Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Shadows ❯ Ties part 2 ( Chapter 6 )

Shadows

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Chapter five

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Ties, part 2

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Yohji sighed as he let his arms slide down Aya's chest and rest around the man's waist. Aya hn'ed softly and leaned his head back on the blond's shoulder, half asleep. Smiling, Yohji pressed his lips against a pale forehead and settled down lower in the hot water. As much as he'd hated to leave his bed, he had to admit that the soak felt good. The fact that he once more had Aya all to himself was pretty nice as well.

Dammit, why did Teddy have to interrupt them earlier? Aya had been tense after the incident, and Yohji recognized a veiled threat when he heard one and knew that his attendance at lunch was mandatory. A little voice nagged him that things wouldn't end with just the meal, either. Teddy and Koyu would want to fill everyone in on what they'd discovered during their travels and want to hear about what was happening in the capital and the approaching wedding. Then Yohji would have to take care of business while Mickey spent some time with his brother, and… no time with Aya. The whole day was shot.

A crimson eartail floated in the water looking like a ribbon of blood. One of Yohji's hands captured the strand and twined it around his fingers. Aya shifted about in his arms, setting the older man's blood on fire as the ass that was nestled between his legs pressed back against him, and made him grow hard from the friction. Using his hold on the hair to pull Aya's head forward, Yohji fastened his lips on the back of his lover's neck licking at the mineral heavy drops of water that coated the pale skin.

"Yohji, not here."

Yes here. He wanted the man again, wanted to finish what they had started before Teddy had burst in on them. Letting the hand that rested on Aya's hip fall downward, Yohji set about changing the man's mind. Something about the redhead drove him wild with passion and need; maybe it was the taste of sunlight or the happiness and completion that he felt whenever Aya was in his arms. It didn't really matter. It seemed as if Yohji had spent most of his life looking for someone who made him feel whole, and now that he found that special someone he didn't want to let go.

Yohji didn't know what it was that had driven him to sleep with person after person, other than a hunger that filled his very being and made the world pale to grey if it was denied. He knew he'd caused his mother and the rest of his family at the Koneko a bit of grief with his actions of bedding guest after guest, refusing to settle down with anyone. He'd tried to do so a few times, tried so very hard, but no matter how suitable that person had been, after a week or two the hunger had driven Yohji to find someone new.

It had come as such a shock when Asuka had entered the Koneko one day, and Yohji had been instantly drawn to her. Something in her calmed the hunger down, had sated it enough so he could ignore it. But the thought that, according to Cass's prophecy, she wouldn't be by his side for long had driven Yohji to spend as much time as he could with the woman, desperate for any peace that he could get. When she betrayed him… Yohji sucked Aya's left earlobe into his mouth, using the sunlight that poured into him as the smaller man mewled as a distraction from his thoughts. Why was he wasting his time thinking about the assassin who'd played him false when he had his love to focus on?

"Yohji, neh-not here." Aya strained against the arms holding him in place, and in an impressive show of strength pulled himself free and swam to the other side of the hot tub. He turned to face Yohji, one hand rising to push back his wet bangs as the other was hugged tight around his chest, a glare on the beautiful face. "This isn't a private bath."

"Dammit, Aya, it's private enough!" Yohji splashed a hand through the water in frustration, sending a wave of it flying at the redhead. When Aya turned his head to avoid being splashed in the eyes, the older man surged forward and pinned him to the side of the tub. Bending his head to kiss his lover, Yohji stilled when he saw the hurt look on Aya's face, the fleeting emotion quickly replaced with an impassive mask. He pulled back, and with a gentle hold on the man's wrist, tugged Aya over to the other side of the tub and onto his lap. "I'm sorry, I'm being a lecherous jackass. You drive me wild though, cat."

Aya stared at him solemnly for a moment, and Yohji caught a gleam of need and passion in the man's unusual eyes. Reassured that his lover felt the same for him, the blond smiled as he flicked a wet eartail along Aya's lips. That earned him another glare and a low snarl. Ah, that was much better than the previous look by far. Yohji smiled at the fact that Aya felt comfortable enough to snap at him again. "I-"

The bathing room door opened, and Yohji broke off his sentence to mentally berate himself for not barricading the door before soaking in the tub. At this moment, he was incredibly tempted to hand the Koneko over to Mickey and find a small apartment somewhere secret where he could ravish Aya in peace. For his part, the redhead shot him a smug, vindicated glance and turned around in his arms.

The second urge the blond felt was to finish the other thing he'd tried to start earlier and strangle Teddy. The pest and his boyfriend walked into the stone room, stripping off their garments as they approached the bath. "Oh great, Yotan, you just cost me two gold coins I'll have you know. I bet Koyu that I'd catch you in the act again down here."

"Teddy, why the hell couldn't you have stayed on the damn road?" Dammit, now he actually had to be thankful for Aya putting a halt to things. Yohji glared at his foster brother as he wrapped his arms tightly about his lover, a growl rumbling in his throat. The sound had Koyu staring at him oddly, and for a few seconds Yohji wondered what the hell was going on with him. He'd never acted this possessive of a lover before, but then again, he'd never felt this way about anyone either. His mind shifted off the topic as he felt Aya draw into a small bundle on his lap tucking his limbs in close and his tense body hunching over slightly. The man wasn't happy to be sharing a bath again.

Remembering how the last bath they'd shared with other people had ended, Yohji nudged the smaller man on the shoulder with his chin. "I think I'm about done for the day, what about you? Hungry for lunch yet?" Aya nodded his head and the both of them rose out of the tub.

Teddy looked about to say something, but when he caught sight of Aya's back his mouth tightened into a grim line. Koyu remained quiet as well, his eyes soft with sympathy. "The two of you enjoy your bath," Yohji growled sarcastically as he handed Aya a towel. When Teddy looked at him mournfully, he tugged on a strand of his hair and tried to get his temper under control. Gods, he really was going fucking crazy, what with how nasty he'd been to Teddy ever since he had returned home, pest or not. "We'll save you some lunch."

Koyu nodded his head thankfully. "Sorry for interrupting you once again, but we feel as if we're wearing several miles of dirt. We really didn't mean to chase you from the bath."

"It's okay, Aya was getting all pruney anyway." Yohji smiled at his lover, expecting another glare for the joke, but only got a raised eyebrow instead. The pale man hn'ed as he pulled on his wrinkled clothes from last night, which he had worn down to the bath.

"Don't worry, Yotan, we won't be long. I don't trust you near any food." Teddy rinsed himself off and glanced over his shoulder at Aya as he stepped into the tub. "Can you imagine what it was like growing up with him and Mickey? It's no wonder I'm such a runt, I had to fight the two of them for scraps to eat. Your boyfriend's a bottomless pit, I'll have you know, always hungry."

Aya paused in tugging on his slippers and shot Yohji a sideways look. "Oh, I know that," he remarked quietly before opening the door and leaving. Wondering what the hell his cat had meant by that, Yohji forgot all about worrying about his sudden change in temperament and followed him upstairs.

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Nagi wandered through the Koneko's garden, collecting various flowers to take back to his and Ran's room. Not that the kage had been spending much time there lately; he'd practically been living in Kudoh's room the past couple of days. Even though he should feel happy that his friend wasn't hiding in his quarters anymore, Nagi couldn't stop feeling jealous. He wasn't used to Ran being in anyone's company other than his.

Spying some wisteria he wanted to cut, Nagi tried in vain to reach a particularly blossom laden branch and failed. A quick check about him revealed the bound to be the only one in the garden, and he used his power to bend the branch down until he could reach it. Snipping off a length, he released it and tucked the branch into the basket he'd borrowed from Ani.

A low chuckle had him spinning about. "I never figured you for the gardening type." Jei stepped out of the shadows and smiled at him revealing a gleam of long white fangs.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Getting some fresh air and trying to avoid Crawford. That man doesn't take a break unless he's unconscious." The silver-haired man stretched his arms above his head and let them fall back down to his sides as he leaned against the tree. His pale skin stood out due to the dark blue sleeveless tunic he was wearing, and his scabbard scraped against the maple's bark. Even reclining, Jei appeared deadly. "So, did you have fun last night?"

Nagi put his shears away as he stood in front of the other bound wondering if he should dignify the question with an answer, when the man continued. "I know I sure as hell did. That Guard was a wildcat in bed, so much that I didn't get any sleep at all. But then again, I wasn't about to waste the opportunity presented. It's not often a succubae-bound's power slips its leash like that, so best seize the moment when it happens."

Brown eyes went wide at that bit of news. "Succubae-bound? What does Yohji have to do with last night, or was there another of his kind here?"

"Oh, it was Yohji last night, no doubt about that. He sure is a powerful one." Jei paused for a moment, and then chuckled again. "Didn't you wonder why everyone went wild last night? Oh wait, you'd left at that point. But don't tell me you didn't feel it, even up in your room. Or was Omi too drunk to put out?"

The shears flew from the basket and embedded themselves in the tree right next to Jei's ear. "Ah, did I touch a nerve?"

Last night couldn't have been due to Yohji, could it? Nagi had been stunned when, in the process of stripping Omi of his shirt, the boy had pulled him down on the bed and started to kiss him. At first he'd tried to pull away, but then everything had started to feel so good and he'd wanted those kisses so terribly much. He'd let Omi strip off his clothes and had removed the other boy's as well then had returned the touches that had made him ache. It had been a flurry of strokes and kisses, growing more heated by the moment until they had come in each other's hands at the same time. His cheeks burned as Nagi recalled the previous night. Had that all been because of magic?

Jei pushed away from the tree, and crossing over to the elemental-bound, lifted his chin. "You feel something for him, don't you?"

Staring into a golden eye, Nagi nodded his head. He found himself caring for a human, and that thought had given him trouble all morning long. "It's stupid, isn't it? He's…"

"Not one of us." Jei released his chin and scrubbed a hand through his hair. "I thought you were a little quiet when you came down for breakfast, and you didn't insult Yohji the whole time." Nagi snorted as he played with a purple dahlia. "You know, if I was Crawford, I'd give you a whole spiel about how it's never a very good idea to get involved with humans. They're narrow-minded and too delicate and…well, there are a lot of reasons."

"But you spent the night with that Guard, didn't you?"

There was another flash of long white teeth. "Oh, that was pure sex, Nagi, nothing more. We both wanted a bit of fun, though I won't tell her no if she comes back." As the boy's face fell Jei grinned as he pulled a knife from his boot and flipped it in the air. "But I won't tell you that you're making a mistake here. We may be able to live for centuries, but not every bound is guaranteed that long a lifespan. Not to mention it's not worth it to live that long if you don't have any fun now and then. Just be careful."

"Do you really think it's a good idea that I continue to see him?" Nagi had been torn for the past few hours by that thought. He thought he could really care for Omi, but he'd just be leaving the boy when the mission was over. Why chance being hurt by something he could avoid?

The gaki-bound balanced the knife on the tip of his finger. "I trust you to keep your mouth shut and not reveal what you are or why you're here. Nagi, listen to me when I tell you to enjoy your fun while you can." A shadow crossed the scarred face. "It won't last long, I promise you that. Seize happiness whenever possible, unless you want to become like Crawford."

Scrunching his face at that thought, Nagi violently shook his head. Jei chuckled and tugged on his ear. "Smart boy. Now I better get going before the man tracks me down and gives me another fucking list. See you at dinner." Nagi stared after the man as he made his way back to the Koneko, curious why Jei had been so open with him. The man was definitely friendlier than his partner, but it was still a bit odd. But he'd take the advice anyway since it meant he could keep seeing Omi. Recalling the way the older boy had touched him this morning, Nagi didn't believe what happened last night had been all Yohji's doing. Pushing his doubts aside, he set about cutting some roses with a lighter heart.

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Jei walked back to the Koneko cursing his partner. Why had he been chosen for the heart to heart talk with the boy? Gods, he felt like he needed a bath from doing Oracle's dirty work. He understood that they needed Nagi to be all cozy with the prince, but he didn't relish the idea of being slammed into a stone wall when the boy found out he was falling for a Takatori. Nor did he like the idea of seeing how hurt Nagi would be at that revelation.

Damn he was getting soft. But the boy reminded him a bit of himself when he'd been that young, struggling to survive with his family. Jei hissed at the memories, and sincerely hoped that Nagi didn't share his fate. A hand stole to the eye patch for a moment, stroking the leather before falling back down. No, he sincerely hoped that didn't come to pass.

He was in a bad mood, and it was all Oracle's fault. Jei's appetite had been sated from the meal the other night and last evening's fun with the Guard. Normally he would be content with life until the hunger returned, driving him mad with its voraciousness, but his partner had to keep giving him the shitty jobs. Ah well, if he played his cards right in a few more years he'd be free of both his masters and the uptight prick. Heh, Crawford hadn't even stuck around for the fun last night; the man was such a prude.

Now, to see if he could track down a few bounds that he knew lived in the capitol to find out some information and be back in time for dinner. Glancing up at the sky, Jei decided it was too bright to try and see if the kage felt in the mood for a little weapons practice while his appetite was mostly dormant. Also, it meant he'd have to pry Ran away from Yohji, which didn't seem likely, especially now. Recalling how enjoyable his night had been brought a smile to Jei's face. He did have to be thankful for the blond after all. Yep, he most likely wouldn't experience something like that for another couple of centuries. Whistling a cheerful tune, the bound carried on with his tasks.

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Ran stared out the window of his room and gathered his cloak about his body. Three stories wasn't much of a drop at all. He was mostly worried about the cloudless sky above him, but the kage didn't know when he'd have a better chance of seeking the female precog out. Yohji was downstairs working and believed Ran to be lying down for a nap. If he wanted answers, he had to go now.

Gathering shadows about him, Ran climbed into the windowsill and pushed off. He fell through the air and landed on his feet, his knees bending slightly upon impact. Yohji had definitely drained him if it took him a moment to recover from that jump; he could usually manage several more stories without any effort. Shaking his legs for a moment, the redhead wrapped his cloak about him pulling the hood further down on his face in an effort to block out the sun. Shadows scurried across the garden to weave about him, and as he left the fragrant sanctuary for the street, no one seemed to notice the bundle of darkness that walked past them.

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Botan looked up from Ban's journals when he heard a knock on his door. "Enter."

A pallid looking Omi peeked around the door. "Is this a lecture free environment?"

Having heard of how the prince had been chewed out by both Manx and the Guard Hidaka, Botan chuckled. "Yes, it is indeed. Besides, I doubt I can add anything that the others missed."

"Oh, good." Omi entered the room and sat down at the table strewn with books. He started to flip through one while the wizard rose to his feet and fussed with some herbs tossing them into a pot. Reaching for a flagon of water, a quick incantation brought it to the boiling point and he added it to the pot. "I have something that will make you feel better; it'll be ready in a couple of minutes." He set the pot and a mug in front of the boy.

The smile that Omi graced him with made Botan's heart ache. Kaede had smiled just like that. Gods, how he missed the girl. It was hard to believe that she'd been gone these past six years. He wished he knew how she fared and reflexively pushed aside the thought that she might be dead. No, he would have found her body by now if that were true.

"So, was it worth the agony you're suffering?"

Blue eyes blinked at the question, and Omi's smile grew rueful as he poured himself some tea. "No, it wasn't. I think I learned my lesson even before Manx and Ken started to yell at me."

"Good. I don't need to point out how wise it would be for you to keep your wits about you at all times, now do I?"

"No, Botan." The prince pouted as he blew into his mug of steaming tea. Omi looked a perfect picture of abject misery as his hair laid flat on his head, with bags under his eyes and wearing a once navy tunic and shorts that had clearly seen too many washings and were more a grayish-blue now. He was a far cry from his normally exuberant self.

"What's wrong, Omi?"

Taking a cautious sip of his tea, the boy made a face. "Manx says she doesn't want me to go back to the Koneko until after the wedding. She says that there will be a lot of strangers coming to the capital, and if I can't take care of myself, I'm inviting trouble on myself. I told her that I wouldn't drink again, but she wouldn't listen." Omi gazed at Botan with his heart in his eyes. "I have to go back before then."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain young man, would it?" The wizard smiled when his young friend blushed. It was about time Omi fell in love and experienced a bit of life.

"I have to see him again, Botan. He'll probably be gone after the wedding, and if I don't show up tomorrow like I promised after last nig-". Omi fell silent and refused to look up from his mug.

Ah, so something had happened between the teenagers already. The older man could vaguely recall the passion of youth, if he tried hard enough. Laughing at himself, Botan closed Ban's journal and set it aside. "Let's see here. It's not wise to ignore the Captain of the Guard, but I know for a fact that your father hasn't issued any order that would confine you to the palace." Omi's head dropped down at the mention of the king. "So, you'll just have to be careful for the next few days and prove to Manx that you won't be so foolish again, and she won't be able to enforce her order. Or was it more along the lines of a request?"

Omi perked up a bit at that. "She didn't expressly tell me not to go there, just said that it would be best if I didn't." He began to look hopeful and lost some of the gloom that clung to him. "But she still won't be happy if I go back there."

"Well, I promised Kudoh that I would renew some spells for him and I was planning on doing it soon. I could probably manage it tomorrow morning and escort you there. That way Manx can't be too upset, if you're suitably chaperoned. While you're out with your friend, I can have a chat with Kudoh and ensure that you never see another glass of wine for some years to come."

"Oh Botan, you're the best!" The young prince launched himself from the chair and into the man's arms. Botan "oofed" at the impact but hugged him back. "Just do me a favor and let me check your amulet tomorrow. It should need to be renewed as well, and I don't want to chance it failing you." He was amazed it had worked as well as it did last night.

"You can poke at it tomorrow." Omi stood to his feet and gave the wizard a blinding smile. "I feel better now, I was so worried about having to stand Naoe up."

"Well, drink your tea so you don't scare him with how awful you look, and then go take a bath. I need to finish a few things here and go home for some rest." Renewing wards nonstop and poring through ancient texts that made almost no sense was wearing on Botan, and he needed a night to recharge.

Omi smiled again and picked up his mug, the expression becoming a grimace as he drank down the brew. "Yuck. This tastes as bad as what Liss gave me earlier, though it does make me feel better. I bet you make it taste lousy on purpose."

Botan looked up in interest. "Liss knows about herbs?" That remedy was not a common one, and only a knowledgeable herbalist could manage to make it properly.

"Nah, I think she just got what the Koneko keeps on hand for Yohji's hangovers. Schu told me his mother prepares it especially for him." Draining the mug, Omi set it down and practically skipped towards the door. "I'll see you around eight o'clock."

"Hm, that's fine." Botan waved at the boy absentmindedly as he wondered how the mother of a thief would know so much about herbs. Distracted by his thoughts as he started to put away his books, the wizard failed to notice a depiction of the kage Edan, a splash of brilliant color due to the flame coloured hair and lavender eyes that glowed, on the white page.

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Putting on a pot of water, Cassandra turned from her stove and gasped in shock. Sitting at her table was the kage, acting as if she had invited him in for a cup of tea. "How did you…"

Violet eyes stared at her for a moment before lowering to look at the kitchen table. "It's what I do, sneaking about. Your lock and wards didn't give me any problems." No, of course they wouldn't, considering the young man's true nature. But not even Cassandra's own son could sneak up on her so. She had never heard the door open or close.

"Well, it is a good thing I put on plenty of water, then. The tea will be ready soon. What do you want to talk about?" When Aya looked up at her, she offered the bound a smile. "I assume you came to talk or else why would you be here?"

The kage just stared at her for a few minutes as he shrugged off his cloak and the precog took the opportunity to study him in return. There was something different about the man, something that brought Yohji to mind. It was as if the scent of the other man clung to Aya. It must be from the two becoming mates, she decided. Yohji had clearly marked the kage as his own. The slim neck was covered with bruises that were slow to fade, especially a rather dark one right over Aya's jugular. And the redhead seemed paler and thinner than he'd been yesterday. "Ah, you'll need more than my usual blend of tea. Let me put together something that will help restore you, and I'll give you some to take with you as well."

She stood to her feet and began to collect various herbs scattered about the room, then took out her pestle and ground them together. When the water was hot enough she put half a handful in the pot and added the water to it. Setting it on the table before her guest, Cassandra then bundled up the rest of the mixture and handed it to him. "There, that should help you in the future. Use as much as you just saw me put in the pot and drink at least two cups for it to be effective. The tea should help replace the energy that Yohji is draining from you."

Aya accepted the bundle and tucked it in a pocket inside his cloak. "I came here to talk to you about him. Something's wrong between us or at least with me. He's… affecting me."

Not liking the way the kage uttered that last statement, considering the slight tone of panic in his voice, Cassandra nodded her head as she checked the tea. It still needed another moment. Rising to her feet, she crossed over to a cupboard and pulled out a tin of cookies. When she set them in front of Aya he picked up and nibbled on one absentmindedly. Judging the tea to be ready, she poured him a cup and urged him to drink it. "I know it's hot, but sip it."

"You're not saying anything," Aya replied suspiciously.

"Well, I hardly have enough information, do I? What am I to say? Why do you think there is something wrong? Bah, young man, you have nothing to complain about."

"His magic is affecting me, Cassandra, _me_. I can't…" Aya pushed his mug to the side and jerked on his bangs as he rested his elbows on the table. "He's not supposed to be affecting me."

Braving herself to touch the distraught man, Cassandra ran a hand through his hair. "Of course he's affecting you, it's what a succubae-bound does."

Flinching from her touch, Aya shook his head. "Not me. The power of other bounds can't touch me. But… I let a little of his inside me, and now I can't get rid of it, I can't - make it go away, Cassandra. You seem to know so much, how can I make the tingle go away? I can't… I can't need him."

"It's too late, he's claimed you as his mate, and there is no changing that," she replied calmly as she reached for a cookie. Cassandra had hardly raised it to her lips before the snack was knocked from her hands.

"What did you say?" Aya asked, a sibilant hiss within his voice.

Feeling a chill creep under her skin, Cassandra shivered as the kitchen became darker. "I said, he's claimed you as his mate. I can tell just from seeing you what has occurred. He claimed you, did he not? And you gave in, no? Mates that makes you, now and forever. Belong together, the two of you. I knew that when I saw you in the garden, Yotan and you."

All Aya did was look at her as he remained inhumanly still. Her apprehension growing, Cassandra tried to smile and reassure the young man that things would be fine. Surely he realized that he wasn't alone now, that he had someone who would protect him. She had stretched out her hand to pat Aya on the arm when the kage burst into motion.

One moment she was sitting in her chair, the next found her knocked out of it and pinned against the wall, a shadow blade pressing against her neck. Aya stared coldly at her, his eyes shining like amethysts set in a face that completely lacked any emotion. For the first time in years, she was filled with fear and her throat gone dry as her body trembled.

"You knew? You knew what was going to happen, and you allowed it? Do you know what this means?"

Licking her lips, Cassandra tried to still her trembling when she felt blood trickle down her neck. "I… you two are mates. His strength is now yours, and yours his. You'll never be alone, and Yohji will keep you safe. His nature will insist upon that. Surely you're tired of being alone, are you not? Shinigamis are not solitary creatures. Are you not happy? No, no you are not or else why the fury and the blood?"

The kage only stared at her, his veneer of humanity completely stripped away. "I'm a murderer, Cassandra. Do you know why I'm here, what has brought me to the capital?" When the precog remained silent the blade pressed against her skin. "Do you?"

"Yes, to kill the king."

"And others as well. I'm an assassin, Cassandra, an obedient puppet who obeys his masters' every whim, and you thought that I would be happy to find myself tied to yet another person? I wanted a lover, someone to teach me that sex could be something other than pain and degradation. I didn't want a mate! I'm death, Cassandra, everyone around me dies, and you thought to bind Yohji to me? Break it, woman, break it now or I'll kill you too."

"I can't." Tears traveled down Cassandra's face, blending with the blood that streaked her neck and stained her light blue blouse. When the blade bit into her flesh again, she moaned in pain. "I can't break it, only your death or his will do that, and the other will feel the loss as a physical blow at best. What's done can't be reversed. You accepted his claim, his essence, and magic that has been willingly accepted cannot be nullified away. I'm sorry."

Aya hissed for a moment sounding like an enraged panther as the knife continued to press against her throat. Then as suddenly as he'd attacked, the kage vanished the weapon and stepped back letting Cassandra fall to the floor. She sat like a crumpled doll, her skirts and limbs askew, her back resting against the wall as she pressed a hand to her bleeding throat. Grey eyes watched as Aya seized his mug of tea and threw it at the wall above her, sending shards of ceramic and liquid flying about.

"You've bound a man you should care about to a monster, you stupid bitch. And he'll be the one who suffers when I complete my task and am locked away forever. Or did you hope that I would die during the assassination?"

Unable to bear the inhuman eyes that rested on her, Cassandra ducked her head letting her hair fall across her face. "It wasn't allowed in order to hurt you or Yotan. Fated the two of you were, fated to be together, or else it would never have happened so fast. You balance each other out, death and life, shadow and fire. Do you know how rare it is for a bound to find their mate? The one they can share their life with? So rare it is, so very rare. But I could feel Fate pushing you two together when I saw you yesterday. It would not do so unless it had some plan in mind. Told you I did, that I saw something other than darkness for you. Hope and happiness, I said if you but trust your heart. Yotan is your heart."

There was no sound of footsteps to warn her of the kage's approach, just the hand under her chin that forced her head up to look him in the eyes. "I don't love him."

"You will," the longhaired woman choked out, fearful of the explosion the words would cause. When nothing happened, she dared to continue. "You already do, just the tiniest bit, if you let him claim you."

Aya's face was so beautiful, like that of a god's carven likeness, and just as human and lifelike. There was no question that a shinigami was encased in the lovely body, not with the way the violet eyes regarded her coldly. "He will pay for what I am. Do you want the son of your best friend to suffer so?"

"There will only be suffering if you insist on meeting your destiny alone. That… that was why I said nothing. It is only with him that you have a chance of a happy life."

"How can I, when the Takatoris now have someone else to use against me? Your meddling has involved Yohji in treason against the king and will draw the attention of Prince Reiji and his sons to the man."

Why would the fool not see the goodness of the situation? Had the prince broken Aya of any and all hope? Cassandra wished she had the man before her, so she could gut him for what he had done to this kage. Her fear faded away as it was replaced by sorrow and determination. She would make the young man understand. "You now have someone who will help you regardless of the cost, someone who will keep you safe from danger. The prince seeks one future, the death of his brother. That is not the future that must be. There is a chance of another, one where the king stands before the grave of his sibling. I've seen it, and I know that it will only come about if you are not alone."

The amethyst eyes closed in pain, the first hint of emotion Aya had shown for several minutes other than cold, inhuman fury. "The Takatoris hold my sister's soul ransom. How can I disobey them?"

"That I do not know, only that your freedom lies in being tied to Yohji. The rest will spring from that beginning."

Aya opened his eyes and helped Cassandra to her feet. "You've tied me to a man who doesn't even know he's a bound. How is he going to take the fact that his lover is a kage, and that he is a succubae-bound? It won't be long before he finds out, not with his nature rising to the fore so often now." A pale hand stroked a bruised neck, lingering over the bite mark.

Blushing a little, Cassandra crossed to her sink where she wet a towel and wiped the dried blood from her throat. Her wound was half healed; despite the blood and pain the kage had barely scratched her. "He loves you, I do not fear what he will do when he finds out the truth. If anything, he will be angry at my son and me, not you." When Aya remained quiet she sighed and rested her back against the counter. At least the man was beginning to see reason, but he had a ways more to go. "Don't run from him, Aya, it will only make him hold on to you the tighter. Succubae are extremely jealous of their mates, and the bounds descended from them even more so. You have a protector now."

"I don't need a protector," the kage spat out. Stroking his throat once more, he glared at Cassandra. "You should've warned me yesterday. I could've stopped it from happening and wouldn't be in this mess. He drained me, Cassandra, he drained me to the point I can barely stand any light, and the bruises aren't fading away. If anything, I need to be protected from him."

Snorting at the comment, Cassandra searched about in a drawer for a moment then approached Aya with a small container. "He should not drain you so for much longer, now that he's claimed you. And his control will get better once he realizes what he is. As for the bruises, here." She placed the tin in the man's left hand. "They do not fade because magic was involved, magic that you acknowledged and accepted. That gave it, and Yohji, power over you. The marks will fade normally, as if you were human. They show that you were claimed."

"I didn't want to be claimed, dammit."

Shaking her head, Cassandra refused to comment that yes he had, if Aya was bearing Yohji's marks. On some level, the kage had acknowledged Yohji's worthiness as a mate and eagerly accepted the tie. But men were stubborn creatures and could ignore logic even when it beat them over the head repeatedly. "I'm sorry, but as I said, you were fated to be Yohji's mate. I truly believe that if I had given you a warning, you would only have delayed the inevitable and caused yourself and him unnecessary pain. Now, now at least you have hope for a future free of pain and slavery."

"But I'm tied to him now, until one of us dies."

"And he to you; it's not so much a binding as a dependency, and you will each be the other's support. I… I envy you such a thing." She knew that the future held no such binding for her, at least not on the level of the kage's.

Aya fell silent once more, and after taking the bloodstained towel from her hands, he used it to pick up the shattered mug and wipe up the spilled tea. Once the mess was cleaned he faced her with a solemn look on his pale visage. "What's Crawford's role in this? We… struck a deal, and he told me to remain by Yohji's side until the man tired of me. Did he know what would happen?"

"Most likely, yes. I will not speak of his motivations, the secret is his to tell, but I swear to you he means you no harm. I suspect he did just as I did and remained silent so as to ensure the future with the best chance of your happiness and survival. Yotan will make you happy, Aya, please just give him a chance."

The kage didn't say another word. He merely reached for his cloak and draped it over his shoulders leaving her house without making a single sound with his passage. Cassandra stared at the closed door Aya had left through and shivered once more. She then lit all the candles in her kitchen, hoping to dispel the darkness that seemed to linger in his wake before going to change her blouse.

*******

Crawford looked up from the journal he was writing when he noticed that his bedroom had grown darker. Glancing about, he found Ran sitting on his bed with a cold look on his face. Ah, what were the chances that someone had found out about last night, hmm? The precog wondered how much pain he was in for. "Is something wrong?"

"You knew, didn't you? You knew what was going to happen last night, am I right?"

"Yes, I knew that Yohji was about to claim you, but in my defense I wasn't certain of when that would happen until just before it did. What is your problem with the matter?"

In the blink of an eye Ran moved from the bed to the desk, pinning Crawford in place as he leaned over the older bound, blocking his escape by placing his arms against the wall. "I've been tied to yet another person, one I barely know, and now find out that such a thing could've been prevented, and you want to know what my problem is? You fucking bastard."

"If you barely know the man, why take him as your lover?" Ran snarled at the question, and Crawford felt the shadows press against him making it difficult to breathe. Drawing in a ragged breath, he wheezed out an explanation. "You were attracted to the man from the moment you met him. I've seen you with him, I know. How many people have you trusted, Ran? I'm willing to bet not many, yet you took an unknown bound to your bed within days of meeting him, however you explained it to yourself. You're meant for each other, and I did nothing to prevent your joining."

A hand grabbed the bespectacled man by his shirt and jerked him forward. "Don't try to tell me that you did this out of the goodness of your heart, Crawford. I don't believe that, not after you set the price of Nagi's safety as me remaining by Yohji's side. You wanted us to become mates."

No sense hiding the truth any longer, not if the kage was smart enough to catch a glimmer of his plans. "Yes, I wanted you two to be mates. If my plans are to succeed, I needed that to happen."

"What plans, Crawford? I warn you, I find myself growing tired of being used."

The threat to his life notwithstanding, Crawford found this situation perfect. Ran was finally breaking free of the docile, subservient shell the Takatoris had forced him into with their constant abuse. "Freedom for all of us, Ran. You, me, Nagi and Jei, not to mention countless others. No more dark, drafty rooms for you to be hidden away in, no more slavery. I'm offering you a future by Kudoh's side, free to do what you will. I don't expect an answer from you now; I know you feel betrayed at the moment. There is time to prove to you that I mean what I say, and that my plan will work. Just give me that time."

"There's a reason I obey the Takatoris, Crawford. As long as they have that advantage over me, I could care less about being free. Get in my way, and I'll just kill you and then the king, am I understood?"

"Yes, yes you are. Could you release me now?" Ran stared at him for a minute, his true nature evident from the glowing eyes and impassive face. The precog remembered telling his son just how unpredictable kage could be and wondered if he had made a miscalculation that would spell his death. Which would doom the world, if that came to pass. Not that he was by any means that important, but one couldn't circumvent destiny if one didn't know what needed to be changed.

But it wasn't the time to reveal the truth to Ran, not in its entirety. Let the redhead calm down from this latest development and let Crawford earn back the broken trust. Then they could have a nice long talk. If he managed to get out of his room alive.

Ran released the older bound and hn'ed, his face returning to normal as he stepped back. "I'm sick of secrets, Crawford. Meddle in my, Yohji or Nagi's life again, and you're dead."

"I understand. Now, can we go down to dinner before someone comes looking for us? I don't particularly favor the idea of Yohji finding you in my room like this, the man would rip me into pieces."

The kage glared at him, making it evident with that one look that he wouldn't mind in the slightest if that event came to pass. It seemed that someone hadn't learned from last night that a jealous Yohji was not a person to be around, not if one didn't want to be fucked silly and drained dry. But the boy would learn.

Motioning to the door, Crawford waited until Ran left before tucking his journal away and following the man. As he stepped out into the hall, busy straightening his rumpled shirt, he caught the gaze of a bearded man he recognized from the past several nights spent in the common room drinking. The stranger gazed at him curiously then looked down the steps, which Crawford assumed Ran had just taken. Not liking the smile that spread across the man's face, the soul gaki-bound promised himself to keep an eye on the stranger. There was an ache in his head as a few scenes flashed through his mind, too dark and quick for him to make any sense of them. That meant something was going to happen to the kage tonight, something that he had to be prepared for.

*******

An arm wound its way around the kage's waist making him shiver at the tingling pleasure that filled him. Ran glanced up at Yohji who was smiling tenderly at him. "What did you think about dinner? Was it worth me having to do inventory for three hours?"

Jo had cooked a splendid meal for them, and Ran nodded his head as he poked a fork at a scraped clean plate. "It was very good." So much so he had actually managed to stuff himself, even with all the troubling thoughts that usually made his appetite fade away. He tried to work up the rage he'd felt when Cassandra had revealed that he was tied to Yohji until one of their deaths, but here in the man's presence Ran found he didn't care. The part of him that had slipped free in both precogs' presence was purring in pleasure at the feel of Yohji pressed against him, happy to be near the bound. How did he fight his own traitorous self?

Yohji blew in his ear. "Well, now you'll find out why I let Koyu live, even if he did interrupt our bath. The man's the best Harper I've ever come across, even if he's a friend and I'm prejudiced. He'll start singing in a moment." The warm mouth settled below his ear, licking the sensitive skin until Ran was all but squirming. He dared an elbow into Yohji's ribs, and all the man did was pull back laughing. It seemed as if he truly didn't have anything to fear from the man, except what Yohji was doing to his emotions.

Emotions that confused Ran terribly. He hadn't felt anything like them before, and Cassandra's words haunted him. That he was already in love with Yohji, just the littlest bit. Ran had loved his sister and look what had happened to her. The thought of the same fate befalling Yohji stirred something dark in the kage, something that ached for death and destruction.

Shivering from the thoughts that consumed him, the redhead let Yohji wrap his arms about him and leaned back against the taller bound. He'd worry about things tomorrow or the next day, sometime when he could better reflect over the matter. Right now a lovely tenor rang out, filling the inn with music as it distracted Ran from his worries.

The kage had no way of knowing if the Harper was as good as Yohji had said, never having heard one before. But the dark-eyed man painted a picture with his voice, whisking his listeners to another world with each song. Ran barely noticed when Schuldig joined him and the other bounds at the table, choosing the empty seat beside Yohji.

Koyu sang several old favorites, songs that had people pushing aside their plates and leaning on the tabletops as they smiled and sang along. Ran heard ones that he'd only read in books, experiencing the melodies for the first time in his life. Nagi appeared enraptured by the music. Crawford was pensive and Jei kept nodding his head in time with the beat. As for Yohji, the blond would murmur the words in his husky tenor, his breath brushing against Ran's ear and making him shiver in pleasure.

It seemed much too short a time when Koyu stilled his harp and calmly announced that he was taking a short break. Free from the spell that the Harper had woven, Ran realized that he was snuggled against Yohji and pulled himself upright trying to put some distance between the two of them. Just because Cassandra and Crawford told him that he was fated to Yohji, it didn't mean he would just give in to the situation.

"I told you he was good, didn't I?" Yohji smiled and tucked back the long bangs that were falling in Ran's eyes.

"Yes." Why did the man touching him have to feel so good?

"Koyu's worth his weight in gold," Schuldig commented. "One of these days I'm gonna snatch him and sell him to the highest bidder."

Yohji chuckled at that statement. "Then you'd have to put up with Teddy, and he can be a mean bastard when it comes to something he cares about."

"Yeah, I remember that one time we snatched his stuffed rabbit and hid it from him. The damn pest tried taking us both on when he found out we were behind it, and you got one hell of a shiner." Was it his imagination, or was Schuldig sending him dark looks? Ran frowned at the other redhead, trying to figure out if he was seeing things or not. The telepath ignored him as he continued to reminisce with Yohji.

The two bounds recounted tale after tale all centering on how Teddy had plagued them, wringing laughter from Jei and even several smiles from Nagi and Crawford. Ran dropped his gaze to his hands wondering what it had been like to grow up so normal. He envied Yohji and Schuldig with an intensity that was almost hate. While they had been dealing with a tormenting Teddy, he had been tortured and forced to kill on command. Nagi had been slowly starving to death, alone in the world, and somehow the kage didn't think that Jei and Crawford had had any better lives. The few years he could remember with his family seemed like some sort of far off dream that he'd imagined.

But it was senseless to hate them for their good luck. No, Ran had better candidates for his abhorrence and he was thankful that Omi wasn't present this evening. He couldn't escape the reality of his life for long, but he was determined to enjoy this respite as long as possible. Even if it had landed him with one hell of a problem, thanks to a certain blond he should have stayed as far away from as possible.

Ran realized that he was leaning against Yohji once more and became angry with himself. He wouldn't just accept this whole mating thing as a fait accompli and give in to the voice that clamored for him to press close to the man, craving his presence and warmth. The whole thing had been one big mistake and would likely end up costing Yohji his life. Why didn't the damn voice and those precogs seem to care about that? And why did the thought of his lover being hurt fill Ran's chest with pain, as if Hirofumi had pierced it repeatedly with one of his knives? It didn't make any sense.

Pulling away from Yohji, he pushed the blond back down onto the bench when he would have followed the kage. "I need some fresh air." Ran wanted a few minutes to try and marshal his traitorous thoughts somewhere away from the succubae-bound's presence and that maddening, delicious tingle.

"Okay, cat, but come right back; Koyu's almost done with his break, and I want to get you out there for at least one dance."

That bit of news didn't ease Ran's sense of panic any as he'd never danced before in his life. Hurrying away before the musician returned and Yohji dragged him away as threatened, the pale man glided down the hall and out into the garden. He wandered around until he found a patch of night blooming jasmine and leaned against a trellis festooned with it, breathing deep the flowers' scent as he tried to calm himself.

Knowing that he was mated to Yohji wasn't helping things. No matter how much he tried to put his guard up against the man, he kept hearing Cassandra's voice telling him that the blond was meant for him and would keep him safe. Ran was so tired of being alone and longed to be able to trust someone, to let them hold him close and keep the real world with all its pain far away from him. No wonder he'd given in to Yohji last night, desperate for that wish to come true. If he could trust Cassandra and Crawford, then his lover was indeed the person he'd waited for all these years.

But it didn't change the fact that if the prince and his sons found out, Yohji would be used against him. He would be damned for disobeying his master because of Aya-chan, and damned for following his orders by what would surely be his lover's reaction to his assassination of the king and Omi. Not to mention that Reiji would protect him because of his value, but not Yohji unless it was to use the man against him as another hostage. Either way, the future remained bleak.

Lost in his thoughts, Ran didn't notice the man creeping up behind him until it was too late. A pair of hands grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed him against the trellis, then one of them smashed into his temple, disorienting the kage. Dazed by the blow, Ran didn't fight the hands tearing at his clothes. He was used to abuse and conditioned to accept it by his years as the Takatoris' slave.

"Such a pretty whore you are. I thought maybe you wouldn't be putting out for anyone but Kudoh, but now I know differently. Well, I don't want to wait anymore. Let's see what it is about you that's driven Kudoh mad with jealousy. You that good, pretty?"

When Ran twisted his face away from the fetid breath washing over it, he was smacked again. "None of that, you put out for four-eyes, you can put out for me as well. Or I'll tell your golden lover-boy about the other man."

There was a tearing sound that was his jerkin being ripped open, a disparity to Ran's senses that shook him out of his daze. Hirofumi always cut his clothes off of him so they could be mended later and re-worn. No sense in wasting new clothes on a filthy kage. It then occurred to the pale man that if this wasn't a Takatori who was doing this to him, he didn't have to take this abuse. He had stood up to Yohji; he could do it again with someone else. This man had no hold over him, couldn't make someone he loved suffer for his defiance if he fought back.

The would be rapist, busy stroking Ran's neck, didn't notice when the evening's twilight was replaced by darkness. Shadows crept across his face, stifling his mouth as a katana appeared out of nowhere and pierced his abdomen. As the man fell to his knees in pain, Ran stepped away from the trellis, his eyes filled with violet fire and his form covered in shadows.

Shadows scurried across the garden, gathering about and tightening around the wounded man. A wheeze of pain escaped him as the bands of darkness constricted against him, crushing his bones without even breaking his skin. Ran drank in the pain, waiting in anticipation for the moment when his assailant's heart would burst from the pressure. He could taste the approaching death and it was as sweet as it always was. Vague shadows darted about, as the suffering and untimely end of a mortal attracted the shinigamis. They were torn between the dying man and him, and several flitted around him, stroking what little skin the shadow armor left exposed before returning to the writhing man. With a thought Ran had the shadows under his control constrict once more, ending his assailant's life.

Ran could feel when the man's soul passed over, a smile on his face from the wash of energy created by that event. The other shinigamis drank in that energy as well before vanishing. He stepped forward to nudge the sack of shattered bones with his toe, and then looked across the garden into Crawford's wide eyes.

*******

A sense of foreboding filled Crawford as he suddenly put down his glass of wine and glanced around the huge common room. Ran was nowhere to be found, and neither was the stranger he had seen earlier that evening outside his room. The man had chosen a seat near the kage and had spent dinner staring at the redhead. A flash of his power warned the precog that something was about to happen, and he nudged his partner in the ribs as he stood.

Jei tossed the bone he'd been gnawing onto his plate and glared at Crawford, but upon seeing the serious expression on the older bound's face immediately rose to his feet. "Did you see where Aya went off to?"

"Yeah, back towards the garden," Jei replied in an equally hushed voice. Crawford glanced over at Yohji, who was busy talking to Schuldig. Catching his son's eye, the dark-haired man mentally sent a request for him to keep Yohji occupied. With that taken care of, Crawford sauntered out of the room with Jei on his heels and abandoned the calm demeanor as soon as they were out of sight. Once in the hallway, they sped towards the garden.

"Something's happening to the kage, we need to find him and make sure he's safe," the precog explained when they reached the garden. "Find him quickly."

Jei stood still for a moment, his nose raised in the air as he took a few deep breaths. Then the flesh gaki-bound hissed, his fangs exposed and his eye glowed like liquid gold. "I smell blood. The kage's… ah, and now someone else's. This way." The bound flowed through the garden, and Crawford was hard pressed to keep up with him.

<What's going on, Pops? Yohji's getting agitated and he's about ready to start looking for Aya.>

<Keep him there, dammit. We've just about - fuck.> Crawford came to a sudden halt as he finally saw the kage. It was a bit hard with all the shadows about, but the gleam of crimson and violet caught his attention. Ran stood amidst darkness, almost completely encased in it. A hard, shiny black armor covered most of him, leaving little bare except for his eyes and the long strands of hair that fell onto the glowing orbs and down his chest. At the kage's feet was another patch of darkness, and as he watched, the shadows faded away to reveal a broken body hardly recognizable as human.

Jei prowled around the dead body and snarled at the scent of blood. When he came too close to Ran, the kage raised a hand and leveled a black katana at the bound. The two faced off, Berserker's insanity drawn forth by the blood and death, and Ran clearly not willing to let anyone approach him.

<"Fuck"? What the hell does that mean? What's happening, Crawford? I'm pretty much having to sit on Yohji to keep him here.>

<What's happening is that the kage's just killed someone and is about to do the same to my idiot of a partner.> "Berserker, back off. I'm ordering you, Berserker, back away from Aya now." Ah, Ran had twitched just the slightest at the name. <Keep Kudoh there as long as you can while I try to defuse the situation.>

<Well do it quick, because he's acting really weird. Bastard just snarled at me.>

Ignoring his son, Crawford stepped closer to Ran, forcing the man to shift his gaze from Jei to him. "Berserker, feed." That caught the flesh gaki-bound's attention, and Jei slowly backed away from the kage then attacked the corpse. The sound of clothes and flesh tearing filled the garden as Crawford stared Ran in the eyes.

"Put down the sword, Aya. Please," he gritted out. "It will endanger the mission if you don't. Are you hearing me, Aya?" Of all the damn times for the man's bound nature to slip its bonds, it had to be after he'd mated with Yohji. But at least it was soon after that event, before they could truly start picking up each other's emotions or else Yohji would have been in the garden as soon as the trouble started. "Aya, do it now."

Violet eyes stared at him, and the precog shivered at the lack of humanity they contained. The katana lifted in the air as if to strike and as Crawford prepared himself for a blow he couldn't avoid, it vanished into the air along with the shadow armor. Ran stood before him, impassive and distant, bruises on his face and his shirt and jerkin torn and hanging on his slender frame.

"Berserker?"

Jei snarled at him as he crouched over the corpse, licking his face clean of blood. "What? I'm busy here."

"You can finish your meal somewhere else. I want the body disposed of right this moment." Crawford's partner grunted and lifted the body in his arms before running off into the darkness. Dammit, Jei was going to spend the whole day tomorrow in bed sleeping off the meal and wouldn't be able to run errands for him. Clicking his tongue in frustration, Crawford reached into the small pouch on his belt and pulled out a small red pebble. He tossed it onto the blood-drenched grass, and as it touched the viscous fluid the stone flared up, bursting into flames that only burned the blood. In a matter of moments all the evidence of the dead body was gone, thanks to Kaede's spell stone. The things were perfect for cleaning up after a slaughter, especially ones that were usually precipitated by Berserker.

<Hey, Yohji's heading for the garden, royally pissed off about something.>

<That's fine.> Turning to face the kage, Crawford frowned at Ran. The redhead was still too impassive and still; he needed to regain his human mask immediately. "Let me do the talking." Violet eyes gazed back at him without emotion.

The sound of swearing heralded Yohji's approach. Upon seeing Crawford standing by a battered Ran, the blond growled savagely and swung his fist at the precog. Crawford, aided by his power, stepped aside just in time. Catching himself as he stumbled, Yohji growled again and pulled several strands from his bracelet. About to cast them, the man was prevented from doing so by Ran's hand on his arm.

The change was instantaneous. Yohji went from an enraged lover to a concerned one, letting the weapons drops as he cupped Ran's cheek tenderly. He seemed to take the kage's true nature for shock as he rubbed a hand along Ran's arm and asked in a hushed whisper what was wrong. His mate's presence seemed to affect the smaller man, and Ran returned to normal as he closed his eyes and let Yohji enfold him in a hug.

"He was attacked by one of your guests." The sound of Crawford's voice caused Yohji to growl again and hold Ran to him more tightly. Forcing his voice to remain steady, the older bound spun his tale. "Farfarello and I came out here for a breath of fresh air and we heard the sounds of a struggle. We found one of the inn's guests assaulting Aya, who managed to fight him off. When he saw us coming, the man immediately fled towards the street. Farfarello took off after him."

"Is that true, Aya?" Ran nodded his head and whispered something about being able to take care of himself. Yohji smiled softly and kissed his mate on the forehead, then stroked the bruise that darkened a pale temple. "I guess you can, cat. Got a set of claws on you after all." The smaller man hissed at the comment.

His arms full of a struggling and infuriated redhead, Yohji gazed over Ran's head at Crawford. "What did this guy look like?" The sibilant tone of voice the succubae-bound used caused Ran to stop struggling. Green eyes stared at Crawford, filled with venom and the promise of violence.

"He was taller than you and about twice as wide, had a black beard and a brown cloak that was much mended."

"Ah, that's Timon. He's caused a few problems with some of the other guests this past week. He's dead." The last two words were said with evident relish, and Yohji's eyes glowed in the darkness, luminous with an inner fire.

"If he comes back." Which he wouldn't, other than in Jei's stomach. Crawford was spared saying anything else by the arrival of Mickey, Nagi and Schuldig. The elemental-bound rushed over to his friend when he caught sight of his appearance, forcibly prying Ran out of Yohji's arms as he glared at the tall blond, oblivious to the growls coming from the man.

Mickey took in the kage's bruised and bleeding face and started to usher the injured man back towards the Koneko. But when he touched Ran, Yohji snarled viciously and knocked the burly man's hands aside. He yanked his lover close and earned an elbow in his side for his efforts. Ran immediately set off for the inn, barely keeping his speed to a human pace and was followed by Yohji, Nagi and Mickey.

"Heh, guess you guys had all the fun out here. Why do I always miss out on the good stuff?" Without pausing to think, Crawford stretched out an arm and whapped his son on the back of his head.

"Idiot," he muttered as he walked towards the Koneko, ignoring the younger bound's curses and threats as he went. It seemed that the gods were trying to tell him that tonight would be a very good night to be completely trashed, what with a murderous kage, insanely jealous and protective bounds and a moron of an offspring for him to deal with. The worse part was, Crawford knew he had centuries of this to look forward to. He was most definitely cursed.

*******

"Damn, we should've been home hours ago. Why did we get picked to spend the night renewing wards?" A young man with cropped black hair rubbed his stomach and glared at the list in his hand that contained all the wards that he and his associate were to renew that evening.

"Maybe because Botan found out about those spelled cards you were using to earn a little extra cash?" Another young man with shoulder length auburn hair, dressed in a plain robe like his friend, waggled his eyebrows at the grumpy wizard. "I warned you, Chen."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But right now I'm starving and sick and tired of muttering spells and want to go home." Chen kicked the wall in the small room he and the other wizard were standing in, whose wards had just been renewed. "One down, two hundred more to go."

The longhaired wizard smirked. "Well, maybe not two hundred, not tonight," Chen groaned aloud, "…but close. However…" He pulled a leather pouch out of his robe.

"What's that? Wine? I could use a drink right now."

"Nah, this is something much better. With this, we'll be sitting in the Full Moon and tossing back drinks in just a couple of hours."

Chen gazed suspiciously at the pouch. "Gregor… don't tell me that's what I think it is." At his friend's grin, the wizard's brown eyes widened. "Bound blood? How the hell did you come across that?"

"Got it from an old wizard who was down on his luck and don't say anything, I tested it and it's genuine. With this, we'll cut the time the wards take into a fraction of the usual amount."

"But Botan will kill us if he ever finds out! He refuses to use the stuff!"

Gregor made a big production of glancing about him. "Do you see him anywhere? No? And why's that? Because he's at home, enjoying his dinner and a good night's sleep, and we're stuck here all night. At least, we will be if we do things his way." He swung the pouch in front of Chen's face.

With a sigh, the shorter wizard snatched the pouch and headed for the door. "Alright, let's get started. I want to be drinking within the next two hours."

*******