Reverence

The round doorway framed the dojo like a moon suspended in darkness.

Beyond it, candlelight flickered across polished wood, paper screens, and rows of weapons mounted with almost ceremonial precision. Swords rested upon lacquered stands. Training mats covered the floor. A small tea table sat untouched beside a wall of bamboo screens.

And in the center of it all—

Movement.

The watcher remained perfectly still. At first, it saw only a shadow.

A figure flowing through the dim light.

Then she slowed.

The watcher’s eyes narrowed. Not a dancer. Not an athlete. Not some rich businesswoman pretending at discipline.

Those were killing forms. Ancient ones. Old enough that most modern schools had forgotten them. The watcher recognized fragments from stories whispered among mercenaries and assassins. Techniques from the Blood Kingdom Era. Back when Irilia’s wars had been fought face-to-face.

Hand-to-hand.

Blade-to-blade.

When victory was measured in bodies.

And survival meant ending the other person first.

Renea Valvo moved through them effortlessly. A step. A turn. An elbow strike. A palm thrust. Each transition flowed into the next without hesitation.

No wasted motion. No flourish. No weakness.

The watcher felt unease creeping beneath its skin.

Master wants this female?

Why?

She is dangerous.

Far more dangerous than the reports suggested.

The woman pivoted. Her black training attire clung to sweat-slick skin. Dark hair had escaped its bindings, sticking to her neck and shoulders. Her breathing remained controlled despite the intensity of her movements.

Across from her stood a single wooden training dummy.

Scarred.

Broken.

Patched.

Abused.

The watcher suddenly understood why. Renea exploded forward. The strike came so fast it almost missed it.

A low kick.

A spin.

A hammering elbow.

Then—

BAM!

The training dummy detonated. Wood shattered like glass. Splinters erupted outward in every direction.

The watcher barely managed to suppress the howl that climbed into its throat. Pain exploded through its shoulder. Its cheek. Its forearm. Several jagged splinters buried themselves deep beneath flesh. The shadow stumbled backward.

Silent.

Breathing hard.

Do not reveal yourself.

Do not reveal yourself.

Its master would kill it.

Still—

One thing betrayed it. A single crimson drop.

Blood.

The droplet struck the mat near the doorway.

Plop.

The watcher froze.

Inside the dojo, Renea turned instantly. Grey eyes locked onto the doorway.

Sharp.

Predatory.

Aware.

For one terrible moment, the watcher thought she had seen it. Then instinct took over. It vanished. Gone so quickly that only disturbed air remained. Silence returned to the dojo.

Only candle flames flickered.

Only shadows danced.

Renea stared at the doorway.

“Tao?” 

Nothing answered. She frowned. Normally, he watched from the shadows. He thought she never noticed. She always noticed. But this felt wrong. Different. The hairs on the back of her neck stood upright. Slowly, she walked toward the doorway. Her bare feet made no sound against the wood. She reached the threshold.

Looked down.

And saw it.

Blood.

Fresh.

A single crimson droplet staining the mat.

Renea’s expression darkened. That wasn’t Tao. Not even close. She crouched beside the mark. Touched it. Still warm. Someone had been watching her. Someone had stood close enough to bleed. Someone had escaped.

Her jaw tightened.

“Damn it.”

The curse echoed through the candlelit room.

She rose and looked toward the darkness beyond the greenhouse dojo.

The game had changed.

If someone was watching her now, then events were moving faster than she had planned. Far faster. And that meant she would have to move first. Before whoever had been standing in the shadows decided to come back.

  “He had insulted the girl pup – no – female  his company was merging with.”

The six-foot-tall yokai, attired in a black business suit that in no way hid the strength of his form, waited and paced even by the front door. The servants moved about, busying themselves. Their eldest Master was pacing and wouldn’t stop checking the door. 

He had checked himself over twenty times. Not that they were counting. But something was off, something they couldn’t place. 

When he saw the headlights come around the fountain, he opened the door, and before the engine cut off, he was down the steps. He opened the car door, picked his tiny heart out of the seat, and carried her up the stairs and swiftly into the den. He knew the servants hanging around would close the door. 

Placing her on the sofa, he watched her with worried, sharp eyes. Red creeps into the corners of his eyes. It would seem she had been crying again: they hated it when she cried. They didn’t know how to deal with it. They just wanted her to be alright. She had been sick lately. He smoothed back her inky mass of hair from her face with practiced ease, tucking it behind her tiny pointed ear.

“My One. Is the news that bad?”

Before she could speak, the doors were thrown open. Both stared at the doorway with shocked eyes. 

Jun could have cheered when he caught them together at their father’s estate. This would be foolproof. He had this. As soon as his mouth opened, nothing nice was said. His voice was loud, knowing it would attract his father. “Why can’t you see, ass-hole, she’s only here to take you to the cleaners. Come on! Who would love an iceberg like you? This bitch ain’t nothing but a money-grabbing whore” 

 After a few minutes, they were joined by Aki. He had heard a few things about Renea from Jun. From that, he knew he didn’t like the girl. Aki informed the stunned female he didn’t want her on his property and told his eldest son he would not put up with his money-hungry whores any longer. He also added that Tao would be cut off as his heir if he talked to her again. 

Renea’s hand flew to her mouth in shock. Aki had never spoken to her in such a way before. Tao went to speak but she held up her hand and stopped him.

 “No, Tao. If they can’t accept me for me, they don’t need to know.” She handed him a sealed envelope before adding, “I release you.” She handed him the diamond necklace and walked away, head held hig,h from the house. ‘She would not let them see her cry.’

---

 “Good riddance… that trash is not allowed here again…” A vicious growl stopped Aki in his rant as he turned to his eldest pup, fear shooting up and down his spine. He swallowed quickly at the red filling in Tao’s eyes. As his fangs grew longer, the razor-shaped points stopped inches from his face.  Before he could say another word, his eldest pup had him up by the throat in a brutal stranglehold, and those sharp points came into view as his eldest pulled him to eye level.

 “Insult my One again, and father or not, you will die.” He squeezed his sire’s throat tighter.

 “Tao, you will stop this now,” He forced the words through his tight throat.

 “No… Sire, for too long I have put up with your … shit.” He punctuated the last word with a show of razor-sharp teeth. “You listen to that filthy half-breed of yours about my One, and both of you know nothing,” he snarled. Dropping his sire to the floor, throwing the card at him, and leaving the room. With one last “I will not dirty my claws on trash,” slamming the door behind him.

“Pops, are you alright?” Jun rushed to his side. Aki stood slowly and looked at his hand at the envelope; his fingers touched the soft, pearl-white paper. 

The letters were raised black and written in old Phey characters: *The Waro Family is cordially invited to the Valvo Estate in two days to celebrate Sphere Solutions’ merger with Phantom Microsystems* Aki’s hands shook as he read the invitation; shock was the only thing that reigned over him. That girl pup… That girl was the head of the largest Corporation in Shinjuku. He had insulted the girl pup – no – female, his company was merging with. He glared at his youngest son.

 “Jun, tell me the truth. Renea . . .” he thrust the invitation at Jun. 

“Holy shit . . . I didn’t know, pops, I didn’t know. Renea just made me so mad! How could she choose that iceberg over me? I am a hundred times better than him, and she chose him,” Jun spat angrily. “I never knew she was . . . Renea when I saw… Sure, she acts classy, but she doesn’t act like she is head of a billion-dollar corporation.”

 “You had better hope your brother and I can make this right, Jun. If this deal falls through because of your lies, consider yourself disowned,” Aki growled as he looked at the ID of his ringing cell phone. He looked at Jun’s retreating form as he sighed. Damn, that boy and his jealous nature.

 “Hello, Mrs. Migi, how may I help you this evening?” he tried to sound cheerful.

 “Yes, is this Aki Waro?”

 “Yes, this is him.”

 “I was just informed by my client, Miss Valvo, that she is no longer interested in merging with your company, and I personally do not find fault in her decision.” 

“Before you continue, Mrs Migi, I would like to apologize to Miss Valvo. I hate to admit it, but I was led to believe falsehoods about the young female. I can only pray that you can set up a meeting with Miss Valvo and myself; I would like a chance to personally apologize and hopefully work this mess out.”

 “Personally, Mr. Waro, I don’t know if that will work. This is the only time I have ever been able to talk Miss Valvo into meeting face-to-face with anyone, and it was only through my friendship with your son, Tao, that made it possible.”

 “I see.” He pulled himself together long enough to say.

“I am afraid you . . . don’t. . .  see, Mr. Waro, the ball was not only to celebrate the merger but the mating between your son, Tao, and Miss Valvo,” She sighed.

 “WHAT?” He almost dropped the phone. “What do you mean?”

 “I am afraid, as of now, both are off, and until I hear from Miss Valvo, there is nothing I can do. You have only yourself to blame for this, sir, and I, for one, do not blame Miss Valvo. Between you and that son of yours, Jun, I wouldn’t want to be part of your family, either. Now, if that is all, I have another call.” The disdain in her voice was clear.

 “Again, I am sorry, and please talk to Miss Valvo for me. Good Evening,” Aki sighed again as he slumped down on the sofa. Kami, he should have seen it, the way Tao acted at work and at home. Maybe he would have if he hadn’t been blinded by Jun’s lies. How could he be so foolish? Now not only is the deal falling through, but his eldest son … his eldest would lose his .. mate. Aki sat in shock as the word sank in…

 Not even the great beast inside had pity on its smarter half. It had been telling Aki since the beginning that there was something special about the female. It had smelled power on that one and knew she was raised in the way of the Inu-yokai. There was no way she understood Inu-yokai as a language of the body and the mind. It also noticed the great strength she held not to kill their second offspring. The boy was crude and ill-mannered. The great beast soon hoofed, circled around itself, and went back to sleep. ‘Let my “better half” deal with his own mess.’

---

The atmosphere in the Waro Estate had been simmering with tension, but the previous night’s events had ignited a full-scale explosion. Aki Waro’s typically calm and collected demeanor was fractured, reflecting the sudden storm that had engulfed his life. His mind raced, replaying every interaction with Renea, realizing how deeply Jun’s lies had deceived him and led to this catastrophic fallout. He could hardly comprehend the magnitude of his mistake.

Tao’s voice echoed in his ears, the warning clear: “Insult my One again, and father or not, you will die.” Aki shuddered. Tao had always been fiercely protective, but this was different. His son’s true mate, the head of one of the largest corporations in Shinjuku, had been driven away, and the entire future of their family’s business empire now hung by a thread.

The gravity of the situation sank deeper. He knew there was no simple apology that would undo the damage, not after the venomous words he and Jun had hurled at Renea. The invitation had been a clear signal of trust and respect between the Valvo family and the Waro family, and they had thrown it all away in a single night of ignorance and prejudice.

---

In the privacy of his room, Tao was seething. He had spent hours trying to reach Renea, each missed call driving him further into despair. He could still smell her sadness, the way her scent had shifted subtly when she left. She had been sick, and the thought of her suffering alone gnawed at him. He clenched his fists, pacing the floor, battling the instinct to hunt her down and bring her back. But he knew Renea too well—her pride was as strong as his, and she would not easily forgive this insult

---

  The morning was unhappily met by the Waro Estate. Jun, still grumbling, met his father at the breakfast table. Aki had just opened the paper as he went to drink his coffee. Seeing the headline, he dropped the cup and papers, rushing from the room. Jun picked up the paper to see what had affected his father.

 “Holy Hell,” he dropped the paper as well and rushed from the room. 

BILLIONAIRE HEIRESS RENEA VALVO HOSPITALIZED AFTER CAR CRASH

 Sara and Toto met Tao, Aki, and Jun at the hospital entrance. The group rushed to the admittance desk and demanded to know Renea’s room number. They were told to take a seat and that the doctor would be right with them. 

After four hours of waiting, a doctor came through the doors, covered in blood.

 “Who is here for Miss Valvo?”

 “We are,” Tao spoke as the group stood.

. “How is she, doctor?” Sara sobbed. 

“Can we see her now?” Toto questioned. 

“I am Doctor Xephon. I am sorry to say it will be a few more hours before I can allow any visitors. Miss Valvo has just left surgery, but is still not stable as of yet.”

 “What do you mean? What’s wrong with My One?” Tao demanded. The  Doctor looked at his chart and back at the group and sighed.

 “Are you Mr. Tao Waro?” he questioned. 

“Yes… Yes, I am. Why?” 

“Well, it says here that Miss Valvo was seen by a doctor here yesterday afternoon.”

 “Yes, I know.” 

“Did she inform you, Mr. Waro, that she was indeed pregnant?”

 “No, she said she had something to tell me, but we never . . . Wait . . . What do you mean?..No,” he whispered as he fell back into the chair, shocked. 

“I am sorry to be the one to tell you this, Mr. Waro, but we couldn’t save the pups. When she came in last night, she had four broken ribs. She was bleeding internally; it’s a miracle we were able to save her. Also, I must warn you that there was damage to her voice because of the crash. We can’t be sure now, but she might have lost her voice. Again, I am sorry . . . I will do all that I can.” Before Dr. Xephon could say more, he was called away.

 “Tao?” Toto called the silent Tai-Yokai. His heart sank for his lifelong friend. He had been there when Tao had met Renea and had watched silently as the yokai fell instantly in love with the young Renea. He swore the two were both halves of the other; never had he seen two creatures so completely happy. Two weeks after meeting Renea, his friend was talking about making the woman his lifemate. 

Never since meeting Tao had he ever seen the yokai so serious about a female; usually, it was to use them and throw them away. Sara had met him at the door last night and told him what had happened at the Waro Estate. He was as angry as his wife and wanted nothing more than to beat the whole damn family within inches of their lives. It took hours for him to calm his sobbing wife.

 Now… 

“We had just talked about pups last week, Toto. . . Renea wanted little silver-haired males, but I… I argued her down to one female for now. I told her I couldn’t wait to have a little raven-haired… female… just… like her,” he spoke, brokenly staring at his hands. “Now . . . Now,” he couldn’t finish as he covered his eyes with his hands.

 “Tao, man, I am so sorry,” Toto stated as he clutched his wife, tears swimming in his blue eyes.

 “I am sorry, my pup, but you still have Renea. You have to be strong,” Aki spoke up. 

“SHUT UP. This is entirely your fault and that bastard of yours. I lost my pups. . my pups and maybe-“

 “Don’t say it… Please,” Sara sobbed, her hands covering her ears. “She can’t – she just can’t.” She broke down in Toto’s arms as he rubbed her back, kissing the top of her head. 

“We will pray, my wife… . pray that she’ll be alright,” he whispered into her hair, glaring at the silent Jun who sat across from them. He, too, was placing blame, but he blamed Jun and his jealous nature. He had told Jun a hundred times to leave Renea alone. It was clear to anyone who saw that she only had eyes for Tao, but the dumb bastard wouldn’t listen. 

Nevertheless, he thought Aki too wise to fall for Jun’s big mouth, but he saw now he should have spoken up months ago. Two hours later, Jun left, mumbling to call him if there was any change. Aki sat next to the silent Tao, his heart hurting for his eldest pup. He knew nothing he could say would help to make anything better. Sara had cried herself to sleep on Toto’s lap, who prayed silently that his wife’s best friend lived through this ordeal. 

Tao stared at the white wall across from him, seeing and feeling nothing. He and the creature within him were retreating from the world of pain into memories of their mate-to-be.

                                                                           

                                                                                

 

                                                                                                                                                                                 

             Tao had been stressed lately; his father had been trying for the past six months to get in touch with the head and CEO of Sphere Solutions. Sphere Solutions is the top and largest corporation in Shinjuku. The Owner was secretive to the point that no one if it was a male or a female. 

 All other businesses Tao had to handle with no help at all. Top that off with the fact that the contractor still wasn’t finished with his home. Tao was almost at the end of his wits, having to stay once again with his father and little brother. Looking at his watch, it was 10 pm; Tao sighed and ran his fingers through his long hair. His cell phone rang as if on cue. he knew it was Toto; he was the only creature to call him this time of day. 

“Yes, Toto?”

 “Ah, hello, my friend. Still in the office?”

 “Yes, Toto, now what can you want this time? And before you ask, NO blind dates.” 

“Boo, hoo what kind of friend do you think I am. I am really hurt, you know.”

 “Anyway”

 “Sara and I are going to see the greatest piano solo you’ve ever heard, and she wants to know if you want to come. And no, it will be only us three.”

 “(sigh) What time, Toto?”

 “You’ll go… great, meet us in front of Carnal Innocence at 11 o’clock, okay?”

 “Fine, this had better be worth it, Toto.” They hung up, and Tao started back to his paperwork. He finished at 10:30, locked his office, and left. 

Carnal Innocence was a serene haven nestled at the edge of lush downtown Shinjuku, distinct from the surrounding vibrancy. Instead of the usual neon flashing lights, this exclusive establishment opted for a subtler elegance, complete with valet parking. The building was crafted in an ancient Earth tea house style, exuding a timeless charm that beckoned visitors into another world.

The grounds were a botanical wonder, featuring an array of exotic plant life such as Wicked Holly, Glowing Box, and Devil’s Spruce trees and bushes, each contributing to the club’s mystical ambiance. A grand Rune gateway marked the entrance, with imposing flame Atronachs standing sentinel on either side, their flickering light casting an otherworldly glow. A pristine white stone path led to the veranda, where two large stone lanterns burned brightly, welcoming guests with a warm, inviting light. Tao sighed as the feel of the place made him yearn for younger days. Life was so much simpler when he ran the countryside. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he walked up to the door to be met by a smiling Sara.

 “Greetings, Tao!  Toto is getting us a table,” she smiled. He nodded and followed behind her, entered the front hall, and glanced into the alcoves on either side. He was greeted by the sight of Naughty Cycad trees in various shapes and sizes. Each tree was carefully placed in beautiful pots, its unique forms standing tall amidst the shadows. Beside every pot, clusters of bioluminescent flowers thrived, casting a soft, otherworldly glow that illuminated the darkened space. The gentle, rhythmic bubbling of a hidden fountain could be heard nestled somewhere within the lush foliage, adding a soothing undercurrent to the mysterious ambiance. As the screens slid open, the scene before him unfurled like a secret waiting to be discovered. The hostess smiled at the two and bowed politely.

 “I see you have found your guest, Mrs. Migi.” Sara narrowed her eyes at the kimono-clad female as she made eyes at Tao, who was busy taking in his surroundings.

Inside, the floor was entirely covered with Phantom Willow Reed mats, their soft texture providing a subtle, comforting underfoot feel. The walls were paneled in rich, dark Solar Balsa wood, with heavy paper sliding doors decorated with intricate designs of Wicked Holly and graceful cranes. The delicate artwork on the doors was mesmerizing, capturing the eye with its exquisite detail. The main room was furnished with low tables designed for intimate dining, paired with plush silk cushions for comfortable seating. The space radiated an old-world charm, blending elegance and mystery in perfect harmony. He had to admit that with the hanging scrolls, the place had that old-world charm he loved. Toto waved them over from the front of the room.

 “I see you found him, Sara. Glad you could make it. Sit. Sit, it’s about to start,” Sara said as she sat next to her husband, and Tao sat across from them. A waiter dressed in white hakama and haori brought them a bottle of chilled red wine, poured them each a glass, and left quickly. Tao raised a brow in a silent question, wondering if it was him being a yokai and all.

 “Look around, man, you’re not the only yokai here,” Toto chuckled while sipping his wine.

 “Hmm, so where did you find this place, Toto?” Tao spoke while sipping his wine. He had to admit it was good.

 “A friend of mine plays here from time to time, and she invited us,” Sara chirped happily. Tao sighed. He knew that those two couldn’t stop trying to hook him up with someone.

 “I know what you’re thinking, man. No, we are not trying to hook you up with Renea. I don’t even think the girl likes guys,” Toto smirked. 

“Toto, don’t talk about Renea that way. She’s not gay,” Sara said, slapping her husband’s arm. 

“I was only kidding my wife,” Toto laughed. 

The room lights went low, and a spotlight came on on the stage, illuminating a white piano. A tall elemental yokai dressed in white hakama and haori walked out on stage and bowed to the people.

 “ Welcome to Carnal Innocence. Since I know everyone hasn’t come this far to see me. Without further ado, our own Daisaiin-Renea,” the room filled with clapping around Tao.

 Whispers of how good this performer was filled his ears. His pale gold eyes were glued to the stage as a young female stepped from behind the black curtain. He blinked a few times, not believing what he was seeing.

The woman stood about 5’4″, dressed in the traditional planet Earth Chihaya of a Miko. Her red hakama and white kimono, split at the sides up to the hips, accentuated her form, with flowing sleeves tied with red ribbons that matched the small obi at her waist. Black tabi adorned her tiny feet. Her angelic face was makeup-free, highlighting her jeweled gray eyes, small nose, and plump red lips, which curled into a graceful smile. Her long raven hair was braided thickly, sweeping the floor as she bowed to the crowd. As everyone settled, Tao felt a sense of calm as the room fell silent.

 “Good evening, everyone,” her musical voice addresses everyone. “I hope everyone likes the show,” she said, sitting before the piano, and took a deep breath. Renea began to play something in a minor key. 

The sound produced was like that of a young woman beginning to sigh softly. Her eyes closed as if the sound poured from her very soul. Renea moved her fingers along the keys, going from deep, rich altos to lighter and higher soprano tones. She kept a steady pace but would occasionally quicken her pace and then slow it again as she played. The sounds would vary from low cries to higher-pitched, feverish growls. The whole room was enthralled by the music. She moved her hands across the keys, sometimes crossing them over one another. As her song began to reach its feverish peak, Renea struck the keys hard and fast as she panted for breath. The tone of the music, which had started slow and almost sensual, was now hitting its feverish crescendo as she played. Reneas’ fingers moved just short of dizzying speed. She raced between major and minor chords. 

Tao watched as Renea’s small, delicate hands masterfully struck the keys. It was nothing short of amazing; the music flowed through him, pulling at his very soul. Her eyes opened and seemed to focus only on him before they fluttered closed again. 

                           It was as if the whole room fell away at that moment, and there was no one but him and her. Tao found his mouth was dry as he panted for breath, and the music seemed to fill his whole body. The creature within him growled lustfully; it too seemed affected by the tune as well. If he didn’t know better, it was as if she were making love to him in this very room. No, music had never affected him in such a way before, but this. This was something different. He swore he saw a slight blue glow of her brown skin as she sweated and panted for breath. He heard the thundering of hearts above his own as she played. 

Nearing the end of the piece, Renea began panting harder as she moved her fingers at a frenzied pace. Renea brought the music to a thunderous climax before trailing it off softly and ending her little concert. She moved the crowd to an uncontrollable fit of passion as everyone who came with their wives, husbands, girls, or boyfriends, and mates kissed passionately.

 Tao cast his red gaze to the stage again. Renea was panting and gasping. The look in her jeweled eyes, the passion burning within them, was quite evident. Tao smirked ‘So she was moved by her own music, interesting female.’ 

                   He had to take a few deep breaths to calm himself as he once again looked at the female on stage. The yokai again appeared on stage, this time handing Renea a small earpiece, which she placed in her ear.

 Toto smiled at his wife, who returned his smile as they looked at a dazed Tao. His eyes focused only on the stage. 

Her voice was low as she started to play. Her small hands moved slowly across the keys. She sang of finding love and being in love. The song peaked and changed as the tune became mournful as she sang of losing love, the love she had found.

 It was the saddest thing Tao had ever heard. The creature with him whined as if feeling the heartache the song spoke of. From the corner of his eye, he swore he saw Sara wiping tears from her face. The voice filling his ears was so emotional as if the woman was on the verge of tears herself. The tune changed again as she sang of making up, being deeper in love with her lover. Again, nearing the end of the piece, Renea smiled as the deep notes drifted around the room. The climax was softer and almost loving as she trailed off.

 Renea stood from the piano as the thunderous applause filled the room. 

Creatures were shouting Encore, encore. She raised her small hands. 

“Don’t worry, everyone, I’ll be back after a short break,” she smiled soothingly to the crowd. Their applause followed her off stage.

---

 “How did I do, Kain?” 

“Beautiful, perfect, my poor heart will never be the same. You should make a career of playing Renea. You will pack concert halls in every zone, my dear,” the elemental sobbed. 

“You know I already have a career, Kain,” Renea sighed, handing Kain a tissue.

 “(sigh) Alas, I do, but I still love it when you perform here. Another sold-out night because of you, Renea,” Kain smiled and shooed her to the main room. Toto and Sara saw her right away and waved her over. After shaking a few hands and thanking everyone for their praises, she finally made it to the table. Toto poured her some wine and handed her a glass as she sat down. 

“Sara Toto and um …,” her eyes swept to the male who sat across from the couple. 

“This is Toto’s friend Renea… Tao -sama,” Sara chirped happily.

 “Greetings!  Tao-sama,” she spoke and held out her small hand.

 “Good Evening,  Renea, and please just call me Tao. Your performance… was very… moving.” his voice was deep as he took her small hand in his larger one, kissing it. Their eyes met and held for a few minutes, but Renea was the first to look away. She cleared her throat before she spoke again.

 “Thank you very much, Tao. I am glad you enjoyed it.”

 “You are most welcome. But I am curious about one thing, though.” 

“And what would that be?”

 “Are you a real Daisaiin?” 

“Yes, I am. Are you a real Taiyokai? Though I feel your Jaki, I don’t see any facial markings. Illusion spell?” she smiled, her bright eyes twinkling at the look of shock in his eyes. 

“Why yes, I am, and yes, it is an illusion spell. I would show you my markings, but there are too few creatures here for my taste,” he returned her smile. 

“Oh really, so if we were alone then?” she leaned a little closer. He found he loved the way her smile widened.

 “Are you propositioning me, Renea? I must say I am shocked.” She was the little twinkle in his eyes.

 “You are too amused to be shocked.”She saw a little widening of his eyes.

 “Well then, I am shocked and appalled,” he made a face for show.

 “No, you’re not,” she laughed.

 “Ye,s I am,” he tried to keep a straight face, but it quickly crumbled into laughter. “Okay, maybe I’m not.” 

Toto and Sara quietly watched the two interact as if they had known each other forever. Toto was a little shocked, never having seen his friend so at ease. Sara was just happy to finally see a bright, shining smile on Renea’s face. After a lively conversation with the three, it was time for Renea to return to her piano performance. 

                     They didn’t exchange numbers that night to Toto and Tao’s disbelief. No female had ever resisted Tao’s charms; he couldn’t understand what he had done wrong. Most females would be draped all over him, but not Renea. She had joked with him, laughed, and smiled, but never once did it go beyond that. The woman even took a cab home instead of taking up his offer to drive her home in his limo. For days, he couldn’t get her off his mind. At work or home, he couldn’t help but think of her smile, her laugh, and most of all her voice. She was a mystery; she carried herself with class and intelligence far above her position as a simple performer. And when those big, beautiful, plump lips of hers opened to speak, it was like a breath of fresh air; they didn’t speak about money, cars, or anything like that. Hell, she never even asked him what he did for a living.

                          Not even a week had passed, and Toto called him again and again, and he agreed to meet them at the club. He was nervous as he sat waiting for her to make her entrance. 

This time, the yokai introduced her; she was dressed in a traditional Earther two-layer kimono, a black underlayer with a silver sheer top layer. Her obi was white, black, and red tied behind her in a cho-cho style. All her raven hair was done up on top of her head in an elaborate style held together by long silver sticks with onyxes hanging from it. 

Her playing again struck an emotional chord within him, affecting him and the creature within him. The song was moving and full of sadness. When she finished, there was not a dry eye in the whole place. 

The next piece was happier but still full of loneliness.

 Their eyes met and held for a few moments; it was as if he could see those very emotions echoing from her very soul. Tao felt his very heart leap into his throat as her eyes closed again and the connection was broken. For the first time, he was glad when this song ended. Never again did he want to see those emotions on the face of such a beautiful creature. He vowed then, and there they would never cross her face again.

 “She’s just so great, isn’t she?” Sara spoke sadly. Pulling Tao from his thoughts.

“Yes, she is,” Tao agreed wholeheartedly.

 “I wonder where she finds the inspiration, though. Kami, that was the saddest piece I ever heard her play,” Toto commented, holding his wife close as if she would disappear. “I don’t know Toto. I never thought to ask her,” Sara replied. 

“Ask her what, Sara? You guys were talking about me again?” Renea’s voice shocked the three out of their emotional stupor. “I am happy to see you guys,” she smiled warmly. 

“We are happy to see you too, Renea,” Sara smiled warmly at her friend.

 “I was merely wondering where you get your inspiration from for your music is all,” Toto pouted.

 “Life Toto Life. When you constantly meet people who are either after you for money or your looks, you tend to lead a solitary life. No one I have ever met seems to want anything other than a one-night stand or to make a name for themselves from being with me.” Tao silently agreed with her.

 “Oh, Renea,” Sara started with tears in her eyes. She never knew her friends’ love lives were so hard or painful. She never saw Renea as anything but a happy-go-lucky woman. 

“Don’t worry for me, Sara, I’ll be fine…Anyway, I am still young, you never know what tomorrow will bring. Anyway, I see you brought my favorite friend with you. How are you tonight, Tao?” 

“I am fine now that I’ve seen you,” He whispers low enough for her to hear as he kisses her hand. Renea looked away as a blush spread across her face. She could still feel his golden eyes as if they caressed her skin. She cleared her throat and looked back at him. “You look ravishing this evening, Renea.”

 “Thank you, you’re looking good enough to eat yourself,” she giggled at the look he gave her. 

“So Renea, what are you doing this weekend? Toto and I would like you to come to dinner with us.” Sara said, hopeful, crossing her fingers behind Toto’s back.

 “Please. Please, Renea, you just have to come,” Toto whined, leaving out the fact that Tao would be there. And the fact that it was Tao’s ideal in the first place as well. Toto could have laughed at the look on the Yokai’s face. He couldn’t understand why big, bad, scary Tao couldn’t just ask the girl out on a date as normal terians did. But nothing his old friend ever did was normal, even by yokai standards.

 “(Sigh) As long as you don’t try to fix me up again with anyone. Kami, I remember the last guy; he was arrogant and air-headed. I couldn’t stand the creature. He kept saying, ‘Hey, woman wanna eat something? You got to put a little meat on them bones if you want to be my woman‘. Then on top of everything else, he asked if I wanted to go back to his place for a roll in the hay.” Renea rolled her eyes and sighed again.

 “How many times do I have to say I was sorry about that?” Sara giggled.

 “I can’t forget the stalker Toto tried to hook me up with,” Tao spoke.

 “They got you, too? It’s terrible, I tell you, they’re like little cherubs or something trying to make everyone fall in love,” Renea giggled. Toto just looked shocked as Sara pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. For an hour, Tao and Renea traded stories about the creatures Sara and Toto tried to get them to date. The two laughed, lost in their little world; they didn’t notice that Sara and Toto watched them happily. When it was time for Renea to do her last performance, Tao was reluctant to see her leave. He leaned over and whispered something in her ear. She just smiled, wrote something down on a napkin, and handed it to him. 

“Read it when you get home it will tell you all there is to know about me,” She smiled wickedly and left for the stage. When the evening was over Sara and Toto bid the two Bon Nox and left for home. Tao waited until Reneas’s cab came before leaving. She kissed his cheek before waving goodbye. Sitting in the back of his limo on his way home Tao reached into his pocket and pulled out the napkin Renea had given him. He could smell her scent as it clung to the delicate tissue. Opening it he read the short line in her flowing handwriting the cold stare in his eyes quickly melting as heat ignited in his veins. Red swam through his gold gaze. 

It read: ‘Inu’s and their rituals are by far my favorite.’

“So be it . . . And in the end, you will be mine,” Tao smirked. 

The present

                    Toto, Sara, and Aki watched through the window as Tao sat by Reneas’s bedside. They knew not what he was doing, only that he hadn’t moved since the doctor had left. He lay with his head on her legs, one hand holding one of hers and the other on her stomach. No one had the heart to disturb him after they had finally been allowed to see Renea. She was pale laying there hooked to all those machines among the white sheets of the bed. She had survived the surgery but still had yet to wake up. The accident was two days ago, and Renea slipped into a mini coma sometime during the night, not even breathing on her own. Night had come again, and still no change in her condition. 

“Visiting hours are almost up . . . Should we tell him,” Toto finally spoke, breaking the silence. 

“No, the doctor said it was all right if he stayed with her,” Aki sighed, looking again at his son. 

“But-” Sara started again, and tears streaked her face. “How will they see her if he keeps growling at everyone who comes near?”

 “He cannot stay at her side forever, my dear. Even Tao has to take a break from time to time.” Toto spoke, hugging his wife again. Aki sighed again as he touched the glass separating him from his heartbroken son.

 “Did my son ever tell you about his mother?” He looked at the couple. 

“Yes, she died some time ago, I believe,” Toto answered. 

“He was about 100 or so when she first fell ill. I didn’t know it at the time, but he sat at her bedside for a week straight. The healers told me not once did he move or sleep, only sat there.”

 “How awful,” Sara sobbed. “There has to be something we can do?”

 “For now, my wife, I have to get you home so you can rest.”

 “But Toto,” Sara sighed as he pulled her away from the glass and down the hall. Aki sighed again, taking one last look in the room, and he too walked away. 

                 Tao heard them talking just outside the room. He was about to snap at them until they moved away from the room. Didn’t know she was sleeping, sleeping so that she could get better. How was she supposed to sleep if they kept up all that noise? If she couldn’t sleep, then she couldn’t get better. .then. Then he would be all alone. No, no, no, he wouldn’t think like that. His golden eyes opened as he stroked her hand, ‘You will get better, I know you will, Renea.’ he lightly touched her stomach with the other hand and whimpered. ‘And we will try again, I swear it.‘

 “We will have as many pups as you want, but you have to wake up Renea. . .Please,” he whimpered and cleared his throat. “Did I tell you the house is almost ready? Can you believe it? With all the changes I promised you it would have,” he kissed her hand and lay his head back down. “I can’t wait to show you. I know you put off buying a house just for me since you moved back. A few years is a long time to live in a hotel suite, my dear. Even if it is the penthouse,” he gave a sad chuckle. “But don’t worry, Renea, I’ll take care of everything. When you wake up.” 

                       

                     

 Tao couldn’t shake the thought of Renea from his mind as he left his office. The quiet hum of the building’s automated systems barely registered as he walked out, his mind preoccupied with the dark-haired woman who had taken up so much of his thoughts lately. It had only been a few days since their lunch, but the memory of it lingered, vivid and full of promise. He could still feel the warmth of her hand in his, the way her steel-gray eyes had softened when she agreed to let him court her.

For someone who had always approached relationships casually, Tao found himself in uncharted waters. Renea wasn’t like the women he’d been with before. There was depth to her, a quiet intensity that captivated him. He admired her drive and her dedication, but he also worried. How did she manage to juggle her corporate responsibilities with her nights playing piano at Carnal Innocence? It seemed impossible, and he wondered how long she could sustain it.

Maybe that’s where he could come in, he thought, a smile tugging at his lips. When they were mated, things would change. He would make sure of it. Renea deserved to slow down, to rest. Tao imagined a future where they shared a home, where she wouldn’t have to work so hard. He would take care of her and provide for her in ways that went beyond material needs.

As the sleek transport carried him across the city to the club, he couldn’t help but picture what their life together would look like. Mornings spent wrapped in each other’s arms, evenings filled with soft conversation and laughter. He wanted that—wanted her—in ways he hadn’t known were possible before.

When he arrived at Carnal Innocence, the familiar dim lighting and smooth music greeted him. The air was cool, and the atmosphere intimate, as always. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on her, seated at the piano, her fingers dancing effortlessly across the keys. She was beautiful in her element, her raven-wing hair cascading down her back in loose waves, her focus completely on the music.

Tao approached quietly, not wanting to interrupt her performance. He leaned against the bar, watching her for a few moments, entranced by the way she moved. Her energy seemed boundless, and once again, he marveled at how she managed it all.

As the last note lingered in the air, Renea looked up, spotting him. A small, surprised smile curved her lips, and Tao’s heart skipped a beat. She finished her set and made her way toward him, her steps graceful despite the exhaustion he suspected she hid beneath her poised exterior.

“You’re here early,” she said, her voice soft but teasing as she slid into the seat next to him at the bar.

“I couldn’t resist,” Tao replied, his tone light, though the depth of his feelings was clear in the way he looked at her. “I wanted to see how you were doing.”

Renea gave a small shrug, her steel-gray eyes studying him. “You know me. Always busy.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” he admitted, reaching out to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “You do too much, Renea. When do you have time for yourself?”

She chuckled softly, shaking her head. “You sound like my father. But I’m fine, Tao. Really.”

Tao frowned, not entirely convinced. “Maybe. But I want more for you than ‘fine.’ When we’re mated, things will change.”

Renea raised an eyebrow at his words, the smile playing at her lips again. “When we’re mated? You seem awfully sure of yourself.”

“Call it confidence,” Tao said, grinning. “But I meant what I said, Renea. I want to be with you. And I want you to be happy—not exhausted from running yourself into the ground.”

She looked at him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, to his surprise, she leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “You’re sweet, Tao. Maybe too sweet for your own good. But we’ll see about that.”

Tao’s heart soared at the brief touch of her lips. He was more determined than ever to win her heart, fully and completely. And soon enough, he would make sure that Renea Valvo knew just how much she meant to him.

Dinner that weekend had turned out better than Tao ever expected. Renea had finally given him her number, and now they talked every afternoon and night when he couldn’t make it to the club. Not a day passed without him complimenting her or making her laugh, and with each conversation, he found himself falling deeper in love. He had never imagined such a feeling was possible; it was all-encompassing and soothing, a stark contrast to the emptiness he had felt for so long. Lust had been his only connection with women before—brief flings that lasted a day or two until he grew bored. But there was something different about Renea, something that made him want more, need more. He never believed in love at first sight until he laid eyes on the dark-haired Daisiin, who was Renea.

He never tired of talking to her, even if the subject was as simple as the weather. After some persuasion, he finally convinced Renea to have lunch with him. Even with all his paperwork done, he couldn’t get her off his mind. He left the office in a hurry, not even pausing to inform his father he was leaving. Tao’s sudden departure left everyone in shock; the younger Waro never left the office for anything other than business.

Renea was already there when Tao arrived. For once, she wasn’t dressed in a kimono or sporting an elaborate hairstyle. Instead, she wore an expensive business suit, her hair pulled into a bun that seemed to be coming undone. Tao couldn’t help but admire her professional appearance as she sipped her wine and reviewed something in a folder. He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and took a seat across from her.

“You’re not supposed to be working, Renea. We’re having lunch, remember?” Tao said, gently pulling the folder from her hands. He froze when he saw the handwriting on the documents—it was unmistakably his father’s. No one wrote like his father. But why would Renea have papers written by him?

“Tao, I need those,” Renea sighed, taking a sip of her wine. “This guy is really persistent about this merger.” She noticed his shocked and angry expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Who are you?” Tao asked, flipping through the papers.

“Tao, what’s wrong with you? You know who I am.”

“I thought you were just a piano player at Carnal Innocence. I guess I was wrong,” he said, his tone sharp.

“Some nights, that’s who I am, Tao. And for the record, you never asked me what I did for a living, just like I never asked you about yours. So don’t take that tone with me,” she said, snatching the folder from his hands. She reached for the suit jacket draped over the back of her chair, ready to leave. Clearing his throat, she paused and sat back down. Tao realized she was right—they had never discussed their jobs. It was time to address that.

“I’m Tao Waro, president and co-CEO of Phantom Point Microsystems Inc.,” he said, extending his hand. Renea looked at him curiously before smiling and shaking his hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Tao Waro. I’m Renea Valvo of Sphere Solutions. And part-time piano player,” she added with a giggle at the surprised look on his face.

“Sphere Solutions? My father has been trying to set up a meeting with you for months.”

“Aki Waro is your father? This is interesting…” Renea replied, clearly taken aback. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you won’t let this come between us,” Tao said with a smile, still holding her small hand in his.

“‘Us’?” Renea asked, puzzled.

“Yes, ‘us.’ Remember? ‘Inu’s and their rituals are by far my favorite,” he quoted from her handwritten message.

“How could I forget? You told me ‘let me take you away from here’ in a very suggestive manner, I might add,” Renea said with a smile.

“One ritual you should be familiar with is courting,” Tao said.

“So we’re courting now. Traditional, but I’m sure the male is supposed to ask,” Renea said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. Tao, still holding her hand, gave it a gentle squeeze to bring her attention back to him. When their eyes met, he kissed her hand, making her heart race a little.

“Well, then I guess I should go with tradition,” he said, pausing for a moment. “I, Tao Waro, ask you, Renea Valvo, for permission to court you.”

“Are you sure about this, Tao? We haven’t known each other for a whole month yet,” Renea asked, her concern evident.

“There is nothing I want more than you, Renea. Nothing. Besides, how can I resist a woman who is as much a stickler for tradition as I am? Give us a chance,” Tao said earnestly.

Renea agreed, and lunch turned out to be better than either of them had imagined. They talked about their lives, and Tao shared stories about his family. Nothing was the same after that; his feelings for her deepened to a whole new level. The only thing holding him back was not knowing how she truly felt about him. But he would find out in time. For now, he had to find a certain old yokai about a courting gift.

---

 No matter the time of day, Tao found her and couldn’t stop thinking about the small woman who captured his heart. He found himself daydreaming about what life would be like if they were mated. Tao found out during lunch a few days ago that Renea worked more hours than he did. And after work, most nights, she was playing at the Carnal Innocence. He had to wonder where she got the energy to do all that she did in a single day. But that would change when they were mated, she would have to slow down.

 Since nothing was happening at work, Tao took it upon himself to end his day early. He decided to visit Renea and see how she was doing. 

Entering the lobby, he asked where her office was. After the receptionist tried to chat him up, she told him to take the elevator to the top floor. He did and found Renea’s office was the only one on that floor. When he stepped off the elevator, he was greeted by a terian male who looked at him over wire-framed glasses.

 “I am Miss Valvo’s personal assistant, Amos. How may I help you?”

 “I am here to see Miss. Valvo”

 “Do you have an appointment?”

 “Just tell her Mr. Waro is here to see her,” before Amos could reply. The door to Renea’s office opened, and three females came running out, crying. 

“We are sorry, Miss V. No one told us about that.”

 “What am I paying you fools for…YOU AND YOUR TWITS ARE FIRED,” came Renea’s voice from inside the office.

 “But Miss. V, don’t be so hasty. The girl apologized, Isn’t that enough?”

 “Enough…enough, no, it’s not enough that little twit came onto my most valuable client, insulting him. For Kami’s sake, the Yokai is gay…I am not running a prostitution ring here, Yura. I am running a business,” Renea spoke, exiting the office and advancing on the cowering females. 

“Miss V, the girl said she was sorry. She just lost her head seeing such a beautiful creature.” 

“Yeah, if you weren’t such a frigid ass bitch you would know what it’s like to get laid by a real man,” the dark-haired yokai Yolanda snarled. Tao watched as Renea walked away from the three females and over to Amos’s desk, picking up the phone. She dialed a number and spoke. 

“Yes, Bokkai, I need you and whoever is there to escort three twits off the premises. Now, if you can. Yes, thank you,” not five minutes later, the elevator dinged, and three creatures existed. One was about 5’4 with black hair, one looked almost female and taller than the first, also with black hair, and the third was bald, 6ft in height with green eyes. All dressed in black security guard uniforms. They all looked very angry as they scanned the room, their eyes narrowing on Tao, then moved to Renea. Renea waved them over to her and pointed to the cowering females.

 “Wow, Boss, what did you do to them?” one questioned.

 “Fired them, Bokkai, Hajime, and Kinuye meet the three twits, Yura, Yolanda, and Trina. Gentlemen, they are only allowed to collect their coats and then throw the trash out,” she growled. 

“Right away, Boss. You heard the lady,” Bokkai said. The three nodded to her and hauled the females to their feet and dragged them, kicking and screaming, to the elevator. The door closed. Renea leaned over the desk, looking tired.

 “Amos, be a dear and get me a glass of water, will you?” She rubbed her head.

 “Right away, Miss V. Would you like me to hold your calls as well?”

 “What would I do without you, Amos?” she spoke, still looking at the desk.

 “I am sure you would get along without me. Oh, there’s a Mr. Waro here to see you,” He pointed behind her and went to get her water.

 “Can you see me today, Miss V, or do I have to make an appointment?” Tao spoke worriedly about her sudden state.

 “Hmm, this time I’ll let you get away with it, but next time you’ll have to make an appointment, Mr. Waro. I am a busy woman, you know,” she giggled and waved him after her into her office. Amos quietly placed the glass of water on her desk and quickly left, closing the door. It was something about that yokai that made him fearful. “So what can I do for you?” She spoke softly, reaching into her drawer and pulling out a bottle. She shook three pills into her hand and tossed them into her mouth. 

“What is that for?” he questioned.

 “Migraines”

 “Are they that bad?”

 “You don’t know. Don’t worry about it, Tao, these babies are guaranteed to take away pain in no time,” she smiled. “Playing hooky from work?” 

“Yes and no. What was the scene with the three twits?” he watched as she frowned, clenching her fist.

 “Yura, Yuma, and Tia have worked for me for six months. And last night, when I thought I could trust them, the twits came on to one of my biggest clients. I had to spend the last six hours trying to smooth things over with the poor creature. You see the poor creature, how can I put this…he’s more female than I am Tao. The three twits scared the creature to death and then, on top of that, insulted him when he refused their offers of sex,” she growled again, rubbing her head.

 “So did it work? Did you smooth it over?” he questioned, pulling her from her chair and placing her on his lap as he sat behind her desk. Once settled, he rubbed her shoulders and back. 

“Yes, it’s a good thing I’ve known the yokai half my life. Can you believe that girl told me I was just jealous of her?” 

“And what does she have that you should be jealous of, my dear?” he purred as she moaned as he massaged her back. Before she could answer, her fax machine beeped and spat out three pieces of paper. Tao reached over and collected the papers, handing them to Renea.

 “Well, this is good news. I can’t wait to tell Father,” Renea cheered, waving the papers around. 

“And what made you so happy?”

 “I just bought another hotel,” She sang.

 “A hotel? Is there something I am missing?”

 “It’s been a hobby of mine since I was fifteen. Father asked me what I liked more than flowers. I told him about hotels, so when his business took off, he brought me one.”

 “You have strange hobbies, my dear. Just how many hotels does this hobby of yours have?” Tao questioned as he returned to rubbing her shoulders. 

“About twenty-five or so . . . Nothing too big,” she sighed, not noticing as he slipped the diamond necklace onto her neck. ‘It would seem my mate-to-be is working harder than I thought,’ Tao sighed inwardly. He was brought out of his thoughts by Reneas’s voice: “Not that I am complaining, but shouldn’t you be at work right now?”

 “I am out for lunch,” he smiled as she settled back on his chest with a sigh, entwining their fingers. ‘Life is sooo good,’  Renea thought. When she came back, she thought everything would be working since she took over. Not that she was complaining, she loved to work hard and had fun doing it. But this. This was amazing, never did she think she would meet someone like this, Inu Yokai. Instead of speeding through life as she had always done, he made her slow down and enjoy simple, quiet moments of nothingness. For days, she had been doubting whether she had done the right thing about starting something with him. Now she was glad that once she was wrong,‘ I can’t wait to tell father.’ 

Tao’s heart swelled with pride as Renea relaxed in his arms, a faint smile gracing her lips. He knew she had a lot on her plate, from managing her corporation to juggling personal projects like her hotels. Yet, beneath the layers of responsibility and authority, he saw the woman he had fallen in love with—fierce, independent, yet vulnerable in moments like this. He gently kissed the top of her head, his voice low and affectionate.

“You know, Renea, you don’t have to carry all of this alone. I’m here to help you, even if it’s just by giving you a break every now and then,” Tao whispered, his fingers tracing soft circles along her arms.

Renea chuckled softly, her tension easing under his touch. “I know, Tao. It’s just…I’ve always been so used to doing everything myself. Slowing down feels strange, but with you, it’s different. I think I’m starting to enjoy it.”

“Good,” Tao purred. “You deserve to enjoy life, not just rush through it.”

Renea sighed contentedly, holding the diamond necklace he had placed around her neck. Its weight felt reassuring, a symbol of the connection between them, one that was growing deeper every day. She glanced down at the papers in her hand, a sense of accomplishment mixed with something she hadn’t felt in a while—gratitude for the quiet moment they were sharing.

“I’m glad you’re here, Tao,” she murmured, leaning back into him. “You have no idea how much I needed this.”

Tao’s lavender eyes softened, and his heart warmed by her words. “And I’m not going anywhere, Renea. No matter how busy things get, I’ll always be by your side.”

As they sat together in the quiet of her office, the chaos of the day seemed to melt away. Renea found herself wondering how different her life would be once they were mated—would she finally slow down for good? Could she balance the demands of her corporate empire with the kind of life Tao envisioned for them? For the first time in a long while, the thought didn’t terrify her. It felt…right.

With a soft sigh, Renea tilted her head back, looking up at Tao’s serene expression. “I can’t wait to tell my father about us,” she whispered, her voice full of anticipation.

Tao grinned, his heart skipping a beat. “I’m looking forward to meeting him.”

---

 Present:

                         Toto, Sara, and Aki were sitting in the waiting room again. It seemed like they were waiting for news. After two long weeks, they arrived at the hospital only to be told they had to sit in the one place they dreaded. In the second hour of waiting, they looked up only to sigh in irritation as it was only Jun joining them again. So Toto settled with glaring at the half yokai as Sara worried the edge of her shirt. Aki did nothing but stare off into nothingness as he waited. It was Sara’s gasping during the third hour that drew everyone from their self-appointed tasks. She jumped from her seat and flew into the arms of the tall, dark-haired yokai.

 “I am so . . . glad. .you’re. .h-ere ompapa,” she sobbed and held him tight. Everyone looked on as Yokai wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back.

 “I came as soon as I heard, dear child,” he cooed and sat down, pulling the sobbing woman on his lap.

 “Now, Toto, tell me what happened?” he spoke again after shaking Toto’s hand. Aki growled at the strange yokai who had just asked about business not his own, and the yokai growled in return, telling him to back off.

 “Oh, Ompapa, this is Aki Waro,” Toto spoke up.

 “I know who he is, Toto. What I asked about is my girl pup. How is she?”

 “We don’t. . . don’t know ompapa. .no one had told us,” Sara sobbed. “You . . . You have to do something, anything,” she cried. Before he could answer, the door opened again, and stumbled in a very tired, very subdued, very bloody Tao, who fell heavily into a chair. 

“Tao man, what’s happening? We were told-” Toto started but was cut off by a wave of Tao’s hand. All eyes fell on him as he sighed and rubbed his face.

 “She woke up Toto,” he started.

 “That’s great news. But if-” Toto was interrupted again by the look in his friend’s eyes. “What happened?” he whispered. Everything was silent.

 “I was talking to the nurse just . . . just outside the door when all hell broke loose. Renea, the doctor said she woke in a panic. She tried to rip the tube from. . from her throat,” he paused and swallowed thickly. “They had to rush her to emergency surgery. I had to go try to calm her down until the meds kicked in. She just went under, and now they are removing the tube. It will be a while before we can see her again; she ripped a few stitches in the struggle.” Talking seemed to have taken all his strength as he slumped back in the chair, clearly exhausted.

 “See, that’s good news, dear girl,” The yokai cooed, continuing to rub Sara’s back.

 (Sigh)”The best news so far, ompapa.”

 “My girl pup is a fighter,” The yokai smiled sadly.

 “Girl pup,” Tao parroted and then sat up, staring into the gray eyes of the yokai across from him over Sara’s head. “You are Kago Valvo, then? Renea’s father?”

 “That would be me, and by Tao, you would be Tao Waro then?” Tao nodded and took in the Inu-Yokai. The yokai was about 6ft in height, wearing a black three-piece suit. Long bone, straight hair, and clear gray eyes.

 “My girl pup has spoken highly of you, Mr. Waro.”

 “She has spoken highly of you as well, Mr. Valvo.”

 “Good, it shows she trusts you if she has even told you of me. I wish we had met under better circumstances, Mr. Waro.” 

“I don’t understand?”

 “Renea never tells anyone about her father. Sara and I have known Renea since college, and we only found out about Mr. Valvo when we all graduated.” 

“Some father you are hiding when Renea needs you,” Jun snapped, looking for a fight. 

“Shut your mouth, half-breed, it’s bad enough that you’re here and we have to suffer your presence-” Tao’s anger was strangely subdued by Renea’s father as he spoke up.

 “Being on vacation does not make me a bad father, young hanyou. What’s bad is young creatures who try to push themselves off on my girl pup when she makes it known she’s not interested in them. I should kill you myself for the disrespect you have shown my girl-pup,” Kago growled.

 “Hold on there, Mr. Valvo, you will not harm my pup in any way,” Aki finally spoke up with a growl.

 “From what I gather it is because of you and that lousy excuse of a hanyou behind you that caused this. Tell me why I shouldn’t take that spoiled brat out back and beat some sense into him,” Kago growled, red seeping into the corners of his eyes. He was brought out of his rage by a laughing Tao.

 “How can you laugh at a time like this, Tao?” Aki growled. 

“It would seem I am not the only one who feels the need to beat some sense into your hanyou father,” Tao snickered. Even the creature within him, worried for Renea, gave a happy huff.

 “Bastards,” Jun sneered as he stomped from the room. 

“Are you happy now, my pup?” Aki spat, taking his seat again.

 “He doesn’t belong here, you don’t belong here, father. It’s because of his lies and your ignorance that my mate suffers so,” Tao snapped.

 “Mate?” Kago choked. ‘When did this happen?’  He looked to Sara and Toto to explain.

 “It was to be a surprise, Ompapa. Tao and Renea were to be mated, but now,” Sara sighed, taking her place again by Toto’s side, holding his hand.

 “Are to be mated,” Tao spoke up.

 “But-“

 “Nothing has changed,” Tao hissed, clenching his fist; the creature within him growled in agreement. Everyone again fell silent as they looked at him. 

“Well then, welcome to the family. I am confident that my girl pup will recover nicely under your keen eye than Mr. Waro,” Kago nodded. Now, Tao didn’t have to worry about where Renea gained her sunny disposition. For the first time in weeks, he finally felt things would get better. This Inu-yokai was strong, and if Renea had his blood in her veins, she would get better. Yokai’s adoptions always included a sharing of blood, so he was now hopeful for the future. Everything was silent as the group listened to the tick of the clock. 

The silence was broken as the door opened again, and each turned to the door, hoping it was good news. Kago jumped to his feet, the room ablaze with his vicious growls. Everyone looked at Kago and then the small woman who had entered. She just smiled at his growls, and her stare was icy as she stated.

 “No need to get hostel yokai,” she spat. “I have simply come to see about my daughter.” 

“Leave bitch before you find yourself becoming a patient here,” Kago spat at the woman. The others looked on strangely. The thought on everyone’s mind. 

‘Renea has a mother?’

“Never . . . Ever call my pup… your… daughter bitch,” he growled, red coloring his eyes quickly as he approached her. Everything within him screamed to kill the bitch, skin the bitch, and bathe in her blood. ‘It’s her fault my pup is in the shape she’s in. I know it is.’ 

 “Whether you admit it or not, that girl is... my Daughter,” she sneered, meeting his stare with one of her own. 

Everyone had to admit to themselves that the woman had balls. She was scared that much they could tell, even the Terians, who did not have a heightened sense of smell, could tell. But she did not back down. Before she could say another word, Kago had her pinned against the wall, his clawed hand wrapped around her throat. She struggled in his grasp until her feet left the floor. Kago pulled her right up to his face and bared his fangs, his growls growing in volume and viciousness.

 Toto and Sara were in too much shock to do anything but stare. 

Aki and Tao were on their feet but knew they could do nothing; one wrong move and Kago could snap the woman’s neck. They could only watch on and hope for the best. Being around Renea enough has taught Toto and Sara the signs, but the yokai felt it as the hairs on the back of their necks stood on end. Four sets of eyes widen as the woman dangling from Kago’s clenched hand begins to glow a deep purple. The rise of Holy ki caused the Jaki of the yokai present to rise as well, but the Holy ki was quickly subdued by the rise of Kago’s Jaki. As quickly as it rose, the Holy ki dissipated into nothingness, smothered by the viciousness of Kago Jaki.

 Father looked to son, Husband to wife, then back to the two as Kago shook the woman. Her eyes widened as she gasped.

 “It’s not possible,” passed her lip,s to which Kago smirked, showing his longer fangs, causing the woman to shake in fear now.

 “Listen an. . .d listen well bitch. Whatever you dropped. Died. Twenty-something years ago, in that damnable alley, you dropped it in. My pup will never be and has never been anything to you bitch.” He hissed and threw her to the ground, savoring the crack of bone as she hit the floor. “Leave my sight before I toss you out the window… NOW,” he barked as she slowly rose from the ground and inched toward the door, keeping her arm close to her body.

 “She will see me. Filthy bastard . . . You can’t keep me away,” she hissed, slipping from the room and rushing away. Kago was in rage. That bitch how dare she’ flew through his mind as he punched the wall.

 “Ompapa,” Sara whispered. That name was like a shock to his system, he froze ‘My girl pup‘ he let the smells of the room fill his lungs. ‘No, she’s not here. Where then?’ 

---

 Kago was leaving the office for lunch; he had done so every day since his father had made him work. Not that he hated being a broker, it was just boring to him. His father was after him to mate again. The one thing he swore to never do again after the death of his first mate. His little Terian mate, Auntleai, had refused to take his blood to seal their mating bond. She died as Terians do from age, almost driving him to madness. Making him hate Terians because they were so fragile and aged more quickly compared to Yokai. 

After the death of his mate, he had become closer to his Terian-hating family. Though he had to admit to himself he never hated Terian as much as he believed in the beginning, so the shared excitement with his family lost its luster. Kago snorted, and though his family hated Terian, they gladly took their money. ‘Money is money no matter whose hands it came from.’ That’s how they became billionaires, to begin with.

         But now Kago was bored with his life, feeling he needed something more out of it. On the other hand, he would rather kill himself than be mated again. 

Steely gray eyes scanned his surroundings before he ducked into the back alley. When his back hit the brick wall, he gave a sigh and reached into his pocket. Kago gave a smile, pulling out a cigarette and tapping it on the pack. His one little vice was smoking, a disgusting habit he had picked up sometime in the ’70s for no reason. Just as he was about to light up, he heard a noise, soft at first.

 “Ello,” he called out, but got no answer, only a slight sound again, almost like a whimper. He looked around and saw nothing but the usual garbage that people left behind. He could smell nothing above the disgusting scents of the alleyway, and what could be blood, but it was a few days old. Kago shrugged it off as probably just his imagination. He flicked his lighter again, but this time, instead of a whimper, it was crying he heard.

 “What the-” he hissed as he burnt himself. Going to pick up his fallen lighter, he knocked over some boxes that had been piled up next to him. 

Kago gasped and fell stunned as the biggest, watery brown eyes met his own. He scrambled to his feet and stared down. It was a very tiny pup by the looks of it. He moved the rest of the boxes quickly, his eyes widened, taking in the bloody shirt the pup was wrapped in. He shakily moved the dried, hardened shirt carefully, not to hurt the tiny thing. :: female pup:: The creature within him finally takes notice. ‘A bloody female pup’

 Kago took in the pup from the top of her head with brown matted curls down to her tiny, blood-crusted toes and shook his head in disgust. He looked away from the pup and scanned the alley again, hoping to see someone. All his instincts came out at the wail of the pup to bring his attention back to her. Kago thought nothing of it as he slid off his suit jacket and scooped up the pup like he had done it a hundred times before. Within his arms, she settled and stared up at him.

 “So, who do you belong to? Hm, did you go out for a walk and get lost?” he chuckled, entering his limo with his pup in hand, not noticing the strange look of his driver. 

---

                          His father and elder brother hit the roof when they were informed he had spent the rest of the day at the hospital. But their mood was the last thing on his mind as he stared down at the tiny pup in his arms, as she fed hungrily from the large bottle. 

The voices of his family faded away to nothing as those brown eyes opened and stared at his own. But still, Kago sighed, thinking back to his hospital visit. He kept a close eye on the doctors as they examined the pup, cleaning her up as they went. 

The police were questioning him about foolish things that had nothing to do with finding the pup. After taking his statement, one officer turned to him and told him he had two choices: keep the pup or take her to an orphanage. He was disgusted because it seemed as if abandoning tiny Terians meant nothing to anyone. He was brought from his thoughts as his father slammed his hand down on the table.

 “Are you listening to me, Kago? I said that thing could be diseased.”

 “Father, the doctor said nothing is wrong with this pup. They said she is quite well for one so tiny,” he stated, burping the pup as he was shown by the nurse when she had finished feeding.

 “I don’t care what some doctor says,” huffed his father.

“ Father, tell him he has to get that disgusting thing out of this house now,” his brother whined.

 “I agree with your brother Kago that thing has got to go.” 

“And how do you suppose I do that?”

 “I don’t care; throw it out. That thing will not stay under this roof.”

 “You forget, Father, I don’t stay here, I stay in the gatehouse.”

 “I don’t care where you stay; that thing will not stay here.” Kago glared at his father and then his brother and walked out. 

He strolled across the yard as the pup in his arms gave a yawn and her eyes closed. He couldn’t help but watch her as she slept peacefully and fully. He couldn’t put her down as she slept; he worked with her tucked into one arm, then popped something in the microwave instead of cooking. And when he slept, he slept fully clothed and curled around the tiny body in the middle of his bed. He woke during the night just to make sure she was alright when she moved slightly or cried out to be changed or fed. By the time the sun rose, he was happily eating his breakfast with one hand while keeping the other securely around his tiny pup. His eyes scanned the written instructions given to him by the nurse about how to care for his pup. He didn’t know why he was going through all the trouble, though, when he was just going to put her in an orphanage anyway. He was just waiting for one of the places he called yesterday to see if they had room. Not wanting to leave the pup, he worked from home. ‘Being a broker, you can work from anywhere,’ he thought, smiling down at the now awake pup as she squirmed in his arms. 

Soon, days became weeks, and still, Kago found himself caring for the tiny halfling terian pup. Whether it was something he wanted to do or he was under the influence of the creature within him, he didn’t know. All he knew was he wasn’t bored anymore; he felt fulfilled each morning he woke and started the day. Those big brown eyes that he woke to every day made every argument he had with his father disappear. The pup radiated such happiness, such warmth, it was unbearable to think of life without her. 

Soon, those weeks turned into months, and the matter was taken out of his hands. His father informed him one morning at work that he had called a place to take the creature right over. ‘Well, this is it, my pup, you got a new home now,’ he thought as his driver took him home. For some reason, he and the creature within him were saddened at the news instead of happy, like he thought he would be. 

---

When he opened the door to the gatehouse, he was greeted by the happy squeal of the pup when she spotted him. He winced at the noise but smiled nonetheless. The nanny he hired looked at him and smiled.

 “Home so early, Mr. Valvo?”

 “Yes, it would seem someone has a place for the pup, so I am afraid your services will no longer be required, Miss. Fon,” he spoke, picking up the pup out of her playpen and nuzzling her soft cheek. “I will send your check through the mail.”

 “Alright, Mr. Valvo, if ya be changin’ ya mind ya have my number,” The old bird Yokai smiled softly, stroking the pup’s fuzzy head, and she took her leave. 

Kago took his time changing the pup and packing her small bag.

 He decided to drive himself; he strapped the pup’s little seat into the backseat and climbed into the car himself. Driving across town, Kago kept checking the rear-view mirror every few minutes to make sure his pup was fine. He smiled, seeing her tiny limbs moving about while she babbled something he couldn’t understand. When she had finally fallen off to sleep, he watched the road for a while, then went back to check on his pup. It didn’t take long for him to find the place.

                               It was called Innocence Miracles Orphanage, a small three-story building that sat off the road. A few trees lined the front yard that held some kind of playground. He sighed and parked, then hesitated as he unbuckled her little seat and pulled her from the car. 

All the pups stopped playing as he walked into the yard carrying his pup. Their little accusing eyes followed him all the way up the stairs and into the building. Kago had to fight the creature within him with each step he took toward the office. With a shaky hand, he finally opened the door to be greeted by two Miko, the older of the two sat behind a desk while the younger looked out the open doors at the playing children. Both dressed as miko of ancient times, too. They look like Earthers.

 “Hello there, Mr. Valvo?” the older said, “I am Kikki, head of this little orphanage. And this is my sister Kathe.” She waved to the young girl, who turned and smiled brightly at him. 

“Oh my, and who do we have here? Is this the little one your father told us about?” Kathe questioned, cooing at the now awake pup.

 “Yes, it is.”

 “Please have a seat, Mr. Valvo. We were told how you came about the child. Terrible business to have a child and abandon it right after it’s born. A woman like that should be taken out and beaten, I tell you,” Kikki spoke, outraged. Kago cleared his throat, watching as Kathe played with his pup.

 “You have questions, Mr. Valvo?” 

“Yes, how many pups are you housing at this time?” Kikki’s mouth thinned at the question. Her eyes went to the playing children. 

“Too many at the time, Mr. Valvo. We are only supposed to take in about 100 or so, but at the time, we have about 200. But none of the children lack food or a warm bed, Mr. Valvo, I assure you. If that’s all, we should get this one settled before lunchtime,” she stood to see Kago out. He took one last look at the pup in the arms of young Kathe and wished her goodbye silently.

 Her cries filled his ears before he even closed the door… He forced himself to walk down that long hall and out the door, still hearing his pups’ cries. Kago hurried past the playing pups, praying none would look at him, and made it to his car. Nevertheless, he still heard those wails of his pup in his ears.

 The creature within kept whining for him to go back, not to abandon their pup again, but he paid it no mind as he started the car and drove away from the place as fast as he could.

 Kago stopped at the red light; his eyes strayed to the now-empty back seat, then forced himself to look back at the road. The cars that passed showed happy families, parents driving as their pups laughed from the back seats.

 The light turned green, and he started to pull off his eyes again, moved to the rearview mirror. 

Kago didn’t get far as he made a U-turn and drove back to the orphanage. He parked, not bothering to close the door, and streaked to the front door and down the hall. He could still hear his pup’s cries as he came to the office door.

 Without knocking, he snatched open the door and entered, seeing the younger Miko rocking his pup trying to quiet her. He was across the room in no time and holding his pup, he nuzzled her soft cheek, and she quieted instantly. No words were exchanged as Kathe picked up the bag and seat and followed him to his car. He buckled his now quiet pup into the seat and was about to climb in when Kathe spoke.

 “You should know, Mr. Valvo, your little one is a Miko. Probably from her mother, she should start training when she’s older. You don’t have to answer now, just think about it, you don’t want to have any accidents of purification with your little Renea here, do you?”

 “Renea?”

 “I hope you don’t mind, I named her,” Kathe smiled sheepishly.

 “No, I don’t mind at all. Gratias Tibi Tam Kathe-sama. I will call you for the training if you don’t mind.”

 “Not at all.” Kathe smiled as the two drove away. Kago watched his pup as she yawned and started to babble.

 “I know, I know I was wrong, but never again, okay?” he laughed and watched as she smiled at him and settled back for the ride. 

His father and brother were none too happy with him as he returned the pup in tow. 

---

It was a few months later and much to his father’s displeasure that he adopted Renea as his own in a small ceremony. Surprisingly, the two Miko Kikki, Kathe, and his uncle on his mother’s side of the family, Kagotera,  attended to make sure everything went properly, as they had said. But everything went off as planned, and the pup legally and by blood became Renea Valvo.

 He never took his eyes off his pup as she took her first step and said her first word. He never regretted not leaving his pup behind as she grew. It was when she turned two that he began to notice the changes she was undergoing. Her brown fuzz was growing black as the days passed; it was no longer thick and fuzzy but straight and fine, as his own. Her eyes were slowly changing from their chocolate color lately. The brown hue was becoming lighter. And if he didn’t know better, he would swear her hearing was sharper as well as her sight. But she was still so little, so he paid no mind to things unknown for now. 

 “Ompapa…Ompapa,” Kago looked up from cooking breakfast and toward the kitchen doorway.

 “Yes, my girl pup?” 

“Newspaper Ompapa,” the five-year-old waved the paper around as best she could while hopping a few times in excitement. Kago shook his head. Sometimes his five-year-old acted more like a ten-year-old. It was hard sometimes to remember she was just a child. The changes had stopped, or at least he thought they had. She had taken on an appearance of him from the raven color of her hair to her clear gray eyes, and for that, he was very pleased. 

When she smiled, he saw a wink of fine baby fangs. The only downfall was her nails needed to be cut every so many days; it would seem they, too, had changed. They were becoming sharper as she aged; they could almost be claws if he didn’t know better. Like she was becoming a full yokai. He shook his head and laughed as she pushed the paper up on the table and climbed into the chair, still smiling. 

“So how’s the world today, my girl pup?” Kago laughed, looking again at his pup as she worried her bottom lip and turned the pages of the paper. Some words gave her problems, but still, she tried. Kago stopped for a minute when he realized for the first time how quickly his pup was growing mentally. ‘Maybe I’ll take her to the doctor to see if this is normal.‘

       Kago came home from a long day of work and an even longer day of his brother and father snarling at him about Renea. They were not pleased that he was raising her in the Inu way. Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata filled the small gatehouse as he opened the door. The house was warm and radiated such happiness that one could feel like they were in heaven.

 “Vesperam Kathe,” he bowed slightly to the young Miko, who was now instructing a babysitter for his young pup. “How is my girl pup doing today?”

 “Oh, just fine, Mr. Valvo. I think we have found a new outlet for all that built-up energy of hers. It seems even with all the exercises I put her through, she still has much more energy than she should for one her age. When I was her age, I barely made it through aura reading,” Kathe laughed. 

“Ompapa, your home,” exclaimed the excited, slightly glowing ten-year-old as she collided with his legs. The glow slid into his skin, wrapping his soul in a loving embrace that only his pup gave, even if she was unaware of it. Kago lifted his tiny pup up in his arms and swung her around.

 Dinners were lively between the two as Kago tried to answer all her questions about his job. After dinner, while he did last-minute work, Renea always played something full of energy and happiness.

 It worried him at first when he could feel his pups’ emotions so vividly with the music. But the young Kathe assured him that it was part of Miko’s ability to soothe those around her when they were feeling stressed, angry, or sad. The music serves as a kind of conduit that helps those abilities work better. As the music soothed her, her ki soothed others. It was good news considering how shocked he was the first time he had come home to a  Waltz, and a glowing pup, as well as a very happy Kathe. 

Bedtime was easy, or so he thought. As her eyes closed, he didn’t know she wasn’t asleep as he left the room. Kago didn’t know that as his brother or father raged at him from the front room, Renea could hear every word they said. 

 A year later, their rocky home life became worse, as Kago’s father stormed in on Renea’s training with Kathe. Kago was making some last-minute calls for a new client when his father stormed in, and he could not head him off as usual. He scared Renea, which resulted in her releasing the energy she was manipulating as Kathe instructed. The blast threw his father through the front door he had just slammed shut and into the yard. Kago would not let his father harm his pup in his rage.

 “You would side with this filth over your own father?”

 “Father or not, I will not let you hurt my pup.“

 “That. That filthy little thing, hahaha, your pup. That little filth will not claim this family as her own. That filth will not touch a dime of my money.“

 “Don’t . . .  talk about my pup in such a manner,” Kago growled, advancing on his father, “My pup doesn’t need your filthy money, father. She doesn’t need to claim you or your bastard as family when she has me. Now get out of my house.”

 “Your house, I think, you want to live with your filth, then you live like the filth. You are no longer my son. I want you and that thing off my property. Consider yourself disowned, Kago. I never want to see you or that filthy thing again,” His father sneered and walked out. 

“Ompapa Ompapa no, you can’t let him go Ompapa. I’ll go Ompapa, I’ll go with Miss Kathe, and you won’t have to worry. Please Ompapa please don’t let him go it’s not right,” Renea sobbed. 

“And why is that girl pup?” he questioned confused. 

“Inu’s have to have a pack. You said so.  .  . Inu’s are nothing without a pack.” she cried. Kago kneeled down next to his sobbing pup touching her chin to make her look at him. 

“That’s where you’re wrong my girl pup, you are my pack. The only pack I need. Now dry those tears we have work to do. What is it your Ompapa says about work?”

 “Girl Pup work now and play later,” she did a childlike Imitation of her father’s voice.

 “Alright then I have spoken,” he shooed her from the room. “I am sorry you had to see that Kathe-sama”

 “No, It is I that should be sorry Mr. Valvo I did not know your father scared the child so. I should have been better prepared.”

 “No need to apologize. I had seen this coming for a long time. If there’s one thing my mother taught me Kathe-sama it’s to always be prepared. I guess I’ll call you and tell you where we settle.” 

“Alright then feel free to call if young Renea has any problems.” 

They packed through the day, Kago had everything of importance placed in storage while he and Renea gathered their clothing and checked into a hotel. Kago, though worried about their future, could not help but be drawn into his pups’ fun as she discovered the gardens. Which she declared was heaven, with its tall trimmed hedges, marble statues, and flowers of different kinds. The staff seemed to bubble over with excitement every time they caught sight of his pup as she skipped through the hotel humming brightly.

 After four months it broke his heart as his pup cried when he told her they were moving into a house finally. Kago suffered for two hours at his pups’ tears as she told each staff member goodbye then they were off again.

 For two months the two were again happy in their two-bedroom home, Kago had seen to it that his pup had a small garden to call her own. Their home was two blocks away from a small shrine because Kago thought it best for his pup to know about her Miko background, which at Kathe’s influence included even shrine ceremonies and traditions. Even in the 40th century, the traditions were still practiced. And he wanted nothing but the best for his girl-pup.

With his pup happy in her new school and home Kago turned his attention to their finances, he swore every night when he put her to bed that she would have a comfortable life and want for nothing. His stocks were doing fine but he wanted more for his pup. A year had passed before an uncle on his mother’s side of the family wrote to him. The elder Inu Yokai was finally retiring and because he had no pups of his own he wanted Kago to take over his companies. At first, Kago refused not wanting to relocate his pup again after she had finally made friends. 

When his pup turned twelve everything started off good he didn’t know how ‘that woman’ found them but she did. ‘That woman‘ came into their lives like a whirlwind demanding to see his pup. But his pup was excited at getting to know the mother they both knew nothing about so against his better judgment he allowed it. When it turned out she lived in the shrine two blocks from their house his pup started asking to visit. Kago stayed far enough away so no one could sense him but close enough so that he could keep an eye on things.

 The first strike was how ‘the woman‘ introduced his pup to her family, and stressed the point she was raised by a yokai and was a bit wild.

 The second was when she told Renea she wasn’t allowed to play with the little six-year-old male because she would hurt him. As if his pup could hurt anyone. He watched day after day as the bitch played happy family with her male pup and husband while excluding his own. And at the end of the day when Renea came home the bitch had the nerve to say they had a good time, Kago only held his tongue because of his pup. Kago knew the only reason she was having a good time was the fact that she sat within the shrine gardens most days by the small koi pond. The woman barely talked to her except to ask a few questions about things that were none of her business. Renea barely told ‘the woman’ anything but she did try to tell her about school and training hoping that ‘the woman‘ would train her as well.

 Strike three came shortly after ‘the woman‘ found out that Renea went to a school for gifted children called Hakurei. Everyone who was anyone knew it was a small expensive school that only rich advanced students went to. Kago knew even his pup heard the conversation the woman was having with her husband and father. She was telling them they had to be extra nice to the ‘wild child’ because she had money. The money they could use, money that she deserved for having the ‘wild child’ The husband made the remark that he knew the girl had to have a trust fund and that his wife should take her back from the yokai filth so they could be in control of her money. Kago’s thoughts were confirmed when his pup returned home that night and told him she did not want to go back to the shrine to visit. When he questioned her about the reason she simply said ‘that woman wasn’t her pack and she didn’t need to know them anymore. 

After Renea had refused to visit the woman four times in a row they received papers and a summons to court. At first, the woman tried to say Kago had stolen her child. But he had the original police report where he had reported about how he found his pup and the missing persons report. When that didn’t work the woman tried to argue that Yokai could not raise Terian children and that since Renea was a Daisaiin-in-training she should be with her. The court case was getting out of control with the woman’s allegations. In the end, Kago had to do something he never wanted to do, let his pup be questioned.

 It broke his heart to hear his pup talking about her visits with the woman. Even things his sharp eyes missed, he wanted so badly to go to her with the strength he didn’t know he had he fought down the creature within. It was torture for him to sit there and listen as the judge questioned his pup as if they had done something wrong. The last question the judge asked broke his heart and at the same time made him chuckle a little for his pup to answer it. 

“Now Renea you know your father is different from you, right? How do you feel about that?” 

“Your honor sir, Ompapa is not different from me. Why does everyone say that?” she stated in a huff.

 “Renea, your father is a yokai and you are a Terian don’t you know that?” the judge questioned.

 “Ompapa is not different he has a heart like me and lungs like mine. Ompapa bleeds like I do. Your honor sir. The only different things are his pointer ears. Oh, and he growls sometimes,” she tapped her tiny chin in a way that even had the judge chuckling. “Ompapa says even though I am Terian I am still pack, Family, and family is family no matter what they are. Your honor sir,” she spoke with a nod of her head. After she was taken from the courtroom the judge sat for a moment and said nothing just stared at everyone before he left.

 It was an hour later that he returned; as he spoke Kago could have danced at the look on the woman’s face as the judge told her even though Kago’s adoption of Renea was different it was still legal and that she did not prove any of her allegations. The woman proved just how unstable she was as she jumped from her seat and yelled. 

“You filthy creature you can keep the little bitch but I want to get paid”

 “And what do you expect to get paid for Mrs. Katsu?” the judge questioned. 

“I had that little thing right. I should get paid for that. If it wasn’t for me he wouldn’t have the little thing so I should get paid.” 

 The woman wouldn’t leave them alone after her court case had failed.

 Kago could not take his eyes off his pup for fear the woman would try something after the school called and said some unknown person tried to take his pup from school. Then the phone calls upset his pup as the unknown caller threatened her life and his. During all of that the police would show up at the house on numerous occasions, they always stated that someone called and reported his pup’s screams. Nevertheless, nothing pointed back to ‘that woman’ but he knew it was her. 

It had gotten so bad his pup had taken to sleeping in his bed again while he walked the house at night. She was afraid to go outside after finding her pet popo hanging from the back fence and that did it for Kago.

 He wrote to his uncle two weeks later. they made the move from Iana to Shinjuku.

Present:

                 Kago didn’t know how he had gotten there but he was now sitting down staring at the wall. Talking was going on around him and his attention snapped to the doctor as he spoke to Tao. He followed behind the group as they set off to somewhere he simply followed. He stopped at the glass with the others and listened. Tao growled as he looked in through the glass and brought everyone’s attention to the patient. Sara gasped and held on to a shocked Toto.

 “Please calm down Mr. Waro we had to restrain Miss Renea for her own good. We cannot have a repeat of this morning. When she wakes and we find that she is calm and lucid, these restraints will come off. I am happy to say Miss Renea is breathing on her own without any problems. And we were finally able to remove the bullet.”

 “Wait bullet? I thought she was in a car accident,” The startled Tao questioned. 

“I am sorry you weren’t told then.” The doctor questioned and scanned his clipboard.

 “Told what doctor?” Kago questioned getting ‘ that bad’ feeling again.

 “Miss Renea was in an accident from what we were told in the ER. The police found a discharged weapon on the scene beside the wrecked vehicle. We couldn’t remove the bullet we found at the time. Keeping her throat open any longer would have led to more problems and I thought more of saving her life. But it would seem Miss Renea’s struggling shifted the bullet and has made it possible to be removed. I am afraid the police will be in contact with you soon Mr. Waro,” Tao nodded, still looking at Renea.

 Tao sighed as he walked through the door of Renea’s home. He had been forced out of the hospital and told to go somewhere for a few hours while the doctors ran some tests. After talking to the police, he found out they had no leads whatsoever about what happened. So instead of going to his father’s home, this is where he ended up. He looked around, and the curtains were still drawn, casting the whole room into shadows. But he was fine in the darkness, looking around, taking in the room as she left it; his happy thoughts took a dark turn. Footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. He turned with a growl, but stilled as the familiar face of Bokkai stepped from the shadows, followed by a face he didn’t know.

 “Do you always make it a point of sneaking up on people?” To which Bokkai shrugged. 

“You should pay more attention. You requested this meeting, so what is it?” 

“The police have no clues, but I know your group does. You follow your ‘boss‘ everywhere, remember.”

 “We have some ideas, but for all we know, you could be the one trying to kill our boss.”

 “I would not hurt my mate, fool,” Tao growled. “Now tell me what you know.”

 “You know I don’t like your tone of voice, pretty boy. Maybe we should just make you disappear like that wolf. What was his name again?”

 “Dumas brother”

 “Right, thanks, Ichi. He thought he could question us as well when the boss called things off with him.”

 “Yeah, he didn’t even put up a good fight, though he did taste good.” Ichi smiled, showing his razor-sharp teeth too numerous to count, patting his stomach. Tao was shocked, though it didn’t show on his face. Renea had allowed them to kill someone; she didn’t seem like the type to condone something like that.

 “I find that hard to believe your ‘boss‘ would allow such a thing,” he stated, only to receive another shrug. 

“The boss wanted the wolf to leave her alone; he would not take the hint, so we helped him . . . understand . . . our… displeasure, you might say.”

 “You know nothing then. It’s a sad day when the great Sept-cent is no help to the one they claim they would lay down their lives for.”

 “Why you-” Ichi started only to be stopped by the sound of Bokkai’s laughter.

 “I see why the boss likes you. We don’t scare you at all, do we? Even knowing we could make you disappear and the boss would know nothing about it.”Tao lifted his brow and smirked.

 “When the boss is happy, you are happy, and we would not want to make the boss unhappy now, would we?” Ichi chuckled.

 “He got us there, brother.”

 “Fine! At 10 o’clock, enter the elevator under the emergency phone; there’s a slot. Place that purple card there in the slot a panel will slide out. The code is 1222036. Oh, and I suggest you come alone. There are no second chances, Mr. Waro.” The two faded back into the shadows; only the opening and closing of the door told of their leaving. He stood in front of the fireplace, looking up at the portrait of Renea and Kago. To the left of it now hung a framed picture of himself and Renea.

---

 He sighed; it was taken the Saturday after he had almost lost her. . .Tao sat staring at the napkin Renea had given him weeks earlier as he sighed into the phone. It had been years since he had spoken to her, when in reality it had been about two weeks. Pictures had been delivered to his office by some anonymous person, and then the call came later in the day. The caller did not identify themselves, only stating that they were sleeping with his Renea, not giving him time to reply when the caller hung up. Being the possessive creature he is, his reaction was one of anger; he waited until after work and confronted her at the club.

 Well, more like shaming her in front of the packed club, he accursed her all kinds of things and finished by telling her he would never mate a whore before snatching the necklace from her neck. When she had paled, he knew he was right; the bitch was just pretending to be pure. Renea didn’t even explain herself; she just walked away, not even finishing her performance. He didn’t even have time to think before Sara rounded on him and slapped him across the face.

 “I never thought you could be so foolish. I guess I was wrong, bastard. I guess if someone claimed you slept with your associates, it would be true, too, right? I was there that night and went home with Renea. I thought better of you,” she spat and ran out after Renea. He stared after Sara for a minute and felt the urge to bang his head on the wall for his stupidity. But didn’t have time as Toto’s fist connected with his face, making his fangs sink into his tongue. The surprise on his face was clear as he looked at Toto, who only frowned at him.

 “To be used by such a low life is one thing, Tao, but to accuse my wife’s dearest friend of something so disgusting. I never thought you could be so foolish. Be glad you’re like family, or I would not be hesitant to slap some ofudas on your scruffy ass and leave in pain like I did that bastard,” was the last thing Toto said to him before walking away. Tao was stunned and only stood there; the only thought on his mind was that he was wrong. He tried to talk to Renea, but got no answer on her cell phone. At her office, her assistant forwarded all his calls to security, who told him his calls were no longer wanted. Even the club was a bust because she hadn’t performed since that night. Which led him to call Toto in hopes he had calmed down enough to talk to him.

 “It’s over, man, leave it alone,” Toto sighed finally.

 “I can’t, I need to see her, Toto.”

 “She doesn’t want to see you, man. I told you before you were moving too fast,” Toto moved the phone away from his ear at Tao’s loud growl. “I am sure Sara and I can find you someone else.”

 “I don’t need anyone else. I need. Renea,” Tao snapped and hung up before Toto could say anything else. He growled, clenching his fist. Kami, sometimes he hated Toto. He wanted that female, and he would get her no matter what, and his friend would not talk him out of it. The next week, more calls were exchanged between the two Tao finally found out why Toto was so against him seeing Renea again.

 “How is she?”Tao questioned.

 “Okay, I guess Sara is with her now. They have a few contracts to go over,” Toto sighed over his beer. He and Tao had met after work, and Sara was angry with him because she thought he was taking Tao’s side over this thing with Renea. The woman was broken-hearted over this, but that just made her dangerous at work, Sara said.

 “She still mad at you?”‘

 “(sigh) Yeah, but I understand, though. She and Renea are like family,” he sighed. “I am guessing by what you said earlier, you didn’t know who was in that picture.”

 “Just some male, I guess,” Tao shrugged.

 “Not just some male Tao. That was Hiroshi Tokiji. His younger brother is looking for backing for his hotel. In some circles, it’s known if you want your hotel to do well in Shinjuku, you need backing from the best.”

 “The best being Renea?”

 “She told you then?”Tao nodded. “That showed she trusted you. Well, his brother is a small fish who wants to play in the ocean. It’s that bastard Hiroshi; he knew all along who his brother had to deal with here in Shinjuku. Sara told me all about how Hiroshi acted when she and Renea entered the restaurant. The perfect gentleman, Sara said, pulling out Renea’s chair and complimenting her, Renea only stuck to the business at hand. But Hiroshi was all touching her hand and even hugged her before they left as if they were old friends, that’s even what he told his brother.” He stopped at Tao’s look of anger and took a drink of his beer. “You know how business is, man?”

 “Hn, I don’t care about the meeting . . . What happened between them two days before?”

 “Tao, none of us have seen Hiroshi since college. And I am more than sure about that. You see, Renea and Hiroshi used to date back in college. She was younger than all of us, but Sara took her under her wing and decided to protect her. Renea even hooked me and Sara up, so we decided to do the same for her. After about forty or so dates, she found Hiroshi. They dated for about two months, then-” he stopped his mouth, drawn in a frown.

 “Then what? What happened?”

 “He . . .” Toto paused and took a long drink from his beer. “He finally took the girl to bed, Tao, and let’s just say he hurt her man. Bad, and had the nerve to walk around campus smiling and saying how he got some of the frigid rich bitch, and that she wasn’t even as good as everyone thought. After that, we have tried to get her to date and even set her up a few times, but nothing came of it. Oh, there’s been a guy or two who wanted to be with her, but she never gave them a chance until you, that is.” Toto sighed.

 “I messed up bad, Toto,” Tao sighed. But Toto did take pity on his friend and decided to help him a little. ‘What could it hurt? Besides, Renea was happy before. And when Renea was happy, Sara was-‘ Toto’s thoughts trailed off as he smirked.

---

 Renea had been working in her office when Amos rang her office about a delivery. She wasn’t expecting anything, but her father had been known to send her things a time or two. She pushed away from her desk, quickly opened the doors, and exited. 

She paused and gasped, looking around. It seemed to be every color rose you could think of. Delivery men crowded the large outer office with push carts filled with roses. One yokai parted from the crowd and stepped forward. 

“Are you Miss Valvo?”

 “I am she. But what is this?” She waved her hand around. 

“There is a message. Would you like to hear it?”

 “Yes,” she smiled softly as one yokai handed her an arrangement made from each of the roses. 

“Um, okay . . .2 dozen black roses for the slavish devotion I offer you. 

2 dozen blue roses for the mystery of how you ended up in my heart.

 2 dozen burgundy roses for the unworldly beauty you hold.

 2 dozen green roses for the calm you seem to always hold, even at difficult times.

 2 dozen orange roses for the passion you show for everything you do.

 2 dozen pink roses for your grace that makes you perfect

 2 dozen dark pink roses for the gratitude I have for you, allowing me to befriend you.

 2 dozen light pink roses for the admiration I feel for you. 

2 dozen purple roses for the protection I offer you, even from myself.

 2 dozen red roses for the love from my heart that I offer to you. 

2 dozen white roses for the reverence I feel each time you even look my way.

 2 dozen yellow roses for the friendship you gave and I tossed away.

 Lastly, 2 dozen yellow roses with red tips for the chance to fall in love all over again. 

 26 times I apologize from my very soul, and still I wonder if that is even enough for you to talk to me again.

 Yours always, Tao.

 Oh, and you are to have this,” The yokai handed her a black velvet box. Renea knew instantly what was in it. Tao’s jaki was very unique, and she would know it anywhere. By the way, it caressed her own ki.

 “Thank you,” Renea spoke with the box in hand, and fled back to her office, no longer able to look at the roses.

 “Are you going to forgive him?” Sara questioned as she popped into Reneas office. “It’s like a florist shop out there. I never knew roses came in so many colors,” Sara laughed, taking a seat. She knew Renea had been suffering over this fight with Tao, hell, it wasn’t even a fight . Tao growled and accused, and Renea walked away. That’s what got to her all the time with Renea, the girl never fought back, only walked away.

Sara knew Renea wasn’t a coward; hell, the woman would walk into a room of growling yokai and return unscathed and victorious. But when it came to matters of the heart, the woman would turn her back in a second and think nothing of it.

 When she had first met Renea, she thought the girl was as cold-hearted as a snake until the day she caught her wiping tears from her face after some guys had started in on how she was frigid. When she found out how old the girl was, Sara quickly repented. She could understand why Renea acted so cold; hell, her younger brother was only ten and had a high IQ. The smarter you are, the more you’re teased, so she stood up for the girl, and they quickly became friends.

 “I don’t know, Sara, if it happens once, what’s to say it won’t happen again?”

 “I am not saying the yokai is off the hook, Renea, but give him a chance. Toto showed me the note and pictures during lunch, and it would fool me too if I hadn’t been there,” Sara sighed. Not mentioning, she also apologized to the Yokai for slapping him as well. She would cut him slack this time, but if this happened again, he would find out if she still practices the art of the Yokai Slaying.

 “(Sigh) I’ll think about it.” 

---

 Three days later, after still receiving no answer, Tao took matters into his own hands and went to the  Hotel. No one stopped him as he strolled through the lobby and entered the elevator. Toto had given him directions, but it was no problem in finding her if you knew where to look. His mind was conflicted, his thoughts chaotic, he wanted to believe he had a chance to make things right. But there was the lingering doubt that she wouldn’t take him back. He tensed stepping from the elevator, the shadows were deeper, and he felt the aura of seven males in the hall, but saw no one. He stopped and waited as the doors slid shut behind him, his eyes scanned the darkened halls, ready to defend himself as need be.

 “Look what I caught, brother, a pretty boy, “Tao didn’t know the voice.

 “Who are you? What are you doing here?” he growled.

 “It’s we who should be asking you, that pretty boy, “He knew that voice, ‘Bokkai,‘ he knew he was correct as Bokkai stepped from the shadows, frowning at him.

 “The boss isn’t accepting visitor’s pretty boy.” 

“Who are you to say who she can see?”Tao spat. 

“Do you hear this, guys? Who are we? We are the Sept-cent of course,” he smirked.

 “I am sure your boss, as you call her, doesn’t know your Mercenaries?”

 “That’s where you’re wrong, pretty boy, the boss knows all about us,” a voice from the shadows came again. “You see, my brothers and I protect the boss. She is a very important woman, and creatures seem to take great pleasure in trying to harm her. And we-,” He smirked, “we take out the trash.” 

“You might not see us, pretty boy, but we see you ‘all the time.‘ Nothing goes unnoticed by my brothers, and I get the drift?”Tao nodded but said nothing. “When the boss is happy, we are happy . . . But when the boss is upset, we are downright. . . what’s the word?” he tapped his chin, thinking. “Right, we are downright. . . Bloodthirsty Mr. Waro. And right now the boss is upset, and we don’t like it.” Bokkai narrowed his eyes at him. Tao bit his tongue to keep from saying something nasty to the creature; if he wanted Renea back, it wouldn’t do to get into a fight with her bodyguards.

 And the Sept-cent was a particularly nasty group of mercenaries that worked for the highest bidder, and it would seem they had found a home with Renea. They had powerful auras, which was good, at least his mate would be protected when he wasn’t around with these seven, and they seemed pretty damn loyal right now.

 “Brother, she’s back,” came a whisper from the shadows.

 “Damn it, that bitch will never learn, will she. (Sigh) “alright” Alright,” his eyes never leaving the yokai in front of him. “Know this, Mr. Waro, if the boss didn’t speak so highly of you before, my brothers and me would not have thought twice about disposing of your body where no one could ever find you. My brothers believe you deserve a second chance; you made the boss happy, so I will refer them to you on this one. But beware, there will be no third chances. Our boss will not be like those women you have used and thrown away. “At Tao’s nod, Bokkai stepped into the shadows. All but one of the auras disappeared from his senses when the unknown voice spoke again. 

“Oh, and pretty boy, make sure the boss eats with you? hm. My brother might not say it, but we are very protective of our tiny boss. When everyone thought of us as criminals, she gave us a home. The Sept-cent you can say are loyal like dogs. And like dogs, we will fight for the home we have and the master who has befriended us. We never will and never have bitten the hand that feeds us. You can squeal if you like and tell her of this little meeting, but it will do you no good; loyalty is high in the boss’s books,” The voice chuckled and disappeared like his aura. Tao shook his head like he would say anything anyway; loyalty like that was hard to come by. And if the group could sneak up on him and stare him down as if they were unafraid, they deserved respect in his book.

---

 But back to the matter at hand, Renea, he took a couple of deep breaths and knocked. When the door was open, his breath caught in his throat ‘such perfection was unearthly indeed‘ his golden eyes scanned her body; his body’s reaction was immediate. She must have just gotten ready for bed because she was dressed in a black silk gown that barely reached her thighs. It was trimmed in black lace that hugged her generous breasts that sat up unbound; her small shoulders were covered by the matching silk robe. Her hair hung down her back, and it shimmered in the candlelight of the room, wavy as if it was just freed from some style she had it in. Everything about her was perfection except for the look in her eyes as if she was empty of any emotion whatsoever. She was about to close the door in his face when his hand shot out, stopping her.

 “I want to speak with you if I may,” he said when she turned from the door and walked farther into the room. He took what was okay to enter. Tao had never been in her home as it was before; he looked around everything was dark from the walls to the furniture. A few pictures hung on the walls, one was a huge portrait of Renea, who could only assume was the father she always spoke about. Renea was dressed in a white kimono, while the Inu-yokai was dressed in a three-piece black suit. Both had smiles on their faces as if laughing at a joke or something. He was pleased to see that every table in the room was covered with the roses he had sent her. All through the room was a low rhythmic beat he had never heard before, but it was very soothing even to the irritated beast within him. Tao turned from his survey of the room to the female occupant who still had her back to him, and he didn’t like it. She was ignoring him as if he were a wayward pup, and he felt like one at the moment.

 “Renea,” he called, stopping behind her, but still she didn’t turn to him. Her posture was rigid, and he so wanted to whine like the bad pup he felt like. 

“You have been avoiding me, why?” He knew it sounded lame, but he didn’t care.

 “Your time with the whore is over, remember,” she spat, still not looking at him. Her emotions that he had easily felt each day they were together were gone. There was nothing to tell him how she was feeling; her voice was cold, devoid of any emotion whatsoever. 

“Renea,” he started and stopped stepping around her rigid body, only to have her turn away from him again. “I- I was foolish it is beneath me to think about you in such a way, Renea. But I am ashamed to say I did,” he hung his head. “I cannot believe I was so blinded from the truth by the lies of some unknown creature. No, that’s not true, it was all me, I wanted to believe those lies.”

 He whispered, Renea whirled around and stared at him, hurt, making him hang his head again in shame. He fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around her waist, his face pressed into her stomach. Never had he spoken of such a weakness before, and it had taken a lot out of him. A small noise she made was clear as he froze; it spoke of her displeasure as she stood rigid in his arms. But for the moment, he worked against his instincts that were screaming at him about displeasing his mate and continued to hold onto her. With his cheek pressed into her stomach, he spoke.

 “You are perfection, Renea. There is no fault in you that I can find. You are intelligent, witty, talented, and powerful in more ways than one, and so much more. You are perfect, but a part of me thought there had to be something terrible you were hiding because no one is this perfect. It was that part of me that leaned on those lies and wanted to believe them. For one moment, I slipped. I made a mistake, and now I am begging for your forgiveness, Renea. I need you, Renea,” he let every emotion he felt show in his voice. Nothing would stop him from getting her back, not even his pride. 

“You should leave,” she spoke as his hands tightened around her. 

“I cannot, don’t you understand. What can I say, Renea? I’ll say anything? Do anything you want. I need you,” he pleaded.

 “Anything,” she questioned, her voice still holding no emotion as she stared down at the yokai. 

“Yes,” he breathed.

 “Leave,” she stated firmly. 

---

She stood in her suite and sighed, running her finger through her hair in irritation. Footsteps echoed down the hallway beside her. Her head whipped to the side as she narrowed her eyes.

 “What are you doing here?” she snapped, knowing who it was by his aura alone.

 “Before you do anything, will you listen?” he spoke. “Did you know that Tai-yokai was known as a male whore until he met you, boss? No female could ever boast she held the heart of that creature until you.” he paused, seeing her lift the black case they had been curious about. Renea caressed it for a moment, then opened it, finally showing one of them the contents. He gasped, his eyes softening as he caught her eyes. 

“Don’t let him go, boss. Take it from someone who knows life is not as long as everyone believes, even for a yokai such as that. He watched as her eyes took on a new light. She rushed to the door, and he coughed lightly and handed her a black trench coat. “It’s raining, not to mention ahem,” he gestured to the gown. “We have his car stalled in the parking garage,” he smiled as she slipped on her shoes and coat and rushed from the room. He heard the ding of the elevator before he felt the presence of his brother.

 “Did it work, Hajime?”

 “Did you doubt that Bokkai, the boss, is on her way?”

 “Good, maybe now we can get back to business as usual,” they both, hell, they all agreed the ‘boss‘ was better when she was bloodthirsty; depression was not a state they neither liked nor wanted to ever see her in again. If that yokai could get her back the way she was and they believed he would, they would put up with him.

 Renea paid no mind to the people around her as she rushed from the elevator and into the lobby. Her heels clicked on the linoleum floor as she rushed along, scanning for his smoky hair among the groups of people. Then she saw his waist-length silver smoky hair as it stood out against his black coat just outside the glass doors. She hurried forward when she saw him start to move, not even giving the doorman time to open the door. She flung it open and rushed headfirst into the downpour. 

Tao sighed; nothing was going well for him. First, Renea didn’t take him back. Now, he was stuck in the rain because his driver was being held up by something. He didn’t care one bit about the rain that was even now soaking him to the skin. He looked at his watch and, with another sigh, decided it would be best if he walked to the parking garage. He was about halfway there when something collided with his back. He was about to say something nasty when small arms wrapped around him.

 “Don’t . . . don’t go,” he heard her whisper. He closed his eyes for a moment and breathed the slight weight on his back, and when he opened his eyes again, he was treated to the sight of a soaked Renea standing in front of him.

 “Why”

 “I-” she paused in thought and licked her rain-wet lips. “I need you,” She took a deep breath and tugged his face down, kissing his chin and then his mouth softly. His eyes widened slightly as he pulled away, searching her face for any signs she didn’t know what she was asking. The kiss on the chin was easy; in Inu was a way of asking for forgiveness. But the kiss on the lips said she wanted him, alright. And damn if the creature within wasn’t ready to roll over and play dead in shock. He wouldn’t be male if he did not want her, Kami. He dreamed of her naked and riding him until his eyes rolled back in his head since he first laid eyes on her. But he knew he was honor-bound to do nothing until she showed an interest in him; the female had to ignite any sexual advances. Hell, he had never kissed any female before, only got his pleasure and left them meaningless. Kissing was a sign that there was something more to a relationship than it was something only shared between mates. Kami, his mind was awhirl. Was she telling him that she was ready for him because he was more than ready?

 But still, what Toto told me before echoed through his mind, though he would hurt himself before he hurt Renea again. 

Renea was a little afraid she had kissed him, and he had done nothing. He was just standing there staring at her. She began to have doubts about the kiss she had given him, and it was unnerving. Maybe he was rejecting her, but it was only fair since she had sent him away moments ago. She sighed softly and started to walk away. She would at least save her pride. Renea had only gotten a few steps before his hand rested on her shoulder. She turned her head to look back at him, only to find herself pulled into his equally wet form as his lips touched first her chin, then her lips.

Tao felt her stiffen for a moment before she melted into his embrace. He pulled back after a moment, only to have her pull him back to her. Pleasure unlike any he had ever known exploded within his body as her tongue traced his lower lip. He growled lightly as she nipped at his lip, only to pull the same lip into her hot mouth. He no longer felt the slight chill from his soaked body as she kissed one side of his mouth, only to slide her tongue across his lips again and kiss the other side. His lips parted to pant for breath, and her lips covered his. His body shivered as her tongue caressed his fangs and slid along his gum line. His grip on her was tight; she was killing him. Never did he think kissing could be pleasurable, but this. This was earth-moving. Their moans mixed as their tongues slide along one another, like serpents mating before their lips met again. The loud clearing of a throat broke them apart, much to Tao’s displeasure and Renea’s embarrassment. 

“Stay with me tonight,” Renea finally spoke, catching Tao’s eyes. He only nodded and licked his lips. Even though they were now covered in rain, he could still taste her. The creature within was clamoring for him to mate with her then and there. With a sigh, he reined in the creature. Tonight would not be that night, no, it was too soon, he would not have her regretting anything. The soaking wet couple made their way through the lobby with only eyes for each other. The looks from everyone around them went unseen and unwanted as they made their way into the open elevator.

 Tao pulled Renea back to his chest and wrapped his arms around her as the elevator made a few stops and people got on and off. He pushed wet hair off her neck and gave it a little kiss as they stood at the back of the elevator, not paying any mind to the others around them. Her door was open, and a food cart was standing in her sitting room as they entered. Renea took in his waterlogged appearance and rushed off to get towels. He almost swallowed his tongue when she pulled off her coat to reveal she had nothing on but the gown he had last seen her in. And dear Kami, it stuck to her skin. The only thought that crossed his mind was ‘she doesn’t have on any panties.’ he watched the dance of her rounded bottom as she walked away. She returned carrying pajama bottoms and some towels and showed him to the bathroom before going he only assumed back to her own room. Tao took a quick shower and hung his clothes on the shower door before dressing in the bottoms that fit him surprisingly well. He entered the sitting room again to find Renea already sitting on the sofa as if waiting for him. Her gown was the same, only white this time, trimmed in red lace. As she leaned over to retrieve the tray from the table, he was greeted by the sight of her generous breast, and quickly he swallowed the lustful growl that threatened to slip out. Dinner was small and quiet as the two exchanged looks. 

Tao had had enough, and by Kami, he wanted to taste her again.

Present:                                                                         

                   Tao sat on Renea’s bed with a sigh as he listened to Kago as he updated him on her condition. She hadn’t awoken yet so she was still restrained just in case, but she was still breathing on her own without problems.

 “Would you like to speak to her?” Kago questioned suddenly. 

“Yes.” Everything was silent for a moment before the phone line filled with the sound of Reneas breathing. Everything within him calmed from the sound. His mate was just sleeping. She would awaken soon, and they would start their life together.

 “Renea,” he paused. “I haven’t left you my one. This Tao will return to you for now, your father will take care of you for a while, okay?” he took a deep breath. “Remember that this Tao loves you.” He heard a gasp from the other end of the phone line.

 “She . . . She squeezed my hand,” came Kago’s awed voice. Tao smiled as joy filled his heart. The two said their goodbyes; Kago swore to call Tao if there was any change in Renea’s condition. He tossed the phone to the other side of the bed and lay back on the cool, silver, satin sheets. He remembered Renea saying once that these were her favorite sheets; of course, she had like twelve pairs of silver satin sheets. The fourth time he spent the night was the first time he ever laid eyes on her room. He couldn’t believe his own eyes after he got a chance to take in the room; it was like something out of his childhood.

          Inu pups crave darkness for the first few months after they are born, they are gradually introduced to the light as their eyes make their first change from their true form to that of their terianoid appearance. Renea’s bedroom appealed to him, being a yokai and all. He always felt the strong jaki that the room gave off, but he could never place it. It was protective in a way as if to tell any other yokai male that Renea was under the protection of a strong male. Tao thought at one time about replacing the jaki with his own until Renea told him whose it was. But now he was glad he never even tried, as now the jaki seemed to comfort him as he wrapped his frame around the large body pillow that always smelled of Renea.

 By the bedside clock, he had six more hours before ten o’clock, but that was okay because he was feeling kind of sleepy at the moment and decided to close his eyes. At least for a little while, anyway.

---

After a long week, Saturday had come quickly, and the morning found Renea wide awake, sitting in the center of her bed, typing away on her laptop. Reports of different kinds surround her; her assistant had finally found the missing report from the ad department. She sighed and paused to flip through the report before returning to her typing. Her work was beginning to suffer because all she did was think about a certain Inu-yokai. Renea didn’t even look up as Sara called out to her. 

“In here,” Sara dropped her purse and keys on the table and followed the hall to the bedroom. 

“Still working, I see,” Sara sighed, shaking her head. She went right to the closet and started pulling out clothes. 

“Don’t you have anything besides kimonos and business suits in your wardrobe, Renea?”

 “A couple of pairs of jeans and some T-shirts,” she laughed.

 “This isn’t funny,” Sara sighed, tapping her foot. “What do you plan on wearing tonight?” Renea flipped through the pages of the report again and waved her hand dismissively.

 “Can’t go to too much work.“

 “You have to go,” Sara pouted. “You promised, and you can’t break a promise. You said so yourself, you worked all week and barely had time to relax. You have to go.”

 “What’s so important, it’s only dinner, we can do dinner anytime?” Sara frowned and stomped toward the bed, snatching the folder from Reneas hands.

 “Hey,” Renea looked up, startled. 

“Bathroom… Shower now,” Sara pointed to the bathroom. 

“No, I have to finish this, Sara, you know, work so I can pay those fees of yours?” 

“Renea, you promised,” Sara pleaded, her brown eyes tearing up.

 “Fine, fine,” she saved her work and started piling up the folders.

 “Why are we getting ready so early anyway?” Renea sighed.

 “Shopping,” Sara smiled and chirped happily.

 “I hate shopping, Sara, you know that.“

 “Kami Renea, you have enough money to not work a day in your life, and you never spend a dime on yourself. What’s wrong with you, girl? Live a little, it won’t hurt you,” her smile dropped at the look of sorrow on Reneas’s face. “Renea, your great uncle is old, not dead, Kami, he won’t mind if you take a break now and then,” thinking that was the cause.

“I know, I just want to make him proud of me, Sara. I don’t want him to feel like he made a mistake, you know,” Renea sighed. 

“Even your father took a break, Renea. How do you think he raised you? And besides, if there was a problem, you would be first to know, right?” Renea begrudgingly nodded. Her cell phone was always on; everything had to be running smoothly, or she would have gotten a call by now.

 “Okay, okay, I am going to shower,” Renea laughed and left for the bathroom.

 “What are we doing here again, Renea?” Sara questioned, seeing rows and rows of kimonos and fabric.

 “I need a dress for dinner, right? This is where I get all my clothes. Ai” AI stocks clothing from every planet in the known galaxy and beyond,” She spoke, strolling to the counter.

 “You are so not wearing a kimono to dinner tonight, Renea.” Sara sighed.

 “Can I . . . Oh, hello, Miss Valvo. What can I get you today?”

 “Hello, Ai, I need a nice dress for a dinner engagement.” Renea smiled.

 “No Kimonos,” Sara added. Ai walked from behind the counter and smiled at the two.

 “I think we can find you something. Right this way. For hours, Sara aw and ah dresses of every color and type while Renea, getting bored, wandered away to look at a new Kimono she had her eye on for a while. Sara, seeing her chance at Reneas distraction, picked out a dress she thought would be just perfect for her friend. ‘What are friends for anyway? And it will be just the thing to help her catch a certain Inu-yokai as well.’ Sara smiled and, with a mental nod, she picked out shoes as well to match.

 “Are you ready, Renea?” Sara smirked from the counter. The dress was already boxed and ready to be paid for. 

“Oh, okay, I’ll take this too, Ai, just add it to my account, okay?” Renea smiled, holding up her new purchase.

 “Alright, Miss Valvo, and here you are,” Ai handed Sara the boxes. Sara and Renea both walked out smiling happily.

 “It’s that time already, damn, we have to hurry if we are going to be ready in time,” Sara commented and dragged Renea to the car. 

---

            Tao was nervous, having changed suits three times to make sure he was perfect. He checked himself over one last time before leaving his old room.

 “You look very nice, my son,” Aki spoke as his son walked down the stairs. “Going out again this evening?”

 “Yes, father. Have the contractors called?” You could tell Aki was shocked that Tao even gave him a straight answer. Usually, it was always that ‘hn.‘

 “No, are you that impatient to leave our house again?” Since he was on a roll, he thought he might as well ask. 

“I only want to be in my own home again. Good evening, Father,” He bowed slightly, then stepped out the front door. After picking up Toto, he was ready to go. 

Toto smirked at his friends’ nervousness. He and Sara couldn’t believe that their friends did not know each other’s backgrounds. How many billionaires were there in Shinjuku? Not many yet, the two didn’t know one another, but Reneas adopted father did tend to keep her away from the eye of the public. Add to that the fact that Renea had been gone to Kami, only knows where, and of course, she wouldn’t know the millionaire playboy their friend Tao was.

 But for the last few weeks, he and Sara have been talking, putting together what they knew about the two. Toto just hoped this second chance was a good thing.

---

 It didn’t take long to get to the hotel, and Toto and Tao found themselves at the front desk. While Toto made eyes at the women in the lobby, Tao sighed at the attention he was getting from those women.

 “Ring the penthouse and inform the occupants Mr. Waro is waiting,” Tao growled.

 “Um, right away, Mr. Waro,” The clerk pouted and dialed the number she spoke for a few moments and hung up. 

“Mrs. Migi said they would be right down . . . have a seat,” she waved to the chairs decorating the lobby.

 “Your wife will kill you if she catches you flirting again, Toto,” Tao stated and walked away. Toto smiled sheepishly and followed behind him.

 Sara pulled Renea into the elevator and pushed the button for the lobby.

 “I can’t wear this, Sara. I have to change Sara. . . Sara, are you listening to me? For Kami’s sake, I am naked Sara… Sara,” Renea sighed and wrapped her arms around her body. While Sara smirked and nodded as if listening, she was thinking of Tao’s reaction to Reneas’s dress. Inside, she was rubbing her hands together and laughing evilly, ‘This is for your good, my friend.‘

 “You look great, Renea. Sheesh, with a body like yours, if I weren’t married, I would walk around naked. But you’re too late, we are here,” Sara sang and stuck out her tongue, pulling Renea from the elevator. Toto stood wanting to know what caused everyone to suddenly look toward the elevators. He smiled that lecherous smile of his and spoke

 “I didn’t think she had it in her.”

 “What female has caught your attention now, prev?”

 “Why, the vision that is Miss Renea, of course,” Toto smirked at Tao’s reaction as he jumped to his feet. Business suits were fine, kimonos were great, and he was all for tradition, but this…Kami, this was erotic. It had to be a crime to look that. .that sexy. He could tell she hadn’t seen them yet as she walked there beside Sara. She was dressed in what had to be white silk, which clung to her body like a second skin.

 It comes from behind her neck and drops deep between her breasts, stopping just above her stomach, showing off her smooth brown skin. The dress went all the way to her ankles, and when she moved, he could see both her perfectly toned legs, thanks to the splits up both sides that started mid-thigh. On her tiny feet were tiny white stiletto heels that strapped on her tiny ankles and across her tiny black polished toes. The only jewelry she wore was the necklace he had given her and diamond studs in her ears, her hair was up in little ringlets in the front, and the back cascaded down and over her left shoulder.

 His feet moved before he even thought about it, and brought him to stop in front of his desirable female. He circled her, taking in her dress, licking his lips, seeing her back bared to the waist to his eyes. He slid his arm around her waist, slowly caressing her soft brown skin. 

“Konbanwa, Tao, Toto,” she spoke through the thickness of her throat upon seeing Tao’s hungry look. And laughed, trying to ease the sudden tension in her body. 

“You look hungry, Tao. Maybe we should get going. to get you some food.”

 “You look sinful. . .  this evening, My One,” Tao growled, his tongue skimming her knuckles before his lips settled on her skin. He growled lustfully as his eyes held hers. Renea gasped softly as his lavender gaze flashed red. “Oh, I do find myself rather starved . . . so starved in fact I could lose my morals and indulge in some . . . terian . . . food” Renea flushed with heat as her body reacted to the meaning behind his words. Her lower stomach tightened; if she were the swooning type of girl, she would be flat on the floor. 

“Oh my . . . You’re looking almost wicked yourself, Tao,” she laughed lightly. Toto and Sara paid no mind to the fact that they were being ignored as they smiled at the two. Toto and Sara shared a happy look.

 “You’re looking mighty good yourself, my love,” Toto winked, causing Sara to blush. 

“Alright, you love birds, if we don’t hurry, we’ll be late.” Sara cooed, then finally turned to Renea. Her look of happiness fell to a look of worry at Renea’s flush completion. 

“Are you alright, Renea?” Renea cleared her throat, pulling her eyes from Tao’s. 

“I guess I am hungrier than I thought,” she laughed lightly.

 “I am a mite starved myself. Shall we?” Tao spoke, wrapping his arm around Renea yet again. The limo ride was quiet as Renea fidgeted with her dress under the heated gaze of Tao. Who couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off the delicious female across from him? Her silken legs were crossed, showing off her thighs. He couldn’t help but lick his lips every so often; the urge to taste her was almost maddening.

 Sara and Toto, on the other hand, were trying hard to keep their laughter at bay. Their two friends were proving to be more entertaining than they thought possible. 

As they entered Tashore Gardens, Renea’s eyes widened in amazement. The restaurant, hidden away on the edge of Shinjuku, was a far cry from the bustling city outside. The dim, intimate lighting created a cocoon of warmth and sophistication. Tao, standing close beside her, couldn’t help but smile at her reaction. Such small things make her so happy, he mused, feeling a swell of pride.

Tao’s usually stern demeanor softened as he watched Renea’s awe. He relished in the fact that he could bring such joy to her. Every little detail seemed to captivate her: the elegant decor, the soft ambient music, the delicate flowers on their table. It was as if she were seeing the world anew, and Tao reveled in that shared experience.

His face remained impassive as he gave his name to the host, but internally, he bristled at the sight of the host’s surprised glance at Renea. What right does he have to stare so long? Tao thought, his possessive nature surfacing. The low growl that rumbled in his chest was a clear message: Renea was his, and he would tolerate no disrespect.

As they were led to their table, Tao’s displeasure at the host’s lingering presence was palpable. He had always been a stickler for the formalities of dining, but tonight, his focus was solely on Renea. When the host had the audacity to pull out her chair and offer a lingering glance, Tao’s growl was unmistakable. This is about her tonight, not your curiosity.

Settling into his own seat, Tao felt a deep sense of satisfaction as he watched Renea explore the menu. Her fingers delicately traced the edges of the menu, her face a picture of wonder. It’s incredible how easily she finds joy in the simple things, he reflected, his heart swelling with affection. The sight of her blushing each time she caught him watching her was intoxicating.

Across the table, Toto and Sara exchanged a look. Toto nudged Sara under the table, his eyes flicking toward Tao. Sara, curious, followed his gaze and observed the scene. Look at him, Toto’s eyes seemed to say. He’s completely enthralled by her. Sara couldn’t help but smile. The usually aloof Tao was utterly absorbed in Renea, and it was clear that he was smitten.

Sara’s smile widened as she noticed the softening in Tao’s usually hard gaze. He’s really in love with her, she thought, feeling a sense of admiration. The powerful yokai, often known for his dominance and control, was visibly vulnerable and devoted when it came to Renea.

Meanwhile, Renea remained blissfully unaware of the subtle dynamics around her. She was lost in the experience, her cheeks flushed with excitement. As she glanced up and caught Tao’s gaze, a flutter of warmth spread through her. She wondered, fleetingly, if her own feelings were as transparent to him as his were to her. The way he looked at her, so tenderly, made her heart race with a blend of anticipation and shyness.

Tao’s satisfaction grew as he observed her reactions to the first course. The joy and pleasure on her face were more rewarding than any fine dining experience he had ever had. Seeing her like this makes everything worth it, he thought, feeling a profound sense of contentment.

Toto and Sara, sitting across from them, exchanged knowing glances. They could see how deeply Tao cared for Renea and how this evening was unfolding as a special moment for both of them. The soft, intimate setting of Tashore Gardens was the perfect backdrop for their shared experience, and the dynamics of love and friendship created a memorable and cherished evening.

As the main course arrived, a subtle tension hung in the air. Renea’s plate, laden with a large rare steak barely seared on the outside, drew curious glances. It was a stark contrast to the salads and vegetables she usually favored. Tao’s gaze flickered from Renea to her plate, his thoughts racing. She’s never eaten anything like this before. Is she really going to manage it?

Sara’s hesitation was palpable. She glanced at Toto and then at Tao, seeking some confirmation or reassurance. When none came, she simply shrugged. This is her choice, Sara thought, turning back to her own plate with a resigned sigh. If she wants it, she should have it.

Renea, oblivious to the concern around her, met their gazes with a puzzled expression. “What?” she asked, her eyes reflecting genuine curiosity. The ease with which she took up her fork and cut into the steak made Tao’s heart skip a beat. His attention was solely on her, watching intently as she brought the fork to her lips.

The first bite elicited a soft, approving moan from Renea, a sound that drove Tao to the brink of distraction. Damn, she’s beautiful, he thought, feeling a primal thrill at her enjoyment. The richness of the steak seemed to make her even more alluring. Tao swallowed hard, trying to focus on his own meal, but the taste of the food was irrelevant compared to the taste of watching her relish every bite.

After dinner, Sara proposed a night of dancing—a suggestion that seemed to pull Tao from his reverie. He had initially wanted to return Renea to her home immediately, but her enthusiasm for dancing swayed him. Hasn’t she been dancing since college? He thought, a mix of regret and excitement washing over him. If it makes her happy, I can manage a little longer.

The club was alive with energy. Sara and Toto were quickly absorbed into the dance floor, leaving Tao and Renea at the bar. As Renea laughed and pointed out their friends, Tao felt a surge of affection. She’s so carefree tonight, he mused, his heart swelling. Her laughter was infectious, and he was completely captivated by the way she responded to the music.

When Renea laughed and joked about Sara and Toto, Tao’s mind was already shifting to a more intimate place. Her playful suggestion and his heated response were like a spark igniting his desire. She’s so bold, he thought, his breath catching as he leaned in. His fingers traced a tantalizing path down her back, eliciting a shiver from her. I want her more than anything right now.

Their dance was a whirlwind of passion and movement. Tao’s every sense was attuned to Renea. Her laughter, her body pressed against his, her hands moving to the rhythm—it was intoxicating. This is what I’ve been missing, he thought, completely absorbed. The night seemed to blur around them, their connection a pulsating rhythm of its own.

When they finally left the club, the limo ride was charged with unspoken promises. Renea straddled his lap, her hand tangled in his hair. Tao’s growl of approval resonated through him as their heated kiss deepened. What is she doing to me? Renea’s words echoed in his mind, her demanding kiss leaving him breathless. The world outside, the doorman’s respectful nods, and the envious glances from other females all faded into insignificance.

As they entered Renea’s hotel, the air seemed to crackle with anticipation. Tao was momentarily pulled from his fervor by the jaki swirling at the doorway. His gaze swept over the room, settling on the raven-colored pelt at the foot of the bed. Is this… His thoughts were interrupted by Renea’s hand on his wrist. Her expression was a mix of apprehension and something else he couldn’t quite place.

When she mentioned the pelt, Tao’s jealousy flared. Who is he? he thought, his claws clenching in frustration. His anger was palpable, a stark contrast to the affectionate warmth he had just felt. Renea’s calm response only fueled his turmoil. Did she make this herself?

Renea’s invitation to reveal his true form sent a jolt through Tao. The promise of revealing his true self, of showing her the beast within, was almost overwhelming. She wants to see me as I truly am. he wondered, his thoughts racing. The moment Renea mentioned his true form, his beast roared to life, demanding acknowledgment and attention.

The removal of the illusion spell was both a relief and an intensification of his desire. Better, Renea purred, her touch igniting a fire within him. As he ground his body against hers, the pleasure was nearly unbearable. This is perfection, Tao thought, lost in the sensation of their bodies entwined.

In the end, their passion was a dance of its own, full of intensity and unspoken desires. The night, full of shared moments and heightened emotions, was a testament to their deepening connection.

Present:

                     At ten o’clock, he slid the card into the slot. He was awed as the emergency phone slid to the side to reveal a keypad, and he punched in the code he was told. He waited for a few moments for the elevator to move, but nothing. The doors closed in front of him, there was a click, and behind him, the doors he never noticed opened. 

             The halls were different; there was no carpet, only white linoleum combined with white walls. It looked like a hospital, almost. Seven doors spaced apart lined the left wall, and on the other three doors and an open doorway. One of three doors on the right opened, and out stepped a rather small creature dressed in a white T-shirt and white pants, with a white scarf on his head. Under each baggy black eye were red-shaped marks. The creature sort of reminded him of the tiny creature that followed him everywhere years ago. The little creature’s eyes widened as he made a strange noise before he turned and fled back into the room.

 “Seiji, what’s got your blood pressure up?” The voice came from the room the tiny male had run back into. Tao stood looking into the room with a raised brow, a million questions running through his mind. The room was full of computer equipment, and monitors almost filled one wall. Filing cabinets were topped with binders of different colors, and a table in the corner held two fax machines and two printers that were busy at work. A larger table in the middle of the room held only six males who had all turned to look at him. One male sat in front of the monitors, typing away on a keyboard.

 “On time, I see, brothers, you remember Mr. Waro?” They all nodded, even the one with his back to them. “Okay, then you remember Ichi, I know. The little guy is Seiji, our computer expert is Yoshike, then there’s Kinuye, Shige, and Hajime.” Tao looked at each with a critical eye as Bokkai pointed each out.

 “What have you found?” Tao entered and took the chair to the left of the large one at the head of the table. He was far from stupid; he noticed all their eyes following him as he moved into the room. The way the tension rose as he approached that chair.

 “Straight to the point, I see good, you made it just in time. Yoshike here has finally fixed the video from the accident,” Bokkai spoke. 

“How is there video from the accident?”

 “You don’t think we would let the ‘boss’ ride with just any driver, do you?”

 “Hajime (sigh) Mr. Waro doesn’t know everyone on the ‘bosses‘ payroll,” Bokkai spoke to a now stunned Hajime. Tao narrowed his eyes ‘Just how many secrets is my female keeping?’  

“Ready,” Yoshike declared before Tao could question anyone. 

        They all turned to the largest monitor as it flickered, then showed an upset Renea as she got into the back of the black cab. They watched as she made a few phone calls, as the cab driver just drove, not even bothering to ask where she was going. Tao noticed for the first time that the driver was the same female who always seemed to pick Renea up from the club. The ride was a quiet one until someone swerved in the lane in front of them; they saw the driver move the car into the next lane.

 “Are you alright, Miss V?” the driver questioned, panting for breath.

“Fine,” the back window exploded. Renea’s scream filled the quiet room. The driver swerved and told Renea to get down as another car slammed into the side of the cab. It was spent, and the driver tried to get the car under control. After a few minutes, the driver got the car under control and sped off. Another shot flew through the back window, Renea hissed.

“Miss V, are you okay?” she questioned, panting for breath.

“Yeah, it was close, though, and damn it, they hit my phone. What the hell is going on?” Renea cried out as the cab was hit again. She clutched the seat. 

The monitor went fuzzy, two female screams were heard, and there was a crushing sound, then the picture came back. Renea hit the roof of the car, then the door, then the seat as it flipped. The car rolled four times before everything stopped. Movement was heard, and a groan was on the side of the camera. 

“Miss V,” was groaned. “Miss V speak to me.” Renea didn’t move after a few minutes; her eyes opened. There was a noise, then Renea looked up, and her eyes widened in shock.

“The bitch is still alive,” they heard a male voice. 

“Well, kill her and let’s get the hell out of here. We have one hell of a payday waiting for us, my friend,” another male voice spoke. Bullets flew past the camera. Renea didn’t have a chance as she was stuck in the throat. Sirens were heard in the background, far off, and the men cursed. There was a scream from beside the camera, a struggle, then a piece of metal was thrust from above. It struck to the left, then the right. 

“Damn, get the bitch already, the cops are almost here. I got the driver already, hurry up, will ya?” They heard the voice again and then saw the metal piece as it was slammed down hard. They were angry and horrified as the metal was slammed into Renea’s stomach, and upper chest, and finally it broke off in her throat. Her eyes were wide open as she stared up, her mouth moving, but no words came out, only blood. Her body twitched before the camera, her hands clawing at the frame of the car. In the next few minutes, they heard sirens stop, voices, and the picture cut out again. No one moved, so they heard the vicious, low growl rumble from Tao. 

They heard and smelled the hiss of the poison that was dripping from his claws as he gripped the arms of the chair. His angry golden/red gaze snapped to the seven, and they shivered in fear for the first time, looking at the yokai.

 “Who?” he growled. He would find the ones responsible. He would find them, and they would die painfully and slow. “Who?” he demanded. 

“I wish we could give you definite answers. All we have are suspects, that’s all,” Bokkai spoke up. The sound of the fax machine cut off anything else he wanted to say, and Hajime moved toward the fax only when Tao closed his eyes and took a deep breath. They all prayed it was good news.

 “Shit, Bokkai, this is bad,” Hajime sighed and handed him the paper. Everyone looked to Bokkai as he scanned the paper.

 “Just inform me so I can go over there and rip his guts out, brother,” Ichi snapped. Everyone agreed. Tao slammed his fist on the table and pinned Bokkai with a cold stare.

 “Okay, with this, we have a few leads and the only two people who would really want the ‘boss‘ dead,” he slid Tao two folders. They watched as he opened them and stared at the pictures and frowned. He knew these two; he looked up to the group for an explanation. 

“You’re looking at Eml Valvo, the boss’s estranged uncle and abide terian hater.” Bokkai sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

 “Why would Eml Valvo want his niece killed? She is no threat to him?” Tao questioned. The group looked at him, shocked, and back at each other.

 “The boss really hasn’t told you, has she?” Yoshike questioned. Tao just raised a brow in question. “Mr. Waro it hasn’t been made public to terians yet, but any yokai can find out the ‘boss’ was named as Kagetora Valvo’s sole heir last year. Kago Valvo’s father and brother were not too happy to hear that the Supreme Alpha of their pack had named his adopted great-niece as the sole heir. Not only is the boss a billionaire heiress, but she is a billionaire heiress three times over, and it puts her status even higher than that of her adopted father and his father.” Although Tao did not show it, his insides froze. Not only was he courting a unique female who was raised in the way of the Inu.

          But great Kami, he was courting the next-in-line Supreme Alpha of the Shadow Inu pack. Now it all fell into place: the bodyguards, the way they watched her. Of course, Eml Valvo would try to kill her off; it would force Kagetora Valvo to name another heir. Doubt popped up as to why she chose not to tell him, though. But he was brought from his thoughts as Bokkai spoke.

 “Then there’s Tali Katsu, the boss’s birth mother, if you can call her that. She wants money for whatever reason. She tried things in the past, she and that husband of hers, Tshi. If that woman is a Miko, then my balls are made of gold. Anyway, the ‘boss‘ set up a trust fund for her two younger siblings. They will only receive the money when they turn thirty or if the boss dies, whichever comes first. You would have to ask Mrs. Migi about that one.”

 “While they all have motives, how did they know she was leaving my father’s home? No one knows that I am residing there,” He paused for a moment. “Unless someone followed her.” 

“We thought of that, but My would have reported it if she even saw the same face twice. Besides, it was last minute the boss was going home until the doctor gave her the news,” Hajime spoke.

 “But this paper here gives us two more leads,” Bokkai slid the paper toward Tao, who only placed his hand on it, his eyes never left Bokkai. “One person is connected to the ‘boss,’ the other to you, Mr. Waro. They are both in deep debt to Eml Valvo, who is also known for his expensive Poker games. But only one of them is connected to both Valvo and Katsu. Either could have made a simple phone call.” Tao looked down at the paper under his clawed hand, and the words jumped off the white paper at him.

---

Confidential Report

Subject: Late-night Poker Games Outside Shinjuku — Notable Figures and Suspicious Activity

Filed by: S.A.

---

Summary:
The ongoing poker games held in the outskirts of Shinjuku have attracted significant attention due to the involvement of key figures. Notable participants include Amos Kuza, Renea’s personal assistant, and Jun Waro, whose recent scandal involving Kanna Katsu remains unresolved. A recurring presence at these games is Eml Valvo, an individual with known anti-terian sentiments and potential familial connections to Renea Valvo. The financial stakes, alongside personal disputes, suggest underlying motives beyond mere gambling.

---

Key Observations:

1. Amos Kuza
   • Recently observed at the poker tables, Amos Kuza appears to be out of his depth, having lost 50,000 credits in a single evening. His companion during these games was none other than Eml Valvo, a known terian antagonist. While Amos is not a regular in Valvo’s circle, his presence alongside Eml raises questions about his involvement.
   • Amos’s losses seem incidental, but his association with Eml could indicate potential manipulation or involvement in a larger plot.
2. Jun Waro
   • Jun Waro is a more frequent participant in these games and is reported to have lost a staggering 5,500,000 credits. Waro’s refusal to acknowledge paternity over Kanna Katsu’s child, despite DNA confirmation, has fueled speculation regarding his character.
   • More importantly, Waro’s interactions with Eml Valvo suggest deeper complications. The two were seen arguing, though the subject of their dispute remains unclear. At one point, Eml handed Jun a photograph of Renea Valvo, after which their conversation concluded, with Waro appearing to reluctantly agree to something Eml proposed.
   • The handoff of Renea’s picture raises concerns about her safety. The context of their disagreement suggests more than just a familial dispute; it may point to coercion or blackmail.
3. Eml Valvo
   • Known for his disdain toward terians, Eml Valvo appears to be a key player in orchestrating events around these poker games. His frequent association with Jun Waro, despite their visible disputes, indicates a relationship where Eml holds considerable influence over Waro’s actions.
   • Eml’s motivations seem calculated, as he continues to manipulate both Waro and, possibly, Renea Valvo. Whether through the exchange of information, debts, or hidden agendas, Eml appears to be positioning himself as a puppet master in these dealings.

---

Analysis:
While Amos Kuza seems to be an outlier, possibly drawn into this web by chance or by manipulation, Jun Waro’s ongoing association with Eml Valvo suggests far more sinister undertones. The exchange of Renea Valvo’s photograph raises important questions: Is Renea directly involved in this conspiracy, or is she another pawn in Eml’s schemes? Furthermore, Jun’s significant financial losses and reluctance to take responsibility for Kanna Katsu’s child indicate vulnerability, which Eml may be exploiting.

Next Steps:
Further surveillance is necessary to uncover the nature of Eml Valvo’s influence over Jun Waro, as well as the role Renea Valvo plays in this scenario. The upcoming photographs provided by S.A. will offer additional insight and help substantiate these claims.

---

End of Report

 Before anyone could say another word, they heard the elevator close. They looked to the empty seat that once held Tao and then to each other.

 A few of them rushed from the room after the yokai.

As Tao stormed out of the room, his mind raced with the new information. The details of the attack on Renea had already ignited a fierce rage within him, but learning about the connections between Eml Valvo, Tali Katsu, and Jun Waro had pushed him to the brink. His thoughts churned with the realization that the conspiracy against Renea was deeply rooted and involved people he never expected.

He navigated the sterile white halls with purpose, his anger palpable. His hand tightened into a fist, knuckles cracking as he considered the implications of the newly discovered links. The thought of Renea’s estranged uncle, a hater of terians and yokai alike, being involved made his blood boil. Adding to that the involvement of Katsu and Waro—one of whom was tied to him personally—only fueled his determination to find those responsible and exact his vengeance.

In the midst of his fury, Tao’s thoughts flitted back to Renea. He remembered her laughter, her passion, and her strength. The image of her face, so vulnerable and hurt in that video, drove him forward with an almost primal drive. He was now more resolved than ever to protect her, to find and punish those who had dared to harm her.

As he reached the elevator, he pressed the button with a force that made it clear he was in no mood for delays. His mind was already working on his next moves: confronting Eml Valvo, digging deeper into the connections with Jun Waro and Amos Kuza, and figuring out how to use this new information to his advantage. The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and he stepped inside with a steely determination.

The ride down was tense, his eyes fixed on the numbers above the door as they counted down. When the elevator finally reached the ground floor, he exited with a sense of urgency. He was going to get answers, and he wasn’t going to stop until he had uncovered every layer of this sinister plot against Renea.

He was met with a barrage of emotions as he crossed paths with Bokkai and the others who had followed him. Their faces showed concern, determination, and a hint of fear. They were ready to assist, and Tao knew he needed their help if he was going to unravel this web of deceit and danger. 

Eml Valvo sat behind his desk, the dim light of his study casting shadows over the room. His cell phone was open and buzzing with activity as he grinned at the image of the comatose Renea on the screen. His father had departed for what he claimed was an out-of-town business trip after receiving news of Kagetora’s displeasure. The room was filled with a sense of smug satisfaction.

“Book me a flight to Ontbus first thing tomorrow,” Eml instructed, his voice dripping with self-satisfaction. “Nothing will be traced back to you. I’ve taken care of that.” He paused, reveling in the thought of his upcoming plans. “Once it’s public that I’m the heir to the Supreme Alpha, I’ll make my grand return to Shinjuku. I’ll move right into the filthy bitch’s penthouse. I’ll erase every trace of her from my great clan, and my elder brother will finally get the extended vacation he deserves. You stick to the plan, and no one will suspect a thing. Good day.” Eml ended the call abruptly, not waiting for a response. The prospect of his rising power made him giddy.

A sudden noise outside the patio doors shattered his reverie. As he rose from his chair and moved toward the noise, the doors burst open, and red smoke canisters tumbled inside. Eml’s eyes stung as the acrid odor filled the room. He covered his mouth, trying to shield himself from the burning fumes. Panic set in as he staggered toward the study door, but his legs refused to cooperate. He fell to his knees, his vision blurring. Desperately, he tried to stay conscious, but the poison was too potent. His eyes fluttered shut, and he collapsed face-first onto the floor.

Three figures, clad in gas masks, emerged through the now-open patio doors. The first two began methodically searching the house while the third kept a vigilant watch over the incapacitated yokai. After confirming the absence of anyone else, they collected Eml’s suitcases, his cell phone, and the remaining canisters. The third figure stuffed the paperwork from Eml’s desk into a briefcase, then hoisted the bound yokai over his shoulder. With a nod to the others, he handed the briefcase to the second figure.

The first figure conducted a final sweep of the room, ensuring nothing was left behind, before exiting and closing the doors behind him. The two remaining figures followed, leaving the once-occupied study eerily quiet.

---

Shige and Yoshike had opted to stay behind. Yoshike was following a lead, while Shige stood ready to act on any developments. Shige’s other half was seething with rage over what had happened to their ‘boss’.

Meanwhile, the other five members of their group raced through traffic, determined to reach the Waro estate before things escalated further. As they approached, the front gates were wide open, and they sped up to the entrance. They jumped from the truck, only to find the door ajar. They rushed inside, hearts pounding.

They followed the trail of destruction towards the source of the thunderous roars. Bokkai yanked Seiji out of harm’s way just in time to avoid being crushed by Aki’s ejected body. Aki slammed into the wall with a deafening boom that reverberated through the entire downstairs. Hajime checked Aki for a pulse and, finding one, breathed a sigh of relief.

“He’s just unconscious,” Hajime announced. The five of them shivered at the palpable lethal intent in the air. The sound of breaking furniture pulled them further down the hall, and they peered into what was left of the sitting room. The walls were riddled with holes as if someone had been thrown through them. Broken glass from shattered pictures littered the floor, while overturned and ripped furniture lay scattered, their contents strewn across the room. A bloody, battered body was hurled into the windows, shattering the glass and dragging the curtains with it as it fell to the floor.

Jun, barely able to stand, was being mercilessly tossed around by his enraged brother Tao. Each throw was more brutal than the last, leaving Jun bleeding and broken. His arm was clearly shattered, and he struggled to stay on his feet. Tao roared in a blind fury, and even when Tao spoke, Jun couldn’t understand the jumbled words. The scene was grim; Jun’s father tried to intervene but was also injured. Jun was consumed by pain and the poison coursing through his veins.

The five mercenaries watched with detached interest. They cared little for Jun’s suffering; their focus was on finding out who had harmed their ‘boss’. But it was evident that if they didn’t act soon, Jun would be dead, taking their answers with him. While the others observed in stunned silence, taking in every detail, Bokkai’s mind raced to devise a plan to stop the rampaging Tai-Yokai without causing further harm.

Kinuye nudged Bokkai and whispered, “Your phone, brother.”

Bokkai snapped, “Now is not the time for pictures,” but Kinuye insisted. Reluctantly, Bokkai took the phone and handed it over. Kinuye fiddled with it, smirking as he held it out. He hoped to Kami that his plan would work. The voice that came through the speaker was unmistakable:

‘Don’t think I haven’t heard what you’ve been up to. Don’t make me come over there.’

The effect was immediate. Everything in the room came to a halt. Not even a breath was heard. Kinuye cut the message short and switched to another.

‘You know better than that. What’s wrong with you?’

All eyes were now on Kinuye, including Tao’s, who had stilled his breathing and fixed his intense red gaze on the doorway. With a snarl, Tao stepped towards Kinuye, causing the mercenaries to retreat. The phone slipped from Kinuye’s hand and fell to the floor, its screen flashing a picture of Renea. Her voice came through the speaker:

‘Play this for him every time he changes… I might not condone violence, but beating the bastard to a bloody mess is a good thing, okay? So you can do that. But killing him is too much. If I could, I’d come over there and beat some sense into you.’

Renea shook her small fist at the camera, almost growling at the last part. To the astonishment of everyone, Tao blinked a few times, then his head fell back in what could only be described as laughter. Four of the five mercenaries chuckled as well, remembering the message Renea had recorded when Shige was slipping into his other persona. Bokkai picked up the phone, stopped the message, and slipped it back into his pocket.

The Tai-Yokai, Tao, found the situation amusing and showed no sign of further aggression. His laughter died as he glared at the battered Jun, whose eyes were barely open. Tao tossed Jun aside, and the young man groaned in pain, staring up at the angry faces surrounding him. Tao’s disgust was evident as he walked away, leaving Jun whimpering in agony as fingers were driven into his healing wounds.

               “Now that we have your attention, halfling, you will answer our questions,” Bokkai hissed.

 “Don . . . t have . . . To . . . to answer . . . Shit,” he chuckled brokenly. Hajime, who had been silent the whole time, snapped, slamming Jun’s head repeatedly into the floor before pulling a dagger from his shirt and putting it through one of Jun’s ears. He howled in pain and writhed about, only to be held down as Hajime reached to pull another dagger out. Kinuye wasn’t fast enough to stop Hajime as he pitched the other ear to the floor.

 “Fuck Hajime, you’ll have him dead before we get answers,” Kinuye snapped.

 “The bastard deserves to die for hurting the ‘boss‘. I’ll cut his ears off and make a necklace with the damn things if he doesn’t answer.” Hajime snapped and pulled another dagger from his shirt.

 “Crazy psychos working for you now, brother,” Jun bit out through the pain.

 “Pretty boy, our boss’s please dog boy we psycho’s work have one ‘boss’ the woman you set up to be killed. Or to you, Renea Valvo,” Seiji snapped. Jun’s eyes widened in realization. 

“What did you do for Eml Jun?” Bokkai questioned. Jun glared at the group for a moment. 

“Kiss my,” he was cut off by a sharp kick in his bruised ribs.

 “Ichi”

 “What is it?”

 “Are you feeling hungry?”

 “Always,” he stated with a smirk to Jun’s growing fear that the creature appeared within his line of sight. He was a sickening pale color, and when he opened his mouth, Jun saw nothing but pointed rows of teeth. They gleamed like tiny knives. He tried to move, only to find he was being held down again. His howl of pain echoed through the house as Ichi sank his sharp teeth into Jun’s arm, ripping off a piece of flesh. After swallowing, he licked the blood from his pale lips and raised the arm again.

 “He . . . He wanted me to come between my brother and Renea,” he bit out.

 “And?” Bokkai questioned. 

“And nothing . . . All Eml said was if I came between Renea and the bastard, he would kill my debt and make Kanna stop lying.” 

“Come between them how?”

 “Get her in bed . . . what better way to hurt my high and mighty . . . Brother . . . than if his lowly filthy bloodied brother fucked his precious terian bitch. Hell, even Eml was talking about how Tao almost took a guy’s arm off for just touching her shoulder. So he said it was easy, and I figured, why not hurt my brother, pay my debt, and fix that lying bitch, and all I had to do was roll around in the sheets with some stupid bitch. I mean, come on, how smart could she be to be sleeping with my bastard of a brother?” he chuckled weakly. 

“Newsflash,” Hajime hissed, slapping Jun across the face.”The only bastard here is you, asshole. No one in the yokai or terian community will touch you when they find out what you have done. “

 “And what has my pup done to warrant such an attack?” Aki hissed from the doorway. “Tao, you have gone too far this time, attacking your blood on the word of these people,” Aki spat. 

“That’s where you are wrong, Father,” Tao growled. “From his own lips, your son had admitted to working with Eml Valvo to come between this Tao and his intended to pay his debt back. There is even proof this filth has fathered a child with a young Terian female. A child he denies even now and hoped to dispose of through Eml Valvo.”

 “That is enough, Tao. I will not believe such lies. Not even Jun is foolish enough to go against Yokai law in such a way. Don’t you know we could lose everything and have our very names blackened if such lies were ever made public? And no one terian or yokai and so on would lend a hand to help us. No, your brother would not be foolish enough to father a child without mating the female,” Aki stated confidently.

 “Are you that blind, Mr. Waro, that you would lose everything you have spent years gaining to stand behind a child that is too immature to take up for his responsibilities?” Bokkai was shocked. “And think, Mr. Waro, carefully, he has already lied to you once. How many more times will you believe his lies?”

 “If Miss Valvo had not hidden her Identity in the first place, that misunderstanding would not have taken place. In the end, he was jealous when the young woman chose his elder brother over him. But telling a few lies about a person’s personality is one thing. What you are accusing him of is unforgivable. And I will not hear it,” Aki growled, his anger getting the better of him.

 “And I guess you just go around with a name tag saying Hello, I am Aki Waro, Owner of Phantom Microsystems Inc.? Don’t be foolish, Mr. Waro, your son knew who my boss was. It was the thought of not having to pay back 5,500,000 in gold and the promise to get rid of the child and mother that drove him, not jealousy. Open your eyes, Mr. Waro,” Seiji spoke up, shaking his head in disgust.

 “I . . . want . . . All of you out of my house and off my property right now.”

 “Father”

 “Don’t father me, pup. I will not stand for this. If you want to believe these criminals over your own flesh and blood, you may leave as well and don’t come back here or work until you are ready to apologize for this outrage. I will not stand for any more violence against your brother. You have caused enough damage, and I will not stand by while you cause damage to our family name with these lies,” Aki snapped. Shock rained down on everyone except the smirking Jun. None could believe Aki to be so blind to his younger son’s deeds.

 “This Tao will not apologize for telling the truth, Mr. Waro. Do not come crawling to this Tao when the truth comes out and everything comes crumbling down around you. This Tao never knew how blind you really were until now,” He growled, walking away. “I hope you are happy now, Mr. Waro. Bokkai, gather your brothers, we leave now.” He started walking away, not even bothering to look back.

 The five brothers shook their heads at the Elder Waro and followed behind Tao. But Kinuye stopped and looked back at Aki as he helped the bleeding, battered Jun from the floor.

 “Oh, and Jun, you shouldn’t jerk off on your lover’s stomach. Leaves proof behind you know. And Mr. Waro, you have until the courthouse opens on Monday morning before your life is officially over,” Kinuye smirked and strolled away with a laugh. 

Kago stood at the nurse’s station, his brow furrowed in quiet frustration as he discussed the latest test results with the doctor. Something had to be wrong. Renea hadn’t woken up, not once, since she was brought in. It didn’t make sense, and it gnawed at him every day. As the conversation wore on, neither of them noticed the housekeeper entering Renea’s room, nor did they see him quietly close the shades over the window. The faint sound of the cart’s wheels retreating down the hall went unheard.

A few moments later, Toto and Sara stepped off the elevator. Toto’s worry deepened as he glanced at his wife. He never liked the idea of bringing Sara to the hospital when she was so exhausted herself. She hardly slept anymore, plagued by nightmares and stress. When she was awake, she threw herself into Sphere Solutions or spent hours making plans. Whenever Toto brought it up, she’d brush him off, saying she had to keep things in order for when Renea returned to work.

But Renea hadn’t returned—not yet, and maybe not ever.

What could Toto say? He couldn’t argue. He wasn’t much better, continuing to work at Phantom Microsystems Inc. even though Tao, his best friend and mentor, had been absent for weeks. It was draining both of them. Sara had begged him to take her to the hospital, so they could bring Kago some food and visit Renea. And as much as it hurt him to see their once-vibrant friend so pale and lifeless, he had given in.

Toto kissed Sara softly before they parted ways, watching her head toward Renea’s room. He decided to give Kago the food instead—anything to avoid looking at Renea in that condition. His heart couldn’t take it.

---

“Oh, Toto, how are you, my boy?” Kago’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. “Come to see us, have you?”

Toto forced a smile. “Yeah, Sara wanted to see Renea before visiting hours were over. How did the tests go?”

But Kago’s answer drifted into the background as Sara entered the dark room, her usual bright smile on her face.

“It’s me, Renea. I came to see how you’re doing,” she said cheerfully as she reached for the curtain surrounding the bed.

Her hand froze midair.

For a long moment, Sara just stood there, staring. Renea’s eyes were wide open, but there was no recognition in them. Her face, usually full of warmth and life, was frozen in an expression of silent terror—mouth open in a scream that never reached the air. The silence was suffocating.

Sara’s world narrowed to those lifeless eyes, and she felt the chill crawl up her spine. She wanted to scream, to cry, but no sound came. Her legs weakened beneath her, and finally, when she could no longer contain the horror, her scream tore through the room.

It echoed beyond the walls, out into the dark halls, and to whatever creatures might be lurking just out of sight.

He was thrown from his bed roughly, and his sleep-fogged eyes darted around the dark room. A shadow moved, and again he was thrown into a wall, glass broke around him as the pictures upon it fell to the floor.

 “What do you want?” he cried out as he tried to scurry across the floor. His nails tried to find purchase on the carpet, but he found himself being pulled backward.

 “Why are you doing this?” he cried again.

 “You were paid to do a job, Mr. Kuza . . . A simple job,” the voice growled.

 “I messed up but . . . But she’s still alive. So nothing happened. Every. .every. . Everything is cool,” he whispered through his tight throat. He grunted as something heavy fell onto his back. Something was dropped in front of him. Hands gripped his hair, his head was forced forward and down. A bright light shone down on what looked like paper, a newspaper to be precise, his eyes widened at the bold words of the headline.

 Billionaire heiress found dead in hospital room on Monday Morning.

 “It wasn’t . . . I didn’t . . . Oh, oh Great Goddess, I swear I didn’t,” his begging was cut off as his face was slammed into the newspaper.

 “Your job was simple, Mr. Kuza, scare the Supreme Alpha into taking her rightful place,” a voice hissed above him.

 “The deal was simple: help us and you would be taken care of for life,” the person gripping his hair said. He whimpered, clenching his eyes shut.

 “Did you think we would not find out about you striking a deal with Eml Valvo as well? A deal that resulted in the death of our Supreme Alpha,” another voice across the room hissed. It was this voice that made fear spread through his body; it was that voice that brought tears of fear cascading down his cheeks. Fear of death caused a shiver in his spine; he knew there were no more deals to make with these three, and his life was over. Amos knew nothing he could say would help him this time. The hand now covering his mouth prevented his scream as another hand tore through his back, snapping his spine. His eyes widened from the sudden pain almost bursting from their sockets, and then he lost all feeling from the neck down. He whimpered.

 “Shhhshhh,” was cooed to him as his mouth was forced open. The shine of the blade in the dim light from the window caused renewed tears. His brown eyes widened at the pain, his scream garbled by blood, and his face dropped again to the floor, blood spurting from his open mouth. The last sight his eyes caught was his severed tongue lying next to him before the world around him went dark.

 “It’s done, my lord… . hai,” one of the shadows kicked the body. “If he survives, he will never be able to talk again, that’s for sure,” the shadow chuckled. 

“We are returning now,” he said, clicking the phone closed and nodding to the others. They left the way they came, leaving no trace of themselves behind.

---

 His clawed hands gripped the spindles of the bed in an attempt to control himself. Thin, tapered fingers gripped the silken strands of his hair, pulling his head back. Her small hot tongue lapped at the tensed corded muscles of his neck, soothing the red bite marks. His whole body tensed under the slick slide of her body as she again forced him back inside. He was half-feral and very nearly out of control; the sounds of slick flesh hitting slick flesh filled his pointed ears along with her moans of pleasure. He growled savagely when she shifted away from him, and his red eyes snapped open. 

Then, groaning as her nails sank into his thighs, he nearly salivated as his eyes traced a path down her body. Her head was thrown back, the way her breast bounced as she worked her lava-coated center on his tortured flesh. He licked his lips as her stomach muscles tensed, his glowing red eyes followed the path of a bead of sweat as it slid into her navel. His growl of pleasure matched hers as his eyes finally took in the sight of her bare sex as she took him in. It was the most exotic sight he had ever witnessed, Kami. He could watch this all day and never grow tired of his bitch riding him until he lost his mind. 

“So… beautiful,” he forced out of his clenched teeth. His claws extended, cutting into the spindles of the bed as she hovered above him again, nipping at the tip of his ear. 

“t t touch me e,” she moaned in his ear. How could he reject such a tempting offer? He fisted one clawed hand in her soft mane, yanking her head to the side as he kissed along her neck. The other hand gripped her soft hip, forcing her pace faster, forcing more of her slick skin to touch his own. His head fell back in a hiss of pleasure as she tightened around him, and he felt a tingling that streaked down his spine. Her nails again dug into his flesh, adding to his pleasure high. Then the phone rang, she cursed above him and stilled to his displeasure. He tried to get her to move again with a growl of displeasure, but she peppered his face with kisses.

“I . . . have . . . To …this,” she panted. “I promise to make you roar so loud later you’ll lose your voice,” kissing his lips. She rose only for him to push her back down. She might answer the phone, but he wanted to stay inside her. He handed her the phone. 

“hell, oh,” her voice was low. He watched as her eyes widened slightly. 

“He wants to speak to you,” she said and handed him the phone. 

---

 Tao jolted awake, his heart pounding in sync with the relentless ringing of the phone beside him. He glanced around, disoriented, before letting out a deep sigh. Just a dream.

He rubbed his tired eyes, pushing the nightmare aside, though the weight in his chest remained. The phone continued to ring, but he didn’t care who was calling. Nothing mattered anymore. Not since her death.

It had been three months. Three long, empty months since the love of his life was taken from him. Everything felt hollow now—like his world had been swallowed by a void.

His gaze wandered to the darkened window, and his thoughts drifted to the wreckage of his family. His father, once a towering figure in business, had lost everything. The company, their standing gone, all in the span of a single court case that had been as sure as a stone plummeting from the sky.

Jun Waro. Tao’s jaw clenched at the thought. His stupidity had ruined everything. When Jun had taken the stand, his careless words shattered their defense in seconds. And then, there was the child—Jun’s child. There was no denying it; the resemblance was undeniable. The boy looked like Jun could’ve spit him out himself. Kanna, the mother, hadn’t needed to say a single word.

But it wasn’t just the DNA or the likeness that brought ruin. Jun had broken one of the oldest Yokai laws. Tao knew it well—everyone did. When a Yokai sires a child, whether with a Terian or another Yokai, they are bound by ancient law to claim both mother and pup. Even if the mother was never taken as a mate, the father must still provide and protect. To abandon them was unthinkable. Yet Jun had done just that—denying them for three years.

Now, everything had collapsed because of him.

Tao let the phone fall silent, his mind heavy with grief and anger. His world had been stripped of meaning, but the law—the unbroken, sacred law—still stood.

The Sept-cent was still working in the background, tirelessly chasing leads on the whereabouts of the Katsu shrine keepers, who had seemingly vanished without a trace. It was as if they had melted into the shadows. Even Eml, elusive and cunning, was still missing. Something was brewing—something big—and yet Tao and his team seemed to be the only ones on the outside, scrambling to catch up.

It didn’t help that Amos had been found dead in his own home weeks ago. The investigation had gone nowhere; there were no clues, no hints of the killer’s identity. It was as if the murderer had simply disappeared. The frustration gnawed at Tao, but his rage burned hotter than ever. Revenge was all that kept him moving now. Whoever had killed his beloved Renea—they would pay. He would make sure of it.

But something inside him was slipping, fading, like the essence of his very being was unraveling. His Yokai nature, the primal creature within him, had been dormant since the night he learned of Renea’s death. He hadn’t felt its stirrings in months. Instead, there was only a hollow ache, a slow draining of his energy, as though his lifeforce was being siphoned away. Most days, he simply lay in Renea’s bed, staring at the ceiling, surrounded by memories of her. It was all he could do to cling to those fleeting moments they’d had together.

Tao finally sat up, his feet heavy as they touched the cold floor. Today was the day. The whole of Renea’s penthouse had been packed up, every item carefully boxed and sealed. He was taking everything with him—everything. He couldn’t bear to leave any part of her behind, not even if it meant arguing with Kago to make it happen.

The phone rang again, shrill and insistent. Tao snatched it up, irritation clear in his voice.
“What?” he growled.

“There’s a call we really think you should take,” came the calm voice of Seiji on the other end.

Tao sighed. “Fine.” He hung up, tossing the phone aside before quickly dressing. His movements were methodical, but his mind was elsewhere. He paused long enough to carefully pack the pelt that lay at the foot of the bed into his bag, his fingers brushing it reverently. It was sacred to his beloved—he wouldn’t let anyone else touch it. Tao placed his hand on the bed one final time, the weight of it heavy with grief, then stepped away, leaving the room behind.

He moved through the penthouse slowly, the gleaming white walls dimmed, lined with boxes. His entire world was packed up and ready to be carried away. As he walked, he could sense the nervous tension in the air, pulling him toward the room where his group always seemed to gather.

When Tao entered, all eyes turned to him. He took a seat without a word, his expression cold and hardened. The air was thick with anticipation, but his voice, when he finally spoke, was steady and sharp, cutting through the silence.

“What have you found?”

The six who sat before him exchanged glances, but no one spoke right away. Tao’s gaze, hard as steel, bore into them, daring them to keep him waiting any longer.

 “What is so important?”

 “Ah, Tao Waro, I assume,” a male voice sounded through the speakerphone. 

“And you are?” Tao spoke back.

 “Forgive me, Mr. War,o but time is short. You don’t know me, but I have heard enough about you from my great-niece to feel as if we are family,” there was a beeping sound in the background as the voice excused himself. After a few moments, he returned. “I will not beat around the bush, Mr. Waro. I would like for you and the Sept-cent to come to my estate before the day is over. There is much to discuss, and there are things I would rather say face to face.” The next sound they heard was the dial tone as the person on the other end hung up. He raised a brow at the group in a silent question. 

“This Tao should meet that male, why?” his voice was tired as he massaged the bridge of his nose. They knew this was hard on Tao, so they overlooked any moments when his cold mask cracked, like now. 

“That Mr. Waro is Kagetora Valvo, he has been calling all morning, but we thought it best if you get some rest. You have been running non-stop for. For months now,” Bokkai stated.

 “Have you still not located Shige?” Tao quickly changed the subject.

 “Even his tracker has been disabled; there are no leads on his location. But our brother has been MIA before and returned to us,” everyone nodded to Seiji’s statement. 

The group had returned from the questioning of Jun to find Yoshike alone working away, and Shige missing. It was an hour after they had returned that they received word from Kago that Renea had been killed. When Bokkai had questioned Yoshike, he only said that Shige had been pacing and sped out of there after receiving a phone call. Yoshike had traced the number, but it came back to a disposable cell phone. Everyone was at a loss as to what the hell was happening, but one name came up during their debate. The Ar’an Clan.

 “Are we going then?” Hajime questioned. 

“Meeting Kagetora will not…. “Hajime interrupted 

“The boss would take it as a slight to her honor if you refuse an invitation from her great-uncle.”

 “Fine (sigh), we will go after I oversee the movers,” Tao said, looked over the group, and left the room. They heard the closing of the doors signaling his leaving the floor, and they all let out a breath they weren’t aware of holding. 

The group had been working hard for the upcoming move and following the small leads they came across. They hated leaving what had become their home and the memories behind, but understood this was not Tao’s home. And they would honor the agreement they had made with their boss months ago and protect Tao even if it cost them their lives. In the end, they couldn’t protect their boss, but they would do this one thing for her. 

 It was the end of the day before the movers had taken the last box and were on their way to be met by Tao’s servants. He had phoned and given them detailed instructions on where everything went, and nothing was to be unpacked. Two hours later, had them on the road with everyone piled into Hajime’s truck and were on their way to the Valvo estate on the other edge of Shinjuku.

 Hours passed before they caught sight of the estate with its wisteria-lined drive, well-manicured lawns stretched out as far as the eye could see, covered in flowers and trees of different kinds. They circled the fountain out front and parked in front of what could only be called a castle.

 The group was greeted at the door by bowing servants and led down a long hall. Tao looked from side to side, taking in the pictures of the male Inu as he walked. He never noticed the servant making eyes at him or the slight screams that seemed to echo down the hall, his eyes glued to one portrait. She was dressed in the traditional style of court ladies, in a juni-hi-toe that included all the colors of her family and house to which she belonged. Her hair hung down her back but was up on the top, styled in a style no longer worn in this day and age that sported long silver sticks from which tiny gems dangled. Her raven locks were cut short and framed her small heart-shaped face that was bare of any makeup. Above her beautiful jeweled eyes was a black flame, the mark of the Shadow Inu Clan. She looked so much like. . .

 “That was Lady Tora, our 10th Alpha; she was Elder Lord Kagetora ‘s mother. Kami rest her beautiful soul. She brought this clan through many wars and hard times. We have arrived. Our Lord is awaiting you, Lord Alpha Tao,” the servant spoke quickly and left, dragging the other behind her after a quick, respectful bow. No one had time to question the servant’s statement as the door to the office was opened, and to everyone’s surprise, out walked Kago. He nodded to the six, his eyes never leaving Tao, who had the oddest feeling that Kago was looking for something specific. Kago finally blinked when.

 “Move aside, nephew, and let Mr. Waro in. Nothing will get finished if you stand there all day staring at the pup,” The same voice Tao had heard earlier on the phone boomed from the room. Kago nodded to Tao and walked away with a soft sigh. 

The remaining six members of the Sept-cent were intercepted by a servant who led them farther down the hall away from Tao as he entered the room. He turned to close the door, catching Kago’s soft sigh of Renea’s name, causing Tao’s heart to flinch in pain.

 “Have a seat already, Mr. Waro, or shall I call you Tao since you are like family in a way?” Tao knew it was more of a statement than a question as he finally turned to take in the yokai who had called him here. Tao could tell Kagetora was a few inches taller than himself before the yokai retook his seat. His eyes were a crystalline gray, a little darker than Renea’s and Kago’s, but unlike Kago, his skin was porcelain in its color, his raven mane was curly and cascaded down from a ponytail high on his head. Kagetora was dressed in a three-piece navy blue suit as if dressed for a business meeting. Kagetroa’s features were so similar to Renea’s, you would swear he was her son or father; he looked almost feminine if it wasn’t for his broad shoulders and large build. The only difference between the three was the dark blue, almost black flame on Kagetora’s forehead and the green strips on his cheeks.

 “Why have you called me here, Mr. Valvo?” Tao finally spoke, taking a seat in front of the overly large oak desk. Kagetora studied Tao for a moment, almost in the same way Kago had, as if they could see something no one else could. 

But there was something, and like Kago, Kagetora could see it, not a lot but just enough of his great niece’s power, but he noticed. He shook his head with a chuckle, ‘It would seem I have underestimated you yet again,’ but he wondered.

 “You feel it, don’t you, Tao?”

 “What are you referring to, Mr. Valvo?” Tao questioned, one of his smoky silver brows rising.

 “Do not play me for a fool, Tao, and please call me Kagetora or uncle since you are family now. I must say I am surprised you are still up and about. After my mate was injured, I was out for weeks. The amount of energy a mate draws depends on the severity of the wounds they receive as well. Have you not felt it, my boy, the need to sleep even when you have slept all day away? The feeling as if something is drawing half, if not all, your jaki,” Kagetora studied Tao again with a tilt of his head.

 “What I feel or do not feel is none of your concern. Get to the point, or this meeting is over,” Tao snapped. But he did feel all of what Kagetora spoke. 

 “Please . . . I didn’t mean to offend you. Call it a compliment of your strength, my niece had told me, but I was a bit skeptical, you see. But I see she has chosen well this time at least.”

 “I do not have all day for you to suck up, Mr. Valvo,” Tao stood Kagetora stood as well with a frown.

 “I have a deal of sorts for you, Tao,” he bit out quickly, not liking the way this meeting was going. 

“What kind of a deal?”Tao growled. 

 “I have something you want above everything… I am willing to part with this something, but only if you are willing to prove your loyalty to the Shadow Inu clan.”

 “I doubt you have anything this Tao would value that much, Mr. Valvo. Good day.” 

“This will change your mind,” Kagetora smirked and pushed a button on his desk. A panel on top slides back, and slowly a screen slides from its hiding place. Tao fell back into his chair, eyes wide, his heart fluttering as he stared at the screen. The image played for a moment, then the screen went black. Tao blinked and looked to Kagetora, his brow arched in question. “I see I have your attention now, Tao. Will you listen?”

 “Explain quickly, Mr. Valvo, while I decide whether to kill you or not,” Tao growled.

 “Then the whole of the Shadow Inu clan will rise up to kill you, Tao, and no amount of association will save you. I am merely seeking your aid to give my clan back what we value most. You will be taken care of forever, there will be nothing you will have to want for.”

 “You are offering a lot for a simple heir, Mr. Valvo,” Kagetora chuckled and steepled his fingers under his chin. 

“Heirs are a dime a dozen, Tao. We value something more, something every clan finds priceless. I must say I am shocked you haven’t figured it out by now. It would seem my niece has done a better job than I expected, shielding you from the truth of her true status.” Kagetora smirked as the truth dawned on Tao. “Let me tell you the truth about my niece Tao. 

At 15, she graduated from High School and started College. 

By 18, she had graduated from college 3 times with three majors and minors in three different fields. 

By 19, she was doing her duty as my heir, taking over my company, and by 21, I stepped down and 

Renea became our Supreme Alpha. At 23, she was respected for her quick mind and her need for tradition while still giving room for modern living. At the same time feared for her ability to hand down harsh punishments for those of us who break Yokai and Terian laws. 

At 28, she walked away from us, her clan, and we want her back.” Thoughts were racing through Tao’s mind, every train of thought led to…

 “She walked away because?” his voice cold as he could get it, but curiosity and something else seeped through.

 “I would have thought that was obvious – Tao,” Kagetora arched a dark brow at the stunned yokai. He steepled his fingers under his chin with a sigh as he leaned over his desk. “Our Supreme Alpha went to blow off some steam as usual by playing in that dump of a club when she met a male. A male, she said, was more beautiful than all the males in the whole of our clan, with power to back it up. 

Our Supreme Alpha promised death to all who tried to speak to him, as is the right of the elders. When we found out who this male was and objected, she walked away, only leaving us with a cryptic message. She was a female, and her male made her feel like one as well, while we made her clan made her feel like a possession.” 

---

 Her back was to him, which was a clear sign that something was wrong; there was only one time she turned her back to him. He could see clearly the rigidness of her body and the way her breath would catch in the darkened room. The only light in the room was the flash of lightning that would light up the room every so often. He noticed one curtain was pulled slightly, and one of her hands was flattened against the window. His jacket and tie were thrown onto the sofa as he walked across the room toward her still form; finally, he noticed the phone still gripped in her hand. Its shrill dial tone was muffled by her fingers. Before he could reach her, she whirled around and pinned him in a stare that was half angry, half sorrowful. His heart froze in his chest at the tears he saw her blink away, the way her body trembled before she slid to the floor. He was stunned as she pushed her back into the window, looking beaten and, dare he think it, defeated.

 “Is it so wrong to want to feel like the female I am? Is it wrong to want the things other females want?” Her voice quivered as she looked up at him. 

“What… What is it you want, my only?” he spoke, stinking to his knees before her.

“Pack I’ve always wanted is a pack. It has always been Ompapa and me, then Getora. My pack has always been the smallest in the whole clan. Ompapa said it never worried him; it just meant our pack was special. .but. But, is it so wrong to want pups and a strong mate to give me those pups?”

“There is nothing wrong with wanting those things,” he spoke, hoping it would be enough to break her sad mood. He moved between her spread thighs, touching her cheek. 

“Is there something wrong with me then? Most of the females in my clan have mated or were mated and have lots of pups. So what’s wrong with me?”

“Renea,” he started stroking her face for the first time he seeing her close to tears and knowing not what to do.

 “If it’s pups you want, this Tao would be proud. .no. Honored to give you as many as you want. Our pack will be strong and as large as you wish.”

“Really,” her eyes shot to his face, looking deep into his eyes, “You would do this for me?”

“I would do anything for you, you have but to ask, and this Tao would move heaven and earth for you,” he stroked her cheek. 

 Kagetora’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. He remembered that night she had tried to tell him something after that, but he cut her off with a kiss. It was that same night she was lying on his back, kissing along his spine, then, for some strange reason, stars exploded behind his closed eyes. When he woke again, it was morning, and they were rushing to get to work. He had been meaning to ask her about it, but seeing her so happy the next day, it slipped his mind.

 “So if I make her retake her place, you will have no objections about our mating. Is this what you are saying?”

 “It is a simple request, Tao, you know as well as I that a clan is nothing without its Supreme Alpha to lead them. I can even make it so that your father is not looked upon so badly. My niece has been taking care of the girl and her pup for some time now. It does reflect badly on the Shiroi Inu for not taking care of one of their own… I could easily make it seem as if we were doing a favor for your family.”

 “This Tao couldn’t care less about my father and idiotic half-brother.”

 “Hmm, there is always the matter of the ones who hired the hitman.” Kagetora almost smirked in victory when Tao’s golden gaze snapped to his own. Kagetora could almost taste the need for revenge oozing from his veins.

 “I would gladly hand over the two, or should I say one now, since her husband expired during interrogation, for you to dispose of as you see fit. The hit men sadly met a fate worse than death, I am afraid. You have but to take my offer, Tao.”

After the court case had gone badly, Aki had retreated to his small cottage outside of town. In the moment, you can never see what’s right in front of you. And he had been blinded by his need to believe in his youngest pup. For years, Jun had complained that he always sided with Tao, and now he wished he had. Never did he think his youngest was capable of such cold-heartedness as to turn away his own pup. 

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his study door.

 “Guests to see you, sir,” a servant spoke poking his head in through the door. Aki nodded his head, and three males were shown in. Each was taller than the next, but all had long, black, wavy hair and pale skin, with deep red eyes, their lips thin and pressed as if disgusted by their task. From right to left: the first was dressed in all black, the second purple and black, the third dark purple. Each gave off a dark aura that spoke of the dark things they have done or will do, and also announced just who was standing in front of him.

 “What great event has brought the assassins of the Ar’an Clan to my door?”

 “Today, my brothers and I are messengers of another kind,” the middle male said as the last step forward and placed papers on his desk.

 “You have but to read and sign it if you wish,” the first spat as if the very words were distasteful. It was a request with which he could not refuse. Scanning the papers, he was stunned, and never did he think anyone would step forward on his behalf.

 “And my youngest doesn’t mention anything about him?” Aki stated his fingers twitched to just sign.

 “He is out of the country, is he not? Do with him what you like as long as he causes no more shame upon the Clan of the Shiroi Inu-yokai.”

 “My company is worthless now… Why such a generous offer?”

 “Ours is not to question Mr. Waro, only to complete the task in which we are ordered.” Aki studied the faces of the three males and scanned over the papers once again with an inward sigh. He signed. ‘I would give my life for my pups, and if this will help my eldest, so be it,‘ he pushed the papers back toward the three. A card was tossed on the desk as the papers once again were back in their hands, and they left as quickly as they came. Aki sat back in his chair, staring down at the card 

9 pm the Valvo Estate on the 15th. A car will be waiting. 

  “Sen, you know what to do?”

 “Leave it to me, elder brother.”

 “Step one was over quickly, Niven. I was hoping to get a hold of the halfbreed.”

 “It’s better this way, though I was hoping he was there as well. Nevertheless, it’s over.”

 “I hate not hurting anyone (sigh), how does the Sept-cent do it for days like this?” The three chuckled. It was time to step things up; days were growing short, and they had a schedule to keep. 

---

Kagetora was angry, though it didn’t show in any of his actions as he stood beside the back door and watched as the sobbing bitch and a large wooden box were loaded onto the back of a truck. He thought Tao would agree readily to his deal. Who wouldn’t be offered the one thing they valued most in the world? But no, the Shiroi Inu proved to be difficult, and after all that he had offered him, even going so far as to tell him pieces of the truth that one knew. And still, the only answer he gave was that he would ‘consider his offer‘ but only after he had stated that he invoked his rights as the rightful mate of the Alpha and therefore had a right to punish those responsible for his mate’s death. Kagetora was pulled from dark thoughts of choking the life out of the Inu by the ringing of his phone; he looked at the number and quickly answered. 

“It’s . . . It’s gone, sir,“ whimpered through the phone, and Kagetora clenched his fist and turned from the scene as the truck pulled away.

 “What do you mean it’s gone? Something like that just couldn’t get up and walk away?” he hissed.

 “I am afraid, sir… On this, you are wrong,” the voice whimpered.

 “And the doctor? What of him?”

 “He is gone as well, sir. The guards and I were knocked out, and when we came to, the doctor’s nurse, the package was missing as well.” Kagetora let loose a string of curse words as he hurled his cell phone across the room. His eyes reddened and narrowed as he stared at the pieces. The servants, hearing the loud roar, hurried back to their work, shaking in fear. But to their surprise, a deep, thunderous laugh followed Kagetora’s roar of rage as his study door was again closed with him inside. 

---

When he had been sent the letter by his brother about Kago wanting to adopt a Terian pup, he was shocked, to say the least. He was under the impression that his nephew hated terians, but it would seem his information was wrong, so Kagetora called his car and went quickly to his family.

 He arrived at Kago speaking about adopting the pup. After looking into the face of the tiny female and feeling the aura that she radiated, he, too, wanted the new addition to his pack. It was something about her that gave him pause, and so with a creative move, he added his own blood into the ceremony as well when no one was looking. 

 It wasn’t until after he had found out about the trouble the pup’s birth mother was causing that he wrote to his nephew about coming to Shinjuku. Under the guise of instating him as his heir, when in reality Kagetora had already chosen his heir, he just wanted to see the effects of his meddling firsthand. And the young pup was far and beyond all that he ever imagined.

 She was such a beauty at just 13 with long raven locks, sleepy crystal gray eyes, and on her forehead, he saw a black flame which caused pride to swell within him. It was late in the night when the two had arrived, and little Renea fought to stay awake. She bowed slightly to the older yokai.

“We are pleased to meet such a distinguished packmate and humbly thank you for allowing us into your home.” She spoke with such an air that Kagetora was stunned into silence as he blinked down at the pup. After a few moments of silence, the air around the room began to fill with Renea’s distress. 

“Did I do it wrong, Ompapa?” her voice holding the distress she felt.

“No girl pup, but I am sure my uncle has not been spoken to in such a way in a long time,” Kago smiled down at her, and the air cleared. 

“We are pleased to meet the youngest of our pack mates and are honored to have you in our home,” Kagetora finally spoke and watched, awed at her sunny smile and tiny hop of joy. In the weeks that followed, Kagetora knew he had not been wrong in his decisions. He had to admire his sister’s offspring in the way he was raising the pup; she was soft spoken and full of life, absorbing knowledge readily like a sponge. She always stayed within the rules and was never without a Kimono on her body or a book in her hand. When she spoke, it was with an air that made you stop and think, and never did she spout frivolous ideals; hers were ideals of tradition with a twist of modern times. Kagetora had to admit she was in a way like his mother, and that pleased him even more.

At the end of the month, they moved into the penthouse at the Jewel Hotel, and Kagetora made sure his niece was enrolled in an exclusive school for the gifted that prided itself on the protection and well-being of their students. He instantly put his nephew to work helping with the company, while he prided himself on being the proud Great-uncle of Renea. From recitals to attending meetings at his side, the tiny female continued to surprise and awe him in every way.  

He showered Renea with attention since her father was working days and most nights. Teaching her everything he had come to learn as a leader, and she was an eager student, doing nothing to displease. Kagetora demanded perfection, and she gave it plus more. When she started college, Kagetora picked her friends and classes, and never did she complain. There was only one thing he disapproved of: the ‘Slayer ‘she had become friends with. No matter how he tried, Renea would not be seen without the girl during school hours.

  But no matter, he dropped the subject and let her have her way on that. After classes, she would attend meetings and dinner parties, accompanying him and unknowingly raising the respect creatures had for him. 

He almost felt as if he were raising Renea, his own pup. He was riding on cloud nine, basking in the praises of his clan about the young female’s accomplishments, her beauty, and poise. It would seem that whoever had a male offspring made offers in the name of their pup to mate with his niece. 

Kagetora had picked the perfect male for his perfect niece, but he was quickly shocked from his own little world when Kago spoke of his disapproval at his uncle for trying to mate off his ‘girl pup’ when she was still so young. 

---

Then he got the worst phone call ever. Kago had called to tell him Renea had been rushed to the hospital. She was bleeding badly from a side wound; the doctors told him it was as if someone had taken a bite out of her side. Renea never told them what happened, not even when he and Kago demanded answers.

 But they did find out about the male who had taken her to bed, the male who took her virginity, and the little spark in her eyes that told of her happiness. But when they found the male, he was already in a bad way, the ambulance taking him away before their eyes. Even after her little indiscretion, that still did not stop the offers of mating from pouring in. 

When she graduated from college, not once but twice, Kagetora almost fainted. The third time, he threw her the biggest party he could, inviting all within the clan to celebrate. At the celebration, he made an announcement that he was changing his will and ownership of all his holdings, save one, to include Renea as his one and only heir. 

Becoming head of the company brought with it unrest among the yokai and a few humans. But Kagetora could do nothing as Renea called in a few debts that it seemed others owed her, and bodyguards were found among the mercenaries and assassins of the underworld.  But as he watched what he planted blossom, he also became aware of his sister’s other pup, Eml.

 He never really liked the pup

 Per se, but he did acknowledge him to be enough of a threat that he had to keep him on a short leash. Kagetora watched horrified as the pups’ hatred for Renea turned into what can only be called an obsession. 

She was safe when she was a child, but as she matured into womanhood, the small shrine Kagetora knew dwelt with Eml’s closet grew. 

The pictures were easily overlooked, but then he overheard Kago complain about some of Renea’s things that had gone missing after her home was cleaned by a new service. Kagetora easily made excuses, though he knew what had happened and shuddered at the idea. 

Within the clan, Kagetora stepped down as Supreme Alpha and stepped back to watch his niece as she wrapped the whole of the clan around her fingers. Where a male would have charged in and made everyone bow to his will. Renea played on their sense of tradition. He was amazed she could be so manipulative yet submissive. 

 When Renea had brought the rundown club, he was a bit upset, he admitted, but what pissed him off was when she began to play there. He hated that she lowered herself to be seen among the common people of society. While Kago did nothing, Kagetora argued constantly with Renea over this, which caused her to pull farther away from him, confide less in him. 

It wasn’t until one of the elders’ pups spoke up that Kagetora found out about the male she had been seeing. The pup made threats, and for the first time, eyes sparked in the dark corners of the room. The warning was clear, but the foolish pup continued his rant, either uncaring or unaware. His words sparked a fire that spread through the room, each stating that she was abandoning the clan, forsaking the potential males who vie for her attention.

“Please, Supreme Alpha, please tell us why you have forsaken our clan for another. This creature could be anything. We are so few in numbers now. Would you kill off our bloodline, your bloodline?” the soft voice pleaded through the chaos. 

“Silence,” Renea roared, and the room fell silent. Nothing moved or dared move. “This . . This,” she waved her hand to encompass the whole room. “This is the reason that Renea has sought her mate outside our clan. This ugliness before me is disgusting. You are all lowering yourself to gutter scum over what a few harsh words from a fool. A fool who is angered because I rejected him, like all the others before him. Though this Renea does not have to explain herself, I will tell you this, Yuka-sama, my male is among the rarest of Inu’s whose clan is almost non-existent. He has more beauty than the whole of our clan, and would never lower himself to such acts as what I see before me now. And. . . .” she smirked. “I believe when it comes to power, he might just give the elders of our clan a good run.”

“If this male is as you make him out to be, Alpha, he should be brought before the elders,” Kagetora growled.

“I think not.”

“As Alpha, it is your duty to do as your elders command, female. The consequences will be harsh if you disobey,” another elder spoke. Kagetora watched as the submissive look Renea always wore fell away, her eyes glowed slightly. Even when handing out punishments, she always looked so submissive, so sorry for her actions, but this look was almost terrifying to see. The left corner of her mouth lifted in almost a snarl, the very air sizzled with anger, sparks of blue jumped from her clenched fist. Her head lowered for a moment and when she looked up again her face was blank as if she felt nothing her eyes dark still held a slight glow and completely out of place was the smirk that spread across her face showing off her tiny fangs. 

“Disobey, elder . . . As Supreme Alpha, it is my duty to see to the welfare of this clan and hand down orders as I see fit. But as you say, I will disobey. .I will disobey and slaughter each and every one of you if you so much as look in my males’ direction. If you talk to him, I will slaughter what is left of each pack until none is left. There will be no escape for any of you, but you, elder Kiba. This Renea will take pleasure in slitting your throat and bathing in your blood.” Fear clouded the room; even Kagetora could feel his spine shiver at the threat she had just spoken. A threat he knew she would carry out since Kago was not here to stop her this time. But she was not done as she pointed out every elder in the room.

 “Is this Renea’s disobedience clear to each and every. One. Of. You,” her voice never rose above a saccharine sweet tone. In fear for their lives, all had no choice but to agree, and it was not spoken about again. It was three, not even two days later, that Kagetora had received a phone call from Renea stating that he could have his post back; she was tired of being treated less than a possession. 

He tried everything in his power to hide the fact that she had left the clan and more to get her back again. Nothing worked, and so he did the one thing he knew he shouldn’t during his monthly dinner with his brother-in-law and nephew, Eml; he let it slip that Renea was thinking of taking a mate. Though both seemed to show no interest, Kagetora knew Eml was paying attention. He let the boy off his leash, and he caused holy hell. He should have put a stop to it the minute he had word that Eml had involved Tali and Tshi, the two were volatile, money-hungry humans. When Kagetora did get involved, it was too late to stop Eml. .what he had set in motion. 

The Present:

 “You always seem to one-up me. But I will win this time, and that male will not get the better of me. I will have Tao Waro in my pocket before the month is over.” Kagetora chuckled, whirling his chair around, looking out at the forest beyond his window. Thinking over the whole of everything, it would seem Renea had smelled something foul and planned accordingly. How much she had planned for he couldn’t even begin to guess. 

---

 The ride was quick, a little too quick for Tao as he sat in the front seat listening to the whimpering female behind him. He waited as the female was unloaded along with the wooden crate and stopped himself from smirking as he finally stepped from the truck. Ichi and Yoshike were already there and digging away by the looks of it, as dirt flew from the hole, adding to the giant piles beside it. Kinuye and Bokkai dropped the wooden box next to the large hole. Hajime and Seiji stood over the sobbing female. Nothing was said; the silence was broken every so often by the females sobbing.

 Tao had already told them of his plan before they left the Valvo Estate, so no words were needed for now.

 Tao looked at the sobbing female; he could not see it. This female gave birth to his beloved and tossed her away like trash. He looked over her ratty dark brown hair, her swollen, bloodshot eyes, the darkness of her skin, and he could not see it. He looked closely at her bruised and battered appearance and still could not see it. His beloved could not have come from such a creature. No, she could not have the creature before him was nothing like his beloved.

 His eyes turned skyward; this creature before him was nothing like the pure female she had given birth to. The creature before him was the reason for his suffering. It was she who killed his beloved, his unborn pups, and she would die as well. Strangely, he felt no pleasure from the act, but still it would be done, and nothing would stop him. 

Bokkai looked to Tao and down to his brothers as they dug. He jumped back just in time for the dirt to miss him.

 “12 feet is enough. We are not digging an escape tunnel here.” The two looked up from their work and nodded as the shovels came up first, and the two leaped from the hole and smirked. 

Tao grew tired of hearing her whining, even through the gag; it was getting on his nerves. He strolled forward and grabbed her chin, making her look up at him.

 “Unlike Kagetora, this Tao will be merciful even if it’s too a pitiful excuse for a human,” he saw the spark of hope within her watery eyes and almost smirked. “This Tao will give you your sorry excuse for a male and the money you hungered so much for. And since this Tao is feeling so generous, he will even give you that escape you were screaming so ferociously for.” Those bloodshot watery eyes lit up; she even tried to smile at him, but the gag in her mouth prevented it, and still, he could tell. He watched as her eyes darted around the small area, looking for her husband, and he nodded to the smiling group behind her.

 Bokkai and Kinuye grabbed the woman from behind, pulling her to her feet while the others pulled the top from the box. Seiji hurried back to the truck. When the top was removed, the smell of decaying flesh wafted around the group. 

“You heard the yokai brother give the lady her husband,” Hajime giggled as the two pulled the struggling woman towards the box. Her screams were audible even through the gag, and the six brothers and Tao take pleasure in her renewed terror as her eyes lit upon the body. She struggled in vain as she was placed beside the rotting corpse of Tish, her husband. His eyes were wide and his mouth still agape as if showing his last scream. Money was dumped over their bodies as she squirmed and screamed. She only looked up as a large shadow fell over the wooden coffin.

 “As promised, your husband and your money,” he growled, watching her eyes beg him to release her. He smirked, “But something is missing. This Tao has forgotten something. Now what was it again?” he looked to the smirking males around him. “That’s right, your… escape. . .” he hissed and walked away with a nod of his head. The lid was once again raised and slid into place. Her screams could be heard even through the wood, but she was only met by laughter as the lid was nailed shut.

 “That was exciting, did you see the bitch?”

 “Yeah, she really thought you were going to let her go, Mr. Waro.” 

“Silence,” Tao hissed, “finish it.” He stood stock still as some unknown feeling inched up his spine. He had to grab his chest as something felt like it exploded inside him. 

It went unnoticed by the busy group as he took deep breaths; everything seemed sharper, clearer. It was as if something came alive inside him, even his very blood tingled within his veins. He looked skyward, his eyes taking on an eerie glow for a moment, flashes red, then settled to their usual color. Tao shook his head. He would question it later; for now, he had other things to deal with. Looking back at the group, he noticed Seiji studying him for a moment as if he saw something; he narrowed his eyes at the tiny creature.

 Seiji quickly turned away. 

They took care in placing the box at the bottom; there was no need to break it open, they thought. It took no time to fill in the hole after a group effort; they packed the earth down and rolled back the grass pieces that had been removed. 

“I think we should have put some scorpions or something in with the bitch.”

 “Yea I mean this seems a bit undone.”

 “It is done enough, a slow death in which there is no escape is better than she deserves, but it will do,” Tao stated and walked away. He would be glad once he finally returns to his home.

 “We could have cut her to pieces or something that would have been fun at least.” 

“Whatever, Ichi, it’s done, leave it alone if you’re hungry, get a burger or something,” Bokkai spoke as he started the truck and drove away, giving the area one last once over. Nothing was out of place.

 “As if I would eat that, give me some credit here. I am a picky eater. I won’t just eat anything, you know,” Ichi huffed. 

---

 The sounds of waves lapping against the sand pulled him into conciseness. Rays of bright sunshine surrounded him even as he turned over. Silk slid along his bruised and battered form, pulling a groan from his dry, cracked lips. Bloodshot crystalline eyes shot up. 

He winced in pain as he scanned the room for his tormentors. 

In their place was a raven-haired beauty. 

The name on his lips died as green eyes finally met his with a frown. After three tries, he finally sat up, taking in the room with its stark white walls and cream colored furniture. He shuddered in utter disgust. ‘Who could live in such a place?’ 

 “Doko?” his voice cracked and was dry, making even him wince. She thrust a silver tray at him that contained nothing but a small white piece of paper. 

The words in flowing Pheiness are simply stated. ‘Show Your Face And Die’

 “Caminar con Dios una vez más,” she finally spoke, walking away, closing the door behind her. Eml clenched his shaking fist in anger and swept the tray from the bed. 

But the paper fell face up as if mocking him, daring him to disobey.

 Oh, Eml didn’t hate humans as much as his father and the public thought. Sure, that was his image, and he never thought to change the minds of those who thought of him as such. Why bother when it was that image that kept his father off his back, unlike Kago, who argued all the time with their father? Hell, he had a dozen or so humans working for him on his private island just off the coast of Verdent Canopy City.

 He had more affairs with human females than any other yokai on the planet; at least he did not have to worry about being scented by another yokai or being forced into a mating. His mistresses knew the deal; he set the raven-haired beauties up in their own homes, for which he paid handsomely. All they had to do was keep satin sheets on the bed when he came to town. Keep their mouths shut about their relationship with him, and stay on the pill. He made that clear from the beginning: he would keep them in spa treatments, the finest clothes, the best cars, and jewelry that would make the largest diamond in the world look like pocket change, but he would not father any pups with them. That would only be the privilege of his obsession . . . 

His obsession that none of his mistresses could hold a candle to.

 Eml could not pinpoint when his feelings changed from utter loathing to love. Maybe it was staring at all the pictures of her, or when he had taken in her adult scent for the first time. Whenever it was, it was a mystery, but when he finally took notice, he had to have her.

 At first, he was careful no one could find out, especially his brother,  Kago; he knew Kago would not hesitate to take his life if he even touched one hair on her head. In private, that did nothing to quench his need; often, he would lie in bed stroking himself to climax, looking at pictures of her. Imagine it was her tiny hands or soft lips wrapped around his aching flesh, pleasing him as if her life depended on it. When he was feeling particularly horny, he would play a small tape recording of her voice that he kept.

 Her voice was always so soft and sweet; it never failed to turn him on or soothe his nerves after a long, rough day of putting up with his father’s bullshit.

 Was it wrong to want her, to need her? That was not a question he either wanted nor had an answer for, and he liked it that way. 

He even managed to pay off her cleaning lady and send in a team of his own to acquire a few items. He needed something to help him feel closer to her, and since she was featured most in these items, he had to have them. Hell, he even had a life-sized picture of her in it, white silk trimmed in red lace. It was tiny and had to cling to her body like a second skin. It smelled of her as if she had just taken it off. At night, he would take it out of its delicate tissue-lined box and lie next to it, taking in her soft scent. 

The bottom fell out of his world when Kagetora came to visit and dropped a bomb. She was seeing a male, and she was thinking of taking him as a mate. He overlooked her little incident with the Tokiji creature, especially after he heard what the little shit did. 

But this… this was something altogether. No other creature would touch her and introduce her to the pleasures he would. After receiving pictures of the two, it was easy to find out who the bastard was. He used the weak-willed human, Amos, whom his uncle installed to watch her at the office. Threats, Eml was good at, and he threatened to go to her and tell her of the terians’ deception. 

He had to admit the pictures were a nice touch, even though he was hard-pressed not to believe she had a thing going on with that Tokiji creature. But it didn’t work. He found himself back at square one before he knew it. 

It was even easier to manipulate the bastard’s younger half-brother, Jun, into doing his work. Of course, he told the pup to take her to bed, but he had planned on killing the pup before that could happen.

 No one would touch her but him. Mostly it was a test of his obsession’s will, to see if she was as strong as he thought her to be. If she failed, he would just have to kill her, but of course, she lived up to the expectations and made him want her more. He watched from afar as the two grew closer and the pup failed time and time again. He had to fight the creature within him each time the bastard pulled forth a smile from his female with words he could not hear. His claws would itch to rip the bastard to pieces each time he even dared lay a hand on her soft, sweet, sweet-smelling skin. His hatred for the bastard knew no bounds.

 When all his plans failed, he dropped a little note to the Katsus’, offering them a million dollars if they fixed his little problem. The easiest plans are always the worst, as he found out too late, the couple had hired hitmen to kill his female. 

He had been at the brokerage firm when he saw the newspaper; his heart had refused to beat for a few minutes until he heard word from his spies. She was recovering slowly, almost too slowly. At first, his spies were having a hard time getting the picture he required to make sure it wasn’t a hoax. Finally, he received the picture, and he had to smile. This was perfect for his plans. He would steal her from the hospital and install her at his home on one of his private islands. He would erase the bitch from his pack’s name and make her his and only his at the same time.

 Oh, he would care for her until she got better, then he would pup her, one of many, of course. No one would ever know or be able to trace it back to him. He could see all twenty of his raven-haired pups with eyes the color of their mothers, a crystalline grey color that shines in the sunlight. While she resided in his home away from the world, he would move into her penthouse and make it his own special place after he became heir to his uncle.

 Then he would become Supreme Alpha. When that happened, he would bring her back to show everyone his pack, and they would be so jealous. Life was good after receiving the final report on things and making promises to that foolish human. Telling him he would make sure nothing led back to him when all the leads led right to Amos’s door. It was perfect. He was finalizing his plans when everything went dark. When he woke again, it was to three faces he never wanted to see again. For a whole 2 months, he endured their hellish forms of torture, physical and mental. At one point, he saw and heard his obsession in the cell next to him talking to him in that sweet voice he loved so much.

 It was too much. He broke down and told her everything she wanted to know, and answered every question she asked. Then, finally, blessed silence and darkness were all he saw until now. 

A cream colored nightmare was what he woke to. Days of lying in bed, Eml thought of his hellish torture and remembered her there. He remembered her voice most of all and knew she loved him as well. If she did not, she would not have come to him in his time of need. She would have left him to suffer, but she had come. They were keeping them apart because they knew now that she loved him. Eml smiled a pained smile 

“We will be together again, my Renea, just wait. I will not let them keep us apart.” He was in pain now, hurting, but with the coming days, he would recover, and when he did, no amount of threats would keep him away. Pleased with himself after days of thinking things over, he finally slept and dreamed of his obsession and their days together. 

---

Sara parked her car and sat ‘I can do this, I will not cry this time. She isn’t coming back. She… her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her car window.

 “Are you alright, Mrs. Migi?” the security guard questioned. 

“I’m fine,” she answered, stepping from her car. She hurried to the elevator and bumped into someone, who fell to the ground.

 “Are you alright, Sara?” a voice questioned, making her finally look up. Her heart stopped for a moment before she jumped to her feet quickly.

 “Who are you?” she spoke, backing away from the figure. She was dressed in an expensive business suit, her hair swept up in a bun, and her too-perfect, crystalline grey eyes twinkled at her. 

“Whom do I look like?” she smiled, but something was wrong, Sara could feel it. This person wasn’t, it couldn’t be 

“R-Renea,” she choked out as tears streamed down her face. “Why are you pretending to be Renea? Who are you?” Sara grew angry as the form continued to smile at her, not giving her any answers. She jumped forward to grab her, only to meet air as the person side-stepped. Sara grabbed her briefcase and swung, catching the female in the side, then rounded, kicking her in the stomach. The surprise written on the unknown female’s face was priceless. But quickly it developed into a full-blown toothy smile when the female found herself pinned to the stone wall by an enraged Sara. 

“Oh, you’re good, Mrs. Migi. I’ve heard but to feel it first hand to know the art of which your ancestors practice is not lost is amazing,” the female chuckled darkly. 

“Who are you? How do you know about me?” Sara demanded.

 “That is a question for a later date, I assure you, Slayer,” the female chuckled even though Sara’s hand tightened around her neck. A voice boomed through the parking garage, causing Sara to look away, her grip loosened. When she looked back, the female was gone, and in her hand was a card. 

9 pm, the Valvo Estate. On the 15th.

Sara wasted no time in calling Toto, tears once again streaking her face as she told him of what had just happened. 

 Toto hung up with Sara, distressed that he had not told her this morning, when he went to check the mail, he found the same card. He tried calling Tao, but only got a message stating the person he was trying to reach was outside calling range. He didn’t know what the hell was going on, but he would get to the bottom of it. 

---

 An endless cold was what she felt since waking; nothing made any sense. There was such warmth before. She studied her naked body in the full-length mirror with a frown, then looked at the two halves of the ring in her palm. The eyes below the black flame on her forehead narrowed in irritation. ‘Why was nothing making sense?’  Claws traced the rapidly healing scars on her side and stomach, bringing another frown to her face. 

She wasn’t startled, nor did she move from her inspection as she heard movement in the other room. She knew it was them again coming to check her and smirked, remembering earlier when she had thrown the idiot through the glass out of her room and face. The bastard always came and spoke to her as if she were dirt. She understood just fine what they were saying, even if they were speaking Kharion; she just found no need to answer them. They were beneath her notice, insects that meant nothing to her. 

She frowned again ‘Then he came’ the one with the smile of an angel and the hands of a killer. 

She sniffed well, at least he did not speak to her as if she were dirt. But she had to watch him. He was sneaky and knew things, things he shouldn’t. He claimed he was a doctor, her doctor, but doctors did not have the hands of a killer. And he always called her that stupid name that irritated her to the point she had to put him in his place; he only smiled and strolled off to return later. She wanted to bury her claws in his chest, but if she killed him, then she would be surrounded by the idiots again. So he was useful, and therefore she couldn’t kill him, not yet anyway. She watched through the mirror as he entered the bathroom where she stood. She rolled her eyes as he averted his eyes and excused himself.

 “Doktor,” she commented, looking at the red that painted his face.  ‘People were idiots; there was no shame in being unclothed.’  She went back to her inspection of the body, which she knew didn’t belong to her. She knew for a fact that the cold didn’t bother her, so why was this body so cold all the time? Then it was the fact that she felt so empty, as if something was missing. ‘But what? And why was I sleeping so hard before anyway?’  She stared unblinking at the body in the mirror as her claws traced the scars again. She blinked finally, and behind her stood a male with…

 She whirled around and saw no one; the room blurred as the pounding in her head started again. She fell to her knees, grabbing her head and its throb blocking out everything around her, bringing tears to her eyes. She was unaware of the whimper that left her throat and even more unaware of the doctor as he rushed into the room, lifting her into his arms. She could have sighed in relief if she had the time, as darkness descended upon her again. 

When she woke again, that nurse was there. ‘What’s her name again? Dar, yeah, Daria. The nurse was as queer as a duck in combat boots.’ She frowned ‘where did that come from?’ she thought. She watched the nurse as she hummed lightly as she straightened her covers and hovered around her as if she were her mother. That thought gave her pause as she stared at the nurse who moved about as if unaware or uncaring of her stare. She hurt on some level thinking of her mother, but for the life of her couldn’t figure out why. She was just glad the pain in her head had stopped as she sat up with a sigh. She frowned as the nurse finally noticed her and started speaking. It irritated her to no end that the woman talked all the time and nonstop.

 “The doctor thought perhaps you felt like eating something. Would you like it if I got you something? It would be simple like Jell-O, the strawberry is to die for, they put fruit in it.” Daria stopped and looked at the bored, unblinking stare of the woman and pressed her lips together. 

“Okay, then, how about ice cream? I could sneak you a scoop of chocolate if you like. What do you think?” She tilted her head a little, still not looking away from the nurse. ‘Is she trying to drive me crazy with her endless, annoying voice? Do I look like a pup who craved sweet things?‘ She thought, trying to run her fingers through her tangled hair. She whimpered slightly as her fingers caught on a tangle and growled as the nurse approached her with a brush. 

‘I’ll kill her. .skin her alive and drag her bloody corpse through the. .mmm then again maybe she is useful for something,’ she sighed at the feeling of the brush as it scratched her head lightly and moved through her hair. She lost all sense of everything as her eyes closed in pleasure at the grooming of her person. Next, she knew the door to her room was closing, and the nurse was gone. 

Looking out the window, she stared at the water and rose, opening the window. Icy winds whip through the room, but she didn’t mind as she perched on the windowsill. The white felt familiar, as if she knew something like it once. Cold but teeming with life like a snow-capped volcano. So cold and quiet until it erupts, then its heat burns everything in its path. The thought brought a shiver to her body, reminding her of the cold emptiness inside her. She searched her mind to try to put a face to her snow-capped volcano, but found she could not. Her clawed fingers tapped across the metal bar as she hummed a tune, one she knew had no words. How she knew this was a mystery, but this was becoming ordinary for her. The tune brought to mind passion, passion so great it encompassed your very soul in its fires. Her eyes closed… 

---

She was sitting before a piano playing something, but stopped as a wall of heat pressed into her back. Strong, muscled thighs surrounded her as she perched on the edge of the bench. She looked down to see large, clawed hands attached to toned arms as they wrapped around her waist. Warm panted breaths made her finally look up and to the side, but she saw only white hair, his face, which she knew was pressed into her neck.

“Play for me,” he breathed; she shivered. The hard edge of his voice spoke of his need for something.

“What do you want to hear?” she questioned quietly.

“Something passionate… Something only for me,” he breathed again, kissing her neck softly. She didn’t need any more prompting as her fingers caressed the keys; the first notes were empty of anything, almost hesitant, and she stopped.

 His arm tightened around her, pushing his body flush against her. One of his clawed hands rested on her thigh, parting the silken material of her kimono. She almost melted as he kissed a spot just behind her ear. It was something about him; he seemed as if he could crush the life out of her if he wanted to, but instead, he surrounded her in a heat that twisted her stomach into knots. A heat that made her want to never leave the shelter of his strong arms. A heat that. Her fingers moved across the keys in a deep tune; she was vaguely aware of the glow that surrounded her, so into the melody, a melody about him. She half heard his moan as her glow surrounded him as well. She was aware, though, that he felt the emotion behind her playing as his hand, resting on her caressed her inner thigh, inching upward. She hesitated again as fingers slipped under her panties.

“Don’t stop,” he growled against her neck. “I want to feel you,” she kept playing even as his hand cupped one of her silken-covered breasts. She felt the sweep of his long lashes as he closed his eyes, the glow brightening, pushing more of her emotion into his senses. She pounded out a beat in deep tunes, a soul-melting melody even as she felt his fingers caress her heated center, sparking even more desire within her. 

His oh so hot, panted breaths caressed her ear as he moaned and growled things about the softness of her skin, the wetness coating his fingers as she played. Whenever she hesitated, he urged her on to play to finish her melody. 

She almost missed a key as his finger slipped within her throbbing heat. He moaned and urged her to play. It was maddening; she wanted nothing more than to stop, to touch him as well, but he insisted, so she played. 

The melody lost part of its beat as he pulled one of her legs to rest across one of his. And again, his fingers slid inside her heat, moving slowly at first until another finger joined them. Sweat beaded on her face as she forced herself to play, her back arched slightly within his iron grip, her thighs quivered as the movement of his fingers mimicked her playing. Then she couldn’t, her hands fell from the keys, gripping his muscled thighs as she exploded in ecstasy. 

“Mmm, so much passion, my only, for whom?” he growled.

“Only for you … T-.” Her eyes snapped open, and she tilted for a moment, almost falling from the window.

---

Present

 Her heart pounding in her chest, ‘Tao‘ as if called to life by her soft utterance, she saw him, tall as life, clothed in a black three-piece suit. Seemingly endless silver strands of hair on his face, a cold stare, but his golden glaze held warmth as he stared at her. He flashed her a fanged smile, causing her to notice the blue strips across his cheeks, which led her to the lotus flower adorning his forehead. He was magnificent; her head tilted curiously as his perfectly tapered, clawed hand reached out as if beckoning her to him. She heard a noise and blinked. He was gone; she frowned and rose from her perch. 

How did she know such a creature? Getora always chooses her friends and companions. She shivered, remembering the almost 900-year-old Inu yokai he wanted her to court. The bastard had the nerve to tell her that she should be keeping house and having his pups, not working in a male’s world. But when she sank her claws into his stomach, he was singing a different tune. 

She froze and looked at her claws ‘Where did those thoughts come from?’ She shook her head and headed for the small closet, throwing open the doors. She hissed in disgust.

 Before her eyes was a pair of white sweat pants with a red stripe, and a large white tee-shirt still wrapped in plastic packages. She tore through the plastic and dressed quickly, even as she shuddered in disgust at wearing such an outfit; it was unseemly to wear such things. She didn’t see any shoes and didn’t care either, she was tired of being cooped up in this room, she was starting to see things. 

Opening the door, she was greeted by two oversized whatever yokai on either side of her door. She walked past them, paying them no mind until she felt a hand on her shoulder. 

“We can’t let you leave your room,” One hissed at her. 

She clenched her fist. ‘They couldn’t let me like I’m a wayward pup.’ She was surprised by her own strength as she pulled the hand from her shoulder and twisted it behind the creature’s back, slamming him into his partner. The two were unconscious the moment they hit the floor. 

She dusted off her shirt, ‘No one touches my person without permission.’ With a sigh, she walked away without looking back. It was time to find someone and get some answers . . .”  vvodite tekst zdes Gde ty. . . Doktor?” 

---

Shige looked at his patient and sighed as she had woken up earlier and gone back to sleep. But what could he say? Cruising at 51,000ft at 530 mph was exciting, especially in this home they called a Neo Shuttle. They had barely escaped that cold prison they called a hospital off the coast of Khario, somewhere in the East Pho Aressa Sea. He looked to the nurse he had chosen to take with them as she sank into the leather seat beside him. 

“Sooo what’s for lunch? I’m hungry. The pilot informed me before takeoff that the ten musu is to die for, Nurse.” 

“Um, do you think we should? I don’t think it would be polite. And please call me Daria.”

 “I told you, Nurse, I work for the head Valvo. I am sure she would be happy that the food is not going to waste.” 

“Okay, but we don’t have long to eat.” They had been told the flight would be a short one since they were heading for home in Phey. But still, he had to wonder what awaited them when they landed. Things were too quiet, and he didn’t like it when things were too quiet, but he dared not call his brothers.

 The deep, heavy beat that thumped through the cabin from the sound system matched his mood as he ran through every bad thing that could happen. Things were moving quickly, but they had to move more quickly. The annual meeting was going to take place soon. The satellite phone rang, and his eyes moved to his patient for any sign of movement but found none. He didn’t move and stopped the nurse with a shake of his head. It wasn’t necessary to answer the phone. A few minutes later, the fax machine went to work, spitting out a single sheet of paper. The words are written plainly : 

All is in readiness. The only problem we can foresee is Tao Waro. How should we proceed?

 Not a word or a sound was made, and he knew his patient had awakened, and he passed the paper over. A quick, shaky note was written, and the message sent. 

---

Jun paced the small room and sighed each time he reached a wall. He had to get back at them for this. He had to think of a way to get back at all of them. So what if he fathered a pup with that little bitch, he couldn’t care less. It was an old, useless law that meant nothing in this day and age. And to top it all off, that bastard had finally turned their father against him.

 For years, he scammed the old man, making him think he was the innocent party in all his brothers’ rampages. When the bastard had finally moved out, he could have died in happiness. With the old man either working or out of town, he partied all the time; hell, he did not even have to work. Money just was there, and he spent it all on whatever he wanted with no bastard looking over his shoulder questioning him on his purchases.

 Now it was all gone. 

The old man sent him away to this place. Jun sneered, looking around him. This place was a dump, nothing expensive, everything looked cheap and used. He was even told he would get a small sum every two weeks to live on, but anything else he had to work for. He never worked a day in his life; hell, he even paid someone to do his school work. Why should he when there was so much partying to do?

 But now he. No, hell no, he would get them all back.

 Tao stood in the shower, letting the warmth of the hot water slide into his chilled skin. The shower, like most of his home, was remodeled to fit what Renea liked. He had taken many showers in her home; the water cascaded from above like a rain shower, and he loved it. Especially when they made love, it was like getting caught in the rain. But lately, he used his shower to add warmth to his chilled body, which was strange because, being in the predatory Yokai class, his body temperature was higher than most.

 He couldn’t understand at first what was wrong with him. He thought everything had returned to normal weeks ago. He was wrong; his baser nature was cagey, and the beast was on edge. Sleep was elusive at best, and when he did sleep, he dreamed strange things that made no sense to him at all. Most recurring was Kago, so that’s who he sought for his answers.

 He was surprised to find out it was the mark. 

“You have to understand, my boy in the Shadow Inu Clan is the female of our clan that holds the power when it comes to marking. Where the male mark shows his protection and pledge, and is shown to the world. The female is hidden and holds the connection between the two. Even though females are the more powerful of our species, they lack rapid healing abilities. It’s only through the connection they make that allows them to use their chosen males’ abilities.”

“So, is it true that what Kagetora told me about the mark?”

“Yes and no. My father told me once he was in bed for two days after my mother was hurt. Like Kagetora when he was mated. But what my girl-pup did to you was slightly different than regular marks. A regular mark would be a small, bluish flame that turns black when the second mark is done. But your mark would require her to not only bite you but drag her fangs across your skin in a way to introduce both her blood and power into your body into the open wounds.”

“That’s impossible.”

“I would not share our clan’s secrets with you if they were impossible. My girl-pup might be young, but she was adopted in the yokai way and raised accordingly. She is as much a yokai as she is a Daisaiin.”

“So if what you say is to be believed, I will feel what she feels?”

“If she allows it. In my clan, the males gain a better sense of their females, but the females feel their mates’ feelings. That is why we teach them control in order to better handle the bonds they create.”

“You forget I am of the Shiroi and not Shadow.”

“I haven’t forgotten that could be the reason. The Shiroi Inu share a connection with their mates, and feelings are easily passed between the two. Hmm, it could be your baser nature is picking up on the connection. But that would mean something is happening to make her control slip, and things are slipping through.”

“That would account for some things, but not the dreams.”

“Oh, but it would, my boy, your baser nature is closer to the surface when you sleep. Just as it will sense danger or an unwelcome presence, your beast can also pick up any loosening of her control. That is a unique mark you have there. Tao, it takes hours to accomplish such a thing and leaves the maker drained.”  Tao stood in front of the bathroom mirror, looking again at his back through the mirror behind him. 

Weaving around the blue stripe at the base of his spine, a black flame. It looks as if the flame was consuming his stripe. Like his mates, the tips of the flames on top were a different color. He sighed for the hundredth time as he dried his hair, forcing himself to look away. 

“She marked you as a way of protecting you.”

“Protecting me from whom?”

“Kagetora”

“Why would I need protection from Kagetora?”

“It’s against yokai law to come between mates, remember? The ceremony really means nothing; it is just for show.”

“I have not marked her.”

“And she has not given you the second mark as our clan does, but still, you’re her mate.”

“Hn, can the mark be undone?”

“The first mark, yes, if it’s proven you have been disloyal or unfaithful, she can revoke the mark.” 

 He turned off the bathroom light after dressing and walked into the bedroom. He stopped at the bed and stared at the headboard. He had his bed removed, and Reneas set up, not being able to sleep in his own bed anymore. Anything to feel closer to her, his pelt, given to him by his father, now lies next to hers at the foot, her pillows at the top, but still, it was missing her. 

He was missing her, and even though things were still confusing, he knew without a second thought that he would welcome her back with open arms. He longs to see her spread across the bed, waiting for him to join her. They often could be found doing paperwork well into the wee hours of the day. But most of all, he missed the talks they had, being one who was not overly talkative, it was easy to talk to her. Tao was never happier to be a yokai when he was with Renea.

 Because when she did finally sleep, he would lie awake some nights holding her close and listening to the beating of her heart. He sighed. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to get her back beside him again. He plopped down on the bed and stared at the bedside phone. ‘Would it be so bad to give in to Kagetora’s demands just to get her back?’ 

“She marked a male before then?”

“Almost”

“Almost?”

“Yes, a wolf yokai, I don’t remember what his name was.”

“And?”

“It turns out he was working for my uncle. My girl-pup had not told him of her status due to my wishes. But we found out Kagetora took it upon himself to visit the wolf and inform him of things. We also suspected that Kagetora paid him off.”

“To do what?”

“We never found out before his disappearance, but we did find out that he was loyal to Kagetora and would do whatever he asked.”

“So your uncle just wants power over Renea, then to keep her in place?”

“She doesn’t talk to him anymore like she used to. Uncle Kagetora doesn’t like that he’s not peavey to my girl-pups’ thoughts anymore.”

“The two used to be close, then?”

“Almost closer than her own father, Tao. He overstepped his place once too often. He will do the same to you, Tao, but this time it will not be a secret. Uncle Kagetora will throw it up in my girl-pups’ face how he has her loyal mate in his pocket to use at his will.”

“This Tao will never be used in such a way.”

“Word is spreading through the clan that the mate of our Supreme Alpha was in conference with Kagetora. The other elders are scared now that word is spreading my girl-pup might be alive, but Kagetora is assuring them all is well and that there is nothing to fear now. I don’t want to know if you agreed or disagreed with what was asked of you, but know your loyalties will be questioned. All I can say is, no matter what happens, never let my girl-pup doubt your loyalties.”

“She questioned yours?” Tao searches Kago’s face.

 “I’m ashamed to say yes.” He turned away,  ‘No, it was hard enough to gain her trust in the first place. There has to be-‘ Tao grabs his robe, moving toward the bedroom door with a smirk on his face. They thought his female was manipulative, did they? Well, they haven’t seen him in action yet. Sure, when he first met Kagetora, he was slightly ignorant of his ways. Renea had told him very little of her uncle Getora, and he even admitted to being overwhelmed by what he learned at the time. But no one used him, no, he used others, and if Kagetora thought to use him, he was in for a rude awakening. 

Renea seemed to have known Kagetora was up to something and put up a few roadblocks. If she had gone so far as to mark him as hers, then it was time he started acting like it, and as the mate of the Supreme Alpha, it was his duty to see that all her wishes were carried out in her absence.

He strolled across his mansion, making his way to the south wing, his mind a whirl with plans. His mate had left him five of the best information gatherers on the planet. After taking the long hallways, he finally came to the double doors he was looking for.

 The footsteps and flashing lights from under the doors told him what he already knew. He pushed open the doors without knocking and took a seat as all eyes turned to him. He steepled his fingers under his chin and looked to the five brothers. 

“We have plans to make Bokkai and very little time to get things done.”

 “What kinds of plans are you thinking of?”

 “First,” he looked at each with a critical eye. “I must be assured of you and your brother’s loyalties.”

“To the Boss, always Mr. Waro,” Bokki spoke up.

Seiji rubbed the back of his neck and looked anywhere but at Tao.

Bokkai leaned back in his chair, arms folded, his expression unreadable. “Seiji,” he said at last. “You tell it.”

Seiji’s face twisted. “Why me?”

“Because you were the one crawling through the ducts like a rat.”

A few of the Sept-Cent laughed.

Seiji sighed, then looked toward Tao.

“Well,” he began, “I was crawling through the duct system of a warehouse. We had been sent in on a job. Bad information. Bad layout. Bad everything. By the time I realized we had been set up, half of us were already separated.”

His mouth pulled into something between a smile and a grimace.

“And then, strangely enough, I ran into a little Terian girl.”

Tao went still.

Seiji nodded, as if he could see the question forming.

“Renea. Seventeen years old. Barefoot. Dirty. Bleeding a little. Mad as hell.”

Shige chuckled softly. “That sounds like her.”

“She told me she had been kidnapped and escaped into the ducts,” Seiji continued. “She was lost, but not scared. Not the way a child should have been. She looked at me and asked if I was lost too.”

A silence settled over the room.

“The boss,” Seiji said quietly. “Even then.”

Tao’s fingers tightened over the arm of his chair.

“She told me about the rooms she had seen. The guards. The exits. The control center. I asked if she had seen Bokkai.” Seiji glanced toward him. “She had. And she led me to him.”

Bokkai’s jaw flexed.

“We were attacked halfway there,” Seiji said. “Three guards came out of nowhere. And believe it or not, even at seventeen, the boss was deadly. She dropped two before I blinked and took the third down with a pipe she pulled off the wall.”

“She saved your ass,” Ichi added.

“She saved my ass,” Seiji admitted. “Then she looked at me like I was wasting her time and said, ‘Are we going or not?’”

A rough laugh moved through them, but it broke against something old and painful.

“We got to the control room,” Seiji said. “That was when we understood how bad it was. We had been sent there to die. Our contact knew we were outnumbered. Knew the warehouse was locked down. Knew they planned to execute us and pin the bodies on another crew.”

“Electrocuted,” Hajime said flatly.

Kinuye’s voice followed, softer and colder. “They had the chairs ready.”

Tao’s eyes darkened.

Seiji leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Renea hacked their system.”

Tao blinked once.

Seiji smiled faintly. “Yeah. That little Terian girl sat down at their computer with blood on her face and turned the entire security system against them. Doors locked. Lights cut. Cameras looped. Sirens triggered in the wrong sector. She opened paths for us and trapped them inside their own building.”

Shige shook his head, laughing under his breath. “The mighty Sept-Cent. Saved by a child.”

“No,” Bokkai said, voice low.

Everyone looked at him.

He swallowed hard before speaking again.

“Saved by Renea.”

That name landed differently in the room.

Not as a woman.

Not as an employer.

As something owed.

“As we cleared the warehouse,” Ichi said, “we found out that it was not the first time she had been taken.”

“The fourth,” Shige murmured.

Tao’s gaze snapped up.

Seiji nodded. “Fourth time. Maybe more. She said it like she was talking about bad weather.”

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then Bokkai continued, his voice rough. “When it was over, we offered her our services.”

Tao’s brows drew together. “At seventeen?”

“She was no child by then,” Bokkai said. “Not in the ways that mattered.”

“She knew what we were,” Ichi added. “She knew we were not good men.”

“She looked us over,” Seiji said, smiling now, though his eyes were damp. “All of us bloodied, half-dead, armed to the teeth. Then she said, ‘Okay. Then you watch my back.’”

Shige laughed again, softer this time.

“And she put us on payroll,” Kinuye said.

“Security detail,” Hajime added.

Bokkai looked down at his hands.

“She told us some debts can never be repaid,” he said. “But they can be honored.”

Tao said nothing.

He could not.

Ichi’s voice dropped. “Our friends. Our families. Our loved ones. They are protected under pack law now. Because of her.”

“They go to school,” Kinuye said. “They learn things.”

“That doesn’t get them killed,” Hajime added.

“That doesn’t get them owned,” Shige said.

“That doesn’t get them used,” Bokkai finished.

The room went quiet again.

Tao looked at them then, truly looked at them.

The Sept-Cent were killers. Mercenaries. Shadows with teeth. Men and women, the world had marked as monsters long before Renea ever gave them names on a payroll sheet.

But when they spoke of her, their voices changed.

Not obedience.

Not fear.

Reverence.

Tao understood then.

Renea had not bought their loyalty.

She had found them at the edge of execution, blood and betrayal all around them, and she had given them something no one else had thought they deserved.

A place.

A law.

A back worth guarding.

And somehow, at seventeen years old, bleeding in a warehouse duct, she had looked at monsters and made them hers.

---

 “What about the Ar’an Clan?” Tao asked at last, his gaze moving between them. “You do not come across assassins every day.”

The room shifted at the question.

Not tense.

Careful.

Bokkai leaned back slowly, his golden eyes narrowing as if the memory itself carried teeth.

“Well,” he started, voice quieter now, “the boss had just come back from the Soundless Wastes.”

Even Tao stilled at the name.

The Soundless Wastes were not a place spoken of lightly. Entire expeditions disappeared there. Yokai avoided it. Spirits avoided it. The land itself was said to devour sound, memory, and reason.

“And she was…” Bokkai exhaled through his nose. “Different.”

“How?” Tao asked.

“Quieter,” Shige answered immediately.

Bokkai nodded once. “Not normal quiet either. Silent, quiet.”

The distinction settled heavily.

“She moved differently after that,” Seiji murmured. “Like she was listening to things nobody else could hear.”

“She stopped sleeping much,” Kinuye added.

“And she stopped startling,” Hajime finished.

That made Tao’s eyes narrow slightly.

Predators startled.

Soldiers startled.

Only things that had gone beyond fear stopped reacting altogether.

“We didn’t know it then,” Bokkai continued, “but she had come back with Sen.”

Tao’s attention sharpened immediately.

“The assassin,” he said.

“The eldest Ar’an brother,” Shige confirmed. “Though calling him an assassin doesn’t really cover what he is.”

A low grunt of agreement moved through the Sept-Cent.

Bokkai rubbed at his jaw before continuing. “The boss found him half-dead near the lower district. Outnumbered. Beaten bloody. Bones broken. Someone had wanted to make an example out of him.”

“She should’ve walked away,” Ichi muttered. “Anybody else would have.”

“But she didn’t,” Seiji said quietly.

Tao could already see it.

Renea standing in an alleyway.
Blood running through rainwater.
A stranger dying at her feet.

And despite every logical instinct—

She stopped.

“She said she didn’t know why,” Bokkai admitted. “Only that she had to.”

Shige smiled faintly. “That’s the thing about the boss. Sometimes she moves before her mind catches up. Like some part of her already decided.”

“She carried him herself,” Hajime said.

Tao blinked.

“She what?”

“Wouldn’t let anyone else touch him,” Kinuye answered. “Took him straight to the hospital. Paid for everything. Surgery. Recovery. Private room. Security.”

“For an assassin?” Tao questioned.

“For a stranger,” Bokkai corrected quietly.

That landed harder.

“She saved his life,” Shige said. “And she never once asked for repayment.”

The room grew still again.

“That’s not how the Ar’an Clan works,” Ichi muttered.

“No,” Bokkai agreed. “It isn’t.”

He leaned forward slightly.

“A month later, they came.”

Even Seiji straightened at that.

“The brothers,” Shige said softly.

Tao had heard whispers of the Ar’an brothers.

Ghost stories dressed as men.

A clan so efficient that entire bloodlines vanished without screams.

“They walked right into headquarters,” Bokkai continued. “No weapons visible. No masks. No threats.”

“That was the threat,” Ichi muttered.

Shige barked out a laugh.

“Sen could barely stand yet,” Bokkai said. “But he walked in front of them anyway. Then all three dropped to one knee in front of the boss.”

Tao’s eyes narrowed.

“A public vow,” he said quietly.

“Blood debt,” Seiji confirmed.

Bokkai nodded slowly.

“They swore their lives to her service. Said an Ar’an debt could only be answered in blood or loyalty.” His mouth twitched faintly. “The boss looked horrified.”

That earned a few rough laughs.

“She kept asking if they were sure,” Hajime said.

“And the eldest brother looked her dead in the eyes and said,”—Kinuye lowered his voice slightly—“‘You pulled me from death with empty hands. My life ceased belonging to me that day.’”

Silence swallowed the room.

Even Tao felt it.

Not obsession.

Not blind fanaticism.

Something older.

Older than contracts.
Older than law.

A life for a life.

“She argued with them for almost an hour,” Shige said with amusement. “The boss kept saying she wasn’t worth that kind of vow.”

“And?” Tao asked quietly.

Bokkai smiled then.

“A week later, she had them on payroll too.”

The room broke into laughter.

“She’s hopeless,” Ichi muttered affectionately.

“No,” Bokkai corrected, looking toward Tao. “That’s just who she is.”

Tao said nothing for a long moment.

He could see it too clearly now.

Renea moving through the world collecting the broken, the dangerous, the abandoned.

Not because she wanted power.

Not because she wanted followers.

But because some wounded part of her could not leave suffering alone once she saw it.

And somehow—

The monsters always followed her home.

That night, Tao found himself unable to sleep.

The stories lingered.

The Sept-Cent’s voices still echoed through his mind as he walked the dim halls of the estate. Soft golden light spilled across polished floors while moonlight filtered through the towering windows in pale silver ribbons.

Whole clans.

Whole lives.

Changed because one woman had stopped.

Stopped when others would have walked away.

Cared when others would have protected themselves first.

At twenty-eight years old, Renea was unreal.

Not because she was perfect.

Because she dared.

Tao had spent his entire life around power. Around creatures who measured worth in influence, territory, fear, bloodline.

But Renea…

Renea invested in people.

And somehow the world kept rearranging itself around her because of it.

The Sept-Cent.

The Ar’an Clan.

The reporters.

The lost.

The dangerous.

The abandoned.

His mate gathered them all with bloodied hands and quiet eyes.

---

 “Is ‘the Shiori‘ proving to be too much for you, Kagetora?” The yokai sneered. 

“He will fall in line like the others. Such a shame, yokai these days will do anything for a few promises.”

 “And if ‘the Shiori‘ doesn’t fall … into . . . line?”

 “Then I will challenge his right to call himself the mate of our Supreme Alpha. And with my niece missing, the elders will side with me. Waro Tao is not of the Clan, and without a mating contract, he has no standing whatsoever.”

 “I have heard Lady Renea gave ‘the Shiori’ the first mark Kagetora. You promised me I would be the mate of the Supreme Alpha. Are you going back on your word after all I have done for you? After the numerous times I have proven my loyalty to the clan.”

 “You know, like I know, the first mark is easy to remove. All we have to do his prove Tao to be unfaithful; you know how our Alpha is about Faithfulness and loyalty.”

 “Yes, I know all too well of Lady Renea’s obsession with faithfulness and loyalty. Those are the two reasons she rejected me, she found out about that trick, Melfina,” He smirked. “I told her if she gave it up every once in a while, like a good bitch is supposed to, I wouldn’t have to go elsewhere to get pussy. I told you, you should have let me slap her around a little, maybe beat some sense into that bitch. After she was good and bloody, she would have submitted like the rest of her species.”

 “Then you would be dead if not by my niece or her bodyguards than by her father’s idiot. Don’t let her outward appearance fool you into believing she is a weakling, Kieve. My niece is feared not because she is the Supreme Alpha but because she has proved herself to be the strongest female in the clan. You would do well to remember this if we are to make you her mate.”

 “If nothing, Kagetora, I will be the Lord Mate of the Supreme Alpha, and this foolish Shiroi will not stand in my way. I have given up and done too much to be cast aside, Kagetora.”

 “Will you go as far as to challenge the Shiroi, Kieve?”

 “If I have to, I will challenge him and kill him, then she would have no choice but to accept me,” He chuckled with his back to Kagetora, not seeing the smirk on the older yokai’s face. ‘Idiots are so easy to bait,’ Kagetora chuckled as well. 

---

 Kago pulled his wallet from his jacket pocket. Everyone watched with bated breath as he took out a folded picture. He looked at it almost longingly before flipping it over and handing it to Sara.

 “Did she look like this?” Sara and Toto both gasped as they unfolded the picture. They looked at the women side-by-side; they were identical, both dressed in a royal purple Kimono with golden leaves embroidered to look as if they cascaded down and gathered at the bottom. Both their hair was up in an elaborate style that was composed of sticks that held hanging jewels. Both their brown skin tones shone brightly under the lantern lights from above them. Their crystal gray eyes twinkled as they smirked at the camera.

 “Twins?” Toto finally spoke, handing the picture to Tao.

 “Explain,” Tao hissed, slamming the picture down on the table.

 “No, Toto, I don’t have twins. There is only one of my girl-pup, Thank Kami,” Kago smiled, then frowned as he looked at Tao and sighed. “In fact, she is not a she, it’s a he.”

 “A he?” 

“Yes, dear girl, and my girl-pups’ pride and joy. This,” he pointed to the female Renea on the left, “this is Sen . . . Sen Ar’an, younger brother of Denbe and Niven Ar’an.”

 “Ar’an . . . Ar’an as in the merciless killers Ar’an Clan?”

 “Yes, you probably have seen them from time to time and never noticed them. Those three love the shadows.”

 “Wait, I thought the Sept-cent-“

 “The Sept-cent are not the only underworld creatures my girl-pup has working for her.”

 “Who else is there and why?”

 “You know as well as anyone, Tao, the business world is cutthroat, and my girl-pup has stepped on a lot of toes and made a lot of enemies that would see her dead. Being the leader of our clan has also made her a target of scum who want to make a name for themselves by killing our Supreme Alpha. Besides, this is not the first time someone has tried to kill my girl-pup. Is it Sara?” All eyes turned to Sara, making her nervous. 

“Is there something I should know, dear wife?” Toto questioned. She looked first to Tao, who raised a brow at her, then back to Toto with a sigh. ‘Well, it’s not like she said it was a secret.‘ 

“Well . . . Well, you remember when Renea left that year?”

 “Yes”

 “Well, the police covered it up, but someone planted a car bomb. I was with Renea as she pulled off the road. She stopped and put her car in park, and got out. As… . . I was talking to her, and the car exploded. It was awful; it was raining flames and car parts. Renea was standing in front of me, so she got cut up pretty bad.”

 “That’s the reason why she doesn’t drive anymore. I always wondered what happened to that beautiful Lamborghini Murcielago. But why didn’t you tell me?” Toto questioned.

 “I- I didn’t want you to worry,” she sighed. 

“Worry, wife, if I had known that you would not have gone back to work.”

 “That’s what I am talking about. Renea, she… she needs me, not only am I her only friend. I handle more than just legal stuff for Sphere Solutions Inc. Toto, but for each of her hotels and her clan as well.”

 “I’m not trying to take you away from your friend, my wife, but I worry for your safety with all this going on, not to mention your mental health.”

 “Don’t worry about my safety, Toto Renea got me two very good bodyguards, so when I have to leave the office on business. Souta, Kanna, and Kohaku have bodyguards as well, so you see, Renea took care of everything for us,” she smiled. Everyone was silent with their own thoughts. Tao had called them to put their heads together about things, but when Sara started in about the woman in the parking garage, he had to know what was going on. Kami, why was it the more he heard, the more complicated things got with his female?

 Mercenaries, Assassins, were on her payroll, assassination attempts on her life, and not to mention three or four wards she had taken upon herself to put through school and see to their different lives in different zones. But with everything new he learned, it gave him more reason to admire her and more insight into the way she acted around him and others.

 His pack was small; hell, his clan was non-existent, so they never had to worry about the things most clans worried about. His only Alpha was his father, but he understood clan dynamics and how they worked, even if it didn’t apply to him.

 His father thought his vision was clouded by his younger brother. He was a strong leader, so he was taught from a young age what a leader had to do to be a good leader, but Renea, Renea was another thing. From what he learned, she was more than a strong leader. She was a great leader; her clan had risen from the bottom of the barrel to riding on cloud nine financially. She cared for her clan like a mother caring for her pups. And she kept great records of every event, birth, financial, and legal-. Tao stopped mid-thought. ‘She took care of the records for everything. Sara keeps all the papers for most things legal. Renea is a traditionalist, so she would follow tradition to a tee. That would mean. .’

 “Sara, if you keep all the legal records, did Renea start on our mating contract?”

 “Yes”

 “Do you have the papers in your briefcase?”

 “Yes,” Sara pulled her ever-ready briefcase to her lap and started going through the folders. “I thought I should have them handy in case Renea changed her mind,” she pulled the folder she was looking for out and flipped through the papers with a frown.

 “What is it?” Toto questioned.

 “I don’t remember these pages being signed. It was all left blank because Renea couldn’t decide what to give Tao as a mating gift, and she hadn’t talked to Aki as tradition states.”

 “And” Kago started.

 “These pages are signed by both Renea and your father Tao,” she handed them over and sat back.

 “So what did she give you, man?” Toto questioned.

 “I would like to know as well,” Kago spoke

 “Sphere Solutions Inc. merged with Phantom Point Mirocosystems, and I’m Head and half-owner of the largest Company in the world, it would seem. It also states she was taking care of Kanna and her pup in my name for my honor and that of my father, though he knew nothing of it at the time,” Tao stopped reading aloud as he finished the document, taking his father’s signature. It wasn’t a forgery, it was the real thing.’ But how, when did she find the time to do this? Renea has never met with father as far as I know.’ It was hard to believe, but the proof was right in his claws.

 With her first mark and these papers, she was declaring him her mate. The only step left was his gift to her, since hell, he had seen her father more than his own. 

She had told him once that in the Shadow Inu clan, the males gave their mating gift last. Though he had already given her his protection, sadly, it did no good and proved he could provide for her and any pups they had. Tao’s smile was bright and frightening to both Toto and Sara, though it did not bother Kago. With this, he could tell Kagetora to go screw himself; all he needed now was his female by his side. The creature within him was oddly silent but quickly added its agreement to seal the thought. 

“There’s more,” Sara stated as she scanned another piece of paper. Her hands shook slightly. Her voice shook Tao from his thoughts, and all eyes turned to Sara.

 “What is it, my wife?” Sara jumped at Toto’s touch. She wet her lips

 “This says that Renea now considers your father as pack Tao, and being pack, she is making him president of all 52 of her hotels. It also goes on to say if something were to happen to her as her Alpha Male Tao, you would inherit all her holdings, and though part of the company is still Kagetora, you would retain controlling Interest.” The room was irrely silent as they listened to Sara as she finished reading the document.

 “Do you have any idea what this all means?” Kago questioned, but was only met by silence as he continued, “Not only did my girl-pup make the contract final, she also is again protecting both you, Tao, and your father against anything Kagetora can do. No one can contest this contract now that it is signed, and anyone who lays a hand on you can be put to death under yokai law.”

 “So Renea thought of everything?” Toto finally questioned.

 “No,” Kago shook his head.  “You both know how my girl-pup is about loyalties and faithfulness,” he looked at both Sara and Toto, who nodded. Tao looked curious about where he was going with this. Surprisingly, it was Toto who spoke up.

 “So the only thing that could null the contract would be Tao himself?”

 “Yes”

 “Why would this Tao want to null the thing that makes my mate mine, Toto?”

 “From all that Ompapa has said about Kagetora. He will try to throw everything he can think of in your path, man. Kagetora seems the type he would set you up even.”

 “No one Kagetora knows or will ever know can compare to my mate Toto. This Tao will not easily fall into one of those creatures’ traps. Now tell me, Sara, how Renea knew that females’ pup was my brother’s?” Everyone relaxed a little.

 “Kanna is that woman’s child, Renea’s half-sister. Renea has been there for the girl for a long time. Her schooling in Deernesse, then abroad, of course, she would know if Kanna got pupped. But I don’t think Renea put it all together until she met your brother. Because she refused to name the father.”

---

 Sara couldn’t help but frown as she watched Renea work. She had just returned from a trip to Ontbus, and she looked as if she had something on her mind. The meeting was long and tedious, yokai and humans droned on and on about their projects and spending budget. Sara watched as Renea looked the nervous ones over with a critical eye, making them sweat more. She knew Renea loved to make her workers sweat, but it was even more so today. She had to wonder what was on Reneas mind that was causing her to scare her workers more than usual. 

“I expect each of you to have your reports on my desk by the end of the workday with all the figures correct. If I find anything wrong, I will deny any new projects. This meeting is over,” Sara followed Renea back to her office and plopped down in a chair. She smiled, seeing the box that contained the dress she had picked out during lunch for Renea. Tonight they were all going dancing, and she couldn’t wait.

“What has you on the warpath?” Sara smiled at Reneas smile.

“Nothing,” she spoke, and then seemed to change her mind.

 “Can I ask you a question, Sara?”

“You know you can ask me anything,” Sara replied, feeling a nervous twitch in her stomach as Renea frowned again.

“You know Tao as well as your husband,” Sara nodded as the feeling grew as she tried to figure out where Renea was going with this line of questioning.

 “Do you think Tao is the kind of yokai to pup a girl and walk away from her?” Sara almost laughed until she took a good look at Reneas face.

“Renea,” She started. “Tao might bend the rules a little, but that yokai is a stickler for yokai law. He would never do something like that. Besides, if Tao had a pup, everyone would know about it because you would be that girl.” Sara smiled, finally seeing a true smile from her friend. But she could tell something was bothering her, so she took a guess, “You saw Kanna while you were in Ontbus, didn’t you?”

“Yes, and her pup as well.”

“She is still not talking about the father?”

“No, but I’ll figure it out.” Renea sighed. “I know the father is an Inu, a Shiroi Inu Sara.”

---

 “It was that same night that she first met Jun. I guess it all makes sense now.”

 “What makes sense, Sara?” Kago and Tao questioned in unison. Toto just looked at his wife. 

“Well, the way she treated Jun, for one. Renea is never rude to anyone, but she was to him. It was as if she would attack him or something. I mean, Jun is crude, but even I didn’t think he would spit on yokai law like that.”

 “Me either, but Sara, we also thought he was only Interested in Renea because she was with Tao,” Toto stated, to which Sara nodded her agreement. 

Tao tuned out the rest of the conversation. Renea had found out what his brother did, and still she took care of his child. She stated doing it because Kanna was a half-sister and for his honor. To ensure that his honor and that of his fathers was untarnished when they finalized their mating. But the fact reminded she never told him that she knew. Then again, there was a lot she hadn’t told him. He looked up when Kago called his name. They would have a lot of talking to do when she came back, that was for sure. 

“Yes?”

 “You have a package. Your servant said.”

 Tao looked at the male holding a box. He waved him over to the table and bid him a place to sit it down and leave. Once the door was closed again, they took a look at the box written across the top: Ai Traditional Wear.

 “That’s the place Renea shops open it,” Sara spoke. Tao wasted no time pulling off the top and pulling back the tissue paper. His eyes scanned the note. 

I was told at the Jewel to send anything to Mr. Waro. I hope this finds the male Miss Valvo was going to take as her mate. The order was placed months ago and was to be received this day by Miss Valvo. I thought it best to carry out her wishes, though she is no longer with us. 

Ai. 

Tao placed the note in the box lid and ran his clawed finger across the white silk, staring at him. He took a breath and pulled the material from the box, and to his surprise, it was a traditional haori on one sleeve, the colors of his clan on the other, the colors and symbols of Reneas. Underneath was a matching hakama and even an obi of gold, red, and black. His mind flew in a hundred directions at once. If what the note said was true, they would have already announced their mating to the world. ‘That would mean today she-‘ he looked to Kago.

 “I guess this means she was going to tell you after all,” Kago chuckled. ‘Well, my pup, if we were playing chess, this would be your check.’  

---

Jun had finally wandered from the hovel his father’s retainer called a home. This was the day he saw her, Kanna, or the lying bitch as he called her.

 In her arms was that pup. He didn’t see how everyone said that thing was his; it looked nothing like him, to him it looked more like his half-asshole brother. Forgetting about his non-existent job hunt, he followed her. He watched as she shopped, as she laughed, hating her every moment. He watched as she played with the child and helped him eat, hating her more. 

He watched as she smiled at the huge yokai with her. All day, he followed her, his hatred for her growing by leaps and bounds for the things she did and didn’t do. When she reached home, he finally smiled as he watched the house.

 The sun had set, and he sneaked into the house carefully and swiftly. He bypassed furniture and turned the corner, catching the bitch unaware. He quickly and quietly snapped her neck and did the same to the child as he bounced from what could only be his room. 

He smiled at his victory over the bitch she would never lie on him again. He would not be made to take care of someone else’s bastard. He chuckled, standing over the bodies. He would get his life back, and no one would be the wiser of what happened. 

He heard a noise growing closer toward him, and he panicked.

 He turned and saw bright headlights from a coming car, the driver honking his horn at him as he stood in the middle of the street. Jun blinked and, with a powerful leap, cleared the rest of the street and landed in a tree, watching the house from his leafy cover. He would wait and, at the right moment, put his plan into action. For once, he thanked his father’s idiot retainer for moving him all the way to Ontbus.

---

 After making plans to meet Tao tomorrow, Kago bid farewell to Sara and Toto. Kago and Tao chatted about the upcoming meeting Tao and his father would have to attend, until Kinuye knocked and entered the room.

 “It’s time,” he stated, and the other brothers entered as well behind him, closing the doors.

 “Time for what?” Kago questioned Tao, just smirked, and turned on the TV on the side wall. 

A commercial played, then the news started. They watched as the people spoke about everything under the sun. Then the scene changed, and a reporter stood in front of the Shinjuku Shugo Hospital.

 “Hi, I am Ougi Ayumi. Today’s top story is mistaken identity. Several months ago in Shinjuku Shugo Hospital, this very hospital behind me found dead in her hospital room by a family friend was Billion-heiress Valvo Renea. For one day, the whole of Shinjuku mourned the death of our top businesswoman. Thousands of yokai and humans alike turned out for her funeral. Seen at the funeral was Millionaire Playboy Waro Tao. Later, this reporter found out the yokai Playboy was the intended mate of the renowned businesswoman Miss Valvo.

 But as of 9 am this morning, the body in the grave of Billion-heiress Valvo Renea is not the woman we all thought, but one Kutsuki Nori. A woman who had been checked into the hospital the night before due to a brutal beating she sustained from her abusive husband. Neither the police nor the hospital staff is answering any questions on how Mrs. Kutsuki came to be in the room of Miss Valvo. Nor are they answering the biggest question. Who killed Mrs. Kutsuki? And was the real target Miss Valvo? What happened to Miss Valvo? Where is she? Where is Valvo Renea?

 Police had stated no comment until all leads had been followed up on. When I tried to question hospital staff, I was turned away. The Valvo family and family friends are, as of now, unreachable. But sources close to Miss Valvo’s intended mate confirm that the intended target was Miss Valvo. Mr. Waro heard about the would-be attack on his intended and spirited her out of the country to recover from the car accident she was in weeks earlier. They denied knowing Mrs. Kutsuki and how she ended up in Miss. Valvo’s room.

 In a totally unrelated event, three corpses were found at the bottom of the elevator shaft of the same hospital. Workers have complained about a foul odor in the elevator for months, police said. At first, it was said that the company that repaired and kept the elevators operational was understaffed and was unable to send someone out to take a look at the device. Well, the smell had gotten worse since the beginning of the winter months, now that the heating is on. Hospital janitorial staff stopped the elevator and entered the shaft, thinking maybe some animals had gotten into the shaft and died. But to their surprise and horror, it was the decomposing bodies of three human men. Their identities are still unknown as neither of the males had ID on around them when they were…” 

---

The remote shattered as it hit the wall. The TV shut off. Kagetora was fuming, and the servants raced through the house in fear as his growls echoed through the halls. 

“DAMN THAT SHIORI INU, “He roared and took out his anger on everything in his sitting room. Expensive furniture was reduced to firewood by the time his anger had cooled to a manageable level. He stood panting in the middle of the rubble, his head bowed, looking at nothing. He had underestimated the Shiroi Inu because he knew Tao was the only one to release the information. 

‘Sources close to’ my furry ass,’  he was willing to bet everything he had that Tao was behind this little stunt. 

---

 “Cut Jericho,” Ayumi spoke with a sigh and walked around the news van, looking as if she was taking a break. She leaned against the news van.

 “Is there anything else I can do for the boss … Bokkai?”

 “No, beautiful, that was great. By the way, the boss will show her appreciation for this small favor.” He kissed her cheek and leaned against the van as well.

 “This was nothing compared to what she did for me. I am just glad the boss is alive and well,” Ayumi smiled and sighed, hearing Jericho call her name. “Well, break’s over, let me know if you need my help again,” she winked and walked away.

His pack always met him at the door of his 3-story marble mansion.

His three pups stood in line beside his beautiful pupped mate. No youkai could be prouder than he in these moments. His pups each bowed and greeted him with a smile, except the youngest, who had to hug his father’s leg. He frowned at his mate but patted the child’s head.

She was supposed to be teaching the pups the proper way to greet their Alpha, and this was unacceptable. But he would deal with her later, he promised himself as he kissed her soft cheek. After 6 long years and 3 pups, his mate was still the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on. 

Besides, he smirked inwardly; she did not know he had just come from one of his mistress’s homes. He had left work hours ago and needed relief she could not provide at the moment. He was unable to take her the way he wanted because she was reaching the end of her pregnancy, and he did not want to hurt his precious unborn pup. Every other bitch was disposable except his mate; no other female came close to her. She was perfect, submissive, and besides, she never left his home unless he told her to. 

He no longer allowed her to work or play at the dump of a club with those low-class creatures eyeing what was his. Her only job was keeping his bed warm and birthing his pups. He loved a quiet dinner alone with his mate after the pups had been put to bed. Afterwards, she would perch on a pillow at his feet as he went over any files he didn’t get to at work. 

---

 “Sir . . . Sir?” A voice pulled him from his daydream. He blinked his eyes and settled on the stewardess. “Sir, you have to fasten your seat belt. We are preparing to land,” he did as he was told with a sigh, then smirked. ‘We will be together soon, my love,’ Eml thought. 

---

              Renea ran through the dense forest trying to hold in her laughter. The thrill of being chased by such a powerful yokai was exciting. When Tao had called her earlier and stated he was taking her somewhere special, she did not know what to think. He had taken her to so many places since they started courting, she was still amazed he could find yet another way to unbalance her. They had been together for such a short time, and still she was stunned by the depths of his emotions for her alone. Stunned by how far he goes to show his emotions for her, not with expensive gifts but with good old-fashioned charm and whispered words of affection you would not expect to hear from one such as him. Underneath that cold exterior beat the warmest heart you would ever know. 

But she was getting off track. Tao had picked her up from her work an hour earlier than she usually closed up shop and whisked her away. He drove through the city, refusing to tell her where they were going. Half an hour later, he parked beside a beautiful glade on the Waro side of town. She asked again where they were going, and he just smiled and told her how much he missed her. They walked hand in hand down a pebbled path and through an iron gate, and what she saw gave her pause. It was a beautiful rose garden with roses of every color in full bloom. Their scent is light and airy.  Paper lanterns lit the way. Off in a small alcove sat a table with two silver garden chairs. On the table burned two candles, and next to the table, two servants waited. After he seated her, he nodded, and the two servants turned into four as they served a delicious meal, and her favorite.

Dinner was quiet and consisted mostly of him staring at her, and her blushing like a schoolgirl. After dinner, they went for a walk through the gardens and out into the surrounding forest. He stopped quickly and told her again how he missed her. Their kisses turned heated, and Renea couldn’t help herself as she slipped from his arms and smirked as she walked away from him. He growled heatedly, and she ran, knowing he would give chase.

Renea turned just in time to see the blazing golden eyes streaked with red staring back at her from the darkened tree line. She smiled, stepping backwards as Tao stepped into the moonlit area. She gasped. Gone was his tie and jacket, his white shirt was unbuttoned, and his waist-length hair blew around him. His panted breath filled the area, and Renea thought he couldn’t look more deadly, more beautiful than in this moment.

“Will you show me tonight?” she questioned with a smile. “Will I finally see your true glory, my -Ta-o?” she purred sweetly. She watched his nostrils flare as he took in her excited scent.

“No,” he growled.

“Why not?” she questioned, shocked as he stalked toward her as if sizing up his prey. He circled her once and pressed himself against her back, an arm around her waist to keep her in place.

“I want to see you,” he panted in her ear. “Don’t . . . refuse me this time.”

“You know I can’t, I told you.”

“Your father again?” he sneered. Renea never noticed he had sliced through the buttons of her shirt until the light night breeze caressed her skin. She shivered slightly and pressed back against his heated body. “But he is not here, nor is anyone else. Show me,” he growled, his claws skimming along her skin. 

“Tao, you know-” she started and stopped to swallow the moan threatening to slip out.

“I am to be your mate, My Re-ne-a. I want to look upon the real you. How many times have I shown you the marks of my heritage? How many times have I let you caress my markings with your fingers and tongue to your leisure?” He growled into her neck, his hands sliding along her sides, stopping at her hips.

“I”

“Show me,” He stepped away from her, taking her shirt and wrap around skirt with him. Renea yelped, her hands to cover her naked flesh, only to find her hands caught and held above her. “Do not hide . . . show me,” he demanded. Renea sighed and nodded her agreement.

 “Never tell anyone what you are about to show you,” she hissed, hating that he had talked her into this. As if feeling her emotions, he growled softly, telling of his agreement and to calm her. When he released her hands, he watched as she slipped a small ring he had never noticed from her finger. It was tiny and glowed slightly.

 The change was slow, as she closed her eyes, she felt the energy as it tingled from her toes and upward. Her hair grew a few inches along with her fingernails. Fangs made themselves known as they grew a few inches, and her mouth fell open as she panted for breath. There was a brief struggle within her before her holy ki stilled into a dormant state so as not to hurt her, then she welcomed the slight itching feeling as her makings’ blazed to life. She felt rather than saw Tao as he circled her still form. She knew he was taking in the dark flame that started at her left thigh above the knee. It rose up her thigh, across her left butt cheek, and up across her back to her right shoulder, and down until it ended right between her breasts.

 She felt as he moved her hair from her back. She knew he was taking in the rest of her marks on her back. She knew that on her back, the tips of the flames were red on one side with little tiny red stars that seemed to jump off the tips. The bottom flames were blue-tipped with tiny blue raindrops. If you looked close enough, you could make out the sword in the center of the blazing black/blue inferno.

“Unique. mmm. . Beautiful,” he growled heatedly, his claws tracing along her back. Her eyes shot open as he stepped in front of her and lifted her face and kissed the black flame on her forehead. She stared into his now golden gaze, looking for any disgust or something that told of his dislike of her marking, and only found delight, amazement, and desire.

 She was startled from her daydream by a voice.

---

 “Are you well, boss?” Shige spoke. Renea turned from the rain-soaked window and looked to the mercenary.

 “Were you remembering something else?” She shook her head and said nothing as he took her pulse and looked her over. It had been at least two days since they landed on Tlas Peninsula, where she kept a small home tucked away. It was a tiny community that asked no questions, and everyone minded their own business. Twenty or so servants kept up her home while she was away and were discreet enough not to even talk about her while they were away from the house. No one but her bodyguards knew about this place, and it would be the last or first place they would have looked for her.

 There were still a few holes in her memory, so she was basically running things from instinct, but no one seemed to notice or speak up about it. And from the things Shige told her, she knew Kagetora was up to something again, and the annual meeting was coming again; she had to finish things. Renea sighed inwardly as Shige moved away from her again.

 With the return of her memory came the painful tugging of her soul to return to her mate. Kami, how she missed him. Sleep became unbearable now that she no longer took anything for the slight pain in her throat. She was torn; one part of her wanted to believe her mate would do nothing to make her doubt him, but another part of her knew Kagetora made his deals as juicy as possible. Making them hard to resist for anyone.

 She wanted to return to Shinjuku to fly into his arms and run far, far away from all of this. She knew that would not work, not now anyway. Renea had planned on telling him about that part of her life when her father returned home from his trip. That didn’t matter now because he knew from what Shige told her, he knew, and everything she had set into play was working in her favor. 

But she knew better than anyone that once Kagetora set his sights on something, he either got what he wanted or destroyed it. She was the only one who walked away, but not without a few problems. Still, when anyone within the clan had a problem or needed advice, they came to her. When financial matters rose, she still had to settle them, so even if she walked away, she still was not removed from her clan like she wanted to be.

 “Return to your brothers,” she finally spoke. 

Shige whirled around, surprised.

 “I can’t return to them. You need someone to make sure you’re alright, boss. Besides, Bokkai would kill me if he knew I left you all alone.” 

“Are you disobeying me, Shige?” Her voice held an edge of steel, no room for augments. 

He shook his head with a sigh of defeat.

 “Never, boss, if you say so, it will be done,” he sighed again.

 “Shige,” she started and turned back to face him, looking him up and down in that stare that made him nervous. 

“Watch him . . . If there is a problem, you and your brothers had better protect my mate with your lives if I hear otherwise,” she let the threat trail off. “But if he proves disloyal or unfaithful . . . Kill him.”

 He always shuddered every time she used that voice. He hated that this was tarring her up inside. If Tao changed his colors and sided with Kagetora, it would kill his ‘boss’; he knew this without a doubt. And it would hurt them even more to hurt her in such a way, but they would follow her orders to a tee.

 “You can count on me,” he nodded.

 “If it comes to that, make it quick, Shige. I don’t want to hear that my. that he suffered.”

 “It will not come to that ‘boss‘ I would stake my life on it.”

 “We are only four hours from Shinjuku. If you leave now, you’ll arrive before night,” Renea stated and turned back to the window. But she could clearly feel his excitement and see through the window as he rubbed his hands together with a smirk.

 “That means I get to drive the Gallardo, right?” He laughed at her nod and quickly fled the room before she changed her mind. 

As the door closed again, casting the room into darkness, the shadows moved. From the shadows, three dark-haired males appeared, bowing before Renea. Their report was a simple one, and what she already suspected. There was a knock, and with a small sound from Renea, they melted back into the shadows.

 “Come,” she called out. Shige poked his head in the door

 “I am leaving Daria just in case you need something,” he said, waited for her nod, and left again. As soon as the door closed again, the shadows moved and bowed.

 “Tell me of my uncle?”

 “Kagetora is scared of my lady. He knows you are gone and could be returning any minute,” one stated. The others looked at him, then back to Renea.

 “As he should be. Does he know about my mating contract yet?”

 “No, Mr. Waro seems to be ahead of Kagetora on information at the moment. But that could change. Kagetora is nervous because Mr. Waro hasn’t given him an answer yet.” The three nodded.

 Renea finally turned from the window when she saw Shige driving away. She sat down and frowned at the three brothers as they stared at the floor. These three have always worked behind the scenes for her, doing things no one would ever believe her capable of ordering. And never did they question her or complain. Everyone knew they were on her payroll, but everyone thought they were to protect Kagetora when, in reality, they were her spies. Installed to keep an eye on her uncle and his schemes. But no amount of protection can keep you safe from everything. She was hoping everything she set up was helping Tao to resist anything Kagetora offered. Even the strongest of wills have been tested by Kagetora and his deals.

 She knew Tao was one of those individuals with a strong will, but also knew if he used her against him, it would be over. As they got closer, she started thinking of her statues and how it would affect them. Then she thought of Kagetora, and what he could do. After meeting Jun, she knew what she had to do to protect what she wanted. After thinking for a moment, a few more things fell into place in her mind. Her fists clenched, but you would have mistaken it as anger on her part and not what she was really feeling.

 “Kagetora will go to him soon. Did you three deliver all my invitations?”

 “Yes”

 “Fine, you three may go. Keep your eyes on Kagetora and inform the Sept-cent if there is a threat they are unaware of,” she stated and watched as they nodded. The three hesitated for a moment.

 “Is there something you want to ask? Then ask.” The brothers looked curiously, wondering if they should ask.

 “You have forbidden my brothers and me from approaching the Shiroi openly. But we have heard that you gave him the first mark. Is it true?”

 “What you heard is true,” the three finally looked up at Renea with shock clear on their faces. 

“Why, surely you have not grown close to him in such a short period of time?” Denbe spoke up.

 “Are you questioning my judgment now, Denbe?” she snapped. The three dropped their heads quickly, not wanting to incur her wrath.

 “No, my Lady, my brother is not. It is just a surprise, my lady,” Niven stated quickly.

 “I would hate to have to start distrusting the Ar’an Clan,” Renea stated, her voice now cold. The three bowed deeply. 

“There is no reason, My Lady; the Clan of the Ar’an is always loyal to the Supreme Alpha of the Shadow Inu Clan. We were merely curious, my Lady,” 

“Now that your curiosity is satiated, leave me. I have to prepare. There might be a need for you three at the meeting, so prepare yourselves,” she stated, and they left as quickly as they came. 

When she alone the final piece of the puzzle she had been thinking over rushed through her mind. Finally, she knew what caused the emptiness within her, and she fell to her knees, tears streaking her face, one hand covering her stomach.

 “My pups,” she whimpered, a pained howl ripped from her sore throat, echoing through the house.

 The maids and Daria rushed into her rooms and stilled in shock as they saw Renea sobbing and clutching her stomach as if in pain. Her watery eyes rose to the group 

“GET OUT,” she roared, wanting to be alone with her pain. After the door was closed, she crawled into the bed and howled and sobbed into her pillow. 

---

 Tao woke from a peaceful dream as pain tore through his body. He rolled to his side, his eyes clenched shut, a soft whimper, then his hand rose to his face. 

To his surprise, he found his face wet with tears, and his heart ached for some unknown reason. His eyes snapped open as a scent filled the room surrounding him; he heard a noise, but knew no one was in the room but him. His eyes slammed shut on the next wave of pain, but he refused to voice it. As it eased, he felt a warm panted breath on the side of his face. He knew the mint-scented breath as well as the sweet scent that filled the air. 

A whimper beside him had him opening his eyes again. He prayed it was his imagination playing tricks on him. And there beside him, as if called up by his mind, was the woman he had been missing for months, the woman who had haunted his dreams and waking life from the day he met her. Pain or no pain, he reached out and whispered softly

 “Renea ” Watery red/gold met watery crystal as the two stared at one another. Pain was etched in each set of eyes, pain of loss, of separation. Need was also clearly mixed within, the need to see the other, the need to touch and feel the comforting touch of the other. Tao watched as her eyes widened, and the next moment. 

---

 Renea slammed her eyes shut as the room spent all her barriers clicked into place. She sighed and buried her face in the pillow; she had never lost control in such a way before. How was it that even in her pain, she wanted to see him, be near him?

 She whimpered and stroked her now-empty stomach. She had to shake off this feeling; now was not the time to lose herself in grief. 

---

 Everyone was silent as the door to Tao’s study was thrown open.

 Kagetora entered in grand fashion; nothing about his Armani-clad appearance was out of place. He smiled at first at Kago, then the humans, and finally Tao. The glint in his eyes was unmistakable. 

He was up to something. As he moved into the room, they saw the older youkai behind him. He was seven feet in height and had to bend slightly to enter the room. His knee-length raven hair floated along behind him, his skin pale, marking him as a shadow Inu youkai. His dark blue eyes took in Kago with sadness. On his face, a single black strip adorned each cheek. On his tall, thin frame, he wore navy blue dress pants and a tie with a black silk shirt.

 “You remember my nephew Elder Doane?” Kagetora spoke.

 “Yes, I have been away, but I would like to say the clan elders and I are saddened by the great loss of our Supreme Alpha, your pup.” The youkai voice was light, almost feminine in nature. Seeing Kago about to respond, Kagetora quickly turned to move on. 

“And this is–“

 “I thank you for your sympathy, Elder Doane, but you have been misinformed. My daughter is very much alive,” Kago smiled at the look on Kagetora’s face, and the shock on the elder’s face. 

“But I… we,” Doane stumbled over his words.

 “Don’t be too surprised, Elder Doane, I have just recently found out for myself. And I am confident that she will return to her mate.” 

“Mate,” He screeched. Everyone could see the sweat beading on his brow. He fidgeted, feeling the familiar ki swirling around the already powerful yokai as he moved closer toward him. He didn’t dare look at the creature because all he could hear was his Alpha was alive and her last threat ringing through his pointed ears.

 None would have believed it if they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes. Elder Doane turned without a word and fled as if the flames of hell were nipping at his heels.

 Toto coughed to cover up his laughter, and Sara giggled lightly behind her hand. Kago and Tao looked uninterested, though inside they were rolling on the ground laughing their heads off.

 “What is the meaning of this?” Kagetora demanded.

 “Th-the meaning of what, dear uncle?” Kago swallowed, covering up the laughter that almost escaped.

 “You know I will not tolerate lies, nephew. As much as you would like to claim that yokai is not our Alpha’s true mate,” He sneered, and Tao growled and stepped forward, but stopped mid-step as Kago spoke again.

 “That’s where you are wrong, uncle. My daughter has already given her mating gift with my approval and Tao’s father as well.” Kago smirked slightly at the look of shock on his uncle’s face. 

“All that is left is the second mark to be placed and for him to mark her to seal the mating.” Kagetora looked to the two smug Inu yokai than to the two humans. He knew the slayer kept his niece’s records. 

“I demand to see this mysterious mating contract that states such.” Toto smiled and handed him the papers from his giggling wife. Kagetora growled with every page he skimmed. He didn’t like this one bit. The only way he could challenge Tao’s claim was open combat. And he did not want to take her as a mate only to show her it was wrong to go outside their Clan to mate a male unknown to him. Everyone could have sworn they heard the wheels clicking in Kagetora’s head. They were all aware that, until Renea’s return, anything could happen. 

Toto and Sara knew that Tao would not willingly hurt Renea. And Kago was of the same mind after speaking so openly with the Inu yokai; it was almost like he was his own pup. Kagetora dropped the papers onto the table.

 “This is impossible, there is no way–“

 “I assure you, Elder Kagetora, my mate was very thorough in her pursuit . . . Of . . . My . . . security. Now, if that is all, leave us,” Tao spoke with an air of superiority that none had ever heard before from him. It was as if he were Lord of the lands or something.

 “No matter what that paper says, you are not Alpha Male yet, pup. And knowing my niece, it will never happen, not for you once she hears a few things about you, Mr. Waro.” Kagetora sneered and walked away, head held high. 

Sara couldn’t hold back any longer; her laughter bubbled over as she fell back on the sofa. She laughed until tears fell freely down her face. When she finally got control, she smiled her first true smile in months, and she smiled at her amused husband.

 “Is he like this in meetings, Toto?” Her brilliant smile blinded her husband for a moment.

 “And Reneas not?” he questioned with a laugh of his own. Happy that his wife was taking this better.

 “How is this funny?” Kago was confused.

 “I guess you never saw Renea at work, Ompapa?” Toto questioned.

 “Unfortunately, I haven’t had the pleasure; my girl-pup doesn’t like for me to look over her shoulder. But I hear she is as vicious as a shark yokai,” Kago smiled. The three finally turned to the silent Tao, the smiles dying a horrible death.

 Inside, Tao wasn’t feeling as confident as he sounded moments ago. He knew there was nothing Kagetora could tell Renea about his past to turn her against him. He also knew nothing he had done up until now would either. But even knowing so, he knew Kagetora was up to something, but he was prepared for him now. The only thing nagging him and the creature within was: why had she not returned to him? After what happened last night, he had been thinking more and more about why she hadn’t at least tried to contact him.

 “Where is she then? The brothers have located each underworld creature, but she knows none have seen her. They have found every place she would go to, and no one has seen her.” 

Loud voices in the hall prevented anyone from answering his sobering questions. Tao marched to the door, intent upon stopping the happy noises, and froze after flinging open the doors. The brothers were gathered in the hall, but this wasn’t unusual. 

What shocked and angered him was the return of Shige. Shige, who had been missing since the disappearance of his mate. The same bastard who teased them with reports that sounded as if he were with her. Before anyone could blink or utter another word, Tao was across the hall and had the doctor off the floor, his clawed hand around his throat. His blazing red eyes narrowed as he growled.

 “Where is she? Where is my mate?” 

---

 Kagetora was angry as he rushed from Tao’s estate. Elder Doane was gone before Kagetora left the house. He had decided after destroying most of his home to give the yokai another chance. 

Elder Doane had just returned from his vacation and called him after his rampage on his furniture had ended. Talking to the other elder, inspiration had struck; this was one elder he had under his thumb, and he could use him. 

The other elders now knew about his niece being alive, but not Doane, since he was out of town at the time. The older yokai hated TV and never really read the newspaper, so it would have been easy to make him see his point of view on the Shiroi Inu. His plan was to use the older yokai to get Tao to see that he had no place among them. 

Kagetora sighed and ran his finger through his hair. I did not count on the old yokai’s fear of his niece. Now he would have to use that fool and his plan. He knew Renea would not be easily fooled by anybody. It was situations like this that he wished he had never taught his niece so well about the life of a Supreme Alpha.

 “Damn it,” he hissed. His hand slammed down on the leather seat. His offer was a simple one. “Work with me, Tao, in giving my clan back what we desire. All I would need is a few calls about her plans for the clan, and you will have a peaceful life. I will not even voice any objections and keep the fools in line who want her for themselves. Is this agreeable?” 

Kagetora’s eyes narrowed ‘How could he refuse me? Refuse such a simple offer? The time of the meeting is upon us, and still I have nothing. This will not do.’

 The only thing working in his favor now was the fact that he couldn’t locate his niece, so he knew Tao and the others couldn’t either. So he could only hope she didn’t know what was going on since she had been gone.

 Or better yet, she had amnesia and didn’t remember anything. The things he could do if only. But now was not the time to be thinking pleasant thoughts.

Rain traced slow paths down the towering glass of the Jewel Hotel, turning the lights of downtown Shinjuku into blurred rivers of gold and blue. Far below, the city breathed in neon and motion, but the fortieth floor remained untouched by it all.

Quiet.

Controlled.

Renea adjusted the cuff of her black silk sleeve as she stepped from the private elevator into the lobby reserved exclusively for the upper floors. Several heads turned instantly before quickly lowering again. Respect. Fear. Habit.

She ignored all of it.

Her heels struck polished marble in measured rhythm until she saw him waiting near the entrance beneath the soft lantern glow of the hotel’s overhang.

Tao Waro.

Dark suit.

No tie tonight.

Hands folded loosely behind his back as rain whispered around him.

Waiting.

Only when she approached did he straighten fully.

“You’re staring,” Renea noted dryly.

“Yes.”

No embarrassment.
No attempt to deny it.

That alone made her suspicious.

Renea’s narrowed gaze swept over him carefully. “What’s the occasion?”

“A date.”

Her brow lifted slightly. “That sounds dangerously normal.”

Something in Tao’s expression shifted at that.

Amusement.
But softer.

“I am trying something new.”

“That concerns me more than it should.”

The corner of his mouth twitched.

Then he offered her his arm.

Renea stared at it for a long moment like it personally offended her.

Then, reluctantly, she accepted.

---

The drive through Shinjuku was quieter than expected.

Rain washed over the windows of the black vehicle as the city passed in glowing reflections. Towers of frost iron and glass rose into the night while elevated Neo Shuttle lines glided silently overhead.

Tao barely looked outside.

Most of his attention remained on her.

Renea noticed.

Of course she noticed.

“You are doing that thing again,” she murmured finally.

“What thing?”

“Watching me like you’re trying to solve something.”

“I already solved it.”

That made her turn toward him fully.

Dangerous answer.

“What exactly did you solve, Tao?”

His gaze met hers steadily.

“That I am happiest when you are near me.”

Renea immediately looked back out the window.

That was worse somehow.

Because he said it too easily.

Not flirtatious.
Not manipulative.

True.

That terrified her far more.

---

Tashore Gardens sat hidden within the Traditional Quarter like a secret the city protected carefully.

No neon.

No towering signs.

Only lantern light glowing softly through trees and carved wood.

Rain drifted through the gardens in silver ribbons while warm firelight flickered beyond the veranda screens of Solar Balsa Wood.

The hostess bowed deeply the moment Tao approached.

“Lord Waro. Lady Valvo. Your garden alcove is prepared.”

Renea’s eyes narrowed instantly at the garden alcove.

“Of course it is.”

Tao ignored that entirely.

Their table rested beside a narrow koi pond surrounded by flowering hedges and hanging lanterns. A small fire pit crackled softly between them while rain tapped gently against the curved roof overhead.

Quiet.

Private.

Dangerously intimate.

Tea arrived first.

Then silence.

Not uncomfortable silence.

Heavy silence.

Renea felt it building.

Whatever Tao intended tonight, it had been planned carefully.

That realization made her instincts sharpen instantly.

“You’re unusually serious,” she noted.

“I am always serious.”

“No. Tonight you are resolved.”

That made him still.

Then slowly, Tao placed his untouched teacup down.

“I am.”

Every alarm in her body went off at once.

Renea leaned back slightly in her chair, expression cooling into something cautious.

“Tao.”

“I need you to let me finish before you decide what this is.”

That word again.

Need.

Not want.

Need.

Renea hated how much that affected her.

“Tao—”

“You once asked me why I stay near you.”

Her mouth closed.

The fire cracked softly between them.

Rain whispered through the gardens.

“You asked me,” Tao continued quietly, “what possible benefit there could be in attaching myself to someone like you.”

Renea’s expression hardened immediately.

Because yes.

She remembered.

“You are powerful,” Tao said evenly. “Feared. Intelligent. Ruthless when necessary.”

“You forgot difficult.”

“I did not.”

His eyes never left hers.

“You are also exhausted.”

That hit harder than it should have.

Renea’s gaze sharpened instantly.

Dangerously.

But Tao continued anyway.

“I think,” he said quietly, “you have spent so long surviving that you no longer recognize when someone approaches you without wanting something.”

The words struck with terrifying precision.

Renea’s stomach tightened.

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know enough.”

“No,” she snapped softly. “You know the version people let you see.”

“And what version is that?”

“The useful one.”

Silence.

Tao’s jaw tightened slightly.

Then—

“I am devoted to you.”

The world stopped.

Not metaphorically.

Actually stopped.

Renea stared at him.

The rain.
The fire.
The restaurant.

Everything suddenly felt distant.

“What?”

His expression never changed.

“I said,” Tao repeated calmly, “I am devoted to you.”

Renea actually laughed once.

A short, disbelieving sound.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No,” she repeated harder now, suspicion flooding her face. “No one says that without wanting something.”

“I want something.”

There it was.

Relief almost came with it.

Of course.

Of course there was a catch.

Renea leaned back slowly, eyes narrowing.

“What?”

“You.”

That silenced her completely.

Not ownership.

Not power.

Not status.

Just—

you.

And somehow that was infinitely worse.

Renea’s pulse began hammering hard enough to hurt.

“You don’t even know what you’re saying.”

“I know exactly what I am saying.”

“Tao—”

“I am not on anyone’s payroll.”

That froze her instantly.

His voice lowered.

“I do not want your company.”
“I do not want your influence.”
“I do not want access to your power.”

Every word landed like a blow.

“I want you.”

Renea stared at him like he had become something dangerous.

Because he had.

Men had offered loyalty before.

Protection before.

Affection before.

Every single one of them had wanted proximity to power.

To Supreme Alpha prestige.
To the Valvo name.
To Uncle Kagetora’s influence.

Every single one.

But Tao sat across from her beneath soft lantern light, looking almost offended by the idea of gaining something from this.

That frightened her more than violence ever could.

“Why?” she whispered before she could stop herself.

Tao answered immediately.

“Because when I look at you,” he said quietly, “I see someone carrying the weight of an entire world alone and pretending it does not hurt her.”

Renea’s eyes flashed dangerously.

“Do not do that.”

“Do what?”

“Look at me like you understand me.”

“I understand enough.”

“No one understands me.”

“I will.”

The certainty in his voice made fear crawl up her spine.

Real fear.

Not of him hurting her.

Of him meaning it.

Renea pushed back from the table abruptly.

“Tao…”

For the first time all evening, her composure cracked slightly.

“You cannot just offer devotion to someone and expect them to know what to do with it.”

His expression softened slightly.

“I know.”

“You’re talking like this is simple.”

“It is simple.”

“No,” Renea said immediately. “It isn’t.”

The firelight danced across her face as she looked at him almost suspiciously now.

Like she was searching desperately for the hidden knife beneath his words.

“There is always a price,” she whispered.

Tao held her gaze steadily.

“Then perhaps,” he said softly, “I am the first thing in your life that is truly free.”

That—

That nearly broke her.

Which only made her angrier.

Renea looked away immediately toward the rain-soaked gardens beyond the lanterns.

She could not breathe correctly.

Could not think correctly.

And worst of all—

A small, terrified part of her wanted to believe him.

Which made him the most dangerous thing she had ever encountered.

Weeks later, rain struck softly against the wide windows of Toto Migi’s private lounge, the city of Shinjuku glowing far below in fractured ribbons of gold and blue. The low hum of jazz drifted through the room while several untouched documents sat abandoned across the table between them.

Tao barely noticed any of it.

His thoughts remained entirely elsewhere.

Renea.

Again.

Toto watched him over the rim of his beer before finally sighing heavily.

“You should know something, Tao-man.”

Tao glanced up.

Toto rarely sounded serious anymore.

Not truly serious.

“Renea doesn’t date.”

Tao’s brow furrowed slightly. “She went to dinner with me.”

“That’s because you’re persistent and mildly terrifying.”

Tao ignored that.

Toto took another drink before continuing quieter this time.

“She works. That’s what she does. Sphere Solutions. Meetings. Contracts. Security reports. Taking care of everyone around her while pretending she doesn’t need anybody herself.”

Tao leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing.

“She dated once or twice,” Toto admitted. “But every single time we found out they were connected to her uncle somehow.”

“Kagetora.”

Toto nodded grimly.

“On his payroll. Looking for influence. Looking for status. Looking to attach themselves to the Supreme Alpha’s family.”

Tao’s jaw tightened.

“She stopped believing in love a long time ago.”

Silence settled between them.

Finally Tao spoke quietly.

“You cannot be serious.”

Toto laughed once.

But there was no humor in it.

“Oh, I’m serious.”

The rain deepened outside.

Toto stared into his drink for a long moment before speaking again.

“We all went to the same college together. Me. Sara. Renea.” His mouth tightened slightly. “And Hiroshi Tokiji.”

The name alone made something cold move behind Tao’s eyes.

Toto noticed.

“Yeah,” he muttered darkly. “That reaction? Appropriate.”

Tao’s voice lowered dangerously. “What happened?”

Toto exhaled slowly through his nose.

“It got serious.”

“How serious?”

Toto looked at him directly now.

“Marriage serious.”

That surprised him.

Not because Renea had loved once.

But because he suddenly realized how deeply someone would have needed to reach to earn that from her.

Toto continued quietly.

“She trusted him, Tao.”

That word landed heavier than expected.

Trusted.

“She gave herself to him.” Toto’s voice roughened slightly. “I mean truly gave herself to him. Her first time. Her heart. All of it.”

Tao went perfectly still.

“And he hurt her.”

Something dangerous entered the room then.

Not loudly.

Not visibly.

But Toto had known Tao Waro long enough to recognize the exact moment restraint became effort.

“Hurt her how?”

Toto stared at nothing for several seconds before answering.

“Hospital bad.”

Tao’s fingers slowly tightened around his glass.

Toto swallowed hard.

“I still remember Sara’s call that night.”

His expression darkened with memory.

“She was screaming.”

Tao said nothing.

“Just screaming about blood.” Toto’s voice lowered further. “I rushed over there and found Renea unconscious on her apartment floor.”

The room suddenly felt colder.

“That bastard,” Toto whispered hoarsely. “That absolute rat bastard let his yokai get out of control.”

Tao’s eyes sharpened instantly.

“He bit her.”

Silence.

“A chunk out of her shoulder,” Toto finished quietly. “And then he just…”

Toto’s jaw clenched hard.

“He left her there.”

The rain outside suddenly sounded violent.

“Bleeding. Alone.” Toto laughed bitterly under his breath. “She almost died, Tao.”

Tao stared at him.

Perfectly still.

Too still.

“And afterward?” he asked quietly.

Toto looked exhausted suddenly.

“Afterward she changed.”

The city lights reflected dimly across the table between them.

“She stopped trusting softness.” Toto rubbed a hand across his face. “Stopped believing people stayed because they cared.” He looked toward Tao finally. “Now whenever someone gets too close, she starts looking for the angle.”

“The price,” Tao murmured.

Toto blinked slowly.

“Yeah.”

Tao looked down at the untouched amber in his glass.

Then finally—

“She looked at me like I was dangerous when I confessed to her.”

Toto barked out one humorless laugh.

“Congratulations. That means she believed you.”

That made Tao’s gaze lift sharply.

Toto shook his head slowly.

“You don’t understand, Tao-man. Renea can spot fake devotion in under thirty seconds.” He pointed toward him with the neck of the bottle. “The fact she got scared instead of angry means she knows you meant every word.”

Tao fell silent after that.

His mind replayed the look on her face at Tashore Gardens.

Not rejection.

Fear.

Real fear.

Not because she thought he would hurt her.

Because she did not know what to do with someone who wouldn’t.

Toto sighed heavily and leaned back.

“I’m telling you this because if you’re serious about her…” His voice lowered carefully. “You need to understand the damage was done years ago.”

Tao’s expression hardened slightly.

“Hiroshi Tokiji,” he repeated softly.

Toto immediately pointed at him.

“No.”

Tao looked at him calmly.

“No?”

“No hunting him down.”

“I made no such statement.”

“You don’t have to. I know that face.” Toto narrowed his eyes. “That is the exact face you make before lawyers mysteriously disappear from negotiations.”

Tao said nothing.

Which was somehow worse.

Toto groaned loudly.

“Tao.”

“He hurt her.”

“Yes. Years ago.”

“He abandoned her bleeding.”

“Yes.”

Tao’s jaw flexed once.

Slowly.

Dangerously.

Toto sighed into his beer.

“Oh, this is going to become a problem later, isn’t it?”

Tao’s voice came quiet as winter.

“It already is.”

The tension in the lounge lingered long after Hiroshi Tokiji’s name stopped being spoken.

Rain rolled steadily down the windows overlooking Shinjuku while the low music struggled unsuccessfully to soften the atmosphere that had settled between them.

Toto regretted telling him.

Not because Tao did not deserve to know.

But because now he knew.

And Tao Waro was not the kind of man who simply forgot information like that.

Toto rubbed a hand down his face before sighing heavily into his beer.

“Tao-man…”

Tao remained quiet, gaze distant.

Still thinking.

Still dangerous.

Toto decided immediately he hated that look.

“If you want,” Toto started carefully, “Sara and I know this kitsune female.”

Nothing.

“She’s cute,” Toto continued anyway. “Fun-loving. Corporate type. Smart. You would love her.”

That finally pulled Tao’s attention toward him.

The silence that followed was almost offensive.

Toto lifted a brow. “What?”

Tao stared at him for several long seconds before speaking.

“You are attempting to redirect me.”

“Well yes,” Toto admitted immediately. “Because your current train of thought feels extremely felony-adjacent.”

Tao ignored that completely.

“You think I should pursue someone else.”

“I think,” Toto corrected carefully, “that Renea is… complicated.”

Tao’s expression did not change.

“She is suspicious of kindness.”

“Yes.”

“She expects betrayal.”

“Yes.”

“She does not know what to do with devotion.”

Toto pointed at him. “Exactly. Which is why perhaps someone emotionally available would be healthier for you.”

Tao blinked once.

Then leaned back slowly.

“No.”

Toto groaned instantly. “Tao-man—”

“No.”

“You said that disturbingly fast.”

“Because the answer is disturbingly simple.”

Toto stared at him for a moment.

Then sighed deeply into his drink.

“Oh no.”

Tao’s gaze drifted briefly toward the rain-covered skyline again.

“She looked terrified.”

“Yeah.”

“Not manipulative, terrified.”

“No.”

“Not offended.”

Toto shook his head slowly.

“No. Renea gets cold when she’s offended.” His expression softened slightly. “Fear is different.”

Tao was quiet for a long moment.

Then—

“She believed me.”

That made Toto pause.

Because the way Tao said it sounded almost reverent.

Like he understood exactly how rare that was.

Even if it frightened her.

Toto leaned back in his chair slowly.

“You really are serious.”

Tao looked almost insulted.

“Of course I am serious.”

“No, I mean serious serious.” Toto gestured vaguely. “Like ancient vow, burn kingdoms, stare across battlefields type serious.”

Tao considered that for exactly one second.

“Yes.”

Toto covered his face immediately.

“Oh, spirits save us.”

Tao ignored him.

“She thinks love always costs something.”

Toto lowered his hands carefully. “That’s because for her, it usually did.”

“I do not want payment.”

“I know that.”

“I do not want status.”

“I know.”

“I do not want Kagetora’s favor.”

“I KNOW.”

Tao’s expression hardened slightly.

“I want her.”

The room fell quiet again.

Toto stared at him for several seconds before finally muttering:

“You know what the worst part is?”

“What?”

“You sound sincere enough that even I’m getting uncomfortable.”

Tao almost smiled faintly at that.

Almost.

Toto shook his head slowly.

“You really looked at the most emotionally unavailable female in the Sunlight Zone and said yes, that one.”

Tao’s answer came instantly.

“Yes.”

Toto pointed at him again. “See? That! That terrifying certainty!”

Tao finally reached for his untouched drink.

“She is not emotionally unavailable.”

Toto blinked slowly.

“Tao-man… respectfully… what female are you talking about?”

Tao’s voice lowered quietly.

“She feels everything.”

That shut Toto up.

Because yes.

That was true too.

Renea cared too deeply.
Worked too hard.
Protected too much.

She had simply buried it beneath layers of control and exhaustion until most people stopped noticing it existed at all.

But Tao had noticed.

Of course he had.

Toto stared at him for a long moment before finally sighing.

“You are completely doomed.”

Tao took a slow sip of his drink.

“I know.”

And somehow…

He sounded perfectly content with that.

---

The city stretched endlessly beyond the glass walls of Tao Waro’s office, Shinjuku glowing beneath the slow descent of evening. Elevated Neo Shuttles glided silently between towers while rain threatened in the distance, dark clouds gathering over the Sunlight Zone skyline.

Tao ignored all of it.

His attention remained fixed on the phone in his hand.

Across the office, Toto looked up from his tablet slowly.

“You’ve been staring at that thing for ten minutes, Boss.”

Tao did not look away.

“I am considering.”

“That usually means somebody important is about to suffer.”

Silence.

Then Tao finally pressed the call button.

Toto’s eyes widened instantly.

“Oh no.”

The line rang twice.

Three times.

Then—

“Renea Valvo.”

No greeting.

No softness.

Just that cool, composed voice that somehow always sounded mildly exhausted beneath the control.

Tao felt himself relax instantly anyway.

“Hello, Renea.”

A pause.

“You sound pleased I answered.”

“I am.”

“That concerns me.”

The corner of Tao’s mouth twitched slightly.

In the background, he could hear movement.
Voices.
The distant sound of keyboards and conversation.

She was still working.

Of course she was.

“Are you at Sphere Solutions?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“You have been there since six this morning.”

Another pause.

“Are you tracking my schedule now, Tao?”

“Yes.”

“…Again. Concerning.”

He ignored that completely.

“Have you eaten?”

“No.”

That answer came far too quickly.

Tao’s eyes narrowed immediately.

“Renea.”

“What?”

“You forgot again.”

“I did not forget. I prioritized.”

“That is not better.”

“It is for quarterly earnings.”

Tao pinched the bridge of his nose slowly.

Across the office, Toto outright snorted.

Renea heard it through the line.

“Is Toto there?”

“Yes.”

“Tell him if he laughs again I’ll buy his apartment complex and turn it into luxury parking.”

Toto immediately straightened.

“She terrifyingly means that, Boss.”

“I know.”

A brief silence followed.

Not awkward.

Never awkward.

Just…
full.

Tao leaned back slightly in his chair.

“Dine with me tonight.”

The line went completely quiet.

Like she had stopped moving altogether.

Then—

“No.”

Direct.
Immediate.

Tao expected nothing less.

“Why?”

“Because unlike you, some of us work for a living.”

“You own the company.”

“That changes nothing.”

“You have not rested properly in days.”

“I rested Sunday.”

“It is Thursday.”

“That still counts.”

“It absolutely does not.”

He heard paper shuffling on the other end.

Then her quieter sigh.

“Tao…”

There was exhaustion there now.

Real exhaustion.

“I have late-night meetings.”

“With who?”

“You sound jealous.”

“I am assessing threats.”

That actually made her laugh softly.

A real laugh.

Small.
Brief.

But real.

Dangerous sound.

“I have a board meeting at eight. Security review at ten. Then I have to leave for the Tropic Zone before sunrise.”

Tao straightened immediately.

“The Tropic Zone.”

“Yes.”

“For what?”

“Clan business.”

His expression darkened slightly.

“What kind of clan business?”

“The kind that requires contracts, negotiations, and me being physically present before several people decide violence is easier.”

“That is not reassuring.”

“It was not intended to be.”

Tao rose from his desk slowly and walked toward the rain-streaked windows overlooking the city.

“You are flying alone?”

“No.”

“Good.”

“I did not say I was safe.”

That stopped him cold.

“Renea.”

“I’m joking.”

“You are not.”

A beat of silence.

“…No,” she admitted quietly. “Not entirely.”

The city lights below suddenly felt very far away.

“When do you return?”

“Three days.”

“That is too long.”

“You say alarming things so casually.”

“It is not casual.”

Renea went quiet again after that.

And Tao could almost picture her perfectly:
standing beside the massive windows of Sphere Solutions,
heels abandoned somewhere nearby,
files spread across her desk,
one hand rubbing absentmindedly at the old scar on her shoulder when she was stressed.

His chest tightened.

“You should not go.”

Her voice softened carefully.

“I don’t really have the luxury of not going, Tao.”

He hated that answer because he understood it.

Responsibility.

Duty.

The endless weight she carried as it belonged there.

Tao rested one hand against the cold glass.

“Then allow me to escort you to the station at least.”

“No.”

His eyes narrowed instantly.

“No?”

“You already cause enough attention.”

“That has never bothered you before.”

“Yes, it has. You simply ignore it.”

Correct.

“I can protect myself.”

“I know.”

“Then stop sounding like you intend to declare war on the Tropic Zone personally.”

Tao considered that.

“…No.”

Renea sighed softly into the phone.

“You are impossible.”

“And yet you answered my call.”

That earned another dangerous silence.

Then finally—

“Goodnight, Tao.”

Not dismissal.

Not cold.

Worse.

Gentle.

His voice lowered instinctively.

“Goodnight, Renea.”

But neither of them hung up immediately.

The line lingered there between them quietly for several seconds longer before she finally disconnected.

Tao stared at the dark phone screen afterward.

Still.

Thinking.

Across the office, Toto slowly lowered his tablet.

“…Boss.”

“Yes.”

“You got rejected.”

Tao slipped the phone back into his pocket calmly.

“She answered.”

Toto blinked.

Then groaned loudly.

“Oh spirits, you’re down catastrophically.”

By the fourth day, Tao had become increasingly unbearable to everyone around him.

Toto noticed first.

Mostly because Tao had reviewed the same contract three separate times without signing it once.

Which for Tao Waro was equivalent to emotional collapse.

“You could just call her,” Toto finally muttered from across the office.

Tao continued staring out across nighttime Shinjuku.

Rain shimmered against the frost-iron skyline while elevated Neo Shuttles drifted silently between towers like silver ghosts.

“She said three days.”

“It is now day four.”

Silence.

Toto looked up slowly.

“Oh, you’re worried, worried.”

Tao ignored him entirely and finally reached for his phone.

The line connected after two rings.

Before Renea even spoke, Tao heard the distant chiming bells of a Neo Shuttle station announcement.

Then the soft hum of transit engines beneath it.

“Renea Valvo.”

Her voice sounded tired.

Not weak.

Never weak.

Just worn thin around the edges.

Tao closed his eyes briefly at the sound anyway.

“You are on a shuttle.”

“Yes.”

“You are returning a day late.”

A pause.

Then unexpectedly—

Renea laughed softly.

“You sound concerned.”

“I am.”

That answer came too quickly to hide.

Another announcement echoed faintly through the line.

“Now arriving through Junction Four: Midnight Line Transfer…”

Tao pictured her immediately.

Dark coat.
Hair slightly disheveled from travel.
Standing somewhere beneath cold station lights with one hand wrapped around a phone while surrounded by exhausted travelers and security personnel.

“Why are you late?” he asked quietly.

“Negotiations extended.”

“With difficulty?”

“With violence, actually.”

His jaw tightened instantly.

“Renea.”

“No one died.”

“That is not reassuring either.”

“It should be. For the Tropic Zone, that counts as diplomacy.”

Despite himself, Tao nearly smiled faintly.

Nearly.

The sound of moving passengers drifted faintly through the line.

Then quieter—

“You waited four days before calling me.”

“I was attempting restraint.”

“That sounds painful for you.”

“It was.”

That earned another soft laugh from her.

Spirits.

That sound was becoming dangerous.

Tao moved toward the windows overlooking the city slowly.

“I missed you,” he murmured before he could stop himself.

Silence.

Complete silence.

Then—

“Tao.”

Not angry.

Worse.

Affected.

“You should not say things like that.”

“It is true.”

“I am still two hours from home, Tao.”

“I know.”

“You are making this difficult.”

“For who?”

Another silence stretched carefully between them.

Finally—

“Stop.”

Softly spoken.

Not a command.

Almost a plea.

Tao leaned one shoulder against the glass, gaze fixed on the endless lights of Shinjuku below.

“I dislike this city when you are not in it.”

“Tao.”

“I am serious.”

“I know you are serious. That is the problem.”

The station bells chimed again in the background.

A quieter announcement followed this time.

Then Tao heard movement.

Fabric.

Footsteps.

Renea lowered her voice slightly as though stepping away from nearby travelers.

“Did you call for a reason?” she asked carefully.

Tao answered honestly.

“I called to hear your voice.”

That silenced her completely.

Again.

He could almost hear her thinking through the line now.

Suspicious.
Overwhelmed.
Trying to understand him and failing.

And somehow that made his chest ache.

“You really mean all this,” she said finally.

“Yes.”

“That is still deeply concerning.”

“It should not be.”

“It is for me.”

Before Tao could answer, another call chimed through her line sharply.

Renea sighed under her breath.

“I have another call coming through.”

His expression darkened immediately.

“From who?”

“You sound territorial now.”

“I am territorial.”

“That was not the answer I was hoping for.”

The incoming signal chimed again.

Persistent.

Urgent.

Renea exhaled softly.

“It’s probably Sphere Solutions.”

“At this hour?”

“Tao.” Her voice turned dry. “I own a global corporation. Problems exist twenty-four hours a day.”

He hated how true that was.

“I will see you when you return,” he said quietly.

Another dangerous pause.

Then—

“Yes,” Renea answered softly.

Not maybe.

Not we’ll see.

Yes.

The realization hit Tao instantly.

She had not pushed him away.

She had simply…
not known what to do with him yet.

The second incoming call interrupted again.

“I have to take this.”

“Renea.”

“Yes?”

Tao’s voice lowered carefully.

“Be safe.”

The line went quiet one last time.

Then softly—

“You too, Tao.”

And the call disconnected.

Tao stood motionless long after the line disconnected.

Shinjuku stretched endlessly outside the windows of Phantom Point Microsystems, glowing beneath rain and midnight haze. Elevated Neo Shuttles crossed the skyline in streams of silver light while advertisements shimmered across distant towers.

None of it held his attention.

Only her final answer.

Yes.

Not rejection.
Not avoidance.

Yes.

Behind him, Toto looked up from the lounge area slowly.

“You’ve got that look again.”

Tao did not turn around.

“What look?”

“The one where you stare at the skyline like a warlord from an ancient prophecy.”

Silence.

Toto sighed dramatically. “So how bad is it?”

“She returns in two hours.”

“Oh spirits,” Bokki muttered. “You counted the hours.”

“Yes.”

“That is catastrophically romantic, Boss.”

Tao ignored him entirely.

But inwardly…

He knew something had shifted tonight.

Not in himself.

In her.

Renea had not withdrawn from him.

That mattered.

Even her telling him to stop no longer sounded cold in his memory. It sounded frightened.

And Tao was beginning to understand something dangerous:

Renea Valvo did not fear him.

She feared what it would mean if he stayed exactly as sincere as he appeared.

---

Two hours later, rain washed over the private Neo Shuttle terminal beneath the Jewel Hotel.

Security moved quietly through the station while silver shuttle engines hummed beneath the underground docking platforms.

The Midnight Line shuttle slid soundlessly into place.

Passengers began exiting immediately.

Corporate workers.
Travelers.
Several offworld merchants.

Then—

Renea.

Tao saw her instantly.

Dark coat pulled tightly around her frame.
Hair slightly undone from travel.
One hand carrying a thin tablet while the other rubbed absently at her temple.

Exhausted.

The moment she stepped onto the platform, she stopped cold.

Because Tao was waiting.

Of course he was.

Several nearby security officers immediately straightened at the sight of him.

Renea stared at him across the platform with visible disbelief.

“You are unbelievable.”

Tao stepped toward her calmly.

“You sounded tired.”

“I sounded two hours away.”

“And now you are here.”

“That is not normal behavior, Tao.”

“No,” he agreed quietly. “It is not.”

The station lights reflected softly across the polished black floor between them.

Renea studied him suspiciously.

Then her eyes narrowed slightly.

“You have not gone home, have you?”

“No.”

“Tao.”

“I wanted to see you.”

There it was again.

That terrifying sincerity.

Renea actually looked away first this time.

Which surprised both of them.

The station bustled quietly around them, but the space between them felt strangely insulated from it all.

Finally she exhaled.

“You should not wait around stations for females.”

“I should for you.”

“That is exactly the kind of statement causing my current emotional distress.”

Something warm flickered briefly through Tao’s expression.

Tiny.

Dangerous.

Renea noticed that too.

Which only made her more suspicious.

“You missed me,” she said carefully now.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The question came out softer than intended.

Real.

Tao answered without hesitation.

“Because the city felt wrong without you in it.”

That—
That expression on her face nearly destroyed his restraint entirely.

Confusion.

Fear.

Disbelief.

And beneath all of it…something unbearably fragile.

Renea looked down briefly before recovering herself.

“You speak like someone from an old lineage text.”

“I am from an old lineage.”

“That is not what I meant.”

Tao stepped closer then.
Not enough to crowd her.

Just enough.

“You are exhausted.”

“I am functioning.”

“Poorly.”

“That is rude.”

“It is observant.”

Renea’s eyes narrowed again, but there was less bite behind it now.

Mostly because she truly was exhausted.

“You waited here for two hours,” she murmured.

“Yes.”

“That is insane.”

“Yes.”

That almost made her smile.

Almost.

Instead she shook her head slowly and started walking toward the private elevator corridor leading into the Jewel Hotel.

Tao walked beside her immediately.

Not leading.

Not crowding.

Just there.

Like he belonged there beside her naturally.

Which somehow unsettled her more than if he had tried to dominate the space.

“You know,” Renea said carefully as they approached the elevator, “most people become less intense after rejection.”

“You did not reject me.”

That made her falter slightly mid-step.

“Tao—”

“You became afraid.”

The quiet accuracy of that statement stole her next response completely.

The elevator doors opened softly before them.

Gold light spilled across marble floors.

Renea stepped inside first.

Tao followed.

The doors closed.

Private silence wrapped around them instantly.

And for the first time since stepping off the shuttle, Renea looked genuinely cornered.

Not physically.

Emotionally.

“Tao.”

“Yes?”

“You cannot keep looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like…” She stopped herself roughly. “Like I matter.”

The elevator suddenly felt very small.

Tao stared at her quietly.

Then stepped closer.

Not touching.

Never forcing.

Just enough that she could feel his presence fully now.

“You do,” he said softly.

Renea’s breath caught hard enough to hurt.

And that terrified her more than anything else tonight.

The elevator rose in silence.

Soft instrumental music drifted through hidden speakers while gold light reflected across polished black marble and mirrored walls. Somewhere beneath them, the Neo Shuttle station continued moving thousands through Shinjuku without pause.

But inside the elevator…

Everything felt still.

Renea could hear her own heartbeat.

Which was deeply irritating.

“You do,” Tao repeated quietly.

She swallowed once before looking away from him immediately.

No.

No, this was dangerous.

Because he kept saying these things without hesitation.
Without manipulation.
Without expectation.

Like devotion was the most natural thing in the world.

Renea hated how badly she wanted to understand it.

“You cannot just decide something like this,” she said finally, voice lower now.

“I did not decide.”

That pulled her eyes back to him.

“What does that mean?”

Tao’s gaze never wavered.

“It means this happened to me before I understood what it was.”

Something in her chest tightened painfully.

The elevator continued upward.

Twenty-third floor.

Twenty-fourth.

Renea folded her arms tighter across herself instinctively.

“That is not better.”

“It is honest.”

“That,” she muttered, “might actually be worse.”

A faint flicker of amusement touched his expression again.

Spirits, she was beginning to recognize those tiny changes in him now.

That realization alone felt catastrophic.

“Tao…”

“Yes?”

“You barely know me.”

“I know enough.”

“No. You know the controlled version of me.”

“The exhausted version,” he corrected softly. “The overworked version. The guarded version.” His eyes held hers completely. “And still this happened.”

Her stomach dropped slightly.

Why did he say things like that so calmly?

Like he wasn’t confessing something life-altering.

The elevator chimed softly.

Floor thirty-two.

Renea suddenly became aware of how close he was standing.

Not touching.

Never touching unless invited.

But close enough that she could feel the warmth of him in the quiet space.

She hated how safe that felt.

Safe was dangerous.

Safe became trust.
Trust became dependency.
Dependency became pain.

She learned that lesson in blood.

“Tao,” she said carefully, “you are idealizing me.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

The immediate certainty in his voice made frustration spark in her chest.

“You cannot possibly understand what kind of person I actually am.”

Tao was silent for a moment.

Then—

“You arranged medical care for an employee’s wife after firing him for infidelity.”

Renea blinked.

“What?”

“You funded reconstruction efforts in the lower eastern district anonymously.”

Her pulse stumbled.

“How do you know about that?”

“You visit hospitals personally after major disasters.”

“That information was sealed.”

“You pretend not to care when people disappoint you.” His gaze sharpened slightly. “But you care entirely too much.”

Renea stared at him now.

Actually stared.

Because those were not the things people usually noticed about her.

People noticed:

• power,
• wealth,
• status,
• danger,
• influence.

Not…that.

“Tao,” she said slowly, “have you been investigating me?”

“Yes.”

“At least you’re honest.”

“I found no evidence you are cruel.”

The softness of that statement nearly hurt.

The elevator chimed again.

Thirty-eighth floor.

Renea suddenly felt trapped between two impossible things:
wanting distance from him,
and wanting him closer.

Both terrified her equally.

“You should stop this before it gets worse.”

Tao’s expression barely shifted.

“It is already worse.”

“That is not romantic.”

“It was not intended to be.”

The elevator finally slowed.

Fortieth floor.

Private access.

The doors opened silently into the dim gold marble lobby of the Jewel’s upper residence level.

No staff.

No guests.

Only quiet luxury and distant rain against the massive windows overlooking Shinjuku.

Renea stepped out first.

Tao followed.

“You should go home,” she murmured.

“No.”

She turned toward him slowly.

“Tao.”

“You are tired.”

“I am aware.”

“You have not eaten properly.”

“That sounds judgmental.”

“It is.”

That almost earned another laugh from her.

Almost.

Instead she moved toward the towering windows overlooking the city.

The skyline stretched endlessly below them.

Neo Shuttles gliding like silver veins through the heart of Irilia.

For a moment neither spoke.

Then quietly—

“Do you know what the problem is?” Renea asked.

Tao watched her carefully.

“What?”

She kept her eyes on the city.

“You sound sincere enough that I can’t immediately dismiss you.”

That was the closest thing to honesty she had given him yet.

Tao recognized it instantly.

“You think sincerity always becomes a weapon eventually.”

“Yes.”

Her answer came too fast.

Too practiced.

The rain deepened against the glass.

Renea wrapped her arms around herself more tightly unconsciously.

“When people offer devotion,” she whispered, “they always want ownership afterward.”

Tao crossed the distance between them slowly.

Again—
not touching.

Never forcing.

“You are not something I wish to own.”

“Then what do you want from me?”

His answer came quiet as snowfall.

“Everything you give willingly.”

That—

That nearly broke whatever defenses she still had standing tonight.

Because there it was again.

Choice.

He kept giving her choice.

No demands.
No pressure.
No hidden conditions.

Just impossible sincerity wrapped in terrifying patience.

Renea looked at him then like he was something she genuinely did not understand.

And perhaps for the first time in years…

That uncertainty did not feel entirely unpleasant.

Renea should have told him to leave.

That would have been the intelligent thing to do.

The safe thing.

Instead she stood beside the towering glass windows of the Jewel Hotel while rain painted silver across the skyline and Tao Waro remained beside her like something inevitable.

“You are staring again,” she murmured quietly.

“Yes.”

That answer came so naturally now it almost annoyed her.

Almost.

Below them, Shinjuku glittered endlessly beneath the night. Elevated Neo Shuttles crossed between towers while distant holographic advertisements shimmered across the rain.

But up here…

It felt strangely removed from the world.

Like the fortieth floor existed outside normal time.

Renea exhaled slowly.

“You make me nervous.”

Tao’s gaze shifted to her immediately.

Not victorious.

Not amused.

Concerned.

“Why?”

The fact he asked that sincerely nearly made her laugh from exhaustion.

“Because,” she said softly, “you keep saying things no one has ever said to me before like they are simple.”

“They are simple.”

“No, Tao. They are not.”

Her voice sharpened slightly now.

“People do not just offer devotion without wanting control afterward.”

“I do not want control.”

“That,” she whispered, finally turning fully toward him, “is exactly the part I don’t understand.”

Silence stretched between them.

Heavy.
Quiet.
Intimate.

Tao studied her carefully before speaking again.

“When was the last time someone took care of you?”

Renea immediately crossed her arms tighter.

Defensive.

“That is not relevant.”

“It is to me.”

“You cannot just decide things are relevant because you care.”

“Yes, I can.”

That should not have made warmth spread through her chest.

It absolutely should not have.

Renea looked away first.

Again.

Spirits.

She hated that he was beginning to notice every fracture in her composure.

“I am not fragile,” she said quietly.

“I know.”

“You keep speaking to me like I am something breakable.”

“No.” Tao stepped slightly closer. “I speak to you like you are exhausted.”

The terrifying part?

He was right.

Renea suddenly realized how tired she truly was.

Not physically.

Soul-deep tired.

The kind built from years of carrying entire companies, clans, expectations, politics, security, obligations—

alone.

And Tao looked at her like he could see every ounce of it.

Worse…

like he wanted to help carry it.

That frightened her beyond reason.

“Tao…”

Her voice faltered slightly.

He noticed immediately.

Always noticing.

“You do not have to answer me tonight,” he said quietly.

That surprised her.

Renea blinked slowly. “What?”

“I confessed my devotion to you,” Tao said evenly. “Not because I expect something in return.” His gaze held hers completely. “I told you because it was true.”

Her chest tightened painfully.

No bargaining.
No pressure.
No hidden demand.

Just truth.

Who even did that anymore?

“You are making this very difficult,” she whispered.

“For who?”

“For me.”

The honesty slipped out before she could stop it.

Tao went still at once.

Not predatory.

Not triumphant.

Something softer.

More dangerous.

Renea realized instantly she had revealed too much.

She turned away sharply toward the windows again.

“I should sleep.”

“You should.”

But neither moved.

Rain continued against the glass.

The city breathed below them.

Finally Tao spoke again, voice quieter now.

“When you looked at me in Tashore Gardens…”

Renea’s stomach tightened instantly.

“You looked afraid.”

She closed her eyes briefly.

“I was.”

“Of me?”

That question carried something unexpectedly vulnerable beneath it.

Renea turned slowly.

“No.”

The answer came immediately.

Certain.

Tao’s expression changed subtly at that.

Then she ruined it.

“I was afraid you meant it.”

There.

The truth.

Raw and ugly and terrifying.

Tao stared at her for several long seconds.

Then—

“I do.”

The softness of it nearly shattered her composure completely.

Renea laughed once under her breath, but it sounded exhausted.

“Spirits, you really are serious.”

“Yes.”

“You understand this does not fix me.”

“I know.”

“I don’t know how to…” She stopped herself harshly.

How to trust this.
How to survive this.
How to believe someone could look at her without calculation.

Tao stepped forward carefully then.

Close enough now that she could feel his warmth completely.

Still no touching.

Always giving her room to retreat.

And somehow that restraint affected her more than force ever could.

“You do not owe me certainty,” he said quietly.

Renea looked up at him slowly.

“Then what do you want?”

His eyes softened in a way that genuinely terrified her.

“A chance.”

That was all.

Not ownership.
Not promises.
Not surrender.

Just—a chance.

And standing there beneath the lights of Shinjuku with rain surrounding the Jewel Hotel like silver mist…

Renea realized something horrifying.

For the first time in years—she wanted to give someone one.

       

Present:

Renea stood in front of the full-length mirror and studied her reflection. Gone was the gown that told of her single status in life; in its place was a Houmongi. 

The traditional robes of the mated Supreme Alpha were embroidered into the shimmering black silk on the back of a silver tree. Its leaves fall from its limbs, each leaf bearing a different symbol of every pack within the clan. If you look closer, you can see six leaves left blank to show respect for the packs lost to time, and the new leaf to show the acceptance of Tao’s pack into her clan. 

Her bangs were trimmed and split to show off her mark. Her side locks were trimmed, the middle was pulled up and into loops that were secured by long silver sticks, and the back hung freely down to brush against the bottom of her robes. 

Once her obi was in place and tied, a black ribbon was looped around the cord, and tied to both ends were two fans. Tetsutsume and Tetsukiba are both made from the bones of her great-great-grandfather, and surprisingly both were given to her by Kagetora when she had taken on the role of Supreme Alpha. 

“Leave me,” She growled out, and the maids fled the room, knowing not to argue with her before a meeting. She slipped her tabi-enclosed feet into her geta and sat on the stool in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. She was steeling her nerves for what was to come. Whether people believe it or not, it was hard being Supreme Alpha. To weigh the lives of her people against everyone else when, as a Daisaiin, she was taught to protect all life even at the risk of her own.

 Her two heritages clash one way or another, giving rise to moral dilemmas from time to time, thus her need for her nighttime life of playing at Carnal Innocence. Her yokai heritage made the need for strength and power to protect that which she saw as hers. To be yokai meant being Supreme Alpha and having to use her power and strength to get others to bend to her will, and it meant having to punish those who saw themselves above the laws. 

Nothing she ever did should be seen as a weakness. Weakness in the yokai world was a death sentence. If your clan leader was weak, then your clan was weak and easily destroyed. But she had proven that, no matter what happened, she was always strong, and so her clan had risen in the ranks to being top of the food chain. Even above the more powerful clans.

 Her Terian heritage gave her emotions and a big heart. Being Terian meant being a Daisaiin, and the need to protect everyone, even from herself, came to the forefront. Using nothing but her knowledge and empathy to get others to see her point of view. Everything she did was seen as a weakness, from crying for others to forgiving their transgressions. Among miko, she was one of the strongest, able to purify a fully grown yokai in one try. 

She was given the title Daisaiin at 15. She really didn’t need anything to help channel her holy ki, but in the eyes of Yokai, she was weak and therefore below their notice.

 It was hard to balance between being both and not destroying herself in the process. 

Nevertheless, she had and for more years than she could count. Renea had given more of herself than anyone else, foregoing her own happiness to lend an ear and hand to her clansmen. Watched their joy at her doings while feeling none of her own. 

Everything became a business deal; everyone wanted a piece of the business while she hid behind the monogram RV. No one really saw her as a female who wanted things every female wanted; no, she was a leader, teacher, mentor, and provider.

 The only exception was Sara, who never wanted anything but for her to *be* Renea, a female with wants and needs who has fun every once in a while. Sara balanced out her life in a way that gave her dying heart the medical attention it needed to beat every so often. Still seeing her best friend so happy with her perverted yet loving husband made her slightly jealous of the two and at the same time wanted what they had for herself.

 Then she met Tao. At first she kept him at arm’s length, not wanting to be involved with another money-hungry male. His persistence wore her down; his charm and words made her heart beat just a little faster. It wasn’t until his accusations that she decided to look into who he was; his reputation was the main reason she had refused to forgive him in the beginning. What did he want with her when he had females throwing themselves at his feet? But she did, and their relationship moved to another level, giving her heart a reason to live because he wanted it. She dived into his promises of a beautiful life that included everything she could ever dream of having. And he treated her like the queen of the castle, never asking for anything in return.

Renea sighed as she stood and put on what Kagetora called her death mask. She smoothed the silk of her robes down and walked the hall, lost in thought.

 Coming to the head of the stairs, she looked down to see the whole of the household waiting to see her off. She looked to the stained glass window at the sun setting in the West. One of two things was going to happen today: either the clan was going to accept her mate, or she was leaving with him in tow and never looking back. She had given everything; now it was time for her to keep something for herself. 

She never wanted to be a businesswoman or alpha to anyone. But she gave up her dreams of being a pianist to make her uncle and father proud of her. But she would not move on this. Tao Waro is her mate, and no one would take him away from her even if she had to live up to her threat and kill each and every yokai in her clan to keep him.

 She walked down the stairs and nodded to all the maids, cleaners, and cooks that kept the house running. They each bowed and bid her safe return. She stopped at the last maid in line, dressed in a blue kimono, while all the others were dressed in black or white. 

“My Lady, Anfuni is ready with the car. Is there any special instruction you would like for us to carry out in your absence?”

 “If something goes wrong this evening, Anna, empty out the safe, take everyone, and run from this place.”

 “We will not leave you alone, my Lady,” every head bobbed in agreement.

 “I understand your loyalty, everyone, but if things take a turn for the worst, I will not have your blood on my hands. You each will take a part of the money here and flee for your lives. This will be the first place they will look.”

 “It will all work out, my Lady. We all have faith in you, Lady Renea, and you have never let us down,” Anna smiled softly, speaking for the whole group. Renea turned to look over the line of yokai, hanyou, and Terians. She had taken in more creatures over the years than any being in history, giving each a job, a home, and in return, they trusted her with their lives. She could not let them down. Renea sighed inwardly. Why did the happiness of so many depend on her and the choices she made? With a nod of her head, she turned and left her sanctuary for the real world. 

---

 She entered the room; a hush fell, and fear clouded the large space. Everyone bowed to her passing, some showing their respect. Others showed their fear. She held her head high when all she wanted was to look for him. 

Kagetora was the first to hug her. always. This was his way of telling the higher-ranking members of their clan that he was higher in her respect than her own father. She leaned into his hug as her eyes locked with those of her father from over Kagetora’s shoulder.

 “I know everything, dear uncle, or should I say … father.” He stiffened in her embrace as everyone looked on in various degrees of relief and awe at the two. “You will step down from your seat on my council.”

 “And if I don’t?” He whispered back, not daring to believe she would oust him from the top position in her life. He was head of the council. He was the council.

 “I will take everything you own, everything you love. Piece by piece as I crush you under my geta, then I will tell our people about your plans, and when I think you have suffered enough . . . You will be killed for being a traitor, not to mention trying to kill your Supreme Alpha.” With that said, she released him. 

“Who will take my place?” He whispered, stunned. How did she know? It was the first thing that popped into his mind. He was so careful. How did she find out? 

“Father,” She exclaimed rather loudly as she touched his face and then embraced the male she hadn’t seen in what seemed to be forever. Kago nuzzled her cheek, taking in his pup’s scent to calm himself. He had seen his pups’ lips moving as she embraced Kagetora and had to wonder what she said to him.

 As everyone stood again, Renea turned to scan the crowd, but in reality, her eyes had locked with the bright golden eyes of Tao.

 Tao felt her approach; he felt when she had entered the barrier and wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms. Kami above, he hated this; he hated that she was so close and yet he could do nothing but look at her. Kago had explained what he had to do, and he agreed, but even knowing what he agreed to did little to expel the need to just reach out and touch his female.

 He could still see her eyes wide in panic and fear as she literally tore at the tube in her throat. He didn’t need the beeping machine to tell him how her heart jackhammered in her chest as she fought to be free from the doctors and nurses attempting to pull her hands away. 

Tao blinked; that was something he never wanted to experience again. But that was then because now she was here and he was seeing a side of her he never saw before, and he had to admit. .he was loving this. His very nature was reeling; not only were these creatures afraid of him because of who and what he was, but they were also afraid of his mate. 

He would have cracked a smile if he could. His tiny mate, even in her geta, stood a head shorter than anyone in the room, yet everyone in the room with the exception of a few, stood fearful under her eyes. He couldn’t help but admire the female, his female. 

As Renea ascended the platform, Tao felt a ping of sadness that she did not acknowledge him, but still Kago had informed him of this. But all this pomp was eating away at his control when he and the creature within him wanted nothing more than to go to her. He was brought out of his thoughts at Reneas’s voice.

 “Father?”Renea asked when her father didn’t take his place again by her side. Only stood in front of the platform, looking out at all those gathered. Looking to the corners of the room, he saw the shine of knives and had to wonder what was going to happen today. 

 “As you all know, I have sat by our Supreme Alpha’s side these many years when I could. But now I am happy to announce that another has been chosen to pass this honor unto. Come, come, my boy.” Kago gestured toward Tao. When he rose and came to stand before the platform, the group gasped. 

“You stand before me as Waro Tao, but when you ascend these steps you will be known as Lord Tao and finally take my place beside our Supreme Alpha.” Kago stood back. As Tao’s foot touched the bottom step, Kieve had heard enough; he jumped to his feet, fuming.

 “I will not sit back and allow this pumped-up pretty boy to take my place and rule over the clan.” Kieve couldn’t believe it as he looked at his Alpha; the pride in her eyes was unmistakable. A scowl burned across his face; there was no mistaking that he was angry. It tore at his insides that Her Father would announce to the clan that she had chosen the Shiroi over him. He had chased after her since Kagetora introduced her to the greater pack. 

He had brought her expensive gifts to show his worth; he graduated top of his class and worked hard within his pack to show her he was worthy. And she throws it all back in his face by rejecting him in front of everyone now. He had done everything Kagetora told him to do to gain her favor; he deserved a place within the greater pack, not some unknown bastard. It was his destiny to be part of the greater and that bitch. . .

 “That is more than enough, Kieve; you dare overstep your bounds,” the council members snapped.

 “No, it is not enough,” He rounded on Tao. “I challenge you for mating rights.”

 “Kabishi Kieve, you do not have the standing or right to challenge the mate of our Supreme Alpha. You have been rejected more than several times; sit down and be quiet,” Kago growled.

 “Listen to him, my pup. You will not survive a battle with that Shiroi. Do you know who you just challenged so foolishly?” A male from the crowd spoke out.

 “I know very well, Father. He is nothing; I will kill him and put you in your place bitch. For too long you have been allowed to run wild.” The crowd gasped again at his words, and all took a step back from him. Everyone, out of fear, knew this Shiroi Inu and the one that sat among them quietly. 

“Oh, and did you know my mate is next in line to inherit the title ‘The Death Dealer, ‘ a title very few have lived to be called in any yokai clan living or dead?”Renea finally questioned, to the shock of both Tao and his father.

 “You know?” Her eyes met his.

 “Of course, as pups, we of the Shadow Clan thrive on stories of the Great Divine of Death,” she looked to his father. “Stories of his battles and power push other Inu Clans to strive to be better and as powerful as he. He might call himself Aki, but we all know who your sire is, mate. I expect no less from the heir of such a creature.” She looked to Tao, who seemed to stand just a little taller under her praise, then back to Kieve, whose brave look faltered for a minute before it returned. He would not be outdone.

 “I don’t care, and when I kill him I will take pleasure in proving that all the Shiroi are stories. Pumped up myths to make themselves feel above the rest of us.” Kieve smirked. “And when I am done with him, I will take pleasure in forcing you into submission.” He took a moment to imagine his Supreme Alpha on her knees begging him to please her. ‘Yes, that will be nice. But only after I beat that bitch until she is good and bloody’ 

 “You think to challenge this Tao to the rights of his mate? Sit down, pathetic little pup,” Tao sneered.

 “I’ll show you pathetic,” Kieve rushed to the platform, throwing a punch. Tao, seeing this, grabbed his fist and, with a quick turn, flipped Kieve to the floor. 

“There will be no fighting in this place, you know this, Kieve,” one of the elders snapped, not believing his Supreme Alpha or her Alpha Father would allow this.

 Getting his breath back, Kieve jumped to his feet, growling when Tao turned his back to him as if he wasn’t a threat. He would show him, he fumed. The crowd was in an uproar over the scene. As Renea stood, silence fell over the room. 

“As my Lord Father, this falls to you if this pup is worthy to challenge my mate in this.” Kago stiffened; this was getting out of hand. Of course, he knew someone was going to abject but Kieve was proving to be a problem. And the only way he knew was to remove him from further causing any problems. They had let Eml continue until he struck out in his obsession; he could not let that happen again.

 He, unlike most, had witnessed and been a part of the last few battles the Inu Death Dealer had fought, so he knew well of the power the Dai-yokai that carried the title held. But could the same be said for his heir? He knew the boy was powerful; hell, he had to be, both his parents were true warriors, not this playacting he had seen with other yokai these recent years. 

Kago sighed inwardly; His daughter had spoken highly of the deadliness of the yokai before him. Plus side of all this, Tao would prove himself in front of the higher members of the clan. So be it. 

“A mating challenge is to the death; the winner will take my place as Lord as well as be named mate of our Supreme Alpha. The fight will be witnessed by all who stand here now in ten minutes outside in the forest. There will be no fighting in this place, as the elder has stated. Waro Tao, Kabishi Kieve, no weapons will be allowed, nor will either of you be allowed to surrender. The death of your opponent will end the match and show the winner.

 We will settle this like days of old; both of you are only allowed to use what Kami has given you naturally. Understand. These are the rules, and my terms. The word of the Lord is the law, and anyone found breaking my law will be put to death regardless of the challenge.” Kago left no room for arguments as everyone rose and filed from the room. 

 It took but a few minutes for the forest clearing to fill up, the ground and trees showing the first snow of the year. The chill in the air was noticeable, though it did not bother these beings. The yokai higher-ups all gathered to one side, trying to avoid the combatants.

 Renea, Kago, and Aki all stood together next to the tree line, the last to leave the meeting room. 

Renea stepped forward, halting Aki’s advance, and removed Tao’s obi and haori. For a moment he was stunned, staring down at the gleam in her eyes. It had been so long since he was this close to his female. Her scent surrounded him, comforted him, and held him still as if by a spell. Renea hooked his obi and haori on her arm as she stroked his face, her eyes staring into his.

 “When you kill him, make sure he sees your face.” he blinked, finding his voice. 

“Why?” he growled into her soft palm.

 “I want him to know who sent him to hell.” She smiled and stepped away to reclaim her place beside her father and Aki. The three watched as Kieve’s father said a few words to his son and sadly stood beside them as well. 

He shook his head and stared at the ground; this would be the end of his pup. He just knew it. He had told the boy over the years to leave it be, to find someone else, but he wouldn’t listen. Now he would have to pay the price. 

Kieve made his way into the center of the shadow-filled clearing with a smile. ‘This fight will work in my favor,’ he thought with a smile. He would make quick work of the Shiroi; none could match his skill in the shadows. 

“Don’t worry, when I mate that bitch we’ll name our first child after you,” he smirked, and when Kago called the fight to begin, he disappeared into the shadows. To Tao, it didn’t matter if he could see his opponent or not because he could still smell Kieve on the cold breeze. The gathered creatures were still, silent, and the wind blew. Tao twisted around just in time to miss Kieve’s claws and catch him with his own.

 Three tiny blood drops hit the white snow beneath his feet. After three failed attempts, Kieve cursed himself; he found he couldn’t lay a claw on Tao and couldn’t figure out why. In his mind, it was he that should be winning, not the Shiroi; it was the Shiroi that should be bleeding right now. *Not him.* As the second snowfall of the day began, Kieve, in his anger, forgot the first rule of combat and lunged from the shadows at Tao. Tao caught the foolish yokai mid-lunge, sinking his claws into Kieve’s chest; he released his poison close to Kieve’s heart, staring into his eyes. 

“After this moment, we’ll never think of you again,” Tao quickly growled into Kieve’s ear. He let Kieve slide off his claws to the ground and, without regret, turned and walked away as his poison did its job, eating the yokai from the inside out and turning him into a bubbling puddle of glop that even the falling snow did not cool.

 “You all wanted to look upon my male; now you all look away. Look. At. Him. My Alpha of Alpha’s, “Renea hissed. 

“My Supreme Alpha, please… You have promised death to all who look upon your male. We do not want death to come to us,” came a cry from the gathered crowd.

 “You will all look upon the one male found worthy enough to take the place by my side no excuses,” Renea snarled, and all eyes lit upon Tao. He didn’t move a muscle or twitch under their eyes; his head was held high, shoulders straight. There was nothing in his stance but confidence and pride. 

‘Talk about an ego boost,’ Aki thought as his eyes moved to his eldest child. What male wouldn’t feel boosted by this beautiful woman, not to mention a powerful female who had just told her whole clan the only male worthy to be by her side was him. There had to be about eighty or more packs within the clan, and no male caught the Alpha’s attention but one, and he wasn’t even a part of the clan. ‘(Sigh) If only Jun would make me just as proud’ 

 “I am proud to present to you all . . . Lord  Tao,” Kago spoke proudly, watching as the rest of the higher-ups of the clan bowed to their new Lord. 

The meeting was over quickly after the fight, and everyone gladly left as quickly as possible and for the first time without resistance of any kind. 

Sara and Toto were waiting for them as they entered Kagetora’s study. Sara took one look at Renea and knew her friend was all business right now. She had heard, she had dared to hope, and here was her long-time friend right in front of her. 

Renea took the open back chair that Tao stood in front of. Kago and Aki stood off to the left side of the two, while Sara and Toto sat off to the right. Kagetora sat behind his desk and waited to see what would happen. He had to keep swallowing the angry growls that threatened to slip past his tight lips. This was not how he envisioned his niece returning to him.

 “Sara, do you remember that black folder I gave you last year?”

 “Of course, you told me to carry it in my briefcase. Do you want it now?”

 “Yes, please, and have your husband sign it if you will.” Everyone waited as the two did as she asked and passed the folder without even looking at the contents. She placed the folder in front of Kagetora. Not taking her seat again, Tao moved to her side. “You left me no other choice un-cle”

 “What have you done?” Kagetora flipped open the folder and scanned the page. Everyone watched as his eyes widened; the growls that rumbled from his chest spoke of his building anger. “You can’t do this.”

 “It is done -” 

“I will not let you,” Kagetora snarled, putting everyone but Renea on alert. “I will not let some unknown yokai version of a Terian gigolo take everything from me. I have let this go on too long and will no longer allow you to treat me as if I am second best in your life. When I am-“

 “I know what you are, *un-cle*, and it means nothing to me. It just shows me that you are not the great Tai-yokai I thought you were.” Renea growled, cutting him off and making everyone around them curious as to what Kagetora was going to say.

 “This is your fault,” Kagetora snarled at Tao.  “You turned her against me; you want to take away my LIFE.” Kagetora lounged across the desk; Aki and Kago were at a loss at what to do, being so far away from the two. Toto turned with Sara clutched to his chest, and he stiffened, feeling blood spray across his back.

Kagetora never forgot the sound of that pup crying.

It haunted him in the quiet moments.

The alley had smelled of rainwater, rust, blood, and old city filth. Neon from some broken sign flickered overhead in dying blue pulses as he crouched beside the tiny bundle he had wrapped in his coat. She had been so small. Too small. Her little fists opened and closed weakly while blood stained the cloth around her.

His pup.

Not by blood.

By instinct.

By claim.

The Inu inside him had known it instantly.

He still remembered how carefully he cleaned her tiny face with the sleeve of his shirt. How she stopped crying for only a moment when he held her against his chest. Her heartbeat had been rapid. Fragile. Terian.

He should have left then.

Should have taken her and never looked back.

But rage had poisoned reason.

He could still see that room whenever he closed his eyes. The scent of another male all over his woman. The whispered secrets. The lies. The betrayal.

The male had touched what belonged to him.

And worse—that woman had hidden the pup.

Hidden her from him.

Kagetora’s jaw tightened even years later at the memory.

He remembered returning to the alley afterward, blood still warm beneath his claws.

Empty.

The coat gone.

The pup gone.

At first he thought someone nearby had taken her in from the cold. He searched every street within ten blocks. Then twenty. He stalked through shelters, clinics, alleyways, rooftops. He listened for rumors of abandoned infants. Missing newborns.

Nothing.

Two weeks.

Two entire weeks without sleep.

Without peace.

By the end of it, his beast had become half-feral with grief.

He killed three males during that time. One for laughing near him. One for lying. One simply because the scent of milk on the male’s clothing reminded him of the pup he had lost.

And every night he returned to that alley.

Every single night.

As if somehow she would be there waiting for him.

Tiny.

Crying.

Alive.

But she never was.

That had been the true punishment.

Not the betrayal.

Not the bloodshed.

Not even the loss of the woman he once intended to present to society as his mate.

No.

The punishment was that for one brief moment, Kagetora had held something innocent against his chest…

…and then lost her forever.

---

Kagetora had built empires with steadier hands than the ones holding the letter from his nephew.

The paper crinkled slightly beneath his claws as he reread the refusal.

Kago Valvo would not take over the company.

Would not leave Iana.

The old Inu had nearly crushed the glass in his office from sheer disbelief.

Kago hated humans.

Everyone knew it.

His nephew tolerated people because business required it, but affection? Compassion? Adoption?

Impossible.

And yet the reports all said the same thing.

A half-Terian female pup.

Found abandoned.

Now living with Kago.

Protected by Kago.

Loved by Kago.

Kagetora stared out across the Shinjuku skyline for a long moment before quietly speaking.

“Prepare the car.”

The drive to Iana was long.

Too long.

Rain battered the windows while neon slowly gave way to smaller roads, old shrines, clustered homes, and mountain fog. Kagetora sat the entire trip silently, one hand resting against his cane while his mind turned over itself again and again.

Why would Kago do this?

What was so special about this child?

The moment the car rolled onto the Valvo property—he felt it.

Kagetora went still.

The aura hit him like a physical force.

Warm.

Bright.

Pure.

A Miko aura.

But beneath it…something else.

Something achingly familiar.

The Inu inside him surged violently to the surface.

Mine.

Kagetora stepped from the car before the driver could open the door properly. His polished shoes touched wet stone as his gaze snapped toward the estate entrance.

And there—in Kago’s arms—was the pup.

Older now.

Clean.

Wrapped in pale blankets instead of blood.

Tiny little fingers grasping at Kago’s expensive suit while soft happy sounds left her mouth.

Renea.

The world seemed to narrow around her.

Kagetora stared.

Then understood.

His breath caught.

Those eyes.

That scent beneath the holy sweetness of her aura.

His.

His pup.

The child he had searched for until madness nearly took him.

Alive.

Alive.

Kagetora smiled then, slow and dangerous and deeply emotional all at once.

Kago noticed immediately.

His crystalline gray eyes narrowed slightly as he adjusted the child in his arms.

“You drove one hundred miles for an argument?” Kago questioned flatly.

But Kagetora barely heard him.

He was too focused on the pup.

Renea blinked sleepily at him before reaching one tiny hand outward.

The old Inu nearly broke apart from it.

Even now…

Even after all those moons…she reached for him.

Kagetora carefully took her from Kago’s arms. Shockingly gentle for a male known across Shinjuku for brutality and ruthless business tactics.

Renea made a tiny sound before settling against his chest immediately.

As if she remembered him.

The Inu inside him became unbearably possessive.

His.

Mine.

Mine.

And for the first time in years…

Kagetora felt peace.

Real peace.

He finally understood why Kago refused the company.

Why he remained hidden away in some insignificant city outside Shinjuku.

The male was nurturing her.

Protecting her.

Raising her.

Jealousy twisted through Kagetora so suddenly it startled even him.

Kago looked exactly like his mother.

The same raven-dark hair.

The same elegant pale-gray eyes.

The same composed beauty.

Everything Kagetora once admired and envied wrapped into one perfect heir.

And now—that same male held the devotion of his pup.

Kagetora had wealth.

Power.

Fear.

But Kago had her laughter.

The adoption ceremony was arranged within days.

Official.

Binding.

Legal.

Kagetora personally pressured everyone involved to move faster.

His excuse was simple.

“I wish to attend.”

No one questioned him.

Not even Kago.

But during the ceremony, as Renea slept peacefully in Kago’s arms beneath shrine lanterns and sacred prayers…

Kagetora stood silently in the back and watched.

Watched his pup become someone else’s daughter.

And smiled anyway.

Because she was alive.

Afterward, Kagetora left Iana with a plan forming quietly inside his mind.

If fate had returned his pup to him once…

He would never lose sight of her again.

It began with that woman inserting herself back into their lives.

At first, Kagetora tolerated it.

Barely.

She claimed she wished to know the child. Claimed regret. Claimed maternal concern. Kagetora might have believed it once upon a time, before betrayal hollowed him out and replaced softer instincts with suspicion sharpened into survival.

Still, he watched.

Quietly.

Patiently.

And then his spies returned.

The reports stained his mood black.

The woman was speaking to outsiders. Asking questions about inheritance law. About Kago’s position. About custody. About the legitimacy of the adoption. There were even whispers she intended to leverage the child’s lineage for status among lesser shrine families.

Kagetora nearly tore the report in half.

He immediately wrote Kago.

Remove the child.

Come to Shinjuku.

Let me deal with this.

But Kago refused him again.

Always respectful.

Always calm.

Always refusing.

The court proceedings spiraled quickly afterward.

By the second week, tabloids had begun circling the story like vultures. Shrine politics became involved. Human rights groups inserted themselves into matters they did not understand. Some questioned Kago’s fitness to raise a half-Terian pup. Others questioned the mother’s instability.

Then came the news that shattered what little restraint Kagetora possessed.

Renea would have to testify.

The vase exploded against the wall before the servant even finished speaking.

His favorite one too.

An ancient porcelain relic from the Eastern Territories shattered across black marble floors while the entire room recoiled from the violence of his aura.

“She is a child,” Kagetora snarled.

The servants remained frozen.

No one dared move.

For that entire week, Kagetora existed in a state dangerously close to losing control. Meetings were canceled. Rivals vanished. Three executives resigned without notice after one particularly brutal boardroom encounter.

Then the letter arrived.

From Kago.

Kagetora expected another refusal.

Instead—Kago asked to take over his position.

To relocate permanently.

To bring Renea to Shinjuku.

Kagetora smiled the moment he finished reading.

A terrible smile.

The kind that made experienced businessmen immediately lower their eyes.

For one entire week he waited.

The estate was prepared meticulously. Servants retrained. Security doubled. Entire wings reopened. Traditional rooms restored to proper standards befitting pack heirs.

His pup was coming home.

But when they finally arrived…everything inside him went still.

The shuttle doors opened beneath the glow of estate lanterns, revealing Kago first—composed as always in dark formal robes, silver-gray eyes unreadable.

Then the child stepped out beside him.

And Kagetora forgot how to breathe.

Eleven.

She was only eleven.

Long raven hair cascaded down her back in careful silken waves. Her crystalline gray eyes were heavy with exhaustion yet impossibly gentle. Delicate. Refined.

Then he saw it.

The black flame resting against her forehead.

Pride surged through him so violently it nearly hurt.

His blood.

His line.

His pup.

Renea swayed slightly from exhaustion but straightened herself immediately upon seeing him. Tiny hands folded neatly before her as she bowed with flawless etiquette.

“We are pleased to meet such a distinguished packmate and humbly thank you for allowing us into your home.”

Kagetora stared.

Silent.

Completely stunned.

No child should have spoken with such poise.

Such old grace.

For several moments, he simply blinked at her while the room remained suspended in silence.

Then the air shifted.

Distress rolled softly from Renea’s aura in invisible waves.

“Did I do it wrong, Ompapa?”

The tiny crack in her voice nearly gutted him.

Kago looked down at her immediately, gentle in ways Kagetora rarely witnessed from his nephew.

“No, girl pup. But I am sure my uncle has not been spoken to in such a way in a long time.”

The distress vanished instantly.

Renea smiled shyly.

And Kagetora felt something warm and ancient settle into the hollow place inside him.

“We are pleased to meet the youngest of our packmates,” Kagetora finally managed. “And are honored to have you in our home.”

The joy that lit her face afterward was devastating.

She gave a tiny hop.

Just one.

Small.

Contained.

Properly restrained despite her happiness.

Kagetora had to look away briefly after that.

The weeks that followed only deepened his certainty.

He had not been wrong.

Not about her.

Never about her.

Kago was raising her exceptionally.

Renea moved through the estate like soft sunlight. Always respectful. Always observant. She absorbed information hungrily, retaining lessons after hearing them only once. Servants adored her despite her quiet nature because she thanked them sincerely every single time they assisted her.

And always—always—she wore a kimono. Always with a book tucked against her chest.

She spoke rarely, but whenever she did, entire rooms listened.

Not because she was loud.

Because she thought before speaking.

Even at eleven, her ideas balanced tradition with startling modern insight. She respected old ways without becoming trapped by them.

And gods…she resembled his mother.

Not physically.

Not entirely.

But in presence.

In dignity.

In the way she carried silence like something sacred instead of empty.

Kagetora would sometimes sit quietly during dinner simply watching her speak with Kago.

And every single time—that same fierce pride returned.

His pup had survived.

More than survived.

She had become extraordinary.

---

Lady Tora had once held an entire clan together with bloodied hands and iron will.

Kagetora still remembered watching her stand before warriors twice her size while war consumed the territories around them. He remembered famine. Burned shrines. Pack graves lined beneath snowfall. He remembered yokai starving beside humans while clans turned savage from desperation.

And through all of it—his mother endured.

Lady Tora had never been soft.

But she had been steady.

The type of female whose mere presence silenced panic.

Even after fifteen hundred years, Kagetora still found himself thinking:

What would Mother do?

Then Renea entered his life.

And somehow—impossibly—the ache of losing Lady Tora lessened.

Not because Renea resembled her entirely.

But because she carried that same stillness.

That same quiet gravity.

When she entered a room, people calmed without understanding why.

When she listened, others spoke more carefully.

And when she smiled—gods.

It reminded him painfully of a time before war hardened everything.

So when Kago informed him they would be moving into the Jewel Hotel permanently, Kagetora felt unexpectedly wounded by it.

The estate became quieter afterward.

Too quiet.

But then Kago approached him several nights later regarding schools.

And Kagetora immediately inserted himself.

If his pup would be educated—then she would receive the very best.

He enrolled her into the most prestigious academy in Shinjuku. A place reserved for clan heirs, nobility, political offspring, and creatures wealthy enough to buy kingdoms.

Renea entered at the top of her class.

And remained there.

Meanwhile, Kagetora quietly put the second part of his plan into motion.

He buried Kago in work.

Meetings.

Travel.

Negotiations.

Foreign investments.

Clan diplomacy.

Kago was too valuable not to use—and Kagetora exploited that fact ruthlessly.

The old Inu hated hearing Renea cry whenever Kago left.

Especially in those earlier years.

She would stand so properly at the entrance of the hotel, kimono sleeves folded neatly while trying not to look distressed.

But the moment Kago disappeared—her aura dimmed.

Every time.

Kagetora nearly stopped several times because of it.

But he couldn’t.

His plan depended on it.

So instead…he became the comfort she reached for. He helped her with schoolwork personally. Attended every recital. Every academic ceremony. Every cultural event.

When she struggled with advanced mathematics at twelve, he hired three professors before realizing she merely learned differently than the curriculum taught. Once adjusted, she surpassed all of them within months.

At fourteen, he introduced her to society officially.

And gods—society adored her.

Kagetora took her everywhere.

Clan meetings.

Political dinners.

Baby showers.

Charity galas.

Corporate gatherings.

He watched old predators soften when she greeted them politely. Watched ancient matrons whisper approvingly behind folded fans. Watched powerful males lower their voices around her instinctively.

Renea handled it all with shocking grace.

Never arrogant.

Never foolish.

Always observant.

Then she graduated high school at fifteen.

Kagetora nearly accused the academy of lying.

But no.

The pup truly was that intelligent.

By then, he had already begun quietly correcting mistakes in his own long-term plans because Renea noticed things too quickly.

Too sharply.

Once at sixteen, she casually questioned why several clan holdings had been intentionally kept undervalued for years.

Kagetora had stared at her over dinner for nearly a full minute before changing the subject entirely.

Another time she noticed discrepancies in inheritance records dating back almost two centuries.

No one else had caught them.

No one.

By eighteen she had completed not one college degree—but three. Each with higher honors than the last.

Economics.

Genetics.

Corporate strategy.

Kagetora became unbearable afterward.

Absolutely unbearable.

He spoke about her constantly.

His pup this.

His niece that.

Did you hear what Renea accomplished?

Have you seen her investment projections?

My niece corrected an entire legal department this morning.

Who else could inherit after him but her?

No one.

Absolutely no one.

Against the advice of nearly every elder in the Shadow Inu Clan, Kagetora handed her authority piece by piece.

There was grumbling.

Resistance.

Whispers that she was too young.

Too female.

Too Terian.

And then Renea proved them all wrong so thoroughly it became humiliating.

The clan had been fracturing internally for years before she took hold of it.

Old rivalries.

Financial instability.

Power struggles.

Outdated traditions suffocating growth.

Renea fixed them methodically.

Calmly.

Without cruelty.

She listened before acting.

Negotiated before threatening.

And when necessary—she destroyed opposition so elegantly people sometimes failed to realize they had lost until weeks later.

By nineteen she ruled like a force of nature.

The Shadow Inu Clan rose rapidly through the rankings. Trade exploded. Investments multiplied. Alliances strengthened.

Then came the wealth.

Gods above, the wealth.

At twenty, the clan’s coffers swelled beyond anything Kagetora imagined possible. Renea moved through financial circles with frightening precision. Her instincts bordered prophetic.

The Shadow Inu Clan became super-rich.

Then billionaire rich.

Then untouchable.

At twenty-one she took control of Sphere Solutions.

Within years, it rose from third place globally—

to first.

And stayed there.

Kagetora often sat in meetings afterward simply staring at her while pride swelled so violently inside him it became painful.

His pup.

His brilliant, impossible pup.

Naturally, offers began arriving soon after.

Marriage contracts.

Courtship requests.

Alliance proposals.

Yokai from ancient bloodlines offering fortunes, territories, political leverage.

Some came from within the clan.

Others from outside it.

Powerful names.

Noble names.

Dangerous names.

At first Kagetora rejected them all immediately.

No one was worthy.

No one.

But then…he became swept up in the success of it all.

The pride.

The status.

The intoxicating realization that the world wanted access to what he already possessed.

And eventually—fatally—Kagetora accepted an offer.

A yokai of extraordinary stature.

Perfect lineage.

Perfect breeding.

The ideal mate on paper for his precious pup.

And for the first time in many years—Kagetora made a mistake.

---

But even Kagetora should have known—you cannot cage something brilliant forever.

The fallout after the marriage arrangement was catastrophic.

Kago was furious in a way Kagetora had never witnessed before. Not cold. Not composed. Furious.

His nephew had shattered a tea table during the argument.

“You promised her away?” Kago hissed. “Without speaking to her?”

Renea had been worse.

Not louder.

That would have been easier.

No, his precious pup had looked exhausted. Hollow-eyed from overwork and endless responsibilities, yet still somehow standing straighter than either of them.

“The male has buried four wives,” she had said quietly.

Silence.

“He is old enough to remember Lady Tora personally.”

Another silence.

“And you accepted.”

The disappointment in her voice had carved deeper than any scream.

Kagetora had tried to defend himself at first.

The lineage was impeccable.

The political advantage immense.

The alliance beneficial.

But halfway through his own explanation, he heard how foolish it sounded.

So he stepped back.

Allowed tempers to cool.

Or tried to.

Then Kieve Kabashi became a problem.

Everyone knew the boy desired Renea.

That had never been hidden.

Kieve followed her like a starving wolf scenting blood, always hovering during meetings, always volunteering for assignments near her, always staring too long whenever she spoke.

But desire made fools reckless.

And Kieve—Kieve lacked discipline.

When word reached Kagetora about the females, the scandals, the hidden arrangements and quiet payoffs, the old Inu laughed darkly in his office.

“Promise fools anything, and they crumble.”

Kieve had been compromised from the beginning.

Useful.

Pathetic.

Disposable.

Renea denied him personally after that.

Publicly enough, the whispers spread for months.

And somehow—that year became the beginning of the end.

Renea slowly stopped confiding in him.

At first it was subtle.

She stopped lingering after meetings.

Stopped bringing books to his office to discuss over tea.

Stopped asking for advice unless absolutely necessary.

Then came the arguments. Gods, they argued constantly.

About clan direction.

Politics.

Marriage.

Control.

Freedom.

Until suddenly—they stopped arguing altogether. And somehow that hurt worse. Now she only spoke to him when necessary.

Formal.

Professional.

Distant.

“Clan Leader.”

“Great Uncle.”

“Understood.”

Never Getora anymore.

Then she bought that terrible building across town.

An old crumbling property in a neglected district most high-ranking yokai avoided entirely.

Kagetora called it a dump.

Renea ignored him.

Soon rumors spread that she played piano there late into the night. Alone sometimes. Other times with Terians, half-breeds, wandering artists, strange businessmen, and yokai too low-ranking for proper clan society.

She disappeared for days at a time.

Yet work never suffered.

Meetings remained flawless.

Profits increased.

Sphere Solutions continued dominating global markets. So Kagetora ignored the warning signs. Until twenty-seven.

The day she walked away from the clan.

Not loudly.

Not dramatically.

She simply left.

And Kagetora panicked.

Having her followed yielded almost nothing because Renea was terrifyingly intelligent. She noticed tails immediately. Changed routes. Used decoys. Vanished into districts beneath camera coverage.

But eventually—he found her.

Miles outside Shinjuku.

In a massive estate alive with security.

Terians.

Yokai.

Half-breeds.

All moving together without fear.

Without hierarchy.

Without disgust.

And there—standing at the center of it—was him.

The Shiori Inu.

Kagetora knew instantly.

Power recognized power.

The creature radiating from Tao Waro was ancient. Predatory. Refined in the way only truly dangerous beings became.

And the way Tao looked at Renea—Kagetora’s stomach dropped.

Possession.

Devotion.

Reverence.

Not politics.

Not ambition.

Love.

Pure and terrible.

For the first time in many years—Kagetora became afraid.

His plans were unraveling.

Everything he built around Renea suddenly looked fragile beside one male she willingly ran toward.

Then came the final disaster.

Renea sided against him.

Against him.

The creature within Kagetora snapped under it.

Violence became the only answer left.

If the Shiori Inu vanished—perhaps things could still be repaired.

Perhaps she would come home.

Perhaps—

Fool.

The battle itself barely registered afterward.

Only fragments remained.

Claws.

Blood.

Cracking marble.

Renea screaming.

Then pain.

Blinding pain.

Kagetora found himself collapsed on the floor staring upward while the world spun strangely around him.

How had it come to this?

How had everything fallen apart so completely?

One Shori Inu.

One male.

And suddenly the empire he crafted around his precious pup no longer belonged to him.

Then realization struck harder than the wounds.

She knew.

The thought rolled endlessly through his mind.

She knew.

Renea had known the truth.

Known he was her father.

Known all along.

And never said anything.

The disgust in her eyes when she looked at him nearly killed him faster than the injuries.

Not anger.

Not hatred.

Disgust.

As though he had become something rotten.

Something beneath her.

He wanted to tell everyone then.

Wanted to rip the truth open in front of Kago.

In front of Tao.

In front of the Terians and yokai and half-breeds alike.

Mine.

She is mine.

My daughter.

My pup.

But the strength never came.

Instead, he watched her run straight into Tao Waro’s arms.

Watched the Shiori Inu hold her with unbearable gentleness.

And Kagetora finally understood.

He had spent years trying to possess what Tao simply loved.

The realization hollowed him out.

Then darkness took him.

---

The next thing Renea heard was the physician’s quiet voice somewhere far away.

“I am truly sorry, Lady Valvo. Your Great Uncle did not respond to treatment. I am afraid he has passed on.”

The room became silent.

Renea stared at the body lying across the grey pine flooring.

Blood slowly spread beneath him in dark ribbons.

Her breathing stopped.

Then her knees gave out entirely.

Tao caught her before she struck the floor.

She looked impossibly small in that moment despite all her power.

Shige moved immediately, calm and practiced.

“The boss just fainted,” he said quickly while checking her pulse. “Stress. Recently waking from her coma. And now this.”

Tao held Renea tighter.

“She just needs rest, Mr. Waro.”

 At Tao’s Estate, he, his father, and Kago watched as Renea stood off to their own side of the room. It was Kago who approached his silent daughter as she watched the snowfall. 

Her driver had taken the emotional Sara and Toto home to get cleaned up and rest. The next few weeks were going to be long and hard to get Aki’s company back up and running. She was pulled from her thoughts of meetings to come by the gentle voice of her father.

 “Was it true?” She watched Kago’s reflection in the frosted window. It was his eyes she knew. The eyes of his mother, Kagetora’s. When her eyes looked so much closer to Kagetora than his.

 “Why is it so important?” she hissed, upset he would ask again. Both Tao and his father turned to the pair. 

“Tell me,” Kago spat at his daughter to face him, his look demanding answers. “Was it true?” 

“Yes,” she said softly, looking down and away.

 “How long have you known?” he was shocked she would keep this from him.

 “Do you remember what my third minor was in college?”

 “Genetics”

 “I wanted to know how close we were genetically since you gave me your blood. If my changes were more than just physical,” she sighed

 “Why Kagetora?”

 “You were off on that business trip, remember, and he was my closest relative”

 “And you never told me! . . . did you tell him?”

 “No”

 “Why?” he had to know.

 “Did I ever question why you took me in?  A half-Terrian child no one wanted? You found me in the trash for God’s sake,” she snarled.

 “Girl-pup,” Kago stepped closer, and Renea took a step back until her back was against the window.

 “He was no one, nothing.” Her voice cracked. “ I have one father; one male raised me, wanted me, and encouraged me. Why would I need another?” 

“Girl-pup,” he didn’t want to upset her, only to find out the truth. Kago knew this was getting out of hand.

 “You remembered what happened with that woman. When she found us?” she questioned.

 “Yes, I hated what she did to us, too, you, my girl-pup,” he stroked her face. “But that doesn’t explain why you never told me.” He was shocked at the pain that moved across her face before she went blank.

 “I did not want you to give me away,” a gasp floated around the room; again she didn’t meet his eyes, afraid of what she might see.

 “Look at me, my girl-pup,” he demanded in that fatherly voice. After a minute she did, and Kago sighed, looking into her blank stare. ‘Has our relationship fallen so far? Will I ever be able to fix it?’

 “Since that day I looked into those eyes of yours, everything within me knew you were mine. I could never have given you up. Never. Why would you even think such a thing?”

 “You lie,” she hissed, snatching away.

 “Will you forever hold that over my head? Will I ever receive forgiveness for my brief moment of insanity?” he was close to tears.

 “I-“

 “Enough… Dinner should be ready by now,” Tao finally spoke up. This was getting them nowhere.

 “I should change. Are my clothes here as well?”

 “Of course, they are being cleaned.”

 “Hm, I’ll check with the brothers. Then I think I’ll turn in for the night”

 “Goodnight,” both Aki and Kago spoke at the same time. But Kago looked at his daughter so longingly it almost broke the other male’s heart. 

“Goodnight, Father, Aki, mate,” she turned to leave but was stopped by Tao’s hand on her arm.

 “Can you find your way?” he searched her face. Once again, reassuring his beast that she was there.

 “Of course”

 “Sleep well, my mate,” he kissed her softly when everything within him screamed for him to take her away right now. To prove this was no dream. But he still had business to discuss with Kago and needed his own father to bear witness. 

Kago sighed, watching his pup walk up the stairs before turning to Tao and asking what he wanted to talk about. After she turned the corner, they entered the dining room. 

 Renea found the brothers hard at work in their new workroom. She laughed inwardly as she watched them. She stopped, taking in the room. This had to be a whole wing. It was eight times the size of their room in the jewel. And that was half the penthouse. Bookshelves lined one side. 

Seven doors, each done a different way. The other side had more screens than she had ever seen in one place, connecting to some kind of workstation.  With an overly large keyboard, Yoshike rolled into view. Overly large headphones playing that trance music she knew. And chewing gum. 

Next, she saw Shige pouring over faxes and sharpening his nails to that lethal point.

 Bokkai, of course, yelling at Ichi about eating something. Yeah, she still couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact he was a cannibal. But he was laughing and showing off his teeth.

The twins Hajime and Kinuye had their heads together at a large white broad writing and erasing ideas under pictures. Then there was Seiji, the tiniest of the group. She saw him looking right at her as he always did since she saved his life so long ago.

 Wide-eyed, heart racing in his chest. He swallowed slowly; she saw it. He approached quietly, as if not to scare her off. 

 “I knew it. I knew you would not die so easily, boss.” The tiny man approached her.

 “My ever faithful Seiji,” she purred, stroking his bald head. Before taking a seat at the head of the conference table. 

“Well, boys, anything new on Eml?” 

After an hour of hearing no leads from the brothers.

 Renea found her way to Tao’s room. Where his scent was the strongest. She smiled, seeing her bed and, if she wasn’t mistaken, a few of her other things on his dresser. Even her vanity table had been added to the room. She stripped off her robes and slid into one of his dress shirts. A true smile donned her face seeing her silver satin sheets waiting for her.

 Three hours later, she was awakened from her light sleep by Tao entering the room. 

He stood there for the longest time watching her watch him. He still couldn’t get over that this felt like a dream he had a million times before. For almost a year he waited and hungered for this moment. And there she was waiting for him like so many times before. Waiting and watching. He did the only thing he could think of, stripped down to his boxers and slipped into bed beside her. He didn’t want to wake up from this dream.

 “Why me?” he questioned her like so many times before.

 “For once I was greedy.” he paused this…this wasn’t a dream. He again soothed the creature within him. 

“Greedy?” he questioned back.

 “Getora always asked with which heart did I make the decision? The heart of the Supreme Alpha or the heart of a female? But with you, there is no distinction between them. None could lose you. I could never give you up, Tao. I am greedy.” The passion in her voice. It was almost like she told him she loved him. Tao didn’t know what to say; he was stunned.

 “I could never lose the way you make me feel. The way you make me want more, need more.”

 “What more could you want, need . . . you have everything?”

 “Pack. . . all I’ve ever wanted is pack Tao.” That night flashed through his mind, her words, his promise. Their eyes met

 “That night—”

 “Uncle Kagetora gave me an ultimatum. I have never outwardly defied Kagetora. The greatest thing I ever did was walk away from the clan. For a moment I was tempted to give in to his demands,” she laughed.

 “What changed?” he had to know. He wanted this to end differently than any dream he had… ‘Say me; say it was me that changed your mind.‘ She was silent for the longest time, her head tilted in that way he knew she was studying him as if looking for something. Waiting for something.

 “You . . . you promised me things no other male before ever did. You who made me feel like an ordinary female,” she touched his face softly. “Even not knowing the true status you gave yourself to me, cared for me, respected me, loved me for no other reason than that I was Renea.” Tao turned on his side to face her, a smile painted on his face.

 “What would you have done if you returned to find this Tao with another?” he smirked.

 “I would have killed you both,” he raised a brow at her serious tone. How he loved the fire within her. Kami, how had he been with her for so long and not noticed? He should have noticed under that soft and silky appearance something so primal burned. 

“Do you think this Tao would be so easy to kill, my little mate?”

 “No…but an easy enough feat for this Renea . . . like this.” Tao blinked, finding himself on his back with Renea straddling his chest, a straight razor at his throat. He didn’t try to stop the aroused growl that rumbled from deep within him. His eyes flashed red hot for a moment, the markings on his face jagged. Oh, he loved her sweet, soft side and found it oh so sexy, but this… this was something else; it sent him into a pleasure-filled zone unlike any other he ever experienced before.

 “Does it turn you on to know I could kill you before you take a breath?” she purred.

 “Yes,” he growled, never breaking eye contact.

 “You would give yourself to another knowing you are mine?” she snarled. “I would slit your throat while you’re in the whore and bathe her in your blood,” she growled. Tao couldn’t help it; he knew she was serious. The flash of her eyes, the tensing of her muscles- but damn it, her viciousness had him harder than he had ever been in life.

 Just something about this new side of her; she was a goddess untamed and raw. Hell, he knew she was dangerous; the brothers had been more than happy to tell him about how she came about them. Why they pledged their life to her. The darker side of his nature was dying in ecstasy at her possessive and vicious act. But he had upset her long enough; it was time to put an end to this before things got out of control. 

“There will never be another for me . . . only you,” he purred. Not noticing when she slid the razor back into its hiding place. 

“Good,” she purred back before kissing his chin, then her lips moved across his mouth in a blazing kiss that left them both breathless. 

                        

Verdant Canopy City lived up to its name.

The city rose in layers through colossal tropical trees so ancient their trunks looked like living mountains. Bridges woven from solar balsa wood connected terraces wrapped in flowering vines, glowing lanterns, and hanging gardens. Warm rain mist drifted through the air while distant music and market chatter echoed from lower levels hidden beneath the emerald canopy.

Tao watched Renea from beside the open-air transport as they arrived at his estate.

She tilted her head upward slightly, dark eyes tracking the layered architecture built directly into the living forest itself.

Beautiful.

Not because she smiled.

Because she looked peaceful for exactly three seconds.

Then the businesswoman returned.

“How structurally unsound,” she murmured.

Tao barked out a laugh.

“It has survived four typhoon seasons.”

“That explains why the left bridge leans.”

“It does not lean.”

“It absolutely leans.”

Tao’s Inu preened shamelessly at the sound of her teasing.

The estate servants greeted them at the entrance shortly after, bowing respectfully beneath carved archways draped in flowering vines and glowing lantern moss.

“Waro-sama.”

Tao nodded once before glancing toward Renea.

And immediately realized he was about to embarrass himself.

Because the moment one of the older Inu servants addressed Renea politely in Phey—

Renea answered fluently.

Tao stared.

The elderly servant’s eyes widened in delight.

And suddenly all of them were talking at once.

Rapidly.

In Phey.

Tao stood there in stunned silence while Renea smoothly greeted servant after servant in the old Inu dialect, her pronunciation carrying the softer Terian influence but still elegant enough to earn visible approval.

One elderly woman outright grabbed Renea’s hands with watery eyes and started speaking emotionally.

Renea immediately softened.

“Ah…no, no,” she answered gently in Phey. “You honor me too much.”

Tao caught maybe every sixth word.

Barely.

His ears flattened slightly.

Renea noticed instantly.

That dangerous female looked directly at him while still speaking fluent Phey and had the audacity to smile.

“You are doing that on purpose,” Tao accused in common tongue.

One of the younger servants gasped in horror.

Renea laughed softly.

“I am simply communicating.”

“With my staff.”

“They seem lovely.”

Traitorous servants immediately sided with her.

Tao narrowed his eyes.

Renea’s smile widened just slightly before she shifted back into Phey effortlessly.

And Tao—

Tao struggled.

Not because he did not know the language.

But because Renea somehow sounded more natural speaking to his people than he did after years away handling corporate affairs in Shinjuku.

Humiliating.

His Inu was offended.

His mate was magnificent.

A terrible combination.

Eventually the servants dispersed after much excited whispering about their “gentle terrifying mistress,” leaving Tao and Renea alone along one of the upper garden walkways.

Warm tropical wind stirred through the massive leaves overhead.

“You enjoyed that far too much,” Tao muttered.

Renea looked entirely unrepentant. “Your face was priceless.”

“You sabotaged me in my own territory.”

“You survived.”

Barely.

Tao moved beside her as they walked through the glowing gardens, watching lantern light catch along her skin.

“You never told me you spoke Phey that well.”

Renea’s expression shifted slightly.

“I learned young.”

“For business?”

A pause.

Then quieter—

“For survival.”

Tao looked at her immediately.

Renea rested one hand against the carved railing overlooking the endless green below.

“When I was younger,” she said softly, “people spoke more honestly when they thought I could not understand them.”

Something sharp moved through Tao’s chest.

Of course.

Renea learned languages like weapons.
Like shields.
Like survival.

“How many do you speak?” he asked carefully.

Renea shrugged slightly. “Enough.”

That answer told him everything.

They continued walking in silence for a while until they reached the lower servant gardens.

And there—

Tao saw something he would never forget.

A very old Inu groundskeeper stood among the flowering tiger lilies near the water terraces. His fur had long since silvered with age, one leg damaged enough to force him to lean heavily on a carved cane.

The old servant noticed Tao immediately and bowed awkwardly.

But before he could lower himself fully—

Renea moved.

Quickly.

Naturally.

She caught the elderly Inu gently by the arms before he strained himself further.

“No,” she said softly in Phey. “Please do not hurt yourself for ceremony.”

The old servant froze.

Tao froze too.

Because Renea’s voice had changed.

Gone softer than he had ever heard it.

The old Inu looked embarrassed. “Forgive me, little mistress. I am old now.”

And Tao watched the impossible happen.

Renea knelt.

Immediately.

Without hesitation.
Without pride.
Without concern for the expensive fabric touching damp stone.

She adjusted the old servant’s grip on the cane carefully before looking up at him with quiet concern.

“You are injured.”

“It is old.”

“That does not mean it stopped hurting.”

The old Inu’s eyes watered instantly.

Tao felt something deep inside himself tighten painfully.

Renea looked over the damaged brace wrapped poorly beneath the servant’s clothing with focused attention.

“You compensated incorrectly,” she murmured. “Your hip is carrying the strain now.”

The old servant blinked at her in shock.

“How…”

“You favor your left side before you step.”

Simple.

Observant.

Gentle.

Tao watched her loosen the brace carefully and retighten it properly herself.

Not a single trace of disgust.
Not impatience.
Not distance.

Just care.

Pure care.

And then—

The thing that undid Tao completely.

The old Inu’s hands trembled slightly from age.

Renea noticed immediately.

So without thinking—

She steadied his hands inside hers.

Warmly.
Carefully.

Like his weakness was not shameful.

The old servant broke.

Tears slipped quietly down weathered cheeks as he whispered something broken in Inu Tao, barely caught.

“She reminds me of the old ways.”

Tao stopped breathing for a moment.

Because Renea looked startled by the tears.

As though she had done nothing remarkable.

As though kneeling in the dirt to care for someone others overlooked was ordinary.

And maybe for her—

It was.

Tao stood there beneath the glowing tropical lanterns watching his mate comfort an aging servant with the same quiet tenderness she offered wounded assassins and broken mercenaries.

No performance.
No audience.
No gain.

Just Renea.

And suddenly Tao felt fiercely, overwhelmingly proud.

Not of possessing her.

Never that.

Proud that somehow—
Some impossible, sacred way—

He had become worthy of standing beside her.

Renea stood beside the aged servant patiently after adjusting his brace.

“Now,” she said softly in Phey, “how about some tea? I do not know my way to the kitchen just yet.”

The old Inu blinked at her.

Then slowly, almost shyly, he offered her his hand.

Renea took it immediately.

No hesitation.

No discomfort.

Just warm acceptance as the elderly servant carefully led her along the stone garden paths beneath glowing lantern moss and hanging tropical flowers.

Tao remained behind for a moment.

Watching.

The old servant shuffled slowly beside her, speaking in weathered Phey about ancient customs and older days. About Verdant harvest festivals held beneath the canopy lights. About Inu courtship rituals, long abandoned by younger generations.

And Renea listened.

Actually listened.

Not the polite listening of powerful people waiting for their turn to speak.

No.

She listened as his memories mattered.

Like old traditions were treasures instead of inconveniences.

Tao felt pride rise in his chest so fiercely it almost hurt.

The kitchen doors slid open shortly after.

Warm light and the scent of herbs, citrus, and fresh bread spilled outward immediately. Several servants looked up at once in shock before hurriedly straightening.

The elderly servant puffed slightly with importance.

“The lady and I have come for tea, Martha,” he announced proudly. “That amazing sun tea would be delightful.”

A kindly older maid looked between them in visible astonishment.

“Of course,” Martha answered quickly.

Her eyes lingered openly on Renea.

Curious.
Warm.
Disbelieving.

“Cold or hot, my Lady?” she asked respectfully.

“Cold, please, Martha,” Renea answered with a small smile. “And if you do not mind, one for Tao. He should be along shortly.”

Martha nearly melted on the spot.

The servants had been whispering all morning about Lady Renea.

The terrifying businesswoman from Shinjuku.
The female with entire clans at her command.
The rumored corporate devil with blood laws and assassins in her orbit.

And yet—

Here she was in the kitchens helping old servants sit down for tea.

Martha stared openly while preparing the glasses.

“My Lady…” she started hesitantly. “Have you been to Verdant Canopy City before?”

Renea settled into the chair beside the elderly servant rather than at the head of the table.

“Renea,” she corrected gently. “And only for business.” Her gaze drifted briefly toward the open kitchen windows where layers of glowing green terraces stretched endlessly into the tropical dusk. “I did not know it could be this … beautiful.”

Martha smiled immediately.

“Oh, you should have Lord Tao take you to Verde Falls Plaza,” she said excitedly. “The waters are magnificent this time of year. Especially at dusk when the lantern lilies open.”

The elderly servant nodded enthusiastically beside Renea.

“And the lower moon bridges,” he added in Phey. “Very romantic.”

Renea laughed softly.

The sound stunned the entire kitchen.

Not loud.

Not performative.

Real.

Warm.

Tao stepped silently into the doorway just in time to hear it.

And stopped.

Because the sight before him nearly undid him completely.

Renea sat among his servants as though she had always belonged there.

No walls.
No distance.
No cold authority.

Just grace.

Martha handed her the chilled tea carefully.

“Our Lord Tao has never brought a female home before,” Martha admitted before she could stop herself.

The entire kitchen froze.

The maid immediately looked horrified with herself.

“Martha,” another servant hissed.

But Renea only blinked.

Then slowly—

Very slowly—

Her eyes shifted toward the doorway where Tao stood watching.

Caught.

Tao felt every servant in the room realize his presence at once.

Silence exploded through the kitchen.

Martha nearly dropped the tray.

But Tao could not speak.

Because Renea was looking at him with something dangerously soft in her expression now.

Not guarded.

Not distant.

And suddenly Tao understood something with terrifying clarity.

His servants were not staring at her because she was powerful.

They were staring because she had done the impossible within a single day.

She had made this estate feel warmer.

More alive.

As though simply existing inside it changed the atmosphere around her.

The elderly servant beside her noticed Tao and smiled knowingly.

“Your mate listens well,” he told Tao proudly in old Inu.

Tao’s chest tightened violently.

Renea glanced between them curiously. “What did he say?”

Tao held her gaze for a long moment.

Then finally crossed the room toward her slowly.

“He said,” Tao answered quietly, “that you already sound like home.”

---

Renea stood near the massive kitchen windows, one hand wrapped loosely around her glass of sun tea as golden evening light filtered through the canopy outside.

A petal-winged macaw swept past the open window in a blur of crimson, teal, and gold feathers, its wings catching the sunlight like stained glass.

Renea followed it with her eyes.

Beautiful things always seemed to quiet her for a few seconds.

“Martha told me we should visit Verde Falls Plaza this evening,” she said softly. “Very romantic, they say.”

The older servants nearby immediately pretended not to listen while listening very hard.

“I have never been there,” Renea continued, glancing back toward Tao. “Only Emerald Heights and, of course, Riverward Port.”

Tao watched her carefully.

There was something strangely intimate about hearing Renea admit she had never truly explored the Tropic Zone before.

Business.
Meetings.
Security routes.
Trade negotiations.

That was how she moved through the world.

Purpose first.
Self second.

“Then we should go,” Tao said immediately.

Renea blinked once.

The simplicity of the answer seemed to catch her off guard.

Tao set his untouched tea aside and crossed toward her slowly. Warm tropical wind drifted through the open windows, stirring the edges of her dark hair.

“You want to see the plaza,” he said. “So I will take you.”

Renea’s expression softened slightly.

“It is probably crowded.”

“I own half the upper district.”

“That sounds corrupt.”

“It is extremely convenient.”

A faint laugh escaped her before she could stop it.

The kitchen servants looked scandalized by how openly pleased Tao looked at causing that sound.

Martha nearly melted entirely.

Tao stepped beside Renea near the window and followed her gaze outward. Verdant Canopy City glowed beneath the descending dusk now. Lanterns flickered awake among the bridges and layered terraces while waterfalls reflected molten gold through the trees.

“You really never explored?” Tao asked quietly.

Renea shook her head once.

“I came for negotiations. Port inspections. Security audits.” Her eyes followed another distant macaw gliding through the canopy. “I never stayed long enough.”

Tao looked at her then.

Really looked.

This woman had crossed entire territories carrying industries, laws, clans, and dangerous men behind her—

And still somehow had never simply wandered somewhere beautiful because she wanted to.

Something possessive and tender tightened in his chest.

“Well,” Tao murmured, stepping slightly closer, “that sounds like a failure on the Tropic Zone’s part.”

Renea glanced up at him with amusement in her eyes now.

“Oh?”

“Yes.” His hand brushed lightly against the small of her back. “Clearly, no one escorted you properly.”

The elderly servant at the table barked out a delighted laugh.

“Lord Tao courts aggressively,” he announced proudly in Inu.

Renea immediately looked suspicious. “What did he say?”

Tao’s expression remained perfectly calm.

“He said I should take you before sunset.”

The old servant burst into louder laughter while Martha covered her mouth badly to hide her own.

Renea narrowed her eyes.

“You are lying.”

“I am interpreting.”

“That is not the same thing.”

“It is close enough.”

Renea shook her head softly, but Tao caught the warmth rising beneath her composure now.

It pleased him more than it should have.

Because for the first time since arriving—

She looked less like a ruler carrying worlds.

And more like a woman being invited somewhere beautiful simply because someone wanted to share it with her.

Tao leaned slightly closer.

“Wear something comfortable,” he murmured quietly enough for only her to hear. “The moon bridges around Verde Falls become slippery at night.”

Renea arched one brow.

“Is that concern?”

“No,” Tao answered smoothly. “If you fall into the glowing water, the entire city will blame me.”

That finally earned a real laugh from her.

Warm.
Soft.
Alive.

And Tao felt absurdly victorious over it.

---

Verde Falls Plaza was unlike anything Renea had expected.

The great falls thundered from impossibly high above Verdant Canopy City, cascading down layers of ancient stone and living roots illuminated by thousands of floating lanterns. The water glowed faintly beneath the moonlight, rich turquoise and silver as it poured into vast pools surrounding the lower plaza.

And tonight—

The city celebrated.

The Festival of the Water Blessings had transformed the entire plaza into something dreamlike.

Music echoed through the warm tropical air from suspended performance stages woven between massive tree roots. Drums pulsed softly beneath the constant roar of the falls while dancers moved in flowing blue and silver silks along the bridgeways.

Lantern lilies drifted atop the water in glowing clusters.

Children laughed somewhere nearby as petal-winged macaws swept overhead trailing ribbons of color through the mist.

Renea stopped at the entrance to the plaza and simply stared.

Tao watched her instead of the festival.

Always her.

Because the expression on her face was rare enough to wound him.

Wonder.

Not guarded appreciation.
Not analytical interest.

Wonder.

Soft mist from the falls gathered lightly against her skin and dark hair while glowing lantern reflections danced across her eyes.

“It is…” Renea stopped softly.

Beautiful did not seem large enough for the moment.

Tao’s chest swelled with absurd pride anyway.

“The founders built the plaza around the oldest water shrine in the Tropic Zone,” Tao explained quietly as they walked down the carved stone steps together. “The festival thanks the waters for another season of life.”

Renea’s gaze followed the massive waterfalls.

“So the city gathers here every year?”

“Yes.”

Her eyes moved slowly across the crowd.

And Tao realized immediately what she noticed first.

Not wealth.
Not architecture.

Joy.

Families crowded the bridges laughing together. Vendors sold glowing fruit drinks and flower sweets beneath hanging lanterns. Elderly couples danced slowly near the water gardens while children chased floating lights through the mist.

Peace.

A real one.

Not the tense artificial peace of corporate districts.

Life.

Renea exhaled quietly.

“No one looks afraid here.”

The words were almost lost beneath the falls.

But Tao heard them.

And his heart broke a little.

He moved closer instinctively, his hand settling at the small of her back as they walked.

“They are protected here,” he answered softly.

Renea glanced up at him then.

And Tao wondered if she realized she had spent most of her life making places like this possible for others while rarely experiencing them herself.

A group of dancers swept past them, laughing, blue silk ribbons swirling through the humid air like flowing water itself. One of the younger performers paused abruptly upon recognizing Tao.

“Waro-sama!”

Several others bowed respectfully.

Tao gave a small nod before immediately feeling Renea shift subtly beside him.

Not discomfort.

Awareness.

Crowds made rulers visible.

Visible made them vulnerable.

Tao leaned slightly toward her.

“You are working again,” he murmured.

Renea blinked once.

Then sighed softly. “I know.”

“Stop.”

“That sounds difficult.”

“It was not a request.”

Renea huffed out the faintest laugh.

Victory.

Tao guided her toward one of the moon bridges crossing the illuminated pools beneath the falls. Water thundered around them now, mist cooling the warm tropical night while floating lanterns drifted below like fallen stars.

Renea rested her hands lightly against the bridge railing and looked downward.

The glowing waters reflected upward against her face.

Magnificent, Tao thought again helplessly.

“You know,” Renea murmured, watching the lantern lilies drift. “I could never build a corporate office here. A small office is all we have here. I would destroy anything bigger than that.”

Tao barked out a startled laugh.

“That bad?”

“It would ruin this.”

There was genuine protectiveness in her voice.

Not as a businesswoman.

As someone who understood sacred things when she saw them.

Tao’s Inu nearly purred with pride.

Below them, priests in flowing turquoise robes began the blessing ceremony. The plaza slowly quieted as hundreds gathered near the waters.

A woman stepped into the glowing pools carrying a massive bowl of illuminated petals.

The crowd bowed their heads.

Even the music softened.

Renea watched carefully as the priest scattered the glowing petals across the water.

“What are they blessing?” she asked quietly.

“The people,” Tao answered. “The waters. The coming season.” His gaze slid toward her slowly. “The lives that survived long enough to see another year.”

Renea grew very still beside him.

Tao immediately regretted the wording.

But then—

Very slowly—

Renea removed one glowing lantern lily drifting near the bridge and set it gently back into the water.

Carefully.

Reverently.

Tao watched her expression soften in the lantern light.

And suddenly understood something deeply intimate.

Renea did not know how to celebrate herself.

But she knew how to honor survival.

The realization hit Tao with painful tenderness.

Around them, the crowd began releasing thousands of floating lanterns into the pools beneath the falls.

Light spread everywhere.

Gold.
Blue.
Silver.

The great waterfalls shimmered like liquid moonlight while music rose again through the night air.

And standing there beside her beneath the glowing mist and lanterns—

Tao realized he had never wanted forever with anyone before.

Until her.

The walk back to the estate felt different.

Softer somehow.

The Festival lights still glowed behind them in distant gold and turquoise hues while the great falls thundered through the warm tropical night. Lanterns swayed gently overhead as Tao led Renea across the suspended rope bridges winding through Verdant Canopy City’s upper levels.

Hand in hand.

Simple.

And yet Tao could not remember anything ever feeling this intimate.

The bridges curved between colossal trees wrapped in glowing vines and flowering lantern moss. Below them, layers of the city shimmered alive with music, laughter, and drifting lights.

People noticed them as they passed.

Of course they did.

Lord Tao Waro rarely walked the public bridges.
Never hand in hand with someone.
Never looking at anyone the way he looked at Renea.

Heads turned openly.

Whispers followed.

And beside him, Renea smiled shyly.

Actually shyly.

Tao thought it might kill him.

He immediately pulled her closer against his side, one arm wrapping possessively around her waist as they continued across the bridge.

“Did you enjoy yourself?” Tao asked quietly.

Renea looked up at him beneath the lantern light.

“Yes,” came her breathless reply. “Very much.”

The honesty in her voice warmed something deep inside him.

Tao caught her eyes again and nearly lost his composure entirely.

Dangerous female.

The tropical wind stirred her hair softly while distant festival music drifted upward through the canopy.

For a moment, neither spoke.

They simply walked together in that comfortable silence that had somehow formed naturally between them.

Never taking their eyes off one another for long.

As though both instinctively checked the other was still there.

Still real.

Still theirs.

Renea glanced upward, eventually toward the highest levels of Tao’s estate, disappearing into the canopy above.

“What is all the way at the top of your estate?” she asked curiously.

Tao felt his Inu stir instantly.

His den.

No guests went there.
No business associates.
No strangers.

His private quarters sat above the rest of the estate, wrapped in glass, wood, and living greenery overlooking the entirety of Verdant Canopy City.

It was the one place in the world entirely his.

And tonight—

He wanted her there.

“My den,” Tao answered, his voice dropping rougher without permission. “My private quarters.”

Renea’s eyes flickered back toward him slowly.

“I wanted to invite you up.”

The words settled between them heavily.

Intimately.

They crossed the final bridge leading toward the upper estate levels, lantern light reflecting softly against polished wood and flowing water beneath the pathways.

Renea’s expression gentled immediately.

“Tao,” she said softly, “if it bothers you, I can stay in the guest rooms.” A faint teasing smile touched her mouth. “Martha said you do not bring females home.”

Tao stopped walking entirely.

Renea blinked as he turned toward her fully beneath the hanging lanterns.

The night air shifted warm around them.

“Tao?”

His hands slid slowly to her waist.

“First,” he said quietly, “Martha talks too much.”

Renea laughed softly.

Tao felt the sound directly in his chest.

“Second,” he continued, drawing her slightly closer, “there has never been anyone I wanted there before.”

That stole the humor from her expression instantly.

Tao watched realization slowly move across her face.

Not seduction.

Something deeper.

Invitation.

Trust.

His den was not simply a bedroom.

It was instinctively sacred territory to his Inu.

Private.
Guarded.
Vulnerable.

And Tao was offering it to her freely.

Renea swallowed once.

“You are certain?” she asked softly.

Tao’s gaze darkened with quiet devotion.

“My mate,” he murmured, brushing his thumb gently along her hip, “you have occupied my mind from the moment you walked into my life.” His voice lowered further. “Did you truly think I would want you sleeping anywhere but beside me?”

Renea’s breath caught.

The lantern light danced across her face as she looked at him.

And Tao saw it again—

That rare vulnerability.

Not fear.

Hope.

Careful, fragile hope.

It humbled him instantly.

Renea looked down briefly, almost overwhelmed by the intensity in his eyes, before laughing softly under her breath.

“You really are serious about me.”

Tao actually looked offended.

“Renea.”

That only made her smile wider.

Goddess, Tao thought helplessly, he would build temples around that smile if she asked.

He leaned down slowly until his forehead rested lightly against hers beneath the glowing canopy lights.

“I am trying very hard,” he murmured quietly, “not to drag you upstairs immediately.”

Renea made a startled sound halfway between a laugh and a gasp.

Tao’s Inu preened shamelessly at it.

But then his expression softened again as he looked at her.

No games now.

Just truth.

“You do not have to stay in guest rooms with me,” he whispered. “Not tonight.”

And when Renea’s fingers slowly curled into the front of his shirt instead of pulling away—

Tao realized he had never once in his life felt more at home than he did standing beside her beneath the lantern-lit bridges of Verdant Canopy City.

“Tonight I want you, Renea.”

Tao’s voice had dropped into something rougher than sound.

“More than I have ever wanted anything before.” His glowing eyes held hers in the darkness between lantern shadows and rainfall. “I am trying so hard. So very hard.”

Heat curled low through Renea at the honesty in his voice.

Not polished.
Not controlled.

Need.

Real and dangerous and entirely focused on her.

They crossed into the upper levels of the estate shortly after, stepping into the outdoor gardens surrounding Tao’s private quarters.

Renea stopped immediately.

The gardens this high above Verdant Canopy City felt unreal.

Massive tropical plants towered overhead in layered emerald canopies while glowing flowers bloomed beneath hanging lantern moss and silver rain mist. Ancient roots twisted through polished stone pathways, and warm waterfalls spilled from hidden terraces into quiet reflecting pools.

It was less a garden—

And more of a living forest suspended above the world.

Renea moved slowly through it, stunned and silent for once.

Below them, Verdant Canopy City stretched endlessly through the glowing trees. Bridges illuminated in gold crossed between towering structures while distant festival lanterns drifted like stars caught beneath the canopy.

Amazing did not seem large enough for the view.

Tao watched her instead of the city.

Always her.

The way wonder softened her.
The way she instinctively reached toward the glowing leaves beside her.
The way she forgot, briefly, to carry the world on her shoulders.

Then thunder rolled softly overhead.

Rain began again.

Warm tropical rain.

“Inside,” Tao murmured, reaching for her hand.

Renea nodded and followed him toward the private quarters carved into the upper canopy—

And then the sky opened.

Rain crashed down suddenly in heavy silver sheets.

Renea gasped before laughing outright as she was instantly drenched.

Tao turned sharply at the sound.

And stopped breathing.

Renea stood in the middle of the garden beneath the storm, laughing softly while rain soaked through the dark fabric clinging to every line of her body.

Her midnight hair stuck to her face and throat in wet waves while droplets slid slowly along her skin beneath the moonlight.

Tao stared.

Openly.

Hungrily.

Reverently.

Because some terrified part of him still feared she would disappear if he looked away too long.

And goddess—

She was something to look at.

Beautiful in ways that bordered on cruel.

Renea caught the look on his face immediately and laughed again, breathless now beneath the rain.

“Are you going to stare all night?” she teased softly, “or can I get a towel or two?”

Tao blinked once, as if he had forgotten language entirely.

Then finally forced himself to move inside.

His Inu was absolutely no help.

By the time he returned with towels in hand—

He nearly dropped them.

Renea stood near the open terrace doors bathed entirely in moonlight and drifting silver mist.

Bare.

Not posed.
Not seductive intentionally.

Simply removing ruined clothing after being caught in the storm.

Water still clung to her skin in shimmering droplets while damp strands of dark hair trailed over bare shoulders and down the graceful curve of her spine.

The moonlight turned her skin luminous.

Ethereal.

Like something pulled from myth instead of flesh.

Tao stood frozen in the doorway.

The towels hung uselessly from his hands.

Renea glanced toward him slowly after sensing the silence.

And immediately saw the look in his eyes.

Not lust alone.

Something deeper.

Something almost devastating.

“Tao…”

Her voice softened instantly.

Because he looked overwhelmed.

Not by her body.

By her existence.

Tao crossed the room slowly, unable to stop staring at her as the storm raged softly beyond the glass and open terraces.

“You are unreal,” he whispered hoarsely.

Renea’s expression turned vulnerable at that tone.

No one had ever looked at her like this.

Like she was sacred instead of dangerous.

Tao stopped directly in front of her now, rainwater still dripping from her skin onto the polished wood floor between them.

His hand lifted carefully.

Slowly.

Giving her every chance to pull away.

But Renea leaned into his touch the moment his fingers brushed her cheek.

Tao exhaled shakily.

Ruined.

Entirely ruined.

“You stand in my den,” he murmured softly, thumb stroking gently along damp skin, “looking like the gods crafted you from moonlight and storms…” His voice roughened. “And you expect me to survive this calmly?”

Renea laughed softly under her breath despite the heat rising in her face.

“You are being dramatic.”

“I am being honest.”

His gaze slid over her again helplessly before returning to her eyes with visible effort.

And somehow—

That restraint affected her more than if he had touched her greedily.

Because Tao looked at her like he wanted to devour her.

But was choosing gentleness instead.

The realization made her breath catch.

Tao finally held the towel out toward her slowly.

Though his fingers lingered against hers when she took it.

“You should dry off,” he murmured.

Renea tilted her head slightly.

“You say that,” she whispered, “but you look very unhappy about the idea.”

Tao actually groaned quietly.

And the sound sent warmth spiraling straight through her.

Tao crossed to the massive stone fire pit set into the center of the room and lit it with a low flick of his fingers.

Flame bloomed instantly.

Warm amber light spilled across the den, chasing away the silver-blue moonlight until the room glowed in shadows, firelight, and rain mist drifting through the open terrace doors.

Renea sighed softly at the warmth.

Only then did she truly take in the room around her.

Tao’s den was nothing like the polished perfection of the lower estate.

This place felt lived in.

Wild.

Dark silks draped across deep wooden beams while books, weapons, records, and scattered sheets of music rested throughout the circular space. Tropical plants climbed the inner walls beside open skylights where rain tapped softly against glass.

And there—

The bed.

Massive.
Round.
Draped entirely in black and deep emerald silk.

Renea stared at it openly before laughter escaped her.

“Looks big enough to fit your true form.”

“It is.”

The answer came low behind her.

Renea startled slightly and turned.

She had not heard him move.

Tao stood close now, holding another towel, his glowing eyes softened by firelight and something far more dangerous.

Want.

His gaze lingered openly over her damp hair before he stepped behind her carefully.

“May I?” he asked quietly.

Renea nodded before thinking too hard about it.

Tao lifted the towel slowly and began drying her hair with surprising gentleness.

The large Inu lord who commanded corporations and terrified boardrooms handled her like something precious.

It affected her far too much.

His fingers brushed lightly through her wet hair before he leaned down and pressed a slow kiss against her shoulder.

Renea gasped softly.

Heat spiraled through her immediately.

She turned toward him.

“Tao…”

His eyes glowed brighter at the sound of his name on her lips.

“Renea,” he growled softly, stepping closer, “would it shock you to know I have wanted you here…” His gaze darkened. “Like this… since the first time I saw you playing piano at Carnal Innocence?”

The confession hit her visibly.

Tao watched her step backward instinctively.

Not rejection.

Overwhelmed.

Renea shook her head faintly as though trying to escape the intensity in his eyes.

“I am just a female, Tao.” She laughed softly, nervous now, and stepped back again. “Nothing special. Seen one, seen them all.”

Tao’s expression changed instantly.

Fierce.

Almost offended.

“I have never seen anyone as ethereal as you are, Renea.” Every word came thick with restrained passion. “Never.”

The force of his sincerity nearly stole her breath.

Renea kept backing away until the edge of the massive bed touched behind her knees.

She sat down almost accidentally, pulse racing.

And Tao—

Tao watched her like a starving thing finally allowed near warmth.

Their bed, his Inu purred possessively.

Not mine.

Theirs.

The realization nearly undid him.

Tao crossed the room slowly before lowering himself onto one knee in front of her.

The position should not have affected Renea as deeply as it did.

This powerful, dangerous male kneeling willingly before her.

Looking at her, like worship sat too close beneath his skin.

Tao licked suddenly dry lips, eyes locked on hers the entire time.

“You keep trying to make yourself smaller,” he murmured softly. “As though if you diminish your light enough, it will stop affecting people.”

Renea’s breath trembled slightly.

“It will not.”

Tao reached for her carefully.

Giving her every chance to refuse him.

Instead, Renea leaned forward almost unconsciously.

That tiny movement shattered the last of his restraint.

He pulled her gently from the edge of the bed into his lap, one arm wrapping securely around her waist as she settled against him with a startled breath.

And then—

Tao kissed her.

Softly.

Slowly.

No hunger at first.

Just feeling her.

Warm lips against his.
Rainwater still cooling her skin.
Her breath caught quietly against his mouth.

Tao kissed her like he had imagined this moment too many times.

Carefully.
Reverently.

Renea melted against him by degrees.

One hand slid into his damp hair while the other curled weakly against his chest.

Tao groaned softly at the touch.

The sound vibrated directly through her.

His lips moved against hers again, deeper this time but still unbearably gentle, as though he was trying to memorize her instead of consume her.

And maybe he was.

Because Tao still could not fully believe this woman was real.

Renea finally pulled back slightly for air, breathing unevenly now.

Their foreheads rested together.

Firelight flickered across the room while rain whispered softly beyond the terrace.

“Tao,” she whispered again.

And goddess—

The way she said his name nearly brought him to his knees a second time.

The Inu purred her name like a prayer finally answered.

“Renea…”

The sound wrapped around her in the firelit darkness as Tao kissed her cheeks, her forehead, the corners of her mouth with aching devotion.

“You are so giving, my Renea,” the Inu growled softly against her skin.

His lips trailed lower along her throat and shoulders while his hands held her carefully against him, reverently, as though he still feared she might disappear if he loosened his grip.

“So amazing,” he whispered roughly against her neck. “So everything.”

The Inu wanted to seduce its mate tonight.

Not conquer.
Not overwhelm.

Seduce.

Long kisses.
Slow touches.
Sweet words murmured into warm skin beneath firelight and rain.

But every time Tao tried to speak, language failed him.

No words felt worthy enough for her.

Not for this female sitting in his lap, looking undone beneath his touch.

Every kiss made Renea shudder softly against him.

Every brush of his fingers left liquid heat trailing through her veins until she could barely think straight anymore.

Tao turned his face instinctively into her touch when she cupped his cheek.

The simple tenderness of it nearly shattered him.

He kissed her fingertips slowly.

Once.

Twice.

Eyes half-lidded and glowing softly in the firelight.

Outside, rain hammered harder against the roof and open terraces surrounding the den. Thunder rolled somewhere distant through Verdant Canopy City.

Neither noticed.

The world had narrowed entirely to warmth, breath, skin, and the sound of each other’s names.

Tao kissed along her throat again carefully—

And Renea trembled violently in his arms when his mouth found a sensitive place beneath her ear.

A soft moan escaped her before she could stop it.

Tao nearly lost control.

His Inu surged forward immediately, possessive and thrilled by the sound.

Mine.

The growl that left Tao’s chest vibrated directly through her.

“Again,” he whispered roughly against her skin. “Please.”

Renea’s fingers tangled into his hair as though anchoring herself while Tao encouraged her slowly, patiently, to stop holding herself back.

To feel.

To let him feel her.

The fire burning through her veins answered him eagerly now, spreading hotter each time his hands moved along her body, each time his lips touched her skin with unbearable care.

And when she whispered his name again—

No.

Not whispered.

Chanted.

“Tao…”

Like a dark incantation breathed against his mouth.

The Inu nearly snapped.

Tao’s entire body tightened instantly, instinct roaring through him so violently he had to physically stop himself from marking her then and there as his lifemate.

His breathing roughened sharply.

The Inu urged him onward relentlessly.

Take her higher.
Please her more.
Make their mate shudder again.

And Tao—

Tao obeyed gladly.

Because every soft sound Renea made against him felt like worship returned.

Then suddenly—

Everything changed.

The pleasure haze surrounding them deepened into something stranger.
Deeper.
Sacred.

Renea’s soul brushed his.

Not metaphorically.

Truly touched him.

Tao gasped sharply against her throat as the sensation tore through him without warning.

Stars exploded behind his eyes.

Warmth flooded his chest so intensely it almost hurt while something ancient and instinctive inside him reached immediately for her.

The Inu went absolutely still.

Awed.

Their souls brushed together in the firelit darkness like two flames recognizing one another.

Tao saw flashes—

Music.
Moonlight.
Rain.
Loneliness.
Strength.
Renea standing against impossible odds over and over again.

And beneath it all—

Love.

Terrifying in its depth.

Tao held her tighter instinctively as the moment passed through them both like lightning.

When he finally looked at her again, breathless and stunned—

Renea looked equally overwhelmed.

“Tao…”

His name broke softly from her lips again.

And this time the Inu purred outright in response.

Hours later, Renea slept curled against him beneath dark silks while the fire burned low in the center of the den.

The storm had softened outside into gentle rain.

The Inu did not pace tonight.

It watched.

Proudly.

Its mate slept soundly, wrapped against their chest, breathing deep and peaceful in a way Tao had rarely seen before.

He had done that.

The realization filled the Inu with shameless satisfaction.

Hour four passed.

Hour five.

Still, the Inu watched her sleep beneath the fading firelight.

Every small movement fascinated it.
Every soft breath.
Every instinctive shift closer toward warmth.

Beautiful mate.

At hour six, dawn finally began bleeding gold through the canopy windows.

Only then did the Inu allow its eyes to close briefly.

Tao surfaced slowly beneath lingering instinct and exhaustion just as movement stirred beside him.

Through half-lidded eyes, he watched Renea stretch slowly against the tangled sheets and dark silks.

Morning light touched her bare skin in warm gold now instead of silver.

And Tao felt the exact same devastating thought strike him all over again.

Mine.

Not possession.

Belonging.

Like the universe itself had placed something extraordinary in his arms and trusted him not to break it.

“You look like perfection in the morning light,” Tao rumbled, his voice still deep with sleep and instinct.

Renea shivered visibly at the sound.

Slowly, she turned half-lidded eyes toward him from where she lay tangled in dark silks beside him, dawn spilling gold across her skin and hair.

The sight nearly stopped Tao’s heart.

Her midnight hair spread wildly across the pillows and his chest, still slightly damp in places from the night before. Firelight had long since died down to soft embers, leaving only warm morning light filtering through the canopy glass above them.

Renea blinked sleepily at him.

Beautiful female.

His female.

A faint flush crept slowly across her cheeks beneath the intensity in his gaze.

“You say alarming things before breakfast,” she murmured hoarsely.

Tao’s mouth curved slowly.

“I have not slept enough to lie convincingly.”

That earned him the smallest laugh.

Soft.
Rough with sleep.

Tao immediately reached for her again, unable not to.

His fingers slid lazily along her bare back while she settled closer against him instinctively, warmth pressing against his chest beneath the blankets.

The Inu practically purred.

Renea noticed.

“I can feel your ego from here,” she whispered.

“You should. It is enormous this morning.”

Renea snorted softly and hid her face briefly against his shoulder.

Tao closed his eyes for half a second at the simple intimacy of it.

This.

This was what shattered him.

Not desire.
Not even the soul-touch from the night before.

This quiet warmth between storms.

Renea eventually tilted her head back enough to look at him again.

The vulnerable softness still lingering in her expression made Tao ache.

“What?” she asked quietly after catching him staring again.

Tao brushed loose strands of dark hair away from her face carefully.

“I was just thinking,” he murmured, “that I understand now why my Inu watched you sleep all night instead of pacing.”

Renea blinked slowly.

“It watched me?”

“With unbearable pride.”

That startled a real laugh from her.

Tao felt victorious immediately.

“You are ridiculous.”

“I am in love with you,” he corrected calmly.

The words settled over the room in warm morning silence.

Renea froze.

Not because the confession surprised her entirely—

But because of how naturally he said it.

Like truth.
Like breathing.

Tao watched emotion flicker across her face before she looked away slightly, overwhelmed again by the depth of him.

Dangerous female, he thought tenderly.

She could face assassins and corporate wars without blinking—

But honest affection still shook her.

Tao tilted her chin gently back toward him.

“No retreating this morning,” he murmured.

Renea’s lips parted slightly.

“Tao…”

“You touched my soul last night.” His eyes darkened softly. “You do not get to pretend you do not know what you are to me anymore.”

The morning light caught in her eyes then, and Tao swore he had never seen anything more beautiful.

Renea looked at him silently for a long moment before finally whispering—

“You make me feel safe.”

The confession hit Tao harder than any declaration of love ever could have.

Because she said it like it cost her something.

Like safety had always been temporary before him.

Tao pulled her against him immediately, burying his face against her hair as his arms tightened around her protectively.

“My mate,” he whispered roughly against her temple, “that may be the greatest thing anyone has ever given me.”

Outside, Verdant Canopy City slowly woke beneath the canopy.

But high above it, inside the warmth of Tao’s den—

Neither moved for a very long time.

“Mate, Tao no.” Renea laughed softly, warmth still lingering in her voice from sleep and firelight. “We just…” She shook her head faintly. “It is too soon to toss that word around.”

Before she could fully escape the blankets, Tao caught her immediately and pulled her back against his chest.

Renea let out a startled sound as strong arms wrapped around her waist again.

“Tao—”

“Renea, you touched—”

“I am Daiisan, Tao,” she interrupted gently, turning enough to look at him over her shoulder. “It is part of my power to touch someone’s soul if need be.” She sighed softly. “I am not special. Hundreds of Daiisan can do the same.”

Tao stared at her.

Then narrowed his eyes slightly.

The female truly had a talent for saying devastating things with complete sincerity.

Renea misunderstood his silence entirely.

“Besides,” she added with another quiet laugh, “I have to use the bathroom.”

That finally broke him.

Tao groaned dramatically into her shoulder before reluctantly loosening his grip.

“You wound me.”

“You will survive.”

“Questionable.”

Renea smiled sleepily and slipped from his arms before he could trap her again.

Tao watched her cross the room in nothing but morning light and tangled dark hair.

His Inu immediately sat upright internally.

Beautiful mate.

Renea disappeared briefly into the adjoining bath chambers while Tao collapsed backward into the mountain of dark silk pillows with a long exhale.

Mate.

The word still echoed warmly through him.

And yes, perhaps he had said it too soon.

Perhaps.

But Tao knew what he had felt last night.

The soul-touch had not been some casual exchange of Daiisan power.

His instincts refused to accept that explanation.

Because when Renea touched him—It had felt like recognition.

Like something ancient inside him had finally stopped searching.

A dangerous thought.

Especially for someone like Renea, who clearly feared belonging to anyone too deeply.

Tao dragged one hand down his face with a low sigh.

His Inu remained entirely unconcerned.

Mate.

The possessive certainty of it pulsed warmly through him again.

“You are impossible,” Tao muttered aloud.

The Inu seemed pleased by this.

Water could be heard running faintly from the bath chambers before Renea’s voice drifted out casually—

“You are talking to yourself again.”

“I am arguing with my Inu.”

“Who is winning?”

“The Inu.”

“That seems concerning.”

“It is deeply concerning.”

Renea laughed softly from the next room, and Tao felt his entire body relax at the sound.

Ridiculous.

He had become ridiculous over this female.

The bathroom door slid open a few moments later, and Tao looked up instinctively—

Then froze.

Renea had pulled on one of his loose black sleeping shirts.

Only the shirt.

The fabric hung off one shoulder and fell dangerously high against her thighs while her damp dark hair framed a face still soft from sleep.

Tao stared openly.

Renea blinked at him once before slowly looking down at herself.

“…Oh no.”

Tao’s voice came out rough immediately.

“That is mine.”

“Yes, I gathered that.”

His eyes darkened visibly as she crossed the room barefoot.

“You should not wear my clothing while telling me not to call you mate.”

Renea laughed again and climbed back onto the massive bed beside him.

“You are very dramatic in the mornings.”

Tao immediately pulled her back against him anyway.

“Only in the mornings?” he murmured against her neck.

Renea settled against his chest with suspicious ease for someone insisting things were “too soon.”

Tao noticed.

His Inu noticed too.

Mine.

Renea closed her eyes briefly as Tao brushed slow kisses along her temple and hairline.

Then softer now—

Almost thoughtful—

“You really frightened me last night.”

Tao stilled instantly.

Renea opened her eyes slowly.

“The way you reacted when our souls touched.” Her fingers traced absently against his chest through the blankets. “Most people don’t feel it that deeply.”

Tao’s gaze searched her face carefully.

“And what does that mean?”

Renea hesitated.

That alone told him enough.

“Renea.”

She sighed softly.

“It means…” Her voice lowered slightly. “Your instincts may attach harder than most.” She looked up at him carefully. “Daiisan abilities can strengthen emotional and spiritual resonance if both people are already deeply connected.”

Tao absorbed that quietly.

Then one corner of his mouth lifted slowly.

“So you admit we are deeply connected.”

Renea immediately looked offended.

“That is not the point.”

“It is absolutely the point.”

“Tao.”

“You touched my soul and now wear my shirt in my bed.” His arms tightened around her lazily. “I feel the point is becoming very clear.”

Renea hid her face against his shoulder with a groan while Tao laughed softly above her.

And beneath the warmth and teasing—

Both of them carefully avoided acknowledging the truth growing steadily between them.

Neither wanted this to end.

They spent the entire morning hidden away in Tao’s den.

Neither seemed particularly interested in leaving it.

Rain drifted softly against the canopy glass while warm light filtered through the upper gardens surrounding the private quarters. Verdant Canopy City hummed quietly far below them, distant and unimportant compared to the strange peace filling Tao’s space now.

Tao only left briefly for breakfast and tea after repeated threats from the kitchen staff that they would “storm the upper levels themselves.”

Renea had laughed herself breathless over that.

So Tao left reluctantly.

And returned entirely too quickly.

Balancing a tray of tea, fruit, and fresh pastries, Tao stepped back into the den silently—

Then stopped.

Renea stood near the far side of the room holding one of the old Inu blades from his family collection.

His great-grandfather’s blade.

The ancient steel caught the warm firelight as she tested its weight carefully.

And goddess—

Her form was flawless.

Renea moved through the motions naturally, the blade flowing through the air with elegant precision while Tao’s oversized black sleep shirt shifted dangerously along her thighs every time she turned.

The sword sang softly through the air.

Controlled.
Deadly.
Beautiful.

Tao forgot how breathing worked for a moment.

His Inu made an openly approving noise deep inside him.

Mate is magnificent.

Tao was beginning to deeply regret having instincts.

Renea pivoted smoothly through another strike before finally sensing him watching.

She turned—

And immediately blushed.

Actually blushed.

“Sorry…” she murmured softly, looking suddenly caught. “I could not help myself.”

The contrast nearly killed him.

This terrifying woman who commanded assassins and criminal clans, standing barefoot in his shirt apologizing for touching an old sword collection.

Renea carefully returned the blade to its stand with reverence before glancing back toward him again.

And Tao—

Tao lost the remainder of his restraint instantly.

He set the breakfast tray down blindly without taking his eyes off her.

Then crossed the room in slow, deliberate steps.

Renea’s breath caught immediately.

Not fear.

Anticipation.

Tao reached her and cupped her cheek gently in one large hand, his thumb brushing softly along warm skin while his glowing gaze searched her face.

“You touched my ancestral blades barefoot wearing my clothing,” he murmured roughly. “Do you understand how impossible you make it to think clearly?”

Renea laughed nervously beneath the intensity in his eyes.

“Tao—”

He kissed her before she could finish.

Deeply.

Like he wanted to consume every soft sound she made.

The force of it stole her breath instantly as Tao pulled her flush against him, one arm wrapping tightly around her waist while his other hand tangled gently into her hair.

Renea gasped softly against his mouth.

Tao swallowed the sound greedily.

The kiss turned slower after the first desperate moment.

Still intense.
Still burning.

But threaded through with overwhelming affection.

Reverence.

Tao kissed her like he could not decide whether he wanted to worship her or ruin himself on her completely.

Maybe both.

Renea melted against him by degrees, fingers gripping the front of his shirt while heat spiraled low through her body again.

Tao finally pulled back slowly only because he physically had to breathe.

Renea sat there in his arms, breathless and panting softly, lips swollen from his kisses while Tao stared at her with openly possessive devotion.

Firelight flickered across the room between them.

“You cannot keep looking at me like that,” Renea whispered unevenly.

Tao brushed his nose lightly against hers.

“I absolutely can.”

Renea laughed softly despite herself, still trying to catch her breath.

Dangerous female.

Even disheveled and flushed from his kisses, she somehow remained elegant.

Tao’s thumb traced slowly along her jaw again while his gaze drifted briefly toward the ancient blade she had returned perfectly to its stand.

“You handled that sword correctly,” he murmured.

Renea shrugged slightly. “It is balanced beautifully.”

“It was made for war.”

“So was I.”

The quiet honesty of the answer struck him hard.

Tao’s expression softened instantly.

His forehead rested against hers again.

“No,” he whispered softly.

Renea blinked.

“You were made to survive one.”

“Tao…” Renea started softly, but the words seemed fragile now beneath the intensity in his gaze.

Tao remained on one knee before her.

Powerful.
Ancient.
Dangerous.

And somehow entirely sincere.

“Allow me to court you properly.”

The words settled heavily through the firelit den.

Not flirtation.

Not seduction.

A vow.

Renea’s breath caught painfully in her chest as she looked down at him.

“Tao…?”

“Inu and their rituals are by far your favorite.” His voice dropped lower, rough with emotion and restrained instinct. “Remember those words?”

Renea swallowed once.

“Yes,” she whispered. “I remember them.”

Because she did.

The old Inu ways were sacred.
Intentional.
Devoted.

Courtship was not casual among traditional Inu clans.

It meant attention.
Protection.
Offerings.
Patience.

It meant choosing someone publicly and fully.

And mating…

Mating meant forever.

“I was raised in the old Inu ways,” she murmured softly. “My father saw to it.” Her eyes lowered briefly. “But courting is steps away from mating.”

Tao whispered her name gently.

The sound pulled her gaze back toward him immediately.

“I only need you to find me worthy enough to be your mate,” he said quietly.

The honesty in his voice nearly undid her.

“Let me court you,” Tao continued softly. “Let me prove to you that I can be a worthy mate.”

Renea’s chest tightened painfully.

Because some reckless part of her wanted to say yes immediately.

Wanted the warmth in his eyes.
The certainty.
The terrifying tenderness he offered so freely.

But reality surged up colder and sharper.

“What about your family?” she asked quietly. “Your pack?” Her voice lowered further. “They could view me as unworthy.”

Tao’s expression hardened instantly.

“I could not care less about them.” His eyes never left hers. “It is you I love.”

The words struck too deep.

Renea stepped backward instinctively.

Space.

She needed space.

Because Tao said things too easily that shattered her defenses.

Dangerous yokai male.

He looked at her like she was already precious to him.

And Renea no longer trusted what happened to females men loved.

“Tao…” Her voice weakened slightly now. “I do not know if I can do this again after what Hiroshi Tokiji did to me.”

The room changed instantly.

Tao went still.

Completely still.

Renea rubbed absently at the old wound along her shoulder, her face deadly calm now in the way people became when remembering something painful enough too many times.

“He wanted me to be his mate,” she whispered.

Tao’s jaw tightened visibly.

“And his yokai attacked me.”

The memory rose uninvited.

Blood.
Pain.
Fear.

Renea remembered thinking it would be worth it.

She had loved him.
Trusted him.

It had been her first time with a male.

And afterward she truly thought she was going to die.

The bite had torn into her shoulder so violently she remembered the sound more than the pain itself.

The shock.
The blood everywhere.
Hiroshi screaming her name too late.

Renea closed her eyes briefly.

“I thought…” Her voice cracked softly. “I thought if I endured it, then maybe it meant he really wanted me.”

Silence.

Heavy.
Horrified silence.

When Tao finally spoke, his voice sounded unlike anything she had ever heard from him before.

Cold.

Not toward her.

Toward the memory itself.

“He lost control.”

Renea nodded once.

“He marked you through violence.”

Another nod.

Tao rose slowly to his feet now.

His face had changed completely.

Not anger alone.

Grief.

Because suddenly he understood why she flinched from words like mate despite yearning for them somewhere deep inside herself.

Someone had taken something sacred and turned it into terror.

Tao crossed the room carefully.

Not crowding her.
Not forcing touch.

Just close enough that she could feel his warmth.

“My Renea,” he said softly, and the gentleness in his voice nearly broke her. “That was not courtship.”

Renea looked away immediately.

“That was not mating.”

Her breathing shook slightly.

“That was not love.”

Tao reached toward her slowly.

Every movement deliberate.

When his hand finally settled against hers, it trembled faintly with restrained emotion.

“Inu bonds are supposed to feel safe,” he whispered. “Desired. Reverent.” His eyes darkened painfully. “Not feared.”

Renea’s throat tightened.

“Hiroshi’s yokai hurt you,” Tao continued quietly. “But you speak as though you were the failure.”

Because she had.

For years.

If she had been stronger.
Calmer.
Better.

Maybe the yokai would not have reacted violently.

Maybe she had simply not been worthy of the bond.

Tao saw every terrible thought move across her face in real time.

And his heart shattered.

“You survived something sacred becoming monstrous,” he whispered. “And you still found the courage to love afterward.”

Renea’s eyes burned suddenly.

No one had ever described it that way before.

They called it unfortunate.
A tragedy.
An accident.

No one had acknowledged what it had stolen from her.

Tao lifted his hand carefully to the scar on her shoulder.

Not possessive.

Reverent.

His fingertips barely brushed the old wound.

“If you allow me to court you,” he said softly, “then every step will be yours to choose.” His gaze held hers steadily. “No fear. No force. No pain.”

Renea stared at him silently.

Tao’s thumb brushed lightly against the scar.

“And if all you can give me right now is trust,” he whispered, “then I will spend the rest of my life proving I deserve it.”

“Tao, possession is what I know.”

The words landed softly.

Too softly for the weight they carried.

Renea lowered her eyes briefly, fingers curling loosely against the fabric of Tao’s shirt still hanging from her frame.

“You speak,” she whispered carefully, “as if you are already mine.” A faint, uncertain laugh escaped her. “And I do not know what to do with that.”

Tao felt something inside him ache at the honesty in her voice.

Because she sounded frightened of tenderness.

Not him.

Tenderness itself.

Before he could answer, Renea stepped around him gently.

“Let’s eat breakfast before it gets cold.”

Retreat.

Not rejection.

Tao recognized the difference now.

Renea moved toward the low table near the fire pit, putting small bits of space between herself and emotions she clearly did not yet know how to survive.

Tao watched her quietly for a moment.

Then followed.

The breakfast tray sat untouched where he had abandoned it earlier in favor of kissing her senseless against the sword collection.

Renea settled onto the cushions beside the fire, pulling one knee up slightly while steam still curled faintly from the tea.

The morning light had brightened fully now, turning the den warm gold and deep green beneath the canopy shadows.

Tao sat beside her.

Close enough for warmth.

Not close enough to overwhelm her.

Progress.

Renea handed him a cup of tea silently.

Tao accepted it without taking his eyes off her.

“You know,” he murmured after a moment, “for someone trying to redirect the conversation, you are very obvious.”

Renea sighed dramatically.

“You are emotionally relentless.”

“You say that like it is a flaw.”

“It is terrifying.”

Tao smiled softly into his tea.

Renea watched him over the rim of her own cup for a long moment before shaking her head faintly.

“What?”

“You look pleased with yourself.”

“I am.” Tao leaned slightly closer. “You did not run.”

That stole the humor from her expression instantly.

Renea lowered her tea slowly.

“No,” she admitted quietly. “I did not.”

Because she could have.

She had before.

Distance was easy.
Walls were easy.

But Tao—

Tao kept making safety feel possible.

Dangerous male.

Tao reached out slowly and brushed one finger lightly beneath her chin.

“Renea,” he said softly, “I do not want possession.”

Her eyes flicked toward his immediately.

“I want partnership.” His voice lowered gently. “I want to be someone you come home to willingly.”

Something vulnerable moved across her face then.

Quickly hidden.

But Tao saw it.

“You already speak differently than most Inu,” she murmured.

“How so?”

“You ask.”

Tao looked almost confused by that.

“Of course I ask.”

Renea stared at him quietly for a moment before looking down at the breakfast spread between them.

“That is not as common as you think.”

Tao felt a sudden sharp understanding settle inside his chest.

Possession is what I know.

Not devotion.
Not choice.

Possession.

He hated that anyone had taught her love should feel like ownership without care.

Tao picked up one of the sliced tropical fruits from the tray before holding it toward her casually.

Renea blinked once at the gesture before leaning forward and taking the offered bite.

The simple intimacy of it nearly undid him again.

“You are staring,” she murmured around a smile.

“I am thinking.”

“That sounds dangerous.”

“I was thinking,” Tao said carefully, “that perhaps I do not mind if you are uncertain right now.”

Renea looked at him curiously.

“Because?”

“Because you are still here.”

The quiet certainty in his voice wrapped around her more warmly than the fire ever could.

Renea looked away quickly after that, cheeks faintly pink again.

And Tao—

Tao watched her hide a smile behind her teacup while rain whispered softly through the canopy outside his den.

His mate, the Inu, whispered again smugly.

Tao decided not to argue this time.

---

The Blooming Market rested within the lower canopy of Verdant Canopy City like a living heartbeat.

Color.

Sound.

Life.

Massive woven bridges spiraled between the lower trees where hundreds of open-air stalls stretched beneath glowing silk awnings and flowering vines. Lanterns swung overhead while the scent of spices, exotic fruits, rainwater, and warm baked sweets filled the humid tropical air.

Travelers from across Irilia crowded the market paths.

Southern traders draped in gold-thread fabrics.
Midnight Zone merchants selling glowing fungi preserved in crystal jars.
Terian artisans displaying hand-carved instruments and painted masks.
Western sailors unloading spice crates fresh from Riverward Port.

Renea stopped at the market entrance and stared openly.

Tao’s chest swelled with satisfaction immediately.

“You planned this,” Renea accused softly.

“Yes.”

“You are courting aggressively again.”

“Yes.”

Renea laughed under her breath and slipped her hand into his willingly this time.

Tao nearly looked smug enough to start a war over it.

The market noticed them immediately, of course.

Lord Tao Waro descending into the lower canopy market holding a female’s hand was apparently enough to destroy several merchants emotionally.

Whispers followed them everywhere.

Renea pretended not to notice.

Tao absolutely noticed and enjoyed every second of it.

“This place is incredible,” Renea murmured as they walked beneath strands of glowing flower lanterns.

A nearby stall displayed massive exotic fruits stacked in bright pyramids—sunburst melons, glowing star pears, frost citrus from the Midnight Zone.

The merchant immediately brightened upon seeing Tao.

“Waro-sama! Fresh this morning!”

Before Renea could even glance properly at the fruit, Tao was already purchasing half the stall.

“Tao.”

“You looked interested.”

“That does not mean we need six sunburst melons.”

The merchant looked scandalized.

“Seven,” he corrected carefully.

Renea burst into laughter while Tao calmly handed over payment.

The Inu was hopeless.

As they continued deeper through the market, Tao bought her gifts with increasingly alarming enthusiasm.

A handwoven tropical silk shawl after she brushed her fingers across the fabric for too long.

A carved moonstone hairpin because she paused to admire the craftsmanship.

Rare teas from the eastern ports.
A glowing glass flower lantern.
Spice blends from the southern territories.

“Tao,” Renea protested eventually while balancing three small wrapped parcels already. “You cannot purchase the entire market.”

“I absolutely can.”

“That was not encouragement.”

“You called me impossible this morning.” Tao glanced at her sidelong. “This feels consistent.”

Renea shook her head softly, smiling despite herself.

Dangerous male.

No one had ever simply… spoiled her before.

Not for leverage.
Not for expectation.

Just because her eyes lingered on things too long.

The realization warmed her more than the tropical air.

A sudden burst of music drifted through the market ahead of them.

Renea turned curiously toward the sound.

Performers danced atop one of the suspended platforms while musicians played stringed instruments beneath hanging lantern flowers. Travelers crowded the surrounding bridges, laughing and clapping along to the rhythm.

Renea slowed.

Tao noticed instantly.

“You want to watch.”

“I did not say that.”

“You stopped walking.”

“That proves nothing.”

Tao pulled her gently toward the crowd anyway.

Renea made an offended sound but followed him willingly.

They ended up near the edge of the platform beneath glowing silk banners while dancers spun barefoot across polished wood.

Renea watched with quiet fascination.

And Tao—

Tao watched her.

Always her.

The way wonder softened her expression.
The way crowded joy seemed to calm something inside her instead of sharpen it.
The way she unconsciously leaned closer to him when people brushed too near.

Mine, the Inu purred again.

A young child suddenly rushed through the crowd, chasing floating lantern petals, and collided directly into Renea’s legs.

The little Terian froze in horror.

Renea immediately crouched down.

“Easy,” she said gently before the child could panic.

The little girl stared wide-eyed at her.

Then at Tao.

Then gasped dramatically.

“You are Lord Waro’s, pretty mate!”

The surrounding merchants went dead silent.

Tao nearly ascended spiritually.

Renea blinked once before immediately blushing crimson.

The child’s mother looked ready to die from embarrassment as she rushed over, apologizing repeatedly.

But Renea only smiled softly.

“It is alright.”

The little girl continued staring at her in awe.

“You smell like flowers and rain,” she informed Renea very seriously.

Tao made a dangerous sound low in his throat that suspiciously resembled pride.

Renea pointed at him immediately.

“Do not encourage this.”

“I have done nothing.”

The child looked between them and whispered loudly to her mother—

“They are very in love.”

Renea covered her face instantly.

Tao looked entirely too pleased with existence.

The market around them slowly returned to life and noise while the musicians continued playing beneath the canopy lights.

And somewhere between the laughter, the gifts, the lanterns, and Tao shamelessly carrying every package despite Renea’s protests—

---

She realized something quietly terrifying.

She was happy.

By the end of the day, Renea did not know exactly when it happened.

Somewhere between the Blooming Market and the Spirit Grove—

Something changed.

Perhaps it was the way Tao carried every package she pretended she did not want.

Or the way he never once rushed her through the city, allowing her to stop wherever curiosity pulled her.

Perhaps it was the look on his face every time she smiled.

Or perhaps—

It was the Spirit Grove itself.

The sacred district rested within the mid-canopy levels of Verdant Canopy City, hidden behind ancient living gates woven from roots older than most kingdoms.

The moment they entered, the noise of the city softened.

Not disappeared.

Softened.

As though the land itself demanded reverence.

Ancient temples rose through the trees beneath glowing green light filtering through impossible heights overhead. Massive druidic circles carved into living stone rested among waterfalls, moss gardens, and sacred pools reflecting the sky.

The air felt older there.

Alive.

Renea slowed immediately upon entering the Grove.

Tao watched her carefully.

The Daiisan in her responded to sacred places instinctively.

He could see it.

The way her breathing deepened slightly.
The way her eyes softened.
The way she unconsciously reached toward the ancient spirit carvings etched into the temple walls.

“This place…” she whispered.

“The Spirit Grove predates Verdant Canopy City itself,” Tao explained quietly. “The Inu built around it instead of over it.”

Renea looked at him then with unmistakable approval.

Tao felt absurdly victorious over this.

Good mate, his Inu preened.

They walked the Grove slowly together beneath ancient lantern trees and sacred wind chimes that sang softly through the canopy air.

No crowds pressed there.

Only pilgrims.
Priests.
Quiet reverence.

At the heart of the district stood one of the oldest temples in the Tropic Zone.

Its pillars were carved from living wood large enough to rival mountains while sacred waters flowed beneath glass floors illuminated by drifting spirit lights.

Renea stood speechless inside it.

Tao stood beside her silently for a long moment before finally reaching for her hand.

She let him take it.

No hesitation now.

The simple trust of it nearly undid him.

“Tao?” she asked softly.

He looked at her beneath the temple lantern light and suddenly realized he had never meant anything more seriously in his life.

“I vow,” he said quietly, “to love you, honor you, and protect you for all my days.”

Renea froze.

The words echoed softly through the ancient temple halls.

Not a performance.

Not seduction.

A vow spoken before sacred things.

Tao’s thumb brushed gently against her knuckles.

“You do not have to answer now,” he whispered. “You do not owe me anything in return.” His gaze held hers steadily. “But I needed you to know that my intentions toward you are serious.”

Renea’s breath shook softly.

Because no one had ever offered devotion without immediately demanding ownership alongside it.

Tao simply stood there holding her hand beneath sacred lantern light, looking at her like she was already precious.

Dangerous male.

By the time they reached the druidic circles deeper within the Grove—

Renea’s heart was already losing the battle.

The circles rested beneath open sky where ancient trees formed natural arches around sacred stone etched with old Inu symbols and nature prayers.

Spirit lights drifted lazily above the moss-covered ground while warm water flowed nearby through narrow channels glowing faintly beneath the dusk.

Renea stepped carefully into one of the circles and looked upward through the canopy opening overhead.

The world felt strangely quiet there.

Centered.

Tao joined her slowly.

Neither spoke for a while.

Then—

Very softly—

“I would like to court you properly.”

Renea closed her eyes briefly.

Because he asked again.

Still gently.
Still patiently.

No pressure.

Only sincerity.

When she looked at him again, Tao saw something new in her expression.

Not fear.

Choice.

“You really mean all of this,” she whispered.

“With everything I am.”

Renea stared at him for a long moment.

Then finally—

Finally—

She nodded.

“You may court me in the old Inu ways.”

Tao stopped breathing.

The Spirit Grove itself seemed to go still around them.

Even Renea looked slightly overwhelmed after the words left her mouth.

Tao’s eyes glowed brighter instantly, devotion and stunned joy colliding visibly across his face.

“Renea…”

She laughed softly, nervous suddenly beneath the sheer intensity of his happiness.

“You look like I just handed you the moon.”

“You did.”

And goddess—

The sincerity in his voice made her blush harder.

Tao stepped closer slowly as though approaching something sacred.

Perhaps he was.

When he kissed her this time beneath the ancient canopy lights and drifting spirit lanterns—

It felt different.

Not desperate.
Not uncertain.

Intentional.

A beginning.

And when they finally walked back out of the Spirit Grove into the glowing city beyond—

They were closer than when they entered.

Changed somehow.

Tao walked beside her, carrying her gifts in one hand while the other remained firmly intertwined with hers.

Renea caught herself leaning into him naturally now.

No hesitation.

No instinctive retreat.

The city lights shimmered around them beneath the canopy while distant music drifted upward from the lower levels.

And somewhere deep inside herself—

Renea realized she had stopped fearing the word courtship quite so much.

Because Tao had somehow transformed it from possession—

Into devotion.

Two weeks.

Two weeks in Verdant Canopy City and somehow the world had narrowed into something dangerously peaceful.

Mornings tangled in dark silk sheets high above the canopy.
Tea with servants who now openly adored Renea.
Late nights beneath lantern bridges.
Tao courting her with an intensity that should have frightened her more than it did.

And somewhere during those two weeks—

Renea had started sleeping without waking every hour.

Tao noticed immediately.

Of course he did.

But peace never lasted forever for people like them.

The return to Shinjuku hit like cold water.

The towering skyline rose beneath storm clouds and neon haze as their shuttle descended toward the city. The air itself felt sharper here. Louder. Faster.

Dangerous again.

Renea turned her communication device back on halfway through the descent.

It vibrated violently in her hand almost immediately.

Then again.

And again.

Tao watched her expression flatten with every notification.

“…How bad?” he asked carefully.

Renea stared at the screen in silence for a long moment.

Then slowly showed it to him.

32 missed calls.

Tao winced.

“That seems excessive.”

“That means something is on fire.”

“Figuratively?”

Renea gave him a look.

Tao sighed. “Concerning.”

The moment they stepped back into Shinjuku proper, the illusion of escape shattered completely.

Black transport vehicles already waited for them outside the private terminal.

Several of Renea’s security personnel looked one stress level away from collapse upon seeing her.

“Boss.”

Renea immediately shifted.

Tao saw it happen in real time.

The softness of Verdant Canopy receded behind composed elegance and razor-sharp awareness. Her posture straightened subtly. Her expression cooled.

Not because she wanted distance from him.

Because Shinjuku demanded armor.

“What happened?” Renea asked calmly.

The security lead looked visibly relieved by her presence.

“There’s a situation with the East Harbor contracts. Three council disputes. The Valmere negotiations collapsed yesterday. The Sept-Cent detained two intruders near Sphere headquarters.” He hesitated. “And your uncle has been requesting meetings repeatedly.”

Tao’s eyes darkened instantly at that last part.

Renea only exhaled slowly.

“Of course he has.”

One of the younger guards looked near tears.

“You were gone for two weeks.”

Renea blinked once. “Yes?”

The guard stared at her helplessly.

Tao nearly laughed.

Because apparently no one in Shinjuku knew how to function properly without Renea existing nearby.

Valid, honestly.

Renea rubbed lightly at her temple before glancing toward Tao.

And there—

There it was.

That tiny flicker of reluctance.

She did not want the bubble to burst either.

Tao crossed toward her immediately, unconcerned by the watching security teams.

His hand settled against her waist naturally.

“You are thinking too loudly,” he murmured.

Renea looked up at him tiredly.

“I hate this part.”

The honesty surprised both of them.

Because Renea rarely admitted exhaustion out loud.

Tao’s expression softened immediately.

“The city survived before you.”

“Debatable.”

“It will survive long enough for you to breathe.”

One corner of her mouth lifted faintly.

Then her device vibrated again.

Renea looked down.

Another call.

Then another.

Tao leaned slightly to glance at the screen.

“Sara.”
“Toto.”
“Bokkai.”
“Unknown restricted line.”

Tao grimaced.

“Yes. Something is definitely on fire.”

Renea laughed softly despite herself.

The sound visibly relaxed half her security team.

Dangerous female, Tao thought fondly.

Even exhausted she steadied entire rooms just by existing in them.

Renea straightened again with a sigh before beginning to move toward the waiting vehicles.

Then paused.

Turned.

And reached back for Tao’s hand without even thinking about it.

The motion stunned both of them briefly.

Renea blinked once as realization crossed her face.

Tao’s Inu practically howled with joy.

Mine.

But Tao only smiled softly and intertwined their fingers firmly.

Together then.

Renea looked at him quietly for a moment beneath the cold neon glow of Shinjuku.

And for the first time since landing—

The city did not feel quite so heavy anymore.

Phil’s Repair Company was parked outside again. No one questioned it. Not at first. They had been in and out for days—wiring, systems, upgrades after the recent… damage.

Routine.

Expected.

Safe.

Inside, the estate breathed as it always did—guards posted, staff moving, systems humming.

Until—

“Delivery for Lady Valvo.”

The box was small.

Elegant.

Wrong.

It was brought in without resistance.

Set down.

Waiting.

Renea stared at it for a long moment before touching it.

Something in her stilled.

Not fear.

Recognition.

The room felt—off.

Too quiet.

Too aware.

She lifted the lid.

Tissue paper.

Folded carefully.

Delicately.

Like something meant to be unwrapped slowly. Her fingers brushed it aside. And there—At the bottom—A nightgown.

White.

Soft.

Trimmed in red.

Her breath caught.

Not from surprise.

From memory.

She had never shown this to anyone.

Not even Sara.

She lifted it slightly—And something slipped free.

A card.

Simple.

Elegant.

She opened it.

To my beloved.

The air shifted.

Cold.

Watching.

Her fingers tightened.

Slowly—very slowly—she turned her head.

The room was empty.

Still.

Silent.

But the feeling didn’t leave.

It deepened.

A faint scent lingered—not Tao.

Not anyone she knew.

Something—familiar.

Wrong.

Her eyes moved to the window.

Just in time—to see the repair van pulling away.

Too quickly.

Too clean.

As if it had already done what it came to do.

Renea stepped toward the doorway—paused.

Something—instinct—stopped her.

She turned back.

Looked at the bed.

Her sheets—silver satin—perfectly smooth.

Except—One crease.

Faint.

At the edge.

As if someone had sat there.

Recently.

Watching.

Waiting.

Her pulse slowed.

Not panic.

Something colder.

More dangerous.

“He was here…”

The words barely left her lips.

And somewhere—far too close—something felt her realization—and smiled.

---

The moment Tao crossed the threshold—he stopped.

Everything in him went still.

Then—snapped.

The air—wrong.

His head turned sharply—nose lifting—breathing in.

Once.

Twice.

His eyes darkened.

Not her.

Not him.

Another male.

Low.

Close.

Inside.

A growl tore from his chest—raw—violent—uncontrolled.

“Who?”

The word wasn’t a question.

It was a threat.

Renea didn’t turn.

Didn’t soften.

“He was here.”

Simple.

Certain.

Tao moved.

Fast.

Across the room—to the bed.

His hand slammed into the mattress—fingers digging into silk—sniffing—searching—There.

Faint.

But unmistakable.

He had sat here.

Right here.

Waiting.

The growl deepened—twisting into something darker.

Possessive.

Violent.

His markings flared—jagged—alive.

“I’ll tear him apart.”

Each word dragged from his throat.

Slow.

Promised.

He turned—eyes blazing—

“Who brought this in?”

“Phil’s Repair Company,” Renea answered calmly.

Too calmly.

That steadiness—only fed his rage.

“They cleared security,” she added.

That stopped him.

Not calmed—but sharpened.

Because that meant—

“No breach…”

His voice dropped.

Then how—Tao looked back at the bed.

At the crease.

At the gown in her hands.

At the card.

To my beloved.

His jaw clenched.

“He touched what’s mine.”

The room darkened around the words. Not metaphor. Not emotion. Truth.

Renea finally turned to him.

Her gaze steady.

Cold.

“Then find him.”

A pause.

“And make him regret it.”

He had been there. Not long. He never stayed long. Long enough to breathe her in—to sit—to feel the space she occupied.

The bed had been softer than he imagined.

Warm.

Still holding her scent.

He had sat at the edge—hands resting lightly—as if she might appear. As if she had just stepped away.

He closed his eyes then. Let it fill him. Her. Everywhere. He smiled.

“She sleeps here…”

Soft.

Reverent.

He had almost stayed longer. Almost. But he knew better. Timing was everything.

Presence—should be felt.

Not caught.

He left the gift carefully. Something intimate. Something his.

And when he slipped out—no one saw him. No alarms. No suspicion. Just another worker. Another face. Another lie.

Now—far from the estate—he sat back in the van.

Watching it disappear in the distance.

Waiting.

Feeling.

The moment she found it. The moment it clicked. The moment he became real. His fingers tapped lightly against the wheel.

A slow smile spreading.

“He knows now…”

A quiet laugh followed.

Low.

Satisfied.

“Good.”

Because this time—he wouldn’t take her in silence. He would let him feel it. Step by step.

Closer.

Closer.

Until there was nothing left—but him.

---

“Lock it down.” Tao didn’t raise his voice.

He didn’t need to.

The command moved through the estate instantly—doors sealed—systems engaged—guards doubling positions—No one in.

No one out.

Still—it felt too late.

Tao stood in the center of the room—breathing slow—controlled—but the rage beneath it—feral.

“He was here.” Not a theory. A fact.

Renea said nothing.

She didn’t need to.

They both knew.

A knock—sharp—urgent—The doors opened before permission was given.

Kago entered. Fast. Eyes already searching.

“Has your uncle Eml been here, girl-pup?”

The question hit like a blade. Renea blinked—shaken—

“No, Ompapa—why would he?”

Her voice tightened.

“He hates me.”

Kago didn’t answer. Didn’t look at her. He inhaled.

Deep.

Again.

His nostrils flared—and his expression changed.

Recognition.

Something darker.

“No…”

He moved. Past them—into the hall. Following. Tracking. Renea stepped after him—Tao right behind.

“What do you mean, Father?” Tao asked, voice low.

Kago didn’t slow.

“If I didn’t know better…”

His voice dropped—

“I would swear my brother has been here.”

Silence followed them—heavy—impossible. They stopped outside the bedroom. The door—slightly ajar. Kago pushed it open. Stepped inside. Stopped. The scent hit him fully.

Undeniable.

His hands curled—claws pressing into his palms.

“It’s him.”

A growl.

Low.

Certain.

Behind him—Tao’s control slipped. Just enough. The room pulsed with it.

Then—a servant appeared at the doorway.

Hesitant.

“My Lord… another delivery.”

Tao turned slowly.

“From where?”

The servant swallowed.

“No return mark, sir.”

A pause.

“Just… this.”

A second box. Larger. Placed carefully in Tao’s hands. Renea stepped forward. Opened it. More tissue. More care. More intent. Inside—a set of piano sheet music. Handwritten.

Notes inked in black—precise—beautiful— And beneath it—a letter.

Longer.

She unfolded it.

Read.

My Beloved,

I wondered if you would recognize the first gift. You always preferred white—soft fabrics that whispered when you moved. You wore them when you played.

 I remember the way your fingers moved across the keys.

So delicate.

So certain.

You always closed your eyes on the second refrain. Every time. As if you were somewhere else. I used to sit where no one could see me. And listen.

 You never knew.

But I did.

Every note.

Every breath.

You tilt your head slightly when you reach for a higher chord. You press harder when you are emotional. You slow when you are thinking. You are most beautiful in those moments.

Unaware.

Unwatched.

But I have always watched. I have always known you. Better than they ever will. Better than him. Do not worry. I will come for you soon.

You won’t have to pretend anymore.

—The one who truly sees you

Silence.

Dead.

Absolute.

Kago’s breathing turned uneven.

Tao—very slowly—took the letter from her hands. Read it once. Then again. Each line—another step deeper into something violent.

“He’s been watching her…”

The realization settled—heavy. Long-term. Calculated. Not random. Not recent. Renea’s gaze didn’t waver.

But something beneath it—shifted.

Understanding.

Kago’s voice broke through.

“He’s not coming to take power.”

A pause.

His eyes moved to Tao.

“He’s coming for her.”

---

The Return

The brothers returned just before dawn.

No laughter.

No noise.

Only the quiet hum of machines powering down as they entered the war room.

Renea was already there.

Waiting.

Tao stood behind her—arms crossed—watching.

“Report.”

Bokkai didn’t sit. Didn’t joke. He dropped the case onto the table.

Hard.

“It was one of his safehouses.”

A pause.

“And he’s been there a long time.”

The locks snapped open.

The case unfolded. Photos spilled across the surface.

Dozens.

Hundreds.

Renea didn’t move. Didn’t react. She just… looked. There she was. Sleeping. In her hotel room. Sheets pulled just enough to reveal her shoulder.

Another— Walking into a meeting. Head high. Focused.

Another—At the piano. Eyes closed. Lost in the music.

Another—Laughing. Unaware.

Watched.

Tracked.

Collected.

Tao’s jaw tightened.

“How long…”

No one answered. Because the answer was already there.

In the detail.

In the angles.

In the intimacy.

This wasn’t recent.

This was years.

Bokkai reached deeper into the case.

Pulled out a stack of documents. Schedules. Old. Archived. Every movement mapped. Every habit recorded.

“He knows her better than most of us,” one of the brothers muttered.

Silence followed.

Then—Bokkai hesitated.

For the first time.

“Boss…”

Renea’s eyes lifted.

“What?”

He exhaled slowly.

“Eml doesn’t hate Terians.”

That landed wrong.

“What?” Renea’s voice sharpened.

Bokkai pushed another set of photos forward.

Not of her. Of others.

Women.

Different. But not. Same height. Same build. Same hair. Echoes. Distorted reflections.

“They work for him,” Bokkai continued. “At least ten that we counted.”

Renea didn’t blink.

“They… resemble you.”

The room tightened. No one moved. No one spoke. Bokkai’s voice dropped.

“We interviewed some of them.”

A pause.

“They all said the same thing.”

Tao stepped forward slightly.

“What?”

Bokkai didn’t look at him.

He looked at Renea.

“Sometimes… he calls them Renea.”

Silence. Not shock. Something colder. Realization. Renea’s fingers pressed lightly against the table. Not shaking. Grounding.

“He’s not hunting power…”

Her voice was quiet.

Distant.

Understanding unfolding in real time.

“He’s been building a world.”

Her gaze dropped to the photos again.

“To replace me.”

Tao’s restraint finally cracked. The table splintered beneath his hand. Wood snapping. Sharp. Violent.

“He touches them and says your name.”

The words came out low.

Dangerous.

“I’ll end him.”

Not a threat.

A certainty.

Renea didn’t look at him.

Not yet. Her eyes stayed on the photos. On the patterns. On the truth.

“He doesn’t want to kill me.” A breath.

“He wants to own me.”

Now she looked up.

Not afraid. Not shaken. Something far more dangerous.

Focused.

“Good.”

The word landed softly.

But it changed everything.

“Because that means he’ll come to me.”

Tao’s gaze snapped to hers.

Immediate.

“No.”

Final.

But she didn’t back down. Didn’t soften. Didn’t yield.

“He’s spent years watching me.” A step forward. “Now I watch him.”

Silence fell again.

Heavy.

Decisive.

The hunt—had turned.

The estate had been tense for two days. Voices raised. Silence heavier after.

Tao had not yielded.

And neither had she.

Now—the music filled the space instead.

Renea sat at the piano. Eyes closed. Fingers moving. Letting the sound carry what words could not.

The melody shifted—low—pulling—something between dread and longing. Her thoughts slipped—unbidden—to him. Eml. Her uncle. No. The man she thought she knew. The hatred had been legendary. Everyone knew it. His disgust for Terians—for anything like her.

Her fingers struck harder—sharper notes—discord creeping into the melody.

She remembered the gate. That day.

Walking away with her father. Freedom. Or so she thought. She had looked back. Just once.

Her grandfather stood still—watching.

But Eml—Eml had looked at her—not with indifference—but with something colder.

Something she had never understood as a child.

Hatred.

Her hands slowed. The music faltered. Then—stilled. Silence rushed in.

Her eyes opened.

Clear now.

Focused.

“Grandfather.”

The word carried.

Kago answered from behind her.

“What about him, girl-pup?”

She didn’t turn.

“Is he holding up back again at his estate?”

A low growl followed. Frustration. Kago stepped closer.

“What are you thinking?”

Now she turned. That look—the one he knew too well. Not emotional. Strategic.

“We need to speak with him.” A pause. “Directly.”

Kago’s expression darkened.

“You believe he knows something.”

“I know he does.”

Her voice didn’t waver.

“He has always known more than he said.”

A breath.

“And now we know why.”

Tao’s presence filled the doorway before he spoke.

“No.”

The word cut clean. Final. Renea didn’t react. Didn’t even look at him.

“We are going.”

“You are not.”

Now she turned.

Their eyes met.

The tension between them—immediate. Alive.

“He’s hunting you,” Tao continued, voice low.

“I will not walk you into him.”

“I am not prey.” Her tone sharpened. “I am the one he wants.”

A step forward.

“That gives me control.”

“No.”

Closer now.

“It makes you the target.”

Silence. Tight. Unyielding.

Renea rose slowly from the bench.

“You cannot lock me away, Tao.”

“I can keep you alive.”

Their distance closed—not physically—but in pressure. In will.

“I decide how this ends.”

“And I decide if you survive it.”

The room held its breath.

Kago watched—quiet. Knowing. This was no longer about Eml. This was about them. Renea stepped closer. Not backing down.

“Then stand beside me.”

A pause.

“Or stand in my way.”

Tao didn’t move. Didn’t blink. But something shifted. Not surrender. Not agreement. Something harder.

“I will stand with you.”

The words came slow.

Reluctant.

“But not blindly.”

A beat.

“And not without a plan.”

Renea’s expression softened—just slightly.

“Good.”

Because that was all she wanted.

Not protection.

Not control.

A partner.

“You don’t go alone.” Tao’s voice didn’t rise.

It settled.

Heavy.

“Three conditions.”

Renea didn’t argue. Not yet.

“Say them.”

“First—” he stepped closer, eyes locked on hers, “you stay within my sight. Always.”

A beat.

“Second—the brothers sweep every room before you enter it.”

Another.

“Third—if I say we leave, we leave.”

Silence. Measured. Renea studied him. Weighed it.

“Agreed.”

No hesitation. No softness.

A partner’s answer.

Kago exhaled.

“Then we go.”

---

The estate was older. Quieter. It felt like something that had been waiting—too long. They entered without ceremony. Without permission.

He was already there. Waiting. Renea stepped into the room. Tao a breath behind her. Kago to her side.

The old male’s gaze snapped to her—and something ugly rose in it.

“This is your fault.”

The hiss cut sharp.

“You turned my son—my precious son—into an animal.”

Renea’s answer came faster.

Louder.

Deeper.

“No.”

A growl—ancient, absolute.

“Your son is disgusting.”

Her eyes burned.

“I am his niece.”

The word landed like a blade.

The old male smiled.

Thin.

Cruel.

“You are nothing.” A breath. “Less than nothing.”

The room tightened.

Tao stepped— but Renea’s hand stopped him. Barely.

“I am the Supreme Alpha of this clan.”

Her voice carried.

Filled the space.

“And you will address me as such.” A pause.

“You will also answer for aiding a known criminal.” Another step forward.

“For protecting him.”

Her gaze sharpened.

“For helping create him.”

The old male’s lip curled.

“You think you understand him?” A bitter laugh. “He hated you.”

The words echoed— then broke.

“He hated what you were.” A breath. “But the woman you became—”

His eyes flicked—almost unwilling.

“—that changed.”

Silence.

“He watched you grow.”

“From something he despised…”

“…into something he wanted.”

The room went still.

Tao’s hand curled. Slow. Controlled.

Kago’s expression darkened—not surprise. Confirmation.

“You knew,” Renea said quietly.

The old male didn’t deny it.

“I knew.”

A beat.

“And so did Kagetora.”

That landed harder. A fracture beneath the surface—old.

Deep.

“You all let this happen.” Not a question. A verdict.

---

“Clear.”

The brothers moved ahead.

Fast.

Silent.

Doors opened.

Rooms checked.

Nothing.

Until—

“Boss.”

Bokkai’s voice—different. They followed. Down a narrow hall. To a door half-hidden behind another. A connecting room. Forgotten. Or meant to be. The door opened. And the air changed.

Thick.

Wrong.

Every wall—covered. Photos. Renea. Sleeping. Walking. Smiling. Unaware.

Clothing hung carefully—preserved. Arranged. Like relics. A shrine. Built in silence. Built over time. Years.

Tao didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

But something inside him—broke.

Not loud.

Not explosive.

Worse.

Controlled.

Deadly.

Kago stepped in—took it in—and closed his eyes briefly.

“Filth…”

The word barely left him.

Renea walked forward. Slow. Deliberate. She stopped at the center. Looked. Really looked. At all of it. At him. Every piece of him laid bare. Then—she turned.

Her expression had changed.

Not shock.

Not fear.

Something colder.

Final.

“He’s been building this for years.” A pause.

“He won’t stop.”

Tao stepped beside her.

Close.

Grounded.

“No.”

His voice dropped.

Quiet.

Certain.

“He won’t.”

Another beat.

“But I will.”

Silence followed. Not empty.

Decided.

---

Kago didn’t lower him gently.

He dropped him.

Hard.

The old yokai hit the floor with a dull thud—bones protesting—pride shattered long before that.

“This—”

Kago’s voice trembled—not weak—contained.

“This is your precious son.”

A step forward.

A shadow looming.

“This is what you created.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Ugly.

“Why…” Kago forced the words out. “Why didn’t you say something?”

For a moment— it looked like regret might surface.

Something. Something worth saving. But it didn’t. The old yokai hissed—spittle at the corner of his mouth.

“It’s all her fault.”

The room went still.

“She should have died in that alley you found her in.”

Tao moved.

Fast.

But Renea’s hand caught his wrist.

Firm.

Stopping him.

Not mercy.

Control.

“I told him,” the old male continued, voice gaining strength.

“I told him Terians were trouble.”

A bitter laugh.

“Told him to leave them alone.”

A shake of his head.

“But he wouldn’t listen.”

His eyes shifted—to Renea. Hate. Pure.

“She wasn’t like them.” A pause. His lip curled.

“Nothing was.”

“She was… beautiful.”

The word sounded wrong coming from him.

Twisted.

“He would say it constantly.”

“Brag about her.”

“Her company.”

“Sphere Solutions.”

Another laugh—sharp—resentful.

“She took your uncle’s work and made it the greatest in the world.”

His voice dropped.

“I hated hearing it.”

“Every word.”

Renea didn’t move. Didn’t react. But her eyes—listened.

“When your uncle named her heir…”

The old yokai’s expression darkened.

“He lost what little sanity he had left.”

A breath.

“Then came the dinner.”

The memory lingered.

“Your uncle made it known.”

A glance toward Tao—lingering.

“That his… thing… was seeing someone worthy.”

The room tightened.

“Eml broke.”

Simple.

Final.

“He started disappearing.”

“Days at a time.”

“Then he left.”

A weak gesture toward the empty space around them.

“He hasn’t lived here in years.”

A pause.

Then—again— venom.

“This is all her fault.”

Silence followed. Not stunned. Not shocked. Just—done.

Kago’s shoulders squared.

Something in him settling.

Hardening.

“You blame a child…”

His voice dropped—dangerous.

“…for the sickness of your son.”

A step closer.

“You hid it.” Another.

“You allowed it to grow.”

Now standing over him.

“And now you call it her fault.”

The old yokai didn’t flinch.

Didn’t yield.

“I warned him.” A whisper. Broken.

“But he chose her.”

Kago exhaled slowly. Not anger. Something colder. Resolution.

“Then hear me clearly.”

A pause.

“Your precious son will be stopped.”

His eyes locked onto his father’s.

“By me.”

Another beat.

“Or you will do it yourself.”

Silence answered him.

The kind that said—neither will happen willingly. Behind him—Renea finally spoke.

Quiet.

Controlled.

“He won’t stop.”

A pause.

“So we will.”

Tao stepped forward—this time—no one stopped him.

The engine idled.

Soft.

Steady.

Barely there beneath the night.

Eml sat behind the wheel—hands loose—eyes fixed on the estate. His father’s estate. Lights on. Movement inside. Alive. He had not stepped foot inside in years. Didn’t need to. Didn’t want to.

The phone buzzed in his hand.

He didn’t look at it right away.

He already knew who it was. Still—he answered.

“What?”

No greeting. No warmth.

“Come home.”

His father’s voice—strained. Trying.

“Stop this.” A pause.

“Whatever you’re doing… it ends now.”

Eml’s gaze didn’t shift.

Didn’t soften.

His eyes tracked the driveway—as headlights appeared in the distance. One car. Then another. He knew them. Of course he did. The moment they turned in—

his lips curved.

“They’re there, aren’t they?”

Silence on the other end.

Answer enough.

“I can smell them from here.”

A quiet inhale—slow—savoring.

“Her too.”

A faint smile.

“She’s close.”

His father’s voice hardened.

“You will come inside. Now.”

“No.”

Simple.

Final.

“You don’t understand.”

A soft exhale.

“I’ve waited too long for this.”

Movement in the house—shadows passing behind lit windows. He imagined her there. Standing. Looking. Breathing.

“So close,” he murmured.

His father snapped.

“This ends tonight.”

Eml laughed.

Low.

Almost fond.

“No, Father.”

A pause.

“It begins tonight.”

The engine hummed beneath him.

Patient.

Like he was.

“I will see you soon.”

And before the old male could answer—the line went dead. Eml lowered the phone slowly. Set it aside. His gaze never left the house. Not once.

“They found it…”

A whisper.

Not anger.

Satisfaction.

“Good.”

His fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel.

Measured.

Calm.

Because now—there would be no more guessing. No more distance. No more shadows. They knew. And that meant—they would come.

Or he would.

Either way—this was no longer about watching. His eyes drifted upward—to the window.

One in particular.

Dark.

Still.

“I’ll come to you properly this time.”

A breath.

Soft.

Reverent.

“My Renea.”

The engine revved slightly—then settled again. But he didn’t leave. Not yet. He just sat there—watching—waiting—as if he had all the time in the world.

Because in his mind—he already had what he wanted.

---

The car cut through the night.

No one spoke.

Until—

“I’m going to my estate in Iana.” Renea didn’t look at them when she said it. Didn’t soften it.

She placed it.

Tao’s gaze shifted immediately.

Kago frowned.

“What estate, girl-pup?” he asked. “We don’t own property there.”

Even Tao turned fully now. Questioning. Renea leaned back slowly. Exhaled.

“I do.”

A pause.

“A great deal, actually.”

Her eyes lifted—steady.

“A whole island.”

Silence filled the car.

Kago blinked.

Once.

Twice.

“You… what?”

Renea’s expression didn’t change.

“There are things I built over the years, Ompapa.”

A breath.

“Things no one knows about.”

Her gaze flicked to him—apologetic—but firm.

“Not even you.”

That landed. Not betrayal. But realization. He didn’t know her as completely as he thought. Tao watched her carefully now. Measuring.

“Why Iana?”

Simple.

Direct.

Renea’s answer came just as clean.

“Because there—”

She leaned forward slightly.

“I control everything.”

A beat.

“No blind spots.”

“No unknowns.”

“No one walks in without my knowing.”

The weight of that settled. Different from the estate. Different from here. Kago’s jaw tightened.

“And you’ve had this… all this time?”

“Yes.”

No hesitation.

No apology.

Tao’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“You were planning for something.”

Renea met his gaze.

“I was preparing.”

A pause.

“For the day I couldn’t rely on anyone else.”

That lingered. Between them. Sharp. Honest. Then—

“It’s time to stop reacting.”

Her voice shifted— Alpha. Focused.

“Time to plan.”

Her eyes locked on Tao.

“Time to end this.”

Silence.

Then—Tao leaned forward slightly. Not resisting. Not yielding. Challenging.

“If we go—”

A beat.

“It’s under my terms too.”

Renea didn’t flinch.

“Say them.”

“Full perimeter control before you step on that island.”

His voice was low.

Precise.

“The brothers sweep everything.”

Another.

“You don’t leave my sight unless we say so together.”

A pause.

“And if he shows himself—”

His eyes darkened.

“We finish it.”

Renea held his gaze. Long enough to test it. To weigh him. Then—

“Agreed.”

No hesitation. No compromise. Partnership.

Kago exhaled slowly. Looking between them. Seeing it now—clear. They weren’t pulling apart anymore. They were aligning.

“Then we move before dawn,” he said.

Renea nodded once.

Final.

Because Iana wasn’t just an escape.

It was a fortress.

A trap.

And if Eml followed—he wouldn’t be walking into her world.

---

Silkmore → The Crossing

They left before dawn. No fanfare. No delay. Packed light. Only what mattered.

By midday—the convoy rolled into Silkmore. Engines idling. Dust settling. Renea stepped out first. Already moving—already thinking three steps ahead.

“I need to make a call,” she said, not slowing.

“Supplies.”

Tao watched her go—not stopping her.

Not this time.

Kago joined him beside the trucks.

A guide approached—eager—nervous.

“You’re heading toward the Tlas Peninsula?”

Tao didn’t answer.

Kago did.

“Show us.”

The guide nodded quickly—pulled up a screen—Maps.

Satellite feeds.

Images.

“As you leave Silkmore,” he began, pointing,

“you’ll cross Renfrees Bridge—about ten miles out.”

The screen shifted—A long, elegant span of stone and steel—stretching over deep, calm water.

“Beyond that…”

The images changed again.

Jungle.

Forest.

Waterfalls.

“…everything changes.”

The guide’s voice softened.

“The peninsula is… different.”

The convoy around them faded—as the images filled the space. Thick jungle giving way to ancient forest. Pristine beaches—untouched. Lagoon waters—clear as glass.

“It’s all held within the Bay of Dantos,” the guide continued,

“completely isolated.”

Another image—The mansion. Massive. Elegant. Glass walls reflecting the sky—gardens sprawling outward—paths winding like veins through color and life.

Tao’s gaze sharpened.

“This is yours.”

Not a question.

Renea’s voice came from behind them.

“Yes.”

She had returned—phone in hand—expression unreadable.

“The heart of it.”

The guide swallowed.

“Miss Valvo turned it into a sanctuary,” he added quickly.

“People live and work there—everything is self-sustained.”

Renea didn’t look at him.

“I built it that way.”

A pause.

“No outside dependence.”

Kago studied the screen.

“You’ve been preparing for this longer than we thought.”

Renea said nothing. Because the answer was obvious. Yes. The guide continued— almost in awe now—

“At night, the path from the bridge is lit by bioluminescent flowers…”

The image shifted again—Soft glowing light lining a winding road. Leading deeper.

“To the mansion.”

Tao exhaled slowly.

A fortress.

Hidden in beauty.

Isolated.

Controlled.

Perfect.

Too perfect.

His gaze moved to Renea.

“You trust this place.”

She met his eyes.

“I trust myself.”

A beat.

Then—

“We move now.”

The guide stepped back.

The convoy engines roared to life.

And as they rolled out of Silkmore—toward the bridge—toward the peninsula—toward her domain—

Tao felt it. Not relief. Not safety. Something else. A shift. Because if this place was truly beyond reach—then there was only one question left.

Would Eml follow?

---

Dusk had already begun its descent when they reached the bridge.

Renfrees stretched before them—

long—

silent—

transformative.

The moment the convoy crossed—

the world changed.

Silkmore faded behind them.

Noise.

People.

Control.

Gone.

Replaced by something quieter.

Older.

The road narrowed—wound through thick jungle that gave way to towering forest. And then— the light appeared. Soft at first. Faint glimmers along the ground.

Then more. And more. Until the path itself seemed to breathe.

Bioluminescent flowers lined the road—casting a low, ethereal glow—guiding them forward. Beautiful. Unnatural. Too still. No wind. No sound.

Even the engines felt too loud here.

Tao didn’t relax.

If anything—his senses sharpened. Because beauty like this—hid things. The gates appeared without warning. Massive. Iron and stone—woven into the land itself. The convoy slowed. Then stopped. Guards emerged from the shadows. Silent. Efficient.

Weapons visible—but not raised. They moved from truck to truck—checking.

Inspecting. Nothing rushed. Nothing missed.

Tao watched it all—approval buried beneath tension.

Good.

It meant this place took threats seriously.

But it also meant—if something got through—it would be deliberate. Finally— they reached Renea’s vehicle. The lead guard stepped forward. Paused—recognition hitting.

“My Lady Renea.”

A slight bow.

“We are sorry for the delay.”

His voice steady—but respectful.

“The house called ahead.”

A glance toward the rest of the convoy.

“We were instructed to check everyone entering—”

He hesitated.

“And beyond.”

Renea didn’t react.

Didn’t take offense.

“Good.”

Simple.

Approving.

“No problems, Kian.”

Her gaze shifted—sharp now.

“The paths leading away from the house?”

The guard stiffened slightly—then reached for his radio.

A crackle.

Static.

Then—

“Clear.”

Another voice—

“All zones are reporting clear, my lady.”

Kian lowered the radio.

Met her gaze again.

“Perimeter secured.”

A pause.

Then—something else.

Subtle.

Concern.

“Are you expecting company, my lady?”

Tao felt it immediately. The shift. The question wasn’t routine. It was instinct.

He looked at Renea. Watched her. Measured her. Because her answer—mattered.

Renea didn’t look away.

Didn’t soften.

“Yes.”

A beat.

Her eyes darkened—not with fear—but with certainty.

“The worst kind.”

Silence followed.

Heavy.

Understood.

Kian nodded once.

No hesitation.

“No one enters without your command.”

A step back.

He raised his hand—signaled the gate. Massive doors began to open—slow—deliberate—like something waking.

“Welcome home, my lady.”

The convoy moved forward.

Through the gates.

Into her domain.

The flowers glowed brighter as they passed—as if reacting—as if aware.

Tao didn’t look at them.

Didn’t admire the beauty.

His attention stayed forward—and inward. Because this place—for all its control—for all its design—felt like a trap.

Not for them.

For someone else.

And if Eml followed—he wouldn’t be slipping into shadows this time. He’d be stepping into a place built—to see everything.

The gates closed behind them with a final, echoing weight.

And still—they drove.

Another mile.

Deeper.

The path curved gently—the glowing flowers thickening—their light pooling like liquid beneath the tires. The forest began to thin—not naturally—but deliberately.

Shaped. Controlled. Until—

the house revealed itself.

Not suddenly.

But like something allowing itself to be seen.

Glass.

Stone.

Light.

A structure that didn’t sit on the land—it ruled it. Every angle intentional. Every line precise. And as the convoy slowed—Tao saw them.

All of them.

Servants.

Guards.

Lining the steps.

Perfectly still.

Waiting.

Not surprised. Not scrambling. Prepared. As if they had known the exact moment she would arrive. As if—they had been waiting long before the call was made. Tao’s eyes narrowed slightly. This wasn’t hospitality. This was formation.

Renea stepped out first. Of course she did. The moment her foot touched the stone—every head bowed. In unison.

Silent.

Precise.

“My Lady.”

The words moved like a wave—low—reverent—controlled.

Not worship.

Not fear.

Something else.

Loyalty.

Chosen.

Tao stepped out behind her. And felt it immediately. The shift. Eyes lifted—not to challenge—but to measure. To see.

To understand what stood beside her.

Kago stepped forward—watching them all—reading them. And for the first time since this began—he relaxed. Just slightly. Because this—this was not like the others. These were not men bought. Not guards hired.

These were hers.

Built.

Chosen.

Renea moved up the steps—slow—deliberate—owning every inch of space.

“They’ve been briefed,” she said quietly, not looking back.

Tao followed.

“How much do they know?”

“Enough.”

A pause.

“They know something is coming.”

Another step.

“They just don’t know when.”

Tao’s gaze swept the line again. Every stance. Every breath. Disciplined. Ready. Good. Because they would need to be. At the top of the steps—Renea stopped. Turned.

Looked over everything.

The gates.

The path.

The glowing forest beyond.

Then—

quietly—

“To your posts.”

The line broke instantly. Not chaos. Not disorder. Purpose. Each one moving with speed and precision— disappearing into the structure— into the land—into positions unseen.

In seconds—

the steps were empty. Silent again. As if no one had been there at all.

Tao exhaled slowly.

Impressed—though he didn’t say it.

“You built this well.”

Renea didn’t smile.

But something in her eyes shifted.

“I built it to survive me.”

That lingered.

Heavy.

Honest.

Behind them—the last truck doors closed.

Engines cut.

And the estate—fully awake now—settled into something else.

Not peace.

Not safety.

Preparation.

Because whatever came next—would not be turned away at the gates. And everyone here—knew it.

---

Night settled differently here.

Not darkness—but a dim, living glow. The bioluminescent paths pulsed faintly beyond the glass—like veins beneath skin.

Everything looked calm.

Too calm.

Tao didn’t trust it.

“Show me.”

Montier didn’t argue. Didn’t hesitate.

He simply turned—gestured—and led Tao deeper into the estate.

Down a central corridor—past reinforced doors—past silent personnel stationed like shadows—until they reached it.

The heart.

The command center.

Tao stepped inside—and stopped.

Screens. Everywhere. Walls of them—layered—stacked—alive with motion. Angles from every direction—every corridor—every perimeter line—every inch of the grounds. Nothing left unseen.

Montier stood at the center—hands behind his back—watching. Always watching.

“I have full coverage of the estate, my Lord.”

His voice was calm.

Certain.

He tapped a console—screens shifted—zoomed—A guard rotation.

A rooftop sweep.

Thermal overlays through the tree line.

Even places—Tao knew most systems ignored.

“You’re watching beyond standard patrol zones.”

Not a question.

Montier inclined his head.

“Yes.”

A beat.

“The areas guards are told to trust.”

Another shift—Hidden angles. Dead ground. Places where shadows naturally gathered.

“I do not trust them.”

Tao almost smiled.

Good.

He stepped forward—closer to the screens—watching movement patterns—timing—reaction speeds—Nothing sloppy. Nothing careless.

“Blind spots.”

The word was quiet.

Sharp.

Montier didn’t hesitate.

“There are only two categories.”

A tap. Two sections dimmed on the display.

“Private spaces.”

A pause.

“Bedrooms.”

Another.

“Bathrooms.”

Tao’s gaze didn’t move.

Didn’t soften.

“Everything else?”

“Seen.”

Absolute.

Final.

Silence settled between them.

Then—Tao moved again. Slow. Thinking. Because a place like this— this controlled—this precise—should have felt secure. But it didn’t. Not entirely. He leaned slightly closer to one of the screens.

A corridor.

Empty.

Too empty.

The timing—

just slightly off.

A delay?

A flicker?

Gone.

Tao’s eyes narrowed.

“Run that again.”

Montier complied instantly.

The footage looped.

Perfect.

Clean.

Nothing wrong.

Nothing—there.

Tao straightened slowly. Jaw tightening. Because that was the problem. It was too perfect.

He turned slightly—looking over the entire system again.

“If someone knew this layout…”

He didn’t finish.

He didn’t need to.

Montier’s voice lowered.

“They would look for where we are not allowed to see.”

Tao’s gaze darkened.

“Or where we think we don’t need to.”

A beat. Because Eml wasn’t careless. Wasn’t reckless. He was patient. And patient men didn’t walk into traps. They studied them. Learned them. Broke them. Tao exhaled slowly.

“Double internal sweeps.”

Montier nodded.

“Already in motion.”

“Trip the system at random intervals.”

“Done.”

A pause.

Tao’s voice dropped.

“If anything—even feels wrong—”

Montier met his gaze.

“It won’t be ignored.”

Silence again.

But this time—heavier. Because now—it wasn’t about what they could see. It was about what might already be inside.  And for the first time since arriving— Tao didn’t feel like they were waiting. He felt like they were being watched.

 3:00 AM — The First Breach

The phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

That was all it took. Tao was already awake. Not moving—just… aware. But he hadn’t felt her shift. Hadn’t felt her leave his side. Renea was already sitting up— receiver in hand—voice low.

“How far did he get?”

A pause.

“I see.”

Silence stretched—tight—measured.

“I will make the call myself.”

Another pause.

“That is… unfortunate.”

Her tone didn’t change.

“He will be missed.”

A final breath.

“Yes. I understand.”

The line went dead. She lowered the receiver slowly. For a moment—she just sat there. Looking at her hands. Still. Tao was already upright.

 Watching her. Waiting.

“What happened?”

Not a question.

A demand.

Renea didn’t look up immediately.

“One of the guards missed check-in.”

Her voice was soft—too soft.

“They found his body five minutes ago.”

The air in the room shifted.

Cold.

Sharp.

Tao’s gaze hardened instantly.

“Where?”

“Outer perimeter.”

A beat.

“Near the east line.”

That meant distance. That meant time. That meant—he had been there long enough.

“The trackers picked up a scent trail.”

Now she looked at him.

“They’re following it.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Tao swung his legs off the bed.

Already moving.

“No.”

The word stopped him.

Sharp.

Final.

He turned.

Renea was standing now. Still in shadow—but something about her had changed.

“They don’t chase.”

A step forward.

“They report.”

Another.

“We don’t react.”

Her eyes locked with his.

“We control.”

Tao’s jaw tightened.

“He’s inside our perimeter.”

“He wants to be.”

That landed.

Hard.

Because it was true.

Nothing about this was random. Nothing about this was sloppy. A guard—killed clean—just enough of a trail left behind—just enough to be followed.

Tao exhaled slowly.

“Bait.”

Renea nodded once.

“Yes.”

Silence stretched between them. Not fear. Not panic. Understanding. Because this—this was the moment. He had stopped watching. And started moving. Tao stepped closer.

Lower.

Dangerous.

“Then we move first.”

Renea’s gaze didn’t waver.

“No.”

A beat.

“We let him think he’s ahead.”

Another.

“Just long enough.”

Tao stared at her.

Measuring.

Calculating.

Then—slowly—he nodded. But his voice dropped even further.

“If he comes near this room—”

Renea’s lips curved faintly.

Not soft.

Not kind.

“He won’t leave it.”

Silence followed.

Deep.

Absolute.

Because now—the game had shifted. He wasn’t outside anymore. He wasn’t watching from a distance. He had stepped inside her domain—and drawn blood. And for the first time—Renea didn’t feel hunted. She felt invited to end it.

---

5:00 AM — The Invitation

Dawn hadn’t broken yet. The estate still held that in-between quiet— when the report came in.

“Movement at the main steps.”

Then—

“Flowers. And a package.”

Tao didn’t speak. Didn’t need to. They were already moving. Renea was ahead of him. Always. The doors opened—and there it was.

Arranged.

Deliberate.

White flowers—perfect—untouched by dew. And at their center—a box.

Pristine.

Waiting.

Renea didn’t hesitate.

Didn’t reach for it.

Tao did.

Because this—this was no longer a gesture. This was intrusion. The moment his hand touched the box— Renea’s private line rang.

Sharp.

Precise.

Expected.

The brothers were already moving—systems lighting—signals tracing—Yoshike’s fingers flying—

“Tracing now—”

Renea lifted the receiver.

Calm.

Cold.

“Did you like my gift?”

Eml. His voice rolled through the line—deep—controlled—pleased.

“I picked it out especially for you.”

Tao opened the box.

Layer after layer of tissue—until—white silk. Soft. Delicate. Trimmed in red lace. The same. Again. Not coincidence. Memory. Obsession. Renea didn’t look at it. Didn’t acknowledge it.

“Tell him to leave.”

Eml’s voice shifted.

Lower.

Dangerous.

“Before I am forced to kill him.”

Tao stilled.

The room tightened instantly.

Renea’s gaze lifted—to the brothers. Then—back to the phone.

“I don’t think so.”

Simple.

Final.

A step forward.

Her voice dropped.

Sharp.

“Show yourself.”

A beat.

“Stop playing games… Uncle.”

Silence—then—a growl.

Raw.

Immediate.

“You will not call me that.”

The control cracked. Just enough. Then—

laughter.

Low.

Mocking.

“I know why you’re speaking like this.”

A pause.

“Because he’s there.”

Renea didn’t blink. Didn’t soften.

“This changes nothing.”

Eml’s voice steadied again—reforming. Then—the line went dead.

Yoshike slammed his hand down.

“Damn it.”

A flicker of flame slipped past his lips.

“He’s somewhere near the lagoon section.”

A beat.

“But I can’t lock him down exactly.”

Bokkai leaned against the console—arms crossed—eyes on the screens.

“He’s calling you out, Boss.”

Quiet.

Certain.

Tao stepped forward—slow—controlled—but the air around him—was anything but.

“He’s closer than he should be.”

Not a question.

A fact.

Renea turned—finally looking at the gown—then away.

“He wants me to come to him.”

A pause.

“And he thinks I will.”

Silence followed. Not hesitation. Not fear. Calculation. Because this—this was no longer about entry. He was already inside. Already moving. Already choosing where the lines would be drawn.

Tao’s voice dropped.

“We end it now.”

Renea met his gaze.

Steady.

Unyielding.

“No.”

A beat.

“We end it right.”

That landed. Different. More dangerous. Because she wasn’t reacting anymore. She was choosing.The battlefield. The moment. The outcome. Behind them—the cameras flickered—just once.

Barely noticeable. But enough. Enough to remind them—he wasn’t just near.

He was watching.

---

9:00 AM — The Game Returns

The call always felt wrong.

And yet—necessary. Renea didn’t hesitate. The line rang once.

“I need you, Sen.” A pause.

Her eyes didn’t move from the horizon beyond the glass.

“ASAP. Like yesterday.”

Another pause—longer this time. Then—

“Bring your brothers.”

She ended the call.

No goodbye.

No explanation.

Just—decision. Renea crossed her arms slowly. And smiled. Not soft. Not kind.

Seiji finally spoke—unable to hold it in.

“Sen, Boss?”

A beat.

“Are we playing the game again?”

Renea turned her head slightly—her smile deepening.

“My ever faithful Seiji…”

She reached out—lightly brushing his head.

“You always know.”

That look—the one he got—returned instantly.

Awe.

Excitement.

Devotion.

“Shall I prepare the house, Boss?”

Renea didn’t hesitate.

“Call Anfuni and Anna.”

A pause.

“Situation C is in effect until sundown.”

The room shifted. Instantly. Seiji moved— already dialing.

“Bokkai—”

Her voice cut clean.

“Inform security.”

Another beat.

“I am calling Situation Blue Alpha.”

Now—everyone paused.

Even Tao. Because that— that meant something. Something serious. Renea turned— finally looking at him.

Reading the question already forming.

“We are going into lockdown.”

Her tone was calm.

Controlled.

“Radio only.”

“No uniforms.”

“No outward hostility.”

“No visible weapons.”

A step closer.

“No one leaves the grounds.”

“Everyone stays inside until sundown.”

Tao’s eyes narrowed.

“You’re making him comfortable.”

Renea nodded once.

“Yes.”

A beat.

“I’m removing the threat.”

Another.

“So he steps forward.”

Tao studied her—longer this time.

Then—

“Sen.”

Just the name.

Questioning.

Renea’s lips curved again.

“Sen is… different.”

A pause.

“Special.”

Something in her tone—almost fond.

“This is going to be fun.”

The word fun didn’t sit right.

Not here.

Not now.

But two hours later—Tao understood.

Scene: The Illusion

They stood in the bedroom. Tao had already felt something shift.

Not wrong.

Just—unfamiliar.

Then—he saw them.

Three.

Standing before him.

Renea.

Renea.

Renea.

Identical.

Same stance.

Same expression.

Same breath.

Same—scent.

That was what hit him hardest. His beast stirred violently—confused—angered. Because it couldn’t tell the difference. Shouldn’t be possible.

But it was.

Renea’s voice came—

calm—

explaining.

“Sen is a rare yokai.”

“He can shapeshift.”

A pause.

“And duplicate.”

Tao didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Because every instinct in him— rejected this. His gaze moved between them.

Testing.

Reading.

Nothing.

No flaw.

No tell.

Perfect.

Too perfect.

Then—all three smirked. At the same time. Arms crossing. Mirrored. Deliberate.

“Tao.”

Three voices.

Perfectly aligned.

The room tightened.

His beast snarled inside him—demanding clarity. Demanding truth. But there was none to find.

Because that was the point.

Confusion.

Control.

Chaos—refined into strategy.

Renea stepped forward—or one of them did. It didn’t matter.

“Eml has been watching me for years.”

A pause.

“Now he gets to guess.”

Tao’s jaw tightened.

Understanding settling in.

“You’re turning yourself into a target he can’t read.”

A faint smile—from all three.

“Yes.”

A beat.

“And if he chooses wrong…”

Silence.

Heavy.

Promising.

Because now—

Eml wasn’t hunting one Renea.

He was hunting three.

Tao didn’t like it.

Not the plan.

Not the copies. Not the way his instincts kept circling with no target to land on.

“What am I doing in this game?”

The question came low. Controlled. But it carried weight. All three Renea’s looked at him.

All at once.

“You, my love…”

A faint smile—

shared.

“…are going for a walk with me.”

“Sen.”

The air shifted. And then—he felt it. A distortion. A pull—and suddenly—there were two of him.

Standing.

Facing.

Mirrored.

Same height.

Same build.

Same—claws.

Tao’s eyes narrowed.

His beast recoiled—then surged—angry. Threatened. Because now— he couldn’t tell.

“Sen will use the passages.”

Renea stepped—or one of them did.

“We divide.”

A beat.

“Three sections.”

Another.

“He hunts.”

Her gaze sharpened.

“We make him choose.”

Tao exhaled slowly.

Forcing control back into place.

“Then I don’t lose you.”

Not a question.

A warning.

All three Renea’s tilted their heads slightly.

“You won’t.”

The words came together.

Perfect.

Unsettling.

Then—the radio cracked.

Static. A sharp burst— then—tap… tap… tap. Silence. tap… tap.

Every head turned.

Every body stilled.

Ichi’s voice came through— low—pleased.

“He’s been sighted, Boss…”

A pause—then—

“House perimeter.”

Another beat.

“Servants’ wing.”

A grin slipped into his tone—sharp enough to feel.

“Finally.”

Tao’s body went still. Then—forward. Instinct overriding everything. But a hand— Renea’s—caught his wrist.

Firm.

Grounding.

“Not yet.”

Her voice—quiet—deadly.

“He thinks he’s stalking.”

A breath.

“We let him.”

Tao’s eyes burned into hers. Or one of hers.

“Too long—”

“He gets comfortable.”

A faint smile.

Dangerous.

“Comfortable men make mistakes.”

The second Tao shifted—rolling his shoulders—testing the illusion. It moved perfectly. Too perfectly. Tao didn’t like that either. Didn’t like any of this. But he understood it. Because this wasn’t about strength. Or speed. This was about control. And for the first time—Eml didn’t have it.

Renea released his wrist.

“All teams hold position.”

Her voice moved through the radio now—authoritative—absolute.

“No engagement.”

A pause.

“Let him come deeper.”

Static answered.

Compliance.

Tao glanced once more at his duplicate—then back at her. Or them.

“This ends tonight.”

Renea’s eyes gleamed—all three of them.

“Yes.”

A beat.

Soft.

Certain.

“It does.”

And somewhere—inside the estate—something moved. Something patient. Something that thought—it still had the advantage. But now—it was walking through a house—that was no longer reacting.

It was waiting.

---

Tao watched—as the bookshelf moved. Not swung. Not slid. It shifted— seamless— silent—revealing darkness behind it. No hesitation. The three Renea’s slipped inside—and Tao followed. The air changed immediately.

Cooler.

Tighter.

The world above—gone. Replaced by narrow stone—and faint lines of light tracing the walls. Bioluminescent again—but dimmer here. Controlled. Guiding. No one spoke.

Not even their steps made sound.

Only breath.

Measured.

The tunnel stretched—curved—descended slightly—until it opened. A split.

Three directions.

Each one dark—waiting.

Renea stopped. Or one of them did.

“Sen.”

No hesitation.

“Send your copy down whichever path you don’t take.”

A beat.

“Cover all three.”

The air shimmered—and one Renea broke away— gliding silently into shadow.

Another turned—choosing a second path—disappearing just as quickly. Only one remained. With Tao.

“Tao and I will go this way.”

She didn’t ask.

Didn’t wait.

Her hand caught his—pulling him forward.

“This path ends at the hot springs.”

A quick glance over her shoulder—eyes sharp.

“Servants’ quarters—left.”

Another.

“Beach—right.”

Then—movement again. Forward.

Tao let himself be pulled—but his gaze never stopped moving.

Tracking.

Listening.

Because something about this—this division—sat wrong in his bones.

Three paths.

Three targets.

Three chances—for something to go wrong.

“You’re splitting his focus.”

Low.

Quiet.

She nodded once.

“Yes.”

A pause.

“And forcing a choice.”

Another step—deeper now—the tunnel narrowing.

“If he’s been watching you as long as we think—”

Tao’s voice dropped.

“He won’t choose randomly.”

Renea slowed.

Just slightly.

Then—

“That’s the point.”

She turned—eyes locking with his—cold.

Certain.

“He’ll choose me.”

Silence.

Because Tao knew—she was right. Every instinct. Every pattern. Everything they had seen—led to that one truth. Eml wouldn’t hesitate. He wouldn’t second-guess. He would follow—her.

The tunnel curved again.

The air shifted—warmer now.

Faint steam curling along the stone.

The sound of water—soft—echoing ahead.

The hot springs.

A dead end.

A trap.

Tao’s jaw tightened.

“You’re cornering him.”

Renea didn’t answer. Didn’t need to. Because the moment—had already begun to close. Behind them—far off—a faint sound. Movement. Not theirs. Not the guards. Something else. Something patient—stepping into the maze.

And choosing a path.

---

The air grew warmer.

Thicker.

Steam began to curl along the stone walls—soft—almost gentle. The tunnel opened—and the space beyond breathed.

Water.

Dark stone.

A wide, natural basin carved into the earth—steam rising in slow, ghostlike tendrils.

Beautiful.

Quiet.

A dead end.

Tao stepped forward—instinct flaring.

He scanned everything—edges—ceilings—shadows where light failed to reach.

Nothing.

Too nothing.

Behind him—Renea moved past him.

Unhurried.

Deliberate.

She stepped to the edge of the water—and waited.

“You’re certain?”

Tao’s voice was low.

Controlled.

But tight.

Renea didn’t look back.

“Yes.”

A pause.

“He’s already chosen.”

Silence.

Then—a sound. Faint. Behind them. Not an echo. Not illusion.

Footsteps. Measured. Unrushed.

Tao turned slowly.

His body shifted—weight settling—ready.

The steam at the tunnel entrance thickened—and from it—a shape. Not rushed. Not hiding.

Walking.

As if he had every right to be there.

Eml stepped through.

Whole.

Untouched.

His gaze found her immediately.

Ignored everything else.

Everything and everyone.

“There you are.”

Soft.

Relieved.

As if this had always been inevitable.

Tao moved—just slightly—placing himself between them. A growl rising— low—warning.

Eml didn’t even glance at him.

Didn’t acknowledge him.

“You brought me home.”

A faint smile.

Grateful.

Renea turned then.

Slowly.

Her eyes met his—and for the first time—there was no softness in them. No familiarity. Only something cold. Final.

“You walked in on your own.”

Eml’s smile didn’t fade.

“No.”

A step forward.

“I followed you.”

Another.

“Like I always do.”

The words settled—

wrong.

Deep.

Tao’s control snapped tighter.

His claws flexed—barely restrained.

“You’re finished.”

The words came from him now—quiet. Deadly. Eml finally looked at him. Really looked. And for the first time—there was recognition. And hatred.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

A pause.

“She was never meant for you.”

Tao didn’t move.

Didn’t blink.

“And you were never meant to exist.”

Silence cracked between them.

Renea stepped forward. Not behind Tao. Not protected. Between them. Enough.

“This ends now.”

Her voice carried.

Not loud.

Absolute.

Eml’s gaze softened again—back to her.

“I can fix this.”

A step closer.

“You don’t have to pretend anymore.”

Another.

“You don’t have to share yourself with—”

He didn’t finish. Didn’t need to. Because Tao moved. Fast.

A blur of motion—claws slicing through steam—aimed straight for his throat— But—Eml expected it. He twisted—just enough—Tao’s strike grazing instead of killing—flesh tearing—but not enough.

Blood hit the stone.

Dark.

Real.

Eml stumbled back—then laughed.

Low.

Breathless.

“You see?”

His eyes burned—wild—alive.

“You can’t protect her from me.”

Tao didn’t answer.

He was already moving again.

But this time—

Renea’s voice cut through it.

“Stop.”

Sharp.

Command.

Tao froze.

Barely.

Every instinct screaming otherwise.

Eml watched it—and smiled wider.

“He listens to you.”

A step forward—blood trailing from his side.

“Good.”

Another.

“Then tell him to leave.”

Renea didn’t move.

Didn’t even look at Tao.

“No.”

Simple.

Unyielding.

Eml’s expression flickered—just for a second. Confusion. Then—anger.

“You don’t understand—”

“I do.”

She cut him off.

Cold.

Clear.

“You’ve been watching me your whole life.”

A step forward.

Closing the distance.

“You think that means you know me.”

Another.

“But all you’ve done…”

Her eyes darkened—

“…is build a fantasy.”

Silence.

Eml’s breathing changed.

Faster.

Sharper.

“No.” A shake of his head. “I know you.”

His voice cracked.

“She doesn’t exist.”

A beat.

“This… this is who I am.”

The words landed—heavy—final. Behind them—faint movement. Subtle. Other paths sealing. Other presences closing in. The trap—complete. Eml felt it. Of course he did.

His eyes flicked once—to the edges. To the unseen. Then back to her.

And he smiled again.

Because even now—even here—he didn’t care.

“Then prove it.”

A whisper.

A challenge.

A plea.

And the steam thickened—as everything finally came—to a breaking point.

---

Tao didn’t blink.

Because in the space between one breath—and the next—Renea moved. Not like before. Not like anything he had ever seen. Her eyes sparked—a flash of something deeper—older—and Eml—was gone.

One moment standing—the next—he slammed into the cavern wall. Hard. Stone cracked. The sound—wet. Violent. Final—or it should have been. He slid down—hit the ground—coughed.

Blood.

Then—he laughed.

Low.

Broken.

But laughing.

“Again.”

He spat blood to the side—smiled through it.

“I am a daiyokai—”

His eyes burned—feral—

“You can’t kill me.”

He surged forward—fast—faster than before—claws aimed—straight for her throat—But—he missed. Because she wasn’t there. Renea dropped low—slid beneath him—a whisper of movement—and came up—through him.

Her claws—small—precise—sank deep into his chest.

Not wild.

Not frenzied.

Exact.

Everything—stopped.

Sound.

Movement.

Breath.

Eml’s body jerked—eyes wide—shock—real—for the first time. He looked down. At her hand. Inside him. Then—at her.

Disbelief.

Pain.

Understanding—too late.

Renea leaned in—just enough—her voice quiet—cutting through everything.

“I didn’t become Supreme Alpha…”

A pause.

Her eyes held his—cold.

“…by looking pretty.”

A beat.

Then—

“…uncle.”

She pulled free. Clean. Effortless. And stepped aside. Eml stood—for half a second longer—as if his body hadn’t caught up yet. Then—he fell. Face first. Stone meeting flesh—final.

The cavern held its breath.

Steam curling—silent witness.

No movement.

No laughter.

No second rise.

Just—stillness. Tao didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Because what he had just seen—was not the woman he met. Not just. This was something else. Something that had always been there—hidden beneath silk—and softness—and patience.

Kago exhaled slowly.

Not surprised.

Not entirely.

Just…accepting.

Because this—this was his daughter. Renea stood over the body— looking down. Not shaken. Not satisfied. Just—finished. Then—quietly—

“Burn it.”

No hesitation.

No ceremony.

Just order.

The end of something that had gone on too long.

Tao stepped forward—slowly—until he stood beside her. Close. Not touching. Not yet. Because even now—he was still understanding—what she truly was.

Renea didn’t look at him. But she knew. Of course she did. A faint breath left her—and for just a moment—something softer returned to her eyes.

Not gone. Just buried. Where it belonged.

Because the monster that had hunted her—was gone.

And what remained—was the one thing he never truly understood.

She was never the one being hunted.

---

Aftermath — Ash and Quiet

They didn’t rush him.

No one moved at first.

The steam rose—slow—coiling around the body like something claiming it.

Then—Kago stepped forward. Not as father. Not as witness. As executioner finishing the work.

“Do it.”

Two of the brothers moved immediately—no hesitation—no ceremony.

Oil.

Flame.

It caught fast.

Too fast.

As if something in him—wanted to burn.

The fire climbed—consumed—and for a moment—something in the flames twisted—a shape—a face—then it was gone.

Reduced.

To ash.

Nothing left to rise again. Nothing left to follow.

Only the smell—and even that—faded quickly.

Tao stood still through all of it.

Watching.

Not the fire.

Her.

Renea hadn’t moved.

Not since she stepped aside.

Her gaze remained fixed—not on what he had become—but on what he had been. Or maybe—what he thought he was. The cavern quieted. The brothers stepped back.

Work done.

Clean.

Final.

“Perimeter secure, Boss,” Bokkai said low.

“No secondary movement.”

Renea nodded once.

“Maintain rotation.”

A pause.

“Double it until sunrise.”

“Already in motion.”

Good.

Everything moving. Everything continuing. As if nothing had happened. But something had. Tao stepped closer. Now. Close enough to touch. Close enough to feel the heat still clinging to her skin.

“You didn’t hesitate.”

Not accusation.

Not praise.

Truth.

Renea finally turned.

Met his eyes.

“No.”

A beat.

“He stopped being my uncle a long time ago.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Honest.

Tao searched her face.

Looking for—something. Regret. Relief. Anything. He found neither. Just clarity. And something deeper. Control.

“You knew exactly where to strike.”

Another truth.

Another piece.

Renea’s gaze didn’t shift.

“I always do.”

A pause.

“Or I don’t strike at all.”

That settled into him. Different from him. Not rage. Not instinct. Choice. Every time.

Kago approached slowly.

His eyes moved between them—taking in everything unspoken.

“It’s done.”

Final.

No doubt.

Renea nodded.

“Yes.”

But she didn’t move yet.

Not until—the last ember dimmed.

Only then did she turn.

“Seal the passages.”

Her voice carried.

“Reset all access points.”

Another step.

“Return the estate to standard rotation.”

The brothers moved.Already executing. Because that’s what this place was built for. Not just to survive. To recover. Fast. Efficient. As if nothing could linger here—not even death.

Tao followed her as they made their way back through the tunnel.

The faint lights still glowed—unchanged—unbothered. But something in the air had shifted.

Lighter.

Quieter.

Complete.

Halfway through—he reached out. Caught her wrist. She stopped. Turned slightly. Not pulling away. Not asking.

“Stay with me tonight.”

Simple.

Direct.

Not command.

Request.

Renea looked at him—really looked. Saw what he wasn’t saying. What he didn’t need to.

A beat.

Then—

“Yes.”

Soft. Not Alpha. Not Supreme. Just—Renea. Tao released her slowly. But didn’t step away. Not this time. And as they walked the rest of the way back—side by side—the estate above them waited.

Whole again.

Secure.

Silent.

As if it had always been this way.

But the truth lingered—not in the walls—not in the ground—but in the space between them. Because something had ended. And something else—quiet—steady—was beginning to take its place.