An insistent pounding starts on my door.
"Open up! Castle guards!" A mean voice demands.
I scuttle to the door and unlatch it.
Rough hands grab me; and I'm dragged down the hall. I don't know where we're going, but I'm sure it's not good.
Suddenly, we start down a long narrow staircase, then it dawns on me. The Dungeon.
I am thrown into a small sparse cell at the bottom of the stairs, then the door clicks shut; and I'm enveloped in darkness.
I don't know how long passes, hours, days, weeks, but I hear the door sliding open; I feel a sense of foreboding.
I didn't need to be worried, though. It's Koris.
"Oh, Aero! Here, I've brought some food. Word's that the Countess REALLY likes Striker and wants you out of the picture, because she knows, oh, she KNOWS, Striker likes you. Lots."
I roll my eyes.
"Ok, I believe you about the countess thing, but, as I said, Striker hates me."
"No he doesn't," Koris replies, exasperated.
"When he asked me what happened to you and I told him, he was very concerned. He asked me if there was any way he could get you out!!"
"He just wants to know, 'cause I'm his mission partner; and he wants to get the job done." I say.
"Whatever," Koris mutters, draping me in darkness, once again.

I wake to a loud, "AERO!"
I open my eyes, to see Striker peering through my cell bars.
He quickly unlocks the doors and slips inside.
"I asked Koris to give me the keys," he explains. " I HAD to see you," he says forcefully.
Before he realizes what he's doing, Striker comes over and gives me a rib squeezing hug.
Surprisingly, it feels nice; and I nestle closer.
Now Striker looks shocked, but also happy.
"Didja miss me?" He asks, pulling me close.
"Yes," I answer truthfully.
Now Striker looks really surprised.
I arch my back and nuzzle my head against his neck.
"Aero, tell me, do you want me or not?" Striker questions, pushing me away.
"Yes," I whisper, realizing it's true.
Striker stares at me for a moment, then he swoops down and kisses me. Hard.
Talcon's kiss can't hold a candle to the one I'm receiving right now.
Striker tastes like sweet candy; and I just can't get enough of it.
I pull him closer; and Striker presses me against him.
He slips his tongue in my mouth; and I sag against him.
I tangle my fingers in his thick hair; and he weaves his fingers through my own.
Then Striker pulls my dress off and roves his hands over my body.
We kiss for what seems like forever, but eventually it stops.
"I'll find a way to get you out," Striker promises, his breath hot on my neck.
He kisses me one last time, then disappears, back into the real world.

I'm stuck in the cell for what feels like an eternity, my stomach rumbles with the need for food; and I miss Striker.
I limbo between sleep and alertness, not knowing what time, or day it is.
The darkness presses against me, overwhelms me, drowns me.
Then the light breaks through.

A guard the size of Mount Olympus comes to free me from my cell. I am overjoyed.
"Thank you Striker" I think.
The guard brings me to my room, where Koris flings herself into my arms.
"I'm so glad you're back!!" Her escalating voice warms me. "Striker didn't need to get you out at all, the Countess just decide to let you out herself, since she tried to seduce him, but he was having none of it!"
"Speaking of him, where is he?" I ask.
"Right here," Striker says, from behind me.
I spin around, bewildered.
Striker is wearing the stupidest grin I've ever seen in my entire life, but I love it.
I charge at him and give him a desperate kiss on the lips.
Striker laughs into my mouth.
"Afraid I'm gonna disappear?" He asks me, as I kiss him fervently.
"No, I just want to kiss you," I murmur, looking into his eyes.
"I want to kiss you too," he says, bopping my nose.
"Hey!" I say teasingly, but my protest is cut short by another kiss.
At the end, we notice Koris, who is grinning like a maniac, standing behind us.
"I KNEW it!" She yells.
"Striker and Aero, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
"Oh stop it!" I say angrily.
Koris takes no notice.
"First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a BABY carriage!" She chants wildly.
"That sounds like a plan," Striker agrees, pressing his lips against mine again.
"Maybe YOU TWO should get together since you both like this PLAN so much!" I spew acidicly. "But we've got a mission to complete!"