The Capture Which way? Which way? Syaoran looked around helplessly, trying to backtrack. He had skid to a halt, almost sure he had left everyone of those guards behind him but he was completely lost now. This was not the way he had gone before, none of it looked familiar. He ducked to the side, throwing himself into an alleyway and he looked down the entire length, seeing the end leading off into another street several feet down. It would be better than going back the way he had come, he realized. With barely another thought, he took off, racing down the alleyway in search of the way home. He glanced up as a knock came at the door. How polite, he thought with a sneer. “Hai.” The door slowly opened and in floated the red-haired girl, green eyes downcast. She kept her eyes down as she entered, closing the door behind herself silently. “Konban wa,” she said softly. He studied her thoughtfully for a moment, tilting his head to get a better look at her. Yes, definitely attractive. Beautiful, in fact. Soft skin, which he noticed from where he stood. Wide, innocent eyes. Silky fine hair. And a wonderfully slender frame clothed in nothing but a sheer wrap that hid nothing from the imagination. But, for a moment, she was also familiar. He narrowed his eyes at her, coming closer. No, he didn’t know her. Why should she be familiar? But she had to know something about his double and he was going to get the information out of her if it was the last thing he did. He forced a gentle smile on his face. Tenderness. He laughed at it. What was tenderness, other than weakness? Wordless for the moment, he simply held his hand out to her. The girl grimaced faintly, turning her face away to hide the slip and without lifting her eyes to him she placed her hand in his. A cold hand, trembling slightly. He fought the frown that threatened to cross his face. It was an insult. “Am I such a beast that you can’t look me in my face?” he asked her quietly. She quickly raised her gaze, fixing her eyes on him. “Not at all, my Lord,” she answered, blinking wide-eyed. “I’m sorry.” He nodded, although inside he felt the need to have someone executed. “It was a simple question. I thought perhaps I had done something to offend you.” And he shrugged, pulling her into the circle of his arms slowly. She went almost reluctantly, one hand clutched in his, the other catching to grasp the back of his other arm. “You have a name, I trust?” he asked in a soft purr, lips close to her ear. She was stiff in his embrace. “Yes, my Lord. It’s-“ Sakura. He blinked as the name came to him, just as she answered, “Sakura…” Very slowly, he pulled his head back to look at her, eyes narrowed questioningly. Her green eyes peered back, looking at him head on. “Sakura?” he asked her, almost hesitantly. At her nod he studied her for another long moment, blinking thoughtfully. Why couldn’t he place her face? He pushed it aside. What did it matter if he knew her? This wasn’t the reason for her being there at the moment. There were more important matters at hand. There were questions to be answered. A magic user to destroy once and for all. And a beautiful girl to seduce. He leaned toward her once more, lips brushing her cheek. She tilted her head away, eyes closing as he nuzzled her skin, as he pressed a soft kiss to her jaw. “You have the loveliest skin,” he said faintly, lifting a hand to brush aside her hair. The soft scent of cherry blossoms and freesia rose from her, almost assaulting him. He inhaled deeply, feeling as if this scent could somehow drug him. He wanted to taste that smell, imagined what it would be like upon his tongue. Very slowly, he parted his lips and brushed his tongue against the underside of her jaw, close to her pounding pulse. A soft sigh escaped her, fingers lifting to grasp him as if he were a lifeline. His hair was soft under her fingertips, her skin sensitive to the brush of his flesh against hers. Her palm was pressed to his jaw, and she felt the muscle move as he bowed his head towards her neck, frail kisses trailing the length. She grasped at him, her hand trailing down toward the column of his neck and then digging into his collar, pulling it towards the end of his shoulder. He pulled her closer, wondering dimly in the back of his head why she had an effect on him like this. He prided himself on being the Seducer, on always getting what he wanted and then being able to turn his back on what had been given. His arm wound her waist, realizing she fit perfectly against him. His other hand lifted toward his shoulder, coming in contact with her hand already there. He trailed his fingers down the length of her arm, brushing across smooth skin towards a pale, bared shoulder. And the dizzying scent rose from her skin as well, not only her hair. Sakura threw her head back as he floated lower, mouth tracking a path of soft caresses along the smooth skin of her chest. And then, very slowly, she opened her eyes, shuddering as his hair brushed her jaw, and she lifted her hands to grasp his face, fingers running over the smooth bone of his cheeks. He hesitated, breath faint against her chest and then he inhaled sharply as she lifted his face and pressed the softest kiss to his forehead. He stared at her, lips parted in helpless confusion at the emotion shimmering in her eyes. One hand dropped away from his face to brush back his hair and he couldn’t understand why, why she was gazing at him with such a look of love. Of lost love. She smiled at him faintly, fingertips running over his brow and then she bowed her head, lips moving toward his. He recoiled from her as if she had struck him. His hands pulled away, hair ruffling with the sudden gesture and he stared at her, eyes narrowing with anger. Sakura stared at him, green eyes wide. His mouth opened to say something but nothing came out, nothing at all. No words flowed into sentences in his mind, he was so stunned. But what scared him was that this was something he had also wanted. Deep down he had wanted her kiss, had wanted to know what it tasted like upon his mouth. His anger grew at that, at such an admission of weakness. “You won’t kiss me,” she whispered, hands dragging the wrap closer to her body. He growled low in his throat, head bowing, brown eyes glinting coldly. “I don’t kiss anyone,” he said, forcing patience. And he turned away from her, inhaling deeply to calm the mix of emotions running through his body. Anger, definite anger at the fact that he could let his guard down. Anger that he had misjudged her. Confusion that he knew her name deep inside, that he recognized her features as if he had been witness to their creation in a dream long forgotten. And pure hunger to possess her, more powerful than any pull he had ever experienced. “Who was he?” he asked huskily, breathing to calm his pulse. She didn’t answer his question. He whirled on her, fury burning in his eyes. “Who was he?” he demanded, registering the confusion on her face but not caring one way or another. “Who?” she asked faintly. His anger exploded then and he lunged at her, grasping her by her shoulders and shaking her roughly. A small cry escaped her as she winced, fingers pulling on the wrap tightly. “My double! Who was he? Who made him?” he shouted. “I don’t know!” she cried at him, and she yanked herself out of his grasp, stumbling away from him. He glared at her, not wanting to realize how small she looked then, how disoriented. But he took it in nonetheless as she looked about in sudden fear. “This is why I’m here,” she asked him faintly. “Not because you…not because you…” she shook her head fiercely at him. “Because you don’t. You don’t…understand…” “You’re here because it was what I desired,” he said to her icily. “You’re here to please me.” She shook her head. “No-“ “Yes,” he said with a sudden cruel smile. And he closed the distance between the two of them, taking hold of her hand and pulling her into his arms. She instantly resisted, flailing against him, face turned away. His hands took hold of the wrap and he yanked, wanting to see all of her. Needing to feel all of her against him. The wrap came away but even as he pulled it aside, the material floating in his grasp, she threw herself into him, embracing him tightly. He stiffened, staring straight ahead over the head of red hair in his line of vision. She doesn’t want me to see her… Her hand lifted, body hunched against him, and she swiped blindly at his hand, taking hold of the wrap once more. Anxiously, she clothed herself in it, hands folding before her chest. But she still did not remove herself from him. He continued to stare blankly over her head. He tightened his jaw after a hesitation, hands lifting to grasp her shoulders. And then, coldly, he flung her away, leaving one hand outstretched toward her as she looked up at him, face pale. “Get out,” he ordered in a faint, shaking tone of barely controlled patience. “Get out now before I have your head.” Sakura gazed at him, tears shimmering in her eyes. Her bare shoulders rose as she inhaled shakily but his expression remained closed, hand lifted to stop any protest. Wordlessly she turned away, pulling his door open and vanishing out like a wraith. He stared after her as his door shut and once he was alone he faltered, knees nearly giving out. Her scent still hung in the room, invading his senses. He couldn’t think. Numbly, he staggered over to his bed and tossed himself upon it, hands lifting to rub at his face. A witch armed with a spell to ruin him. That’s what she was. And he had somehow walked into her trap. Believing himself to be the hunter. How easily his defenses had crumbled against her. How weak he was, he realized. Weak now to see her face in his mind and long for it yet. But in the deep recesses of his mind was her face, smiling jubilantly, and never before had he seen her smile like that. He didn’t know her. He didn’t know how he could see her smile like that when he had never encountered her before. His door slid open silently but he heard it, was aware of another presence in the room with him. He recognized the presence immediately but didn’t bother rising or saying a damn thing. Instead, he allowed the person to draw near, not lifting a protest as a soft pair of lips brushed the corner of his mouth. He turned his face away, frowning. She knew, better than anyone else that he didn’t like being kissed on the mouth. It was a sign of affection and he had no affection for anyone, especially not the whores he kept in his home. The figure straddled his weary form and only then did he turn his head to look at her. Long, cat eyes with soft hair falling down the sides of her face. She disrobed herself to loom naked above him but he didn’t show much of a reaction. He exhaled as she rubbed up against him, hands moving to his collar to undo his shirt. You’re not her. He frowned as he thought it but then closed his eyes to shut out Hikaru’s face. It was all right that it wasn’t her. He could always imagine she had red hair and green, green eyes. Syaoran slid to a stop, at last recognizing the street he was on. One more block and he would be on his way home. There was the bar, noises still ringing from it at this time of night. He dove forward, racing with all his might. And only then did he see the guards coming from the opposite direction. He almost stopped, heart jumping into his mouth. Shimatta… But they were far enough away that he could risk running down that alleyway and jump through to get home. He could make it. And he had magic in case he was cornered. Shouts and cries cut through the night as he was recognized but he ducked his head and ran, scampering towards the alleyway. Guards lunged at him as he reached the alley and he ducked, dove, dodged and jumped as they went to grab him. He almost let a smile touch his lips. Maybe his years of training had actually paid off. Down the alleyway he recognized the glowing portal and Eriol was visible inside, pacing. “Eriol!” The black-haired youth raised his head, snapping up. And he took a step forward, eyes widening at seeing Syaoran being chased. “Nani-“ Syaoran flew forward, intent on making it. He was feet away from salvation. He could make it, he knew he could. He just had to keep running- “Syaoran!” Something suddenly struck him from behind, piercing his back and lodging there. With a sharp breath he went down, and he heard dimly, other objects fly passed him above. As if more than one object had been thrown to take him down. He lifted his head in time to see blue shards of what looked to be ice stab into the portal and hover there. Eriol stood on the other side, clenched teeth visible through parted lips. Hands took hold of Syaoran, yanking him to a sitting position and then to his feet, dragging him backward. “Eriol-“ he shouted, gasping as pain flashed up his back. “Close…the gate!” Eriol didn’t move, frame stiff with anger. But his eyes weren’t focused on Syaoran. They were set passed him, to a figure standing close to his left. Syaoran looked over, struggling in the arms of his captors and his eyes widened in disbelief as he recognized a silver-haired man with cloud blue eyes, brilliant white wings at his back. “Yue-san…” The angel lifted off the ground and suddenly dove forth, in Eriol’s direction. “Close the gate!” Syaoran shouted, throwing himself forward only to be restrained once more. Eriol looked from him to the angel heading for him. And as if it tore at him he threw his hand up, closing it into a fist. The portal slid shut just as Yue reached it. He pulled short, hands lifting to touch nothing but air and he flew about a bit, scanning the alleyway. Syaoran deflated wearily, falling into the soldier that held him and wincing as the object in his back. Things were not looking good now. |
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