Kataomoi

The night of the full moon, it’s always so peaceful, but then again it always has its way of bringing out unspeakable acts within people, like the faithful night I met Shiori I fell in love instantly with him a demon the horrible things we’ve humans have been told to stay away from. Not all demons are bad though, Shiori saved my life that night I was on my way back to my castle when my men and I were under attack suddenly by a caravan of bandits. My men were killed ruthlessly and mercilessly. It was very bad, I tried to run away but I knew all too well my homelands were further away up ahead I was weak, and my training was nowhere near complete. I’m not sure if I can defend myself. Despite being covered in blood I continued to run for my lie, that was until I slipped and fell down a small cliff hurting my ankle. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t even stand let alone walk. That doesn’t mean I didn’t try. I struggled to get up and limped through the forest lit only by the moonlight, I soon fall to my hands and knees my ankle too injured to continue on. The leader of the bandits found me and picked me up by my hair I thought it was the end for me as he ravished me putting his hand in between my kimono.

“I’m going to have plenty of fun with you princess and make you my woman.” His scruffy like voice whispered into my ears, I scream out for even though it was pointless no one would hear me at all. He pinned my backside against his and kissed me all over even raising my head to kiss my lips stealing my very first kiss. I gave up fighting I gave up hope that life as I know it would end very soon. My eyes were closed tightly I was bracing myself. My kimono was draping off my shoulders, torn and drenched in my comrades’ blood. When I heard men screaming it was from behind us the followers of the bandit leader seemed to be in some sort of pain. I open my eyes to try and take this chance to escape from the leader. He was distracted by his comrade’s deathly screams of pain. It didn’t work he noticed me and held me tighter.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going!” He screamed at me It also made me scream in fear though. Then his violent tight gripping on my body stopped and I was sprayed by blood over my back. I fell on my chest as I was let go. Curiosity got the better of me, laying there I turn my head slightly to the bandit leader with a sword through his back and tall, beautiful man with long silver hair. Next to the man’s feet, I see ahead of one of the bandits from above. I was in shock and didn’t know if I should scream or try and run away, my mind was still trying to process it all in the fact of what is going on. The man pulls his sword out of the leader’s chest and puts it away. The bandit leader having enough strength to stand pulling his own sword out.

“How dare you try and cut me down, I shall have your head.” Says the bandit leader pointing his sword at the shadowy figure, I started to crawl away from it all hitting bumping into a tree. The man finally comes into the moonlight more, I see that it’s a man but no ordinary man he’s wearing a black, gold, and red kimono. It was a very expensive material I could tell is this man a royal of some kind. I was thinking then I looked into his eyes they were a bright red colour and he has markings on his face not face paint but almost like birthmarks of a demon. He has a pointy nose and claws as well. Not only that his aura was very strong and demonic. I could sense it is a part of a royal family of priest and priestess, I am trained to see such things. The man kicks the head that came down with him aside and before I could even blink he was up so close to the bandit leader, the bandit leader didn’t have time to move at all before the man reaches with his claws and hand through the man’s chest ripping his heart out and dropping it to the ground. I watched the man dropped to his knees and fall lifelessly to the ground. I stared in horror to the body I didn’t realize that the demon had made his way to me looking down at me. All I could see was the shade from the tree making his body completely black, and his legs in the moonlight. The man bent down so I could see his face his eyes now a light unhuman like green. His face was beautiful but expressionless. He started to take his top for his Kimono off, was this subtle way of showing me he was going to have his way with me as payment for saving me. I closed my eyes and lean away from the man scared of what he might do to me. I felt something go over me, I opened my eyes and saw he put his kimono top over my body he also gave a small kind smile.

“Your Kimono is ruined and drenched in blood, it’s not right for a lady to be exposed in this matter and especially in this cold weather, Now what is a princess like you doing in a place like this so late at night?” The demon asked me his soft-spoken voice towards me. What a pervert I am... It was very unusual for a demon, every demon I’ve met up until now was very scruffy and rude as well as cruel. I didn’t speak to him either, I was too dumbfounded by his kindness. The demon then sighed in defeat and helped me with the kimono putting it over my shoulders and closing it tying it tight for me, he then brushed some of my hair from my face for me putting it behind my ear. I hadn’t noticed that my hair came down from the style my hairdresser had it up in. The demon then stood and held his not bloody hand out to me and continues to give me a smile.

“My name is Shiori, I shall make sure you get home safely and steadily as you planned.” He says to me I felt something strike my heart placing one of my hands over my chest. Was he watching us and the meeting I had with my captain earlier? Hesitantly I take his hand and he pulls me up to him gently and began walking, where we were going I had no idea it was too dark to tell. I felt my leg give out on me and fell back down to the ground after only walking a few steps. Still holding Shiori’s hand though, my falling made him stop in his tracks, he then shook his head and sighed picking me up and cradling me in his arms.

“Honestly you humans, are so fragile I don’t understand how you guys withstand being so fragile.” He said as he continued to walk onward. His scent was amazing, so sweet and pure in a way. I lean in closer laying my head against his undergarment kimono, was this all a bad dream turned to bliss, I would hope not. Then I would never see this man again. This beautiful man who is a demon that saved a human like me.

“My name is, Ayame” I finally say before passing out due to exhaustion. The last words I heard that night “Ayame, what a beautiful name that is.”