INFERNO ( the GazettE Tale )

Chapter 15 : Wounded Past

"Aika, it's me..." The soothing voice whispered near her ear. It took her a little longer to recognize who owned that calm reassuring voice.

"It's me..."Reita whispered once again moving his hand away from her mouth when he was sure she wasn't screaming anymore.

She suddenly turned and looked up straight at his face like she was making sure that it was really him. He saw the relief in her face but the panic and horror were still lingering in her eyes and that made him anxious.

"Reita..." Aika called his name in a silent whisper then she buried her face on her chest fisting both of her hands on his shirt. "I was... so scared...." She sobbed, staining his shirt with her tears.

He was now sure something happened when he was away. Seeing her like this made him want to keep her inside his arms and protect her every second he could, so he did. Reita tightened his grip around her with both of his hands now, whispering at her trying to calm her. "It's okay, I'm here..."

He didn't like those tears streaming down her eyes; he didn't like seeing her like this. Still holding her, he transferred them in an instant to her apartment, making her cry more audible. Reita let her weep as one of his hands move up and down her back.

"Where'd you go?" She asked with a broken voice and looked up at him, her lower lip was still trembling and tears were still shredding.

He cupper her left cheek and wipe the tears away. "I just have to do something... What happened?" He wasn't sure what could possibly happen, his guesses were the worst scenarios he could imagine and his wariness was pushing up its peak.

She looked down both of her hands were still fisting his shirt tightly. He moved a little to click open the lights at her living room and faced her again. She blinked thrice and looked around, a little surprised that they were already in her apartment.

"Aika, tell me." Reita coaxed her calmly, holding both of her shoulders at arms length, staring straight at her eyes.

Aika let out a shaking exhale and closed her eyes. "He... he was.. going to kill me." She whispered.

Reita's eyes widened and his grip on her shoulder tightened. "WHO? WHO WAS IT?" his tone was demanding.

She opened her eyes that still held some fright and looked at him. "Kei."

He let go of her and started pacing, running his hands through his hair in exasperation. He know that Devil. That was one of those who kill human carelessly, mission or not; he would. He shouldn't have left.

"Dammit!" Reita cursed under his breath staring down the floor for a few moments before turning back to look at her again. "How did you get away?"

Aika wiped her tears with the back of her hands and sniffed, she contemplated before answering. "I ran."

He groaned. "Tora didn't tell me something was happening..."

The blond started to pace again back and forth in front of her thinking deeply with both of his hands fisted at the back of his head. "Fuck!"

He couldn't forgive himself if something happened to her. He would beat the hell out of Tora later and he was sure about that. He entrusted this girl to him before he left earlier and he wasn't expecting any of this to happen. He couldn't help but to loathe everything starting from the point that she became his mission, he loathed everything but her, this girl, this human.

"Reita..." Her worried tone made him stop; he took a deep breath before he turned to face her. She was watching him in concern, still standing where they appeared, not moving an inch as they both stare at each other.