Kiss Me Deadly

Chapter 25

Dual piercing golden eyes stare at him from the dark abyss. Eyes that remind him of a venomous snake, deadly to everything around it. A bone chilling malicious laugh echoes around him causing his pulse to speed up. He can't see anything around him, everything is pitch black. Where is he? Where is Orochimaru? He's right here, he knows he's right here. That laugh, those eyes. He feels a breath tickle the hairs on the back of his neck, chills shooting down his spine. He wants to turn around, wants to rip the vampire to shreds for everything he's done, but he can't move. It's like he's frozen to the bone, stiff like a marble statue.

Orochimaru's arms wrap around him and squeeze him tightly as he whispers in his ear, "I have something for you, Naruto." One of his hands release him and comes up in front of him holding something red, something that fits in the palm of his hand. Naruto's breath catches in his throat when he sees the pulsing organ, throbbing in his hand. "It's from that friend of yours. The Inuzuka boy. I figured you would want it as a souvenir. How thoughtful of me, right?"

The next thing he notices is the heart somehow got transferred to his own hand, the organ still pulsing, but soon it's beats cease. Naruto shakes his head. "No... this ... this isn't my fault. I-I-"

The whisper is back, but this time it echoes around him like he's in an empty hallway. "Oh, but are you sure of that, Naruto?" Naruto shakes his head about to refuse, but the voice is back, "Because if it weren't for you, if you weren't such an idiotic boy, he would still be alive."

"Please stop..."

"All those close to you will die if you don't wise up. Come to me, and nobody else will have to get hurt."

"I can't trust you. What do you want from me?!"

"Come to me, or else I'll take someone else precious to you."

"Stop this! Leave them out of this! Please stop!"

"Your time is running out, Naruto."

The blond startles awake jolting into a sitting position, sweat coating his body, his breathing heavy and rigid. He looks to his hands to see them trembling. It was only a dream. His eyes move to the side of the bed where Sasuke is usually sleeping, but he's not there. He takes a series of deep breaths to calm himself down and he rubs his face. The next thing he notices is the door opening.

"Naruto."

"I'm fine, Sasuke."

The blond looks up and smiles as the raven makes his way over to the bed but doesn't sit down. His dark eyes running over him. "You don't look fine, dobe."

"I'm fine." Naruto persists swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "Just a bad dream." He rubs the back of his neck and rolls his head. "I'm going to go take a shower." Sasuke watches him leave the room not saying anything as he grabs his things to get ready for the day. It's only three in the morning, but Naruto can't sleep any longer. He's been off and on ever since he fell asleep last night. The nightmares won't let up and he's exhausted, but he won't let it stop him.

After he's finished with his shower, which took a lot longer than he intended, he goes down the grand staircase in the main foyer. He smells the air and scrunches his brows. Does he smell french toast? Following the smell to the kitchen he freezes. His eyes are playing tricks on him right? He's just tired. Why are Sakura and Sai standing in the kitchen making breakfast at five in the morning?