by Max Jager
Taking a deep breath with a smile, Jonas sighed as she forced her body to relax. "Exactly. A monstrosity like that? I am still not sure how it was even possible she was born the way she was. She deserves nothing short of death if you ask me."
Clinching her fists at her side, Yokiyo was shaking violently as her purification stayed flared and she glowed. She had a lot of nerve saying something like that. She didn't know what she was mixed with, but her aura didn't hide it from her. "You bitch! You stand there talking like my daughter never should have been born when you yourself are half demon!"
Smiling with a laugh, Jonas shook her head side to side. "You are a liar. You can see me can't you? I am human just like you. But I wonder what is going to happen to the humans of the South? When you or he come at my army attacks. Do you really think the truth is going to be told about why so many humans were killed by the Lord and Lady of the South?"
But before Yokiyo could say or do anything they heard the sound of a horn toward the West. Looking over she gasped to see another army coming at them fast. Looking at Kiyoshi and the small smile she smiled herself. "Is that who I think it is?"
Nodding Kiyoshi crossed his arms as he turned to glare at the woman beneath him. He didn't smell anything about her that spoke of having a demon parent. To him, she was vile, but human. "That is Recca. He and his army will take the fight of the humans off our hands." His eyes going to his mate he sighed. "You are sure about this one? Nothing about her scent says she has a demon for a parent."
"I am sure. I can sense it in her very aura. I am not sure why you can't tell, but I know she is." Yokiyo then turned and smiled as she watched as Recca and his men circled around the men that she brought with her. Most of them throwing down their weapons. Her eyes landed on Recca for a moment. He had really dark blue hair and light blue eyes. But was a direct blood descendant from Hana. Getting his hair and eyes from his mother's mother, who was half dog demon. But the one thing that every child born, starting with Hana and Kazuo. They all had eyes the same shape as Izumi.
Turning back to the woman just as she turned fuming eyes on her, Yokiyo laughed. "I guess it will just be a one on one then. Recca there will keep your army at bay. I will handle you."
"You bitch!"
"Oh shut it!"
Pulling her sword, Jonas glared up at the miko as she took a stance. "If you think you can then come at me!"
Moving before anyone could react to stop her, Yokiyo jumped from the gate to land on her feet as she glared at her. This woman before her came to her home looking to start a fight and mess up the reputation that Kiyoshi had with the humans now. Ran her mouth about her daughter. She went too far and Yokiyo was going to use her to show the world that she hasn't lost her touch. "Come and get you? Is that what you said? Oh it would be my pleasure to do such a thing."
X
The sun was finally starting to set, and Yokiyo still fought with this woman. Though, it was clear that she was out of shape some, she also found it odd that the half demon was breathing just as hard as she was. But while she was half demon, there was something about her demonic aura that she didn't like.
Finally standing tall, Yokiyo let her head fall to the side. "So humor me. Who is your demon parent? I mean you come here acting like because I am human our kids are monsters and yet you are a half demon yourself."
Back far enough away she felt safe enough, Jonas stood tall as she sheathed her own sword. There were only a few little trickles of light left in the sky, then they would all know who she was. "You will see that momentarily. I am unlike most half demons. Making me stronger, and easier to blend than others."
Feeling herself start to tingle, Jonas laughed. "Now you will die!"
Flinching at the same time, Kiyoshi, Umarus and Yoite moved all at once. Umarus and Yoite fending off the now large dragon that charged Yokiyo while Kiyoshi whisked her away over the wall.
Landing by Kamui and Yukani, Kiyoshi all but shoved Yokiyo into his arms. "Keep her here. I will deal with her now." He then turned and went back over the wall as he growled. "You dare to come here and criticize my choices. Run your mouth about my daughter, and attack my mate. You are truly stupid aren't you?"
Snarling Jonas tensed and readied herself to attack again. "She can't be your daughter! There is no way that she is the daughter you had with the miko! I know this because my mother was a miko as well!" Narrowing her eyes as she let her lip curl, Jonas was taking long and deep breaths. "There is no way that someone as strong as my father could have fathered a half demon child with a miko, and someone as weak as you a demon. It isn't possible."
"That's it. Now I know." Sheathing his own sword as all eyes but Kiyoshi's flicked to him, Umarus sighed as he crossed his arms. "But if he really your father then let me ask you this. Why is it that Kiyoshi is the Lord of a land and walks around without a care. While your father has been in hiding since before he could sit up?"
"Umarus."
Looking at his Lord, Umarus sighed. "You have smelled her aunt before. Her father is Kenji. I would know the scent of that bastard and his sister anywhere."
Flipping her eyes to the other one, Jonas started to shake. "Shut your mouth about my father! You will see! He will destroy you all!" Then in a fit of rage she charged. Only to dodge left a second later just in time to save herself from having a chunk out of her side by Kiyoshi in dog form. Shooting up to the sky with all the speed she had she turned and looked down at them with a roar then turned and shot off for home.
Tense and growling, Kiyoshi stayed in his dog form until he could no longer see her. Once she was gone, he transformed back to his human form and turned to Umarus as he glared with a growl. "You stay here. Send word for my parents to come here, he will be acting Lord. Yokiyo and I are headed for the North. I want Yoite sent to the West and Kamui to the East. We are all going to converge on the North. I want to know what the hell is going on out there."
"My Lord."
Branching Out Chapter 129
Breathing hard, Seiji kept running. From where they were at, it would take two full days at least to reach the Western Palace. And he ran through the day and night, and now going into the afternoon of the next day. Not slowing down in the least. The three that escaped Katana's barrier were always behind him, but they were keeping their distance from him on purpose. But why was the thing he didn't get yet.
Feeling a cramp in his leg, Seiji closed one eye as he growled but didn't stop or slow down. 'Damnit! I don't know how much longer I can run like this. My legs are starting to cramp and are heavy. And I still don't know why they haven't tried to catch me yet!'
With tears still streaming down her eyes, Nyoko could also smell the wovles that were following them. They were after her. Terrified and shaking, she never let her grip stop, and also hasn't slept at all. But since dawn she has noticed that Seiji keeps breathing deeper and harder the further that he runs. She knew he had to be getting tired by now and was pushing himself because of her. Closing her eyes she took a shaky breath. "Sei…"
"Not right now Nyoko."
Flinching at the growl in his voice Nyoko held her breath as she tensed her arms. "I am sorry Seiji."
His eyes going wide, Seiji gasped but then let them half close as he kept his pace. He really didn't mean to sound so mean when he spoke. He could tell by the way she flinched that he hurt her. "Nyoko what on earth are you sorry for Nyoko?"
Shaking hard again, Nyoko let a sob lodge in her throat as she kept her face buried in his neck. "Because of everything going on. You are upset about it, I hear it in your voice and it is all my fault for leaving the palace."
Sliding to a sudden stop, Seiji reached up and eased her arms off of his neck and turned to face her as she put her feet on the ground. Letting out a sigh he put his hands on her upper arms. "Nyoko….." But when he smelled more tears he pulled a gasp from her as he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. "Don't you dare be sorry for anything. Not a single thing. I didn't mean to make it sound like I was an
gry at you. I would never be angry with you for something like this. Never. You did nothing and I won't let them touch you. You are so special to me, and if it means my own death, I swear they won't touch you."
Clinging to him now, Nyoko tried to stop the tears as she took deep breath. But knowing that they were coming, but for some reason, in his arms she felt safe. She had no idea if the pull toward him that she felt right now was something more, or the fact that he was the one protecting her. But when he said that he wasn't angry with her she couldn't help it. "You mean it? You aren't angry with me for coming and putting you in this position? Had I stayed with Mama…."
Moving one arm from around her, Seiji made her look up at him as he smiled when she blushed. "I would never be angry with you over something you didn't do Nyoko." Cupping her face he tensed as he took a deep breath and let his smile face. "But for the moment right now Nyoko. You need to get on my back and trust me again alright."
"Right." Nyoko once again was hanging off of his back. But this time she was slightly calmer as she smiled. "Thank you Seiji."
"You don't have to thank me Nyoko. But I am going to need you to wrap your legs around me this time and hold on tight there too." Smiling as she did, Seiji took a deep breath. In just a few moments he was going to be in the fight for his life, and he needed to make sure that she knew to stay on his back no matter what. If she did that, he would be fine. If she fell off, she was as good as got. "Nyoko you need to have fully faith in me, not just trust me. Dig those nails in if you have too but don't let go no matter what."
Shaking again at the growl in his voice, Nyoko lifted her head some and looked at him, she blinked. "What is it Seiji?"
Growling as he turned and made eye contact with the leader of the three that were chasing them he narrowed his eyes. "They are here. I need to fight."
When he turned his eyes for just a second to look at her, Nyoko gasped. His beautiful amethyst eyes were bleeding red all around them. The rage she felt that matched what was in his eyes. But before she could think too much more about it, she flinched when she heard the evil laugh from the wolf. Burying her face in in his neck again she started to shake horribly as she fisted her hands in his clothes. "I do Seiji. I trust you and have faith in you. I do."
"Good." Taking a defensive posture, Seiji growled as the three of them walked out of the shadows and toward them. He could tell just by looking at them, the amount of scars that they had, their aura, the look in their eyes. They were so much older than him and seen more. Could even be older than his grandfather. But while they had age and experience over him, he had one thing that they didn't. He knew what this attraction to Nyoko was now. He wanted her. His demon wanted her. That was what would make him win this fight. They wouldn't so much as get to touch her hair. With a snarl he let out a small smile. "So are the three of you ready to die now?"
With a sadistic smile and an evil laugh, the wolf that lead the three closed his eyes as he hefted his sword up over his shoulder. "Really? What can a terrified leopard woman and a lowly dirty half breed really do against the three of us? You think someone like you have what it takes to kill us? Please. Boy the only one that is going to die here is you. And she goes to Lord Noke."
Raising his naginata over his head, Seiji's glare never wavered as he raised his hand over his head and let his demonic powers spin it. "I don't think you are stupid. You do know who my father is right? Do you think that knowing I was born half demon that he would not have pushed me harder and trained me to win even with formidable odds?"
His smiling turning to a raging glare, the wolf narrowed his eyes. "Oh yeah we know who your father is boy. Damned traitor. The great demon Lord Kiyoshi, hater of all humans. Ha! Mating with a human is the ultimate disgrace for any demon. Choosing a weak human over a demon. There is nothing more disgusting than that."
His eyes narrowing even more, Seiji snarled as he tensed. "You take that back you sorry son of a bitch."
Laughing again the wolf sighed as he gazed into Seiji's eyes. "What is that boy? Did I hit a nerve talking about humans like that? Well I can at least give them one compliment. They are better than you are. A dirty half breed is nothing more than an abomination and they all need to be destroyed, along with the demons and humans who brought them into the world."
At this moment Seiji knew his rage was soaring and that his demon was trying to break it's chain and come out. But he didn't know what for more! Was it the threat on Nyoko, knowing that he did want to pursue her as his mate? Or the threats that he was making on his mother? "You bastard. I will make you all pay. You are all going to die. For the insults on my mother. For what you are trying to do with Nyoko. I won't let you get out of this fight alive you son of a bitch."
Blinking as he looked at him more closely, the wolf noticed that now, his eyes were encased in a brilliant crimson red. They were no longer white and purple like they were before he took off running. Which means that while he was a half demon, he had an inner demon like a full blood does. So he may just put up a decent fight but it was going to be enough. "Aw now aint this sweet boys. It looks like the dirty half breed has a demon who wants to claim the leopard for his mate. I never thought an abomination like him would have an inner demon. Never seen it in a half breed before." But then he laughed as he closed his eyes. "That is going to make ripping her off his back before he dies so much sweeter."
Don't talking now, Seiji snarled as he waited for just the right second for him to show them exactly what it was that this dirty half breed could really do. 'Bastards.'
Her eyes shut as tightly as they could go, Nyoko held on with all she had as she took deep and shaky breaths. Now she understood. Bleeding eyes like he had. That was his demon coming out to protect her mate. It was more than determination to protect her for her parents or her brother. It also explained all the rage she felt from him, and in his voice.
The attraction from her to him had been there for a while. He matured so much faster than she did being a half demon, but she never thought that this was going to happen, but she couldn't and wouldn't deny that she wouldn't want too. Turning her head slightly so she could whisper only loud enough for Seiji to hear her. "Seiji is it true?" When she got a flinch she hugged him even tighter. "I will Seiji."
With a gasp, Seiji's eyes went wide then narrowed again. He could hardly hear what she said, but once it sunk it, it was like he was being hit full force by his father in dog form. "Really?"
Nodding Nyoko sighed. "Really. But can we talk about it later?"
"Sure." Seiji smiled a feral smile as he let go of his demon and his eyes went from being amethyst eyes encased in red, to being ice blue eyes like his father encased in red. The only thing he wouldn't do is transform. But he would let his demon take control in the fight. Knowing that she would become his mate, gave him that extra boost of rage that he needed. He was protecting what was his now. And he would never loose.
X
It was a few hours later, Seiji finally finished the fight. Falling to a knee as he let Nyoko fall off of his back, he was breathing harder than if he had a fully training session with his father, grandfather and both uncles all rolled into one. But he did at least do what he said. They didn't get to so much as touch her hair, but was a little beat up himself. A deep slash across his chest, numerus smaller ones up and down his arms and legs, and a small half sword hanging out of his stomach. He found out soon as the fight started why the three kept their distance. There was another ambush of thirty that were probably waiting for Cho to leave the West. Not one of them thought about that.
Once she was off of his back, he fell sideways with a thud and a growl. "Damnit. This wasn't supposed to happen." Pushing himself up and back to lean on a tree he let out a small laugh. "Sorry about this Nyoko."
Falling to her knees next to him, tears gushing from her eyes, Nyoko had no clue what to do right now. Dropping her head as she tried to wipe her tears away, she took a shaky breath. "But why are you sorry? You did what you said you would do and p
rotected me."
Laughing Seiji winced when there was a pain in his gut. "Yeah, but right now a human child could take me out with perfect ease. That took way more out of me than I thought that it would. I need more training."
"And we can help with that one."
With a smile, Seiji looked up to the side through one eye. He knew that voice all to well. Just as he broke the trees, Seiji laughed then winced in pain again. "I have never been so glad to see you in my life Yoite."
Dropping down to his knees next to him, Yoite was in shock. The smell of his blood pulled them off track to the west. But they didn't expect to see thirty wolf bodies and his Lord's youngest son like this. "What the hell happened here!?"
Growling as Yoite and his men laid him out on the ground and pulled the blade out of his stomach, Seiji looked up through a pain filled eye. "Well over thirty wolves tried to take Nyoko from me to give to Noke, and they insulted Mama."
