Return Of The Dragon

Chapter 16

 Belle was in U. It was hot. So hot. She was looking for someone, calling and calling. 

"Dragon! *Cough, cough*  "Dragon, where are you??" She fell to her knees as the flames consumed their castle.

A shaggy, horned figure wearing a sweeping cloak appeared out of the smoke. "I'm right here." It wrapped its cloak around Belle.

"The Justice guards . . . Justin. . . they are after us!!"

The Dragon placed his massive clawed hand on the ground. "Get on and hold on." Belle lifted her pink ruffled skirt and stepped on. The Dragon clutched her gently but firmly to his chest.

Belle wrapped her arms around his thumb as the flames closed in. She felt him crouch down, then they blasted off, right up out of the crumbling castle walls.

"HEY! HE'S OVER THERE!" Cries of surprise and anger from U's unofficial guards faded away as the Dragon shot past them.

"Where are we going?" said Belle. She suddenly felt sleepy.

"I don't know. But I'm never letting you go again . . . "

The dream faded and Suzu woke up in Kei's bed.

Kei's bed?!?!

She figured it must be Kei's bed, because Kei was sitting next to the bed in a chair, dozing off. His arms were crossed and his long, black hair framed his tan, angular face. His long eyelashes fluttered.

Suzu stared, mesmerized. In sleep, he was very recognizable as the fourteen year-old she had last seen . . . and yet so different.

Her arm moved as on its own,  hand reaching with fingers outstretched toward his face . . .  

At that instant, he awoke. His brown eyes snapped open. Suzu snatched her hand back. She felt her cheeks burn.

Kei's eyes widened. "You're awake." His eyes flicked downward, which made Suzu blush harder. 

Was she covered up?

"You still have it."

The bell necklace . . . duh! What had she thought he was looking at? (Not that there was that much to look at). "Of course I still have it," she said. Something much more than words passed between them.

"What happened. Start at the beginning."

"My boyfr – my boyfriend Shinobu was attacked at Angel's concert. At To- Tomo-chan's concert. The lights went out and someone stabbed him.  Were you there?"

"I was not. How did you and your friend come to be there?"

"She won free tickets in a big contest with U. It was just supposed to be me and her at first, but somehow our boyfriends were invited too. We were staying at the new hotel at the K-Arena." She paused. "Kei. How . . . how did you find me? You just seemed to drop in out of nowhere. "

"I don't know. It might have something to do with those." He lifted his chin towards Suzu, looking at her ears.

She raised her hands to her ears, wonderingly tracing the shape of the U headphones. She hadn't remembered putting them in. But she must have taken them out of her purse at some point. Was it when she threw her phone away?  Or when the attacker was closing in on her in the alley? Had it been purely instinct? Had she called out for help? 

He stood up abruptly. "Come on. If your boyfriend is alive, I think I know where he is." Suzu noticed he had U headphones on too, which he took off and put in his jacket pocket.

They drove to a hospital. Kei had a fast, black sports car, which he expertly wove around lanes of traffic. He opened the door for Suzu. She headed for the main entrance.

"Not that way," said Kei. "A side door."

They walked away from the reception lobby to an elevator marked OUT OF ORDER.

Kei pressed the button and stepped in. When he saw her hesitate, he said, "Come on. This is a private wing."

They walked together down a corridor that said UNDER CONSTRUCTION; OFF LIMITS TO THE PUBLIC.  She could smell his leather jacket; it had a slightly acrid but not unpleasant smell. And there was another scent beneath. Slightly musky and electric. 

Shinobu didn't smell like that. He smelled like soap. 

Suzu almost lifted her hand to slap her face. Snap out of it, she told herself. 

Kei looked at her weirdly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

They rounded the corner to a room that was clearly occupied and not under construction. 

A security guard rose to his feet, surprised. "Kei-San. It's been a long time!"

Kei nodded. "Otto." 

Through the door, Suzu saw Shinobu lying on a hospital bed. He was hooked up to an IV and had his shoulder and arm wrapped in bandages: but he was alive! Suzu dashed toward him with a happy cry, Kei striding in behind her.

Tomo was in the room. His jaw dropped when he saw them come through.

"Hello, little brother," said Kei. "It's been a long time."

TO BE CONTINUED

*art of SuzuxKei by Takarukiart on Deviant Art.