Part VI

"Diana," he says softly, handing her her shirt and sitting by her when she collapses down onto the bed, head in hands. "What happened? Who did this to you?"

She takes a deep breath. "I was...raped," she almost breaks down into tears, slipping a strap of her bra back up over her shoulder, "by a monster called the Dark Master." She looks down and continues in a small voice. "Several times. He did it to me so many times...he wanted me to have his sons. Little monsters just like him. It hurt so bad...so bad..."

He listens, his soul wrenching with every word.

She starts sobbing. "I was so scared...I thought he was gonna kill me...wasn't gonna stop until I was pregnant...felt like he was trying to tear me apart from the inside...oh gods...oh gods..."

He holds her gently, letting her cry and rant hysterically into his chest.

Gently, he strokes her flame red hair. "He can't hurt you anymore," he whispers. "I won't let him."

She starts trembling violently. "H...he came back to life?! But...but...I killed him!" she says in a hysterical voice.

Jae raises his brows and soothingly strokes her hair. "Then he can't hurt you anymore. You killed him and he's gonna stay dead," he whispers to her.

Soon, she cries her tears away, then she looks at him.

"I hope you're right," she whispers. "I sincerely hope you're right. When I was being hunted by him, he showed his power, but I don't know if that was all of his power."

Jae nods softly and hugs her gently before letting her put her shirt back on. Tenderly, he wipes her tears born of pain and terror away with loving fingers. "If he ever does come back, I will protect you. Battle him at your side until he's gone for good."

"Thank you, Jae. Thank you so much," she whispers, green eyes meeting blue.

"You're welcome," he whispers back, "but I should be thanking you."

"Oh?"

"Hai."

"Why?"

"Because this is the second time you've saved my life."

Diana blushes and smiles modestly, eyes cast down. She looks like a shy angel to him. He caresses her cheek with the back of his hand, causing her to look up.

Slowly, tentatively, he leans over and kisses her gently. He pulls back and looks into her startled eyes.

"Was that ok?" he asks.

She reaches up and caresses his jaw with her fingertips, nodding. A feeling of de ja vu rocks them both. Their bodies jerk with reaction.

"Are you ok?" they ask simultaneously. Sheepishly, they grin at each other.

"Hungry?" Diana asks.

"Hai, actually," he answers, "should I fix something?"

She grins impishly. "That depends. Are you a good cook?"

" 'Are you a good cook' she asks. I'll just have to show you, then," he answers with a grin.

Diana giggles softly as he gets up and pulls her gently to her feet.

"Ok then. I promised the others that I'd call Neph's cell phone when you woke up. I'll do that while you're creating your masterpiece," she tells him with a wink.

He nods and kisses her forehead before heading into the kitchen.

Diana heads to the phone and dials the number Neph left for her.

HLM looks at Neph with a grin.

"I do believe you're ringing, Neph," she comments.

"Funny," Zoi speaks up, eyes full of mischief. "I don't remember you ringing when excited, Neffy."

Neph rolls his eyes. "I don't recall you seeing me excited, Zoisite," he comments, taking the phone out and flipping it open. "Hello?"

Zoi smirks, "And I don't WANT to either."

"HI Diana," Neph says into the phone, ignoring Zoi.

He talks to her for a bit longer before putting the phone away and catching HLM's hand.

"Well...?" Kunz asks, giving Zoi's shoulders a gentle squeeze.

"Diana tells me that he's awake and appears to be well. We'll join them in an hour, he's fixing something to eat." He smirks.

"What?" HLM asks, arching a brow.

"She likes him. A lot, and it embarrasses her," he answers with a grin.

Zoi grins wickedly. "Jae definitely will be glad of that. She's his type."

Diana comes up behind Jae and runs her hands over his bare back.

He starts slightly and turns to face her, grinning. "Well? What did they say?"

"They're coming back in an hour. Maybe you should throw some cloths on...not that I don't enjoy the view." She blushes and Jae chuckles, running a finger along her jawline.

"What clothing do I have aside from that robe?" he asks softly, grinning into her eyes.

Diana grins, leading him into the living room and showing him the cloths that HLM found for him. Jeans and a t-shirt lay out over a chair.

"What if they don't fit?"

She giggles. "You'll just have to go around in your underwear."

"Better than going around in YOUR underwear, I suppose."

She giggles softly. "How about I fixing the meal while you get cleaned up and dressed?"

Jae looks as if he's about to say something, but stops himself.

"Sounds like a plan," he says instead with a smile that would make nine out of ten teenyboppers squeal with excitement.

Diana, however, isn't a teenybopper. She simply gives him one of her most heart stopping smiles before heading into the kitchen to finish making the meal.

Three hours later finds Diana up on the roof practicing sword katas as Jae, Neph, and HLM watch. Kunz and Zoi are finally enjoying some private time with each other, as would be perfectly obvious to anyone within ear shot, in an isolated spot not likely to be stumbled upon by strangers.

Jae smiles, watching this lovely creature dance a lethal dance across the rooftop.

"Diana," the voice of the sword whispers into her head.

This sudden intrusion causes her to freeze, and her eyes to acquire an inwardly focused expression.

"Diana?" Jae asks nervously.

She doesn't hear him.

Part V
Part VII
Beginnings and Endings Index