A Light In The Heart Of Darkness. Amy Blankenship

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СКАЧАТЬ 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.

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

      â€˜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.

      â€œShoot!” 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.

      â€œAre you standing there naked?” Suki snickered knowing Kyoko blushed easily.

      â€œSuki!” 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.”

      â€œRendezvous?” 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.

      â€œAnyways, you and I are having a girl’s night out to celebrate СКАЧАТЬ