Enjoy :)

Chapter Quote:

"The eyes are the windows of the soul. Trust me, I know."

~Psyche

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Chapter 17

Kiara hadn't made headway with either her Malachai case or her lost memories, and it'd been two weeks without so much as a hope of a lead. I could tell she was losing faith, that she needed cheering up, so I booked a dinner for the two of us at a fancy restaurant. I put on my best suit. I knew there was no need to try and impress Kiara because I had a feeling she'd pretty much seen everything so nothing else could impress her. Likewise, I thought I'd seen everything too. I didn't think I could be impressed. Not until Kiara came down the staircase in a black lace dress with killer black peep-toe stilettos. She wore dangling diamond earrings and a diamond necklace. Her nails were painted red and she wore a matching lipstick. Her blonde hair was curled, hanging loosely over her back and shoulders.

"Am I too overdressed?" She asked, glancing down at her outfit.

I blinked a few times before it registered with me that she had been talking to me. "What? No, no, you're not overdressed. You look absolutely stunning. Are you ready?"

She nodded. I held my arm out for her. She looped hers through mine before I led her to my Lamborghini. We pulled out of my driveway and in no time we were in the heart of New Orleans. I parked the car outside the restaurant and we walked in.

"Mr. Hunter, how nice to see you again!" the host greeted.

"Good evening, Max. It's nice to see you too," I replied.

"I have your table ready. Please, follow me!"

As we walked to the table, I noticed all the stares Kiara was receiving from men and women alike, single or taken. Instinctively I pulled her closer to me, albeit only slightly. It was enough for her to glance at me questioningly.

Max led us out to the balcony. We were the only table out there. I don't know why Max had thought when I requested a private table that he assumed I had a date, but I was grateful he did. Lights were strung up above our table, our table had a rose in the center flanked by two candles. It looked amazing. Kiara and I sat down. Max handed us our menus, ordered our drinks, and walked off.

"So why did you pull me closer to you earlier?"

"Just didn't like some of the looks you were receiving when we were walking here," I admitted.

Kiara smiled. "Kyrian Hunter, were you jealous?"

"With a date as incredible as you, I have no problem in admitting I was."

She bit back a smile but said nothing more. "So what do you suggest for an appetizer?"

"You really can't go wrong with whatever you order, although the carpaccio and the crab cakes are my personal favorites."

"Mm, crab cakes sound really good. I think I'll get that and... the filet for the main course." Kiara set her menu down and looked at me. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course," I replied, setting down my menu.

"What's the occasion? Is it your birthday? Is it my birthday and I forgot? I mean, don't get me wrong, this is all wonderful and sweet, but I'm just curious."

"I thought you could use a distraction from the researching and fighting. I thought that maybe you could use something to lift your spirits since neither of us have found out any answers or leads to either of your missions."

"Thank you, Kyrian. I appreciate it. And for the record, yes, this is lifting my spirits immensely. How are you doing?"

"Not bad. I have a great house mate, I have a beautiful date for tonight, I have missions besides Daimon hunting. Life is good. So where do you usually live?"

"Colorado. In the mountains. But I'm usually not home. I'm always travelling for work because most of it takes place down here in the south. On more than one occasion I've thought about moving down here but I never knew where. Although I must say I'm in love with New Orleans."

"There is something about this place that makes you want to stay. If you want a realtor, let me know. I'll have Nick help you go house hunting."

"I might take you up on that offer. Especially because I've been at your house for two months and counting."

"Kiara, I've told you, if I didn't want you at my house, you'd be out of it already. I like you being there. And I know Nick loves you. He says I'm nicer with you around."

"Are you?"

"I think I might be."

Kiara laughed. At that moment, Max came back to take our orders. The rest of the dinner went by without a hitch. We finished our meal in two and a half hours. Afterwards, Kiara suggested we take a walk around the Quarter, saying she needed to walk off some of the dessert. After I paid the bill, we did exactly that. The night was humid but not necessarily hot. It was surprisingly pleasant. Kiara and I passed Café du Monde and Sanctuary where two of the were-bears were standing guard. Kiara and I waved at them. We were turning onto Bourbon street when Kiara whispered, "Five daimons up ahead. They're going after some girls."

"Can you fight in those heels?" I asked.

"Of course I can," Kiara said indignantly. I apologized to her before we went after the daimons. They'd cornered the girls who were throwing trash at them, trying to get them away.

"That's cute. They think they can get rid of us," a daimon remarked.

"They can't, but we can," Kiara growled. I never saw her pull the ninja star out of her clutch bag. All I saw was the silver flash in the air, only stopping when it embedded itself into the daimon's chest. The girls screamed, the daimons snarled. Kiara ordered the girls to get out of there. They listened without hesitation.

"Damn it that was our meal," a daimon groaned.

"Let's just drink from the girl. I think she could feed all of us for a while," another mused.

"I'd like to see you try and even pin me down," Kiara responded.

"You go right, I go left?" I suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," she said, pulling out a dagger from her purse. I pulled one out of my suit and the fight began. It was two on one, not bad odds for me and Kiara. I killed the first daimon by spinning around it and stabbing it in the back. Kiara killed the first of her two with her heel, jumping up and kicking her heel into the daimon's chest.

The last two daimons were smart though, not to mention tougher, wiser, and older.

"Spathii daimons," Kiara said.

"Very good little one. You've met us before."

"I have. I've killed quite a few of you too."

"If you've killed our kind before, why have we not heard of you?"

"Because none of the one's I encountered ever lived to tell the tale," she spat, charging the daimons. I rushed after her, going into full battle mode. These daimons fought differently than what I was used to. They were stronger, faster, and smarter. They nicked me more than once. Kiara managed to avoid any cuts but she also wasn't able to go on the offensive. She was having to stick to the defensive.

I wondered how long this fight was going to last when I saw a flash of silver rake through the neck of the daimon Kiara was fighting. My daimon was so surprised about the newcomer that it didn't see Kiara's dagger being thrown directly at him. It hit him in the chest and he disintegrated. I turned to face Kiara only to see the flash of silver claws going directly for me.

"Zarek no!" Kiara shouted. She jumped in front of me, shoving me back. While she'd protected me, she hadn't been able to protect herself and I could hear the slicing of her skin as the claws scratched her face. The force sent Kiara to the ground. She was on all fours, although one hand was cradling her cheek. I dropped onto my knees next to her.

"Kiara?" I whispered.

"Are you okay? Is Zarek?" she answered.

"We're fine. Both fine. Are you?" Kiara nodded, standing up, using me for support. "Let me see it."

I knew her injury was bad before I even saw it. When she removed her hand from her face, I almost was sick. Zarek's nails hadn't just cut her skin, but muscle too. Blood ran down her face. Fury coursed through me as I whirled on the Dark Hunter. I started going for him but Kiara stopped me.

"Don't... he couldn't stop. It's not his fault," she said.

"How is it not his fault? He ripped your damn face open!"

"He didn't mean to. He tried to stop." Kiara put her hand back up to her cheek in an attempt to stop the bleeding. She turned to face Zarek, but to our surprise, he was gone.

"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!" I shouted.

"I have to go find him," Kiara murmured, starting off in a random direction. I grabbed a hold of her.

"No, we need to get you back to my house. You can search for him afterwards. Right now, you're losing blood from what he did to you and if we don't take care of that soon, even you'll pass out from blood loss. Please, Kiara, let's get back."

Kiara stood for a few moments before finally allowing me to escort her back to my car. She passed out on the way to my house. I called Acheron, telling him what happened and that I needed help. He was waiting for me on the driveway when I pulled up to my house. I gently carried Kiara inside and laid her on the couch.

"So tell me again what happened," Ash said.

"We fought some daimons. Two of them were Spathii and Zarek appeared out of nowhere fighting them. He tried to attack me but Kiara jumped between us. He got her instead of me. Zarek disappeared when she and I were talking. I don't know where he went. She wanted to go after him, make sure he was okay. I convinced her to come here instead to heal. I know when she wakes up she'll be wondering about him though."

"I'll take care of Zarek. For now let me at least heal the muscles in her cheek and take the pain out of it. Have her on bed rest a couple days, and if she doesn't listen, then have her on house arrest. Acheron's orders. She should listen."

"Should?"

"It's Kiara, she's not a Dark Hunter. She has her own agenda. But she usually listens to me. I am wise and all that."

"What are you going to do to Zarek?"

"Ask him what the hell he was doing attacking you first of all."

"Ash, don't hurt him," Kiara mumbled. The two of us looked down at her. Her face was scrunched up in pain. I knelt down next to her.

"How are you doing?" I asked.

"Terrible, but I'll live. This isn't my worst injury." Her eyes fluttered open. "Ash, Zarek tried to stop. I saw it in his eyes. Please don't punish him."

"Kiara, he was trying to attack Kyrian. I need to find out why," Acheron explained. "Get some rest, okay?"

Kiara nodded, closing her eyes. Within seconds she was asleep again. Ash motioned for me to follow him. We went onto the front porch.

"What's the matter?" I inquired.

Ash turned to face me. "What's going on between you and Kiara?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play stupid with me, Kyrian. I saw how you reacted when she woke up. I saw what the two of you are wearing. What's going on between you two?"

"Nothing. Do you know what her mission is? Why she's in New Orleans?"

"She's searching for the Malachai and her memories. Why?"

"She's been here for a while without any major leads. She was getting disheartened and I thought she could use something to cheer her up, lift her spirits."

"So you take her out to a five star restaurant?"

"What do you want me say Ash?!" I hissed. "What are you proposing is going on between the two of us?"

"I'm proposing the idea you're getting too close to her. You know the rules of being a Dark Hunter. You've honored that more than any other Dark Hunter. What is so special about her that you're willing to break that?"

"I don't know! I feel like I've known her my entire life and I can't explain it!" I took a deep breath. "Nothing is going to happen between us Acheron. She's too focused on finding her husband and whether she knows who he is or not, she's not going to get with me in any way, shape, or form because of him."

"You're handsome, charming, tall, strong, and badass and-"

"Don't tell me you're in love with me and you don't want me near Kiara because it's making you jealous?"

Ash stared at me. "You're hanging around Nick too much. No, what I was going to say is that all girls love you, and immortal or not, Kiara is no exception. I've seen the way she looks at you when I've come to check up on her. I want her out of your house soon. You two are getting too close."

"It's nice to have someone with shared life experience. That's hard to find in this day and age," I snapped.

"You have me. I remember your time period."

"I didn't mean it like that. Sure you remember it but you don't know half the stuff about Thrace itself. You were living in a completely different part of the world. Kiara does. She remembers coming to Thrace."

"You think you two met in your previous lifetime?"

"Wouldn't I remember her if we had?"

"Her curse doesn't just affect her, but those around her. Listen, I have to go. I'll come back tomorrow. Unless you want her out of your house, I suggest you change your feelings towards her. I don't want either of you getting hurt because we all know the end game of this relationship. Good night Kyrian."

Ash went down to his car. I sighed and headed back in. Kiara was sitting up on the couch, blinking her eyes.

"Hey, what are you doing up?" I asked, rushing over to her.

"I heard shouting. I was going to come out and see what was wrong."

"It's nothing. Just me and Ash having a heated discussion. Let's get you upstairs to bed." Before she could protest, I scooped her up into my arms. Kiara didn't protest which indicated to me just how awful she felt. I gently brought her to her bed.

"Thank you for tonight, Kyrian. I loved it," she whispered.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm sorry you got hurt though."

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

"I'm going to go get changed, but I'll come back. I'll stay with you through the night, make sure you're okay." Kiara murmured an 'okay' but her eyes were already closed. I kissed her on the head and went to my room.

Tonight was the last night I could act like she meant something to me. Tomorrow, I had to put on my normal, tough guy façade. If Kiara was to stay like I wanted her to, this was the way it had to be.

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Do you think Kyrian will be able to do it? Tell me in a review :)