown dance she’d seen Toya do once, shaking her butt all the way down the hall to her bathroom so she could run a hot bubble bath. Kyoko then decided if she was going to do this it would be done right and went to turn on her stereo and grabbed a few candles.

She was still making cute victory noises by the time the tub filled and she made short work of her clothing by taking them off and throwing them wherever she pleased. ‘Most likely I’ll find my underwear hanging from the ceiling fan when I get done.’ She thought to herself then shrugged and stepped into the water.

She slid down further into the bath to let the bubbles floating along the top caress her neck and shoulders. Her emerald green eyes, that were sometimes known to turn stormy at a moment's notice, were shining with contentment.

Her auburn waves of hair were piled haphazardly on top of her head and her silky smooth skin was hidden now beneath the bubbles. She was a happy girl… and all she really wanted to do was relax for the rest of the day. A bit of soft music in the background, some sweet smelling candles lit all around the bathroom and it was the perfect setting.

She closed her eyes knowing his image would soon come into focus… as if waiting for her. It was her secret to keep.

Ice blue eyes watched her from within her mind. She had dreams of him so many times during the nights that now she could summon them even during her waking hours. The deeper she became entwined in the dream, the more real he became until it seemed he was really there… kneeling beside the bathtub.

His lips tilted in a sensual smirk as he reached out and took the washcloth from her… his eyes becoming as bright as blue flame.

“Dreams are nice,” she whispered as she rolled her head to the side letting him do what he wanted.

‘Ring, Ring.’ One of the most annoying sounds in the world echoed throughout the apartment. Kyoko jerked forward in the tub sloshing the water over the rim and onto the tile floor. Raising her hand to her cheek, she could feel the heat there and blushed just as the phone rang again.

“Shoot!” She stood up quickly knowing the phone was all the way in the living room. Stepping out of the water, she grabbed the silk robe from the counter and wrapped it around her as she ran to answer it.

Realizing she was leaving a trail of water, she made a mental note to remember to take the cordless phone to the bathroom with her the next time.

On the other end of the irritating ringing, Suki tapped her fingernails on the kitchen counter wishing Kyoko would hurry up already and get to the phone. She had this nagging feeling that Shinbe would be here any minute, and she didn’t want him to know anything about what she was planning.

She heard the click on the other end. “Finally!”

Kyoko pulled the phone back from her ear to glare at it then placed it back. “Suki, I was in the bath!” Kyoko nearly whined as she gazed longingly back toward the bathroom door where she knew the water was still hot and scented with jasmine. It beckoned her to return and enjoy… so did the dream. She bit her bottom lip as she dragged her eyes away from what she wanted.

“Are you standing there naked?” Suki snickered knowing Kyoko blushed easily.

“Suki!” Kyoko cried into the receiver. Her friend simply had a warped sense of humor, which probably came from being around Shinbe way too much. She grinned mischievously as she countered, “Did you need something? I have a hot, steamy bath calling my name and you’re interrupting my little rendezvous.”

“Rendezvous?” Suki looked at the phone and rolled her eyes. “You definitely need help Kyoko. Who ever heard of getting romantic in bathwater without someone there with you? At least get a spark of imagination and think about a sexy man to wash your back while you’re in there.” She sighed in an exasperated tone unaware she had just shocked Kyoko to the core at how close her mental picture really was.

“Anyways, you and I are having a girl’s night out to celebrate finals being over,” Suki chirped. She wasn’t about to let Kyoko say no.

“I won’t take no for an answer either, so start getting ready. And wear that outfit we bought last weekend. I’ll do the same.” Suki inhaled deeply and quickly started again before Kyoko could get a word in edgewise. “Be ready by 7:30. Love ya. Byeeee!”