Twelve Lords

by Max Jager

  Nodding Yokiyo then turned to Umarus and smiled. "Umarus. Who will it be today?"

  Turning to look at the guards that were out there now, Umarus wanted to find one if it were possible that hadn't spared with her or had any contact with her. Just heard the stories. Then he spotted him. Hakkai. He was new, but had been there long enough that he has heard plenty of stories about the injuries that she has given the others. "Hakkai. Get out there and spar with the miko."

  With a gasp as his amber eyes went wide, Hakkai paled as he looked at Umarus. "Wait what? Me? You can't be serious."

  "Get out there. Spar with her."

  "Can't someone else do it? Let Yoite do it. They all told me that he hasn't had….."

  Growling Umarus stopped him as he crossed his arms and narrowed. "Just get your ass out there. Yoite can't do it because he is their guard and has to stay at top shape. Now stop whining like a little pup and get your ass out there! And you better not play around either."

  Standing right next to Kiyoshi now, Sanzo laughed as he watched the miko. "He seems very unwilling to spar with your mate Kiyoshi."

  His eyes also never leaving his pregnant mate, Kiyoshi sighed with a smile as he crossed his arms. "For good reason. And I have nothing to do with it. You will see."

  Taking up her stance as Hakkai came out before her, Yokiyo smiled. "I haven't had a chance to spar with you as of yet. I promise I won't be too mean."

  "Thank you My Lady."

  Funneling just enough purification into her practice blade to add an extra bite to it, but not glow she smiled. "Come."

  A glance back at Umarus who still glared, Hakkai closed his eyes. 'Please don't let her burn me.' Then he opened them and charged the miko, not wanting to get hurt from Umarus, he was holding nothing back.

  Watching him, Yokiyo moed and blocked his attack and then flared her purification and sent him flying back a few feet. Just as he hit the ground, the hairs rose on her neck. Dropping down just as she felt the wind of Sanzo's dagger that would have cut the back of her neck, she turned and pushed out catching him on his stomach and flared her purification again, sending him flying back about a hundred feet.

  Not wanting to let her mate kill him, the second he stopped there was a pink barrier around him, just a fraction of a second before Kiyoshi's fire sword would have took off his head. Taking a deep breathe, Yokiyo smiled down at him as she started to slowly walk toward them. "Well Sanzo? I do pass don't I?"

  His eyes wide and filled with pain, Sanzo forced a smile. The searing burning pain from his stomach, the smell nearly exactly like the burn the miko gave his father all those years ago. Then add that with the painful needle like sensation that was now spread over his entire body. She proved she could stand with him easily. And right now this one human really did hold his life in her hands. With her barrier, and her mate.

  His eyes flicking to the side to see the bleeding eyes of Kiyoshi and the snarl on his lip he was actually welcoming the needle sensation. 'Let's hope she can keep me alive.' "Indeed. You did much better than I expected you to actually."

  As she moved closer, another slam from Kiyoshi's fire sword and her head went light as she started to stumble to the side. "Kiyoshi please….."

  The sudden lightheadedness pulled him out of his rage, and Kiyoshi was there next to his mate in a flash to steady her. "Yokiyo?"

  Smiling up at him she sighed as her head started to go right. "You know he could do this. And if I am right he wouldn't have actually killed me, just cut me. Correct Sanzo?"

  Nodding as he shook under the barrier, Sanzo let out a laugh. "That's right Kiyoshi. She is after all pregnant and you know I couldn't do that."

  Turning back to him as both his arms wrapped around her waist she laid her hands on his chest. "He did what you expected him too. I fended him off and hurt him. Settle down?" Then she let her head fall to the side in a show of submission. Smiling as the intent on murder vanished from them both.

  Reaching up and pulling her head down to rest on his chest, Kiyoshi let out a long sigh. She was right. He did try, she fended him off, and saved his life. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. "Now we just have to deal with whomever that bastard from the North sends."

  Nodding as she relaxed full, Yokiyo let the barrier around the bird vanish. "And we will do that and then I will be able to enjoy the rest of my pregnancy."

  Standing, Sanzo winced as he touched the burns on his stomach with a half-smile. Laughing as he closed one eye, he looked up at Kiyoshi. "Now I get why your guard was not eager to spar with her. This hurts like hell."

  Laughing as she winked at him, Yokiyo drew his eyes down to hers. "And I was holding back on you too. Some of the other guards have gotten five times that before. I just happened to be in a good mood today."

  "I see. So he was worried he would get worse than what I got then."

  "Most likely."

  Feeling her go lightheaded again, Kiyoshi looked down at his mate and sighed. "Indeed. For now she needs rest. Imae."

  "I need to see Takahashi anyway." Sanzo then winced again as he turned and walked off.

  "Right." As Imae reached him, he bent and scooped her up, sitting her on his shoulder as he turned and walked with his mate toward their rooms. This part was done. He was hoping that Motoichi wouldn't want to send anyone. But he is and they will be dealt with along with any others that want to try at the presentation.

  X

  That night as she walked into her bedroom, Yokiyo rubbed the back of her neck as she smiled with a groan. "Imae is finally asleep. I swear I didn't think she was ever going to stop talking about her sparing match with Sanzo. I think he has made quite the impression on her."

  His eyes glaring, Kiyoshi growled at the mention of the birds name. "He should be thankful."

  "He?"

  "The bird."

  Slipping into bed, she curled up against him and laughed. "What on earth should he be thankful for?"

  His arm going around her waist as she laid her head on his shoulder, Kiyoshi let out a long sigh as his body fully relaxed. "The fact that had my mate not been a miko, he would have lost his head tonight. Intending to kill or not, the intent to hurt you was there. Had you not had him in the barrier when you did, Ayame would have been Lady of the East."

  With a smile as she already felt sleep pulling at her eyes, Yokiyo sighed. "Then yes he should. Takara and I will have the preparations for the presentation done tomorrow. Your mother stepped in and helped us a lot. Just the outfits will be left."

  "it seems that what I said, and your question to my mother seems to have started a true acceptance of you. It should not be too long before Yukani and Father follow suit."

  "I do hope so."

  Smiling as her sigh started her slow and steady breathing of sleep. At this moment the world was right for him. He had his mate in his arms. He could smell his eldest pup just next door to them. And he could also hear the feint rhythm of another pup's heartbeat that mingled nearly perfect with its mother. To him, nothing could be better at the moment.

  If his father and sister would just accept it and stop acting the way they were, then life would truly be perfect for him. A content sigh coming from him, as he let sleep pull at his mind, Kiyoshi let his head fall to the side so that his chin touched his mate's. 'I guess Father and Yukani will come in time.'

  The Priestess and The Demon Chapter 75

  Once again Kiyoshi found himself being pulled from a sound sleep at the sudden movements of his mate as she jumped to rush to the bucket that was now kept by the bed. One she seems to use all day long anymore. And he was really starting to get worried about her. Even though she insisted that she was fine, today he is going to have Takahashi look at her. It was not normal for anyone to get sick as much as she was.

  Moving to sit on the floor next to her as she was trying to catch her breath after she finished vomiting, he lifted her into his arms and headed back for the bed. "I am going for Takahashi."

  As he lay her on the bed,
Yokiyo shook her head side to side with a smile. "I am telling you that you don't have to do that Kiyoshi. I don't want to waste his time. I am fine."

  Once she was covered up again, Kiyoshi sat on the edge of the bed. "You will see him." He then reached over for the tea pot to get her something to drink.

  Rolling her eyes with a sigh as she took the cup of tea, she laughed then took a drink. She hated the vile taste that was always left in her mouth when she would get sick. "If me seeing him will make you feel better about it then go get him. But if he tells you the same thing I am, you are going to get off my back about it. Even Senri told you yesterday that my mother was sick from the day she got pregnant with me to the day I was born. It is normal for humans."

  "I will agree to that, but if is the key word there miko. If he says you are fine then yes I will. If not, then you stay in bed until you stop. Even if we have to push the presentation back until after you have the pup. That is what is done."

  Laughing as she smiled at him with a wink, Yokiyo shook her head. "Fine. But we are not pushing the presentation back. I don't care if Takara has to follow me around with that bucket over there it is going to happen right when we said it is."

  "What?" His eyes going wide as they stayed looking into her smiling eyes, then narrowed into a glare. "If you are sick….."

  Rolling her eyes with another sigh, Yokiyo shook her head. "I want to get this damn thing over with. And before I have the pup. That way I got some time to get it planned out just in case this is a boy. I really don't want to mix the two of them. Retsuko told me the difference between the presentation of a mate and an heir. And I can't show what I am capable of if I am worrying about who is going to come after my son next."

  Dropping his head with a sigh, Kiyoshi shook his head. It was this stubbornness that she had that infuriated him, and attracted him. "Fine. Just stay here. I am going to go and get Takahashi."

  Smiling as she shook her head, Yokiyo watched him leave the room then let out a long sigh. Looking down at her still flat stomach, she rested both her hands on it as she let her head fall to the side. "The chances of you being where you are were not that great. A miko for a Mama and a demon for a daddy. If it happens again great. But I do so wish that you are a son. At least he can have his heir if it can't happen twice."

  His eyes gleaming in frustration, Kurosai stood by his son's door. To hear the same basic thing that his own mate said, come from this human mate of his son. But he could tell the pup had a good heart beat and was strong. She wasn't going to miscarry so easily. Course even if she did, the second Kiyoshi smelled the change the bond was set. And for at least his mate's sake, it was time to come to an agreement with the miko. He hated seeing her torn between wanting to support his son in his choice, and loyalty to her mate who is fighting it.

  Not even knocking he walked on in the room once his son was far enough away, his ice blue eyes glaring as they met with her shocked, and yet glaring dark blue ones. Walking half way into the room he stopped as he crossed his arms. "You and I need to have a talk miko."

  Yokiyo glared right back. She knew that he detested the very ground she stood on. Sorae was coming around and she was relaxed and nice with her. Kurosai however. She wasn't going to pull her punches with him. "What would that be about? I already know you can't stand me. So what else could you possibly have to talk to me about?"

  Growling, Kurosai nodded. "That's right. I hate the fact that his demon picked you. Though I can't really lay the blame completely on you or him. He should have dumped you in the middle of the night, or fought it harder. The true one to blame was Akahito and what he did with Imae. If here were not already dead I would take great joy in killing him slowly."

  Crossing her arms, Yokiyo sat up and glared right back at him for a moment and then turned her head to the side. "You know. If you came in here to complain and cause me more stress then just leave. I know I can't make you like me. I can't make you accept me. And it wouldn't matter if it was your son's child or not. I will not deal with anymore stress."

  "What I wanted is this miko. I will play nice, but only when my mate and granddaughter are around. You do the same. Seeing them and feeling them this upset because I am still pissed off is wearing on my nerves and I don't like it."

  Turning her own heated glare on him, Yokiyo growled herself as she narrowed her eyes. "Have you ever stopped to think about the stress it is putting on your son? Oh no that would be asking too much. You don't care about his stress so long as he does what you want in the end."

  "You hit the nail on the head miko." Turning his back to her as he made his way toward the door. "This only holds true when Sorae and Imae are around. Other than that don't expect me to go out of my way for you."

  Her temper getting the best of her again, Yokiyo was shaking from the pure rage. "Just what exactly will it take to make you accept me fully?"

  Turning on her with a sly smile, Kurosai laughed. "You want me to accept you and the fact that you may or may not be strong enough to hold your position?"

  "That would be ideal. I couldn't care less personally. But I know what it is doing to your son and that is pissing me off."

  "What happened with Sanzo yesterday was nothing. He wasn't really trying. That doesn't count. The only one thing that you can do to make me accept you fully happens the day you give birth. Have a son that is a full blooded demon. Then I will."

  Her eyes going wide, Yokiyo just looked at him for a moment. That wasn't possible. As much as she would like the face it just couldn't be done! "What did you…."

  "Exactly. It can never happen. You can't do that so I am never going to accept it." He then turned and stormed out.

  Her rage making her shake violently, Yokiyo gripped her cup tightly as she charged it with purification then chucked it at the door watching as it shattered into pieces. "He really pisses me off."

  Taking a few deep breaths to calm down, she then smiled as she looked down at her stomach again with a small giggle. "Odds were stacked against you from the start honey. Perhaps you may just make Grandpa eat those words huh son. That would be something."

  X

  Stepping out of the bedroom that his Lord and Lady shared, Takahashi smiled as he looked up into the worried eyes of his Lord. "In all my years My Lord I have seen many human women give birth to a pup sired by dog demons. Wolf, cat, hawk and many others. Her pregnancy is moving along faster than I have seen, everything is just fine."

  "She does almost nothing but vomit all day long. This is not normal."

  Laughing as his old eyes shined, Takahashi nodded to his Lord. "For a human it is very normal My Lord. When they are pregnant they do not handle it like a demon does. They eat odd things, vomit and other strange things." Then he turned and looked at the door as he sighed. "It is puzzling though My Lord."

  "What is puzzling?"

  Turning to see the look in his eyes, Takahashi smiled as he laughed. "Everything si fine. She is strong and healthy and so is the pup. But typically you can smell the faintest smell of a half demon on the human mother. I don't smell that with her."

  "Is that something to be concerned about?"

  "Not really. I am sure the smell will come forth as she progresses. But not to worry My Lord she is fine. No matter how much she gets sick. Not to worry." He then just turned and walked away.

  With a sigh as he walked back in his room, Kiyoshi glared at the miko with the smug look in his bed. "Fine. Say it."

  "See I told you I was right." As he reached the bed and sat next to her, Yokiyo sat up and leaned over to lay her head on his shoulder. "Shone should be here today isn't that right?"

  "That's right. He and his mate and pup."

  With a sigh, Yokiyo closed her eyes. "His son is Isamu and his mate is Yuriko right?"

  "That's right. I was on my way home from his presentation the day that you saved Imae." Reaching up Kiyoshi wove his fingers into her hair and gently massaged the back of her head with his claws. "None of them or those they bring with them wil
l be a threat to you. It is whomever that leopard sends that really worries me. Not knowing when or how. Nor how many."

  Laughing as she sighed, Yokiyo leaned away from him and pushed her hair back behind her shoulders. "Well they don't worry me much. Though there is one thing I have been meaning to talk to you about."

  The sudden change in her voice and the way she looked down, caused him to worry. She went from happy and content just a moment ago, and now she was nervous about something. "Who is it?"

  Blinking Yokiyo looked up at him with an odd look. "How did you know it was a who?"

  "It is always a who when your mood changes so drastically so fast. So who is it that has caused this change? I don't like it."

  Sitting back, Yokiyo took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she bit her lower lip. "Hachiro."