Nothing Special   »   [go: up one dir, main page]
Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    From $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Bitch Heiress X Samurai Butler
    Bitch Heiress X Samurai Butler
    Bitch Heiress X Samurai Butler
    Ebook421 pages6 hours

    Bitch Heiress X Samurai Butler

    By KuroKoneko Kamen

    2/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Kusanagi is a rich Tokyo heiress whose greedy relatives and even the yakuza (Japanese mafia) are after her life on a daily basis. Due to this threat her Grandfather hires her a Samurai Butler bodyguard. Ranmaru is a stoic yokai (demon) man with a dark past while Kusanagi is a high school girl with a fiery temper. Sparks fly when these two conflicting personalities meet. Will Ranmaru manage to thaw Kusanagi’s heart of ice, or will he receive a flying sidekick his way first?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKuroKoneko Kamen
    Release dateOct 23, 2011
    ISBN9781465947628
    Bitch Heiress X Samurai Butler
    Author

    KuroKoneko Kamen

    Author KuroKoneko Kamen (Black Kitten Mask) has always had an interest in Japanese culture from folktales about yokai (ancient demons) to anime and manga. As a result of being an otaku a lot of her stories are set in Japan or have a Japanese theme. Even when in the midst of a pirate novel expect a samurai warrior to be thrown into the mix. Her latest passion is paranormal romance and she’s written stories where ghosts, demons, and angels find love. Keeping her company as she writes are her several dogs and cats, some of which are rescues (now including a pet turtle someone wanted to make a soup out of). To keep updated on new stories and specials visit the author’s facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/authorkurokonekokamen.

    Read more from Kuro Koneko Kamen

    Related to Bitch Heiress X Samurai Butler

    Related ebooks

    Paranormal Romance For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • UNLIMITED

      CREATING Corpse

      Oct 9, 2022

      There are a few must-have ingredients for a spooky story. You need villains that will make the reader’s skin crawl – think people who can shed their skin like a snake, or monsters with teeth where eyeballs should be. Next, you need cliffhangers! Chap

      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Fear In The Night

      Feb 17, 2020

      Fear In The Night
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Mariam Finds Her Wings

      Mar 1, 2020

      Mariam Finds Her Wings
      7 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Skeletons

      Apr 30, 2024

      Skeletons
      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      The Friendly Lion

      Jul 3, 2019

      The Friendly Lion
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Sons Of Darkness

      Jul 10, 2024

      Sons Of Darkness
      5 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Goodbye Gordon

      Jan 21, 2022

      Goodbye Gordon
      7 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Written In The STARS

      Oct 12, 2021

      Written In The STARS
      6 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Samba The Coward

      Jun 2, 2024

      Samba The Coward
      4 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      My Lucky Safari In Tanzania

      Jun 1, 2017

      My Lucky Safari In Tanzania
      11 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      The Escaped Jaguar

      May 9, 2019

      The Escaped Jaguar
      5 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Going Gothic How To Tell The Goth-iest Story Ever

      Oct 1, 2021

      WHAT DO DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN, AND YOUR SISTER’S LACE-UP COMBAT BOOTS ALL HAVE IN COMMON? If your answer was “they’re super cool,” you’d be right! But if your answer was “they’re all part of the gothic’tradition,” you’d be even righter. Being gothic

      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      On The Wondrous World Of Cat Fiction

      Nov 5, 2018

      WHENEVER I’M reading a hardcover cat-related book in public—especially one featuring a cat who talks—I always remove the dust jacket. Wouldn’t want anyone to think I’m one of those ladies. While the “cat lady” stereotype endures, the reality is that

      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      FALSE IMPRESSIONS Part 3

      Apr 1, 2020

      FALSE IMPRESSIONS Part 3
      10 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      For the LOVE OF MEAT

      Sep 20, 2017

      For the LOVE OF MEAT
      4 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Sweet Fantasy

      Nov 20, 2021

      Sweet Fantasy
      8 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Shame Of Skyrim

      May 23, 2024

      Shame Of Skyrim
      4 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      A Hampstead MYSTERY

      Oct 19, 2022

      A Hampstead MYSTERY
      9 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      The Symmetry Of Ruby Margot

      Feb 6, 2020

      The Symmetry Of Ruby Margot
      10 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Superman’s Best Friend

      Jun 24, 2022

      Superman’s Best Friend
      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Shame Of Skyrim

      Jun 11, 2024

      Shame Of Skyrim
      4 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      A Tale of Two Trackers

      Sep 16, 2022

      A Tale of Two Trackers
      6 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      The Girl And The Puma

      May 3, 2023

      The Girl And The Puma
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Shelf Life

      Nov 4, 2021

      Shelf Life
      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Bitch Heiress X Samurai Butler

    2/5

    1 rating0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Bitch Heiress X Samurai Butler - KuroKoneko Kamen

      Bitch Heiress X Samurai Butler

      By

      KuroKoneko Kamen

      Smashwords Edition

      Copyright 2010 KuroKoneko Kamen

      Cover Design by TsukiKamiKat

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

      This is a work of fiction. All characters are invented. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

      Chapter 0 Prolog: No good deed will go unpunished

      Ranmaru, Samurai Butler and Bodyguard of the Yoshimaru Estate - was freezing his ass off. This may have had something to do with the fact that he had lost his freedom a long time ago and was now a Spell-Collared, yokai (demon) slave. And so his ‘Master’ saw fit to keep his bodyguard outside the mansion in the kennels along with his other guard dogs as if it were the most normal and natural thing in the world. Keh. Regardless of the fact that he was a fox yokai he was still a ‘male being’ and so in nothing but his boxer shorts was literally freezing to death outside along with the other poor mutts as a light snow fell outside his Master’s mansion. His teeth were chattering and he was pretty sure that he was getting frostbite in his toes - not that his Master seemed to care.

      In fact, if Ranmaru didn’t know better he’d say his ‘Master’ hated and feared him so much that he had no other choice than to toss Ranmaru outside to sleep with the other ‘dangerous beasts’. Treat a man like an animal...and he may become one though, Ranmaru thought to himself bitterly.

      Ranmaru’s latest Master didn’t consider yokai human however and so treated Ranmaru as nothing more than literally another useless guard beast. Ranmaru frowned with being compared to a dog. Foxes were majestic creatures - elegant, graceful, tricksters, intelligent, powerful. Dogs were simple-minded, dirty, drooling, slobbering, flea-bitten things that like to scratch and sniff themselves and eat questionable things (including their own shit).

      He had his very own crate - oh joy - which provided minimal warmth against the biting cold wind and snow that was seeping through his skin. He wondered with a pang in his chest where his sword Kuroki Ryu was. It rarely left his side in the hundreds of years that he had been forced into slavery...it was like losing an arm, no, worse, a part of his soul. His whole body ached for his sword. He felt so powerless...naked without it. And he knew his Master must have known this, which was why he took it away.

      This Master had been intimidated by the sight of Ranmaru with his sword and so had confiscated it -

      The damned coward. Ranmaru thought this was particularly silly on the part of his Master since he was his Master’s ‘bodyguard’ and so how was he supposed to be expected to protect his Master to the best of his abilities when he wasn’t even allowed to have a proper weapon in his hands? And protect the man Ranmaru would - even if he didn’t like him. And why was that? Because he was Spell-collared. Didn’t his Master realize the power and ancient magic that lay behind the Control Collar? That even if Ranmaru wanted to cut his Master down he would not be able to? That was the entire point of the Control Collar after all. Sigh. Foolish human.

      His Master had also taken Ranmaru’s clothes away from him and left him in nothing but a pair of undershorts. His Master really must have considered him as nothing more than a beast. Though Ranmaru supposed he ought to be grateful his Master had allowed him even that much.

      Why should a beast dress like a human? Ha! His Master had scoffed.

      Master Yoshimaru had also seen fit to add a chain to his collar (which Ranmaru could have broken at any time had he really wanted to, but his Master didn’t really need to know that) so that he couldn’t ‘escape’. Silly Master. The chain was at least a hundred feet long and so Ranmaru was still able to patrol all around the entire estate grounds easily. Again, Ranmaru thought this was a rather silly precaution of his Master since because of the Control Collar Ranmaru couldn’t escape even if he wanted to.

      Ranmaru had learned this the hard way with another Master centuries ago…

      Ranmaru shook his head as he wrapped his arms around himself as he shivered. His current Master was one sadistic bastard...at least some of his other Masters had been kinder. Some had at least allowed him to be clothed, gave him a room to sleep in, and had kept him properly fed. Those Masters had been smarter to take good care of Ranmaru since he was an exceptional bodyguard, an asset, a powerful yokai slave that would die for his Master whether he wanted to or not...

      Food.

      Drool~

      When was the last time Ranmaru had had a proper meal? Ranmaru’s stomach growled as if on cue. He wondered if his current Master would remember to feed him soon or if this was it - and Ranmaru would simply die of starvation. It had to have been...at least twenty days without food now. Any normal human man would be dead by now - lucky for him he was a yokai.

      Ah well, what goes around comes around, he supposed. Perhaps, this was the law of karma biting him back in the ass for being such a sadistic bastard himself back when he was fighting in the war.

      To think that the once great and powerful Celestial War General of her army would die of starvation. Starvation! Ha! How his enemies would have laughed and laughed at that! Ranmaru had always hoped he’d at least meet his end in battle, like a true samurai and swords master should.

      No, that was in the past...a past Ranmaru barely remembered now....

      Although Ranmaru realized things could be worse - he was glad that at least this Master hadn’t taken him to his bed...

      Ranmaru shivered at the thought of having to bed his currently chubby and pockmarked Master, a frown marring his face.

      No, his current Master’s tastes luckily and definitely lay elsewhere - as could be confirmed by the sound of a woman’s tittering laughter coming from inside of the mansion. It was far away but Ranmaru’s keen fox ears were able to pick it up.

      His Master was entertaining - again. His Master loved to have guests over, drink bottles and bottles of expensive, imported wine, and smoke fine cigars the entire night away. And it seemed his Master had also invited several...‘female companion’s to keep him and his friends company that night. Ranmaru shook his head feeling sorry for them, knowing of his Master’s sadistic tendencies...he had seen the state of some of the girls the morning after - bruises...split lips...vacant looking eyes. But there was really nothing Ranmaru could do even if he wanted; he clenched his fists at the thought, for the time being he was powerless...would he ever get used to that foreign feeling?

      That’s when he heard it, with his keen fox ears - the sound of a smack and then a pained cry - then the sound of a door opening and then the smell of blood hit Ranmaru’s sensitive nose almost immediately. Ranmaru turned his head towards the door hearing the girl running towards him first before seeing her exit the mansion and make her way across the graveled path in his direction.

      A trickle of blood was at the side of her mouth, and her eyes were wide and frantic. His Master certainly was a bastard. Ranmaru was surprised she didn’t trip on those five-inch tall leather boots she was wearing. Why one would wear something like that he couldn’t fathom - he’d been around for centuries and saw the changes in fashion becoming more and more nonsensical - would he ever understand even a little of the female mind? He supposed he might need a few more centuries for that one.

      Ranmaru shook his head of his distracted thoughts and clenched his fists at his sides. Only a coward would use their power against the weak...

      I didn’t agree to that kind of thing... The girl was muttering angrily under her breath as she hurried past, clutching her long jacket around her body more tightly against the cold, since she wore such skimpy clothing underneath, I’m getting out of here...

      Hey! Where are you going, wench? This party is just getting started!

      Ranmaru heard the unmistakable sound of his Master’s gruff voice, and noticed that it was slurred. He was drunk. Ranmaru looked over towards the entrance of the mansion to see his Master staggering down the steps towards them. Ranmaru wished he would fall and break his neck. Aw damn, it didn’t happen. Too bad. His Master made his way towards them, red faced, a bottle of rum in his hand.

      Master Yoshimaru then spotted Ranmaru and leered, Ranmaru, how perfect. Stop that girl for me would ya?

      The dark-haired girl looked over at Ranmaru fearfully, a frightened expression on her pretty face.

      Ranmaru gritted his teeth and instead stood in front of the girl protectively - while ignoring the small shock that Ranmaru felt from the Control Collar for having disobeyed his Master’s words and direct command...(it would only get much worse after all - Ranmaru was used to much worse though.)

      Ranmaru, with a cool mask of indifference on his face, his expression stoic, spoke in a calm voice, Master, I believe you’ve had too much to drink. Perhaps, you should go back inside where it’s warmer and I could make you some coffee? Ranmaru had a fake smile plastered on his face.

      Ranmaru’s voice alone was able to make his Master stop in his tracks - there was something about Ranmaru’s voice and the way he carried himself that unnerved and frightened Yoshimaru, though he would never admit to it. He knew it was stupid to fear his own Spell-Collared yokai slave but for some nonsensical reason he still did. Why? It was his gut instinct.

      There was ‘something’ behind that stoic, pleasant mask of obedience that his yokai slave usually wore...something dangerous. He just knew it - his yokai slave was laughing at him behind his back - just waiting for the moment when he’d rip his throat out with his claws, lick them pleasurably and laugh and laugh...

      Yoshimaru shivered. It was this fear of Ranmaru that bore the hate he held for him and that made him take away his bodyguard’s sword, clothes and had made him decide to put Ranmaru outside in the kennels with the ‘other’ dogs. Thinking to himself that if he thought Ranmaru was just a dog, just a dog he would be. Never mind that he was a FOX yokai. But yea, Ranmaru already mentioned that didn’t he?

      But when Ranmaru hadn’t even complained of his harsh treatment - that only made Yoshimaru fear him more. Yoshimaru frowned. He felt like he was playing with fire and feared that one day he was going to get burned.

      Master Yoshimaru quickly pulled himself together as he looked Ranmaru over closely for the first time in weeks. Ha! Just look at his yokai slave NOW. What had he just been thinking? What was he so worried about or afraid of? The yokai slave before him now was pitiful...broken. He had nothing to worry about. He smiled, regaining his confidence.

      His slave’s hair had been left uncut and had grown well past his waist, once a beautiful coppery color it was now matted with dirt and filth and almost looked dark brown. Yoshimaru could see Ranmaru’s ribs poking through his deathly pale skin and his fierce golden-yellow eyes now appeared dull, muddy...there was no longer a spark of defiance. Nothing. Ranmaru was a bright flame that was slowly being extinguished…

      What could Yoshimaru have possibly been afraid of? Yoshimaru suddenly felt like laughing for some reason and so he did. He let out guffaws of laughter and once he was finished wiped a tear from his eye. His expression then turned serious and he turned to glare at Ranmaru, "Don’t patronize me, dog. You dare to tell me what to do? You really ought to learn your place." An ugly sneer formed on Yoshimaru’s lips and Ranmaru knew what was coming. This was going to hurt. "Embrace."

      Ranmaru gasped in pain as he felt the Control Collar around his neck constrict painfully, slithering around his neck like a snake, like a living thing, and it sent a painful electric shock through his body as his Master spoke the word of ‘subjugation’ that activated the Control Collar to punish a disobedient yokai slave.

      Although Ranmaru was in a great deal of pain he didn’t show it outwardly...

      This only made his Master more fearful and nervous. Ranmaru, get out of my way, the girl is mine! He barked, but Ranmaru could hear the slight tremor in his voice.

      Master, why not let her go? Ranmaru didn’t really know what was wrong with him. Had he lost his mind? What was the point of trying to stand up for this frail human woman? Humans were all the same weren’t they? They could really give a shit about him. He was a yokai after all. But...for some reason Ranmaru had always had a soft spot for women. They were such interesting, unfathomable creatures. He never had managed to figure them out.

      Though there had been one woman who had seemed to be able to figure him out...one who had been able to see right through him with those clear peridot colored eyes of hers. No, Ranmaru shook his head; the last thing he wanted was to remember about her. So he buried those memories again deep within himself…

      Ranmaru had always felt women should be protected since they were the weaker sex and that it was a man’s role as the stronger sex to do so. He knew his Master would probably end up killing him...that he would end up dying for some girl that didn’t give a shit about him but...that was better than dying of starvation Ranmaru decided. Maybe this was the insanity of remembering the girl with peridot colored eyes that made him decide to do this. He’d always be a bastard but...at least with his last dying breath he may give this girl a chance to escape his Master. And really if he won one over his Master wasn’t that reward enough?

      Yoshimaru stared at Ranmaru in complete disbelief, his jaw hanging open comically before he snapped - Embrace! Embrace! Embrace!

      The collar slithered around his neck choking Ranmaru painfully and were those teeth biting into his neck? Then painful electric shocks shot through his body again and again and his body was on fire. Ranmaru gasped as the pain his body was feeling caused him to sink to his knees...dark spots were forming in front of his eyes and he knew he was close to passing out...

      Was this the end? To die for the sake of another? Ranmaru had never thought he’d end up going like that.

      He had failed to protect the girl with peridot eyes long ago. She had been the only one who had ever truly loved him. He wished he had simply died that day as well. Why had he been cursed to live on without her?

      Could this one act of kindness make up for everything he had done in his past in the name of war? Bullshit. So, he would die alone...but he had always been alone hadn’t he? From the very beginning when he had chosen to tread down the path of obtaining great power - to have great power meant being alone. Because power made one different from everyone else. Power eventually turned one into a monster. And who could love a monster? No, he had known for a very long time that he would die alone…

      A monster didn’t have friends. Or lovers.

      That was the price Ranmaru had been willing to pay for power. Why had he wanted power again? He couldn’t remember…

      Yoshimaru wore a slightly psychotic expression on his face as he smiled down at Ranmaru’s sparking and slightly singed body. Not so high and mighty now, aye slave? You will pay for your continued disobedience towards me. I’ll teach you to defy me! Yoshimaru sent his foot into Ranmaru’s gut, the wind was knocked out of him and he fell on his side gasping in pain.

      But Yoshimaru didn’t stop there and he continued to kick the fallen form of Ranmaru again and again, until a sickening crack was heard. That was a rib. Ranmaru thought dazedly. Yoshimaru continued to kick Ranmaru, while laughing maniacally as though possessed - this was something his Master had wanted to do for a very, very long time. To just snuff out this dangerous...threat. And he didn’t stop until Ranmaru was nothing more than a pathetic bloody mass upon the ground.

      It hurt to do so but Ranmaru managed to open one of his swollen eyes by just a crack and saw that the whore had taken his Master’s moment of distraction with him in order to escape. Good for her...

      After his Master’s anger had abated he looked down at the bloody and broken form of Ranmaru’s body with a slightly surprised expression on his face. Opps, he hadn’t meant to take it that far. He had paid good money for Ranmaru after all and was slowly beginning to regret his hasty actions. Completely useless...I have no need for a disobedient slave like you.

      Ranmaru couldn’t help but wonder when he had ever really been disobedient before.

      I’ve had enough. Yoshimaru declared suddenly, I’ve decided I’m going to sell you on the morrow! Hopefully, I’ll be able to get rid of you for a fairly decent price at the slave market to make up for all the trouble you’ve caused me... Yoshimaru smiled at the thought of getting some more drinking money in his pocket. I wonder what your next Master will be like, Ranmaru. Hopefully, not worse than me aye? Hahahaha! Yoshimaru couldn’t help but laugh.

      Ranmaru couldn’t help but think the same thing as he was sliding into unconsciousness. A new Master huh? I wonder how much of a bastard this one will be? Or maybe she’ll be a bitch ka…?

      Chapter 1: Don’t judge a book by its cover

      Master Yoshimaru, true to his word, took Ranmaru to be sold at the illegal Yokai Market the very next day. There several other Spell-Collared yokai slaves would be sold off to the highest bidder.

      This was a world where yokai and humans now lived side by side...but even though things like yokai slavery were illegal that didn’t stop it. Spell-Collared yokai slaves were a popular forbidden luxury for those who could afford it or had enough political power to get away with it – i.e. business tycoons and the yakuza (mafia).

      Ranmaru had been sold countless times but never before in such bad shape...would he even manage to get a buyer? And if he couldn’t find one would he be put down?

      No...anything but that...Ranmaru thought. I rather have another sadistic bastard for a Master than to be ‘put down’ like a common animal. Like a dog. Let me please die in battle…like a true samurai. His pride demanded it. Or was his pride already broken?

      To Ranmaru the entire proceedings of the slave auction went by as something like a blur due to his dazed mind and awful condition. He could barely see - one eye was completely swollen shut.

      He could hear muddled words...

      "Next up we have a Spell-Collared fox yokai slave..."

      Ah, that had to have been the auctioneer. Ranmaru thought. At least someone finally got it right. Heh.

      "Bodyguard skills...Samurai Butler..." The auctioneer continued ticking off highlights about Ranmaru from a list that Yoshimaru had probably come up with.

      Ranmaru felt himself being kicked and then dragged into position up on the display stage, yanked by the chain around his neck and then he was pushed down to his knees...

      A hush seemed to fall over the gathered crowd of potential buyers before one man snorted and broke out laughing with everyone in the crowd following suit.

      Someone just shoot me.

      "Bodyguard? That pathetic yokai can barely stand! What could he be expected to protect? Ha! Is this some kind of joke? Well, it isn’t very funny and you’re wasting our valuable time." The man sneered.

      Samurai Butler my ass...just look at him - he’s half dead! He couldn’t even be made to wash dishes! He’d probably fall over in a faint like a princess!

      Medic! Medic! Anyone have a cellphone? Hahahaha!

      Is there a doctor in the house?

      Ouch. If pride had been a word hanging over Ranmaru’s head it would have crumbled to pieces.

      The gathered crowd of people continued to laugh and crack jokes at Ranmaru’s expense.

      "Now, don’t be like that...minna-san...ladies and gentlemen. The auctioneer put out his hands in a placating gesture. Don’t I have any offers? How about we start the bidding at 50,000,000 yen? A fine deal neh? Once he’s bathed, fed, and rested I’m sure he’ll be as good as new!"

      This suggestion was only followed by more laughter, until-

      "100,000,000 yen!"

      HUSH~

      The auctioneer coughed, Um, excuse me, Sir, did I hear you correctly?

      "I think so young man, unless you have wax in your ears. I want to buy that slave for 100,000,000 yen. Is that a problem?"

      Ranmaru gathered what little strength he had left in order to raise his head and see who on earth it was that had decided to purchase him and for such a large sum of money. He painfully opened one eye and saw an old man, probably in his seventies, in an immaculate and rather flashy, all-white suit. There was a pair of black rectangular sunglasses perched on his nose. Short, snowy white hair framed his face and he had a well-trimmed white beard, which he was currently stroking. There was a shiny gold Rolex on his wrist and a gold chain around his neck. He wore a mischievous smirk on his face and as he waited for the auctioneer's response he carelessly picked wax out of his ear and flicked it off into the crowd, who flinched back and away from this ‘crazy old man’. He merely grinned at them revealing a few sparkling gold teeth.

      Ranmaru couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. THIS was who had decided to buy him? Some eccentric old man? But what use would an old man like him have for a Samurai Butler like Ranmaru? He couldn’t help but wonder.

      "N-no sir! Sold! For 100,000,000 yen!" The auctioneer declared.

      Ranmaru patiently waited outside the room where his former Master and the auctioneer directed the old man to fill out all the necessary paperwork for his new acquisition. Ranmaru was quite familiar with the process having been present several times before for the ‘transfer of ownership.’ Muddled words again came to Ranmaru’s sharp ears-

      "Oh, no I won’t be signing the contract nor doing the Blood Pact...Ohohohoho. The old man chuckled heartily, I bought this yokai slave for someone else, you see..." The old man continued to laugh as if something were extremely funny about all this - some inside joke perhaps.

      The auctioneer and his Master both seemed equally surprised if their silence was anything to go by but they both seemed to pull themselves together and apparently by the sounds of agreement that Ranmaru heard from within were not disagreeable to the terms.

      Just make sure the Blood Pact is carried out as soon as possible. It could be dangerous for you otherwise to be left alone with him without being able to use the word of subjugation on him...

      Again the old man laughed, "Dangerous? Have you taken a good look at your yokai lately? That poor pup couldn’t hurt a fly - not in his current condition anyways. Seems like someone forgot to feed him properly. Poor boy... The old man must have been shaking his head, he then continued. Besides, he won’t hurt me. After all, I just saved him from you. The old man seemed to pause again before continuing. Now, where is his sword?"

      There was a pause and a seemingly reluctant Yoshimaru handed the sword to the old man. I wouldn’t give it to him...not until the contract is signed...the Blood Pact made... Yoshimaru sniveled.

      The old man just chuckled. You’re not as dumb as you look. You realize instinctively that he’s powerful. Hohohoho~ Or at least he used to be- The old man’s voice was thoughtful. "Anyhoo, it’s really none of your business - at least not anymore. And I can do whatever I want to my slave. That’s the deal after all. Good day, gentlemen. The old man walked out and then moved to face Ranmaru. Here." He handed Ranmaru his sword, which Ranmaru took gingerly into his hands, a surprised look on his face.

      He couldn’t believe the old man had just given him his sword back...without the contract being signed or Blood Pact made there was absolutely nothing stopping Ranmaru from cutting the old man’s head off if he wanted to - and yet. Ranmaru looked at the old man - he showed no fear. Just who was this old man - really?

      The old man gave Ranmaru an assessing look, and seemed to pick up on Ranmaru’s train of thought. And he still remained calm even then, a slight smile tugging on the old man’s lips as if to say ‘Try me, yokai’.

      There was certainly more than meets the eye to this old man, Ranmaru decided feeling unexpected respect towards the man.

      Do try and keep up. The old man said before turning and taking off with Ranmaru struggling to keep up behind his new Master.

      Ranmaru’s hand wrapped around his sword and he felt at peace. A piece of him had been returned to him. And he felt whole again. Just for that...Ranmaru felt indebted to the old man but also knew he couldn’t trust him quite yet. People tended to act one way in public and a completely different way behind closed doors. Ranmaru knew this from past experience. He shivered.

      The old man seemed to notice and gave Ranmaru another piercing stare. "Don’t worry, my boy, we’ll get you a nice warm bath and some proper clothes soon. After all - you stink! And I doubt she would let you stay five seconds in her presence looking like that! Ha!" Again, the old man seemed to be laughing at some sort of inside joke.

      ‘She’? His new Mistress perhaps? Ranmaru suddenly felt queasy...

      They reached a long white stretch limo - a uniformed driver got out to open the door for them and the old man stepped inside. The driver gave Ranmaru a surprised look before schooling his face into an expressionless mask. Funny, and here Ranmaru thought he was good at hiding his emotions. Ranmaru then followed the old man inside the limo.

      They were then driven to the old man’s estate. They were admitted past an iron gate, and to a long drive, which wound its way through an expansive forested area. Ranmaru was surprised by how much land there was considering that this estate actually lay in the heart of Tokyo. Just who was this old man anyways? Or had they somehow ended up somewhere else?

      At the end of the drive a large expanse of land had been cleared and there in the center was a mansion. It was a modern mansion done in the manor style. The walls had been done in white stucco. What was with the old man and white? There was a coldness and intimidating aura about the place. There was also very little ornamentation on the outside of the mansion house. The place spoke of class, high society. His savior was definitely a rich man. Ranmaru wondered how big his crate would be this time.

      The Kimamura Estate The old man said loftily, "By the way, you can call me Kimamura-san."

      Ranmaru nodded and that’s when he smelled a creature or rather several creatures. His eyes widened, surprised to be picking up on the scents of several yokai animals on the property. He followed the scents with his nose and noticed a strange looking structure. It was a large glass-domed building that appeared to be some kind of menagerie or zoological garden, but was larger than any Ranmaru had ever seen before. He could just barely see through the glass that there were full-grown trees inside that reached the ceiling. It must have been some kind of enclosed environment. Did this mean he was going to be someone’s pet? How humiliating...

      Ranmaru noticed that several of the dangerous yokai ‘pets’ were simply wandering around the estate grounds. Just who were these people...? Ranmaru recognized a yokai panther, yokai dog, and was that a giant python? Among some of the animals. Most humans would have been scared out of their wits to come across these sorts of animals so this doubly surprised him that Kimamura-san didn’t seem at all ill at ease at the sight of such dangerous animals.

      The old man seemed to notice Ranmaru’s disquiet, "Ah, you can smell them can’t you? That’s my granddaughter’s menagerie - she likes to collect rare, endangered, or magical creatures including yokai. Some of the creatures are rather dangerous but my granddaughter likes to think of them as being misunderstood. She thinks they’re cute, you see. Ha! Well, she’s always had strange tastes."

      Menagerie? Granddaughter? Oh my god. Ranmaru put two and two together. He was going to be Kimamura-san’s granddaughter’s new pet! How humiliating...someone please just shoot me? He noticed that the yokai panther had on an expensive looking diamond collar, and a large pink bow on its head along with two pairs of bright pink booties. Ranmaru’s eye twitched. Pink...booties...Would the so-called granddaughter put him in pink booties too? Oh the horror!

      Though Ranmaru was going through some inner turmoil his outer expression remained stoic and cool.

      Ranmaru expected the limo to take him to the menagerie and wondered again how big his crate or perhaps cage would be this time? He was surprised when the limo continued to drive up the main drive and towards the main mansion house.

      A maid answered the door before they even had a chance to knock. She was an interesting looking maid with a short, red-haired bob, a pair of overly large, round spectacles on her face and a black maid’s outfit with a frilly white apron along with a lacy, white maid’s cap upon her head. Judging from the smile lines around her lips she was probably in her late twenties early thirties. "Ah, Kimamura-san and- The maid turned her bland expression on him next. AHHHH!!!! She screamed loudly, and covered her mouth with a shaky hand as she then pointed at Ranmaru. What is that?"

      That? Ranmaru bristled slightly.

      A present for my darling granddaughter, of course. The old man grinned, showing off his golden teeth.

      "You must be joking. You’re not serious are you Kimamura-san? She’ll have a fit. And... The maid pinched the bridge of her nose. He stinks! We can’t let Kusanagi see him this way if you’re actually serious about this. She shook her head. And knowing you, you actually are serious about this. Crazy old- The maid seemed to catch herself. I think I know what you’re thinking, Kimamura-san. But I believe it’s still too soon."

      "Daijoubu. It will be alright. You always were a keen one, Roze-san. Not many girls can brag about having both beauty and brains." Kimamura-san’s hand had strayed towards her buttocks-

      SLAP

      Ranmaru made a mental note. Kimamura-san wasn’t just some old man. He was a dirty old man.

      Kimamura-san was left on the ground moaning in pain as Ranmaru felt himself being dragged away by the scary maid to god knows where.

      Ranmaru was then shoved unceremoniously into a room. The maid was still pinching her nose with a disgusted look on her face. "Now, you stink, so take a bath and get dressed. Appropriate clothes can be found in the dresser and the armoire. Make haste - I’m sure Kimamura-san intends to introduce you to Kusanagi right away. And first impressions are key. Though I don’t know what good that will really do anyways. Roze sighed as she looked Ranmaru over once more, This is never going to work..." She muttered before turning on her heels and slamming the door behind her, leaving a rather stunned Ranmaru alone inside of the room.

      He turned to appraise the room - it was needlessly spacious and nicely decorated with what appeared to be European antiques. There was a comfortable looking four-poster bed with red silken sheets, a mahogany table and two chairs, a mahogany dresser, a small desk and chair off to one side, and an elaborately carved armoire.

      I wonder who’s room this is...Ranmaru let himself into the bathroom and had to shield his eyes. Mabushi! Too bright! Everything was sparkling white - so white that as he trekked across the floor

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1