Pairings: Uh... 2x5?  Imati/Kara?
Rating: PG-15?  Dunno.
Warnings: Violence, sorta.

~Soul of a Demon~
by Jessi Maxwell

~ * ^ * ~

Imati sighed as he raked the brush through his honey-brown hair.  <Dear goddess... what'd 
I get myself into this time?> he asked himself.  His long,  thin fingers made short work of 
a knot he found in his long wispy hair.   His gray eyes swirled as he sorted through his 
thoughts.

<I've betrayed the queen; I can't go home.  Though I'm sure I could redeem myself, I'm too 
useful a slave to Lycavi-megami..  I told Karanya I loved her forever... but I doubt in 
myself.  I do not know love.  I feel something for her, but is it another fleeting 
fascination?  Have I subconsciously made her another of my toys?...   How long will it be 
before all I want from her is her blood on my claws?  Dear goddess, I am confused!>

The storms raging in Imati's eyes cleared as he heard the door open.  Imati nodded a greeting 
to Jessi as she walked in.  After a brief exchange of greetings, Imati drifted up by the 
ceiling.  He pulled the front half of his hair into a ponytail, then braided the ponytail 
and quickly tied it back.  Without much thought, Imati sent Jessi inspiration and muse-magic 
as she sat on the couch with the Golden Keyboard of Doom(tm) and worked on the writing of 
"Ghost".  Her tail twitched as she gleefully plunked the keys.

Imati closed his eyes and drifted down from the ceiling, settling into his customary seat on 
the back of the couch.  His posture was relaxed, as if he were meditating or dozing, his eyes 
closed.

But Imati wasn't sleeping; he had long ago been cursed to never sleep again.  Insomnia was a 
bitch; it gave him far too much time to think.  With his thoughts not always his own, constant 
awareness could become a real bitch.

Jessi squealed in delight when the door opened to reveal her older twin sister Ryoko.  After 
a hug, the two fic-writers sat down to write some more as the various members of their 
'family' began to come into the room.

Duo and Wufei glomped onto each other and sat on the couch, talking animatedly.  Well... 
Duo was talking animatedly and Wufei was listening with a smile.

Imati sensed Kara the moment she entered the room.  He smirked slightly.  "H'lo, wench,"
 he said lazily.

"Jerk," she greeted with a small smile.

Imati kept his smirk in place, never letting his inner turmoil show.  <It was so much easier 
to just flirt,> he sighed mentally, stretching out his leathery black dragon's wings and 
refolding them.  <They believe only they wear masks?... Foolish mortals.>

Imati suddenly snapped open his eyes.  His eyes darkened, then turned blood red.  His long, 
wicked, curved talons snapped out and his teeth grew sharper, becoming like fangs.  All this
happened in the span of half a second as the door opened and Kas' Ralin stepped in.

<AYASHA! [1]> his mind screamed to him as he saw Kas'.  Kas' noticed Imati a moment later and 
froze, terror seeping into his haunted gray eyes.

Imati struggled against the all-consuming rage that was sparking in his mind and ripping 
through him.  He soon succumbed to his demon's soul and let the power claim him.

Imati did not understand his immense hatred for Kas' Ralin.  They had shared a soul, and 
Imati guessed it had something to do with the fact that they were complete opposites.  Like 
two sides of a coin.

Ever since his creation, Imati despised Kas'.  He wanted nothing more than to hurt the braided 
bishounen that was his twin.  He wanted... no, *needed* Kas's blood to spill, by his hand.

Before Kas' could even debate retreating, Imati snarled in fury and dived at Kas' Ralin.  
His talons tore into Kas's pale skin and through his flesh.  Kas's scream was music to his 
ears; it caused a deep wave of pleasure and satisfaction to course through Imati's body.  
<Yes, this is wonderful... simply wonderful....>

Imati snarled as Kas' Ralin managed to squirm from under him.  Kas' instantly teleported away.  
Imati growled at the loss, his chest heaving.  Slowly, he returned to his normal state.  As 
his demon soul released him, Imati felt suddenly weak.  He sat back down, his eyes closed, 
using all his will power to keep himself from trembling.

<Nothing!... I can't remember... can't remember anything... oh goddess, why, why?!> Imati felt 
very cold and wanted to hug himself, but restrained the urge.  He would not show such weakness 
in front of these mortals.

~ It scares you, doesn't it, Imati? ~ Lycavi's voice said telepathically  to him.

~ My queen... it leaves me feeling so vulnerable. ~

~ I know, my beautiful child.  I know, my love. ~

~ Do I love her, Megami?  What is this I struggle with whenever I see her?  Is this emotion I 
feel for Kara... love? ~

Lycavi smiled cruelly back in her room all the way in her home in the Netherworld.  <I cannot 
have any threat to my control over him....>

~ No, love, ~ Lycavi replied.  ~ Merely lust.  The feeling is desire, as you have felt before.  
So well, though, are you trained, your mind chose to call it love toward her, so her pain will 
be greater. ~

Imati frowned slightly, indecision flickering through him.  ~ You are probably right, 
Megami. ~

But Imati didn't believe it completely.  He teleported to one of the back rooms, lay down, 
and cried.  <So cold... so cold... I wish I could sleep... wish I could die....>

* ~ ^ ~ *

Soon after, the news came to Imati that Kara was pregnant.  Imati's mind locked down.  
<Oh dear lord... my goddess... this cannot be!  How can I let a child of mine live?  I 
cannot....>

~ Imati, I want that child, ~ Lycavi informed him.

~ The child will die by my hand, my queen. ~

~ Very well.  But if not, she is mine. ~

Imati didn't respond.  He continued acting as he usually did, but a core of nausea was 
growing.  He felt sick, and so very dark and cruel.  He was going to kill his child.  He 
had done worse, so why did this get to him?  Imati mentally cursed his weakness.

A week later, his daughter was born.

* ~ ^ ~ *

Imati and Kara debated the name of their daughter.  They settled on Li'Chala--'Li' being 
the honorific of Kara's family and 'Chala' from Imati's tongue.

'Chala' meant survival.  To live, to love, to survive.  Imati felt more and more ill.

Everything changed when Li'Chala was actually born.  Imati felt a feeling very strong, the 
same as the one he felt towards Kara.

Love.

He did love her.  She wasn't just his possession.  He loved her.

This revelation rocked him to the core.  And complicated things even more.

~ Lycavi... I love them.  I will not kill my daughter, ~ he told his creator.

~ When she is of age, I will come, ~ Lycavi replied tersely.

~ I will not let you, ~ Imati replied, determination in his words.

Lycavi's thoughts flew to him on wings of promise.  ~ I will come. ~

~ And I will be waiting. ~

~ OWARI ~

[1] 'Angel' in Imati's tongue.