Twelve Lords

by Max Jager

  Shaking his head, Shone rubbed the back of his neck. "I knew I couldn't get past you my friend. But you are right exactly. There is another reason that I called you here like I did. Do you remember the small pack of wolves that were from the Northern Planes that always came here?"

  Tensing, Kiyoshi growled as he crossed his arms and closed his eyes. He knew that one all too well. Because of one female. "Kaoru's pack."

  With a groan as he opened one eye and looked at Kiyoshi, Shone sighed. "Yes well they are in the West now."

  Giving him an annoyed glare, Kiyoshi growled. They had been from the North for as long as anyone could remember. Even from that pack. "You mean they just moved to the West or…"

  Shaking his head Shone once again dropped it. "No. She is coming here."

  Stopping with a growl that was low and deep, Kiyoshi glared at his friend. He remembered that twit all too well. She was nuts for Shone and tried everything she could to get him to mate her but he chose Yuriko in the end. She then tried to throw herself at him, but was turned away at the gate. "Why?"

  A growl of his own as he let out a frustrated sigh, Shone crossed his arms. "Of this I have no clue. I wish I did. But depending on what she is going to say or do is why I wanted you here."

  His eyes still stern, Kiyoshi relaxed some. "So what does Yuriko think about it?"

  Walking on out of the palace, Shone sighed as he pulled his sword, half smiling as Kiyoshi did the same with one of his. "Yuriko is always too kind and sweet for her own good. She didn't want to start trouble so she invited Kaoru to come back to see Cho with you and Yokiyo."

  Giving his friend a perplexed look as they turned to face each other, Kiyoshi blinked. "But I don't understand why she would be back in the West in the first place though. After all this time that you, and even I have been mated. Even she should know if she did anything we wouldn't be able to mate again and it would be pointless."

  Laughing as he took up a stance, Shone shook his head. "Especially in your case. You know how much she tried to get me to mate her. After you took over the South she tried even harder, but when I started to pay attention to Yuriko more, jealousy reared its ugly head and she had to be told to leave on countless times. After we mated, I came across her and her father and both swore revenge for my turning her away for Yuriko."

  A small smile, Kiyoshi took his own stance as he sighed. "So you are worried of a revenge attempt on your pup."

  "Exactly. Yuriko thinks she has changed, but I remember the twit of a pup she…" But then he growled as he let his head fall back and sheathed his sword. "This will have to wait. The twit is here."

  Looking up as the guard rounded the corner, Kiyoshi understood fully now. While he could not deny that she grew into a beauty, the looming scent of disgust that radiated off of her when she looked at them, and the pure hate and rage that shined in her eyes. She was up to no good. "I understand now."

  His eyes hardening, Shone growled as he walked toward her. "Exactly."

  X

  Smelling the woman that was there the other day that seemed to set his father off, Isamu jumped back from his sparing with Katana and landed holding his hand up. "Hold."

  Stopping in mid spin, Katana gave him an odd look at how he looked to the side. "Hold? What's going on?"

  Blinking as he followed their scent, Isamu turned to Katana. "I think it is best we head back to your room now."

  Blinking at him with wide eyes, Katana was at a loss. They usually did this all day long when they were there. "What are you talking about? Why do we need to go back now?"

  Dropping his practice blade on the ground with a sigh, Isamu turned toward the palace with Katana. "It's a long story, but the day after Cho was born, some woman that Father and Mother knew when they were pups showed up. Ever since Father has been acting strange, and Mother seemed nervous, and not about Aunt Kisa or Hiroko. I think that is why he sent for you and your pack."

  Giving him an odd look as they entered the palace, Katana could smell the new strange wolf smell with his father. "Is that her with our fathers?" When he got a nod he sighed as he closed his eyes. "Then I am sure that Mama knows something is up now too."

  With a smile, Isamu lead the way through a back hall that would get there faster. "I still marvel at how your parents bonded. Mother can't find Father like yours can."

  Laughing himself, Katana nodded. "She says that it is because she is a miko and not like normal humans. Just like Imae. I don't think that I will ever understand what they mean. I am just glad that she can't find me like she can Father."

  Laughing as they rounded another corner Isamu closed his eyes. "Yeah I would be too. Mine can find me through tracking through so you are lucky."

  X

  Stopping just in front of Kiyoshi and Shone, Kaoru gave a sweet smile and a gracious bow. Both were the most handsome pups she had ever seen. And they now turned out to be the most handsome men that she will ever see. And yet both of them turned her down!

  But at least she could say that Shone turned her down for another demon. The fact that Kiyoshi mated with a human at all battled her to no end. He could have had her, a true princess of a tribe, but no he chose to ignore her and then took a human.

  With a small laugh as she stood up, Kaoru gave a small laugh as she folded her hands before her. "It is good to see you again Kiyoshi. It has been a long time since the last time we saw each other."

  Not trying to hide the hate and rage in his eyes, he glared into eyes that mirrored the same. "Kaoru."

  Keeping her sweet smile as she took a step closer, Kaoru nodded. "I also heard that you took a mate and had four pups. Congratulations."

  Growling as he narrowed his eyes, Kiyoshi didn't move. But would set her straight. "Five. We have five pups."

  Blinking as she let her head fall to the side, Kaoru didn't understand what he was talking about. "I am sorry. I had only heard that she birthed you for pups." But when all she got was another glare, she sighed as she closed her eyes. "I am sorry Kiyoshi but I don't understand."

  Growling as he closed his eyes, Kiyoshi crossed his arms. "My mate Yokiyo and I adopted a human as our eldest pup. She is now the Lady of the East."

  Nodding as she kept her eyes closed, Kaoru now crossed her arms. "I see. It is a shame though."

  Growling at her, Kiyoshi had to fight the urge to kill her. "Why is that?"

  Walking on past them toward the palace, Kaoru gave a sly smile. "Well just that you and Sanzo mated with humans. Even if one of your pups is a boy, it is a half demon and won't last long when the going gets tuff. And now poor Sanzo will have the same problem."

  Following behind her first, with Kiyoshi behind him, Shone glared at her. "I think perhaps Kaoru that you are in for a surprise when we reach Kiyoshi's room."

  Turning to look over her shoulder with a forced shocked look, Kaoru blinked at him a she walked. "You mean to tell me that his human mate is still alive? I would have thought that she withered away to nothing but now. And if Sanzo has the human you adopted as a mate, she surely doesn't have much longer either."

  Not hiding the snarl in his lip as he let out a low menacing growl, Kiyoshi was making no effort to curb his anger. Yokiyo would show her what for when they got there because of it. "Kaoru it is not wise to speak such things about my mate and pup to me when you know nothing about the situation each one is in."

  A sweet smile as she turned and walked backwards to give him a small bow then turned back around. "Forgive me Kiyoshi I meant no harm. That was inconsiderate of me and I will not do it anymore." She then turned and glided through the halls. Following the only human and half demon scent in the palace which had to be his mate and pups. A truly evil smile on her face as she went through her plan in her mind.

  Branching Out Chapter 114

  With her arms crossed, Yokiyo tapped her foot as she fixed the door with a glare and a growl. She had no clue what happened, but the sudden and uncontrolled rage and hate that was now surging from Kiyoshi, something had to be w
rong. When she heard footsteps coming her hear raced, but then settled some when she saw Isamu and Katana come in the room.

  Giving his mother a blank look, Katana just froze with Isamu. He had seen her mad but this was insane. "Mama?"

  Her eyes glaring over his head, Yokiyo hadn't moved. "Never mind."

  Walking behind Katana, Isamu looked at Kiara when he got to where they were on the far side of the room. "Kiara?"

  Shaking her head, Kiara kept her eyes on her mother. "I have no idea. Just like something in her snapped and she got this mad. Told us to get over her and stay over here. Whenever she just gets mad like that, it is safer to just do what she says."

  Looking back at the growling miko, Isamu had wide eyes. "Does she do this a lot then?"

  Shaking his head, Katana also kept his eyes on his mother. "No. Last time this happened, but not this bad was when Seiji and Santrix were just stating to walk. One of the older pups of the palace tried to trip Santrix and was pulling Seiji up by his ears as he laughed at them. When Father questioned them, they said that their parent said they could. And that set his blood boiling, and that effected Mama."

  His eyes still on Yokiyo, Isamu let his head fall to the side for a moment then looked at Katana with curious eyes. "I wonder if it has something to do with her then?"

  Flinching at Isamu's 'her' comment, Yokiyo turned a sharp glare to the young wolf making him flinch himself. "What her are you talking about Isamu?"

  His eyes wide, Isamu now understood why Kiara said it is safer to just go with what she said. The glare in her eyes was terrifying. "I do not know everything or exactly who she is. All I know was that she was around when Father, Mother and Kiyoshi were pups. She showed up the other day and Father was angry about it. She sets his temper off like I have never seen. I think it is her 'I am better than you attitude' she has. She is worse that Hiroko and Uncle Sume."

  Turning back to the door, Yokiyo had to take a few deep breaths. Those ones pissed her off more than anyone. "She probably doesn't like humans either I would presume."

  Nodding, Isamu was still in shock at how she was acting. "Most likely I would say."

  With a smile, Yokiyo lifted her head and took a deep breath. She would send Kiara out to green them. She would get under her skin and do it with a smile. "Kiara."

  Flinching, Kiara blinked. "Yes Mother?"

  Not even looking over at her daughter, Yokiyo growled. "Go out and meet your father."

  Standing, Kiara gave her an odd look. "You are sure."

  "He is almost here." Turning her glare on her daughter she pointed. "Now!"

  "Yes Mother." Kiara then jumped and went out the door. Once out the door she could see them coming down the hall. The woman walking in front of her father and Shone had to be who Isamu was talking about. Setting her father's mask in place, she walked toward them. "Mother sent me to meet you Father."

  Stopping in the hall, Kaoru had wide eyes as she watched the full demon pup walk past her and up to Kiyoshi. She couldn't believe her eyes! She had his exact markings, but with dark blue eyes and black hair. Turning her shocked look up to Kiyoshi, she blinked wide eyes at him. "I had not heard this. You mated twice? Really?"

  Turning her head as her father put his hand on it, Kiara glared up at this wolf. She was so tired of hearing this from everyone they met! But she did know now why her mother sent her and not Katana. "That would be incorrect. Myself, my brothers Katana and Seiji, as well as my sisters Imae and Santrix all have the same mother. The only mate that Father has ever had."

  Turning to face the pup fully, Kaoru forced a smile as she leaned down some. 'I hate this brat already.' "Now sweetheart that can't be true. You are a full demon. If the human he mated with was really your mother, you would be a half demon. Like the two I smell in your room."

  Letting her anger get the better of her Kiara started to growl. She didn't know how many more times she could take her mother being doubted like this! But the quick tap from her father stopped her growling as she sighed and closed her eyes. "I am sorry Father." Taking a deep breath, she turned to face the wolf as well and sighed. "If you would like, I can prove who my mother is, beyond any doubt that you may or may not have about it."

  Giving her a half glare, Kaoru crossed her arms. "Really? And how can a demon prove she has a human for a mother?"

  Her mask still in place, Kiara just looked at her. "You knew that my father mated with a human. Did you know that the human that he mated with was a miko?"

  Nodding as she kept her forced smile, Kaoru was getting tired of this game fast. "I did hear that. I was actually shocked that he was able to sire one pup with her because of that. Let alone more than that."

  A feral smile on her face, Kiara held her head high. "Tell me have you ever met another demon that can use the purification powers of a miko?"

  Her hands on her hips, Kaoru now gave the pup a stern look. "There is no such thing as a demon that can use the miko purification. And even if there was one, the purification would kill them. It just cannot be done. Shame on you for making up such a thing." She then turned her back to the pup to walk on down the hall, but yelped as she jumped against the wall a few feet down the hall when purification hit her nose and she felt that painful sensation.

  Looking at her, Kaoru was now moving away from the wall and backing away from her. She was glowing purple, and it was so very clear that she did use purification! Glanding up at Kiyoshi and Shone, she saw the pain twisted on Shone's face, but Kiyoshi didn't even act like it bothered him and still had his hand on the brilliantly glowing pup. "I don't understand. How is this even possible?"

  Having smelled his sister's purification, Katana ignored his motherhs growl and ran out of the room. He too with his father's mask in place stood waiting for the wolf to get closer to him. Just as she was about to bump into him he too flared his own purification making her jump back against the wall with another yelp. "It is possible for Kiara and I to use purification because we both have a miko for a mother."

  Looking from one pup to the other, Kaoru couldn't believe the pain that she was in. The sensation of the two of them was like she was being stabbed over her body with red hot pokers. Even her very eyes hurt. "I see then. I must admit I never expected this. I do believe now that your mother was a miko. Your father being as strong as he is must be why you were born demon with this power."

  "And just what in the hell does it matter who their father is? They didn't get that power from him."

  Jerking her head toward the door as the sweat began to bead on her body, Kaoru went wide eyed. There behind the boy was a very young miko! She was clearly his mate, but she didn't look old enough to be their mother either! "You are their mother?" 'Man this isn't good. I have to get away from them!'

  With a sigh as her own purification faded, Yokiyo laid her hand on her son's shoulder, as Kiyoshi tapped Kiara's head making them let their powers die as well. Her head held high as she took a deep breath. "Indeed I am their mother." She then looked to her side to see Seiji and Santrix come out and stand on either side of Katana. "There with her father is my daughter Kiara. This is Katana, and our twins. Seiji and Santrix. I am Yokiyo."

  Breathing hard as she looked back and forth with them all, Kaoru was shocked that the demons could use purification. But the fact that the miko mate that he took more than forty years ago, still looked like she was in her prime was what shocked her most. She should at least have wrinkles by doing the math! And her scent was off too but she couldn't place it. "But I don't understand. Not to be rude by why do you not look anywhere near as old as I know you should be?"

  With a smile, Yokiyo moved to take her place at her mate's side as he put an arm around her waist. "Well, I look as young as I am because of the bond that I have with him." When she just got a bewildered look, Yokiyo winked. "It was my strength of will, and want to bond with him, as much as he did me. I changed how I age. I now age like a demon to have more time with him." She didn't need to know anything beyond that.

 
"I see then." Kaoru used her still shaky hands to smooth her clothes down and catch her breath. She had not expected this to happen during her visit. 'The sooner I get done what I came here for and leave the better.'

  As she followed Shone and Isamu, with her pups before her, Yokiyo couldn't resist. The frazzled look that she had was just too funny. "Oh and I am not the only human to do this. Our eldest pup Imae, the Lady of the East. She changed how she aged too."

  Giving her an odd look as she followed, Kaoru was nervous but her curiosity wouldn't let her forget about it. "Can I ask how you changed how you age?"

  Giggling as she gave her a wicked smile, Yokiyo shook her head. "That is a secret that only those close to our pack get to know. Sorry about that."

  A smile on his face as he shook his head, Shone sighed. "At any rate. I believe that I have a daughter that you all are here to see."