Here's a badass Kris for y'all too~

   The leather of the escalade’s seat was plush under my thighs as I slid into the driver’s seat, turning the key in the ignition. Kris swung into the passenger seat, a small piece of paper clutched in his slim fingers. He had saved the address of the hunters’ leader from the night of the raid, and he began entering it into his phone as I pulled out of the driveway.
    I was barely out of the gate when my phone rang, prompting me to pull over before answering it.
    “Yeah?” I asked, squinting at the bright sunlight streaming down from above. 
    “We’re taking Iris to our house,” Yoichi said decisively. “It’s safer there and the hunters don’t know it exists.”
    “Are you talking about the house you were kidnapped from?” I asked doubtfully, raising an eyebrow.
    “It might surprise you, Tao, but I did not live this long by being stupid.” Yoichi said dryly. “I’m obviously talking about a second house that not even you know about.”
    “Don’t get your knickers in a twist,” I warned, scowling at his condescending tone. 
    “My knickers are just fine, thank you very much,” Yoichi said cheerfully. 
    “I can confirm!” Aoi broke in, shouting his way into the conversation. There was a smack and a yelp, and I smiled.
    “Text Kris the address so we can meet up with both of you afterwards.” I said, rolling my eyes.
    “Sure thing,” Yoichi said, hanging up. I rolled my eyes as I slipped my phone back into my pocket and restarted the car.
    “I can’t believe we left our child with those two.” I said, glancing over at Kris. He smiled tensely, reaching into his pocket to pull out a small figurine and grip it tightly. 
    Kris and I were quiet for several minutes, listening to the GPS commands from his phone, before I broke the silence.
    “So, they tried to take Iris to heal someone? Seraphs have healing powers?” I asked, rolling to a halt at a stop sign and looking both ways carefully.
    “Only about half of them.” Kris said, his hand wrapped around the panic bar and his brow furrowed as he kept glancing down at his phone. 
    “And if we help heal the sister, the hunters might be interested in a treaty.” I said, more of a statement than a question. Kris nodded and his phone beeped suddenly, signaling that we had reached our destination.
    I pulled to a stop and we both glanced up at the house dubiously, exchanging a look. Kris reached over to grasp my hand, pressing a kiss to my knuckles.
    “You be careful, okay?” Kris asked, raising an eyebrow. “I’m serious.”
    “I’ll be fine,” I smiled, kissing his cheek and exiting the car. I locked the doors behind me, beginning to walk up the path with Kris.
    The house didn't look like the den of evil. It was actually quite pleasant; wood-paneled and painted white, with large columns lining the porch, thick with ivy. The front door was painted a soft blue and the front steps were solid under our feet, a wooden porch swing swaying softly in the breeze next to me. 
    Kris knocked on the front door carefully, his other hand twined with mine, and I sighed in the hot sunlight that slanted underneath the porch covering. I reached down to pull off my sweatshirt and tie it around my waist, hoping my eyeliner didn't run in the heat. That would look very un-badass. 
    The door swung open slowly and Kris and I stooped to look at the child who had opened it. It was a little boy, maybe seven years old, with chocolate smeared in the corner of his mouth. He blinked up at us, eyes widening, and we stared at each other for several seconds, unsure of what to do. I looked past the boy towards the neat, cozy entryway and Kris knelt slowly in front of him.
    “Are your parents home?” Kris asked gently, offering a friendly smile that the boy returned hesitantly. He nodded, wiping at his mouth and only succeeding in smearing the chocolate further across his cheek. 
    “Felix, who’s at the—” A tall teenaged boy walked up behind the boy, the last word lost as he processed Kris and I. His hand leapt to the belt of his jeans, a blade sheathed at his hip.
    “What are you doing here?” The teenager asked, his eyes narrowed in distrust as he stepped in front of Felix.
    “We’re here to speak to your commander,” I said, taking in his green eyes and straight black hair. He didn’t look more than 15, his arms wiry and his face soft with youth. 
    “What business do you have with Commander Kira?” he asked, hand dropping slowly from his side. Kris stood, regaining his full height, and the teenager’s hand returned to his knife. 
    “We’re here to negotiate about helping her sister.” I said. The boy considered Kris and I suspiciously, then sighed.
    The boy nodded, turning away abruptly and walking deeper into the house.
    “Follow.” he ordered.
    Kris and I had no choice but to obey, stepping around children’s toys that lay strewn around the ground next to tumbling stacks of old books 
    “Here.” The boy said, gesturing to a tucked-away section of the house.
    The boy left us standing in front of a wooden door after knocking on it twice. The door was opened and Kris and I walked through, looking around.
    The room was a huge office, a massive mahogany desk taking up the far wall. A woman sat with her hair pulled up in a bun, her lips red as blood. A book rested between her pale hands and her brown eyes were trained on the pages, her head tilted to the side slightly. 
    The most interesting thing about the room was the hunters lining the walls. A guard stood behind the woman reading at the desk, along with another guard spaced about every five feet along the office wall. Their hands were all on their swords and they bore menacing looks, sizing up Kris and I.
    My hands tightened into nervous fists, and Kris’ fingers wrapped around mine. He pressed something cool and smooth into my palm and my fingers curled around it instinctively, clutching the object. I glanced down just long enough to see that it was some sort of figurine before my gaze was pulled back by the woman’s voice.
    “I’m Commander Kira.” She said quietly. 
    We waited in silence until she finally put her book aside and looked up consider Kris and I, looking bored. 
    “Who are you?” Commander Kira asked, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. I could see her nonchalance was an act—there were worried lines around and her eyes were carefully empty.
    “I’m Zitao Wu, this is my mate, Kris.” I said, gesturing first to myself and then to Kris. 
    “Dragons?” Commander Kira said, sounding mildly surprised but also very very bored. 
    “They can be harmed by dragonsblood; we should kill them now while we have the chance.” 
    The man standing closest to Commander Kira spoke loud enough for Kris and me to hear, his hand resting on a dagger at his side. I tensed, my eyes narrowing, and there was the dull sound of tearing fabric as Kris’ wings slid through his shirt. The massive sheets of gold spread freely in the room and Kris growled low in his throat, one of his wings slipping around to hover protectively in front of me.
    Before I could react, The Commander spoke for both of us.
    “And you can be harmed by fire.” Commander Kira said coolly, sparing a glance at the hunter who had spoken before returning her expressionless eyes to me.
    “Pardon?” he asked, dropping his head submissively before his commander’s disapproving glare.
    “When your enemy stands peacefully before you, yet holds the means to your destruction in his hands, it is not wise to start a battle.” Commander Kira said, her strong voice projected throughout the room.
    “Wise words, Commander.” I inclined my head, the tension leaving my shoulders as the hunters’ hands slid from their swords. Kris relaxed next to me but his wing remained in front of me, the warm length fluttering softly against my bare arm.
    The Commander looked from Kris to me, uncrossing her arms abruptly and sitting up to lean against her desk.  
    “What is it you’re here for?” Commander Kira asked, seeming interested for the first time in the conversation. Kris’ eyes were heavy on me and I spoke firmly, squaring my shoulders. 
    “To make peace.” I said, watching Commander Kira’s eyes widen in disbelief. 
    “Peace?” she repeated, a dubious smile curling her red lips. 
    “A treaty, to be exact, between your people and mine.” I said firmly, looking pointedly from Kris at my side to the various hunters spaced around the room.
    “What makes you think that I want to make a treaty with you?” Commander Kira asked, intrigued despite herself, a hard edge of suspicion in her voice. 
    “Because we can’t keep killing and bleeding and dying forever.” I said firmly. “There is no reason for us to be at war.”
    “No reason?” Commander Kira repeated, looking incredulous. “We swore an oath to protect humans everywhere—”
    “Am I not human?” I interrupted softly. “What makes a human?”
    “Someone who is not a monster.” Commander Kira said, a raw edge in her voice. I sighed, continuing in the same softly firm voice.
    “My little brother…he was nearly killed by a monster. Nobody cared, because that monster was ‘human’. Now my brother’s body is covered with scars.” I said, an image of Snake’s scarred hands caught in my mind. 
    “We don’t meddle in those affairs.” Commander Kira said, but her icy tone held an edge of uncertainty. 
    “You have children here.” I said, affection and disbelief seeping into my voice as I remembered the boys who had answered the door. “How can you not want to protect them?”
    “Of course I want to protect them!” Commander Kira snapped. 
    “Then work with us! Supernatural creatures also want to protect and help people. We can end this senseless violence, but we have to work together.” I said. 
    “How do I know you won’t turn on us?” Commander Kira asked, raising an eyebrow.
    “We wouldn’t do that.” Kris said, his face open and honest. The Commander began to laugh, but was cut off by one of her own men.
    “Commander, we can work with them.” The voice was familiar, triggering Kris and I to both look at the hunter who had stepped forward.
    The man we had spoken with last night, the one I had accidentally burned, stood steadily in front of his commander. His hands were loose at his sides, his shoulders square, and he gave me a level nod when his eyes met mine.
    “Chai? Why do you trust them?” Commander Kira asked, gentle curiosity turning the words from suspicious to inquisitive.
    “I was injured in the fight; they healed me afterwards.” Chai brandished his healed arm, flaunting his torn sleeve. He obviously hadn't had time to change since getting home. “They mean us no harm unless they’re provoked.”
     Commander Kira nodded thoughtfully, folding her hands in front of her face as she considered Kris and I.
    “We are willing to heal your sister. We don’t wish you any harm.” I repeated, my fingers tightening around the figurine in my hand. 
    “Alright.” Commander Kira finally stood, her hands resting on her desk and her boots clicking on the floor as she walked slowly around to pause in front of Kris and I.
    “What are the terms of this treaty?” Commander Kira asked. 
    “We will heal your sister. You will not try to steal our child again.” I said, the statements firm, not up for argument.
    Commander Kira only nodded. 
    “In the future, my husband and I will heal hunters in need of help. In exchange, hunters will only target creatures guilty of harming humans or similar crimes.” Kris said.
    Commander Kira nodded again.
    She offered her hand, and Kris and I took turns shaking it. Her eyes were level when they met mine, and she inclined her head very slightly before turning to face her men.
    “Tell the others of the terms of this treaty. Anyone caught breaking our end of the bargain will be cast out.” Commander Kira said. The hunters saluted and she began to walk, exiting the room and leaving Kris and I alone with the hunters.
    “Follow me.” Chai said, catching our attention. He turned, walking from the room and leaving the hunters to disperse or remain in the office. 
    Chai led Kris and I to a small room, opening the door after knocking on it twice. He gestured towards the bed and the limp figure lying in it, nodding at a hunter standing by the door. 
    “Commander Kira’s sister.” Chai said, motioning for Kris and I to walk forward towards the figure. 
    Commander Kira’s sister was young, maybe only 13, and her skin was pale and clammy. Her long hair twisted across her face and her chest rose shallowly under the blankets, her breaths much too fast.
    “What happened?” Kris inquired softly, looking at the stern-faced hunter who stood guard over the girl.
    “Demon venom. There’s nothing our doctors can do.” The hunter said, sharing a look with Chai.
    Kris nodded and I sat lightly on the edge of the girl’s bed, reaching out to brush her hair from her face. She stirred and her eyes flickered softly, her hand reaching up blindly for mine. I took it without hesitation, wrapping her cool fingers between my palms and bending over her. 
    “What’s her name?” I asked, looking up at Chai.
    “Bella.” Chai said, his arms crossed over his chest. “Please…she’s like everyone’s little sister.”
    “We’ll help her.” Kris reassured him, sitting across from me to take Bella’s other hand, a bandage spanning her forearm next to his fingers. 
    I closed my eyes, letting my desire for healing to wash over my senses like I had with Aoi. A small amount of pressure built in my fingertips, spreading up my hand and becoming dull pain that throbbed through my veins. I opened my eyes, finding Kris focused on healing Bella.
    His eyes slid open and he fixed me with an incredulous look, distracted briefly before bowing his head over his work once again. I continued doing whatever it was I was doing, the pain spreading up my arm until it reached my shoulder and then stopped abruptly. My arm tingled and Bella’s fingers tightened around mine, her breathing easing.
    “Finished.” Kris said quietly, reaching up to unwrap the bandage and reveal smooth, unmarked skin. 
    “Thank you.” Chai said warmly. Kris and I smiled and stood, a rush of dizziness spreading through me before I recovered quickly.
    The door opened and Commander Kira was standing in the entryway, hope on her features. Chai gave her a nod and Commander Kira smiled, nodding gratefully to Kris and I.
    “I look forward to working with the two of you.” Commander Kira said, striding over to take my place on her sister’s bed. “Chai will show you the way to the front door.”
    I nodded and we began to follow Chai, stopped at Commander Kira’s voice.
    “You are welcome here.” she said softly, n