Disclaimer: I do not own Betrayal Knows my name or any of its characters

Rated M: Language and Sexual Themes

Chapter Nine

The harmonious cracking rhythm of freezing ice crystals captivated her attention. Her heavy eyelids fluttered open wearily, and she didn't dare budge an inch as she feigned sleep. Her head felt droggy and her thoughts were combobulated, and the last thing she remembered was being tenderly embraced in a set of strong arms…

...Luze!

She sat up with a jolt. She was so lost in her thoughts she hardly realized the person on her mind was watching her carefully, just inches from the bed.

"You're awake." He commented matter-of-factly, his smooth rich voice effectively piercing through her mind's daze. She gasped, unintentionally, as she took in his handsome cool demeanor. He was leaned against the wall with his arms folded against his chest. He was dressed unexpectedly casual, sporting a plain black v-neck tee and some matching black slacks that made him appear far more approachable than he really was. His raven hair wasn't tied back in that classic ponytail, but free from its bindings, allowing his long bangs to frame his face. His amethyst eyes seemed to glow within the dark space and Yuki found herself mesmerized by his mysterious aura.

"Where am I?"

"In my quarters."

"...where is everyone else?" He paused.

"I do not concern myself with their whereabouts."

"...soka... Luze-kun, can I ask you something?" He squinted his eyes suspiciously but nodded his head anyway.

"...why are you doing this? What do you really gain from having me here as your hostage…"

He frowned,

"You are not my hostage. You are my soon-to-be-betrothed. You may leave if you wish. But I would not advise it..."

She froze. Clearly, all the events that had recently unfolded truly were not mere dreams. He reminded her of Luka in his mannerisms, the way they would watch her with a subdued curiosity that would make her wonder what about her could possibly be so intriguing. It made her feel uneasy: how simple it was to compare the two. As much as they looked alike, they were not alike. Not at all.

She couldn't find her voice to respond to him as her eyes cast downward to eye the incredibly soft sheets she laid within. It felt so intimate being within his space — within his bed. The room was unfamiliar: massive, minimal, and clean. Everything was black. There was hardly any furniture save for the bed and a dresser off in the corner. The large bay windows were frosted over with ice to the point where it was impossible to glance outside. Even the tiled ground itself had a glazed-over texture that appeared frozen like ice. Despite the overwhelming presence of Reiga's powers, it was surprisingly warm. Though, it was the unwavering shimmer in Luze's piercing gaze that made her shiver.

Her head throbbed with images of the past, of a time when she had last been in the dark mansion. Fragmented memories of her male incarnation in distress over Luka and his childhood friend plagued her mind. She cursed her luck for finding herself in such a helpless position once again. She struggled to get out of bed.

"You're in pain. I wouldn't try to get up. Rest a little while longer."

His voice was a mumbled echo from across the room that she could hardly pinpoint because the moment her feet touched the ground her whole world started to spin. And just like that she was falling again, only this time, everything was peaceful and eerily serene. Gentle arms wrapped around her small tapered waist, catching her easily before her heavy body hit the ground. She wondered if she was what deadweight felt like — dense. Her body was cocooned immediately within his warmth, and his long soft tresses caressed her exposed skin as he pulled her closer to his chest. Her senses were overwhelmed by his touch and his unique scent and her mind screamed at her to resist his unwarranted attention. He was not the man she loved. He could never replace Luka.

...Luka

She shifted in attempt to free herself from his foreign grasp, and her unexpected movements caused him to lose his balance. They both tumbled to the ground; her hands blindly stretched out for anything sturdy, fisting themselves within his shirt as she fell atop him. He grunted when his back hit the tile. His hands flew up almost instinctively to protect the delicate soul that straddled him from above, and planted themselves along the swell of her hips. She shivered at his touch.

"Are you always this clumsy?" He mumbled. His eyes were closed, and he was deadly still beneath her. She paused. She had expected him to be annoyed with her by now, but his tone was polite, and when his eyelids fluttered open her whole body exploded with a warmth she traditionally felt while in Luka's presence.

There was a knock on the door, that promptly opened….and that was how Reiga found his Fawler and God's light — intertwined within each other.

"Well this is an interesting development…" Reiga commented smoothly. A ghost of a smirk lingered on his lips as he eyed them. Yuki blushed profusely at his implications.

"I-it's not what it looks like!" She stuttered adamantly as she stumbled to get off the handsome
opast lying quietly beneath her.

"...so….what does it look like? It looks quite intimate to me…" Her amber eyes flickered, wide and nervous, to Luze for help but he said nothing.

"No! It's not...we um...we fell." She persuaded. Reiga cocked a single eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.

"...together? You fell...together?" He asked slowly, as if trying to mentally bridge the confusion. His dark orbs shifted to Luze,

"Next time, try to make it to the bed." Luze growled, and Reiga actually chuckled before he turned around to walk away, his long black coat bellowing dramatically behind him as he called out,

"After you get her situated, come see me. We need to talk."

Nostalgic — it was all so nostalgic. She wondered why she'd let so much time past since the last time she stepped forth in the Demon King's Estate. Ayame quietly walked through the hallway that led to the throne room, allowing her memories to guide her. Beautiful demoness servants shuffled through the hallways with heads bowed, occasionally bowing impossibly lower and addressing her by her title before moving along. She found that her sharp senses were easily overwhelmed by the dark aura lingering in the air due to the Demon King's massive powers. Her body subconsciously trembled as goosebumps formed on her skin. He was not a force to be reckoned with, but at least he was in a good mood. That much she could tell.

She didn't know how long she had been walking. The corridors all began to blend together and look alike until finally she stood in front of a pair of doors she could never forget. Blurry memories began to flood her mind of her being reincarnated. A surge of energy swept through her body as she thought back to the way his blood had coursed through her veins, electrifying her nerves and jolting her dead heart back into its rhythm. She wasn't indebted to him any longer; or at least that's what she would tell herself. In reality, she knew she always would be. He had brought her back to this world and for as long as she lived they would forever be tied to one another — funny how fate works.

"Hime-sama, is that you!" An old, weary voice called out to her from the shadows. Ayame tore her eyes off the elaborate doors to find the source of the voice — a voice she knew all too well.

"Kira oba-sama!" Ayame beamed as she was bear hugged by the short demoness who took care of her during her servitude to the demon king. She was actually a dark priestess and the royal fortune teller for the demon king. It was her prophecy that prompted the demon king to have her reincarnated, which she was forever grateful for.

"My how you've grown. Still as headstrong and stubborn as you have always been, I see." Ayame gushed,

"You knew I was coming didn't you?" Kira nodded her head, before she waved her hand to beckon the young demoness to follow her.

"I came to speak to the King…"

"I know child. He is expecting you..,"

"...is he? I suppose you told him I was coming then." Kira scoffed,

"How else would he know? Come. Don't you worry about him; he can wait. We need to talk." She mumbled as she eyed the green-eyed woman out of the corner of her wrinkled, tired eyes. Ayame felt compelled to argue with her but thought better. She had never succeeded in getting the old woman to change her mind. Besides, any wisdom given from the wise demoness was priceless. She followed her all the way to a less tense part of the estate. The air was thick with the fragrant smell of incense and the stone floors were cluttered with rows and rows of carefully organized ancient scrolls.

Kira held out her hand as she ushered the young demoness into her room,

"Come child, sit." Ayame did as she was told. Kira pulled up a chair and sat directly in front of her, and took her time as she visually examined the woman before her.

"It it good to see that you have fed, my dear. I was worried I would have to feed you, but I feel the strength of his blood in your veins. I am getting too old to feed you child. My God, only kami-sama himself knows how unstable your appetite was when you were revived. Thank goodness those days are over. As for Luze...he is a stubborn one, that one. I sent a raven with a message instructing him to fulfill his duties and pay you a visit. It pleases me that that child is so obedient even to this day. If it were up to me, I would have had you two mated a long time ago. I assume Luze wouldn't have wasted any time giving me any grandchildren given how devoted he is to you."

Ayame rolled her eyes as she nagged, "Oba-sama! Stop it! You know Luze and I were never fated to be a thing... and here I thought he came to see me by his own devices." This time, Kira was the one to roll her eyes.

"That may be true, but you cannot deny that he loves you...and I know you well enough child to know that you have always loved him too. I saw how you acted in his presence. The chemistry is there." Ayame averted her eyes,

"Please….let's not go there. You know I love Luka. He is my mate and the one I have given the entirety of my lifetime to. The feelings Luze and I have for each other are inappropriate and quite honestly, irrelevant. That's not even why I'm here. I'm here to speak with the king about—"

Kira cut her off, " — Oh I know what you want to speak to the king about.

"Well then I should get going then."

Kira sighed as she storked the young demoness' face, "my child, it is our duty as women to guide our men and train them to cast their eyes on what is important. I have trained you to be that type of woman. I want to see you take on that role more: you were born to be a leader. So thus, you must lead."

"I know, I know, oba-sama" Ayame whined as she wiggled uncomfortably in her chair. Kira had a way of making her feel inadequate in everything she did. But it was that strict parenting that made her even stronger than she had been in her first life. She pushed her to reach past her comfort zone and harness to true extent of her powers. They were lessons more invaluable than the ones even her own mother had taught her. Kira held out her hand, and Ayame placed her hand in hers, palm up. She watched as the old demoness traced her veins, reading her fortune as she'd always done, only she was never so quiet.

"Oba-sama? Is everything alright? You're unusually silent." Kira nodded.

"I am thinking child. I see many things in your future. Your reading is as overwhelming as it was when we first met…." Ayame frowned. When they first met and she had gotten her first royal reading from the priestess, she had found out exactly why she had been reborn. Her mission had been to find her mate and to murder him under the command of the King. That was a task that she found impossible to do, and it was tricky convincing the king otherwise, even though by the grace of god, she succeeded. She studied the demoness tenderly holding her hand. Her eyes were closed, her body was shaking, and her long gray hair floated eerily in the air around her. She was chanting an old spell under her breath that was causing the veins in Ayame's hands to illuminate a vibrant blue.

"Oba-sama?" For the first time ever she was actually concerned for the old woman's health. There was no need for her to perform complicated rituals anymore and she didn't want to be the cause of the old woman's passing. Her concerns were met with no response as the woman continued to chant away, though with each passing minute her omens were spoken with increasing vigor.

"Oba-sama! Please...you're scaring me." Ayame pleaded as she used her other hand to shake the demoness back into consciousness. Kira's eyes burst open and the crazy expression on her face made her gasp.

"What did you see?" Ayame demanded once Kira tore her hand away. Kira seemed frozen in space, rocking herself back and forth as if for comfort as she mumbled incoherent things. Ayame smoothed out the woman's unruly hair and collected both of her hands.

"Kira oba-sama...it's me...Ayame. What is it that you saw that has you so frightened? Whatever is it I'm sure I can handle it."

"No! No...no…" Kira began to insist violently, as two wet trails ran down her wrinkled cheeks.

"No what?"

Kira simply shook her head,

"Oh my sweet child…." She exclaimed solemnly as she slowly came back to her normal self.

"...that boy you love….will be the death of you!" She whimpered weakly before she collapsed.

Toko-chan burst into the living room frantically, "Mina-san? Where is Luka?"

Everyone looked around with confused expressions on their faces. Shusei was the first to speak up,

"Isn't he on bedrest? I thought Isuzu-kun gave him enough medication to kill a horse."

"Yea there's no way he's just out walking around-"

"He's not in their room! He's not with Isuzu-kun, he's not in the gardens. I can't find him anywhere. He's gone. He left to search for Yuki all by himself. I'm sure of it. Why would he do that? Why doesn't he ever let us help him?" Toko-chan asked accusingly as she sobbed,

"He's not the only one who loves Yuki. We all do too!"

Hotsuma looked over at Tsukumo who was at her side immediately. "Don't cry Toko-chan. We'll help you look for him, ok?"

"Yea, with his injury he couldn't have gone far." Hotsuma injected as they all got up and followed the siblings outside.

"Where do we start looking?"

"Well if he's not in the house he's gotta be outside. Let's split up. Hotsuma and I will look through the gardens again. You and Toko-chan can go a little beyond the fields. Keep an eye out for duras ok? And be careful!" With that, Hotsuma and Shusei took off in one direction while the siblings took off in another.

After searching through the forest with no avail, one of Tsukumo's birds came back.

"Did you find him?" Tsukumo asked the winged animal gently when it perched on his shoulder. It chirped cheerfully.

"Lead the way please."

The bird took off and they followed it through the trees until it opened up into a clearing.

They felt his massive powers before they even saw him. Standing in the middle of the field was Luka. He had his sword ROXASS outstretched and surrounding him were floating spell circles. There were sparks of electricity flashing through the air as a portal opened and Luka began walking toward it, completely unaware of them running frantically toward him.

"Wait! Luka, wait!" Toko-chan screamed with her arms outstretched as she tried to stop him. It wasn't until he was halfway through the portal that he registered their yelling.

"Get back" He called out sternly, his voice being the only indication of his emotions. Toko-chan ignored him.

"Luka, we can help. Come back; let talk to the others and devise a plan. I'm confident we can get Yuki back if we all work together." Tsukumo shouted as he struggled to walk forward. The wind had picked up tremendously as they neared the portal and its strength was pushing them further away from Luka. Half of Luka's body had disappeared beyond into the next dimension and he watched them silently, as if collecting his thoughts, completely unaffected by the extent of his own powers.

"One day maybe, you will understand that it's better this way. There's no need to involve the Zweilts in my problems. This battle, is between Ayame and I and no one else. I am the only one who knows her intentions...and her pain. She is incredibly strong, and highly trained. She could kill off the Zwielts with one stroke. She spared your lives for my sake; I am grateful for that. Don't try to follow me or else you will die. I must go and appease her before she becomes impatient. I fear when she does Yuki's life will truly be endangered. This is all my fault, and it's up to me to fix it. So I will go and bring Yuki back, even if it costs me my life...or my happiness. If I don't come back, will you give her this?" He tossed something in the air and Toko caught it with ease. She unraveled her fingers to find the cross trinket Yuki had given Luka glowing amber in her hand. She looked up solemnly as she wiped her eyes,

"Luka—" She started but he immediately turned his back to her.

"— don't forget...tell her that I love her...that I never intended on betraying her. This is goodbye..." And then he slipped into the portal. A great gust of wind and a black mass followed him in, and it took a moment for her to realize that it was Sodom in his true form.

Just like that, he was gone; and every trace of his existence disappeared along with him except for the trinket emitting heat and a black halo in her hands. Toko-chan crumbled to the ground. She was heartbroken, and not because Luka had left them, but because surely when they got Yuki back she would leave them too.

She had come to learn that by now, a Yuki without her Luka, wasn't Yuki at all.

Author Note: To be continued…Review; don't review. You can do whatever you like.