24 CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

I had no idea where we were. The last thing I could see was the entrance of a scary cave. When we entered it, there was no source of light at all and I was pretty sure Kasho wanted me to see nothing. He had no problem walking around, even though I couldn't see even my hands. I didn't know if his vision was much better than mine or he knew this cave that well he could go around it with his eyes closed. Probably both.

Before we entered the cave, he threw Caiden over his shoulder, so he could have one hand free. He lent it to me like I was a princess. I frowned deeply and gave him a suspicious look. He rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand, squeezing it so hard my eyes filled with tears.

After twenty minutes or so, I could see a small light coming from somewhere deeper in the cave. I sighed. The situation itself gave me enough chills, but walking in absolute darkness and holding hands with an ancient demon was more than enough for me to almost pass out. The single thing which made me stay conscious was the fact that I had to save myself and Caiden from Kasho's hands. If Caiden was right, Kasho wanted to sell me and probably that had to happen soon. If I was sold, I couldn't make him remember me or take the sword and the plan would've been completely ruined.

Kasho pulled me back and we stopped in front of two people, one holding a lamp and the other one holding a gun, which made me stop breathing.

They even have guns?! What's happening here?!

They started talking fast in Japanese and Kasho let go of my hand. I massaged it, grimacing and then he turned his head towards me, smiling like a devil.

"Good news, sweetheart. You're going to sleep here with your lover. In three days you have to say goodbye. The real love of your life is coming. Be a pretty doll and don't get on his nerves or mine. Understood?"

He was staring at me, but I avoided his gaze and nodded, knowing I had no other options. I heard him sigh and then something heavy dropped on the ground and I turned my head towards the sound. Caiden was on the ground while Kasho was rubbing his hands like he touched something disgusting and had to clean the dirt from them.

He said something in Japanese and the people left us, melting in the darkness. Kasho hit Caiden's body with his boot, making him get further into the small, lighted up part of the cave.

"Unfortunately, I have to go, sweetheart. If Satoshi wakes up, can you tell him to stay still? The poisonous blood can kill him if he tries something funny. It's just a piece of advice from an old friend. Oh, and I almost forgot. If you try to escape, be careful of the gatekeepers' demons. They don't really care if you're valuable or not."

I gulped, lowering my head.

There is no escape. We will die here.

My cheeks were wet, but I couldn't move at all. I was paralyzed.

This is the end.

A sudden touch on my head made me look up and Kasho's red eyes were looking at me with a bloodthirst which made me wince. "Sayonara, sweetheart."

Offering me another devilish smile, he pivoted and left me and Caiden alone, disappearing in the thick darkness.

***

After Kasho left, I dragged Caiden next to me and placed his head in my lap. I sighed deeply, trying to understand our situation and what we should've done next.

There's nothing to be done. He got us. Caiden was predestined to be betrayed by him.

But, still, Caiden survived after Kasho's betrayal. That's how he met me. It wasn't impossible for us to escape. I just had to think about it thoroughly. Of course, Jessica was surely looking for us. It was just a matter of time until we were saved...

Caiden started coughing and placed his hands beside my legs, supporting himself. He raised his head and looked straight into my eyes.

"What happened, human? Where am I?"

I sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. He followed my movement with a suspicious gaze, but couldn't do anything about it. His whole body hurt, I thought. Even if he wanted to flinch, he couldn't. At least he couldn't kill me at that moment.

"What I told you happened. Kasho betrayed you." I told him and I realized how tired my voice sounded.

It was too much for my weak, human body. I needed to sleep. I needed food. I needed water. I needed comfort. I didn't know how much I could resist without them, especially in this kind of situation.

"Lies, human!" He raged, but then grimaced, almost falling back in my lap.

"You know this is not a lie. If it was a lie, why can't you move at all?" I asked him and he frowned. Beads of sweat trickled down his temples. Also, he was panting and my brows furrowed, watching him getting weaker and weaker.

"What did you do to me? This feeling... this is..."

I sighed. "Kasho said something about demon blood diluted with herbs tea."

Caiden thought about it for a little while, then he raised his eyebrows. "Tea. Yesterday... he... poured me tea."

"He also said to not move much. It will weaken your body more. And... something about gatekeepers?"

He closed his eyes for a few seconds and exhaled sharply. "We're doomed." He whispered and I couldn't disagree with him.

"Caiden. You escaped from him already. You can do it again."

Caiden looked into my eyes and laughed cynically. "Are you trying to make me believe your stupid story again?"

"You told me I look familiar to you!" I said, desperate.

I began to panic. He told me I look familiar. Why does he act like this now?! What am I supposed to do if he doesn't want to cooperate?

"Maybe I saw you before in the village. Maybe I noticed you because of your... 'exotic' features. This doesn't mean you're telling the truth."

I drew a deep breath and closed my eyes for a few seconds. The panic disappeared and got replaced by anger.

Why doesn't he accept it already?! Why is this fox so goddamn stubborn?!

"You know what?"

His eyes narrowed, noticing my change of attitude.

Even though he's powerful, now he can do nothing. He won't kill me now.

I got to my feet and he raised his upper body as I retreated my legs from under his body. His face was paler than usual and this fact clenched my heart, squeezing it painfully, but I couldn't take it anymore. I was tired of his stubbornness and his superior air.

"You can think what you want. I'm tired of you. I'm tired of this mission. I'm tired of this era. I want to go home, to watch some tv shows, to talk with Mike and mom and, for God's sake, to eat a burger! This place is killing me and I hate it!"

I started walking in circles, feeling how my head almost exploded because of the despair I felt within my heart. I wanted to end it. I wanted to be done with everything. I was tired of it. I really was.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. My breakdown wasn't good. I had to concentrate. I had to think of something else. There was no time for crying. There was no time for being pity. We had important things to do.

I turned my head towards Caiden and he was still sitting on the ground, with his legs bent underneath him, panting and looking miserable. He was watching me losing my mind, with his snowy eyes narrowed, studying my movements and expressions.

"Can you stop already?" I snapped at him, my anger growing even bigger. I placed my hands on my hips and bored my eyes into his. "You're always doing that. Analyzing me. Not saying a word. Your expression is always impassable. I don't think I ever could read your mind, but you've always read mine. What am I thinking now, huh? Tell me!"

He didn't show any emotions. He was just standing there, watching me. I sighed, frustrated, and sat down, leaning my back against a wall. I bent my knees, placed my elbows on them, and let my head rest in my hands.

"I might believe you, after all."

I widened my eyes and raised my head. His eyes were piercing me, his intensity making me feel uncomfortable.

"Why now?" I asked him, scoffing.

"Because you're a human. The moment you break down, you don't hide much. Besides, you said some things, which don't make sense to me. Teevee show? What is that?"

I cracked up, seeing his expression becoming confused over a goddamn tv. I drew a deep breath and smiled. "It's something from my era. It's like a box in which people do crazy stuff. It's very fun."

"You're a time-traveler? Did humans manage to find the time-traveling secrets?"

I shook my head. "Lucifer sent me back here." He widened his eyes, realizing who I was talking about. "Yeah, it's pretty bad in the future. The dimensions are going to be destroyed. I don't know how exactly, because no one tells this kind of information to a mere human, right? Oh, actually, you said that."

"I said that?"

"Yes, Caiden. You said that. We met in the future. You... were my friend. You helped me. I told you that already."

"If I'm your friend... then why are you calling me Caiden? My friends know my real name, not the one I make up."

I grimaced. He had a good point. "I know your real name is Satoshi. But I prefer to call you Caiden, because that's how I knew you. My Psychology partner."

He tilted his head. "You know I have no idea what you're talking about."

I sighed. "I know. But I hope you'll remember, else... I'll be stuck in this era. And you'll find out in the future that everything I said was true. But it will be too late."

I lowered my head, realizing how hard was for him to actually believe everything I said. I calmed down and touched the cross of my necklace.

"I noticed you play with that necklace from time to time. I have a similar one."

I blinked twice and he shoved his hand into a hidden pocket of the kimono. When he pulled out his hand, the exact pendant Caiden gave me was there. I watched it breathless, realizing that was the key.

The key to his memories.

I got to my feet and kneeled in front of him. I took off the necklace and placed it in his hand, next to his pendant.

"It's the same. You gave me your pendant. To protect me. See?"

His brows furrowed in confusion. "This is impossible. This cross... is my mother's. I would never give this to a mere human."

We locked our eyes and I took a deep breath. Suddenly, Jessica's mocking came to my mind and I thought about something weird which made me shiver.

Maybe you're more important to Caiden than you think.

"I sense something coming from yours." Caiden said, waking me up from day-dreaming.

He put his own pendant back in its pocket and started studying the one I gave him. His focused face reminded me so much of him that, out of nowhere, I felt comfortable near him. I wasn't scared anymore. And I couldn't care less if he could or couldn't kill me. Even if he was at his full power, I didn't care. Something changed in him the moment he saw the cross. And I was sure that the Caiden I knew was somewhere, deep inside of him.

He touched the back of it and pressed his finger on it when something came out of it. Light.

"My power is hidden in it." He said, his shocked expression making my heart pound faster.

Suddenly, something told by the demon which we encountered in front of the mall made sense and was actually true.

"She really is your girlfriend. Your power is there. Are you trying to hide, dividing your power? Is your true power sealed there?"

"You really did it." I said it aloud, widening my eyes. "You really hid your power within the pendant. The demon who was after you asked you that, but I had no idea what he was talking about. Your actions... always save me. Oh god."

He locked his eyes with mine and exhaled slowly. "It's not much. He... I probably left it at you just in case of an emergency. I guess... this is an emergency."

With shaky hands, he pressed the pendant on his chest and the light coming from it was even brighter than the sun itself. I covered my eyes as I fell on my back. An invisible power pushed me so hard that I gritted my teeth after I almost bit my tongue. I clenched my fists, trying to raise my body, but I couldn't do it no matter how hard I tried. I was pinned down.

After a few seconds, the force holding me down disappeared suddenly, letting me nauseous and with a huge headache. I let out a pained sound and I managed to raise my upper body while I was massaging my temples.

I opened my eyes.

"Ivy."

Tears filled my eyes.