Chapter 177: [37.11] A Demonic Desire
[Author's note: Full disclosure: This next scene gets a bit steamy... I rate it a 4/10 on the naughty scale.]
Cyrus continued to slowly kiss up my arm as he called out my name, "Reika… Reika… Reika…"
I bit down on my lip as his arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me towards him so that our bodies were pressed against each other.
My mind was completely numb as I tried to figure out what was happening.
He whispered in my ear, "I want you."
I felt my legs weaken and give out underneath me.
He's also under that demon's influence?!
He-He has to be!
But why aren't I or Zephyr!?
Cyrus supported my now weakened body and started fervently kissing my neck and chest. Each spot that he touched left behind a scorching sensation. It felt like my skin was being burned, but it felt so good that I couldn't help but tremble.
Ah…
Uh…
Well…
This isn't so bad…
In fact…
It feels-
NO!
Snap out of it, Reika!
You're in public!
I managed to put strength in my arms and pushed him back, "Cyrus! Stop!"
He put on a pitiful expression, but he still complied, "You don't like it?"
I cleared my throat and averted my eyes, "T-That's not the issue here-"
His face came closer to mine, "You don't want me?"
I let out a sigh, "It's not about that."
His lips slowly curled into a smile, "So you do want me."
My face twitched, "I know you are under the influence of that demon."
He tilted his head as the pink haze swirled more violently in his eyes, "So if I wasn't, it would be okay?"
My mouth hung open speechlessly.
He's acting like a completely different person!
I can't reason with him!
Suddenly, my face was cupped by his hands and pulled towards him.
I felt something soft, but firm on my lips.
My eyes shrank back in surprise.
K-KISS?!
HE'S KISSING ME?!
H-HE IS!
My fingers grabbed at his clothes.
I… I need to push him off… But-
But I kind of like it.
He could sense I didn't want to push him away so he grew even more erratic.
He deepened the kiss as his hands moved across my body as if they wanted to memorize each bump and crevice.
WAIT!
What the hell am I doing!?
I can't get swept off my feet now!
He's under the influence of the demon!
I pulled away from him and shouted, "SNAP OUT OF IT!"
In a panic, I raised my leg and kneed him in the stomach.
He let out a groan and fell to the ground, holding his stomach in pain. He looked at me with slight confusion, "R-Reika? What- What happened?"
Seeing his eyes now back to normal, I realized he was no longer under the demon's influence.
However, instead of feeling relieved, I only felt angry.
I covered my mouth as my cheeks blushed, "Y-You jerk! You could at least remember!"
I stomped past him trying to refrain from swearing.
Cyrus stared at me in a panic, "Reika! Wait-"
I walked over to Hazel and shouted in frustration, "HAZEL! You get off of him RIGHT NOW!"
Hazel froze and slowly turned to me.
I could still see the pink smoke behind her eyes.
Greaaat.
She's still under the influence.
She suddenly dropped Zephyr and clung to my dress. Her eyes stared up at me as she pleaded, "Reika! Reika! I'm so sorry! Please! Please forgive me!"
"Eh? Forgive you for what? What did you do?"
She burst into tears, "I didn't mean to kill you! You have to believe me! I was just so mad! SO MAD! I hate when people tell me what to do and he always did! ALWAYS! I didn't mean to lose control! I didn't mean to kill you!"
My face twitched in disgust, "Kill me?! What the hell are you talking about!?"
She continued to wail, "I DIDN'T MEAN TO! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!"
"Just stop crying! You're getting snot on my dress!"
I raised my hand and swung it.
*SLAP*
Hazel blinked in confusion as her cheek started to turn red. The pink smoke started to fade from her eyes, "H-Huh? What… What happened?"
I pulled my dress from her grip and looked away with a guilty expression, "I-I didn't want to slap you, but you were acting crazy…"
She felt her cheek, "I… I was?"
"Yeah! You were begging for forgiveness and ruining my dress-" I turned to Cyrus, "And you were like another person, kissing me and-ehem. Um… You were just a bit forceful."
"I-I was!?" Cyrus flushed red before looking away and clicking his tongue in frustration, "Why can't I have at least remembered what it felt like?"
I looked away in embarrassment, "I guess there was something in that smoke that drove you two insane."
"Desire…" Hazel clenched her fists, "Rose is a demon who uses enchantments to cause you to go insane with desire. That pink smoke she spewed most likely triggered our deepest desires."
I looked at her in confusion, "What does that have to do with you begging for forgiveness?"
Zephyr slowly raised his hand, "Um. Do I need to remind you all that I am grievously injured?"
Hazel picked up Zephyr effortlessly, "Although it kills me to say this… Let's find Felix. I don't want you to be in pain."
Zephyr stared at her as if entranced by her, "You're strong…"
Hazel forced on a smile, "Love makes you strong?"
She then ran out of the building carrying Zephyr and down the eerily empty street. Cyrus and I quickly followed after her. Just as we were almost to the Academy, we noticed Felix on the street.
Cyrus shouted, "Felix! I need your help!"
Felix turned to us in confusion, "H-Huh? You all want my help?"
Cyrus nodded hastily, "Can you heal Zephyr? We all got attacked earlier."
Felix looked at Hazel with an ominous smile, "You want my help too?"
She bit down on her lip hard enough to release blood. She forced herself to spit out words, "...Yes. Now heal Zephyr."
He chuckled as he pulled out his wand, "Since you both asked me so kindly, I will have him back to his healthy self in no time."
Felix healed Zephyr first, then turned to me.
He paused and averted his eyes shyly, "Um… S-Should I heal you too?"
I raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Huh? Why would you heal me?"
Ah!
It must be because of Moni's corruption attack earlier.
Speaking of that, it did give me a throbbing headache.
I rubbed my forehead, "Can you get rid of my headache?"
"I might be able to…" Felix asked hesitantly, "But… Why do you have a headache? Did Cyrus… Was he… Was he too much?"
Eh?
Why is he talking about Cyrus all of a sudden?
Zephyr sat up and rubbed his back, "She got corrupted. You can't heal her."
Felix gasped, "Corruption?"
Hazel glared at him, "Yeah. Corruption. Isn't that such a cowardly thing to do? They can't kill her, so they corrupt her instead."
Felix nodded in agreement, "It's truly cowardly… But… I can't do anything to help if that's the case."
I pursed my lips, "Why not?"
"Corruption is demonic magic. Whenever I heal someone, I have to fix the thing that's causing pain. For Zephyr, I just had to fix his wounds. But for you, I would have to fix the corruption. But my magic isn't capable of doing that… But I can do something." Felix grew a small bush and took off a leaf, "Put this under your tongue. It will alleviate the pain."
I did as he said and found the pounding in my head lessen.
I felt my forehead in surprise, "Wow! It doesn't hurt anymore."
Felix forced on a weak smile, "That's good…"
I noticed his skin starting to turn greyish-pale.
I felt a bit concerned, "Are you feeling okay?"
Felix stood up slowly and nodded, "I'm fine. It's just a bit difficult healing that many wounds in my current state… I just need to visit my garden and I will be okay."
He gave a nod to Cyrus before walking away in a shuffle.
Zephyr clicked his tongue, "I guess that's our cue to leave."
Cyrus took my hand as he averted his gaze, "Let me walk you home. I want to make sure you get back safely."
I held his hand back and gave it a squeeze, "I guess that's okay."
Hazel grabbed Zephyr's hand, "I will walk you back too."
Zephyr raised an eyebrow, "Shouldn't I walk you back?"
She smiled but didn't respond.
In the end, Zephyr and I both got walked home while Felix returned back to his dorm by himself.
After I got to my door, I paused to look back at Cyrus. He glanced at me timidly as he tried to find the right words to say, "Um… I'm sorry. I realized that I behaved… Poorly… I'm sorry that I did that."
"You don't have to be sorry." I played with my hands anxiously, "And um… Thanks."
"Thanks for what-"
I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek before rushing inside.
Zephyr turned to look at Hazel with a smirk, "Well besides the near-death experience and you jumping me, that was a pretty good date."
She laughed, "You're right. It was lovely to spend time with you. Although next time I won't behave so unsightly."
"Oh! Also-" Zephyr pointed to his cheek, "It's okay if you want to give me a kiss too."
She smiled softly before grabbing his shirt and pulling him to her. She planted a kiss on his lips.
Cyrus looked away in a hurry.
Hazel pulled back and patted Zephyr's head, "Good boy."
She gave him a wave and walked away with Cyrus.
Zephyr smoothed his hair back and chuckled to himself, "I still got it."
As soon as I walked through the door, my mother was already waiting to greet me.
She went to hug me but froze in her tracks, "Oh my! Reika! You- you-"
She quickly moved my hair to cover my neck. I stared at her blushing face in confusion, "What?"
She looked away, "N-Nothing… Just… Just don't show your father your neck… Or chest…"
"Huh?" I moved my hand to feel for any bug bites, but found none, "What are you talking about?"
Zephyr snickered, "You are covered in hickeys."
My face went pale.
Wait…
So that's why Felix asked…
And that's why my mother…
AND NO ONE WAS GOING TO TELL ME!?
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Nekoru
Nekoru That's it for this week! I hope you enjoyed the roller coaster of emotions.
More mysteries are becoming clearer...
I am giving you all the dots...
But are you connecting them?
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