Part Two:  From the Heart

 

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Jalala stood on the ridge above the Human's Village.  It surrounded an old castle once occupied by a female mage - long gone from this world - Jayetha, Jalala believe her name was.  She knew nothing about her and at this point didn't care.  She was too concern about how she was going to rescue Kyo.  She could just walk up and demand to see him.  It would have been allowed by the Humans but then her father would find out faster.  She decided stealth was the better option.
 
Not for the first time, she was glad she was a black Unicorn like her uncle.  She kept to the shadows, controlling the guards' perception with her empathic power.  They weren't alarmed by the sound of hoof steps on the stones and looked in other directions as she approached - suddenly more concerned about a bounding rabbit or a flittering moth than her dark movement.  Once inside the castle walls, she reverted to human form.  She trotted down the stairs that lead to the rooms that the humans had converted into cells.  She couldn't call out without alarming the guards so she peeked through one cell door window after another.

Most of the cells were empty.  There was one which contained a sleeping Thunder Demon, but she quickly moved on.  She didn't come to put humans at risk by setting dangerous prisoners free and Thunder Demons are among the most dangerous.  She quickly moved on but she was running out of rooms.  Surely they hadn't killed him, had they? she thought.  She reached the last room and gasped.

Hanging from chains on the wall was the man she sought but she almost didn't recognize him.  He had been tortured.  That much was obvious. His clothes were hanging on him in rags.  They couldn't even be called clothes any more. His head had been shaved.  Why did they shave his head?  Who could have done this?  Are these the type of people they were protecting? she thought.

 
She heard a sound approaching.  She backed into the shadows and pulled her dark cape around her.  There wasn't enough room to transform.  Two guards marched down the hallway followed by a mage, a demon mage she had never seen before. She used more of her power than she ever had before to keep from being noticed. The mage was strong.  She could sense it and it made her tremble with fear when he hesitated briefly right in front of her. His eyes could see her fine but she was just managing to keep that information from reaching his brain

The Mage grunted and then followed the guards into the room.  Jalala slipped in after him, and just missed getting caught in the door.  The only one who could see her was Kyo and the way she was floating around without being seen made him think he was hallucinating.  He said nothing as she backed against the wall to await her opportunity to set her love free.

 
"Are you ready to confess to your sins, Dragon?" the mage asked, coming right up to Kyo's face.

Kyo spit into the mage's face.  Jalala clapped her hands over her mouth to prevent her gasp of shock from being heard.  She kept her mouth covered in horror as she watched the mage pick up a whip and proceed to beat the helpless Dragon man.  She winced with every swing and then, to her further horror, she watched the mage disrobe and start to fondle himself as he continued the beating.  The mage was getting off on the pain he was causing. Jalala wanted to do something to stop him but she caught Kyo's eyes and his emotions - fear - not for himself but for her.  He compelled her to do nothing - to stay safe.  So she obeyed and instead lent him emotional strength. That was until she saw the mage move around to behind Kyo and start fondling him.  She had a good idea of what was going to happen next and she was not going to stand by and watch it happen.

Jalala yelled and transformed at the same time.  She launched herself at the mage.  Caught off guard, he ducked behind Kyo and erected a shield but too late.  Jalala was inside with them.  Since she couldn't reached the mage, directly she did the next best thing.  She freed Kyo.  Released, the Dragon whirled on the mage and struck him down with all the fury of hate, revenge, and the need to protect the one who freed him.  The human guards reacted to the attack after it was too late.  When they saw the mage hit the floor dead, they just fled.

Jalala transformed and caught Kyo as he collapsed.  Unable to support him she lowered him to the ground and pulled him away from the body.  She left him sitting against the wall while she went and gathered up the pile of clothes once belonging to the dead mage.  She returned to Kyo and started helping him put them on.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I would think that was obvious.  I'm here to rescue you."

"What would make you do such a foolish thing? "

She looked up into his eyes. "Love." she said. 

He stared at her, unable to believe his ears.  She loved him that much?  Enough to give up everything dear to her?  Nobody had ever done that for him before.  If he hadn't already fallen for her, he would have at that moment.  He reached for her face and cupped it invitingly.  Jalala accepted the invitation.  She leaned in and kissed him.  They both felt it, the passion born of love.

"Can you stand?" she asked when they parted.

He nodded and she helped him to his feet.  He stood leaning against the wall as he watched her change.  He stumbled over to her as she knelt to make it easier for him to mount.  He more fell over her back than mounted but eventually he struggled into the proper position and grab at a handful of mane as she rose.  He raised his eyebrows when he saw her horn vanish.  Clever girl, he thought. Without the horn she looked like a normal black horse, one a powerful mage would ride when he couldn't portal to his destination. With the mage's clothes on, he could be mistaken for him from a distance.  Maybe they could make it out of here alive.

Jalala carefully walked through the door and then raced down the hall.  That was until they came to the door of the Thunder Demon.

"Please Dragon, set me free too," the Demon pleaded. "I'll help you escape.  I didn't want to hurt you.  They forced me to. 

"Stop Jalala." Kyo said. "Set him free."

"But he'll hurt the Humans.  The mage was a Demon and he deserved his fate but most of the Humans are innocent.  I'm suppose to protect them!" Jalala protested.

"If the mage is dead I'll have no reason to hurt humans.  I promise.  I won't kill any of them." the Thunder Demon pledged.

"Set him free Jalala.  He's telling the truth. They were using his love for his family against him." Kyo said.

She snorted, stomped, and then sighed.  She lowered her head and her horn appeared briefly as she unlocked the door.  Then she sprinted forward and carefully up the stairs.  She didn't watch the Thunder Demon get out.  She trusted Kyo but she still prayed that they wouldn't one day regret that decision.  They raced out of the castle and into the night.

 

 
Jalala walked carefully, weaving in and around the briars, bushes and trees, balancing her precious cargo who had finally fallen into an exhausted sleep.  It was hard to believe that just 24 hours earlier they were fleeing the castle.  They had made it to the Demon World in about eight hours of fast travel time but neither of them relaxed.  Demon World was often dangerous territory. Less so with the patrolling of her Uncle's family, but still, letting down your guard in this land often resulted in death.  It wasn't until they reached the woods that Kyo finally succumbed to his body's needs. The going was so tough that, Jalala wished she could have awoken Kyo and had him fly them to her destination.  But of course that still would have been impossible because of the collar. Yet another project for them to tackle once they were safe.

It was certainly a wicked path to the hidden meadow.  No wonder her mother had chosen it as her final destination for the Ritual. For the last five miles she had to shield herself so the plant life wouldn't injure either of them or brush her passenger right off her back.  She almost lost Kyo twice because of tree limbs and his appropriated shirt was in tatters. She was wondering how much longer she could keep this up when she broke through the edge of the woods.

She heaved a weary sigh as her shield dropped.  She was leg weary and overstressed.  All she wanted to do is get to both of them to the cave and get some rest.  She made her way to the cliff face and up the narrow path behind the falls.  She reached the cave just as the sun had dropped enough to  shine directly in through the falls.  To her surprise, it illuminated furniture and a bed.  She walked to the bed.

"Kyo," she said gently.  "Wake up. We're here."

He mumbled something incoherent and rolled off her onto the bed, falling right back to sleep.  She transformed and looked around the cave in astonishment.  Somebody took a great deal of time to make the cave a livable cozy home, right down to a fireplace.

On the table was a note: "A gift for your mating day." and it was signed by her sister Isabo, her uncle, Fahd and his mate, InuTala.  Tears filled her eyes. At least three members of her family accepted her choice.  She never would have thought to tell her uncle.

"Oh, Isabo... Thank you," she said.

She turned and went back to the only bed in the room.  Kyo had sprawled out all over it.  Their mating had not yet been consummated but she was tired.  She shoved part of him out of the way and climbed in.  She had never slept with anyone before, but for some reason she never felt safer or more comfortable.  Using his arm as a pillow and curling up next to his body, she fell instantly asleep.

 

 
Kyo woke first.  At first he thought he was still dreaming.  Jalala looked like an angel.  One he didn't deserve.  She was just sixteen, so young, beautiful, and innocent.  He gazed at her, gently brushing her hair from her face.  How had she bewitched him so? Was it because she is a Unicorn?  He touched the ringlet crown on her head. It was this crown that kept her pheromones in check.  Maybe it didn't block enough to keep other males from being affected. But at the castle, he thought, the others weren't affected.  It wasn't lust that drew him, at least not that alone and that was what the pheromones affected.  He knew what lust was like. So this new feeling must be love, love at first sight, he thought.  This is the love Wolf Demons would tell him about. The love he always scoffed at.  All the time in that cell, all he could think of was her.  Her face helped him through all of it. Even if they never consummated their love he would want to be with her. He wanted her, as his mate, that's why she was still here.  That's why she gave up everything, to be his mate.  They will consummate their mating and he will make it a night of beauty and passion.

Jalala awoke, saw red eyes staring at her and squeaked in surprise as she pushed away until recognition set in.  She smiled at him, then her eyes opened wide and she squeaked again as she fell off the bed onto her rump.

"Are you alright?" Kyo asked scooting to the edge of the bed to look down at her.

Jalala laughed. "Yes, I'm fine.  I forgot I was so close to the edge of the bed."

She got to her feet and stretched.

"Well. since I'm up, I'm going to take a bath and wash this travel grime off." She looked at him. "Then we'll see if we can get that collar off."

"No."  He took her hand and kissed it, looking into her eyes.  "Then I will make you my mate, if you'll have me.  This collar can wait."

Jalala blushed. "Okay." she said shyly.

 

 
Kyo followed her down the ledge, wanting to take a bath himself.  He chose a spot near the cave where as Jalala went further down the shore.  The full moon was out.  He watched her hungrily until she moved out of sight.  He quickly washed and returned to the cave.  It was the first chance he got to look around at their new residence.  The furniture pieces were top of the line.  He picked up the note. "A gift for your mating day. Love, Isabo, Fahd, and InuTala".  Isabo... that was the young girl saw at the lake with Jalala that first day, he recalled.  Jalala must have told her.  It was such a relief to learn that Jalala didn't lose her whole family to be with him.  He'll have to make sure she got to see them as often as she wanted.  He wanted her to be happy.  He wondered over to the fireplace and found a kettle of food hanging over it just waiting to be heating.  He lit the fire and stood there watching the flames crackle around the pot.  It was his element, fire, as it was with most dragons, and it never cease amazing him.

Kyo heard footsteps coming up the path and turned. He caught his breath as he stared.  The light of the fire just barely reached her but all around her was the moonlight as it shown through the falls.  Her long dark, slightly damp, hair cascaded down her back and she wore a long, silky, sheer, and very clingy dress or wrap, Kyo didn't know which, but it was breath taking.

Jalala blushed with the openness of his evaluation stare.   None in the herd had ever openly stared at her and only her little sister told her she was beautiful. The only difference she had from everyone else was her dark hair. In a world were beauty could be seen everywhere you turned, she was common.

"By the gods, you're gorgeous," Kyo said as he walked toward her.

Jalala shook her head in denial. "Not among the Unicorns," she said.

"Then they are blind," he retorted

The two of them stood face to face.  She was just about 6 inches shorter than he was.  Just perfect, he thought.  He reached up, touched the band around her head and started to push it off her brow.  She reached up and stayed his hand.

"Don't.  I want you to love me as you are.  Not someone being controlled by hormone driven lust," she said.

"I've already pledged my lifelong love for you, no hormones involved.  I want to know you, all of you."  He saw the fear in her eyes.  It was not ritual she feared this time.  It was the fear of a virgin on the verge of her first night of love.  The first night can take a woman to the greatest heights or ruin sex for her forever.  He was going to make sure Jalala learned the pleasure of love.  "Don't be afraid, Jalala.  I will not hurt you any more than I have to and I will make sure you only remember the pleasure. Trust me."

She looked into his eyes and saw nothing but love.  She dropped her hand and surrendered herself to him.  He pushed the crown off her head and tossed to to the table. It was an aphrodisiac that took immediate affect on him, setting him on fire inside but not out of control. Kyo took her into his arms and kissed her, encouraging her to open her mouth and to taste her as he started pushing down her wrap.

 
The removal of the crown affected Jalala too.  Her fear evaporated.  She never realized that the crown did more than keep her pheromones in check, it also inhibited her heat driven sexual feelings.  Now all she wanted was Kyo to make love to her. She returned his kiss, tasting him and feeling his tongue as it entered her mouth.  Unable to remain standing, they both dropped to their knees.  She ran her hands down his chest, to his pants.  She loosened them and her hands snuck down inside. Her inexperienced fingers sought and found his groin.  She had seen it before in that cell but this time was different.  Kyo gasped and then reached for and moved her hands away.
 
"If you keep that up, I won't be able to do this right." he said, clasping her hands in front of him as he struggled for control.  How had she moved him so close to losing it?  She didn't even know what she was doing.  Must be those pheromones, he thought
 
She smiled at him with her eyes dancing mischievously.  He smiled back.

"Little vixen," he laughed, thrilled with her innate sense of play.  This was his mate.  He had no doubts now.  He rose and swept her up with him.  He carried her to the bed with more difficulty than he expected.  His pants kept trying to slip down and bind his legs. 

Finally he said, "To hell with this," set Jalala on her feet and pushed off the offending clothing.  When he stood straight again with only his shirt on, Jalala stepped forward and started pulling at it.  He let her take it off and then watched her as she crawled on the bed and started disrobing herself with her back to him.  She smiled alluringly at him from over her shoulder.   He walked to the bed, climbed on and embraced her  She gazed into his eyes and begged for a kiss.  he leaned in and tasted her precious lips and mouth.

 
Kyo lead her into the discovery of the wonders of love and, although it did involve a moment of pain when he made her a woman, it was quickly forgotten in his arms.

As their heartbeats returned to normal, he nuzzled her neck and whispered apologies to her.  He rolled off of her and then gathered her to him, spooning her from behind. 

Jalala held Kyo's embracing arm and nestled close to him, using his lower arm as a pillow.  She was sore but he had been wonderful and as gentle as possible.  He had taken the time to teach her the pleasure of sex.  If she had gone through with the Ritual, she would have been raped and she would have never learned of the pleasure of making love.  He saved her and she was now his, heart and soul - forever.

"Kyo?" she asked.

"Hum?"

"What's your full name?"

"Kyoryugeromaru," he responded kissing her neck.

"Kyoryugeromaru, I love you."

 

Song: "Forbidden Love" by Madonna

 

 

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